Comfort Zone

BLESSING

2011-10-28T16:24:00.004+08:00

So small and so sweet
Tiny toes all in a row
Catch them quick
before they grow
A keepsake we've created now
so when you're big
you'll see how
Once upon a time
they were...
your precious feet
so small and so sweet!
(http://www.babymemoryframe.com/text/footpoem.html)

Special feeling when I heard his cry for the first time. It was quite loud and clear my baby’s crying just to say “hi” to everybody. We named him Ahmad Adam, a simple and old school name perhaps.

I was not hard to carry Adam for about 39 weeks. He was a good boy (and still he is), help mama (and papa too) to experience the hardship through those days. It was about 2 months pregnancy when my husband and I got confirmation about this good news, though got nausea (found out missed perid about twice. haha) for several times. Bukan sebab sengaja melewat-lewatkan, tapi terlalu sukar untuk menerima kenyataan sekiranya mendapati tidak mengandung atau ia hanya symptom perasan mengandung.

Mengenangkan tempoh bersalin yang dikatakan ‘agak singkat’, ramai mengatakan untung kerana tidak perlu menunggu lama dan tidak lama menanggung sakit bersalin. Alhamdulillah, bak kata orang rezeki masing-masing. Pada 6/8/2011 time tgh bersahur, terasa seperti period/menstrual pain and perut agak mengeras. At that time we thought maybe this is one signal untuk bersalin, nevertheless it could take more hours to set off. We just wait and counting minutes for each pain, sampaikan my husband said ‘ntah-ntah false contraction kot’ since timing rasa sakit comes and goes tidak sekata. Untuk ibu-ibu dan ayah-ayah yg baru menempuhi first pregnancy ni, I’ll recommend them to count contraction time. Tak susah pon. Boleh tengok sape yg lagi panic :)

About 8.00 am the menstrual soreness been more painful and it happened for every 20 minutes. I asked my mother about that, and she asked me to prepare semua barang untuk dibawa ke hospital although I might be have to wait for about 10 hours or more, because for many cases it would take a long period (up to 24 hours) untuk bersalin for first pregnancy. About 11 am, a call from my mother saying that my aunty is on her way to my house. When she arrived, i was asked to lay down so that she can check dah brape bukaan. Sakit jugak la time aunty check tu, tak dpt baying macam mana sakit bersalin ni pula. Katanya bukaan dah 3cm, and I can go to hospital around 12pm, where she’ll be waiting there. Disebabkan rasa sakit yang masih dalam lingkungan 15 minit, hajat dihati nak ke hospital selepas zohor. Ditokok tambah pula dengan cerita yang hospital kerajaan pon tak entertain ibu yang bersalin kalau bukaan kecil lagi. But then, around 12.45pm, rasa sakit tu datang every 5 minutes. Terus kami angkut barang, start engine and speed to hospital. Sampai di sana terus ke bilik menunggu and bukaan baru 4cm. However, kene pecahkan air ketuban since dah bercampur dengan baby feces, dikhuatiri baby minum menyebabkab lung infection.
Kat hospital, my aunty gave me VVIP care as everything control by her, and she was by my side for each second there. Rupa-rupanye nak bersalin ni pon ada measurement yang hospital kene pantau ye, kekerapan contraction dan tahapnya. Siap ada special equipment lagi. Sambil tunggu nak bersalin, rasa sakit sampai meringkuk tu, tapi aunty kata rupanya tahap contraction cuma mild lagi. Kalau sakit macam tu mild, memang tak dapat bayang maca mana bila dah sampai peak sakit tu.

By 2.00pm another check, and doctor kata boleh bawa masuk dalam labour room sebab dah 6cm. Masa tu memang cuma Allah je yang tahu sakitnya contraction tu. Dalam 2.15pm, my husband was called to be with me, datang senyum2 tapi senyum panic juga tu agaknya. Looking at the wall watch, i start to push by 2.25pm and everybody took their position (sangat cepat diorang ni), and bagi instruction to me and my husband. Sambil dengar doctor my aunty kata ’1 2 3 pushhh’, terdengar zikir di telinga kanan yang dibacakan husband. After a few push, baby tak dapat keluar juga (bukaan dah 10 cm), so doctor gunting sedikit and minta push lagi. Masa tu memang tak ingat lain, melainkan MATI saja. Terus cari tangan husband and i just want to see his face if it was the last chance Allah give me. Air mata keluar sebab doctor kata jangan lepaskan tangan pada kaki, so that I couldn’t see my husband. Bila tengok menangis, nurse kat sebelah terus bagi semangat, katenye jangan nangis kejap je lagi boleh selesai, nanti boleh peluk baby dgn hubby. Dalam hati ni pon mengucap dan beristighfar sambil baca selawat. Everything buat mane yg ‘dan’ yg boleh release the pain.

By 2.35pm, kedengaran suara bayi menangis (kuat sgt). Bila cerita2 semula dengan suami, kami tak expect dpt dengar our baby cries since doctor dah cakap awal2 maybe baby wouldn’t cry sbb dikhuatiri dah termakan feces dier. Tangisan tu memang sgt kuat, sampaikan family yg tunggu kat luar tu boleh dengar. Haha. Nasib badan, baby nak say hi kat his atuk2, nenek2 and aunties/uncles.

After that, suami kene keluar (ingatkan memang keluar, tapi dier gi azankan baby) sementara doctor nak jahit semula and bersihkan luka. Terdengar doctor kata susah nak jahit sebab flesh is too soft, kene jahit dalam2. Tak kisahlah as long as jahitan ok and tak tercabut2 nanti pon dah syukur Alhamdulillah. I’ve been sent to my room about 4.00pm with my baby. Tak terdaya nye time tu, rasa penat teramat, nak makan pon tak lalu. Tak lama tunggu sorang, then family dtg ramai2 (Cuma tak larat nak layan je, duduk atas katil). Tenang rasa hati sebab semuanya dah selesai, dan syukur masih diberikan peluang utk hidup, dpt melihat suami dan bersama-sama our newborn baby..

Bukan senang nak melahirkan anak ni, even during pregnancy pon banyak cabarannya. Baik melahirkan secara normal atau cara lain pon, masing-masing ada pengalaman tersendiri. Dalam tempoh itu, ada 2 nyawa yg perlu diambil kira, nyawa ibu dan baby-nye. Kehadiran suami yg menemankan isteri sangat2lah diperlukan. (bak kata suami, insaf tgk wife sakit mcm tu). Sebenarnya diri sendiri pon insaf gak, terkenang ibu yg melahirkan kite. Sian ibu kalau time kite melawan or tak jaga kelakuan pd dier.

Besar sungguh pengorbanan seorang ibu ni ye...(and tak lupe ayah juga)...

Wedding Checklist

2011-04-27T14:00:00.000+08:00

Wedding Checklist

A revolt against old order (The Star 17/3/2011)

2011-03-22T08:30:00.002+08:00

PUTIK LADA
By RAPHAEL KOK CHI REN

Grossly underpaid, overworked and undervalued young professionals are becoming more self-aware of their value to the world at large and do not hesitate to move.

