choosing skin care

After the episode of allergic reaction on my face due to adverse reaction of my previous skin care, I've found one that's suitable for my skin (which is extra sensitive before this). Although this particular skin care (Zai's Beauty Formula) is a bit expensive for my liking, it really improved my skin condition (I didn't experienced rashes or redness anymore and my acne is beginning to reduce) plus it is safe because it didn't contain any alcohol, fragrance, preservative, oil and all the harmful chemical because it is made by fermentation of a special strain of yeast (obviously they didn't tell me the name of the yeast when I asked them).

Then I saw this advertisement about Xanzwhite Cosmeceutical that have been developed by SIRIM and marketed by Sireh Emas. My new concern is about my dark skin (I have a lot of outdoor activity during my DPLI). I have a clear zone of fair and dark skin on my cheeks (because I wear hijab) and it is somewhat unpleasant to my eyes. This skincare promise to whiten the skin and gave me back my original skin colour.

However, my husband don't want me to change skincare because he's afraid history will repeat itself. Although I've tried my best to convince him there will be no side effects if I use Xanzwhite (which is untrue because I haven't try it yet) he still held by his decesion on me to maintain using Zai's Beauty Formula.

So, as a good wife (I'm trying), I stick with Zai's and hopefully my skin colour will improve overtime. People out there, beware of what you put on your face. Many of cosmetics nowadays have harmful chemical and remember, these chemicals can be absorbed by your skin and may trigger unsightly and dangerous reaction in your body. Better be safe than sorry...

ummi's reunioun

Last weekend, my husband and I went to my hometown in Seremban to pay a visit to my mum and yesterday we accompanied my mum for her 1962 Primary School Class Reunion at Kelab Tasik Putrajaya. My sister told me (she's on semester break now so she's at home) that my mum really looking forward for the gathering as she always mentioned about 3rd May. In the beginning, on Saturday, we failed to contact her friend who invited her and we really hated to disappoint her for not being able to go to the gathering.

Luckily, her friend called her yesterday morning to ask her whether she will be able to come or not and I was sitting next to her so I helped her with the communication (my mum can't communicate well because she's beginning to forget-I think we need to take her to experts). Her friend, Auntie Marsitah then messaged me on my mobile the details of the gathering. As my husband didn't want to go to his class, he volunteered to show the way to Kelab Tasik Putrajaya (my mum can still drive by herself).

So, at 3.30 pm we arrived at the Kelab Tasik and she met her friends. I saw her face lit up and she was smiling a lot during the gathering. Auntie Marsitah was really warm and I think she made my mum felt at home although most of her friends are well off and dress well (my mum is a simple woman, same as me as I only wore T-shirt and khakis). My husband and I stayed for a while there (after much persuasion from Auntie Marsitah-my husband resented me because I failed to come with a good excuse-as I don't want to lie) and we listened to their old stories and saw their school days photo album brought along by one of them.

As my husband didn't want to wait any longer and I have work to do, we excused ourself before the gathering ended and I reminded my mum to follow her friends who are going to the highway afterwards. When I called her later at night, she had arrived at my sister's house at Ampang.

All in all, I am happy because I was able to bring my mum to the gathering. I know she's lonely after all these years without her husband at her side (my father passed away in 2002) and she's not a talkative person so I don't really know her feelings. I love her and I hope to accompany her much more during her old days.

Mahsuri

Last Sunday evening I went to Istana Budaya to watch Teater Mahsuri directed by Fauziah Nawi. The lead actress was Vanidah Imran. I expected a good performance and was given such but overall the theater (in my simple mind opinion) was a bit below of my expectency. The acting was good but the essence of the story was not delivered effectively. This was a musical theather but I thought the music was not that good and attemps to humor the audience were to no avail. The starting was not very attention grabber and the story line was somewhat flat. The ending was good though.

Maybe I didn't view the theater highly because the only other theater I watched was Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical. Now that was what we called astounding. It realled grabbed my attention, acting was very good, props were spectacular, and the story line was very interesting. I'm sorry I have to compare Mahsuri to PGL buti think they can do better. The actress that acted as Wan Mahura also misdilevered her dialogue 4 times during the perfomance and it was obvious.

However, the last scene (climax) depicting the death sentence really moved me to tears. They have done that beautifully. So, not so much a dissapointment after all for me who is still a novice in watching theater.

exam ex..am

Exam is just around the corner... in fact, this evening it will make its debut... and I'm still not ready... I am not going to point to anyone, because I know, it's my fault I'm not ready... I think I am stressed but really cannot drag myself to study, I don't know why... I think I should see someone.. I'm terrified yet I'm still writing in this blog, as if I've finished covering all the topics.. Am I running from something? If I am, well, I'm not going to outrun it... It will still come and get me... I know that, but still, I kept typing...

