Living with Sarah

Menjaga amanah ialah sesuatu yang sangat saya titik beratkan kepada Aliyah. Benda-benda simple pada anak-anak macam jaga barang yang diberi dengan baik, simpan duit yang dibagi... Alhamdulillah, sejak kecil Aliyah nampak sifat amanahnya. Contohnya, barang permainan sentiasa dijaga dengan baik terutama hadiah dari orang. Percaya atau tidak, Aliyah masih lagi menyimpan hadiah dari Aunty Maznida - sebuah buku kain tentang "caterpillars" yang diberi masa umur dia 2 minggu. Dua minggu lepas semasa kami berdua membeli hadiah anniversary di MPH, Aliyah minta untuk belikan kawan baiknya 2 batang pen. Katanya, kawan minta belikan dan akan dibayar. Lalu saya belikan dengan pesanan tegas yang ianya perlu dibayar. Harga 2 batang pen tersebut hanyalah RM10.60 (saya beri diskaun 60 sen). Harga bukan masalah. Saya mahu pastikan anak-anak diajar konsep amanah. Aliyah berjanji akan pastikan kawannya bayar. Alhamdulillah, kawan dia juga seorang yang jujur. Selang 2-3 hari, Aliyah akan tunj...

Today turn kerja di client's office. Dari pagi doa panjang lebar minta dimudahkan urusan. The writing job turns out to be a difficult one. Bukan apa, client ada beberapa benda yang nak deliver selari dengan report tu. Everything is still draft. Data is still not final. Parallel work is so not the way to go because the final deliverable will be the report I'm writing. Alhamdulillah team client paham my situation. But being understanding doesn't equal to me getting an extension :(. Anyway, around 11am I made a phone call to my friend cum researcher Mize. And got a most shocking news. A friend, Linda Rahman, from my days at ATPN passed away in her sleep this morning. She died of heart attack. Her only son tried to wake her up in the morning and found her already dead. And the son is younger than Aliyah. I was dumb-founded. But had to continue with work. By then things have bottled up. Linda Rahman or Lindot as we like to call her then was not really a close friend but stil...

Such an exhausting day. This writing work I'm currently doing is... killing me. If only the client is more cooperative in providing all the relevant materials. I know they are busy with their own deadlines, itu lah sebab nak kacau pun segan, tapi deadline I dah makin dekat ni... Weekend pun kena kerja. Met up with my friend Mize whom I engaged to do research. Dua-dua pun blur with the data given. How can one expect us to understand all these data in just 2 weeks whereas as owners they have been "swimming" in the data for years. I guess today baru betul-betul I could come up with the ToC and flow of content and also relevant contents I dug up from websites and reports. Last night tidur lambat, then woke up at 4.30am untuk keluarkan hotdogs untuk thaw untuk Hubby's potluck. Then, 5.30am bangun balik untuk grill the hotdogs + fry onions to accompany. Masuk office jam 7.45am, terus work on the writing. Kelam kabut stop kejap pegi beli Aliyah's lunch, then sambung ba...

Office I ada satu notis kat pintu - "Kanak-kanak di bawah umur 7 tahun dilarang masuk". Ada sebab kenapa ada larangan ni. Ini office. Orang dalam office bekerja. Ada yang kena buat proposal, ada yang menulis, ada buat design, ada buat admin work. Pokoknya - bekerja. Sebab itu kanak-kanak tidak dibenarkan masuk. Bila kanak-kanak masuk, mereka bukan tau tempat tu office ke, pasar malam ke, taman permainan ke. Bagi mereka - sama saja. Kita sebagai parents yang kena kawal anak-anak kita. Kalau kita biar je budak tu buat bising, maknanya kita ni tak hormat pada orang-orang yang bekerja di pejabat tu. Lagi-lagi, pejabat tu bukan pejabat kita. Kita datang melawat saja. Kita kenalah ikut peraturan.

I might not really be the best person to talk about "giving". Giving atau memberi sebenarnya sangat sukar. The act of giving secara fizikal mungkin tidaklah sesukar mana, tapi sama ada hati ikhlas dalam memberi - itu yang sukar. I'm trying very hard to teach Aliyah about giving atau bersedekah. Budak-budak memanglah susah nak faham konsep ni, especially when it comes to their own money. Tapi, bukan budak saja yang susah nak bersedekah, orang dewasa sama saja :). Selalu kita berkata - "sendiri pun tak cukup, nak bagi orang lain". Akhirnya, kita memberi bila kita ada "extra". Dan kita akan bandingkan orang lain yang nampak ada lebih banyak duit dari kita dan berkata - "orang tu memang patut memberi sebab dia ada banyak duit". Sebenarnya, memberi datang dari hati. Hati yang ikhlas akan gembira memberi. Tak kiralah sama ada duit dalam poket cukup atau tidak. Memberi juga tiada had minima atau maksima. Seikhlas hati. Hatta sebuah senyuman. Itupu...

