Friday, September 26, 2008

Well wishes

Selamat Hari Raya to all my friends. Hope you have a good Eid!

Holiday time...

I will be a part of the "balik kampung" exodus this weekend. We still have not decided what day we should leave for Bukit Mertajam. I wonder what the journey will be like this year! Last year if I rememember correctly we took only an extra hour to reach our destination and it was the same coming back. Hopefully we will have equally good luck this year. (Normally we take 3 hours)

The thing about leaving for this exodus that we dread every year is leaving the house. It is a known fact that "perompak" are more active during the festive season. It is always worrying to leave your house alone. But then again, they can attack anytime if they want right. At a moment where times are bad and the going is tough, people get more desperate. If you read the crime stories, it all boils down to that ... a slower economy and desperation.

Just the other day, in broad daylight at the Petronas station, a car was hijacked. The owner was left screaming at the station. And a few nights ago, while my friend was out at her in-laws place for buka puasa, her house was broken into and all her personals stolen. What a way to be violated. A few months ago, a BFF of mine had her car stolen. The thiefs drove it out of her driveway, and they closed the gate after too. Nice of them eh? My sis-in-laws dad runs a petrol station and he has had two robberies in a month. My cousin has had her handphone snatched from her ears (she was talking on the phone and walking when a guy on a bike snatched it) and her notebook taken from her car. A few Hari Raya's ago, my other sis-in-law came back from BM and found her house broken into. Every valuable was gone. But they left the television I think. Ah well, the list can go on as I am sure you know. Oh ya! And just yesterday a friend from Berita Harian had an escapade with a snatch theif.

Tawakal saje lah kan. That's what everyone will say. In the meantime we can only do our best to make sure its secure. Inform the police, rig the alarm systems up. Hire a guard. Get a caretaker.

How else can you prevent theft? It is part of any society. You have cases like this everywhere. Is there something that can be done to prevent stealing, robbery and theft? If there is, who should be given this wonderful task. Why do cars get stolen? The thief wants money. Why do handbags get snatched? They want money. Why do houses get robbed? They want money.

Which means thiefs don't have enough money correct and they obviously don't have jobs because they resort to theft. This is something the Government or whoever should be responsible for the people's welfare to look into seriously. I hope it will not be a "Kita akan kaji" scenario but some concrete efforts taken. When there is theft, there is a problem. What and where is the root of the problem is what needs to be studied indepth and with a fine tooth comb. I hope others see it that way too.

Then again, since even the "tong gas" price has increased by RM2, what choice does a desperate person have correct?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Once Upon A Time

Once Upon A Time, not too long ago ...


Hahahaha ... sounds so corny!


I used to have a friend, I say used to with some regret, some regret only. I am not one for throwing away my friends. I like to keep all my friends, and the ones I maybe don't get along with too well, I keep anyway cause I believe friends are too treasure. You might not be as close with them as you are with the other, but still, a friend is a friend.


But there is this one friend that I don't want. Did not want for some time now already but certain recent actions has confirmed that I am so glad she is not my friend anymore. How this situation came about is very sad and it shows perfectly how power and money can change a person.


I will not name this person as I am sure many of my friends will know who she is. I feel like talking/writing about her now because she is hurting a very good friend of mine now, perhaps at this very moment that I am sitting here writing.


I knew this friend when I was working at the NST. We became very close then, like "isi and kuku" my editors used to say. So much so that we used to ask for assignments at different times so we could accompany each other. She used to help me with many things, especially if they were politically related and me her with other things too. She didn't have a car and I used to drive her around. Even as far as Shah Alam from our office in Bangsar to see her mom. Basically, I would have done anything for her as one would expect of friends rite.

There was even a time when she was going through a bad spell with a guy and was on the brink of committing suicide. I remember some of us going out in the middle of the night to take her off the roadside and stayed up with her all night making sure she didn't do anything stupid like pop sleeping pills aor cut her wrist. Oh my! If she could only remember that incident. Those same friends who helped her then are the ones she has hurt ir is hurting most now. Why is it that you can easily forget something so significant and memorable in your life.

My relationship with her started taking a bad turn just as I was about to leave NST. I joined Tourism Malaysia after NST and it was during my tenure there that she really hit me. Till this day I am asking myself why? In the end it all boiled down to money.

