My Stories....

Hidayah

2011-06-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

Lately, I bumped into few people which make me have deeper thoughts and amazed on Allah's greatest gifts to them...and most of all thankful to Allah as we are parts of the chosen one...

Born to be Muslims are really privilege as we don't have to struggle hard to find the Creator and our right legs already step in the heaven door...except for our left legs which could drift and drag us away from the key to heaven...

A very inspiring story from a non Muslim friend really touched my heart...Chrstine is a 60 plus mother of three sons, cheerful and full of life experiences to share...she shares quite a number of stories but what really touched was about his youngest son...she always praises the son who without fails will bring along his Fillipino wife and kids to dine at her house every day and will call her from his work place during day time...

I bet all mothers would be in cloud nine to have kid(s) like this...I asked her on the 'secret recipe'...She told me that she instilled the good values since he was small and always prayed hard that her son would turn to good fortune as she does not have any daughter...

I really admire the mother and son relationship...and she has a confession...her son is Muslim. SubhanAllah...the son studied in UK to complete his degree, upon his returned home, he was employed by a bumi company. He was the only non Muslim and he picked up Islam from there. Finally, he converted and had a Muslim girlfriend but not long after, he was involved in a fatal accident...but he survived with serious head injury and the behaviour turned 360 degrees...

His girlfriend left him due to the circumstances but he still get the full support from the mother until he fully recovered...The mother's love has no boundary even the son had converted, she took good care of him and served all his needs. The most important part was she never objected on the her son's choice of his religion...

She praises her son of being a good Muslim as he performs his duties such as performing the prayers and so forth...

Personally, I feel that her son is really special who has been blessed and showered with Allah greatest gift, 'hidayah' to mankind...to be in the correct path now and forever...

To my Daughter

2011-04-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

Arggggghhhhhh....4 months plus into discovering a new roller coaster life of a teenager...I am still wobbling and wobbling like 'jelly in my plate'...

The 'ugly truth' of tsunami I've heard from friends earlier really hit me...now she is a 'big girl' with 'big head'...Mommy is no longer a priority in her life....

Sob, sob...it started off with happily wiggling while engrossing the chatting columns of fb, ignoring the surroundings...all in her own world...towards the extent deleting 'own mommy' from fb list...

Worse part yet to crash...the choice of vulgar and obscene words with friends really make mommy's heart sank...

Then come Justin Bieber concert...another sullen face...

Now, from timid and quiet girl has asked mommy for the 'slumber party' night...yet another stormy battle...

Well, mommy has done a lot of thinkings lately and understands the needs of having your space. Anyway, everything comes with a price...

Since I had allowed you to open a fb account (although not eligible), it is not fair to chunk it off. So, it has to be really transparent like mommy can access yr fb anytime and I have to be your fb friend. No compromise.

It is also a mistake to let you have ipod freely, so from now onwards, ipod must be in mommy's custody and you are only allowed to have it during long school break.

Vulgar and obscene words or gestures...you must really be extra careful not to get yourself in trouble. Next time, please clarify and let mommy screen first.

Concert...it is not our custom to attend one. Please remember although mommy knows how dissapointed you are...

Slumber party and so on is a big NO, NO...period...

Hahaha...now mommy feel better. Though at times I really feel guilty especially few days during the withdrawal period (when you reluctantly surrendered the ipod).

The Deadline

2011-01-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

At this point of time, it is rather very significant to see my neighbours busy cleaning and refurbish their houses and compounds. The smell of all sorts of paints, more like evaporate kalium permanganate to my sensitive nose, fills the air...

The high spirit and sense of getting 'extra cleaning' will die when the Chinese New Year emerges...

Well, after fetching my two girls from evening session school today, I had to face a long queue to reach to the nearby bookstore which was only 10 minutes drive relatively ( I used the word 'relatively' as I picked up the term from my Form 1 girl's geography lesson)...'Everybody works hard for the oncoming festival' I just mimicked the sentence which was like a replay in my memory...

'What do you mean?' the kids asked me.

"Ya, you see...the policemen conduct the roadblock at this hour as they have to collect money as CNY is approaching. Everybody has to meet the dateline..."

