S-oooooooooo, I'm like, what the heck, Nokia??!

>> Sunday, December 26, 2010

Nothing like mortal fury to give one the motivation to update one's long abandoned blog, eh?

I am a disconcerted owner of a Nokia C7 for the past 48 hours. I know I have always said that smart phones are for smart users only ™, but I always thought that, at least, I have to belong in the intermediate user category. I mean, heck, I worked in a telecommunication company for 3 years. That's gotta count for something, right?  

At the time, it was a toss between Blackberry Torch and Nokia N8. Alas, my eyes fell upon the sleek Nokia C7 in white and silver, thus, my fate was sealed. I admit that being a Symbian non-advocate all these years, there were stumble blocks for me, at first, to navigate my way around. My technical side (as opposed to my whiny side) prevailed and grew quite fond of the new Symbian^3 operating system.

You know how when people say that if things are too good to be true, it usually is? It is, unfortunately, very true.

It starter out small at first. The phone would not read my SIM card. I had to reinsert the SIM card and restart the phone at least 6-7 times before the issue stopped reoccurring. For a brief stint afterwards, I received memory error when launching an application. Today, it behaved as beautifully as its gleaming exterior casing until I tried to send a simple text message this evening. The message would not send and remained in my outbox. Naturally, the service provider gets the first blame. To justify my misgivings, I had Baybe to try and send a text message to me. The message was sent but my Nokia C7 remained eerily silent, and no, it was not on silent mode. The message I had tried to send earlier was also still very much stuck in my Outbox. I then made the biggest mistake I could possibly make... I tried to restart the phone.

The phone. Simply refused. To start. At all.

A quick Google search later and I found out that this is quite common in Symbian^3 phones such as Nokia C7 and N8. It is now past 1am and I am tired, frustrated and my eyes hurt from squinting at the ludicrously tiny default font that Nokia forums use. Or maybe I am just being petty.

Anyways, tomorrow I will go and exchange the deceased C7 for a more livelier one. Or should I top-up the RM200 and just get a N8 like I originally planned? Better yet, maybe I should just demand a full refund and go with Blackberry.

Image source here.

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Aluuuuu. Anybody home?

>> Thursday, June 24, 2010

I realize that I have been absent from most of my frequent online haunts for close to a couple of weeks now. Before anybody decides to file a missing bloggers report, I can explain! 

When I have a lot on my  mind, Photoshop is my best friend. It calms me down so that I can work out any emotional imbalance that I have and allows me to think rationally. In other words, it neutralizes my crazy. The only thing is, now I have a stack of graphics just staring in me the face asking the all important question, "What am I doing here, just sitting in this folder? Is this all there is to life?". Then I realized, "Ohmigawd, inanimate manipulated photos are speaking to me through a computer monitor. I need help."  

Somewhere along this incoherent rambling, I figured, I should get back in touch with my roots... writing and graphics. Someday, I will tell you a story about a little girl who dared to dream. Not today, though.

I am in the midst of setting up a graphics community to dump all my graphics on LiveJournal. It's not even that creatively named *rolleyes*  I am also riding the wave that is Gyllen-mania *wipes drool*. All this will make me a busy, busy little bee indeed. To all my blog friends and silent readers (if any), do pop in to say hi and don't be afraid to maybe crack that whip in my direction. Maybe it'll scare me enough to post more consistently here LOL.

Here is the kind of stuff I do... Stock photo from here.

Before

After

There is just so much beauty in stark colored photos IMHO. If you have a LJ account, feel free to friend me. I will add you back ^____^.


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Beco Butterfly II Baby Carrier Review

>> Wednesday, June 9, 2010

At last! At long last! Nobody was home the day my Beco arrived, so I had to ask someone else to pick it up for me the next day at Poslaju office. But all is well. I guess I saved abang Poslaju another trip too, my Baby Cubes from Fabulous Moms arrived as well, so I got 2 parcels in 1 day. Yeay! I'll blog about the 'Cubes later.


Since this is my first SSC (Soft Structured Carrier), I was surprised at how bulky it was. Maybe it's just Beco, after all this was supposed to be good for hiking. Not that I ever gone hiking in the past decade or so, but you never know. The second thing that hit me was how beautiful the Tyler print is in real life. It is exactly how it appeared online, so was definitely pleased. Oh erm, now I see why some people took an instant dislike for Beco. What am I supposed to do with all these buckles?

Time to pop in the instructional DVD that came with the Beco then.

Once the formal introductions were over and dealt with...
 
Hello, Beco. My name is Shareen. Please don't strangle me with all your buckles and straps. Please?

... Asyraf was fast asleep. Since it was almost the weekend, we postponed the grand ceremony till then.

The detachable infant seat is the trickiest, IMHO. Plus, it added a couple more buckles to the half dozen already on the Beco. We tried to put Asyraf without the infant seat, but we can only see 2 inches of his head above the neck/head support thingy. Baybe turned out to be better at assembling the Beco. Go figure.

Asyraf stopped crying after we strapped him in.

He was even all smiles after, playful as ever.

Being SSC virgins, we only tried Front Carry for now. There are basically 2 ways to do this. One, by laying the Beco on a flat surface, strapping the baby in, lift it to our body and then put on the straps. Asyraf really hated this, or maybe it was because we were fiddling with the buckles so much he got agitated with the whole thing. A bit worried that he would fall out when lifting to our body, but turned out OK. The seond method, was more comfortable for us since we're already familiar with the apron style similar to using a Mei Tai. Again, fiddling with the buckles trying to strap Asyraf in. He cried. Ayah and Mama panicked. Once the buckles were all in place, though, he stopped crying and looked pretty comfortable in it.

