It's already 2.30am. I have been tossing in bed while my three kids are already sound asleep. It's nice to be children. Not much to worry about, just what games to play today, eat when you're hungry, go to the loo if you need to do the number one or the number two. Sometimes, maybe worry about homework or exams. Not too often, though.
But this morning, I had someone specific in my mind. Her name is Azura Hani Ahmad or more fondly known as Zoorek back in my high school years. I was made aware Zoorek's illness a few months back. News and updates travelled quickly in this Information Age - mainly on facebook, twitter, blogs and BBM. She was diagnosed with leukimia and had undergone the first round of chemo with such strength.
A few days back, I was informed of a solat hajat for her on twitter. Informant was noneother than @idlan who was physically in the land of the original Fish and Chips. Zoorek's condition is deteriorating.
In facebook today, it was Ryzah's mobile upload that really caught my attention. It was a snapshot of Norzu's column in NST -From KL to Cape Town that was published yesterday.
@idlan with her trademark kerut
The caption of the picture read:
My first thought when I saw this page on NST today was "mak aii, besornya muka Idlan in Nor's column hari ni"..
But I was reduced to silent tears by the time I finished reading the column for it mentioned Zoorek (our schoolmate) who's fighting for her life in UMMC now and Mike (also a schoolmate) who passed away of cancer last year. Just like Nor, I too didn't manage to see Mike before she left us for eternity.. I hope I will be able to make my way to UMMC this week to visit Zoorek.
Good luck Nor for your second leg of adventure and Al-Fatihah to allahyarhamah Mike, Anor, Pet and Noni (our batchmates who have left us).
Apart from that, facebook is also providing us the platform in the form of status updates from Srikandis who have visited Zoorek. On Friday, for instance:
Zasya Evilblue : latest update on kak zooreq (as of my visit tghari tadi): her bp ok, temp 37.5, wbc 0.7 (still low), urine dah yellow-brownish, lungs are deteroriating coz of infections altho bleeding dah takda (but this is very bad), ventilator and oxygen on 100% (high setting - she's 100% depending on machine since her lungs are weak, n oxygen level kept dropping since last nite). she's not doing good. :( keep praying ya sisters
Marisa Ahmat : Update on Zoorek as per my visit 7pm: her lungs deteriorating, the antibiotics yet to function but ptg td the docs changed her ventilator to a stronger one to help her lungs pump at an optimum level. other than that she's still the same. but today, my heart broke once again becoz the sight of her labored breathing (...due to the new ventilator) was too devastating. :((
It really made me think about how trivial my problems and issues really are. On one hand, we have a strong 33 year old girl whom I have known since she was 13 years old, fighting for her life. On the other, me stressing about exams and my weight and all other things that wouldn't even matter when I permanently leave this world. How about what I'll be leaving my kids? Do I have enough amalan to answer the questions of Mungkar and Nangkir when I am alone, in my dark grave 6 feet down under?
Life really is temporary. Everybody goes. There's no exception to the rule. It's really how you prepare yourself for the afterlife and the balancing between living for today and beyond. But when bombarded with information of someone so young, so close, so real is actually fighting for her life - it just struck a nerve , I guess. Technology also make you feel so close to the scene - with almost real time update on what is really happening.
I really need to make my way to UMMC tomorrow. According to Zasya, Zoorek is in ICU, Level 3 Menara Utama. In the meantime, dearest sisters in cyberspace, please keep Zoorek in your prayers.
hahahahaha. Dapat award! So comel! But it does kinda make me feel good. To know that at least one other person reads my blog and sayang juga sama saya! Me love you too guys! :) So, here I am spreading the love!! I am gonna do this tag!
The Rules are as follows:
Step 1. Accept the award and put it on your sidebar. (Ya, saya tambah rule ini - haha!) Step 2. Describe 7 things people do not know about you. Step 3. Award the Award to 7 other Beautiful Bloggers and describe why they deserve the award.
Step 1 : Done. Completed it a while back, really. Long before I actually composed this entry. hihihihi
Step 2 : 7 things people do not know about me?
1. I go through my family's stuff at least once a year. We live in a condo, so space is always an issue. One way to cope is to run through the inventory of things in the house - especially clothes for each and every one of the family member. Sort it into things I would want to give to my siblings/nieces and nephews/ immediate relatives / friends or to be given away to a needy home/ kampung /organization. Result? Salvage some space for our new clothes. hihihihihi :)
2.Still related to the home. We have bought the adjacent condo unit and Insya Allah, the keys will finally be with us come July or August. Never knew we would have to wait so long for the process to go through at the local authority. It's been 10 months of waiting already.
