It Is New Year 1430 / 2009

So the long holidays came and now almost gone. It is already Dec 31st.

In a way it is ending nicely. My mum stayed over at our place for a few days over the Christmas week. The boys are 'safely' back in college (under the watchful and caring supervision of their lecturers.. hint, hint you lecturers out there!) Iman is as usual busy at year end with year end closing.

2009 is looming. Tonite we will be catching the new year fireworks at KLCC after picking up Iman at her office (she's working till 2300 tonite! What h***..)

Nevertheless Eirfan is at home dan masih dibuai mimpi cuti sekolah (he said ye ke Isnin ni sekolah? We all go duh..) Tomorrow we'll get the rest of his uniform, shoes etc etc. And thankfully abang is finally taking his desktop back to his dorm today (I am blessed).

My new year resolutions are done. I have 5 major topics with more details under each. They range from health to faith and family and financial etc etc. My iman list is the longest (I suppose that's because I am a bit behind in that area!)

I feel like I can do something like Malaysia's 'Bajet 2009' report / penggulungan / presentation pulak with all the details I have outlined in my resolution. I am pretty serious about it this year..

So basically I am ready for 2009 (actually I was ready at 29/12, on Maal Hijah). Insya'Allah semoga tahun ini lebih banyak beribadat, berkat, sihat dan bertambah-tambah keimanan kita hendaknya. Happy New Year to all!

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December Winter Wonderland / Resolutions

I love winter. Love the snow. Love the holiday atmosphere at year end / new year. With lights up on trees all around town and the cold that can chill you to the bone!

(ps - Zana / Siti / Delinn : would you people make up your mind, work hard, pack up and just go? I'll visit each and everyone of you..)

It is December and almost year end now. I've got to seriously get down to my resolution list. But I discover that you cant sit down at the table and simply write them down. You must do it from within you; with your heart and your passion. It's not totally about the mind actually.

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Books, Books And More Books Part 9

This is different. I didnt finish this although I seriously did try very hard to do it.

Tapi mak ai, English nya English zaman purba. I thought I could take any English dished out at me. Tapi berpijak lah di bumi yang nyata - I cant take this. I dont really understand it (or actually, I must work very hard to understand it). Definitely my speed reading could not be applied here.

Further more this is a play. I tak pernah baca any play and I think it is weird to be reading it. I'll save this for whenever I need to analyse Shakespeare (maybe in my another life or when I do my degree in English literature or something.. konon). For now Shakespeare and I must depart.

Dee would be laughing at me right now if she reads this..

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Creativity Rules The Day

I love these. They are soooo pretty dont you think? I took about a week to sew these on the sleeves and a bit at the collar. It seem too bare otherwise. Iman kata, ma they look like they were done by a professional! (How nice a compliment is that?) More photos here.

Unfortunately I cant claim the designs as mine. It is my cikgu's.

I had finished this sometime back but I dont have photos of them. All my photos turn blur everytime I take a close shot of anything. I was thinking of buying a new camera with complex gadgets for good photography - an SLR or something.

FORTUNATELY I talked to a guy in the office who is a photography enthutiast who told me about the macro feature in cameras. I went back to the camera manual (had to look for it online; I lost my owner's copy - that's how old the camera is) and what do you know.. now my photos are all cantik and clear at close-ups!

I suppose I will have more phots on the blog after this. Maybe I'll even pick up photography. I am learning other features of the camera also - it's never too late to for anything - or so we are told.

Anyway currently I am working on a beaded tote bag for Iman's friend. After that there's another kurung I have to finish. I already have a design in mind for that but I have to dream about the colors a bit before I go hunting for the beads.

For now books and other stuff (including photography I suppose) have to take the backseat; I am going beading.

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Uncompromisingly Moody

I am like in a trance period - I feel like I am hanging somewhere in mid-air and things pass me by without really touching me. I see them but I am not feeling anything. Almost as if like I have cotton wool in my head.

I lost my temper yesterday. I displayed my infamous tantrum to the girl who came to get my signature for her transport. She must have hated my guts - she left the office on time; which is not quite her. Earlier at lunch I met a guy in the foyer, whom I havent seen for quite some time. He said he manages stress by passing it around to his colleagues - I guess that was what I was doing.

I suppose it is the end of the year thing..

Hey, my previous boss would rant and rave when he found something he didnt like on our transport form. After more than enough lecture THEN will he scratch his name at the dotted line. And the current boss would put a BIG question mark when she sees something she didnt like. I am not even half as bad.

