wannabe-all

15 Time-Saving Kitchen Tips for Busy Moms

2010-08-20T09:09:00.001+08:00

"to be shared..."

Motherhood means having your hands full, especially while you're in the kitchen. Check out these ideas for making the best of your time in the most popular room in the house.

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east-coast rendezvous 2010

2010-03-05T10:40:00.003+08:00

the latest pictures of our vacation. had a great time with en suami and 'lil auni. i love the beach... i hope i live near one.

happy face

2009-11-23T17:55:00.006+08:00

weekend retreat

2009-11-08T22:58:00.005+08:00

dear en hubby surprised me with a sms to cancel all plans for the weekends. he had made a reservation for us...eventhough it will be just for a night, the change of air and scenery would do wonder to all of us. as expected we had some lovely times there with auni as the main attraction. she is a simply a sweet baby to travel with...no fussiness nor crankiness...we're blessed to have her.

i hope there will be more journey like this...a seaside retreat is always a welcome....en hubby, when is our next trip??? (*,)

she is...

2009-10-05T00:55:00.002+08:00

she has been a miracle in our life.. we are blessed to have her and feel privileged to be the ones chosen to love her. may Allah protect her from all harm...amin.

too much

2009-09-16T09:47:00.003+08:00

i can't breathe... there's too much on my plate now...but the thing is there would be no problem if i do not procrastinate but knowing yours truly, procrastination is actually thing. i have never been able to accomplish anything early. i need the adrenaline rush to push me over the edge and gear up for the challenge.

taking a deep breathe now, and exhaling....i am now in a zone... the twilight zone. on unrelated topic.. i don't have any new clothing for this coming eid-ul-fitr. uggggggghhhhh, mr hubby is also in the same boat...but he couldn't care less if he has new baju or not. it's the ambience that is important - family, relative and food. the only person who would be 'beraya sakan' is auni syafiyah...she has a wardrobe of new clothes to be worn this raya...i like...

abah, mak & auni

2009-08-12T12:02:00.001+08:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

wedding bliss

2009-07-22T13:50:00.005+08:00

my youngest sister's wedding on 14th June...i know...i know it has been more than a month. but with all that has been happening, baru ada masa nak update and upload pictures. it was a fun wedding, we did most of the things by ourselves as ehem...ehem...budget ciput. the food was cooked by a tukang masak, the desserts - some were bought, some homemade one. the most memorable was aiskrim malaysia - we made them in several flavours and they were an instant hit among the young and young at heart.

the bride and the groom

the happy couple with mak

the bride and groom 'throwing' money and sweets

the bride with eldest sister

the happy couple with abah & baktok

the happy couple bersanding

celin's wedding

2009-05-31T01:06:00.000+08:00

buah hati sayang

2009-05-26T11:05:00.004+08:00

she's getting bigger and more responsive. mak and abah suka :))

being remembered

2009-05-25T22:30:00.002+08:00

being a teacher has its ups and downs and mostly in my case more downs than ups. but who am i to complain as i know this is the most suitable career for me. i love teaching, love the fact that i am moulding someone to be somebody. and mind you, this somebody might be the one that rule the nation, who knows (this is of course a very big IF)

i was pleasantly surprised by a call from an ex-student. he will be getting married this coming holidays and are sending out his invitation cards. the thing is he was from the class of 2001 or 2002 (this is nearly seven/eight years ago) and has graduated so many times that some might not even considered to invite their sec school teachers. and yet here he was, personally came to distribute and to come and talk to the teachers. he has done well for himself, and being a teacher, i can't help to be proud of him and actually proud of myself. why? to realize that i have had a hand in moulding a man that is not only well-educated but also well-mannered.

moments like these are all that i need to give myself a fresh perspective on why i chose this career and to be able to pat myself on the back. :)

letdown

2009-05-18T16:57:00.003+08:00

supposedly today was meant to be a celebration for all teachers in my school. but what a letdown!!!! only a handful of teachers turned up and guess what? these are the same ol' faces who attended this kind of 'sukaneka' or sporting events. the rest of them couldn't careless or in their own remark - ' I tak kuasa' or 'I tak minat' or 'I malas'. so, you think the rest of us are so enthusiastic to burn our faces in the hot sun!!!! at the very least please turn up as a show of respect to the organizers i.e. your own colleagues and your very own students. a show of appreciation is always accepted with an open heart.

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY!!!!!!!

Missing the Mark

2009-04-20T13:00:00.003+08:00

my blog is officially a year on the 6th of april. it seems like yesterday when i fumbled and made a fool out of myself regarding composing and posting, especially posting. a year had passed and a myriad of things has happened. unfortunately, with all the hoopla that i'm going through now, i had forgotten all about the blog's milestone.

first of all, moving into our very own house with our very own appliances, furnitures and what not. don't get me wrong, it was really okay at my PIL's place, but it's not ours. over here, you can do whatever you feel like and at our terms. no more thinking and wondering what other might think. FREEDOM at last.

the arrival of our own bundle of joy also marks a new episode in our life. Nur Auni Syafiyah brightens our life like nobody's business. she is now the biggest agenda in our life. i try to make sure that i still do the things before her arrival i.e. reading, sewing, crafting and so on, but to be honest my time is now filled with taking care of her and making sure the house is not overrun with laundry, unwashed dishes and leftover food. i will make time for my interests as soon as i can adapt myself and have a proper timing and everything. i hope soon (*,)

beyond comprehension

2009-03-05T17:00:00.002+08:00

i am speechless. i feel that some people have all the time in the world to butt in on people's life. please if you are so free, get a life. go and read something or learn new things that are going to be beneficial to you. don't spend your time, talking about things that do not concern you. as one unisel lecturer said 'when you assume, you're making an ass out of you and me'. if you are so keen to know, come and talk face to face. therefore, the ass will only be you. once again, get a life.

Solitary Meal

2009-02-18T00:03:00.001+08:00

* This was last year's entry. Just added and updated the pictures. *

Having a solitary dinner since Ayang is busy with his company's open house. Alas, as there were only me to cater to, I decided upon the one-wok-dish ala masak pedas seafood s****i. Ayang did mention that s****i is getting more expensive and I wanted to see whether I could duplicate their signature dish. So, there I was gearing upto cook the dish and the only seafood on hand was some squids the I bought at Kedai Aceh. However, I made do and here is the result.

Ta daa!!!!

Does it taste as yummilicious as it look? Of course!!!! This is what the Malays said about masuk bakul angkat sendiri (literally it means praising and boasting about one's achievements). For those wanting to have a taste...

Here is the recipe:

Four shallots, three garlic (smashed), an inch of ginger, two tablespoons of chilli paste, a tablespoon of fish sauce or nampla, eight squids (cut across to make 4 rings each), some carrot, some long beans and an onion.

Heat some oil and stir fry the shallot, garlic and ginger. Add the chilli paste, stir and add the nampla. Let the oil rise and add the squids. Stir around and throw in the cut veggies. Add salt and sugar to taste.

It is as easy as ABC or 123. Have a try!!!!

Puff, Puff and gone...

2009-02-13T23:10:00.000+08:00

This endevour has been delayed for quite some time now, even the lemon bought for this venture has turned mushy and yucky. Kak Ida (my baking master) suggested making this instead of the more ~~ambitious~~ difficult apple pie. The reasons she gave:

easier, as the pastry was store bought.
tastier, as the filling was as easy as ABC.
time-saving, as it taks only minutes to fold, crimp and voila!

the apple puff is ready to be consumed with relish. Here are the evidence...

Paka, Terengganu

2009-02-10T17:58:00.008+08:00

We decided to make a short and brief trip to Paka. The reason? Well, let's keep it as a secret till everything is settled. We had a hectic and chaotic holiday (idiosyncratic, isn't it) But suffice to say, we had a blast of time. It has been quite some time since Ayang and I get to go off on our own. So, this trip has been a blessing in disguise.

The beach was awesome. The waves were quite humongous. It may not be suitable to take a dip there as one might be swept away by the waves. As a place where one contemplates life, this is where one should be. It wasn't thronged by the obvious tourists and the locals who might be immune to such beauty and grandeur of the beach. Thereby, it was quite empty.

So, the next time if you have a hankering to go somewhere beachy, come over here. You could enjoy a hassle-free holiday as this resort is not quite the 'it' place like Cherating and the like. But, it is an awesome place.

Am I a Talker?