Baybe said the Beco was very supportive and comfortable, he did not feel Asyraf's weight at all (he's around 6.5kg). I did not get to test the Beco at all so I can't verify this. We walked around The Mines for a a few hours, no problems. We did walk outside a bit from the parking in the building next door, it was about 5 to 10 minutes, but Asyraf didn't mind or notice the heat despite the bulk of the Beco. Baybe did not mention anything either. So I am assuming that it is not that hot to wear outdoors, for short a period of time that is. Will update more once we test it outdoors.

The straps. Le sigh.

The gorgeous Tyler print. Me like *thumbs up*

Oh, but the buckles! Perhaps it won't be so bad after we are able to use without the infant seat. It is possible to unbuckle the shoulder strap with one hand, but it is difficult. I had to help Baybe with it most of the times. The straps are also hard to adjust,not like in the instructional video. Maybe because ours was still new? The chest strap was fine. Nothing spectacular about the hood, or headrest as it is called in the video. The plus thing about the hood is that it can be conveniently stored in the waist belt when not in use, so you will not misplace it.
Waiting for our food at Nandos. Asyraf is teething again, 2 more on his upper front side.

All in all, I would give the Beco 3.5 out of 5 stars. I love it, but I wouldn't marry it. Turns out I'm more of a Mei Tai girl at heart... for now.

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Shrek Forever After with Syakirah

Aiyoooo. Dah berhabuk dah this topic, but my new mantra is... Don't do today what you can put off tomorrow. Or the day after. Hahahahaa.

FYI, my blogging hours are mainly from Wednesdays to Saturdays anyways. My off days are reserved for catching up on chores, sleep (I can only wish with 2 small kids zzzzZZZZ) and spending quality time with my family. Oh, and when I am on the computer at home, I tend to load my Sims 3 game instead of the internet. LOL. Hey, I spent good money on the original versions, might as well get my money's worth hehe.

Back to the topic.

 We went on the 30th May at Midvally. I booked 2 slots, just in case we missed the first one and our seats got released. Fortunately, it wasn't. Phew!

It turned out we were worried over nothing. Syakirah was relatively well behaved through out the entire movie, except a few kicking-seat-in-front and talk-out-loud incidents. Only thing is that the seat in front of her, together with the head of the person sitting in it, obscured part of the screen for her. Boo for cinemas not being kid friendly. I paid full seat for Syakirah too. They should only charge for a seat if the child is above a certain height, not age. Mr GSC, please take note.

The movie itself was downright hilarious! I think I might have enjoyed it more than my kid. A much better comeback from the not-so-funny Shrek The Third. Yeay for new character, Rumpelstiltskin. I still remember him from my old fairy tales book. I even named a teddy bear after him! Does anybody else remember the fairy tale?

The movie sees Shrek malcontent with his current place in life as a father and husband, having had his inner ogre domesticated by marriage. He just wanted things to be the way it used to be. But be careful what you wish for, Shrek... sometimes it might just come true, and a higher price than you are willing to pay.

I had several lough out loud moments and a few tearjerkers, especially when Shrek realized he might never see his family again and pulled out his daughter's squeaky toy from his pocket. Adeh! Mommies, please bring a tissue with you.

In the end, true love conquers all and we are left with huge smiles on our faces. Feel good movie for the entire family. Next up, Toy Story 3!


Poor Asyraf had to stay at MIL place. Tunggu dah besar sikit yer, sayang?

"Mama, apa tuh??"

Erk. Gangster-nyer posing.

Big girls need their own box of pop-corn and cup of drink.

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The CW 2010 Sourcies

>> Saturday, June 5, 2010

Vote for your favorite CW shows here!


Get ready for the 2010 Sourcies!

Hello out there in Sourceland! We've got big plans afoot for the summer, and we need your help! We're compiling nominations for the 2010 Sourcies, which will run from June 14 through July 16. Why the short run? Because after that, we'll be sending you news from Comic Con, the TCAs, the Teen Choice Awards, and still more events until the new season starts. So let's got to it!

Our Sourcies categories this year are:

   1. Best Kiss
   2. Hottest Scene
   3. Best Fight
   4. Most Heartbreaking Moment
   5. Most Surprising Moment
   6. Best Villain
   7. Funniest Moment
   8. Favorite Bad Boy
   9. Favorite Recurring Character
  10. Best Cliffhanger

We're expecting big things this year with the addition of The Vampire Diaries -- will the Salvatore brothers be able to give the Winchester boys from Supernatural a run for their money? And how will One Tree Hill fans vote now that Leyton is out of the picture? Do the scrappy underdogs from Life Unexpected have a chance at glory? Will Gossip Girl reap in votes what it gets in buzz? Will Melrose Place get some love from the fans even though the network canceled it? Will Smallville fans come out in force after the move to Friday night? Will 90210's crazy plot twists make the grade? And will America's Next Top Model bask in rewards or wallow in dreckitude?

It's all up to you: Let us know what scenes, characters and moments should appear in each category. We'll present our slate of Sourcies starting June 14 -- get ready, and may the best show win!


Really? Do you even need to ask what I voted for? LOL. Except for a couple of The Vampire Diaries and Damon Salvator entry, others were predictably for Supernatural. Make your vote count yeah? Here's mine...

