Wednesday, September 29, 2004

EGGS ,,,,,FINALLY....



Yesterday's news that the powers that be in this red dot will start allowing the import of eggs from Malaysia is indeed cause for celebration. Since the ban, I have stopped preparing eggs sandwiches for The Don. I've been cooking fried rice and fried noodles instead. No..not because I'm a stingy wingy gal but because the only eggs that we manage to procure from the neighbourhood shops are very very tiny and very sub-standard...(tastes different) The only way we could get "normal" eggs is if we buy them from NTUC Supermarket and only with purchases of $10/- of other items first. This proved quite difficult as my family do not usually buy our groceries from NTUC. (JB Giant is the place to go..Tolong ekonomi negara sendiri sambil selamatkan ekonomi sendiri heheh)

And now that the ban has been lifted... The DON is one happy man.. more eggs for him from now on. To start it off I made a special treat for him this morning....

EGG MAYO SANDWICHES


PS: Org kat Malaysia sedap sedap makan telur hari hari... org kat sini takut mati tak nak makan telur.

Monday, September 27, 2004

Speak Malay Day

Sepanjang hari ini, saya akan bertutur/menaip dalam bahasa Melayu yang sempurna (jangan ketawa tau!!!)

Saya teringat akan peristiwa semasa saya masih di sekolah rendah.(darjah 3 kalau tak silap) Kerana terlalu ramai murid yang menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris di dalam kelas Bahasa Melayu, Cikgu BM saya (Cikgu Ahmad) telah mengadakan peraturan baru. Sesiapa yang menggunakan bahasa Inggeris didalam kelasnye dikenakan denda 20 sen.

Sebagai seorang murid yang vokal, saya telah berdiri untuk menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hati saya terhadap peraturan itu. (sebab saya tahu saya akan tercakap Inggeris) Tapi apakan daya ayat pertama yang terkeluar dari mulut saya ialah "Cikgu, itu tak FAIR" (terbang 20 sen saya)

Bila cikgu terangkan yang ini adelah supaya murid murid berusaha menggunakan BM, saya tanpa berfikir panjang mencelah, "BUT Cikgu, saya...." (20 sen lagi)
Akhirnya perbualah mengenai peraturan itu sahaja telah menyebabkan 60 sen terbang dari kocek saya. Selepas itu, saya duduk diam-diam tanpa bersuara lagi sehingga loceng berbunyi menandakan masa untuk ke kelas lain. hehehehe

Satu lagi peristiwa, bapa dan mak saudara saya bercuti di Singapura semasa saya di menengah satu. Bapa saudara saya (Guru Kanan & Guru Matematiks) dan mak saudara saya (Guru Bahasa Melayu) minta untuk membaca buku teks dan buku latihan Melayu saya. Dengan bangganya, saya mengeluarkan kesemua buku buku itu (sebab saya adalah diantara pelajar cemerlang di sekolah jadi markah saya boleh dikatakan selalu tertinggi dikelas) Alangkah sedihnya apabila saya melihat bapa dan mak saudara saya membaca buku2 saya itu dan menggelengkan kepala mereka. Bila saya tanya mengapa, mereka mengatakan struktur ayat saya semua salah. Saya suka menggunakan perkataan "telah" dan saya telah menggunakan sewenang-wenangnye(wow! new word)
Yang menghairankan saya macam mana saya boleh dapat markah tertinggi di dalam kelas. (sungguh terok sekali taraf bahasa Melayu di kota Singa ini)

Semasa peperiksaan A level, saya ambil Bahasa Melayu di peringkat A level jadi antara syllabus (oops) saya ialah buku buku sastera Melayu seperti 'Salina' karya A Samad Said. Di dalam kolej saya iaitu Kolej Kebangsaan Singapura (NJC) hanya dua org saje yang mengambil A level Malay, saya dan seorang murid perempuan berbangsa cina (berasal dari Indonesia) Cikgu saya meletakkan setinggi tinggi harapan kepada saya untuk mendapatkan markah kepujian (distinction) tapi semasa keputusan diketahui, budak perempuan itu yang mendapat kepujian sementara saya hanya dapat "B". Sediiihh.... sediiih.....

Bagaimanapun, saya akan terus berusaha untuk mempelajari dan lebih menggunakan bahasa Melayu. Itu sahaja entry (oops again) saya untuk hari ni dalam bahasa Melayu.

