Monday 31 December 2007

Melodramas Circa 2007

2007, what a year, what a year...Last year on the last day of 2006, i blogged abt how solemn a day it was...Saddam was hanged and it was also Eid ul Adha, a day to reflect on sacrifice, perseverance and struggles. Who would have known that the year that follows, paints that same picture for me. This whole year has been a rollercoasted ride, with me facing many many personal challenges, discoverin more emotions, making more decisions, taking more chances and perhaps shouldering tis overwhelming responsibility that impacted all aspects of my life and the people around me...

Many a time I felt helpless and wish to wake up to a brighter better tomorrow...many a time, it didn't happen and life goes on and despite feeling like i could juz crumble away  many a time too, I realise that tis year, had it not been for the Grace, Blessings, Patience, Strength & perhaps Luck bestowed on me from The Almighty, i would probably not grow & pull thru these difficult times beautifully, though yes, i make mistakes, bitch alot, felt so numbed, turned cold & probably hurt the ones dearest to my heart. 

Let me share with you, one of the most Powerful reminder & prayer from the Quran, that has kept me goin thru all these times tis year...and God willing, may tis be good for u too!

"On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith."  [Al-Baqarah:286]

Amin amin ya Rabbal 'Alamin

 

Friday 28 December 2007

Another Pro-Democracy People's Leader Gone

The lady who was the first woman prime minister in a Muslim country...gone...

The news from Sue came as a shock to me. I was hoping to see her win the upcomin election in Pakistan, and pursue her cause for democracy or at least power-sharing with the military power there to bring about a positive change to her country and people but gone she is, under a suicide-bomber attack. Is this part of a conspiracy for her oppositions to win the election or an agenda to stop a woman from taking control from men?

Whatever the plan is, i think tis is such a loss. My prayers are for her & the people of Pakistan...

Tuesday 25 December 2007

Peace on Christmas & days to come...

I caught "The Nativity Story" on HBO last night and somehow witnessed Mary's (Maryam) journey through her pregnancy till the point she gave birth. I witnessed hardship & a pilgrimage. That reminds me of Hagar, who is commerated in Eid ul Adha, besides the sacrifice her husband, Prophet Abraham (a.s.) had to make.

And through that movie, I learnt that the biblical Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth or Jerusalem (hee i dun really noe the history of Jesus lah and i'm a lil confused before). A heartwarming story and today, when I first logged on the Net, i saw a headline on MSN news abt a midnight mass/sermon by a Catholic Patriarch Michael Sabbah, conducted in the Church of Nativity. He CALLS FOR PEACE

Here is an excerpt:

The Catholic leader in the Holy Land again called for peace in the Middle East on Tuesday as he addressed thousands of Christians gathered at the traditional site of Jesus's birth.

"This land of God cannot be for some a land of life and for others a land of death, exclusion, occupation, or political imprisonment," Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah said in a sermon for the Christmas midnight mass.

"All those whom God, the lord of history, has gathered here must be able to find in this land life, dignity and security," he said, addressing thousands of Christians from all over the world in a sermon delivered in his native Arabic.

Sabbah, who last week said that peace in the Middle East depended on Israel, reiterated that message in a less direct way on Tuesday.

"It is not up to the weakest to submit themselves and continue to live a life of deprivation; it is up to the strongest, to those who have everything in hand, to detach themselves and to give to the weakest what is due to them."

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas attended the mass fresh from last month's international conference in the US city of Annapolis, where he formally relaunched the peace process with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Thousands of people gathered in front of the Church of the Nativity hours ahead of the traditional mass given on the site where Christians believe Jesus was born in a stable after Mary and Joseph were turned away at an inn.

Steam billowed from carts selling boiled corn and stands sold tea and coffee to the holiday makers gathered in the crisp temperatures under garlands of colourful lights strung across the square.

Palestinians hope the number of tourists and the income they bring will make it the best Christmas since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000 and the building of Israel's massive barrier through the West Bank.

Celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem "is a dream come true. We have waited for this for years," said Alice Lyons, a Briton touring the Holy Land over the holidays.

But the festive atmosphere has not hidden the decades-old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Last night when we came in, there was a banner wishing us a happy Christmas and it was hanging under barbed wire," her friend, Kathleen Joyce, said.

An eight-metre (25 foot) concrete wall erected by Israel in the wake of the uprising encircles much of Bethlehem, but the city was still set to welcome 30,000 to 40,000 visitors this year, twice the number that came last year.

"Last year, there were a lot of problems, security problems. God willing, this year will be better," Adnan Sobh, a souvenir shop owner, told AFP.

The renewed sense of calm convinced Jacques Keutgen, a Belgian-born director at the local Holy Family Hospital, to bring his entire extended family of 17 to celebrate Christmas in the West Bank city just south of Jerusalem.

"The security situation is much better than it has been in years," said Keutgen, who has been based in Bethlehem for four and a half years.

But it was important to show his guests that life remained grim for many Palestinians, he added.

"They have to see the wall to know how the Palestinian people are affected by this political situation," Keutgen said.

Israel says its 650-kilometre (410-mile) "security barrier" is needed to stop potential attackers. The Palestinians say the "apartheid wall" is part of a land grab aimed at undermining the viability of their promised state.

The barrier has confiscated farm land, uprooted olive trees, isolated Bethlehem from Jerusalem and helped to quicken emigration and keep unemployment at more than 50 percent.

But at Tuesday's midnight mass Sabbah urged Christians -- whose numbers across the Middle East have dwindled considerably in recent decades -- to remain in the region where their faith was born and work for peace there.

"Being Christian means sharing the concerns of all, building peace with everyone else, and accepting the sacrifices this implies... the difficulties of daily life, of occupation, of the wall of separation," he said.

"All of this is our common fate, and all of us together, by our sacrifices, we must build peace for everyone."

His speech made me realise that Bethlehem is part of Palestine, the sanctioned land. I just realised that the Christians too are suffering along with my Muslim brothers and sisters, in the name of Israeli's security. A sudden spur of sadness enveloped me and reflectin on how people here are celebratin Christmas with bright lights and crazy midnight sales, I am not exactly sure how spiritually touching are Christmas moments here in Singapore. The same feeling I get for the celebration of Eid ul Fitri too.

Well whatever it is, in facing the grim & hardship & what little freedom of movement & livelyhood the Palestinians have, I could only pray that their Christmas be spiritually enriching, and may peace be upon all them and that the Love the Miracle bring, be alive in each of their hearts...same too i wish to the rest of those who celebrate Christmas!

Monday 17 December 2007

WHAT?! A jaw droppin moment!

And he too dropped to the floor on his knees!

I think we all cannot believe it, himself too!

HADY IS ASIAN IDOL!!!

huh?hah?hahahah!!

i was initially a pembelot negara cos i was rooting for our neighbour's idol, Jac, she's one helluva a singer and she has tis aura of a Superstar, a true Idol quality, but upon hearing what the Indian judge remarked on Hady, my blood boiled & i secretly hoped Hady would win to spite that Indian judge who said "If upsets can happen Hady & -i forgot which idol- might win!

WHAT THE?!?!!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

siak punye mamak

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

wat he said?

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

if upsets happen then hady can win

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

pundek dia ah

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

CHEEBYE

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

haha

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

ooops

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

sorry

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

haha

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

vulgar mulgar kita

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

haha

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

WOOOTTTTTSSSSSS

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

HADY MENANG!!!!!!

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

SERIOIUS?

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

YEAHHHH AH

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

now he's on the flooor!!!!!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

terduduk on his knees!!!

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

of cos!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

he's so stunned!!!!!!!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

what the hell!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

hahhaa

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

UPSETS HAPPENED!