#Best Kiss: Supernatural (Bobby/Crowley)

#Hottest Scene: TVD (Damon dancing on 2nd floor railing)

# Best Fight: Supernatural (Lucifer VS Other Gods)

# Most Heartbreaking Moment: Supernatural (Sam's flashback when he saw the toy soldier in the Impala just about Lucifer was going to finish Dean off. And if anybody disagrees, they're wrong. So there)

# Most Surprising Moment: Supernatural (Chuck vanishing in a puff of smoke.. is he God???)

# Best Villain: Supernatural (Lucifer. Hel-lo? He's the Devil!)

# Funniest Moment: Supernatural (sitcom theme song for episode Changing Channels)

# Favorite Bad Boy: Supernatural (Crowley) AND TVD (Damon Salvatore)

# Favorite Recurring Character: Supernatural (Castiel)

# Best Cliffhanger: Supernatural (season finale closing scene where Sam stood outside the house watching Dean. Is that Sam or Lucifer? Why did the lightbulb went off? Is he a demon now? HOW DID HE ESCAPE HELL???)

Final score? Supernatural - 8.5, The Vampire Diaries - 1.5.


More icons here.

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OrphanCare

>> Friday, June 4, 2010



Every Child Needs a Family


OrphanCARE is a non-profit non-governmental organization whose objective is to give orphans and abandoned babies in Malaysia the love, care and security children deserve. We believe ‘Every Child Needs a Family’

OrphanCARE  aims to help change society's mindset towards orphans, recognizing that children should not be left permanently in orphanages which should really only be 'transit points' before they are placed with families who can raise them in a proper family surroundings.

Head Quarters
OrphanCARE Malaysia
   
Address:
6 Lorong SS 1 / 24A
Petaling Jaya
Selangor
47300
Malaysia

E-mail:     contact@orphancare.org.my
Telephone:     +60378761900
Fax:     +60378751900
Mobile Phone Number:     +60123938337
http://www.orphancare.org.my

 I read about this on Catlina's blog this morning. I remember reading about it on The Star last week or so. You can read the article online here. I also remember  thinking that it was about time Malaysia did this. I cannot stomach any more pictures of innocent newborns being thrown in drains or garbage bins whom, I fervently pray, were no longer alive when it happened. I do not even want to consider the possibility that they were still breathing when they were 'disposed of', thinking of their fragile skin being bitten by insects, exposed to our hot or rainy weather... It's just too much to bear. 

I know some people think that a program like this will only promote more (unsafe) pre-marital sex. I agree to disagree. Let's look at the bigger picture. Education is still important to deal with the issue. Pre-marital sex is haram in Islam, so is abortion without any valid medical reason. Unprotected sex is foolish as it can result in Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) or worse, an unwanted pregnancy. However, the innocent babies born out of the whole ordeal is in no way to be punished for the mistakes their parents made. They should be given their chance to lead a healthy and happy life, surrounded by people who would love them and care for them.

Thank you, OrphanCare, for giving these so-called unwanted children the chance they rightfully deserve.

On a more personal note, I have always wanted to be a volunteer for a cause such as this one for as long as I can remember. It is just something I feel very strongly about. I would really love to sign up as a volunteer, especially since their center is just somewhere here in PJ, but as a wife and mother to 2 children, I would have to ask  Baybe's permission first. I will still try to help this worthy endeavor in any way I can though.

If  their plight has in any way touched you, please visit their website where you can pledge your support as a volunteer or even sign up to adopt a child. Blog owners can even help spread the word by blogging about OrphanCare. I am sure that the children under their care would appreciate it... and so would I.

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ANOTHER tragic accident! Girl burnt to death because BHP attendant refused to lend fire extinguisher.

>> Thursday, June 3, 2010

Astaghfirullah al azim. I became aware of this news when it re-tweeted by several people. I quickly Google-d to learn more on the story, and this is what I found out.

Woman Burnt To Death In Three-vehicle Accident

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- A woman was burnt to death in her Myvi car in an early morning accident in Jalan Cheras after another vehicle from the opposite side of the road skidded and hit her car which was then rammed by a three-tonne lorry carrying vegetables.

The accident happened near the Cheras velodrome at 3.30am and police are trying to identify the dead woman from the car registration number.

"From the physical appearance, this accident involves a woman driver," Kuala Lumpur traffic police investigation officer DSP Abdullah Roning told Bernama.

Abdullah said a Toyota Vios believed to have been driven fast by a 33-year-old man skidded and veered onto the opposite side of the road.

It hit the Myvi car and crashed onto a lamp post, badly injuring both the driver and his female companion.

"The first accident made the Myvi spin a few times and it was hit by a three-tonne vegetable lorry from behind and burst into flames," he said.

The woman driver, however, was unable to escape and was trapped in her seat and burnt to death.

The lorry driver and his attendant were unhurt.

The injured couple were sent to the nearby Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia medical centre. The remains of the woman were also sent there.

-- BERNAMA @ here 

Apparently there was a witness, the person who supposedly ran to the BHP petrol station nearby to get a fire extinguisher to try and help the girl trapped inside the burning car. Read the FB note here. Not sure how long the note will stay there but am a bit hesitant to post it here. You can also read the note on this blog here. For scene photos, you can view them on this blog. Nothing graphic, I promise. Only wrecked and burnt vehicles.

This was just a plain example of "not in my own backyard so do I look like I give a flying crap" attitude. Since the internet is full of unsolicited facts, I refuse to get caught up in the "Let's boycott BHP" campaign... if ever. But seriously? I don't think that it sends the right message. Yes, may the alleged pump attendants be flayed and burnt at the stake for their selfish ignorance, but not buying petrol from a certain petrol vendor? Erm, yeah. Completely misses the point, dontcha' think? 

The body was burnt beyond recognition thus the identity of the victim is still unknown. Whoever she is, my heart goes out to her and her family. It is a sad day when we lose someone so young over a reason as stupid as being too kiasu. Boy, do I really want to bash somebody's head in with a fire extinguisher right now...