Saturday, September 25, 2004

My New Best Friend

From this day on, if you see me online or meet me on the streets, speak Malay to me ok?? My Malay is sooo rotten I dunno how in the world I managed to get a distinction in Malay at O levels and a reasonably good grade in 'A' level Malay. Its like my brains just jam up (LITERALLY!) when I need to find the Malay equivalent of an English word. I've always had this problem whenever I converse with my elder aunts and uncle's in Malaysia (my aunts n uncles in Singapore speak Malay just as horribly as I do) but it has never been so severe (ot at least I never realised its severity) till last week when I started vounteering to translate and digest (rewrite it into a digest not the kind you swallow and digest) Syariah Court Judgments and MUIS appeal cases into English for the Singapore Academy of Law. I chanced upon their ad for volunteers and kinda jumped at the chance. Its something I enjoy (or so I thought) playing around with language and getting a chance to read all the sob stories.(some on the borderline of morbid). If you think I'm doing it for the money, you've got to be joking. The honorarium (It is after all a VOLUNTEER thingy) is too small an amount to mention but at least the experience will look good on my CV.

So right now my bestest friend in the world is this I bought this like 7 years ago, I think... when I entered JC and needed to know more "cheem" Malay words but I think I've made use of it all of 5 times since I got it. Well if not for this thing, it'd have remain under utilized.

Thursday, September 23, 2004

Pretty Pontianak

When I was in Carrefour, Midvalley I chanced upon this cd ->


The Don and I looked al over for the bootleg copy when it first came out on screens but did not manage to find. Not in JB, KL or even Kuantan. I guess Malaysian nti-piracy policies must be working.

I dun usually fancy horror movies. I feel silly sitting down subjecting myself to hours of anxiety and working myself up to a frenzy. Its like giving yourself up to the butcher, then waiting silently for your turn to be slaughtered. Still, I was interested to watch this one. It was touted to be one of Malaysia's best films (a horror flick, notwithstanding) and that it achieved Best Cinematography, Best Music Best Director at the Film Este Pona Fantasi & Horor in Malaga, Spain.

So after watching it, it was good I guess. Although the story had so many holes it reminded me of Spongebob. And the post-pro editing was terrible. Lotsa clipped scenes from nowhere. Plot was shaky but very interesting. I know this story came out in screens like in July so I guess u guys would know this better.
  • Who the hell is Maria? daughter? granddaughter? or just mere descendant?
  • Why did Madame Pontianak wait a whole 60 years before she made a comeback ? Was she hibernating ?
  • And lastly what in the world is the necessity of Marsani going through plastic surgery ?

    Still the movie was a good watch (despite the Don and I turning to look at each other every few minutes puzzled by the sucession of scenes) And Maya Karin is oohh soo pweeety.



    And as for the scandalous title, "Sundal Malam" is actually the name of this flower

    otherwise known as the TUBEROSE. Hahahhaha to those of you who thought it was sumthing else.
  • Wednesday, September 22, 2004

    The Shopping Divas Are Back!!!

    Ok peeps M n I ended our best holiday trip on Sun night at the stroke of midnight. It has been definitely been the single (pun intended) best trip i have ever had. It was shopping shopping and even more shopping. Actually looking back, that was all we did. hehehe

    We reached KL about 2pm on Friday and promptly checked in to Istana Hotel. Our room was quite large and the bathroom OH MY GAWD!! soooo cantek I wouldn't mind sleeping there if I had to. They had separate shower stalls and the marrble-lined long bath is so deep, you could literally drown in it. How I wish I can transport the whole bathroom into my new house. *wishful thinking* Anyway after lunch at the hotel we got into a cab and sped off to our first shopping stop ---> Midvalley Mega Mall.
    Only one complain about the hotel though, they allow taxis to charge an additional RM2 for taxis boarded from the hotel lobby. Kinda crappy policy. we fell for it once then subsequently walked out to the main road before flagging a cab.

    I've been to Midvalley several times but never managed to cover the whole shopping centre. So on Friday, we intended to do just that. We shopped floor by floor thru the north, centre and south courts. Jusco was having a sale and the shoes were going at 40% off!!! And the number of shoe shops they have there is mind boggling. I especially like La PrimaVera.
    The shoes are great for work, nice design and cheap!!! Much like Vincci shoes that I am sooo in love with. Most of the shops are similiar to those in Singapore but some of the shops like Salabianca have really nice clothes.

