World Cup 2014 Fever

As the world cup fever rises, so does the temperature in football lovers’ living room and mamak stalls. Fuelled by the “makan bola, tido bola” commercials, even an average joe would get suck in the spirit.

 As a partner (living partner, crime partner, sleeping partner..you name it!) to a football fanatic, I was obligated to participate in the McDonald FIFA Fantasy Football and compete in the family league, HIS family league (my family is more artistic in nature). Although it wasn’t my first time playing it, I was still considered new to it.

For those who doesn’t know what fantasy football is, well let me try my best to impart the wisdom onto you. (let’s use world cup as the example here).

Basically, you start off with 100 points and with that point you will need to buy 23 players to start a team.  Each player you buy will need to fulfil the positions according to the formation.

In association football, the formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. Different formations can be used depending on whether a team wishes to play more attacking or defensive football.

Formations are used in both professional and amateur football matches. In amateur matches, however, these tactics are sometimes adhered to less strictly due to the lesser significance of the occasion. Skill and discipline on behalf of the players is also needed to effectively carry out a given formation in professional football. Formations need to be chosen bearing in mind which players are available. 

You are pretty much playing the manager role.

I did pretty well in the 3rd round, which only attract more trash talk and so call friendly banter

It was all fun and game, until it became a fierce competition in the family. How big of a competition it is, you might’ve asked.. well sweetie, you have no idea.

Before I married my husband, I was very introvert and just loves spending time by myself either reading, watching series or just pampering myself with homemade spa stuff.

I know my husband was and still is an athlete and loves to compete but I never thought I will turn into him. In order to survive in a family who loves to compete, I had to be one of them. (.. it is pretty ugly)

Fantasy football is just one of the things we compete to get that “bragging” right until the next world cup or Europe cup.

They say a family who eats together, stays together. But what about a family who competes against one another?

Penang, the land of original nasi kandar and other fattening and high cholesterol food.

I am a huge fan of Penang and all it stands for. I was born there in a small clinic called Aman Clinic. When I was growing up in Alor Star (another state that holds a very dear place in my heart) my dad would usually take me to Penang on my birthdays. We would go to a bird’s park or butterfly park or just a normal park and just hang there. The must have item in our itinerary would be pizza hut and dessert at gurney drive. My mom lovessss her pizza, perhaps as much as African-american loves their fried chicken (no racist intention here).

Throughout the years, I have made several trips to Penang either with family or friends. But despite all these trips, Penang never cease to amaze me as it changes every so often and each time I’m there I get to discover a few new gems. My previous visit to Penang led me to war museum on the 16^th of Sept 2011 (how patriotic am I!) and hiking through the national park.

However, this time my trip to Penang is a little more special than before as the purpose of this visit was to explore the possibilities of new friendship.  No I’m not talking about pen pal (who does it anymore?!)

My good friend cum uncle recently got married to the love of his life. She’s a lovely girl with a crazy obsession with shoes. To cut it short, her friends and our friends met through the wedding and most of us hit it off. Even though the wedding is over, we are still in constant contact with them (blessed whatsapp) and one of them happens to work in Penang. Through our silly whatsapp messages, we somehow ended up with a plan to go Penang together during the CNY 2014 holiday.

Road Trip!

On the 31^st Jan we started our journey at the wee hour of the morning. The traffic was not as bad as we expected so we manage to reach there around 11.30 am and met up with our new friends. The first item on the agenda is coconut drink. They took us to shop with some small chairs and table scatter around. According to our "tour guide" this place is usually pack and there would be a long queue but luckily for us they didn’t have a lot of customer during CNY.

For lunch we had nasi beriani at Ramzan. It’s a small mamak shop located along Jln Kapitan in Little India. The nasi wasn’t so bad but their roti canai was really good. Crispy and a little burn but still pretty fluffy.

The best part of our little “jalan-jalan cari makan” episode is definitely the Puncak Mutiara Restaurant situated in Seberang Perai. It specialises in grill food and when I say food I mean a lot of exotic meat. They have normal ones like chicken, beef, lamb and for the adventurous eater, they also serves ostrich, deer, rabbits, etc. If you go during the day you get to see the farm where they produce their product. What’s amazing about this place is that the compound is so huge and pretty grand but it is located in a middle of nowhere! Truth be told I was a bit sceptical about it on the way there. The road was a bit scary as we had to drive through what seems like a jungle! But in all honestly it is a spectacular place and the price is reasonable.