As I was not expecting to have a job so soon after leaving NST, I was given the opportunity by the Backbenchers Club to produce a newsletter for them. It was a very exciting project for me and I brought it this good friend of mine to help me along the way and advise me so to speak. Little did I know that she had her own designs and she managed to stab me from the back with this little project. She approached them through the other door offering her services instead. The thing is I didn't know about it and went on my way still asking her for advice while production went on. All of a sudden she just stopped talking to me and refused to take my calls etc. It was a few months later that I found out about her "plans" and of course I was shocked!

After almost a year later, she called me one afternoon and started apologising and crying and what not. I remember what she said till this day. She was sorry she was not a better friend to me and she was sorry she did not show enough appreciation after all we had been through together. Well, of course I accepted her apology and thought all was hunky dory. HAH!

She then started a new job with a Minister and of course being her friend was happy for her. But for my friend, it was more power and more money, and of course the position. She has changed tremendously and she has no qualms about stepping on people's and her friends toes, and fingers as well, while getting to the top. In her quest for power, she has deliberately and undeliberately hurt all her friends. She has become the talk among all of us, even people she recently met. She is a bad hat that everyone doesn't want in their books.

I had "meetings" with her about 2 years back as we happened to be involved in the same project, somewhat, together. This was when I saw her true colours and it has hurt me deeply. She saw me and walked right past me. She sat a few seats next to me and pretended she didn't see me. She saw all our other mutual friends talking to me and she ignored me. I will remember all this for a long time, my friend. I am not the vindictive type and probably as you were doing this I forgave you for your arrogance and stupidity but my dear, I cannot forget.

She has reached the pinacle of her career now and I know she is loving every minute of this new job, position and its opportunities. I wonder how she got there as those people who hired her must be really stupid and blind to all the stories of her corruption and mishandling. In this new office of hers there is a good friend of mine who she is making sure is out of the way. She is doing anything and everything in her power to see she is shown the back door. Ahhhhhh, little does she remember that this friend is the one who saved her from slashing her wrists a few years back. Should she have left you in the streets to bleed to death you think looking at how you are treating her now.

It makes me really sad to tell you this story. Not because I want to share her ugly side but only because this is about friendship. Obviously this woman doesn't know the meaning of the word and I doubt she ever will which makes me sadder. She has had some good friends in her lifetime but she threw them all away because it was not what she needed anymore. Get what I mean?

I don't think she reads this blog but I wish for her someday to realise how many people she has hurt in her lifetime. There was this very good lady friend which he had during our reporting days, the days we used to wait for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after his post-Cabinet meetings. She had hurt this lady too, very badly after joining that certain Minister. That good lady passed away last year of cancer. I wonder if she knows that. The last time I met that good lady, she told me about what this woman did to her and another mutual friend. She had tears in her eyes when she told me that story. May Allah bless her soul.

I have tears in my eyes thinking about her and how much she is hurting this good friend of mine now. If you only knew that what you have now is so temporary. Is it really worth it for you to hurt all these people and friends along the way. I closed my door to you a long time ago. And it will honestly take a miracle of God for me to open that door to you.

I wish you all the best in life.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Confinement Days

They say taking care of a miscarriage is harder than taking care of a delivery. Hmmmm ... I have been in confinement so to speak since last Wednesday, well Friday lah since I went for the suction and evacuation treatment. I have been resting in bed as best I can, not going up and down the stairs and basically limiting my movements.

Bob has been ferrying the kids to and from school and today I sent him out to buy bread and Ali's milk. He came back with four tins. Bravo!! Or plain lazy to go again next week!?! Men!!! Anyways .... when he came back I asked him if he thought two weeks was sufficient for me to be off my feet, which would make it after Hari Raya.

He shocked me and said try to do the whole works lah, 40 days. I almost screamed. 40 days! Are you nuts? I am going out of my mind already and it has only been 4 days and you want me to do this for 36 days more? Oh well ....

He said he wasn't too sure either but shouldn't it be since a miscarriage is the same as giving birth so I should take all the same steps on my road to recovery.Yes, totally agree. But 40 days is a way bit too long for me. He told me to clarify with "orang tua-tua lah" which is his mom so I called her and she laughed!

She said: "Tak yah lah kurung kat rumah!" Phew!! That is all I wanted to hear anyways. I can go out and do the usual stuff but just be careful. The "pantang" is more for the food intake. To stay away from the cold and windy food. The normal "pantang" lah.

That is no problem, I can do that. But I will stay off my feet at least until Friday so it would be a week exactly. I also will not start driving so soon. Perhaps after we get back from the Hari Raya holidays it would be okay to get behind the wheel again.

