Me lazying around!

Many Trivial Thoughts (Sept 29,2007)

Ramadhan Mubarak everyone. Guess it'a a bit late to wish everyone that. Tonnes of events had happened. While I'm still in the mood and still eager to write this post, let me tell you all about those happenings.

1. Went back to KB 2 days before Ramadhan.
Like I'd been telling few of my friends and Abang, I long for the day when I could go back to KB and have a balik kampung feeling. It's been almost a year since I went back. The reasons? Ma had been coming to KL few times already. And I couldnt apply for annual leave due to additional workload as my colleaugue is away for 6 months. Since our new family house is completed and ready to move in, Ma had been constantly asking my sisters and me when I'd be coming back to do all those washing, mopping, cleaning the old and the new house for the big move in. Since I'm the only daughter who has yet to get married. And also being available to do all the small-small chores, unofficially, I have to be responsible for almost 80% of the big move in mission. I started to throw many of our old things including our school/uni books, clothings to give aways, old furnitures as well as Ma's free stuffs (u know when u buy a large Colgate or large Ribena u get a plastic tumbler or sumthing). I don't want tell the rest of the throwing stuff, because I want to leave it to you to imagine how much are the junks that I got from a 25 years old house. Suffice to say that Ma was really mad when I threw her old furnitures away. I also cleaned up the new house, it was the 1st day of Ramadhan and I was so grateful that our house is not that big for me to wash, scrub and mop it alone.

2. Just paid the down payment for my OWN single storey bungalow.
Yup, I just bought a house. My OWN house :) A 5000 sq ft single storey bungalow. Yup, that is the very reason why I still ride my 660cc 2001 Kancil. Alhamdulillah, things are smoother now that our new family house in KB has completed. I can pay my own house installments now that I dont have to give Ma about RM500-RM700 every month to get the new family house constructed (fyi, we didnt apply for home loans as Ma has her own savings and my sisters also contribute to the house construction).

3. Just got my promotion/appointment letter a fortnight before. Alhamdulillah, my rezeki has been pouring in nowadays. Alhamdulillah. I'm so grateful because things are looking up. But responsiblities are bigger and the burden is naturally heavier. I can only view it as my superiors trust me to do bigger roles, higher career ladder. I pray that I can do more and work as hig spirited as before. My intention is always the same: to contribute, if not directly, indirectly.

4. Abang. Is my greatest influence. Enough said.

5. Family & Friends are important to me.
No matter what I do. My grounds are always go back to the basics. Our family is the one that can accept us for whatever happened to us, no matter how shameful it is, how unforgiveable it is. Friends are the greatest critics. Make us always on the ground however busy and stuck up we can be.
How smallest things can happen, I will always have that graphic memories of everything. Family gives me the real world.To work harder and always gets me on the ground. Friends, gives me memories of how fun it is to swap clothes or to laugh at. A companion, gives me balance of everything. What more could I ask for? Thank you Allah for these.

All Sorts of Happenings (latest& outdated ones!) -June 2007

A lot has been happening lately, firstly our old family house has been broken in. Ma lost her 2 gold rings. Ma was at the Shop. That morning rained cats and dogs. Ma tried to call me later in the evening on that Saturday but realizing that I havent transferred my dutiful special allowances to Ma yet, that I guiltily chose to ignore and guiltily have totally forgotten about it till the next day! What a daughter! (Abang, you still want to marry me??)

Another shocking thing that one can never be recovered from, someone has tried to steal my Car! (my means to work!!), yep...happened to me last Sunday, the day I forgot to return Ma’s call...(He’s given the Warning!) The worst thing is that I had to jump start(betul ke this phrase??)my Car, when I realized that Thief couldnt steal due to weak battery. (Alhamdulillah, He still cares about you Jie, no matter what!) I had a ride with Zura’s myVi for a day as the Car wont budge at all when I tried to start the engine. Later after work last Monday, I went to the workshop and replace to the maintenance-free-dry battery. Costs me about $150 that evening.

When I had my sleepover at Kak Ja’s place last couple of weeks, Khalis had a fever. Poor that 3–months old infant, he didnt sleep at all that night. Kak Ja too. I thought to myself, no one can have that ‘ special strength’ unless that person is the mother of the child. Even the father wont have that much of a patience. But Abang Nik always there to get Adeen out of the way to his lil bro, as Adeen has a knack to SLAP everyone!

