Face it!

Farewell Ramadhan...Welcome Syawal :)

I heard joyous laughs here,

I see fireworks light up the sky there,

People smiling, hugging,

They’re shaking hands with each other,

And food is served one after another.

Yet,

Why do I feel like crying?

Why don’t I feel like celebrating?

I guess things are not the same anymore,

I guess things won’t ever be like before,

Reluctant though I am, I still have to let it go.

How I wish time would just stop and rewind,

To the month when darkness are still in a bind,

To the days when I feel most calm and peaceful,

To the moments when I feel content and grateful,

The time when I feel…in touch with my real self.

Dearly departed,

You made me feel whole,

Thus, with all my heart and soul,

I pray that we’ll see each other,

You and me together,

My beloved,

Blessed,

Ramadhan…

Happy work anniversary to me :)

5th of August...It's officially 13 years since I've started my post as a teacher. I love my job :)

In the mood for...

People see me as…

 

When actually, I feel like…

 

Then I’ve realised that…

*whistling under pressure*

A dear friend...forever & always

 To my dear friend, the late Cikgu Helen Madis...

 May you rest in peace.

I'll miss your advice & smile always. Thank you for being such a wonderful colleague, friend & sister to me. We'll miss your presence...02032012.

Rabbit's teeth...

 

Awesome!! LOL

Unique date...

Hmm...it's a Friday. And it also happens to be day 11th of the eleventh month (November) in the year '11 (2011).

            Ooo…there are many people getting married today...I’m pretty sure of that. Auspicious date or something like that, they say.

            So, what are you guys doing today?

            As for me…lemme just say that, a teacher’s job never ends. ESPECIALLY...when the end-of-year school holiday is just around the corner :)

p.s. Reports…meetings…sigh.

Are you ok?

I’m bored. And that means…trouble. Well, what do you guys normally do when you are bored? Hmm…as for me, I can do many things or nothing at all when I’m bored. What does that mean? Ooo…

            Well, you see, I’m slightly OCPD. Just a bit. Keke. So, what is OCPD? It’s Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. Lemme quote what Wikipedia says about OCPD: 

“Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental & interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. 

The primary symptoms of OCPD can include preoccupation with remembering and paying attention to minute details and facts, following rules and regulations, compulsion to make lists and schedules, as well as rigidity/inflexibility of beliefs and/or exhibition of perfectionism that interferes with task-completion. OCPD has some of the same symptoms as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, people with OCD have unwanted thoughts, while people with OCPD believe that their thoughts are correct.” 

                Yup, that sounds like me. Lemme see, I love counting stuff. For example; how many doors & windows a house has. My family can attest to this…hehe. I couldn’t sleep without making sure all the doors & windows are locked 'my way'. Therefore, I will check once, twice, and if I’m bored…well, countless times. That’s weird, right? 

 

                And I love making lists too. I have so many lists that I made about various things; some useful, some...not so much. And I never leave home without some sort of list in my handbag. Keke…I’m such a control freak :) 

                So, would you guys like to test whether you have a teeny weenie bit of OCPD? Click the link here. If you are the lucky ones who don’t have OCPD, good for you! If you are like me, tell me what kind of weird habits you have…huhu. 

p.s. I’m searching for new designs for my blogs…so, you’ll be seeing a bit of changes here & there. I’m bored…I need to search for something fuchsia...list down some stuff...and maybe rearrange something =)

Love is...

A question;

                Have you ever fell in & out of love before?

                I’m pretty sure the answer is…YES. And in some cases, MANY TIMES. Well, indeed, a love relationship is one of those things that everyone will have to go through in our lives. Some have happy endings, and some, hmm…you feel as if your life has just ended.

                In this entry, I scribbled a simple poem especially for someone dear to me who is experiencing a difficult phase due to love. Do remember dear, I’ve experienced what you go through & survived. Only one love remains true…your love for Allah.

Love is…

A circle of ups and downs.

