tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66198772951437273692024-03-14T12:39:04.458+04:00d story so farwhat i see, what i do, what i feel.. here..mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-80192281049107170032010-10-30T19:33:00.017+04:002010-10-30T21:25:24.247+04:00It's Time!We're nearing the end of 2010. It has been an interesting year so far. Though the very best for me is yet to come. Very, very, very soon! :)<br /><br />Somewhere around after my previous entry in March, I experienced some changes in my body. I felt weak, nauseated, unable to focus and just plain tired. I have never felt such way in my entire life. It happened every morning while I was at work, while furiously finishing or checking drawings. It did occur to me, 'do i really seriously hate my job to be feeling like this?' Which was of course not the case at all. Deep inside I knew my body was changing it's course in life to accept a new life within.<br /><br />After about a week of feeling yucky, I took a home test. At this point, I was still in denial thinking I probably just caught the flu or some mild virus. I wasn't planning on it. I somehow felt like I was still young (albeit being 29) and I haven't achieved anything yet in life to be taking on a huge responsibility for the rest of my life. Yet I took the test. I had to know. And I got my answer. I was pregnant.<br /><br />I spent the first few days in a whirlwind of emotions. I was scared, excited, worried and curious all at the same time. I booked an appointment with the doc and she confirmed I was in my 7th week. A week after, I went for a scan and gushed at the scan prints. Wow. Subhanallah. Praise Allah at the tiny life growing inside of me. So tiny and so fragile. I was overwhelmed with joy by now and accepted that I was going to be a mother in November 2010.<br /><br />Living abroad, I didn't have my parents, relatives or close friends within reach. I had so many questions on what to do and what not to do during the early stages of pregnancy. Talking to my mom on the phone was just not the same as having her in front of me, giving me advice. I had a lot of chat sessions with my cousin Zurien, asking her about her experience when she was pregnant. I think I may have sounded a bit paranoid about a lot of things from food to hospital visits that she said to me, 'Relax. Everybody gets pregnant everyday. It's a normal thing. Don't worry too much'. That helped. I started to take things one step at a time and just enjoyed the ride.<br /><br />I learned a lot about pregnancy through books and the net. Like I mentioned before, I had no one around to ask. Alhamdulillah, thank god that I had a normal pregnancy and everything that was happening to me was exactly how I read about it. My morning sickness stopped at exactly 12 weeks and everything went smoothly from there on.<br /><br />I first felt my baby kick at around 20 weeks. I had read that sometimes when you prod your tummy, the baby will respond by prodding you back. So one night, I was lying in bed and wanted to check out if this was true. I put my hand on my tummy and gently pressed down. A few seconds later, something nudged me back. I almost cried. It was the most beautiful thing to have that first interaction with my baby. I called for my husband and told him to do the same thing. And baby responded again. It was a lovely moment.<br /><br />Fast forward, I am now in my 38th week. Hard to believe I have come this far. It has been a wonderful journey I will never forget. I loved every single minute of it and every single movement the baby makes. When I first found out I had conceived, a friend had told me she misses being pregnant. At that time I just wondered how can anybody miss being sick and feeling bloated for nine months? And now I understand completely. Once my baby is born, I know I will miss feeling him (yes, it's a boy!) inside of me, being so close to him, talking to him and worrying each time I don't feel him move or kick me (to indicate he's well and fine).<br /><br />Being pregnant has taught me the love and sacrifice of being a mom. And how our mothers felt when they were carrying us. And how much we sometimes hurt them with our words and actions growing up. I hope to teach my son well about love and respect and I want him to grow into a beautiful person. Just as beautiful as how my pregnancy with him was.