    As usual, we didn't leave Midvalley till the lights were switched off and the announcements were once every minute. hehehe bad habits die hard!!!


    Breakfast at Istana Hotel was delicious. A huge spread of food awaited us everything from local to Japanese food.(imagine eating Japanese for breakfast Euuwww!!)Immediately after we walked down Bt Bintang starting from Lot 10 (nearest our hotel) past KL Plaza down to Starhill & J W Marriott and then up the other way past BB Plaza, Sungai Wang right up to Berjaya Times Square. And in every shopping centre we shopped floor by floor. Almost shop by shop. Lunch was surprising good and cheap at Johnny's (BB Plaza).
    By the time we got to the taxi stand in front of Melia Hotel, we realised we had gone every single shopping centre in the Bt Bintang Area so with shopping bags in hand (too lazy to walk back to dump our purchases in our hotel room) we hopped into a cab and made our way to One Utama.

    My Gawd!! One Utama is sooo huge. We thot Midvalley was huge but this is even bigger and we're not talking about the Ikano Centre yet. *Gasp!* By the time we finished 'touring' One Utama our legs were screaming for mercy. Oh and while we were 'admiring' the Promenade, a lady tapped my shoulder and guess what - it was my cousin Kak Noor. She was eating with her husband and kids at KFC when she thot she saw me walked by. She brushed it off thinking she must have been mistaken but she came out anyway just to be sure. I have so many cousins in KL I always know I will bump into some of them someday. Still the trip was too short so I didn't manage to arrange to meet any of my cousins or frenz there. (Sorry Yanz & Acid, Next time ok??)

    We wanted to check out one Bombay Palace at Jalan Tun Razak for dinner but with our aching legs, we only managed to get as far as BB Plaza to get the side walk cafe's naan & tandoori chicken. Such generous serving we could hardly finish it all.


    On all previous trips, M and I always encountered interesting taxi drivers. In KL, we encountered two. One Indian guy spoke non-stop (as if talking to drivers in the cars around him) "Ah ah Langgar!! Langgar aje kak! Jangan takut!! Masuk Masuk!! Tunggu ape lagi ??" and another chinese apek enacted an imaginary hilarious conversation with the management of One Utama asking why the taxi line was a standstill. Dunno why it always happens to us. We're such suckers for cheap comedy.

    We didnt intend to go to KLCC but since we were dying to check out Stuart Weitzman's new shoes collection, we went anyway on Sunday. (just looking for an excuse to shop actually, hehe) Next stop was Petaling Street. I guess a trip to Kl wouldn't be complete without a visit. Our eyes went "Blink" "Blink" seeing the many LV bags, Ferragamo wallets and Breitling watches. It took all our willpower to not succumb to temptation and buy these "designer" goods. hehehe

    And lastly we went to Malaysian Tourism Centre (MTC) to board our Transnasional Executive Bus straight to Singapore. Aaahhh What a fulfiling trip!!! I wonder when we can go on such shopping sprees again.

    Check out the photos here

    Thursday, September 16, 2004

    Ms Kedekut Starts Packing

    I finally finished packing my bags for my trip last night. For once I managed to do it more than 12 hours before I leave for my trip. I must have blogged about this before. I abolutely abhor packing for travelling. Anyway it's all done now and I'm all ready to leave tomorrow morning.


    And I also did packing of another sort. Managed to pack all my books into boxes. And now my books which were here--->
    is now here ---->

    I hadn't realised I had soo many books. And though I initially intended to sort out the books I still wanted to keep and those I wanted to give away, I ended up packing everything. Can't bear to give any of my books away. I'm such a HOARDER!!!!! I hope when I unpack them later at the new place I'd be more willing to part with some of them, especially the ones that I would absolutely absolutely wouldn't b caught in public reading. (way way over the age limit for reading such stuff)

    In the midst of clearing my bookcase, I found lotsa old photographs of me when I was younger. It was mighty interesting looking through the old albums and seeing how my parents & siblings look like when they were younger. My mother was exceptionally beautiful and she had a figure to die for. (Why didn't I have that particular gene??) I'd love to post her pic up here but I know some of my cousins read my blog regularly (but never bother to leave a comment!!) and if they were ever to let her know what I did, I'd never hear the end of it. So I'm afraid its a No-No...

    Next assignment ---> My clothes!!!!!!! Thats gonna take me a whole 2 days I think.

