December 30, 2009

Quick Update

It has been 12 days. I am now Mrs CapalPerak. Yeeehooooooooo!!! Ha ha ha... Alhamdulillah, everything went beautifully well.

In the next few posts, I will share my experiences during the event. In Kuala Lumpur and in Mukah. Out of this world.

Thank you to all family members and friends who have been helping with the preparation. And with the production. Thank you to everyone who came to our reception, to well wishers and for the beautiful, useful presents.

December 17, 2009

Last one before tomorrow...

In less than 12 hours I will, insyaAllah, be Mrs CapalPerak. Had my henna done today. Hantaran are all completed. Finished decorating the room. They installed the dais yesterday night. Almost all family members have arrived. The reception dress has been repaired and good as new. I must remember to give my designer a Noel present.

Alhamdulillah, everything is ready for the event tomorrow.

I have not been sleeping well for the past three days. The flu is at its final stage. Hopefully it's gone by tomorrow. Zai will come to put gunk on my face starting from 7.30 am tomorrow morning. And being a bride, it's just natural to be fickle about everything. I changed my mind, so the photographer will be here at 8 am.

I hope, by the time I posted this entry, I am sleepy enough to go to la-la land peacefully. I can still here the vacuum cleaner downstairs. That means people are still doing stuff. Flu meds have not been able to knock me out. I hope, Sharky's flu tablet will do the job.

I hope my idea of simplicity is appreciated. And being simple, does not mean it could not be elegant, right?

Owh... I forgot. I still need to wait for my flower bouquet! The florist has a wedding dinner tonight, so she will deliver the bouquet around midnight. I must go down and let the family know. Feel sleepy now.

So I guess, this is it. My last post as Miss Jade. Feeling a little mellow. In a good way. I hope I will be a great wife. Florist just called. Gotta go.


December 9, 2009

Doakan Yang Terbaik Untuk Kami!

As the day gets nearer, well-meaning friends and family members are offering marital advices and comments and expectations. While some are good to be followed, more than half should be taken with a pinch of salt.

These "words of wisdom" came even before the engagement was finalised. And most often than not, the phrase "you will know once you're married" (dah kawin baru tahu nanti....) will be accompanied. Sometimes it came from people who were just married for a month. Not being arrogant here, but it sounds as if once you're married all the universe's secrets are bestowed upon you...

While I appreciate their thoughts and "word of caution", sometimes it gets so difficult to stay optimistic and stay true to your believe on what relationship should be like. These words of caution can be poisonous when they are repeated time and again. My closest friends would testify that I do ask them (whether they are married or not) for relationship advices and opinions. But I tend to lean for support from people who give good advices, that can really build and nurture the relationship.

Here I list some of the "word of wisdom" given throughout the past year...
  • Once you're married, only you will know how the relationship is like
  • You must always let the husband win; if you want a long lasting relationship that is (mesti selalu mengalah dengan suami kalau nak berkekalan)
  • You need to serve your husband because that's what a dutiful wife would do; if not nusyuz! And you know what, I feel happy I can cook for my husband everyday!
  • Aha! After you're married you're chained! No more boys/girls outing!
  • Since your in laws are near by, what's the arrangement like? You need to visit them every week?
There are others of course, but I just couldn't recall them at the moment. I tend to put the pessimistic advices behind a locked door...

Any person who gets married with the expectation that there will always be rainbows and laughter and sun, should not get married at all. This is real life lah, if during dating you have disagreements, it's only natural you will have disagreements when you're living together. If you find that your married relationship differs too much than while you're dating, that means your partner (or you) just starting to show your true colours. If either of you had to pretend to be someone else while you're dating, why are you getting married in the first place, pray tell?

While one person or a couple has certain expectations on what married life should be like, they by no means at all should expect other people or couple to feel the same way. Each relationship differs because different people are involved. Although, the essential part which is communication should be a basic trait; never generalised. You might be happy slaving for your partner day-in, day-out, other people might not feel the same way. But that does not mean their relationship is doomed. If they are happy with their arrangement, why do you think your relationship philosophy will make them happier?

Men are always thinking about freedom. So it's just natural to think that once they are married, they cannot see their male friends anymore. This is another generalisation. I have friends who successfully keep their single (and married) friends (both husbands and wives). If you're unable to do the same, you better ask yourself why. Then again, there are people who find it more enjoyable to stay at home with their partners (and kids) and nurture their relationship. There is nothing wrong with that. You do whatever makes you and your partner happy. We are too westernised these days by using the term "chained" and "hooked". If you feel that way, better ask yourself why did you get into the relationship in the first place, let alone getting married!

You might think I sound arrogant, but truthfully I feel far away from that. I'm scared people! I want this relationship to last forever, sampai ke syurga! And pessimistic statements are not the things to help nurture my optimistic preparation towards being a good wife to my future husband. I am not a girl in her early twenties anymore, who sees stars and rainbows and walks by the white sandy beaches when it comes to married life. My feet is firmly on the ground insyaAllah. Therefore my expectations are more realistic and to the heart. I do realise that being married means changing some things, adapting to others. But that does not mean you should lose yourself in the process, right?

I firmly believe that a relationship is about sharing. Not one person dominates the other. I care what advices you give to me. Forgive me if I seem not to listen; that's just me putting your wisdom behind a locked door and throwing away the key.

All I ask is, please pray for good things for Jade and CapalPerak, that our relationship is blessed by Almighty and lasts forever. Doakan yang terbaik untuk kami...

December 4, 2009

Movie Review: New Moon

WARNING: Slightly long post

First of all, let me get this out of the way... New Moon is full of semi-undressed well built guys. And just because I'm getting married, does not mean I cannot appreciate the beauty of well toned males... Okay, that done, I'll go on to the movie...