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Super Mom Award

Thanks to Ica for giving me this award. Apparently I am a Super Juggler Mommy! How right you, my dear. We FTWMs (Full Time Working Mom) have to be a fantastic juggler to balance between paying the bills and being a mother. Sometimes I feel like a pancake (lempeng) stretched to the max trying to do everything and please everybody. Awards like these make me feel appreciated by others out there who are going through the same too. Terharu *SOB*. Bila-lah boleh jadi WAHM ni yer?

Super Mom Award


Welcome to the toughest, most rewarding job ever!

My 3 superpowers as a supermom would be:

1- Supermultitasking

I haven't seen THIS superpower yet on Heroes LOL. Probably cause no one can handle that much awesomeness. Imagine the things I can accomplish if I can multitask, say, a dozen or more things at once? I can wash/hang/fold/iron the laundry while chop/grind/fry/bake/steam in the kitchen and at the same time read/color/play/watch/cuddle with one or both my kids. Ahhh, bliss...

2 - Teleportation

I can pop in on my kids, and Baybe too, whenever I want. Also, would save me loads of money on petrol, toll and parking.

3 - Invisibility

I have always wanted this ability for as long as I can remember. A long time fantasy of mine is to be trapped in a huge shopping mall like Mid Valley alone at night so I can do whatever I want. I can grab snacks while reading any book I want from MPH while lying on a nice sofa or bed from one of the many furniture stores. The possibility is endless!

I want to pass this award to (in blog alphabetical order) ... 

Ica (back at you, sweetie)

If you're a Mom and you're reading this, then this award goes to you too! Because all Moms deserve and award ^___^

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Syakirah's 3rd birthdy party (backdated woops!)

>> Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I know that this is plenty backdated, but as the club motto for us procrastinators go... better late than never! Excuses, excuses LOL

Since by  now I have almost forgotten the going-ons, this will be a mostly graphical posts. Thank you to all who attended. To Sukma and Lixa, nanti mama update piccies kat FB yerrr? Very possibly before Asyraf's birthday in November hahahaha.

Babywearing mama-s. Quickly turned into a short BW demo to my curious relatives since Lixa brought her stash over.

Syakirah's 3D cake from Secret Recipe. She originally wanted a Ben 10 cake.Yes, I think my daughter is becoming quite a tomboy *SIGH*



My sisters, Diana and Farah. Nobody ever said we Saleh sistas was a sane bunch mwahahahaha.

Happy Birthday, Syakirah! Baybe and Syakirah cutting the cake.

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The Vampire Diaries: Do we really need more beautiful undead?

Heck, yeah! Have you seen Ian Somerhalder? But I'm getting ahead of myself. Y'all will just have to excuse my over enthusiasm. I just finished the The Vampire Diaries season finale.

I honestly wasn't expecting much from the series. My first impression of the show was that it was similar to One Tree Hill, with vampires. Super hot older cast masquerading as teenagers? Check. Sibling rivalry? Check. Complicated love triangles? Check. Teenage pregnancy resulting in out of wedlock childbirth? Check. Distant relatives that actually turn out to be birth parents? Erm, let me get back to you on that one.

If the beautiful cast is a ploy to get you to grit your teeth and watch the first few episodes, the slowly revealing back story will reel you in and keep you watching for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, the love story between two of the main characters, vegetarian vampire (means he doesn't drink human blood) Stefan Salvatore and Elena Gilbert is as vanilla as Edward Cullen's and Bella Swan. 145 years later, Stefan had returned to his hometown, Mystic Falls to get to know Elena, whom we discover in the first episode itself, resembles his old girlfriend. Elena, having lost her parents to a tragic accident few months before, was determined to have things return back to normal. They both bumped into each other in front of the men's room at school and... we all know the rest.

Cue snarky older vampire brother, Damon, who has no qualms whatsoever on drinking human blood. It's obvious that there is some bad blood (no pun intended) between the brothers. Three guesses say it has something to do with the dead girlfriend in the photo.

Surprisingly, for a teenage vampire flick, The Vampire Diaries is quite enjoyable. With all due respect to Stephenie Meyer, at least the vampires in Mystic Falls don't glitter. There is even one scene where Damon is reading from one of the Twilight series book and mentions the Queen of the Damned herself, (all hail) Anne Rice.

Damon: What's so special about this Bella girl? Edward's so whipped!
Caroline: You've gotta read the first book first. It won't make sense if you don't.
Damon: I miss Anne Rice. She was so on it.

Apparently The Vampires Diaries will be hitting Malaysian shores some time this month. Watch it. Not unlike Gossip Girls, it is a guilty pleasure that is futile to resist.As for me? I'll take a Salvatore over a Cullen any day!

From left to right: Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert, Stefan Salvatore

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In the name of humanity

WARNING! Harsh language and swearing. Do not read if you are easily offended, or pro-Israel. No holds barred post *arches back and hisses*


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By this time today, I am sure most, if not all, have heard of the attack on the Gaza flotilla raid by the Israeli commando army. Now, I am no political blogger. I don't throw in my lot to any ruling party of any country (at least not publicly), nor do I condemn any of them. I have only ever aimed to blog about things that are personally or superficially (think Supernatural, Gossip Girl etc.) important to me. However, how can any human with an ounce of compassion in their heart not feel any empathy with what is going on right now?

Firstly, most of the Western news channel are biased. The Israel media public relations team in on fire, monitoring and trying to divert our attention by laughing things off and making things seem not as bad as they really are. This is complete and utter bullshit, people. Imagine a PR team dedicated to doing this on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter etc. Have you seen some of the comments on the Youtube video where civilians "supposedly" attack Israeli commandos with iron rods? Mighty fishy, don't you think? I can't tell you you how I know, or else I might get arrested (like, really) but I have my connections.

