Ola...

Welcome back to work everyone!! I hope the long holiday has refreshed everyone to work the remaining two months of this year! Wonderful isn't it? It's going to be 2007 soon!

Anyway, I have some pictures of food... Some taken before Ramadhan ended. Due to it, I did not upload them earlier. So, here goes...

Spaghetti Marinara @ KLCC

Sandwich @ KLCC

Häagen-Dazs Flower Bouquet

...which became this half an hour later....


This was during one of the breakfast outing I had just before Eid. Oh.. there were only two of us. So we shared the Bouquet between us. I think we looked like a couple of children while devouring the ice cream.

Now... for Eid, please visit my fotopages here.

Sorry, I suddenly feel lazy to upload the pictures here. Blame it on the holiday mood. Blame it on the tortoise-like connection speed... Blame it on sudden mood change. Hmm...

Until the next entry babes and dudes, take care and have a lovely day.

Today's song

Can't help it. Feeling so mushy mushy when I listen to this...

Dealova
- Dewa 19 -

Aku ingin menjadi mimpi indah dalam tidurmu
Aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yang mungkin bisa kau rindu
Kerana langkah merapuh tanpa dirimu
Oh kerana hati telah letih

Aku ingin menjadi sesuatu yang selalu kau bisa sentuh
Aku ingin tahu bahawa ku selalu memuja mu
Tanpamu sepinya waktu merantai hati
Oh bayangmu seakan akan

Kau seperti nyanyian dalam hatiku
Yang memanggil rinduku padamu
Seperti udara yang ku hela kau selalu ada

Hanya dirimu yang bisa membuatku tenang
Tanpa dirimu aku merasa hilang
Dan sepi
Dan sepi

No.. No.. I have NOT just discovered that our neighbours have beautiful songs in stock. Enjoy la eh...

Yesterday and tomorrow

Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for.
Lawrence Bloc

Does Lady Sunshine here looks like me? That's what Alien said. Oh.. I forgot most of you won't be able to verify this statement because you haven't met yours truly. My bad.

The makan-makan session went very, very well. And yeay! I managed not to blab any taboos!

I arrived almost the same time with Queen and partner. Actually, when I saw that parking spot, I also saw Queen's car. He he he... Sorry la Queen.. aku buat2 bodo plak.. muahaha... Did not want to disturb the love birds...


Anyway, most of the campers arrived after our, errr... MY second plate of food. Jue arrived with her entourage quite fashionably. Why, you asked? Don't have an answer for that. Just was. Her eldest daughter is a shy, shy flower. She spent most of the time there with her head bent. The baby, now, she's a sight. So cute I want to pinch her cheek every time and poke her button nose always.


Alien arrived a bit later after that. Now, her daughter is so cute and friendly. She has rosy cheeks too! And none of them seemed to look tanned after the get away in Brazil. Or probably I haven't seen them for so long I forgot. DNAS arrived almost half an hour after that with her clan. She has two boys. You might already see them in her blog. Or is it BLIG? Muahahahihi... A joke, well... codename really, that I was slow to catch up.


Guest449 arrived with her new hubby (still consider new ke? dah several months dah kan?) glowing and smile plastered on her face. Wedded bliss seems to do her good.


The girls later, after plates of food, and while drinking teh tarik grouped together in the middle of the table to what else but chit chatting. The men, bless them, were busy mending the kids, and the only one without a kid, had a smile on his face looking at the antics. Oh, in the middle of those, Guest449's other half suddenly disappear. Actually, it's right after she moved her seating position. He he he...


Now, Jue asked me the million dollar question. "Eh, Jade, pakcik mana?" I guess she missed my entry yesterday requesting none of them to ask such question. :-p

Oh, by the way, the food in Penang Village was... quite nice actually. Nothing outstanding, but nice. I ate a little of everything. Now, the night ended with Alien's daughter's bleeding chin. She fell down while playing with DNAS's boys. So kesian, I tell you. She kept on telling people, "akit ni.. akit ni.."

All in all, it was really, really good to see all of them again. And I had smile plastered on my face all the way back.

The festive day is coming. I do not have a long holiday, but I shall treat the whole week as if I do. I'm coming back to work on Thursday. (Cue to say "kesiaaaaan Jade...")

Eid Mubarak.
Maaf Zahir Batin.