New Moon the movie.... this is my impression. It stays true to the book. Some action sequence that can wake your man up; even if it's just for a while; nice fight scenes, witty (and sometimes lame) dialogues that is truly from the book, and a tad draggy. The last part is actually unavoidable because the book itself is such, and it has to portray the flow otherwise the story will loose its intended effect. The sizzling scenes between Bella and Edward is a little too grown up for my prude side; not for the eyes of teenagers.

So overall, I would say it was a good movie after all. I actually walked in expecting much worse; based on the reviews that I've read on the net.

Now, this movie is in my opinion, fully intended for the readers of Twilight saga. If you've read the second book, you would understand better why the movie was directed the way it was. The second book is about lost love, confusion when it comes to matters of the heart. And one should remember the story is told from Bella's point of view, as such description are based on a teenage girl's perception.

I could relate to Bella's 18-year-old heart when Edward left her. I could understand when Stephanie Meyer talked about the "hole" which seemed only to disappear when someone else was giving the attention. At that age, you love someone with such absolution, no boundaries. So when one actually lost the pillar, something which is the center of one's universe, it is like getting your heart ripped out. One can only love like this once, maybe, and never again. This is when you are so sure of everything, full of youthful hopes and dreams. So when Bella actually laid on the forest floor and curled
(and hope to die?), I understood.

After three months the Cullens left, Bella found comfort in Jacob. And so begins a just-because relationship for Bella but a growing fondness on Jacob's side. A man writing a review for New Moon should see Bella's situation with Jacob's feelings when he was rejected. Since he's a wolf, he can run around wildly, he doesn't need to go to fetal position. And remember, Jacob is only a 16-year old boy; a guy at this age, he still does not know what he really wants. Ha ha ha...

Vittoria, the vampire from the first chapter came back to sniff around Bella. But the story does not end there and we will see her again too.
In this second installment too, The Volturi is introduced. We will see more of them soon enough. Remember, these characters are not the main subjects for the second book. And they are in as a reminder for the former and introduction for the latter. I think the director did a good job of reminding and introducing the characters.

The second chapter also lacks the interaction with the Cullens and Bella's school friends. Again, they are not intended to be in the main story, and the reason why Alice Cullen is more prominent from the rest is because she is Bella's best friend.

Now, would I suggest for you to watch the movie? Well... my advise will be the same like when I wrote about Twilight. But I will say, New Moon is a better movie than Twilight was. A little draggy but it's just because it needs to be.



December 3, 2009

Jeng Jeng Jeng...

It's not that long to the D-day. I suspect CapalPerak has stopped browsing (reading?) this blog since a week back. Reason being, he does not like the count down on the sidebar. Ha ha ha...

I am getting more nervous each day aussi. Yesterday afternoon, I had lunch on my own, ditching my colleagues who were actively arguing about something. I was not listening, and had no desire to listen in. I just picked up Liz and 'dramatically' stormed out from the office. I walked at a slightly fast pace towards KLCC.

As I sit there in the restaurant, waiting for my food to come, I SMSed CapalPerak and told him how I felt. I found that I had difficulty in breathing and my heart was beating too fast to my liking. It only beats that speed when I'm running on the treadmill. I reluctantly realised that it is a start of a panic attack. If I mention this to Abah, he would say, "It's all in your mind". But the fact that my breath was getting shorter by the minute and my eyes wandering wildly around kinda scared me.

So I closed my eyes and started to control my breathing. I tried to slow down my heart beat. I took deep, deep breath and let it out slowly. It was just insane. It was a little scary.

I ordered chamomile tea, because it is known for it's calming and soothing effect. I contemplated to go for facial session in Clarins, because that will definitely sooth my nerves, but I did not.

So, I ended up shopping. Haih. Truthfully, it IS the best therapy in the world! I bought CapalPerak's perfume; the last item on my hantaran list that I had not purchased yet; mattress protector and a pair of shoes. This pair will be my reception shoes. Mak said it looks gorgeous.

I checked with my florist just now, and looks like the bouquet is happening. I asked for extra stalked to use for my hairdo and CapalPerak's button hole. Our reception will be a combination of traditional and modern affair. Being a typical aquarian, I insist on being different. Ha ha ha... I wish I could have gamelan playing through out the fete, and kompang group announcing our arrival. But, alas, you can't have everything kan?

Now... if only I could start working on the hantaran!

November 30, 2009

Jinxed?

18 more days to go! And that is not so long, isn't it? My emotions are a riot of colours right now. Excitement. Happiness. Scared. Anxious. A little sadness. Thankful. Joy. You name it, I have it.

"God will not test us with tests that He knows we cannot overcome"

This is one of the phrases that I will always remember close to my heart. Eversince we got engaged, people keep on saying that this period will be the time when the greatest tests will be on us. Being a skeptic when it comes to negative thinking I always push those voices away. People keep on telling us that our "blood is sweeter" (darah manis) during this time. I send that too to the back burners.

Truthfully, I am thankful that He has decided that I am not strong enough to face too strong of a test. And the little ones He sent to us are ways for us to learn to deal life issues together.

Most recent, is my reception dress. Haih. I was so happy and elated to see that it turned out to be exactly like how I wanted it to be. Alhamdulillah. I sent it to laundrette for dry cleaning and pressing. When I went to collect it, I just could not believe what I'm seeing. The laces were... loosen... It is so appalling to see such beautiful dress turned out to be like something you've worn many times over. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit, but this is more on how I feel.

I could not cry even. When I talked to the owner, I did not even raise my voice. Not a bit. I just tell him how I feel when I saw the dress. Thanks to Allah, the owner agreed to pay the compensation as I told him I need to pay my designer to repair the dress. And I know my designer will be very sad when she look at the dress, since she put a lot of effort into it. :-(

I'm sending the dress back to the designer tomorrow. I hope the amount that was agreed with the laundrette owner is enough to pay her for the repairs. If it's not, I still have to pay, kan? Ha ha ha... story of my life.