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

haha

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

cepat dia nyanyi ni

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

well..we are happily upset

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

haha

Fun and Mental are FUNDAMENTAL! says:

i think he won cos he very sincere in his singin

:::the 11 men delivered:::: says:

yeah!'

 

HAH TAKE THAT U,ANU MALIK! SO Full of ur Bollywood self! EY PODAH la dey~~

Should have just shut up when his mike was not workin when his opinion was asked the first time. It was probably a sign!

*POOT*

but i must agree with Ken Lim, tonite Asia Wins!! so thousand apologies for the vulgarities & racist remarks for the insult on our National Pride 

 

Sunday 16 December 2007

Childhood Deprived MacDonalds Birthday Party for PRINCESS Rafeeqah & Friends!




WoOoots~
The birthday party for Pwincess Raf was exceptionally fun! Call us ganyut or childhood deprived, yes we rised to that occassion! LoL we became lil children for that wonderful two hours, havin entertained & played games such as Q&A on MacDonalds characters, MacDonalds food dance-and-stop game as well as steppin on the smallest paper game! Helluva fun seein everyone lookin all earnest & wacky! The shoppers outside the MacDonalds who looked into the glass windows were all amused by us who were actively participating in the games!

The birthday girl was very delighted! the whole time she was laughing n grinning, havin a ball of her life, together with her Prince Goofyz! She was such a good sport, she even lead the Gweenies (those who wore green, like her) to do the Chicken Dance! Yes the Pwincess shaked her royal ass!!

After eatin their Happy Meals, the children magically turned adult and ended up at Club Street, catchin up further over tea, coffee, iced chocolate, cake & feelos...Ahhh what a lovely time spent again with my fellow Multiply peoples, especially to celebrate the birthday of our loved one, our dearest Miss Rafeeqah!

CHEERS everyone for a terrific time!

More pics:
http://deesdaily.multiply.com/photos/album/74/6-year_old_Rafs_MacDonalds_Party
http://raf13.multiply.com/photos/album/163/Its_my_party_and_ill_grin_if_i_want_to
http://boneeta.multiply.com/photos/album/134/-..da.ronald.partee..-
http://sitz.multiply.com/photos/album/116/Were_loving_it_Princess_Rafs_Party._

Saturday 15 December 2007

Emi's & Chris' Ronggeng




Tis is totally spontaneous...the Pakcik & Makcik joget their way from the dining area to the Dais, much to the amusement of the other guests, tagging the bride & groom along their dancin to a Malay classic. Ok i have no idea what the music's called (definitely not Dong Dang Sayang)..but oh well, that's somethin u dun usually see at a Malay wedding nowadays.

Also captured in the vid is the mingling and warmness of Malay people..catching up & getting together is a Must at weddings.

Yes that spirit of Togetherness was alive! As Chris said, we Asians are not so Individual-lised. hah Dee so love the way he said it. hahah!

Cheers~

14.12.2007: Emi & Chris




A Multiply-made friend, whom i finally get to meet up with! Although we've shared pieces of her life & adventures through her albums & blogs, tis is the first time my lesbo partner, Dee ,and I, meet tis lively babe in person! And what's sweeter is seeing her as the bride on her wedding to her love, Chris!

And i must add, such a bubbly personality & love for the wholesome Malay goodness, is so infectious that her weddin is the most wonderful & spontaneous Malay wedding ever! I was so soakin in the ol skool Malay music & the whole meriah feeling! A wedding should be like tis! As how i'd like mine to be too...but Emi beat me to it, so wonderful...i feel so much joy for the two of them, especially when they danced their way*yes i'd love to prance & twirl on my weddin too with BAREFEET preferably*, from the door entrance to their Dais, which was done up by a distant relative of mine *what a surprise*!

Congrats again Emi & Chris! Ur wedding's a blast! thank U for invitin me & Dee to share ur wonderful moments together!

To my dear friend, Rafeeqah

Though years have passed since we first met, a friendship is said to be made for forever!

Let's celebrate tis friendship of ours at ur Birthday Party before u turn into a Wifey!!

MACDONALDS HERE WE COME!!!!

CHEERS FOR THE BUDAK GANYUT!!!

Wednesday 12 December 2007

For the love of Genetics!

HIPPIE GENETICISTS (see pic) quotes:

 

Let's Start an EVOLUTION! U & Me!

Make LOVE not war! It's a Pussy-Dick world Out there!

 

Inspired by naughty hormones, cold wealther, our lecturer Luciano & an article by Yahoo! below:

 

CHICAGO (AFP) - - The world may feel more and more like a global village, but its residents are increasingly genetically diverse thanks to the rapidly accelerating pace of human evolution, a study said Monday.

Geneticists say the huge explosion in our numbers in the past 40,000 years, since Homo sapiens migrated out of Africa to other continents, has resulted in a much faster pace of evolution compared to the previous six million years.

The pace of change has increased 100-fold in modern times compared to our distant past, and most notably since the Ice Age, 10,000 years ago, and has led to increasing diversification between the races.

"We are more different genetically from people living 5,000 years ago than they were different from Neanderthals," said John Hawks, an anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who collaborated on the study.

The findings are based on analysis of data from an international genomics project. A team of scientists examined DNA from 270 individuals in four ethnically different populations to see how genetic variations or SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) evolved over time.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, which holds that human evolution has slowed to a crawl or even stopped in modern humans, the researchers' analysis suggested that the process of natural selection has sped up.

"Rapid population growth has been coupled with vast changes in cultures and ecology, creating new opportunities for adaptation," the authors wrote in the paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"The past 10,000 years have seen rapid skeletal and dental evolution in human populations, as well as the appearance of many new genetic responses to diet and disease."

Human migrations into new European and Asian environments created selective pressures favoring less skin pigmentation (so more sunlight could be absorbed through the skin to make Vitamin D), adaptation to cold weather and dietary changes.

One example of a genetic adaptation to human culture involves the gene that makes the milk-digesting enzyme lactase.

The gene normally stops activity about the time a person becomes a teenager, but northern Europeans developed a variation of the gene that allowed them to drink milk their whole lives -- a relatively new adaptation that is directly tied to the introduction of domestic farming and use of milk as an agricultural product.

"Human races are evolving away from each other," said Henry Harpending, an anthropology professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

"Genes are evolving fast in Europe, Asia and Africa, but almost all of these are unique to their continent of origin. We are getting less alike, not merging into a single, mixed humanity."

He said that is happening because humans dispersed from Africa to other regions 40,000 years ago and "there has not been much flow of genes between the regions since then."

 

tak sia-sia belajar BIO, jadi BIOL!

the bottom line is: leave being BIASED to the GENES, we should juz CELEBRATE & EMBRACE HUMAN DIVERSITY!

Monday 10 December 2007

Love is....

When u get so vexed up over a comment and ur partner said "It must be PMS" juz hours before the red flood came. And even when the hormones rage on and u turn into a mean nasty Prehistoric Monster, he just tolerated ur hissings and snappings. Only to text u at the end of the day before he sleeps,

"Love u my cranky girl"

All the raging monstrous hormones were exorcised and the cold turned warm & fuzzy and further washed away with sippin hot cocoa on the next cold rainy day...

BLISS

 

Thursday 6 December 2007

Growin Old with U

Out of randomness, I typed the name of one place in Greece i love in the Yahoo! search box, went to the images section so that I could once again admire its beauty & charm. There's so many images that appear especially those uploaded on Flickr. So i did some photo-hoppin and then i came to an album called "My Ritsa". the date of which the photo of tis beautiful young lady in all gloriousness of her youth at that Greek island was 1972.