IT is said that a hungry man is an angry man. This is true for people from all walks of life, including young professionals struggling to survive in concrete jungles where dreams are made of.

They hunger for better money, work-life balance, career satisfaction and social advancement. And they are getting angry.

“Professionals” refer loosely to those working in a practice involving technical knowledge and skill of an intellectual nature, regulated by statutory organisations, and offer important and high-risk services.

Like doctors, who are regulated under the Malaysia Medical Council and perform life-threatening surgeries. Or like architects, who are regulated by the Board of Architects and design skyscrapers. The other usual suspects include accountants, engineers and lawyers.

Grossly underpaid, overworked and undervalued – such are the common grievances ventilated by young professionals in Malaysia.

In recent years, there had been a steady exodus of professionals from their respective practices.

According to a recent survey by Bank Negara, people working in banking and financial institutions earn more than other professionals. Greed is good. Eventually, that is where many young professionals flock to.

What deepens their disillusionment even more is that their seniors show little empathy to their plight. Time and time again, the same old excuses are used to justify the status quo. These excuses may have a ring of truth in the past, but not any more.

Top of the checklist is the classic “because that’s how things always are”, commonly used in defence of practices indefensible on principle (such as gender discrimination and corruption).

According to the seniors, being stuck in the photocopy room or shouted at for an innocent typo comes as naturally as the sun rises in the east at the dawn of every young professional’s career.

But times are changing, and so are people. As national borders slowly crumble, traffic on the information superhighway increasing and, above all, economic markets constantly rising, falling and shifting, nothing in this world stays at a standstill.

The labour market for professionals is no exception. It can no longer withstand the forces of the free market. Young professionals are becoming more self-aware of their value to the world at large. Poor salary and working conditions? No worries, there are plenty of other career opportunities elsewhere.

Empowerment of young professionals by the free market similarly dilutes the “you need us more than we need you” excuse.

Traditionally, professional practices are jealously guarded communities. The seniors act like god-like gatekeepers to a secret art that can only be passed to worthy apprentices i.e. those who denounce all material desires in return for nothing more than the attainment of knowledge.

Think of the bride at the temple of Master Pai Mei in Kill Bill (Vol. 2) enduring physical and mental torture while learning the secret art of causing a human heart to explode with five fingers.

But that’s all in the past. The art is no longer a secret known to a few. Unlike before, there are more and more temples being built, many of which do not subscribe to outmoded beliefs based on blind loyalty and sacrifice.

The older temples are rapidly losing their leverage and appeal. They precariously stand on crumbling pillars of sand.

One thing must be clear. Young professionals should not demand minimum wages. No, it’s capitalism that ought to be embraced.

This neatly leads to the “you’re all equal” excuse. Why bother giving better salary and treatment to young professionals when there are so many others in the market of equal skill and ability?

The flaw in this logic is the assumption that everyone is equal. There are the good, the bad and the ugly. The problem is that the seniors either cannot tell them apart, or even if they can, they care little for such distinctions.

Thus, the best young professionals either leave for other industries, or to other countries, like Singapore and Hong Kong.

A story told to me as a student many years ago captures the typical Malaysian mindset perfectly. You show your report card to your mother. She says: “Only 4As? But Mrs X’s son got 5As!”

You do better in the next exam. She says: “6As? Fine, got improvement, but Mrs Y’s son got 7As!”

You give it all for the next exam and knowing full well your classmates’ results, you confidently say: “I’m the only one who got 7As! Now you can brag about me to all your friends!”

With a shake of her head, she says: “Aiya, I know you did well, but it’s not nice to compare and show off, okay?”

The message here is that bosses are excellent in drawing comparisons when they wish to be critical of an employee who has performed poorly. However, they mysteriously lose this ability when required to evaluate an employee who has actually performed well.

Why do young professionals leave Malaysia? Yes, it is partly because foreign shores offer greater treasures and brighter horizons. However, it’s also because Malaysian shores are barren and rocky, offering little in the way of white sands, coconut trees and deck-chairs.

What Malaysia lacks is a multi-tier labour market which rewards young professionals based on merit. Here, they feel unwanted. Here, they do not feel the love.

Eventually, market forces will prevail. Let this be a timely warning to the professional overlords, and a clarion call to the professional underlings.

To the overlords, take heed that slowly but surely, all the good young professionals will sail away to leave behind nothing but dead drift wood. Change now, before the Jerusalem bells start ringing and Roman Cavalry choirs start singing.

To the underlings, remember that there is salvation to your hunger and anger. The sea will not run out of horizons. The market will not out run of demand for professionals. If the future is bleak in your profession, leave it behind and don’t look back. Or stay and join the rest of the young revolutionaries in wait.

Ultimately, what matters is not what one does for a living, but how one makes the best out of life.

So, dear comrades, always remember this: Long live life

-------------------------------------------------------

Skarang ni semua benda makin mahal - makan, pakai, rumah, kereta, tambang public transport etc. Walaupun orang cerdik pandai kata gaji masing-masing lebih baik berbanding dahulu, tapi kalau dibandingkan dengan apa yang keperluan nak belanja hari-hari (untuk hidup especially), macam tak berubah sangat pon. Nak beli rumah pon kena berkira-kira, rumah teres biasa pon dah sampai RM400k-700k. Even juta-juta pon ada! Aduii! Kalaupun bersih dari hutang-piutang lain, hutang rumah still besar percentage-nya berbanding gaji bulanan. Selalu juga terfikir, kerja hari-hari skarang ni nak cari duit utk hidup yang lebih baik or nak bayar hutang je?

Macy's Day Parade

2010-12-06T21:11:00.003+08:00

This song accompanied me throughout my years of study. Nice!

Today's the Macy's Day Parade
The night of the living dead is on its way
With a credit report for duty call
It's a lifetime guarantee
Stuffed in a coffin 10% more free
Red light special at the mausoleum

Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed to you
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope

When I was a kid I thought
I wanted all the things that I haven't got
Oh.. But I learned the hardest way
Then I realized what it took
To tell the difference between
Thieves and crooks
A lesson learned to me and you

Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Cause I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted

What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
And where it goes
And I'm thinking about
The only road
The one I've never known
And where it goes

And I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted

Mee Hailam Rumah Punya

2010-12-06T20:28:00.002+08:00

Hari ni puasa. Nak buka puasa, macam-macam dlm fikiran. Nak makan itu lah ini lah. At last before sampai rumah, singgah pasar beli barang nak buat mee hailam. Mee hailam resepi sendiri ni dicedok dr ibu tercinta. Rasanye memanglain siket dr kedai. :) Sebab semuanye ikut sedap tekak. Kalau nak masin, lebihkan kicap, nak masam lebihkan tomato, nak pedas tambah cili more and more. Kat kedai pon pelbagai khazanah dalam tu, ada yg totally seafood, tak kuang juga campur ape yg ada kat dapur tu. haha!