Happy Diwali.

Happy Holidays.

Drive safe everyone, be alert. Don't go with the rush hour, if you can.

Almost weekend... I can do it!

My horoscope for today...

When was the last time you really took the time to realize how important the people in your life are to you? Do it today. As soon as you can this morning, make some social plans with the friends you enjoy the most. More time has gone by than you may realize, and sharing your latest life developments with someone who can really appreciate the changes you're going through would do you good. Taking stock of the blessings in your life is a great way to stay positive.

Yes! I know! That is why this evening I'm meeting my lovely friends from the old company to catch up. Although it's a bit scary since everyone of them is bringing their other half and I'm going alone. But hey, bila lagi nak jadi tumpuan orang ramai, yer tak? Now, girls, play nice. And please refrain from asking when am I going to have a boyfriend. Unless of course you have someone waiting in line for me to evaluate. *wink*

Truth is, it's better for me to keep my mouth shut this evening. I might just put my feet in my mouth. Because they told me few ground rules for today, like not to mention certain names or certain past time activities during the meet. Man! That's going to be really hard for me! I'm so scared I will accidentally poke the hornet's nest. Muahahahihi... I'm hopeful I won't. It's pretty hard to keep your superhero identities eh, girls?

Anyway, Queen told me that she will "berpatah arang berkerat rotan" with me should I not come today. She said she will never ever tell me for anymore meets. So ruthless and brutal. So final. So... frightening! He he he... The thing is, I have to brave the evening traffic towards TTDI. Blurgh!! I hate driving! In heavy traffic, that is. I'm going to be so rich, driving is an option. *applause*

I AM counting my blessings.

Lagu hari ini...

Ketika ini saya sedang melebam lagu Irwansyah. Ala... soundtrack Heart ittiew. Maka di sini saya share lah dia punyer lirik eh...

Irwansyah
My Heart (feat. Acha Septriasa)

Disini kau dan aku
terbiasa bersama
menjalani kasih sayang
bahagia kudenganmu

pernahkah kau menguntai
hari paling indah
ku ukir nama kita berdua
disini surga kita

bila kita mencintai yg lain
mungkin kah hati ini akan tegar
sebisa mungkin tak akan pernah
sayang ku akan hilang

if u love somebody
could we be this strong
i will fight to win
our love will conquer all
wouldn’t risk my love
even just one night
our love will stay in my heart
my heart

Macam budak-budak ek saya nih? He he he... ala... bila lagi nak in touch dengan the kid in me, betul tak? The last hour nih saya dah dengar tak kurang 5 kali. hehe... Saya tak tengok lagi cerita My Heart nih. Tengok trailer dia macam cerita budak-budak la pun. Ada macam Ada Apa Dengan Cinta ke? Lebih kurang sama ek?

Anyway, selamat melayan hati dan perasaan masing-masing. Selamat melayari perhubungan dengan orang yang tersayang. They say love conquers all. I'm not so sure about that, but hey, if it does, it does, eh...

Don't ask me why I've been too mushy mushy these past week. Some of my close friends might be a bit bored with me already. He he he... I don't know why I feel mushy mushy. Mayhaps something mushy mushy might happen in the near future? And the universe is conspiring to make it happen for me? (Sat, nak repeat balik lagu My Heart nih... muahahahihihi...)

I kinda freak out knowing things that happening around me. Things happening to my friends, acquaintances and family members. Gives me goose bumps tak hengat punyer. I wish I don't know all these stories, so as to stay positive and optimistic. But, this is life, eh?

Anyway, I believe that what happened, happens because you will it to happen. Bak kata orang kalau tak da pokok masakan angin bergoyang. Eh.. wait.. that is not right. Kalau tak der angin masakan pokok bergoyang. Aaahh... and it takes two to tango. So pandai-pandai la kau labuuuu...

So, saper nak jadi Jade punyer My Heart nih...? hehehe... cheap publicity plak...

