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Thursday, October 27, 2011

If it's meant to be.......

Salam,

I know some have read my previous entry regarding 'good news'. One of them (Syigim) even got it right!

So, WHAT"S the good news? I shall say that I'm happy because I have more than 1 good news.

The first GOOD NEWS:

Ermm why don't you look at this photo first:



YUP.....We're (have to use we since it's just not me but also my hubby :P) are expecting another bun. WHAT BUN? Of course we are expecting another child but bun is just part of the expression. hehe. ALHAMDULILLAH. Hafizah's wish has come true. 

HOW DID I BREAK THE NEWS TO MY DAUGHTERS?
Both of them are excited. Fathini wants to have a baby brother but Hafizah wants otherwise. My hubby and I just don't really mind as long as the baby is healthy.

The other good news is right now I'm having a project that I like. It's tutoring a young mother who wants to improve her Conversational English. The pay is good and the student is also pleasant.

THE ONLY SETBACKS?
I might need some helps with the information about pregnancy and baby again since my last pregnancy was almost 5 years ago. I'm also in my thirties now and I can feel the difference from my last pregnancies because those were during my late twenties. So, any help and advice will be much appreciated. :D

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

GOOD NEWS.

Salam,

I seemed to be so caught up with work and additional work (for additional income). So, I'm not so sure what to be shared here. However, I have one good news that I think I should share. BUT......................................................................
again I'm not sure what to write or how to share it. Hmmm...................the creative department in my brain seems not working well now. I guess you guys have to wait for the good news to be announced. hehe. Sorry about that.

p/s: jgn marah ye.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Love this poem. Let's read between the lines.

Salam,

I have to admit that poetry is one of my favourite subject since I was in Standard Six. After a sweet victory of winning a poem recital in my primary school (organized by my teachers), I've been inspired to learn more and also have tried to write my own poems. I really appreciate and adore great poems and of course poets. A great poem can touch and teach people about our life and it's not easy to be interpreted.

Today I want to share a great poem that I came across from 'I'm Muslim and I'm proud' page on FB:

.:: STAY HUMAN ::..


I have seen blood changing,
I have been a part of it.
Nothing is same like it was
Not even small, not even a bit.

I have seen Innocent selfless people got extinct
In front of my eyes,
Truth and purity got just vanished,
All I see around is lies.

I have seen World growing selfish day by day,
And here, No one cares.
He is dragged to NOT AGAIN,
To do good, if one dares.

I have seen the parents begging their kids,
And all the moral values got extinct
No friend is a 'friend',
Love is no more alive, I think.

I have seen the identity,
Being torn and twisted.
Everything is lost and the rest is
Like the sand in the hand fisted

I have seen the one skin changing
Into different color shades,
Pure heart does not matter
Evil is dominant and Nobility fades.

I have seen the bright days darker
and scarier than the nights,
Everything is directionless,
Souls are drowning in the tides

I have seen blood changing,
I have been a part of it.
Nothing is same like it was
Not even small, not even a bit.

I don wanna see any of this
I just wanna close my eyes,
Those people were lucky
Who survived when the world was nice.

I am in the middle of the sea,
Waiting for a better end
A ray of hope in this cold world,
Someone for this world to fend.

I close my eyes and
I picture a brighter day.
In this dark world,
A sparking light is for what I pray. !

Author - Sister Maha Khan
NICE AND SO MEANINGFUL RIGHT?

Friday, October 21, 2011

Let's sign this petition for HM4HB. (I've done it!)

Salam,

If you have been reading about this hot issue, you'll definitely know what had happened. So many mummies that support BF are angry with the misleading article written and published in Berita Harian,14th Oct.

HERE IS THE ARTICLE


How to sign the petition? You just need to go to this link.


Thursday, October 20, 2011

The fridge has a fever.

Salam,

Here is an amusing conversation I had with my younger daughter. She is 4 and now she has a lot of ideas and very curious about the things around her.