Bahan-bahan nak masak:
Mee (kalau nak tukar kuey teow or bihun pon ok gak)
Kicap (nak masin or lemak masin, mane-mane lah)
Cili kisar/blend
Sos tomato
Bawang merah (bawang besar pon boley, manis siket nanti)
Bawang putih
Halia
Lada hitam
Sayur-sayuran (hehe..kobis buley carrot buley sawi buley..pendek kate ape jenis sayur yg seswai dgn mee lah)
Perencah lain buley pilih nak mee hailam theme ape, seafood ke, ayam ke, daging ke etc. Kat rumah kami ni jenis campur je (ada org particular bab campur daging vs seafood ni. Jadinye, up to org tu lah nak buat mcm mana)
Garam
Minyak masak

Now, mari main masak-masak :
1. Tumbuk (or org moden main blend je) bawang merah, bawang putih dan halia - nak halus mcm mane, up to u lah.
2. Tumbuk lada hitam
3. Panaskan kuali, tumis bawang-bawang, halia dan cili
4. Masukkan kicap, sos tomato dan air masak (air ni utk kuah, pandai2 lah bajet)
5. Masukkan perencah (we use ayam - sotong - udang)
6. Masukkan sayur
7. Rase dulu masin manis nye, then dah nak makan nati baru masukkan mee (takut mee tu kembang pula)

Apa-apapon, basic thing about cooking, before nak main masuk2 semua bahan-bahan dlm kuali, make sure bahan2 tu boleh masak same2. Jgn pulak nanti dah masuk ayam, ayam tak cukup masak dah masuk sayur. Sayur sawi and kobis ni cepat masak. Kalau layu, dah tak sedap.

Selamat mencuba! Hehe..

Travel Ideas 2011

2010-12-06T08:13:00.006+08:00

Travel ideas could be anything. Journey to kampong (balik kampong) is also one great idea for travelling. Some people do like beaches for their destination, and other people like cities or cultural places that grab their attention. Lots of things to do during vacation. Either travelling as individual/group backpackers or with package prepared by agents.

Year 2011 is approaching us. With new schedules, new appointments and new HOLIDAYS! Where should we go comes with when should we go. Cheap flight ticket (MAS, Air Asia etc), adequate planning, ample RM ($$$) and it will make us – ummph & joy! It doesn’t matter vacation locally or over-d-sea, as long as we are happy, then it’ll make a pleased vacation throughout the journey.

Here are some travel ideas for 2011 to be shared:

Top 10 Vacation Destinations for 2011 by By Frommer's Editors

Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities for 2011
1. New york
2. Tangier
3. Tel aviv
4. Wellington
5. Valencia
6. Iquitos
7. Ghent
8. Delhi
9. Newcastle
10. Chiang mai

Top 10 countries to visit in 2011 (Lonely Planet)
1. Albania
2. Brazil
3. Cape verde
4. Panama
5. Bulgaria
6. Vanuatu
7. Italy
8. Tanzania
9. Syria
10. Japan

Punyelah banyak nama dlm idea derang ni, nama Malaysia takde dlm senarai pon. Iskh. Cuti-cuti Malaysia pon ok ape. Malaysia Truly Asia tau. Sekarang tengah YES (Year End Sales). Next year pon ade few sales lagi! Somehow, there’re lots of places to see and to visit. Islands, cities, palaces, beaches, parks, modern building etc etc etc. Malaysia has 14 states, each states has their own attractions. From north to south, from east to west. Not to forget, Malaysia is really rich of food beverage choices. Nasi goring, tom yum, char kuey teow, karipap, roti canai, nasi ayam, ayam golek, gulai kawah, apam balik, teh tarik, sirap limau, lai chee kang, cendol, ais kacang, ABC, memang banyak lagi lah.
Check this : http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/ and find out more and more and more.

Blackheads vs. Whiteheads

2010-12-06T08:10:00.000+08:00

Blackheads vs. Whiteheads

Health news from Yahoo!
Banyak sgt beauty product yg jual skin care product/cosmetic. Ada yg seswai dgn kulit, ada juga yg damaging skin (either slowly or immediate). Blackheads and whiteheads ni sgt popular utk mereka yg sgt concern dgn kelicinan kulit muka. Jadinye, kalau nak dpt produk yg seswai, kene tau dulu mcm mana blck-whiteheads ni boleh jadi, then baru dapat solution yg tepat.

Holiday Detox

2010-12-06T08:03:00.000+08:00

Holiday Detox

Jom kita try. 3 hari je, tak lame sangat.

I Miss You

2010-12-05T21:03:00.000+08:00

I miss you, I miss you
Hello there, the angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want
Where you can always find me
We'll have Halloween on Christmas
And in the night we'll wish this never ends
We'll wish this never ends

I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you

Where are you and I'm so sorry
I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick strange darkness
Comes creeping on so haunting every time
And as I stared I counted
Webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
and hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop this pain tonight
Stop this pain tonight

Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head
I miss you, I miss you
Don't waste your time on me you're already
The voice inside my head
I miss you, I miss you

I miss you, I miss you

p/s appreciate what we have now..

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT

2010-12-05T20:53:00.003+08:00

Dine outside – restaurant, cafe, canteen, fast food restaurant, kopitiam and R&R. Served you fast and you eat it fast. Ask the waiters; get menu, make order, just like A B C. But, do we really care cleanliness of those places, kitchenette, utensils, cook and waiters? When we got ill, dehydrated, diarrhoea and ended up in hospital, just then we care where and what we ate.

For many timesss this issue has been called. But it just comes a minute and goes a minute later. No ISO i guess. Public get hurt with this, and yet it still happens. How far will it be again and again? Mice, cockroaches, scavengers, bugs, maggots etc., do we suppose share our cuisine with ‘them’? CERTAINLY NOT! Eww..yukS!

Sayang perut oiii. Tak pasal-pasal masuk spital.

However, this issue is just ‘depends’ to individual. Maybe dirty will make food tasty. It could be. Who knows... it just you to think about it, and choose ‘eat’. Susah mau cakap kan?

Yahoo : Baby Names Reveal More About Parents Than Ever Before

2010-12-02T13:48:00.006+08:00

Parents sekarang ada lots of baby's names. Macam-macam nama yang nak dipilih. Excited nak terima orang baru. Apa-apa pon sebaik-baiknya biarlah yang memberikan makna yang baik untuk anak. (kalau tak malu nanti bile cikgu panggil dalam class. hehe).

Article ni baru je baca kat yahoo! after checked email.
Kalau tak silap, original story drpd livescience - Baby Names Reveal More About Parents Than Ever Before

Clara Moskowitz LiveScience Senior WriterLiveScience.com
clara Moskowitz livescience Senior Writer livescience.com – Wed Dec 1, 8:01 am ET

The names people choose to give their children communicate a wealth of social information - more so now than ever before.

A new analysis of name statistics suggests that the meaning conveyed by a baby's name - that is, what a name tells others about the parents' tastes and background - has ramped up significantly over the last 25 years as baby names have become more diverse and numerous.

"We're in the middle of a naming revolution," said Laura Wattenberg, author of the popular book "The Baby Name Wizard" (Three Rivers Press, 2005) and creator of the website BabyNameWizard.com. "Parents are putting a much higher premium on distinctiveness."