My favourite "urut lady" is also coming sometime this week. Of course to get back into shape, urut is part if it rite! He he he he ....

Aw shucks! That means I have to start going down for meals ah? Kinda liked that Queen treatment! Today last lah I eat upstairs ok ah?

Monday, September 22, 2008

HAPPENING!!!

I had the most happening buka puasa with my girlfriends last Saturday. We almost cancelled the event because of my miscarriage but I told my husband, no, I want to still have it cause I need the cheering up. And cheered me up it did!

It was an event that we had been planning for almost 2 weeks, from the extensive menu to the most minute detail of which fireworks to play. When the day finally came there was definite excitement in the air.

I made sure I had enough bed rest that day, and stayed off my feet the whole day so that night I could go downstairs and be with my girl friends. All arrived promptly for break fast with husbands and kids in tow. Except for Nik Sheireen and Jami whose husbands were away and had other prior engagements.

It felt like Hari Raya already. We had fireworks and way too much food! The kids had so much fun and the best part if it all? Was seeing our husbands all get along!!

There we have it (From left back row) Zurni, Nik Sheireen, Jami, Adeen, Suzana, Shake. (Seated from left) Oleen, Nikki and Sherie. Nat and I are missing!
We even had a packing left over session for sahur! Here is (From left) Adeen, Oleen, Jami and Shake. Aida is chopped off far left!


Nikki attempted to make our favourite dessert, Sundaelicious, and Sue was trying it out. It turned out fantastic and was a hit!



That's us but 2 of us are missing. They went for a smoke!

This is Natasha and her youngest Sophia, macam dalam jail!


Zurni is always the quiet one. She just sits and listens to our rants and raves. Nikki is seen with the video camera here

Thursday, September 18, 2008

For Today ...

It's that body .. although it lookes pumped up. Some people can have sleepless nights ok!


And those eyes .... ahhhhh ... those eyes!


A Night to Remember!

I have been a patient of SJMC since I came back from the States in 1995. I found a gynae I liked and also a paedi for the kids which we are all comfortable with.

Last night when I started having minor contractions due to leftover tissue from the miscarriage, we figured better get to the hospital quick before the pain got unbearable as in another experience.

When I we got to the Emergency Room they wheeled me in on the wheelchair to the bed. Nurse did the routine temperature and blood pressure check and asked me what's wrong and so forth. I was waiting for the Dr to attend to me (he was giving this guy next to me 3 stitches cause he fell down three steps!) and in pain while blood was oozing out. I was getting uncomfortable so I told the nurse I want to get cleaned up. She just said the toilet is there. When I got to toilet, everything left over (including the "uri") came out into the toilet bowl.

I came out and told them what happened, they didn't even feel bad that it happened in the toilet where I was on my own. I was in pain shouldn't the nurses in the first place tell me they will clean me up and attend to me. No, I had to do it myself!

So when the Dr came to me at last, I told him what happened. Told him the pain is gone I want to go home now. I was upset that they didn't even bother! The best part of this story is when it was time to go home and Bob had paid the bill, he just came to get me and we walked out of the ER without a single person seeing to us. I also didn't get that wheelchair privilege again. Bob walked me to the car himself!

Oh ya ... Bob paid RM140 for me to lie in the bed and cry by myself and go to toilet! Ok lah give some face that we paid for services in case anything happened I was in the hospital rite! ( you buying this line cause I ain't)

I went to see my gynae at SJMC just now and I complained to her. She was shocked too. The thing is it was not crowded there last night and the other two patients only required stitching cause of cuts. Like going to Government hospital kan. One would expect more from them. But there have been complaints about the "coldness" and "aloofness" of SJMC staff and their service.

Anyway, am going there again tomorrow. And please forgive any "unsettling" details of this story.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Baby Blues

I have been deep in thought these past few days thinking and reflecting on things. Not life per say but just things. I have been thinking about trust and how we rely so much on certain expertise!

I found out I was 5 weeks pregnant about 3 weeks back and last week I was spotting a little which is always worrying for any pregnancy. I went to my regular GP at the nearby clinic for a quick check and he said nothing to worry about. The baby is okay but for me to take it easy and try to rest a lot. Ya, with 3 kids and one of them who is 14 months and just found legs, sitting in bed is a real luxury!

So I didn't give it much thought and tried best to rest. Then few days later the spotting persisted into slight blood spots so I thought maybe should go and visit the gynae which I did last Saturday. The wait was endless which is why I put off going there until really necessary. When I finally got to see her and explained the many situations, she did a scan and said hey! the baby is about 5 weeks and there is no heartbeat. HUH? oh .. ok ... what now? To confirm we used this machine called the Dopplar where it scans for the baby's heartbeat as well as identify if its living organisms.

