For the first time I skipped my facial electrotherapy Monday morning session at UMMC. Instead, I was boarding the LRT from Taman Jaya after parking BFX at the last slot in the parking area. No place to sit, but luckily I was at a corner & so I could lean a bit.
I was on my way to KLCC Convention Center to attend the 14th ICOT!
Did on the spot registration because it seemed the online registration I did on Friday did not go through. After quickly sampling the snacks available, I went straight to Plenary Hall for the keynote speaker by Gardner (to be followed by the opening Ceremony).
Surprise... surprise... guess who happened to be at the door 'receiving' me. THE CONVENOR of the conference, Net's sister, herself!
The next surprise... as I was walking up the aisle, trying to get a seat... someone called up my name. It was Hazami, a close friend. Ada gang!
So, that's what I did for the next 5 days, except for Tuesday.
I'd be in Plenary Hall for the keynote speakers at 9am & I normally stayed on till late afternoon. Lunch was provided.
It was rather tiring, especially on days that I didn't get a seat in LRT... but the fact that I got to be in attendance & listening to individuals like Buzan & de Bono was well worth it.
Net's sister & her committee member did very well! They bid to be the host all the way in 2005! I cringed at *the challenges they had to face to manage an event of this size with big local & international names.
*2 small examples that happened right in front of my eyes:
a) A participant from Indonesia complaining to the convenor the fact that the organizer failed to supply face masks to each participant (in reference to the H1N1). Convenor looked frazzled... but, I thought the guy had a point!
b) A local speaker complaining that she felt very dissappointed that at an event billed as 'a workshop', it did not take place as her expectation about what a workshop should be. Exasperated convenor said something about 'one couldn't actually dictate these big names & 'workshop' could mean differently to individuals of different background'. Good answer :)
During the closing ceremony, there was a standing ovation for her & lots of accolades. Net's sister, the convenor, was all teary eyed & surely very thankful that she's passing on the baton to the next convenor, another lady, for the 15th ICOT in 2011 to be held in Belfast.
On Tuesday, I was at the department for 2 meetings -- agihan projek penyelidikan called by Yati & a Buku Panduan meeting for coordinators. I missed the talk by TunM. He was the main speaker for Tuesday.
On that day, I forced Zulfa & Amzari to use my pass to go. It was actually a conference for their kind of work & I wanted them to have a feel of attending a big conference.
I was very grateful that I was given the rezeki to attend a talk & get to know a couple who for the past 6 years had taken care their eldest son who had brain injury. I shared my experience at the session. We also discussed about the lack of support group available & I volunteered myself to be part of the association that they are going to form. Most probably, I would invite someone from their group for my Diseases of the Nervous System. I had also urged them to write a book of whatever aspect of their experience that they wanted to share with the public.
Of course another big news is the death of Michael Jackson @ Mikaeel (There were reports that he converted to Islam in November 2008).
Al Fatihah.
However, there are also some write ups against this news.
http://trueslant.com/alieteraz/2009/06/26/was-michael-jackson-muslim-and-his-islamic-burial/
I also 'grew up' with Michael Jackson's songs, especially when I was studying in Chico. Song like "She's Out Of My Life" will forever be stuck in my mind... Saadah you almost drove me crazy playing that song over & over again!
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