One day, she had a fever. When I was giving her the Paracetamol syrup, she accidentally touched at the side of the fridge in the kitchen. So she said, "Mama, I think the fridge is also having a fever like me". I was baffled by her statement. I said her, "How do you know?". She asked me to put my hand at the side of the fridge and feel it. Then only I realized and understood why she said that. She continued, "Mama, give this (paracetamol syrup) to the fridge too". She was smiling when she said that because she knew that she was only joking. I explained to her why the fridge is hot but she didn't really pay attention to my explanation because she actually knew that the "fridge doesn't really have a fever'. 

 

Monday, October 17, 2011

Air Car?: Nice concept but...............

Salam,

I can't help but to feel so intrigue when I came across this news. This news was published on 13th July 2007! Why don't you read the news first so that you know what am I referring to:

Air car ready for production


The world's first commercial compressed air-powered vehicle is rolling towards the production line. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre, will be built by India's largest automaker, Tata Motors.
The Air Car uses compressed air to push its engine's pistons. It is anticipated that approximately 6000 Air Cars will be cruising the streets of India by 2008. If the manufacturers have no surprises up their exhaust pipes the car will be practical and reasonably priced. The CityCat model will clock out at 68 mph with a driving range of 125 miles.
Refueling is simple and will only take a few minutes. That is, if you live nearby a gas station with custom air compressor units. The cost of a fill up is approximately $2.00. If a driver doesn't have access to a compressor station, they will be able to plug into the electrical grid and use the car's built-in compressor to refill the tank in about 4 hours.
The compressed air technology is basically just a way of storing electrical energy without the need for costly, heavy, and occasionally toxic batteries. So, in a sense, this is an electric car. It just doesn't have an electric motor.
But don't let anyone tell you this is an "emissions free" vehicle. Sure, the only thing coming out of the tailpipe is air. But, chances are, fossil fuels were burned to create the electricity. In India, that mostly means coal. But the carbon emissions per mile of these things still far outdoes any gasoline car on the market.
Unfortunately, the streets of North America may never see the Air Car, though; it's light-weight, glued-together fiberglass construction might not do so well in our crash tests. However, that does not mean the Air car is confined to the sub-continent. Nègre has signed deals to bring its design to 12 more countries, including Germany, Israel and South Africa.
And this isn't the last we'll hear of the technology. The folks making the Air Car are already working on a hybrid version that would use an on-board, gasoline-powered compressor to refill the air tanks when they run low. Negre says that technology could easily squeeze a cross country trip out of one tank of gasoline. 

LINK HERE 

Here are some of the Models of Air Car designed by TATA (India's largest car company):


Do you like the idea? It sounds like one of the solutions to reduce the carbon emissions right? BUT............ from what I've read from various sources, this idea has been around since 1998. Tata is among the car company who has been trying to push forward with this kinds of car. The latest news claimed that by 2012 they will make a debut of this Air Car. Though it may have a lot of advantages, the disadvantages somehow have stopped car companies to continue with this idea. One thing for sure, the refilling is a big problem and then it's not that efficient for a long distance. Well, we shall see if  this will come into reality. 

Sunday, October 16, 2011

KIsah Benar: Cahaya Hidayah (BM entry)

     Suatu hari saya sewaktu saya hendak solat Zuhur di surau di tempat kerja, saya disapa oleh seorang pelajar. Beliau sedang bersedia untuk bersolat tetapi seakan teragak-agak. Beliau telah meminta supaya saya mengimamkan solat kerana beliau tidak berapa yakin lagi untuk solat sendirian. Menurutnya, dia tidak pernah melihat ibubapanya bersolat, puasa atau melakukan apa2 yang disuruh di dalam Islam. Keadaan itu agak biasa di Kazakhstan, negara kelahirannya. Hanya baru beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini apabila negara itu tidak lagi di bawah kekuasaan Rusia, barulah mereka lebih bebas untuk beragama.

     Saya agak terharu mendengar kesungguhan gadis muda itu. Beliau sendiri mendapat cahaya hidayah dan sudah cuba bersungguh-sungguh belajar cara2 untuk solat. Beliau juga berpuasa buat pertama kalinya di Malaysia pd bulan Ramadhan lepas. Semuanya dilakukan atas keinginan sendiri.