Masak-masak Lagi

Asam Pedas

Bahan2:
Bawang besar
Bawang putih
Belacan
Cili boh/Cili giling
Air asam jawa
Daun kesum
Ikan tenggiri/Ikan kembung/Ikan pari
Garam

Kaedah:
1. Tumbuk bawang besar, bawang putih and belacan together. Gaul with cili boh/cili giling. Cili ikut suka nak banyak mana, nak pedas, letak lebih.
2. Panaskan minyak, and tumis the mixture. Time ni bau sangat lah mahsyuk nyer. Biar sampai garing2.
3. Bubuh la garam secukup rasa. Masukkan daun kesum.
4. Masukkan ikan.
5. Then masukkan air asam. Kalau nak pekat pun ok. Lagi best.
6. Maka siaplah lauk asam pedas.

PS: Boleh jugak kalau nak letah tomato buah atau pun bendi (okra/lady's finger)

Ayam Masak Kicap

Bahan2:
Ayam
Bawang besar
Bawang putih
Halia
Cili hijau
Kicap
Air asam jawa
Tomato buah
Kentang
Lada Hitam (tumbuk or coarsely grind)

Kaedah:

1. Potong kentang ikut sukahati. Some people like it cubic, some like it macam fries McD, some like it chips-like. Goreng garing. Put aside.
2. Next, goreng ayam. A bit of tumeric powder and salt to taste. Put aside.
3. While waiting for the gorengan to finish, slice the onion, garlic and ginger. Cili Hijau tuh, hiris kasar, menyerong, about one inch. Cut the tomato to cubes. Not too small.
4. Lepas tuh, tumis la bawang-bawangan and halia. Biar sampai bau baik punyer.
5. Now, lada hitam or black pepper is optional. Boleh letak after bawang. So that dia garing and the taste is stronger later.
6. Next, put in the soy sauce. Since masak kicap kan, so tuang la banyak2.
7. Agak2 kicap tuh dah garing, masukkan ayam and cili hijau. Gaul. And then tuang air asam. Now, the volume of this is really up to you. You want more gravy, put more lah. Let it simmer for a while.
8. Put in tomato buah and kentang. Stir a bit. Jangan lama-lama sbb tak nak the tomato and kentang too soft. But some people like it that way.. so, again, ikut sukahati lah... Oh for garnishing... you can slice more onion and stir together
9. So, walla! Ayam masak kicap.

PS: ayam boleh diganti dengan daging. so, dia akan jadi black pepper beef lah. beshhh!!! but replace air asam with tomato sauce. so, the gravy is thicker. put a little water only.

Sambal Tumis Sotong/Udang

Atas permintaan Queen, I give you the recipe for Sambal Tumis.

Bahan-bahan
Bawang besar (sebiji, kalau guna bawang merah, pandai2 ler sukat)
Bawang putih (lagi banyak lagi best)
Cili boh
Sotong/Udang & Petai
Garam
Gula
Kicap manis
Asam jawa

Kaedahnya...
1. Panaskan minyak. Bila dah agak2 berasap tuh, masuk kan bawang putih. Make sure la tumbuk dulu kan. Biar sampai golden, then masuk kat bawang besar pulak. Bawang besar ni tumbuk halus. Pastu biar sampai garing.
2. Then, masukkan cili boh/cili giling atau cili kering yang telah dibasahkan dan diblender sepedas rasa. Nak letak cili api kasi kick pun bley jugak. Biar sampai dia garing. Jangan lupa bubuh garam.
3. Now, choose either nak bubuh gula or kicap. Nak letak dua-dua pun okay. Bubuh gula satu sudu besar. And then tuang kicap, nak kasi tukar kaler. And actually rasa dia pun ada sikit lain nanti. Jangan banyak sangat, nanti dah masak kicap pulak.
4. Lepas tu, masuk kan sotong/udang and petai. Biar dia mesra gitu. Ehehe...
5. Then masukkan air asam jawa. buat pekat-pekat best sket.
6. Finally, hiris bawang besar summore, bulat2 . Terpulang la nak letak sebiji or half only, depending pada sotong/udang. Then masukkan dalam sambal tadi. Gaullah bersungguh-sungguh.

So, dah siap la ko punyer sambal tumis, Queen. Selamat mencoba ini malam.

Memories....

A browse through email folders brought me to a specific folder I created several years back. And checking the emails inside it brings back memories. I couldn't say for sure if it's bitter or sweet. But if I remember correctly, when the first emails were exchanged, it was also the first time I started blogging.