Many famous people wed this year. Raja Nazrin for instance...gosh, he’s already almost 50! Pity him, as all rakyats have high expectations on who’d be his bride. But it was worth the wait! Zara is everything that a prince could ask for in a wife. She’s perfect for him. Educated & jelita!. ‘Nuff said. No one can complain his choice. (Kalah Wan Zaleha tuuu! Hehe!)

Pak Lah too. When Hendon passed away in Oct 2005, Abang told me, it’ll take Pak Lah about 6 months to 1 year at least to really let go Hendon’s loss. We were talking about Jeanne even before the official news is known to all . Jeanne Danker. You were right-lah, Bang. Anyway, it’s high time we need a First Lady for the country...! As I typing this entry, I’m thinking of who Pak Lah will marry to...becos I didnt think Pak Lah would remain single. He’s still relatively young , 67 for a PM ...compare it to Che Det! There had been so much gossips whether Era Fazira or other candidates, but it’s a relief for me as a rakyat to know that Pak Lah has chosen a lady of Jeanne-kind (regardless the race..) but not for a much younger candidate. As to quote Pak Lah statement: my love for Hendon will remain strong, and there should be no comparisons between Hendon and Jeanne. I marry becos I want a companion, and I think she can take care of me... (What say you..?)
Congratulations, Pak Lah. We welcome you, Jeanne.

The Art of Making Muffins

Oh, do you know the muffin man,

The muffin man, the muffin man?

Do you know the muffin man,

Who lives on Drury Lane?
Oh, yes I know the muffin man,

The muffin man, the muffin man.

Oh, yes I know the muffin man,

Who lives on Drury Lane.

- English Nursery Rhyme

What I know and The Secrets To Bake Real Muffins (yang menjadi!)

* The number one rule of muffin-making is don't over mix the batter unless

you want rock balls instead of muffins.

* If you're wondering which recipe to choose, note that less butter and sugar

in a recipe results in a bread-like muffin, while more butter and sugar

produces something closer to cake.

* Have all ingredients at room temperature. Please don't just take out from

the fridge and dump everything in the mixture bowl! Mix the dry ingredients,

whisk the wet ingredients, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently stir

the two together until everything is slightly moistened. Yes, there will be

lumps. Small lumps are okay...

* Add fruits, nuts, chocs chunks etc. after lightly combining the wet and dry

ingredients. Then give the batter one more light-handed stir and you're

done. Is the batter still thick and lumpy? That's exactly what you want.

* That thick, lumpy batter is best portioned out with a ladle or a ice cream scoop.

* We love muffin tops, dun we? Bake the batter in shallow muffin tins or

overfilled regular muffin tins. Even if you use paper to , a swap of butter or

olive oil on the top of the muffin tin will make muffin removal much easier.

* Position your oven rack in the middle of the oven for even heat distribution.

* Let muffins cool for a few minutes before turning them out of the pan.

* Muffins are best when freshly made, but for muffins anytime you want them. Wrap cooled muffins in plastic and freeze for up to two months. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature. You can get them out of the fridge and just reheat them in the oven, and frens, wallaa!

Little Thoughts

As work demands my time more then my private life I only manage to blog hopping very seldom these past few days. I always enjoy reading other people's thoughts & ramblings and I find myself to always believe that the verbal expressions are not always the exact expressions or feelings they actually want to tell you. So frequent we see many thought-provoking postings that we wish we could do the same.

I miss Literature classes..(seriously, Aishah..) I used to hate reading all those Elizabethan or 17thC writings..but looking back.. I hate to admit I miss those discussions with Dr Faridah (World Lit), Dr Jalal (English Lit 1-3 & American Lit) and Dr "Atuk" Lu'Lu'a (Shakespeare)! Your opinions & analytical thinking will never be wrong, as long as you have the justified facts. * Sigh*

I come to realize that once I started this rat race I can never stop to write as good as I used to be. As I always blog hopping to strangers' blogs, I tend to realize that I have not been writing that much since I left Uni. I start to appreciate good blogs, regardless the language it speaks whenever I have the time to read.

I always try to do newspaper cuttings as well as interesting quotations in mags or even from the Net. I even make way in my budget every month or every other month to shop for books. I'd buy few books to last me a couple of months to quench my thirst for reading. I don't call myself a book worm, not anymore..I personally know living proof book worms, I always think Sal & Aishah are book worms..still!