    I felt quite sad now that I am starting to pack my stuff into boxes. It's like a part of me is excited and can't wait to finally move out into my own home but a part of me is sad, almost like I'm leaving behind the rest of the family. Even though my house is less than 10 mins drive away, and that Umi will be staying with me, it sure feels weird. My sister stood at my door as I was clearing out my bookcase, looking fondly at me and telling Muhd Idris that "Aunty wants to leave us" "Aunty has a new house". Even though my sister said it tongue-in-cheek, it took all I had to control a tear from escaping. How drama!!!


    Wednesday, September 15, 2004

    Too Much Time On My Hands

    Got this meme off someone's blog. Go on.. I know u wanna do it too...hehhe

    1. Your name spelled backwards. ayushS
    2. Where were your parents born? Umi in Pahang, Malaysia, Abah in Singapore.
    3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? Reinstalled Avantgo on my Pocket PC
    4. What's your favorite restaurant? Hmm.. Cafe Vienna, Royal Plaza on Scotts Hotel
    5. Last time you swam in a pool? 2 weeks ago in Desaru
    6. Have you ever been in a school play? Yup was part of the drama club back in school
    7. How many kids do you want? I want 2, he wants 4 so we r trying to compromise on 3.
    8. Type of music you dislike most? Techno - it makes my blood boil!!!
    9. Are you registered to vote? tricky question. I thought I was but apparently NOT :(
    10. Do you have cable? Yup..free some more
    11. Have you ever ridden on a mop? only when no one's looking
    12. Ever prank call anybody? not in the last 15 years.
    13. Ever get a parking ticket? I would if I had a license
    14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? Only at gunpoint
    15. Farthest place you ever traveled. Bangkok. Ask me again at the end of the year I promise I'll have a better answer.
    16. Do you have a garden? I wish I did
    17. What's your favorite comic strip? Baby Blues
    18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? I do but i sumtimes get the lines mixed up.
    19. Bath or Shower, morning or night? Shower in the mornings, baths at night
    20. Best movie you've seen in the past month? Hmm...Man On Fire starring Denzel Washington
    21. Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni
    22. Chips or popcorn? chips
    23. What color lipstick do you usually wear? Estee's Autumn
    24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells? huh?
    25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? hahahaa...no
    26. Orange Juice or apple? Apple Juice
    27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine? The Don at Pizza Hut
    28. Favorite type chocolate bar? Hersheys bar With Almonds
    29. When was the last time you voted at the polls? Actually Never!
    30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato? nope never done that
    31. Have you ever won a trophy? yup Best Speaker for debate back in school
    32. Are you a good cook? Can I answer with the latest photo of The Don ?
    33. Do you know how to pump your own gas? Never needed to
    34. Ever order an article from an infomercial? You bet!!! And they all dun work!!!
    35. Sprite or 7-up? Sprite Ice
    36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work? Nope I wish I did though so it wun b such a headache everyday What to wear??? What to wear??
    37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy? Cough mixture for Umi 2 nights ago
    38. Ever throw up in public? Yup... at the overpowering smell of alcohol
    39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love? I have true love, I feel like a millionaire
    40. Do you believe in love at first sight? no such thing... love takes lots of time to grow
    41. Ever call a 1-900 number? yes
    42. Can ex's be friends? Possible I suppose...but very very hard and I wouldn't recommend it.
    43. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? my aunt for bypass surgery
    44. Did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby? yes.. had thick jet black hair and still do
    45. What message is on your answering machine? no machine
    46. What's your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character? We dun get that here
    47. What was the name of your first pet? I've never had a pet... how sad!!
    48. What is in your purse/bag? wallet, key pouch, PDA, Make-Up bag, Pen,
    49. Favorite thing to do before bedtime? read
    50. What is one thing you are grateful for today? That I will be married to my first love in 3 months time :)

    INVITES

    So the invitation cards are finally ready. (Though we havnt gone down to collect it yet)And now comes the tug of war.... If my mother has it her way, she'd invite the whole wide world. Can't blame her actually, I guess she is excited about her one and only daughter getting married and so naturally she wants to share her happy moment with the rest of the world. But the thing is, my family is just too darn big. If we were to invite everyone, I think we'd need to book the indoor stadium.

