Rafa Aina

It's been quite a while since I last wrote. But lately, I have been urging myself to read more. And by thinking about reading more, I think I need to write something here,something beautiful, something meaningful for my most precious.

Before all that, I have a hunch that this is either going to be heck a long one,or, it's going to be just a draft only. It can really go to that extreme! (nodding).

And before anything (again!), I need to let something out of of my head first. Something about my way of writing - my 'creativeness', if you will. By surrounding myself mostly with people of the same race, not doing so much reading (except in Facebook which I think does not count much as reading, more like scanning?), and needless to say, writing - my English has worsened. And up until this sentence, this word, countless times that I have clicked backspace button, checked Google Translate once, and yet I still am trying to make my post sounds 'British-ish' (I mean, you know what mean).

Shall I get started?

Do I have more intro to put up?

....


This month, marks my one-and-a-half-year since I gave birth to you. Nevertheless, throughout that long period of time, I have not managed to write, to thank God and to express my feelings toward having you. I have some points that I have constructed inside my head, and I hope by the end of this post, I manage to put everything in here (yet, another intro).

Rafa,


I love you. Those are three words that can be exaggerated further (ie. Love, love love you so so so much, to the moon and back, infinity). But I choose the simplest one,because I feel that, that conveys the message straight to the point;the most. And yet, the explanation here is way, way far from the word 'simple'! Absurd!

When I first held you in my hands, I had no words to describe my feelings, except miracle. By having you, my life has turned upside down, has rotated 360 degrees (OK, it's 180!), and I have gone crazy, I could die! But on the other hand, I also got more matured, more sensible, appreciated life more. But at times, I thought I was thinking too much, I could go out of my mind.

That. That is what you have made me.

You thought this post is going to be touching all the way? I hope it does, but it is not.


Rafa,


Soon, you will read this. When you turned 7, and accidentally found this post, you might not understand this. When you turned 21, you might get touched by this. But, once you got children of your own, I think you will get this and you can relate to this.

(I think all of the paragraphs above are still intro. Oh, my English!)

After I officially became a mother, have I not wished everyone on earth has children of their own? Yes! Children are like magic, like out of this world. You cannot describe the feelings as the same as you take care of your cats. It's different,totally.

Even during pregnancy, the mind of the mother-to-be will be 'corrupted' with a lot of theories, we got scared but happy;but when the babies are out of your womb, and their skin touches yours - magic.

Growing up, they will cry - slow and loud. And sometimes, they will look at you, the same way as Puss in Boots looked at Donkey in Shrek movies. You will be easily moved by it. They will not let other people touch them and will crawl to you, and only you can console them from crying. They will be calling you out happily when you get back from work. They will grumble to get your attention only to get you to, again, console them. They will hug and kiss you unexpectedly.

So, I wished everyone, especially all my friends, cousins, and whom I know that are still trying and struggling to have one; to have at least one! To experience those magical moments. And at times, I still am wishing.

But, the more I go further with this motherhood journey, I also wished and still is wishing that those couples that are not ready to have children; to equip themselves enough, before having one.

Why?

Are you ready to lose your side of the bed to them? Are you willing to go with 2-hour sleep and get woken up by them to feed them, and then try hard to get back to sleep, and before you know it, it is time for you to actually wake up and get by your days? Are you ready to maintain your emotions in front of them? Like are you ready to get back from work smiling only to get pooed by them, and yet still put on a big wide smile? The most essential one, are you financially ready to have children?

If your answer to that financially-ready question, is yes, believe me when I say, you are still not ready.

From my perspective, even if you earn a lot, you are rich, you won't be financially ready having one.

Why, again?


There are strollers priced at RM100 ea and there are also strollers priced at RM10000 ea. Whatever your choice may be, you will overthink and make unnecessary justifications for your decision in overspending for your children. And they need more than stroller. I got two strollers for Rafa, in fact.

I'm not talking about stroller, but take stroller as example and try to imply it to their other necessities. And not only necessities, dear. When you go to a baby store with just one thing to purchase, and only one thing - milk, for instance. You will walk away with at least three other unnecessary items that; by the time of purchase; they ARE necessities!

That sums up the financial-ready issue. Get it? No? Read other parental guidance posts, books - they explain better, so you will understand better.