3. When we finally get a hold of the keys, the plan is to make an opening between the two mirrored units. Existing unit would be the family area - kids' rooms, maid's quarters (Cheh! Grand je bunyi dia) , family lounge and work area/bilik solat. The other unit would house the new Master bedroom, a guest room and a possible walk in closet. (Maybe not. Tak tahu lagi)
4. I used to offer face painting services to parties and events before. But now I pencen already. Took my little sister under my wing and she has turned it into quite a handsome money-making hobby. :) I still have the tools and materials , and they are of the best quality - Krayolan tuh.. Just that I couldn't be bothered to do it commercially any more. Malas. hihihihihi I do it still on special requests lah, especially if those requesting are my kids, kakak , adiks or the teachers of my kids' schools. :)
5. I used to scrapbook too. Bought the book, enrolled into a few classes, bought lots and lots of tools and stocks of materials. Now? Well, let's just say, "What scrapbooking?"
6. Maybe this is old news, but I proclaim myself as the Queen of HHTA (Hangat-Hangat Tahi Ayam) I am always excited when I begin a project or so-called passion, but somehow I don't see it through in the long-run. Please refer to: Exhibit A: Face-painting, Exhibit B: Scrapbooking, Exhibit C: My previous gym experience, Exhibit D: My numerous diet regimes.
7. I love food. Eating them - loads. Making them - not so much. I love exploring new eateries. Thankfully I have my Inche Azrul who loves to eat too and I have several friends who would jump at the chance of a eat and gossip session! hihihihihihi
Step 3 : I would like to award these following bloggers.:
1. mimpimurni - She's a beautiful person , inside and out. A famous blog entrepreneur who makes such exquisite jewellery. Also, follow her plans for her wedding with her 7 year boyfriend (who happens to be a friend of ours!) at murni&jamil.
2.KS - Walaupun dia privatise blog dia, this does not disqualify her from being my nominee, yaww! I love this lady. Known her since my PPP days and she is married to one of my adik angkat. haha! Also owns the shopping services at shoppingqueen78.
3. toughcookie - I stumbled upon this mommy blogger a while back. Since then, she has been reading my blog too. We finally met at a mutual friend's - welcoming her new born baby, no less. Such a beautiful, bubbly and genuine character, I felt an instant connection with her. She's also been inducted into the TEKBES! hihihihi - read her tagreply
4. Ngantukalways - Another gem I chanced upon during my days in PPP. :) The beautiful kaynie who writes about her life with his boy Jibby. She has not been blogging of late. Maybe this will bring back the enthusiasm, girl!
5. Ica - The cousin of my BFF, LJ. Known this mommy since way back when - almost as long as I have known LJ, kan Ica? She's only been blogging since this year but is much more prolific than the rest of us. Way to go, girl. :) Keep on writing coz I do enjoy your writings!
6. noordinarymomster - One of my favourite finds in the blogosphere, I can relate to her writings very well. Yet to meet her in person, though. Her stories are simple and sincere, that's what I love about her blog. Next year would be our year , dear - both Imtiyaz and Khaleeq will be going to Primary 1. haha! - read her tagreply
7. Bagaholic Anonymous - My junior in STF and love her sense of style! This bag-lover is a fashionista and loves all things beautiful and classy! :) Me likey! - read her tagreply
Here's a feel-good way to end your Monday, spread the love, y'all!
hahahaha It could not have been baby fat since I am already 35. I have just come to terms with my current weight. Been avoiding the weighing scale since forever and whenever asked about it I would answer, "60kg" Hah! In your face! Masa kawin dulu 55kg je tau! (OK, granted that that was 8 years ago)
Tu la pasal.. Makan tak hingat. Exercise tak buat.
Just take last night , for example. Went for late dinner with hubby at Warong Uncle Don in Damas. Start makan: 9:40pm. Stop makan:10:30pm. (Makan lambat dah satu hal)
What did I have? 1 cucuk sate. 1 pinggan Mee Sedap. 1 mangkuk bubur nasi with its variety of condiments (Ikan masak tauchu, Kangkung goreng, ikan bilis goreng, telur masin, scrambled egg, etc etc) PLUS 2 glasses of teh ais and 1 glass of orange juice(standard order- tak kurang gula). All in one sitting. Thank you very much.
So, YES! I am answering your challenge wahaiKak Shana for the Minus-4 Mission. By 30th June 2010, I would at least be 62kg. (Hopefully)
Tagged by Teratak Hami. Dah lama tak layan tag macam teruja lak nak buat. Thanks for tagging, Aja. :)
B, baca nih.. I hope I get the story right. hihihihihi
1. Where did you first meet your hubby/other half and when was it?
PPP/ITM, Section 18 - it was the first day I joined the Calculus I class by Mr Aziz Samson. It was circa August 1996.