You smile wide when you are high,

you cry hard when you are down.

Maybe...

Love is…

Everything and nothing in between.

You feel full when you are together,

you feel empty when you are alone.

Perhaps...

Love is…

A lesson to take in mind,

to never lose yourself when you’re in a bind.

As no love is eternal,

except for The Almighty One.

Surely. Definitely. Absolutely. 

When September ends…

When September ends…October begins!

                I love October! For various reasons…keke. Are there any songs on October? Hmm…I need to search for one.

                In the meantime, here’s a poem on October from Joseph Pullman Porter…

 

"Crispy air and azure skies,
High above, a white cloud flies,
Bright as newly fallen snow.
Oh the joy to those who know October!

Colors bright on bush and tree.
Over the weedy swamp, we see
A veil of purple and brown and gold.
Thy beauty words have never told. October!

Scolding sparrows on the lawn,
Rabbits frisking home at dawn,
Pheasants midst the sheaves of grain,
All in harmony acclaim, October!

Brown earth freshly turned by plow,
Apples shine on bended bough,
Bins o'erflowed with oats and wheat,
And satisfaction reigns complete. October!

Radiant joy is everywhere.
Spirits in tune to the spicy air,
Thrill in the glory of each day.
Life's worth living when we say, October!"

What's...Your...Name?

Rihanna sang; "Oh na na...what's my name". What’s in a name? Apparently...PLENTY.

                I’ve been told...I’ve read...I know...that names have powers. That is why in some cultures, names are considered as sacred. You simply cannot tell your name to just any random person, as they can be used in some cases, for dark magic & sorcery (gulp!).

                Naturally, all of us have names which we & other people called ourselves. I’ve noticed that modern parents normally give such long & peculiar names to their children. Sometimes, I wonder, what do these names mean...REALLY? Do the complicated names of these modern children even have meanings? 

                Let us ponder for a while whether our names comply with the following hadith:

                It is reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and by your fathers' names, so give yourselves good names."              
(Hadith Abu Dawud)

                So, what do you think? I think...I have a decent name. Rather unusual, but still, not bad...hehe. My name is rather unusual due to the slight conflict between my dad & my mom while racking their brains for the perfect name to give to their first born child. My mom wanted a simple feminine name, but my dad wanted to give his input too. Therefore, while my mom was still on the hospital bed, my dad went to register my name with an added touch of his own :) 

                What’s my name? Well, let’s just say, one might wonder whether the name owner is a guy or a girl at first glance...keke. This happened to be true ‘cos I’ve been assigned male roommates during some of the courses I’ve attended. Male roommates mind you...TWICE! Talk about major confusion! LOL. All because of my androgynous name. I guess that’s why I prefer to use my second/middle name as it creates less confusion than my first name. 

                Yet, because us humans tend to give ‘affectionate’ nicknames to others, I of course, am not excluded from being ‘blessed’ with numerous nicknames of my own. Lemme see...I’ve been called Nad, Nurul, Diana, Ewok (‘cos of my fascination with Star Wars...keke), and not forgetting Sayur (‘cos I love vegetables?!). That’s just a few...good ones. I bet my students called me with lots of ‘scary’ names behind my back, especially after I shout & punish them with my usual ‘ketuk ketampi’...hehe. 

                So, what about you guys? What are some of your nicknames? Better than mine, I hope. 

                Well, talking about the power of names, what do you think about these celebrity children's names?

Pilot Inspektor...Child of: Jason Lee

Apple...Child of: Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin

Sage Moonblood...Son of: Sylvester Stallone

Audio Science...Child of: Actress Shannyn Sossamon

Moon Unit & Diva Thin Muffin...Children of: Frank Zappa

Moxie Crimefighter...Child of: Penn Jillette

                And just for fun, I give you the longest name ever recorded; 

 Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvim John Kenneth Loyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus (Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorft Senior)

                The name above belongs to a German immigrant to Philadelphia. Take note that his first and middle names consist of one name for each letter of the alphabet...from A to Z! WHOA! Talk about being a mouthful!

