I have always been inferior when it comes to meeting people. I am so afraid that I make a fool out of myself. When Helmy invited me to join him at the book fair, I said ‘ok’. But when the time drew near, I told Helmy ‘maybe’. I always like to change my mind the very last minute. I told my husband, Zaim, that I have second thoughts. Zaim told me that one of the tips (by the late Lim Goh Tong) to be succesful is to never cancel appointments or meeting (I reminded him that it’s only a bookfair). He looked at me in the eyes dengan garangnya and told me to just be myself and go with the flow.
And so I did. I went out of my coconut shell (or shall I say tempurung!) and met people. Zaim is so right, it wasn’t that hard. I met bloggers, whom I got to know their names from Helmy. I never got to talk to them but knowing who’s who is good enough. I saw Jiwarasa. I saw Ted Mahsun. I saw Faizal Tehrani. I met Nisah Haron, the writer personally. Talked to her, she’s sweet, prettier up-close. I also got to meet and talked to Prof Dr. Siti Zainon Ismail (Bonda), an artist, poet, writer and Malay art, culture and heritage consultant! I met with Anis, a sweet lady who reads my blog. Yesterday I met Saharil Hasrin Sanin, a freelance illustrator/blogger. Saharil runs Saharil Conteng. And today I met Ida Kassim aka RichyReens who runs A room of Crazy Scrapper. She bought eight of my cards! I just can’t believe it! I’m so happy that I finally got to meet Ida. And guess what? I signed an autograph for Muhammad Akashah, a student and a fan from Kedah! Lol, this one was really not what I expected! I signed an autograph!

Akashah in orange shirt.

Pak Samad and Bonda Siti Zai.

Bonda Siti Zai brought along her sketchbook and showed me the latest sketches of her new projects. Her pen sketches are amazing thus inspired me to start practising one! Mind the wording, it was just there to fill the empty space, and a bad attempt to write a poem 😳

Pepatung itu | Pen on Moleskine