2. Was it love at first sight? Definitely not lah kot. He was the one dok terhegeh-hegeh kat I.
hihihihihi
3. Who was he/she when you met him/her for the very first time?
He was my classmate in the Calculus I class. (which I totally owned, by the way! A-Levels Maths dah dapat A, boleh la berlagak.. )
4. How long did it take him/her to ask you out on a date? We started going out socially as kawan-kawan during Calculus II. And we finally became an item on the 28th of April 1997. So to the best of my estimation, around 6 monthslah.
5. The venue of your first date?
Most probably Jusco Bukit Raja. The agenda was always the same: movie and makan. Share kueyteow kat foodcourt, lagi. (BTW, I taught him how to use the chopstick, tau) If that wasn't it, then it must have been Kompleks PKNS Shah Alam. No movies in Shah Alam, so makan and borak-borak only. hihihihihi
6. How did he/she proposed?
I think he never did. We sorta just know that that would be the next step for us. The moment for me was when he called to tell me that he already told Mek (his mom) about wanting to marry me. :) Time stood still and I could literally feel my heart dropped to the floor. What went through my head was, "Gosh! This is it!"
7. Recollect a Special Date with your hubby/other half.
Ada ke yang seriously out of the ordinary? Hmm.. tak termasuk dalam ingatan lah pulak. Our dates usually revolved around movies and eateries.
I do remember going to Taman Tasik Shah Alam a couple of times. hahahahahahaha.. Oh, oh , oh.. There were a few times when we went to the Mines , naik water taxi bagai. Then, there were trips to Sunway Lagoon. Best!!! I do remember Ema, Ewa and Kira following as chaperones though. (Adik, awak ingat tak gambar awak pusing-pusing pokok kelapa kat Taman Tasik Shah Alam tu? Lawak siut! hihihihihi)
Zaman dah tua (ye ke tua?) I really appreciate the time we spend together without the kids. A late night movie, an occasional dinner, retail therapy (ini penting), hanging out at PappaRich for supper and the likes. We even go travelling sometimes, just the two of us. :)
8. Any changes that he/she asked you to make?
Hmm.. lemme think.
I don't recall him giving specific instructions to change, but after we were an item, I think I am a little more mellow, a little more calm and a lot less in-the-face. If you knew me from my SSP, STF and A-Level days, I am a much changed person. Very much less of a Ketua Pengawas, so in a better way, I hope. :)
9. What is it about him/her that you love so much?
His thoughtfulness. Never the romantic, but he would make an effort to write mushy letters and cards for me while we were courting because I am very much a person of words. He even made cards for me, like literally cutting out papers to make a shape of a heart, etc. Serious. So sweet, kan? It does help that he is so darn creative. (Hey, how come I don't get any more cards now?)
His sense of humour.Memang pelawak. Not like Raja Lawak type of lawak, but still very funny indeed. He is the funniest and wittiest person I know. (Cheh, bodek) His ability to turn a serious and tensed situation into something that we can laugh about shortens our crises period.
His generosity. I really think he would give his right arm to provide for his family. He has such a generous soul that he gives and gives and gives. Sometimes I forget to show my appreciations , yang, but do know that we are so grateful for what you have provided for us. *Ish.. Sedih la pullok*
His protective nature. Don't try to mess with his loved ones if you do not want to see the wrath of Azrul. You have been warned!For that I feel safe and protected. I know that no one could hurt us coz they've got Azrul to answer to. Jaga-jaga.. Kitorang ada bouncer, tau! :)
10. What would you like to change about him/her?
Nothing. (Jawapan politically correct) I do believe that a marriage is a union that accepts one as they are, so nothing to changelah in that sense. Tapi, maybe if he could worry less and complain less, that'd be great! hahahahaha. My husband is such a pessimist. So, I guess he needs me to balance it all out. :)
11. You will lose your mind and crack your head when he/she..... Boleh jawab nanti tak? Tak terpikir lah.
12. You will smile through your eyes the whole day when he/she.. writes me stupid/mushy/idiotic things over the BBM.
Seriously, I think this BlackBerry is really making us closer than we really are. It bridges the communication gap coz you are just a line away from asking the other person what ever is bothering you.
13.Complete this sentence, "My love towards my hubby/other half is as big as.." Apa, ya? Whatever it may be, we would never be larger than Anna Swan & Martin Van Buren Bates who were crowned the Largest Married Couple in the World!
This post is long overdued. Latest reason for not appearing in the blogosphere:
Iya, puteri kecilku gering. Maka dengan itu, completelah tiga-tiga warded for 2009. Hope there won't be any repeat performances. *fingers crossed*
Been in Pantai Medical Centre since Sunday and as the good Dr puts it; we need to wait till her stool hardens. Up till then, I shall be sleeping over at the hospital.