    The initial plan was only to invite close relatives and friends (that also came close to 1000) but now somehow the figure has been inflated to much much more. *Gasp!!!* Thank god the caterer is none other than my aunt's own company NAAZREEN, so amount of food is negotiable.

    One thing I am glad is that most of my relatives from all over Malaysia will be coming down to Singapore for my wedding despite it being inconvenient and not to mention expensive. I wish I can provide transportation for them, especially those coming down by train but that's wishful thinking I know!! In any case, for those who won't be coming down, my uncle and aunt will be holding another wedding reception for us in Temerloh, Pahang. They initially wanted to hold it soon after the wedding here but with our honeymoon and The Don's reservist training scheduled in early January, looks like it will most probably be held at the end of January or even early Feb. By then we'd be "Pengantin BASI!!!!!" hehehehe.

    Monday, September 13, 2004

    TRUE GEM

    My best friend is gonna whisk me away this weekend for a short holiday to KL. It'll be sort of a last holiday we'll ever have together. I do wish that we will still b able to go on short weekend getaways even after I get married but I dare not make promises that I am not sure I can keep. She has been planning this since early this year and I am truly grateful to her for being such a gem. It couldn't possibly come at a better time. I am so stressed out right now I could pull my hair out. I guess its just sumthing only a best friend would know.

    Having been best friends since the tender age of 10, we've developed an almost instinctive knowledge about each other. The arch of an eyebrow, a slight nudge even a wrinkling of the nose can send the other person into fits of laughter while the others around us look in puzzlement. Our body language seems to able to replace a whole paragraph of words. Its almost like we could read each other's mind. And no the body language bit doesn't quite replace the verbal diarrhoea. We sometimes talk all her way home from work, on public transport!! (we sure make the telcos rich!!)

    The Kl trip will be a short but I'm sure a very memorable one. And in true shopping queen fashion, we have booked a hotel room right smack in the middle of Bukit Bintang for easy access. Its gonna b a full itinerary of shop shop shop (wat else right?) Perhaps I'd be able to get my hantaran gifts there. The last time we were there, we didnt quite get as much shopping as we liked as there was a definite constraint of time and also our human friends. (M & I are superwomen where shopping is concerned so I guess expecting our other friends to match up won't be fair)

    I'm sooo looking forward to the trip that I'm gonna ditch my usual bad habit of packing at the last min and start tonight!!!!!

    PS: My dear KL friends any new shopping areas to recommend???

    Friday, September 10, 2004

    Leaving SingleVille


    I've been thinking about this a lot. About leaving my single life and what I will be giving up. About how my social life (read: spending habits) will change and how I have to give up all my bad habits.

    One thing I know for sure, I definitely won't have a lot of time. Weekdays will be a mad rush and weekends will be reserved for dearest hubby and attending whatever wedding and occasions we will by then start receiving invites for. (My mom says we'll have to start attending most (if not all) wedding invitations after we r married Uuurrghh!!!!) And with the house and added commitmments (read: BILLS!!!) there won't be much to spare shopping free-willy style, the way I have been doing ever since I officially became a part of the working world. No more Cafe Vienna dinners and Nine West shoes and diamond rings. (Not out of my own pocket but maybe out of my hubby's?????)

    There will certainly be less occasions for me to go on my weekly girls' night out. Usually one day a week, my best friend Mahanom and I will meet for a quick dinner, and then proceed for major SHOPPING !!! And we don't usually leave till they switch off the lights!!! We've heard so many closing announcements at shopping centres, we could give you a review of which dept store has the best voice on their PA system. Hehhee. I'd still meet her no doubt, but perhaps not as frequent. With my other friend, Alisa, who usually drops by my place for a chill-out, the situation will most likely be similiar. Unless of course The Don goes for business overseas and then we'll have an all-girls party!!!!

    The biggest change though won't be any of the above. It'd be me adjusting to having my own home and being responsible for my hubby's needs. I'd have to take care of both myself and him, his clothes, his food, his health etc etc. Not to mention taking care of the house. It used to be that if I didn't do it (eg: wash the dishes) the next person using the sink will (usually my maid) But now if I dun, there's nobody to pick up after me. If anything, I'd have to be doing the picking up after The Don. Despite me working, I fully intend to do everything on my own sans maid. I want to feel what it feels like being responible for My own home and doing everything myself. Ambitious you say ? I think so too but if my sisters can do it, I don't see why I can't. Just don't sue me if 6 months down the road, I change my mind and there is a "bibik" in my house. I do not intend to assimilate myself into today's culture of "dapur tak berasap". The Don prefers home cooked food so I'll try my darndest to make sure dinner is not merely out of the box but out of the piping hot pot. I guess such ambition will require co-operation from the hubby. Thank god The Don is very helpful around the house and don't mind helping out.

