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Social Responsibility of Muslims In Ramadan | Occupational and Intellectual Wellness: Career Tips and Strategies For Teens With Author-Architect Ivy Ngeow II
SEASON 1 | EPISODE 18 | SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
SEGMENT I | Social Responsibility of Muslims In Ramadan | Occupational and Intellectual Wellness: Career Tips and Strategies For Teens With Author-Architect Ivy Ngeow (Part 2 of 4)
Music Copyright and Attribution
- “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
- “Inspiration” by Ethan Tay. February 20, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Pro Wellness” by Ethan Tay. March 9th, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Sounds of Nature” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. January 4, 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Birds and Nature In Spring” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. May 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
Co-Sponsors
Hardi Kamsani and Azman Repin (M. S.)
Hosts
Azimah Azman, Azfar Azman and Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)
Volunteer Contributor
Hardi Kamsani (Audio Editing and Sound Design)
Scriptwriter | Producer | Director
Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)
ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is a production of ASKtrioWello LLC (New York).
Disclaimer
The information provided in the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor, specialist or personal trainer for advice on your physical wellness goals before you plan to follow any of the suggestions or recommendations in this podcast.
All Rights Reserved ©ASKtrioWello LLC 2021.
* * *
TRANSCRIPT
Hello! Holã! Marhaba!
WELCOME to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! Join me, Syazana Sani and the Astro Duo, Azfar Azman and Azimah Azman, your hosts from New York. Let’s strive to educate, regenerate and elevate family institutions through optimal productivity and wellness education, one episode at a time.
ARE YOU READY to listen to inspirational stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility from multicultural families and special needs communities? Sit back, relax and be inspired by the awesome people that we highlight in the first segment of the podcast…
SEGMENT I | Social Responsibility of Muslims In Ramadan
[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! This episode is co-sponsored by Hardi Kamsani and my dad, Azman Repin. Thank you and may God bless you.
[Azimah] Hello! May peace be upon you!
[Syazana] You are listening to the eighteenth episode of the podcast with me, Syazana, and the Astro Duo: Azfar and Azimah.
Do you remember what we talked about in segment one last week?
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh, yes! Yeah! We talked about my favorite time of the day: Iftar! That is when Muslims break our fast.
We also mentioned an organization that provides support services for special needs communities: AIM Services, Inc located in Wilton, Saratoga Springs,
[Syazana] Wonderful recall!
[Azimah] Hey! This Ramadan, our family attended two Iftars at our friend’s house. Let’s listen to one of the recordings I did at Watervliet, New York.
[Audio recording of Iftar at Sister Zahia’s residence]
[Azimah] I had so much fun with sister Zahia. We received a special Iftar invitation from her! I hope you can feel the joy of breaking fast in the recording. My tummy was so happy with the delicious food that sister Zahia cooked!
[Syazana] Wow! What a pleasant surprise!
[Azimah] Ha ha yeah!
I remembered that I didn’t have my professional digital recorder with me that day because I wasn’t planning on doing any recordings. But you were so excited and used my iPhone XR to record it instead.
[Azimah] Next time, bring the recorder everywhere we go please!
[Syazana] Okay, I’ll try to remember that but no promises! By the way, do you remember what dishes sister Zahia cooked that day?
[Azimah] Hmmm...let me think! Haaah! She cooked
*Algerian Lamb Soup with Wheat;
*Beef Pastry Roll;
*Algerian Chicken Over Basmati Rice with coffee and tea.
[Syazana] Hmmmm! Yummy! If you had listened to the podcast (episode #8 and #9), you would remember Sister Zahia and her healthy cake, tea, smoothie and salad recipes. If you have tried any of her recipes or our Begedil, The Malay Hash Brown recipe, do share your photos and cooking adventure with us.
Here’s a great offer: The best entry will win... a special online cooking challenge known as Cook-A-Doodle Do! This course will feature home chefs like sister Zahia in July this year!
[Azfar, Azimah] If you’ve enjoyed listening to our podcast, show us your support! Please rate and review us so that more people will subscribe and benefit from the podcast.