One other thing. Emotion (and recently karma thingy, which has been bugging me, but I'm not sure how to put into writing yet).

Picture this. Your child is throwing tantrums at you, in public. Surroundings are watching you two. You will have to maintain your calmness, and sternness, meanwhile, you do not want to be spoiling him/her by following his/her demand. And, also, you don't want to be the monster that he/she afraid of. See? And at the back of your mind, you will also be wondering what the public will think of you as a parent when they look at you handling the situation. Hmm. Public perception is very crucial nowadays in this modern live of everything could be captured and posted, and status could be updated, and be viral.

You read those parental guidance books. They will tell you all the positive things you need to do, to portray, to be the example of your children. But, for me, it's a straight 'easier-said-than-done' bullshh.

I'm not trying to be negative but it's hell hard to do. And I'm not telling you that I'm not trying to practice good emotions or I am totally a bad mother. But I'm trying to write realistically (though I'm not a good writer, thus this will be far from realistic). It's just hard, sometimes.

But as your children are growing, they are like sponge. Their minds are. So, those sometimes moments? They will absorb your hypocritisms if your are trying too hard to convert your negative feelings to positive ones. So, you know. It's hard. Yeah, harder to hide your hypocritisms.

Get it? Read more, if not.


So, I'm trying to say, I wish we all have children, but sometimes I will go for, go and enjoy your single or couple life, and no need to think of having children. Back and forth, I am wishing. Get it?

That is how messy my brain is working, right now (nodding, few times).

Nevertheless, Rafa. You are the most beautiful person in my eyes.

Have I not always wish you nothing, but the best? Yes, I have. And will always do that. Have I not always say sorry to you for countless times for not being able to be the best mom in this world? Yes, I have. And will always do that.

Even in wishing you the best that this world and hereafter could offer, sometimes I feel my wishes and doas are still not good enough. Always, at times of doa, I feel that I have not wished specific enough - too general. But when I go specific, I thought why limit the doa radar? My mind is messy that way!

It's like this. Have you heard of what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger? OK, I strongly believe that Rafa is a strong person, phisically and emotionally because she survived during my earlier stage of pregnancy;that time when I had no idea I was carrying a baby inside my womb. She was on her own that time - not supported by folic acid, milk; other than some Starbucks coffees. Well, she is so strong that, in order to be strong she will be giving a lot of greater challenges in life, that she will thrive through and be successful. Allah will test you according to your abilities.

But, I dare not wish she has to face greater challenges in her life, yet I still want her to be successful here and hereafter! And a strong person! I wish her having and easy life, but it sounds ironic, isn't it? Then, how? What to doa?

Overthinking, yes I am.

I try to be an open-minded parent so, I am aware of unlimited career you could venture in. But sometimes I wish you specifically will become an astronaut's doctor. And I imagine that you will be staying in one of the NASA's spacecraft (in space, obviously), and you and I will be live-streaming to update each other, once every other day.

And sometimes I wish you to be whatever the best that you could be, to serve the nation and to be the best Allah's caliph in the world. That, worldwide will recognize and acknowledge your contribution toward Islam, and that Malaysia will be popular, because of what you do. The wish is general but specific!

Those are the best doas for you Rafa, I think.

What I can guarantee you is, your life will be more challenging than mine. Mine was from no-Internet era to Internet evolving era. Heck, that is already challenging. Imagine, a lot of breakthroughs my generations managed to create, whilst too many social issues were also happening, which were nothing but scary to even imagine. All, is from the borderless information retrieval that Internet, AI can offer.


I'm scared for you. But of course I wish you all the best and I know you can face the challenges and thrive on life. But, as a mother, you know... (sigh).


Rafa, let me repeat, so that you know - I love you.

All my decisions in my life prior to having you, are all because of you. You have helped me a lot. And I wish I can help you too, throughout your life.

Rafa Aina, I love you.

