it's about time

Time for another post. Heeeee - yaaaaah! *karate kick*. I should kick myself for not updating, kan? But hey, I don't have enough time, okay (lame excuse!). And I am so lazy (of course haha^^). 


But seriously, time has been racing by so quickly that I have already found myself almost approaching the final exam (ngee..). I have just submitted the terms paper (which I promised to publish, but now I am reluctant to do so). I am done with all the lab experiments, so no more doing lab report after this (yeay!). I am almost at the end of the last chapter for each subject, which, as the matter of fact, I will be having so many quizzes soon enough (adoiyai).


For this, I miss home so much (ada kaitan ke? hu~). I do miss my home but mostly I just miss my family. I miss the food and the convenience of eating with them. I miss the late night chatting. I miss the quiet afternoon when everyone is sleeping. I miss waiting for dad to come home and wish he would bring some goreng pisang or karipap haha ^.^ I miss quarreling on whose turn to serve the meals. OMG, I simply miss them!


Upon thinking about them, I suddenly remembered my mom complaining about Hafiz (our little boy at home). Here are some random things I remember she told as 'what this kid heard when I told him to...'

********************

Mama said:


Pick up your clothes and put them in the basket.


Hafiz would hear:


Pick up your clothes but leave your track suits on the floor as well as one sock. Take the rest of your clothes, wad them up and leave them on the floor in front of the basket and leave your sock all squished up.


--------------------


Mama said:


Hurry up and brush your teeth.


Hafiz would hear:


Go as slow as humanly possible, stopping to touch or may be break some things on the way to the bathroom. Once in front of the sink, stare yourself at the mirror and make funny faces. When using the toothpaste, be sure to wipe some on the sink and do not rinse your spit out of the sink at all. Also, throw the towel on the floor.


--------------------


Mama said:


You may have one snack but make sure you throw your trash away.


Hafiz would hear:


Eat three snacks, make sure you scatter as many crumbs as possible and leave out all your trash so it looks like a landfill. Then touch all over the TV and computer screen so they can be so disgusting.


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Mama said:


Make sure you throw away all the little scraps of paper when you are done making crafts.


Hafiz would hear:


Pick up about 10% of the trash so you can say you've cleaned up. Leave out a glue stick without a lid so I can step on it in the middle of the night which will be cold and slimy and make all the little pieces of paper stick to my foot.


--------------------


Mama said:


Go read a book if you're bored.


Hafiz would hear:


I want to torture and punish you by making you read which is like doing school at home. I don't care if you want to have some fun or whatsoever. I am out to get you.


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Mama said:


Turn off the TV, you've watched enough.


Hafiz would hear:


I am the meanest mom in the entire world. I am awful and I am depriving you from all joy. I am not as cool as your friend's mom who let them to watch the TV all they want. 


--------------------


Mama said:


You've already been to the bathroom and had a drink of water, so stay in your bed. Good night.


Hafiz would hear:


I want you to get up at least 4 more times before you sleep, thereby causing me to lose my mind. Stay up way too late and make chaos at your sisters' room so that they will shout in the middle of the night. And it is okay if you feel extra tired in the morning.


--------------------

This is Hafiz, the little rascal

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Don't you think my mom is quite cool for she is able to describe all those things in such way? Sometimes, it's funny how things she thought get interpreted. 

I feel like I have been away from home like ages. And I have been working so hard not just to think about home, but that doesn't work. And I know, being home is a far-fetched dream right now, until the last day of final exam :( Gosh, I really need to be patient.

********************

Non-related stuff:

Few days back, I read this post from my high school senior's blog which said:

I am quoting what he said, I am not plagiarising, okay!

Hari ini saya membaca blog merapu dan merepek, orang yang bertelingkah, dan mencari setiap detik kesalahan orang. Hati saya berkata, ” Inilah blog KURAP”. (visit this blog)

Urm, I think when he said this, he referred to all kinds of blog, or webpage, or whatever you call it, which contribute nothing to humankind, especially to the muslims community. And that's including mine (how shameful!). So, I will do some self-reflecting after this, and I wish I would come out with some resolution on how to contribute to the society through blogging :P

mind if i...

...publish my work which have nothing to do with anyone here? Well, I don't care whether you mind or not hehe :) I would like to do that and in fact, I'm planning to publish my EAP terms paper after submitting it. How absurd! >.<


Well... long story short, last week my friend asked me to write a speech for MAICfest opening ceremony. Here the speech goes:

Assalamualaikum and a very good evening... -solutation-

Alhamdulillah, thanks to Allah, the most Gracious and most Merciful for giving us a chance to assemble here in this beautiful and barakah night, for us to gather as brotherhood in Islam. Praised be to Allah that we are finally managed to organize this event which, insyaAllah, be the best programme ever held here in CFS IIUM.