[Syazana] Now, let’s talk about the social responsibility of Muslims in Ramadan. This will be the final episode of the Ramadan series this season. The question for you, two, is:
What do Muslims do in Ramadan other than fasting and praying?
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh! Yeah, there’s more to fasting and praying in Ramadan. Plus enjoying food and drinks during Iftar!
[Azfar] Firstly, fasting and hunger is a great impetus (which is something that promotes) the spiritual growth of Muslims. In fact, according to the great Muslim scholar, imam al-Ghazali in his book Reviving The Sciences of Religion, there are ten (10) virtues of hunger.
[Syazana] Let’s just highlight three (3) of the virtues of hunger that were mentioned in the article entitled The Blessings and Benefits of Hunger by Shaykh Zaid Shakir from the Ramadan Reader published by Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California.
[Source: Zaid Shakir (2021). The Blessings and Benefits of Hunger from Ramadan Reader 1442 AH/2021 CE) published by The Zaytuna College, Berkeley, California.]
[Azfar] What’s the first virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Crushing one’s lusts and appetites to achieve mastery over the soul. This is said to be the greatest benefit. When Muslims fast, we also refrain ourselves from our desires for intimacy and other bad habits or traits such as overeating, using bad or offensive language, wasting time or resources and much more.
[Azfar] What’s the second virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Purifying the heart. This ignites creativity and facilitates inner vision.
[Azfar] What’s the third virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Prioritizing charity and giving preference, with excess food, to the needs of the poor and orphans.
[Azimah] Muslims are encouraged to be extra kind and generous in Ramadan.
[Azfar] Yes. Charity in Islam (Zakat) is not just one of the core pillars of Islam but a tool to help ease poverty, suffering and hardship throughout the globe.
[Source: The Zakat Foundation of America. (2021) Retrieved from the World Wide Web on May 3, 2021: https://www.zakat.org]
Every year, Muslims pay Zakat or alms. The Zakat Foundation of America offers a Zakat calculator to help Muslims determine how much Zakat they need to pay. The Zakat calculator considers the comprehensive net assets (total wealth).
In Ramadan, Muslim household pay a special Zakat known as Zakat al-Fitr, or the Zakat of Breaking the Fast of Ramadan. It is the special obligatory alms paid by all Muslims by the end of Ramadan.
[Syazana] In addition to paying Zakat al-Fitr, some families give out food staples like rice, flour, cooking oil directly to the poor who are also recipients of the Zakat. Muslims give lots of sadaqah or charity which is a monetary donation to the poor and orphans in addition to the compulsory Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan and the annual Zakat.
[Azfar] If you want to know more about Zakat and Zakat al-Fitr, you can visit the Zakat Foundation of America at …
[Syazana] https://www.zakat.org
[Azfar] In the last ten (10) days of Ramadan, Muslims look forward to the “night of power” also known as Laylatul Qadr. This night is the night that Allah SWT is most generous. If someone is blessed to meet this night, the rewards for his acts of worship will be multiplied by 1000 months. So Muslims hunt for this night by doing acts of worship like reading the holy Quran, qiyamulail which is night prayers in addition to salatul Taraweeh, seeking forgiveness from God for all our sins and seeking forgiveness from others especially if we have done something wrong in the past.
[Azimah] Before we end this segment, we would like to wish all the marvellous moms out there: Happy Mother’s Day!
[Syazana] If you’re lucky to have your mother, mother-in-law or someone whom you regard as a mother to you, remember to do something extra special this week to show your appreciation for her unconditional love and her sacrifices.
This year, I’m blessed to receive early Mother’s Day gifts from my teen superheroes. Thank you my darlings: Azfar and Azimah! Muah! Muah! Muah!
On behalf of my family, I would like to take this golden opportunity to seek forgiveness from all our supporters for any mistakes that we might have made in the past. We would like to wish all Muslims Eid Mubarak!
[Azimah] That's it for segment one today! Stay tuned to the next episode…
[Azfar] And listen to stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility.