     Saya semestinya tidak menolak permintaan gadis tersebut. Kami bersolat Zuhur berjemaah dan juga selepas selesai solat, saya turut membacakan doa (secara kuat) dan saya mendoakan supaya gadis tersebut akan meneruskan niat murninya.

      Seusai solat, saya menanyakan beberapa soalan lagi. Saya risau sekiranya beliau tidak sesiapa yang dapat membimbingnya. Apabila beliau mengatakan beliau mempunyai seorang ibu saudara yang boleh mengajarnya, barulah saya merasa lega. Beliau mula terbuka hati untuk bersolat dan berpuasa apabila beliau datang ke Malaysia untuk melanjutkan pelajaran. Malah sebenarnya beliau baru mula bersolat seminggu sebelum pertemuan kami.

      Sebelum kami berpisah, saya ada memberikan alamat e-mail saya sekiranya beliau ingin bertanyakan soalan2 lagi mengenai solat, puasa dan ibadat2 lain. Saya tahu saya bukanlah seorang yang cukup ilmu agamanya tetapi bila memikirkan dapat membimbing seorang gadis Muslim lain yang mahu berubah, saya cukup merasa teruja.Gadis tersebut sudah menamatkan kelas BI di tempat kerja saya jadi saya tidak dapat bersua lagi dengannya. Saya selalu mendoakannya supaya ditetapkan imannya dan dikuatkan semangatnya.



     

Saturday, October 15, 2011

An epic journey to see the Big Bad Wolf.

 Dear Mr. Wolf,

 I have to tell you the journey that I had to go all the way to Serdang to see you yesterday. I was so determine to make it even though I had to use so many kinds of transportation. As your offer is very to be turned down and the discounts are so alluring for me and the other book lovers.

In the afternoon
 
My epic journey began after lunch hour. I left the office after I finished my work. It's good that on Friday, we normally finish teaching by 12.30. So, after a nice lunch with my colleagues and Zuhr prayer, I packed up my things and went to KLCC LRT station. From KLCC, I headed to KL Sentral since I had to take A Komuter train to Serdang station. As usual, the Komuter was train was packed with people and we had to wait about 20 minutes before the train arrived. The journey on the Komuter was not as smooth as LRT and it moved slower. By the time I arrived at Serdang station, it was almost 3 p.m. I quickly queue up for the taxi and paid RM25 to go to MAEPS. The taxi driver was a nice old man and he told that I was not the first passenger that he had to sent to MAEPS.

In MAEPS
 
When I arrived in MAEPS, I was taken aback with that huge area. The taxi driver dropped me at the nearest staircase to Hall A where the exhibition was. I climbed up the stairs and followed the arrows with your picture, Mr. Wolf. Once I was inside the hall, I saw about hundreds of people busy picking up their favourite books. The price? Like what you've told us, the prices were incredibly cheap and crazy. Some parents came with their kids and they asked their kids to pick up as many books as they like. Some teenagers came with their friends in school uniform. Most women were either focusing at Romance section or Recipe section. While men were more at Science Fiction section. What about me? I wasted no time but to find Sophie Kinsella's books. I have read some of her books before but I've never owned one. I grabbed 3 titles and was thinking about another one when I realized that I must remember about my budget. I couldn't buy more than RM50 since I forgot to withdraw more money before I left the office. Maybe it was a good thing too since I had to carry the books all the way back to KJ. For the next section, I checked out at Children's section. I found some interesting books for my daughters. I took some storybooks that they might enjoy reading. Then, I can still pick one more book. I was thinking either one more novel for me or a book for my hubby. At the end, I settled with a book for my hubby from Michael Connelly's bestseller author.