Love,
Mama

Kelahiran Kesayangan

The most depressing moment, right here, right now. Mungkin masa mengandung Allah permudahkan semua - orang lain ada masalah dengan minum air gula, tapi aku tak ada. Malahan Ku rasa air gula tu sedap, walhal bacaan gula aku rendah. Inject kancing gigi - orang cakap lepas tu tangan akan sebar. Aku tak, mungkin sikit, terlalu sikit, mungkin aku yang lebih-lebih ikutkan nasfu mengada-ngada hormon mengandung. Mulut itik - orang cakap nightmare. Pada aku biasa-biasa aja. Seluk tengok Jalan - for the first time, yang check tu doktor perempuan, tangan - Allah punyalah kecik. The second one - doktor lelaki Chinese, very friendly, tangan pun kecik je. See? Senang kan aku mengandung? Apatah lagi kalau cerita awal kehamilan - sangat senang sampai aku pun tak perasan aku ni mengandung.

Let's talk about waktu bersalin pulak. From the second seluk session, bukaan dah 5cm. So, immediately was brought up to labor room. I think masa tu 10.53am - I was told not to wear any jewelry, including my watch, and unable to know the time, sebab clock yang ada dalam labor room berpusing, tapi tetap jarum jamnya pada pukul 7.00. So, 10.53am - that's what I heard my husband told the doctor in charge bila dia tanya "what time is it".

So, sepanjang berada di labor room, contraction I consider as minor - no doubt memang sakit - but not as sakit as people keep on mentioning - sakit yang paling sakit, or something like that. That's why, masa contraction malam tu, aku tak tau pun itu adalah contraction. So, contraction - kalau sakit sikit the doctor maybe injected me with something to redakan keadaan, I think. Sebab rasanya dia ada banyak masuk kan something dalam badan ni. Cuma, I don't know apa yang dia bagi. Kalau dia tanya "sakit?", if my answer was yes, dia akan bagi sesuatu. So, contraction memang sakit, dan bertambah sakit bila dekat-dekat masa nak bersalin - but, it was not that bad. Really.

Masa cucuk jarum - left was fine. Right was a bit of a trouble for the doctor, well, as well as for me. Cucuk sekali, dia cakap "tak dapat". But bila dia removed the jarum, darah aku memancut keluar dengan banyak nya. Hence, second cucuk. No, as seriau as it might sound - tak sakit pun, lagi sakit kena gigit semut, plus the contraction tu kan, lagi lah tak rasa sakit cucuk tu - cuma memang tak selesa lah kan.

Cuma masa kena masuk kan tube untuk kencing - dua kali - those were hard. To make things worse - that same doctor yang bagi some sort of reliever tu - mulut dia - ya ampun - kalau setakat dia cakap "matilah", or "I dah tak tahan dengan you ni" - tu biasa. So, setiap Kalu masuk tube kencing tu memang sesi yang sukar. Sangat sukar.

For pecah kan air ketuban - rasanya procedure dia sama macam masu tube kencing kot. Entah - tak tau pun pasal tu, cuma dia cakap dia nak pecah kan ketuban, itu je.

Now - Kalu cakap pasal waktu menunggu - contraction tu memang sakit. Pukul 11am sampai pukul 4.30pm - sakit, Reda. Sakit, Reda. Pasang tube, bukak tube.

4.30pm - another doctor - should be doctor pakar - she's a she, by the way - dia sort of marah the doctor in charge to get ready with everything sebab 'she' is going to deliver anytime now.

I was given the privilege to pakai tongkat kaki untuk kangkang, as the doctor in charge said "I was difficult". So, another kemudahan untuk aku, over there. So, there I was - terkangkang sebesar-besar alam. Badan jadi sependek-pendek manusia - imagine katak. Yup.

Mulalah sesi meneran. Push. Push. "yes, ada progress". Sakit = push. Sakit = push. Cuma aku tak tau beza anak aku dan tahi - that made the table turned - vacuum - sebab aku tak dapat curi nafas, sebab aku keliru adakah aku keluarkan tahi, atau anak. More to mindset masa tu. Well, vacuum it was. Still pushing my hardest. Rasa macam tahi besar keluar. Tup-tup, anak aku yang penuh dengan darah diletak atas dada aku. That my dear daughter - is the best moment ever - even though I couldn't see you clearly without my glasses on. Yet, still. The. Best. Moment. Ever.

