HaZe DaZeD

Wow… its raining cats, dogs and cows out there this afternoon… The sound of thunder and raindrops pounding on my office window kinda puts me in the mood to write, so I guess it’s prolly the best time to tell u bout the last 2 fun nights I’ve had…

Last Tuesday night, my hubby’s friends invited us to join them for a movie… And them being former media arts students in MMU, I guess I’m not surprised that these successful career men actually invited us to watch an animation feature, Ratatouille (Rat-a-too-ee). After all, it was a Pixar movie. I couldn’t help but feel excited to see what Pixar’s latest masterpiece would be like. Plus, the story’s set in the heart of Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and one of my favourites.. hehe.

[OK this is the point for movie-spoiler-haters to stop reading.. *wink*]

So basically the story revolves around a rat named Remy in France. Now this rat isn’t ur average rat, it has a weird fascination and talent for gourmet food and the culinary arts. This doesn’t sit well with his family of garbage-eating rodents, and he quickly became an outcast. But that doesn’t stop Remy from idolizing the best chef in all of France, Gusteau. One day, in a bizarre turn of events, Remy ended up separated from his clan and ended up in — you guessed it — Gusteau’s own infamous restaurant’s sewer system.

Realizing his dreams were coming true, Remy sneaked into Gusteau’s kitchen. Everything there dazzled him. He then got caught while he was trying to fix a soup that a timid new garbage boy, Linguini, had accidentally ruined and was sent off to be killed. However, Linguini realized that this rat can cook and HE can’t, so to ensure his job at Gusteau’s, they became allies and formed a plan to survive in the Gusteau kitchen. After a lot of hilarious mishaps and near-disasters, Linguini (and Remy) quickly became famous for their new recipes, much to the chagrin of Chef Skinner, the chef in charge at Gusteau’s.

The ultimate test came when the most feared and revered food critic in all of Paris decided to put Linguini’s food to the test. Despite Skinner’s sabotages and the rest of Gusteau’s kitchen crew walking away at the last minute, Remy and Linguini managed to get rave reviews when they served ‘Ratatouille’ to the critic, with the help of Remy’s long lost rodent friends. Remy and Linguini became the best of friends and finally became famous in their own right, without the shadow of Gusteau’s former glory.

What I loved about this movie: The beautiful artwork of Paris city and the expressive expressions on each and every rodent and human character. The storyline was superb, the funnies made me laugh till my belly ached, the character and hair animation was top notch, the morale was there, and the food made me wanna go to Paris and dine my lil heart out! It was close to perfect — it had adventure, humour, romance and action — but unfortunately, the main characters’ French accents leaves much to be desired. I guess the movie makers wanted the main dialogue to be easily understood, but it somehow takes away a tad of the movie’s ‘frenchness’. That said, Ratatouille is probably one of my favourites from Pixar, and it’s main moral – “Everyone can cook” teaches us that you cannot let what others’ perception of you deter you from achieving your dreams and being what you want to be. Even the little angel in my belly liked the movie coz he/she was busy doing backflips the whole time.. hehehe

[Movie-spoiler-haters can continue reading beyond this point... ahaks!]

Last night, my hubby took me to see the fireworks competition in Putrajaya. We met up with a couple of my hubby’s friends, most of them photographers, and joined the heavy stream of cars headed for Putrajaya. But instead of watching it at the actual competition site per se, we found ourselves a lovely spot by the lake in front of the Sri Putri school.

Despite the fact that we had to park illegally by the roadside with hundreds of other people, trudge down the slope by the road towards the lake and squeeze through the never-ending hedges by the lake, the view and ambience of our selected spot was absolutely perfect. Sure, it’s far away from the main arena, and my bum ached from sitting on the hard ground, but we got a great view of the lake, the brightly lit bridges, the soft night breeze, and most importantly, a full view of the fireworks amidst the Putrajaya skyline. Definitely worth roughing it out, even with my round belly. I only wished we were abit more prepared, u know, like bringing a picnic mat, some food or even a little cushion for my aching bum and back. At least it would help ease the aches and pains abit… huhu.