Wow that was long ago! Then I looked at the avatar of the account owner...an old man with warm eyes being kissed on the cheek. I then read on the description of his album. I Teared! The more I read & go through the photos in the album, I teared more! Here's the description:

Ritsa turns 60 today (14July2006). As a tribute, I have gathered here a set of pictures of Ritsa, as I have known and loved her over the years.

Happy Birthday, my darling.
You are as beautiful now as when I first met you, in December 1970.

If you would like to send Ritsa a message, hit the comments button on the right - she'd love to hear from you!

Ritsa was a real beauty, her smile, her eyes exude a fun & warm personality up till her latest photos and good ol Rob is still so in love with her despite the fact that her hair is now grey, her body is not so hour-glass like...they are so old now yet Rob is doin tis, puttin in the effort of compilin the photos of his lover and puttin up a tribute for her. HOW ROMANTIC IS THAT??

I mean right now we r so young n brimming with all kinda emotions & we love to express our love to our partners, but what abt later? few years down the road? 10, 20, 30 years down the road? Will the love & AFFECTION still remain tis way or will it fizzle out for most of us as we get caught up in work & family & all kinds problems to come? I had a colleague tellin me that in Singapore, relationships are all set in "templates", somethin like "Enchanted" won't happen here. U get hooked up, u get HDB flats as a proposal and u work & have family & that is love life of the people here. I gasped, I smirked and I said to myself "No, i won't be part of that statistic, I'm hopeful...romance is not extinct!" And a few couples came to my mind and I am reassured.

Back to Rob & Ritsa, Tis is the real "Growin Old With U" that Adam Sandler sang abt in "The Wedding Singer"...What warm fuzzy feeling it gave me on such a cold, rainy day....

Anyways here's the link to the album that moved me to tears: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robwallace/sets/72157594198252072/

 

Sunday 2 December 2007

Ripping Songs Bubble

WoOoOoots~
the goodie goodie me hasn't downloaded much songs off the Net since the Government announced that they will penalise any form of illegal downloadings if they tracked u. So IRC or Napster song-ripping ended there & then for me (yes it's been ages!!). so i had to find "clean" sources for the songs that i would love to have on the comp. and those songs are a lil hard to find and hurhur as much as i do not support piracy, some CDs are juz a lil tad expensive to purchase so if i could be a freeloader, then i'll stick by it unless there's really a major slashdown for CD prices in stores! hahah

Dunno what came over me today, i had such an itch to download songs and i bugged my dear friend Firus to gimme his source. And lo & behold, tis was his link: http://multiply.com/search
(of course u gotta sign in first before u can rip songs, so brilliant of Multiply...the idea of puttin up these songs is supposedly for sharin with members of the network!)

hurhurhur! it's not like i didn't use tis link before to find good stuff like pics & reviews etc but hah why didn't i think of usin it to find songs?? *dush dush*

WoOoOOots~
I is very happy! Kinda get almost all the songs that I want from these beautiful artistes....From Avril Lavigne to Belle & Sebastian to Bebel Gilberto to Souad Massi & Ishtar even!

YEAY!!!
Thank U Firus n Hafiz for recommendin it to Firus!
THANK U TO ALL THE MULTIPLY USERS for SHARIN THE WONDERFUL MUSIC for FREE!!
AND THANK GOD FOR MULTIPLY!!!!

And oh yes, before i forget, ATTN BONEETA!!
u remember listenin to my CD in our cozy villa in Bali...yeah the one that "sets the mood"??
Mr Ross actually put it up sometime ago on his site, u might also wanna start rippin his collection! here's the link: http://rosswaja.multiply.com/music/item/305/Janet_Seidel

Ahhh comme ci, comme ca~
Oui oui~

Friday 30 November 2007

Chopped & Clobbered Yummies!




Stumbled upon Cold Rock Ice Creamery in Holland Village and we decided to join in the crowd to savour what is served in tis ice-cream parlour. Our two flavoured ice cream, Choc Chip & Caramel Mud Cake were chopped & clobbered with our toppings of Granola & Rocky Road...*shock shock horror horror*

But it was all smooooooth & gooooooood!
I'm so tryin to recall why didn't I try tis in Aussieland but i can't remember if i've seen it around in Sydney. Hmm but gelatos in Sydney are cheap & Yummy!!

Anyways...enjoy the action here (hmm i bet if the person doin the deed is a guy, surely the moves will be more Gung-Ho!!)..oh well..Cheers!

Thursday 29 November 2007

Bubbled Day




Iyuan & I were suppose to spend today with Firus, he coaxed us to go The Patissier or JB's City Square for the past couple of days but when the actual day of the rendezvous came, he gotta go to work instead.
Found ourselves another kaki for a Threesome (uh, mysterious person..no pics of him), so here's Ann Siang revisited and Japan dreamin...

Saturday 24 November 2007

Enchanted

Rating:★★★★
Category:Movies
Genre: Romantic Comedy
A MUST watch!!

The movie started out as a classic Disney kinda cartoon animation with a tale of a princess, Giselle, who got pushed down a"wishing well" by an evil queen who refuses to let the princess take the throne once she marry her Prince Edward.

The wishing well leads her to a different realm, which is very new for her, which is our world now and she had to deal with the change in environment while waitin for her prince to come rescue her back into her magical, happily ever after fairy tale land.

I simply adore tis movie for the characters' whimsical antics and the wonderful prancin around in the park & home of the real people. Also, how everythin seems so wonderful & magical whenever wide-eyed, exuberant Giselle is around, takin not only Robert, the one who took her in when she fell off a billboard castle which she thot was real, into a world of romance & wonders but the audience as well.

It's a LoL movie that tickles u & leave u with a warm fuzzy feeling...oh and if u r really enchanted, beware...u might juz be hummin or singin along to the tunes found in the movie, like we did! hahah! it's a Disney work, reconstructed!

Friday 23 November 2007

Life, On-hold

Havin gone to Bali, i should be feelin refreshed but apparently, the trip left me with an aftertaste, as bittersweetly weird as the Coffee Cream Soda that I drank over there. Readin blogs of personal struggles of my contacts, reminiscin life in Sydney, thinkin of where I have been and what much I have Not accomplished and reflectin on the current state that I am in, only make me teary-eyed and longing for a life more settled down & smooth. I fell sick and somehow the road to recovery took a lil long, physiologically and psychologically. Every day I woke up hopin that I am Not wakin up to uncertainties and devoid of joyous feeling. That was juz a wish, a dream.

Reality is much abt strugglin to fight the crumblin feelin inside and it's beautiful how some people, moments, spark inspirations and u got hit by them like some kinda tidal wave, that ur life is back uplifted with Joy & Euphoric feeling.

And today, i juz realised that I am not missin moments anymore but relishin moments that I have lived my dream to surf. I have no idea why I have been dyin to surf since I was in Secondary school...and i did it at a ripe age of 26, ten years since I dreamed on gettin on a surf board. And upon recallin the moments I had, fightin the waves, paddlin out into the sea and gettin myself on board back after I was hit by the waves or reach ashore, I realised that struggles in life are juz like the oncomin waves, that hit u all the time whenever u wanna ride a good wave to surf and try standin on the board. u get hit by waves, u get entangled, and u swallowed salty icky waters juz to feel that gratifyin feelin when u stand on that board & feel the breeze in ur hair and ride on the waves.

Life's like that. U struggle to get over the tides and for the Believer that I am, God's like my surfboard that u cling on to, u gotta carry Him with(in) u as u paddle away to ride the tides of life and faith is like the cord that always keep u grounded and not so distant from Him, whenever the waves get too rough and u get knocked off. Masya Allah...

I am motivated, I am a surfer.

 

 

Thursday 15 November 2007

Do You Know Who is Fuzzy Wuzzy?




Fuzzy Wuzzy almost haunted the whole of Liz's bali trip.

