Her Journey. The Process. Her Experience.

Tuesday's two cents' worth

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000+08:00

The past won't rest until you jump the fence and leave it behind.

You can you should and if you're brave enough you will.

My (not-so) new addition of iBanking device

2011-09-19T13:55:00.000+08:00

Banking made quick and easy. I had this same device years back (I think it was in 2007 or so...) but with having to move here and there, an item that is 2cmx6cm is something which I would conclude as pretty easy to misplace. And that was what happened to mine.

So this is my second piece, costs me S$20 for a replacement. But that's alright as I've come to realise especially when overseas, how essential this little item is (and pretty cool-looking too mainly because it's red, and they've these new red designs which I shall apply on to make it more ohhh-la-la!).

This little device offers a wide array of online banking services that it saves alot of time from having to call to a customer service officer. And with major time-differences, this device is a life-saver to the World of Time-Saving with no doubt.

And of course, with the phrase of "Once bitten, twice shy"...I shall hook this teeny-weeny device with this keychain gotten in London. I love the bronze-like colour and how its charms are like Tiffany & Co. Of course, it makes it more personal coming from Mr. Banker himself with these charms of little "Pennies" and "Pound"..Oh yes, gotta love it.

Post-London Trip and eBookers Trauma

2011-09-06T10:23:00.006+08:00

The everything in between is too good to be true. But the ones that was in the beginning and in the end were something I wouldn't want to dream twice.

One thing for sure is apparently, eBookers didn't live up to its tagline. Okay, it did live up to half of it which is "book easier" BUT it didn't make me as passenger to "travel happier."At. All.

Now on the brink of working on it, with the backup of Air France. And am getting what it's initially supposed to be. The amount paid for had turned three-fold and that's like being able to travel to Europe twice! So no, can't let this one slip away because 1) Called eBookers 2) It was their customer service who confirmed all would be well.

Just as much as always wanting to give my best feedback to any organisation I've experienced with, unfortunately this time round, it was just too much to deal with......which pretty much was the least I had expected coming from eBookers.

London Calling, Baby!

2011-08-25T22:41:00.009+08:00

This is pretty cool which I just happen to find out...Go ahead and click onto my title "London Calling, Baby!" and guess where it takes you to? :-) Oh, just please don't forget to come back here again and continue reading my post, ya?

And so my travelling journey continues --- I've always loved travelling, but to be quite honest..it's the travel time that gets to me. I'm never a light traveller, and in one way or another, I'm always one who loves to pack on a last-minute basis.....just for the thrill of it. Annoying, I know but oh well...it's part and parcel of travelling for me.

So this time round, it's what the title says, "London Calling, Baby!" ...And best part is, when you get to meet people. I've always loved meeting new people. It's interesting to hear and share stories. And it's amazing to hear things that you've never heard before.

Since the age of 8, I became a nomad. A third-culture kid was the title given by my teachers. Of course in the beginning, the fun of being onboard a plane and moving from one place to another would be an adventure indeed. But when you've been doing that for 20 years of life, I'm telling you it's not as fun as it seems.

It's always the same procedure over and over again. I've always been an obedient passenger - checking in 3 hours before departure time, waiting at the boarding gate for one hour etc. But then as time (or maybe as years) go by, I became the total opposite. Maybe because I knew how it pretty much would be.....So now, what I do is I'd check in at least one hour prior to the departure time. Of course, and it needs to be noted that this is HIGHLY NOT ENCOURAGED. Especially if you're one with the little kids or those with the many luggage you have with you.

Okay, so here it is ----- "London, I'll see you in 13 hours" ....till my next update...here's wishing myself a safe journey....of course, it would be oh-so-nice if you'd wish me too...hehehehhe....Oritey, it's a Goodbye for now...till next time! xxx

The premier of 'Le Havre' in Cannes

2011-05-17T20:36:00.021+08:00

Bonjour, Blogosphere! It's Day 3 here in Cannes and today was the struggle of having to wake up at 7am to watch the premiere gala of LE HAVRE, a film directed by Finnish Aki Kaurism
äki. Strictly by invitation only (ohhhyeaaah...heheheh..), it was an early morning screening held in the
Grand Théâtre Lumière. An impressive place with great surround sound system.
Despite it being so early (it was formal wear for both men and women!), I've to admit it sure was nice to see how much enthusiasm there was.

In 'Le Havre,' Andre Wilms plays Marcel Marx, a former author who scrapes a living as a shoe shiner and is part of a close-knit local community in a run-down part of town sharing a modest home with his wife Arletty.
His life is thrown upside-down when Arletty falls seriously ill and a young refugee turns up on his doorstep, setting in motion an increasingly desperate bid to help him cross the Channel to England and reunite with his mother in London. At the end of the 1 hour 33-minute film, all of us gave a standing ovation and personally, I really liked the film. It's so full of wit and humour, yet made

simple. And I like that.

While waiting for the film to start, there were us reading the synopsis, while most were having their favourite technological tool -- the mobile phone -- out:

For yesterday's Day 2, I was at the Marché du Film, where I met and discovered the many media projects and products coming from around the world. It was amazing indeed and an honour for this unique opportunity to be in the biggest event in the International Film industry.