In accordance to the theme of our programme, 'Beautifying culture, upholding Islam', it will be my pleasure to remind you, and myself especially, what is considered as Islamic culture. Basically, culture is who we are and what we portray, it is the value we have to offer.

Islamic culture refers to the customs and traditions that Muslims have adopted in their respective countries from the attires we wear, to the food we eat, to the courtesy in dealing with people and many others.

Unfortunately today, our nation and society are slowly losing all these values. The identity of being a true Muslim is slowly but steadily eroding from generation to generation. Today, when we walk in KLCC, or Bintang Walk, or any shopping complex, it is difficult to differ who is Malay, who is Chinese, and who is Indian because almost everybody has turned blonde, wearing short skirts and tight tops.

It is easy, for a Muslim, when faced with such scenario to launch into a tirade about jahiliyah and the evil of western society. But when we are dealing with a real person, a damaged young woman who is obviously suffering from low self esteem, someone who has gone astray, who is on the path of self destruction and doesn't know where to look to find inner peace. What do Islam and a Muslim lifestyle have to offer in her situation?

When someone, may be your friend or someone from your neighbourhood, reaches the crossroads and realizes their lifestyle must change, sometimes an overwhelming sense of guilt or anguish at their past deeds can paralyze them and prevent them from making a fresh start. As a Muslim student who knows our responsibility, we have to give them a helping hand, try to guide them and in the same time, show them our attitude as a Muslim who practices a real Islamic lifestyle.

Perhaps the fear that given the seeming enormity of their past actions, nothing can redeem them now. Islam teaches that it is possible to wipe the slate clean. You can really make a fresh start. Islam emphasizes that Allah is compassionate and merciful. What a person who wants to make a fresh start needs, is simply a sense of repentance and to ask Allah for forgiveness. As prophet Muhammad told us:

"Allah the Almighty has said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it."

(At-Tarmizi)

Let us hope when we leave this hall tonight, we will return to the hostel and not with empty-handed or empty-hearted. The year ahead stretches before us, is as uncertain as the horizon on a misty day at the sea. We know little of the future and nobody knows how long they have left. The best thing to do then, is stop worrying about the future, stop groaning or being nostalgic about the past, and yes, start living in the present.

How do you live in the present? Aren't we doing that anyway? Valid questions, but the answer is simple. Living in the present means making the best of what we have. That may be time or health. It may be wealth or youth. Living in the present means seizing the present with all its opportunities and using it to full potential.

So far, so good, but what is it we should be striving to achieve? What would the goal be? Does using opportunity to full potential mean having a good time while you can? Does it mean laying the ground for good education, then a brilliant career, and then a comfortable retirement? Or does using the present in the best way mean something else?

I leave the questions for all of you to ponder upon. Hopefully, from now on we start to realize how crucial our responsibility as a Muslim student is. With the theme of 'Beautifying culture, upholding Islam', hopefully this event could be a kick-start to instill and enliven the spirit of Islamic culture among students. Thus, now it relies on us to islamasize the present culture, and thus upholding Islamic culture in the communities as one way to bring back the victory of Islam. InsyaAllah

With that, assalamualaikum and thank you.

Not really good, actually. But I'm fluttered when the Programme Manager was really reading this text during the opening ceremony hahaha =D. Feeling of anticipation ^.^ (retarded kan? hahaha ^^)

embracing change

Am I afraid of change? I've questioned myself a lot. I'm not a person who can simply change stuffs I'm familiar with, with a new one. Even my desktop, I've been using the same image for ages and if possible, I would like to use it forever. I totally don't get why there are people who change the image of the desktop as if they are changing the casual wear. I really don't get why there are people who can use a lot different types of pen in one time. I just can't do that.

I prefer to stick with what I'm used to. I know, this doesn't sound very good. I can't continuously have this kind of paradigm, no? I mean, not all things which I'm used to do is healthy (in a sense of my life as a student). Not all things which I'm used to can be applied forever, there will be time where, what I'm doing now is not relevant anymore. So, I need to change. Not drastically and of course not everything (that scares me, man!)

What you have to do now, Aisyah, is to be prepared. You started this year by promising to make everything you do this year better than last year. But, always remember that the difficulties did not go away. There are always some uncertainty about years to come, whether with unemployment, healthcare, war, or even money to pay bills. It takes courage to shift the story line and move from a familiar and known place to one that is unknown and without reference point (as it means stepping out from our usual comfort zone).