Over these past days... My nephew Izzul started his practical training with us starting Monday. I believe in the arrangement that I teach and expose him to the actual stuff going on - the trends, technologies, etc, then he decide what he wish to do. Not so much of having to come to office 9-5 daily. After 2 sessions of "consultations", I could see that he's interested in web development and a bit of inclination towards mobile. Now, dah ada assignment which he's supposed to finish in the next 2-3 months. OK la kan buat practical training dengan I. Kalau tempat lain, more often than not kena jadi "office boy". Hehee... I love my walks to this client's office at this green building. This huge huge fan really cools the walkway. I just wish the tenants would use natural lights from the glass windows than switching on lights. Tabby tunjuk perasaan. Nak makan tapi malas nak layan. Yesterday, after her 2nd day of Bengkel Teknik Menjawab Soalan (...

I was finally being called for an interview for that project offered by that friend of a friend of a friend with whom Hubby is currently working for. I've not been in an interview for so long. Even though the session today was more of, I feel, verification. Whether I really exist, whether I have actually done what I stated I have done, and maybe whether I really know what I claimed to know. It rained since early morning. By the time I finished my meeting with the client for that writing work, I had 1 hour to spare. I took another train to KLCC and then walked to the venue. The heavy rain has been reduced to a drizzle. The kind that you know will not stop. So I walked. Damped but not soaked. Since I came early, and the interviewer had finished another interview quite early, I was called in. With my blouse still damp and my throat dry from the long walk. He opened the file containing my CV and I realised I am not prepared at all. He asked me to tell a bit about myself. With my brai...

My Kak Long is finally back after 2 months of staying in Alor Setar to take care of Titin and her newborn. Rindunyaaa... Nizam and Zura also came back. So, seperti biasa, aktiviti normal ialah mengukur shopping complex. Yesterday pergi Alamanda. Hari ni Aeon Tmn Equine pulak. My sister went to Guardian and bought stuff like it's a grocery store. Apparently, two months of "confinement" of taking care of her new grandson also meant that she didn't get the chance to get around and about. So, she bought this huge stack of face creams, cleansers, make-ups, etc. Also, macam "celebrate freedom" je dengan membeli handbag baru! Sangat awesome :). Yang paling happy tentunya Aliyah. Lama sangat tak gaduh dengan Mak Longnya.

Kuliah Universiti MKI hari ini bertajuk: Berbahas. Banyak sangat benarnya kata-kata Prof tentang "perbahasan" sesama manusia. Selalunya tiada penghujung. Masing-masing ada pendapat masing-masing yang pasti akan ditegakkan tidak kira sama ada berada di pihak yang benar atau salah. Ego semestinya sangat tinggi. Contoh paling senang ialah situasi politik negara. Sampai ada rakan FB yang menulis - " Can we just have the GE like now...?". Letih. Begitu juga dengan perbahasan dengan orang-orang lain. Saya sememangnya seorang yang tidak berapa suka berbahas. Lebih-lebih lagi kalau topik yang dibincangkan adalah sesuatu yang telah berulang kali dibincang sebelum ini. Prinsip saya - cakap kali pertama, peringatan kali ke dua, kali ke tiga - saya tidak akan peduli lagi. Kini banyak yang saya sudah tidak peduli. Bila difikirkan semula, mungkin ada hikmahnya. Paling berkesan ialah hati dan dada menjadi lapang dan tenang. Lebih banyak masa boleh diperuntukkan untuk perkara-pe...

I came across this today and it got me wondering. "I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question." ~ Harun Yahya This got me wondering - why am I staying in the same place when I too can fly. Perhaps I should fly like I always have in my mind. Know what. I think very soon.

I believe I've done a lot of "give & take", especially lately. I never want any reward for it. Even when I get nasty remarks from someone who is known to like giving nasty remarks, I didn't respond. I have much respect to a lot of people that I only keep my silence. But my "giving & taking" doesn't mean other people would do the same. That I understand. But what I don't get are the silly, stupid and dumb reasons for not "giving & taking". Seriously.  Know what... you can continue doing whatever you like or whatever you think you want to do. From now on, I am done with a lot of my "giving & taking". I am withdrawing my feet from this line that marks my contribution and sacrifices. Do not expect anything anymore because I am done expecting anything from anybody.