UPDATE 1/12/2009: I sent the dress for repair this morning. As I expected, Mag was surprised and quite upset. However, she can still laugh and smile and promised me that she'll do her best. Haih... I'm just sedih because I so want to hang the dress in the room! Looking at it is a statement that I've completed another check list! But alas... sabar aje la kan?

November 24, 2009

Fun with quotes!


Albert Einstein was quoted saying:
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, and she does.

Some men say that their angels turn into ogres after "I Do". And several more marital jokes don't prove otherwise.


Now, my question is, this situation, is it because we expect these things to happen, so they do? Or it's really happening since Adam met Eve? Remember the "Law of Attractions"? Remember The Alchemist? How we're supposed to behave the best way we can, and the universe will then somehow be aligned and work for
us?

We read so many books, we refer to so many schola
rs. And yet, Albert Einstein was again quoted saying this:
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

So maybe, it is true when people say, the more we read the more stupid we become!

If we walk into a new relationship thinking all the bad things that will happen, isn't it just natural that those bad things will come to exist? If we can strive to be better at work to get that promotion, shouldn't we be doing the same thing for our relationships?

Winston S. Churchill once said:
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

We should not be a pessimist in love. They say love makes things go round. It's not a lie. Because of love too many things in life is happening. Don't believe me? I'll point you some examples to get you started.
  • Look at wars, they are the product of love towards power and money.
  • Look at divorces, they are the product of love towards freedom and no commitments.
  • Look at fashion, they are the product of love towards art.
  • Look at children, they are the product of love between two person in love.
  • Look at flowers blooming, they are the product of love towards nature and beautiful things.
When a couple gets into an argument, they tend to forget the reason that they get together in the first place. They forget why they fell in love. They forget why they said "I do". Maybe we should always keep these reason in mind when our partners' actions tick us wrong. And maybe then we can talk within reason, and no one has to bleed from it.

If all fail, just remember this:

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." — Robert A. Heinlein

November 16, 2009

Recap of The Weekend

My weekend started of with a series of spa treatment. Isn't it a great way to end the week days and start the weekend?

Went to Kajang with Ems for the bridal spa treatment. It's our first session. There will be three more sessions to go before our weddings. For this session, I did the sauna, body scrub, herbal bath and resdung treatment. All of which I enjoyed tremendously!

While waiting for Ems to finish her treatment, I started to change my clothes and put on make-up for "that fun thing". And after that we quickly made our way to Puchong, since we were already late!

As soon as we arrive, I was told to immediately, you know... pose. This is my first experience doing a studio photo shoot, so I was a mixture of nerves and excitement. Luckily, Ems was there and she sorta "directed" me. Ha ha ha...

It was really, really fun session. Besides Ems, my dears Mel, Sarcylicious and Kak Mas were also there making the day happen. We had a great time together. And we are so looking forward to see the pictures. I would like all three of them to know how I appreciate them being there with me. Thanks gals!

Only after we have finished the session, and all of us were sitting at the mamak joint, that I realised that I was not in my complete "costume". I had the flower, the peasant blouse and the jeans. BUT I did not have the turquoise accessories on me! I was already without the so called hippie hair during the photo shoot, and to realise that I did not have the accessories I prepared was... blurgh. Ha ha ha.. I guess, we were having so much fun that I'd forgotten about the accessories altogether!

On Sunday, I woke up quite early, made myself breakfast and started to sort things out to get to work. Get to work on the gifts thingy. I managed to complete everything, although there was a little hiccup along the way. And just before my parents came back from Singapore, I was already putting the nets for the bunga pahar.

And that, my friends, conclude my weekend adventure.

November 13, 2009

My Planned Wedding Bouquet

Not sure if it's a little too early for me to share more about the wedding preparation... But since I'm seriously bored, and have about an hour more to go back, I guess, I'll talk about the flower that I have picked to be my wedding bouquet... ;-)

My initial planning was to have long stemmed calla lilies. See my previous post for the mini version, which I'm now using for "that fun thing" tomorrow. Which also means, it is not going to be my wedding flower.


Not too long ago, I did a simple test on FaceBook (yes!) on "Your Birth Flower Test". And this result came out:


Just like that, I immediately made up my mind to have Carnations as my wedding bouquet. Simply because, it's January's flower. I do not know how it will turn out, but the blessed WWW has given me some ideas....





















Nice, huh?

I remembered once a friend told me about a florist who is actually the wife of our mutual acquaintance. So I called her up and tada! she's doing the bouquet for me. I must remember to call her back to tell her that I need few more stalks for other things...

Today I googled carnations, and according to the web... "The carnation, scientifically known as Dianthus caryophyllus...its scientific name dianthus roughly translating to "flower of love" or "flower of the gods"..." (source: Meaning of Carnation Flowers)

As usual, each colour has its own meanings...


Carnations What they Mean
Carnations in general Fascination, Woman's Love
Pink Carnations Mother's Love
Light red Carnations Admiration
Dark red Carnations Deep Love and Woman's Affection
White Carnations Pure Love and Good Luck
Striped Carnations Regret, Refusal
Green Carnations St. Patrick's Day
Purple Carnations Capriciousness
Yellow Carnation Disappointment, Dejection

(Source: TheFlowerExpert.com)

Whatever the meanings are, the most important thing, your bouquet must be in the colour that you like and love. Not to mention, they need to match the theme! So, if before, you think carnations are just ordinary... think again!



For that fun thing!

In reference to my previous post; Something fun to look forward to!, there's another accessory that I'm creating for the day.

Presenting the bouquet!!


With turquoise ribbons, of course!!

ps: picture from Flowersgrowing.com

November 11, 2009

Zee Avi

Wonderful, soulful voice.