~ End of Segment I ~
* * *
SEGMENT II | Occupational and Intellectual Wellness: Career Tips and Strategies For Teens With Author-Architect Ivy Ngeow II
Coming up next…
In the second segment of the podcast, we’ll learn about productivity and the nine dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, social, intellectual, mental, occupational and financial wellness—so we can survive and thrive in this unpredictable world.
[Syazana] We’re back to talk about occupational and intellectual wellness in segment two this week.
[Azimah] Do you still want to be a professional football player or an engineer?
[Azfar] Oh no! After taking the International Baccalaureate course, I discovered that I like Psychology a lot! I like to help people achieve their health and wellness goals. I’ve been thinking about pre med which is short for pre medicine courses in college but I want to specialize in neurology which is about the human brain and psychology which is about human behavior.
[Syazana] I hope you’ll make the right career choices. Whatever you choose as your career, remember to make the intention that your career is an act of worship to Allah, the Almighty God!
[Azfar] Okay! Insha’Allah! If God wills it.
[Syazana] Last week, we promised that our special guest, author and architect, Ivy Ngeow, will answer another question on our show today!
[Azimah] Now it’s time to welcome our special guest…Ivy Ngeow!
[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast!
[Ivy] Thank you!
[Azimah] What is a typical day like as an architect and an author?
[Ivy] A typical day has to consist of both architecture which is the day job and writing which is the dream job.
[Azimah] Oh! So you have two jobs: a day job and a dream job! I learn something new!
To live the dream, I usually wake up at half past five (5:30 PM) or half past six (6:30 PM) if I am being lazy or tired. I try to write for an hour to an hour and a half until the children wake up. I find that that’s the optimum time. I don’t think I can do more than two hours. And then I make them breakfast and (my husband or I will) take them to school. I usually try to exercise three times a week, minimum, for about ten to twenty minutes.
And I crack on with all my architectural work: which is emails or responses to admin, drawing, accounts, certificates, checking figures, calculations and all work related activities including calls and meetings. So I work on these tasks until it's time for the children to come back from school.
[Azfar] Wow! You’re someone with good discipline and a great passion for what you do!
[Azimah] Do you cook and prepare meals for your family? Or do you like to go out for meals?
[Ivy] I usually prepare all their meals. We eat at home usually. Once dinner is over, I try to revisit what I’ve done and if anything that needs rewriting has to be rewritten. I usually can’t work on anything new in terms of writing in the evenings.
[Azimah] Do you watch TV?
[Ivy] I don’t really watch any TV in the evenings because the time that I have before bedtime is really important for me to catch up with reading.
[Azimah] Oohhh! So you read a lot just like my mom!
[Syazana] Yeah! Reading is good exercise for the brain and mind. You can read a variety of resources: books, magazines, newspapers, research articles or journals, blog posts, even transcripts of all the episodes in this podcast.
For Muslims, one of the best ways to boost your brain power and memory is to read, understand and memorize the holy Quran. So let’s continue to learn the Quran in the blessed month of Ramadan and beyond!
[Azimah] Okay! I’ll try to do better next time.
[Azfar] Yes! You can do better!
[Syazana] What did you do to cope with the stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 lockdown in London?
[Ivy] Something that’s happened over the lockdown was that we started a family book club.
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh really? Book club at home?
[Ivy] So every night, we focus, as a family, on reading. I’m trying to pick up speed with my kids because of the lack of real interaction in school. Due to a lot of online interaction, I find that they are finding it difficult to focus on skills like reading—basic skills. So I try to get them to read five to ten pages every night and we all do it—my husband and I and the kids. And after we read for about ten minutes, we try to discuss ideas of what we’ve read, what we like or we didn’t like. I found that the family book club was really important to keep us together and keep us sane during the lockdown because don’t forget: there is little or zero social interaction and I found that it was important to connect on a very basic level which is reading skills.
[Syazana, Azfar, Azimah] Awesome! Great sharing! Thank you so much, Ivy.
