New Beginnings...

The Chronicles of Nokia: Touchscreen VS 'Bebola Golek'

2011-01-02T14:23:00.000+08:00

What is the big deal with touchscreen phones anyway? You can always tell the Iphone and BB owners apart without even looking at their hand held devices by the expression on their faces...

User A: *Focused and serious. Only using one hand to maneuver device *

User B: *Smug. Using one hand to hold device and one finger to maneuver device *

You guessed it. User A is a Blackberry user and User B is a Iphone user. I can honestly say I never really cared whether I ever used a touchscreen device or not. I mean, it's all the same ain't it? As long as I can check my email, tweet and update Facebook status, who cares how I input the text? Boy, was I ever wrong.

Alright, so despite the numerous mental debate, I did not end up with an Mac OS, Blackberry RIM or Android device. Who would have thought that I would go with Symbian, but stranger things have happened I suppose. It has not been a totally smooth ride but more on that later. Surprisingly, or then again not so surprisingly depending on which team (mobile OS team, people. Get your mind out of the gutter) you're on, I happen to like using my C7 with touchscreen features. It's just so... exhilarating!

I like being able to create my own shortcuts and accessing my favorite menu/applications with the touch of a finger. I like that I don't really need to put on my glasses in order to read my email/tweet/update FB status. I like using a finger to scroll, sometimes, for no reason other than I can. Yes, people, I am afraid I have been infected by touchscreenmobileuserssmugness syndrome. Le sigh.

Baybe was using Nokia 5800 before upgrading *snort* to Nokia E72 recently as well. I don't think he ever fully appreciated touchscreen as much as he did now. Sure, QWERTY keyboards all the rage amongst his colleagues, apparently, but more than once I caught him gazing longingly at my beatitful C7 with saliva drooling down his chin. I completely understand, of course. I even let him touch my phone when I'm not using it.

I now know that no matter how professional and business-like using a 'bebola golek' is, touchscreen is just better. If only for the reason that 'bebola golek' users will never be able to immerse themselves in the phenomenon that is Angry Birds.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have some green pigs to kill.

We are goings to kill you, precious. Yes, we will.....

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

2010-12-26T01:26:00.000+08:00

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.

Aluuuuu. Anybody home?

2010-06-24T16:49:00.000+08:00

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 ^____^.

Beco Butterfly II Baby Carrier Review

2010-06-09T17:28:00.000+08:00

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.

Shrek Forever After with Syakirah

2010-06-09T15:24:00.000+08:00

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.

The CW 2010 Sourcies

2010-06-05T13:15:00.001+08:00

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.

OrphanCare

2010-06-04T10:48:00.000+08:00

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.

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

2010-06-03T19:31:00.000+08:00

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...

Source

Super Mom Award

2010-06-03T14:51:00.000+08:00

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 ^___^

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

2010-06-02T18:07:00.000+08:00

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.

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

2010-06-02T14:03:00.000+08:00

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

In the name of humanity

2010-06-02T10:51:00.000+08:00

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

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

"Mama, shhhhh!"

2010-05-29T14:52:00.000+08:00

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

★ Giveaway - Artiwood Letters ★

2010-05-29T12:15:00.001+08:00

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.

* Eligibility: Open worldwide!* Expires on 30th June 2010
* You 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?

Baybe erm, babywearing Asyraf

2010-05-28T14:51:00.000+08:00

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 ^____^

404 Error Page Not Found

2010-05-27T19:09:00.000+08:00

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.

Pictures of Asyraf @ 6 months old

2010-05-27T10:04:00.001+08:00

Mini image post. Update to previous post.

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

Asyraf @ 6 months old

2010-05-26T14:30:00.001+08:00

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?

Can I get a rain check on that, please?

2010-05-26T13:46:00.001+08:00

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.

Source

I NEED a new phone

2010-05-26T13:20:00.000+08:00

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?

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

2010-05-23T00:00:00.126+08:00

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.

Operation THANK KRIPKE

2010-05-22T12:38:00.001+08:00

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.

Dream a little dream

2010-05-22T09:50:00.000+08:00

Source

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. ^___^

Gorgeous Bamboo Wrap For Sale!

2010-05-21T18:23:00.002+08:00

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.

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

2010-05-20T14:22:00.004+08:00

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.

To my darling babies...

2010-05-20T08:43:00.002+08:00

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...

Supernatural: Tweets during the finale

2010-05-15T09:54:00.000+08:00

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.

Supernatural Spree Interval: Color of my rainbow

2010-05-14T17:34:00.001+08:00

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!

Supernatural: The Journey Ends

2010-05-14T16:25:00.002+08:00

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.

OMG! We're in the news, precious!

2010-05-14T09:52:00.003+08:00

This picture was taken during this. Yes, there was a photographer guy that hung around our table and kept snapping photos of us, especially of me and the kids. I thought he worked for the hotel and was half expecting him to offer us to buy the pictures printed on mugs or in photo frames as "souvenirs", you know, like they do in tourist spots. Or at least I thought we would be able to see our pictures when we go to the same venue again for Father's Day next month on the hotel bulletin board or something. But this? LOL. *embarassed*

They misspelled Baybe's name. It's Zain-O-riman and not Zain-U-riman, but then again it was very loud when he asked me to spell out our names.Oh, and there's the white gold bracelet Baybe got me for Mother's Day too ♥

Sorry for the poor quality. Rushed to a news vendor to buy it as soon as my mom called to tell me about it. Snapped the photos using my camera phone (in poor lighting) and edited a bit with Photoshop portable for clarity. I might scan it properly later at home hehehe.

Oh, I forgot to mention didn't I? It's in News Straits Times, Streets section, page 8. So erm, don't use that particular page for your kitty litter box yeah?

Tis' award season again!

2010-05-13T10:53:00.000+08:00

Oooh, erm. 2 awards in one week? I betcha not even Russel "I-still-look-manly-in-a-skirt" Crowe achieved that! Or did he? *scratches head and ignores Wikipedia glaring at me*. Anyways...

Methinks I have received this award before but this one is shinier! Thank you to Mommyyus for thinking I am beautiful... at blogging *blushes*.

And here is the second award I have been given...

This is one is from Ica.Thank you so much, sweetie. You know I love your blog too, right? I do!

Now for the fine print. I am going to pass along these babies to other beautiful blogger-s whose blogs I love!

1 - Ida
2 - Liza
3 - Catlina
4 - Hanz
5 - Jenny
6 - mommyus
7 - Sukma
8 - Lixa
9 - Sheri
10 - YOU, dear reader who are viewing this post

I love ~~getting new reading material~~ meeting new people so if you want to grab the awards for yourself, please do. Oh, and post a link back so I can view your entry ^___^

Note: I want to start my own award or meme too. Ideas?

Rice Porridge with Carrot a.k.a. Nasi Bubur Bersama Lobak Merah

2010-05-12T15:00:00.000+08:00

I guess that if you look out your window this very minute, you will see a swarm (horde? pack?) of pink, pot bellied creatures with wings hovering above ground, because I believe I once said that the day I actually trade cooking recipes with others, pigs will fly. Let's face it, even though I enjoy cooking for my family, people are most likely to see a wireless optical mouse in my hand rather than a spatula, but I digress.

Now that Asyraf is starting on solids, other than the normal Nestum cereal, I really want to make a conscious effort of doing everything D-I-Y. So, No to bottled Heinz baby foods, please. Only things mama can whip up int the kitchen herself.

I've had this recipe book since Syakirah started on solids way back when, but yeah, my working hours were much more erratic then. I really want to do it right by my children this time around.

Through sweat (literally) and toil, through trial and error, I managed to follow this recipe that has only a handful of steps. I suggest novice chef wannabes stay clear as the instructions are obviously not directed to us. There are not enough explanations and the imagery, although looks aesthetically pleasing, is NOT accurate at all.

The Ingredients:

2 carrots ~ How about giving baby carrots a go? Or stick to organic ones.
1/2 cup of rice ~ I washed, air dried it, and then blended until it was fine. Better for younger babies I suppose.
2-3 cups of water ~ I used boiled water.

The Recipe:

Cut 1 of the carrots and blend to get juice ~ Peel the carrot, wash it and chuck it in a juice extractor. The one you got for your wedding gift and never used? Yeah, that's the one.
Cut the other carrot and steam it. After steamed, blend to get puree. ~ Peel and dice the carrot. Steam until tender. Blend with boiled water, or breast milk, or formula milk (optional).
Cook rice porridge ~ I added a little bit of milk when it was boiling and stirred for a bit.
Once porridge is cooked, stir carrot juice in. Add carrot puree as well. ~ You might wanna be sparing with the carrot portions though, especially if you haven't introduced this vegetable to your little one.

The Verdict:

Asyraf was fine with carrot juice, not so much the puree. Since I only mashed it and not blended it (no food processor), maybe it was still too chunky for him. I made a proper apple puree (blended until looked like smoothie) too and he made such a face when he tasted it! LOL. Apparently, can try to mix it a bit with (more!) apple juice or white grape juice to take away the tartness of certain fruits. Erm, right.

Durian puree anyone?

Mother's day @ Equatorial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

2010-05-12T13:01:00.001+08:00

Amidst much family drama, we finally settled on Equatorial Hotel for the venue of this year's Mother's Day celebration. Honestly, if I wasn't doing this for my mother, I probably wouldn't have gone ahead with it anyways. Baybe insisted that the day was as much for as much as it was for my mother. Eh. Never really occurred to me that way. I guess, 2 C-sections later, I MUST me be a mother too eh?

Good food. Good ambiance. Good service. We tipped the waiter, something I only insist on if the service is extra tip-top, since we're already charged the 10% service charge anyways. The waiter deserved it. Plus, we got 20% off for Father's Day at the same venue since we booked it early. Go us!

More piccies uploaded in FB. Since I barely peek in my FB these days, might as well use it for something!

Pensive mood. Not much to say. *cue crickets*

Supernatural: The Journey So Far "O' Death"

2010-05-12T00:00:00.001+08:00

Compared to the other 3 horsemen, Death is a total badass! Check out how he snuffed the guy who bumped into him.

The song heard in the promo is called O Death and it's an old spiritual, recorded by Jennifer Titus especially for CW, the TV network Supernatural is shown on. And the humming voices heard in the backgound are actually CW staff members!

Source and more info here on Supernatural Wiki.

You can download the track O Death here.

A Song For Mama

2010-05-07T11:05:00.001+08:00

I am sorry I cannot post how I really feel right now. Tears clouding my vision every time I try. Maybe later tonight at home where I can bawl my eyes out and not get called into the Operation Manager's room. I hope this conveys my meaning though.

You taught me everything
And everything you've given me
I always keep it inside
You're the driving force in my life, yeah
There isn't anything
Or anyone that I can be
And it just wouldn't feel right
If I didn't have you by my side
You were there for me to love and care for me
When skies were grey
Whenever I was down
You were always there to comfort me
And no one else can be what you have been to me
You will always be you always will be the girl
In my life for all times

Chorus:
Mama, mama you know I love you
Oh you know I love you
Mama, mama you're the queen of my heart
Your love is like
Tears from the stars
Mama, I just want you to know
Lovin' you is like food to my soul
Yes it is (5x)

You're always down for me
Have always been around for me even when I was bad
You showed me right from my wrong
Yes you did
And you took up for me
When everyone was downin' me
You always did understand
You gave me strength to go on
There was so many times
Looking back when I was so afraid
And then you come to me
And say to me I can face anything
And no one else can do
What you have done for me
You'll always be
You will always be the girl in my life

Chorus

Never gonna go a day without you
Fills me up just thinking of you
I'll never go a day without my mama

Chorus

Yes you are

A Song For Mama by Boyz II Men

“No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you – life”

Lexi Twist using Mei Tai

2010-05-07T07:30:00.001+08:00

FRONT CARRY

1. With the patterned side facing towards you, tie the waist straps at the back as you would an apron. For security we recommend a square knot.	2. Bring the body of the carrier up between baby's legs.
3. While holding the carrier securely, do a little bounce to make sure your baby is sitting deeply in the seat. Then bring each shoulder strap over your shoulder, crossing them behind you. Make sure the straps aren't twisted and are spread nicely.	4. Bring the straps back around to the front.
5. You can simply cross the straps over baby's back, or do a lexi twist as shown. The lexi twist is simply made by crossing the straps, then crossing them again so they're firmly twisted together.	6. Take the straps behind you and make a square knot.
	That's it! Enjoy the cuddles with your baby while you get on with your day!