I am sure it would be gross and just plain wrong to bore you with the visual / description of what went wrong with Khaleeda's bowel movements. Just suffice to say that Shit is really determining my life at this moment.
Hihihihihi
Just a simple note to say that I may be lingering a while. ;)
Oh, BTW, other half has been sucked into the dark side too.. he's on a roll - 2 posts today alone! *Really* Check him out when you have the time!
In my attempt to de-clutter blogging.my.brains.out , I decided to shift out all my links to a new home where they get all the space that they need. I'm thinking of reviews on the heavenly blogshops that I've personally bought stuff from (the new hair clips comes to mind! hihihihi) and share with you blogs that I find interesting in this big bad blogosphere.
Banyak jugak links that I have so far.. I am slowly transferring it over to their new home and as and when they are completed, the old links will miraculously disappear from this one. The site of course is a Work-In-Progress, I shall be enhancing the flow and features as we go along. bear with me, eh?
To ease your navigation and mine, I have a special link on the sidebar too. Click on it, babe, you know you want to.. ;)
They are all our and they came from Chomel Crafts. Thank you sooo much Azza! (She's soo talented and creative!) My kids love them loads, boleh la menggaya masa Raya! Yeeha!! Unfortunately the orders for Raya are now closed, but you guys can still order for later, right? Boleh pakai masa Raya Haji, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year pulak. Semangat 1Malaysia, you... :)
For a sneak preview, here's Khaleeda in her pajamas and noneother than Miss Mimiziouslicious. (The 1Malaysia face under the alphabet i in TM's 1Malaysia logo. Serious)
Enjoy...
Pictures 1,2,3 and 4 are the matching flower pairs digayakan dengan begitu manja oleh our two models. Picture 5 is also a snap clip with buttony details. Just too cute!
We received the t-shirts from applique tee shoppe yesterday and I did not waste much time asking the kids to pose them. They were , as always, ever willing to try on new clothes. :)
Group shot:
Individual gedik shots: (siap tidur atas katil, tu..)
Thank you once again, Amy. The kids are mighty pleased! Khaleeda couldn't stop shouting, "Dora!" everytime she she proudly points to her t-shirt. You have a fully satisfied customer in me and we'll be back for seconds! ;)
Got word that my Applique Tee Shirt orders are ready from sweet Amy. It is a really fun, unique and creative thing that she is doing. Amy would actually cut out the designs on felt and stitch it on your t-shirt / apron / polo shirt / what-have-yous. I just think it's really cool and was literally jumping up and down when Ziezi introduced me to this blog sometime last month.
I ordered a t-shirt each for my three kids. Khadra insisted on Sonic Underground, Khaleeq wanted Ben-10 and what else for Khaleeda but the adorable Dora! Ziezi will be picking it up from Amy's house together with her order for My Lil Artist aprons.
Amy was also nice enough to send me the images for a sneak preview. Thanks so much, babe! *Click on the picture and you will be transported to her gallery of amazing designs*
Can't wait till the kids get to parade them around!
I just love Awards but Tags - not so much! But since this is a pretty simple one, I am all for it. It's the expectation, you know, thinking that you've let the person down if you didn't answer fast enough or witty enough. And I don't quite like letting people down.
Actually, for this particular award I am quite tak larat because the person who awarded me this stamp of approval is noneother than chicsinred! Super femes blogger tuh.. Woo-hoo! For the purpose of answering this tag, I translated I love your blog into Italiano using Langenberg.comKalau menipulah Encik /Cik Langenberg, maka tipulah saya. *Just had to put my disclaimer in there*
The rules are pretty simple:
1. The receipient can put the logo on his/her awesome blog. 2. Link the person you received the award from. 3. Nominate at least 7 others blogs. 4. Put links on those blogs on yours. 5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.
I was the 7th on her list and she described me as:
K. Dilla. my senior yg HOT and famous from college. She is so blessed with a warm close-knit family, cool hubby and 3 smart, cute kids!
Thanks dearest for the pujian. Don't think I was ever that hot nor famous, tapi saya terima je lah seadanya. hihihihihi... Eventhough this is the second tag I've ever done since blogging in blogspot it happens to be my first award never. ;)
The rules: (I've added some additional ones as I pleased - hey! it's my blog, ok?)
Write five (5) interesting facts about the person who gave you this award.
Jot down ten (10) interesting facts about yourself or your hobbies.
Pick your ten (10) most deserving receipients and describe them.
Leave a comment on the receipients' blog to tell them they've been tagged.
Paste the award badge in your sidebar.