On the way back home


At 4.05 p.m. I went out from the hall and the sky looked dark. It was about to rain and I didn't know how to get a taxi especially in MAEPS area. I saw one Chinese lady and her daughter were walking and I asked them if they knew how to get a taxi. They told me that they already asked one of the guards to call a taxi. I didn't think twice before I asked them if I could tag along since I was also heading to Serdang Komuter station. They agreed to split the fare. Before the taxi arrived, the rain poured down and we had to find a shelter. We ran through in the rain five minutes later when the taxi arrived. Luckily on the way to the station, there was no rain. At the station, there was not even a single drop of rain. I had to pay only RM7 compared to RM25 on my way to MAEPS. By 5, the first komuter arrived but I couldn't go in since it was too packed and crowded. I managed to squeeze in the second komuter and 5.20, I was in KL Sentral again. I knew I had to rush to pick up my daughters so I ran to get the LRT back to Tmn Bahagia. Once I was in Tmn Bahagia, I couldn't get a taxi because it was during the rush mad hour. There were so many people queuing up to take a taxi. What did I do then? I decided to walk home with the books! I walked slowly but steadily to reach the nursery to pick up my daughters. I apologized to my daughters for picking up them late. They didn't mind so much especially after I told them that I bought some books for them.


The catch of the day? Here are they:

Opps. This is only the plastic bag. hehe
 *
*
*
*
*
*

Here are the books:


Thanks Mr. Wolf for your generosity. Please don't forget to hold another book sale next year. I'm sure the minions like me would mind to go to your book sale every year as we yearn for cheap and good quality books. 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Best solution when you always receive guests in your house.

Salam,

Here is a video about how to solve your problem when you always receive the unexpected guests in your house. This is applicable to those who have family members and relatives that love to drop by and spend the night in short notice. Furthermore, they won't feel uncomfortable and you won't have problems even though you only have two bedrooms in your house! Want to know how? Okay, watch this video and be inspired by it.



MY COMMENTS: Do you notice that the inventor only transform study table, sofa and cupboard to a bed/beds. There are also coffee table that can transform to dining table. Now, what about other solutions or genius technology?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

From I'm Muslim and I'm proud.

Salam,

Here is something nicely said and worth more than millions to be pondered upon:

Allah is not in my contact list in my cell phone, but He is my number one and most important contact. He isn't in my Facebook friend list, but He is my best friend. I am not following Him on Twitter, but I follow His His Prophet (PBUH) and the Quran. While I need the Internet to connect with others, I am connected to Him without the need for the Internet. Subhana Allah.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

A Minion at Big Bad Wolf Book Sales.

Salam,


I've been so excited once I knew about your event. I've wish to go to be one of the minions there BUT up until now, there are lots of things that have stopped me from going there. The posting that you have made on your page in FB are forcing me to find the way by hook or by crook to go there and satisfy my hunger to get new books.

You said:
Remember, minions - it is not too late to recruit new faces into the cause! Spread the word about the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale to your friends and family, and ask them to come to the biggest book sale in the world! 
  
Hungry at the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale? Don't forget to step outside Hall A and look out for the Pizza Hut, KFC and MAEPS vendors ready to hush those growling stomachs! They'll be there all week.

Okay. For those who are clueless about this entry. I'm talking about THE BIGGEST BOOK SALES of the year that has started on 7th Oct. and will end on 16th Oct. in MAEPS (Malaysia Agro Exposition Park) in Serdang. 

Don't know how to go there? Maybe this information can help you:

Address: 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Alamat Poskod:
43400 Serdang
Tel: +603 8948 4699, Fax: +603 8948 4985
Website: http://www.maeps.com.my/
GPS Coordinates:
N2 58.909 E101 41.891
 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Purplish Wedding. (nice theme)

Salam,

     Yesterday we went to Tg Kling, Melaka to attend a wedding of a friend we knew when we were in Hamilton, NZ. She is still pursuing her phd in Waikato University. Right now she's taking a break (for a while) before she resumes her study.

    We attended the Wedding Reception which started from 11 a.m. We took off from our house at 10.40 and arrived at 1.40 p.m. It was not that easy to find the venue of the wedding since we solely depended on GOOGLE MAP. I was as usual the navigator and my navigation skill was not that excellent since we had to stop and asked a 'Pisang Goreng makcik' the right way. (hehe) They also didn't provide any clues before we reached the venue. The only clue was the "Bunga Maggar" at the roadside near her house!

