In my attempts to start reading the newspaper, I browse through today’s Star while sipping my Nestum Honey 3-in-1. Immediately I was greeted by the ever-constant negatively-skewed news and reports.

Especially on the whole Malaysia politics issue.

Now that’s why I didn’t read too  much newspaper, or indulge too much in politic talk. It’s soaking, dripping wet with negativity. And I for one, am the sort of person who doesn’t really enjoy the whole negativity talk.

It is one thing to open one’s eyes and accept that yes, there are not-so-nice-things happening in this world. And yes, there are that problem, this problem, that issue, this issue. However, hardships, challenges, disaster, political turmoil, inflation - it’s not somehing new. It’s something constant that is happening since Day 1.

People talking about it in negative manner is not going to help at all. In fact, you discussing it with so much hatred are going to make things worse. You are sending your negative energy all around you. The bad vibration than is going to be pushed out to the world. That’s why the negativity is multiplying, magnifying ten thousandfolds every year!

If you think I am too ‘new-agey’ for speaking about negative energy and bad vibration and all that hoopla, please consider what the Prophet (pbuh) said. ‘If you do not have anything good to say, don’t say anything’.

Then you asked, how are we going to make people ‘aware’ of all the challenges, all the problems?

By focusing on the solution! And solution is a GOOD THING. So, if you immediately, and note the word immediately wants to find a solution, all the issues that you talked about will be a positive, good thing. Even when you said, ooh..we are just mere citizens who do not have power, talk SOLUTION anyway!

Perhaps, all the solution talking that you are doing with your friends during lunch, while waiting for your laundry, while waiting for the boss to come in, will send good positive vibe and perhaps our MP in Parliaments will pick up on that!

This is Naziehah, in support of ‘talking about GOOD THINGS’ ( like in Hits.fm)

Seething. at. the. hubby.

Hot weather + late husband = not good

Check out IRM’s blog about Myanmar Nargis Cyclone Appeal.

Due to my ignorance (and me not reading newspaper- still!), I asked my sister ‘what happened in Myanmar?’ to be met with rolling eyes and streams of babbling.

It’s easy to be wrapped in our cozy little life, and not look at the harsher happenings. You don’t have to do that much really, take it from me. A little peek at the blog, a little prayer, a little sen will go a long, long way.

Thank you and may your life be blessed with happiness and kindness always.

I watched the documentry Human Body: Pushing the Limit yesterday and I was so amazed at this creation we call our body!

Stories of how our body will immediately shut off it’s pain producing centre to help us survive. Stories of how strong our body can be when faced in ultimate danger. Intesresting stuff!

Even when we thought we alread know of all the wonderful things our body can do, there are always another level that our body can achieve.

Praise to Almighty for such creation!

I am now having this minor pull in my neck because I have been doing sit ups for 2 days. That’s why I hate sit-ups. Yes, they did work. My tummy muscle felt tighter beneath my marginally curvy tummy, but is the tightness worth the pain in the neck?

People Women then always asked me, but you do exercise what? You belly dance, how come not thin?

Yes, thank you very much for your very ‘tactful’ question.

Yes, I did dance and teach for a few hours every week, but that’s hardly a work-out! If you know the daily requirement of work that you actually need to do everyday to keep fit, you will realise that, no amount of belly dance will turn you into Shakira if you look like a Godzilla in the first place.

Before that, you also need to know your body type. If you are an hour-glass, no amount of sit-ups can turn you into a Cameron Diaz. You will always have ample booty baby!

Conclusion is, you need to do a proper work out. That’s it. Tak percaya, pergi tengok Biggest Loser. That’s how people that obese managed to lose weight and be trim.

You don’t want to be left with extra jingly skins when you lose all the wieght. Ewww..

Ghoyye tagged me to do this. There’s a set of rules. Upon looking at all these rules, I know exactly what I want to do -to not follow any of it! (Sorry Ghoyye, me, rules - tak masuk la!)

Ok so here goes:

1. I love my living room langsir (curtain) so much I look at it everyday adoringly. I even wrote a poem about my langsir. Beep, beep - crazy lady alert.

2. The only food I can cook decently is porridge. I campak everything in, I wait until everything melt and soften into a mush. Then I eat.

3. I am madly, ‘head-over-heels’ ly, crazy-in-love with my husband Big Z. I know people say ‘oh, sebab you baru kawin lagi, tak de anak, bla bla’, and I don’t understand why they said that. Can’t people just be happy that other people are so in love with their spouse? (eh, melencong plak). While I am so in love with him, I also everyday without fail bicker with him on every single thing. There’s also a lot of things I found annoying about him (which wife doesn’t?), but I still love him to bits anyway.

4. I love the subject marketing. Everything that has got to do with marketing. In fact, I love to think of myself as quite the marketeer. eheh.

