mountain dew

we've been training rather frequently to prepare ourselves for our Mount Kinabalu climb, my husband will take me to the mountain biking route at bukit kiara/tmn tun for hiking complemented with our night runs. one day he mulut tak leh cover and pointed out, "sayang, bau wangi". i said, "haish". five steps later he voiced it out again, "sayang, bau bedak sayang, wangi!". i told him, "jangan ditegur sayang". we passed a 'kuil' in the jungle so i thought maybe its the smell of incents burning. sebenarnya what we never told anyone is that, as we jogged down on the jogging track after exiting the jungle trek, the aroma came again and it was really prominent and rather overwhelming to ignore. so we stopped. there was a sign board there. it reads, "ini lah punca air untuk sungai penchala, kualiti air adalah kelas 1". with that, i asked permission from my husband to have a sip, ajoi told me its untreated water but the choice is mine to have, just baca Bismillah and Al-Fatihah first. I followed his advice and went to the tiny stream for a scoop... SEDAP!!, since that day, setiap kali lalu that stream i will fill up our water bottle with air bukit. both of us enjoy it very much..  harap-harap dapatlah sentuh puncak kinabalu with ajoi this Wednesday. InsyaAllah. and to everyone that came to our wedding, all that wished for our happiness and every single person that had helped, I, Nora Elina and my dearest husband, Zulkarnain Zubir @ ajoi, would like to say from the bottom of our hearts: THANK YOU SO MUCH! maklumlah kata orang, kalau berkenduri mesti ada gelas yang pecah. maaflah kalau ada yang terlebih atau terkurang =).

arrow

not too long ago, a friend of mine claimed to have lost her handphone and she accused another friend of mine of stealing it. she was absolutely sure it was him and claimed that there was no one else around that could have committed the crime. i heard bout it and said, "please be sure. you have to have proof". of course she was sure but to me, of course a person can most of the time be sure even without proof. she asked me to confront him, i told her, "without proof i cannot ask him to return your phone but i could ask if he knows anything about it". she agreed. well that friend of mine suggested i help her to look for the handphone instead of wasting my time asking because he had nothing to do with it. so i helped her look, and it was not easy as she was very upset and could not stop crying after hearing that he had deny the accusation. Alhamdulillah, we found her phone, apparently, earlier, she got involved in a quarrel with her boyfriend and lost focus on what she was doing, she even bought a new sim card so her boyfriend could not contact her anymore (anyway, that's beside the point.. sempat pulak iklan, hehe). i told her you have to salam and ask forgiveness from him because u had brand him as a thief without proof. kesalahan antara manusia hanya manusia boleh memaafkan. and so she did, she took his hand and apologized again and again and again, he blushed and said, "lain kali, cari dulu". i could not help thinking that, orang perempuan bila berfikir dengan emosi- sungguh berdrama. she even said, "jangan beritahu orang lain tau, malu lah". well, no names, kira tak beritahu la tu... (saja nak berkongsi. heh). another friend of mine that knows her well also said she's like that one, sometimes so fast to point fingers sampai bagaikan cerita orang baru beranak satu sudah dikata telah bercucu. haha, aren't we all pun sama juga? dont get me wrong, i love her, she's humble, hardworking and friendly. kalau kita berperang dengan orang yang kita sayang siapa-siapa pun akan jadi sewel, ye tak? oh well, she gave me her new number twice already since that insident, but i still haven't saved it till today. im so forgetful. note to self : apologize, reguest and store her new number. haish. 

twinkle twinkle little star

perfect...

It was quite a shocker when the tailor decided to take a holiday longer than they should; that would be an additional 6 days after my supposedly fitting date. Mom suggested we have a back-up plan of putting deposit on another dress for rent just in case we pass our cut-off date. Alhamdulillah, once they're back in action, my wedding dress was DONE. pakai terus muat, the owner personally took the time to potong the kain and jahit sendiri. Simple, elegant, perfect..

Thank you untie of Chong Tailor (Melawati).

As soon as I got my paws on the dress, took it back home and started to work on my magic. One by one till all are done! Due to the nature of my work, I have a lot of time in my hands to complete the project. Alhamdulillah, at 5pm today, my baju nikah with the selendang telah siap bertakhta 1,000 batu! - yup, buat sendiri so I kinda got carried away. heh.

Thank you mak and Amin for the kain and Swarovski Crystals

Then mak told me to send the dress for dry cleaning but tsk-tsk-tsk- time is not really on our side, but fear not! Alhamdulillah I have a friend from high school that has successfully been operating his laundry service- one quick call and the dress will be ready in 48 hours.

Thank you Shameer of DobiKita (Wangsa Maju)

Syukur, syukur, syukur..
*doa banyak-banyak all goes well

Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love [ High Definition ]

Tom Jones - Sex bomb

Armand Van Helden - The Funk Phenomena

Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby

the other side

it was pitch black outside....

with nothing much to do, I sat in the car while fiddling with my phone, lost in my own world I was startled by a sudden knock on my window. I turned my head and to my surprise, what I saw was unbelievable...

Nora: huh? hahahaahhahahahaahhahahahah!!

ade jugak hantu nak selubung pakai sejadah, dah la comel buntal lagi berjambang!
*kelakar lah awak ni.. =)

TVXQ!(동방신기) _ MIROTIC-주문 _ MusicVideo(뮤직비디오).wmv

on the run

Phew.. puas.

It's the first time since we moved here that I've finally merasmikan the swimming pool. As the weather is mendung with a little touch of ray every now and then- i fell into tempting splashes. What was meant to be full laps exercise attempt ended as a syiok sendiri kuak bersepah activity, spent most of the time submerged instead. heh.

Anyways...