At 3:30pm, I attended a press conference and dialogue meeting - 'The future MEDIA programme.' This is basically on the discussion of how to strengthen the competitiveness of the European film, TV and new media industries and to increase the international circulation of European audiovisual product.

By 6pm, I was on a boat party for the gala premier of a film exclusively made in Kazakhstan. There was an extensive exchange of namecards but of course, laughters and getting-to-knows. This went on till close to 9pm and the best part is, I didn't even notice it! Well, not because I was having a ball of a time, but because the sun was still up and shining brightly! A beautiful sunny day...spent sometime by the beach after that. Oh, I'm sure loving this big time!

It's 3:53pm right now....I'm going to have a nap...because TONIGHT WOULD BE THE WALK ON THE RED CARPET!!!!!!!!! MAKE-UP, HAIR, DRESS.......OH...I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED RIGHT NOW........READY OR NOT, HERE COMES FARAH! IF CANNES DIDN'T INVITE YOU, NO WORRIES LOVELIES, BECAUSE THEN I SHALL INVITE YOU! STAY TUNED..YOU'RE STRUTTING ALONG WITH ME! :) xxxx

Farah goes to Cannes Film Festival 2011!

2011-05-15T11:49:00.008+08:00

A nice and warm (or hot?) 33°C Greetings to All! To friends who's directed from my Facebook account, I hereby officially Welcome you to my blog! And to those who has been reviewing and following me throughout, "Thank you!"

As I'm typing this, I'm using Dubai International Airport's Wi-Fi, Maxspot. It's 0740h, and I've one more hour till I go onboard towards Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. And that'll yet be another 6-7 hours till I arrive to France.

Perked myself up with an 'Eye Opener' fruit juice (grapefruit, orange and a shot of wheatgrass) at Pulp Juice Bar. It's super-duper refreshing...it's gotten me all-ready now!

Apart from that, I'm oh-so-happy for myself ---- FOR THE FIRST TIME, MY LUGGAGE IS ONLY AT 16.4KG! Yes, yes! I'm entitled to 30kg, all items are in and this is truly an achievement....Getting pretty good with all this travelling huh? (yeah, like finally Farah!)

Ooops...okay, gate has opened for boarding. Gotta go, now...till my next update...stay tuned and I'm looking forward to bringing all of you with me to Cannes! :-)

Till then, take care..Sincerely, Farah. xxx

Day 1: Boarding on RyanAir. Off to Cagliari.

2010-09-29T16:48:00.008+08:00

So, departure is from Franfurt HAHN Airport. No, not to be confused with the typical lay-man's Frankfurt Airport. The latter's full description is 'Frankfurt International Airport'.

Whereabout is Frankfurt Hahn Airport? Well let's say, pretty far off from the city of Frankfurt am Main. Uh huh...I gave myself a slap hand on my forehead for getting those two mixed. Well, now that I know it makes it all better.

Auf Wiedersehen, Deutschland...Ciao, Sardinia!

Hello there, Blogosphere!

2010-09-26T22:48:00.012+08:00

Oh my, it has been months! I've not logged-in for some time that I literally forgotten my password! Had to click on the ''you forgot your password?" button and phew, "Hello there, Blogosphere!" Now that I'm back here, I'm going to share a little more on the happenings of what's been going on by far.

Ever since the World Cup ended, gone were the usual waking-ups at 4 o'clock in the morning to catch the matches live. Kind of miss it though! What makes it all the more exciting is not more on the match, but the Facebook status updates! Hahahha....that's the best! How every one would agree to disagree, start their rantings, make fun of each others' favourite teams, sharing how sleepy they are (mostly related for those on the other side of the world where time difference is just so crazy).

That being said, I've always been a true-blue fan of Germany since I was young. For this year's World Cup I would say the ''fearless'' German youngsters surely displayed the hallmark of champions, despite being third place.

Alright, enough of the World Cup....Sunday 26 September 2010 was the ending of The 2010 F1 Singapore Grand Prix. A night race that puts forward to Fernando Alonso's victory (go ahead, "Like" him on Facebook!), but a bitter frustration for Lewis Hamilton. You can also follow them on Twitter on updates and upcoming races that they would be in.

Further to that, I'll be sharing some moments I had during our trip to Sardinia, Italy. It was a week-long vacation from capital Cagliari to elegant Alghero. A beautiful place with more than 500 photos taken and about 15 videos, I couldn't resist not snapping every angle of it! Hope all's well for everyone and till the next Cagliari update!

Flag of Sardinia, taken along the pier in Cagliari

p/s I'm really not liking this font. Mine's usually on 'Arial' but everytime I set it to that, somehow Blogger puts it back to this default font. Anyone could shed some light on this? Greatly appreciated!

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP FEVER BEGINS!!

2010-06-11T20:30:00.006+08:00

Its opening ceremony was amazingly colourful.

But one announcement I'd really want to make is:

My condolences to Mr Nelson Mandela's loss of his 13-year old great grand-daughter.

May Zenani's young soul rest in Peace.

Why Blog? - The purpose of Blogging

2010-05-29T08:37:00.013+08:00

What is a blog? What's the purpose of a blog? Why would anyone blog when they could just write their personal experiences in a diary, notebook or journal?