Anywayz, the bunch of us got to enjoy about 20 minutes’ worth of fantastic fireworks. And I really mean fantastic! I’ve been to KLCC and such to watch fireworks during Merdeka and New Years, but this definitely takes the cake. The fireworks looked like gorgeous blooming flowers, rockets shooting to the sky and even like fishes jumping into the water… certainly not the average display u see during New Years! To those who haven’t had the chance to go yet, make the time to do so! Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to witness the excitement with your friends and family… I know my hubby and I got some good photos… InsyaAllah, if I have time (and if I get the photos from my hubby) I’ll post em up in my site… So till then… ciao peeps!

As I sit here in the office, my work all done and not much left for me to do, I find my thoughts wander to the little one in doing backflips (I imagine ;P) in my tummy. 6 months along, I can’t help but wonder what he/she will look like, if the baby will be healthy, virtuous, intelligent and what the future will hold for my little precious. I know that this is my first child, and I can only do what I can, but I really hope its the very best for my child. Even though I haven’t had that much experience in life, I can’t help but feel the following song to be perfect for my little one…

———————————————————————————-

"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you’re faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin’ ’til you find the window,
If it’s cold outside,
Show the world the warmth of your smile,
But more than anything, more than anything,

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God’s grace, in every mistake,
And always give more then you take.

But more than anything, Yeah, and more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
and while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big
(Repeat)
(Chorus)

———————————————————————————-

Yeah, I guess I can only wish for the best for the future for now… Hoping against hope that everything goes well for our little family. And just think.. its only a little over 100 days to go before my big day! So till next entry… cheerio!

Heyya! Just wanted to share a very rare experience with you… Yesterday, as I realised that my fuel tank was almost empty, I decided to drop by the Caltex station near my office in Paramount Garden to fuel up. Now, I’ve been to this station many times before since it’s only a 2 shakes away from my office, so I guess I’m pretty much a familiar face to the 3 regular staff there (a malay guy, a malay girl and an old Indian man who mans the pumps).

I have to say, this particular station is one of the friendliest I’ve ever been to. There would always be warm smiles and friendly greetings everytime I go there. But yesterday, as I was about to get out of my car to pay at the counter for my gas, the old Indian man I call “Uncle” hurried over to my door and the following conversation commenced:

“Mau brapa, adik?”

“Hello Uncle, RM30 jelah”

“Ok!”

And as I was about to step out of the car, he looked at my round belly and said:

“Takpe takpe. Ini macam tak boleh keluar bayar” (referring to my very pregnant state) “Takpe, saya pegi bayar…” (smiles)

I was so surprised I only managed to smile and mutter a thank you as I passed him the cash and he hurried over to the counter. I know its common courtesy to be nice to pregnant women, and some of you might think that this is nothing much to blog about; but to be honest, I’ve hardly ever had the privilege of such an experience. In an era where people hardly ever smile, let alone hold a door open for the disabled, the elderly or the pregnant, its so refreshing to see that some people still practise chivalry and courteousness. Somehow, this old man’s kindness almost makes up for all the rude and inconsiderate LRT & monorail commuters I’ve encountered while I was working with eCosway @KL.

So let this be a lesson to us, that it’s never too late to change and be courteous to one another. No matter how old, how rich or how busy you may be, it’s never too difficult to be kind. Always remember, a small good deed can go a really long way. I know that I’m inspired to do better! I can only hope you experience some eye-opening kindness in your life the way I had. Btw, I’ve already considered this station as the best Caltex with the best customer services, hehe. What can I say, a friendly smile goes a long way for me. On that note, keep on smilin’ peeps!