I was given hope. My cold heart was warmed again. I dared to take the plunge. But alas, another sad story written in the book. It happened so fast, and it happened furiously. The sweet part, the fear, the laughter, the tears. I had to knock my head several times just to wake up. But I kept going back, what happened that didn't allow it to happen? I never got the answer. The connection was severed before I knew it.

They say things happened for reasons. I used to loathe this statement. But these days I accept it. For without these unwanted situations, we cannot learn. We cannot put value. We fail to appreciate. At certain point of time we have to stop asking "Why?". Because there might not be an answer. Because it might be just another lesson. Accepting that you cannot change a lot of things go a long way. As long as it's within your control, you can continue dissecting the situation.

"Mudahnya kau mengganti-ganti rindu, seolah cintaku tak berharga..."

Because it happened during Ramadhan, that Syawal I cried. And I cried harder when I heard this song by Aishah. :-)

Anyway, that was years ago. I had never thought about it anymore. But because Yahoo! Mail has changed its look and feel, I was brought back to the memories. Thus, the melancholy.

Morning pondering

It doesn't take a lot of effort to turn on your indicator when you're making a turn. Or stopping. Or changing lanes. Or over-taking. Basically anything to do with the movement of your car that interrupts the current flow. The indicator lever is placed near the steering wheel for a reason. Such as to assist you to use it without too much trouble.

So bloody well use it already!

How do you feel when another driver suddenly pulled into the traffic in front of you? One moment the car was stationary, the next it's squeezing in front of you. You're not a mind reader. You had to slam on the brake to avoid collision. Or imagine you're driving in the middle lane. All of a sudden a motorist from the right lane switched lanes in front of you to squeeze in last minute into that exit on the left. I'm sure you understand what I'm trying to say. I'm sure you know the feeling.

Please use the indicator lights. It helps the rest of us to know where you're going. What your intentions are. And please turn it on about 10 seconds before you do the next action, don't use it two seconds before you make that turn. It's dangerous darling. I, for one, cannot read your mind. I might have that telepathic ability, but so far it has not been used, as such it's not much help.

I cannot breathe!!

Let's talk about the haze today. I know everyone dah letih cakap pasal haze nih, but I tak kira, I nak cerita gak.

Every morning I wake up, I will go to my bedroom window and selak langsir. In hope today I will breathe fresh morning air. Tapi kan, dah seminggu harapan tinggal harapan. Hampa.

My house tak der la tinggi. Tapi tinggi la jugak kiranya. Normally when we're watching the TV our sliding door would be wide opened. Tapi la ni, dah seminggu tak buka sliding door. Sebab kalau buka nanti haze masuk rumah. Yesterday as soon as I stepped inside the house, I automatically went to the sliding door. But decided against opening it and settle for air freshener instead. I feel so suffocated. I sleep with my windows open, at my place or back at my parents'. So, not being able to do so really cripples me.

Please la pihak-pihak yang berwajib, DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY. This has been going for YEARS! Berapa lama lagi kita nak bersabar bernafas dalam asap? There must be something that can be done. Betul tak? Mustahil we cannot do anything. There is such thing as a limit to being neighbourly. You won't keep quiet if your next door neighbour throw their smelly rubbish into your backyard, would you?

Two and a half cents

You know this one email about true love, where a guy was so nervous on his first date, he asked for salt instead of sugar for his coffee. The conversation started and they ended up getting married. The wife prepared the husband's coffee always with salt instead of sugar. Only when the husband died, she found out the truth.

The ending part of this email is what prompted me to write this post. I'm going to share it with you.

Find a guy, who calls you beautiful instead of hot.
Who calls you back when you hang up on him.
Who will stay awake just to watch you sleep.

Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead.
Who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats.
Who holds your hand in front of his friends.

Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of
how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you.
Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her."

Basically what it says, it's worth the wait. Do not settle. And that brings me to this other email that I received long time ago.

