my first facial experience....

Went for my first facial @ Shadira, the outlet located at Jurong East, as suggested by my colleague aka good friend, Salsa.... I don't know why but I've decided to just plunge myself into this new beauty routine, maybe propelled by the idea that I'm getting married soon.... and thus want to look my best and glowing on my wedding day....

The whole facial procedure which involves the facial massage and shoulder massage was extremely relaxing.... until the EXTRACTION part.... it was SOOOOOO painful!!!! That tears just filled and overflowed my eyes as if on cue.... my body wriggled on its own accord.... and I felt like shouting but at the same time like fainting due to the extreme pain....

If facial, which involves scraping the first few layers of skin is soooo excruciating for me, I can't imagine how painful dying must be... cos in Islam, we believe that when we die, our souls will be ripped off from our bodies by the Death angel... and the pain is alike to that of tearing off the skin from the whole body.... May God have mercy on us humans... it's so scary and unimaginable....

After the whole experience, I still have to follow up on some beauty routines with their products which are halal, and go for monthly facials!! Argghhh!!! I think I must have lost my mind or something to plunge into this... guess I should just continue what I've started and see whether it's really worth it...in abt a year's time...

Currently, my face is peeling... cos the products help to slough off the dead skin cells on my face and ensure the renewal of my skin, creating a more supple and silky soft skin... sigh... the crazy things women do for the love of beauty.... What I hate most is I can't wear makeup!!! NOOOO!!! sigh.... gonna miss my beauty gadgets....

not the best of health...

It's been a week... but my body has not fully recovered yet... can't stand the constant splitting headaches and went to see the doc yest... and received 3 days MC instead....yucks!!! yucks!!! I guess my body needs more rest... my body can't cope with my mind...always busy thinking what to do next to keep myself occupied... but my body can't take it anymore...boohoo!!

Doctor now diagnosed me with an upper respiratory tract infection, and gave me more medications to alleviate the symptoms and sedate me... gonna be a zombie these 2 days I guess... my mum will kill me if I sneak out again for some FRESH air....but ended up @ Mustafa Centre... hehe... I guess meeting my bf awhile for dinner shouldn't hurt so much.... or I'll die of boredom @ home...

I guess listening to my fav songs help fill up on my boredom... currently, I love this Malay song... don't know why I can't stop singing it... so romantic...!! :)

Tak Mungkin Kerna Sayang - Alyah

bugged by the flu virus...so sick of being sick...

*cough* *cough*

Has been fighting the flu virus for the past 2 days... and the medications given by the doctor really helped me cope with my flu... except for the fact that they made me drowsy most of the time... I feel like a zombie, spending most of my time @ home just sleeping.... For now, the headaches, muscular aches, fever, sneezing and coughing have greatly subsided... I have more energy to do other things like surfing the net and reading books other than sleeping....

Feeling much better now, except for the fact that I missed my second day of orientation, which was supposed to be yesterday... boo hoo!! I was really looking forward to hang out with a few new friends I made during my orientation... We actually won first in the Hunt! section (sort of like Amazing Race) of the orientation....



It took us just 5 minutes to get to know each other... and we really bonded effortlessly... The first day of orientation was on last Friday... too bad I'll have to go back to the lab tomorrow... hope to be learning something new....

Watched 2 shows last week... My colleagues and I ( Salsa, Ain, Caeden, Yazid and me )caught a movie show last Friday night after work... it was called,'Drag Me To Hell'...by Sam Raimi... it was supposed to be a horror movie but it was too disappointing for me to bother wasting my time writing a review for this movie.... let's just say it's very ridiculous.. and reminds me of the 'Tom & Jerry' show for kids.... haha









The only part I loved about the show is when the girl's boyfriend stood by her despite not understanding the difficulties she's going through... yet when everyone turned their backs on her, he's the only one more than willing to hold her hand through the whole difficult journey.... so sweet... I've been there, done that... so I can really feel for the female character in the movie... and her bf reminds me of what my own bf had done for me for the past 5 years of our relationship... I feel so blessed!!

But we had a great deal of time having dinner at Banquet and slacking around for awhile before heading home....