    It's a hell of a lot of change for me - somebody who is used to being the baby of the family. (and still is) and used to having things done for her. Unlike some of my friends, I've never had to wash my own clothes or even cooked a meal for myself. If I did it at all it was because i wanted to on my own accord. If there's one thing I have always done for myself its ironing. Still, I look forward to being married and assuming all these responsibilities. It'll be another step in life for me (a natural one, I think) and a personal challenge to see how well and how fast I cope with these adjustments that I will have to make.

    In any case, despite all that I will have to give up on and all that I have to reduce, I strongly feel that marriage is worth it all and more.

    Thursday, September 09, 2004

    Dizzy With Colours



    In a bid to save some moolah, The Don and I have decided to paint the house ourselves. Besides, this will be one way in which we can have a hand in turning this house into a home - our home. I bet down the road when we look at the walls, we'd feel good and remember that we painted the house ourselves!!!!

    Meanwhile we've been pouring over catalogue after catalogue and swatches and swatches of paint, trying to find the exact shade we want for our house. We had no idea they are like 200 different shades of white and 150 shades of blue. Not to mention the hilarious time we had over the names of the paints. (There's Ayer Rock, Bubbles, Slicker, Spruce, Tracey - I mean could you in a million years even begin to guess what color they are named for??? I'd really like to meet one of those guys who's job is to give names to paint shades one day)

    And ain't technology great? With online tools such as these we managed to get a preview of how the room will look like under different paint colours and under different lighting conditions. I guess there must have been a good number of people shocked out of their wits at the color their house turned out to be after painting so someone invented this.

    Anyhow, I'll be busy getting my face, nose, hands and clothes streaked with paint this weekend. Hopefull I'll remember to bring the digi so I can take some shots of us goofing around our newly painted walls.

    Monday, September 06, 2004

    X (rated) Boxes, Laces & A Great Friend !!!!

    The weekend officially started on Fri for me. A hazardous trip to Arab Street after work confirmed my addiction to lace materials. Despite having found my nikah outfit, I went back to the shop to see the burgundy lace that I fell in love with the first time (but my mom didn't allow me to wear such a "garang" kaler for nikah") Sadly, there was no more but my heart got smitten instead with this pink lace. (Pink?? me ?? I know !!!! but still its lovely !!!)

    And I bought for my mom an ultra shiny-miny material (much to her horror!!! hehe Eh, mak pengantin pun kena glamer tau !!!!)

    And for the first time I spent the night at the new house with my bestest friend, Mahanom. She ended work late on Fri night and had to work again early the next morning but she humoured me anyway by accompanying me for the night. Muuakks!!!! We spent like an eternity discussing the placing of the furniture for the house and where to place what on the actual wedding day. To say her insight was valuable would be a gross understatement. By the time we realised the time, it was an undecent hour.

    I spent the rest of the day alone in the house and after a hard day's work cleaning the house, (ok quarter day's work only!) I spent the rest of the time playing these...

    And you know what? They're SO MUCH FUN !!!!!!! I keep hinting at The Don to get more games, preferably with less violence and more decent dialogue. hehehe The Sim's Bustin' Out maybe ????

    Sunday was spent sourcing out the accessories for our new home, together with my sister, Idris and Umi. From kitchen sinks to kitchen faucets to larder baskets and storage heaters. After much looking and comparing, I finally found the tub I have been looking for. Ooooh I can;'t wait to get this installed !!!


    Next stop was IKEA, everybody's favourite household place. We finally found the exact wardrobe accessories we were looking for. And it was DIRT CHEAP !!!!! Oh and yes, a piece of good news, a family friend of The Don is moving so they're giving away their huge fridge to us. Its quite new apparently (how new,I've gotto see for myself!!) and it was so sweet of them to think of us instead of selling it for some quick buck. Well, since we got the house, our rezeki have been better and better, alhamdulillah. One after another, people have been asking us what we need and offering to either get them for us or said they are willing to sponsor certain items. Ain't it great ?? Its wonderful when family members do that but to have perfect strangers (strangers to me anyhow) show such care and concern is truly heart-warming.