2009-01-31T15:32:00.002+08:00

Found a great article about talker and listener. If you're interested to know if you're a talker or a listener go here. I admit I am almost 80% talker, I am glad there are ways to stop me talking someone to death. I would like to apologize to friends, family, colleagues if and when I sound a an obnoxious bore. Sorry.....

devilish plan

2009-01-31T12:35:00.007+08:00

Dah agak lama tak mengupdate cerita baru, bukan takde happening sangat ~~malas~~ sibuk hingga tak terbuat pelbagai benda. dalam kesibukan bercuti seminggu, yep, my school amik seminggu cuti. Tapi sedey dah nak naik sekolah balik. naik sekolah ni, nak tunjuk blazer baru ku,

ini hanya gambar hiasan ye, model dan tuan rumah blog ini tak sama dan tak serupa (*,)

yang ku beli atas dasar paksaan semata-mata. Tak jadi nye teacher of the month, kalau setakat ~~bergaya sakan~~ ngan blazer. I plan to wear the t*******t blazer from the start of the assembly until the end of school day. tak caya, tengok ahhh nanti. that is if I can stand the heat. he he, i ni tak tahan panas, you. LOL

Tadi tgh bloghopping, jumpa mende alah ni, interesting l gak, cuba kengkawan try.

from the phone

2009-01-19T00:35:00.001+08:00

canggih betul hidup sekarang. I loike!!!

Being Tagged

2008-12-12T22:33:00.003+08:00

I was tagged by a dear friend whom I'd lost contact and just recently reconnected through the internet by another dear friend. Here goes Freggie @ Wan Kamariah.
What were you doing 5 years ago?
Struggling to balance married life and work and ...

What were the 5 things on your list to do today?
- "demounting" the laundry -my laundry basket can't sustain them and bursting at the seams
- stocking up and tying the spring roll twist - need to fill up those orders!!!
- unpacking boxes and books - yep still figuring out where to put all my stuff.
- reading my unread e-mails
- make the first effort of baking an apple pie! Hopefully jadi.....

What are the snacks that you enjoy?
- Junk food
- Junk food
- Junk food
- Junk food
- and more junk food, he he he.

What are 5 things that you do if you were a billionaire?
- Build a spa-like home, so that I could be pampered all day long
- Invest the money
- Start a foundation
- Perform Hajj every year
- Shop and shop and shop, of course

What 5 jobs you've had?
- Assistant to my Mom's kuih-making venture
- Cashier kat Parkson, JB
- Teacher
Alaaaa, tak cukup lima la...

Who are the 5 person you want to tag?
- Iza
- Arni
- Aniqah
- Muna
-McNa

Which Twilight Character Am I?

2008-12-06T16:24:00.002+08:00

You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great
importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be
sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and
appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

Loss

2008-11-26T18:45:00.003+08:00

A colleague of mine passed away a few weeks ago leaving a grieving widow and children. His youngest is only around 3++. And today a friend told me how her friend passed away due to meningitis. She suffered for a week before succumbing to the disease. She had two kids, one of which is only a year plus. Imagine losing your loved ones at such tender ages. Some might say, oh they won't remember the loved ones but I know the impact is there. Another friend called to say that her mother had a mild stroke. My heart skipped a beat.
Therefore, for those of us who still have the luxury of having their mothers anf fathers around, please spare some moments to connect to them. Make that long forgotten phone call that you never came round to. They don't need much, you don't even have to say you love them. They will know that you care, that you love with that one phone call.
(Al-Fatihah to Allahyarham En. Bakri & Sya's friend)

Apekah!!!!

2008-11-24T16:13:00.005+08:00

This is one of the ongoing problem in our housing area right now. These Africans that act like they are African-American and listen to their car stereo at full blast. They just lounge around at the parking lot. It's EXACTLY as projected in the ghetto or Harlem area. I know there are rights to expressing yourself but to the extent of making others uncomfortable?????

Bliss...

2008-11-24T10:24:00.002+08:00

Breakfast with Ayang. It has been some time since I had been hankering for some blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. This is all partly to blame Donna Dooher of the Cookworks fame. In the show, the blueberry oozes out its dark blue juices but mine just pops and do nothing. Ha ha, that's what happen if you are so trusting of what appear in front of you. But it does lessen the cravings. I still have some strawberries and some other toppings that should and would be suitable for more pancakes. Ayang did mention that I am buying for the whole batallion when in fact there are just the two of us.
I'll be ransacking the pantry today and planning the menu based on the findings aka the mindless purchases. Wish me luck!!!

Three Weeks

2008-10-24T16:27:00.002+08:00

It has been three weeks since the last post. Many things happened during that period. The first week was filled with marking papers and filling in marks and being generally beat as always when procrastinating work. The second week marked us as the host and hostess for our open house for Hari Raya. It was tiring but was energised watching friends partook in the - may I say - yummilicious food. It was heartwarming when friends came to celebrate the 'beginning' of the house and generally visited one another. Thank you to the guests (you know who you are) for making all the hardwork worthwhile. This third week will also see me in the heat of the kitchen as we will be having another open house for family and relatives. They were not not invited last week but due to the fact that my PIL weren't able to make it as they had to head off to Muar for kenduri tahlil. I am now in the midst of preparing the food and hopefully would be able to add a few images on tomorrow's open house.

Funny Cousins

2008-10-02T21:40:00.003+08:00

muahahaahhaaahahaaha

kesian anak2 sedara jadi mangsa ganas mak teh dia

Post Raya Kuih

2008-10-02T21:13:00.004+08:00

Adik found a gadget from the depth of the kitchen drawer. When she asked what it is for, I immediately had the hankering to make kuih siput - one of the traditional Malay delicacies. We then browsed for some recipes and found one that seem easy and we had the ingredients listed in the recipes. After Maghrib prayer, we started our project and still couldn't finish until now. Here are some pictures to show for our effort.

We have mixed reaction to the kuih siput - my husband said there's not spicy enough, but Pak Atan had seconds of the kuih siput. Adik is speechless... Thanks to my SIL Rin for finishing the 'gentelan' for the kuih siput.

In my eye....

2008-10-02T14:37:00.001+08:00

Props to Iza for introducing me to this fabulous website...

Homebound Journey

2008-10-01T12:06:00.003+08:00

We left KL in the wee hour or what some might say the witching hour. At 3 a.m. sharp we went southwardbound. As usual, I was light out as soon as I entered the car and left Ayang to drive on his own. I was so sleepy that every time I woke up, I just adjusted to my most comfortable position and the snores would be resounding in the small, confined space. After nearly ten years of marriage, you don't sweat the samll stuff like snoring and farting - he he he but I do take care not to pass gas in front of him intentionally, unless if I am sleeping...

When we reached Yong Peng, Ayang had to wake me up as he was feeling drowsy. I was totally geared up to drive but after some time, my two peeps started to have their own fireworks - there were some starbursts, some swirlings and some whiteout. Afraid of unwanted incident in this festive season, I breathed a sigh of relief as I sighted the Machap R&R. Luckily, Suboh prayer was due and Ayang went for his prayer.

We resumed our journey and finally arrived around 7 a.m. Alhamdulillah, we arrived safely.

Eid Mubarak

2008-09-30T06:14:00.002+08:00

Islamic Greeting Cards by Alhabib

Main masak-masak

2008-09-22T10:48:00.004+08:00

Some friends asked me to make them some agar-agar cendol. And being the amateur that I am, I had to refer to my recipe every time I make them. Ayang commented that I should have memorised the measurements and the ingredients, but alas I am insecure in that sense. I am scared that if I don't follow the instructions to the T, the dishes would not come out fine.

The measuring and the weighing.....

The first layer of decadence...

Cooking the second layer...

The second layer of yummilicious...

The dessert

Ada orang kata sedaaapp!!!! Aaaawwwhhhh!!!

Messy Mess

2008-09-20T10:20:00.001+08:00

I got my first wind and enthusiastically attacked the bathroom cum toilet. Well, it has not been cleaned for weeks (but not to the point of our public toilet, lah). In my vigouresness (is there such words), the toilet was squeky clean and sparkling. As I moved the cistern cover, I accidently knocked the toilet roll ceramic thinghy and to my shock, the whole thingy came loose and shattered across the cleaned floor, aaaawwwwhhh.

Ayang came running and quickly I changed to my pitiful face. He he he, luckily he didn't get angry. What a relief. Unfortunately, the eyesore would be there until Pak Atan came (if and when he comes). Sigh.....