[Syazana] If you are a teenager or have teenage children who are thinking of becoming an architect or author, we hope that you have a better idea of what to expect of life as an author and architect after listening to Ivy Ngeow. Remember: choosing the right careers will have an impact on your occupational and intellectual wellness.
Next week, Ivy will be back to answer another question: What were the challenges you encountered to become an author and architect?
[Azimah] So stay tuned to the next episode!
*Additional Notes
Author biography
Ivy Ngeow is a multi award-winning author, born and raised in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. She has written three psychological suspense fiction novels, numerous short stories in international settings and a series of non-fiction lifestyle titles. An architect and musician, she's always had a flair for creative writing since childhood, winning her first national competition at 16. She turned serious after graduating from Middlesex University with an MA in Writing, as it was there that she won her first international competition, the 2005 Middlesex University Literary Press Prize out of almost 1500 entrants worldwide. In 2016, she was awarded the International Proverse Prize in Hong Kong for her debut, Cry of the Flying Rhino (2017). She is interested in culture, people and places, having lived in Malaysia, Singapore, Sydney where she trained in architecture, and London where she is now based. When she was in Singapore, she studied at Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary), a top girl’s school.
Author Links
email: [email protected]
Architecture and Interior Design: www.ivyngeow.com
Writing: www.writengeow.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ivyngeow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyngeow
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ivyngeowwriter
MidCentury Modern: 15 Interior Design Ideas published by Leopard Print is Ivy Ngeow’s latest book.
Amazon UK (£4.29 ebook £9.99 paperback): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09118QVPZ
Amazon USA ($5.99 ebook $13.99 paperback): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09118QVPZ]
~ End of Segment II ~
* * *
We’ve now come to the end of the show today. If you have enjoyed our show, like us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @asktriowello a-s-k-t-r-i-o-w-e-l-l-o. Send us your feedback to [email protected] or [email protected].
Visit our website at asktriowello.com and *SUBSCRIBE to ASK Trio About Wellness podcast!
*Available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcasts, Tune In, Listen Notes, Pandora, Podbean Podcast App & Player and YouTube@asktriowello as of May 2021.
~ End of episode ~
* * *
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
View all episodes
By ASKtrioWello LLCSEASON 1 | EPISODE 18 | SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
SEGMENT I | Social Responsibility of Muslims In Ramadan | Occupational and Intellectual Wellness: Career Tips and Strategies For Teens With Author-Architect Ivy Ngeow (Part 2 of 4)
Music Copyright and Attribution
- “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US
- “Inspiration” by Ethan Tay. February 20, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Pro Wellness” by Ethan Tay. March 9th, 2021 (Sydney, Australia). This work is an original contribution by the artist for the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Sounds of Nature” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. January 4, 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
- “Birds and Nature In Spring” by Syazana B. Mohamed Sani. May 2021 (New York, U.S.A.). This work is an original contribution by the founder for ASK Trio About Wellness podcast.
Co-Sponsors
Hardi Kamsani and Azman Repin (M. S.)
Hosts
Azimah Azman, Azfar Azman and Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)
Volunteer Contributor
Hardi Kamsani (Audio Editing and Sound Design)
Scriptwriter | Producer | Director
Syazana B. Mohamed Sani (M. S.)
ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is a production of ASKtrioWello LLC (New York).
Disclaimer
The information provided in the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast is for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor, specialist or personal trainer for advice on your physical wellness goals before you plan to follow any of the suggestions or recommendations in this podcast.
All Rights Reserved ©ASKtrioWello LLC 2021.
* * *
TRANSCRIPT
Hello! Holã! Marhaba!
WELCOME to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! Join me, Syazana Sani and the Astro Duo, Azfar Azman and Azimah Azman, your hosts from New York. Let’s strive to educate, regenerate and elevate family institutions through optimal productivity and wellness education, one episode at a time.
ARE YOU READY to listen to inspirational stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility from multicultural families and special needs communities? Sit back, relax and be inspired by the awesome people that we highlight in the first segment of the podcast…
SEGMENT I | Social Responsibility of Muslims In Ramadan
[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast! This episode is co-sponsored by Hardi Kamsani and my dad, Azman Repin. Thank you and may God bless you.