Then keluarkan uri, nothing much - tak perlu push pun. Then, comes jahit - I was given another privilege - sedut gas yang macam bius tu, on top of that, yang jahit is the doctor pakar perempuan tu. So, all the while itu lah ulang aku buat, sedut gas sokmo. Macam-macam aku terkhayal. Rasa, sakit dia rasa - but I consider it minor lah - major pun sebab mindset je "Jahit tu kan memang sakit!". Owh, by this time Baru aku sedar yang doktor Hussain tu bukan consider doctor lagi, because he has to answer soalan about jahitan meanwhile aku dijahit. Hmm, so much for the berlagak thingy kan?

Usai jahit, aku diserahkan semula kepada doktor Hussain tu. Mind you, masa ni dah dalam pukul 6.15 kot. So, it was about time nak prepare buka puasa kan; not for me; for him! So, tugas dia yang pertama lepas dapat aku semula was to pakai kan pad. Pad yang macam buai tu. Sorry, akak tak pandai pakai. Guess what he said? "you tak pernah pakai pad ke?!!!" so dengan mindset trauma pasal jahit aku terpaksa lupakan, aku terpaksa figure it out sendiri macam mana nak pakai pad tu, sambil berulang kali kena marah dengan dia. Setelah pakai pad dengan tak sempurna (maksudnya pad tu Takkan content darah), dia Bawa masuk another katil. Dia cakap "cepat tukar pergi sini!". Aku blur. Dalam hati aku cakap, Takkan aku nak ngesot. So, tengah terkial2, the doc cakap "cepat lah, saya dah lebih masa ni tau" haih, masa tu memang dah macam budak darjah 1 kena buli lah, perasaan nya - ni yang paling kesian sekali rasa dia!

Then setelah berjaya merangkak ke katil transit tu, aku ditolak ke labor room, dan on the way, nurses letak kan anak di sebelah.. Ya Allah, itulah first time aku dapat tengok anak dengan jelas - comel yang amat. Cuma hati ni rasa membuak2 nak tengok kejadian fizikal dia yanh sempurna tu, sebab dia dibedung elok oleh nurse, so yang nampak hanya muka dia dan sedikit rambut.

So, sesampai di katil, yet another katil aku kena transfer, but this time around, less the complaint from them lah.

Yada Yada.. Husband buka puasa, then balik. Now, tinggal aku berdua dengan anak. Ya Allah, rasa apa ye, first time dengan budak Baru lahir! Takut weii, takut tak tau jaga. Anyway, budak Baru lahir, yang dia tau lapar, lapar, lapar. Turned out, susu aku sikit - beberapa titik sahaja, despite masa mengandung ada keluar cecair. Mati2 ingat susu dah ada. Rupanya, kesian anak.

Dia nangis, penat dia tidur. Nangis lagi, tidur lagi. Aku tengok orang yang di compartment lain gendong anak, I copied her. Sampai lah bila malam, tekak rasa sangat sangat haus. Silap nya - 1. Botol mineral water husband tertinggal kan di labor room. 2. Aku bawak termos kecil je. Orang depan aku - dah macam berkampung aku tengok bekalan dia. Sorry lah, first time masuk hospital. Kering tekak tahap orang pelarian rasanya. Sekarang dah tau kenapa - sebab sedut gas banyak sangat, so tekak jadi kering.

Dah tak tahan, aku berjalan ke kaunter yang nurse duduk2 tu (jauh dia about 10m kot) - dan tanya mereka mana vending machine nak beli air. Masa tu ada nampak

(ok, cerita tak habis! ada masa sambung lagi, bai)

Spoil brat by subsidy?

Tak tau kenapa.. Sekarang ni ramai sgt keyboard warriors yg tanpa segan silu menyuarakan pendapat mereka. The issue here is, their pendapat(s) are seem legit bila look at one perspective, but seem irrelevant when look at other perspectives.
As for me, I'm not really into media social in sense of throwing my pendapat all over 'em. I'm using my social media utk dptkan general knowledge, to view funny cat videos, and to know a little bit of what happen in the world right now. Mostly, tu je. I'm just like silence reader, that's it!
Pernah jugak rasa sgt x puas hati dgn what has been displayed on my news feed - and nak comment like, takes forever to construct my words - ended up I threw my opinions kat colleague via WhatsApp! A long comment it turned up, eventually.
Entah. Rasa kalau nak bg pendapat, rasa mcm awkward, rasa macam - eeii, mcm nak kena bahan je! So, I think that's how we have been brought up to be malu, malu bertempat!
Rasanya intro ni dah melencong Dr isi kandungan. But, anyhow this leads to me jotting down my opinions here, just because I have something to share but I don't want to seek virtual attention (like I'll be getting any, anyway).