Another show I caught was with my hubby in the weekend... a DVD date....plugging our ears with headphones and watching the movie via my lappy.... the movie was called, 'The Lakehouse', featuring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock....



It was a very nice, romantic movie for couples to cuddle up and enjoy together with a steaming cup of coffee.... It was veryyyy touching, added with a cunning twist at the end of the show... something we didn't expect.... had a nice discussion regarding the show and the values it contained after the show...

The show is regarding a couple who fell in love despite not having met each other before and being 2 years apart from each other...Kate (played by Sandra Bullock), a lonely doctor was living her life 2 years beyond that of the lonely architect, Alex (played by Keanu Reeves)....they only communicate via letters through the magical mailbox at the lakehouse, which can link the 2 worlds despite the different timelines....

Despite the impossibilities they faced in their relationship, they didn't give up trying to meet up with each other...( read : especially the determination showed by Alex, who never sways in his faith and determination to meet the girl of his dreams) and they truly deserve what they got at the end of the show, after being so patient and persistent for so many years....

rating = 5/5 stars

love is in the air....

The picture featured above clearly explains the title of this blog.... the vanilla frap represents me whilst the choc frap represents my hubby... Our tastebuds yearn for totally antagonistic flavours....

I gave up using my electronic weighing scale... cos my weight has increased so much... my dear said I'm fatter now... but I think it's the muscles and some baby fat contributing to the extra weight....need to start running long distance soon...and i really mean LONG ones... haha

but what really made my day was yesterday.... a woman in mid 30s approached me in the gym toilet and told me she looved my body & kept asking so many questions.... whether I go gym daily... what I did to have great curves and a hot butt.... sigh... I love that woman... haha




Just recently finished the book featured above,'Ayat-ayat Cinta', by Habiburrahman El Shirazy.... regarding a romantic love story strongly holding on to Islamic faith and teachings.... The main male character in the story, Fahri, is every Muslim girl's dream guy... a stoic and strongly disciplined Muslim man of high integrity yet so humble and honest, even in the face of desperation and slander.....

What I find disappointing though, is the storyline in the book is rather different compared to that featured in the movie.... which is more dramatic.... in terms of ending though, I love the original book's version.... justice prevails

rating = 5/5

Movies...!!

Monsters vs Aliens



Watched this as a sneak preview in 3D! Went with my beloved bf and we loved it! The storyline is quite interesting and unpredictable, injected every now and then with jawbreaking jokes that never fail to make us laugh... Very enjoyable after a busy and tiring day @ work.... :)

rating = 4 stars

Terminator Salvation

As for Terminator Salvation, directed by McG... I find the whole theme of the show quite dark... which reminds me of the show called 'I Am Legend', featuring Will Smith... the scene whereby the character John Connor (played by Christian Bale) speaks to the rest of the Resistance team who were dispersed all over the world due to forced circumstances, floods me with a sense of dejavu.... it reminds me of the scene in the latter movie, whereby Will Smith speaks into a radio transmitter in the hope of being able to communicate and update his latest efforts & to give everyone a sense of belonging and hope to conquer the war against evil....

I don't know why but the whole storyline seems so predictable, weak and boring... there's so many unnecessary scenes that should be excluded... there should be more scenes which can help explain why John Connor has to save the boy called Kyle Reese, and the relationship involved... and maybe also more on the genetics experiments performed on Marcus to make him a half-human-half-cyborg as well as how they had preserved him from the 1970s til the future to be sent back to 2018 to thwart the Resistance team's effort in winning the war by method of deviation....will be very interesting....reminds me of the show The Matrix...

Anyway, I don't really fancy the end of the storyline whereby Marcus, the half-cyborg sacrificed his heart to save John Connor, who is a normal human being, who is going to age, waste away and die eventually... I feel it's such a waste of talent as well as the opportunity to learn more about the half-cyborg ,which was sent from the future, in order to understand the Skynet team more and manipulate their weakness to overcome them....

rating = 2 stars

Currently planning to watch a horror movie next, but with my colleagues instead... maybe next week... probably the show 'Drag Me To Hell'.... will update soon...