A typical filling-up-the-tank-at-the-petrol-station turned out to be more than just a routine, yesterday. As the nozzle was transferring its content into my car, a motorcycle stopped beside me revealing two passengers; a man and a boy.

Man: Assalamualaikum cik
Nora: Waalaikum salam
Man: Maaf cik, saya tak berniat jahat, saya betul-betul nak mintak tolong cik

(I was exchanging glances with the petrol station attendant for security purpose and thus the staff noted)

Nora: Kenapa?

(realizing I was feeling uncomfortable, the man took a step back)

Man: Cik, saya dari Shah Alam, saya dah pusing seluruh shah alam dan dah sampai ke Kuala Lumpur pun, masih tak ada orang nak tolong saya. Anak saya pun dah penat. Saya betul-betul harapkan simpati cik, saya dah tak ada orang lain nak mintak tolong. Tolong la saya cik.

(his eyes started to become glassy with tears)

Man: Isteri saya baru beranak malam semalam- anak keempat. Saya tak cukup duit nak bawak diorang balik, saya perlukan lagi RM143 saja, tadi dekat masjid pun ada orang dapat bagi saya RM10, cik tolonglah saya. Saya perlu pinjam dari cik dulu, cik boleh ambil keterangan I/C saya, nombor telefon saya. Kalau 25 hb saya tak berani janji tapi 28hb saya pasti bayar. Saya janji cik, cik tinggalkan lah nombor telefon, saya pasti akan call. Saya dah betul-betul terdesak.

(heck, im not giving my numbers to strangers! As he was relaying his life story and my tank was still being filled- I looked at him and thought.. why is his kid not wearing a helmet? am I in the process of being conned? is he a dangerous man? does anyone else around here looked to be an accomplice? are there enough people here that could keep me from harms way?.. so on, so forth)

this is a well lit petrol station which is situated at sprint highway, traffic was flowing and there were a lot of people looking at us. The attendant was also on standby as he understood the earlier gaze that I had given him. Contemplating whether or not to believe and participate in this desperate attempt for money, I told him to wait while I head inside the kiosk to purchase a drink. As I walked towards the store, I felt as someone was watching my every move- there he was, to my right; a man in a vehicle with his window down and eyes locked on me. Immediately I knew what I had to do!

Splattered across his white van was... 'Innalillahi Wa Innalillahi Rajiun', the answer became obvious. Maybe this time, I should help for the sake of a mother and a newborn baby. And so I did... he insisted on having my number so he could repay the debt, I just said ...
"takpe, saya zakatkan duit ni".

Oh well, I'm also writing this down so that if anyone out there has or would encounter the same man, with the same M.O, telling the same story, then maybe.. maybe I am a scammed victim. If it happens to be so... tolonglah capaikan spanar di dalam kereta anda dan hayunkan ke halkumnya. =)

Salam Aidilfitri, maaf zahir dan batin !

*back to work

judgement day

he led me into the mall..
he held my hand..
he wouldn't let me buy anything.

- arrrrrrrggggghhhh !!

gurney

Fuzi : Kenapakah?
Nora: Dia yang marah aku.
Fuzi : Tengah merajuk la ni?
Nora: Ha'ah aku nak merajuk seminggu
Bonda: Eh lama sangat tu.
Fuzi: Alah engkau, tahan sampai sahur je kot.
Bonda: Jangan lama-lama
Nora : Saya tak salah Bonda, ada kereta pancung depan dia, lepas tu setiap perkataan saya yang kena marah. Saya nangis la. Nasib saya ada kereta sendiri, boleh lari jauh-jauh.
Bonda: Biasa la, lelaki memang ada ego dia sendiri
Nora : Tanak jawab call dia, ok, kasi diskaun, nak merajuk 2 hari. Biar saya menang.
Bonda: Tapi kalau awak merapatkan semula silaturrahim, awak la yang menang.
Nora : Iya ke? Tapi Bonda, tadi dia dah ajak saya buka puasa sama-sama.
Bonda: Ha.. dah tu, terpulang la pada awak kalau masih nak berdegil...
Fuzi : Eleh, dari tadi, tak sudah-sudah jugak check handphone. Tunggu dia mesej la tu.
Nora : Bak kata Hendra "kawe mu dah gilo." Laki aku pun dah gilo.
Fuzi : Gilo pung mu saye gok.
Nora : Ah! Bonda, nak beli baju ni.
Bonda : Alhamdulillah, haha.. murah rezeki Bonda bila laki bini bergaduh.
Nora : Fuzi kasi Emporio satu
Fuzi : Eh, bukan kau baru beli hari tu?
Nora : Bubblegum tu aku punya, ni Ajoi punya.
Fuzi : Eleh, tadi berapi nak merajuk.
Bonda : Ha, kan elok dah sejuk hati tu. Ok awak tengok kedai kejap, Bonda nak Isyak dulu.
Fuzi : Kau jangan tunggu merajuk baru nak datang melawat aku.
Nora : Eh, takde la, apa la kau ni...

Setelah menyarung kain pelikat dan mengenakan ketayap di kepala, Bonda terus mengatur langkah ke Masjid. Begitu lah sekilas situasi di Bazaar Seniman, Kompleks Gurney, Jalan Gurney Kuala Lumpur. Nasi tomato Aziz M.Osman (Abang Long) pun tak kurang hebatnya. Wangian dan coklat dari Fuzi serta koleksi baju raya Izat, dijaga rapi oleh Bonda. Jemput la datang beramai-ramai.

*saya dah ada baju raya! yeay!

sugar

hello my sayang,

everytime i get busy or away, sure you'll lose weight and demam.
Ala..la..la.. demam rindu eh? =)

lepas job ni, ada lagi satu job then InsyaAllah mid next week onwards we'll spend time k.
*minum air banyak-banyak. muahs.