Well, saw this FB status from an activist, ranting about numerous types of people seeking help and courtesy for just about anything. There are PTPTN, government subsidy etc - to be one of the reason why people opts to get help rather than make extra effort to get extra income ke, to settle their issues. Well, mintak bantuan is also an effort, right? Nuff said.
This is how I've became what I am now - sekolah rendah - papa kena bayar duit like RM100/month kepada sekolah because papa bukan warganegara Malaysia. Meaning I didn't get any biasiswa (yg biasanya banked in kat bsn buku kuning tu kan?). I did get an RMK bantuan though (rancangan something2) yg beri susu cekelat percuma, mkn free kat kantin masa saya darjah 6 - through being one of the promosing and potential student to get 4A (straight As) kat UPSR. Dpt bantuan, but through effort la. Buku teks pinjaman - memang tak layak la kan..
Sekolah menengah - dpt offer to SIGS - dude hostel, belanja tinggi - monthly payment for anak non-warganegara was still needed, tapi me being such a smart alec, saya forged my surat beranak - claimed that my father is a Melayu. Nasib baik masa tu Mama dapat  durian runtuh. So, x lah membebankan for them to sediakan keperluan duduk asrama. Masa ni, Buku teks pinjaman dapat - sebab forged document kan..
SIGS x lama. Form 2 kebanyakannya dah sekolah kat Ulu Tiram, sebab tak biasa duduk asrama, berdikari - kena buli ngn senior dah kecut! So, kat Tiram ni, takut kantoi sebab few people knew that my papa Indonesian, so, still, with forged document - but tak volunteer pun nak ambil buku teks pinjaman. Semua beli  sendiri pakai duit papa mama.
PMR result flying colours. Tapi chose to stay Tiram, still with own textbooks. Came SPM - result OK, not bad, not best, but OK lah..
After SPM, saya tak further, sebab saya takut saya tak layak dpt apa2 bantuan. Saya takut kantoi. So, saya tak submit any application pun. Nevertheless, saya still dapat offer for form 6 at SDJ - which only few students yg dpt offer tu, and I was among 2 malays yang dapat. Went for their orientation programme, tapi x further sebab sekolah tu kat Bandar, and akan menyusahkan papa nak hantar. So, I didn't further my studies kat situ.
Kerja, cari pengalaman, papa meninggal, mama jadi ibu tunggal - yet untuk dia dpt Wang zakat agak susah (boleh dikatakan tak dpt langsung)
Then saya buat PJJ, pakai duit EPF and some cash.. BRIM - entah, mama pernah dapat sekali kot, ke tak pernah.. Gitulah

The point here is, I didn't grow up to be a peminta sedekah - been brought up to be independent - walaupun manja sebab anak tunggal kan.. But I did get few helps from government - takdelah cakap tak dpt langsung - like fuel subsidy, barang2 ruji yg ada subsidy tu.. And ya, buku teks pinjaman masa form 1 tu.. Ya.. But, takdelah kita mengharap bantuan orang je - Untuk hidup!
Bukanlah nak riak. Budak xde certs, degree pun x dpt lagi - what can you expect - kerja biasa2 je kot. Tak mewah tapi tak struggle la.. Alhamdulillah.. Cuma, before we seek for courtesy orang, why not kita put up our best efforts to settle issues (financial issues!), rather than meminta2.

Sophie-holic (Sophie Paris)

Sophie Paris memang best! I'm officially Sophie-holic!

Apadia Sophie Paris?

Sedikit sebanyak fakta menarik tentang Sophie Paris:

Sophie Paris adalah MLM pertama di Malaysia yang fokus kepada fashion. Alamak, belum apa2 dah cakap pasal MLM kan? Such a turn off! Well, apa2 pun it's something like shop, fashion and earn, all at the same time! So, MLM tak MLM, it's worth it!

- offers up-to-date design for handbags, wallets, accessories, clothings and etc in affordable prices

- founder in Indonesia. No. 1 brand in handbags in Indonesia - Sophie banyak menjadi sponsor costume kepada sinetron2 di Indonesia

- everything pink-in-colour!