My current read is a Malay book ( I rarely read Malay books ) which is popularly known through an Indonesian movie featured a few years back... entitled 'Ayat-ayat Cinta'.... will update on it as soon as I'm done with it!! :p

Music that makes my day....

Once I've heard the 'Heartless', Kris Allen's version in my sister's mp3, I fell head over heels in love with it... ( read : I don't really watch much tv so didn't catch american idol except from the papers ) His version is sooo soul, pretty reminds me of Jason Mraz... another soul legend I adore....

I used to think Adam Lambert deserved the American Idol title, but I guess I just changed my mind.... I'm on romantic mode...

Kris Allens Heartless Studio Version.mp3 -

Honour Killing - Ayse Onal

Ask me how's my weekend... & I'll tell you it rocks big time... celebrated my birthday with family, friends and loved ones... but I'm feeling fat, fat, fat....


Went to Fish & Co for a sumptuous dinner with some of my colleagues after work on Friday evening, went to Han's River for lunch with my family to enjoy a joyous buffet spread on Saturday & a friend's wedding lunch today before enjoying an animation movie in 3-D called ' Monsters vs Aliens'... a show I've been waiting to watch for some time....



Me & Salsa... ( she took some nicer pics wif her digicam I'm gonna grab soon.... )



Seafood Platter for two that I shared with Salsa... but ended up still unfinished



So much eating took place for the past few days... so I need to remind myself to slot in some running & gym time within my busy schedule what comes may.... My bf said my butt is obviously bigger now... yucks... I hate yet glad with the fact that guys can be so frank with their opinions most of the time...

Will share more pics and updates about myself when I can spare more time.... back to the main purpose of this blog entry... it's regarding a book I've recently read, called 'Honour Killing' by Ayse Onal... a brave female journalist who actively and boldly reports explicitly on controversial Turkish politics, organised crime and conflicts in the Middle East.



Reading this book is truely heart-wrenching for me yet serves as an important eye-opener for me.... giving me a greater sense of purpose in life & truly appreciating the freedom that comes with being a Muslim woman born in Singapore.... unlike most of my female counterparts in the Middle East, I am given the opportunity to go to school to gain knowledge, mingle with people of all ages and sex to gain useful insights on life, given equal opportunity as the men to go to work & hold a professional role in society....

I can never imagine how my life will be if I'm born into the Middle East... having a personality like mine bursting @ the seams with energy and spirit, I feel I would have done what most of the Muslim women in the book have done - slain in the name of honour killing and religion by my own family members, during my relentless pursuits of freedom....

Muslim women are fully submerged and oppressed in the Middle East... what entails is an excuse that everything is done in the name of Islam.... which actually does not condone killing yet encourage mercy towards animals, let alone human beings... yet young Muslim women were mercilessly slain even @ the slightest hints of possible bad intentions... unexpectingly increasing the suicide(an unpardonable sin) rates amongst them, which is depressing....

An excerpt taken from the book, pg 176 :

'...a girl in Urfa had requested a song on the radio and dedicated it to all who love and are loved. To set an example, she was killed in front of her entire family. When it was disconvered that a girl in Mardin had secretly gone to the ladies' matinee at the movie theatre, she was dragged from the theatre and beaten to death...'

What I found sad and hard to swallow is the fact that most of these Muslims carries Islamic teachings in their lives to the extremes.... declaring full bidding of what is written in the Qur'an... yet live their lives decades behind the current modern world....

Double standards towards the different sex groups are obviously portrayed.... women are betrothed to a close family member as soon as they were born, regardless of their rights or wishes... and married off as soon as they are physiologically ready to produce offsprings despite being years younger than the minimum age required to register in a civil marriage...

Most women are physically abused by their husbands, strongly not allowed to go to school, work or even watch the television... they are not allowed to talk much as their voices are considered haram, or go out without fully covering their bodies...

Wives who bear daughters are insulted as daughters are seen to bring bad luck to the household and thus, much dreaded... any women who ventured out of their house alone are regarded as prostitutes and will be raped or even killed with much disregard...