<br /><br />My due date is on the 8th of November. I would love that date, as it's the opposite of my 11th of August birth date. But I've always had the feeling I will be delivering earlier than that. I had a 'show' yesterday morning, indicating labour is imminent. So far, I haven't felt any signs of starting contractions yet. Which is good, as I really want my husband to be by my side when I go into labour. He will be arriving in KL from Dubai on early Monday morning. I've been whispering to baby to wait till his daddy comes home. I think and hope that's what he wants too.. :)mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-221872425302960802010-03-14T23:44:00.002+04:002010-03-15T00:18:36.348+04:00What to do first?Is it March already?! Eek! So time <span style="font-style: italic;">does</span> not wait for anyone. *Light bulb moment!* Hahaha.<br /><br />I've been so busy at the office, working like a robot. Meaning, like I'm doing things on auto mode, getting tasks done, though knowing what I'm doing and hopefully doing them right. But my heart is just.. lost. I love what I do and I love all the things that come with it, but why is my heart lost?<br /><br />Could it be being away from work for such a long time has frozen my drive and enthusiasm? Or could it be that I know I'm destined for better things (which have not happened at the moment) and what I'm going through now is just an intermission to a more interesting and exciting life, so I have unconsciously switched myself to auto mode, to pass time?<br /><br />When people ask me 'How's work?', I answer, 'Great! Loving it!'. Which is quite true, I am loving my job. But I am not 100% purely, insanely happy. [Note: this only applies to my working career. I am 100% purely and insanely happy with my love life and family life].<br /><br />I hope I find what my heart is missing. Soon. ASAP.<br /><br />In the meantime, I need to plan a trip to Europe. Possibly for the end of the year but more likely to be in the first quarter of 2011. I need to list down where I want to go, what I want to see. And I need to sit down and read the Dummies Guide to Europe I just bought.<br /><br />I also want to write a book, though I have no idea what I want to write about.<br /><br />And I want to play computer games. I used to do so much of that all these years. But with work at the office and tending to my husband at home, I really can't find time to. I somehow feel playing computer games gets me in motion. Triggers my brain. Makes me more aware.<br /><br />Hmm.. maybe that's what I really need to help me not feel like the undead...mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-39599821066213502922010-01-18T16:01:00.013+04:002010-01-18T18:08:53.797+04:00The Cowboy TripI say cowboy because in my language (spelt 'koboi') it means unplanned, unsuspected and in other words, 'roughing it' (no offense to any cowboys out there, but cowboys are rough n rugged n sometimes can be dashingly handsome!) :) . 'Koboi' is not a registered word in the Malay dictionary, so don't go looking for it!<br /><br />Anyways, I promised pics from my trip. I've put them all up in Facebook, so I'll just put one or two here. A little bit about my trip... There were 12 people in the group. We left Dubai at around 11pm on the 25th of November 2009. The person in charge had rented a coaster (sort of like a mini bus) which came with a driver (thank god) and we glided through the night heading for Musandam, Oman.<br /><br />After all the necessary passport clearances at the UAE-Oman border, we finally reached our destination at about 3am. We stopped at a rocky beach to rest, get some shut eye and wake up in time to catch the sun rise. By the time we had set up tents and figured out whether to sleep in the tents or ditch the tents and sleep in the coaster (hard rocky beaches can be very cold and unforgivingly give you a full body reflexology) it was already 4.30am. Which meant we only had a few hours to sleep. So sleep we did. I chose the tent.<br /><br />Woke up at 7.30 and was just in time to watch the sun rise from the jagged rocky mountain landscape. Masyaallah, the surrounding scenery was beautiful! We couldn't see much when we arrived as it was quite dark. So to wake up to the breathtaking sight was a treat! Cameras poised, we started snapping away. Freshening up was a problem as the only facility on the beach was a 4 cubicle male and female toilet. No showering it seems. But it's a beach. And there's no shower? So we brushed our teeth and washed our faces. That'll do. For now.