It's come to mind on how I've been in this blogging world for 6 years. There are many reasons and purpose of nature as to why one would blog. One is they take it as a personal shared online journal, others take it for educational purposes to provide information to its readers, there are those who do it for business and certain people opens a blog merely for media/news/entertainment.

Bottom line to all this is, there's no specific grounds or rules that makes the ''perfect'' blog. The one thing about it is being able to engage and share. The only thing you can be sure of is it's written by a 'someone' - just like you and I. And when it comes to personal publishing, it's not the amount of people who visit that's important.

To me, a blog is simply your web log - an open alternative to the real diary which you usually keep locked in your desk drawer. You keep real diary locked because you don't want people to read it and be able to disagree with you in public over its content. Truth be told, I still do have my own diary but it's merely because I love writing and as time passes by, it's something for me to go through the pages of my life. Writing in a diary is no where similar to typing and that's just one aspect to it.

Then again, my opinion of how a blog should be defined - how it should function - is not the hard, fast rule for all bloggers. I believe more importantly, whether it's a blog or a diary or a little book that you write in, it's all about seeing how much you have grown and learned from your experiences. At the end of the day, that is the true beauty of a diary, your own personal and emotional growth, and pretty much what makes you comfortable.

Uh huh....my cupcakes take the cake!

2010-05-12T23:28:00.032+08:00

One thing I love about being in the kitchen is when I can make an 'art' out of whatever that I can make. Hmmmm....or shall I rephrase this to -- whatever that I can bake. Once it comes out from the oven, that is when you put in your creativity which to me, is what I enjoy most.

Hilfi had just finished his school's Mid-Year exams and he said he feels good and confident about it. (Well, he'd better be saying that!). So I thought it'd be nice to make something for him. You know like a ''Hey Hilfi, good job on the studying and good luck in your results!". He loves chocolate and I even more so! This is for him and making these cupcakes is all the reason to have this sweet moment shared with the family.

So here we have it. I decided to make Chocolate Chip Cookies Cupcakes. I could just buy a pack of Chocolate Chip Cookies, but because I've the time I decided to make my own and start from scratch. So for this, I'm going to share them with you on how I go about doing so. It's not that difficult but does take a little more time then just buying an instant pack. Then again, there's no harm trying...it'll just make the whole process a little more fun I would say!

Now to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies, you'll need:

2 blocks unsalted butter
2-1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

**Just keep in mind to keep some dough for your mini chocolate cookies for decoration later **

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. And sift together the flour, salt and baking soda.

3. Pour the melted butter in an electric mixer's bowl. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. In the bowl, mix them on medium speed. And then add the egg, egg yolk (not to confuse you, so this makes 1 full egg + an egg yolk), milk and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly add in the flour until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

5. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips.

Now that you have the mixture, chill the dough and lay them onto baking sheets. Bake for +/- 14 minutes or until golden-brown. (On a personal level, I'd have the cookies checked every 5 minutes! Uh huh....) Rotate the baking sheet to have an even browning and once that's done, cool them completely.

To turn your cupcakes into creations, you'll need these to make the frosting:

1-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk

1. Pour 1 1/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, butter, salt and vanilla extract into an electric mixer.

2. Add milk and continue mixing. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the remaining confectioners' sugar and mix until well-combined.

FINALLY....onto the making of the chocolate cupcakes:

1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup boiling water
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 + 4 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt

1. Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl and pour boiling water. Whisk until all lumps are dissolved.

2. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the paste and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, put together butter and sugar into an electric mixer on a medium speed for about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time with the vanilla extract.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt to form as dry ingredients. Add half to the butter mixture and mix them at a low speed. Put in the yogurt, adding the remainder of the dry ingredients and the earlier-prepared chocolate paste. Mix until they're all evenly blended.

Okay, time to put them in the pan!!

Fill the cupcake tins halfway with equal amounts of chocolate. Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. (On a personal level, it's always best to insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean then you know cupcakes are ready!)

Once out of the oven, allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before decorating on a wire wrack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely or you'll have a runny mess on your hands...but so good to lick though! So hey, as you wish and so long as you're happyhappy!

Wooohoooo......FROSTING TIME!

Now you can use a piping bag to decorate but if you don't have one, no fret. All you need is put the frosting in a ''Ziploc'' sandwich bag and cut off a small corner and squish the frosting through the hole. Whether it's using the piping bag or ''Ziploc'' bag, I like to start on the outer edge of the cupcake and swirl around until I get to the middle. This way, I have a nice little curly on the top.

Taa-daahhhhhhhh!!!

Uh huh...so there you have it.....For the best cupcake experience, DO EAT WITH A SMILE!

Oh....and if you ever try this and it works out well, forget me not! :-)

Into the World's Oldest Tropical Rainforest

2010-05-03T21:10:00.004+08:00

Spending the minimum is best when travelling alone. It doesn't make sense anyways to bring much especially when you're making your way into a rainforest. My focus of visiting this place was I wanted to have some self-reflections and travel to a place where my parents had once brought my brothers and I. Taman Negara was a family holiday into nature and that was many, many years ago. I could still recall Hilfi was just a little one and my Papa would have him on his front using the sporty Baby Carrier (below). Of course then also my brothers and I were pretty young, so there wasn't much climbing or intense sport but basically just appreciating what nature has to offer.