Have fun! If you feel like cutting down on the numbers, feel free to!
Item 1: Five (5) interesting facts about the person who gave you this award.
Kay and I met while we were in PPP/ITM. Lost contact for a while and I found her again through her blog, Ngantukalways. 5 facts, did you say? Well, here goes..
1. Kay dotes on her little boy, Jib. He's the intan, the permata and the budak busyuk all rolled into one.
2. Kay somehow "originates" from Singapore. I am not quite sure of the specifics, whether she was born there or not, but she spent a good part of her childhood days in the Lion Island.
3. Kay is a soccer freak. She would also stay up till ungodly hours in the name of soccer. Then you can catch her updating her blog / facebook status / tweets with names of soccer players / managers / soccer teams along with the match results and commentaries. It's not normal, girl.. Really, it's not! hihihihihihihi
4. Kay works with a certain car manufacturer/distributor so she sometimes gets to spend some of her time at shopping malls in the name of work. Besides the fact that the work actually entails going to work on weekends, how cool is to work IN a mall? (Did I lose you on that one yet?)
5. Kay went to two awesome concerts in Singapore with her friend sometime in the early part of the year. I believe it was Coldplay and Duffy and some vomit and embarassing scenes were also involved, right? hihihihihi
Item 2: Ten (10) interesting facts about yourself or your hobbies.
1. I am the self-proclaimed Queen of HHTA (Hangat Hangat Tahi Ayam). Always making up plans, tapi resultnya belum tentu. Selalunya tengah-tengah jalan dah habis steam - potong betullah.. hihihihihi.. You can sight the evidences here, here, here and here.
2. I love all things creative. That would include my special fondness (and or lack thereof talent) for facepainting and scrapbooking. However, please refer item 1 above. :) It is my wish to have a dedicated room in my house as my creative studio and store all the junk stuff I've bought for my little passion-of-the-moment. Hey, every house should have a craft room, what.... (Kak Aiz would agree)
3. Many many moons ago, I used to spend my weekends at the Flea Market @ The Curve face painting. Serious! I was even in Kosmo for it. Then, I decided that the modus operandi was too tiring and my body just could not take it! Eversince, I have been fulfilling requests for private functions and I even have an assistant to help me out! Contact me if you need our services, can give harga kawan-kawan one.. :)
4. I have just discovered how to strikethrough words in my blog entries so I can appear to be more witty! Terasa sedikit bangga dan sedikit dungu! So, please excuse the slight overkill / overuse. hihihihihihi (Mimi, the secret shall be revealed to you soon enough, babe..)
5. Have always loved to read but have been influenced by Adeeb and Linda to read books I would otherwise would not have picked up myself. e.g musings by Safian Abas and Ruhayat X, The Little Prince, The Catcher In The Rye.. My whole list is available in my.2009.bookbar at the bottom right end of this page.
6. Still on books. I love to have a complete set of books. I have the Lord of The Rings trilogy, all seven of the Harry Potter chronicles plus the text books, Bridget Jones 1 & 2 and the supplementary book. I also have tonnes of the Dilbert series - the book, the comic strip collections, you name it. When I was in secondary school my outings to Holiday Plaza would not be complete without a purchase of Danielle Steele or Jeffrey Archer novels. (Geli pulak ingat baca Danielle Steele) hihihihihi
7. I have actually started on our family's baju raya collection. (Sangat poyo, tak?) The purple-themed baju kurung/baju melayu for the kids and me are already hanging in my wardrobe.(Shouting out: B, you better get yours done, nanti tak matching!) There are also pieces of dresses for the girls and other bits and bobs ready - skirts, jeans, tops. Beli sikit-sikit masa sale, lama-lama jadi bukit. As sad attempt of a thrifty shopaholic. BTW, I am wearing my purple raya shoes to work today! hihihihihi
8. Sangat suka meminum Caramel Macchiato dari Bintang.USD sedikit masa dulu. Sejak dua menjak ini tak beli dari situ lagi (masih tidak, ya) dan menggantikan dengan Caramel Latte dari Kacang Kopi. It seems that I can no longer drink them caffein that much since I get after effects these days. Nak muntah la, gassy tummy la, tak bleh tido la.. (Hence, completing this tag) Dah tua agaknya..
9. I have my stylo days and I have my frumpy days. Sangat stylo kalau baru lepas shopping beli baju. On days that I feel like a fat bloating old lady, I'd just don my baju kurung cotton or any of my khemah-like tops and be done with it. Malas nak pikir.
10. Don't like gold or jewellery. The only ones that I wear are my wedding & engagement rings, halus little bracelet and matching chain (on loan from ibu), my 5 year-old Tag Heuer Alter Ego watch, my Coach bracelet and my earrings. All are white gold / platinum / stainless steel.