13.11.07 Linkin Park's 2nd Gig in Singapore




Linkin Park was Awesome and the crowd was Mad, Chester even called us Ruthless!

Playin songs from Minutes to Midnight, Hybrid Theory & Meteora, it doesn't matter if u remember or even noe the songs, they brought the house down with hauntin screams & piano pieces....and rocked us all out anyway!!


Monday 12 November 2007

05.11.07-10.11.07: Bali Smiles




My body was wrecked for tis trip but that didn't stop us all from havin helluva grand time in Bali!

We rocked out at Hard Rock cafe, surfed out the waves of Kuta, parasailed the sky of Nusa Dua, roughed out the rapids of Telaga Waja and wind down to the breeze of Jimbaran & chilled out at Ku De Ta...those are among others that we experienced in the Island of Gods.

I'm too sick to be doin a whole descriptive thingy for tis album, so juz feast on the pics ok!

Cak..cak...cakcakcakcakcak..Cak!

Thursday 1 November 2007

The Greater Jihad & The Holy Warrior

http://bythestillriver.multiply.com/video/item/20/The_Greater_Jihad
As Mr Zenstarr(user:bythestillriver) himself explained, tis clip which is taken off a tv show, Sleeper Cell, potrayed the true teaching of Islam. Nicely done, with verses of the Quran & quoting of Saiyidina Ali's exemplary behaviour.

Thank u to the producers & zenstarr for sharin tis!

I was Furl-ed!

http://rss.furl.net/members/salman1025/Islam
I dunno who tis person is, but he/she "furled" one of my review entries, rated it and added it to his/her archive. Kewl!

to furl.net user, salman1025(if u ever stumbled tis entry), glad u enjoyed the song too & thanx for archivin my entry :)

Wednesday 31 October 2007

Labrador "Hippie" Hawker Centre

Rating:★★★★
Category:Other
A lunch at an Ol Skool hawker centre playin 70s pop tunes is a definite mood lifter for a drizzly grey Tuesday! And throw in Teh Sarabat with an Oomph, i swear the feeling is Euphoric! Was it caffeine or ganja in that tea that gave me tis sense of ephemeral high? I was all energised after the lunch here today (my first time goin there) despite havin Nasi Campur (which usually will make me all sleepy, esp. on rainy days). Hmmm maybe its juz the Good Groovy Vibe of it all!

Hmm but i dun like the stares of the Mat Despatch, Mat Warehouse, Mat Shipyard and whatever Mats there are there, lah (i think because the whole hawker centre sold Malay & Indian Muslim food, there are lotsa malays there! i'm not racist against my own race ok, but i dun feel comfortable with too many malay guys around)

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Oh Boy, the SOTONG is a Married Man Now!




Jansen...one of Iyuan's closest buddies who shared much funny moments and good times since secondary school. I've not seen a much closer relationship between a Christian & Muslim, who put aside their differences in religion to rejoice in good companionship.

While he was servin his mission in Angola some years back, the rest of us were worried sick as there was a break out of epidemic (or was it war..) but tis dude, was all jolly and well and hurhur he fell in love! kept us all in the dark till recently, he introduced to us, Joyce.

It is such pity Iyuan & I missed their solemnization ceremony but to our "Man of God", may ur marriage be blissful & life gets even better from here on!

Jansen, how u have grown but u'll always be the sotong, ok!
*pat pat*

Oh the Antics of My Cuzzins




Sitz's lovin her long lashes for tis year's raya outin.
See Liz's reaction yet the girl's still battin her eyelashes away!
*LMAO*

Multiply Raya Affair 2007: Attackkkk!!!!




it's the third week end of Syawal yet the Festive Mood is still goin strong! look at us go...eat eat eat!!! sorry if i dun have much pics to depict the much feasting cos i was pretty much involved in the gorgin..so much for my dietin! heh

Friday 26 October 2007

Romancin the Queen


May u be blessed  with everlasting full blooms of
Love,
Wisdom,
Strength,
Joy,
Peace
&
Beauty...

Thursday 25 October 2007

Clear!

Yes!
ALHAMDULILLAH!
All thanx to The Almighty that the suspicious calcification found in my breast is BENIGN!
and what i feared most (gettin biopsy done) is Evaded!!
PHEWWWWW~~

Had to go thru another "Flatten Boobs" session (mammogram) again today juz to get the confirmation. And the results was rather immediate. The doctor & radiographer were actually kinda shocked that a 26-year old like me had to go thru such procedures.

Another info that I'd like to share from the experiences I had: Mammogram is NOT recommended for young ladies. So those of u who are young (ehem..meanin below 40), u don't have to go for mammogram to screen for breast cancer. Just do breast self examination the week after ur period is sufficient enough cos what I found out today is that young women have denser breast tissues and sometimes due to that, false positive results will appear in a mammogram.

Also, similar to what some of u had mentioned, the doctor who attended to me today told me not to worry cos calcifications and breast pains are pretty common, and there is no need for follow ups, unless i found lumps in my breast.

So for now, i can declare that i am CLEAR FROM BREAST CANCER!!

Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa lillahil hamd!!

Thank u everyone for ur prayers, well-wishes and much love too, to the 2 darlin angels who accompanied me to the Kent Ridge Wing & Main Building of NUH in Amazin race style. haha! hope that with a blueberry waffle in hand for one of u and a pass for test for the other, u both ended the day on a good note as well!

Cheers everyone~~
 



Friday 19 October 2007

Clustered Calcifications

The Mammogram & Ultrasound results came in early and since i was hit by diarrhoea since late last nite, I made a trip to the Polyclinic to get the review as well.

The doctor said there's probably cyst or nodules in my breasts. Tsk vague description, not helpful at all but as she was busily writin down my prescription for another examination at a specialised breast clinic, I read the diagnosis written for the mammogram/ultrasound result. Clustered calcifications found on blah blah blah...BI-RAD 3 and BI-RAD 4. Those words were imprinted in my head till i get home and the doctor said that i might have to go through biopsy. See all these new terms i gotta memorise? GOOGLED!

Calcifications or microcalcifications seen on a mammogram are small mineral deposits that show up as white spots on the mammogram film. Calcifications can be benign, but may be a sign of breast cancer.

Distribution of breast calcifications

Breast calcifications are described in terms of type and distribution and categorized according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of the American College of Radiology (ACR).

Distribution modifiers (grouped or clustered, linear, segmental, regional, diffuse) are used to describe the arrangement of the calcifications. Historically, the terms grouped or clustered were used to describe suspicious calcification. Now, these terms are neutral and may be used to describe benign or malignant processes. Grouped or clustered should be used to describe calcifications that occupy a small volume (<2 mL) of tissue.

BI-RADS to describe breast calcifications

Category 3, or "probably benign finding–short-term interval follow-up suggested," is used when a noted finding has a very high probability of being benign. The finding is not expected to change over the follow-up interval, but the radiologist prefers to establish its stability over time.

Category 4, or "suspicious abnormality–biopsy should be considered," is used when a finding has a definite probability of being malignant.

info extracted from:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002113.htm

http://www.emedicine.com/radio/byname/breast-benign-calcifications.htm

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

Astaghfirullah...

BI-RADS cat 4 don't sound too good to me and I heard that biopsy is a real painful experience. 

O Allah, give me strength to overcome this, and i really really hope that with a more thorough check, the calcifications in my breast are benign, benign, benign...and they'll poof or juz stay that way...

 

 

Wednesday 17 October 2007

Oh Sayang Syawal Menjelma Tiada Seindah Yg Sudah...