                The longest one-word name is of a young Hawaiian boy named 

Kananinoheaokuuhomeopuukaimanaalohilo...

which means "The beautiful aroma of my home at Sparkling Diamond Hill is carried to the Eyes of Heaven". Nonetheless, people calls him...JOE. Keke.

                Still on the topic of names... According to some cultures, when a woman gets married, she will have to either add or change her surname to those of her husband’s. Thus, we have Mr. & Mrs. Smith! Ooo...sexy! Have you watched the movie yet? Scandalous! Poor Jennifer Aniston...huhu.

                Ehem...let's continue. What was the topic? Names...oh yes! A name reflects one’s character & personality. This is quite true in most cases. That is why people tend to change their names if they think that their given names are not appropriate, does not suit themselves, or they simply prefer glamorous, outstanding names. Do you know to whom these names belong to?

Curtis Jackson? 
William Bailey? 
Paul Hewson? 
Demetria Gene Guynes? 
Eleanor Gow?

                Ring any bells? Well, apparently, they belong to 50 Cent, Axl Rose, Bono, Demi Moore & Elle Macpherson. O_O 

                Talk about changing their fates, eh? I wouldn’t have bothered about them if they use their original names. It’s either too plain, too forgettable, or simply too complicated. 

                What about you guys? If you are a celebrity, what would your name be? 

                I would like to suggest that you choose a name which begins with the letter J. Why? Well, according to the book “The Secret Universe of Names”  which I’ve bought sometime last year...people whose names begin with the letter J is 250% more likely to become millionaires than people with names beginning with the letter N (I need to change my name...hihi). 

                I guess this has some truth to it. Some of the world’s well-known authors have names which begins with the letter J. For example, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling. J.D. Robb...and hopefully my aunt too...JUNIE OCTOVIAN! Ooo...fascinating.

                Gosh...I don’t think I can finish talking about the interesting stuff I've gathered about names in just one entry. Maybe, I should continue this discussion in the next entry before it bores you to death, eh? Well, to conclude for now, I would like to present you with the links below. Do try some of them, it’s silly but FUN!  

Chinese Name Generator: http://www.chinesegenerator.net/ 

Korean Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/10981/ 

Your Real Japanese Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/969/ 

The Original Japanese Name Generator by Shu: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/721/ 

The Elvish Name Generator: http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/

The Very British Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/10/ 

Harry Potter Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/406/ 

Dragon Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/3267/ 

The Mafia Name Generator: http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/namegen/1311/ 

Pirate Name Generator: http://www.piratename.net/

Transliterate your name into Braille: http://www.afb.org/braillebug/thenamegame.asp 

Your Name In Greek: http://www.languages-of-the-world.us/YourNameIn/Greek.html 

Write Your Name In Runes: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/write-your-name-in-runes.html 

Random Name Generator: http://www.behindthename.com/random/ 

We belong...

I was reading an entry from one of my favourite blogger, Justin at I'm Just Saying... , when something dawned upon me. Well, the entry was called New Sabahan , and I suddenly was thinking to myself, heck, I’m one of those ‘new’ Sabahan too. Keke... Well you see, I have a Johorean father and a Sabahan mother. Not much you might say since I’ve heard of others whose parentage was so diverse and complicated (e.g. English-Pakistani-Chinese-Japanese-Kadazan), that mine seemed a bit too tame.

Yup! That might be the case to some of you people, why should I be bothered by Justin’s entry? I’m not ‘illegal’, right? The thing is, whenever people ask me, where I’m from...you know what I would normally reply? Well, I'm from here & there, my father from Johor and my mother from Sabah. Then, they would continue to ask, so...what are you, then? Ooo...my reply would be, I’m JAWS. LOL. Where did that term come from? From my dad, of course! Dad used to joke that since his late father had Javanese blood and his mother’s Malay, so “JAW” is from him. And the “S” is from my dearest mother who is a pure Dusun (and proud of it, right mom?). 