IF A MAN WANTS YOU

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.
Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior.
Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
Stop trying to change yourselves for a relationship that's not meant to be.
Slower is better.
Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.
If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends." A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend.
Don't settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is.
Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.
The only person you can control in a relationship is you.
Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.
He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant,
Why would he treat you any differently?
Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you.
If something bothers you, speak up.
Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.
You cannot change a man's behavior. Change comes from within.
Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are...even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are.
Never borrow someone else's man.
Oh Lord! If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.
A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.
All men are NOT dogs.
You should not be the one doing all the bending...compromise is a two-way street.
You need time to heal between relationships...there is nothing cute about baggage... deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship
You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you...a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals...look for someone complimentary...not supplementary.
Dating is fun...even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr.. Right.
Make him miss you sometimes...when a man always know where you are, and your always readily available to him- he takes it for granted.
Don't fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need. Keep him in your radar but get to know others.
Share this with other ladies..... You'll make someone SMILE, another RETHINK her choices, and another woman PREPARE.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them and an entire lifetime to forget them.

BY THE WAY, THIS WAS WRITTEN BY A MAN, SO TAKE A HINT.............


But sometimes love just work mysteriously. And when you don't have two steady feet, that's when you stumble. We are adults. We can think. Love is much more than just finding that special someone. It's to find someone to grow old with. Someone to have conversation with. Because at the end of the day, when beauty fades, when bones bent, when there are only two of you at the balcony of your massive bungalow, laughter and meaningful talks are what matters.

So if anyone say I'm choosy, yeah, I am!

Another clueless crayon!

I hate feeling disappointed. More so when anger creeps in as well. And not to mention feeling humiliated and stupid. I hate feeling stupid.

Hate is such a strong word. I know. But at this moment, I'm not sure I'm capable of feeling anything else with what just happened. I especially loathe liars. Too bad I started to trust and feeling proud for the person. But I guess, no one can be trusted these days. They just end up disappointing you more.

I think I've had enough of this crap. I'm sure playing the field for fun is much safer. No emotional attachment whatsoever. And since you know where you stand from the beginning there is no heartache. But then again, how long can a person be this way? Besides, it's not healthy, isn't it? Ha ha ha.. I don't know anymore. I'm void of feelings now. Which is, a good thing, I guess.

I know I said I hate just a little while ago. But after few laughter with my soul sis, a call to my Momma, I feel better. Life is not so bad after all. And people like the person who made me feel bad about msyself and life are just not worth a dime of my time. And these people, they come and go, for reasons that I do not want to explore. Seriously wasting time. Anyway, there must be hikmah why God put them in my path, so yeah, I hear You!

Look, it's bad enough you're not being honest to me. You're not fully honest with the other person as well. So, I suggest you make up your bloody mind and be done with it. You're not a kid in high school. You're supposed to be matured enough with all that had came your way. But hey, who am I to stop you from doing what you feel like doing. Maybe it's right for you, but by God it's not fair for everyone else. I'm cool. Just, lose my number.

So, write that off already. On a brighter note. I went for a job interview yesterday. Seemed promising. No more programming. Yeay!! Oh, the lady manager asked me one question that made me laughed heartily. "I'm just curious about one thing. You seem to be very smart and intelligent. But why is your tertiary results... were you dating at that time?" Ha ha ha... Still laughing even now when I think about it.

I guess, life makes you smarter if you choose to. But the fact remains. I hate exams. I hate being asked how much I remember instead of how much I understand. Huh! Hate lagik. Not good.

So, henceforth I shall refrain from using that verb. Not good. Especially in such beautiful, peaceful month, eh? Oh... I used some vulgar words when telling off the person this morning. For that, I apologise. I'm usually controlled, but it just pierced me when people lie. :-)

Have a great weekend lovely people. God bless!

UPDATE: still feeling pis*ed. some people just leaves mark better than others. especially when the person has a little soft spot in your heart. Anyway... to quote Pink. You and Your Hand, dude.

"I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life..."

Truth is, I don't forgive easily. And I don't forget. You've got nothing to lose for messing with me, just another angry female across your burnt bridges. What ticks me most is that, I care too much for the people who are close to me. I care. But the fact remains, I am insignificant in their lives. Life has got to be better than this. Friends should worth more. Gosh! Am I bitter!

Anyway, I'm meeting some old friends later. Soul sis included. Meaning I'll be seeing those cute muppets of hers! Will take pictures but, won't post it here. If you know my Friendster account, you'll find it there. Yes, I broke my cardinal rule a couple of days ago. Posting my picture on the cyberworld.

Verify Please!

What crossed your mind when you see this?

*evil laugh*

By the way, how do I put another page's RSS feed on my blog? Can someone tell me how?