I first listened to her as KokoKaina at Bijou Bazaar. Fell in love just like thousand other people who had been following her on YouTube.

She has now released an album in the US (proves how our own talented souls are not appreciated locally). I haven't been visiting the record store, not sure if her album is already available here. But it SHOULD be!

Just look at the reviews she's getting at her YouTube page, Facebook fan page as well as Amazon! Her songs are simple and straight forward. Check her out!

Update: Apparently I wrote about her before: On KokoKaina

Something fun to look forward to!

For a little activity this weekend I am planning to go with this look...

Hippie hairstyle

Peasant blouse and jeans


Couple those with turquoise accessories


Let's just see how it'll turn out, shall we?

November 4, 2009

The Facial Cleanser That Works!


I have been using Eucerin's White Solution Gentle Cleansing Foam for quite some time now. Almost 3 months, if I am not mistaken. And let me tell you, this is the best facial cleanser I've used so far!

On the tube itself, the product claims that it gently deep cleanse sensitive skin and removes make-up (a plus!). And after cleansing "The skin feels fresh, clean and mat. The complexion is improved and the skin looks fair and more radiant".

My verdict; it does what it says.

Yes ladies, it's the truth. I am not getting paid to share what I experienced, if you think this is just a marketing gimmick. ;-)

First of all, as usual you need to wet your skin; Eucerin recommends warm water, but I found normal temperature water works just well. Because, the most important thing is when you do the cleansing. Make sure you massage the foam thoroughly on your face. And by thoroughly, I do not mean pressing hard or pulling your facial skin.

Do a light circular motion on the skin and do it for at least a count of 10. This is just an example. Remember how it feels like when you go for facial session, and how long the beautician takes to cleanse your face? Well, do exactly that. And when you're done with your face area, move to your neck area and collar bone. If possible, extend the cleansing motion to your upper chest area. Again, just like what the beautician does during facial treatment.

The prolonged circular motion that we use on the skin area will warm up the skin, and this will activate the pores, opening them and finally enable us to deeply cleanse the skin. This is the reason why your skin feels fresh after the beautician perform the cleansing step. So don't disregard the importance, because it helps to prep your skin for your next caring step!

Coming back to the product itself, every time after using it, I do notice that my skin is clearer and hardly any blackheads or whiteheads. My skin also is more matte and feels fresh. Isn't that just wonderful? My skin does not feel tight like some deep cleansers cause sometimes.

So, I would recommend you to use this cleanser, and feel the difference yourself! Good luck!

To My Girlfriends

I love my other half to bits, that's for sure! But there are things that only girlfriends would be able to say (or do) that calms your rage or put a smile on your face. And that's what happened to me.

Girlfriends, some people think it's childish to need girlfriends when you already have your other half. Some people don't really talk to their girlfriends anymore once they're hitched. I can understand that once you're married, your responsibilities are more towards the hubby. But that does not mean you cannot meet up for chats with your girlfriends, right? Well... unless the hubby forbids it, lah...

Women, we tend to make our other half the center of our universe. It's just how we are, and we cannot deny that. Further, there is nothing wrong with that, because it's our nature and to do this means you will be able to nurture the relationship better.

I have few girlfriends... Even fewer of which mostly treasured. And I intend to keep them forever. My solemn hope that they feel the same about me... :-) I love you gals!!

November 1, 2009

Happy Halloween!!

It's a weekend again. There's no pumpkin, though.

There are still so much to do. Everywhere I see my friends, they are growing up. Lives are changing. Some friends stay and some just... disappear. Some stick through tears and heartbreak, some simply drift away even when there's only laughter and tickles. Very funny.

I get more melancholic as the day gets nearer. The curse of getting hitch while you're not so young anymore is that you don't get to have some of much needed friends with you. Not because they don't want to be there for you, just because life is. They have their own lives and responsibilities, as such, not much time for anything else.

I am not that young anymore, and yet, I'd love nothing else than to have my close friends with me. Very childish of me. However, after reading a blog post just now... I realise, I have to correct myself. Muhasabah time! How easily we could be swept away when doing important things.

So today, I'm going to stop mopping how sad I am because of circumstances that cannot be avoided. Instead I'm going to remind myself all day how blessed I am and lucky I am that I am getting all the things that good life could offer. Great parents and brothers. Wonderful fiance. Awesome girlfriends. And best of all, these beautiful people in my life, they could put up with my antics! Isn't that just... the best?

Alhamdulillah. Syukran Ya Rabb.

October 28, 2009

Pampering Session

I went for facial session yesterday evening. This time, I ventured into Clarins Beauty Institute in KLCC. So today, I want to share with you my experience. Lovely, enchanting experience.

The first thing that they told me when I asked if they have empty slot for walk-in customer was: "we don't do any extraction during our facial and we don't use any machine, we only use Clarins technique". I was fine with that since I don't like the pain I have to bear either.

Since it was my first time, they made me fill up my particulars as per norm. Next, I was immediately whisked into the treatment room where I was asked to change and get ready for skin analysis. The session started of with the beautician giving me a short lecture on how I am not taking good care of my skin. She checked for my skin elasticity and moisture level by softly pinching and lifting the facial skin. And the conclusion: My skin is at its average condition but it could use more moisture. I'll get this comment anywhere I go, so. She recommended "Hydration from Madagascar" treatment. (I was immediately visualising the "I Like to Move It" clip from the cartoon).

The treatment started with relaxation technique. This was where the beautician helped my body to achieve total relaxation by loosening the muscle on my body; she started to shake both my legs gently and gradually moving upwards until the head. This was repeated twice. After, she started to perform the cleansing with a certain massage technique. She applied scrub and later masque.

I couldn't really describe the experience one after another because I was in total relaxation which made me sometimes aware and sometimes blissfully unaware. But never once the treatment induced pain; because there was no extraction done. There was a lot of facial massage being done.