Yesterday Mija, my SIL, selamat bertunang. Alhamdulillah semua berjalan lancar. Walaupun rombongan lelaki patut datang jam 11, tapi sampai jam 1.30 sebab sesat. Jadual makan kena tukar. Hasilnya food untuk brunch dan lunch keluar sekaligus. She looked so beautiful. Malam sebelumnya, tiga orang SILs cuba jadi creative untuk hias bilik. Turns out very OK :). I cuma contribute cookies masuk dalam pink cuppy cups dan ikat dengan clear plastic with flower motives. Ok la kan, considering malam sebelumnya buat cornflakes & choc chip cookies dengan Aliyah sampai jam 11.30malam. Esoknya pulak bungkus untuk goodie bag.  Walaupun berkejaran ke sana ke mari tolong menguruskan dapur, sempat juga ambik gambar dengan bakal pengantin :) Gambar ni sums up the whole family - sebab ada wakil dari almost semua adik-beradik. Credit: Mija's FB and I believe Kili's photos

Last Saturday barulah free nak bawak Aliyah beli our anniversary gifts. Susah juga "patah kaki" ni. Tapi bagus juga sebab kurang pergi tempat-tempat yang "menyerap duit". Saturday Hubby as usual pergi ride, I took Aliyah to Alamanda. Dia memang dah set nak belikan I buku "The Hobbit". So, belilah di MPH. Siap dia sign lagi :)  Dia tulis "Happy Annyversary Mommy!"... tersalah eja. Lepas tu belasah Tempura Udon. Untuk Abahnya dia chip in juga. Mula-mula nak belikan wallet. Tapi selepas berjalan-jalan, I decided on something else. Barang-barang dalaman! Hehehee... 

Hari ni first meeting for that writing project. Walaupun perut rasa tak best, tapi paksa diri jugak pergi. It's actually a meeting of that agency with other agencies. I was supposed to just piggy-back to observe things, gather materials and have a discussion to kick start the project. Good meeting, nice and helpful people. I brought back 3 reports so thick and heavy they threaten to rip open my tote bag. As usual (seriously selalu sangat jadi), they are still gathering data. Next week baru finalise. Deadline is 28th. I am starting to get worried. Semalam dah pesan pada Aliyah - kalau Mommy tak sempat balik awal, these are the things she should do - open my office door using her key, change, solat, makan chocolates while waiting for me. Alhamdulillah I got to go back early (they are not the type to detain you till the whole process finishes). I think Aliyah is ready to fend for herself. I dah pesan pada Zain Sup Utara kat bawah - kalau Aliyah datang, to serve her the usual. I am s...

Since Hubby started the project in KD, we have this new routine, which in many angles requires Aliyah and I to spend more time at the office. Nowadays I will arrive at the office very, very early - around 7.30am. Tumpang Hubby. Niat nak berbasikal ke office selalu tertangguh. This morning - have to bring Aliyah's ko-ko bag. Ada saja... Mula-mula dulu I was the only person at the office that early. These few days there are actually other tenants who come in earlier. Sorang tenant - the book publisher - siap tidur kat office nak kejar deadline. I guess starting from mid-January things have started to pick up for most people. So, I will switch on my laptop, start clearing emails and such. Then, get an hour of nap. Tak boleh buat apa lah. I am not a sound or easy sleeper. Boleh kira dengan jari berapa malam in a month that I can sleep soundly straight till Subuh. Bunyi orang batuk pun I boleh terjaga. Anyway, petang pula depends. Sometimes Hubby can come back early - well, 6.45pm is ...

Aliyah finished her Kem Ibadah on Saturday morning. She survived the camp! Knowing how fussy she is with hygiene and the time she usually takes to get ready, I was so glad that she could adapt herself.   That's her in purple tudung with her luggage, toto and pillow. I really missed her not being around.   We chopped down the bananas yesterday. I think they should be left for another few days but the weather is really hot these days, the bananas have developed those black spots.  Hubby memotong pisang. Ada 13 altogether. Punyalah banyak. 

When Merlin started, I was not really a fan. Bukan apa, I didn't have time to watch it. But Aliyah got hooked. Must be my influence! She shares my passion for fantasy, medieval kind of stories. For season 5, the season finale, Aliyah was way, way ahead of time. She finished watching all episodes ahead of the TV screening and told me all about them. Such spoilers! The last episode was shown last week. Even though I already know how it ended, it just stabbed me in the heart. Serious sedih! I just thought that it is such a short-lived story. Arthur was supposed to be one of the greatest kings ever but he didn't really get to prove that especially that Merlin believes him to be the person to change Camelot. And Merlin was supposed to be the greatest wizard to walk the earth. Till the end, things didn't change much. I guess they just had to end the show. Since today kerja I semua dah siap, well, almost siap, I have so much time to watch Merlin videos :). Here's the t...

My E75 serves me very well. My usage - calls, SMSes, notes, reminders, calendar, contacts, camera, bluetooth. Very traditional. No FB, no WhatsApp, no games, no other apps. This is one of the reasons why I don't own a smartphone... I value the people around me, at that very moment. The ones on virtual platform should stay virtual.