5. I am ‘marginally overweight’ now, as decided by the software that calculated my body mass index. All my siblings, including the hubby teased me about it. I am determined to lose the word overweight, how marginal it may be.

6. I am not easily embarrased. For instance, (refer above statement). I see no point in trying to cover up every single of my weaknesses. It’s tiring. I found it easier to let it all out in the open and deal with it one by one. Senang cerita.

7. I am inspired by Lini’s gardening story and decided that we (read:Big Z) should also plant organic vegetables. He plonked a lettuce root into a bottle of water and call it ‘hydroponic’. Bile la boleh makan tu :P.

8. (agagag..susahnye nak pikir sampai 8!..ape lagi ni…). I need to do my stretches and yoga everyday. If not, I will feel very stiff to a point I feel like a wooden puppet - crack, crack, cracking.

9. (to not follow the rules I must do MORE!). I bought a water sprayer from Carrefour and use it to squirt water at Periwinkle and Mika when they misbehave. According to the ‘how to take care of your cat’ books, that is the most humane way to discipline your cat. It’s true. Very effective too.

10. Among the Desperate Wives, I think am most similar to Lynette. Minus the troop of kids. Big Z thinks I am a cross between Susan and Lynette.  

Cukup Ghoyye? Sungguh self-indulgent terasa malam ini. (as if I wrote about world hunger and environmental crisis in my other entries..*roll eyes banyak2 kali*)

A few days ago I finally managed to go to a spa, after wanting to go for a few weeks. I went to my trusted spa, Dewi Sri Spa, a spa by Martha Tilaar.

Having dabbled in the whole spa scene, I dveloped a rather complicated spa screening process. In one way, it did limit my spa experience. But I’d rather be less adventurous rather than having myself massaged on a massage bed that has seen questionable things, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I went to Dewi Sri Spa in Shah Alam. I went a couple of times at their centre in KL when I was teaching there. Now that I am nearer to Shah Alam area, I opt to check their franchise here.

I love Martha Tilaar spa products. Nothing beats Ibu Martha Tilaar’s formula, a prove that years and years of exerience is a unique selling point on its own.  The scrub, the massage oil, the masker, the body lotion, and the bath oil were simply divine. I can still smell their aroma hours in fact, days after the treatment.

I also love the fact that all their therapists were trained in Martha Tilaar Centre before allowed to work. Meaning they have sufficient knoweledge, experience, and most importantly, etiquette on what to do and what not to do.

I love their decor. Not overly complicated, with just enough hints and touch of authentic Balinese items that do wonders for the eyes. I absolutely adore the fresh ‘bunga rampai’s that they generously scatter in a wooden bowl all over the spa. Small little details that goes a long, long way.

From their spa menu, I chose the aromatherapy range as opposed to the traditional range. I can’t really tahan the ‘rempah’ smell. From 4 distinct aromas, I chose the ones with a combination of ylang-ylang and something else that I can’t remember. Starting off with a body scrub, the therapist did a thorough job scrubbing my dead skin cells away. From my experience, if the scrub is from inferior quality (which many spas are using, even the so called 5 stars one), it will feel very harsh on your skin. Almost like rubbing a sand directly on your skin. But this scrub has the right degree of friction to produce the scrubbing effect that doesn’t make you feel like somebody is trying to skin you off.

I was then asked to take a shower to clean off the scrub. This is another thing that I really like. The therapist then will gave you a special shower gel (for you to shower with). The shower gel has the same aroma, so at all time - even while you were washing one scent off, you will always continuously be surrounded by the aromatherapy effect. I was transferred to a sauna to warm my body up. This process is important to loosen your muscles up so that you get optimum benefit from the massage that will come later.

After about 10 minutes, the therapists prepared me for my massage. My therapist that day is not the best masseuse I have ever experienced, but she’s adequate. So I am not complaining. After the massage, she put on body mask and let me rest for a few minutes while she prepared the bath.

The bath was amazing! I have no idea how she does it, but the water has the just right temperature, the flowers essences that she uses, the bath salt - everything is in a perfect balance!. I keep trying to peek at her while she’s preparing the bath so that maybe I can learn a thing or two, but no - it’s all done discreetly like some dayang-dayang quietly coming in and out of the room bringing all sorts of condiments that she poured and mixed into the bathtub. Before I knew it, I was happily soaking myself in the very fragrant water.

After the bath, I showered and was again, given the special body lotion to put on. Now those girls who do not like to put on body lotion, when you go to this spa, please put on their body lotion. It’s a magic body lotion I tell you! Again, there’s the sweet smell that will linger for hours. But the magic will only happen a few minutes after that when the body lotion will sort of emanates gentle heat from your body, giving you a nice warm cozy feeling as if you are walking around enveloped in a big warm fluffy towel!. I just love that feeling, warm and nice, sipping their sweet and delicious ginger tea, warming myself from inside and out.

