guys, i'm going!


bags are all packed, just need to visit her later and go have breakfast and off we go !

Thank you for all your wishes and prayers for me and family's safety. You will be in mine as well :)

I'm gonna miss you guys!

Take care and have a wonderful mid sem break ok?

Salam, muah!

celery,


happy yappy birthday! :)

I purposely left the age out cause I know how much it annoys you to think you're older than us. But for the past three years, I bet we all never treat you any different from our own age. Why? Because we feel you are just as young as we are. All together now, awww... :))

You've been a great friend throughout and anyone who can listen to my problems and comfort me, and still messages me afterward asking me to call or text if I need anything is just wonderful. And the fact that you have a face of a model but is still down-to-earth and goes all crazy without a care in the world how you look like is something that I respect. :)

I'm happy that you're happy on your special day. Getting birthday wishes until 3 in the morning means there are loads of people who love you. And I'm glad I'm one of them.

Happy Birthday Mary Farzana!

have you ever

loved someone like this?




I have. wheee. :)

leaving on a jetplane

just like what the title says, I'm leaving but for just 12 days and for a good cause indeed. I'll be performing umrah with my family :) I feel so fortunate to have the chance once again. Thank you Allah for giving me and my family the time, the rezeki, the opportunity, the easiness to do this three times already. Well at least for me. I guess third time's the charm. It does worry me to have to skip classes for three days, especially during this time where assignments are piling up and quizzes are due after midsem break. But I'm doing this for myself, for Allah and of course, for arwah.

Going to Madinah and Mecca, the holiest city in the world, is what I have been waiting for all this time. Each time I felt lost and needed guidance, I wished and wished I was there. Just desperate for the feeling of peace and serenity, and at the same time, the feeling of vulnerability only to Him. Somehow, even though after attending the umrah course yesterday and seeing all the pictures that brought all the memories I had there, the feeling of sadness overwhelms me tonight. This feeling always come whenever I'm going to jet off somewhere as if I'm leaving something precious behind. The feeling of homesick. Silly isn't it, when the fact that every member of my family is going too. Maybe because every thing is so emotional now, that it's hard to bear.

During my last visit there, it was only me and my sister and both of my grandparents, along with some other family members, my parents and two sisters excluded. Me and my sister shared the same room with my grandparents and it was lovely. She would wake us up for subuh and we would hurry to make it to the mosque. It was me who held arwah's hand during tawaf. I remembered how she cried and sniffled beside me seeing Kaabah. It was us who walked with her to Masjidil Haram and prayed with her. Now she's not here anymore and I don't know how it will feel like going there without her.

Maybe leaving her here in Malaysia for 12 days is what making me sad. Or going there without her. I guess it's a mixture of both. This emotion I'm feeling is just too sad. I can't describe it into words. It's grief, the feeling of longing for someone who's not coming back, the fact that I have to accept that life goes on and she's gone all wrapped into one. Everyday I ask Him for strength. It's very much needed. I don't want to cry, it makes me feel weak, but tears would just come pouring down whenever I think about her, when I can't see her cause I'm too busy with classes and assignments, even when I tried on her Crocs that she used to wear for umrah so I can wear them this Thursday. She had such small feet, and that led me to think about her size, her height, her face. The face that I miss everyday. The face that I miss to kiss.

I hate myself for being weak. I should be smiling and be excited. I am really, but the feeling of grief is much stronger. But time and time again, I remind myself that we are all going because that is what she would have wanted to do. We are all going because of her. My Grandpa said it was her intention of performing umrah again this year but sadly, she didn't have the chance. It's alright, I think I should motivate and really tell myself that she is happy knowing we are doing this. Maybe she's smiling. Maybe she really is happy. And when I'll be there Insyaallah, I'm gonna smile my widest smile just to show her.