    Saturday, September 04, 2004

    Quarter Life Crisis.????

    Bobby posted this on his blog and I just had to copy and paste it here to share it with u. Its so true, ain't it?


    ~Being Twenty Something~


    They call it the "Quater-life Crisis"
    It is when U stop going along with the crowd and start realizing
    that there are many things about urself that U didnt know
    and may not like. U will start feeling insecure and wonder where U will be
    in a year or two~~but then got scare because U barely know where U are now~~

    U start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe,
    those frens that U thought U were so close to arent exactly the greatest
    people U have ever met, and the people U have lost touch with are some of the
    most important ones. What U dont recognise is that they are realising that too,
    and arent really cold catty, mean or insecure, but that they are as confused as U!!

    U look at ur job....and it is not even close to what U thought U would be doing,
    or maybe U are looking for a job and realizing that U are going to have to start
    at bottom and that scares U~~

    Ur opinions has gotten stronger. U see what other doing and find urself judging more
    than usual because suddenly U realise that U have certain boundaries in ur life
    and are constantly adding things to ur list of what is acceptable and what isn't.
    One minute, U are insecure and then the next, secure.???!!!!U laugh and cry with the
    greatest force of ur life.

    U feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and U try and cling
    on the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away,
    and there is nothing to do but stay where U are or move forward!!

    U get ur heart broken and wonder how someone U loved could do such damage to U..
    or U lie in bed and wonder why U cant meet anyone decent enough that U want to get to know better.
    Or maybe U luv someone but luv someone else too and cannot fgure out why U are doing this
    because U know U arent a bad person.

    One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot
    started to look pathetic.

    U go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with ur frens about the
    same topics cuz U cant seem to make a decision. U worry about studies, money..the future
    and making a life urself..and while winning the race would be great, right now u'd just like to be a contender!

    What U may not realise is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times
    and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out~~~~


    I remember being eighteen and thinking that the world was at my feet. With all the indoctrination and the advise given over and over again by parents and teachers, (no doubt with our best interests at heart) I honestly believed that "I can be ANYTHING" I want and nothing is unachievable". Now, pushing 25 and three years into the "real" world, I realised it's just a whole load of crap. Much like those slimming ads which promise 10 inches off your waist and those anti-wrinkle creams that will make you 10 years younger. I'm stuck doing somthing I dun even have the qualifications for and the certs I went to hell and back for sits idly in my clear folder, staring at me mockingly whenever I flip thru the file.

    I go through seasons of hovering helplessly between feeling grateful that I am where I am today and feeling downtrodden at why life didn't hand me a better deal. I've long lost those rose-tinted glasses I used to view life through and instead have adopted an in-built magnifying glass, scrutinizing and no doubt judging every person who comes my way, always skeptical and trying to read between the lines of the spoken and unspoken for any hint of insincerity. Oh Gawd! I've turned into a cynic!!

    Yes, perhaps you may say I am more lucky than most (in the love dept at least) but life's still not anywhere near what I imagined it to be. Perhaps thats the whole point of life. No doubt life as it is now is not exactly what we have in mind but therein lies the challenge. Its never too late I guess. After all we're just in our twenties. Maybe what we envision can only be achieved when we are 30 or 40 or even 50. Or perhaps even not at all. But I guess we can't stop trying...after all if we do, then there will be no point in life then is there?

    Thursday, September 02, 2004

    Anwar freed from jail after shock appeal victory

    Court frees Anwar!


    ALHAMDULILLAH SYUKUR !!!!!!!!!

    In a 2-1 decision, the country’s highest court today set former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim free after quashing his sodomy conviction. Also freed was his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja who had been convicted of the same offence.


    More news here

    Are all bloggers snobs???

    I found this article by chance. Kinda assumptious I must say, of the author to make such a generalization. I reproduce it below for your comments n rants.


    Snob-Bloggers: You Just Might Be A Snob If You Publish A Blog

    by: Jim F. Kukral




    You Might Be A Snob-Blogger If…

    According to Jupiter Research, about 2 percent of the online community has created a blog. That works out to millions and millions of blogs, and in turn, millions and millions of snobs who publish them. That’s an awful lot of Snob-Bloggers!

    You see, in order to care enough to publish a blog, you really need to be somewhat of a snob. Before we get into the reasons why, let’s look at the definition of snob.