In a recent blog post, Wattenberg explored how this trend has changed the very meaning and purpose of a name.

Pursuing uniqueness en masse

As Wattenberg points out, in the 1950s, the top 25 most common boy's names and the top 50 girl's names accounted for half of babies born. Today, however, those top names are given to fewer babies. In fact, you'd have to include the most popular 134 boy's names and the top 320 girl's names to cover half of all babies born every year. [Most Popular Baby Names in History]

"If you have 10 guesses to get somebody's name today there's almost no chance you'll get it," Wattenberg told LiveScience. "But 100 years ago, if you guessed the top 10 names you'd have a really good chance" of guessing correctly.

But with these changes in naming trends come social implications.

[Related: New trend in baby boy names]

"The more diverse naming styles become, the more we are going to read into somebody's name," Wattenberg said. She analyzed baby name statistics from the U.S. Social Security Administration to calculate a measure called Shannon entropy from the field of information theory. This measure is used to describe the information contained in a message - in this case, how much is communicated by the choice of a name.

The concept of entropy is associated with the disorder and chaos in a system (the second law of thermodynamics states that a closed system will always move toward higher entropy). Shannon entropy describes the relationship between how much disorder or uncertainty is associated with a certain variable, and how much information is stored in a message. The more diverse and uncertain the field of possible messages, the more information the message will contain.

Wattenberg calculated a sharp rise in name entropy over time. She found that this measure of the information carried by names has risen as much in the past 25 years as it did in the full century before that. (The measure is independent of the number of babies born.)

[Related: 10 worst celeb baby names]

That means that meeting a baby named Mary today tells you a lot more about the girl's parents than meeting a baby with the same name 50 years ago would have. And the same goes for any name you can think of.

The sociology of names

Names communicate so much, because they often embody parents' values and tastes, as well as dreams and ambitions for their child.

"Sociologists love names," Wattenberg said. "They're practically the only case of a choice with broad fashion patterns that there's no commercial influence on. There's no company out there spending millions to convince you Brayden is a perfect name for your son." (Studies have shown that movies, celebrities and other cultural trends do have an impact on the popularity of certain names.)

To understand how the meaning communicated through names has evolved, Wattenberg suggests thinking about an office with a dress code requiring all employees to wear gray or blue suits to work every day. Seeing a man dressed in a blue suit in such an environment would tell you very little about that man's taste or personality.

Compare that to an office with no dress code. Here employees' sartorial choices vary widely, so the outfit worn by anyone in that office could tell you a fair bit about that person as an individual. In this case, the same blue suit might reveal significant clues about its wearer.

The same goes for names. In an era where there are a lot more choices available, each choice carries more weight.

Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, called Wattenberg's work an "interesting analysis" and said, "It looks solid to me."

Twenge, author of book "The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement" (Free Press, April 2009), said the shift toward unique names was part of a broader social shift toward individualism in many aspects of our lives.

"It is much more common now for people to say, 'I want my child to stand out,'" Twenge said. "Naming a kid used to be an easier decision. Now you have to strike a balance in finding a name that isn't too popular, and isn't too weird."

And the fact that everyone who meets a child will now be able to glean more information from his or her name just adds to the predicament.

That means that parents-to-be who obsess over the choice of what to name their bun in the oven are justified in devoting hours to the decision. As Wattenberg wrote, "They're not just obsessive, they're responding to a new reality. I can prove it."

[List: Most popular baby names of the decade]

Seeds of a revolution

So how did names evolve to favor uniqueness over popularity?

Certainly the Internet is part of it. The social networking and easy communication with people beyond one's geographical local sphere means more sources of influence surround parents when deciding on a name. And with the rise of online user names - often based on a person's real name - comes an added incentive for that name to be one that no one else has.

"The idea of your name as a unique signifier that separates you from everyone else - that's a new idea," Wattenberg said. "Names never had to be unique. But today your name is often the first way and sometimes the only way people know you."

While it used to be enough to have a name unique to your neighborhood, now many parents are deterred if it's a name more than a few people in the world share.

Yet Twenge stressed that the trend toward distinctive names started before the Internet became so important.

Statistics show the diversification of baby names began in the 1960s, at the same time that Americans started placing more emphasis on individuality and less on collectivity and fitting in.

Also, the advent of name statistics has undoubtedly shaped naming trends. The Social Security Administration has only recently made baby name data available. Before that, people had anecdotal reasons to think a given name was popular or scarce, but they couldn't be sure. Now every year the country's most popular names are ranked and released.

"It's had a huge effect," Wattenberg said of the data. "There's a kind of reverse competitiveness that nobody wants to be number one."

And as much as people strive for uniqueness, ultimately humans are social animals that still want to fit in.

"We all want to be different from each other, but our tastes are still as much alike as they ever were," Wattenberg said. "So the result is we have a thousand tiny variations on a theme. You get Kayden, Brayden, Hayden, Jayden."

Good or Bad, Baby Names Have Long-Lasting Effects

Yahoo : What not to wear? Clothing a security line issue

2010-11-25T17:45:00.003+08:00

I read this article from Yahoo!

It's true and is a reality when safety and security issues comes to clothing matters – might bother lots of people. Even lady with Chanel jacket can be misjudged as a criminal if they won’t find a fine tiny pin attached.

Perhaps it’s for safety & security purpose that could save many lives..

Nice to share with others.

What's in style at the airport? Clothes that get you through security with minimal hassle.

A TSA officer searches a passenger at a security check-point Monday, Nov. 22, 2010, at Seatttle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle. There are new requirements at some U.S. airports that air passengers must pass through full-body scanners that produce a virtually naked image. Those who refuse to go through the scanners are subject to thorough pat-downs. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It was no crime of fashion, but Wendy Gigliotti's bulky sweater and ankle-length skirt made her a target of airport screeners.

A female Transportation Security Administration officer at Sacramento International Airport told her, "We can't tell if there's something under your skirt." She was then frisked in a way she said felt more intrusive than a physical exam.

"I felt not only like a criminal, I felt absolutely violated," said Gigliotti.

Gigliotti is among the travelers feeling mortified or even outraged by the more thorough security pat-downs the TSA began using this month as the holiday travel season begins.

Travel experts say the new scrutiny underscores the need for better airport fashion choices that can help people breeze through screenings with their dignity intact.

Clothes loaded with metal studs are suddenly a no-no, as are bras with underwires. Slacks instead of skirts are preferred. Any baggy clothing can require extra inspection.

"It's difficult enough to fly right now, so let's be sensible about it," said Susan Foster, author of "Smart Packing for Today's Traveler." "Let's minimize all the hassle."

Melissa Wood of Marina Del Rey said she prepared for a possible pat-down at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday by wearing tight jeans, a snug sweater and slip-on sheepskin boots. She said she made sure to take out all belongings from her pockets and stuffed them in her purse before reaching the conveyor belt.

"I don't want any problem when I reach the checkpoint," Wood said.

Another passenger evoked the Disneyland rule.