BACK CARRY

To get baby onto your back, you can use a few methods. The sitting method is shown here and is recommended if you're just starting out. For safety, please always lean over a bed while learning how to use the carrier! 1. Put your mei tai on a chair or bed and place baby over it.	2. Making sure the waist straps come between baby's legs, sit up against baby and tie them around your waist.
3. Bring the shoulder straps over your shoulders, making sure that the body of the mei tai is well up over baby's back.	4. Take the shoulder straps back under your arms and cross them behind baby (or lexi twist as above).
	5. Bring back to front and tie! All done, totally hands free!

HIGH BACK CARRY

1. With mei tai feature panel facing your legs, tie the waist straps just under your bust. You can also tie the waist straps above the bust, for a slightly higher carry (can be preferable if you're pregnant).	2. Load your baby onto your back. You can do this several ways. Firstly lean forward. Shown is a toss/slide where baby is lifted then lowered over the shoulder. You can also put baby on your hip and then scoot him around to your back.
3. With baby on your back, bring the body of the mei tai up between his legs. Ensure you bring the body well up behind baby's back before you stand upright. Holding the shoulder straps firmly, do a little bounce to make sure baby is sitting deep down in the seat.	4. Bring the straps over your shoulders and take them under your arms.
5. Cross the straps behind baby's back, or lexi twist as shown. 6. Bring the straps back to your front and tie at your waist. All done! Baby can see over your shoulder while you get things done!

Source here

I would really like to try this but for some reason I think that my Snugg Mei Tai shoulder wraps are too short. Eh? Will try and post my own piccies. Some day. Maahahahahahaha!!!

I've got my eyes on you!

2010-05-06T12:20:00.001+08:00

Been thinking of getting an SSC (Soft Structured Carrier) since Syakirah still wants to be carried around, despite turning 3-year old this month. Tried to carry her in the Mei Tai. Adeh! Big mistake. But since we're not made of money, I wanted to get something that both the kids can share. Asyraf is turning 6-month old this month and can sit aided without slumping but most SSC might still be too big for him though.

Ah-ha! Cue something called infant seat/infant harness. After much deliberation, I have tentative yet firmly decided on Beco Butterfly II. Oh, and while looking it up on the 'net, I fell in love with this print. It's the Alice Edition. How cute is it? *SQUEEE*

But like said us not being made of money, I thought that an imported baby carrier is just too pricey.

Ah-ha! Cue something called the layaway program on Frog Mama and their unofficial ambassador, Lixa. Alas, they do not have Alice in stock. At this point I should probably be lying in a fetal position sobbing my heart out, unless of course, I have a plan B. Which I do. Always.

Shhhh! I don't want this future carrier of mine to know that he was second best. But don't you think that Tyler is a dashing replacement?

Hmmm. I have already made a down payment to reserve this, so you won't be able to find it anymore on Frog Mama. Hoping to rake in loads of moolah this month due to working on a couple of public holidays. Then I can afford to pay off the rest and have my stunning Tyler shipped to me. I can't wait!

My friend, the Fisherman

2010-05-06T11:37:00.019+08:00

Darn cough been plaguing me for days. I wish people would stop looking at me as if I'm carrying the H1N1 virus into the central air-conditioning unit. It's not like I want to be sick and have to come to work, mmmkay?

Feeling disgruntled. And my throat hurts. Bugger it.

I'm featured on Mom Bloggers Planet!

2010-05-03T15:11:00.002+08:00

Read about it on Mom Bloggers Planet here

Oh wow! This must be what it's like to be famous LOL. Well erm, minus the sex, drugs and rock and roll of course.

When Ros from Mom Bloggers Planet first contacted me in the series of "Why Your Blog’s Name Like That One?", I must admit i was kind of shocked. What? Lil' ol' me? I've been using my alias, Celefinwe, for years and nobody has seriously asked me what it meant. The few who asked, I just told them to look it up in an online Sindarin-English translator. Are there any of those around anymore? Hmmm.

Anyways, thank you so much to Ros (I don't want to call her Kak Ros because she looks young enough to be my age or maybe younger!) for featuring my blog on her site. I am really touched. A little bit shy and embarrassed, but touched.

And to all of you who have kindly decided to get to get to know me better, welcome to humble abode. And I truly hope that we can get to know each other better. Bonjour mon ami (Good day my friend)!

Micro update

2010-04-29T11:29:00.000+08:00

Work now. ~~Play~~ Work again later.

PC Fair: In a day of 3/4 of The Zainor-s

2010-04-22T11:52:00.001+08:00

On Sunday, we went to PC Fair at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. Baybe has been meaning to get a new external hard drive and I just wanted to browse. Based on our previous experience, taking the kids to one of these things is never a good idea but I wanted to spend time with them after working for 12-hour shifts for 4 straight days. In the end, we decided to take only our 3-Year old daughter, Syakirah, and not our youngest 5-month old kid, Asyraf.

A-ha, I thought to myself. This would be a good opportunity to test my Snugg Mei Tai with Syakirah. It might be pushing it a bit since she's already around 15kg but I wanted to give it a go. Result?

It was not too bad when I put her in it at first. I carried her around a little bit at home. I even went up and down the stairs 3-4 times to test it. A little winded, but all in all, was not so bad. But maybe a SSC would be more appropriate. He he. Can you see where all this logic is heading at? LOL

Alas, my MT never saw the light of day since we accidentally left it at MIL place when we dropped off Asyraf earlier. Boo! It turned out for the better too since it was more packed than a can of sardines at the fair. Not even baby strollers were allowed inside.

Point of interest. I feel that it is no longer an appropriate saying, "more packed than a can of sardines", since there's only like 3-4 small pieces in a regular can of Ayam brand sardine nowadays. Maybe the saying should be more up with the times, like "more bottle-necked than downloading a Blu-ray DVD rip at 9pm using a Malaysian ISP?"

By the time we left, we bought a Samsung 500GB external hard drive for RM250 and BitDefender Internet Security for 3 users at only RM95! Bargain! But erm, don't tell my clients that I use Bitdefender ah? They might want me to promote their product instead *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

Oh, and before we went to pick up Asyraf at MIL place, we stopped at Cozy's at Great Eastern Mall for a late lunch. They even had a children hair saloon on the second floor where I got Syakirah's hair trimmed a bit later.

Syakirah took the photo on the top right. Mama's little IT-savvy baby *proud grin*

All in all, it was a good day ^___^

Bank A (bukan nama sebenar) = Major FAIL!

2010-04-22T09:24:00.001+08:00

This is the second month in a row I have had trouble with this bank, and their only service/product that I use is their IKEA Visa Card. Yes, you probably already which bank I am talking about. I only wanted to get the special monthly IKEA members price promotion and the 0% installment fee for purchases above RM500 but at this rate, I am s-oooo going to totally cancel my credit card.

I don't think I've posted this here (I think I updated Twitter and FB), but when I received last month's statement, I noticed that my current balance is RM8x.xx but the the minimum payment is RM100.00. That's strange. I have always paid more than the monthly installment (how else can I pay RM8x.32 using the cash deposit machine?) so how is it possible that the minimum payment is more than the current balance itself?

I called up their contact center and the customer service agent then informed me that I actually owed them RM175.xx because I had missed out on one month's payment. What?! I don't think so, lady. She also kept repeating it over and over again until my ears started bleeding that that is what is shown on her system therefore it must be correct. No point in arguing with a parrot, I finally made her agree that maybe I didn't receive one of the bills and missed the payment. To which she claimed that she will e-mail me the 2 months statement, current month and month I did not pay, and call me back within a half hour. Agent name was D (bukan nama sebenar).

Yeah, right *snort*

3 days later I received the e-mail, and still no phone call. Their statement never made much sense to me let alone the system print out copy that I was given. Being the typical Malaysian that I am, I grudgingly admitted to myself that since I am not exactly the most paper organized person in the world, maybe I misplaced a bill and skipped a payment. I paid RM176 and hoped that that would be the end of that. After all, that was the 6th of the 6 monthly installment payment plan that I took.

Alas, this was not to be.

After paying off ALL of my installments, come to think of it, they probably owe me money since I always a couple of ringgit extra every month, now my statement reads:

Current Outstanding Balance -RM89.xx Minimum Payment RM50.00

That is BS (ala Russell Peters)!

Therefore, today I will proceed to give one customer service agent one heck of a piece of my mind. I mean, I don't want to. I used to work in customer service myself and I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of a customer's angry tirade but enough is enough.

Eh long time no post?

2010-04-21T11:20:00.001+08:00

I have s-oooo much to blog about. I have even started writing a couple of them down and saving it to my Blogger draft erm, bin? A few ~~excuses~~ obstacles that stand between me and a good blogging season include:

ISP problem at home (damn you, P bukan nama sebenar). But I've heard that all major ISPs are also facing slowdown issue. Haven't heard of any major trunk failure reported, so...
I forgot to transfer photos from my digicam to my thumb/external drive to upload at work.
Work first, then blog.
It's tax season! Now, where did I put that EA form...
I have a bun cooking in the oven! No, not that kind of bun and not the oven down there-lah! I have a couple of major side (isn't that an oxymoron?) projects going on. Too early to reveal but will have to soon. Hope everything goes well, Insya-Allah.

So there. Fret not, I will return with a vengeance soon. In the mean time...

Quick, Robin! To the Batmobile! *cue old Batman TV series theme song*

Virgin property buyer

2010-04-15T12:17:00.000+08:00

I have never held RM300K in my hands before. I probably couldn't even hold that amount of money in my hands because I've been told that I have a pair of surreal, doll like hands (eh?). Yet, that is almost the amount that Baybe and I are about to spend.

We've been looking to buy a property for investment purpose for some time now. Our target was to have this done within 5-years, starting when we had the kids (my eldest is 3-year old now). For some reason, of late I've been quite intent in my search for a decent property for us to purchase. Perhaps it's the nudge of the big 3-oh coming up soon?

Anyways, I've been lurking a few property forums and the name Symphony Heights kept popping up. Curious, to say the least, I did my research which ended up with us going to the actual show room. Big mistake. It was love at first sight... and yes, I am aware that they actually use the service of interior decorators to "sell" the imagery to prospective customers, such as I.

The thing about apartments/condominiums is, that for a person who has lived her entire life in an actual house, the relative difference in space is quite a shock. I live in a family house with my folks (and sister, occasionally) and our kitchen is sometimes bigger than some apartments I've been to. I am not bragging, simply stating the fact. The fact is when there is always 6-9 people living under one roof at any time, you really need a big kitchen so that you won't accidentally stab someone with a kitchen knife when you are trying to cook and somebody else is grabbing a drink from the 'fridge.

Right, now going back to the show room. I was impressed, not really by the size of the apartment, but the layout itself. Apparently it was designed for an open living concept and I can see why. I am totally in love with the fact of having doors to the bedrooms and bathrooms all in one part of the house. This is especially useful for families with young kids since it only takes a few steps to pop in to your little one's room to check on them. I can totally see myself living here. I was gushing about the pro-s of the layout much that Baybe was afraid that I would insist we move in ourselves instead of renting it out/selling it. No need to worry-lah, Baybe *wink*.

For starters, if we were to live in this place, we could never comfortably afford the monthly installment. The unit which we eventually booked is located on the 26th floor, KL view. Oh, and did I mention that I'm ~~desperately~~ afraid of heights? The location is convenient as it is near a few major highways (MRR2 etc.) and the newly opened KTM Komuter Batu Cave station. As for traffic congestion, where in Kuala Lumpur are the roads not congested during peak hours? Btw, I live in Cheras. There is no way in and out of Cheras that is not jammed and you can even quote me on that LOL.

This is our first property purchase and we are excited and more than a bit nervous. Oh, and for those who are interested as well, the RM500 booking fee and 10% discount promotion ends on 18th April. There is no word whether they will continue this. Plus, even for Phase 2, which will only be completed in October 2012, there are very few units left. Don't let the price scare you too much. With the progress payment scheme offered and a little bit of careful financial planning on your end, this could be a good investment in the not so long run.

This post is in no way sponsored by Symphony Heights development or associated, erm parties. It is just my personal opinion ^___^

Presenting.. my gorgeous Snugg Mei Tai!

2010-04-14T10:20:00.000+08:00

This post was delayed for some days due to both my kids having fever. Thankfully, both are better now and I can finally post this at work. Yeay!

Received delivery failure notification from Skynet on Thursday (I think), kinda like MAILER-DAEMON error. No one was home. Boo!