However this time round, it's different - because I'm doing it on my own. So I aimed to do whatever I can to my best physical capabilities. At the same time, to enjoy the beauty and being far away from all the hustle and bustle of city life. Being toned-down on things and taking it slow. Very slow.

I stayed in a Guest-house, sharing a dormitory with 7 others. So in total, there were 8 of us. I don't know anyone of them, there were 2 couples and the rest were friends doing this adventure together. There were times even though I'm surrounded by others I did feel a sense of loneliness. Like I wished I could have the experience shared right there and then. However, of course...as days go by, international friendships were forged.

Made a hike up to 'Bukit Teresek' whose peak offers great views over the surrounding forest. There was mist and the sounds and chatters of the jungle were just fascinating.

The next morning, below's the rising of the morning weekend sun. I know....I was in amazement myself and I've never smiled so much just seeing it and feeling the morning dew around me.

Along with a guide, we stopped at the 'Orang Asli' settlement - a tribe of nomadic people that live off the rainforest land. We had a chance to fire a blowpipe at a target. Obviously, I sucked at it. Or perhaps I should say I suck at blowing it? Golly, I could not go no more than a metre! How bad was that??! With that kind of distance, I can't even catch a monkey! The most I guess the monkey would do is: it'll stare at me, start making ''monkey-faces'', laugh away and in a flash, it'll be gone...Bah.

The Canopy Walk below is claimed to be the longest canopy walk of its kind. It runs say about 400 metres and is between 25-40 metres above the ground.The walk was enjoyable, just so long as you don't mind heights! I was a little shaky though but just like any circus act, I balanced and looked straight ahead. My target - to get to the other side and nothing else! Focus Farah...Just focus....

Took a dip into this one...wild swimming I'd say....uh huh...a nice, fresh feeling...
Everything comes to an end...On the morning, left and took the boat down the river. Then after, hopped onto the bus to return to Kuala Lumpur.

Would I return? Definitely. Next time when I have more time and am all-ready, I'd want to return to Taman Negara and take a chance climbing 'Gunung Tahan' (Tahan Mountain) known to be Peninsular Malaysia's highest mountain. I was told it'd take about 4-5 days to climb to the peak. If ever I make it, then it'd be a true-blue ohhhhyeah accomplishment.

"Frohe Ostern"

2010-04-05T21:37:00.007+08:00

Table cloth was different, meals were different, cutlery used for meals were different, and of course..so were the eggs.

On this special occasion, it has been a unique experience especially when one is on foreign land. At least one thing common is --- the eggs. Ah yes, of course.

It was mentioned that those that work get 4 days free. Started from Friday, all the way through to Monday. Everyone seems to have their own tasks to do. One of it that's obvious is they're doing ''spring cleaning'' for Spring, I'd say. Clearing of weeds, sweeping away of dust, just pretty much things that keeps them busy.

Myself considering as one who doesn't have a garden back home (apart from the plant pots that my Ma displays along the corridor just outside), having a garden is a great way to do working out. I'd say for an average Singaporean, when given 4 days of holiday, it'd be a click of the mouse on Zuji, and then it's ''Goodbye,Singapore'' and ''Hello Bali/Genting/Kuala Lumpur/Bangkok....etc.''

One thing I'm missing big time, is the sun. There's sun here indefinitely, but I'm already missing the kind of sun that gets you all uncomfortable and gets you pissed at. Yeah, the kind of sun that I keep complaining about. Yes, that's the sun I'm talking about and now I'm complaining that I'm not having it. Oh Mr Sun, Sun..Mister Golden Sun..Please shine down on me....Oh Mister Sun, Sun....

Birthday Greetings - words known to be better than material things.

2010-04-03T02:29:00.002+08:00

I will be out for the weekend with no internet access so feliz cumpleaños adelantado Pásatela increíble!! =D

hola beautiful..how are u doing? hope u are doing great...see u soon...

happy birthday saturday ......same day as my mums birthday better send flowers ....to my mum that is

" Happy birthday to you "My turn to wish u :) Have fun on foreign soil babe! Best wishes on ur birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Farah!

Happy pirth day

Happy Birthday my Dearest Sis... Still in Germany?

HapPy BuRstDaY Gal....

hey babes...have a blessed bday...loves

Happy Bdae!!!! meet up after my exams k!!! =D

HAPPY B'DAE FARAH!!! (: HAVE A BLESSED B'DAE!!

kakak! happy and blessed birthday! :D have fun and stay gold and safe please wherever you are now. :D ♥ you many many and deep deep! :*

My turn to wish u :) Have fun on foreign soil babe! Best wishes on ur birthday!!

Hola amiga..feliz cumpleaños guapa..!! have fun..hugs

hey bebeh!! Happy burfday!! hav a grreat one!!! Monquer tu!! Mucks! ♥

Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday to Farah~ Happy Birthday To You Yeyy!!!! I miss you...

hapi bday farah :)

Happy Birthday,Kak Farah :)

Happy B'day dear Farah!!! hope u have a blast!!

hellllo my dearesttt!!! :) wishing you all the love you can gett, all the joy you can bring and most importantly all the happiness in the world!! :) happy birthdayyy!! :)

wishing you a very Happy Birthday Gal... May your life be filled with joy and laughter and of course great health... Take care dear n Enjoy your day with your loved ones...