"We should dress to the airport like we dress for Disneyland, and by that I mean dressing comfortably with a good pair of shoes," said Aliise Becker, who wore a turtleneck, blue slacks and coat for her flight from Sacramento to Los Angeles. "The days of dressing to the nine to travel is a thing of the past."

The new search technique allows airport security screeners to use their palms and fingers to probe for hidden weapons and devices around sensitive body parts, including clothed genital areas and breasts. In the past, TSA officers brushed along those body parts with the back of their hands.

Opponents argue the more intensive screening violates civil liberties including freedom of religion, the right to privacy and the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.

Federal officials insist the procedures are necessary to ward off terror attacks like the attempted bombing of a Chicago-bound plane last Christmas by a Nigerian man who stashed explosives in his underwear.

Recently, a San Diego County man who resisted the groin check, telling an officer, "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested" became an Internet hit when he posted tape of the confrontation online. On the Alex Jones syndicated radio show, a frequent flier complained that a TSA officer put his hands down his waistband because he was wearing baggy sweat pants.

Gigliotti said she wasn't aware of the enhanced security measures, so she was shocked when the TSA officer ran her hands up and down her legs last week.

TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said that they have not received any written complaint from her.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn noted the public embarrassment that can come with additional security on Wednesday as she and city officials sought to ease the public's concerns on the issue.

"I go through the lines like everybody else. I have to take off my shoes. Sometimes I forgot to check the condition of my feet. I have to take off my jacket. Sometimes I forgot that the blouse I wore wasn't meant to be seen in public. But you know what, these are small inconveniences, these are small embarrassments in light of what we're trying to do," she said.

David Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, said he has been hearing about women complaining of TSA officers searching under their skirts.

"It certainly is a problem, that's why I recommend going through the scanning machines," Stempler said. "They're well vetted and they should be more comfortable than these aggressive pat-downs."

Some passengers and flight crews are fearful the imaging machines emit an unhealthy dose of radiation. The government insists they're safe, but agreed on Friday to let uniformed pilots skip the screening.

An Internet campaign is urging airline passengers to boycott the physically revealing scanners on the day before Thanksgiving and insist that any pat-down they receive as a result take place in full view of other passengers.

On Twitter, many joked that they might as well show up to the airport in their birthday suit.

Clothing options that may not be wise are T-shirts selling on the Internet that mock the pat-downs. One provides guidance to TSA officers to "firmly grasp" the buttocks, while others riff off the "don't touch my junk" line, including one for Fondle Airlines, motto: "Fondling junk since 2010."

Daisy Nguyen, Associated Press, On Tuesday November 23, 2010, 3:07 am EST

More women have HIV

2010-11-25T10:50:00.000+08:00

More women have HIV

Something to think, something to keep, something to be aware.

IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU by McFly

2010-11-19T20:17:00.003+08:00

Heard this song from Invincible Youth programme. Fall in love with this song, use it for bride&groom video during my wedding day.

It's all about you
(It's about you)
It's all about you, baby
(It's all about you)
It's all about you
(It's about you)
It's all about you

Yesterday, you asked me something I thought you knew.
So I told you with a smile 'It's all about you'
Then you whispered in my ear and you told me to,
Say 'If you make my life worthwhile, it's all about you'

And I would answer all you're wishes, if you asked me to.
But if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'd do.
So hold me close and say three words, like you used to do.
Dancing on the kitchen tiles, it's all about you.
Yeah...

And I would answer all you're wishes, if you asked me to.
But if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'd do.
So hold me close and say three words, like you used to do.
Dancing on the kitchen tiles,
Yes you make my life worthwhile,
So I told you with a smile...
It's all about you.

It's all about you
(It's about you)
It's all about you, baby
(It's all about you)
It's all about you
(It's about you)
It's all about you

OUR LONDON & PARIS ESCAPADE

2010-11-19T19:43:00.008+08:00

After 4 days ‘old’ of marriage, my beloved hubby and I created another milestone in our relationship – it’s London-Paris-London 7 days trip (tolak pergi/balik, tinggal 5 hari je). Nak beli tiket MAS macam di luar kemampuan, jadi kami guna Air Asia X. Quite ok for us, with RM3,600 flight tickets for two to-&-fro inclusive airport tax, 80kg baggage, comfort kits & Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak.

Lots of plans have been made, even before we nikah. Every single thing need to consider, such as where to go, accommodation, bus/train maps, meals, cost & budgeting, time, weather & appropriate clothing etc. Lama jugalah nak plan itu ini. Iyelah kan, kami ni guna ala2 backpackers, jadi semua perkara berkaitan $$$ perlu difikirkan. No money no visit maa.

Belum pon penat kenduri kendara hilang, kami dah kene bersiap2 packing for a week luggage to London-Paris. Not too much to bring there..just t-shirts, jeans, toiletries, socks, jackets, Brahim’s instant cook, 3in1 milo+Nescafe, Maggie cup, energy bar and jacket. We depart from LCCT Sepang at 3.40pm 28/9/2010 (delayed for about 30 minutes) and arrived at Stansted Airport 10.00pm 28/9/2010. Nasib baik lah ibu & ayah dapat hantar ke LCCT. Rushing juga nak kejar masa after mengemas selepas selesai majlis perkahwinan. (Alhamdulillah, majlis kedua-dua pihak dah selesai, kiranya penat sekaligus je ni!)

Dalam perjalanan ke London, beverage & refreshment diberikan 2 kali (we already booked it online with RM25 pp, and it’s cheaper than we buy food on flight throughout the journey – which 1 meal/nasi lemak will cost you RM15 and a ribena/coke for RM6). Since this is not MAS, should bear in mind to have your own entertainment throughout the journey. 13 hours maa! Nak buat apa pon tak tau kan. Orang blakang kami bijak sungguh, derang bawak makanan banyak2 dlm flight (which i think they already bought those at airport – sebab nampak derang makan McD haha!) My hubby asyik tido je. I can’t sleep, too excited for London! I just do Sudoku. Banyak jugalah yg dapat habis (but don’t ask about the difficulty rates. Hehe).

(Tips : bawa je ape jenis game pon as long as not handphone game, except yg ade inside flight mode lah. Ingat nyawa tau sendiri as well as others! Jgn lupa to keep jajan, tak kesah lah kacang ke snickers ke mr. potato ke)

(Tips : Air Asia ni kalau booking awal lg murah. Guna online jek. Do reservation for meals & luggage, pandai2 planning nak kilo berat masa pergi atau balik. We chose heavier luggage for flight back to KL. Total of 80kg.)

(Tips : nak pilih baju kene check dulu weather tempat nak gi. Kalau tersilap, erk tak kluar jalan2 gamaknye.)

