Adilfitri 2010

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.”
- Benjamin Franklin (i think)...

Dear family and friends,

Wishing you Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Maaf Zahir & Batin atas segala silap dan salah..
Jaga diri baik-baik
and have a great day!

Lots of love,
Anne & family

Taking the plunge....literally

Just sharing a memorable event - Wilderness Langkawi Challenge 2007 in Pulau Tuba, Langkawi. :-)

Berbuka puasa di pejabat

One might think berbuka puasa di pejabat is a sad, sad thing. Yelah, tak dapat berbuka bersama keluarga, makan air tangan ibu (or kaum keluarga lain) sambil menikmati gelak ketawa mesra family....

But in Utusan, keadaan a bit berbeza. Yes, you still tak makan masakan ibu, but u are definitely not lonely.

Utusan has this tradition -- Berbuka puasa beramai-ramai. Macam you pergi kenduri kawin, macam tu lah berbuka puasa di Utusan.

Akan ada dua meja panjang yang dijadikan meja bufet lauk (both placed at opposite corners) and beberapa meja panjang (and of course seats) utk mereka berbuka.

Lauk, buah and kuih-muih are usually disediakan oleh pihak katering/kantin and there are some occasions where companies like banks, glcs akan sponsor the berbuka puasa by having their own caterers datang ke our office.

i think for them lagi senang buat macam tu berbanding nak jemput sorang-sorang berbuka di hotel and tak tau sama ada akan datang ke tak....plus, it is also an opportunity for the companies to jumpa the bosses and staff sendiri and interact, daripada nak jumpa masa event biasa...

Unlike the years before where the berbuka is usually held kat dewan kecik yang nicknamed, Ballroom Utusan, this year is a bit different. We all berbuka di kawasan padang lapang (sikit) dalam compound office ni, di bawah khemah.

This is because 'Ballroom Utusan' dah jadi kecik sebab bahagian baru kosmo took over half of the dewan. Jadi tak muat dah untuk semua warga utusan.

For those yang tak tau, Kosmo is under the Utusan group and the editorial deparment yang terletak di jalan chan sow lin ni consists of Utusan, Jawi, Suppliment, Kosmo, Photography and its graphic unit.

Our marketing is based in PJ, while Corp. Comm and HR is in Wisma PGRM and Majalah and printing di Bangi. (Don't ask me why its all merata...)

So, sekali berbuka puasa adalah lebih kurang 150 orang, akan ramai esp minggu kedua, ketiga puasa sebab masa tu peak nak siapkan stock story/page sempena persediaan nak raya...

and, the majlis berbuka ni akan start dari hari pertama puasa, sampailah ke hari terakhir sebelum raya!

Although i takdela akan berbuka setiap hari di pejabat, tapi, every year since i started working here 6 years ago, this has been part of my working life.

like today - the first ramadan 2010.

In a way, i'm glad that utusan organise this every year without fail (ingatkan tahun ni takde since takde dewan). it really does mendekatkan lagi warga utusan. i get to talk/see ppl that i don't normally bump into....

eventho berbuka dengan keluarga lagi seronok, having this tradition make the company unique in its own way.

Apart from that, the surau also organises terawikh and for those who work untuk the weee hours at night, sahur pun disediakan....

Simple toys, happy days

I've been one of those mothers that would worry whenever i think Dahlia is not getting as much toys/books compared to other toddlers out there. :-( i mean, admittedly i would be envy when i see other parents would not mind spending an exuberant amount of money just for toys or books, or having the time to look for good bargains for them...

But, about a week ago Dahlia has prove me wrong. Money really doesn't matter when its for her joy or laughter.

A simple green washcloth and her cousin, Afiq (which she would say, not too clearly yet understandable enough, Abang Afeeek) and my MIL would be as good as the most expensive and colourful toy in the world.

She was having a fever, tho it wasn't as high compared to a few days after this event but yet, having a much moody time earlier the evening. Realising that her mood was much better, Afiq took the now dried green washcloth i was using to cool her body and played cak, while at the same time acting silly like those slapstick comedians with funny faces and clumsiness.

She would giggle and giggle, like my MIL likes to say - berkekek ketawa- until terbaring kat katil. We were at my in-laws room as it was much cooler compared to our room (that is the only room w an AC).