Dr gynae explained why the clump of blood in the sac/womb is not living with the Dopplar scanner and showed the difference in other parts of my womb where there was blood flow. She advised to wash it out as the "baby" was not alive so to speak.

Of course I was crushed. Who wouldn't be rite? It was also four hours later and I was tired of sitting around doing nothing. So went home, cried my eyes out. But I listened to my very supportive friends who asked me to get a second opinion.

I called my BFF's bro-in-law Mr gynae and he said huh? wash out? at 5 weeks? no come back to see me in a week or anything? I said no ... he said strange. And advised me to hang on and come see him to check again in 2 weeks. Which is what I am doing now. Waiting for 2 weeks which will be end of next week.

Why I am telling this story is because Dr gynae has been my Dr for 9 years. She has delivered 3 of my children already and taken care of my most important part of the body etc etc etc. I am not questioning her judgement but shouldn't she have given at least some window of doubt that the heartbeat may just be late? I read on the net that a baby's heartbeat come anywhere between 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Which means maybe the hearbeat is just late? It would have been more comforting if she had said let's wait awhile or something just to be sure.

My first pregnancy happened this way too. I went for a check and the Dr couldn't find a heartbeat. She made me come back in a week before doing anything. True enough, the baby was no longer alive but she gave the window. Know what I mean?

I trust my Dr gynae, obviously! So I am a bit crushed actually that she was so quick to want to clean up so quickly, know what I mean? Many of my girlfriends also said this is part of the reason why they prefer male Drs as they are not so emotional. Hmmm ... perhaps.

Who knows what will happen when I visit Mr gynae next week but at least we have had that 2 week window before making a hasty decision.

Monday, September 15, 2008

New Pictures!

I found some new pictures on the net this morning. I need something to cheer me up this week, so cut some slack ok Ebi!

He is deep in thought ... feeling for me perhaps???
Hahahahaha......

Good Morning Malaysia

This week is supposed to be quite an eventful one, politically, it seems. Many of my journalist friends are waiting anxiously for an exciting week. Well, am sure even the citizens of Malaysia are wondering if Sept 16 as promised will happen. Yup, it would be fun to watch. I have already made plans for Sept 16 and it does not include any political moves. Ebi is taking leave (rite?) and I have friends coming over for buka that day. Sounds exciting huh!

Some interesting facts were found out over the weekend. One of them involves me personally and was a bit shocking. But the confirmation will only be determined two weeks from now. Till then I must wait patiently. And agonise over it. Waiting is the worst game ever to play you know. It can wreck you on the meantime. I will try to play it cool. God help me. I need a miracle dear God. Please help me.

******************************************************

I have some new recipes to put up this week. This one is the most simplest of them all and loved by many, adults and kids. Masak kicap! I have tried this dish many times but it can never end up like the ones they sell at the nasi campur stalls. Must be the kicap I use that defers from them. So I will have to go through a whole lot of kicap bottles and brands before I find the right one I guess.

This recipe is from my friend Zurni:

Ingredients (for all lauk as in fish, chicken or egg):

Bawang besar Kuning - half biji dihiris
Cili merah - 1 biji (tanpa biji kalau anak tak nak pedas) dihiris serong
Halia (for Ayam/Daging) - 1 ibu jari dihiris
Tomato Sauce Maggi - 1tsp
Kicap Lemak Manis Cap Kipas Udang - for Ayam, Daging & Ikan ATAU Kicap Masin Tamin - for Telur

To cook :- (Eg. Ayam/Daging Masak Kicap)

Tumis semua rencah sampai keluar bau
Masukkan ayam(fresh, tak goreng)/daging dan gaul sehingga sebati
Masukkan kicap lemak manis about 10x tonggang (kalau tutup ditebuk) dan gaul
Masukkan sedikit Tomato sauce Maggi dan gaul
Masukkan sedikit air (quarter of a mug) dan gaul
Tutup kuali dan biarkan 10-15 mins
Buka penutup kuali dan balikkan ayam/kacau kuah dan tutup semula dan biarkan selama 10- 15mins lagi

NB - Kalau masak telur/ikan kicap, goreng ikan dulu yang telah digaul dengan sedikit garam/telur mata kerbau sebanyak mana yang nak, dan letakkan ke dalam mangkuk. Setelah selesai masak kuah kicapnya, taburkan ke atas ikan/telur tadi dan hidangkan.