They called me early next morning though to arrange the parcel delivery time for Saturday. Yeay!

Working on Saturday. Anxiously waited for Baybe to call/sms me that my parcel was delivered. Yeay!

He didn't call/sms. Boo!

Called Baybe during lunch. My package has been delivered. Yeay!

Had to wait until I get off work at 8pm before I can see it. Boo!

Got home. Didn't even bother to change. Chucked Asyraf in the MT and posed. Yeay!

Syakirah had fever. Asyraf followed after. Boo!

Asyraf feeling a bit better. Took MT to Giant Ulu Kelang to buy groceries/stuff and posed some more. Yeay!

Asyraf still not that well. Was fussy. Had to wait in the car while Baybe finished buying things from shopping list.Boo!

TBC... (Boo!)

I stand corrected LMAO

2010-04-10T11:58:00.000+08:00

Your result for The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test...

Pure Geek

35 % Nerd, 57% Geek, 39% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Geek, earning you the title of: Pure Geek.

It's not that you're a school junkie, like the nerd, and you don't really stand out in a crowd, like the dork, you just have some interests that aren't quite mainstream. Perhaps it's anime, perhaps it's computers, perhaps it's bottlecaps, perhaps it's all of those and more. Your interests take you to events and gatherings that are filled with people you find unusual and beyond-the-pale, but you don't quite consider yourself "of that crowd." Instead, you consider yourself to be fairly normal.

Which, you are.

Congratulations! You're the one on the RIGHT!

Take The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test at OkCupid

Nerds, get your cool Sci-Fi T-shirts today!

2010-04-09T12:38:00.001+08:00

... and I use the term (nerd) affectionately, seeing as I consider myself one too LOL

Check out the rest here. My personal top 3 favorites:

#3 - Strategically placed Princess Leia *cough*cough*

#2 - I'm on a Firefly kick

#1 - This one is just made of pure win LMAO

Firefly

2010-04-08T14:29:00.001+08:00

A colleague and I were discussing our favorite TV shows one day and the name Firefly suddenly popped out of his mouth.

Me: I think I've heard of Firefly before a while back. What's it about?
Colleague: (shocked) You've never seen Firefly?
Me: Nope. Why? Is it that good?

I will spare you the 20-minutes long ~~passionate~~ rant he then graced me with, ending up with him picking up a guitar and strumming to the show's theme song. Well, maybe not the last bit, but you get the point.

Random trivia. Did you know that the character Casey from Chuck is based on the Jayne Cobb character from Firefly, played by the same actor (Adam Baldwin)? Me neither but this certainly piqued my interest.

Hello, Curiosity. Meet my cat.

Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, the guy who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. If this doesn't spell cult following for Firefly already, then obviously you haven't been watching enough television :-P

The premise is set in 2517 and follows the chronicles of its nine crew/passenger ensemble, ranging from a pair of fugitive siblings (Simon and River Tam) on the run from the Alliance, to a Shepherd (preacher) with a mysterious past, to a mercenary for hire with a girl's name (Jayne). Captained by Malcolm Reynolds, an Independence "Browncoat" veteran fighter, his first officer Zoe, who fought with him in the war, and piloted by Wash, Zoe's husband.

"Captain was looking for a pilot. I found a husband. Seemed to work out. " ~ Zoe in Bushwacked.

Inara, a respectable Companion, and Kaylee, the bubbly ship mechanic make up the rest of those on board.

The series lasted all of 14-episodes with a movie to tie-in, also called Serenity, to appease the mob of angry fans after the show got canceled. Since I have watched up to the episode Ariel last night, I am starting to understand why these people got so worked up over the show. In fact, I am designing my "Stick it to TPTB (The Power That Be). Give us back our Serenity" T-shirt as we speak.

What is so great about the show? It's the character dynamics and how they complement each other. It's the fast paced and witty dialogue. It's the monotonous yet catchy theme song. Pick one. I have to warn you though, once you step into the realm that is Firefly, you will never be the same again. I am totally suckered in at this point and is mixed about watching up to the season finale, because I know that there is nothing left to look forward to.

I know I may be almost a decade too late for this show (I was 12 when the show first aired and was not familiar with the terms Torrent and DVD Box Sets, wait, we were still using floppy discs back then, weren't we?) but time is no measure for greatness. Alas, it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

Here's to the bundle of despair I will become once I have completed watching my box set. C'est la vie, I say.

There's no place I can be
Since I've found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me...
~ From Firefly Theme Song

Clash of the Titans a.k.a Terminator 007: Aslan vs. Voldemort

2010-04-07T16:34:00.000+08:00

On Monday, Baybe and I had a very, very, VERY rare opportunity to go catch a movie. The last movie we saw, I think, was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Yes, I know. That was quite a while back.

Originally, being an avid Tim Burton fan, I wanted to see Alice in Wonderland. However, a couple of my friends warned me against it. They recommended How to Train Your Dragon instead. Now, I love animated flicks as much as the next geek, but since we wanted a much deserved adult day out, we decided on Clash of the Titans instead. What a way to feel old. The original movie first aired in 1981, when both hubby and me were literally still in diapers.

First of all, Sam Worthington sure has gotten around since being in Terminator: Salvation, hasn't he? He started out humbly as a human-machine (I believe the correct term is cyborg) in T:S, then as a giant Smurf in Avatar, and now he is a skirt wearing demigod in Clash of the Titans. I guess they couldn't get Russel Crowe and his amazingly manly thighs to star in this movie, since he is too busy prancing about, in a manly way of course, in Robin Hood when they were shooting the movie.

Wait. Epiphany moment. Both Russel Crowe and Sam Worthington are Aussies, and both of them looks good in a short skirt. Hmmmmm.

Next point. A lot has changed in terms of special effects over 29 years, and the studio folks want us to know it too. Like, whoah. We weren't even watching it in 3-D!

H-ey. The floating, pale looking guy in black look familliar, doesn't he? Oh, that's right. It's He Who Shall Not Be Named, with actual facial features ie. nose. At least they got to save some money for his costume since they only need to modify his wardrobe from the Harry Potter franchise movies. And Liam Neeson is no longer a disembodied voice in the form of a lion - hurray! Although, me thinks he overdid polishing his armor just a tad.

And isn't that guy Le Chiffre from Casino Royale? And that Io girl is the one who died drenched in oil in Quantum of Solace? Ooh. I must stop pointing out familiar faces and review this movie. Except there really isn't much to review, is there?

Watch the original movie. At least the stop-motion animation puts a smile on your face.

And pahhh! I could smell Hades betraying Zeus a mile away. Zeus may be shiny, but he's not too bright, is he?

dis·ap·point·ed (ds-pointd) adj. Thwarted in hope, desire, or expectation.

2010-04-07T13:23:00.002+08:00

I am a ~~cynic~~ realist. Do you blame me when people I am closest to tend to let me down? I am no trying to sing my own praise, but I am a very giving person. I can be very selfless when it comes to people I care about.. family, friends etc. What gets to me is, why don't people see how much they hurt me when they act this way? I've been told before that I am the complete opposite of a poker face, displaying my emotions on my face for all to see. So, the question remains, are people really that oblivious to how I feel? Or do they just don't care?

I'm tired of being the righteous one, again and again. So many people depend on me being their pillar of strength and virtue. What if I just refuse their plight? What if I just choose to look the other way while they receive what is coming to them? Is that even an option for me?

Yeah, it's that time of the month again. Time for some emo' show and tell, folks.

Drunk Driving Accident in Taman Midah, Cheras

2010-04-02T23:45:00.001+08:00

I know I have already Tweeted about this, but I have only seen the video just now (my office firewall blocks all Java applications *SIGH*). I strongly recommend those with weak stomachs not to Google for the video, or even try to find it on Youtube, which have removed most of the uploaded videos anyways. The CCTV video, although from afar, is quite clear and graphic. It is very, very disturbing. So much so, I think I might have to take a puff off my inhaler before I finish posting this, literally speaking.

This is the most disgusting, tragic, horrifying thing I have ever seen in my life. That is saying something considering I receive a lot of spam e-mails containing, among others, fried-kitten rice, PETA anti-fur campaign, human fetus chopped and cut into soup etc. I am at a loss on how to convey my deepened sadness and unspeakable rage at the whole incident. As always, when speech fails me, I turn to put my thoughts and emotion into words instead.

Imagine taking your family out for a dinner. Imagine stopping by a petrol station on the way to refill, smiling as you watch your spouse pump the fuel, holding your sleepy child in your arms while listening to a nice upbeat song on the radio. A typical family night.

Imagine looking up to suddenly see a pair of bright lights heading towards you at 120km/h. Imagine not having enough time to call out to your unsuspecting husband. Imagine clutching your children in your arms while your car is being slammed and watching the love of your life caught in the middle of it all, blood and petrol spraying all over the windshield until you cannot even begin to tell where the blood ends and where the petrol begins.

Imagine all this happening in seconds. In the midst of it all, what would you do if you knew that the reason all this happened was because a silly 23-year old girl thought she was too good to have someone pick her up from some random bar, where she had consumed too much alcohol earlier?

Please. I beg of all of you. The man in that video is a friend of my husband's colleague. Have some respect for the departed and flag/report as abusive all the videos of this incident you see online. I have already done so for all that I could find. This man left behind a wife and two children, aged 4 and 2 years old.

Imagine all of this happening to you. Would you want to login to your Facebook account and see it over and over again? Have a heart.

To the victim of this senseless crime, Al-Fatihah.

Mama's Little Hero @ 4-months

2010-04-02T18:09:00.000+08:00

He's already rolling over to his tummy from lying on his back. I've read somewhere that it should be the other way ar...

I'm sorry, what? Too distracted by my darling Asyraf's laughing squeal. Erm, is there such a thing as a "laughing squeal?" LOL

"I am Super Asyraf! Flying to the rescue - wheeeeee!"

"Mama, stop taking photos and help me!"

Your Laughing Four-Month-Old

Welcome to the world of the 4-month-old, where every day is filled with exciting new discoveries -- and constant reminders that your baby is preparing to take on the universe. About now, your baby's laugh is likely to be the most welcome sound in your home. She's truly learning to communicate with you and others around her. What fun!

Milestones this month

    * Your baby can raise herself up on straightened arms while lying on her tummy and look all around. CHECK
    * She can grasp a rattle. CHECK
    * Baby laughs out loud. CHECK
    * He squeals with delight.CHECK
    * Baby smiles spontaneously. CHECK
    * He pays attention to very small objects. CHECK
    * Baby experiments by making new sounds. CHECK
    * He recognizes parents and siblings. CHECK

*All babies have their own internal developmental timetable. If your 4-month-old hasn't yet reached these milestones, rest assured that she will in time. If you have concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with her doctor.

For more info and source, go here

Photo tag

2010-04-01T00:37:00.002+08:00

Yeay! I've been tagged by the ever lovely Sheri again. This time, it's a photo tag.

Here are the rules:

1. Open your 1st Photo folder.

2. Scroll to the 10th photo.

3. Post the photo and the story behind it.

4. Tag 5 or more people.

Erm, I still don't have a lot of photo here on my new computer. Most are either still on my old CPU (which I haven't connected to since I got this computer) or on one of my portable drives. Eh - because I have so many hehe. So here's my compromise, I'll open the first album from FB and choose the 10th photo there instead. By all means you can stick to the original rules or give it your own special twist as well ^___^

This picture was taken in Cherating, Kuantan during Baybe's family day trip. This was how happy Syakirah was after being cooped up in the car for about 5 hours. She was running all over the hotel room and popped in the closet to supposedly "surprise" me. O00-kay then.

Is it just me or do Syakirah's teeth look a b-iiit just like a vampire's? It's the fangs *SIGH*

Now to tag 5 people :

1 - Lixa
2 - Sukma
3 - Waneedaz
4 - Li Mei
5 - Catlina

6 and more - Absolutely everybody who reads this. No, I insist!

I feel a disturbance in The Force

2010-03-30T12:27:00.000+08:00

No, I have not gone into hiding in planet Dagobah. Asyraf has been feeling poorly again, poor dear. Even Syakirah was not spared and had a slight skin infection issue. All resulting in a Sleepless in Cheras Baru (not coming to any cinema near you, please don't check you local movie listings) episode for Baybe and I.

We had honestly thought that Asyraf was already teething. He kept salivating and chewing on his teether. We did think it was w-aaay too early for this ~~nightmare~~ to begin at only 4-months, but Syakirah started teething pretty early too, so what the hey. It would explain his lack of interest in nursing and everything.