Well, it was really deadline to me...I was smiling to the policeman when he stopped my car, scrutinised every detail of the deco posted on my front mirror. He flagged me to stop to the side...

Then, another policeman approached me..."Akak tahu tak kenapa akak kena tahan?"

I shook my head. He ordered me to get out and showed me the problem...Oh Gosh, it was really over the dateline..."Road tax akak dah mati...tengok 26 Ogos 2010. Dah lama ni akak".

I still couldn't believe his words as my husband is a very responsible citizen, he will not do such thing...

I surrendered my IC and driving license to him...Nothing much I can do...it was a clear cut my fault, driving a car with an expired road tax...

"Akak pernah kena saman?"

"Tak"

I saw him filling all my particulars in a white sheet form ...

"Macamana ni akak?"

"Nak buat macamana, dah mati kenalah renew."

He returned my IC and license.

"Kita bagi warning dulu. Kalau lepas ni masih tak renew, kita saman"

"Terimakasih"

I am so thankful to the roadblock not because I escaped the summon but it opened my eyes that I was wrong on the roadblock concept. It was not only to gain money but it is more than that...

"Don't take things for granted"

The Beginning

2011-01-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

The starting of 2011 is quite tough and challenging for me both emotionally and physically...my eldest is transforming from pre teen to teenager...what a big leap I feel to adjust on the 'new transformation'...

The new school sessions re-open...with the appetizer...'orientation for Form 1' on the very day that our PM announced as public holiday as our football team won the what cup? well, I don't really give a damn concern...

The orientation session was really chaotic with parents scattered all over the school compound listening? or wondering? on the Principal's speech...Well, parents of the 750 kids, all fresh from primary school...

It was a hard and tiring day, the class was jam packed with 50 kids per class cramped like sardine...the parents had to be in long queue to settle the school fees...which reminded me on the recent experience at Genting Highland, just few days before Christmas break, we had to queue like one and half hours to take a roller coaster ride...

Well. it has been a week now since the school re-opens...my girl still have tough time adjusting to the new cycle...from choosing the 'kemahiran hidup' subject to the extra cocurriculum activities...

She has to choose between ERT and commerce for 'kemahiran hidup' which is the most dislike subject during her primary years...after seriously thought of the options, she picks ERT...even though both me and my husband had the commerce background...

I hope she will enjoy and cherish each moment...as for now, she is not even dare to ignite the stove...hahaha...

The extra cocurriculum came in a very long list...too many makes the decision even harder...hmmm...

Every day, she comes home with piles of homework ... "Welcome to Secondary School Life"

Fairly Easy

2010-12-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

I can't stop laughing while going through Nury Vittachi writing 'Easy as pie'...sharing the laughter with my 12 years old girl...

"Ha...ha...even morons can score. How I wish these are the UPSR questions..."my daughter exclaimed...

Now, wish to share the world's easiest entrance exam created by Nury

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
1. Greens are a healthy vegetable. What colour are they?
2. What time is it when both hands are on the 12?
3. What does UN (united Nations) stand for?
4. How many weeks are there in a two-week period?
5. What do coffee shops sell?

MATHEMATICS
1. A bald man's hair is 0.0 inches long. Convert this to cm.
2. If I had three apples in my left hand, how many apples would I have in my left hand?
3. If two and two equal four on every day of a week, what does two and two equal on Tuesdays?

HISTORY
1. What was Henry VIII's personal name?
2. What was Chairman Mao's surname?
3. What rank was Admiral Nelson?
4. How many rules are there in The Ten Commandments?

GEOGRAPHY
1. What language do Dutch-speakers speak?
2. What country is the Queen of Denmark queen of?
3. Where is the North Pole?
4. Name the moon which revolves around the planet earth?

BIOLOGY
1. Bird's are type of bird. True/false.
2. What insects do anteaters eat?
3. What is the breast colour of a robin redbreast?
4. How many cells do single-celled amoebas have?
5. What substance do woodpeckers peck?

See what I mean? May be our school going kids will have these type of exam questions as teachers are not satisfied with the new transfer policy...