Please pray for my family and me, that we will have a safe departure and a safe return as well. Flying somewhere far always gets me nervous. And don't you worry, each one of you will be in my thoughts and in my prayers. I am going to miss you. :)

today wasn't a good day


I miss you so much I could die.

when Bella heard the nickname Nessie, that's how angry I can be


My heart starts beating like a hammer,
whenever I read the papers.
My hands start to stammer,
not because of fear but anger.
of this surreal and painful massacre
that human beings create.
Such sick minds, such repulsive acts,
just irks me to the core.

My prayers go out to our brothers and sisters,
who are fighting to live and breathe
I hope these misanthropists get some sense knocked in them,
Or probably just go rot in hell instead.



Done extemporaneously so it's not really a poem. I'm just too mad.

kids are so easy



"You were a child
Crawling on your knees toward him
Making momma so proud
But your voice is too loud
We like to watch you laughing
Picking insects off of plants
No time to think of consequences"

- MGMT, "Kids"


It's been quite a while since Nisa warmed up to me. Whenever seeing me coming towards her, going all "Nisaaaa! I miss you! nisaaa..", she would say it really curtly, no not really curtly, but more like a stern scream "NO!". Then I would slowly do a 180 and be all ok ok, like surrendering, waving a white flag, backing out. It's alright, since she's 3 and all but I do miss the times when she would come to my house and the first person she'd looked for was me. Yeah, mesti lah suka bila kids suka kita. It's a really wonderful feeling, making me feel all tingly inside, this adorable, sweet sweet child calling your name and hugging you and... ok snap out of it.

Like just now, she saw me and said the N word again, and hid behind her mother. Dalam hati ni sedih and runsing. Haih, camne la nak buat dia ok dgn kita balik. Takpe, sabar. Then, came the easiest trick kids would fall for. Giving her toys you say? Piggybacks? Make funny faces? Oh I've done enough of that. I just gave her sweets.

Well, she didn't eat them, her little sister did. But it was one of those sour candies and she was like "Masam, masam," and I said "Aah masam, tapi Qoiyah (her sister) suka." "Then she kept eye contact, swaying her body side to side mcm orang nak something tapi malu nak ckp and me making googly eyes at her, won her on the spot.

"Kak Sya, Kak Sya, colour colour." She brought this colouring book with her and showed me all the pictures she's coloured. "Nah, Kak Sya colour colour."

So off I went colouring a raccoon with green, blue, yellow and pink colour pencils to giving her ice cream while watching Puaka Niyang Rapik to rolling on mattresses and playing cak cak with her under the blanket. All done with a smug on my face. Oh senang nya hati ku...



androgynous

I was flossing in front of the mirror as usual after showering and when after what seem like the umpteenth time of looking at myself, I laughed at the sight. My shoulder-length hair was wet and messily combed, tucked behind my ears and I wore my old, raggedy made-for-Japan trip standard 6 shirt that has SKS9 Shah Alam written on it buttoned up to the collar. To the collar. My head bobbed front and back and my eyes kept squinting and widening themselves. I looked like a freakin male nerd. I ain't kidding. If only I could put the picture here for you to see so you will believe me but (un)fortunately not all are female bloggers here. I looked like a guy! So it kinda made sense to me cause I used to be a tomboy when I was little. I could pass off as a boy with my short, short hair, denim jacket and Doc Marten mary janes and got all crazy with stupid poses. Now that you would not want to see. It was ugly. Ugly sight indeed. My sisters still laugh about it sometimes. I was small and naive, so sue me.

as snug as a bug in a rug



The birds fly in the rain,
A flock of them together,
Reminds me of us.

What we used to do,
Dreaming, planning the future,
Had come to an end.

Innocent we were,
Like children who knew nothing,
Never got bitter.

But we grew, oh yes,
And things weren't the same no more,
So we had to part.

Like those birds up high,
We need to fly away too,
Sooner or later.

It is alright now,
I'm not sad nor am gloomy,
More relieved I think.

Your joy is my joy,
To see things fall into place,
Like heaven on earth.

in the midst of assignments..