Why am I like this?.. I don't realize since when I got this habit of running away from problems... Am I lacking motivation? Why should I be motivated?.. Why shouldn't I?.. Where is my long-lost drive? I need to look for it and I need it now!! Can somebody help me?

Crazy late night stay up

Yesterday was a history. I've never stay up until 4.30 am to do a job non-stop from 10 pm. Wow...I couldn't believe myself! I am one of the Module committee for the forthcoming camp called Bina Insan Guru II that we as DPLI UKM students need to go as a requirement for the education diploma. Yesterday, three of the committee members (Ain, Yuni & Pa'ie) including me were very busy editing the Module Book for the camp. Unfortunately, although we stayed at the cafe (there were people there too!) until 4.30 am, we still couldn't finish the work. There they are today beside me still doing the final job.

I went up to my room and crash down after changing (I was battling with my eyelid that begged me to just sleep without changing..haha.. I won) and woke up for Subuh prayer at 6.50 am (very late). I thought my roommate were to thank for her effort of waking me up but I was puzzled to see her fast asleep on her bed. Was I dreaming? Nevertheless, I went to the toilet very very groggy and barely able to walk straight and took wudu'. I managed to pray without falling asleep in the middle of the prayer, sleep back after I prayed and only woke up again at 10 am.

I knew I can do it if I am really focus. The condition also very important to make sure I didn't fall asleep easily (which happened quite frequently). But I think that I'm not suit to stay up late at night. I would rather woke up early, and work my way throughout the day. Staying up late also didn't do my skin and my dark circle justice but really, I just have to bare with it because I have tons of assignments to do and the deadlines are just around the corner!! Hurry up!

Last Tuesday was the my 1st attempt being a referee for a volleyball game... it surprised me that being a referee is not an easy task... by the end of two games, I was sweating as if I took part in the tournament!! ^_^ used a lot of energy there...

Thank God one of my friend (thanks Ros) helped me with the rules and regulation because not many of the player were familiar with the game (we played just for fun and one of the 'must do' activity for our course)... Actually, Ros was supposed to be the referee but I took her place because she still have to play the futsal final..

All in all, the games went well although it end quite late (at 7.30 pm, because we started late) and nobody went up to me to complained (phew!)... today is my turn to play thus i cannot be the referee so Ros will take over my place until the end of the tournament this Sunday..

let's exercise and play to make us healthy and happy!!!

Ibu mithali

Baru sebentar tadi aku terbaca mengenai seorang penerima anugerah ibu mithali yang ciri-ciri anak-anaknya tidak sama dengan ibu-ibu mithali yang lain. Mereka mempunyai anak-anak yang berjaya-berjaya belaka tetapi tidak padanya yang mempunyai lima orang 'anak istimewa'...

Betapa tersentuhnya hatiku membaca dari sudut pandangan anak angkatnya yang normal menceritakan kronologi peristiwa semenjak dia kecil mengenai abang-abang dan kakak-kakaknya sehingga kini. Sekarang aku terfikir tabahkah aku sekiranya diuji dengan ujian sebesar itu? Subhanallah yang menguji manusia sesuai dengan kemampuan mereka... Tabahnya juga seorang guru yang mendidik anak-anak murid istimewanya dengan kasih sayang dan kejujuran... Kepada kawan-kawan yang mengambil pendidikan khas, selamat menabur bakti kepada 'anak-anak istimewa' ini.. Mungkin jalan kita berbeza..

Meminjam lirik Hijjaz:

Hidup tidak selalunya indah
Langit tak selalu cerah
Suram malam tak berbintang
Itulah lukisan alam
Begitu aturan Tuhan

Beringat bahawa hidup tidak selalu indah, tidak selalu senang, tetapi ujian-ujian ini didatangkan oleh Allah untuk memperkasa diri kita dan memberi peluang untuk sentiasa muhasabah diri..

Insya-Allah.. Bersyukurlah dengan apa yang ada dan lebih bersyukurlah dengan orang-orang yang ada di sekeliling kita yang selalu menyayangi kita masa susah dan senang... Hargai mereka... Hargai juga anak-anak murid walau bagaimana teruknya mereka pada pandangan umum kerana kita bukan Tuhan untuk mengadili... Semoga menjadi pendidik yang ikhlas... Insya-Allah..

twisting and turning of fate in everyday life

Today my hubby had to get up early to send me back to the uni.. In order to make sure he will catch the 7.30 train to KL Sentral from Serdang (that's where we live), we supposed to be on the road by 6.30 am to send me first to Bangi then turn back to Serdang to catch the train.