Despite not having much power to help these women who are constantly subjected to much physical and emotional abuse in their everyday lives, women who became desensitized by the amount of violence displayed in their society... I will always pray for justice to prevail & for God to show the Muslim people in the Middle East the true path of life... & save the innocent from unimaginable sufferings....

Movie preview...'Taken'

Watched the movie 'Taken' but hadn't had the time nor energy to blog nowadays after work...most of the time I'm too weary to do anything else but go to sleep on my cozy bed...

It was a fast-action movie, with non-stop intense sequence of violence, drug use and disturbing contents surrounding the issue of women trafficking.... I love the fact that the director Pierre Morel focused on the important aspects of the movie... He tried to outline all the different angles revolving around the sensitive issue of women trafficking... from how they perform the dirty deeds of kidnapping to how they 'auctioned' off the women to rich sheikhs...

What I found disturbing was the fact that the kidnappers involved in the dark syndicate targeted on young female tourists, at their most vulnerable state... Forcing them into the prostitution ring against human rights, by drugging and physically abusing them... some even died due to drug overdose... those surviving looking wasted in make-shift brothels....

The message to all women is clear... Be careful when planning to go on a holiday...no matter where it is, because you're alone if anything shall happen to you... As shown in the movie, corruption even within the highest government officials is possible, when money and status is at stake.... So never go alone...always go with a group of friends, especially those who know their way around the country well...

A great movie definitely... with a powerful message underlining the storyline....

rating = 4 stars

Struggling to get my 40 winks....

It's been sooo long since I've written a post here.... Since I started work in SGH lab, I've been receiving lots & lots of offers to teach personal tuition and the remuneration is good....

Thus, I ended up taking in 7 kids under my belt, ranging from p3 to sec4... So, you can roughly have an idea how hectic my days are... I practically work 7 days a week... & if inclusive of spending time with my dear.... that will be almost not much time for myself...It did't help either if my DXI machine I'm currently being trained to operate, choose to break down every now and then.... ( I actually stayed back til 7pm to fix many things following the breakdown...sulk... My boss told me it's just the beginning...boohooohooo)

My library books are fast catching dust on my table.... It's quite sucky that I don't get to do the things I used to often do with my baby anymore... we rarely get to go to the library to sit in & read quietly, nor frequent jogging or visits to the gym... I feel fat!!

It doesn't help either that my dear is also working & going to start studying on a part-time basis as well... I hope our engagement plans will go smoothly @ the end of this year... whatever it is, we always try to compromise to each other's schedules and stretch our time to do things together...no matter how short the time span is...

We managed to slot in time to catch a movie, called 'Taken'... but will blog on the movie in my next post...

Career-wise... I'm managing great @ my new workplace... almost everyone is great... Let's just say there's never a day in lab that I never laugh or smile.... I was quite surprised there's a handful of Malays working in the lab & that so many crazy people thrive in the lab...

Stress...because the big boss has huge plans for me... My probation period is to be halved as requested by the head... So, instead of being trained for 6 mths...everything has to be done within 3 mths... before I'm sent for night duties...yikes!! Stress......

Read : I can't help but be fascinated by the pneumatic tube system... such a waste I can't take any pictures in the lab to show to others the gorgeous setup in the lab.... the pneumatic system allows specimens (from almost everywhere linked to SGH)to be sent to the lab within a short period of time... using vacuum suction... specimens from wards & emergency dptmnts are especially prioritised.... cool system... I like.....

A shopping spree in KL....

KLCC


Just got back from a 3 days 2 nights tour of KL... went with my mum,dad & sis, riding a super VIP coach from Grassland Tours, staying @ Ancasa Hotel & Spa... since I'm off work for 10 days before starting work @ my new workplace (SGH)...

Ancasa hotel's restaurant

My aim at the end of the trip was to enjoy & take pictures of the picturesque view from KLCC twin towers & KL tower, enjoying the nice food there (as recommended by some friends) and some nice shopping...

Sad to say, we ended up not getting to the top of KLCC as all the tickets to the bridge linking both towers were sold out even by afternoon... ( it was supposed to available til' 7.30pm )...we were not the only tourists disappointed...