I dont noe if this is right...because someone translated for me. If its wrong or says something else...I apologise
GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU FARAH. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN.

hapi bday beb.stay pretti and funky alwiz.blow kisses

Happy, happy birthday from Germany, sweetie!!!!

Happy Birthday, wishing you all the best :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY :)

happy birthday babe!

eh dam,happy birthday n may god bless u..n may watever u wish for come true..i miss u girl..muacks.

Happy Birthday Girl. From Chantel and Maria

Rah rah happy birthday!:)

Hello Farah, Happy birthday! All the best for you!

Hey hey ..... wishin u a great 21st birthday!!!!

hey sista! Happy birthday to u! All the best ya... Hugs n kisses!

yo farah..happy b'day to u...hope u are having loads of fun in Germany..and spending ur day with the love of your life!

hey happy birthday =D

hapi b'dae gal

Hey there.. Hope things are going good with you.. Happy brithday ^^

have a good time in germany...dun forget bring back some papasitos!! lol anyway happy birthday sweetheart...kisses from singapur

Blessed Birthday!!!

hey dear, happy birthday...have loads of fun...hugs:)

Farah D! Happy Birthday! Much ♥ from up north!

Hey darling Happy Birthday!!!!!!♥ Bring back some love for me when your back hm heheheh...

Happy blessed birthday, love! ♥

Happeee burffdaeee!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FARAH LOVE! :)

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday dear gal!!!! All ur dream will come true!!
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Hey, A Happy Birthday congrats to you today as today marks a special day in your entire lifetime. Wishes you have many momentum goodwill wishes staying with you and be happy... cheers =)
Happy birthday to you Farah~!~!
.:: hApiE bUrfdAy... MAy aLL uR wiShEs cOmE tRuE...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FARAH! (: MISS YOU
HAPPY BDAY FARAH!!!
Happy b'day ya kak Farah..panjang umur n banyak rejeki..amiiin
Happy birthday to U ;) Enjoy ur day^~^
Happy birthday!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday!! Really happy to see 2 weeks ago. May you have blastful birthday!!
happy birthday! are you in singapore your phone seems to be off or something..: )
Hey pretty one. Happy belated birthday!!
hey gurl... wish u a very joyful Birthday. may all ur dreams come true. i will open a bottle of 'Milk' for u ya..... hehehehe :)
Happy Birthday ... Ich
wünsche Ihnen allen das Beste an allem, was Sie planen und Segen all
Ihre Familie zu haben.

True enough, in this world of technology there are reminders to remind you of birthday events. One of it is, Facebook. In which everything around you is like a village, no matter how far away you are. There was a moment which I wished I had my family around, to wish me ''Happy Birthday'' in the morning, this time round it's greeted here in Germany. Still a warm feeling and I'm loving that.

It's been rather chilly here, but to receive such birthday greetings from friends surely warmed things up. People can choose whether or not to wish you a birthday greeting, and personally when they do it's only polite and friendly to give them your personal thanks in your own personal ways.

I'm just contented enough to be surrounded with people who's of great importance in my life. And at this age, it's through experience that quantity is not a factor. It's quality. And from here, it shows. I'm ready to take it to the next level. In a positive and happier way than I could possibly make it, to the best of my ability.

Frankfurt by Train

2010-04-01T19:59:00.012+08:00

From home, was driven to Mainz Hauptbahnhof which is the Central Train Station. Then it was a 45-minute ride towards Frankfurt.

Did some window-shopping in town with the bicycle the day before, but the idea of heading to Frankfurt is so we could have a wider range into choosing what to get.

This place is MyZeil - Frankfurt's premier shopping and leisure world. The one thing that struck me most is that this mall has a 'hole' through the building, bringing the sun rays to pass through. MyZeil infrastructure's simply amazing.

After shopping, it was time for lunch and missing the taste of Asian cuisine, we had our food at 'Thai Express'. I had duck and I liked the idea that despite the indication that the spiciness of the dish is equivalent to '2 chillies', it wasn't that spicy as I thought it would be.

Walked a little bit more to see what's in store, and then settled down for some hot Café Latte and cake.

It rained but it wasn't as long a duration, just a passing cloud I'd put it as. It was evening time and by that time, was pretty much done. With a bookstore as the last stop, headed on home. Despite it all, it was a good day and loving every minute of it.

Greetings from Deutschland

2010-03-30T18:15:00.012+08:00

And so I´m back. Arrived as early as 6am Germany time, flight onboard was a little something which I wouldn´t consider as smooth. No....it wasn´t the pilot´s fault, neither was it nature´s. It was the lady beside me. Uh huh....out of the 12 hours that I was onboard, she took a good 3-4 hours talking to me into getting Enlightenment. I could just pretend not to listen and just tell her off. But I didn´t because well I don´t know, for self-entertainment I guess I´m receiving. It was pretty comical actually but it was serious stuff that she was sharing -- she was so into it. Yes, to the extent that she told me to close my eyes, and describing and telling me that she has her two hands over my head. She kept on going, `Can you feel it? Can you feeeel it?` I opened my eyes and had to actually interrupt her into asking, `errm...I'm sorry,but what am I supposed to feel again?´ I think she felt kind of taken aback, then again hey..I had to ask right?