- system direct selling yang sangat adil to upline, downline and the company itself

- baru masuk ke Malaysia in January 2012. So, if you're a member now, you are among the pioneer

- nak buat bisnes? Modal murah gila - RM15!! (and voila, you're a member for lifetime)

- Murah saja kan? Jadi, indirectly, dapat membantu menaikkan taraf kehidupan orang yang kurang berkemampuan (asalkan dia rajin)

- nak proper intro, visit www.sophieparis.com.my

Honestly, I'm dead serious about this business. Tak caya, tengok ni!

Goal : to set up Sophie Paris Business Centre in Pasir Gudang

Purpose : To make the product and the brand reachable for Johorean

Ultimate goal : To run my own business instead of working for somebody

Down-the-road goal : To own a mini MPV - Alza within year 2012

Efforts

1. My catalogue is my mobile shop - will bring the catalogue averywhere I go

2. Networking is important - will always keep starter kits for people to join as member

3. Approach to at least a person a day to ask them to buy (don't worry, they either say YES, or NO, so, I take my chances)

4. Back and forth to JB-PGU-Bukit Indah for admin purpose, eg get starter kit, catalogue, pass up registration form and so on)

5. Been to Sophie Seminar in KL which was not free

6. Assist downline (as well as not downline pun) on almost any matter

7. Short term loan from a colleague for my first purchase in Sophie

8. Keep as detailed as possible for info of spending and earning, downline's info and so on

9. Indirect promote Sophie in Facebook

10. Talk to family and friends and never failed to mention Sophie Paris in conversation

Success is not a destination, but it's a journey. The journey so far, is not always silky smooth. Sophie has only one flagstore in Malaysia; in Petaling Jaya that is. As a licensed MLM company, Sophie is complied to government's regulation that every registration in direct selling business should have an original and physical signed form. So, setiap form perlulah dihantar ke KL. Nak beli barang sekarang pun susah sebab sekarang ni "boutique" hanya di PJ. Walaupun boleh post, tapi ada extra cost (RM15 @ consignment - no matter how many you order), which resulting almost all my downline tak purchase apa2 pun. So, kalau nak beli in more justifiable cost (boleh share2 shipping cost), kenalah kirim2 orang. Tapi, for me, it's nothing much cos I have bunch of relatives yang stay in KL. Not only that, limitation to internet access sedikit sebanyak restricted me to expand my business. Tu yang kalau boleh nak invest in Tablet. In addition to that, if let's say I nak pergi KL purposely hanya ke Sophie, memang agak payah - sebab my car does not support long distance travelling. That's why Alza comes into picture, anyway.

Bukan setakat itu, ada saja dugaan muncul sebelum ini. However, I acknowledged them as "what doesn't kill, makes me stronger".

I think I've got everything for me to gear up my own business now! Wish me luck and let's treasure the journey together!

On last note, how are you? ---- SOPHIE-LING GOOD!! SOPHIE-LING GREAT!!

C'est Ma Vie!

My home opis!

My first bag

My first watch

My first wallet - more to come, very soon!

Mama, hasn't lost her touch.... just yet!

She made me a marble cake just now, weee!!!!

And the best part was, when me and Mama in the kitchen menggodak adunan kek, together-GETHER! It was like we were having a girls' night-out together at our own house; in our own kitchen; doing what I love the most - baking....

Though it was just a marble cake (a pretty decent cake I must say, compared to number of cakes I made lately), but hey, my mum made it. And that's IT, a marble cake is enough to make me smile from ear to ear. Goodness, word just couldn't describe how happy she makes me feel right now.

God, the next time when we have that mother-daughter arguments, I will remember this moment (and the taste of it) and I will let her win, no matter how wrong she is.

Anyways, here are some tasteful pictures , taken immediately, freshly out from the oven:



I tell you guys, the pictures don't do much justice to it. In addition, blame me for the dull colouring as I told her not to put too much colour to it. Sorry!

Jeng3x... here's the secret recipe, finally revealed (chewah!)

3/4 from 250g of salted butter (she used Buttercup ONLY, how modest!)