This week I will also attempt to make cookies. I made about three batches last week and used my regular butter, Buttercup. But for some reason they turned out really salty which is kinda funny cause I never had that problem before using that brand of butter. Oh well....

Have a good week y'all!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

What to do ...

Today is a rather slow day. It started out slow and it is still slow. Slow days are not a bad thing but when you are fasting it can be a bit trying. My two girls have been at home for the past 4 days dur to the UPSR exam break. That has also been very trying. They have exams next week and I have been bugging them to study but you know lah when you are eight and seven how important can exams be rite! Today I feel like ranting only because there are so many things to think about. But a good friend of me told me this morning that issues are as small or as big as you make them to be. True? Yup, I think it is. Because if you let something get to you than yes, it would seem like a really big deal and if you don't, well you don't right! I am not sure what that meant. Anyways, I don't think I will make much sense today so ....

Which Pasar Ramadhan shall I go to shortly?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

BB WALK...

I went to Bukit Bintang last night. We had dinner at a place a friend recommended on Jalan Alor. (Don't ask ok!) The food was so-so. Nothing to rave about lah so nevermind that!

After dinner took a stroll up Bukit Bintang. Haven't been there in a very long time. I remember that place was at one time my favourite haunt. Loved Metrojaya and the little shops in BB Plaza and Sg Wang Plaza too.

Walking up the street was a shock already. There were a lot of foreigners. A lot! Or is it many...hmmm...The shops along the street were out of Phuket/Petaling Street style. All selling souvenir items at really cheap prices and tonnes of imitation leather goods. The biggest shock and let down for me was BB Plaza itself. It was a mess. They had all these stalls outside selling stuff for Hari Raya. I mean that is fine, it's like a bazaar. But the place was a messy and it looked dingy and run down. The shops there are also not what it used to be. It all looked like they were selling second hand goods and I don't remember it being that way before.

I wanted to take a walk to McDonalds at the corner just to relive some memories. Used to have dates there with a certain somebody from St. John's but you know what? I felt a bit scared walking the streets with my two girls. There were just so many foreigners around. It was not very late, about 9.30pm but I just didn't feel comfortable. So I steered them home.

Imagine I go out at night after so long and get a shock like that. Should have taken some pictures for you but was too shocked I guess. Perhaps next time, NOT!

Chicken Rice

This is an all time favourite dish of many of us. Am I correct? I for one am a great lover of chicken rice. There are several places that serve good chikcen rice. I know the Bukit Bintang stall is a favourite of many of us. There is also a shop near Atria in Damansara Jaya. That shop has been there for donkeys years and the rice is still yummy.

They say the artiste Linda Onn has a chicken rice stall somewhere near Ampang and it's pretty good but I have never tried it myself. The chicken rice at Lake Club is pretty good too. I remember Shangri-La's coffee house serves pretty good chicken rice too.

Where else eh??? Oh ya...I remember when I was studying in the USA, a friend's parents came to visit. Vincent Ang. And his mom made us chicken rice. It was delicious, wanna know why??? She chops all the fat from the chikcen in little dices, fries it and cooks it with the rice. Talk about healthy but it was yummylicious! Never attempted to try it again.

Since I love chicken rice so much, I learnt to cook it when I was studying in the USA. Only because you can't find it there and you want to eat it right! Over the years I have perfected the recipe, or at least I hope so.

Here it is:

CHICKEN RICE


boil chicken to get stock in water
water must be enough to use to cook the rice
in the water put in pounded garlic, shallots and ginger
add salt

once chicken boiled, take out
marinade chicken in oyster sauce which has been diluted with the soup
cook rice with the soup
add salt, for yellow colour, add kunyit

in soup add vegies u want
when ready to eat fry the chicken or cook in oven
use the oyster sauce to drizzle over the chicken when ready to serve
add sesame oil first in oyster sauce before serving if desired

for the chili, blend chili merah/masak
once blended, put on stove, add vinegar or limau nipis juice, sugar and salt to taste
if too thick, dilute chili with the soup
also add sesame oil if desired

of course you have the option of not frying the chicken and steaming it....