    When we arrived the married couple was about to have their "Makan Beradap". So, we went to snap some photos and then we also went to the other side to have lunch. The food was nice and the wedding reception itself was simple. They invited only their family members, relatives and close friends. We met other Waikato friends there too. It was good to meet again after more than a year since we left NZ. Thus, it was a mini reunion too. And while we were having "Nasi Minyak", there was and entertainer belting out some Dangdut's songs. He and Mr. Dee Jay for the day, also invited participation from the crowd to sing or make a dedication to the couple or the host (Adnan's family)

     I have some photos taken at the venue that I ca share here. We wish the couple; Azila and Tuan Borhanedi will have a blessed marriage life and soon will have some cute children as well.







Friday, October 7, 2011

Kisah Si Penjual Tudung. (BM entry)

Salam,

Saya baru pulang dari membeli 2 helai tudung di KL Sentral. Sewaktu membeli tudung2 tersebut, si penjual tudung tersebut telah menyatakan beberapa ayat (untuk menarik perhatian saya) yang tidak saya persetujui.

Lebih baik saya namakan si penjual tudung ni Kakak Z. Kak Z ni tidak bertudung tetapi dia menjual pakaian2 dan tudung2 di salah sebuah gerai di situ. Dia sebenarnya ramah dan mesra. Saya hanya membelek2 beberapa tudung dan bila dia bersungguh-sungguh menyuruh saya masuk  untuk melihat tudung2 yang lain, saya pun masuklah ke dalam gerainya.

Berikut adalah sedutan perbualan kami:

Kak Z: Pilihla dik. Banyak yang cantik2 ni. Ni tudung macam Siti. Cuma letak je atas kepala.
Saya  : Letak atas kepala? Nanti nampak leher kak.
Kak Z: (senyum saja tanpa berkata apa2)
Saya   : Saya nak cari tudung yang tak singkat sangat.
Kak Z: Ini ada banyak yg jenis kain Jeans. Cubalah dan tengok dalam cermin.
Saya  : Yang biru dan coklat ni elok. Berapa?
Kak Z: RMXX. Boleh kurang lagi. Tak nak beli anak tudung yang bersanggul. Cantik dik.
Saya  : Saya tak pakai yang macam tu. Takpela kak.
Kak Z: Kenapa? Rambut sikit ke? 
Saya  : Bukan sebab tu. Tak elok. 
Kak Z: (senyum je lagi) Tak nak ambil warna lain ke? Tudung Syria ke?
Saya  : Yang 2 ni jelah. Tudung Syria saya tak minat. Berapa? 
Kak Z: RMXX. 
Saya: (menyerahkan duit) 
Kak Z: Terima kasih dik. Datang lagi ye.

Kenapa saya nak berkongsi cerita ini? Adakah saya nak tunjuk saya ni baik sangat? Oh...bukan2. Saya hanya nak berkongsi ayat2 yang digunakan oleh kaka tersebut. Rasanya apa yang dia cakapkan tu bedasarkan apa yang disukai oleh kebanyakan orang memakai tudung sekarang.

Apa yang disukai ramai?:
  • tudung singkat.
  • anak tudung yang ada bonjolan (nampak seperti sanggul)
  • tudung mengikut fesyen semasa (walaupun tak menepati syariat)
  • tudung yang diikat dibelakang tengkuk sehingga menampakkan bentuk leher.
Saya hanya dapat mendoakan Kakak Z mendapat hidayah suatu hari nanti untuk bukan hanya menjual tudung tapi juga memakai tudung. Mungkin saya pun tidak menegur secara berhikmah sebab saya pun akui saya masih jahil. Semoga kjita semua sentiasa cuba mengikut syariat Islam lebih2 lagi bila kita bertudung kerana ingin menutup aurat dan kerana Allah.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Why Petrosains KLCC needs to be updated?

Salam,

   I've promised in yesterday's entry to tell and share my opinion about Petrosains KLCC. It's better to tell a little bit of what we've seen, explored, read and experienced before I explain more.

It has been promoted like this:
Petrosains Kuala Lumpur is located in the heart of bustling Kuala Lumpur and housed within Suria KLCC, Petronas Twin Towers. This is a perfect place for you to experience the wonders of science and technology.
It is the only interactive science discovery centre and a highly advanced technological museum, that presents petroleum science and technology in a fun, story-telling way. It intelligently embraces all aspects of science — the beginning, current and the future.