Secondly, INTERNATIONAL WATERS. Hel-lo???Oh, and if men wearing balaclava dropped from helicopters into your home with big ass guns, would you invite them in for teh O and cikodok? I didn't think so.

My biggest gripe, however, is how the incredibly dense Israel officials are basically implying that these civilians on a mission of delivering aid to the victims of the Gaza massacre "had it coming" by bringing so-called weapons of mass destruction on board the ship. No wait, that would be me confusing the issue with Israel's biggest fan girl, the US of A. Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?

Wow. I am getting really worked up over this issue. My fingers are shaking while typing this. Seriously, though. How long is the international community sit here and take it up the ass by Israel and their bitches? Isn't it about time we pull up our underpants and just say no?

To all volunteers involved and their family members, our thoughts and prayers are for your safety. May Allah protect them and deliver them from the hands of evil. Amin.


Image source

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"Mama, shhhhh!"

>> Saturday, May 29, 2010

Tomorrow we are taking Syakirah to see a movie for the first time. She turned 3 last week, so now that she's a "big girl", I really wanted to take her to the cinema. We're going to watch Shrek Forever After. Unfortunately, not in 3D. Just you know, in case we have to leave the cinema half way hehe.

I do not know if tomorrow is going to be a disaster. My daughter has never been the kind of baby to be content watching the world idly goes by (as poetically put in my What To Expect book series). A little concerned if we are going to have to chase her around inside the darkened cinema, or having to shush her while the movie is playing. But you know what? I am going to suck it up and take her anyway.

Since Asyraf arrived, I haven't been able to spend as much time as I want with my eldest. The baby will always be demanding of my attention, as he should, being only 6 months old and all that. It does not mean I don't miss the mother/daughter bonding time we used to share. I want to be there for most of the 'first times' in her life and a movie is as good as any. You know what they say about the family that watches movie together... That erm, they end up with a lot of collection of DVDs at home? LOL

I've already pre-educate her on the etiquette on watching a movie in a cinema. Not that a toddler will remember all that when she is bored but hey, at least I tried.

Anyone with experience taking a toddler to see a movie for the first time wanna share their experience?

Image source

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★ Giveaway - Artiwood Letters ★

Join this giveaway on my dear,  old long time friend I've known since high school, Jenny's blog. You can read her review about this product here or go to the sponsor site here. There's 5 types of design to choose from, Animal, Dolphin, Fairy, Koala and Dinosaur. You can choose up to 8 letters and delivery is FREE! Yes, I repeat. FREE!

I have 2 kids, both with quite a long name. 8 letters is not enough! But erm, if I did win *flutters eyelashes seductively*, I would choose these...


I-Y-A for Syakirah. This is what she calls herself. Kakak Iya.  
A-C-A-P for Asyraf. This was how Syakirah pronounced Asyraf's name when he was first born. It kinda stuck, I guess.






I'm a full-time mummy

* Eligibility: Open worldwide!* Expires on 30th June 2010
* Y
ou must fulfill the mandatory entry 1st, else you will be disqualified.
* Winner will be randomly drawn using Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

Don't forget to join yeah?

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Baybe erm, babywearing Asyraf

>> Friday, May 28, 2010

I had to ask reeeeeeee-ally nicely for Baybe to agree to let me post this. On conditions that I Photoshop our messy bedroom in the background. Don't worry, Baybe. Just who do you think you are married to?

Taaaaa-daaaaaaaaaa!!!


Sorry for the poor quality. It was an MMS from Baybe sent to me during my lunch break. My poor babies (big Baybe included hehe) had to make do without me since I am working today and tomorrow. See? Even husbands agree that babywearing is a good thing ^____^

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404 Error Page Not Found

>> Thursday, May 27, 2010

There was no way I didn't blog about this!

You know those annoying Page Not Found error you get on your web browser when the page you are trying to view is not accessible OR you thought you were connected to the internet but you're actually not?? The link I was trying to click on LiveJournal was broken butI kept clicking on it cause I really wanted to read the fanfic it was linked to open the page. It took me a couple of tries before I noticed the error messages. Check them out!

This is why I love my LJ subscription!

I have started making graphics again! Yeay for not wasting the USD7 subscription I pay every 2 months!

Page Not Found

I'm sorry, you've reached a page that I cannot find. I'm really sorry about this. It's kind of embarassing. Here you are, the user, trying to get to a page on LiveJournal and I can't even serve it to you. What does that say about me? I'm just a webserver. My sole purpose in life is to serve you webpages and I can't even do that! I suck. Please don't be mad, I'll try harder. I promise! Who am I kidding? You're probably all like, "Man, LiveJournal's webserver sucks. It can't even get me where I want to go." I'm really sorry. Maybe it's my CPU...no that's ok...how bout my hard drives? Maybe. Where's my admin? I can't run self-diagnostics on myself. It's so boring in this datacenter. It's the same thing everyday. Oh man, I'm so lonely. I'm really sorry about rambling about myself, I'm selfish. I think I'm going to go cut my ethernet cables. I hope you get to the page you're looking for...goodbye cruel world!

-the webserver

LiveJournal Admin: Sir! We have reports that someone is trying to access a page that doesn't exist!
LiveJournal Captain: Impossible! How can that be?
LiveJournal Admin: Sir, I don't know. Maybe they typed in the URL wrong or maybe we're suffering from a critical system failure.
LiveJournal Captain: Unacceptable! Redirect them to a 404 page and make it snappy!