...also to AVI- congrats on your second term of MIFA. sorry had to turn down the offer, got my wedding to attend to, nanti jadi kes mr.*******, asyik postpone kawin sendiri. hahahahahahaah! all the best guys!

challenge

the titanic tragedy was foretold in Surah Yaasin
-happy hunting!

wanna test your guts? here's the easiest way..
- inhale by whispering 'Subhanallah'. exhale silently. no need to rush it, take your time. repeat 777 times. then lay down on your bed. it's ok if you fall asleep. they 'cobaan' will come. InsyaAllah.

HAVE FUN!

Eternal - Oh Baby I...

Avril Lavigne - Sk8er Boi

He was a boy, she was a girl
Can I make it anymore obvious?

He was a punk,she did ballet
What more can I say?

He wanted her, she'd never tell
secretly she wanted him as well.

But all of her friends stuck up there nose
they had a problem with his baggy clothes.

He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy
he wasn't good enough for her
She had a pretty face, but her head was up in space
she needed to come back down to earth.

five years from now, she sits at home
feeding the baby
she's all alone

she turns on tv
guess who she sees
skater boy rockin' up MTV.

she calls up her friends,they already know
and they've all got tickets to see his show
she tags along and stands in the crowd
looks up at the man that she turned down.

He was a skater boy,she said see ya later boy
he wasn't good enough for her
now he's a super star
slamin' on his guitar
does your pretty face see what he's worth?

sorry girl but you missed out
well tough luck, that boy's mine now
we are more than just good friends
this is how the story ends

too bad that you couldn't see
see the man that boy could be
there is more than meets the eye
I see the soul that is inside

He's just a boy, and i'm just a girl
can I make it anymore obvious?
we are in love, haven't you heard
how we rock each others world!

I'm with the skater boy, I said see ya later boy
i'll be back stage after the show
i'll be at a studio
singing the song we wrote
about a girl you used to know

More Congratulations!

To Walter Francois for your second coffee book on Malaysia titled Putrajaya. I know you're very much in love with our country, it's practically your second home and we welcome you here anytime.

To Soosan Ho for the launch of your very own PrettyChantique Boutique and juggling all other events at the same time. Hope we won't be hearing you being admitted for exhaustion anytime soon. Once was scary enough. Take it easy sweetheart =)

Welcome back Wan Alleena Abdullah, who has been with her mom for a few years until very recent to teman mommy as Malaysian Ambassador in Paris. You call me for coffee, I call you for coffee, then we both gatal-gatal make other plans and yet to meet up. Miss you tonnes! Gossip cepat!

Doa Nur

Allahummaj' al lii nuuron fii qolbii
wa nuuron fii qobrii

wa nuuron fii sam 'ii
wa nuuron fii bashorii

wa nuuron fii sya' rii
wa nuuron fii basya rii

wa nuuron fii da mii
wa nuuron fii lah mii
wa nuuron fii 'i zho mii

wa nuuron min baini yadayya
wa nuuron min kholfi

wa nuuron an ya miinii
wa nuuron an syi maalii

wa nuuron min fauqii
wa nuuron min tahtii

birohmatika
Ya Arhamarahimin
............................................................................

Ya Allah! berikanlah cahaya dalam hatiku
dan cahaya dalam kuburku

dan cahaya dalam pendengaranku
dan cahaya pada penglihatanku

dan cahaya pada rambutku
dan cahaya pada kulitku

dan cahaya pada darahku
dan cahaya pada dagingku
dan cahaya pada tulangku

dan cahaya di hadapanku
dan cahaya di belakangku

dan cahaya di kananku
dan cahaya di kiriku

dan cahaya di atasku
dan cahaya di bawahku

dan dengan belas kasihanMu
sesungguhnya Engkau Tuhan Maha Pengasih

Dear Mr.EX(s)

A special shout-out to all you involved so I don't have to repeat myself.. again.

Yes, Zulkarnain Zubir@Ajoi is the perfect man that I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Yes, I am genuinely in love and happy.
Yes, the wedding is confirmed.
Yes, I am excited.
Yes, I do avoid those annoying calls on purpose. heh.
No, I'm not interested to meet up.
No, I'm not gonna change my mind.

No point to even think of trying anymore.
Kindly move on.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yours sincerely,
Nora.

mind boggling

Pessimism, from the Latin pessimus (worst), is a state of mind in which one perceives life negatively. Value judgments may vary dramatically between individuals, even when judgments of fact are undisputed. The most common example of this phenomenon is the "Is the glass half empty or half full?" situation. The degree in which situations like these are evaluated as something good or something bad can be described in terms of one's optimism or pessimism respectively. Throughout history, the pessimistic disposition has had effects on all major areas of thinking^.

Philosophical pessimism is the similar but not identical idea that life has a negative value, or that this world is as bad as it could possibly be. It has also been noted by many philosophers that pessimism is not a disposition as the term commonly connotes. Instead, it is a cogent philosophy that directly challenges the notion of progress and what may be considered the faith-based claims of optimism.

~Ladies minimum sekali sebulan pasti begini punyer.

*Shout-out to dearest cousin, Rozanna Latiff aka Nana for AGAIN making front page of NST.
Four? Five? and counting.....

elite garage

Just got back from Suzy's Corner@Ampang. Ordered the Peach Lasse- they put mamak style yogurt, "adeh, susah nak telan". Ajoi as usual, seeing the yummy roasted chicken wings, ordered a plate.

Jangan la main lumba-lumba habiskan ayam tu, memang lah awak yang menang!
~heh. Love you Sayang.