I forgot! The chicken rice fast food shops are not bad too if you want a quick and filling meal. Although they use MSG which makes you feel "pening" after. We should go on a quest for the best chicken rice dish!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Ikan Masak 3 Rasa

This is a favourite dish of many people I know and my friend Oleen shared her recipe with us:

ikan kerapu or bawal goreng with tepung

For the gravy:
bawang besar hiris
cili api, hijau and merah hiris halus (pakai chopper lagi senang)
oyster sauce
kicap pekat
kicap lemak manis
sos tomato
and the most important ingredient is daun ketumbar banyak-banyak
gula secukup rasa
taburkan ke atas ikan yang telah digoreng


Sekian.....
Selamat Berbuka!

Milo Ais

Remember the Milo van that never fails to turn up at our sports days? Well, that are more or less extinct aren't they. Miss that milo van. No one could make Milo like they did. The ones at the mamak stalls are good too but not quite the same.
When I was at the Malaysia Intertanational Halal Showcase over the past few years, the Nestle stall served Milo. Yup, that exact same Milo. So of course my friend and colleague, Zalina and I, never stopped going to that stall.

This is a recipe for Milo ais from my FB buddy Shaik Rizal:

serbuk milo 3 sudu besar
susu pekat satu sudu besar
quarter mug air panas

kacau hingga sebati and campur air sejuk and then crush ais
All this talk of food so early in the morning already. Not good at all. Not good at all....

Bubur Lambuk Extraordinaire...

Yesterday my good friend Adeen sent me some bubur lambuk. It was delicious. The kids especially loved it. Except for Nadiah. She said it was too spicy but she generally doesn't like pedas pedas stuff. Ali loved it too.

Here is the recipe courtesy of Adeen. Don't know if I will ever get around to doing it. Or can't I just ask Adeen to make some? :))

Bubur Lambuk

beras
air daging
the 4 spices (kulit kayu manis, buah pelaga, bunga cengkih and bunga lawang)
shallots (blended)
a little bit ginger
all the above mix & boil till become congee

next step

add dried shrimps ( blended)
add daging which has been boiled till tender
add santan (if 1 cup rice use 2 packets santan)
add salt & pepper.

last sekali add prawns (peeled)

Garnish with bawang gorengdaun sup/daun bawang


Monday, September 8, 2008

For my fellow Malaysians

Today 16th September 2008
Hari Malaysia

Let us agree that …
There are thirteen states, and only one Malaysia
There are many parties, but we are one nation
While we may differ, we are not enemies
We can be critical, but not offensive
We shall seek and embrace truth, and reject deceit
We shall not take sides based on partisan views
Because wrong is wrong and right is right, no matter who does it

Let us all oppose corruption, racism and bigotry
Unite for one future, free from sleaze, discrimination and poverty;
Multiplicity is God’s creation; let us replace race with Unity
Let us see Unity in diversity, and learn to love all, because
When we dislike the other, we dislike part of God’s design,

We are One
We may greet each other in different ways,
what we are all trying to say is:
I am pleased to meet you, my brother, my sister Malaysians

For there areMany lamps,
One LightMany hearts,
One SpiritMany prayers,
One GodMany Colors,
One Race.

Have a meaningful Hari Malaysia

****************************************

This was sent to me and the friend asked for a favour for it to be spread around. At this time when we are somewhat facing racial issues it may be timely. However, I know many may not agree with this one voice and one unity concept. In the end we all have to look inside ourselves and ask what we all want from our beloved Malaysia.

As a Malay there are many questions that I have unanswered and even my leaders are not the ones to answer them for me because I don't think they are capable of actually being radical and seeing out of their little velvet boxes.

Our forefathers had formed our constitution and the rights of Malaysians in such a way that there are many loopholes but none of the leaders who took from their reign after had seen the weaknesses of it. Or did they?

What we need now is for someone to "see", "hear" and "feel" out of this box. They need to see how it went wrong and what it takes to make things right. We are all Malaysians they say, yes that is true. But say what you want we all want to have an origin and a place to run to which we call home in times of trouble. Is this place Malaysia for you? Do you truly believe that you have the rights to your country and its belongings?

I have always lived here in KL and was raised in a multi-racial society, in a multi-racial school and I have multi-racial friends but now I think of the future for my children. Because where they are now is not what it used to be when I was their age. There are discrepancies and there is racism. I was never subjected to these elements growing up but now that I am older there are certain elements that I see and hear.

Things that I do not wish for my children to grow up to or with. We are Malays, the supposed orang asli of this land we call Malaysia. But what right do we have of it? There are many sensitivities to this issue that maybe I should not voice out here but if you were to sit and analyse maybe you will understand. Look at out economy, look at our society. What is truly the Malays?