Touched down about 10pm local time (which is 10 minutes earlier than schedule) at Stansted Airport (STN). STN is a low cost airport like LCCT but i think it’s much more ok than LCCT. Arrived there – through England immigration – got all luggage – buy tickets for transport from STN to London. Immigration di STN ni agak teratur. Jangan salah masuk counter tau. Kalau datang sorang, then gi je ke counter tu sorang2. But, if you’re going to London with family or more than 1 (maybe couple or group), approach the counter with your group together. All documents should be shown appropriately, inclusive passport, visitor’s form, flight itenary etc. Masa kami datang tu, immi officer tanye kat mana kami akan stay (since kami dok umah orang, so dier tanye lagi ape relation kami dgn orang tu), kami kerja ape, balik Malaysia nanti kami akan buat ape pula (derang ingat kita ni suka2 tukar kerja ke ape) and he also asked us to show him our flight itenary (just to assure we just visit London and not to stay there). At that time there was no visa requirement for Malaysian to enter UK, but please constantly check with Wisma Putra for that purpose.

We bought 2 return bus tickets (National Express) for 34pound (this is open ticket, where we can use it within a certain dates. Maybe there’re cheaper ticket to London but we find this is much easier since it has many options of pick stop compared to others. Kalau salah, minta maaf la ye, tak cukup study lagi) and we also bought 2 oyster cards, for 34pound. Why we choose oyster card, is because we won’t be in London for at least 3 days in a row. Then it’s quite acceptable to use a ‘pay-as-u-go’ card only. Oyster card ni macam touchNGo card. Tapi sebelum nak beli apa-apa kad tu, study dulu apa option yg terbaik sepanjang percutian tu. Oyster card ni akan di charge ikut peak or off-peak hours. Kalau tak silap, peak hours start dalam jam 7.00am dan akhir pada 5.30pm. Jadi kene pandai2 arrange masa perjalanan. Kami ni hentam kromo je, bila mata terbuka mase tu lah baru nak siap2. Heheh.

(Tips : Study dulu option yang paling baik utk public transportation. Kalau beli oyster, make sure alert dgn remaining balance, nanti boleh top-up lagi. Bila nak top-up tu, berpada-pada pond ah cukup. Kalau terlebih, membazir pula. Jangan lupa simpan nama tempat yg boleh redeem semula balance oyster tu. Kami tak jumpa any kedai/booth di STN airport yg boleh redeem. Puas lah bertanya orang kat sana, maybe derang saje je kot tak nak bagi kami redeem. Boleh buat souvenir. )

(Tips : Selain National Express, ada banyak lagi options lain yg boleh digunakan. Ada bus as well as train. Ada easyBus, TerraVision etc. Pengalaman dengan National Express tu, punctuality itu penting. Derang bergerak setidak-tidaknya lewat 5 minit saja. It’s better if buy online – cheaper than to buy it at ticket counter. Kami tak beli online because pada mulanya my hubby’s friend kata nak fetch kami, but then tak jadi pula. Try surf this : http://www.stanstedairport.com)

(Tips : Bila mengembara ke negara barat, lebih baik jika boleh pastikan masa sampai di sana jam berapa. Jika sampai malam, elok berjaga semasa dalam flight. Kalau tido lama sangat, nanti nak tido balik kat bilik susah pula.)

(Tips : Keep all travel documents securely and di tempat yang senang kita nak cari. Kalau perlu declare barang, then declare je. Make sure to pack up all foods as it should be.)

Naik je dlm bas tu (or kat sane bas tu dipanggil coach), driver buat announcement minta all passenger wear sit belt. Bermula lah ‘vacation’ kami di London. 1st stop was at Golders Green. Then we continue to next stop, which will be our stop – Finchley Road. We arrived there by 12++am, and a bit rush to tube station. Alhamdulillah, we managed to get into the tube (last tube of the day actually). Dah lah tgh2 malam, berkejar-kejaran cari train pulak tuh. Tempat orang pulak tu kan. Iskh. Nasib badan..

Our next stop is Dollis Hill, which is 4th stop from Finchley Road station (via West Hampstead, Kilburn, and Willesden Green). Nobody was there. Since it was very late at night (early morning of Wednesday actually), En. Ahmad fetched us to his house where it will be our ‘home sweet home’ for days while we’re in London. Kat rumah En. Ahmad, kami berkenalan dgn 1 family yg juga dr Malaysia. His wife is doing Master there. Berkenalan juga dgn cute adik Mukhriz and Farah. Dah tengah2 malam, derang x tido lagi tau. Then, bila dah dapat room, ape lagi terus tido keletihan. Penat sungguh! 13 hours journey in flight. Berkejar cari bus, berkejar amek last tube. ZzZzzzZz.. (next part will be continued, later – don’t know when)

2011 Mattresses, Quilts and Pillows

2010-11-16T16:36:00.000+08:00

2011 Mattresses, Quilts and Pillows

HARU : TIDAK SEINDAH SURIA

2010-09-14T12:49:00.005+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Start cuti dari Khamis sampai Isnin. Menjelang Syawal ni, banyak benda nak dibuat. Masa ni lah mengemas macam tak ingat dunia. Lantai nak kasi kilat sampai boleh nampak muka. Cermin kasi licin, kira tembuslah kalau lalu kat situ. Dah habis cuti raya, kene masuk office semula kan. Bila nak start kerja semula, haaa macam2 lagi yg jadi. Nak iron baju tudung, nak cari handbag mana yg nak guna, kasut mana yg perlu dipilih. Kiranya dari atas sampai bawah la. Bila tengok suasana kat luar, hmm best nye pergi kerja hari ni. Cantik & mendamaikan. Kalau takde orang kat office, lagi baik. Tenang & tenteram nak buat bajet & kira-kira matematik.

Ladies & gentlemen, start your engine! Vroom.. wow, tenang nye perjalanan hari ni, kereta pon 2-3 buah je. Bila sampai office, kene parking kereta dulu. Time ni lah yang aman damai dah jadi kelam kabut. Ntah mana peginye access card. Cari dlm kereta, takde pangsung. Tonggang terbalik juge lah dibuatnya. Call rumah, minta tlg cari. After 20 minutes, text received – takde pon card tu. Call nenek pulak, mane lah tau tinggal kat kampung, pon takde juga. Then, kene parking kat luar, nasib baik tak ramai orang yg datang kerja lagi.

Masuk office & tanye2 orang, kene buat police report. Iskh. Satu hal lagi. Pegi lah buat police report tu. Lama juga kene tunggu. Counter Cuma ada 2, dua2 penuh ade orang. Bila dah sampai turn, rupe-rupenye pakcik kat sebelah pon tengah buat police report gak sebab access card hilang gak. Hahahah! Time cuti lame mcm ni, memang ramai yg hilang access card ke?

Dah selesai report pd polis, kene buat report kat office pula. Aduhhhh... bila banyak masa habis kat situ jek. Tak tercapai cita-cita nak buat kerja dgn aman tenteram hari ni. Memang office sunyi sepi, tapi hati tak tenteram mcm ni, memang susah nak buat kerja. Bila lah agaknya nak dapat card baru. Semua orang pon cuti lagi. Payah betol dibuatnya.

B-O-R-I-N-G-N-Y-E-E-E-!