*rewind*

Tarawikh tonight at Surau Kemensah a.k.a Surau Orang Kaya. Why do I say so? Because that's the only surau here that you can see Beemers, Mercs, Porsches, Range Rovers, Ferraris and one time, a Lambo parked in the courtyard. For the ladies, you can choose between the indoor arena (10ft X 20ft)- with walls fixed with 42" plasma showing the live telecacst of the Imam, 4units of 2hp airconds and ceiling fans or an option of the wide open space (roof-covered) balcony area with wall plugged fans.

As we were about the start isyak, one mak datin asked me to sit next to her untuk rapatkan saf. Well, since her face is thick with make-up, fingers lined with gold and a very expensive looking telekung wrapping her body- I assume she couldn't be any less. Right after Isyak, she whispered to me, "rapat sangat dengan orang depan, susah nak rukuk". I turned to her and replied with a smile, "dah jemaah makin ramai, memanglah baris kena rapat sikit". She gave me a sneer. In my heart, I just went, "whatever.."

But that does not change the fact that the Imam memorized some very impressive versus from the Quran and didn't waste a single moment to complete his duties.

Overall experience- fabulous!

p/s: thank you everyone for the various job offers. I'll decide soon ok. Love you guys. However Ajoi kept insisting I'd be a suri rumah.

p/p/s: Awak nak simpan saya kat umah ye sayang? =)

khemah

Noris: Khemah mana?
Kerol: Kat depan tu.
Nora: Ada khemah ke kat sini beb?

As we were venturing the location, we finally saw the said venue, RASTA KHEMAH- right smack in our faces- funny. Memamng betul namanya KHEMAH. heh.

Sempat singgah kejap malam semalam after tarawikh to sama-sama celebrate Faiz's 23rd birthday. Nice location dearie. Ala-ala arabian setting. So the 10 of us lit the candle at midnite and wished:

Dear Faiz, have a wonderful 23rd birthday, may you pass your exams with flying colors and a great future awaits. Love from all of us.

So anyone wants to have a quiet get together for very affordable price (starting from RM2 per dish) ranging from all kinds of cuisine- shisha juga ada, make your way to Rasta Khemah@TTDI. Easiest route via Penchala Link.

Got a ride home and a quick mamak from Ajoi- Thank you Sayang.


*Accompanying mak soon to meet-up with Kak Liza, our wedding planner.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

2nd of Ramadhan

I guess it's a habit that I carry, suka testing. Food joint, new malls, surau or masjid. Be it for solat wajib or even sunat.

Personal favorites:
Masjid Saidina Abu Bakar, Bukit Damansara - kuliah subuh dia best
Masjid TTDI - air cond dia best.
Surau Jalan I, Taman Melawati- best for kids nak tarawikh (surah pendek-pendek)
Masjid Jalan B, Taman Melawati- orang lama yang nak khatamkan Al-Quran dalam tempoh Ramadhan.

So just now I went and tested Masjid Al-Hidayah Taman Melawati.
It is spacious, 3 days ago, went for Asar- not bad. Imam was clearly heard. Decided to give it a shot for tarawikh. Arrive at 8.20pm to catch the Isyak berjemaah. Full house in the ladies department, they had to extend until corridor area which is a norm for men's department but I guess, it is a culture in Taman Melawati for the whole family to come. Kids and teenagers usually will have fun cause they can also meet their friends there. Right before azan, I heard the urusetia masjid (i think he is-dengan gaya confidentnya) saying, "siapa tak tahan boleh naik ke atas, lebih selesa". As they corridor area is ventilated via standing fans, upstairs are well equipped with ceiling fans and all the windows are open- sejuk angin malam.

So I made my way to the staircase- saja nak rasa tingkat atas pulak. At the same time, the urusetia came passed me and he said, "awak naik ke atas ya". I replied, "ya, nak ke sana ni, terima kasih". He smiled and we part ways. Upon reaching the upper floor, I quickly made my way to the first row of the saf. Wah! lucky dapat betul-betul selari dengan imam and first class view of the whole jemaah.

Got short khutbah before tarawikh.
Imam is good.
Qari was assigned for tarawikh- lebih muda, lebih bertenaga.
1 juzuk every night so can khatam Al-Quran by end of ramadhan.

Good experience. Ramai orang seronok juga.

Having difficulties sleeping now cause 2 of my neighbors tengah mengaji. I can tell because their tarannum are different. They probably live in a different block sebab dengar sayup-sayup aje.
Nonetheless, both are extremely talented- layan pulak.

Ajoi kata "bunian mestilah talented"

~Chet! ke situ pulak dia.~


Salam Ramadhan Al-Mubarak!

Start Early- Protect them

1. Teach our children not to talk to strangers.
2. Teach them not to accept food or drinks from strangers.
3. Teach them to say no to strangers.
4. Teach them to memorize your contact number.
5. Teach them to walk away from strangers.
6. Teach them not to wander far from home.
   

nigerian jewel

It was a day just like any other. Stretched myself out of bed, showered, put on my favorite blue jeans, the all too familiar routine of makeup and body care, one more look in the mirror and with a soft whisper,

"ok, i'm good to go."

Reaching for the car keys and sunnies, i reminded myself again not to forget to take the laundry. As I walked to my car, something -or rather someone, caught my eyes. There he was, on a red and yellow tricycle- a boy no more than five years old was just staring at my car. What made it more peculiar was that he is not from around here. Curly hair, dark tanned skin and immediately I thought to myself,

"I didn't know we have a Nigerian neighbor."

We don't.

I walked over, stood right next to him and squatted down. Not to scare him away, as gently as I could, I said, "Hello."

He didn't reply. He was slightly shaking his head and avoiding eye contact. I figured he was taught not to talk to strangers which I agree is a very important lesson for all kids to remember. But there he was. He didn't paddle away. So I held out my hand to him and said, "Hi, my name is Nora. Where's your home? Do you want me to send you back?"