The thing was, it wasn't only Afiq that was holding the washcloth or tutup-tarik his face with it...Dahlia, being a funny and dah pandai menyakat girl, would also be doing it with herself. and tak puas hati Afiq je yang kena, she was also doing the same with my MIL who was seated by the bedside reading the kitab while waiting for the Isya' prayer (while FIL was seated kat hujung katil, also reading at the same watching the grandkids punya perangai while waiting)...

I could tell that the kids were not the only one having fun during the whole thing ;-)

Oh, i could still remember their laughters to this day. Fitri has asked me to blog about last week, but then, me as usual biasalah kan? :-P

Not just the green washcloth mind u, apparently, ugly and yet believable rubber spiders (if your kids tak takut la kan) also works wonders! :-)

Dahlia, eventho both Mama and Abah didn't have the opportunity to buy you so much toys as we wish we could give you, you have shown us that even simple, silly things meant a lot for u...Just remember that we love you very very very much and your adorable-ness could melt our hearts. everytime without fail. :-)

Apologies

my apologies to Sha, Bee and Aunty L, and those who have leave their comments into my blog. I've accidently rejected them. ingatkan approve tp sedar-sedar, salah button. huwwwaaa....seriously nak nangis.

but, i thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the kind and supportive words!

From childhood friends to married couple...

The first picture of us. The event that brought us together.

Sonnet 43 - How do I love thee? Let me count the ways by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,—I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!—and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Boy, how time has fly...sedar-sedar dah tiga tahun we've been married.

And yet i could still remember the time I asked Abah (my FIL), "Abang Fitri mana, Uncle?" masa balik sekolah dulu.... :-)

Three years of love, happiness and lots of laughter, with of course like every other couple - some not fun moments.

Nevertheless, that is life and i bersyukur dengan setiap pemberianNya.

In 3 years time, a few things that we have endured & accomplished : long distance relationship (which i am grateful it was only kl-melaka), having a beautiful baby girl, our first apartment and adjusting to our new life di luar sarang keluarga.

Suami, thank you for loving me and accepting me as i am. thank you for being there and truly listen to all my ramblings. thank you for the understanding. thank you for being a wonderful son and son-in-law, husband and father.

So, Abi dearie...semoga jodoh kita berpanjangan, sempai kita tua kerepot pun we still sayang-menyayangi, jadi romantic couple ok? :-)

I love you dulu, kini & selamanya....*hugs & kisses*

Hitting the big 3-0!

My vain moment as soon as I hit 30 :-P

Alhamdullilah I've turned 30 the last couple of months...
Yes, this entry is late.
But for those who knows me well, lateness and johanna goes hand-in-hand. hahaha.

Anyway, about turning 30.

My fashion is definitely waaay different from before.
No longer tiny baby-tee that shows my lower back (and hopefully not the butt crack..ewww)..
Since I wear the hijab, most of my bajus are hopefully decent enough, tho, not too makcik-makcik...
For me now, clothes means practical = being able to chase and dukung dahlia with ease.
Hijabwise, whatever senang. and kalau boleh tak perlu nak iron. :-)

Turning 30, is just like turning 20....25...29.
No big celebration.
Just a beautiful, normal day with the family and a yummylicious new york cheesecake fitri buatkan di tengah-tengah malam.. :-)

30 years have past and i would like to say that i've had the time of my life.
one great 'adventure', learning, ups and downs after another.

some of the highlights :
* worked (illegally) for the 1st time when i was 15
* worked in a toy store while waiting for my spm results
* matriks kat a converted shopping complex before tercampak di kem bina semangat sebab kampus baru lambat siap
* failed economics while in the 1st year (ironically i now write for the economics desk) and kena retake, which i barely passed.
* worked in an awesome outdoor education centre as a trainer (and sometime buruh kasar) and planning coordinator (something like the hr officer).
* boyfriends, crushes and now, husband (which was my 1st crush!)
* trying time that tested relationships, love and faith.
* motherhood :-)

some of the things that i wish to do before i hit 6-0
* of course, go umrah and haji
* travel to vietnam, cambodia before modernisation destroys the heritage
* run a marathon or
* join in a triathlon
* learn to swim (hahah..ada lesen diving, able to kayak really well pun tak berapa reti swim)
* learn to bake and decorate beautiful cakes and cookies
* able to cook ala chef wan and jamie o
* become an editor-in-chief, if i'm still in the media industry
* going caving in mulu
* teach my kids about learning how to use the map (a real map, not the gps ones) and compass.