Anyways, back in Mainz. It´s chilly for Spring time, but this being my second day I can pretty much try getting used to. It was great catching up again and stories and stories over dinner of steak, salad, and many goodies. Had an early night, hadn´t gotten over my jet lag though. But today, when I woke up..felt so much better.

Just had late breakfast of muesli with apples. Toasts too and pretty soon, we´ll be taking a bicycle ride into town for a couple of hours. Sun´s up..beautiful day it is.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T15:51:00.009+08:00

On Love and Meanness

2010-03-18T22:44:00.033+08:00

Mean people can be really mean at times and it's awful when it happens to those who's not even directly part of it.

They say the tongue can be as sharp as knife. I think people are mean because they are morally imperfect that are shoved into a paradigm that demands moral perfection. I guess people are generally mean when they don't get something they want, or conversely something they don't want.

Mean people are out there, but one thing I'm learning is that it ''really" is about their stuff. We've all been hurt, and we've all been wounded, but not all of us are mean. Sarcastic maybe. (There. I've just described every single person living on Planet Earth!)

Do I use sarcasm? Well yes, I admit but only jokingly occasionally with people who understands and gets it. It’s always a bit tricky, some people can’t tell if you are being sarcastic or not. So most times, I'd use sarcasm only onto those I'm close with or those I know can take it. Because often times, when you give sarcasm, you get them back and that's the fun side to it when you're amongst those close ones.

Back on the topic of 'Meanness' -- I would want that my history of suffering be a hero's saga rather than a victim's whine. I've never come across such horrific meanness in my life before, not till recently and it hit me really bad because I've never experienced it before...it got the best of me. It nearly made me lose something so precious I had worked for and had put every effort into.

The moment that I begin to tolerate meanness, is when I know I've come to accept that I've both the capability and the obligation to do better and to handle it to the best I can....Yes, it's about time I know but it's not too late to do something about it. I'm not perfect but I know this is all but a learning journey. If it ever comes back, I would gladly smile and turn my back towards it, ignore it or simply hang up. Why? Because I've learnt.

And for that, I'd say ~ Love is peace in the middle of a war. Love is not a fight, but it's something worth fighting for.

.:: Back ::.

2010-03-17T16:21:00.044+08:00

It has been close to a year since this blog was updated. Why is it that I keep coming back knowing that this blog can be read by anyone online? How much is too much to share online?

Blogs has many reasons but one I could clearly stand to is because -- I like to express. Not for any search of self-display or what one may put it as otherwise. One of the many questions would most likely be - Why blog? One fact I could respond to is maybe because it has always been - blogging since Summer 2004, that is 6 years as of today. And farahdee.blogspot.com as the URL, was only made effective in October 2008.

I can never know who reads this site (either by stumbling upon it through a few random clicks or perhaps through word-of-mouth) but one thing for sure is, this blog of mine is more than a way to just communicate. It acts as an ongoing diary that reflects on my life and those that encompasses it. If the Internet acts as an ongoing technology in the many years to come, then I hope for this blog to act as a means of collections for my future generations - my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren and their children's children to browse through my posts and perhaps have an idea who I was and what were the going-ons in my life, be them ups and downs, good or bad. It talks about my journey. The Process. My Experience. Of course there are other ways of sharing, for some it would be through photo albums or scrap books but for this purpose of my blog, I share to make it my voice. Yes I do look forward to sharing my stories and experience with my loved ones and friends, in person, but on that day when I can't, I know this blog would act as my voice, of who I was and what I had been through.

There may be a small number whom are regular readers, there may be some who were from my previous blog address and got linked into this current one. And there may also be trillions who check in once every three years into this blog. All in all, blogging enables me to track development of ideas, development of writing style, and it shifts in areas of interest. This creation of a personal archive has been some of the most interesting and valuable aspects of blogging for me.

My post is titled "Back" and as the protagonist I'm happy to confirm that 'Yes that's right...This blog is back..alive and kicking again..' Thanks for the support throughout these years, Dear Readers.

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-28T17:19:00.008+08:00

.:: 8:30pm, your local timezone ::.

On the Yoga Experience

2009-03-26T13:21:00.049+08:00

March is due and marching in shall be the 4th month of 2009. How time flies. Received emails of "you ok?", "no longer actively blogging?" and such. Thank you all, but I've been busy of late. I don't know if I should put that as an excuse or a fact but that doesn't matter anyways, because I'm right here, in the blogosphere.

On the topic of Yoga, I've to admit I've always been the "what's up with yoga, anyway?" kind of person when it talks about uniting the mind, body and soul. However, that all changed. Few weeks back I was given the opportunity to try yoga. For free. (hehehe...somehow I just needed to highlight that "free" word). Was given the "pass" to try out the different types of yoga.

My verdict? Well, I'd consider it therapeutic. Helps me become more aware of my body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. True, yoga's intensely physical but concentrating so intently on what my body's doing has an effect of bringing calmness to the mind. And like I was sharing with my best gurlfren and Felix, experiencing yoga just feels soothing and searching...like it's some kind of sensual domination, if I might just put it simply. :-)

To count I've so far been for Hatha, Hot Series, Gentle, Body Combat and Ashtanga. And after every one-hour session, it pays off pampering myself in a hot steam room. 15 minutes later, I'm all rejuvenated. So what's in store for me this weekend? Yogalates - a fusion of yoga and pilates. Would it be something to look forward to? Oh..definitely.