Nuzul Quran

2008-09-17T00:12:00.003+08:00

Just something to share for our benefit:

Nuzul Al-Quran memberi maksud penurunan ayat-ayat Al-Quranulkarim sebagai wahyu Allah S.W.T kepada Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. melalui perantaraan malaikat Jibril a.s dengan beberapa cara yang telah ditentukan oleh Allah S.W.T manakala dalam tempoh masanya pula, sebahagian Ulamak Mufasirin telah mengatakan ianya berurutan selama 23 tahun, iaitu 13 tahun di Makkah Al-Mukarramah 10 tahun di Madinatul Munawwarah. Sebahagian ulamak mufasirin mengatakan, bahawa Al-Quran diturunkan sekaligus dari luh mahfuz ke Baitil Izzati pada malam Al-Qadar, iaitu satu malam yang paling mulia dari beribadat selama 1000 bulan.

Firman Allah S.W.T yang bermaksud:

"Sesungguhnya kami telah menurunkan (al-Quran) ini pada malam al-qadar".-Al-Qadar ayat 1-

Ia merupakan ayat pertama yang diturunkan, ketika mana Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. sedang beribadat di gua hiraa'. Di mana baginda telah didatangi oleh malaikat jibril a.s. dengan mengajarkan ayat-ayat Allah dari Surah Al-Alaq , ayat 1-5 yang bermaksud:

" Bacalah (wahai Muhammad) dengan nama tuhanmu yang menciptakan (sekalian makhluk). Ia menciptakan manusia dari sebuku darah beku. Bacalah, dan tuhanmu yang amat pemurah. Yang mengajar manusia melalui pena dan tulisan. Ia mengajarkan manusia, apa yang tidak diketahuinya".

Sesungguhnya Al-Quranulkarim itu adalah mukjizat yang paling besar dikurniakan kepada junjungan besar Nabi kita Muhammad S.A.W. ianya akan berkekalan hinggalah ke hari kiamat kelak. Tiada mukjizat sehebat Al-Quran yang pernah dikurniakan oleh Allah S.W.T kepada para rasul dan nabi-nabi yang lain. Ini membuktikan kepada kita bahawa, Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. adalah seorang rasul yang paling agung dan terakhir bagi umat akhir zaman. Oleh itu, kita adalah umat yang paling beruntung, kerana adanya Al-Quran, dibandingkan dengan umat-umat yang terdahulu, biar pun mereka mempunyai kitab-kitab seperti Zabur, Injil dan mazhab-mazhab yang lain, namun yang paling lengkap dan sempurna adalah Al-Quranulkarim, yang ada pada umat islam hingga kehari ini. Sesungguhnya tiada seorang pun yang mampu mencipta ayat-ayat Al-Quran walaupun sepotong ayat yang setanding dengan kehebatan Al-Quran. Dalam hal ini, Allah S.W.T sentiasa memperingatkan kita tentang segala bukti dan keterangan yang terdapat dalam al-quran itu tidak boleh diragui sedikit pun. Sebagaimana dijelaskan dalam firman Allah S.W.T. yang bermaksud:

"Dan kalau kamu ada menaruh syak tentang apa yang kamu turunkan (al-quran) kepada hamba kami (muhammad), maka cubalah buat dan datangkanlah satu surat yang sebanding dengan al-quran itu, dan panggillah orang-orang kamu yang percaya boleh menolong kamu selain dari Allah, jika betul kamu orang-orang yang benar".-Al-Baqarah ayat 23-

Berdasarkan ayat tadi jelaslah, bahawa Al-Quran adalah hak Allah yang wajib kita peliharai dan janganlah sekali-kali cuba mengkhianati, menafikan, bahkan mempersendakannya atau melakukan apa sahaja dengan tujuan merendah-rendahkan martabat Al-Quranulkarim. Inilah kehebatan Al-Quran yang menjadi satu mukjizat yang amat besar, kurniaan Allah S.W.T kepada umat nabi Muhammad S.A.W. Oleh itu, apa pun tindakan dilakukan untuk menghancurkan Al-Quran, namun Al-Quran tetap terjaga dan terpelihara oleh Allah S.W.T. Firman allah s.w.t. yang bermaksud:

"Sesungguhnya kamilah yang menurunkan al-quran, dan kamilah yang memelihara dan menjaganya".-al-hijr ayat 9-

Tujuan utama Al-Quran diturunkan antaranya ialah sebagai petunjuk ke jalan yang benar, untuk menghapuskan kesesatan dan kemungkaran, terutamanya dalam perkara akidah dan perundangan Islam. Selain itu, ianya menjelaskan peristiwa hari kiamat yang pasti akan berlaku, sebagai satu peringatan untuk persediaan awal menghadapinya. Terdapat juga kisah-kisah sejarah para nabi yang diutuskan untuk membawa akidah yang benar, namun sebahagian besar kaum mereka, masih tetap dalam kekufuran dan kesesatan, sebagaimana umat Nabi Musa dan Isa a.s yang mana akhirnya mereka yang kufur telah dimurkai dan dilaknat oleh Allah S.W.T. Kesemua ini, adalah sebagai satu pengajaran kepada kita agar sentiasa berpegang teguh dengan akidah yang sebenarnya. Oleh itu, yakinlah dengan apa yang dijelaskan oleh Allah S.W.T dalam Al-Quranulkarim, bahawa segala perintah dan perundangannya, adalah ketetapan Allah S.W.T dan tidak boleh diragui lagi.Umat Islam perlu mengambil sikap yang lebih bersungguh-sungguh untuk menghidupkan jiwa kita dengan nur Al-Quran. Berbagai cara boleh diamalkan untuk mewujudkan perasaan cinta terhadap al-quran. Antaranya :

Pertama - Menyematkan dalam hati dengan keikhlasan dan berkeyakinan tinggi bahawa Al-Quran itu bukanlah ayat-ayat ciptaan manusia, sebaliknya adalah wahyu daripada Allah s.w.t.

Kedua - Meyakini bahawa Al-Quran adalah mukjizat yang paling besar dikurniakan kepada Nabi Muhammad s.a.w, yang dijadikan hijjah dan sumber rujukan hingga ke hari ini.

Ketiga - Meyakini bahawa Al-Quran, sekiranya dibaca dengan banyak dan bertajwid, nescaya pembacanya akan diberi pahala dan ganjaran yang amat besar oleh Allah s.w.t.

Keempat - Meyakini dan menyedari bahawa Al-Quran pasti akan memberi syafaat kepada pembaca dan penghafaznya, ketika mana diakhirat kelak.

Kelima - Manusia yang menyuburkan hatinya dengan kalam Allah, akan menjadi manusia yang berakhlak mulia, berhati bersih dan beroleh keredhaan Allah s.w.t.Firman Allah s.w.t yang bermaksud:

"Dan apabila engkau membaca al-quran (wahai Muhammad), kami jadikan perasaan ingkar dan hasad dengki orang-orang yang tidak beriman kepada hari akhirat itu sebagai dinding yang tidak dapat dilihat, yang menyekat mereka daripada memahami bacaanmu".- Al-Isra' ayat 45 -

Sebagai umat Islam, maka wajiblah bersyukur kerana telah dikurniakan dengan nikmat Islam dan iman yang sebenarnya. Bersyukur dalam erti kata yang sebenarnya adalah dengan hati yang penuh takwa dan takut kepada Allah s.w.t. Tiada gunanya kita menyatakan kesyukuran itu, sekiranya Al-Quran diabaikan tanpa membacanya atau memahami dan mengamalkan ajarannya. Malah lebih malang lagi ada dikalangan manusia yang bersikap biadap dengan memijak al-quran dan menguwek-nguwekkannya. Hati mereka telah gelap dan menyimpang jauh orang yang tidak mampu membezakan perkara-perkara yang hak dan batil, pahala dan dosa, halal dan haram. Yang sopan dikatakan kolot yang sesat didewa-dewakan. Malah dalam menegaskan hal ini Allah s.w.t berfirman yang bermaksud:

"Sesungguhnya al-quran ini memberi petunjuk ke jalan yang benar (iaitu ajaran islam), dan memberikan berita yang menggembirakan kepada orang-orang yang beriman , yang mengerjakan amal-amal soleh, bahawa mereka beroleh pahala yang besar".-Al-Isra' ayat 9 -

Oleh itu, marilah sama-sama kita berusaha mencari keberkatan Allah s.w.t dan berdoa agar sentiasa berada di bawah rahmat dan lindungannya serta beroleh kebahagiaan hidup didunia dan diakhirat.