However, as usual (this has happened a few times), we were late (it was already 7.00 am) so I offered to take the Comuter to UKM. As usual also, he will argue with me because I brought along such a big and heavy bag and he (as a good husband) didn't want me to carry it by myself (oh so sweet and considerate). But I managed to convince him (because I don't want him to be late for work) and we end up at the KTM Serdang Station.

When we get there, there was a train to Rawang (he was supposed to get into that train) but it was just 7.11 am so he said that he will catch the next train. Just as the train chugged by, there was an announcement about power outage in one of the station so there will be more than 60 minutes delay for the next train (until they solve the problem). Duh!! So, what to do? We went out of the station (on the way to the car I stopped a few people to say there is a one hour delay but they didn't seemed to believe me so I didn't bother to tell other people that I met later) and he sent me to UKM by car and said he will drive to KL Sentral and park there (there's a bus there to take him to his workplace in Damansara).

At last, he was the one who sent me back (after much of arguing and convincing in the car before we reached KTM Serdang Station which used my voice and saliva a lot), I didn't have to carry that monstrous bag, he end up driving to Damansara (had to park very far from the building he work in because there were no more parking space) and was late for work. Hmm...so much of not wanting him to be late. Well, fate has something for us and this is just one of it!

Well KTM Comuter service, please be considerate to people and upgrade the system. Another duh!!!

my soul mate's tear

Last Saturday I went to the cinema to watch "Seven Pounds" starring Will Smith.. I really don't have much free time these days because of my hectic schedule and my hubby is on a course (Saturday and Sunday) for 11 weeks.. So only at night we can go out and go to the cinema. I'm a self-declared movie lover so I kind of hate that I've missed a few movies that I would like to watch.

So...we watch the movie and it felt like a slow one but full of mysteries. It made you think "Who is he? What happened? Why do he act this way?" and many more questions. As the movie progress we were presented with glimpses of his past and acts of the present persona so we have to scratch our brain to make sense of it all. Towards the end of the movie, the pieces were slowly put into place and the main character made the ultimate choice to end his life (it is all been planned earlier by himself) to give the final chosen persons the 'gift of life'.

The first few minutes of this movie has already made me think it was going to be a sad one. There were a few heart-wrenching incidents in it but nothing moved me to tears (I usually shed tears rather freely) but I'm quite surprised to hear sobs from the person sitting behind me. However, the climax is really a shocked for me because I never thought that Ben is going that far. My partner beside me remained very quite during that act so I took a peek and surprised! I saw streaks of tears on his cheeks! I myself was drowning in them so I didn't really notice that almost everybody in the cinema were weeping during the most unimaginable scene of how a person could sacrifice himself for a stranger. I waited until the movie was over and only teased him outside the cinema. I never saw him cry before (after 4 years of relationship and 1/2 year of marriage) so I never thought he is capable of crying out of movies especially! Well..well..what a pleasant surprise... ^_^

PERMATApintar

Last Friday there was a conference in my uni about the steps that have been taken by the Center for Talented Youth by Johns Hopkins University to track the so called "geniuses" in the US. My country is trying to do the same so two professors - Dr. Julian Jones and Dr. Patricia Wallace came here and be the speakers of the conference and they worked with the lecturers and professors in my uni to create this PERMATApintar program with the template from CTY but with a local twist to it.

Actually we teachers-to-be were forced to go there but surprisingly I find the conference interesting enough to keep me from falling asleep... with the educational games (called the descartes' cove) that they create make it interesting for these gifted students to explore the world of mathematics and science..

These geniuses are scattered in the community but unknowingly to our eyes, they sometimes viewed as troubled children because they are bored in school learning the same thing as their not-so-genius peers.. so, hopefully with this program, the government are able to detect these gifted young people because they are the assests that need to be nurtured so they will become a successful person later in life and give back to the country..

So in you are Malaysian and young (ages 9-15), please feel free to go to this website www.permatapintar.com.my and take the IQ test (part of the 3 steps screening program).. who knows maybe you have the genius in you?.. for parents, ask your child to take it.. this is one of the way to help them..

Good luck!! ^_^

the FIRST little one

the first entry to a blog that i've never dream to have..

lets see.. now my life seems getting to somewhere that never occurs to me of doing it in the last 5 years.. sometimes, life has an interesting twist and turn to it.. I have once read about the choices that we make today will determine our life in the days and years to come.. and we do have choice, it's all in our hands..

hmm.. that's not untrue at all.. when I think real hard, I know that I have made choices to what have I become today.. although we don't realise it sometime, like "i'm real lazy to study, or do my assignments" will lead to low marks and low marks lead to low CGPA and low CGPA leads to difficulty to get a job.. phew! that's just sucks right..

so people, choices are important.. let's do our best to make sure that the choices we made are 100% on us and let's not regret it later...