I am awaiting these two movies from a friend for me to watch over the weekend.



and



will be chilling in front of the laptop laughing like mad and crying buckets the next.

a pick-me-up

I've been a bit down these past few days, and no, I don't blame my hormones. Maybe it's just one of those times you know? When out of the blue, you feel pretty much empty and moody and snappy. I'm sure all of us experience that from time to time. I never intended to feel this way. I don't even know what triggered it. Maybe He's testing me, maybe that or maybe something else. I don't have anything major that bugs me, just small, miniscule stuff. Really, really tiny that you would laugh in my face if I'll tell you. My mind went haywire for days. I kept trying to be positive, prayed a lot, but the feeling wouldn't go away. Today I felt a lot better. Went really motivational on myself, trying to find quotes online that can make me realize that hey, it's not the end of the world yet. So in my head while heading to class today were "Carpe diem!" and "niat nak belajar betul-betul and pay full attention during class nnt dapat berkat". But halfway through my second class, my eyes were failing me. I used my fingers to open them up, you know like in cartoons, and did it slowly and with subtlety so I won't upset Dr Chan. I think he noticed though so I quickly straightened up myself and open my eyes as wide as I could. To no avail.

During my time of sorrow (ceh), I never told anyone. I usually don't tell my feelings. I act them. I snap, and scowl occasionally so the people around me can know what I'm going through at that time. Thank God it was only during the weekends, Friday included. My family were the only victims, friends excluded. I find it hard to hide my emotions so I'm really glad it's over. I know I'm not the only one who goes through this and I too know that whenever we are upset, we would of course want or need somebody who can cheer us up. Some prefer to be alone, but most of us don't. I love to love and spread it at the same time, and because I love you readers (mcm ramai sgt), here are words of comfort for you when you're feeling blue.






Read it, believe it, embrace it. Now imagine yourself hugged. The pick-me-up is complete. :)

beloved


This was taken several hours ago in the hot, scorching sun. I didn't get to see you yesterday due to my schedule. You know how much that pains me? To not see you even just for a day. I carry this guilt deep in my gut and all I could think about last night was you. So after viewing all those cute board games, I went straight to you. Getting a sunburn was the least of my worries. I wear sunscreen everyday now Nek hehe. After finished reading Yaasiin for you, I thought of, and this is really silly, of your feet and hands. How I could touch them again. Soft and wrinkled, swollen here and there, result of your athritis, but still manage to squeeze mine. I miss that. I miss you.


Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle
Everything I do is stitched with its color.
~W.S. Merwin, "Separation"

it's been a while now


two years and two months. 26 months. that's approximately 790 days. 18960 hours. 1137600 minutes of acceptance, love, dislike, sadness, sacrifice and compromise. we're that old. let's make it three, shall we ?




what I got from my father

Demographics:

World Jewish population: 14 million
Distribution: 7m in America
5m in Asia
2m in Europe
100 thousand in Africa

World Muslim population: 1.5 billion
Distribution: 1 billion in Asia/Mid-East
400m in Africa
44m in Europe
6m in America

Every fifth human being is a Muslim.
For every single Hindu there are two Muslims.
For every Buddhist there are two Muslims.
For every Jew there are 107 Muslims
Yet the 14 million Jews are more powerful than the entire 1.5 billion Muslims.

Why?

Here are some of the reasons.
Movers of Recent History
Albert Einstein - Jewish
Sigmund Freud - Jewish
Karl Marx - Jewish
Paul Samuelson - Jewish
Milton Friedman - Jewish

Nobel Prize Winners
In the past 105 years, the 14 million Jews have won 180 Nobel prizes whilst the 1.5 billion Muslims have achieved only 3 Nobel winners.