Home Sweet Home

2008-09-15T08:38:00.004+08:00

Went back to my hometown last Saturday. As usual, whenever we came back, Mak will spread an array of delicious food on the table. And Saturday's iftar was not excluded - we had awesome chicken curry, mussel rendang and some other dishes. As for Sunday's iftar we were served my all-time favourite - soto ayam.

But please excuse the lack of pictures, everybody was like the hoover vacuum, but to be honest I wasn't inclined to take pictures, dah lapar sangat!!!!

Today's iftar will be steamed assam siakap, kerabu mangga and some additional dishes. Yours truly will be the invited chef for the day. Hopefully, the dishes would turn up fine as I have the tendency to make errors and mistakes cooking at home. Ye la, cooking in front of the master is quite daunting. Furthermore, the critics and reviewers are a bunch of hard to please people. He he, jangan marah, Abah.

Will update the pictures soon, hopefully.

As I've written before, the dishes weren't as excellent as when I cooked in KD. But, still got rave reviews from the family. Aaaaawwwhhhh.....

Rindu2an

2008-09-14T23:18:00.003+08:00

These were taken last week at IL's house. The adorable Isadora has not seen me and has not been pampered for nearly a week. So, when we arrived, she was very excited and would be following us around. She would always be available for the occasional massages and would demand to be cuddled and so on.

As I spent the whole day in the room, she was as contented as ever to spend the day indoor. As a testament for missing her humans.

Mbak Ika ohhh Mbak Ika

2008-09-07T20:50:00.003+08:00

Waduh!!!! Gi mana ni? Kok panggilan teleponnya ngggakk dijawab. Waduhh, gi mana nih, enggak ada baju raya!!!! Huwaaa, takde baju raya la jawabnye ni. Call pun tak berjawab, sms pun diignore nya...adakah aku perlu membeli sehelai dua untuk cover baju raya tu, ahhh tak nak lah (ek e leh, saja lah tu, sebenarnye kau nak kan, kan, kan????) Muaahahahaha, I do know myself, but, during the ranting and grumbling, masuk lah sms dari si dia (siapa lagi, tailor la!!!)

waalaikumsalam kak minta maap tak dengar tepon ingsyaAllah siap kak

Yabeda bedu, aku ada baju raya!!!! Oooops, tak leh suka sesangat, nanti tak siap menangis air mata darah....

Ramadhan ini....

2008-09-06T21:43:00.004+08:00

Since moving to the new house, Ayang and I have been spending the weekends at the in-laws' place. There's not much to do since being without a child ,yet, as I think a child would be much suited to be the entertainment of the week for the grandparents...but I guess it fits Ayang's purpose which is to at least come home and see his parents. And being the month of Ramadhan, of course he would like to have Iftar with his parents. And being a good wife I am, I just abide gracefully...(yeah, right)

Since, his brother came back this week from City of Lion, I've decided to wear the hijab. I used not to wear at home eventhough when my BILs are home, too. But, I think since it's the Ramadhan and the time to gather as much pahala as you can, I have decided to start wearing the hijab whenever I am around BILs or non-mahram, Insya-Allah.

The Finale

2008-08-28T22:44:00.003+08:00

The Woman In The Sun - the Korean drama which made me stuck on the couch for nearly ten weeks finally ended. Sigh.... I felt so drained and exhausted watching it as it was filled with a multitude of feelings and emotions. I was bawling and crying while watching the last two episode as these two episide is the turning point for the characters to make amends to each other. Frankly speaking, I can't blame the eldest sister for making such a drastic decision as she may have believed that she is acting on the principle of the survival of the fittest and I can't blame on the younger sister for getting revenge on what had been done to her. The plot, the casts, the music, the setting all played important roles in making the drama fabulous. The main actress was very good in emoting different feelings and changing different emotions at a blink of an eye. Ahhhh, puashati....puashati.

P/s: Lepas ni ganti cite antu, tak boleh tengok (terawih, weh) dan memang tak nak tengok...takut...he he he......

Doing It Again...

2008-08-22T23:34:00.002+08:00

Time has a way of finding cracks to slip away from me. Just imagine, I was ecstatic on Monday as the long-awaited school holiday finally arrived. I had so much planned, i.e. sew curtains, doing laundry, beading for Kak Tim's daughters, baking, knottting my business, etc. And yet, it is Friday, essentially the last day of the holiday and I barely made any dent in the list above. WT*, I am a total procrastinator and you know what they say about procrastinator being the thief of time...hu hu hu...pencuri masa!!!!
And the promise of making sure this blog is updated as many times as possible might also become a promise that might not be help upon by me.
Again and again, time is the most difficult asset to manage, well, by me at the least.

Since 2

2008-08-20T17:45:00.000+08:00

The makings of breakfast by Ayang. He must have woken up on the right side of the bed since this is the first time he offered to make breakfast for us. Apa-apa pun tetap sedap...air tangan suami la katakan.

Since

2008-08-20T17:38:00.000+08:00

These are some pics w took at Kalumpang for our in-house training. The river and its nooks and crannies were wonderful. The water was so cold...if you don't believe me,look at Aniq's expression. The emerald green water was so inviting...I can't wait tp have a picnic there. Btw, the course sucked, totally. Nevertheless, the place made up for the dissapointment.

Lazing The Day Away

2008-08-03T10:32:00.002+08:00

No URGENT business to attend to... YEAYYYYY!!!!!!!!

Bone Dry

2008-08-02T20:50:00.003+08:00

I had been wrung to the bone. It had been one h*** of a week and still going to be a b***** this coming week. Fortunately, one of the major event in the EP was all done and completed with Iza doing most of the donkey job. Thank you, Iza. And the gratitude is extended to a few more like Aniqah, Widya and the prac teachers. Thank you so much.

Women in the Sun

2008-07-24T22:10:00.001+08:00

Synopsis
Shin Do Young is an announcer who instigates the jealously of all women around her because of her superior looks, great abilities, and great background. But Do Young has a deep, dark secret. She was actually abandoned at an orphanage when she was young but luckily she was adopted by a nice couple. The couple were unable to have their own children but were surprised when their biological daughter was born. Do Young, afraid that her parents would no longer love her anymore abandoned her 5 year old little sister at a train station. Years have passed and Do Young meets a joyful girl, Sa Weol, who becomes her personal shopper. What happens when Do Young’s terrible misdeed is revealed and that Sa Weol is actually the sister she abandoned at the train station all those years ago?
I am now impatient to see how this story ended. It had me gripping my seat. The storyline is absolutely riveting.

Psychobabble

2008-07-21T21:12:00.002+08:00

Pn. N from PPD G****k called and informed that there is a short course that will be held tomorrow. And it was already 2.30 p.m. and boohoo I had to go. I wondered how some people figured you can just drop a bombshell and just ignore the fact that other people have life!!! That I have a life. Hello, people have other obligations in life and I can't just say yes on the spot. I need to ask permission from my husband even though anything work related will be blessed by Ayang. What I am trying to say is that people need to learn some courtesy and if you expect people to respect you, respect them in turn. What had happen if I have three children, no maid and a demanding husband? Wouldn't it be a burden!!!!

To just relay the news without any other details as to what the course is all about is totally irresponsible and I am sure there will be tonnes of work waiting at B**** L*****. One thing I hate about this particular PPD is that if a course is to empower you in any way, you will not be called nor invited but if it is work related, hmmmnn bring it on. It would come without me asking nor thinking about it.

I just hope that I will have relatively enjoyable experience there. I am hoping for the best.

All Alone

2008-07-19T21:13:00.002+08:00

I am left to my own device as Ayang has a team building exercise in PD. What luck!!!! It has always been this way. Our schedule has always been out of sorts lately. I'll be away, next weekend to Kalumpang Resort and will be leaving Ayang the whole day for a in-house training. Hmmmnnn, tension....

Losing Myself

2008-07-17T09:48:00.001+08:00

A picture paints a thousand words... What about nine of them? These are some of my fav pics from the file given by my brother. The flowers seem so alive and are begging you to come and languished in the midst of their magnificence. This is where I want to be right this minute. I want to lay in the abundance of delights and just lose myself for the day. Will it ever be possible? Sighhhh!!!!

Alahai...

2008-07-16T23:32:00.004+08:00

Due to the barrage of workload given to yours dearly, I am now attacked by the cold virus or whatever that is plaguing me now. I am sneezing, teary-eyed and having a mind-blowing headache.

Luckily for me, Ayang is willing to complete some of my work and doing a good job at it. Thanks, Ayang.

Meanwhile, I can relax and update the blog...ha ha ha.....