Best nye kalau dapat rumah kat sini. (microsof clip)

Sudah JATUH Ditimpa TANGGA

2010-09-08T10:50:00.006+08:00

Dalam dunia ni, banyak dugaan yg perlu dilalui oleh setiap insan. Tak kira lah dugaan besar atau kecil. Tak semua antara kita yg diberikan keistimewaan yg pd orang lain mungkin melihatnya sebagai – “wah, untungnye dia tu ye”. Tak kurang juga yg ditimpa dugaan bertalu-talu sehinggakan hampir berputus asa. Namun, sebagai Muslim perlu diingat bahawa janji Allah – setiap dugaan itu diturunkan kpd orang yg boleh menempuhinya.

Bercerita mengenai dugaan, saya tertarik kpd situasi semasa mengenai masalah sosial yg bagaikan menjadi masalah negara kerana semakin banyak yg berlaku (tak tau la pula kalau statistik terkini mungkin menyorokkan keadaan sebenar kerana tak mau negara jadi huru hara kan). Cerita-cerita yg disampaikan oleh media massa mahupun email, banyak menyatakan masalah tersebut dan impak yg terjadi hasil drpd permasalahan tersebut. Ada juga siaran yg menunjukkan orang perseorangan yg di-interview mengenai pengalaman mereka. (maybe lebih baik kita interview artis je kan. Tak perlu cari di internet, dlm email yg di-forward pon dah cukup banyak. Lain kali kalau dpt email yg sebegitu rupa, tak perlu lah di-forwardkan lagi. Bikin jelak saja pak).

Bayi luar nikah yg dibuang merata-rata, mabuk, dadah, rumah urut, pubs & clubs, bergaduh rebut suami/boyfriend orang lain, pembunuhan, ragut, rompakan..eish..senang cerita memang banyak sangat daaa.. Dalam banyak-banyak isu tu, ada satu yg mungkin kita tak ambil perhatian sgt, iaitu video atau gambar yg di-upload oleh manusia yg tidak bertanggungjawab. Perkara utama yg ingin disampaikan di sini adalah, orang yg pandai-pandai upload video/gambar orang lain ke internet/website yg kononnya boleh share dgn org lain. Kalau kita masih ingat dulu pernah akhbar/majalah yg menggemparkan isu lubuk tupah/tipah (yg mane satu ntah ni). Kesian kpd org yg di dlm video/gambar tersebut dan tak tahu nak menggambarkan macam mana perasaan marah dan kesal terhadap orang yg meng-upload video/gambar tersebut. I believe perkara ini masih berleluasa. Kalau tidak, masakan pula timbul cerita akhbar lain mengenai penjawat awam di dalam lif & sebagainya.

Bila menyentuh perkara yg dianggap dosa (oleh pelaku di dlm video/gambar tersebut), sepatutnya kita tidak boleh menjatuhkan hukum begitu saja. Kita tidak berada dalam situasi mereka (i know ramai yg akan mengatakan perkara tersebut boleh dielakkan). Sedangkan orang yg bergelar al-fadhil ustaz ustazah pon boleh terjerumus dlm situasi tersebut, inikan pula kita orang yg biasa2. Kita tidak tahu mungkin pelaku-pelaku tersebut sudah lama bertaubat, tiba-tiba mereka dapat tahu video/gambar terpampang di website, utk tatapan umum pula tu. Alangkah malunya mereka, apatah lagi ahli keluarga mereka! Orang yg suka sangat merakam atau meng-upload video/gambar tersebut adalah orang yg sepatutnya dicari – inilah masalah sosial yg sebenar. Taubat lah bersama-sama. Menjatuhkan aib orang lain kan besar juga hukum dosanya. Kalau lah nak dikatakan sebagai sharing kpd umum kononnya utk “ELAK ATAU JANGAN BUAT”, ada kaedah lain yg sepatutnya si peng-upload tersebut boleh buat. Bukan dgn cara memalukan pelaku-pelaku tersebut. Lagipun, orang yg suka meng-upload video/gambar yg tak sepatutnya tu, ada juga drpd cctv. Maksudnya security service di Malaysia ni tak secure lah ye? Mcm mane video/gambar yg sepatutnya disimpan oleh syarikat security tu boleh terlepas utk tatapan umum? Yg suke skodeng pon another problem juga. Seronok sgt ke melihat video/gambar begitu? Bukan ke itu namenya bersubahat juga? Na'uzubillah hi min zalik.

Fikir-fikirkanlah, sedang Allah itu Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang, inikan pula kita sebagai hamba-Nya sahaja. Cubalah bertindak untuk memperbaiki keadaan, bukannya merumitkan lagi keadaan sedia ada. Cukup-cukup lah dgn masalah yg ada ni.

Young Spear

2010-08-04T21:24:00.005+08:00

(Clipart from Microsoft. :))

Where to begin? How to start? What should I tell? Arghh..

It costs tense isn’t it? Ini lah yang selalu appear bila mana nak mulakan new post dlm blog. Iyelah, kita ni masih orang baru yg nak berjunak-jinak dgn dunia blogger. Banyak lagi perkara yg perlu dipelajari. Sometimes, to choose language to be used pon agak sukar. Nak bercerita dlm Bahasa Melayu pun ayat tunggang langgang, to write in English – too much grammar errors to be considered (nanti ada pula yg tak faham apa yg nak dikongsi).

Bila baca blog orang lain, macam-macam yg boleh diceritakan. Ada saja idea mereka. Tak kisah lah mengenai ilmiah mahupun catatan harian ~ i wonder, where did they get those ideas? And they don’t have any rules for what they are sharing with. It seems like they really not worry about spelling, writing with mix vocabulary/grammar etc. Mungkin dari kebebasan utk menulis dan mencurahkan idea penulisan tersebut menjadikan karya blog mereka lebih menarik utk dibaca. Mungkin juga ianya sebagai latihan berperingkat utk menghasilkan nukilan yg lebih bermutu.

p/s Errrr.. Nampaknya jauh lagi perjalanan blog ini utk mencapai tahap spt blogger lain. http://www.ehow.com/how_2063225_be-blogger.html

1 2 3 A B C Que Sera Sera

2010-08-01T23:49:00.010+08:00

When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother what will I be

Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?

Here's what she said to me..

Que sera sera ~ Whatever will be will be ~ The future not ours to see

~ Que sera sera

Bila usia dah makin lanjut begini, teringat semula kisah-kisah lama, cerita-cerita di waktu kecil dahulu. Bermula dengan zaman tadika (or tabika or kindergarten or apa jua istilah pun), masuk ke sekolah rendah (kebangsaan) + sekolah agama, kemudian ke sekolah menengah dan akhirnya ke universiti.

Setiap zaman/era belajar pasti memberikan 1001 cerita utk diri masing-masing. Mungkin ianya membawa kisah duka, tak kurang juga memberikan kisah gembira. Terpulang kepada individu tersebut. Yang pasti, hanya empunya diri yang tahu apa yang berlaku dan sebab-sebab berlaku. :)

Orang kata zaman sekarang zaman moden dan berteknologi, tak boleh dibuat perbandingan dengan zaman 90s dulu. Dulu kita sebuk dengan main getah, guli dan konda-kondi, nowadays kids like PSP, XBox & Wee. Bila difikir-fikirkan semula, macam cepat sangat masa berlalu. Rindu pula dengan keadaan yang free untuk main-main dan tak kisah pun tentang nak bangun awal pagi untuk pergi kerja.