Seriously need to try out this place

After the success Georgetown Festival brought to Penang, this town is now known as an art hub. During my trip here I managed to see a few famous murals by cycling around town. Yup cycling. Another highlight of this trip. I have been going to Penang at least once in two years, but I have never been able to explore a city while riding a bike. It was totally wicked. Usually on Sundays the road is close off so that cyclist get to use the road without fear for their safety. This gave us a chance to appreciate the beauty of the mural and recognise the talents in the industry.

Another awesome discovery is the 3D art museum. It was just launched in November 2013 and all the arts in the museum were done by locals. We had a really nice time trying to figure out the angle and the pose to bring out the background.

For three days and two nights we had the chance to stay in The 80’s Guesthouse. It is charming place and newly renovated. The host is really friendly and helpful and remember us by name. She made us feel so welcome. She even remembered our who our friends were. Tip top service. And its near to Camera Museum and Purrfect Cat Café. 

The 80's Guesthouse. Highly recommended.

Comfortable clean room. Perfect for a couple. The reason we had to split from our friends is bcoz my hubby doesnt wanna share a hostel room with our friends. He wants some privacy.

Ryokan Guest House. Our friends stay here. Just a few minutes away form our guest house

The camera museum 

The BIG 50!

For some people in a few part of the world, to reach this remarkable milestone is considered to be a great achievement, for those who are fortunate enough to live in a peaceful time and place, they could either embrace it with an open arm or shy away from it.

For men, the big 5 0 would be a time to marvel at their achievement in their career, the wisdom and strength they have imparted on to their children and the harmony that they have achieved with their spouse. It could also mark a new beginning for them- the retirement life.

For women however, celebrating their 50th birthday would represent all that and much more! Some may think that it is time to pack away all their dancing shoes and with a heavy heart, settle on a comfortable pair of ballerina flats. Some would have a panic attack and start going through pamphlets that advertises cosmetic enhancement products or services. Others would welcome the new changes as it would give them a chance to slow down and spend more quality time by themselves and with their loved ones.

No matter what your take on the BIG 5 0, I think everyone would agree that it must be celebrated with a BANG!

So last weekend, 8/6/2014, my husband and his family threw a surprise birthday party for their darling mom. It took months of planning but in the end the look of shock plus some tears of joy (erm actualy it was more like bawling) on her face, made it all worth it.

She was so stunned at first and broke down in tears

The party was held at Kelantan Delights in Subang Jaya. They only cater for private events.

Sons, daughter & hubby singing "I don't want to miss a thing" by Aerosmith.

My mother-in-law's youngest sister. 

Hiding behind a door, waiting to yell "SURPRISE". (It didnt really work because she came in through another door)

Welcoming speech by Fahim

Performances by Zharif and his friend, Khalil

Awesome friends. Some came all the way from Penang and other states.

Final check

November Myvember

I love the month of November. Always have and always will. Why? Well why not. It’s one month before December, which means a few days closer to holiday, parties and a month away from starting over. But also because I was born in the month of November. Yup proud to be a Scorpio baby.

But this year, November holds some bitter sweet memory. I found out I was pregnant one week after my birthday (however i’ve already suspected it for some time). I was over the moon. My husband was thrilled. My mother-in-law literally screamed and cried when we told her. I was prepared to do whatever it takes so that my baby would be born healthy. I took whatever supplements that was prescribe to me, I avoid all foods that I was suppose to avoid, I drank milk at least 2 times a day (yuck!), I read books and surf online for pre-natal care, I avoided movies and series that shows violence or gross stuff including my fav “American Horror Stories” (absolutely love it) and it all paid off as I slowly started to see the growing of my baby bump. I was one proud mama.

And then the panic kicked in. What if what I’m doing is not enough? How much are the baby stuff? (damn its really pricey)What are the baby stuffs that I need? What injections am I or my baby suppose to take during pregnancy, after pregnancy etc. I had limited resources so naturally I googled it.

That was when the nightmare began. I started spotting. A little bit on the first occasion but more on the second occasion which made me run all the way to emergency to have it checked. Both my trips to the emergency were fruitless as the ultrasound didn’t show me the fetus. During the second trip my first doctor said everything should be fine as my hcg level was steadily growing higher.

However my mother in law felt that it’s better to seek a second opinion. The second doctor also performed ultrasound on me and still couldn’t see the result. But he was much more pessimistic and told me either it could be an ectopic pregnancy or it’s the early result of a miscarriage. Needless to say, I was devastated. It was such a blow to my husband and his family. Still we hoped and prayed for the best. Everything should be clear in our next visit which was scheduled in 2 weeks time.