The Result

2010-11-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

The hard work pays off...Alhamdulillah. Congratulations to my beloved daughter, her friends, relatives and friends children who have won the battle today...and for those less fortunate, it is not the end of the world...it is just UPSR...you have at least 5 more years to spend time schooling and face more battles in future...

I preferred to use the word 'less fortunate' as sometimes it doesn't mean that those who scored were better than those who did not and vice versa...

Although it is only UPSR, I believe that the effort put on the exam was way too stressful and sometimes can be a taboo too...

One exam after another ... and at one point, I could see the confidence level of my daughter was a bit shaken...and before she could recover emotionally, had to face another exam...

Honestly, as parent, I felt butterflies in my stomach since my daughter requested me to accompany her to take the results ... I bet other parents also felt this way...

Unfortunately, or was it a blessed, I was not able to be around her during the announcement as my son was down with high fever and I had to make preparation for my daughter who was in the afternoon session...I wasn't that worry as she seemed very calm all this while and very confident that she would score...

I was thinking the result would be announced by 11:30a.m. as usual but this year they announced it earlier. By the time I reached the school, the event was over. I was about to park my car when I spotted my daughter walking out of the school compound.

She was shaken crying with swollen eyes...I felt terrible and guilty...I was willing to accept whatever her result was...

Before she hopped in, I was thinking she really had a bad day...may be she just made it to 3A's...she told me that she got 5A's...and showed me the slip...

Quiet moment as she refused to respond...

It took her quite a while to cool down and explained...she was panicked as her name was not called after most of her classmates already received their slips...and she thought she did not make it...and started to cry...

All this while, she was blessed as she was always run second in her class and whole school since year 3 but this year she was at position 4...so I guess, her expectation was so high and she could not accept otherwise...

One of the teachers even joked with her "Is this fake or real?" as she had won the best actress in an english school drama performance recently.

Well, the stressful day was over but I still have to comfort her and yet to explain to her about 'qada and qadar' concept...

Flood

2010-11-09T00:32:00.001-08:00

Praised to Allah that my family in Kedah are safe and have returned home after a few days spending time in Bertam.

The aftermath was much hassle as anticipated. The water had subsided yesterday but left mud pool about an inch thick on the flooring...plus spoilt furniture and electricity goods...

The water supply had been resumed but at a very slow rate...and later in the evening, rain started to pour back...the obstacles hindered the cleaning activities...

The worse flood ever that hit Alor Setar recently was due to rapid development without proper planning? or was it due to certain misconduct in our behaviours...whatever the reason, the conclusion was still 'human error'...and we ought to learn from the mistakes...

Or learn through history...but I wonder, have we human ever learn anything from history???

The Race

2010-11-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

Indonesia was hit pretty hard this time with 3 in 1 package...left the affected place as 'padang jarak padang terkukur' and Thailand with the heavy flood...not to forget our own country, especially those in Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan.

My family was not escaped as my father, brother and sisters are staying in Kota Setar region...

Received a short SMS from my brother yesterday, that they were going to move out from the house. I just could not imagine...the horrible and chaotic conditions that they had gone through...

I called my brother immediately and the line was not that good. The water level was at their waist and they were getting on the rescue team boat and ready to be located at a relief center.

We cut the conversation short and asked my brother to update the progress.

At 2 a.m. a called from my brother woke us ...they were leaving the relief center and on their way to his other house in Bertam. I was relieved as I could not imagine my father situation of having to put up at the relief center...

Briefly, my father informed that they were not able to salvage anything except some clothing as the water level raised very fast...furthermore, over 30 years, this was the first time the area been hit ted by flood...so technically nobody had the experience and know how to handle the situation...

The water and electricity supplies were cut earlier...so left them with not much choice...

It was quite an experience as they boarded a rescue team boat to ferry them to the relief center. 4 families boarding the same boat. Half way through, they had to take a pick up truck to continue the journey.

They reached the relief center about midnight after several hours spent on the road...then my brother called one of his friends to send him his car (which he had placed at the friend's house earlier).

There on, they raced to my brother's house in Bertam and safely arrived an hour later. Alhamdulillah...

We should be very thankful to have this bright and sun all day long...