That was until he started screaming later that night.

Please bear in mind that my son is very mild mannered as compared to his more intense older sister. To see him scream at the top of his lungs like that is very alarming, to say the least. Baybe and I could not change our clothes fast enough to rush him to a clinic that would still open at almost midnight.

When we arrived at the clinic, we were the only ones there. Baybe hadn't even finish registering us before the nurse ushered us in. I guess they panicked a bit too when they see my son crying and screaming like that. Hey, welcome to the club, ladies.

The doctor checked him and said he had ulcers (notice the 's', thus meaning in plural sense) down his throat. He was (my son, not the doctor) simply hungry because he could not feed properly. One anti-biotic and painkiller(?!) medicine prescribed later and we were off.

To make a long and tiring story short, Asyraf did not get better. We though, s*** this. Let's fork out the extra moolah and head to a specialist, who BTW, took one look down my son's mouth proclaimed that it was a type of fungus infection.

See? This is what paying an extra RM60 will get you. Fast, efficient and effective result. I know I am not being fair to the first doctor that we went to, since he was not a specialist in pediatrics after all, but darn it, I am sleep deprived, and tired, and had to leave my child while he is still not 100% better so I deserve the right to be grumpy!

Plus, I'm feeling a little under the weather myself.

All is still not well in the Universe. There is a great disturbance in the Force and I fear the fate of the Jedi still hang by a thread... Where is Luke Skywalker when you need him anyways?

Author's Note: This post was not sponsored by George Lucas in any way. Oh, and The Phantom Menace still sucks.

Ode to my family

2010-03-26T09:16:00.001+08:00

What is the most important thing to you? Making loads of money? Advancing in your career? The power to do whatever you want whenever you want? As for me, it's no secret, that family is the most important thing. I have never realized though, just how much it means to me until what happened yesterday.

I have always taken for granted that I will always be surrounded by the people I love. It just didn't occur to me that as my children grow up, my parents will grow older as well. Especially since I see my folks everyday, you tend to miss the little things. Such as afternoon naps that lasts longer, lack of appetite, family outings in shorter bursts instead of an all day event. It doesn't mean I love my parents any less, it's just that sometimes, in the eyes of the child, you see your father and mother as this invincible force that will always be there for you when you need them. You think that they will always be on the other side of the phone when you need to ask them about this weird rash your 3 month old baby has been having for days now. You imagine that they will always have an answer to your every question.

I know that everything shall pass according to its time. I only hope that within this short time that God has granted us together as a family, that my parents realize just how much they have shaped my life and how much I appreciate all their sacrifices for my siblings and I. I want them to know that I love them so very much and I would be lost without their guidance. I can only hope that even though I didn't turn out to be a doctor as they had hoped, that they would still be proud of me as their daughter, as I am to call them Ayah and Mama.

So we have to a full circle. It's my turn now to take care of them now. Insya-Allah.

Murpy says...

2010-03-25T10:55:00.002+08:00

... I am the law.

...if anything can go wrong it will.

...your will not hear your alarm, despite setting 2 alarms on one handphone and another alarm on a separate one.

...you will be late for work.

...your will get premenstrual stomach cramps on the way to work.

...you cannot take MC because you are already on the way to work, besides, the roads are congested on the way back anyway.

...when you reach the office, you will get an e-mail from Human Resource saying that due to technical error, you will not be getting your pay today.

...the internet will fail when you are trying to post this to your blog.

I hate you, Murphy -____- ###!!

In the arms of the angel..

2010-03-25T10:08:00.001+08:00

My mother's friend's 6-year old child just passed this morning due to cancer. Please pray for her family. Al-fatihah.

I miss my babies so very much right now... :-(

Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it OK
There's always some reason to feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction or a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the Angel far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the Angel; may you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference, escaping one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees

In the arms of the Angel far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
In the arms of the Angel; may you find some comfort here

You're in the arms of the Angel; may you find some comfort here

Angel - Sarah McLachlan

Official Eclipse Trailer

2010-03-23T15:46:00.000+08:00

Oh. My. GOD. My inner ~~Mary Sue~~ fan girl is screaming at high pitch while watching this. I so totally want to see it, especially since I was admitted to the hospital on the very day I was supposed to go watch New Moon. Not that I have any regrets, since aproximately 36 hours later my son was born into this wolrd ^___^

Meh, but I am still so p***ed at Bella. Like, hel-lo? Edward AND Jacob? Woman, make up your mind. She just drifts through not doing anything other than whine and complain and...

Anyways. I just hope that this movie will be better than New Moon. Or not.

Go Team Jasper!!!

No Sweat

2010-03-22T19:21:00.000+08:00

No sweat. I can do this. I mean, if other people can do it, I should be able too, right? Seriously, how hard can it be?

Apparently, it is not as easy as I thought it would be. 200 words blog post on NOT sweating? I perspire just thinking about it.

Alright, alright. That's quite enough. I've had my fun with my pun (eh - I rhyme!) on the subject. Honestly, though. How can we possibly not sweat in the sweltering that is the Malaysian weather? And what's this I hear that the weather will continue until.. cue Google Search. Eh. Nothing on when this ~~blasted~~ blessing in disguise of a heat wave will end?

Pass the roll on deodorants around, please.

On the other hand, for those who dislike the sticky feeling of the classic "bebola golek" version, how about giving one of these bad boys a try? It's easy, convenient and actually smells kind of nice too. I mean, it smells absolutely fantastic o' mighty sponsors of Project Alpha Malaysia. Erm, please do not disqualify my entry.

Speaking of sweat, I have heard that some women find sweaty men attractive. I beg to differ. I am sure that a lot of people will agree with me on this. Maybe sweaty, nice smelling men can be attractive but bad B.O. is a no-no. Unfortunately, certain oblivious individuals still prefer to go au naturel in Malaysia. Especially when one is stuck in a crowded public transit after coming home from work? Choke. GASP. Breathe.

Please, people. Spray on some Adidas Action 3 now!

Project Alpha Season 2 is presented by Adidas Action 3 and supported by P1 and MAS. Auditions are now open! Check it out at www.projectalpha.com.my/auditions

263 word count. See? That wasn't so bad, was it? ^___^

Asyraf's Cukur Jambul & Berendoi

2010-03-22T16:41:00.004+08:00

Mama, Ayah and kakak I'ya loves you so much, darling.. despite your bald spot now ♥

Beautiful Blogger Award

2010-03-22T14:42:00.001+08:00

Ooooooh. See the pretty award I have just won? Here's my chance to practice my award speech ala Oscars.

Erm, I would like to thank Blogger for giving me my own private space F.O.C so I can post my ~~lunatic ravings~~ thoughts. Also, to OurBloggerTemplates for their flexible and highly customizable XML templates. Oh, and free stock photo sites for providing royalty free images I can edit and make into my blog header.

And a HUGE thank you to Ida for giving me this award. You are awesome, sweetie. I have faithfully followed your blog since I discovered it. If anyone who is reading this and have not followed her, do it! Not only will you have an interesting blog to read from your blog list, you will also meet the sweet and nice person behind the blog as well ^___^

Basically, here are the rules to accept the award :
1. Thank & link the person that gave you the award.
2. Pass this award onto 15 bloggers you’ve recently discovered and think are ~~fantastic~~ beautiful too
3. Contact said Blogs and let them know they’ve won the award
4. State 7 things about yourself.

CatlinaFly
365 of Liza's Life
goldenoro
Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
Oh My WTF!
Sand and Foam
spilt Teh Ais on papyrus
♥ Welcome to Mama Alya's blog ♥
BYXURA THE GREAT
Girlindarkness Rawk
kiwies online
PoBazZ The ChaRmeD OneS
Sheri's World
Wan's GirlGirl True Stories
♫Kipas Susah Mati Penunggang Bertopeng♫
Anybody reading this post. Go ahead, grab the award. You are all beautiful too ^___^

7 (random) things about myself??
I am addicted to Teh Ais (I'm drinking it right now)
Where there's will, there's a way
When I was small, I wanted to be a psychiatrist
A true Scorpio
Not really superstitious but why go against the odd?
Plan B. I live for Plan B. And C, D etc.
Have a love/hate relationship with my a**

So there!

KedaiGambarKami-Aivee Emart Best Photo Contest

2010-03-18T18:08:00.000+08:00

This picture was definitely not taken by any professional (i.e. my sister, Farah) and only using my Sony Ericson K810i. Also, thanks to this competition, I have just realized how very few pictures we have taken as an entire family. Syakirah was about 5 months old here. She is going to turn 3 years old in a couple of months. Yes, that is how long it is since Baybe and me joined the kids in the photo frame together, instead of snapping the photos away ourselves. Maybe I should arrange for a photo shoot for the four of us? *cough*hint*hint*cough*

We took this picture on the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri at my Tuk Ngah's house in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. It was our first Hari Raya as a threesome, and even though Syakirah was not wearing a baju kurung, hey, at least we all wore uniform red! I think that was the first time I felt how real it was... married, motherhood, all that. Due to the nature of our work, we seldom get to spend normal holidays together as a family. To be able to wake up that morning, prepare ketupat and rendang for Baybe's breakfast, kiss his hand and ask for forgiveness... It all felt so... special.

Intermission. Thank you, Baybe, for the past almost-5 years of our life together and for our beautiful children. Insya-Allah, we will try to make this work and last for the rest of our lives together... and beyond.

Author's Note: Notice how thin I looked? Ahh, those were the days. Oh, and that finger ala the movie Shutter belongs to my other sister, Adriana. She does that a lot, trust me.

Anyways, this here is in conjunction with a competition hosted by KedaiGambarKami and Aivee Emart. The Grand Prize is a 1 hour outdoor photo shoot with KedaiGambarKami, how awesome is? The Infantino Jittery Jungle Fox from AiVee Emart for the 1st prize is cool too. I'd like for Asyraf to have it, since it's right for his developmental age, but I'm sure Syakirah will want to "share" it too.

KedaiGambarKami is the "baby" of the lovely Mr. and Mrs. Catlina (hehehe, jangan marah), borne out of their love for photography. Started out as a hobby, they eventually thought, why not make some money out of it as well? Or at least, I think that was somewhere along their train of thought ^___^

They offer services such a photo books, web headers, banners, and button designs at a very affordable price (RM 10++ for blog logo/badge). Check out some sample of their work. You might see something you like.

The second sponsor, Aivee Emart sells some of the cutest baby toys I've seen in a while. Erm, yes, they sell other things too, but this was just too adorable. The price is also lower than the ones selling at retail stores, so it's definitely a bargain.

Thank you for taking the time to view this not-so-flattering image of me and reading the silly but sentimental reason I chose it. Hopefully, it will bring our family luck, eh?

Dear Me,

2010-03-18T14:12:00.005+08:00

Mini update during lunch. Here is a list of things to do, lest I forget...

Competitions/Giveaways:
~~KedaiGambarKami - AiVee Emart Best Photo Contest~~ Complete
Catlinaflybaby Presents " Nur Dayana Insyirah 1st Birthday Giveaway"
~~Mama Patch~~ Complete

My TV shows:
Review: Heroes Volume 5: Redemption
Review: Supernatural Season 5: The road so far (Due: March 24)

Sims Store for Malaysian Sims3 gamers campaign
Button! FB fan page! Twitter!!

Movies to gotta-gotta-gotta watch
Alice in Wonderland (forgive me, Tim Burton. You still own my heart, I promise!)

Arghhh!! So much to do, so little time!

My Favourite Surfing Spot

2010-03-16T18:21:00.060+08:00

What kind of a Malaysian would I be if I my favorite hangout is not at a mamak shop? Nowadays, more and more local eateries come equipped with wi-fi. I mean, how awesome is that? You get to eat, drink AND play Mafia Wars at the same time! Well, yes. Technically, you could do those activities at home as well, but no matter how hard I try, my teh ais just does not taste the same as the ones at my usual local haunt (you know who you are.. what's up macha?)

I remember back in the days when I had to go to the nearest cyber cafe to download song lyrics. Erm. Let's not go there. Moving on...

Nowadays, all one need to do is plug in a wireless card or modem, if it has not already been built in to your computer, and voila! Twitter, Facebook and Blogger at the tip of your fingertips. Anyplace, anytime. As long as you are not sitting in a cave that is. Even then, I think certain ISPs might still have some coverage.