While you are there, don’t miss out the scientific journey, where you proceed your exploration in stages. Start your journey from The Lobby to the Dark Ride In, followed by an educationally entertaining ride through the passages of Energy, Petrojaya, Geotime Diorama, Science Station 1, Exploration, Galleria, Helicopter Simulator, Oil Platform, Downstream, Molecule Nanoworld, Metre City, Science Station 3, Teater Ungku Omar, Dark Ride Out and Xplorasi.

  We were happy exploring the place but I was just frustrated to see the videos that they used to explain some processes. All videos look like they were made in 90's based on the clothes used by the person in the videos.  Another thing, when we choose to view the videos in English, the pronunciation is quite bad. I don't think foreigners would be able to understand the content of the videos. They also have to update and maintain some equipments because some were out of order and couldn't be used.



We really enjoyed the Dark Ride In, The Oil Platform and also the little showcase of Mathematics by the volunteers. In the Dark Ride In, the simulations were good but again most of the photos are already old. Maybe if they change some of the photos to show the latest development of Petronas, it would be much better. While in The Oil Platform, I love to see the gadgets, machines and also their rooms, kitchen and sick room. My daughters were afraid to see one dummy sleeping in the bedroom. The little showcase was interesting when the presenter tested on our general Math knowledge. We were also asked to participate and answer some questions. I even volunteered for one tactical game where I had to guess what's my opponent's next move.


All right, I guess you might be bored reading all of these right? Now, let's see some of the photos taken in Petrosains KLCC:











Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Petrosains KLCC: Needs to be updated.

Salam,

Why does it need to be updated? What's wrong with Petrosains KLCC? Okay, for more stories , please stay tune tomorrow for more input on that. I know that normally most people will write about good things BUT I have to share the sad truth about this famous place expecially for tourists and school children. Here is just one photo of us in front of Petrosains KLCC. We went there last Sunday (1st October 2011)

(yup, the photo is a bit dark)

Monday, October 3, 2011

Malaysia's First Ever Blogger Masterchef

Salam,

This is an attempt to enter the contest organized by Nuffnang Malaysia. I'm not really an expert in cooking but I love cooking and I always try to change some recipes according to my own taste and creativity (some didn't really work but hey it's better to try right?).

Now let's see the simple dish that I want to share:

"Kirikiriroa Hot and Sweet Mussel". All right, now let's see the ingredients:

From top left: Ginger (abt 1 inch), Garlics (3 cloves), Hot Chillies (put more if you like it very hot) and Onions (2)
The most important ingredient! : 1 kg of Mussel

2 tablespoons of Chilli Paste with Soya Bean Oil (or you can use chilli powder),A glass of water and
I forgot to take a photo of the salt and abt 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. So, don't forget those ingredients too! hehe

Now ladies and gentlemen, let's see the methods:

1.Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil.
2.Saute garlics, ginger, chillies and onions until they look brown.
3. 2 tablespoons of chilli paste or chilli powder.Cook until the mixture looks well blended.

4. Pour in the water.
5. Put all the mussels in the pan.

6. Get a pot lid to cover in order to steam it for about 20-25 minutes. Don't forget to check it from time to time. When all of the mussel shells are slightly opened, you know that the dish is ready.

7. Garnish the dish with coriander or spring onions. (It's optional)
*this recipe is what I tried when I was in New Zealand. As we can't find Mussel here, I suggest that you can use other types of seafood like clams.
Why do I deserve the titleMalaysia’s First Ever Blogger MasterChef” or “Blogger MasterChef Yang Pertama”? My cooking repertoire includes Asian, Western and Fusion cooking as I love to try almost everything. I'm quite adventurous in the presenting my food and love to get any kind of feedback about my food. pardon my sentences esp. when I sound bragging 