I also failed to enjoy the view from KL Tower because my mum, being soo afraid of heights, declined to join us... so we decided to scrap the whole idea of going up... No one in my family also wanted to join me to Times Square shopping centre when I told them of my intention to try out the in-house roller-coaster rides & other such thrill rides within the shopping centre... they freaked out!! haha!!

Some places we visited though... Pavilion, KLCC shopping centres, Kota Raya, Chow Kit Rd, Petaling Street ( Chinatown )...etc

At the Pavilion

Maybe I should go with my hubby next time when we're married....maybe next year... guess he's the only person who's willing to tag along & be my everything ( best friend, sports trainer, reading companion,shopping companion, lover, bf, husband, etc ) even though sometimes he doesn't really fancy some of the adventures I intend to seek in future... haha!!

Bought some workclothes from some of my fav lines - The Executive and Iora... was disappointed not to be able to find other fav lines I intended to shop in... such as Crumpler, Scholl, Charles & Keith, etc...



A perfume I fancied and bought from Petaling Street @ a great bragain!! Love its design and colour... a line from Paris Hilton... Smells similar but I'm not sure whether it's original... but the box and everything else looks original...duh... who cares anyway... :)

My next holiday will be in June, to go back to kampung days & bringing along my grandparents, family & relatives to visit some relatives in Batu Pahat... climbing waterfalls and hiking the forests sounds like what I would love to experience... miss those kampung days when I was small & used to climb trees for mangosteens but ended up bitten by red ants...chasing chicks...yada..yada...

10 days off work!! yeah!!

It's official...

I am not part of Parkway Laboratory Services now, & will be staff of SGH Biochemistry Lab from now onwards... but my first day of work will fall on the 14th of april...

However, there's so many things to do :

1) Pack up for my shopping spree @ KL..will be going KL for 3 days 2 nights, 7-9 April 09... gonna miss my baby!!! :( But really need to shop for new workclothes ( more formal ) & take my mind off work...

2) Prepare test papers for Bio, Chem & Phy ( upper Sec ) by this week... for my 4 tuition students

3) Go gym & running as usual...

4) Update my facebook!! Yeah!! I just made a facebook account 3 days ago!!

5) Update my blog!! Just went to Mind Cafe yesterday with my colleagues!!

6) Revise for my ASCP exams

First time in my whole working life of 2.5 years that I woke up so late... @ 11am!!

Will update some pics from my outing with my close ex-colleaguees aka friends as soon as I receive the pics from them via mail... so funny!! We had a fantastic time laughing so hard our cheeks burned in pain...haha!!

Gonna miss the whole crazy bunch!! But we'll be meeting up at least once a month I hope, I will try my best despite my super busy schedule...

Received 2 more offers to teach tuition... still trying to figure out how to slot time for more tuition... how I wish I can have the option of having a car...then travelling will be no problem & more tuition is nothing for me... but I don't want to entertain the idea of having to pay for 2 cars when I get married...most prob nxt year... cos my bf already possess a car under his name...sucks...

Life is great! Looking forward to my first day @ work!

Counting down to my last day of work....

Counting down my last days @ work, yet with such a heavy heart... to leave all the great, funny, crazy, incredibly talented people I've met in Parkway Lab Svcs.... gonna miss my friends aka colleagues....

We're gonna meet up tomorrow evening for a hangout fun @ MINDS Cafe at Bugis... hope it won't be crowded... gonna call up to reserve some seats for us tomorrow morning... It will be harder to meet up like this in future as each of us will be leading our separate lives & focusing on our individual goals & future plans....

Most of them are searching for better positions elsewhere...some still persevering whilst pursuing their part-time degree programmes & working full time @ the same time... ( I really respect these guys man.... take my hats off...)

As for me, I'm going to start off from a new workplank... I'm sooo excited... will see myself working very hard, as my goal will be to stay long & gain sufficient experience and recommendations to score a ( Masters )scholarship to specialise in the Biochemistry field & be someone important....

In the meantime though, I'm studying independently for the ASCP exam to be a more qualified Medical Technologist, on an international level... I want to prove to people that nothing is impossible in life... especially to my sis, to never give up & persevere in all endeavours to reap the entailing rewards... cos God is always fair to us if we deserve it....

