Happy Mother's Day.

Yes, it the time of the year for every mother to get recognition of being the Super Coolest Mom in the entire Universe.  Hahaha......

Credit to Google Images and badlandsunderground.blogspot.com

A couple of years' ago, someone posted on my Facebook wall that it is 'haram' to celebrate Mother's Day. Reason being you can read here, http://shafiqolbu.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/sejarah-asal-sambutan-hari-ibu/

It is inconclusive. I feel as long as we do not spent excessively I am sure it is okay. I mean, do we mothers get at least a word of thank you daily from your children? Never! So if it takes one day in a year for my kids to appreciate my hard work and effort in raising them, I'll take Mother's Day!

I have been working in the weekends this past few weeks. Since I took up the acting position I am still not able to stabilized my work load. I need the 2 extra days to make me feel a slight relaxed when I step in to work on Mondays. I pray this will reduce in weeks to come. Insya Allah.....

So this year, we celebrated Mother's Day at my office, just the 3 of us.  Mummy is so sorry that I have to dragged you both again this weekend to work. They were enjoying themselves on the computer and in returned mummy had prepare lunch. They love my chicken soup with carrots and potatoes. And, we ate in the break room.

 Kids put on their funny faces.

Later we decided to take a selfie.....

Happy Mother's Day to my Moms and all the other mothers out there.

Package Wrapped in News Paper.

Credit to Google Seach and bluepurpleand scarlett.com

When I reached puberty I only had my grandmother as a 'substitute mom'. By then, she was already in her sixties. I am sure she thought me all she knew just like when she raised her 3 daughters in the,...1950's.

This may be inappropriate so if you wish not to continue reading, I understand. For those who insist,....here goes.

I did not have a mother who can teach me about puberty and mensuration or what we simply called periods. Since I lived with my grandmother, she taught me what to do or use when I get my monthly periods. Perhaps,.... she did not know that sanitary towel existed then.....well, I was 12 and do not have the slightest idea what period is.

Nobody came to explain to me why we have it. No one advised what are we expected to do when we have it. NAA...DAA...Her version of sanitary pad is ancient and maybe she was taught the same by her own mother! Only 2 years after I reached puberty, I was introduced to sanitary towel and later to tampons during my college years.

Masa mula dapat my period I did not have to think of buying sanitary towels. I used my grandmother's ancient method. I dragged myself every time I have elder cousin or aunt who asked favor from me to buy sanitary towel at the local convenience store, Kedai si Ah Kan.....Why?

Well NOW the whole kampung knows that you have period because you'll be carrying around a box package wrapped in newspaper and tied with rubber band! Ialah dulu kayuh basikal, Clip kan kotak yang berbalut kertas surat khabar kat seat belakang. Kayuh basikal dari kedai, lalu depan klinik kerajaan, lalu depan rumah orang kampung, lalu tepi padang bola.....looked left and right so that tak ada budak lelaki tengah main bola,.....and finally a stretched of houses before sampai rumah my grandmother. How humiliating!

Young Girl Riding Her Bike.

Credit to Google Images and photography.nationalgeographic.com

Because of the package I was willing to sacrifice my bloodline....I was in a confrontation with Kak Ina,.... didn't speak to her for more than 5 months, even though she came back Parit every weekend from Ipoh. She goes to MGS Ipoh (I think.....? It sounded natural...) Anyway, it ended when Uncle Ros came to the picture.....I guess Kak Ina must have missed my company. She must have mentioned the 'stand-off'. She want to make amends with me! Personally, I can go on silent for the rest of my life......

Yes, it was a big of a deal!!!!

Soal Jawab Ustaz Azhar Idrus - Hukum Suami Guna Duit Isteri.

Terkejut jugak bila terbaca ni on somebody's Facebook wall. Something to ponder and share.