The facial treatment also comes with hand and arm treatment (scrub and massage) and also scalp and shoulder massage. I have to say for RM198 this is truly an excellent treatment. I came out from the treatment room feeling revitalised and refreshed.

Later, she thought me a little on Clarins facial revitalising techniques which is done after applying your facial serum. This will help the serum to penetrate better and also the assist in lymphatic drainage. Obviously, this extra step adds another couple of minutes into my otherwise simplistic skin care routine.

All in all I have to say that facial in Clarins is one of the best so far that I have experienced. Its close rival being Sothys in Bangsar Village II. Will I go again? Most definitely.

October 26, 2009

Finally, some movement!

Few more items in the checklist have been confirmed/completed:

1. Just confirmed with caterer today; for solemnisation and reception day. I didn't know that on the solemnisation day I have to choose the scheme colour as well; for the table cloth and scallop. Ha ha ha, so... I just picked the same colour that I use for the hantaran.

2. Mak Andam is seriously making money these days. If the cost for them to purchase something is say lah, RM100, they will rent it at RM50. I actually expected that they will rent it at RM20 because, it will not only be one person wearing it. And please, by the time it's my turn to use the items, they have been worn many times already by other people! SO, basically, they are rolling with money already! But I decided to just let it go, because there's no point arguing with the mak andam since she'll be the one who's putting gunk on my face, kan?

3. So, we confirmed the dais at home as well. Yes, I know I said I'll be doing it, but Abah vetoed against it. He agreed with Mak that I will not have enough time to do it on my own, since I was already doing a lot of other things. The gifts and hantaran. So, the dais will be as what I plan (hopefully) but done by the mak andam.

4. CapalPerak had confirmed the photographer a month ago, so that is settled. I'm happy. We're getting En. Napie Mokhsin for the solemnisation and reception day. I love his style; saw them on FB. So, I'm grateful to my other half for agreeing on this! Thank you darling!

5. Owhh... and of course, the reception dress is 80% ready, and as I updated before, it had to be.. ehem... resized to be smaller. I'm happy that the painful days in the gym is actually paying off! Which reminds me, I have session today!

6. The invitation card has been confirmed. InsyaAllah they will be ready by end of the week. Although we had a slight problem with the staff (cakap pusing pusing) I hope we will get what we expect out of it (okay, what JADE expects). Seriously, it's a simple card nothing flashy about it.

I am yet to get THE SHOES. Hmm... Saw a pair at VISS this afternoon, but it was the last pair. I wasn't really into it anyway, so I gave it a pass. Saw another different pair at another shop, but only size 4 is left. Last week I saw a pair at Parkson Pavilion, very nice design and wearable after the wedding, but they will only restock it this week. So, I will go again some time this week to see if they have it already. And maybe, I should just quickly make up my mind. There was another pair in TimeSquare that I like, but we shall see.

Haih, whatever it is, men have it easier. Kan?

October 23, 2009

Vampires? I LIKE!!

NOTE: This post is a pleasure read. Has nothing to do with the living or the dead. Or the undead for that matter. Ha Ha ha...

If there is one thing that I really have interest on (other than my other half, family and friends) are VAMPIRES. And I think I've mentioned this before. There are few handsome vampires out there...

The post today was an outcome from a link that was sent by CapalPerak to me, as a joke. But then, when I was really reading it, I think I scared him a little. Ha ha ha... Well darling, one thing that you love about me, IS my dark side, right? So here goes...


ANGEL - from the Angel TV Series. Although he has Buffy, it does not stop me from obsessing over him during my early 20s. He exudes this aura of a tortured soul; which he is really. Sad eyes, beautiful mouth. Even when his face changes when he calls his vampiric side, I still love him. Yummy, really. Anyway, Buffy has cheated on him with Spike, so I still have some hope.


BILL - "What kind of a vampire with the name Bill," exclaimed Suki. Very witty. Like Angel, he is another tortured soul, in True Blood. Being robbed of his soul, unwillingly when he was just being true to his late wife. I like Bill, although sometimes I think he's a little sissy. He's sexy, but I don't obsess over him like I do over Angel...


Edward - Ahh... Edward Cullen... I knew him first through his stories. He might be ancient, but he's still a teenager. At first, I don't think him as "handsome" or "sexy" for that matter. Come one! He's only 17!! But in this photo he does look a little yummy. Ah well.. he married Bella, so I can just admire from afar.

There you go. What's YOUR obsession?

Snoozy!!

It's nobody's fault really.
It's just hope and expectations.
So, in the end if it get's crushed it's the dreamer who's missing.
No one else.
Can the dreamer smile you ask? But, of course!
The dreamer can do nothing else but do just that.
And come to accept it's not a big deal really.
And in time of need the dreamer gets extra comfy on the cloud.
Courtesy of unseen hands.
So, where's the fault in that?
Alas, the dreamer has to be thankful!

October 18, 2009

Busy Weekend!

SATURDAY
>> Woke up to do a week's laundry that I was in Singapore. I can send two items daily for washing while I was there, but of course there was a pile of everything else.
>> Went out to see the progress of the invitation card; NONE. It has been two weeks since I finalised the details but no work has been done at all. The girl said they will contact me 10 days before I am supposed to collect it. Bad management.
>> And then, went to do fitting for the reception dress. I'm very happy with the 85% outcome. And much happier to note that I have lost INCHES that saw Mag preparing to alter the dress further. (Yeay to that! Yeay to hasrdwork in the guym!!)
>> After sending Mak and Abah back, I changed to attend Toonie's open house. Missed some friends, saw a few. Continued my capacity as baby sitter by feeding the baby. And watching over the second one. Stayed for two hours plus. Food was awesome!
>> Met up with Em and her fiance at Sunway Pyramid. Just talks over coffee (vanilla latte pour moi). Stayed for another 2 hours.
>> Called Cik Yati to set appointment for body service session for Mak and myself. Arrived home at 11pm. And waited until midnight before fell into deep slumber...