Thousand Apologies

2008-07-15T21:26:00.005+08:00

Things have been hectic and chaotic this past few weeks at the workplace. We have been bombarded by accusations, misconceptions and whatnot. I have always tried to persevere in the face of adversity (ha ha ha...jangan nak berlakon, kau ada mengamuk, kan, kan???). But in the end as a human being you cannot not be hurt by the comments made by 'so-called friends'.

So, I would like to apologize to my panel members for the blunders that I have done and for being the KP who is way beyond inept and incompetent. Sob, sob, sob

Aduhhhhh!!!! 2

2008-07-11T21:58:00.004+08:00

Alkisah, alkisah ada orang itew tak takut dan tak serik-serik.

Kaki tak baik lagi, dia dah sibuk nak melompat lagi...

Adalah ada PESKAT - apa itew - Pesta Sukan & Kebudayaan Antara Teknik.

Dia sudahlah main netball kat SMT Klang.

Lompat lah lompat tak sedar diri, kaki terjelepok, sakitlah lagi...

Owwwwhhhhh!!!!

Sekarang ini sedang merana,

Sakitnya amat menjerihkan hati,

Nasib lah baik ada yang simpati,

Kalau tiada hero ku ini,

Merana lah hamba seorang diri.

(ikut nada gurindam, ke sajak, apa-apa pun boley)

What Flower Are You?

2008-07-10T22:52:00.002+08:00

I am a
Daffodil

You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard.

(I don't think this describes me at all. I'm likely the wall flower- trying to disappear - rather than be the life of the party. Do like the flower though. ;-p)

Aduhhhhh!!!!

2008-07-09T09:55:00.003+08:00

Aaarghhh! I, who have never played sports earnestly, have always been able to avoid being injured. But to my dismay, yesterday afternoon was different. As I was practising netball for the KAT tournament, I sort of sprained my ankle. Pehhh, the pain was excruciating - my pain tolerance is nil - so the smallest pain does feel 100x intense.

Went to the clinic, and the doctor advised no to make a lot of movement. So going to school was out of the question. And to my delight (albeit the pain) I was given two days of sick leave. Ayang was the most attentive caregiver. He bought me some analgesic cream and some crepe bandage. But then he had to leave for work. Aaaahhhhh, boring nye.

CINTA HATI

2008-07-07T22:38:00.002+08:00

just sharing our pics

SIGH!!!!

2008-07-07T22:15:00.004+08:00

My life has taken such a turn that going to school no longer makes my heart swell with pride. It has in fact makes my heart looks like a withered prune, tinge with bitterness. I look forward to the holidays rather than the working days. How terrible!!!

I WANT TO BE THE TEACHER I USED TO BE. PLEASE, GRANT ME THIS WISH!!!!

Friends

2008-07-06T21:28:00.000+08:00

Makan Makan

2008-07-06T21:05:00.003+08:00

This dish is tonight's dinner. "Ikan Siakap Masak Tiga Rasa" (Three Flavoured Siakap). However, in actuality, I don't think it is three-flavoured or two. It's more like it's confused- flavoured. I just saute some shallots, garlic and ginger and some chilli paste. Later, chucked in some chilli sauce and tomato sauce and add in some diced tomato, green andyellow pepper. Needless to say, it was well-accepted by my PIL and Ayang. But sadly, it's not up to my heat level. Hu hu hu, tak pedas lansung. But the most important thing is that it is edible by my MIL level. She has problem eating hot food.
There are some other dishes but as usual Ayang being him only took me literally as I asked him to take picture of the fish. Hence, the lack of more visual delights.

Adora

2008-07-06T20:46:00.000+08:00

This is Isadora or Adora. Eversince, we've been going back and forth to the new house, she has become more clinging and more spoiled. Poor Adora. She is one of the stray cats that just appeared out of nowhere, begging for food. And she does know how to slip into our hearts. Ayang is her most favourite person, if he is around, she wouldn't even come near me. Preferring her darling man more, but if Ayang is not around, I would be her favourite human. She would come in the room and share the bed and would sleep as close as it is comfortable next to me.

I feel sad about leaving her here, but the new place has some restrictions regarding pets such as cats and dogs. I think the management is worried about the numbers will keep on rising. But no worry, Isadora has been spayed. It's not that I don't like more cats but with limited space, it is unthinkable and irresponsible to have more cats.

Please don't worry, Isadora. Your darling man will always come to feed you and pamper you.

Lesser and Lesser

2008-07-06T00:11:00.005+08:00

I notice that my posts are dwindling gradually since I started in April. Didn't I promise myself to write more as I need the practice. The thing is I absolutely HATE writing. Even when I was in school and college, writing seemed to have escape from my grasp. I can't figure out the subject matter, nor the theme or whatever it is required to write. All I did most of the time is rambling nonsensically and expect my teachers or my lecturers to actually grade them and I expected excellent results. Hah, no such hope there. I even (in all my humility) flunked "Writing 101" in one semester and of course had to repeat the paper and to my horror with my juniors. Argghhh, how embarrassing and demeaning. Alas, I was rewarded for my diligence (*,) that time and procured an exalted B+ for my effort. However, I do have to share that with a few coursemates - Muhaida and Fathinie - who helped me tremendously. Thank you.

Turning back to the now, I must walk the walk. I have been nagging my students to be more diligent in their writing practice and yet here I am not making good of my own promise to keep on writing.

Well, folks, July would be the month of posts galore. God help me!!!!

Hanging by a Thin Thread

2008-07-04T22:59:00.005+08:00

I am, in fact, is hanging by a really, really thin thread and at the end of my leash. These days I feel, no, actually I am being attacked left and right. Dodging the attacks seems to be out of the question. So, I just grin and bear with it. I do feel the hurt as rumours and accusations are flying every other way. Various persons come up to me with stories, some amusing, some entertaining and some downright malicious.

I should have been more confrontational and set the record straight as one colleague suggested but I just don't have the energy to expend and I am not interested to please people nor to rectify their assumptions. As long as I know, I have nothing to worry about my teaching and doing my job as best as I can. I COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT ME. There, I've said it.

My "Hometown"

2008-06-29T22:17:00.000+08:00

The day was a hectic one. Promised Abang (my younger brother) to start the journey to Kota Singa earrrly in the morning. When he came at 7.30 am, we were still lounging in dreamland and slumberland. Ha ha ha. If I didn't do that, the trip will start at a much later time.

The journey wasn't long and not as congested as we used second link at Gelang Patah. But what made it tedious was the fact that there were so many stops o be made due to strict regulation by the Kota Singa govt.

Just imagine, the first stop is to hand over our passports and identity cards for first time user of the passports (i.e. Ayang, Adik and I). We were interrogated as where we were headed and so forth. The funny thing was nobody knew where we were headed as my eldest brother will be waiting for us at the other side. What a laugh. Finally, Ikin remembered to mention Jurong.

The second stop was to acquire the passcard which will be used as touch'n'go when we exit Kota Singa later on. After being checked twice for the car registration, we managed to get one.

After that we need to pass through custom, even after choosing the green lane (nothing to declare) we were still stopped and ordered to open the trunk and so on. After handing the receipt for god knows what, we were still detained as the date stamped on the receipt were on 24th instead of 29th. Again, we were asked to wait as they sort out the mess. Just imagine waiting with some Nepalese soldiers who were equipped with weapons and all. Finally we were let go to continue with our journey.

Whaaaa....tak suka.....tak suka!!!!!!! It felt like going to a high security place. Haaaa, if I don't think about all my uncles and aunties and cousins and a brother, I won't want to step a foot on that soil again.

On the way home, the trffic was a bit congested and had to queue up for quite some time. After handing up our passports to the officer on duty we were on our way and had to stop at the custom to again declare if we brought in any contrabands. As if....

Finallly, we arrived at Gelang Patah, our Johor side. Alas, Home Sweet Home....

Eat Your Heart Out

2008-06-24T09:02:00.006+08:00

*This is a Machiavellian Post*

Ini adalah entry orang yang sangat bengang dan tengah amarah, so kalau tak suka jangan baca!

Wohooo, am on leave today and I bet you the tongues are wagging in SMT***. "Apalah, lagi-lagi cikgu BI tak datang sekolah!!!!" As far as I know there will be 3 English teachers out of commission today and yesterday there were 4 of us MIA. Tak larat la, cikgu relief nak buat relief utk kitorang. Tapi masalahnya, bukan diorang yang kalut tapi mereka yang disekeliling.