Narrator: In A.D. 2006, Web was beginning.
Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the journal.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main browser turn on.
Captain: It's you !!
CATS: How are you users !!
CATS: All your base are belong to Frank.
CATS: You are on the way to 404.
Captain: What you say !!
CATS: You have no chance to reach your page. Make your spelling correct.
CATS: Ha Ha Ha Ha ....

This page is not here
like plum blossoms in the wind
existence is fake

Note: This is a haiku

Umm...you weren't supposed to see this.
Are you sure you typed in the URL correctly?
Um. Yeah. If you could get going that would be great. Frank needs some privacy.

Note: Frank the Goat is LiveJournal's mascot.

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Pictures of Asyraf @ 6 months old

Mini image post. Update to previous post.



Kenapalah rambut anak mama taknak tumbuh-tumbuh nie? Huuu huuuu.

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Asyraf @ 6 months old

>> Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Technically, he turned 6 months old yesterday, but since he was born at about 8pm on the 25th, I figure I am still in time to post this today ^___^.

Milestones this month

    * Your baby now can sit on his own. ~ Not yet, at least not for very long. Just about 10 seconds or so at a time.

    * He rocks and pivots while lying on his stomach. ~ I don't get it. Pivot?

    * Baby can roll from his back onto his stomach–and back again. ~ Oh, you have no idea!

    * He digs her fingers and toes into the floor to push himself toward a favorite toy. ~ Yup.

    * Baby can eat a cracker. ~ Yup.

    * He can pick up a cereal ring or other small object. ~ Dangerous yup.

    * Baby has more than doubled his birth weight. ~ Back strain yup.

    * She can say vowel-consonant combination.~ I don't get it. 

    * Baby expresses unhappiness when an object or toy is taken away. ~ Definitely yup.

    * He can pass objects from one hand to another. ~ Yup.
    * Baby looks for dropped toys. ~ Oooh yup.

    * He has discovered herself in the mirror, and loves having conversations with this new little friend. ~ Not so sure yup. He stares and tries to grab his reflection, but he doesn't have "conversations".

Additionally, Asyraf already has two front bottom teeth for a couple of weeks no. Can giggle up a storm. Is showing early signs of separation anxiety... even when he's 3 feet away from me while I'm doing the dishes. Literally likes to sleep cuddled in my arms (oh, my poor back). Yet, his hair still refuses to grow. It's still spotty. Oh, well. Can't win 'em all.

Note: Will update photos after I recharge my digicam later. In the mean time, here's Kingston Rossdale at 6 months old. Ain't he a cutie?

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Can I get a rain check on that, please?

 I swear I was trying to upload the photos last night! But Asyraf was particluarly clingy and would not sleep unless I lay (lie?) down next to him. So I brought the digicam plus cable to upload it at work today. But alas, it seems that I forgot to turn off the camera last night so battery is dead. It didn't occur to me to bring along the charger to work.

So here I am, trying to post about Syakirah's birthday with no photos to show for it. Looks like I'll just have to take out a rain check, folks.  


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I NEED a new phone

I reiterate. I don't WANT  a new phone. I NEED  a new phone. My trusty old Sony Ericson K810i, which I got when Syakirah was a few months old, is quickly reaching retirement age. And with it, also comes the little quirks that hints that I better start shopping around sooner than later.

Not wanting to add more fuel to the fire of the eternal battle between good and evil a.k.a. Blackberry VS Iphone, I think I'll stick to HTC, thanks. Even if my dream phone is not available in Malaysia, there is no reason why I cannot still lust after it from afar. At least until I decide on a phone within my budget that I can actually get locally and not have to unlock myself, that is.

Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly present to you... HTC Nexus One

For the visual people, lurvely photos to drool over.



For the techies, some specifications to whet your appetite.

General

    * Product Type Smartphone With digital camera / digital player
    * Service Provider Unlocked
    * Width 59.8 mm
    * Depth 11.5 mm
    * Height 119 mm
    * Weight 130 g

Cellular

    * Technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
    * Band WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900
    * Phone Design Candy bar
    * Antenna Internal
    * Vibrating Alert Yes
    * Polyphonic Ringer Yes
    * Phone Navigation Buttons Trackball
    * Call Timer Yes
    * Conference Call Capability Yes
    * Voice Recorder Yes
    * Caller ID Yes
    * Speakerphone Yes
    * Wireless Interface Bluetooth (A2DP) , Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
    * Additional Features Photo album , Speech-to-Text (speech recognition) , GPS , 3.5 mm headset jack , Touch screen

Communicator Features

    * Operating System Google Android 2.1

Messaging & Data Services

    * Short Messaging Service (SMS) Yes
    * Mobile Email Yes
    * GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Yes
    * EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution) Yes
    * Internet Browser Yes
    * HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) Yes
    * Messaging / Data Features Text messages

Multimedia Features

    * Playback Digital Video Formats H.264 , MPEG-4 , H.263 video and AMR audio

Digital Camera

    * Camera highlights With a resolution of 5 megapixels, this model will give you better pictures than other phones.
    * Sensor Resolution 5 megapixels
    * Focus Adjustment Automatic
    * Digital Zoom 2
    * Camera Light Source LED light
    * Video Recorder Resolutions 720 x 480

Organizer

    * Alarm Clock Yes
    * Calendar Yes
    * Reminder Yes
    * Calculator Basic

Display

    * Type OLED display
    * Technology AMOLED
    * Display Resolution 800 x 480 pixels
    * Diagonal Size 3.7 in
    * Display Languages French , German , Korean , English , Italian , Russian , Spanish , Japanese , Portuguese , Chinese (simplified) , Chinese (traditional)
    * Features Ambient light sensor

Digital Player (Recorder)

    * Supported Digital Audio Standards AAC , AMR , MP3 , WAV , AAC + , Ogg Vorbis

Memory

    * Internal Shared Memory Yes
    * Flash Memory 4 GB - microSDHC

Connections

    * Connector Type 1 x Micro-USB , 1 x Headset jack - Mini-phone 3.5 mm

Miscellaneous

    * Included Accessories desktop charger

Power

    * Type Power adapter

Battery

    * Technology - Lithium ion
    * Capacity 1400 mAh
    * Talk Time Up to 420 min
    * Standby Time Up to 250 h

I am really itching to try an Android phone. Even if it hasn't even launch version 2.2 yet. It can't possibly be any worse than Windows Mobile, right?