It’s the beginning of a new week, and some interesting things happened last week and in the last 2 weekends. As I said in my previous entry, I was gonna go for my 6^th-month checkup last Friday (3^rd Aug), but I really only managed to get to the clinic the following Monday. That Friday was abit of a rush, and as my regular doctor would only be available till 6pm, we decided to go on that Saturday morning. Unfortunately when we did get there, the doc was just leaving for an urgent meeting. Ah.. what luck. And I was so looking forward to seeing my baby (via ultrasound) again after 2 months of wondering how he/she has grown. I couldn’t help but feel extremely disappointed… and the healthy dose of pregnancy hormones made me feel extra upset. Luckily I’ve got an angel of a husband who managed to put a smile back on my face…

That weekend was good, despite the non-existent monthly chkup. Went to Jln TAR Saturday evening with me mom and sisters. I got my sister a lovely silk fabric for her graduation dress, as her birthday-cum-graduation present. After visiting almost 8 shops (yes, I kid u not) that day, we managed to get one she really liked. Despite the fact that my feet were killing me and walking became an unbearable feat, I wouldn’t say the outing was a total disappointment. At least I managed to window-shop for some baby necessities, and got some expert advice from me mom. I didn’t realize how clueless I was about baby things until I actually had to ask my mom to explain how a “bouncinett” can affect the baby. But I believe my cluelessness is forgiven, since this is my first baby, after all… hehe.

Sunday evening, my husband and I continued our search for the right baby stuff to buy at KLCC. We figured since we had a bunch of Isetan vouchers about to expire soon, we might as well use ‘em for baby stuff. At least it would lessen the monetary burden most first-time parents have to bear. Though we expected the prices to be considerably higher than the ones I saw in Jln TAR, we figured it would be a tad cheaper than normal now, what with the Shopping Carnival and all. Or so we thought! The stuff we saw in Isetan was all imported branded items, so the prices were OFF THE CHARTS! I got the shock of my life when I saw that they were selling bottle sterilizers for 500 smackaroos and baby strollers going for almost RM2k. Our plan to use our vouchers that day was quickly dampened with every price tag we saw. Despite that, the cute baby things were too nifty and cool that we can’t help but check out its functions and feel the luxurious materials they were built with. Looks like my little angel will have to make do with lesser-branded things with a less-heart-attack-causing price tag!

Well, with all the walking over the weekends, u can imagine what my feet look like lah. Swelling like nobody’s business. Last week went pretty normally, with a slight hiccup at work due to an over-reacting old boss and a bunch of back-stabbing nosy pokers. Got terribly miffed, but I told myself that I would just keep cool and bide my time till it’s time to leave this hell-hole of a company with the significant workload that they have no idea I’m currently doing and a work system that only I can understand.. HAH! We’ll see who gets the last laugh then… *snickers*

Last weekend pretty much made up for the lousy work week. My family and I went for a roadtrip to Penang to attend my mom’s cousin’s wedding. As usual, weddings on my mom’s side of the family were filled with robust family members with hearty laughs and friendly banter, no matter what age you are. People are always so pleased to see you, and u can go for hours without hearing a hint of sarcastic remark, jests excluded of course. As per family custom, the bride and groom were garbed in glittery Arabic wedding attire. I myself had a difficult time finding something to wear to the wedding, since I’ve not been able to wear a baju kurung or any traditional formal dress for months now. I finally got together an acceptable get-up of my mom’s kimono-ish long tunic top (that she designed herself, btw) and a surprisingly matching pair of maternity pants I had. Definitely something I can wear again in the future upcoming wedding invitations I have ahead..

Other than that, the whole Penang trip was filled with food, food and more food. For me, its Char Kuey Teow (CKT) galore! I had a plate of CKT with huge prawns on Friday night for supper and 2 plates of the best CKT I’ve ever had on Saturday for dinner. Don’t worry, I did my exercise after dinner by going for a window-shoppping-walkathon at the night market at Batu Feringghi.. ;P As expected, by the time we got to our apartment, we could barely stand… huhu. The next day, we had some Penang nasik kandar before we left for KL. Luckily for me, I wasn’t the designated driver… coz I dozed off for almost half the journey home.. My little munchkin in my tummy will definitely put on his/her baby fat with this foodalicious trip! Hehehe.

Well, methinks that’s enuff for now. Will update when I can… and as my sister always say… Toodles!