Due to constraints, I frequent blog hopping..sometimes the Net is not really the place but time limits me. I wish I could have more time hanging out in Kino or MPH or even in that public library like I always did when I was 8. Sometimes, we can only wish...

Nephew Adam

The lil' cute guy Adam Muhd Syafiq, he's 3.5 now. Can't wait to see him grown up.
Always minds his own business whenever his aunties around. Loves Bob the Builder, Barney & Cars.

Between Flipping Through Channels And Challenging My Taste Buds...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…

I’ve been meaning to write in ages! During my past time spending idle hours watching cable TV, I always think of something to write about particularly on what I watched. Discovery Channel has actually opened my eyes about things in life particularly. Nowadays, when watching AXN for that CSI marathon on Sunday nights I always find my thumb attacking those 1-1 and 5 - 0 numbers on the remote.

I always adore Ma’s cooking; everyone loves their home cooking especially when it comes to our familiar taste buds. I still remember Ma used to say that we need to learn to cook our own favorite dishes. Well, my list is actually quite long if I want to list them here but basically, almost everything (except that sambal belacan) that Ma has cooked and still cooks for us is my favorite. ;) Now that adds up my other interest; eating good food. ;)

Especially during this month of Mubarak, I find myself often experiencing new dishes from Nigela Bites & the famous Jamie ‘Naked Chef’ Oliver as well as David Rocco’s Dolce Vita..! Haha! Not many know how much I love cooking. My so-called culinary skill does not stop only at utilizing frying pots and saucepans on direct fire cooking but, I just cannot help by getting excited of what you can do with chicken & microwave oven!

I found the recipes by Nigella , Jamie & especially David’s are very healthy & tasty too. I just cannot help but to compare how Malaysian food (even though they’re delicious we cannot deny that they are very oily and loaded with carbohydrates. Unless, we replace the corn oil or the palm oil for olive oil, it’ll be healthier. I notice they use a lot of natural herbs right from the plants i.e thymes, oregano, or basil just to name a few. For a very hot weather like ours, we can only get them in those McCormick cute green bottles that cost us a huge sum.

I really hope that in a future I can toss those ingredients without measuring them first, and still having a wholesome dish enjoyed by anyone’s taste buds. Be it stewed, grilled or barbequed, stir-fried, baked or steamed…I can do them effortlessly.

Taking each step at a time

Calming moments...

I personally like this poem and let me share this with you all, how this poem has taken its effect on myself.

Take a walk around yourself

When the cynical side of you emerges
And you feel the sharp tongue's urges
To lash out the criticism you have for others
And strike them down like a bolt of thunder
Pause for a second and take a deep breath
Let those hurtful words sink to their death

Before you judge others with harsh words
To simply find fault with someone less absurd
Or pin down an innocent one to be the victim
Of office politics and failed negotiations as a mean
It is time for you to take that special walk
So tuck in your shirt and pull up your socks
Turn on the mode of silent stealth
For you need to take that walk around yourself

In the normal average of us all
We rise high but sometimes we fall
These are the many ups and downs in our lives
That keep us going to survive
But when you feel that you're always better than the rest
Ready to crush down anyone in any contest
Be it belittling or squashingheir dignity
It's time you face your own reality
That is the time you ought to taje the real test
to take a walk around yourself and undo the mess

Just before you judge another
Give yourself a break to ponder
Life needs an order of balance
That moment has come to your turn
Harmonise the state of your mind
Look deep inside and you shall find
Self-reflection appears on the shelves
When you take that walk around yourself.




I dislike people who belittle others..'though it is probably not their intention to hurt. Reality is, it's sure HURT.

Through looking glass

How was your day today?

Reminds me of this song that I always listen to whenever driving home from work..
Bad Day (Daniel Powter)
Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on
You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a with the to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces everytime
And I don't need no carryin' on
Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
Well you need a blue sky
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day(Oh.. Holiday..)
Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I'm not wrong
So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day

Long Weekend

On Your Own

Weekend is always the much awaited pleasure after a week of chaos at work.
Either staying indoor or go out, sight-seeing or just cruising along it depends on our level of exhaustion at that time..
I'm tired. Mind, Body & Soul.
I have not been able to actually give them justice.
At this point of time, I just want to sleep or rest doing nothing for the whole day.
Probably I'll take long leave after these chaos subsides.

Let me rest for the day. Tranqulity is the mode for the day.

Ciao.