Junk Hub

2010-11-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

My house has become 'junk hub' off lately...ever since the kids started watching 'Finger Tips' program. You name it, all types of containers they collected from bottles, tissue rolls, boxes etc until I have to quietly discard some of the collections...

Good habit on one hand but mess up the house area. So far, they created their own pistol, rocket and robot.

Funny enough, today they watched a new creation of making shadows with the torchlight. Eagerly, they copied and played with their new toy...

Just to share, about a year ago, my husband bought two sets o torchlight with different images of dinosaurs for the boy and princesses for the girl. They were not cheap at RM24 each. They only played for a short while and after that started to lost the images one by one and finally the torchlight.

Enjoy looking at them, so enthusiastic and creative...thank you to 'Finger Tips'...hopefully they will fill up the long school breaks with new inventions or copy from the show, at least help the parents to save some money from sending to any art class...

Bahasa Melayu

2010-10-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

Thankyou to annynomous who posted comments on my postings...

I am breathless???should I use this term?? I guess so...

I told earlier that I had been teaching my eldest to prepare for her UPSR and that the exam was over, I am much relieved now...thoughout my experience as sole informtion and teaching providers, I really felt exhausted...

The second quarter of the school year, the school called parents and year 6 students to attend a special session on UPSR. It was my first experience and regretted that my daughter could not make it as she was down with tonsilities.

Anyway, I made through the session. Listening to the briefing by subject teachers, so called specialist for respective subjects. I extracted points pointed out by the Bahasa Melayu teacher 'We cannot teach the kids bahasa as the language is so wide. Parents should encourage your kids to read more malay books...'

At once, I even voiced out my dissatisfaction on her 'Bahasa Melayu Pemahaman'...'You are born to be Malay, by right you don't need to work hard on the subject as it is your mother tongue'...I guessed I pushed her hard by forcing her to read malay story books which she reluctance...

My daughter's comment was 'I HATE bahasa melayu...!!!'She spent most of her time on english which she was already proficient ...I even met up with the bahasa teacher and explained the problem. The respond was similar to his earlier comment...

So, I did my own findings...actually, the school or teachers were not teaching the kids on the rules of tatabahasa, that's why the kids faced the problems...unlike english whereby the teachers taught them correct grammar...

Recently, accidentally I bumped into my old friend who studied 'linguistic' during her college time. I brought the issues up and surprisingly, she told me that bahasa melayu keep on changing from time to time. Even though she had the linguistic background, she had difficulties accessing the language especially the public exam papers...

Hmmm....so much about my mother tongue language and now the education policy has been reverted and history is a must pass subject..I really am 'breathless'...

House Husband

2010-08-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

Gee...how should I write this. Desperate house husbands! Recently, I heard one ustaz called this group as 'suami solehah' ... quite a common phenomena nowadays...

Well, I am not going to discuss on this sensitive issue but would like to point out an important finding on the house husband.

Research finds that men who depend on their wives financially are likely to cheat their partners than who are the breadwinners - NST, 21/8/2010.

American researchers say that the more dependent a man is on his partner, the more likely he is to stray, but the opposite is true for women who are financially dependent on men.

So, 'lu fikirlah sendiri...'

Facebook

2010-08-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Parenting and especially motherhood is getting tougher each day as the challenges spread vertically, horizontally and diagonally...the worse part is that if the kids are able to camouflage in front of the parents...

In the middle of last year, the Star highlighted on the issue of one Sri Lankan teenager, who was brought up in the US, had run away from home after befriended a guy in the facebook for about half of a year. The girl finally converted to 'Christian' and accused that the parents would finished her off if she returned home...

Whereas the 'poor' parents had been crying days and nights worrying on her where abouts and well beings...

A few weeks ago, there was another news locally that reported a teenage girl who was duped to be a drug mule had fled to South Africa without the parents awareness...she just called a few minutes before flying off. Similarly, her ordeal started with interactions on facebook.

Yesterday, a mother revealed to me about her teenage daughter in the first semester at UITM. I considered the girl as 'pijak semut pun tak mati' as she was very polite and shy.