I remembered being excited graduating from high school, many years ago. I counted the days until I finally left the school. When I finally became an ex student of the school, I entered this institution (named DQ ^^) before furthering my studies. I had to face the reality of creating a whole new way of life. It took time to adjust and realize that change, although inevitable, can also be a time of great personal growth and can make you stronger and more confident.

The only things which makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.

Ursula K.LeGuin

Without change in ourselves, we become stifled and stagnant. Being with what is, as it is, and integrating the reality of change is wonderfully liberating -- it is the opportunity to clear away layers of dust and cobwebs and to start anew in each moment. 

Here are 10 ways that, hopefully, will help to deal with change and uncertainty:

1. Accept what is! If you can change something, then do. If you can't change anything, then release resistance and simply be with what is.

2. Take risk. Life is about not having answer, taking chances and risks, and making the most of every moment, all without knowing what is going to happen next.

3. Be your own best friend. It is easy to blame and shame yourself, but now is the time you deserve the most love and kindness of all.

4. Everyday is a new beginning. Each time you take a step forward you have no idea what might happen. But nothing will happen if you continue to stay where you are.

5. Keep falling as long as you keep picking yourself up! Making mistakes is not a problem, but not learning from them and moving on is.

6. Nothing is permanent. Appreciate every moment, fully and completely, as it will never happen again.

7. Think with your heart instead of your head. When you come from your heart, you come to your senses.

8. Meditate. Take time to just stop and breathe, to remember why you are here and to find what is the real meaning of you.

9. Don't take yourself too seriously. A good sense of humor prevents a hardening of your attitudes, and stops your opinion from getting too rigid.

10. Do something for someone else. Make giving to others a part of your life, even if it is just a simple smile and a hug. 

sources: Shapiro

Let's hope 2010 will bring a greater sense of sanity to this crazy world and a greater peace of mind to everyone of us. 

May this year be your best year ever!

wow, it's 2010!

Welcome 2010!


It's a new year. A time of new beginnings right?


Time for New Year's Resolution no matter how big, or how small.


Each year around this time, you will hear people mutterings about starting over or beginning again.


Not from me (at least not this year ^^), I don't want to start over or to begin again.


I just want to keep doing what I've been doing, only better!!!


Each month, each week, each day, each hour, each minute and each second.


From taking care of myself, physical and soul, to taking care of people around me (am I exaggerating?). From staying organized, to just surviving the stress and chaos of life. From planning well in advanced, to just seat and being absolutely spontaneous. From being thrifty and sensible when I need, to being frivolous and splurging on the more enjoyable things in life when I can. From remembering the past and where I came from, to embracing the future and where I want to be tomorrow, to living for today (and just for today). 


This year, I resolve to keep the highs, high and to keep the lows minimum.


To take each moment in as it comes and try to make it better than the last.


To live my life beautifully and gratefully.




So, here are some little things which I intend to make them better this year.




In terms of finance and expenditure:

• buy stuffs only if necessary, no extra
• no obsession in particular goodies (note to self: cute items are angles from hell)
• buy only because I have to use it, not because I like it
• monthly saving, always keep the account book updated
• coin box in the closet is not just a statue, make full use of it
• cannot visit Pakcik ATM more than twice a month

In terms of eating habit:

• strictly, no junk food!
• no fast food as well
• oowh, no pickles too
• less consuming of high carb product hehe =)
• daily supplement
• more vegetables
• an orange a day (for the sake of having firm skin at the old age, please!)
• breakfast is a must
• dinner before 6pm
• milk before sleep ^0^

in terms of studies:

• say bye to procrastination (my imaginary friend last year)
• finish lab report on the same day
• finish all homework!
• no last minute works for tutorials and assignments
• no last minute revision for quizzes and exams
• BTQ is not a side subject (as in side menu), treat it as equally as Bio and Math
• EAP is not the only subject taken, don't neglect other subject in order to finish the term paper
• presentation is a piece of cake, no pressure ;)

random:

• be tidier and more organized
• make more time for relationship (I mean for family and friends)
• work harder in all fields
• talk nonsense less
• wake up before 'fajr' every morning (including weekends and holiday)
• stay healthy, no drugs from the clinic
• be proactive in class (how is that sounds?)
• contact family and relatives frequently
• hmm.. there are a few more which I can't put into words huhu

Remind you again that this is not my new year resolution.

I just want to do all these things right and properly this time.

And oh, before I forget! Happy New Year everyone!


~belated greetings huhu~