Inventions that changed History
Micro-processing chip: Stanley Mezor - Jewish
Nuclear chain reactor: Leo Sziland - Jewish
Optical fibre cable: Peter Schultz - Jewish
Traffic lights: Charles Adler - Jewish
Stainless steel: Benno Strauss - Jewish
Sound movies: Isador Kisee - Jewish
Telephone microphone: Emile Berliner - Jewish
Video tape recorder: Charles Ginsburg - Jewish

Influential Global Businesses
Polo: Ralph Lauren - Jewish
Coca-Cola: - Jewish
Levi's: Levi Strauss - Jewish
Starbuck's: Howard Schultz - Jewish
Google: Sergey Brin - Jewish
Dell Computers: Michael Dell - Jewish
Oracle Computers: Larry Ellison: - Jewish
DKNY: Donna Karan - Jewish
Baskin Robbins: Irv Robbins - Jewish
Dunkin' Donuts: Bill Rosenberg - Jewish

Influential Policy-makers/ Politicians
Henry Kissinger , US Sec. of State - Jewish
Richard Levin, President Yale University - Jewish
Alan Greenspan , US Federal Reserve - Jewish
Joseph Lieberman , US Senator - Jewish
Madeleine Albright , US Sec. of State - Jewish
CasperWeinberger , US Sec. of Defence - Jewish
Maxim Litvinov , USSR Foreign Minister - Jewish
David Marshal , Singapore Chief Minister - Jewish
Isaac Isaacs, Gov-Gen. Australia - Jewish
Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman - Jewish
Yevgeny Primakov, Russian PM - Jewish
Barry Goldwater , US Politician - Jewish
Jorge Sampaio, President of Portugal - Jewish
Herb Gray, Canadian Deputy PM - Jewish
o Pierre Mendes, French PM - Jewish
Michael Howard, British Home Sec. - Jewish
Bruno Kriesky, Austrian Chancellor - Jewish
Robert Rubin , US Sec. of Treasury - Jewish

Global Media Figures
Wolf Blitzer, CNN - Jewish
Barbara Walters, ABC News - Jewish
Eugene Meyer , Washington Post - Jewish
Henry Grunwald, Time Magazine - Jewish
Katherine Graham , Washington Post - Jewish
Joseph Lelyeld, New York Times - Jewish
Max Frankel, New York Times - Jewish

Global Philanthropists
George Soros - Jewish
Walter Annenberg - Jewish

Why are they powerful and why are Muslims powerless?
Here's another reason.We have lost the capacity to produce knowledge.
In the entire Muslim world (57 Muslim countries), there are only 500 universities.
In USA alone, 5,758 universities.
In India alone, 8,407 universities.
Not one university in the entire Islamic World features in the Top 500 Ranking Universities of the World.
Literacy in the Christian world - 90%
Literacy in the Muslim world - 40%
15 Christian-majority countries' literacy rate - 100%
Muslim-majority countries with 100% - None
98% in Christian countries completed primary education
Only 50% in Muslim countries completed primary education
40% in Christian countries attended university
In Muslim countries, a dismal 2% attended university
Muslim-majority countries have 230 scientists per million
The USA has 5000 per million
The Christian world - 1000 technicians per million
Entire Arab world - only 50 technicians per million
Muslim world spending on R&D - 0.2% of GDP
Christian world's R&D - 5.0% of GDP

Conclusion
The Muslim world lacks the capacity to produce knowledge. Another way of testing the degree of knowledge is the degree of diffusing knowledge.
Pakistan : 23 daily newspapers per 1000 citizens
Singapore : 460 per 1000 citizens
UK book titles per million is 2000
Egypt book titles per million is only 17

Muslim world is failing to apply knowledge. What do you conclude? No need to tell. The figures are speaking for themselves very loudly but we are unable to use the ears Allah gave us to listen and eyes to let us see.
Please educate yourself and your children. Excuses like lack of money, ability or opening are nothing more than that - excuses.
Always promote education, don't compromise on it. We hate to be weak, illiterate and poor but are we too weak to give our children the opportunity to break the curse? Don't ignore your children's slightest misguidance from education, and please, for Allah's sake, don't use your personal contacts to promote your children in their education. If they fail, let them because it will make them learn the sweetness of success. Remember, if they can't do it now, they can't ever.
With knowledge comes power, and with it even the small can rule over the big. We are world's biggest but sadly NOT strongest nation.