Yogamania 2009

Date: Saturday 18 April & Sunday 19 April

Venue: Singapore Flyer

Time: 9am onwards

This carnival is for all ages.

Registration is open till Sunday 5 April 2009 at:

www.yogamania.com.sg

Valkyrie: From my perspective

2009-02-22T00:14:00.058+08:00

The movie opens with Stauffenberg (Cruise) penning in a journal his thoughts about World War II, and how he feels Hitler's destroying Germany.

Personally, it works that the opening dialogue's a voiceover of Tom Cruise speaking in German and to see his writings flow smoothly in German, I can't help but wonder how much practice did it take to (finally) write eloquently? Were there any missed vowels, diphthongs or consonants? I seriously and knowingly doubt so but somehow, it would be something to ponder on - especially when you're one who has no idea what's being written in the first place! (read:ME)..Moving along, I'd say the opening from German to English allows the viewers to recognise that the characters are German and that's a point to keep in mind throughout the whole film.

There were reviews that Tom Cruise shouldn't be playing this role due to his obvious American accent, as well as it devalues the authenticity of a historical production to have him in a Nazi war uniform ---- Errmm...I can't understand what's all the fuss about the accent. It's simply irrelevant. The accent shouldn't be detracting from the film at all. It's the history that you should be interested in, not on how he or any of them speak. To me, so long as the speech's clear and makes sense, then there's no reason to be making a big hoohaa out of it.

_______________

At the end of all this, true enough Adolf Hitler was, without doubt, an influential individual of the 20th century. Was he evil? Well, that depends greatly on the people but I'm not sure if "evil" is the word for him. Mentally ill maybe. The way he went about killing millions of innocent lives, he seemed to me as someone with "extreme" views and power hungry over other things. To me, Operation Valkyrie seemed to be all about saving Germany and its people and with that, Stauffenberg has revealed himself as a noble German and a hero.

Because the movie's still on screen, I don't want to be spoiling the details or elaborate further for those who haven't seen it. As what I had mentioned once, "Valkyrie I'd say has shown a truth-based story that simply deserves to be repeated. True enough it's interesting on the expectation of an action-thriller wartime movie..it touched me on how much the conspirators had sacrifced in order to try and change their nation for the better. I teared on the last part, obviously."

Smile for a Reason, For a Season, For a Lifetime

2009-02-12T22:55:00.032+08:00

People come into your life for a reason. They've come to assist you through difficulty, guidance and support. But most of the times, they're there for the reason you need them to be. And in whatever ways it may be, they never fail to add in smiles to your life.

And here I shall smile - in good times, bad times, all times. It's not easy but nobody said it's impossible, even if it's from a distance.

Here on Malaysia's land

2009-01-25T22:29:00.013+08:00

Arrived De Palma Hotel close to 2am. Checked-in. And CRASH, I was already heading into Malaysia's dreamland.

Headed for the hotel's breakfast soon after - filled with laughter and never-ending jokes around the table. Visited Uncle Mazlan's - sure nice to see them again. Stayed till afternoon, knowing that we'd still return for Nadiah's big event. Then it was a 45-minute ride to Kuala Lumpur. Since it was daytime, Ma drove.

Destination: Berjaya Times Square

The shopping centre's super huge. Never knew it has an indoor theme park. Abah said it's by far, Asia's largest. There was an IMAX 3D theatre as well but the movies weren't that interesting so we skipped it.

Caught on The Chicken Rice Shop and so, that was where lunch took place. Filled, walked around (SHOPPING's the word) till it was unwind time at Starbucks.

新年快樂...It's been sometime, hasn't it?

2009-01-24T09:36:00.038+08:00

I've been away for awhile now. 2009..Goodness! What are my new year's resolutions? When I was younger, I would religiously write a long list of my commitments - trying my best to fulfill them.

But as years go by, I kind of put resolutions aside. Simply because, it'll just disappoint me when I don't get to meet those "requirements" when December 31st arrives. So for this 2009, I'm just going to take things as they come - enjoy every minute and be concerned with quality and not just quantity. Perhaps more socio-centric like being more economically or environmentally responsible.

Another bunch of friends from Dubai came over. 7 guys - 3 Scottish, 2 British, 1 American & 1 Greek. It's been a year plus since we all last met and for them to come visit is really a nice one. They'll be here for 2 weeks, and again it'd be another domestic tourism for me.

Singapore has officially started its 4-day break, all thanks to the Chinese New Year. As of today, I'll be leaving the 7 Dubaians in Singapore while making a road trip up to Shah Alam - "Huh?? Where's that?". I got to know that we're heading there to attend Papa's bestfriend daughter's wedding. On top of that, to do some relaxation and family bonding which quite honestly, I had missed out on quite a bit.

Apparently, Shah Alam's a city in Selangor, Malaysia, about 25 kilometres west of the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur. Papa and Ma will be taking turns to drive up north. Will be back on time for New Year's and that's when my ang pow will start coming in. *smiles*

Will share on how my road trip goes but till then, take care and to all Chinese --

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Wan Shi Lu Yi

Xin Nian Zhing Bu

Xin Nian Gai Ge

Her Journey. The Process. Her Experience.