I will give you one very simple example. Malaysia is an Islamic country. When a Muslim wants to open a restaurant they have to make sure they get halal certs and what not, if not cannot operate. What about the Chinese stalls that sell pork ball noodles. How come they don't have to get certs to open a restaurant. Shouldn't the Government make it harder for a non-Muslim to operate a restaurant instead of a Muslim to operate?

A thought for you to ponder on this lovely Monday morning.....

Friday, September 5, 2008

Waiting....

I want this for buka today......


But this also looks good....


Choices, choices.....!

It's Been Awhile

Ebi, I know you thought I have stopped doing this but actually it it just so that you would think I have forgotten. HAH!
Check out those abs!!!

Pak Samad -- AL Fatihah

We lost a great veteran journalists last night, Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail. He was a great journalist. I personally never worked with him but when I was at the NST, he was still in and out of the office. I remember reading most of his work and of course hearing horror stories of him. He was very garang they say. I used to tiptoe past his office even if I was not there to see him. Stories of him and how he would yell at reporters was well passed around the news room.

Kak Aina, his daughter and also my "boss" at one time or another was a good friend of mine when I was at the NST. She used to give me a lot of good advice about work, life, family and marriage. God Bless you Pak Samad and to the family and Kak Aina, please be strong.

AL Fatihah...

Oh Yes ... This One Too!!

My good friend went to London recently and you know what I told her to eat for me? The soft serve ice cream they sell at the sidewalks. The one where you can put a flake in it. It was cold but she had it for me anyway. She said it was delicious. Sigh......


This is mengidam big time rite! The closest I can find here to it is at Ikea. McDonald's soft serve is ok when desperate but a poor comparison. I remember the one in London is soft and creamy and oh so milky....

I Suddenly Remembered

Just before Ramadhan me and my BFF's went to have Dim Sum at a new haunt that we found, China Treasures at Sime Darby Convention Centre. We go there quite regularly lah and we have our favourite dishes already. Recently they started offering buffet at RM35++ I think. But the food is good. Their dishes are a bit limited compared to Mei San at Quality Hotel but the quality is a top notch higher.

Our favourite there is the egg tarts, they serve it hot cause they cook to order. The egg is really soft and the pastry just melts in your mouth. Seriously, if you are an egg tart fan, this is a must there.

Nazlin all smiles after the meal. We were so hungry I forgot to take pictures of all the food lah!

Another dish I like is the egg's nest shrimp stuff. It looks like kuih karas. It is all crunchy on the outside and so soft inside. The chicken feet is another favourite of mine. Fara and Nazlin don't like chicken feet but I got Fara hooked on them too. It ain't that bad. It is sweet and soft and the "lemak" is yummy. The fried carrot cake with special sauce is really good too. The yam cake is also delicious. As I said the best thing about this place is all is served hot.

Service tends to be a bit slow because of the hot food delivery but its worth it. I haven't tried their other dishes other than the dim sum but from what I reckon, they are doing pretty well.

Dessert is nit bad either. My personal favourite is the pamelo with mango sauce. The mango sauce is hot and creamy and you get bits of biji selasih and sweet/bitter pamelo in it. Nazlin likes the dragon fruit with ice cream. This is really a fantastic creation. They mix the dragon fruit with bubur hitam and put a dollop of vanilla on top. Fara ordered this pudding dessert and it was horrible. Actually when the waitress was taking our order she was on the phone with a supplier I think so she simply pointed at the menu. Her dessert really sucked that day....

Nazlin tried it and tried hard not to spit it out! She said it tasted worst than ubat!!

So early on a Ramadhan morning and I am thinking of Dim Sum already. Oh well ... I can just imagine the tastes!!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

What's cooking??

Today looks like a good day so far. It does look like it is going to rain but I feel much better today than I have over the past few days. Since Sunday I have been suffering from a migraine and am not allowed to take panadol or other medicative help. Finally, my one and only "urut lady" came and she took with her all the pain. I feel much better today. Thanks Ida!

This fasting month has been very kind to us considering as to how it has been raining almost everyday. The worst is to be fasting and its blistering hot. But I did hear that the temperature in Mekkah is as high as 46 degrees. God help our pilgrims performing the umrah. We are very blessed, each one of us, in many ways. It is just sometimes we forget and take things for granted.

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A thought to ponder...

My friend, Sherie, sent me an e-mail earlier about this lady in China and how she lived with a broken pot which was used to fill water in everyday. After years of living with the broken pot, the pot finally spoke up and apologised for being useless to her. She said no such thing and explained how much the pot had actually contributed in its own little way. Let the lesson be to us that appearances alone do not matter and no matter how small a role it is, we all have a role to play in life. Of course there was another morale to the story but I can't remember what it is now. I only remember that part of it which I think is quite relevant too!