All we need is to identify and explore our inner selves. Insha-Allah, our weapon to victory, our duty to spread God's words and our opportunity save all humankind is best through knowledge, creativity, literacy. And nothing else.

Sorry for it to be too long. Just felt like sharing with you guys.

like a corpse?

Last week, I had the chance to watch The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants 2 dvd which I have been dying to watch courtesy of a good friend. It's not as good as the books though but we all know that don't we?

well, the sequel pretty much squeezed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th book altogether. Not a very good idea. It seemed too 'stuffy' and at the same time, didn't really focus well on each character, particularly Bridget played by the gorgeous Blake Lively. She went through this emotional phase with her grandmother and father but the movie didn't really capture that. And she was the only one among her friends who didn't get kissed/have an eye candy/find romance. But heh, guys aren't always the main attraction of the movie, no matter how handsome or charming or how ripped their bodies are... (you have to watch to know what I'm talking about, esp the body parts. hehe no pun intended.) *Geleng-geleng kepala* no seriously, tak semestinya kalau ada guys yg hot, itu menarik perhatian org nk tgk cite tu kan? kan? ok moving on.

Before you yawn and think "What is she writing abt? seriously man, cite ni bosan lah", I'm not writing a review or anything. The thing I wanted to talk about is when Carmen went to Vermont with Julia just to be a backstage person for a play but ended up auditioning for it when forced by Ian, a British bloke whom I would totally fall for, and got the part of the main character because she was genuine, not fake like her friend, Julia.


Ok still not my point.


There was this one scene where Carmen and Ian practiced their lines together on the hills of Vermont which were so picturesque and beautiful and made me want to move there, and Carmen asked why don't people talk like the old days anymore. Like Shakespearean with all the 'eth' suffixes and 'thy' and 'thee'. Ayat berbunga-bunga. People now had gotten so lazy she said. She mentioned these adjectives when describing the language back then.


"Good, rich, luscious."


"It's not the same. It sounds so good, it feels so good to say, it's rich and luscious and.."



I feel you Carmen, yep I do.
You feel me?
ala mesti tak. You have to watch it to know what I'm talking about!


well, that is one of the reasons why I love literature. The beautiful, scrumptious, delectable language. :)

Now that is my point.



p.s: I love Lena Kaligaris aka Alexis Bledel! She was as pretty as ever :D And she gets to have Kostos Dounas wuuu.



And I admire Tibby's sense of style. She's brave.

Ok ok ni bukan review.


Oh and I watched Superbad too. It was hilarious but had a lot of vulgarity in its language. Not so scrumptious I can say. But that's a whole other post. :)

simple bliss

Just a week after my fourth semester has started, I'm already liking TSL 570 and TSL 521. Yes, those literature subjects. Reading stories and poems and analyzing them are invigorating. I've always liked it when we think of the story in one way, and suddenly when discussing with your lecturer and friends, their views on the story are completely the opposite. It's an eye-opener, it's mind-blowing (yes for me), it's just amazing. And the feeling of finally understanding what the poem or story or novel is all about is so... good. You know I'm happy when I go "Ooooohhhh!". I don't need any pemangkin to make me like the subjects. The literature texts are already bliss for me. Don't you just love it when you have fun while learning? Sigh.

a first attempt

A good friend had asked me to write lyrics for a new song for her band. The storyline is basically about a person who's tired of people who only treat her right when they need or want something from her. When they have already gotten what they had asked for, they leave and forget. Like taking that person for granted. Please please let me know what you think. Critic all you want, constructive critiscms don't hurt. Jgn destructive pulak tau. Pity me please :)


Tell me what am I to you
A friend in need or just another face in the crowd
I think I should have kept a quiet mouth
What's the point of talking at all
When you don't hear me out
Too tired to speak, too tired to think
You're wearing me down