The mother was shocked when a friend called and informed that the girl fled from hostel and was on the way to Kuantan...she did not inform the parents and did not return their calls.

Luckily, a short SMS from her aunt alerted her and the parents fetched her home before she reached the destination...All started after she befriended with a boy in the facebook...

My neighbour also told me quite similar version...her friend's daughter who was a 'top' student had eloped with a facebook boyfriend after only 6 months knowing each other. Finally, she worked as 'housekeeping' to support herself...

I believe that a lot more cases like these happen outside, so to youngsters, please remember GOD and place your parents in your hearts, so that you think twice...please do not trust anyone that you just get to know especially through the 'net'...

To parents, I guess we have to keep on praying (doa)...

Selawat Shifa'

2010-08-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

Time flies so fast...another week to go and Ramadhan will take place. I hope that this Ramadhan, I will be blessed with good health and able to perform 'solat tarawih', recite Quran plus being more generous and perform other good deeds....

To my close friend and others who are not in good health at this time, may Allah heal you and can fast during Ramadhan. Saying about good health, I wish to share the 'selawat shifa'...and may Allah protect us from serious or chronic illness...

Just zikir the 'selawat shifa' every day and InsyaAllah, you will feel the miracle...

Hello

2010-08-04T00:52:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile that I stopped writing here...it's not that nothing to update but I was too much occupied with personal issues...from marital affair to bonding with the kids.

Yup, I guess in any relationship we need to perk up each other from time to time, do some alignment and balancing and end with final tuning...

My eldest is busy preparing for her UPSR which just left less than 2 months on the line and with Hari Raya coming just a week before the exam, I guess she has to rap up by end August...

I told her to 'study smart and not hard'...I guess she grabs the concept well as she just participated in the school's choral speaking competition last Saturday in Subang Parade, participating the school's English club singing competition today and attended extra class provided by the school.

I salute her English teacher for her personal effort to conduct the extra class today for her students free of charge...How I wish other teachers would put similar efforts...

I also have revived my garden and almost finished of the new cross stitch project. My kids had officially sleep on the single bedspread quilt which was completed few months ago...

I shall post the photos of my handwork later...as currently my camera is out of order...

He's Not That Into You Anymore? He May Have Low Testosterone

2010-07-10T06:14:00.000-07:00

To those who is entering the era of 40's and 50's...know your partner's problem...He's Not That Into You Anymore? He May Have Low Testosterone

Obsess

2010-07-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

It's true...all this while I thought it was just only the illusion of the writer when I learned through my literature class...

A woman had preserved her husband body and pretended that he was alive and spent day and night with him in bed...the obsessed woman had killed of the husband because of jealousy and wanted to own the man's for herself only...I forgot the writer and title...

However, a 91 year old widow in Pennsylvania was reported stayed with corpses of her husband and twin sister.

"Death is very hard for me to take," said the woman...

5 Ways to Exercise Brain

2010-06-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

We really need to exercise our brain to keep it healthy. We are never too young or too old to begin the exercise regime.

Among the benefits of brain's exercise are to improve the brain function and help to avoid other related diseases such as Alzheimer or dementia.

The 5 ways are as follows :

1. Start walking
Research suggests that the brain function ca be improved up to 15% if consistently walking for 6 months.

2 Do opposites
Keep stimulate brain and mind fresh by doing things opposite hand from your nornal practice. Example, if you normally use your right hand,try using your left. It will create new challenges for your brain.

3. Play games
Excercise brain can be fun and rewarding as playing games help to keep your btain stimulating be it computer games or board games.

4. Get mental
Doing things that challenge your thinking is a good way to excercise your brain. Reading is a good habit.

5. Travel
While travelling, you take in new images, sites, sounds and smells and get out from your regular routine. This is a great way to get those synapses firing.

_HealthNewsDigest.com

Teenagers

2010-06-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

I notice that my eldest girl who has gone into her teenager era is acting rather strangely lately. She is unfocused in class and her academic performance drops since early of this year.

She spends most of her time doing 'unproductive activities' and very obsess of certain artists and the 'idiot box'. She will spend her time watching the same shows over and over and still enjoying herself.