Here are the things you need to know about Masterchef Malaysia
- MasterChef Malaysia launch date – 22nd October 2011
- Show title – MasterChef Malaysia
- Program Details: – MasterChef TX will be starting from 22nd October 2011, every Saturday – Wednesday, 9.00pm. Master Class will be on every Friday, 9.00pm.
- Program channel – Astro Ria (Channel 104)
- Official Site URL – http://www.astro.com.my/MasterChef/
- Facebook Page Link- http://www.facebook.com/MasterChefMalaysia
- Twitter Link– www.twitter.com/MasterChefMY
- Background Information on MasterChef (Can be written in your own words if you wish) – MasterChef is a worldwide phenomenon. A cooking reality show, that although doesn’t allow viewers to vote, has still broken viewership records in US and Australia. MasterChef is a success because not only is Food something we are all very passionate about but the show only allows amateur cooks to compete. Malaysians who love cooking but never had a chance to really showcase their skills and be appreciated, now get the opportunity! Get ready for the MasterChef phenomenon to take over Malaysia on 22nd October 2011!


p/s: Wish me luck. Thanks ;)

Kids: Please stop whining!

Salam,

    One of the annoying habit that my kids like to do is to whine when they are asking for something. I just can't tolerate whining as I hate to entertain them with that behaviour. I have tried my best to discourage them from being so whiny. However, kids will still be kids. They still whine every time they are frustrated or upset. Have you experienced this annoying behaviour? What have you done to stop or at least discourage the habit?

    Here is the tips that I've tried and somehow I've managed to discourage them (but they still whine once in a while):

1. Adjust the way you view whining: 
    They don't do it deliberately. So, we have to bear in mind that it's how they let out their frustrations. Tell yourself, "I have to be calm".  

2. Consider what may be triggering this behavior:
    You have to find out the source or why is she whining. It's easier to find the source from a toddler who knows how to speak but for some we might struggle.


3. Make it clear that whining is not acceptable.
     Tell her, "I don't like it when you whine and if you do it again, you'll be punished or you'll never get what you want".

4. Do not give in.
    Don't even give in just because you can't stand their high pitch scream. Be firm with your stand and make it clear that you are the boss.

5. Be consistent.
    If you are punishing your elder daughter because she always whines, don't make it an exception for her younger sister even though she is only 3. Kids can use our inconsistency as a weapon to attack us for not being fair.

Now, what about your experience dealing with this kind of behaviour? What do you normally do?

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Tips untuk hidup bahagia: Wajah yang manis (BM entry)

Salam,

Saya tertarik dengan artikel dari Iluvislam.com ni. Rasanya elok kita sama2 praktikkan dalam kehidupan kita seharian. Saya pun nak cuba buat ini setiap hari walaupun dilanda masalah yang berat. Nak tahu? Silalah baca dan kita cuba amalkan:

Abu Yazid Al Busthami, pelopor sufi, pada suatu hari pernah didatangi seorang lelaki yang wajahnya kusam dan keningnya selalu berkerut. Dengan murung lelaki itu mengadu, "Tuan Guru, sepanjang hidup saya, rasanya tak pernah lepas saya beribadah kepada Allah. Orang lain sudah lelap, saya masih bermunajat. Isteri saya belum bangun, saya sudah mengaji. Saya juga bukan pemalas yang enggan mencari rezeki. Tetapi mengapa saya selalu malang dan kehidupan saya penuh kesulitan?"
Guru menjawab sederhana, "Perbaiki penampilanmu dan ubahlah raut mukamu. Kau tahu, Rasulullah adalah penduduk dunia yang sederhana namun wajahnya tak pernah keruh dan selalu ceria. Sebab menurut Rasulullah, salah satu tanda penghuni neraka ialah muka masam yang membuat orang curiga kepadanya."
Lelaki itu tertunduk. Dia pun berjanji akan memperbaiki penampilannya. Wajahnya sentiasa berseri. Setiap kesedihan diterima dengan sabar, tanpa mengeluh. Alhamdullilah sesudah itu ia tak pernah datang lagi untuk berkeluh kesah.
Umar bin Khattab walaupun jawatannya khalifah, pakaiannya sangat sederhana dan bertampal-tampal. Tetapi sikapnya ramah, wajahnya sentiasa senyum dan mukanya berseri. Tak hairan jika Imam Hasan Al Basri berpendapat, awal keberhasilan suatu pekerjaan adalah raut muka yang ramah dan penuh senyum. Bahkan Rasulullah menegaskan, senyum adalah sedekah paling murah tetapi paling besar pahalanya.
- Artikel iluvislam.com