Every day the scenario's the same
Perfect smiles from perfect people
Kisses on the cheeks oh so supple
Like the apples in Eve's garden
But how about them hearts?
Never more sneakier than snakes
That I learned the hard way

Chorus
You think you know me but you don't really do
You think you know me but really, you don't have a clue
You seek only perfection
Hey open up your eyes; see the things your heart won't let you see
See me, see you, see the space between
I'm tired of this dance we do
Wrap it up or you might just see the end of it soon

Don't you feel tired?
Of putting people down
Haven't you had enough?
Of pushing me around
Didn't listen to Joni Mitchell did ya?
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
You've been lucky all your life
But hold on tight,
Cause that luck might just run out

Repeat chorus

Bridge
Like a burst bubble I leave no mark
That's how I am
When ridiculed by you
Putting on a mask as I go
Throughout this life that I'm never sure
Help me out here
Should you go or should you stay
I'm not just a ragdoll you can play

Repeat chorus


p.s: This is a first attempt! I repeat, a first attempt! Mane tau bila dah hbs baca, korg gelak terbahak-bahak :/

what do we do now?


It's not a silly little moment,

It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on.

Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms.
Nobody's gonna come and save you,
We pulled too many false alarms.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

I was the one you always dreamed of,
You were the one I tried to draw.
How dare you say it's nothing to me?
Baby, you're the only light I ever saw.

I'll make the most of all the sadness,
You'll be a bitch because you can.
You try to hit me just to hurt me
So you leave me feeling dirty
Because you can't understand.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?

My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room.

Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?


John Mayer explains it all :(

just keep me where the light is


When you're dreaming with a broken heart
The waking up is the hardest part
You roll outta bed and down on your knees
And for the moment you can hardly breathe
Wondering was she really here?
Is she standing in my room?
No she's not, 'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone....


-John Mayer, "Dreaming with a Broken Heart"



I had a dream of her last night. A first since she went. It wasn't creepy or magical like what people expect. It was ordinary yet special. I had to write this down somewhere cause I'm afraid I won't have dreams of her anymore in the future.


She was sitting in her chair and had a glum look on her face. I remember feeling shocked to see her there. It was so real and vivid that I cried. I went and sat down by her lap. I called for her but she couldn't hear me. I touched her but she didn't even move. It's as if I'm the one who's gone and she is still here. I screamed and screamed and I think the volume of my voice was so loud that she winced like she heard someone calling for her. She looked around everywhere, every corner, but never at my direction. I was just by her lap, nowhere far that she couldn't hear me. Then I saw my sister and called for her frantically to come and see Nenek. "Kak No, Kak No, tengok nenek ada kat sini! Tapi dia tak dgr. Camne ni? Camne ni?" I said while crying like a crazy person. My grandma just sat there with no expression, as if she was posing for a portrait. And that was it.


new year

Stayed in and watch potc back to back on star movies. Could've went out with friends but wasn't in the mood. And the fact that my father probably wouldn't let me go out at night "partying." Partying in the sense of having drinks with friends and watch the fireworks and hu ha hu ha a bit and go home. But it's ok. Tak nak buat dosa yang tak sengaja tapi boleh dielakkan like hanging out with boys and cuci mata and melepak. At the stroke of midnight, went up to the roof in the hopes of getting the chance to see some of the fireworks' leftovers but there was none. Only the bang-bang sounds. It's sad I know. Went back in and watch them on tv instead. Then my eyes couldn't handle it anymore so I washed myself up, prayed for a wonderful year, and went to bed.

Maybe I wasn't that all excited about celebrating the entrance of a new year. I haven't had enough of 2008 just yet. A lot of things happened so it brought a strong impact on me. And I'm a person who doesn't accept change well. I'm hard to budge. That has got to change. Will be added in to my new year resolutions. If I have one that is. Oh well. Happy New Year everybody. Hope you guys had fun.