Tentu ramai yang masih ingat lagi, kalau akhir tahun je cikgu darjah mesti tanya dah besar nanti nak jadi apa? (nak isi dalam kad) Rasa-rasanya dah besar-besar ni kita jadi macam apa yang kita pernah beritahu dulu? ;)

Mungkin ada yang Ya mungkin ada yang Tidak. Walau apa pun yang kita dah Jadi sekarang, asalkan tidak menyusahkan orang lain pun dah cukup baik untuk kita, Alhamdulillah.

Placing Peace

2009-10-19T23:15:00.015+08:00

Kampung Banggol Jas is located in a small district called Selama, Perak. I was there about a year back, for an agro studies at that lovely village. I live with a modest farmer family. Every morning I’ll wake up at 6.15am as everybody in that house is preparing to work ~ many works indeed; they have rubber plantation, sweet corn farm, paddy as well as more than 20 cows to be taken care of. What a huge responsibility!

This kampung (village) has a very scenic view that gave me an amity and calm moment, with just looking at the small stream and hills. For many years living in urban area with no own ‘real’ kampung to go, staying in Kampung Banggol Jas even for a petite period gave me such a therapy and freedom from strife.

Hopefully the peace will preserve, generation to other generation.

Super Trouper ABBA

2009-10-17T02:22:00.005+08:00

Super trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I wont feel blue
Like I always do
cause somewhere in the crowd theres you

I was sick and tired of everything
When I called you last night from glasgow
All I do is eat and sleep and sing
Wishing every show was the last show
So imagine I was glad to hear youre coming
Suddenly I feel all right
And its gonna be so different
When Im on the stage tonight

Tonight the
Super trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I wont feel blue
Like I always do
cause somewhere in the crowd theres you

Facing twenty thousand of your friends
How can anyone be so lonely
Part of a success that never ends
Still Im thinking about you only
There are moments when I think Im going crazy
But its gonna be alright
Everything will be so different
When Im on the stage tonight

Tonight the
Super trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I wont feel blue
Like I always do
cause somewhere in the crowd theres you

So Ill be there when you arrive
The sight of you will prove to me Im still alive
And when you take me in your arms
And hold me tight
I know its gonna mean so much tonight

Tonight the
Super trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feling like a number one
Tonight the
Super trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I wont feel blue
Like I always do
cause somewhere in the crowd theres you

Remember you remember me

2009-10-12T23:59:00.006+08:00

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last Saturday I went to a wedding ~ Jihan’s Wedding!! When I know she’s getting married (that was a day before Aidilfitri), I become so shocked (but so excited)! Hahaha! I can’t imagine, that shining funny girl is going to get married. Oh mine!

We’ve been friend for quite a long time, since we were studying in MMU ~ also with Nadia and Q. MMULife was a great memory I have so far (not to mention here about beloved Nani, Jaja, Farah, Ama, Ridzuan, Aisa, Ikin and Abe). Hmm..how I miss to be like that again. Free to do anything and at no cost to think anything I want to, although in other part there were much homework to be completed; assignments, lab reports, weekly exercises, revisions as well as schedule of makan² (meals), places to go to etc. Phew, lots of things to do.

Nadia (Angah), Jihan (Achu) and me getting closed since we were staying at E Apartment. Then we moved out to rent a tiny winy house. Until now, I’m fortunate that this friendship still remain although we speak infrequently after I finished my study. All sweet and sour, good and bad memories are the heartzz that I truly love and will never forget. We shared many things and any can just say it, it’ll be found in our friendship.

Achu, the youngest, Angah, the middle-gurl, and me the eldest (hmm..old huh). Then we also be friend with Q whom is been the youngest then after he joined us (after all, he’s our neighbour). Angah and Achu have similar pattern in common. They are happy-go-lucky sweet 17 dancing queen (17? Hahah!), good spontaneous singers, like to LOL, and believe me they really have a really classy taste! (Jeans, shoes, handbags, watches, sunglasses - they will only show off for special occasion only). It was a great time, indeed, a trip and shopping day with Achu in Singapore. You’ll get many tips and a very frank advice when you go shopping with them (especially for an affordable closet). Q is good in his idea of bedazzling your clothes, interior designing, and if you have a big budget, you can hire him as a wedding planner.

Despite of those things, I’m very pleased to have Angah and Achu as my friend as they are very humble person I ever met. They aid me a lot and be with me for most of my time for cheery and misery. They are from a very well-heeled family, but they keep it in a very reserve way as many people look at them as a very ordinary person. And not to forget here, they speak French! And spend many of their holidays in overseas.

Oopss... for Q ~ Q is Q. If Q is not like today, then he’s not Q! Hahaha!

During MMULife, we out for meals at many places, even at Seremban for midnight supper! Since we shared as a food lover together, a part of that we also share the so called fit-ass together. Haha! Evening jogging at park, gym session and the best was...aerobic class with Teacher Angah! We’ve done Paula Abdul aerobic class, yoga-dance class and ZAPIN aerobic class! But now, I’m struggling with my weight, for most of my day spends in the office and physical exercise is no longer enjoyable to me.

Nite time was filled with gossips and song session (although some lyrics were just carried away by humming only or own lyrics). Achu was our guitarist. Not to forget facial mask session, dreaming session etc.

Despite the ecstatic things between us, there’s also a dark moment that I really regret it to be happened. But I have to admit there’ll be the ‘upside down’ in this friendship (or perhaps in any friendships). A cold war happened as it really cut me into tears, that I felt I’m losing this friendship. Every joy was shut into rage and hate . But fortunately, it didn’t go long and I learnt many things from that gloomy instance. Alhamdullillah.

Ok, back to Jihan’s Wedding. She looked pretty and feminine with the red dress. And the make-up mixed her so well as she look flawless for her overall skin. And she, as usual, full of smiles for every guest there. His husband is a lucky guy to have her as a wife. And of course, she’s also lucky to have a good looking husband.

Congratulations to Jihan & husband! May Allah bless their marriage and will live happily ever after.

I thank you for the friendship and never forget all of you ~ Angah, Achu & Q!

"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant."- Socrates, Greek Philosopher

Salam Aidilfitri

2009-09-25T13:21:00.000+08:00

Ramadhan berlalu lagi, memberi laluan kepada Syawal.

Ramadhan meninggalkan kita dengan 1001 kenangan ~ solat terawih berjemaah, bunga api, malam 7 likur, zakat Fitrah, pencarian malam Lailatulqadar etc.

Syawal yang disambut meriah/sederhana menjamu kita dengan pelbagai juadah (tak lupa juga duit raya) dan keinsafan supaya kita saling memohon maaf dan memberikan kemaafan ~ moga-moga kecuaian dan kesilapan tidak dilakukan semula, insya Allah..

Salam Aidilfitri buat semua.

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Super Trouper **ABBA**

Remember you remember me

Salam Aidilfitri

Super Trouper ABBA