Hanya tinggal doa & kenangan sahaja berhari raya sekarang tanpamu disisi
Tiada suatu yang dapat mengubat rindu padamu di hati
Semoga Rohmu dicucuri Rahmat & dijauhi azab kubur di Aidilfitri ini
Al-Fateha utk Abah, Allahyarham Hj Mohd Yusof Bin Hj Ismail



Friday 12 October 2007

Mammogram & Ultrasound


 

Somethin that ladies around my age are not usually particularly concerned about as mammogram are encouraged for ladies who are 40 years old and above.

I had mine done yesterday due to some pains that I experienced at certain spots of my breasts last week (still experiencin the pains till today too). My paternal aunt had breast cancer, my colleague too, so in the state of paranoia, I decided to go for a check up at the polyclinic when my mum had her check-up review on her liver. The doctor recommended me to go for the 2 examinations when she found that my breasts felt lumpy and tender. Scare the wits out of me when she told me that but I had to do what was best.

Consulted my colleague on how the mammogram is done and she said it was painful and the action mimics that of a machine that i was handlin at the point when I asked her. That machine's got 2 metal plates pressin a membrane in between and she said that the breasts will be like the membrane, and they will be flatten as much as possible,and the procedure will take about 2-3 minutes. OMG *GULP*

Mentally prepared of flattened boobs, I went to the Health Promotion Board yesterday, accompanied by the Man in Green, who took time out from servin the nation. Registered & was charged about $70 for the examinations (Actual price was $150 but because I was recommended by the polyclinic,so the fees was subsidised). Was led to a room and then, the action began. Firstly my breasts were pressed between an upper plastic plate and a metal lower plate vertically, meaning the breasts were squeezed towards the left and right accordingly. Then they were squeezed horizontally. Was it painful? YES... but bearable and the radiographer was also gentle and polite. Nothin traumatic, although minutes after the procedure, i still felt pain, kinda like someone had hit my breasts  and no, my breasts definitely did not turn out like the cartoon!! THANK GOD! Phew~

Then i went on for an Ultrasound scan, where I bugged the examiner to show me what was on her screen. Juz mases of fats/tissues...hmm interesting, reminds me of scenes on tv showin mothers lyin down and tryin to spot their lil foetus. That procedure although easy, all I had to do is juz lie there with arms raised with a cool clear gel slapped on my breasts, tellin her where I felt pain as the lady ran a scanner on the surfaces of my breasts and takin shots on the tissues, took quite awhile to get over and done with. 

Well, yeah that's abt all for my breast screening experience. Juz wanna share with u abt it, especially with the ladies, cos when we are ignorant, we tend to get spooked and scared of pains and such. So no worries, when it's ur turn to do it, don't be scared stiff, Relax & Just Do It!

Now in the midst of preparation of Eid, i could only hope & pray for the best for my well-being. I am so hopin that I am not sufferin Breast Cancer or havin lumps that need to be surgically removed! 

Waitin for the uncertainties to be cleared in two weeks time...

For that someone, who is also facin a similar kinda uncertainty, I will be prayin for u too. 

Be Strong. Be Positive. Keep Faith.

 

Wednesday 10 October 2007

That Lime Plant

Since my dad passed away, i am pretty much the one entrusted to take care of the plants outside the flat. Hmm i ain't the kind of person who would actually bother to look and talk to plants, my assumed routine is juz water them every couple of days and that's it. All the plants my dad had were pretty much fuss-free & hardy to the weather.

But there's somethin not goin well with the lime plant. There's white cottony stuff growin at every joints of the branches. hmm fungus?? tried hard to recall some things i learnt in my Plant Science module in Poly. hmm no idea but i was told by a florist that those stuff were actually insects. ok so mum & i bought tis Systemic spray to rid of those stuff, sprayed twice and it looked like the cottony thingy seemed to sorta wrinkled up. Good i thot, so i decided to snip off some ends of the branches, rid some leaves hopin that new shoots will grow since who noes, auxin accumulations at the ends will lead to retardation of shoot growth (ehem plant science geek talk). After a few waterings, eyyyy shoots really grew lah! more n more! ok happy happy.

eversince, i kinda observe the new shoots with new light green leaves, somehow feelin relieved every time cos there ain't any white cottony stuff growin there. then, a couple of days ago..i started seein my new leaves goin out of shape...more like they were bein nibbled on! URGHH!

Must be those damn caterpillars!! Urghhhhh!!! Caterpillars...reminded me of the periwinkle plants i had to look after in my 2nd year in SP. I had such a breeze lookin after those plants till caterpillars appear! HUGE GREEN ONES!!! YUCK!! And they were tough to remove, they cling to the bloody leaves! I dun wanna see them anymore, especially not on the lime plant!

So today after waterin the plants and seein more damaged leaves, i decided to take a closer look at the leaves to see if i can spot any of those squirmy crawlers! ooo ooo oooo...i saw not one, not two...but at least 6 of them in 3 different sizes! but they are way smaller compared to the ones i found on the peiwinkle plants...i think they r still baby ones...black, brown and furry lookin!! Eeewwwww~~~~

Grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped of the leaves that they were restin on, and throw them all downstairs..like they were on some magic carpet or somethin...eeewwwww!!! i felt guilty for awhile, cos they might suffer but oh well, some birds would thank me for the food man! hah!

It is only now I understand why almost everyday my late dad would look at his lime plant before he enters our home every time he returned from work or mosque. I remember hearin the jangling of his keys when he walked thru the corridor and i await in my room for him to open the door and peer at me when he enters the house, but i always had to wait quite some time before he did cos he would pause to look at his lime plant and pick on caterpillars or remove damaged leaves. My mum said she reminiscence his silhouette at the lime plant spot every now and then. My poor mum, it is still very hard for her to overcome his passing...every lil things reminds her of him.

I guess it's my turn now to be scrutinisin the lime plant and the others..well i may not be givin those plants tender lovin care, but I'll try to at least keep them alive. I used to some time get pissed with my dad when I see the soil of the plants get too dry. I mean, if u dun have time, why take such responsibilities of lookin after plants that have lives too? I guess I understand now that he is probably a lil too tired yet such creations of God, somehow takes one off the tiredness and stress the world brings sometime and juz brings a sense of calmness and relief.

So now, it's me against ants, cottony insects and Caterpillars!!

SNIP SNIP SNIP & SPROT SPROT!!

 

 

 

Friday 5 October 2007

Ode to the Faithful Departed

For the paths and roads that have been laid out and what u have been through

U probably think they are part of ur future for somethin big, somethin bold, somethin Grand

But what if it is all part of the worldly deception and all those comes to an abrupt crumblin end?

Would u fall for the deceit?

Or

Would u give up everythin n be ready for ur return back to nothingness?

How would u noe?

How would u noe when?

 

*Al-Fateha for our loved ones who have passed on before us*

 

 

 

 

Thursday 4 October 2007

The Move




Goodbye H.Close, Hello P.Valley!
but where's the dude residin now? In Camp!
Documentin the "historic" move, with the help of his "members".

Reservist sucks!

Monday 1 October 2007

Multiply's Iftar Affair: A First




Sakura Intl Restaurant was the choice for breaking fast together. 9 of us turned up and it was fun catchin up & watchin each other's silly antics! We were joined by Fauziah, who met us for the first time and got the boys curious with her flavoured mineral water! hehe! Pretty fun time we had, and food..ohh i realise i can't really hold in so much anymore lah! Thanx Hafi for organisin tis gatherin and for Jalan Raya, ehem...Cik Siti aka sitz, has volunteered to head the organisin! Wheehoo~~~

Before the iftar meet-up, the boys had a sudden craving for Mango & Banana Crumble so after stuffin ourselves with the sumptuous buffet spread, the boys and I headed down to PS Cafe...ahhh tea & desserts...what a way to wind down the evenin...

Friday 28 September 2007

The Close comes to a close

Both our addresses have Close in them, surely we are meant to be close...the mentality of a naive 15-year old girl.