Live life to the fullest!!

An excerpt taken from ' Life's A Stitch '...
(even my hubby giggled when he read this )

'...What would happen,for instance,if suddenly,magically,men could menstruate and women could not?

The answer is clear - menstruation would become an enviable,boast-worthy,masculine event.

Men would brag about how long & how much.

Boys would mark the onset of menses,that longed-for proof of manhood,with religious ritual & stag parties.

Congress would fund a National Institute of Dysmenorrhea to help stamp out monthly discomforts.

Sanitary supplies would be federally funded & free.

...only men can serve in the Army "You have to give blood to take blood"...

...In fact,if men could menstruate,the power justification could probably go on forever.

If we let them.'


Gloria Steinem

Life...hectic as usual...

Counting down...to my last day of work @ parkway lab... my last day @ work will fall on 4th April 09'... and my first day of work @ SGH Biochemistry Lab will fall on 14th April 09'... which subsequently means that I have 10 days to rest!! YES!!! Next plan is to go on a short shopping trip with mummy & sis @ KL til' we drop!!!

Started teaching at Silat RC, but only on alternate weekends... the pay is definitely not fantastic, but will suffice for some surplus liquid assets... As usual, tried slotting in hours of running & gym, even though Ben & Jerry's seems to sound like a much better option after a long, tiring day @ work.... teaching triple pure science to 3 upper sec students from SAP schools... on top of my private tutoring hours...

I'm definitely a busy woman....

YET, able to slot in hours to read a book as and when I find some available time, no matter how bulky the book may be & how nerdy I might seem to others... My current read is closer to feminism in nature, entitled 'Life's a Stitch', edited by Anne Safran Dalin : A compilation of fantastics works by women of all backgrounds....



A definite read for all women in the world!! One common denominator that exists in all the women's works - a great sense of humor surrounding women's everyday struggles with life : work & love.... A great work ALL women can relate to...

I love the fact that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity.

I will share some of the excerpts taken from this lovely book, in different postings:

On why men & women can't stay married....

'...Large appliances break up far more relationships than do sex, money, household chores, and relatives.....'

'...Even if her marriage survives the refrigerator challenge, the "what-were-you-doing-when-you-broke-it?" menace awaits...'

'..."It just started beating itself against the basement wall like it was trying to commit suicide".....'

'....Did you spot the trend? One spouse, usually the male, forms a series of questions aimed at finding out whose fault it is. Large appliances provide the easiest available way for a husband to blame his wife for an expensive inconvenience for which she was no way responsible. For reasons that no one has been able to discern, this makes him feel better. For reasons that are perfectly obvious, this makes her feel like keeping the washer and trading in the husband....'

Marcia Steil

rating = 5/5 stars

career switch....

I'm currently in the midst of a career switch... still the same profession, but will be joining the public sector next month.... I believe I've made the right choice for my future... planning to settle down with my beloved hubby... :)

Recently I've read a book on creative thinking... called 'A Whack On The Side Of The Head' by Roger von Oech.... most of the quotes in the book were based on Heraclitus, the presocratic Greek philosopher..... The arguments delivered in the book forced us readers to look at life's everyday problems and day-to-day living from as many viewpoints as possible....



Just focusing on the best possible answer to a problem is not enough & might even limit out range of creativity... always open doors for the 2nd and 3rd best solutions which might be more economical or beneficial in the long run....

The most important thing in life is to remember...never make excuses in order to easily break through status quo.... Read the book & gain the useful insights to be applied to your personal life... Go ahead... :)

All thanks to God the almighty that my family's problems regarding withcraft is improving... our relentless efforts in seeking help from learned Muslim leaders and ustazs had finally paid off.... I'm so glad things have improved gradually.... May Allah bless our lives...& provide equal punishments to those who have sinned against us...

feb sails along sooo fast....

Been busy with so many family problems to face to... work has always been busy ( as usual )... was even posted to microbiology lab for a week as to allow several staff to clear their leave, incl the boss....