Soalan : HUKUM SUAMI GUNA DUIT ISTERI

Sekadar hiasan. Credit to Google Images and ping.busuk.org

Jawapan Ustaz Azhar Idrus : Jawabnya, HALAL.... Jika isteri HALALKAN. Tapi ingat! Perbelanjaan harian yang perlu adalah WAJIB atas suami walaupun isteri kaya dan banyak duit. Cth : Isteri berniaga RM20K sebulan, suami makan gaji RM2000 sebulan. Suami TAK BOLEH kata pada isteri, 'Yang ni awak bayar'. Hukumnya HARAM.

Kerana tanggungjawab belanja nafkah harian adalah atas suami. Melainkan Isteri kata, 'Oleh kerana awak tak ada duit, biar saya yang bayar'. Ini baru boleh.

Ramai suami2 yang memperbodohkan isterinya dengan menyuruh isteri bayar itu bayar ini. 'Yang ni awak bayar, yang tu saya bayar'.

Ingat, hukumnya HARAM kerana setiap sen untuk belanja nafkah adalah tanggungjawab suami, kecuali isterinya halalkan baru boleh.

Macamana dengan duit isteri yang suami guna selama ini? Jawabnya, duit isteri yang telah suami guna untuk buat belanja, akan menjadi beban HUTANG yang suami WAJIB bayar balik pada isteri, kecuali isteri halalkan.

SUAMI JUGA TIADA HAK UNTUK BERTANYA TENTANG DUIT ISTERI DAN KE MANAKAH ISTERI BELANJAKAN DUIT TERSEBUT.

Ada pulak suami atau bakal suami yang kata, 'Oooo... kalau macam tu teruk la.

Mana boleh....' Jawapannya senang, kalau dah tahu tak boleh, jangan kahwin!

.....and I did not made it up.

What else can they say?

Recently a colleague at work received a phone call that his mother passed away. He rushed back to Malacca. He was away from work for almost a week. My condolences to him and his family during this difficult period.

I saw his car parked in the basement today and I do not have any thing planned of what to say to him. A few scenarios playing in my mind and when I reached forth floor I had a plan.

For Display purposes only. Credit to Google Images and news.bbc.co.uk

As I expected other colleagues were there to comfort him. I decided not to approach him. Maybe a bit later I said to myself. I am sure he is still sad and distraught of with what he had just went through. The whole day, I have been busy and occupied with my work, rushing datelines, replying e-mail, tele-conference with UNAIDS Geneva.....but on and off I took a glance at him telling myself. I just wanna make sure that he is in his comfort zone...... no, not yet.....and then,..... it was 10 to 5 pm.

So I decided to pop by his workstation. "So you apa khabar? He replied he is doing good though the death was unexpected. Then I said, I purposely tak datang jumpa you much earlier sebab I am sure ramai member2 akan datang. I rasa biar you relax dulu. Anyway, takziah ya. I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. I pun tak tahu macamana nak cakap lagi. Kita berbanyakkan doa and sedekah Al-Fatihah ya". I am lost with words. So I kept quiet and looked in his teary eyes. Then he opened up. Sebak jugak rasanya.


I have lost both of my parents; one at an early age and then the other at my later age. Two different types of emotions I carry around. You can never imagine the feeling how a person who lost someone close to them and in this instances our parent. If you ever heard people say, " Yeah, I understand how you feel..." trust me no other person can understand how we feel. The feeling varies from one another. Yes, you may say that I'm not being sensitive...I know they are being polite....and that is nice......what else can they say at this point of time?



This 12th May marked the 5th year my dad pulang ke rahmatullah.....hmmmm....all I can say is I have my dad's features that I can see him everyday whenever I look in the mirror.  Constant reminder he is always with me. And when I look at my sister, I see my mom....mom been gone 37 years.

Al-Fatihah...mudah-mudahan mereka yang telah pergi menyambut seruan Ilahi, ditempatkan di kalangan orang-orang yang beriman.

 To Amran, saya doakan agar you tabah sebab God has other plans for us...

Kisah dan Lagu

I posted a new story in When Words Fail, Music Speaks. Check out my other blog at http://shs-shark2.blogspot.com/

Cooking Etiquette

These days I cook a lot. On most days I try to minimize to once a day but I sendiri tak larat nak makan lauk yang sama 2 kali sehari.