[Azimah] Hello! May peace be upon you!
[Syazana] You are listening to the eighteenth episode of the podcast with me, Syazana, and the Astro Duo: Azfar and Azimah.
Do you remember what we talked about in segment one last week?
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh, yes! Yeah! We talked about my favorite time of the day: Iftar! That is when Muslims break our fast.
We also mentioned an organization that provides support services for special needs communities: AIM Services, Inc located in Wilton, Saratoga Springs,
[Syazana] Wonderful recall!
[Azimah] Hey! This Ramadan, our family attended two Iftars at our friend’s house. Let’s listen to one of the recordings I did at Watervliet, New York.
[Audio recording of Iftar at Sister Zahia’s residence]
[Azimah] I had so much fun with sister Zahia. We received a special Iftar invitation from her! I hope you can feel the joy of breaking fast in the recording. My tummy was so happy with the delicious food that sister Zahia cooked!
[Syazana] Wow! What a pleasant surprise!
[Azimah] Ha ha yeah!
I remembered that I didn’t have my professional digital recorder with me that day because I wasn’t planning on doing any recordings. But you were so excited and used my iPhone XR to record it instead.
[Azimah] Next time, bring the recorder everywhere we go please!
[Syazana] Okay, I’ll try to remember that but no promises! By the way, do you remember what dishes sister Zahia cooked that day?
[Azimah] Hmmm...let me think! Haaah! She cooked
*Algerian Lamb Soup with Wheat;
*Beef Pastry Roll;
*Algerian Chicken Over Basmati Rice with coffee and tea.
[Syazana] Hmmmm! Yummy! If you had listened to the podcast (episode #8 and #9), you would remember Sister Zahia and her healthy cake, tea, smoothie and salad recipes. If you have tried any of her recipes or our Begedil, The Malay Hash Brown recipe, do share your photos and cooking adventure with us.
Here’s a great offer: The best entry will win... a special online cooking challenge known as Cook-A-Doodle Do! This course will feature home chefs like sister Zahia in July this year!
[Azfar, Azimah] If you’ve enjoyed listening to our podcast, show us your support! Please rate and review us so that more people will subscribe and benefit from the podcast.
[Syazana] Now, let’s talk about the social responsibility of Muslims in Ramadan. This will be the final episode of the Ramadan series this season. The question for you, two, is:
What do Muslims do in Ramadan other than fasting and praying?
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh! Yeah, there’s more to fasting and praying in Ramadan. Plus enjoying food and drinks during Iftar!
[Azfar] Firstly, fasting and hunger is a great impetus (which is something that promotes) the spiritual growth of Muslims. In fact, according to the great Muslim scholar, imam al-Ghazali in his book Reviving The Sciences of Religion, there are ten (10) virtues of hunger.
[Syazana] Let’s just highlight three (3) of the virtues of hunger that were mentioned in the article entitled The Blessings and Benefits of Hunger by Shaykh Zaid Shakir from the Ramadan Reader published by Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California.
[Source: Zaid Shakir (2021). The Blessings and Benefits of Hunger from Ramadan Reader 1442 AH/2021 CE) published by The Zaytuna College, Berkeley, California.]
[Azfar] What’s the first virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Crushing one’s lusts and appetites to achieve mastery over the soul. This is said to be the greatest benefit. When Muslims fast, we also refrain ourselves from our desires for intimacy and other bad habits or traits such as overeating, using bad or offensive language, wasting time or resources and much more.
[Azfar] What’s the second virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Purifying the heart. This ignites creativity and facilitates inner vision.
[Azfar] What’s the third virtue of hunger?
[Syazana] Prioritizing charity and giving preference, with excess food, to the needs of the poor and orphans.
[Azimah] Muslims are encouraged to be extra kind and generous in Ramadan.
[Azfar] Yes. Charity in Islam (Zakat) is not just one of the core pillars of Islam but a tool to help ease poverty, suffering and hardship throughout the globe.