What’s unfortunate though is, I know nada about the Javanese language except for ‘Kabare’ and ‘Waras’...hehe. And as for Dusun, gosh...I often wonder what my grandmother often asked of me. Yup, whenever my grandma came to our house, I often have to shout to my mom, “Mak, Nenek datang!” Why? ‘Cos my grandma will straight away converse in Dusun, and with the little Dusun that I possess, I’m ashamed to say that I could only understand bits and pieces of what my grandma was saying...keke.

Why you might ask, my command of those two languages (Javanese & Dusun) so poor? Err...could be because of the nature of my dad’s job, our family moved a lot when we were kids? I couldn’t even keep in touch with my friends when I was in school. I’ve studied in SRK Bandar Baru Bangi and then to SK Tanjung Aru. After that I went to SM Konven St Francis in KK and then to SMK Tunku Kurshiah in Negeri 9. What did I gain from all this? Well, I know how to sing the state anthem of Selangor, Sabah & Negeri 9. Huhu... What did I miss from all this? Lemme see, close childhood friends and the opportunity to master the 2 dialects (Javanese & Dusun) perhaps? 

But, you know what? Because of the slightly different upbringing, I’m proud to say that my siblings and I are all very open-minded people. We are sorta the ‘people’ person some might say. Due to the integration brought by our daring parents, we don’t judge others hastily. Yes sir, in the 70’s, not many ‘Semenanjung’ people marries Sabahan, you know? So, they are sorta the pioneers...keke. My parents have been practicing the ‘1 Malaysia’ spirit wayyy before it even existed. Way to go mom and dad!

My siblings and I adapt well with both the Semenanjung and the Sabahan people. We switch back and forth from the way the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia talk to the way Sabahan talk in a blink of an eye. We laughed our hearts out whenever there's an awkward moment when someone from Semenanjung tried to chat up with someone from Sabah...using the Indonesian slang! “Apa khabar Pak?” LOL ...what the heck?! And we’ve tried to make both our Johorean & Sabahan relatives to understand the different custom practices between them. For example; in Johor, we use Pak Long, Ngah, Uda, Andak, Uteh & Ucu. In Sabah, we use Auntie & Uncle :)

Ooo...I remember my grandma used to ask us kids when we visited her in Kundasang during school holiday once. She asked... “Bila la kamu pulang pigi Malaysia?” I looked at my brother and my sister, smiling wide and scratching our heads, thinking the same thing I guess. “Err, I thought we ARE in Malaysia?” 

So, you see people, I am sorta a ‘new’ Sabahan. Albeit slightly different than what Justin had to say about in his entry. I would like to think that I’m the best of both worlds, hehe. I guess ALL of us are mostly like that in this time of age, right? We are ALL very 'rojak' these days...hehe. Where do we belong? Let us listen to what Pat Benatar had to say in her song aptly titled “We Belong” shall we?

 
We Belong to the light
We Belong to the thunder
We Belong to the sound of the words
We've both fallen under
Whatever we deny or embrace
For worse or for better
We Belong, We Belong
We Belong together

Me & my Alter Egos...?

BEFORE:

I was thinking to myself...should I create different blogs for different purposes? I mean...I react differently to different people :)

'Cos, we couldn't help it...whether we noticed or not, we all actually have different personalities throughout our lives. For example; I am a sister, a daughter, a grand daughter, a friend, a colleague...

So, should I just create different blogs for each & every personalities that I have? Hmmm...maybe, or maybe not.

Sometimes I think...yes. 'Cos I want to separate between my private & professional lives. Other times, I think...no way. 'Cos it is too much of a hassle to update things if I have multiple blogs.

Hmmm...let me think. To be or not to be.....

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

AFTER: Dum...dee...dum. I did it! Kekeke...I created a blog for my alternate 'blogger' self...LOL