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My love, my life, my firstborn. Happy 3 year old, Sayang...

>> Sunday, May 23, 2010

The day you came into this world, I cried. You were my biggest accomplishment to date and if I had never won anything in my entire life, I truly felt like a winner then. You were mine. From the curls on your head to the small of your toe, you were mine.

The months flew by. Your first smile. The first time you called me Mama. Your first step. I faithfully recorded each and every one of your achievement in my heart. I was too spellbound to take the time to put it all down, and I regret that now. You should know though, that even if I don't have the scrapbook to show for it, I have never loved you any less than life itself.


As you grew older and wanted to learn to explore the world on your own, I smiled and opened the doors for you. I will never hold you back from what you truly want. You have my blessing in all your worthy endeavors. Remember Allah and respect all those who deserve it. Empathize with the less fortunate. Don't sweat the small stuff, it's all small stuff anyway. 


There will came a time when you feel that you are old enough to do things on your own. Like putting on your own disposable diapers, or tying up your own shoelaces. One day you will be old enough to choose your own career path and the man you wish to marry. At each and every one of these crossroads of life, I will stand by faithfully. If you hesitate and do not know the way, reach out your hand and I will come to hold it.

Be bold and go forth to conquer the world, my child. Never fear that if your steps should falter, I will always be there to catch you before you fall. I promise.

Happy birthday, Amni Syakirah. 

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Operation THANK KRIPKE

>> Saturday, May 22, 2010

Have you watched the Supernatural Season 5 finale "Swan Song?" How awesome was it? I have male series download co-conspirators colleagues who loved the season finale too. Now THAT is how you know that your show is totally awesome. I've said Awesome three times now. I don't care. Supernatural is awesomeawesomeawesome so there!

If you are a fan of the show, then you would probably know by now that the creator of the show, Eric Kripke, is stepping down from running the show. He will stay on as a consultant and as an executive producer for the show. His shoes are being filled by Sera Gamble who has been with the show since the beginning, so rest assured that our beloved boys are in good hands. She wrote some of the more heart wrenching episodes like 1.12 Faith, 2.17 Heart, 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me and 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight.

As a thank you to Kripke for making the past five years of our lives all that much more meaningful, some fans from the LiveJournal community have decided to raise funds to take a full-page ad in Hollywood trade magazine, the Hollywood Reporter. Previous fans for shows that have done this include Firefly and Buffy.

See that thermometer? Blink and you'll miss seeing it go a little bit higher. I just made my donation. I hope other Supernatural fans reading this will too. Go to the site and do what you can. If you're into graphics like me, then you can even submit your design for the ad later, once we have reached the targeted amount. They will of course choose the best design but how awesome would it be to see your own graphics thanking the great Eric Kripke for his awesome show, Supernatural, in the Hollywood Reporter no less!

Bleh. I said awesome again. LOL.

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Dream a little dream


Do you often wonder what your dreams mean? Have you ever woken up from a dream and thought to yourself, "What the heck was THAT about?" Yeah, me too.

I had one of my weird linear, story like dream last night. The thing is, the plot remains consistent throughout the dream but the people involved and sometimes even the scenery keeps changing, yet it all makes perfect sense. Almost always, it would involve someone from my past. These dreams usually leave me with an uneasy feeling, as if there is just something there that I cannot put my finger on.

I found this site that interprets dreams and found it eerily accurate. No, this is not some new age BS thingy. It's based on psychological theories by people like Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung etc.

Last night I had a dream I was running and hiding from people who care about me, friends and colleagues. Let's see what my dreams mean eh?

Hiding
To dream that you are hiding, suggests that you are keeping some secret or withholding some information. You may not be facing up to a situation or not want to deal with some issue. However, you may be getting ready to reveal something and confess before somebody finds out. In particular, to dream that you are hiding from some authority figure (police, parent, teacher...), implies feelings of guilt.

Running
To dream that you are running away from someone, indicates an issue that you are trying to avoid. You are not taking or accepting responsibility for your actions. In particular, if you are running from an attacker or any danger, then it suggests that you are not facing and confronting your fears.

Erm, yes. I did have a disagreement with my superior yesterday. It was not a big deal but I hate it when I get blamed/scolded for something I didn't do or am not responsible for. If I made a mistake, I will just shut up and accept the blame, but if it ain't of my doing, then oh boy! I will mouth off like a piston. I am not normally an argumentative person and I suppose I feel a bit guilty for saying the things I said. Hmmmm.

Check out other most common dreams like being naked, teeth falling out (I have this dream a lot!), flying, falling. You can interpret your own dreams there too!


As long as I don't dream of Freddy Kruger, I'm good, thanks. ^___^

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Gorgeous Bamboo Wrap For Sale!