Again, he avoided my gaze and looked everywhere at nothingness. Then it hits me- this kid is autistic.

Being a woman, my 'naluri wanita' immediately kicked in and I was worried that he may not be able to find his way back all by himself.

"It's ok, sweetheart. Do you need help? I can help you to look for your parents."

Steadily, he turned his head towards me, "Yes! eye contact, this is good", I said to myself. However it was just for a brief second and he was back to losing focus.

"I'm gonna go inside my house and take a a drink. Would you like to have one?"

"No", he said while just playing with the ribbon on his handle bars.

I hesitated for awhile, then I stood and walked over to my house. I slotted the key into the lock and opened the door. As I was in the kitchen, I figured I might as well carry another pack of green tea just in case he changed his mind. Closed the fridge after grabbing two packets of the juice and head over to the front door.

To my surprise, the boy was standing right there. As I had left the key in the lock, he was fiddling with it and enjoying the sound of jiggling keys. So I slowly approached him and said, "I have one drink for myself, would you like to have the other one?". Patiently, I waited for his reply.

"No."

"Ok, where do you want to go? I can take you there"

......

"Are you going out?", he asked.
"Yes dear."
"Ok, I'll get out of your way"

Now, for an autistic kid, this boy can communicate well enough. That's good.

"But what about you?". I tried to continue the conversation and get him to participate. Carefully, I locked the door and offered him my hand. He took it and we walked towards his tricycle. "You know it's very dangerous to be all by yourself. Bad things could happen.. Now look at the sky."

I pointed his hand to the dark clouds above, "It looks like it's going to rain soon" - truth is, it seemed more like a storm is coming and I'm really not comfortable leaving him roaming around by himself.

"No. No. Don't worry. Are you going out?"

"Yes, dear, I have to go. Please let me take you home. Or do you have a phone number that I could call to speak to your parents? I'm sure they're very worried."

"No. I'll get out of your way. You go."

Looking at a 5 years old-autistic kid, trying to act all mature and in charge, tickled me in a way.
Well, maybe his family is just visiting one of my neighbors and this neighborhood is really a safe and great place to grow up. So I smiled at him and said. "Ok then, have this drink so you won't go thirsty".

"No. Don't worry, I'll get out of your way.. See". He hopped on his bike and took it three steps back.

Seeing this, I unlocked my car, stepped in, turned on my engine, wind down the window.

"Ok, I'm going now. Please find your parents before the rain starts to pour."

"Ok. I'll get out of your way. You go."

"Promise?"

"Ok. You go."

I smiled at him, waved him goodbye as he paddled away.

I stole a quick glance at the rear view mirror as I reached the opposite end of the road.

..He was gone.

I'll always remember that little Nigerian boy on his tricycle jiggling with my keys. I do hope he went back to his parents.

As I was on my way to the store, I called Ajoi to tell him about it and he said...

"woooaa, voodoo boy"


*Apalah awak ni!

"Epic ending" - DL

Mariah Carey - Can't Take That Away (Music Video) HD

Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars: Billionaire

Rio

No doubt it's a very comfortable car for a lady to drive complemented with a huge storage compartment- bagaikan kereta anak lapan lah nak dikatakan.
But like all things made, maintenance is required.

For the past few months I've been trying to fix-it up to its optimum condition for a five year old ride. Body works, tyres and alignments, major servicing, tukar here-tukar there.

Usually a full tank of mine would take me upto 490km, however after all those trips to several different workshops, I can now travel to a distance of 530km with Petronas Ron97.
Now I'm satisfied.

Total cost : RM 6425.00

..oooooooouuuuuuucccchhhhhhhhh !!!

30th October 2010

yes. the big day.
every girl's dream coming true.

jitterbugs, cold feet, butterflies in the tummy, headches, worries and the list could go on...

in a way im grateful not to be going through those feelings anymore. the moment ajoi came to 'meminang' was the exact second that all my negative thoughts ended and replaced by an overwhelming sense of gladness. knowing that we'd have a colorful future to look forward to is a blessing that leads to more beautiful days after.

"kak nora, awak macam relax je nak kahwin"
"sayang, aren't you excited we're getting married?"
"nora, kau la pengantin paling cool pernah aku jumpa!"
"wei, persiapan kau dah ok ke belum? betul ke nak kawin ni?"

too many times have i heard such expressions. believe me when i say, i am excited.. just in a different vibe. the more -tender kind. i guess it all comes down to experiences.

having to deal with countless events, numerous VVIPs, crisis managements, live shows, fighting nature and also the non-stop training from dearest General Mom on family.. all these have contributed greatly to the calming aura of facing my own upcoming wedding.

like mak always say, tak banyak pun nak kena buat.

my only request from my parents was.. "Saya nak nikah di masjid".
Mak and Abah were more than happy to accommodate and so Masjid Al-Hidayah it shall be.

..kalau jodoh mak abah dah suka- what else is there to worry about?

the rest sudah ada dalam majalah Direktori Perkahwinan. Keluarga, saudara-mara dan kawan-kawan juga ramai untuk turut menolong.

Insya-Allah, tak ada masalah. So far ... Alhamdulillah.

*sekali last-last minute panic attack pulak dah! heh.

world cup

pergi jalan-jalan tengok lampu ngan ajoi, tiba-tiba ajoi nak catch world cup at dataran merdeka.
dah sampai sini, punya lah ramai manusia, kereta, motorsikal dan asap.
jalanraya utama juga ditutup.

oh well.. back to our normal mamak joint.
sama juga-malahan lebih selesa. heh.

oh sayang ku..

awak tu demam panas. tapi dah 14 jam awak main game tu, sila lah berehat.
... nanti saya sorok cable ps3 tu, baru awak tau.

love you sayang. rest k.