My numbers 7,8,9 and 10 will be updated later when I can think of something else to write about. Let's just get this published first. (Yes, cheats are allowed.) Updated!
Item 3: Pick your ten (10) most deserving receipients and describe them.
The following bloggers are my daily staple and I look forward to reading their postings everytime. These lovelies meet my definition of uber amazing: (in no particular order, ya. Jangan perasan Puan chics)
Recipient 1
chicsinred - Puan yang manis ini sangat rajin menghapdet blognya. I love reading her tongue in cheek remarks and her simple take on life. Hilarious as hell too. Her blog is definitely uber amazing! Moi loike! It's not a wonder that she's a Srikandi! Woot!! Buat tag akak, ya dik...
emazag - Azlul number 6 in the Zaghlol clan. Now pursuing her Masters in Actuarial Management (kah?) in City University, London. She has the most updated blog in the clan besides mine. So, I thought I'd like to keep it in the family with this one and exercise my form of cronyism. Has a heart of gold, this one and is still single. (Yes, Ema this is my form of advertisement. Awak yang suruh saya cari candidate, kan?) hihihihihi Jangan marra aaa.. Nanti kena jual...
(p/s: Note to 2 man(s) in my previous Cari Jodoh post - anda berdua need not apply. You wouldn't want me to be your SIL)
Recipient 3
Principal Hemy - Perempuan ini saya jumpa di sekolah menengah. My Form 4 senior when I was in Form 1. She's a lawyer by training but left the profession to pursue her dream. I love to follow her daily adventures with the wonderful kids of Q-dees Saujana Utama and also her personal journey in life. Sangat sarcastic dan comel to boot!
Amy - Jiran rapat masa in PPP/ITM. Those were the days, eh Amy? hihihihihihi.. One of the most self-less person I have ever met. Always thinking about others before herself. She's our main organizer for the all-girls' outings and the annual IKEA break-fast do. Love this woman to bits, it's about time that she loves herself as much!
Marliza Radzi - I only discovered this jewel of a blabbering mouth earlier this year. And what an interesting read she has provided me. Witty, funny and sharp. Loyar, rupanya.. Dan dah tentu seorang Srikandi.. :) Eventhough our secondary schooling time did not overlap, I feel an overwhelming connection to this girl. It's called sisterhood, y'all.
Read her tag-reply here: AM(Susah sikit nak pin-point the post coz she doesn't write a post title in her entry. I could just direct you to the right month. Carilah ye? )
Recipient 6
Along - This once again new-mommy of Daria Syazmin (don't you just love that name?) is actually a mommy of three girls. Has shared her ups and downs of her pregnancies in her blog which I believe has help a lot of readers out there in the same situation. She's one of the supermoms I have the priviledge to know personally and pssst.. she owns a spa. How cool is that?
Recipient 7
D.N.A.S - My favourite makcik blogger ever. Serious! She also happens to be my dormmate back in STF and her mom lives in Triang, Pahang - so she shares the same dialect as the Zaghlol clan. Popalleh, weh!! This IT expert should really be a writer and is preggers with her 3rd child right now.
Ajezack - Another friend from my PPP days. She also happens to be Terk's (my junior in STF) elder sister. This little lady is such a joy to be with. Always ready to have a wonderful time, she's ever smiling. Like , always smiling. A.L.W.A.Y.S.
Recipient 9
wanshana - A Srikandi super senior whom I got to know better through the blogosphere. I started reading her blog when she was reading her PhD in England (that was yonks ago) and we met every now and then at Srikandi gatherings. I am envious of her fabulous MT gatherings. She has a lovely family of 5 whom she writes about in her blog. Another useless fact I know about her - Her Dr-husband and all her kids go to Sri Petaling for their primary education. (Hey, me too!)
Recipient 10
Noresh - Mommy cum entrepreneur who bakes lovely cakes. Noresh is an engineer by training but decided to devote her time to tend to her kids' needs on full-time basis and does her baking business on the sides. She has been slacking on her posts lately. *tsk.tsk.tsk* Hopefully, this will be a good way to buck up, girl!
Keep on writing, guys! Now you know you have at least ONE loyal reader in me! ;)
Chicken Ala Carte : Directed by Ferdinand Dimadura Genre: Drama Produced In: 2005
The synopsis says:
This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.
Very touching inde film. I have seen this link posted by a few people in FB as well. Makes you think about that extra scoop of rice you took during breakfast / lunch / dinner and was not able to finish. Makes you think where will that extra piece of chicken meat go if you don't finish them. Makes you really think how could they be so happy when they are actually eating leftovers - not even leftovers, you know.. It's more like sisa-sisa that you'd give to your pet cat. Really sad and kesian, kan? I think I'd need to show this to my Khadra and Khaleeq to knock some sense and realization to them. Remind me, will you, hubs?