[Source: The Zakat Foundation of America. (2021) Retrieved from the World Wide Web on May 3, 2021: https://www.zakat.org]
Every year, Muslims pay Zakat or alms. The Zakat Foundation of America offers a Zakat calculator to help Muslims determine how much Zakat they need to pay. The Zakat calculator considers the comprehensive net assets (total wealth).
In Ramadan, Muslim household pay a special Zakat known as Zakat al-Fitr, or the Zakat of Breaking the Fast of Ramadan. It is the special obligatory alms paid by all Muslims by the end of Ramadan.
[Syazana] In addition to paying Zakat al-Fitr, some families give out food staples like rice, flour, cooking oil directly to the poor who are also recipients of the Zakat. Muslims give lots of sadaqah or charity which is a monetary donation to the poor and orphans in addition to the compulsory Zakat al-Fitr in Ramadan and the annual Zakat.
[Azfar] If you want to know more about Zakat and Zakat al-Fitr, you can visit the Zakat Foundation of America at …
[Syazana] https://www.zakat.org
[Azfar] In the last ten (10) days of Ramadan, Muslims look forward to the “night of power” also known as Laylatul Qadr. This night is the night that Allah SWT is most generous. If someone is blessed to meet this night, the rewards for his acts of worship will be multiplied by 1000 months. So Muslims hunt for this night by doing acts of worship like reading the holy Quran, qiyamulail which is night prayers in addition to salatul Taraweeh, seeking forgiveness from God for all our sins and seeking forgiveness from others especially if we have done something wrong in the past.
[Azimah] Before we end this segment, we would like to wish all the marvellous moms out there: Happy Mother’s Day!
[Syazana] If you’re lucky to have your mother, mother-in-law or someone whom you regard as a mother to you, remember to do something extra special this week to show your appreciation for her unconditional love and her sacrifices.
This year, I’m blessed to receive early Mother’s Day gifts from my teen superheroes. Thank you my darlings: Azfar and Azimah! Muah! Muah! Muah!
On behalf of my family, I would like to take this golden opportunity to seek forgiveness from all our supporters for any mistakes that we might have made in the past. We would like to wish all Muslims Eid Mubarak!
[Azimah] That's it for segment one today! Stay tuned to the next episode…
[Azfar] And listen to stories of trust, respect, acceptance, integrity, love and social responsibility.
~ End of Segment I ~
* * *
SEGMENT II | Occupational and Intellectual Wellness: Career Tips and Strategies For Teens With Author-Architect Ivy Ngeow II
Coming up next…
In the second segment of the podcast, we’ll learn about productivity and the nine dimensions of wellness—physical, emotional, environmental, spiritual, social, intellectual, mental, occupational and financial wellness—so we can survive and thrive in this unpredictable world.
[Syazana] We’re back to talk about occupational and intellectual wellness in segment two this week.
[Azimah] Do you still want to be a professional football player or an engineer?
[Azfar] Oh no! After taking the International Baccalaureate course, I discovered that I like Psychology a lot! I like to help people achieve their health and wellness goals. I’ve been thinking about pre med which is short for pre medicine courses in college but I want to specialize in neurology which is about the human brain and psychology which is about human behavior.
[Syazana] I hope you’ll make the right career choices. Whatever you choose as your career, remember to make the intention that your career is an act of worship to Allah, the Almighty God!
[Azfar] Okay! Insha’Allah! If God wills it.
[Syazana] Last week, we promised that our special guest, author and architect, Ivy Ngeow, will answer another question on our show today!
[Azimah] Now it’s time to welcome our special guest…Ivy Ngeow!
[Azfar] Welcome back to the ASK Trio About Wellness podcast!
[Ivy] Thank you!
[Azimah] What is a typical day like as an architect and an author?
[Ivy] A typical day has to consist of both architecture which is the day job and writing which is the dream job.
[Azimah] Oh! So you have two jobs: a day job and a dream job! I learn something new!