SUNDAY
>> Woke up, showered and prepare breakfast while chatting with Mak. We had roti canai segera. With her awesome fish curry.
>> Massage session; one hour for Mak and two hours for me. I cringed everytime she corrected my urat yang bersimpul-simpul.
>> Meeting Sarc later today. Waiting for her to confirm the place.

Tomorrow is BLOOD TEST day!!

October 16, 2009

I'm going home!!

I am currently at the airport. The CIP lounge to be exact. My flight is at 6:45pm and check in at 6:00pm. So, at 3:30pm, I will go around the shopping area and see if i can find anything suitable for the wedding. I am yet to complete my gifts to him, so, will check out few items in the list.

Other than that, I am happy to leave. The best things about this trip was the arrangement made to ease my way from immigration check point in Changi to arrival in the hotel AND the rail system in the country. I had very bad experience this morning with one of the staff at the hotel which I don't care to elaborate. Besides, maybe it is also a reminder to me to always treat people with respect and always kindly. I made a social blunder not too long ago, and I believe I'm still paying for that crime. As much as I feel bad about the situation, I cannot turn back time and in time I hope things will be better... :-(

So anyway, the orgraniser of the exhibition actually arranged for a buggy that picked up my colleague and I right after we exit the plane last week and quickly whisked us away to the private CIP lounge. Our entry was a breeze and the luggage taken care of. Later, we we transported to the hotel via a designated coach. What an experience!

Arriving at the hotel however, the reception was a little mixed up, probably because I was dressed so casually that they did not expect me to be part of such posh event. :-p And this morning, when I was querying about the arrangement made for airport transfer, I was treated not so nicely by one of the staff. Luckily the rest of the team was more tactful that I managed not to give a piece of my mind to her. And sadly, she was a Malay.

Upon arrival at the CIP lounge again this afternoon, everything is smooth so far. InsyaAllah, all will be smooth still.

It is almost 3:30pm. Going for a quick visit to the ladies' and off to the shopping area pour moi! Au revoir Singapour!

p/s: I might be back in November for my cousin's wedding... ha ha ha ha...

October 14, 2009

Two more days to go!

Singapore is not far from Malaysia. Definitely not. And as much as it is convenient to move around in this country, I could never live here. Nope, I don't think so, unless I really have to. Basically, given the choice, I'll stay in my Malaysia.

It's interesting to know that people know Singapore, this teeny weeny island, but are still confused about Malaysia, when it's just a strait away! Makes me a little upset, but I always answered it's just 20 minutes away, just across the northern border. 30 minutes to KL by airplane. There.

J'aime beaucoup mon pay, j'en ne veux pas changer avec autres. Hah!

I want to go home, but I still have two nights to go. The closing ceremony will be tomorrow, and after it's packing up the equipment. Oh! I am never good at packing up and unpacking my own things, I hope I will not miss anything out tomorrow! The best part about an event ou exhibition is that you get to interact with people, meet new people and learn new culture. Possible learn a word or two of a different language. And the tedious part will be the packing up and the listing down of all the contact names and their interests. Agh!

It's not that I don't want to be technical anymore, it's just that I like the rush that I see on people's faces when they see new things and sometimes, in a weird way, the way they act when they think they know everything. You have potential customers that annoy you, or people that visit the booth every year with the same enthusiasm and requirements and needs, but never make up their mind actually implement something! Yes, we have those too!

I want to go home! Ha ha ha...

October 8, 2009

Away From KL

I'm traveling to the Lion City tomorrow morning. I don't know why, but this time around, I am planning my departure hour to hour. I will go with a colleague but I find comfort in planning the details, like what time I should take the ERL which means I will have to know the time to go out from the house, which transportation that I can take when I arrive to go to the hotel.

And while reading, these are my findings:
1. There is a place called Bukit Gombak in Singapore. No, this is not my first time going to Singapore, but this fact actually escaped me from before. My hometown is Gombak and for ages people are saying it's very HULU. So there you go. There's not PJ or Bangsar anywhere else. :-p

2. From Changi Airport, you only have to pay SGD2.70 to go to the city, you will arrive in 27 minutes. Compare with traveling from KLIA to KL Sentral on ERL, it will cost you RM35, you will arrive in 28 minutes. Hmm... Go figure.

Let's just put two, otherwise people will think I say life over there is better than Malaysia. I wouldn't know, I'm a Malaysian and proud to be one.

Hmm... I may go to Bedok tomorrow evening to visit Mak Long. But I have to check what's the plan with the team first. But, this sure will bring back a lot of memories, bittersweet and some.

October 7, 2009

Old News

I've only got the chance to actually watch what happened during the recent VMA 2009; you know, when Kanye West (idiot) hijacked Taylor Swift's moment... I don't really follow the industry's gossips, but I (like billions others) am surprised something like this could happen. It's not important really, coz it has no impact on my life. Ha ha ha... Just thought of sharing it with you.

http://www.ishatonu.com/2009/09/17/old-news-kanye-west-interrupts-taylor-swifts-moment/

Whether the act was staged or it happened out of MTV's control, we can never know, right? It's show biz. Anyway, Beyonce, she's good. I mean, if this isn't staged, the world still have some hope of peace if more people with this same sensitivity are around.

http://www.popcrunch.com/beyonce-gives-taylor-swift-her-vma-moment/


September 30, 2009

My Dream Living Area

Hi hi hi... I've got tonnes of work to do. I'm taking a break. I NEED the break! So, I'm sharing with you my vision of a living area that is me. Simple, minimal, clean look.






This post is related to My Dream Kitchen.