Recently went to a friend's engagement ceremnony... didn't really stay long, but love to be part of the whole ceremony... it was quite grand for me... but in my case, I didn't plan to get engaged at all... just get married, possibly next year if everything goes smoothly...



Here are some pics I took of my friend looking demure yet gorgeous along with the gifts she had prepared for the guy's side... simply loooove the beautifully decorated muffins!! :)





Was quite saddened by the fact that by cousin, who was recently engaged to his long time girlfriend... had recently broken their engagement, as well as their wedding plans... supposed to be held end of this year... the main reason being the period of time given by the girl's side is too short for the guy to save up enough to marry the girl...

All the more I have to be more patient in my relationship... and it takes calculated planning and lots of patience to get married smoothly... no use stressing yourself to get married as fast as possible but unable to cope financially & emotionally...

Let's chill & relax...

Work is getting more hectic as more of my colleagues resigned... leaving more workload to those left... I hope my company will cease their freeze-hiring program & employ more new staffs before the lab department collapse due to unrealistic pressure focusing on consistently high quality & fast service we've always sworn by...

To fight work-related fatigue, I swear to chill more often with my bf ( I hope my company can compensate for the extra hours I've slogged, but working alone in spin room the whole day is considered quite a feat..)

I currently make the effort to read more often, clock in running sessions & weight-lifting hours in the gym... esp enjoying brownies topped with ice-cream, esp one offered by Ben & Jerry's!! :)



Recently read 2 great books... the first is entitled,'The Odd Brain' by Dr Stephen Juan... which reveals so much valuable new information about our brains... The various kinds of brain illnesses we can possibly have...& the symptoms we can look out for in ourselves or in our loved ones... as well as the possible treatments to seek....


Our brain is the most intricate organ full of unsolved mysteries of its own... indiscriminate when befallen by illnesses, yet works its wonders in unique ways in different individuals - regardless of sex, age or race.... Dr Stephen Juan has written it in such a way as to make it difficult for me to skip any pages...

Rating = 4/5


Another book is entitled,'Gut Feelings' by Gerd Gigerenzer... a provocatively written book, backed with extensive research & exhaustive statistics... the theories which filled each chapter can be applied across the boards spanning various fields - economics, medical, moral, social, psychological, political, aviation to critical personal life-changing decisions we have to take each and every day....

The book was written in such a strong manner I was taken aback, deeply entertained, yet extremely captivated with its spine-chilling truths.... A book worth buying and reading for life... as it shows how life's complexities can be solved using simple solutions...as called 'rules of thumb' in this book, and when it's best to let your gut feelings take action... also called the 'unconscious intelligence' which exists indefinitely in everyone of us...

Rating = 5/5

welcoming the new year...2009...

The year of 2008 never fail to catch me by surprise with it's twist and turns in life... the ups and downs of economy...natural and human tragedies worldwide...& my personal problems....It has really made me steeler to face the upcoming year of 2009, foreseen to bring more depressing news in relation to the financial crisis which will sweep the entire globe...

All the more we have to consistently be vigilant and continue improving and living our lives to the fullest...

The year 2009 will never be the same as 2008, with the recent loss of my beloved cat, named Baby... who never made it pass 2 years of living on Earth... my cat was knocked down by a car reversing into a parking lot.... Despite not knowing the exact details of the tragic event, I hope my cat died a painless death... hope to see him in Heaven soon...




No more sweet cuddles before a good night sleep....

No more wake up calls at 4am,5am,6am,...etc

No more attention seeking cat at home ( my other 2 female cats love 2 slp than play )

The whole family will miss you always...rest in peace in heaven Baby...muah!!

Don't sweat the small stuff...

The saying that god will not test you that of beyond your capabilities... brings a huge sigh of relief to anyone facing problems in life... I'm currently back at the comfort of my own home... but not without problems... I guess life has to go on as usual and we have to face problems in the face to address it in a way vital to other parties to learn from...



Reading books and surfing the net playing games online are great ways I found to be stress relieving... The most recent book I had just finished is a must-have for all forensic science enthusiasts like myself...