P1 is one of the latest Internet Service Provider (ISP) here in Malaysia. Who can forget their ingenious Sudah Potong campaign? And by the way, just for the record... yes, I have.

Project Alpha Season 2 is presented by Adidas Action 3 and supported by P1 and MAS

Word Count: 213

Calling Malaysian Sims3 Gamers

2010-03-16T13:41:00.004+08:00

I am a woman on a mission! As a hardcore Sim-a-natic, wait, that was redundant, wasn't it? Oh well, thus, it proves my point TWICE. I repeat, being what I am, but of course I promote playing only the original (you know Malaysians, hmmm) and to download only the best content for your Sims.

My usual download resource is TheSimsResource. I have been a member since my The Sims (1) days. I also recommend getting the premium account, if you can afford it. Even if you don't, 3% of the content is rotated for free download so check often for an item you simply have to have, mmmkay?

I have never really paid much attention to the Sims Store. I thought, whatever, I can get my custom content anywhere else on the internet. However, after numerous computer crashes later, I am becoming more prudent in my choice of custom content installation. And what better way than to get my downloads from EA themselves, right?

Upon registering The Sims 3 on their website, I am given 1000 points to redeem and pointed to in the direction of the Sims Store. Oh. My. God. I am in love with over half of the content there. The ones that I gotta-gotta-gotta have is the Animals Abound Set. Note: It's already on my wish list, in case someone is generous enough *WINK*WINK*

There is only 1 downside. My points are insufficient to purchase most of the items I want, and get this, there is no way for me to purchase more! Apparently, Malaysia is not listed as a supported country. I have gone as far as contacting their e-mail support, leaving a message on their actual Facebook page and their Twitter account, but alas! I am but one person. A small, insignificant player in a country that is less important than the other 26 countries currently supported, in several languages in certain countries too.

I am not going to take this lying down! I demand my rights to waste my hard earned money on make-believe objects for the gratification of my ~~gibberish~~ Simlish speaking, simulated humanoids!

Who's with me?

Author's Note: I'm serious, folks. I am making a banner for people to place on their blogs/websites as we speak. I am also going to create a Fan page on FB, and Twitter my way to success. Will update on progress soon.

Images: The Sims Store

A rose by any other name

2010-03-15T17:48:00.001+08:00

I need a new perfume. There are just a few bumps on the road:

A) I don't have time to physically go and buy it

B) Even if I had time, I don't know which perfume to get

C) Even if I knew which perfume to get, refer to to A)

Thus we have come to a full circle. Oh, and..

D) I have to stop writing posts that look like emails from tech support

I am currently using Princess from Vera Wang. The perfumes that I have used in the past and loved to bits, in numeric order, are...

1. Contradiction for Women by Calvin Klein

2. Sui Dreams by Anna Sui

3. Clinique Happy Hearts by Clinique

Based on my previous (and current) perfume preferences, what other perfumes do you think I should get?

Images are all from Google Image Search

My first RM0.25 from Nuffnang

2010-03-15T16:34:00.000+08:00

LMAO

I mean, I know I blog just for the heck of it and not to actually make loads of moolah, but still... This is pathetic! Any tips appreciated, please ^___^

Notice the lack of posts/200+ words posts??

2010-03-15T15:09:00.000+08:00

Cartoon by Mr. Fish.

Work is killing me, I tell you. Killing me!! Oh, and how awesome is the name Mr. Fish for a penname? I should start calling myself Ms. Keyboard Shortcut or Ms. SHIFT+CTRL+ESC or something LMAO

Mama's little Bugger bug-ed

2010-03-12T16:30:00.045+08:00

Asyraf hasn't been well these past few days. Poor thing been having low grade fever and flu. The thing is he has never gotten sick before, not even after his immunizations.Yesterday the nursery called me when I was at work, telling me he's been fussy and crying since I dropped him off. Oh noes!

We picked him up, together with a much delighted Syakirah because she can go home early, and took him to a clinic. Nothing too serious, thankfully. It's just that he's such a good baby most of the time that when he fusses, it really causes me to worry. Even when I know there's nothing to worry about, according to the doctor-lah, but I guess that's the mother hen in me.

Tomorrow, we're supposed to go to PD with my parents. I hope Asyraf will be well enough to go. Or else, we'll just skip it, I guess. I also still need to go shopping for Asyraf's baju melayu for his cukur jambul next week.It's going to be hot but I doubt MIL will like it if I just put him in a romper. Hmmm.

Anyways, see y'all by the beach. Hopefully ^___^

Jamie Oliver wins 2010 TED Award

2010-03-12T15:42:00.003+08:00

Jamie Oliver’s Wish:
“I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”

I adore Jamie Oliver. He is just so... adorable! I've been watching him grow on TV since his first controversially named show, The Naked Chef.

No, he was NEVER naked on the shows. That would be just gross considering it's a cooking show and all.

Anyways, I've been watching him grow physically (rounder but still adorable) and as a person as well. A few years back he started a revolution in his home country, trying to campaign for healthier food to be served at schools. The show was called Jamie's School Dinners. I would like to say that everyone is eating healthier food in the schools in England nowadays but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day after all!

Imagine my Tweet-in' surprise when I read this tweet, #RyanSeacrest if ur a mother, father, aunt or uncle, you need to see this: http://bit.ly/bxomqm. Oh, and BTW, I follow Ryan Seacrest for the American Idol updates. He tweets like, so much. It's great to know what goes on behind the scenes. Moving on...

Click on the link and watch the video. Jamie's speech is so inspiring. He is obviously very passionate about the issue and I wish him all the best in his endeavor.

Congratulations, Jamie! I hope you make a world of a difference ^___^

Read about the TED Prize here.

Preview of My Snugg Mei Tai

2010-03-09T15:16:00.000+08:00

It's going to be a 2-side panel strap Mei Tai with normal sleeping hood. I am bouncing in anticipation, impatiently waiting to get my hands on my own Mei Tai. Much love to Liza for accepting my order despite of her delicate state. Love ya', doll. Don't work too hard! ^___^

Best Blog Entry Winner for Children's Book Giveaway @ Little Red Reading Nook

2010-03-08T15:10:00.002+08:00

About a month ago I entered my very first online giveaway/contest thing. I mean...books. Free books! I just had to give it a shot. It was a no-brainer. Based on the number of entries and the effort that some of the participants put it, I did not have much faith in winning, especially since the grand prize winner would be decided by random choice. Let's face it. no matter how many times I showered with 7 different types of flowers (mandi bunga), I am not the luckiest person in the world.

I was not able to get online over the weekend and only managed to check my blog list this morning. Al-hamdulillah.My entry was chosen as the Best Blog Entry. Can I squeal now?

Squuuueeeeeeeallll!

Thank you so much to Hui Wearn for this lovely giveaway. Although I am a bit disappointed that I did not win the Maisy's Home & Garden Pop-up & Play Book, I can still buy it from the blog later. And maybe another half dozen books while I'm at it hehe.

Author's Note: If you are my husband and you are reading this, please disregard the last line from previous paragraph. *does hand like Jedi mind trick thing*

Hello, Stranger!

2010-03-08T13:09:00.000+08:00

Notice how happy I looked and how much Baybe looked like he was going to cry? He's always liked me with long hair. During our courtship days, he only ever took notice of me after I outgrew my hair *rolleyes*.

It's OK, Baybe. Remember, hair grows!

At a (hair) loss

2010-03-05T15:17:00.004+08:00

I've called in the plumber. My shower drain is clogged. My hair brush is bushy and there is hair everywhere I look. There's hair on my pillow, hair on the floor, hair on my clothes, and the very last straw, hair on my brand new Samsung wide screen monitor. I am. Not. Happy.

This is me after giving brith to Syakirah in 2007.This is me NOW

Postpartum hair loss is common. After I gave birth to Syakirah, I went through the same thing. Thank God for the What To Expect book series. Yes, I do realize that I could have simply Google-d TM the answer but bear in mind that at that point I was still using the ever unreliable Celcom broadband using my SEK810i as a modem. Sorry yer, bebudak Netcare. You know it's true hehehe.

In the end I had no choice but to chop off my long locks. The hairdresser also recommended me a treatment to "balance the PH"of my scalp and to "stimulate hair follicle regrowth". What they oh-so conveniently forgot to mention was the shock treatment involved in the procedure. All I'm saying is that there was mild electrocution involved. I will leave the rest to your imagination.

Oh, and the hair loss thing? Apparently, there really isn't much else we can do about it but wait it out. In the mean time, electrocution anyone?

"I would do anything for love..."

2010-03-04T11:17:00.000+08:00

... says Meatloaf. The band, not the food. But...would I?

The more I explore the mommy bloggers world on the web, the more I realized that many are either already a Work At Home Mom (WAHM), or have plans to be one. Myself? I am still working in the technical support industry, working 12-hour shifts at a time. Probably sooner than later, I will be put back on rotation for night shifts again for an entire month at a time, from 7 pm to 7 am. I might not even be able to see my children on work days...

*takes a deep breath*

It's not that I am in love with my job or anything like that. It's just that it pays quite well for my qualifications and I need the money to help Baybe and my parents financially. I've been in this field for some time now and starting over in at entry level pay in a new field will greatly affect our money situation. So many people rely on me for so many things that at times I feel like I could implode with all the pressure.

I won't though, because I can't. I have my two darlings that I cannot afford to let down. I have to do everything I can to balance working in this crazy industry while being a good mother, wife, and daughter. I have to be strong. I want my children to look up to me and find the courage to live their lives the way the see fit. I want to be there for my husband when he needs my shoulder to cry on. I want to take care of my parents when they can no longer take care of themselves, the way they took care of me when I was literally still their "little" girl.

Maybe I'm just feeling broody because this is the first time my "monthly friend" come to visit in a long time. It doesn't change the fact though. I would do anything for the ones I love... wouldn't you?

Of Family Days, Baby Wearing, Car Crashes and Zombie Apocalypse (in that order) ~ Part III

2010-03-03T17:38:00.003+08:00

Episode IV: Zombie Apocalypse

Now, anybody who knows me well enough will confirm this, I am a freak over the undead, specifically zombies. I adore zombie movies and spend my free time planning how to survive a zombie apocalypse. Like actually, I will plan my escape route, consider things to pack in my survival kit , whether to use guns or. machete, etc. I believe that, based on the number of mutated, biological, infectious diseases going on these days, it is a matter of time before human kind starts turning into walking, brain-munching, rotting corpses.

Do YOU know how to survive a zombie attack?

Woops! I'm getting sidetracked.

Anyways, on Monday, Baybe and I, together with Asyraf, went to Hospital Serdang to visit bro-in-law. MIL and bro-in-law #2 were already there. The parking situation was a complete and utter mess and it was blistering, I repeat, blistering hot. All I could think of was how wonderful it would be to be sitting down with a refreshing and tall glass of teh ais.

Thus, after visiting hours were over, I convinced Baybe to stop by Steven's Corner near where we live for some ummph. It was drizzling by the time we got there but fueled by my ~~addiction~~ passion for teh ais, we persevered.

As we sat down and placed or orders, the rain got heavier. I just thought to myself, we'll just stay here and wait out the rain. Within ten minutes I was having nasi lemak kambing and teh ais, while Baybe was enjoying his lamb/mutton in mint sauce (which is very good BTW, in case you've never had it). At this point, Asyraf was sleeping like an angel in my sling pouch.

Then it started to really rain, a torrential downpour complete with thunder, lightning, the whole works. KL being what it is, in ten minutes there was already a flash flood. With the level of water rising steadily and the area being quite low and near a big drain, vehicle owners were getting restless. Some people were getting up to move their cars. We wanted to leave too, especially since our car was parked right next to a deep drain, but were worried about Asyraf.

Warning! Do not read further if you are squeamish!

The thing that convinced me to make a desperate attempt to leave the place was when roaches started coming out in droves from one of the drains near us. Imagine watching 20-30 roaches climbing up the sidewalk 5-feet away from you. I am petrified of those little black buggers and for me, it was like watching a scene out of my worst nightmare come to life. I was squealing and stomping so much the Chinese couple a few tables away from us started to back away slowly from me.

I pushed Asraf, who was fully awake by now, into Baybe's arms and started grabbing our stuff on the table indiscriminately. All I could think of at that moment was to get as far away as possible from there. Have you ever felt so afraid of something at some point in your life, you almost feel like you might scare yourself to death? Yeah, that was what I felt then.