I also notice that most of classmates also acting rather similarly. The similarity polar of 'weird' behaviour is really worrying me as she is going to sit for her UPSR in three months time...

I was thinking, may be the hormonal imbalance plays part in her development until today when I read in the Star 'Why teenagers can't concentrate' helps answer my query.

It is reported that the changes are not because the children are lazy or careless but they are hapless victims of neurobiology.

New research found that teenagers' brains continue developing far longer into adulthood than previous thought.

MRI scans of the brains also show that their mental processes are like those of younger children.

The chaotic thought patterns are a result of teenagers' brains containing too much grey matter - the cell bodies and connections which carry messages within the brain.

As we age, the amount of grey matter in our brains decreases.

Motherhood

2010-06-10T06:49:00.001-07:00

I read a report on Orphancare which was set up by NGO to accomodate for the unwanted babies...it was a noble idea that gave chance for unwanted babies to be placed or rather dumped?? but it was sad as the condition was getting from worse to worst...

Infact, the lady who was incharged of the center admitted that 30 years ago, during her pregnancies period, she prayed not to have girls as she said the world would not benefit this gender anymore...

Infact it was quite common that older generations would put such statement as 'It is better to take care of 10 tigers compared to a daughter'...

Viewing the current scenarios, we are no better than the Jahillyah (era before Islam) as Jahillyah period only deny the rights of the female but in this modern days, we ignored both genders...as to cover up the sins...which is much regretted.

As those parents, who feel that female is at the disadvantages, please relook on the issues and thankful for the Gifts from Allah...neither genders are at the disadvantages provided that we educate and provide equal opportunities...they need our loves and guidances...

There is a story in the Star today on 'Motherhood comes naturally for nanny goat' which has a very good moral behind it.

The nanny goat had given birth to two kids recently and had a big heart by nursing a month old puppy...the puppy would take the opportunity to suckle the goat whenever its two kids were being fed...

I hope the set up of such center is not a flush gate to welcome the 'immmoral' behaviour...but rather an eye opener...'Think deeply before you commit the sinful act and you have to be responsible for your action...'

To those who have crossed the border, please repent and get back on the right track...as nobody is perfect...

My vacation

2010-06-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

Just had a three day break at the Pulai Springs Resort, Johor Baharu. It was really refreshing and sort of rekindle the relationship...

It was a nice place for retreat and very ideal location to be out of the busy and hectic town lifestyles.

I guessed it was famous among the golfers...as the golf range covered extensively most of the area.

The club house was uniquely designed and maximise the usage of timber. I love every bit of the design and the compound was well landscaped...

The kids enjoyed the time at the pools very much as they had opportunities to dipped themselves at level 2 of the hotel or much wider pool at the club house...

The one at the club house was equipped with water slide and were divided into three separate sections...the kids wadding pool, rocks pool and adult pool.

For me, I would love to dipped myself in the jacuzzi but got no chance as I had to look after the kids as there was no standby lifeguard...

It would be better to have a lifeguard...anyway, not many people chose to swim as the pools were vacant most of the time...

Sometimes, I had this creepy and strange idea...maybe it was a motherly instinct??? The pool seemed to belong to us as nobody cared to swim as early as 8:30 a.m....So the kids really had fun, after a few times of sliding down, the kids spent time at the wadding pool except my eldest...

She loved to swim at the rock pool which was really isolated and not within my eyesight...I felt scary and started to look after her as the place was extremely quiet...only to find her enjoying herself...

I wonder was it the wrong feeling?... I warned her to be careful and not to go to far ... as any maniac could easily grabbed and pulled her to any hidden area...

She might not totally understand of my reaction, but to me better be extra cautious rather then regret later...this reminded me the case of a man in Terengganu, who admitted of stealing women undergarments and a lot of rape cases out there...

Cholesterol

2010-06-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is the first time, I come across an article on how certain food help to boost up your HDL (good cholesterol).

Here are the recommendations.

Dark Chocolate
In a recent study, volunteers who ate 100mg of dark chocolate (70% cocoa) every day for a week raised their HDL by 9%. That's a load of chocolate (about 2300kJ).
However, according to the study's coauthor, eating smaller daily (15g) over an extended period should also help.
(I wonder whether consumption of Milo is considered as dark chocolate?)