And slightly more than a decade later, one of the Close will be turned to Valley. Memories memories...though i'm not part of the household, that place played a part in makin our history. When we first started dating and the phoneline in his house went dead, he never fail to call me via the public phone at the void deck every nite. That was also where I was first introduced to his mum, felt the warmth of a big family, seen his siblings grew, mend our lil quarrels, held his birthday celebration and surprises...

Tomorrow...he's gonna shift...oh well, maybe the Pandans are greener at the Valley...and i've gotta roll along with the change...it's not like the end of the world....heh

 

 

Thursday 27 September 2007

The Elusive Sex Monger

my PM board is goin XXX?!!!

URGH!!

some guys have been sendin out PMs containin pics of many many nude girls to everyone with IDs startin with F. i responded to the first PM statin to be left out of the list. then comes another PM, with more of such pics, tis time with a note sayin(if u dun like, dun open). HELLO???

i tried goin to their profiles, guess what?! USER DOES NOT EXIST!! i bet there'll be more comin in..i don't want them! GO AWAY LAH, i appreciate the female anatomy but i don't appreciate ur kinda art, XXXX!

and what irritated me most is the notification...u have 3 private messages..and 2 do not even concern me...Irritatin!!! INTRUSION!!! INTRUSION!!!!

 

Tuesday 25 September 2007

Super Ninja Monkees Pizza Party!!




The title of the album is a tribute to Liz's & Kak Ekin's token (Super Ninja Monkey) & one of the forfeits (Pizza Party) in the Quels game we played@Pit Stop Cafe.

I think tis must be one of the craziest cuzzins outin ever, and the largest too cos some of us tagged our partners/friends along. It's really kewl cos everyone was pretty much "Siao On" at Pit Stop Cafe durin the Quels game...maybe we should blame it on the Naan, Briyani, Palak Paneer, Chicken Marsala, Keema & Butter Chicken for such a Fun time!




Tuesday 18 September 2007

Lil Imam Muslim Saeed: Do You Know Allah?

Rating:★★★★★
Category:Other
I dunno what else to say but "Subhanakallah humma wa bi hamdika Asyhadualla ilaa ha illa anta, Astaghfiruka wa atubu Ilaih"

Lil Imam Muslim Saeed: Islam & the Strangers

Rating:★★★★★
Category:Other
Found tis description abt the kid on Youtube:
This kids both parents were christian and his native language is not arabic, he is only 4. He claims the words he is saying were tought to him in his dreams by a man dressed in white under a tree shade. When he is not preaching if u talk to him in arabic he doesn't respond...by the way his parents and hundreds converted seeing him... Alhamdulilah. A blessed child showing men among men who Allah is. Allah bless him.









May we not fall among the 3 categories of people who seek knowledge yet Hell is their reward and always be guided in the right path.

Masya Allah wa Astaghfirullah...

Sunday 16 September 2007

Haar Attic Salon, Burlington Square

Rating:★★★★
Category:Other
A cosy lil salon with reasonably priced hair services. Haircuts range from $20-25 dependin on hair length.

Went to the salon with my cuzzin and both of us were served by Max. Friendly dude and we love his professionalism. He noes his stuff and is good at giving options and tips for hair cuts and styles. My cuzzin and I were really satisfied and we both came out lookin fresher than before! I definitely recommend tis place for the pricings and good quality service n cut!

Do check their website for any promotions. It's www.haarattic.com


The "Before" Look
The "After" Look


To Eve & Jules, thanx to U we had a great Snip & Chop experience at no fees at all! Thank u for the free haircut coupon in that PINK goodie bag durin the Naughty & Nice events! U made 2 lil angels very happy today!! Wheee~

Saturday 15 September 2007

Bitchfest!

I can't help sniggerin readin an email thread between my gal pals & myself with a so-called NUS grad, who was really rude when replyin to one of my classmate's email who was desperately seekin for a job.

A mass rude awakening to all email recipient, that invoked our usually mild Dee to respond followed by another rude reply. And so in comes Weiwei's & Linda's responses, to which i was still in a state of ignorance till Dee mentioned that there's gonna be a war breakin. I read the stuff and gave a piece of my mind too, with an Eminem's touch..can't help it u noe. One for the rudeness and two, for snubbin my friend who is suggestin that the reply email should be between the original sender & the A**hole(as Weiwei put it)  in a good manner, and not mass mail all of us in the mailing list. Anyways, issue was resolved for the ever Diplomatic Dee took the effort to clarify matters and even put in good words for me, whereas i couldn't be bothered to even give a shit abt replyin again to such a person. Hail Dee!

Tis episode makes me feel really blessed to be surrounded by great gal pals who stand up for each other & i'm really glad to be part of tis sisterhood...even tho Mummy June was not involved, i bet she would sound even more acidic than any one of us in response to that A**hole... 


 

Luv u Garang Babes!!

Tak Sayang Mulut....


Wednesday 12 September 2007

Greenhouse Cafe

Rating:★★★
Category:Restaurants
Cuisine: American
Location:Vivocity B2



Tis place is a flower shop and a lil cafe under one roof. Was on the way to Banquet when I saw the HALAL meat supplier certificate at the glass door of tis shop. Decided to stop over and read thru and the shop owner persuaded us to get in and try the food. She said the meats here are now Halal & even the in-house chef is a Muslim (heard the shop owner keep callin him Mohd...looks like Indian/Arab).

Kewl! For the longest time, I've only been eyein the place maybe for a lil girlie tete-a-tete over cakes n coffee but now it serves Halal food BUT there is no official cert. from MUIS.

We had Montana Grilled Chicken(ala carte) & Spaghetti with Meat Ball (set; comes with a vege soup, orange juice & peach cake)...spent $25.40 in total.



Montana Grilled Chicken

The grilled chicken portion was pretty huge and well done, very tasty..the salad and mashed potato was good too!



Soup du Jour and Spaghetti Meatball


Highly recommended by shop owner, so yeah gave it a go. The soup look a lil too watery but it tasted nice, slightly creamy with bits of corns that u can bite into. As for the spaghetti, Ooh it was spicy hot! The sauce was on fire! hehe! Pretty good though i would prefer my spaghetti to be a lil sweeter and less hot.

With Fresh ingredients used & Oldies playin in the background, my dining experience in this cosy lil cafe was definitely a pleasant one, bobbin & singin along to good old tunes while enjoyin my meal with my Mat Bunga.




Tuesday 11 September 2007

Breeks' Brownie with Warm Cheese Sauce

Rating:★★★★
Category:Other
OoOoOo tis stuff is UBERLY SINFUL!

It has been ages since I dined at Breeks, i think the last time was wayyyyy back after I completed my diploma for a lil gatherin. hmm wasn't quite impressed with the menu n service, since then pretty much avoided it.

Only last week, decided to check it out while at Marina Square and Wow! The menu is not only reasonably priced but great for the health-conscious! Anyways food was good n tasty but my review will be on tis dessert since I've never in my craziest imagination ever thought that brownies would go with cheese sauce! At first we were skeptical but we ordered it since it came with the set meal.

One spoonful in the mouth and i go..OoOOoOooOO!! Ooozy slight salty creamy cheese sauce with the sweet taste of chocholatey brownie was YUMMY lah! hah! the only downside is u gotta share tis with others, man n eat it when it is warm!!

Give it a try!