It is the story of Ms. Susan Boyle - a going to 48 year old spinster with a magical soulful voice. She is contestant number 43212 in the current Britain's Got Talent. In the pre-performance interview with Ant & Dec, she confessed that, "At the moment, I live alone with my cat, Pebbles. But, I've never been married. never been kissed. Aaahh.. Shamed.." and she added "But, that's not an advert!"
When she first strutted her stuff onto the stage, she was stuttering, even looked like she was a little slow when she answered the judges. She swivelled her hips when Simon asked her how old she was. "I am 47. And that's just one side of me" Note the judges' rolling eyes and disapproving looks. When she proclaimed that she wanted to be a professional singer - two female audiences at minute 1:24 through 1:26 was going "Yeah right?", "What the hell are you doing here?" , "Are you sure you want to sing?", "Hrm?" - complete with the "Can you actually believe that?"-look.
Before she even opened her mouth, I could see that some people in the audience and the female judge were secretly hoping , "Please, please.. let this one be able to actually sing." Oh, and sing she really can. :) Watch her on Youtube here. You'll understand what I mean. :)
Good on you, Susan. It just tells you to go for your dream, no matter how ridiculous it seems to others. I also especially like the article by The Guardian's Tanya Gold. She gave an even more detailed breakdown of what went on that night. I guess, I wouldn't go as far as saying that she is ugly. But, there is some truth to what Tanya wrote. Female are expected to be beautiful and smart and all that. If you are dog-ugly, then there is no hope for you. You are not expected to do well, nor is there even a slight possibility that you could have a remarkable talent. Most unlikely! There is no reason what-so-ever that anyone should envy you. Why is that so, really? Why don't we have these issues if it was an ugly man standing on Britain's Got Talent stage, instead? (Case in point, that Potts guy who went on to win the show!)
As usual, if you can't see the video now, click on the link later.
The video-documentary is about Eliot Hartman Mooney, born on July 20th, 2006 with Trisomy 18 a.k.a. Edwards syndrome. It is a condition whereby there is a presence of an extra 18th cromosome in the baby's DNA. One should also know that this is the second most common trisomy, after Trisomy 21 a.k.a. Down syndrome, occuring in about 1:5000 to 1:8000 births. Unfortunately, Edwards Syndrome is usually fatal, with most of the babies dying before birth and even those who do make it to birth typically only lives for a few days. A small number of babies (<10%)>
Every day is celebrated , every day is God's gift for them to be one more day with their beloved son. It was inspiring to see how they coped with the cards that was dealt for them. It was also way too easy for them not to have felt the gratitude. To blame fate and their miserable fortune. To be bitter at life and God. To be angry. I am just plain amazed by their strength and their faith. How great to see 99 balloons were released on the day of his funeral to mark his 99 days he graced Earth.
Now, who said that blog-hopping was a waste of time? Didn't you learn a thing or two today?
Have had a few wonderful finds in cyberspace of late and I always made it a point to read them when I had the time to. They are interesting to me; to you, tak tahulah.. Any-hoots, I have linked them from this blog for my easy reference to add on to my already Hot List. hihihihihi
This is a website which captures random Facebook status into a doodle. Cilok-ing from their "So, what's a Stoodle?" writeup..
"Stoodle - which stands for ’status-doodle’ - is an art project where the stoodlerist (ahem) creates a doodle based on random Facebook statuses (or is it statii?). Every stoodle is a moment captured in a doodle, making it part-online comic, part-social commentary, part-snapshot of our daily lives, and part-time wastage and displacement therapy for the stoodlerist."
The Stoodle team is made up of two individuals, Mims the proclaimed Super Commander Chief Stoodlerist who turns statuses into "nonsensical, yet incisive and socially-conscious Stoodles" and Idlan the Scourist who "scours the far reaches of the Facebook universe for statii that speak out and takes them home for some tender lovin’, where they turn into nonsensical, yet incisive and socially-conscious Stoodles."