I waited towards the center of the shop with Asyraf while Baybe braved the rain to move the car somewhere closer. My hero. By then, more roaches were appearing, interlaced with guest appearances by cat-sized mice. All hell broke loose. Men were grabbing car keys, women were jumping about, and all I could think of was... this must be what it's like when a zombie apocalypse happen. All the fear and panic apparent in this small group of people trapped inside a mamak restaurant.

The strangest thing happened to me at that point. I grabbed my fear and smacked it on its ass, metaphorically speaking, I mean. I The fear just subsided and was replaced by an adrenalin rush. I was suddenly in full fight or flight mode. Like heck I was going to let a bunch of disease ridden pests come anywhere near me and my precious child. Wachhhaaaa!!!

I even killed a roach by stomping it to oblivion with my own foot. I am so proud of myself *GRINS*

It just goes to show, that when it counts, a mother will sacrifice everything for her child. I mean, deep in our hearts, we mothers know how far we are willing to go for the love of our offspring. Yet, only at the height of absolute terror and fear for our very lives do we realize how true it is.

I would do anything for my children. Anything. Even if it means that I have to brave through a whole nest/pack/swarm of roaches/zombies to do it, I would. It's as simple as that.

Of Family Days, Baby Wearing, Car Crashes and Zombie Apocalypse (in that order) ~ Part II

2010-03-03T17:09:00.000+08:00

Episode III: Car Crashes

Coming back from Cherating, we arrived home at about 5.30 pm. After being cooped up the car with a Syakirah (restless as ever) and Asyraf sniffling (poor thing had the flu) all the way, I was just so glad to be able to get out of car and stretch my ~~old~~ weary bones. With 3 loads of laundry and a sack of ocean products i.e. keropok lekor, to sort out, as usual, I had to go into Quad-core mode to get things done before the kids' bedtime.

Later that evening, while I was folding a pile of clothes that (I s*** you not) as high as my waist, bear in mind that I'm not really that tall either, Baybe realized he left his phone in the car. So, OK-lah. He went downstairs to get it. When he got back, he was visibly upset and was talking to MIL over the phone. Apparently, his younger brother was involved in an accident. Subhanallah.

I wanted to go with him to the hospital but Syakirah and Asyraf were both already asleep. Besides, they might not allow children into the ER. I felt really bad for my MIL and wanted to keep her company. My husband's father passed away when he was 18 and he is the eldest in a family of 3 boys. Being a first born myself, I know what it's like to feel responsible for your family.

The car, Baybe updated me later, was a total lost, whatever that means. But Al-hamdulillah, his brother not only survived the crash, but was relatively unscathed, just fractures, tears and bruises. Considering the condition of the car, it could have certainly gone much, much worse.

Update: Bro-in-law has been discharged yesterday and is now resting at home.

To be continued...

Of Family Days, Baby Wearing, Car Crashes and Zombie Apocalypse (in that order) ~ Part I

2010-03-02T09:42:00.005+08:00

How was your long weekend? Did you enjoy yourselves? Did anything productive? Awesome!

I suppose that from the title of my post, you can pretty much guess how my extended weekend went. I might be have to post in two parts to fill y'all in. Or maybe I'll just condense everything into bite-sized paragraphs. It depends on my ISP's mood. Right now, it's being a bit temperamental. Hmmmph.

Episode I: Of Family Days

From 26th to to 28th was Baybe's Family Day. This year, his company is doing it in Cherating, Pahang. We didn't go last year because Baybe had to work. Hey, at least he won a lady's handbag and purse for me in last year's lucky draw! Albeit, I'm sure the person who chose it was partially blind or at least, blind to fashion, but I digress.

Anyways, we thought it would be a good idea to go with the kids and spend quality time as a nucleus family, or some term like that. But of course, Murphy never rests, even on a 3-day weekend. Note to self, even a well organized trip could turn into a disaster in the form of a bored toddler and a harassed infant in a compact Myvi, thus resulting in an exasperated Mama and distressed Ayah. Halfway to Kuantan we realized that our bag of adult toiletries (the kids' stuff was packed separately, thank God for small miracles) got left behind. Not a good start.

Arriving at 4.30 p.m, we barely had time to refresh (Hit F5! Hit F5! ~ computer joke, sorry! I couldn't resist) before Baybe had to join the inter-department volleyball match. Erm, let's not focus on the outcome. After all, it's the good sportsmanship that matters most *SNORT* The accommodation and FnB was below average. I mean, I know the hotel is only 3-star but sheesh! Thankfully, it's not coming out of my pocket or there'll be some choice of words for sure.

As a last minute thing, Syakirah and Asyraf signed up for 'Pakaian Beragam' and 'Bayi Paling Comel' competition. We didn't even bring anything fancy for the kids to wear, just normal stuff (Guess, Baby Gap, Carter's.. y'know, same 'ol same 'ol LOL) so no fair! I mean, we decided to "give face" and let the boss' kids win. 'Coz we're just nice like that *wink*wink* We didn't even win anything for this year's lucky draw. Boo!

The itinerary did not include a lot of activities for spouse and children under the age of 4, so it was not as enjoyable as it could be. Plus, we skipped the trip to the turtle sanctuary on the account of it being hot as heck and the kids weren't feeling up to it. But we did manage to get lost all the way to Kemaman and buy some keropok lekor!

Next year, I vote for Bali!

Episode II: Baby Wearing

In the midst of my BW phase, I figured it would be a good idea to borrow a Mei Tai baby carrier to Cherating to fully test its compatibility with Asyraf, and maybe if we're really lucky, Syakirah as well. Erm, we weren't so lucky with Syakirah as there were no opportunities for us to even test it with her. Thanks a lot to Lixa for making the effort of borrowing the Mei Tai from a fellow baby wearer for us *hugs*kiss* As a Plan B, I brought along my trusty Littlepods Pouch 'cause you just never know..

The only position I dared to try was the front carry. From the numerous videos we've seen on Youtube and through Lixa's careful guidance, I attempted to put Asyraf into the Mei Tai with both the froggy legs position and one leg in, one leg out position. At first, it seemed like the second position suited better since it was a better fit. Upon a few tries later on our own, Asyraf seems to prefer it with froggy legs instead. Fickle eh, anak mama ni!

Loads of testing still required. Need to practice, practice, practice. I'll need to be returning the loaner Mei Tai soon and I am still no closer to deciding if I'm going to get one of my own or a SSC instead. "Decisions! All the time, decisions!"

Note: If you can where that quote is from, I'll get you a cookie. Like for real, I'll courier it to you and all ^___^

Wearing a baby carrier seems to literally bring out my ass LOL

One thing I'll admit is that I have not been able to carr Asyraf around in any baby carrier, either a pouch or MT, while he is awake. If he's asleep, putting him in and carrying him is a cinch. He sleeps really well in them. But if he's awake, he starts to get fussy and dislikes being confined/restrained. Am I doing something wrong or is he just like my daughter and dislikes being carried around in a carrier? Eh.

To Be Continued...

"The hills are a-liveeeee...

2010-02-25T13:49:00.003+08:00

...with the sound of muu-sic"

How many times have you seen Sound of Music? If your answer is *GASP* 'never', like my husband.. how ~~old~~ young are you and where have you been?? I mean, seriously, the movie is a classic. Me and my siblings watched it dozens of times (on VHS, lagi tau) when we were younger. I insisted to my husband that our children watch it and he just didn't get my enthusiasm for it. I even sing the Do-Re-Mi song while changing Asyraf's nappy.

Me: Doe, a dee-r, a female dee-rrr (unfasten diaper)
Asyraf: Uh-oh.
Me: Ray, a drrr-op of golden sunnnnn (wipes)
Asyraf: ...
Me: Me, a name I call mys-elllf (powders)
Aysraf: ...
Me: Fa-rrr, a long long w-aay to rrr-unnn!!! (puts on new diaper)
Asyraf: Huwaaaa! (starts crying)
Me: Eh, budak ni. Apa, kurang sedap ker mama nyanyi?

I promise that that scenario did not take place anytime this past week. Or two. *wink*wink*

Maybe it's because I used to watch it when I was all young and innocent that watching this movie puts a smile on my face. Or, maybe because it is simply an entertaining and inspirational movie that makes it a good watch. Although based on a true story, like most Hollywood productions, everything is made into a nice and glossy movie with an open ending that hints of better things to come for the Von Trapp family. I won't spoil it for others who haven't read the book, or Wikipedia, on the truth. Come to think of it, it depresses me to even think that this ~~beautiful~~ harmonious family might not get the happy ending they deserve.

Oh well. Time for a dose of happy, shiny, singing people. "Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start..."

@ Tiny Tapir

2010-02-22T11:33:00.002+08:00

Was at Tiny Tapir's Ampang Park store yesterday to pick up my Littlepods Pouch which I ordered through the site. I already have one in red but it's a size 'L'. That was a mistake, but the salesgirl from where I bought it previously kept insisting that I get it since I was having difficulty to put Asyraf in the size 'M' pouch. Like, hel-lo? Do I look like I'm a size 'L'? Who wears a size 'S' then? Anorexic hobbits??

Tried putting Asyraf into my new grey colored, 'M' sized Littlepods pouch. He just kept sleeping. Go figure.

p.s: That's Ida in the green shawl. Very friendly. She even called me 10 minutes later because we dropped our parking ticket in the store. Woops!

Good idea having a kid's corner in the store so that Syakirah won't disturb her Mama shopping LOL

If all goes well, I want to get a Snugg Mei Tai or/and Snugg SSC (Soft Structured Carrier). Syakirah never liked being in a baby carrier, but fingers crossed, our little boy seems to be more amenable to the whole experience.

Snugg baby takes custom orders from a variety of lovely, lovely array of choices. I've even mentally gone ahead and planned the gorgeous patterns I would like to have for my MT or/and SSC. And they are... gorgeous!

I can't wait to try out a MT and see if Asyraf likes it. If he does, I'm popping over straight to the site to place my order. Boleh yer, Baybe? I'll take it out of this month and next month's clothes shopping quota you imposed on me hehehe...

No Boundaries vs. No Boundaries vs. No Boundaries

2010-02-20T14:02:00.001+08:00

Picture courtesy of Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Thanks to Lynn from Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel on her passionate and informative posts on Kris Allen's recent visit to Malaysia, I think I might have defected a bit from my favorite why-didn't-he-win-why-why-why???!!!!-idol, Danny Gokey. Gah, blasphemy! But y'know, Kris is kinda appealing, in a boyish make-me-feel-old-and-like-a-pedophile kind of way. Plus, his new song, Live Like We're Dying is pretty enjoyable to sing to while stuck in a traffic on Federal Highway on a normal, non-Chinese New Year weekday.

I still heart you, Gokey!

While GoogleTM-ing Kris, I found some interesting conversations on the internet on how much the American Idol 8 winner song, well to put it mildly, s**ked. People kept comparing Adam Lambert's performance of the song on the finale to Kris. Most think that Adam did a better job singing the song, but it's just a bad song and nobody in their right mind and of actual hearing will buy the single.

Thus, all this lead me to scramble over to Youtube to hear both versions to judge for myself. Lo and behold! Instead I found... this!

I think she sounds quite good, don't you? It must've been really cold in my office 'cause I got goosebumps while listening to it.

Just for kicks, take a listen to both and Adam's and Kris' version of the song, which Kara co-wrote BTW. Who do you think least s**ked?

Happy Bicentennial!

2010-02-13T14:39:00.002+08:00

Happy 200th post, y'all ^___^

Sometimes the clothes do not make the man (or woman)

2010-02-13T07:19:00.011+08:00

I wanted to upload these yesterday. Unfortunately FB is still blocked at my office and I was too tired to do it last night. Hey, better late than never, right?

Author's Note: Did you recognize the title of my post? No? It's lyrics from Freedom by George Micheal ^___^

So nice of the folks in the office to give each of us a jacket, with the company logo no less.

Posing with the proper side out

Wearing it inside-out for a different feel. Pay no attention to the erm, scenery in the back LOL

Syakirah wants to wear the jacket too
(P/S: Darn Adobe Photoshop portable for the bad quality in editing)

Children's Book Giveaway by Little Red Reading Nook

2010-02-12T10:47:00.007+08:00

I opened my Blogger dashboard this morning and saw a new post on Mom Bloggers Planet on a blogshop that sells children's book. Now, being an avid reader myself, I try to encourage my children to read. Don't get me wrong, I'm an IT freak. So is my husband. I could easily teach my little girl to play Sims3 (me - heh) or Total War (my hubby), but I figured there's plenty time of time left for that. Reading is a dying habit among the younger generation and the earlier I instill the habit in my children the better. Of course, Asyraf is just a wee bit too young to start (being only almost 3 months and all), but that didn't stop us with Syakirah before.