September 29, 2009

Eid, Day 10

It takes me 40 minutes to shower, blow-dry and put a basic set of gunk on my face. I sorta timed myself after my gym session this afternoon.

# 8 minutes; shower and shampoo
# 20 minutes; towel dry the hair, put leave-on conditioner, blow-dry, serum spray, blow-cold
# 10 minutes; tone, treat and moisturise the face, then gunk up; two-way powder, eye-liner, blusher, lippy.
# 2 minutes; s'habiller

Therefore, my total session at the gym will amount to almost 2 hours. Workout session is one hour. And I spend a lot of time to pimp the hair. Hmm...

I am torn between being a Plain Jane or a Pimp Jenny. But today, I have decided to always be Ready Jade. Which means, I will always have the basic gunk all the time. It's not about being vain, it's about being presentable.

But the most important thing that I shouldn't skip is the basic 3-Steps; cleanse, tone and moisturise. Every morning and evening. This is the vital aspect of caring for the skin. And yet, knowing this, knowing the effect of skipping the routine, I sometimes, still feel lazy to do it at night. I should always remind myself that the skin corrects itself while I'm sleeping and this should be enough to ensure I take care of myself better, right?

As much as CapalPerak say that I'm beautiful even without make-up, a man will always feel better when he has a pretty woman on his arm, kan? Any man who says otherwise are lying through their coffee-stained teeth!

So ladies, pimp up! In fact, you don't need blusher or lippy. Just make sure you protect your skin, cleanse it properly. And be diligent about it. Like it or not, men, they are attracted to pretty things, and if beautiful skin is easy to achieve with just 10 minutes of work, why not, right?

September 28, 2009

The DUKE

Eversince I moved back into the nest, the DUKE has become my sole route to most of my destination; especially when I travel to the office. I think, in the past month, I only used the Setiawangsa route to go back once, the rest was on DUKE.

Yes, RM4 daily for the toll. But, I found that, it is a small sacrifice compared to spending hours in the traffic AND the heartache that comes with it. Not to mention, it has saved me from using bad words during Ramadhan!


Please be informed that this is NOT a paid post. I'm merely stating that, this is the most convenient expressway so far for people who are working in KL and living within the vicinity of it.

I had a meeting in Damansara one morning. Believe it or not, it only took me 10 minutes to reach my destination from the house! That is totally awesome okay! I believe that as long as I'm here, DUKE will definitely be my highway of choice.

Only thing that I have to bear with in the morning AND in the evening is the exit/entry at Jalan Semarak. But hey, the expressway still saves me about 40 minutes of travel time, and I can still be in the office in about 15 minutes. That is totally awesome!

Owh, in future... they might want to include a motorcycle lane. It's very dangerous for them. Seriously.

Read about DUKE.

p/s: salah satu projek kerajaan yang berjaya. I hope it's strong enough! And the MRR2 incident will not be repeated!

Eid, Day 9

I am back at work. After a weekend of celebration. Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly. If there were hiccups, nothing that we could not handled.

I am now, officially an SIL. Ha ha ha... And I sorta "acquired" not one sister, but four! It's fascinating, for someone who has lived all her life being the only female sibling in the family.

Mak is happy. Abah is happy. My brothers are happy. Everyone is excited. And they are gearing up for another session that is going in a couple of months.

As everything happens for a reason, and everything has it's own blessings, I am thankful for this journey that The Lord has made me walked on. I am blessed. I am happy. Alhamdulillah.

On the work side, these next three weeks will be one of the busiest period. I have to prepare for the exhibition next week. Luckily, I have someone helping to arrange for the traveling matters. Another blessing that I take for granted. Must remember to appreciate small little things.

My boss, as always, the ever demotivating soul that he is... I will blow your head with surprises dear boss, just wait and see. It is difficult to maintain a positive momentum day-in, day-out in this place when you have such a person to
report to. But as usual, I shall prevail and I shall triumph! (I sound like some medieval conqueror... duh...)

Gotta go now! Have a blessed week everyone, be happy! It's not black Monday. It's just another day. Ta ta!

ps: Jade is looking forward to Thursday. He he he...

September 24, 2009

Eid, Day 5

It is almost 4:30 pm on a Thursday, the 5th day of Eid. I'm still at the office.

I desperately want to go back, but circumstances are not allowing me to do so very quickly. AND may not be very soon.

A travel plan is already in place, less than two weeks notice. Therefore lots of preparation need to be done; the paperwork, the equipment, the packaging, etc. And the more you want to do things quickly, the harder it becomes, more problem surface.

And tomorrow is my brother's nikah day. I still have few touch-ups to do on the hantaran.


Now, I was just informed that I need to review the packing list again. Haih.

Owh... why can't today be any easier...?

Such is life.

God, help me!

September 22, 2009

Eid, Day 3

Today is my last stay-at-home day.
Tomorrow I'm working.
My only consolation is that I'll be away for a longer time in about three months.
That will be awesome!
We still have not decided where to go.
Okay, I'm off to bed now.
For those who are still holidaying; happy holidays. I envy you... in a good way. :-p
For those who are like me, going to work tomorrow; look forward to the weekend, only 3 more days!
Good night everyone.

September 18, 2009

AidilFitri... Hari Bahgia...

Selamat menyambut AidilFitri! Maafkan silap salah, terkasar bahasa (ni sepatutnya buat sebelum 1 Ramadhan... but better late than never kan?). Kalau ada yang tersinggung dengan nukilan hati hamba, harap dimaafkan.

Tak kira jauh atau dekat anda memandu, berhati-hatilah. Drive safe! Be alert always! Dan bacalah doa:

"Bismillahillazi la yadhurru ma'asmihi shay'un fil ardhi wa la fissama' wa huwassami'ul alim"

maksudnya: "Dengan nama Allah yang dengan nama-Nya tiada sesuatu di bumi dan di langit akan (dapat) memudhratkan (sesuatu yang lain) sedang Dia (Allah) Maha Mendengar lagi Maha Mengetahui".