Beb, kasi ingat ya ada masa jugak kau akan merasa susahnya sakit, takde maid dan lain-lain. Jadi masa engkorang senang, jangan la duk question org punya MC atau cuti. Kau pun bukan tak pernah ada anak sakit sampai lama-lama, jadi be understanding to other people's situation.

As for my case - jgn nak tanya byk2 la, aku memang jarang-jarang dan kadang-jadang cuti, so sesaper tanya kenapa aku cuti, akan ku lada mulut itew (ambil ejaan iza). Ni pun rasa guilty amat sangat sebab tinggalkan budak....NOT...HA HA HA HA (KETAWA MACAM CRUELLA DEVILLE) Tapi, akak akan cuti lagi Isnin depan, aaahwhhw. Jangan mare...Ada cousin kahwin kat Kota Singa. Memang malas nak pegi, tapi Pak Long dak kata, putus sedara kalu tak attend. Hu hu hu

Mungkin takde pun org yang mempertikaikan ketidakhadiran kami, mungkin aku yang terlebih paranoid.

Adik's Engagement

2008-06-22T21:03:00.002+08:00

As promised, these are Adik's engagement pictures. Here, seen, on the left the proud parents of Adik and on the right Adik with the much loved Mak.

The verrrry the slow nak upload gambar2 ini. Hampeh betul. There are other pictures, but are quite unsuitable to be on public display. He he he....

Feast

2008-06-20T15:58:00.000+08:00

Tonight's dinner was TomYam Chicken, Chilli Crab, Onion Omelette and Stir-fried Veggies. Here are some of the pictures

The only complaint from Ayang is that I cooked too much for two person. So, folks here to learning to cooking for two. ;-p

Here's the recipe for the Chilli Crab,

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time :15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tsp peanut oil
4 green (uncooked) blue swimmer crabs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 fresh long red chillies (or 1-2 fresh red birdseye chillies for extra heat), finely chopped
1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger
60ml (1/4 cup) tomato sauce
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
6 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
1/2 cup firmly packed coarsely chopped fresh coriander
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat until just smoking. Add the crab and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until just cooked (the crabmeat will turn white when cooked).
Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the tomato and sweet chilli sauces and sugar, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Add the green shallot and stir until just wilted. Add the coriander and toss until just combined. Spoon steamed rice among serving bowls. Top with chilli crab and serve immediately.

Notes & tips
To prepare green (uncooked) crab: Segment the crab- lift the flap under the crab's body with your thumb. While holding the body firmly with 1 hand, pull off the top part of the shell with the other. Discard the top shell. Remove and discard the spongy, finger-like white gills on either side of the crab's body. Cut the body into quarters. Use a nutcracker to crack the large claws to enable easy removal of crabmeat when serving.

Source :http://www.taste.com.au/

The Molten Lava

2008-06-19T10:42:00.006+08:00

PANAAAAASSSSS!!!!!!!!

I am surrounded by a crowd of enraged teachers. Life has taken on such a turn that some of the activities organized by the school are literally taking over the teachers' lives as well as the students' lives. What a SAD,SAD LIFE..........

Just the Two of Us

2008-06-17T21:23:00.012+08:00

Last weekend Ayang and I had a sleepover at the new house. It was heaven with just the two of us. Thee hee hee.(*,)

Dinner was Chicken Roasted with Lemon Zest and Salad with Eggs and Black Pepper Sauce... Tadaa..... Appetizing, ya?

And finally....

Liciiiiiin..... I like!!!

2008-06-11T22:27:00.006+08:00

I'm baaack... After a week+++ of sheer torture of marking papers, today I am officially liberated from 'paper penitentiary'. Ha ha ha!!!

Last week was dedicated to marking papers and marking papers....

And sewing curtains for the new home.

It was such an amateurish venture that all gadgets and tools that were within reach were used in the making of the curtains. Well, what do you expect from a 'once in a while tailor'. But it was worth the effort. The curtains were hung and they look amazing, if I may say so. Not 'amazing' in its look but 'amazing' in a way that I sewed those curtains...

EXODUS 2

2008-05-31T22:15:00.000+08:00

The Exodus

2008-05-31T00:58:00.003+08:00

Evey time the holidays beckon, be it the school holidays or festive holidays, the only destination that I want to go would be the south of Peninsula. What's the attraction, one might ask. The answer would be my hometown. Without fail, InsyaAllah, I will go home. There's nothing better than to relax and chill out surrounded by your loved ones.

But for this homecoming, there would be no relaxing nor chilling as my youngest sis will be engaged on Sunday. So everyone in the family is busy as a bee to make sure that the majlis is held smoothly. It is going to be a busy one as we will do our cooking for the feast. Well, there would be no catering for anak2 Mak Yah. :-)

I've done the special order of the day - Agar2 Cendol. But to my chagrin, those four batches are still not enough to fill every container that Abah bought. So, back to the stove tomorrow for a repeat performance. I am starting to feel the toll of the long day, my eyes are getting heavier and heavier. But if I mention this to Ayang, he would laugh and smirk at me as I slept on the way home and again on the way to buy things for the Agar2.

I'll try to take some pix tomorrow. Camera pinjam adik, baru la ada gambar2 sikit. (*,)

Enforced Labour

2008-05-29T10:26:00.006+08:00

What a way to start the day. As I went down to do a batch of laundry, Ayang's SIL asked me if I was going anywhere. Why the interest? It seemed that my PIL were on their way to the hospital and N is attending a meeting. Her two kids slept here last night, so now they are left with nobody to look after the kids.

But the bewildering part is that why can't she think of sending her kids home where her bibik can take care of the kids. She has not done any thinking in regards of her kids for quite some times that she doesn't feel that she is burdening other people. What a way to live your life!!!

One case in point is when my FIL forgot to pick her daughter from the tuition center, rather than saying that she will pick her daughter, do you know waht she did? She entered the house and picked up the newspaper and leaving my FIL with no choice but to go and pick his GD. And the worst part is since her car is blocking the porch, I had to offer my car to FIL. And N, with her blank face, just sat there doing nothing.

A fitting image, don't you think? ;-p

Why, oh why can't she go fetch her daughter and be on her way home. She is such a puzzling and weird creature.

Back to me, now I can't go anywhere until my PIL come back. Whaaaaa............

Moving Day

2008-05-26T21:54:00.007+08:00

Pheww,what a tiring day...I'm sending some of my stuff over to the new place. My body is now stiff as a board. It has been years since I labour away. Am dreaming of having these movers to do all the tough jobs. Alas, I can't justify hiring the movers when all I have are books and clothes. And Ayang literally do not have anything worth moving except for his clothes. ;-p

Yep, verything would be brand new, not because I want new things... It's just that we do not own a pot or a pan of our own. It's like playing building block game, where you stack one block at a time. This is what Ayang and I are doing we are building a house and turning it into a semblance of a home.

InsyaAllah, me and Ayang will be at our new home, next week. (",)

Anger

2008-05-20T20:20:00.004+08:00

Saja nak share gambar nie. Macam apa yang terjadi kat diri nie. Penat tau jadi sentiasa marah nie. Maybe I'll learn how to manage my anger from this site.

Anger Management
Anyone can become angry - that is so easy. But to become angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not so easy. Aristotle
www.AngerManagementOnline.com

Just the facts!By Kathy Garber

Anger is one of your emotions, along with happiness, sadness and fear.
Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy emotion that varies in intensity.
Anger is a reaction to an inner emotion and not a planned action.
Anger is considered a secondary emotion. Meaning something usually triggers a bad thought or feeling and you begin to feel angry.
Anger can also be caused by fear, stressful situations and fatigue.
Worrying or brooding over personal problems can cause anger.
Repeated bad thoughts over and over in your head can increase your anger’s intensity.
Anger can be an instant reaction from a single event or a response after numerous events.
Anger reduces stress and makes you feel temporarily powerful.
Anger is a learned behavior. We imitate how others handled anger.

It is up to you on how you choose to handle your anger. Do you want to continue imitating others and letting your anger fly, or do you want to create a happier place for yourself and those around you? Don’t let anger control your life any longer.

Get started on a healthier path at AngerManagementOnline.com

Happy, Happy Teacher's Day

2008-05-16T07:00:00.002+08:00

I found this post on A Good Book and a Cup of Tea and thought how appropriate to share it with my fellow teachers today.

I was thinking about the importance of the role of teachers in our society. There are some great teachers out there, passionate teachers who love and enjoy educating others. I truly admire and respect teachers who have a mission to educate and train. They have a vision to not only teach a student today but to lay the foundation for the future generations to come. The following is a famous quote by Amir Kabir (1852) Prime Minister of Iran, under Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar.