Those were the longest two weeks time that I’ve known. Every day we prayed and hoped for the best.

The day finally came. I’ve prayed that my baby will show himself to me. God granted my wish. I saw the fetus and even heard his heartbeat. All the doctors in the room said the same thing, “Oh, what a lovely embrio... unfortunately it’s growing in the fallopion tube instead of the uterus”.

I was schedule for a surgery on the same day. The doctor tried to save my fallopian tube but the fetus burst during the surgery, causing the doctor to remove it.

I got a glimpse of heaven and was thrown back to earth before I had a chance to enjoy it. And all these happened within my favourite month of the year.

To a lesser woman, this could be an experience that is hard to get over with, but lucky for me I have a very strong support system and this does not diminish my spirit in trying again as soon as my doctor gives the green light. 

I will see you again soon!

Our Story

A boy meets girl. They fall in love. Get into some drama. Got over the drama and lives happily ever after. Well that pretty much sums up on how a relationship usually works. But if we were to tell our story in that way, then all the romantic comedies won’t be able to rack in millions of dollars and our favourite actors like Ryan Reynolds, Gareth Butler, Kate Hudson etc will be out of jobs. Kinda suck right?

I’m not exactly a hopeless romantic but once in a while I do like to treat myself to some romance. Be it a book or a movie, at the end of it I would like to experience the “awwwwwww” moment.

My story may not be as romantic as the Titanic but it’s still pretty sweet. It’s the story of how I met the love of my life.

I grew up in a pretty normal old-fashioned family. My dad was the sole breadwinner and my mom was the traditional housewife. Like any other girl, I was exposed to Disney Princesses and fairy tales and thus influence my choice of men. Don’t get the wrong idea. I’d never really had a list of criteria but I remember clearly that I told myself that the man I’m gonna marry must be well-liked by my dad and must be fluent in English. Even though the list wasn't long, the first criteria were really hard to fulfil.

I went to an all-girls school during my primary years and hence my interaction with the opposite side was pretty limited. When I turned 13 my parents transferred me to a mixed school. Needless to say, I was pretty awkward and shy around boys. Sure I had a few crushes here and there but I would never have the gut to confront the guy and tell him how I feel- that was until my best friend dared me. One thing you gotta know about me is I that hardly turn down any challenges.

So with my heart beating wildly in my chest, I made my way to the next door class. I saw him goofing around with his mates outside his class and once he spotted me, he stopped whatever he was doing and he just stood there. Waiting. As if he knew what was coming. With my scarlet flushed face and shaky barely audible voice I told him that I thought he was cute, and then I ran off without waiting for a reply. I was embarrassed beyond words as that was the first conversation I had with him and I was pretty sure he had no idea who I was (I was right).  

Imagine my surprise when he greeted me a few hours later through a window (I was assigned to sit near a window in my class) and told me he thought I was cute too. That was the first admission I got from a boy and it made me feel delirious with happiness. Through a mutual friend whom happened to be my best friend, he expressed his interest in making me his girlfriend. And I agreed. If I’m not mistaken that happened on a Wednesday or Thursday. By Tuesday I was single again.

Yea I know what you’re thinking. That must be the shortest puppy love ever existed in a 13 year old life. Well, I’m not going to go into details but I was betrayed by a friend who I thought I wouldn’t hesitate to lay my life for. She went behind my back and told my new boyfriend that she liked him too. And together they managed to deceive me for a few days before he finally found his balls to come clean and break it off with me. Although I still stayed friends with her for a few years to come, our friendship hadn’t been the same. I was really hurt by the betrayal on her part as she was the only friend I’d ever trusted. As for the guy- I supposed who could blame him. He just entered puberty and had two girls liking him. It’s only natural for a boy his age to act like an idiot.

And uhh he changed school soon after. Thank god!

I had a few flings and boyfriends after that, but none of them are worth mentioning.

When I was 15, my dear aunt whom I loved and adored was going through a bitter divorce. One day when she was feeling down about her situation she gave me the best advice any 15 year old should consider. She said that it’s never too early to pray for a good husband. Of course it might sound ridiculous to pray for a husband at 15, but for some reason I did it anyway.

If someone told me that I would meet my life partner when I’m 16, I would tell them to take a hike. But that’s exactly what happened.

Never in my life would I have imagined that my first boyfriend who was a real jerk would turn out to be my greatest love ever. 

Despite our falling out when we were 13, my so called best friend and I are still friends even though it always feels as though we have this invisible barrier between us that hold us back from trusting one another again. Anyway as fate would have it, she played a significant role in my happy ending.