Tuesday's two cents' worth

My (not-so) new addition of iBanking device

Post-London Trip and eBookers Trauma

London Calling, Baby!

The premier of 'Le Havre' in Cannes

Farah goes to Cannes Film Festival 2011!

Day 1: Boarding on RyanAir. Off to Cagliari.

Hello there, Blogosphere!

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP FEVER BEGINS!!

Why Blog? - The purpose of Blogging

Uh huh....my cupcakes take the cake!

Into the World's Oldest Tropical Rainforest

"Frohe Ostern"

Birthday Greetings - words known to be better than material things.

I will be out for the weekend with no internet access so feliz cumpleaños adelantado Pásatela increíble!! =D

hola beautiful..how are u doing? hope u are doing great...see u soon...

happy birthday saturday ......same day as my mums birthday better send flowers ....to my mum that is

" Happy birthday to you "My turn to wish u :) Have fun on foreign soil babe! Best wishes on ur birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Farah!

Happy pirth day

Happy Birthday my Dearest Sis... Still in Germany?

HapPy BuRstDaY Gal....

hey babes...have a blessed bday...loves

Happy Bdae!!!! meet up after my exams k!!! =D

kakak! happy and blessed birthday! :D have fun and stay gold and safe please wherever you are now. :D ♥ you many many and deep deep! :*

My turn to wish u :) Have fun on foreign soil babe! Best wishes on ur birthday!!

Hola amiga..feliz cumpleaños guapa..!! have fun..*hugs*

hey bebeh!! Happy burfday!! hav a grreat one!!! Monquer tu!! Mucks! ♥

Happy Birthday To You~~ Happy Birthday To You~~ Happy Birthday to Farah~~~ Happy Birthday To You~~ Yeyy!!!! I miss you...

hapi bday farah :)

Happy Birthday,Kak Farah :)

Happy B'day dear Farah!!! hope u have a blast!!

hellllo my dearesttt!!! :) wishing you all the love you can gett, all the joy you can bring and most importantly all the happiness in the world!! :) happy birthdayyy!! :)

wishing you a very Happy Birthday Gal... May your life be filled with joy and laughter and of course great health... Take care dear n Enjoy your day with your loved ones...

I dont noe if this is right...because someone translated for me. If its wrong or says something else...I apologiseGLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU FARAH. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN.

hapi bday beb.stay pretti and funky alwiz.*blow kisses*

Happy, happy birthday from Germany, sweetie!!!!

Happy Birthday, wishing you all the best :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY :)

happy birthday babe!

eh dam,happy birthday n may god bless u..n may watever u wish for come true..i miss u girl..muacks.

Happy Birthday Girl. From Chantel and Maria

Rah rah happy birthday!:)

Hello Farah, Happy birthday! All the best for you!

Hey hey ..... wishin u a great 21st birthday!!!!

hey sista! Happy birthday to u! All the best ya... Hugs n kisses!

yo farah..happy b'day to u...hope u are having loads of fun in Germany..and spending ur day with the love of your life!

hey happy birthday =D

hapi b'dae gal

Hey there.. Hope things are going good with you.. Happy brithday ^^

have a good time in germany...dun forget bring back some papasitos!! lol anyway happy birthday sweetheart...kisses from singapur

Blessed Birthday!!!

hey dear, happy birthday...have loads of fun...hugs:)

Farah D! Happy Birthday! Much ♥ from up north!

Hey darling Happy Birthday!!!!!!♥ Bring back some love for me when your back hm heheheh...

Happy blessed birthday, love! ♥

Happeee burffdaeee!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FARAH LOVE! :)

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday dear gal!!!! All ur dream will come true!!

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Hey, A Happy Birthday congrats to you today as today marks a special day in your entire lifetime. Wishes you have many momentum goodwill wishes staying with you and be happy... cheers =)

Happy birthday to you Farah~!~!

.:: hApiE bUrfdAy... MAy aLL uR wiShEs cOmE tRuE...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FARAH! (: MISS YOU

HAPPY BDAY FARAH!!!

Happy b'day ya kak Farah..panjang umur n banyak rejeki..amiiin

Happy birthday to U ;) Enjoy ur day^~^

Happy birthday!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday!! Really happy to see 2 weeks ago. May you have blastful birthday!!

happy birthday! are you in singapore your phone seems to be off or something..: )

Hey pretty one. Happy belated birthday!!

hey gurl... wish u a very joyful Birthday. may all ur dreams come true. i will open a bottle of 'Milk' for u ya..... hehehehe :)

Happy Birthday ... Ichwünsche Ihnen allen das Beste an allem, was Sie planen und Segen all Ihre Familie zu haben.

Frankfurt by Train

Greetings from Deutschland

Wordless Wednesday

On Love and Meanness

Hola amiga..feliz cumpleaños guapa..!! have fun..hugs

Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday To You Happy Birthday to Farah~ Happy Birthday To You Yeyy!!!! I miss you...

I dont noe if this is right...because someone translated for me. If its wrong or says something else...I apologise
GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU FARAH. GLÜCKLICHER GEBURTSTAG ZU IHNEN.

hapi bday beb.stay pretti and funky alwiz.blow kisses

Happy Birthday ... Ich
wünsche Ihnen allen das Beste an allem, was Sie planen und Segen all
Ihre Familie zu haben.