Today I think I have my "I am not a friendly person" face on. God help me. And I wish everyone good luck too.

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I Wrote Them? When?

I blogged about new year resolutions a couple of weeks back. For 2009 I said, I will write my list of resolutions so I wont forget them.

This morning I was looking for my notebook@scrapbook (not that I draw / paste anything, I always write. I have a few of those actually). I found this book I call "My Goals Book" or something akin to that. And surprise, surprise - what do you know? I have written in there my 2008 resolutions! LOL.

I forgot that I wrote them down so I wont forget them but in actual fact I've actually forgotten I've even written them.

Yeah, anyway.

So for 2008 let's see, I wanted to hmm.. yeah the usual stuff - eat more prudently, lose some weight, be better spiritually, da-dee-da, blah-blah. Hey, guess what? I can use the same list for 2009! (How unoriginal!)

I plan to have a long list of resolutions for 2009. But I am taking it a bit professionally and will call it Azah's 2009 Life Plan (sounds like an insurance plan pulak..) - you know how we have to have a yearly business plan in the office - yeah, this is going to be like that.

I already have a few in my mind. Where is that Goals Book..? Let's hope next year I dont forget I do keep a journal on this.

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Not A Desperate Housewife (Seriously I Am Not..)

I totally blame Zana for this entry. I was reading her blog when I click on some link then another and then another and then lo and behold, I am desperate in Wisteria la-la-land.

Took a quiz on that site (take the quiz here) and the result above (yeah, I am rash, over-protective and just you wait when my wrath befalls on you..) But I had fun there. Thank you Zana!

Aidil Adha @ Melawati

We decided to spend raya at home after all. Buat kerja korban.

Raya started early yesterday evening. We had pot luck dinner with the neighbors. The food was alright; but not our usual spread. Our elected-chef is out of the country so food was quite modest without her. After that there was takbir from house to house which ended at almost midnight.

And today it had rained all day. But we've got to do what we got to do. After prayers and breakfast we stood huddled under the umbrella watching blood gushing from the fallen animal and colored the earth red. Terdetik pulak di hati cerita nabi Ibrahim & Ismail as; how the father & son had been willing to sacrifice nyawa demi Allah.

The boys were very supportive today (of course their father had uh, pressured them - yeah, that's a diplomatic word to use I think - into helping). Earlier in the morning I saw my son standing near the animal, when I called to him he said, busy ma. The second time I saw him standing like that I called to him again and again he said, busy ma, but added, busy watching the (already slaughtered) cow, under his breath. The cheeky boy - all of them do these to me all the time. I gave him a knife and told him to get busy. And anyway I couldnt be more proud of the boys on any given raya korban..








After that there was no time to doodle. We had lots to do. We had about 50 anak yatim invited for the raya feast. & there was a lot to cook. Ustaz yang bawa budak2 tu kata terima kasih jemput anak2 ni sebab kalau tak it is just like another ordinary day for them at school. Kesian pulak dengar. Budak2 yang datang tu umur 5-6 tahun. Tiny babies still. They sang and dance and do a silat performance for us. I thought, their parents would be proud to see the show; but they arent there..

We gave them a bag each filled with schooling stuff. Those going to school next year got school bags, shoes and uniforms. And someone kindly gave a goodies bag each. Seronok tengok depa makan; beriya. Tak menang tangan nak layan. The teachers were very patient with the children. Semoga Allah berkati usaha cikgu2 anak2 ni. I hope we had made a difference in the raya for the children if not in their lives.

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At Cinemas Near You

What's a school break without going to the movies?

Unfortunately it is not summer so the choice of movies is quite limited. We debated either to see Bolt the 3D movie or Bond on Quantum of Solace. Although I'd love to see Bond in action (and so would my husband) we went to see Bolt instead. I personally think Eirfan might be too young for a Bond exposure..

The older boys werent too excited about it - the theatre is full of kids! Macam tak macho gitu said my son. His other brother said, But this is definitely better than Bond - that movie orang gay je tengok (all of us go, Duh..? That young man memang have different ideas about things) I said, puhleeazzee.. I'll forgive anything but an insult of Bond! I (used to) love Sean Connery. Adore Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore. Although I have yet to make up my mind about Daniel Craig.

After the movie ended I asked Eirfan if he knew whose voice it was playing Penny, the girl. He listened then guessed, Miley. Her voice is so distinctive - and he has been watching too many Hannah Montana.. But Bolt was funny. Sesuai la untuk movie cuti sekolah. The children (and the adults) would love it.

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