The book is entitled 'Never suck a dead man's hand'... by Dana Kollmann... who had at least 11 years of experience, painful bitter yet teeming with sweet memories, as a forensic scientist... ( she's currently a professor specialising in forensic anthropology )

Be warned that this is a no-holds-barred book... certainly not for just anyone to pick up & enjoy reading.... ( I need a breather once a while myself due to my highly imaginative mind )

Dana never fail to consistently inject a great sense of humour into every interesting encounters( which others might find extremely repulsive ) she had during her whole career... yet she resigned due to the fact she felt unappreciated and redundant in the whole organisation... there's no official way of appreciation for a job well done, as she is considered 'the person behind the scenes'.... not only that, she has decided to devote the rest of her life to her family who had been so understanding throughout her time-consuming career....

P.S : I love the front cover of this book... so cunning and deceiving... read the book and you will understand why the title of the book is as such... ;p enjoy!!

rating : 5 stars
**This book is definitely NOT for those with weak hearts and stomach...**

Still surviving....

I guess this December is the worst month of my life in 2008... I'm facing a HUGE family crisis currently... and living on the run for now...( I miss my cats and my comfy bed...) I can't wait for everything to get slightly better because it's been such a torturous and mentally exhausting period of my life... I hope I go through this stressful period gracefully and make me emerge as a stronger person in the coming year...

It's quite sad that drastic actions have to be taken for things to get better for others...to open their eyes to the reality of life... not to take everything in life for granted.... and consistently strive for self-improvement... but what's done is done... and everyone has to pick up their courage to face all the consequences... but I never ever give up hope that life will get better with constant perserverence and faith....

I'm really thankful to have such a loving boyfriend... who promised to stand by my side and go through thick and thin together.... thank u for everything you did for me my dear...really appreciate it... thank u so much...

November wasn't such a smooth month for me....

There won't be much entries for the month of November... as I have no leave or off days from work... and I'm keeping up with my hectic daily schedule...

December will not be a lot better either... I'm scheduled to work on Sunday and on Christmas day.. spending Christmas eve working alone ( a one man show ) handling spinning room...and will spend half the month in Gleneagles stat lab, and the other half of the month in headquarters lab... shuttling to and fro here and there....

It doesn't help either that my hubby had carelessly broken my lappy's lcd screen... and holes were burnt in our pockets having it fixed so I can surf as normal again...

On the 15th of November, I changed my work schedule with a fellow colleague so as to be able to see my hubby's parents off at the airport, with the rest of his relatives... it was a teary farewell as both of them will be travelling to Jeddah, to perform their Haj for a month at Mecca... the holy city for all Muslims...

Me and my hubby's beloved mother....



My hubby with his ( from left ): brother, father and mother... the far right is my handsome hubby!! :)




Read : All Muslims are required to perform the Haj at least once in their lives... It is one of the five commandmends all Muslims are to fulfil... of course, the Haj is only applicable to those who can afford it... $10k per person... and should be the lifetime goal for all Muslims worldwide...

I hope they can perform their Haj peacefully and successfully... and may everything go smoothly for them... May they come back as safely as possible... and find their prayers answered...

Here's a very touching video that I watched on youtube ( recommended by a good friend who knows that I run..) that touched me soooo much I was left in tears... the love of a father so endearing he would do practically anything once deemed impossible by others, for the love of his son ( who has a condition called cerebral palsy and left paralysed since birth... )

Any runner or marathoner or triathloner will feel for this man... the pain he went through for love... yet we can only imagine how difficult and painful it is....

This is the True Story

A son says to his father: 'Dad, would you be willingly to run a marathon with me?'

The father, despite his age and a heart disease, says 'YES'.

And they run that marathon, together.

The son asks: 'Dad, can you run another marathon with me?' Again father says 'YES'.

They run another marathon, together.

One day the son asks his father: ?Dad would please do the Iron Man with me?'

Now just in case you wouldn't know, 'The Iron Man' is the toughest triathlon in existence; 4km swimming, then 180 km by bike, and finally another 42 km running, in one stroke.

Again father says 'YES'

Maybe this doesn't 'touch' you yet by heart ... until you see this movie (put on sound!):