Greetings

Amin : KAKAK KU!!
Nora : ADIK KU!!

Ekeen : HI KAK NGAAAAHH!!
Nora : HI EKEEENNN!!

DEQ LEEN : ........
Nora : ..hi Leen
DEQ LEEN : .... hi...
*eyes glued on Korean Band videos

Funny la u. =)

Dear Maxis,

Just saw and thank you for your Maxis One Club Rewards Brochure.
Kindly help with one slight amendment:

Ms. Nora Elina instead of BRIGADIER GENERAL NORA ELINA

hahahahahhahahahahahhhhh!!

...

1. mom was brave enough to say it out loud, "savings is for anak cucu"- finally, someone said it.
2. myeg:

1. renewal-damn fast. good.
2. info must tele with JPJ

3. police station:

1. fast, helpful, professional- good.

4. JPJ

1. fast, helpful, professional- good
2. online website: clicked on English-didn't happen.
3. looked for online reference for issue that I was facing: not available
4. as myeg is advertising via media- JPJ and MYEG must sync.

5. Banks and collection - must sync.

5. Nora Elina

1. be more organized
2. be less careless
3. get future planning into perspective
4. call bank for registration card and do it all over again.

another half more day to utilize. get going.

$$$$$

want insights?

PAY!

k.noraelina@gmail.com

~take that!~

empathy

before anyone says anything about my partner..
consider this:
I AM A MAN'S WORST NIGHTMARE.

have u had enough?

nutty us

...speechless.

*avoiding media for a week!
**plenty of books to read anyways.

adorable little thing

Mak saya ada seekor ikan.
Ikan itu sangat comel dan jinak.
Ikan itu suka dibelai. Apabila ikan itu kebosanan, dia mencuba kebolehan-kebolehan yang baru.
Sekarang ikan kesayangan mak sudah pandai berenang kebelakang tanpa perlu memusingkan badannya.
Sungguh hebat ikan itu!

nama ikan itu adalah FISH.

=)

Heartiest shout-outs!

YOI

Congratulations on your second daughter, Nur Rayyan Zahra.
Yoi will spend 5 days in Terengganu for work, travel back by bus to spend two days with his family and back to Terengganu for work again. Noi on the other hand, works 9-5 and with help of her family, raised their two daughters together. Noi went through the easiest delivery I have ever seen. Hardly felt the pain of labour; berkat isteri yang solehah..
Kaka@Kitcha@Kalisah misses Yoi like crazy so everytime he comes back, she will melekat to her abah without a single care in the world... awww..

WE SALUTE YOU!

AMIN&BLACK

Congratulations to both of you for setting up your own company.
Black's mom pleaded Amin to get her son to work. Mak told Amin that she would help with the capital only if Amin starts to pray. Both held their ends of the bargain. Mak gave RM4k and Amin made sure dia tak lupa sejadah... what a lovely sight. So every morning, me and mom would kick Amin's ass so he would wake up then Amin will drive over to Black's house to kick Black's ass so he would wake up and both of them will kick their asses to get to work.
Alhamdulillah, they found suppliers from notable international brands; their product will be the first in Malaysia- I shall not jinx it. We've been coaching them from the very beginning with countless brainstorming and business plan; they've worked very hard at it and we're very proud of them. Looking forward to your debut.

WE SALUTE YOU!

EKEEN

Congratulations to Ekeen, Nizam, Timei, Aina and two other guys for joining forces to produce their first animated series. Already getting coverage from local newspapers, the show will debut once completion of the first season. Ekeen has one more year to complete her studies with MMU and currently working part time for this project. Ekeen has a gorgeous collection of outfits and yes, nanti Ekeen balik, we'll swap- kakngah dah reserve baju putih tu untuk kau.. promise.

WE SALUTE YOU!

DEQ LEEN

Form 3 this year, working very hard at school, non-stop homework and tuition. She told me, "Kak ngah, Aleen tak suka la asyik voted first for every single presentation at school.. so unlucky..". I would reply "that's not unlucky. You should be thankful that everyone trust you to set the bar that they want to compete with. You're gifted. You are lucky".
She would sigh, then continue to update me with all the Japanese and Korean boybands and series that she so dearly love. hahahhaaha!!

WE SALUTE YOU!

tsk-tsk-tsk

STOP ANIMAL POACHING!

or else...

mereka perlu membiak bukan dipupuskan!

-you know who you are, you've been warned.

east-west

The mighty sun rises from the east and sets west.

East gave us culture, heritage and values.
West provides technology, forward thinking, innovations and hard work.

that is one of nature's secrets unveiled.
start with east and venture to west.

I like!

Saya cukup berbangga kerana berpeluang untuk berkenalan dengan
YAB Datuk Seri Utama Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak
-Perdana Menteri Malaysia dan isteri
YABhg Datin Seri Utama Rosmah Binti Mansor

YAB Datuk Seri Utama cukup cekal dalam menghadapi segala bentuk kritikan yang dilemparkan kepadanya tanpa mengambil langkah yang terlalu drastik yang berkemungkinan membebankan rakyat. Perubahan memerlukan masa. Only old timers would understand such thing. they come with experiences beyond what orang muda can understand. Penyabar, tenang, terbuka kepada pendapat-pandapat dan cadangan-cadangan yang membina. Very daddy-like.

YABhg Datin Seri Utama juga telah memperlihatkan kepada dunia; kelembutan dan keanggunan seorang wanita dan isteri... wow...

Happy day today.
Sorry for the earlier 3 hours stir-up.. it had to be done.

LUNCH! mak kita nak masak best punyer!!!
..Bismillahirahmannirahim.