Ini doa, ibundaku yang ajarkan setiap kali keluar rumah, atau lakukan sesuatu, even sebelum makan. Jadi, hamba share lah dengan sahabat sekalian. Jaga diri baik-baik. Jangan makan terlalu banyak. Beraya ala kadar. Okay?!

Selamat bercuti!!

September 17, 2009

My Dream Kitchen!

Today's post is motivated by the recent post by Momster. I just love a kitchen with the island thingy. LOVE IT! And, since dreaming is free... the following are how I picture my kitchen would be like one day...

I know that it takes a lot of space, but I like spacious kitchen. He he he... And I would just feel like Nigella should I really get a kitchen like this!







September 16, 2009

Money, Money, Money

Money, money, money
Must be funny

In a rich man's world

Money. The only time this word makes us happy is when we get a lot of it. Other times, we lament. Sometimes all the time!

If money becomes our sole reason of being, we will be utterly lost. If money becomes the catalyst of everything that we do or want to do, we will be unsatisfied.

When they say money is evil, they are referring to the fact that money is able to make people go astray, fight one another. In the case of a marriage, it crumbles apart. Money becomes evil when it becomes the utmost importance in our lives.

Think about it. If you can spend a RM50 meal for lunch, for yourself, is it so expensive to treat the family to McDonalds? If you can spend a thousand ringgit on yourself, is it too much to spend a hundred ringgit on your spouse?

Sometimes, nurturing a relationship is very easy. And the simplest way is to not counting the ringgit that we spend on our loved ones. I've seen personally a lot of relationship turned sour because of this. It's sad, but it's true.

Money. We really have to be careful with it. And we have to be careful with our loved ones about it.

I was introduced to JARS by a friend few days back. Now, I'm sharing it with you. Let's!

September 14, 2009

Feeling blurgh...

One thing that I dislike when changing the blog's template, is to retrieve back all the links and widgets. I just wish they have a function to save temporary and then one button that enables us to add back those links and widgets. Hmm...

Another weekend has passed, and soon it will be Eid. Really, time does go on swiftly when you're not thinking about it. And next week, we will have an additional family member. My brother's wedding is just around the corner. I have almost finished his hantaran but purposely doing it very slowly. Reason being, some makcik-makcik are anxious to see how they look like. The neighbours that is. Which is really surprising to Mak and I. Ha ha ha...

These makcik-makcik have mostly got their kids married off. And I have to say that everyone is waiting for my parents' children to be hitched off. Hmm... It does not annoyed me, just a bit unsettled. But then again, whatever makes you happy la kan? I told Mak that I'm going to get it done the night before the akad. :-p

Let's see... I have bought a kebaya top to go with the A-line skirt that I asked my aunt to make for me. Since the skirt is carca marba, I looked for a top in white. This is for Eid. He he he... Can't wait! Maybe I need a new pair of shoes to go with it... Hmmm...

I'm having Monday blues, I supposed. I feel lazy, which is not a good thing. I've been feeling this way since before Ramadhan. I need a long holiday, but I can't afford to take long leaves for Eid. I guess, I just have to wait for December. I hope, in the midst of everything, I still have time to breathe and relax. I really need it.

September 10, 2009

Time Flies!

98 days left...

I am not freaking out anymore... Well... I do get major panic attacks at times, but all is well, insyaAllah. I breathe easier knowing that some things are moving towards the blessed date. I picked our wedding invitation card. Well, not really confirmed yet, as I brought back three samples, and I want the size of one, with a colour from the other and the pattern from the third one. Yes, I am fussy that way. :-p

It was a bit funny, because I showed them to CapalPerak and asked him which one he thought the best. He initially told me to make the choice, but I insisted on getting his opinion on the matter. So, he picked one (I presumed, just to get things done, because he expected what happened next). After which, I was like, "err.... actually...." and I laughed. I realised I was being the typical woman, because in the end, what I decide is the ultimatum, and what he decides is just an opinion. :-p

Now is just to finalised some other details to be included into the card, and insyaAllah by October we will see the result. And after, those important people in my life will start to get the invitation. :-) So, friends, send me your mailing addresses, ya!

Next, we have engaged a photographer to capture the memories on the blessed day. I like his style and the way he see people through his camera lens. InsyaAllah, everything will go fine.

Other than that, I have also booked the bunga telur for the khatam Quran session. Just a simple one. Mak likes the hanging type, so I ordered that. For the bunga pahar, the ever talented Mel has started the works. She delegated me to cut the netting for the egg... :-p

What's left is to find the items to make the gifts for the aunts, all of which to be purchased in Nilai 3. It's too expensive in KL, I've checked. Owh... and also, I'm yet to choose his perfume, Al-Quran and prayer mat for the hantaran.

Pray everything goes smoothly... Ameen...

September 7, 2009

August 31, 2009

From My Mobile

If you ask an average person, those with no political aspirations, they don't care which party the government is. All they want is to live in peace and harmony. Be wealthy, healthy and happy. Happy Merdeka Day! Happy 52nd birthday Malaysia! May we all become nicer and wiser!

August 28, 2009

Choosing the Shoes...

Question: How important is your wedding shoes/sandals?
Answer: Very, very important.

Why, you ask? Because, you will be walking, sitting, entertaining in those pairs for at least 4 hours. Imagine that.

Criteria on choosing:
  1. Comfortable; ample room for the feet, not too high (most probably about 1 to 1.5 inches only)
  2. Colour; silver or ivory
  3. Deco; with diamente, if possible, and/or ribbons maybe?
  4. Style; Open toe, strappy, sling-back
  5. Price; I shall cap it at RM300 (ni dah cukup mahal dah nih!).

Hmm... browsing on the net, I found some examples...