When it comes to cooking, I manage my time properly and I like to keep my kitchen area clean. What I mean during and after cooking I will make sure all pots and pans are washed and arranged on the drying tray. I will wipe the stove to make sure food access are not left around.  I learned them from my mom who is a clean freak....hahaha sorry mom! Then after dinner I will wash the dishes and disposed food access in the sink into the bin. Manalah tau nanti Cik Tikus datang cari makanan.

Credit to openstudiodesign.blogspot.com

I thought I was crazy for having the ingredients properly arranged and organized. I do wash the cutting board numerous time when I shift from cutting garlic to onion to vege and to poultry. Later I found out, I am not a weirdo. Professional chefs too do that...well except Jamie Oliver.  In my personal opinion, when it comes to cooking program I feel he is unhygienic at times. Sorry Jamie's fans. Again it is just MY PERSONAL OPINION, ya....I have no plans to insult anyone but you must develop a good cooking etiquette.  Cleanliness is a major part of cooking. You may say, "Hey, I'm no professional chef." ....yes, I tahu but at least for a start please clean up after your mess. That's all I ask. Period. So,...the morale of the story tolong basuh dulu sebelum settling down untuk makan. Jangan biar the pots and pans stacked in the sink. You cook, You clean. Itu je.....

Most times I find difficulties letting out my emotions because it'll ended up back firing, back at my face. Finally this article is not intended to hurt anybody's ego. Just something I have been holding back.

Apologized for the inconveniences cause and thank you very much for your cooperation. (hahaha macam tulis formal e-mail pulak rasanya....)

Talk About Innocence.

I cannot recall what triggered this memory of me being in the school band. But hope you will enjoy this.

Oh yes, now I remember. On 02-Apr Miss Cockroach attended a 2 hour performance by Seri Puteri Symphonic Winds at Seri Puteri School in Cyberjaya. She said she enjoyed it very much. She has been looking forward to this event a month earlier when she purchased the RM10 ticket. In fact Miss Cockroach was sick that weekend and she insisted of going to watch Symphonic Winds. A little hesitate, I let her go. Doctor gave her the 'okay' if she takes her medications on time.

When she came back she told us of her experienced and my other half started his search on You Tube of Symphonic Winds.  Wow! They are good. They have performed in Singapore and won a gold medal at the Australian International Music Festival in Sydney. Jangan marah...they also performed in the Sydney Opera House!

So this brings back memory of my primary school band. Small but the pride of our school....hahahaaaa. We normally performed at school events and one time, we were invited to attend a band competition in Ipoh.

Well, this is not the performance in Ipoh. This is our school band. Consist of one xylophone, 2-3 triangles, a drum, a blow keyboard (sorry not sure what it is called) and bunch of us on recorders. Oh yes we had one cymbal. That was our uniform minus the paper mache sash. I am on the right with the white recorder. I had a blast. Amazing and with that skill I can play local pop songs too during my free time until my grandfather asked me to shut-up.

We have been practicing hard to give our best in Ipoh. Finally the day came and we boarded a school bus and headed for Ipoh. Hopes for our band can at least come in top three. Who can be better than us.....The bus slowed down and we passed a huge field and as I gazed I wonder who were these people in red and gold uniforms and tall hat with feathers.....Unbeknownst to me, our music teacher (I cannot remember his name, but it'll come, it'll come....) announced that we have arrived. Stepped out of the bus and heard loud banging coming from a hall. We walked over and saw a band of maybe 40 musicians with complete uniform attire playing instruments I could not describe...there were short trumpets, curled up trumpet and a long extended trumpet, single drums and even side by side drums....but....what impresses me the most was the handheld xylophones....not one but maybe 4 to 5 of them. Enjoyed their performance and they do look kind of funny with the feathered hats.

Then it was our performance....we were nervous, we performed, we did not make a single mistake......and we left.  So we did not win. Perhaps luck was not on our side. On the bright side, it was a really good experience and an eye opener....talk about innocence, huh?