Randomness

The Rules:
1. Each blogger must post these rules first.
2. Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’ve tagged, and to read your blog.

random fact no 1
scatterbrained

random fact no 2
bad at mental sums

random fact no 3
always bring UNO and go HEART ATTACKIN in hotels/coach during travels

random fact no 4
wonders if anyone else wanna volunteer to be the next organiser for a first Multiply Buka/Iftar session??

random fact no 5
Google!

random fact no 6
yeah i do not download music files, so dun ask me for any latest songs

random fact no 7
SMILE & i'll smile back!


random fact no 8
am a lover & a fighter but i is sweet (ultimate profound randomness)

TAG VICTIMS:

dolcevita26 raspberrymelon chitchot fahamat julisweet fresanettie shii81 grafika

Monday 10 September 2007

Pitch Black Affair for September Stars




A movie chill-out session with the September Stars: Mr Fyz, The 2 Lizas, Shasya and Jules!

September sure is a star-struck month for celebratin birthdays! Didn't really getta catch up much with each of u, but i'm glad that we had the chance to meet, especially Elnie, who have joined our gatherin for the first time!

As for Iz, Sitz, Herwan, Mr Ross & FISH...wished that u peoples had joined us in today's celebration session too!

To those who came, thank u for ur presence, support and contributions, hope u enjoyed the day's movie n minglin session and my apologies for bein late with a slightly distorted birthday word on the Birthday cake!!

Also thank you Raf for sponsorin our movie session, Dee, for gettin the location and Iyuan for helpin out to get the HUGE birthday cake!

CHEERS everyone!

Friday 7 September 2007

It could have been their 27th

Let her cry tears of reminiscence

Sweet moments of life shared together

But let her remain strong facin life forward

For I cannot fill her void of him

But I could only say the prayers of a child for her mother

For the wife missing and longing for her beloved husband

 

 

 

Saturday 1 September 2007

A Smile Lead him to Light

http://bythestillriver.multiply.com/video/item/12/Brother_Mutah_Wassin_Shabazz_Beale
Hear the man who got out of the ghetto darkness into the Light.
How his faith grew and the Light of Islam radiates from him.
Praise to God for Mutah aka Napoleon...Alhamdulillah..he answered the true call of Islam, and exemplify it! Masya Allah!

Thursday 30 August 2007

A Pitch Black Affair for September Stars...

September Stars' Choice of Movie

Thank You For Smoking
 
 1

Back to the Future
 
 0

Bujang Lapok
 
 1

Apocalypto
 
 4

Enemy At the Gates
 
 1

Indiana Jones
 
 0

Kill Bill
 
 1

An American Wedding (finale of American Pie series)
 
 0


 

Hey hey people!

September's comin again..and it's time to Party Up before Ramadhan comes!

Tis year, instead of a BBQ, we'll be havin a private Movie time out at Pitch Black Cafe! There'll be free flowin popcorns & nachos & finger food & drinks!

Juz relax, mingle & catch a movie together!

Dearest September stars, your guests have come up with a bunch of movies that you can choose from and we will be joinin you to catch the movie that gets YOUR majority vote!

Please Note:

September stars- Deadline for Poll is 3rd September  (Monday).

All- Deadline for RSVP is 5th September (Wednesday).

    

Sunday 26 August 2007

Thursday 23 August 2007

Hot in Email Circulation: Muslimah Vet-in-training Posing & Touching Pigs & Doggie


I have received an email regarding this Malaysian babe who is supposedly a vet-in-training. I would not have bothered to even write abt tis if I stumbled upon these pics on the girl's blog BUT because there are muslims out there who have been putting in ugly words for this girl, just because SHE IS A MUSLIM and SHE POSE & TOUCH pigs & dogs in the pictures, I would like to highlight some things before more people start to bad-mouth her further.

PLEASE HOLD UR JUDGEMENT & STOP MAKING DEROGATORY REMARKS like tis (found in the email i received):

"sayangnyer...muka cun melecun...
kot yer pun 'bakal' jadi Dr Vet, toksah ler act macam bangga jer gitu suar...eemmm......dengan babi pun boleh main2 yer......kan binatang tuh haram!Nauuzubillah..."

Instead of viewin these ladies as Muslimahs who have a certain sense of compassion and respect for these animals, that they enjoy workin with animals and that these are most likely their "patients", they are being criticised for doing something so utterly disgusting and some people think it's shameful/wrong in an Islamic sense.

And most of us know, that if we come in contact with these animals, we are asked to clean which ever parts that touch them 7 times, the first time being with mud/soil. There is NOTHING wrong with showing ur care and concern for the pigs and dogs for they are also creations of God.

So please, just because you feel it's disgusting, do not make her or her friend look like they have committed some kind of a HUGE SIN or done SOMETHIN SHAMEFUL TO ISLAM.

PLEASE have a more open mind.

And a couple of things I would like to share with you about dealing with PIGS & DOGS.

On PIGS (excerpt taken from http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544368)

"There is an Islamic view, which states that all living animals are clean, which means we are allowed to approach them and touch them. The children are being introduced to one of the creatures of Allah and so there is no harms in that so long as the pigs are dry.

There is only one exception. Dead dogs and pigs are considered to be dirty, and we are not allowed to have anything to do with them even though on this particular point.

On DOGS (excerpts taken from http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503549696

Since in Islam dogs in general are not considered very clean animals as they can be carriers of numerous parasites, some of which may be highly harmful to humans, Islam is against adopting dogs as pets. And as most of these parasites are passed on to others through their saliva, we are told to wash the spot it has come in contact with seven times, one of which should be preferably with mud or dirt. Having said this, however, I must point out that some scholars have ruled that washing the spot with a bacterial soap will be deemed sufficient instead of using dirt or mud. While some scholars consider the entire body of a dog impure, many however are of the view that it is only its saliva that is considered impure in an absolute sense; so that is what we should stay clear of at all times.

The above ruling about the impurity of the dog in general or of its saliva in particular notwithstanding, there are certain allowances for those who are unable to avoid contact with dogs because of the nature of their job involving dogs or specific circumstances that make it hard for them to avoid direct contact with dogs. In this category can we can include farmers who keep dogs for guarding and herding cattle, etc.; blind people who need to keep dogs as guides; hunters who use trained dogs; police who employ trained dogs for investigating crimes; those who need to keep guard dogs, etc. As Imam Ibn Taymiyah has pointed out, because of the particular circumstances such people find themselves in, which make it impossible for them to stay completely clear of dogs, they are allowed certain relaxations in regards to purity and impurity associated with dogs. This is because of the general principle of taysir (ease and removal of hardship) inherent in the Shari`ah, which teaches that “wherever there is hardship, the rigor of the law is relaxed.” In other words, they will be excused as long as they do their best as determined by their own circumstances, for “Allah (certainly) will not impose on a soul a burden it has no strength to bear.” 

This entry i wrote is definitely a subtle reminder for us (i was a lil too harsh in my respond in email sayin BUKALAH RUANG MINDA, wahai orang melayu cos obviously the ugly remark was instigated by a Malay person...errkss but i apologised for my own bad deed in that sense) to:

-Stop making this vet-in-training look like she is committing some kind of a big sin or doing some kind of shame to Islam

-Please have a more open-mind and do not judge her acts with derogatory remarks

-Please have a sense of compassion for all animals, pigs and dogs are afterall creations of Allah swt too

-And May Allah shed Light on everyone and guide u to the right path.

As I have also mention in my email, my sincere apologies if i have offended anyone with regards to this. There are some things i juz cannot stand from keeping mum, especially when it comes to others' reputations when they are actually doing something good.

And may the ladies keep strong in their studies and see success in their pursuits!

 

Saturday 18 August 2007

Weapons of MASS ENGAGEMENT

That is what Muslims have, yet there are a whole bunch of us who are not using them. We are so used to the idea of branding and labelling and putting values and degrees to relationship with others, be it with fellow Muslims or non-Muslims, that it weakens our very essence of being a Muslim.