Little Red Reading Nook, is a blog by Hui-Wearn, dedicated to selling children's books. Now I have only been introduced to this site early this morning and haven't managed to go through the entire site yet, but I have to admit that I like what I see so far. There's a lot of blogshops out there that barely pay any attention to their layout. Now if you are anything like me, you would take one look at the overall feel of a certain blog and decide to take your business elsewhere. Let's face it, if the webmistress can't even be bothered about how others perceive their business, how can we possibly believe that they would pay any attention to the merchandise itself?

Just my luck, the website is giving away Maisy's Home & Garden Pop-up & Play Book in conjunction of the premiere of their new look. I know my little girl would love this book. I might as well enter the competition, eh?

Syakirah would love this!

If you love reading to your child or if you like to encourage your children to read, good for you! Pop on over to the site and enter the competition as well and even if you don't win, you might be able to find a precious gem of a book to get for your loved anyways. Enjoy! ^___^

Click here or on the image itself to go to the page

Hulk. Is. MAD!!!

2010-02-11T18:27:00.006+08:00

I am so friggin' pissed, it's not even funny. I will never get people who know they are in the wrong but still wants other people to agree with them. Like, hel-lo? Loser much? Oh, the sad-ass tales I can tell about this particular N (bukan nama sebenar)...

Happy 1st Annyversary, Batch 7 [^____^]

2010-02-10T11:46:00.007+08:00

Wow! Has it really been a year since I first started working here? It barely feels like it. Time flies so fast.

It seems just like yesterday since I first walked through the door to the training room. One of the first faces I saw was Andy, who I also met at my very first day of orientation back in our old office. What a co-incidence! LOL

There were 8 of us in the beginning, 2 of which I have completely forgotten their names, sorry! And now there's erm, 4 + 1 of us, one of he who shall not be named...

Here's to another year more. Maybe. LOL

Whataya want from me???

2010-02-06T09:54:00.004+08:00

Am so pissed. Listening to Adam Lambert's What Do You Want From Me on repeat while trying to fix my email that has been reviewed by N (bukan nama sebenar). He is such a freakin' d***. I have spoken to all the other reviewers and they all think that I didn't deserve a bad note for the email. Whataya want from me? Blood??!!!

He is s-oooo not invited to the PA 7th batch 1 year anniversary makan-makan next week.

Adam Lambert - What Do You Want From Me

Hey, slow it down whataya want from me
Whataya want from me
Yeah I’m afraid whataya want from me
Whataya want from me

There might have been a time
And I would give myself away
Oooh once upon a time I didn’t give a damn
But now, here we are so whataya want from me
Whataya want from me

Just don’t give up I’m workin it out
Please don’t give in, I won’t let you down
It messed me up, need a second to breathe
Just keep coming around
Hey, whataya want from me
Whataya want from me
Whataya want from me

Yeah, it’s plain to see (plain to see)
that baby you’re beautiful
And it’s nothing wrong with you
(nothing wrong with you)
It’s me, I’m a freak (yeah)
but thanks for lovin’ me
Cause you’re doing it perfectly
(it perfectly)

There might have been a time
When I would let you step away
I wouldn’t even try
But I think you could save my life

Just don’t give up I’m workin’ it out
Please don’t give in, I won’t let you down
It messed me up, need a second to breathe
Just keep comin around
Hey, whataya want from me (Whataya want from me)
Whataya want from me (Whataya want from me)

Just don’t give up on me
(uuuuuuh) I won’t let you down
No, I won’t let you down

(So I) just don’t give up
I’m workin it out
Please don’t give in, I won’t let you down
It messed me up (It messed me up)
Need a second to breathe
Just keep coming around
Hey, whataya want from me

Just don’t give up I’m workin’ it out
Please don’t give in, i won’t let you down
It messed me up, need a second to breathe
Just keep coming around
Hey, whataya want from me (whataya want from me)
whataya want from me (whataya want from me)
whataya want from me

N (bukan nama sebenar) Strikes Back

2010-02-05T09:29:00.004+08:00

After a week of refresher training, I started answering pre-sales e-mails, under review again, of course. While I was on maternity leave, it seems that our job scope has been widened. Whatever. Anyways, I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it before about this person in my workplace, *N.

*names have been changed to protect privacy ( yeah, right)

Now this guy, a real "charmer", has always been the black sheep of erm, a certain batch. We, I mean they, his batch mates, have always gone behind his back making jokes at his expense. It was partly his fault. It's not that he just didn't fit in. The truth was he didn't want to fit in. We, and by that I mean the entire office population, just gave up trying to understand him and let him be.

Alas, fate has a way of biting me on the ass. Said "charmer" is now in a position of making my life hell. Karma's a bitch, ain't it? *SIGH*

Po-oooooooootong!

2010-02-03T11:59:00.005+08:00

Signed up for P1 Wimax recently. Well, Baybe did but since we ARE married and all, I guess that makes his bandwidth my bandwidth too *LOL* We chose the standard package Home Plus (RM99). We were considering the the Office Standard package, unlimited download is just too tempting, but decided the price was too steep for us.

I'm not at home right now and Baybe has the modem anyways so I can't post the speed test for it. Take my word for it however, it's pretty decent. Here's a basic indication... a 350MB download from MegaUpload Free took a little over an hour at 50-60Kbps. Not too shabby, eh?

Besides, 20GB Fair Usage threshold is acceptable. I mostly download, erm, *coughtvseriescough*, so it shouldn't use too much of the bandwidth. At least, I can still play Mafia Wars at home now that it's been blcoked in the office - heh.

"Abang dah potong ke belum?"
"Of course!"

I love that advertisement! LMAO

The journey continues...

2010-01-28T08:50:00.015+08:00

I have yet to post anything on the birth of the new addition to our family. I've just been to busy coping with a newborn and his toddler sister, who is in the midst of her Terrible Two-s, going on to Terrible Three-s. Looking into the face of my new son reminds my of how blessed my husband and I are - twice. We could not ask for two more beautiful, intelligent, unique children than the ones we already have. Al-hamdulillah.

Looking back, I have come to realize what an incredible journey our lives have been since the birth of our eldest daughter, Amni Syakirah, almost 3 years ago. Her birth was a significant moment when we realized that we were both in this for the long run and that all the trials life has pushed at us was worth it in the end.

Since then, our life has been one snapshot of memory after another...

And now we get to do it all over again...

What more can any parent ask for? Welcome to the world, Asyraf Zakhwan... my darling.

Life Goes On in the Big Durian

2010-01-27T07:56:00.010+08:00

It's my first day back at the office. A little nervous but mostly just really lazy to go back to work. Alas! Such is my fate and that of my spouse and offspring, since the poverty line for life here in... since New York is The Big Apple, I guess that makes Kuala Lumpur - The Big Durian (?), is 3K, we cannot afford to have me quit my job.

So here I am, in the training room, supposedly for a refresher training since I've been on maternity leave for 2 months and all, looking for ways to bypass blocked proxies and play Mafia Wars. Since I've been gone, apparently our Chief Technical Officer has since completely blocked Facebook. I guess blocking Java applications wasn't enough for him. Not that I completely blame him. The kids who work here are ingenious when it comes to ways to access blocked sites and applications... including doing remote access to the computer in the training room to Torrent stuff. Pure evil LOL! Which gives yours truly an evil yet sheer genius plan to play MW from the office.I don't dare say it out loud just yet. I'll keep y'all posted in case it works *EVIL LAUGH*

As I'm typing this, my trainer is doing God-knows-what while completely ignoring me here typing away. Ahhh, if only I can play MW or stream my shows. But all is not lost. I can still view blogs, thus I am catching up on my online shopping hehe...

Oh - and I suppose I should mention that I finally got my custom CPU built for me and I am now good and ready to play most graphics-heavy game available MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I am so happy with the specs, eventhough I haven't actually formatted it and installed anything yet, but - hey! Check this out:-

AMD Phenom X4 3.2GHz ( Quadcore baby, yeah!)
ATI Radeon™ HD 4670 1GB
DDR3 2GB
500GB HDD

Yeah, the MoBo and power unit themselves are generic but decent. But yeay for Quadcore! Sims3 here I come!!!

36 Weeks Pregnant

2009-11-05T09:25:00.002+08:00

Your Pregnancy: Week 36

With a mere 28 days to go (give or take a few), you're almost at the end—and the beginning of your new life. Finish up your final prep by stocking up on diapers, washing the onesies and making sure the nursery is good to go. Then, even if baby comes early, you're still ready. Of course, every new parent feels wildly unprepared regardless of how operational the nursery is, but at least you won't be diaperless!

What You're Thinking:

"One hundred bottles of milk on the wall, one hundred bottles of milk. Take one down, pass it around, 99 bottles of milk on the wall ..."

Your Body:

Just when you think you can't possibly stand another day of your baby kicking your lungs and crowding your stomach, your baby will drop it like it's hot. This process, called lightening, will probably make it easier for you to breathe, but with your baby's head resting directly on your bladder, you'll be breathing all the way to the bathroom.

When your baby drops, you can rest assured that your pregnancy journey will be over within the next few weeks. Make sure to know the many signs and symptoms of labor so that you won't be caught with your pants down (both figuratively and literally).

Your Baby:

Your baby continues to put on weight at about ½ pound each week. This layer of fat will help your baby regulate his body temperature after leaving your climate-controlled womb. In fact, your baby will be 15 percent fat at birth (and you ... well that's another story). Even in the womb, your baby can listen, feel, touch and see. The only thing separating him from living in the outside world is a little thing called the birth canal. Other highlights this week:

His gums are firm with ridges that look somewhat like teeth, though his actual pearly whites won't start breaking through until he's between three months and a year old.

Your baby has definite patterns of sleep and wakefulness—opening his eyes while awake and closing them while sleeping. Your baby will become alert and turn his head toward light and sound just as a newborn would—except when you put on that Celine Dion CD. Then the baby puts his hands up, turns away and gurgles, "Oh no you didn't!"

Your baby is now around 18½ inches long and nearly 6 pounds—just about as big as a breadbox!

36 Weeks Pregnant

34 Weeks Pregnant

2009-10-22T13:13:00.003+08:00

Your Pregnancy: Week 34

The nursery is almost done. You've stocked up on diapers. You're ready. And you're waiting. And waiting. And hopefully, if all goes well, you'll be waiting for another six weeks. So don't drive yourself crazy, use this time to enjoy being alone, with friends and with your partner. Because soon it'll be all about baby for a couple of weeks (months, years, whatever), and you'll wish you had this downtime back.

What You're Thinking:

"It's a good thing there is a Starbucks every two blocks because that's how often I need to pee."

Your Body:

You are exhausted from hauling your bod around all day, so why can't you sleep at night? Is it because your bladder keeps crying out to be emptied every 30 minutes? Is it because you haven't been able to find a comfortable sleeping position since week 27? Is it because your mind can't stop making lists of things to do or replaying that shocking video you saw in your birthing classes? Yes, yes, and yes. It might comfort you to know you're not alone. Seventy-five percent of women in their third trimester have trouble sleeping.

Certain sleep positions will help you to be more comfortable and sleep better when you're pregnant. If lying on your back is making you dizzy or lightheaded try
sleeping on your side.

If you feel like bugs are crawling all over your legs in the middle of the night, get your partner to change the sheets. Just kidding. You might have restless leg syndrome, which commonly affects pregnant women. But it's still a good idea to have your mate do some laundry.

Your Baby:

Your baby kind of looks like she's coated in a layer of cream cheese these days. The thick, white substance that protects her skin from pruning in the amniotic fluid is called vernix. When she's born you'll probably see some vernix lingering in her "hard-to-reach" places like under her arms, behind her ears and around her va-jay-jay, if she's a she.. Other news from the womb this week:

The soft fur, lanugo, that covered your baby's body for much of her stay in the womb is now almost completely gone. Your baby begins to develop her own immune system, instead of relying solely on antibodies received through the placenta. This will come in handy when some grubby relative manhandles the baby without washing his hands first.

This week, your baby measures about 17¾ inches, as almost as long as an American Girl Doll (!) and weighs almost 5 pounds, as heavy as a bag of sugar, minus the cup you put in your decaf this morning.