He who has a one year goal, plants grain,
if the intent is ten years, then a tree.
He, who has a hundred year intent, educates a person.

Happy Teachers' Day

The Tagging Game

2008-05-13T23:13:00.005+08:00

Iza tagged me with this statement : 5 PERKARA PERTAMA YANG TERJADI DALAM HIDUP ANDA.

Naik kapalterbang - Jakun giler. Nak pakai seatbelt pun tak tahu nak pasang. Masa tu nak pergi KK, Sabah. First posting kat Lahad Datu. Jauh yang amat sangat. Dua kali naik plane baru sampai LD. Yang menyeramkan ialah ke LD tu naik Fokker - ala yang ada propeller 2 kat sayap. Lagi 15 mins nak sampai LD one of the propeller terhenti and dengan relaxnye pilot announce kena patah balik ke KK yang ambik masa 30 mins tu. Alhamdulillah sampai kat KK. The reason kena return to KK was that LD takde engineer nak betulkan plane tu. Ader ke patut....
Naik Gunung Kinabalu - Eventhough I wasn't fit at that time, tapi masih mampu menawan puncak Kinabalu. I'm impressed with myself. Maklumlah dengan situasi badan yang agak 'lembaga' nie. Tapi bila turun, dan balik semula ke LD, punya lah letih dan sakit satu badan. Sampai student kena turun gi makmal (tumpang) coz teacher tak larat nak naik tangga ke kelas. :-p
Jumpa bakal PIL - Masa tu final year, Ayang nak ambil kereta nak hantar ke Tampin untuk praktikal. Makin dekat nak sampai rumah dia, makin terpelosok dalam seat kereta diri ini. Cuak tau. Dahlah tu bagitahu waktu dah nak pergi, akak ni takdelah sempat nak meng'ayu'kan diri dengan baju kurung ke, isk isk isk... Ayang kata takpe, tapi first impression babe mesti mau baik punyer. Tapi nasib baik parents dia okay. After about 30 mins, kami pun mintak diri. Berpeluhss dibuatnya.
Menang singing competition - Masa tu darjah 4, baru pindah dari Kota Singa. So agak confident and stuck-up sikit. Iyelah, agak fofular la masa tu. Hari tu ada apa ntah tapi siap pakai baju biasa tak pakai uniform pun. Akak pun mengalunkan lagu... tak ingat tapi lirik sia ada kot bai-bait ini "bersusah-susah dulu, bersenang kemudian or was it about rakit"...Ala lupalah pulak. Tapi seingat-ingatnya, itulah kali pertama dan terakhir menang dan menyanyi in public. Mak pun ada kata suara ni sengau dan tak merdu. Oh, hancur harapann nak jadi penyanyi terkenal.
Masak untuk Abah - My Abah nie terkenal dengan kecerewetannya makanannya. Kalau bukan Mak yang masak, gerenti Abah akan kata tak sedap. Jadi, bila kena masak (coz Mak not feeling well), gabra la. Dah lah amatur, nak try resipi baru pulak tu. Hish, berpeluh-peluh masak, berdebar-debar bila Abah try mee hailam tu. Yuuppp, dapat lampu hijau. Abah kata sedap. Yeayyy. (Tapi harap-harap Abah tak kata sedap coz nak ambik hati!!!!)

Nak tag jugak lah. I'm tagging Aniq for my first tagging game.

Being Tagged

2008-05-12T17:24:00.006+08:00

Sori Iza, tak tahu sebenarnye apa dia tag mengetag tu. After your brief explanation baru la faham. Now, rules dia lagu ni..i) masakan/hidangan yang anda nak buat / masak/ beli dalam hari anda di tag..fuh.. pikir2....nyatakan meal untuk dinner, breakfast or lunch...ii) kalu lagi best letakla gambo ke resepi ke...iii) nyatakan reason membuat /makan setiap masakan...

Meal ni untuk dinner: ayam masak lemak cili api, sayur taugeh hijau goreng and sambal kentang + tempe (ala-ala Jawa tu... ini one of Ayang's favourite dish)

Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Api

Ayam

Cili Api

Kunyit Hidup

Serai

Asam keping

Santan

Garam (secukup rasa)

Masukkan ayam di dalam periuk, campurkan bersama cili api, serai yang diketuk dan kunyit yang dikisar. Rebuskan dan kacau jangan biar hangit. Setelah air ayam kering, masukkan santan cair dan rebuslah perlahan. Masukkan asam keping dan santan pekat dan garam. Biarkan sehingga ayam masak. Masukkan garam (secukup rasa). Kalau nak aroma yang power, letakkan daun kunyit. Memang sedap.

Resipi : Mak

Sambal Kentang + Tempe

Bahan A

Bawang merah

Bawang putih

Halia

Lada giling

Bahan B

Kentang - dihiris nipis

Tempe - dipotong dadu

Ikan bilis

Goreng bahan B sehingga garing dan rangup terutamanya kentang. Tumis Bahan A yang telah dikisar sehingga naik minyak. Masukkan garam dan gula. Kacau sehingga 'caramelize' sedikit. Masukkan bahan yang digoreng tadi. Kacau sehingga sebati. Sewdap sekali dimakan dengan nasi panas. Yummy....

Resipi: Kak Ipah (eldest SIL)

Reason: Masak Lomak Cili Api tu memang my all-time favourite. Tersangat menepati citarasa yang suka makanan yang membakar lidah. Sambal Kentang + Tempe tu favourite Ayang. Sesekali mintak kena la turutkan.

So, thanks for tagging me, Iza. Dah bayar utang ye...

Jane Doe

2008-05-12T16:58:00.004+08:00

Went to pick up Jane Doe @ Khecik from the vet. Kesian nye, the kittens were breached , therefore couldn't get through the birth canal. So, had the vet had to do c-section to retrieve the kittens. It seems that the kittens had died and became rotten and Khecik's womb had become a bag of toxin. It had to be on drip to eneble the toxin to be flushed from the system.

Itu kesian kat Khecik tapi kena kesian kat owner gak coz abis around RM***.** for her op and stay and medication. Pokai makcik!!!! There goes my l******* shopping....

Tapi takpe, InsyaAllah, rezeki tu akan makin mencurah-curah kalau kita tak lokekkan?

Ni bukan Jane Doe tapi mcm agak2 rupa dia. Gambar dari flickr. Thank you flickr.

Coincidence

2008-05-09T20:34:00.006+08:00

I WAS BORN IN MARCH!!!!! Coincidence or I may be channeling my March vibes to strongly. Anyway, check out this link. It's fun!!!!!

Your True Birth Month Is March

Moody
Secretive
Revengeful
Trustworthy
Affectionate
Loves traveling
Loves attention
Shy and reserved
Musically talented
Loves home decor
Not easily angered
Sensitive to others
Loves special things
Attractive personality
Loves to serve others
Loves peace and serenity
Observant and assess others
Loves to dream and fantasize
Appreciative and returns kindness
Hasty decisions in choosing partners
Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic

What's" Your True Birth Month?

Ye ke ni????

2008-05-09T19:04:00.002+08:00

Ada persamaan tak???

What Norasidah Means

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.
You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.
You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.
At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.
You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.
You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.
You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.
You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.
You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.
People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.
Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.
Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Korean Craze

2008-05-07T19:17:00.005+08:00

Crashing in front of the tv is like the number one pastime for me nowadays. Long gone are the reading and crossstitching and cooking habits. They are now unceremoniously being replaced for the time being for all things Korean these days. I am now hooked on the drama series "Likable or Not". Best giler citernye. Sungguh mengasyikkan.

Sekarang ni tengah climax ceritenye, so makin melekat depan tv la. ;-)

Thank you

2008-05-07T19:02:00.004+08:00

Life has been a round of chaos and confusion this past few days. We, the English Panel, has been whipped, snagged, dragged, and pulled from all directions. Yet, most of us take them gracefully. Thank you, dear friends for staying back at odd hours to complete the tasks given to us. (The cake on top is a hint... (",)

The Cuppycake Video

2008-05-03T22:39:00.001+08:00

For the kids in us. ;-p

Love Blooms Forever

2008-04-22T21:47:00.007+08:00

The ticker said I've been together with Ayang for seventeen years. How about that? Time really flies when you're having fun...(does it?)