So yeah, I can go on and on about great spa treatments but do note that I am not getting paid for writing this. eheh. I believe great service deserves rave (and rather lengthy) reviews. I am all smiles when I walked out of the spa and into Mr. Big Z’s car.

He asked ‘How was it?’. I said ‘I am in heaven, baby’. ‘My money well spent?’ . ‘Totally. Thanks for the treat honey!’

I spent the past 2 weekends attending whole day seminars! First I was invited to National Achiever’s Congress (NAC) 2008 held at KLCC Convention Centre by one of my dearest friend and mentor, Sis Zabrina. She had complimentary tickets and she thought of me! I am so thankful and was jumping up and down as I love NAC. I’ve been one to their event a few years ago, and I sort of forget about it until I was invited again. I thought of it as my ‘rezeki’ because the ticket is worth nearly a thousand ringgit. Memang murah rezeki!

The speakers were amazing! My absolute favourite was Joe Girard, The World’s Greatest Salesperson! I can’t believe I have never bought his book. He is this super energetic 80 years old and he overshadowed all the other younger speakers half his age. He touched many people with his down-to-earth yet captivating speech. It’s going to be one presentation that I am going to remember for a very long time.

T.Harv Eker spoke during that congress too! I am a huge fan of T.Harv Eker as I believe he opened up a new way of thinking and acting for me. He’s also an amazing speaker. I am just so glad to be able to hear him speak in Malaysia!

Then it’s Steven Molnar’s Real Estate Mastery event last weekend. I came with Mr. Big Z as he is very interested in real estate. Steven Molnar gave us his priceless tips about investing in real estates. Things that you can only learn from the people who have done it themselves, successfully. We spent more than 12 hours, basically the whole day at this event just learning and learning everything that we could. By the end of the day, which end 11-ish pm we were so tired, but very inspired.

Me and Mr. Z, we are the sort of people who loves going to seminars. We love learning from experts. We love learning about ways to improve ourselves in business, personal finance, investment, and life - as a whole. Some people might call us boring, but hey - we do karaoke sometimes. :P.

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Image 1 from here.

Image 2 from here.

Islam has a very beautiful way of explaining how husband and wife should be, and should live their life. Most of the beautiful things, we need to carigali as deep as possible, because it was not available anywhere easy - especially not in kursus kahwin conducted here in Malaysia!

During the last YMP meeting, one of the speaker mention this really amazing quote that really rings true to my ear.

‘A woman will achieve true liberation when she is married’. Not in anyway meant to demean anybody who’s not in a marriage, the purpose of this quote and this entry is to point the other ‘better’ definition of marriage in Islam.

When what we normally heard is stories of how once married women will be confined to her house, have to answer to every beck and call of her husband, cannot do this, cannot do that, that quote by the speaker is quite an interesting piece of information.

I think of my father, he used to say this to me and my sisters, in Islam ‘the only job for a woman is to take care of their children. Not to cook, to clean, or to be slave in the house. If a man is capable, financially - he needs to provide a helper to his wife’. My father always provided a helper to my mom. I believe my mom found her true liberation in her marriage because she managed to do what she loves most - taking care of her children!

I reflected upon my very own marriage. You know what, praise to Almighty, I did agree to that sentence of hers!

I might not be like my mom, in fact I might be the exact opposite of my mom. However, my husband aka Mr. Big Z, allows me this freedom to do what I want to do, and be who I want to be. He supported my interest and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. He allows me to explore new places, new experiences, new hobbies that I found interesting. In that sense, I believe I did found true liberation in my marriage.

For all married woman out there, I wish you will also find your true liberation in your marriage. If you find that there is something missing, talk to the husband, and enlighten him on the true Islamic way of marriage. Do not be a slave to limiting cultural dictation if you are unhappy. There are other ways, better ways.

Out of pure narcissism, I always checked where do people who reads my blog came from. Today and yesterday, I saw a few coming from a Google translation link. When I clicked on it, I saw all my entries were translated in Arabic!  

To those who need to read my entries in Arabic, I really do appreciate you effort.  Also, it made me realise if only I can still speak and write in Arabic, I could actually write in Arabic on my own.

My father sent me to a school where I was taught to read and write in Arabic. In fact, my Arabic was pretty good a few years ago. But as with all language, if you don’t practise it, you will lose it. Now all that is left in me is not more than 5% of my Arabic knowledge before.

I remembered this sentence in one book that really made me think. ‘A person will only know so much from the language he/she speaks or use’. I can read all the books in English and Malay, but all that I know will only come from people who also speaks English and Malay. Of course, there’s translation - but it will never be the same as in the original language. I think of the so many knowledge and information that I am deprived of, simply because - I do not speak any other languages. What a big humongous shame!

And now I am thinking of my ‘Learning Mandarin in 30 days’ CD still in its new shining box..*sigh*