Being a Muslim is not only being devoted in worship to the One God but it is also about making good relations with All mankind, be they Chinese, ang mohs, blacks, Arabs, rich, poor, Christians, Jews or the Unbelievers. Now u realise that all these italised words are labels, and should we keep discriminating and judging people in such manner, it is difficult for us to practise true Islam, for in Islam, we recognise differences yet we are asked to honour, build relationships and mediate with others for the benefits of mankind.

I went to a public talk last night, by a guest speaker Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, an Imam from America. He talked about globalisation, and how it is not a new phenomenon and how we can be better Singapore Muslims and Globalised Muslims. whatever titles/labels we are given, Singapore, Globalised or what, a Muslim, who wants to move forward, see progress and success, cannot be confined to narrow mentality (which are so widespread and easily haunting us now) and we outta recreate the livelyhood models established by our Khulafas. By this it doesn't mean that we have to have a "State of Islam" but we have to look at the examples how they interact and showed compassion to others. If we want and so demand our rights on tis earth for a piece of land that we could call a State of Islam so that we could do everythin by abiding Syariah Laws...we are no different from practisin Islamic Zionism! Tis idealogy of "State of Islam" is probably what i feel have motivated or inspired those radical islamic terrorists to go all out & "Jihad". And of course, the feeling of being oppressed and repressed is also a driving force for such rebellion...but did we remember how our own prophets were also given such treatments by those with authorities/who feel they are a threat? But I do not remember them rising in arms with vengeance and violence in their acts but only in supplications for the Mercy & Blessings of Allah swt.

And here we are in this era, in the heart of modernisation and globalisation, we should embrace them as those have in the times of Muhammad s.a.w and the Khalifas, and share Islam by practisin what the early Muslims have done. How did they thrive and Islam become so easily widespread? And why is it that more people are becoming Muslims even after the 9-11 event?

Remember, our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w was put here as a mercy to all as stated in the following ayat: "We sent you not, but as a mercy for all creatures." (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:107) 

and Allah has put us here not to look at each other with hate, jealousy or envy but

"O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you" (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

"Hold fast to the rope of God all together, and do not separate. Remember God's blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of the pit of Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way God makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided. "(Ali 'Imran: 103)

My Fellow brothers & sisters, each of us here have a role as an ambassador of Islam and as u pray today and raise your hands to Glorify Him, remember too, to doa for the well-being of all ur loved ones, be they Muslims or not and open ur hearts, ENGAGE with others & mediate to spread the goodness & beauty of Islam, which is Virtue & Truth.

For that let me just add one more Ayat to this entry:

"Invite them to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from his path, and who receive guidance." (Al-Nahl: 125)

Let us open up & attack the world with our "weapons" as followers of the mercy to all: Compassionate, Loving, Virtuous, in the name of Allah, the Compassionate and Merciful

I hope by sharing a lil of what I have gained from the talk as well as a lil of my perspective from my knowledge, u can learn somethin abt Islam and be motivated/inspired too but in my eagerness of expressin/sharin of this religion & belief I hold dear, i seek ur forgiveness if i offend anyone in any aspect.

God Bless & Peace be with you~


 

No Cryin over Spilt Mocha

I had a certain desire to juz grab my lappytop today and plonk myself in a cosy cafe and work on a mini-project, i call it "ProjectFyz". kinda felt that a change in my workin environment might probably help stimulate some of my juice..eh not the P-juice ok..i meant my Creative Juice. Upon arrivin at Vivo City,  can't decide where to "park" myself in...Pacific Coffee or Gloria Jeans..hmm hmm...walked around...think...can't decide...ended up in Naturally Marketplace, a supermarket.hah.randomly walkin arond the aisle, thinkin of where to go and what could i juz buy from tis "import" supermarket when I received a call from a bride-to-be. Yakkin along the biscuits aisle when she told me that her honeymoon will be in Sydney & Melbourne! HAH...that got me all excited tellin her where to go when she is there and all...and there in front of me...Lo and Behold...TIM TAM Classic Dark..$3.70..GRAB!!...yak yak yak...cashed out. I walked past Gloria Jeans, another Sydney memory...wanna go in or not...hmm walk on...I decided to plonk myself in Pacific Coffee...hmm changed my mind..picked up my bag and head back to Gloria Jeans. I guess my afternoon is a tribute to life in Sydney...it's been half a year since we were back there...memories so dear...i still remember Dee hidin those TIM TAM in her room as some form of "rebel" movement towards a certain selfish, greedy someone..LoL. And Gloria Jeans, a Must coffee fix or thirst quencher wherever we go...and on a certain nite, the beautiful voice of a blind lady serenadin us live at the Epping branch was simply heartwarmin...

Amidst all the tough shit and feelin homesick, somehow a part of us was left back there in Sydney, even though it was juz a month, it was beautiful. And now that it is the Chinese 7th month where hellnotes and what-nots are startin to be burnt almost everywhere here in our neighbourhood estates, it reminded me of what i especially missed...the whiffs of eucalyptus almost everywhere we walk...such soothing scent that always make me feel at ease and peace...i guess for us who had spent the time together over there, we juz cannot let go of the treasured moments...juz like the guys and what they remember thru their NS trainin, the bittersweet memories juz linger on...

(tis "postcard" was made for Iyuan but now i wish i was back there again)

I worked through ProjectFyz with sips of White CHocolate Mocha, nibbles of my Tim Tam & the in-house Jazz music...great stimulants indeed and guess what? While i was workin on, i heard the jazzified rendition of Radiohead's Creep! Hoho! Weird to be snappin fingers/tappin foot to such lyrics ain't it? Hah...anyways i was totally soakin up the good vibes and kinda engrossed in my own bubble and voila~ i finished ProjectFyz and i get an Approval for it! Wheeehooo~~

On another note, for all my worryin of not bein able to pay my insurance premiums, phone bills, lil shoppin treats...I was offered 2 temporary job positions, all in a day, today. What can i say...ALHAMDULILLAH!

My day was beautiful with Your Grace & Mercy, My Lord...

 

Monday 13 August 2007

Nothin said Scientist!

Took the Quiz which Hafi posted on her blog...thot i needed it since right now, i'm totally bummed out at what I really wanna do and what I will be good at for a proper, serious career.

Hmmm check out the options that suit my personality:

Your Career Personality: Independent, People-Oriented, and Fun
Your Ideal Careers:

Bar owner
Bartender
Cheerleader
Event promoter
Flight attendant
Marketing consultant
Motivational speaker
Personal trainer
Real estate agent
Talk show host
Your Career Personality: Flexible, Good-Natured, and Energetic
Your Ideal Careers:

Actor
Dog walker
Elementary school teacher
Fashion designer
Interior decorator
Fundraiser
Musician
Personal shopper
Veterinarian
Wedding planner

Should I then juz plunge into somethin of my nature or push myself out of the waters and do somethin which is not me but what I dream to be? Cos right now, I feel that even though I wish to be someone in the Scientific scene, I am not sure if i'm that Intellectual for problem-solvin or Independent enough for it. I'd rather wanna have a career that allows me to use some creativity, have flexible time and workin or meetin with a buncha fun people rather than do meetings, work with carcinogenic reagents/substances and present papers of some kinda research.

One of the jobs that has been dwindlin at the back of my mind should i fail to be a proper Scientific person is to be a fitness instructor...and quite recently i thought since a bunch of my friends are in the mode of "Kahwin-Kahwin" there'll be a niche for wedding planner in me...yeah i can do shit work, contact n run here n there to cater for others juz to make them happy on their Weddin Day...i almost wanted to sign up for the course of becomin a Weddin Planner but i dunno if i'll be plungin in the right direction AND i have a Degree in Science for goodness sake! Whatever happened to my dream of helpin others find a cure to some of the most serious diseases/problems in the world??

Hmmm bugger bugger...Urghhh...