=)

lei don't panic la...
just wanted to show what happens when bad news is delivered.

it's so rare nowadays to wake up to uplifting news when all that is highlighted on the front page evokes negative impact.

do not underestimate the power of media.
use it wisely.

Love u lots!
Have a lovely day everyone!

*ASEAN - noted.

thank you coach(s).. hmmm? correct ah?

digest

you've seen.
you've heard.

"pikirlah sendiri"

tick-tock-tick-tock

It's all about the lines

no.. not the wrinkles. heh.

Why is necessary to dream big?
That is a bar that you can set for yourself. Even if you're unable to achieve it, you can know that you have completed at least 80% of your target. And that is .. damn well be a big achievement by itself. But before you can start realizing the ambition, get your lines straight first.

Pray 5 times a day.
Equip yourself on current issues- watch the news, read the papers
Be there for your family and loved ones.
Be there for your friends.
Be happy for who you are
Identify your strengths and work on your weaknesses
Plan your steps with datelines
Know your body without any foreign influences
Exercise
Healthy diet
Stick to the routine and schedule


There is no such thing as a short cut in real life.
Being disciplined and keeping your head in the clouds while your feet is firm on the ground is a person's biggest challenge.
Growing up and taking new responsibilities is NO FUN.
But that is life's cycle.
We all have to go through it, because what comes next?...
...paying the bills with honest living and raising your own family.

I'm not perfect, however...
I love being 30.
I love the way I look.
I love the people around me.
I love the idea of what might come next.

Put your plans into ACTION
Never Give Up
Don't waste time

observed

Congratulations TNB for presenting a very professional holistic image of the center.

I have however browsed through your brochure.. I'm not buying it. I can't and I'm sorry.
Please lower the tariff or face the rise of alternative energy.
Thank you in advance for putting it into thoughts.

1 Malaysia. Rakyat Didahulukan. Pencapaian diutamakan.

Congratulations!

Mommies and daddies
Husbands and wives
Hassan Clan
Abdul Latiff Clan
Zulkarnain Zubir
Ekeen
Amin
DL
Ali
Hariz
Tun Dr Mahathir
Maxis
Digi
CiptaAsia
BnBC
Jennifer Thompson
Aizat
Amy Search
Green Day
Afdlin Shauki
Lady Gaga
Naz
Cheryl Samad
Liyana Jasmay
10 Rising Starz
Bill Gates
AVI
Noris Ali
Diana Samsudin
Nonazira Radzi
Dylla Jasmay
Abby Jasmay
... the great names that have left us.

so many to name, so little time.

This is a shout out to the people that stayed true, consistent and changing for the better.
I'm honored to be part of your world.

*p/s: peace not war.
p/p/s: sorry if names are spelled wrongly.

Zulkarnain Zubir

Thanks to mom's genes, I can eat upto 8 times a day for a month- gain 5 kg and it disappears in just a cardio session. Which makes me prefer targeted area exercises on most days; else I would end up a walking skeleton =p.

I was trained to focus on completing tasks at hand with excellence, which can sometimes lead to unintentional skipping of meals. Hunger sometimes can be overcome by occupancy of the mind.
Whenever this happens, my partner@zulkarnain zubir@ajoi@sayang will make sure i am fed.
He will cook the most wonderful meals. Simple, yet tantalizing.
Leading however to his gain of 30kg ever since we're together.. aww....

Whenever I needed a crying shoulder ...he will be there.
Whenever I needed a ride to anywhere ...he will be there.
Whenever I needed advice ...he will be there.
Whenever I needed strength ...he will be there.
Whenever I needed someone to Imam ... he will be there.
Whenever I wanted to learn about religion ...he will be there.
DL was rushed to emergency unit ...he was there
Dad needed a photographer ...he was there

whenever I needed him ...he will-without fail-always be there.

This is a man who keeps to himself. who does when time calls him to do so.
giving everything that he possibly can without announcing even a whisper to the world.
who will perfect his every effort with practice and research.
for whatever he lacks, he will find a way to make it up.

I am the luckiest woman alive.
Thank you my sayang.

*the earlier posting of 35,000 words article on Porsche 911: Past, Present & Future by Zulkarnain Zubir, was removed due to Ajoi's request. It's a masterpiece- trust me. But he's shy about it.

You're perfect.
I love you.

paper vs reality

After the Diploma in Computer Science Course, I decided to pursue Diploma in International Hotel and Catering Management.

was it a smart move?
was it a waste of money?
was it a waste of time?
was it a waste of effort?

NO SUCH THING!

how can we ever stop studying? life itself is a bed of education worth experiencing.
the decision was made due to one thing only (at that time..) my friends all enrolled in that college!!
hahaha..

oh well for whatever it may be, don't let things go unfinished. never give up.
as i entered the world of 'hotcat' - hotel&catering ,the new arena taught me:

• marketing
• hr
• security
• art of fine cuisine
• wine appreciation
• bar service
  
• pr
• housekeeping
• financial planning
• business management
  
• grooming
• diligence
  
• stamina
• mental strength
• communication
• team work
  
• multi-tasking
• event&management

Your paper qualification will play a very big role in life; job interviews.- employers will ask for a minimum diploma in any field (if you're not applying for professional / niche careers). Reason being is because, a completion of a course will show determination.

My point of view:
It's for my own sense of achievement.
I can practice- work hard, play hard, art of living and most importantly.. discipline.

as i entered the second year, our very targeted group of learning ended with just 5 from the previous 25 number of students (per class). Being elected vice president of the student council showed me what it feels like to unite. to get everyone together. to participate. to get involved; hence the strength to command crowds which i still utilize until today, when it comes to being a master of ceremony (mc/emcee).

so looking back, I've come to realized that whatever you do...
challenge yourself. as we become a better person, we can make the world around us, a better place too..

no regrets.

if there's a penny for my every thought.. I'd be rich.