We met on a blind date (arranged by a friend; Acai, thank you). Actually, I've liked him since before the blind date. He has some of the important criteria that I want in a husband. One of them, is that he prayed. Not that he showed it off to people. I knew the fact because I skodeng him on his way to surau or from solat Jumaat (where I 'accidentally' synchronise my timing to coincide his return from the mosque). I want someone that can show or guide me in terms of religion. Not that I stood a chance with him. He was quite popular. Being extraordinary tall and having a good physique made him stand out.

But during the blind date, we got to talk and know each other and became friends first. It was quite some time before he said those three little words. But I'm glad that we end up with each other. There's nobody else I want to be with. Warts and all (mine and some of his....hehehe)

Serabut

2008-04-19T16:36:00.004+08:00

Rasa serabut yang amat sangat. Kenapa ye? Tengok blog pun macam dah boring. Decided to change the template. Pilih yang teramat simple and has a clean, white background. Lega.

Added some new tools. Check them out :

the clock - I decided to choose this because it looks simple and real. It looks like I was the one who sketched it, with my limited talent, of course.

the ticker at the end of the blog. Cute hah!!!

I found them while bloghopping. ;-p

Rotten, rottener, rottenest

2008-04-18T22:47:00.010+08:00

Life, some say, sucks. Sometimes the description fits like a glove. Case in point, this week. How does a seemingly uneventful Monday escalate to a worrisome Tuesday to a wasted Wednesday to a fury-invoke Thursday to an I-can't-stand-it-anymore Friday....

And believe me, you, it's going to deteriorate even further until end of week...

Potluck

2008-04-15T23:00:00.008+08:00

There's going to be some makan-makan tomorrow. We (meaning the exiles...he he he, just kidding) are assigned the 'breakfast' time. There'll be lots and lots of choices for the morning session. We are having nasi dagang, spaghetti, lontong (yummmm, of course, because I'm the cook) and many more scrumptious dishes by friends. There goes my new year resolution, i.e. to diet, which was like four months ago. :-(

Anyhow, balik aje dari sekolah, terus membeli-belah bahan untuk lontong. Semangat tu. I do like to cook but somehow the opportunities bypass me. Right after that terus masak, apalagi lintang-pukanglah dapur. Maklum ajelah tukang masak amatur.

Tengah masak-masak, noticed that the gravy was a bit odd looking... Alamak!!!!! I forgot to add in some turmeric. Apa lagi, Mak Yah to the rescue la... Call Mak with a list of complaints and as usual she calmly rectify my errors and answer my questions...Aaah lega, after adding some, coz Mak said it was okay to do it, the gravy changed to its intended glorious colour. I sighed with relief.

When I phoned Mak, Abah who answered the call asked "nak masak apa???" Aiikkk, macam tahu-tahu aje. I must admit, she is an excellent cook. I learned a lot from Mak. Thank you, Mak, for insisting that your daughter learn how to cook. Albeit an amateur....

News - the Good and the Bad

2008-04-13T11:40:00.003+08:00

The Bengkel in SMK Tmn Melawati was an eye-opener. For the past three years I have been shouldering someone else's duty. Yesterday, it was as if a load had been lifted off of me. Yeaay, I can't wait for tomorrow meeting. I will gleefully make my announcements... Just hope that it will be received amiably. Sweet.....

But on a bit of a sour note, I do have to complete my other duties. Like now... do your work, Shidah!!!!

Mr. Sand Man

2008-04-12T00:12:00.002+08:00

Well, Mr. Sand Man has come a visiting. My eyes are getting grittier and grittier as the minutes pass by. Everyone is sleeping, Ayang is snoring and Isadora (the cat) is twitching (perhaps dreaming of today's catch). Nighty niight. Don't let the bed bug bites...

Spaced Out

2008-04-11T22:57:00.006+08:00

A hectic day, a gruelling schedule, a half-hearted commitment!!!! Why??? I'm so tired , I spaced out. I stop seeing, I stop listening and I definitely did not stop talking. Of course, I can't. I'm a talker. I have to talk. Anyway, took a breather, after school and hang out with some friends. Didn't do much but the time spent was well worth it.

Started another blog... some I know would say, alamak kiasunya. But this one is for my students or those who are interested. Thinking of linking the blog with useful sites for them to use. Manalah tahu, with this way, it willl attract them to learn more. I just want my students to have that sense of curiosity. But you know what they say about curiosity....

Have to attend a bengkel tomorrow at Meleawti. It will be from 8am - 1pm. Will be meeting Head of Language Department there. Hmmnnn, to work on a Saturday. Why do people say that teaching is easy? It boggles the mind.

This is Just To Say

2008-04-10T22:36:00.008+08:00

I read this poem on someone's blog and automatically salivated. Enjoy.

This Is Just To Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

Isn't it wonderful? To have something so simple yet bring joy to life.

The secret is...

2008-04-10T21:04:00.004+08:00

The thought of trying new things have always terrified me. Not because I am scared of new stuff...nope but the inability to embrace it. Well, I had proved myself time and time again that I am wrong. Like the trip to climb Mount Kinabalu, years ago, when I convinced myself that I would never make it to the summit. That I do not have the fitness nor the willpower to climb one of South-East Asia's highest mountains. But, yep, I proved myself wrong. I did conquer that mountain and it turned to be one of my best achievements in life. And I proved it once again with this blog. Hah, back at you, Shidah!!!!

YEAYYYYYY!!!

2008-04-10T09:59:00.002+08:00

Check out the side bar for Song I Like. I did that on my own. Dah terror sikit. ;-p (perasan lah tu) Theee he.....

Gelabah!!!!!

2008-04-09T20:09:00.005+08:00

"Gas bocor!!!" Hearing those words uttered, the rest of us who were busy salivating over some awesome cupcakes on the net ran out of the new staffroom. I had the time to grab my handbag and phone. The teachers were like scampering for dear life and yet the students didn't have the same urgency as the teachers(why was that). Called the office to inform but was engaged. Had better get the car out of the way, it's parked exactly across the gas tanks.

The maintenance guy said it was nothing and laughed at the bunch of us gathering at the far side of the building.

We were laughing at ourselves too for being chickens. Back at the staffroom, somebody from the office called a friend, asking whether somebody called the office as the people in the office can't use the phone as the call was not ended. As it turned out, it was my phone. In my hurry to save myself and the car, I forgot to push the end call button. Appparaa... Gelabah thak tentu pasal...

Chain Reaction

2008-04-08T22:34:00.009+08:00

Horror! The HM made his rounds today and caught Inia (bukan nama sebenar) ;-p red-handed for not entering class. Ohhh... what to do! The whole panel was aghast and shocked. There are reasons and there are excuses... what to do????

Went to the office for some markers and I was called by the HM to be informed of the incident. Hmmm...as a result he wanted to see the exercise books... aaaargh, bertambah lah kerja... but what he did was within his jurisdiction and we had to comply. I hope this incident will not be used against us. We had so many run-ins with other colleagues last year and tried to incite anger or dissatisfaction.

Nope, don't want to think about it anymore. I am picturing myself on a beautiful beach. The sun feels warm on my skin. The waves pounding the beach. The wind caressing me. Taking a deep breathe and letting go....

Laundry

2008-04-06T10:57:00.003+08:00

I've done it. The laundry is well out of the way. Alhamdulillah. Guess what? Ayang is at work and I'm bored to tears. But the thing is I have loads and loads of work to do. Maybe I'll take a breather first then plunge myself headlong in the mounds of backlog that I, myself, have created.
Things to be done:

Type students name for Bimbingan Cemerlang Bahasa Inggeris
Complete SPM 2007 Analysis
Clear up the junk on the table at school AND at home
Water the plants at the new house (siapa suruh tanam pokok klu blm nak tinggal lagi!!!??)
Neaten up the bedroom. (Ayang comment "an eyesore")

and more and more and more. I can't bear to list everything. Maybe I'll call Mak. (see, that's why I can't finish things on time. I'm EASILY DISTRACTED!!!!!)

A New New Beginning 2

2008-04-06T10:53:00.003+08:00

I've always been ICT challenged. I am not so computer savvy nor literate. So please be patient if I stumble along the way...like just now where I couldn't figure out how to post my saved draft...ha ha ha. It's okay I'll learn along the way. I am a fan of learning, I'd like to learn just about anything. So here I am, blogging for the first time. I'd like to thank Aniq and Iza for inspiring me. They have awesome blogs. But I have to wait for awhile before I can even reach their abilities. I know sooner or maybe later ;) I'll be at par. InsyaAllah...
Ha ha ha I made the same mistake again. Maybe I'll ask Aniq the how-to, in layman terms, that is. She would surely and gladly help...