31 Weeks Pregnant

2009-10-01T15:12:00.002+08:00

Your Pregnancy: Week 31

You've just entered the single-digit countdown (only nine more weeks to go!). Make a list of what you'd like to do in these final weeks: See the new Oscar-worthy movie, hear your favorite local band, have lunch with your BFF, go on a romantic date with your partner. Whatever it is, do it soon because baby is right around the corner!

What You're Thinking:

"I wonder if that pregnant woman wants to be my friend?"

Your Body:

Your mind may not be anywhere near ready for your baby to arrive but your body is already making preparations. One of the ways it's getting ready is by "practicing" for labor in the form of Braxton Hicks contractions. Luckily, these are generally painless, although somewhat annoying as they can occur frequently (the middle of the night, during an important meeting, while you're trying to focus on Access Hollywood, etc).

Braxton Hicks contractions feel like a sudden tightening of your uterus. This is just a little preview of what real contractions will feel like. They usually start to become noticeable around the eighth month and can become very strong by the end of your pregnancy.

While you can't get rid of Braxton Hicks contractions, there are some things you can do to make yourself more comfortable, like gentle exercise (such as walking) or taking a warm, relaxing bath. Calgon, take me away. ...

Your Baby:

From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week:

Due to increasing space constraints, your baby's arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that's where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she'll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

By now, your baby's lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we're not saying that the rest of your baby's systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).

31 Weeks Pregnant

Syakirah's first single bed SOB

2009-09-30T10:23:00.005+08:00

It was bound to happen. My baby is getting too big to sleep with her Ayah and Mama. We've been considering getting her a proper children's bed before the new baby comes. One that won't break our budget. Thank you, IKEA, for your timely promotion tee-hee.

Product info here

The bed frame plus guard rail (and bed base, of course) cost RM179. The mattress is sold separately. Oh, and the bed sheets too - duh, me! And the even better news is, it all fit into our compact Myvi car - hooray! I think it only took like 30 - 45 minutes for Baybe to install it? Not too bad, considering how my husband is not exactly the D-I-Y type.

Syakirah was really excited about her new bed. She loved it! The only problem is, she still wants to sleep with me. But not on our bed. She would never make it that easy for me. She wants me to come and sleep with her on her new bed. My 7-month pregnant self cramped on small bed with my 2-year toddler tucked in my arms *SIGH* It's a work in progress. It's only her second night.

This is her taking an afternoon nap, poor thing...

I still wake up in the middle of the night, slightly panicked, when I don't see her sleeping next to me. I miss cuddling her when she sleeps. I think the separation is probably harder on me than it is on her. How will I ever survive her first day of school when the time comes?

I'm trying to download Supernatu.. I mean, work here!

2009-09-26T08:58:00.004+08:00

Bandwidth Test by TraceRT.ORG:

Your current bandwidth reading is:

75.80kbps

28.8 kbps	dial-up
33.6 kbps	dial-up
53.3 kbps	dial-up
56 kbps	ISDN
75.8 kbps	YOU
128 kbps	ISDN
384 kbps	DSL
768 kbps	DSL
1000 kbps	DSL
1500 kbps	DSL/T1/Cable Modem

Isn't it bad enough that I have to work with a web-based CRM solution now? *SIGH*

Nobody panic!

2009-09-25T08:34:00.006+08:00

I've been having intense Braxton-Hicks contractions since yesterday, a couple of them last night included severe back pains. This morning, when I drove to work, I think that my baby has dropped. This happened twice when I was pregnant with my daughter, the dropping bit, I mean, at about 7 months as well. I had to see a midwife to fix the baby position since it was too early and made it quite painful for me to walk and drive.

O-kay. So no panicking just yet.

...

Erm, what now?

P/S: You'd think that after doing this the second time 'round, I'd be better at this.

30 Weeks Pregnant

2009-09-24T15:23:00.002+08:00

Your Pregnancy: Week 30

Now is about the time you'll start your childbirth classes. You might be thinking of skipping them (as in, "What I don't know can't hurt me"), but we're here to tell you that what you don't know will hurt anyway ... so you might as well go. Going to Baby University is not unlike cramming for a very important test. And since this particular test is often a "pop quiz," it pays to be prepared early.

What You're Thinking:

"Wait a minute. The size of what is going to come out something that's the size of what?! Are you kidding me?"

Your Body:

As much as you're enjoying gaining weight like a sumo wrestler and being swollen from head to toe (We jest, we jest!), there are reasons to pay close attention to both your weight gain and any swelling you're experiencing. Preeclampsia, or toxemia, is a serious, potentially fatal condition that occurs in a small percentage of pregnancies. It's extremely important that pregnant women recognize the signs and contact their health-care provider immediately if one or more of the symptoms are present.

While preeclampsia is potentially very dangerous, when properly treated it can be managed. Watch your body carefully for signs of preeclampsia, which can include extreme swelling, headaches and/or sudden weight gain. At your appointments, your doctor will keep an eye on your blood pressure, which can also be a tip-off. While it's worth it to pay close attention to your symptoms, you probably shouldn't lose sleep worrying about preeclampsia. Just focus on taking good care of yourself and your baby.

Another mortifying but significantly less serious side effect of pregnancy is the sudden budding of hemorrhoids on your tush. Don't be embarrassed. Swollen blood vessels "down there" are common during pregnancy. If they're itchy or painful, try soaking in a sitz bath or soothe yourself with witch hazel pads (you'll want to load up on those for after baby is born as well). Talk to your doc before using any medication.

Your Baby:

Big news for baby's brain this week: It's starting to wrinkle and fold and looks like something that grew in the back of your fridge. This is due to the rapid growth of your little genius's brain cells. Other highlights this week:

Fingernails and toenails are finally finished—causing his or her parents great fear and anguish the first time they try to cut those little daggers (it gets easier, we promise)! Plus, the bone marrow is completely in charge of red-blood-cell production now. Trust us, this is a good thing.

Baby is starting to shed his lanugo—the downy hair that was covering his skin. Now that he's chubbier and better able to regulate his body temp, he doesn't need to sport a fur coat 24/7.

"I spy an umbilical cord and the inside of my mom's uterus!" When your baby is awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around, checking out his rather dark, limited environs.

Your baby hasn't gained much weight or height this week, as most of his energy's been channeled to the brain. He weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of London, not the city, Britney Spears' Yorkie terrier. Of course your baby is less hairy and way cuter!

I couldn't help myself!

2009-09-23T19:44:00.001+08:00

I was supposed to only be 'window shopping', but darn these adorable baby rompers! No more clothes shopping for the new baby, I promise. For now... Mwahahahahaha!

Supernatural Season 5 Episode 1: Sympathy For The Devil

2009-09-12T17:02:00.015+08:00

Supernatural season 5 kicked off with a BANG, if I do say so myself. If I was being totally honest with myself, I would probably admit that I've been looking forward to this season premiere more that even *GASP* the premiere of Heroes itself. The first episode promises to answer some very important questions like..

.. how will Lucifer's arrival be heralded?
.. will Castiel survive his encounter with an arc angel?
.. how will Sam deal with his demon blood addiction now that Ruby is gone?
.. will Sam and Dean's relationship be altered by Sam's betrayal?
.. what does Heaven intend to do with Dean now that they (grudgingly) have him on their side?

I have suddenly realized how weird and other-worldly all of this might sound to those who have missed Season 4. Yes, it is as controversial as it sounds, but I prefer to think of it as a mere work of fiction and nothing I see on the show will shake my own personal faith. Except maybe Dean and Sam in a shower scene... together. As in together.. together.

*cough*cough*

Moving on.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I wasn't sure what I expected when Lucifer escaped from Hell, but... did I hear the sound of a car engine in all that noise? After a while, it made sense that there would be a bright light instead of black smoke coming out of the erm, tunnel thingy made of the demon Lilith's blood? Lucifer is an angel after all. A fact that we keep being reminded of a few times in the episode, actually.

Things were looking pretty bad for the boys actually. It certainly didn't look like they were going to make it out of there alive without any divine intervention.

*silence*

Ehem! I said, it certainly didn't look like they were going to make it out of there alive without any divine intervention.

Beat. Thank you.

Cut scene and the boys were suddenly on an flight that was showing a cartoon featuring the Devil himself. Co-incidence or who ever that put them there had a wicked sense of humor?

*cue Twilight Zone theme song*

How did the boys end up on that flight? It looked like economy class seating, but still! Who saved them? Was it Castiel? How did Castiel escaped his own inevitable doom from the arc angel who was protecting TheProphet!Chuck? It looked like the plane was going to crash but the next thing we know, Dean and Sam were safely behind the wheels of the Impala. Huh?

*end Twilight Zone theme song*

They drive over to Chuck's only to find out that Castiel didn't survive his encounter and that his molar tooth was stuck in Chuck's hair. Gross! The smug Zachariah, Castiel's former supervisor, shows up with two angel henchmen. Dean uses his noodle (and blood) and sends the angels away.

True to form, the boys hide out in a sleazy motel. Sam tries to apologize but Dean brushes him off. Same 'ol, same 'ol.

This scene caused me to burst out laughing. We can see a girl intently sitting in front of computer, writing.. fan fiction? And not just any fan fiction.. a slash fiction! Oh, and a clavicle is collar bone is classified as a flat bone that makes up part of the shoulder girdle, in case you were wondering. Why on earth is Sam caressing Dean's clavicle, woman, when he can be caressing elsewhere?! Moving on.

Now we see the girl, Becky, receiving an incoming call from Chuck. Apparently, she is his biggest fan. Chuck asks says he is being watched and asks her to deliver a message to Dean and Sam. It didn't take her much to believe that the boys were non-fictional characters, did it?

Becky shows up at the motel to deliver the message. The entire scene is priceless! Now, if I had just discovered that my favorite fictional characters were real and get to meet them live, I wonder if I would sound as crazy as her?

Sam: *awkward* Becky, can you quit touching me?
Becky: *eyes closed and continues to touch* No.
Dean: *is pissed*

Bobby shows up and we find out that Chuck's message meant that the sword of Michael was somewhere here on earth and it was up to them to find and use it to kill Lucifer. Easy peasy.

Bobby says some things to Sam that was seriously out of character. Sam leaves to do some research elsewhere. Is nobody else's mental alarm ringing by now?

Dean figures out the location of the sword of Michel. All in one episode? Mental alarms ringing louder.

Oh, Bobby is possessed. Figures. Meg is back. Figures too. Why can't Sam have normal, non demon ex-girlfriends anyway?

Some demon ass kicking and side trip to the ER later, the boys are at the location where the sword of Michael is supposedly located. The boys found a couple of dead demons on the floor. They also found ThatSmugBastard!Zachariah waiting for them. The angels had sent Chuck a false vision in order to lure Dean and Sam there.

Question: Why?
Answer: Because the boys have the sword.
Question: They do?
Answer: Yup. Apparently, Dean is the sword of Michael.
Question: Huh?
Answer: I know *rolleyes*

It turns out that Dean is the future vessel for the arc angel, Michael himself. Can't say I blame anybody for trying to literally get under Dean's skin, but I digress. Since angels are such known bureaucrats and have more red tapes that most government agencies I have ever seen, it seems that they need the vessel's consent before being able to co-habituate. Predictably, Deans says no. Also predictably, ThatSmugBastard!Zachariah thinks he can bully Dean freakin' Winchester into anything. Bah!

Castiel shows up *wa-hey!*, inclusive of lost molar tooth and all, and saves the day. We find out that Lucifer is circling his chosen vessel, Nick, whose wife and infant son was murdered by someone breaking into their home.

I can understand why the title of the episode is named as such. We not only feel sympathy for Nick and his loss, we also feel a bit sorry for the Devil himself.

Stop right there. I don't mean that the Devil is just misunderstood. I am sure that he is plenty badass in his own way. But I like how Lucifer's character was written for this show. After all, the Devil does not need to lie, as he points it out himself. He truly believes in what he is doing, and by that I also mean that he truly believes that all human should be dead.

Nick eventually gives his consent. We can only shiver in anticipation at what this would mean.

Back at the hospital, Bobby finds out that he will never walk again. ThatSmugBastard!Zachariah keeping his word to Dean? In the parking lot later, Sam asks Dean if there is something that Dean would like to say to him.

Dean admits that he is having a hard time to "forgive and forget" Sam's betrayal, that Sam chose a demon over his own brother. Sam finds out that there is nothing he can do to make things right and can only hope that one day, maybe, Dean will learn to trust him again.

Overall? Definitely 4.5 out 5. Just for that weird Twilight Zone moment. It felt a bit rushed and surreal.