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I have not visited any of the Ramadhan Bazaar's yet due to my not being well. I wonder what the spread is like this year. One of my favourites is the one in Subang Jaya and the one in Kelana Jaya. The one in Subang Jaya has this stall that sells the best Laksa Johor in KL that I have found so far lah. Last year I think it was selling at RM4. I wonder how much this year and I hope its still there. My other favourite dish is the char kuey to dip with bubur gandum. Yummy!

Of course we must not forget the popiah basah at Seksyen 14. GGG's have been raving on about it because some of them only now got to try it. It has been there for years babes! In fact it used to be stall in Lucky Gardens a long time ago when I was like 5 or 6 years old. Now they are at the Seksyen 14 pasar every year. The thing is, the queue is endless! Even as early as 2pm!

Since I feel a bit better today, maybe I will make my way there. But it does look like its gonna rain....hmmmm....

What else is cooking in your kitchen?

This is a recipe for steam fish, courtesy of my friend and GGG Adeen:

Put garlic oil, sugar,chicken stock, light soya sauce, water, ginger, thai fish sauce.
All mix together with the fish (suggested fish here is bawal putih)
Then steam about 10-15mins before buka puasa (or makan time) It takes slightly longer for a bigger fish ya....

Nak kuih recipe? Baca buku lah!!!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Musings for today

My daughter, Najihah, the eldest, is attempting to fast today but I told her to open half day cause she goes to afternoon school and I don't want her to faint. As it is, she eats like a bird anyways. But both she and Nadiah did a good job and fasted the whole day on the first of Ramadhan.

I however, have failed miserably. I fasted on the first day and am suffering until today. Guess this little baby growing in my tummy doesn't like not being without food! I still have a bad headache and now can't do much. It takes so much to even lift my head. Oh well....let's pray I feel better tomorrow.

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What affects our lives most of all? Is it our loved ones, family or friends? For me it would be a little bit of all of course. Over the past few weeks, several things have happened to me and I have received all kinds of reactions from loved ones and friends. And also long time friends (or flames!!). Sometimes I wonder why things happen the way they do and what God is trying to tell us by bringing those things to our attention.

Who knows? But we have to take everything with a little pinch of salt, not too seriously but not too lightly either.

In this good month of Ramadhan, to all my friends and loved ones, I seek forgiveness for anything that I have said or done that has hurt, offended or upset you.

God Bless...

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Today's Musings

I have been out of action these past few days. Explanation is simple, not well. HAH! and also feeling out of it. There are times when you just feel blah!, know what I mean? And these past few days have been like that.

For one, I have been fighting nausea quite badly past few days. And number two, I got into a little situation with one of my GGG. The second one was a bit of a shocker really. Only because it was unexpected, or was it?

I told a friend this morning that friends come in all shapes and sizes and also characters. We take them for what they are right, good and bad etc. There are times when these friends tread on your toes, irritate the daylights out of you or simply made you angry at one time or another. So, when this happens, what do you do? DO you ignore it, throw that friend away or do the big thing and forgive and forget.

Me, well, I like to forgive and forget. I value all of my friends, no matter how small a part they play in my life. But I believe we crossed paths for a reason. Of course I have friends who have hurt me tremendously, but that is part of life rite? That is when I evaluate how much they contribute to my life as a whole, in the past and the present. Then I decide to keep or just change their categories. There has yet to come a time where I throw them out. Usually I just change them into different categories. I don't believe in keeping enemies. You never know when you may need them and vice versa.

But there is this one friend I used to have (NOTE: USED to have). I think she is the only one that I don't consider an acquaintance even. Simple because, she started it. Sounds childish I know but its true. She was the one who did all kinds of crap to me (and there are other friends who got the same treatment from her too) and she was the one who chose simply not to call me a friend anymore. Well, that hurts cause we went through a lot together but she chose it that way. And knowing who she is now and what she has become, we are all better off without her.

What I want to say here is, kiss and make up lah. There is no point sometimes in keeping bad vibes. Yes, sometimes what a friend has done to you is the worst thing ever and you don't know if you could ever trust them again. But don't have to throw them out. Just change their categories and keep them in your list of Facebook friends. Don't ignore their request to be your friend. That is downright mean. You don't have to be bosom buddies anymore but still call them a friend.