    Snob – 1. One who tends to patronize, rebuff, or ignore people regarded as social inferiors and imitate, admire, or seek association with people regarded as social superiors. 2. One who affects an offensive air of self-satisfied superiority in matters of taste or intellect. (As defined on Dictionary.com)

    Combine that definition with the definition of a blogger, and you get a Snob-Blogger, defined as ‘anyone who blogs, period’. Yes that’s right, bloggers by nature are snobs.

    Not me you say! Yes, you too! ALL bloggers are Snob-Bloggers! Do you publish a blog? Don’t believe it? Take this handy dandy quiz to see if you fit the mold.

    1. Have you ever commented about someone or something in a negative or superior manner on your blog? If so, you just might be a Snob-Blogger.

    2. Do you and your blog readers commiserate about topics together on your blog comment system? If true, it’s possible you might be a Snob-Blogger.

    3. Does your blog link to all of your other blog friends who link back to you? On that occasion, you are most likely a Snob-Blogger.

    4. If you have ever ranted about something that is only interesting to you and your blogger friends, you, I’m afraid are a Snob-Blogger.

    5. If you know what RSS means, I’m guessing you are a Snob-Blogger.

    6. If you would stop publishing your blog because you knew nobody was reading it, you my friend are most likely a Snob-Blogger.

    7. Do you recognize Wil Wheaton as someone other than the geeky kid from Star Trek: The Next Generation? If so, you are certainly a Snob-Blogger.

    Other Snob-Blogger characteristics include:
    · Writing rants and opinions about things you never bothered to learn about first
    · Thinking that your blog is just as, or more powerful than the mass mainstream media
    About The Author

    Jim F. Kukral is the author of the book, BlogsToRiche$ - A step-by-step guide to using your weblog to make money online. The book can be purchased for instant download at www.blogstoriches.com. You can read Jim’s blog at www.jimkukral.com.
    jim@jimkukral.com


    So I went to find a quiz to see if this guy's theory proved right. And lo and behold ....here are my results...

    Are You a Snob?



    You're A Professional Prima Donna

    A flair for all things fabulous does make you the closest thing to a celebrity around here. Of course, you've heard the word snob whispered in your wake for years now. But sometimes it feels more like a status symbol than an insult. Anyone with true attitude in their veins can tell you, getting what you want is all about how people perceive you. Okay, it's really just all about you. So maybe you have created some sort of mystique for yourself by demanding more and tolerating less. In fact, knowing what you want has probably made you a natural group leader among friends. Just be careful what you wish for (or throw a tantrum to get). If you insult one more supporter, it could all backfire on you like a scandalous tabloid campaign...in the snap of a finger.

    Find out if u're one too...


    Wednesday, September 01, 2004

    Trip to Desaru

    I'm not gonna give u a blow by blow account of the time we had there. Suffice to say the order of the day was eating, swimming, eating (again!), go-kart racing, then bbq then chat chat chat till the wee hours of the morning. For the men it was golf, golf and more golf. Thank god, The Don is not such a golf junkie, at least not as bad as my cousin's hubby and my father-in-law 2B. It's one thing staying home while your hubby goes off to play golf but its whole lot more worse when u're on holiday and u dun get to see your hubby all day long coz he's on the green. If that happenned to me and I'd have to be a golf-widow while on holiday, I'd scream bloody murder!!!! Or I could book myself a holiday within-a-holiday with my gal friends and leave him to handle the kids. Or better still, I'd plot revenge by maxxing out all his credit cards and emptying his bank accounts shopping to my heart's content. Or I could make firewood out of his golf clubs. Or I could.....wait..wait... I think I need to see a psychiatrist for my mean tendencies. In any case, here's a shoutout to THE DON, consider yourself warned !! hehehe

    All in all, we had a magnifient time. It was a much needed break away from work and the stress of wedding & household preparations. We came back, more refreshed, more focussed and more clear-headed. It was a great opportunity for his side of the family to meet my side as well. Alhamdulillah they got along famously, with a lil bit of help from golf, I guess. The bungalow we stayed in was humongous. Its a special bungalow reserved for golfers and their families only. It had 5 extra big bedrooms, bathrooms the size of a normal room, spacious living and dining areas and a fully equipped kitchen. Here's more info on the Kogane Resort Ahh.. how I wish we had a house like this!!!!!!!


    And here are the pics for your viewing pleasure.

    CLICK ME !!!!