It was her 16^th birthday and she was having a small gathering at her house. If memory serves me right, it was on the 11^th June 2003. She seemed happy but was constantly distracted by phone calls and texts. When we asked her about it, she said that she invited a boy to a party and she wasn’t sure whether he was coming. She later revealed the identity of the mysterious boy. Yup just like in any predictable romantic movie, the boy in question is the protagonist in my story. But he was a no show. She was disappointed and I was actually relief. (I found out later that the reason he didn’t go is because he didn’t want anyone to misunderstand their relationship)

That night I got a text message from an unknown number. It was from him. That was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Even after all these years, the best memories that hold dear in my heart have always been the courtship in the early stages of the relationship. We were young and naïve. We didn’t judge one another based on our income, the kinda car that we drive, the house that we live or who do we know. It was just about him and me. Nothing else. I always think that it’s the purest love that I’ve known (family aside of course).

Every time I think of all the silly things that we did, it always put a smile on my face. All the mid-night phone calls, the stupid jokes we’d forwarded to each other, all the  “first-time” experience we shared  together i.e. first date, first kiss, first prom, etc.

Coming into adulthood, we were fortunate enough to study in the same university, doing the same course together. But it wasn’t easy. We went through hell and back for it.

I did really well in my SPM and was awarded an opportunity to study abroad for 3 years. I knew it meant the world to my dear old dad but somehow it just wasn’t for me. The course offered was something I had no interest in doing. I had other plans in mind. Him being the perfect guy he is, got me a scholarship in one of the most prestigious private university in the country. I was thrilled. However I was torn between following what I want and what my dear daddy wanted for me.

When I told my dad of the amazing opportunity that my beau got for me, he wasn’t pleased. We fought, he shouted and I cried. But the worst thing that my dad did to me was to simply ignore me. For 3 months.  It was the darkest period of my life. Even remembering it still makes me sad. In the end I decided to follow my gut instinct. I was really grateful my dad didn’t cut me off. A lot of people think the reason I turned down the once in a life time opportunity was because of my relationship. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. I wanted to stay because I feel it would do me a lot more good than bad. But eventually my dad and I rekindle our relationship and he couldn’t be prouder of his little girl.

Throughout that horrific drama in my life, my beau stayed with me. He was my sole supporter and I am forever grateful for that.

In 2008, we both decided to do our final year in United Kingdom. I was simply ecstatic. Being in a foreign country, having no one to rely on except for each other, our bond became stronger than ever. There are a lot of fond memories that we shares in this other chapter of our life. But it’s always the simplest thing that stays with me like our mid-night kebab run, evening walks by the riverside, morning car boot sales, groceries shopping and our once in a week eating out occasion. These are the things that money can’t buy.

In 2011, we ended our “single” status and upgrade it to “married” status when he proposed on the 11^th July 2013, the World Cup where Paul the Octopus predicted that Spain would win the final. But Paul wasn’t the only one who was good at predicting. On that fateful day, he seemed nervous and a bit guarded and somehow a bit picky about what I was wearing. The whole thing smells fishy from the start and plus based on the birthday “surprise” celebration he once threw for me, I knew something was up. He could never hide his emotion from me. And I knew he knew that I knew.

He took me to Menara Mustapha in Sabah and showed me the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. We had some refreshment before the waiter led us to a secluded part of the restaurant. I was starting to enjoy the ambience and food when he suddenly called the waiter and ask him to play a more romantic song. To those who knew him would know that this behaviour is totally bizarre.  The whole thing was even funnier when the waiter came to take our photo, using the restaurant’s camera.

One thing that I did not expect was that I would burst into tears when he finally got down on his knee and proposed despite my expectation. Honestly I did not hear a word he said while he was on his knee except for , “will you be my wife?” because I was busy crying and looking at the ring. Trying to measure the diamond.

We got married almost a year later in a traditional wedding. It was a gorgeous event (I bet all bride would say the same thing). It was our 8^th year together.

Well now, here we are two years later, a day shy of our 10 year anniversary, with me trying to write a meaningful blog entry to present to him during our mini honeymoon.

11.07.2010

Sweetie this entry is dedicated wholly to you. Maybe there are days where I forgot to say or show how much I love you. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t. We have been through so much together and honestly I cannot imagine going through life without you by my side. You have made my life so unbelievably wonderful and I truly appreciates that you still stay with me and love me despite my flaws.

I love you so much and here’s to another 10 years and more <3 <3

Our first winter in UK

He's a hard core Man U supporter

                                        

                                             Our first snow fight

Gorgeous sunset on the day he proposed