Salmon
HDL rose 4% in adults who ate two 115g servings a week for four weeks. Other fatty fish like mackerel, herring and sardines should deliver similar benefits.

Berries
HDL level rose 5% when adults ate a cup of frozen berries every day for eight weeks.

Eggs
Healthy adults who ate an egg every day for 12 weeks increased HDL as much as 48%.

Good Luck! At least there are options in food intake to counter attack the bad cholesterol rather than the plain oat:)

Teacher

2010-06-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

Today is the last school day and school will resume after two weeks break. Anyway, the kids have to bid farewell to their dear Ustaz Sabaruddin, who has been posted to another state.

It was a heart breaking for my son as he adores the Ustaz very much...and within five months with the Ustaz guidance, he has improved tremendously in his Quran reciting...from alif, ba, ta ... he had moved to Surah Al-Baqarah (only few pages)...

From zero basic of solat, now he is able to memorize a few doas...

Thank you Ustaz...we don't have to express our gratitude particularly on Teacher's Day only, right...

Anyway, it was reported that a schoolgirl prank turned tragically fatal when a 9 year old collapsed and died after eating glue which she thought was jelly.

Her panicked classmates then alerted a teacher, who rushed the girl to a nearby clinic but she was pronounced dead.

So, to all teachers, this tragedy reminds that your responsibilities not only bound to classrooms, academics and exams only...as the kids (out of their parents' eyesights) rely on the teachers' guidance and supervisions...

May be, the least to do is highlight the incident during assemblies and remind the kids that at the end of the day besides getting good results, they also must be well verse with the environment and have good surviving skills...

Teaching is a very respectable profession and 'Happy Belated Teacher's Day"...

Dedicated to all my former teachers....

June's Joke

2010-06-03T01:44:00.001-07:00

A young man asks for directions at a set of traffic lights.

"Ex-xx-cc-c-uuse mm-e mm-m-madam, ccc-coooould yy-yy-ou tell m-me wh-eeere th-th-the Cc-clllif-fordd sst-st-st tuut-terrr-ing ss-school i-ii-is?

The lady looks at the young man and says,

"Why? You stutter so well!"

Reader's Digest June 2010

Subsidies

2010-06-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

Uncertainties on the subsidies are back to haunt us... hate to think about it when the Government claimed that our country will be bankrupt in few years time if the policies are to be carried out...

Very irritating and annoying...

Anyway, I love what Dr. A. Soorian wrote to the Star on 1 June 2010. Here are some of his interesting views.

1. The cost of medicine have skyrocketed and subsidies for healthcare should be retained in the interest of the public. So should subsidies for essential foodstuff and education.

2. Subsidies are from tax revenue and what harm is there in giving back the money to the people?

3. There are many hidden risks in drastically removing subsidies. Inflation will definitely be hard to manage and can easily spin out of control.

4. The Government must control unnecessary spending. Ministers must welcome pay cuts.

It reminded me a story of Umar Al-Khattab once being asked why did he just had a normal meal where as he could afford a better one. The answer was very simple, definitely he could enjoy a much better meal but he preferred to keep his normal meal as it is better to give the extras to the people.

So, isn't this about subsidies?

Prayer

2010-05-22T01:25:00.001-07:00

My husband just celebrated his 47th birthday a week ago...Alhamdulillah, for giving us the opportunity to meet and know each other...

and a lot of 'happenings' to catch up especially with 4 lovely children...

Well, life is not a bed full of roses... my husband just broke the news that his fellow friend had just passed away at this moment...

It brought back my memories to my college days...I knew this guy, just had a chanced to say 'hello' on a few occassions...

The last time I saw him was in 1992 and the last time I heard his voice was about 5 years ago when he called to wish us "Selamat Hari Raya".

However, his sudden death was a shock...and reminded me that 'life is too short and we should spend it to the fullest...'.

Again, Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah for blessing my husband and me this wonderful life to cherish ... and for the dearest friend, may your soul be blessed and placed among the 'solihin'...amin.