To live the dream, I usually wake up at half past five (5:30 PM) or half past six (6:30 PM) if I am being lazy or tired. I try to write for an hour to an hour and a half until the children wake up. I find that that’s the optimum time. I don’t think I can do more than two hours. And then I make them breakfast and (my husband or I will) take them to school. I usually try to exercise three times a week, minimum, for about ten to twenty minutes.
And I crack on with all my architectural work: which is emails or responses to admin, drawing, accounts, certificates, checking figures, calculations and all work related activities including calls and meetings. So I work on these tasks until it's time for the children to come back from school.
[Azfar] Wow! You’re someone with good discipline and a great passion for what you do!
[Azimah] Do you cook and prepare meals for your family? Or do you like to go out for meals?
[Ivy] I usually prepare all their meals. We eat at home usually. Once dinner is over, I try to revisit what I’ve done and if anything that needs rewriting has to be rewritten. I usually can’t work on anything new in terms of writing in the evenings.
[Azimah] Do you watch TV?
[Ivy] I don’t really watch any TV in the evenings because the time that I have before bedtime is really important for me to catch up with reading.
[Azimah] Oohhh! So you read a lot just like my mom!
[Syazana] Yeah! Reading is good exercise for the brain and mind. You can read a variety of resources: books, magazines, newspapers, research articles or journals, blog posts, even transcripts of all the episodes in this podcast.
For Muslims, one of the best ways to boost your brain power and memory is to read, understand and memorize the holy Quran. So let’s continue to learn the Quran in the blessed month of Ramadan and beyond!
[Azimah] Okay! I’ll try to do better next time.
[Azfar] Yes! You can do better!
[Syazana] What did you do to cope with the stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 lockdown in London?
[Ivy] Something that’s happened over the lockdown was that we started a family book club.
[Azfar, Azimah] Oh really? Book club at home?
[Ivy] So every night, we focus, as a family, on reading. I’m trying to pick up speed with my kids because of the lack of real interaction in school. Due to a lot of online interaction, I find that they are finding it difficult to focus on skills like reading—basic skills. So I try to get them to read five to ten pages every night and we all do it—my husband and I and the kids. And after we read for about ten minutes, we try to discuss ideas of what we’ve read, what we like or we didn’t like. I found that the family book club was really important to keep us together and keep us sane during the lockdown because don’t forget: there is little or zero social interaction and I found that it was important to connect on a very basic level which is reading skills.
[Syazana, Azfar, Azimah] Awesome! Great sharing! Thank you so much, Ivy.
[Syazana] If you are a teenager or have teenage children who are thinking of becoming an architect or author, we hope that you have a better idea of what to expect of life as an author and architect after listening to Ivy Ngeow. Remember: choosing the right careers will have an impact on your occupational and intellectual wellness.
Next week, Ivy will be back to answer another question: What were the challenges you encountered to become an author and architect?
[Azimah] So stay tuned to the next episode!
*Additional Notes
Author biography
Ivy Ngeow is a multi award-winning author, born and raised in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. She has written three psychological suspense fiction novels, numerous short stories in international settings and a series of non-fiction lifestyle titles. An architect and musician, she's always had a flair for creative writing since childhood, winning her first national competition at 16. She turned serious after graduating from Middlesex University with an MA in Writing, as it was there that she won her first international competition, the 2005 Middlesex University Literary Press Prize out of almost 1500 entrants worldwide. In 2016, she was awarded the International Proverse Prize in Hong Kong for her debut, Cry of the Flying Rhino (2017). She is interested in culture, people and places, having lived in Malaysia, Singapore, Sydney where she trained in architecture, and London where she is now based. When she was in Singapore, she studied at Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary), a top girl’s school.
Author Links
email: [email protected]
Architecture and Interior Design: www.ivyngeow.com
Writing: www.writengeow.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ivyngeow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyngeow
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ivyngeowwriter
MidCentury Modern: 15 Interior Design Ideas published by Leopard Print is Ivy Ngeow’s latest book.
Amazon UK (£4.29 ebook £9.99 paperback): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09118QVPZ
Amazon USA ($5.99 ebook $13.99 paperback): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09118QVPZ]
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