Do not check your computers – it’s working just fine. It’s just me again, back from my disappearing act. For how long, I dunno, just know that I’m here for the here and now. Was pretty busy the past few months, with work and personal life. I have lots to ramble on about, just didn’t have the time or energy to do it. But after much prodding from my hubby, cousins and frens, as well as the lack of things to do at work lately, I’ve decided to make a come-back. Just so u know. Hehe

So here’s a brief run-thru: I got married, went for a wonderful honeymoon in Bali (no details please!), got chicken pox (I know! Great timing, right?), found a house to rent, and were slowly moving in bit by bit in between visiting our many relatives and work, found out that the house was a big disappointment, began to get my own clients at work, closed a couple of deals, got involved with my school alumni’s (batch ‘97) 10-year reunion dinner committee, went to for a holiday in Phuket, took part in a treasure hunt expedition to Cameron Highlands and lots of other misadventures…

Quite a few things happened around me, too. Some are happy, some sad. A few of my cousins got married, which was great fun, coz I love helping out with the planning and events. My youngest sister got 4 flat (straight A’s) for her last semester and both of my sisters are graduating this year (I am so proud of them both!). Oh and not to forget, my 2 best friends have safely delivered beautiful babies, so I have a brand new baby bunkin nephew, Adham and a baby munchkin niece, Zara. Sadly though, my mom left the company she was with out of disappointment, which was tough on all of us, and one of my good friends went through a difficult time in her married life that resulted in a divorce. But I guess everything happens for a reason, and I hope that everything that my friends and family went through was for the best.

But what I really wanted to share with my fellow loyal readers is some wonderful news… Alhamdulillah, I’m pregnant with my first child! Some of you might’ve figured it out if u had seen my latest photos or read my bulletins once in a while. I’m so bloomin’ excited! My husband lagi pulak, he’s convinced that we’re having a boy, despite the fact that my baby’s a very shy angel… My parents, sisters and in-laws are pleased as peaches, and my close friends can’t help but become my pregnancy advisors… hehe.

I am now coming to 6 months pregnant (Yep, I told u I was busy with a lot of things going on in my life!). It’s been one really interesting, awkward, exciting and wonderful rollercoaster ride. I went from months of morning sickness (I dunno WHY they call it morning sickness, when its really morning, noon & night!) to seeing my belly blow up to amazing sizes, to swollen feet and uncomfortable, sleepless nights to feeling my beloved baby kicking and dancing in my tummy. In between, going to monthly checkups was prolly one of the highlights throughout the pregnancy. To be perfectly honest, there’s only a few moments in life that really take your breath away, and I believe I have gone through quite a few of them this year. They are:

• Getting married
• Seeing those fateful double lines on the pregnancy kit
• Seeing your baby for the first time during ultrasound
• Feeling your baby move and kick for the first time

I know that most of them happened after conceiving, but really, is there anything more miraculous than bringing a baby into this world? Despite the aches and pains, I’ve never felt so blessed. Every time I think about my baby, or feel its movements, or see my husband kiss and talk to my belly, I can’t help but feel a delicious warmth go through me, indefinitely putting a smile on my face. Yeah, I’ve been fed a healthy dose of motherly instincts, that’s for sure… J

But I’m not going into the next phase of my life with my eyes closed. I know that bringing a baby into this world is hard work, and a huge responsibility. You’re not only responsible for yourself and your husband anymore, but for a helpless young life who will depend on you for its life, happiness and future. That’s no easy task, and I’m scared as hell. I question myself on my ability to be a good mother to my child everyday. I worry if I can set the right example for him/her, when I’m so flawed myself. I worry if I would be a good wife when I need to juggle motherhood, a husband, managing a household AND work at the same time. I get hives just thinking about it! I guess that’s why God says heaven is at the bottom of a mother’s heels… coz as each day goes by, I realize how tough being a mother is going to be. It makes me appreciate my mom even more, and I believe she’s more of a superwoman everyday, being a single mother and all.

But I guess all this is part and parcel of life, and there’s no turning back now. All I can hope for is some help and guidance along the way, and ultimately some support from my husband, family and friends. You guys will be there for me, wont you?

Well, think that’s enough for now. Am heading out for lunch with my good friend, haven’t had a good ol’ b*tchin’ session with her for eons. Both of us have major events looming ahead, and I guess it’d be nice to spill it to someone who cares for once. Later today, I might be dropping by the clinic for a short check up and to get a referral letter for the hospital. Will tell you how it goes… So till then, ciao peeps!