I look forward to the art work and some of them are pretty hilarious too! Of course, secretly, I too strive to write Facebook statuses worthy to be Stoodled! (Pilihla saya, Idlan.. Pilihla... hihihihi.. Agenda tersembunyiku sudah terbongkar)
I like the way Marliza Radzi writes and to top it off, she's also a Srikandi. Akak bangga, you.. Don't really know her in person, but her thought are so eloquently presented and kadang-kadang ada juga menyentuh isu-isu semasa. I am not one to blog about current issues and feel I am rather shallow like that. hihihi.. Thing is, the way she presents her idea is so easily understandable and there's a nice mix of personal stories as well. My attempt to have a little more opinion rather than just shut current issues out of my system. (in a very mild way.. hihihihi)
chicsinred is also another Srikandi. Sekali lagi, akak bangga. She talks about her personal life. I especially like her sense of humour and the way she tells her stories. Has very strong opinions and she tells it like it is, straight up! Very sexy blog. Uuuuu... I loike!! *sambil pout mulut*
A 19-year old model who is now studying in UiTM, Segamat. She writes well in both English and Malay. Very creative - check out the posters she came up with, very witty, very funny and so the very beautiful!!! Complete package-lah, bak kata orang.. Very entertaining..
The weekend was a packed one for me as the first Srikandi Exco Meeting took almost the whole of my Saturday. But for Rm85 pax we had the use of the meeting room, break at 11am, scrumptious buffet lunch whilst serenaded by the 4-piece "GOMOS" group from Indonesia and more tea breaks at the Seri Pacific Hotel. (previously known as Pan Pac) I think that was quite worth it, especially when the Madam President was paying! :) Thank you Kak Mariamah, semoga murah rezeki!!! I thought the meeting was quite a fruitful one, we managed to schedule more EXCO meetings throughout the year, brainstormed on our "wish" activities, clarified our portfolios and embarked on a Srikandi Blueprint. Of course, the other big thing happenning this year is the Malam 3 Serangkai commemorating 50 years of STAR, SDAR and STF. I can foresee my social calendar being very full these two years.. So, thanks so much yang, for letting me do this!
On top of that, my kids and I also went to show our support for our lovely fellow Srikandi, Ms Yoga Instructor herself, Ninie. The finale hall was filled with Ninie's supporters clad in red or white with banners and styrofoam alphabets spelling "H.A.T.I.Y.O.G.A", "We HEART Ninie", "We voted for The Yoga Instructor" and lots more. I actually wanted to bring a banner with "Ninie, Marry My Brother" written on it, but I never got down to doing it. Me and my procrastination. Hrrmph!! But, we did bring Elmo since he was the right colour! Khadra even practiced chanting "Ninie! Ninie!" in the car to prepare for the show.
Fortunately, we had extra pair of hands from Kak Hana, Kak Spena, and Kak Sue Nafry and her friendly crew of four. Thanks so much guys, I dah tak terkejar dah si Khaleeq tu ...
I guess the real shocker of it all is that our lovely Ninie did not win. It was very sad to see hearts crushed and dreams shattered like that. But, I do know that what doesn't kill you, will only make you stronger. Bounce back, Ninie.. Bounce back stronger than ever.. You have it in your heart - the passion, the drive to make it work. So, take your time to grief, feel the resentment and bitterness before you take on the world once more. It'll only make your success that much sweeter!
As we were walking out the hall, my Khadra said, "I like your purple friend, mom." See, even the little one knows...
Just a little tak larat coz she quoted me in her testimonials.. I am testimonial number 9 after the likes of Kenny Sia, Dina Zaman, Juliana Ibrahim, Ruby Ahmad... Eh, tiba-tiba , ada lak Dilla Zaghlol.. :) (kembang hidung....)
and I quote:
This girl is 25 years of age and is turning her dreams into a reality. I was taken with what she has accomplished in such a short time. The sheer determination and hard work. I am really impressed!" ~ Dilla Zaghlol
Waaaaa... I feel like my opinion matters... heh heh heh
Don't forget to vote Ninie for Nescafe Kickstart! Type NK NINIE and send to 33511 or dial 13721 and press '2' for Ninie from 7 APRIL to 15 APRIL 2007 to see HatiYoga available at more adidas outlets and newstands nationwide.
Just wanted to share this with you guys. This girl is 25 years of age and is turning her dreams into a reality. I just discovered her last night whilst bloghopping, and I was taken with what she has accomplished in such a short time. The sheer determination and hard work. I am really impressed!
She's one of the 8 finalists of the new season of Nescafe Kickstart which airs today. Her name is Ninie and she wants to publish the first Yoga magazine in Malaysia. It's called HatiYoga. How great is that, to do what you love doing most day in and day out... You can read more about her journey at The Yoga Instructor Diaries and YOGA ; Through My Eyes, Beneath My Breath, Beyond My Soul.
I also found out that she also went to STF and later UNITEN. Had asthma when she was 13 and yoga changed her life. What a feaky coincidence, eh? The STF, UNITEN and asthma part... I guess I'll have to give this yoga thing a try. In the mean time, do buy the magazine when it is out in the stores this March, 1st - it comes wih a free VCD too!
... and don't forget to vote for her in Nescafe Kickstart!