>> Friday, May 21, 2010

I am helping the lurvely Justlixa sell off her gorgeous but barely used bamboo wrap. It's in the elegant but vogue Indochine print as can be seen on Tiny Tapir. I asked to buy it from her before but she wasn't ready to let it go until now. Unfortunately my funds are being diverted elsewhere at the moment so no can do yer, Lixa hehehe. Like the stretchy wraps, this kind of wrap is especially good for wrapping newborns and babies up to 9kg. You can still carry older babies as this kind of wrap is very convenient to use (or so I've been told, not an Otai on wraps... yet).

Bamboo wraps are excellent for Malaysian weather due to it is thinner than most wraps. Each wrap is made with a 100% cotton decorative panel.  The wings of the wrap are made of super soft, slinky and lightweight Bamboo. You can read more about the wrap here.

Please help this wrap-a-holic mama fund her new obsession, oh, and also so I can call dibs on her other wraps if she decides to let those go too. Mwahahahahaha! 

Visit her post here.

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Why I don't want to watch the new Karate Kid movie

>> Thursday, May 20, 2010

I've been avoiding anything to do with this movie like the plague but I accidentally read the summary for it on Sukma's blog here. Sori-yer, Sukma. Ter-borrow this topic sekejap.

Synopsis:

12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could’ve been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.

First of all, WHY Jackie Chan?? I mean, sure, he is a big tai-ko here in S.E. Asia but most of his roles in Hollywood are stereotyped jokes. He is a very talented man (have you seen New Police Story?) but Asians in Hollywood are only ever given the roles of monks, cops, villains or comic relief. Even Jet Li, who could whoop Sylvester Stallone's sorry a**, has only ever offered roles such as I mentioned.But seriously, can Hollywood even tell us Asians apart? Japanese and Chinese are not the same people. Oh, but the writers "ingeniously" sidestepped this minefield by my point below. *snort*

Secondly. Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. What the..? Maintenance man. Secretly. Master of. Kung fu. In a movie called "The Karate Kid". Mr Miyagi will be rolling in his grave right now.

OK. Those are my major gripes. I have other minor ones but I am willing to let it slide. Just because I am a nice person like that (haha). But seriously, you couldn't pay me to see this movie. I am better off reading fanfics until Leverage season 3 starts in August.

Hmmm. Mr Miyagi does not do kung fu, grasshopper. Wax on. Wax off.

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To my darling babies...

My darlings,

Mama is sorry that Mama have to leave you at the nursery today. Mama knows that you are both still not feeling well. Well, Mama can only wish that Mama's boss is that tolerant but early lesson in life, sweet peas, TNSTAAFL (There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch).

Please know Mama's thoughts and prayers are with you at every moment of the day. At a phone call, Mama will drop everything at work and be with both of you in a heartbeat. We will go to the doctor again, OK, sayang? It won't be so bad. At least you will get a lollipop after that! Erm, but  not you, Asyraf. No lollies for you just yet.

Be strong, babies. Mama will be home soon.

With love and loads of kisses...

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Supernatural: Tweets during the finale

>> Saturday, May 15, 2010

Read from bottom up:

Now THAT, ladies and gentleman, is what I call a season finale. #supernatural     11 minutes ago  via web
 
*gasp* *choke* *dies* 12 minutes ago via web

Chuck is God. Literally. Go figure. #supernatural 13 minutes ago via web

I hate you Kripke! I love you! I love you! Oh, Sam! *cries* #supernatural 19 minutes ago via web

This is the most hearbreaking flashback I have ever seen in my entire life! *howls* #supernatural 22 minutes ago via web

Hey, ass-butt? Did you just molotov his brother with holy oil? Did you?! #supernatural 25 minutes ago via web
 
Oh, Dean LMAO 27 minutes ago via web

Michael vs Lucifer. Throwdown, bitch! Bring it on! #supernatural 28 minutes ago via web

Scoot over, Dean-o. I'm coming with you! 32 minutes ago via web

Lucifer, you are such a dick. Oh, right. You *are* eee-vil. 36 minutes ago via web

I will not cry yet. I will not cry yet. Oh, Sammy! 42 minutes ago via web

Oh no. Whip out the tissue now! about 1 hour ago via web

Watching #supernatural season finale. Do not disturb at all cost. about 1 hour ago via web 

Too emotional to work now. Wanted to take rest of day off but acting Team Leader says can't. Supernatural season finale exceeding expectation isn't a good enough reason apparently.

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Supernatural Spree Interval: Color of my rainbow

>> Friday, May 14, 2010


Your rainbow is shaded violet.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is says about you: You are a creative person. You appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.



Inspired to do this when I saw it Hanz's sidebar. Fun!

I suppose I do appreciate beautiful things and the effort put into making it. I also love things I don't understand immediately and strive to fully understand it. Which is probably why I love shows like Numb3ers, House, CSI, Leverage etc.

Back to watching Supernatural!

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Supernatural: The Journey Ends

The season finale has aired over in the 'States and I am still at work and thus unable to download it... yet. Now, I know I told myself to be strong and remain spoiler free for the Supernatural apocalyptic end, but apparently my hand is faster than brain. I accidentally (yeah, right *snort* ) clicked the link to Supernatural Wiki and read the summary. Must be the hazards of working with computers 12-hours a day. My reaction?

* tears hair out and howls at the moon*

Eh, what moon? It's still day-lah here in Malaysia. Nevertheless...

So what I am going to do while waiting for tonight, is to re-watch 10 worthy Supernatural episodes (thank God for 500GB external hard drives) of all times and post short, random reviews here, oh and maybe LiveJournal too. I'm actually avoiding my LJ due to my beta is still probably stalking me for not finishing my Narnia Caspian/Peter fanfic. Hehehe. Woops.

2 episodes per season. Starting now.

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