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of tepung gandum 1Malaysia

1tbs vanilla essence

4 eggs (the cheapest grade in market)

secubit garam

1 tsb baking powder

Warna merah and dark cocoa for colouring

*Side note : she didn't even measure cautiously, main agak2 je dowh!

That's it! Prepare it like the usual cake, bake it at 160 degrees for 40 minutes (api bawah sahaja, letak in the middle, bottom letak tray - as advised by Cik Dilla kita) and voila....

Owh, I forgot the secret recipe - love, tender, care from a mum to her daughter!

Thanks Mama, love you mucho! #muahmuah

p/s: You can tell the cake is yummy when you finished the whole slice without even knowing it!

p/s/s : Now you know where I got the talent, don't you! It's in the blood. It's in the blood bebehh! (uwek, talent la sangat!)

Ok, I'm off to sleep - nice supper for my belly!

Jiwa Taiko (2012)

Jangan tanya kenapa, tapi tiba2 ter-bump into Jiwa Taiko kat Youtube. Best gila movie ni, nyesal tengok secara haram, patutnya pi panggung, tak pun beli kat Astro First kan? Serious, best!

(lama tak update blog. Malah, entry cake tu pun tak dicontinue pun, or is it discontinued? Tup2 cerita pasal Jiwa Taiko? Serious ke vice versa? )

Ok, I don't want to be a spoiler, macam spoiler kereta Myvi tu. Jadi, pengharapan nak tau jalan cerita memang yang ado! Saya nak cerita tentang aksi, morale and experience throughout the movie, mungkin sentuh sedikit pasal plot and something in between. Tapi, tak berani nak go into details, sebab saya admit saya bukan budak ASWARA. Obviously, this is a real action movie (finally) made by a Malaysian to fellow Malaysians. Filem Melayu untuk orang Malaysia. Hanya ada 2 scene solat, but other than that, you wouldn't have a clue that this a Malay movie if not for the language or the stars. A little correction though - kalau tengok pada pelakon, and buat voice over Bahasa Inggeris, mesti orang akan ingat ini adalah movie from Thailand, the Phillipines, or maybe from Indonesia. Dari Malaysia? - will be the last thing in mind! Dahlah, without further ado, let's begin with some of qualities presented and morale potrayed in this magnificient movie.

Ganas (in a positive way)

Wow. This movie is like Bruce Lee meets The Transporter meets Van Diesel then, on the way, meets pulak dengan Jackie Chan, say hi-hi bye-bye dengan Sivaji (The Boss). The sound effects were everything in place. It is intriguing to watch every scene that has the butt-kicking action in it. So real! And, similar to Hollywood action movies, there are no guns involved, strictly butt-kicking, keeping it real, bro! Owh, extra point for women-can-fight-too!

Seductivity (yet another controversial point, but read it in a positive way, please)

Alamak, I didn't mean to put it in a wrong way or something, and it's not about promoting anything sexual. Ala, if they are in love, a kiss won't kill the movie right? And the raba2 thing, and the smooching here and there - ala, all films in the world is doing it anyway, no harm what. It's not a taboo any longer what. Trust me, the scenes were not representing seduction, but just potraying what's real, showing how passionate they are, in love. Though, some people said sex sells, but this movie does not focus on that aspect. Because there were only about a couple of scenes je, like maybe 6 scenes, about that lah (look who's counting!!).

Friendship

There are two sides of value here, good and bad. The bad one is when the gangster tu still looking for his long lost friend yang dah insaf and still persuade him to rejoice gituh dalam bisnes gangster-menggengster ni. It's bad but it happens in real life, dowh. The good one is the sacred friendship between members of Jiwa Cinta. In fact, they were willing to sacrifice love and pass boyfriend kat saeng dia sebab saeng dia cinta mati dengan balak dia (ups, spoiler). Not only that (spoiler incoming!) walaupun terlanjur, secret admirer dia sanggup promise jaga dia sampai bila2 walaupun dia sekarang tengah dok bercintan dengan ex-boyfriend kawan dia (eh, lost track - siapa dia?)