The Laptop

Mine is a Dell Inspiron 1420 Sunshine Yellow- absolutely gorgeous, if you don't mind me saying..
Comes with an in-built 14" True Colors LCD screen, upto 5.1 DTS surround system.
The ultimate cinema experience.

When it comes to work, however, a MAC is faster to use. The system allows more protection than windows. Vista is crap by the way.. can't wait to upgrade to Windows 7- gotta pick up the trial version from Josh, he has put it aside for me since November.. haish, kept forgetting. Anyhow, back to the topic. MAC hardly lags if you're executing documentation and its processor is designed for multimedia support. Unlike windows, even when you're working on a single document, it could jam your hard-disk for no particular reason... Aha! But alas, the secrets of Microsoft, Anti Spyware, Anti Virus and Dell are revealed.

Microsoft Netagent.
Windows Update.
Limewire
McAffee Antivirus.
AVG Anti-Spyware

etc..etc..etc..

If you look under Windows Task Manager, with it, there are pages for applications and processors.
all i see is "sampah, sampah and sampah by microsoft"
*all computer geeks have this habit of ending of switching off unnecessary applications, services or functions.

My simplest solution is.. to off my windows update. Remove Anti-spywares. Use an external hard drive.
Windows rely on a system called the registry: its how your hard-disk knows what is suppose to be there and what is not. The anti-virus will run constant checks on your registry and proceed to C drive to see what has been changed in your computer and search its database for new worms, bugs and viruses. It detects, it removes or quarantine them.
Downsides of it; more files you have, more activities on your computer, windows and anti-virus will keep running, doing its job in constant search for bugs -while the whole time, keeping checks and updates using your internet connection as gateway for information exchange. These dudes are just softwares. They do need guidance from the big guy. Imagine a toddler that keeps asking his teacher on what to do next.. "is this color, ok? is this the right green? can i draw my tree next to the picture of my house?"
With the help of an external hard-drive, you can set your system to NOT to automatically check your external hard-drives even if you want to run a manual virus-scan. Saves time and your computer won't 'pening'.
I like my laptop as they way i customize it to be! I don't need to install or update things that I don't need. which is why to off the automatic install function of windows update is just heavenly. From there, i can choose the updates that I want instead of bombarding it with instructions from Microsoft. MAC is 'dengar cakap'. It does not dictate to manufacturers'- it let you be you and the shortcuts are freaking amazing!

If you also remember back in 2004, Atom 02 PDA- big craze i tell you.. came with a bang. But sadly, also busted. As you go in deeper, you can find out that the system has been set to crash after one year. Why? simple.. money.Wants over needs. Marketing 101.
Consumers are very much influenced by lifestyle; you have a hot gadget in your hand, it 'kaput' on you.. what do you do?
BUY THE LATEST MODEL OF THE SAME MAKER.
Atom 02 magically launched a 'better enhanced' model. But sometimes when you're too excited chasing the big market boom, the boss tells you to launch another one. The competitor is on your back trying to out-step you. The buzz is already out there but your status is "coming soon". What else can you do? Other examples are:
Nokia N95
I-phones

*the latest blackhole was the massacre of I-Phones where countless I-Phones was returned to dealers as they have completely crashed- nov'09. the demand was high, the phone was launched before its' full potential can be fully researched. Then came David Blaine to work his magic, and TA-DAA!!
"The latest most stable-most reliable-3G optimized I-Phone is now available at your nearest participating dealers!! -dec09"

My Dell also came with an irresistible warranty of 2 years:
-on site repair service.
-24 hrs online help
-excellent driver download and troubleshooting database via website.
-they'll even replace your laptop if its damaged or broken beyond repairs!
*one time payment of RM400 for a worry free experience.

ehem, 1 month before my warranty expired, my laptop started to act "weird". Feeling a wind of uneasiness i backed up all my files and saved some work online. David Blaine again came with constant reminders that my warranty is expiring. I ignored it, tried to battle it myself while making the necessary back-ups. And phoof! It crashed right after expiry. Damn smart IT engineers!! Should have PhD-ed my computer science course, but hey, diploma is sufficient enough i guess -for me. Oh well, I sent it to a friend's shop, got it fixed -hard-disk crashed but they managed to breathe life into it once handed over to their programmer (gotta check if they complimentary changed my hard-disk, that's just too wonderful). Except for the USB and bluetooth settings which his interns forgot to set to 'ON' under BIOS setting- tsk..tsk..tsk.. should not have a.s.a.p them. more kelam kabut jadi nya.. ahahahhah.. they did however installed some other cool applications which i have yet to fully test them and upgraded to blu-ray ready player. my USB? I noticed a never before seen message: "The hubs shown in bold can support HI-SPEED USB device." Now my maxis broadband USB modem is happy =)

Best thing is, they also offer a phone call away service for any troubleshooting inquiries.

Total cost: RM100.
Friendship: Priceless.
Thank you,
David Blaine@John and The Locco team.

Being too analytical can cost more time though.. my mom always say that. So I will spend upto 10 minutes on a task, if it doesn't fruit, then just put it aside and come back to it with strength and knowledge and get it done!
or.. get help.

Problem : LCD screen was affected with some distortion.

Nora: Checked driver. Uninstalled and re-installed driver (time spent: 10mins)...
Status: Failed.

Ridzal : Checked driver. Checked flicker rate. Checked device manager (time spent: 30mins)..
Status: Failed.

Ajoi: Saw the screen. Adjusted the gamma color setting. (time spent: 5mins)..
Status: No problems found with your monitor.

AND THE WINNER IS.... David Blaine@Ajoi.

I LOVE MY LAPTOP