Ketuhanan

Did I mention that there were 2 scenes of sembahyang kan? And, at the end, Alhamdullillah, everything works well, kan? "Dalam sekelip mata, Tuhan anugerahkan kami seorang anak kecil dan merubah seluruh hidup kami menjadi manusia bertanggungjawab..." - voice over from Remy Ishak at the very end of the movie (so sexxxyyyy)

Disclaimer

Sesungguhnya, semua ini hanyalah sarcasm. Kalau rasa nak mendalami kehidupan "real" seorang taiko, tengoklah. Who knows, it might be really happening to some people somewhere over the world, kan?

Sarcasm tak sarcasm, follows kritik baik punya!

"There goes, yet another masterpiece from sifu Osman Ali. Bro, lu memang taiko, sial!"

-Gerenti Tak Sarcasm

"Bro, you are on the right track, tahun depan mesti lu Emmy nomination siak!"

- Wartawan Filem Melayu Kan Best (bahagian Unit Rawatan Berita)

"Keep it real!

-Pengarah filem terkemuka (namanya dirahsiakan demi kesejahteraan dunia)

"Saya angkat bendera putih"

-jurucakap Shamsul Yusof

"Tobat buat filem ala2 Aku Masih Dara. Nak buat filem Kungfu lepas ni. Abang Osman Ali - you better watch out..."

- P.A Ahmad Idham

"Shamsul, pi masuk bilik. Jangan campoq hal rumahtangga orang"

-Datuk kepada Dato' Ucop Haslam 

Sekuci - dalam kenangan...

She has been gone few months ago.....tsk...
But, it is ensured that she will always hold a special place in my heart..

See, I even captured her in her favourite spot.

Cuci, you are always being missed...

  

Coming soon~~

More of The Body Shop shoppin'-shoppin'.

Contrary to my earlier entry, this is much more like the usual me. Me and The Body Shop relationship scandalicious. People says, a picture is worth a thousand words, so wordlessly, I present to you, this:

Nonetheless,some wordings here hihik. Papaya ones is from previous purchase. The pink ones and the purple ones, fresh from the oven!

~okbai!

The Avengers...and what-not!

I managed to watch The Avengers today with non other than mommahh! I'm not gonna review the movie in this entry though (spoiler is undetected), but the movie did okay in overall. By the way, I watched the 3D version and sadly, it was as if this is a low-budget movie, from the 3D effect point of view. They could have done better than that. However, just like I said earlier, the movie is fine, so go on and "SMASH IT!"

 

I actually want to write something that I'm not really that qualified to write or comment or what-so-ever; movies what-not!

 

No, I'm kidding!

 

Yeah, maybe a lil' bit of what-nots here, but, anyways~~~

 

FYI, it will be really, really kinda sucks if you are watching a movie and you are "neighbouring" with those people who laugh at just about anything during the movie. I mean c'mon guys. It is called "The Avengers" and not "Super Spontan The Movie" or "Dewarajalawakgiga Filem Lah Pulak"! I totally get it when sometimes serious film offers some hilarious moment. But you know what, I took it as if, YOU ARE NOT WATCHING THE MOVIE BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY WAITING TO LAUGH TO ANYTHING THAT TICKLES YOU (even though I have no idea how it does !). And you know what, the most annoying thing is that, because of your annoying behaviour, I just could not recall which scene (more to scenes, duh!) that I can quote in this entry to prove that it was not that hilarious, yet you laughed; like LOL-ed!!

 

Okay. Okay! My bad! Anyway, I chose the most central and ideal seating because I managed to buy the ticket way earlier than I usually did. And, I also chose to divert from Tebrau City to Ulu Tiram Today's Mall (trying hard not to be judgmental...). It ended up, me and mom were being surrounded by your species! Man, I just dare not watching Super Spontan with you, as you may died LOL al the way. Because I don't to be a witness to your death because I really don't want to have any sort of connection with you, in any way!

 

Man, you are bad! You and your girlfriend and your guyfriend over there really, really got me mad. You know, on the way back, there was nothing that me and mom were talking about other than what you have done throughout the movie. And, needless to say, I rated The Avengers as okay movie just because of you, vangang!

 

Owh, you know how you sounded like when you laughed? You sounded like a donkey choked on cat's hairball, that is! A.Noy.Ying!

 

Eh, sometimes during the movie, I also giggled at something. Mind you, giggled - not ROFLMAO!

 

Dahlah, buang masa cakap pasal orang yang tak dikenali tu!