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8middhKeEM2fJqCZHmjZoD7NaLEHRDPCn3TZ-sFFH8Xdk7DdZIZqeHv83esvDW1GRcnbgAygD7DAuQnzlYdsX343FSUEhclRfhr4LBCmpvZ42x2GEyNlPzcp4HezwgwtXtDM4_Xe1HOpn/s1600-h/12841_362163975413_746910413_10152254_2156747_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8middhKeEM2fJqCZHmjZoD7NaLEHRDPCn3TZ-sFFH8Xdk7DdZIZqeHv83esvDW1GRcnbgAygD7DAuQnzlYdsX343FSUEhclRfhr4LBCmpvZ42x2GEyNlPzcp4HezwgwtXtDM4_Xe1HOpn/s320/12841_362163975413_746910413_10152254_2156747_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428077673446219378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sunrise at the beach</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJJf-yOrokH8GrSosmjPC2mbZBVdCcGkDoEnpCnXYxqTB35NOXwDVO85CiQ5ce4hUukhrcqlFGt0BFXfoj77DCtZXXkBGYyjEp4QNXcoAgxgU6rAeoa7aV_wYImdUhyphenhyphenpte5K2Exhw2841/s1600-h/12841_362163990413_746910413_10152255_4510949_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJJf-yOrokH8GrSosmjPC2mbZBVdCcGkDoEnpCnXYxqTB35NOXwDVO85CiQ5ce4hUukhrcqlFGt0BFXfoj77DCtZXXkBGYyjEp4QNXcoAgxgU6rAeoa7aV_wYImdUhyphenhyphenpte5K2Exhw2841/s320/12841_362163990413_746910413_10152255_4510949_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428077999291497458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Professionals at work</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IvFoy3dRkouwS_X2cZaajF_qQuhpZXBGqfDOviKIofkUMHo4nfmFMHbIaER6Y0HsP3ukpO6GZzE70UHC8ssosWaacn8XXmulBcSVJ3f74FT2x0Et3JAljIQGUizktdBInZRHEUtkg_99/s1600-h/12841_362166140413_746910413_10152295_6918829_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IvFoy3dRkouwS_X2cZaajF_qQuhpZXBGqfDOviKIofkUMHo4nfmFMHbIaER6Y0HsP3ukpO6GZzE70UHC8ssosWaacn8XXmulBcSVJ3f74FT2x0Et3JAljIQGUizktdBInZRHEUtkg_99/s320/12841_362166140413_746910413_10152295_6918829_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428078405528643042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The coaster</span><br /></div><br />Drove to Khasab town to get brekkie and scout for the cheapest adventure package we could get. Adventure package meaning mountain safari and sea tour. Ok, not so adventurous after all, I guess. :D Breakfast was 'roti canai' or paratha with curry. Yum. Best roti canai I've had since moving to the UAE. And I got it in Oman. Funny.<br /><br />After much negotiation, we got a good deal for our two-day package from one of the many travel agents in town. When it was time for the mountain safari, three 4WD's came to pick us up. One was a Toyota, one a GMC and the last one.. a Hummer! Be still my heart. Ok, Hummers may not be THE dream car and not many people would want to own one (unless you have loads of money and have no other car in mind to buy, or you live next to rocky mountains and a Hummer might only be the most stylish viable choice) but to at least get to ride in the thing would make anyone happy. Right? So anyway, I didn't push my way through to secure myself a seat but instead let the organisers of the trip have their few hours of bliss. *Sigh* So my husband and I trotted over to the least appealing of the three, the Toyota. *Sigh*<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41v37OxE9KP2N-1GYqjeOiSIuLqu02wkJQ3LA3SUAkK8QVUqah7hK8i0kQ7MmsTqxg6kLuwE17SssDaYibHiUyrfNjxsuRuJJiRKC9PpunpVC1Oe6f8IAAYJFa49Z1aOS8JQ701-npht4/s1600-h/12841_363632160413_746910413_10162866_7556618_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41v37OxE9KP2N-1GYqjeOiSIuLqu02wkJQ3LA3SUAkK8QVUqah7hK8i0kQ7MmsTqxg6kLuwE17SssDaYibHiUyrfNjxsuRuJJiRKC9PpunpVC1Oe6f8IAAYJFa49Z1aOS8JQ701-npht4/s320/12841_363632160413_746910413_10162866_7556618_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428078737167186226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The mountain safari</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswBhw5aRXuQLJeX9zkAnjhNB-Y94xKFku80JF14X5zt1vHvDYe5-R-rZnhlAWOx7cW_Fu6MyRWuPoIfeiuaNYBfhp4PrsUEzvAN3KX034iIdW1JJicdS3O8a54YcchkjZozjEW9U3kVV_/s1600-h/12841_363632135413_746910413_10162865_8268907_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswBhw5aRXuQLJeX9zkAnjhNB-Y94xKFku80JF14X5zt1vHvDYe5-R-rZnhlAWOx7cW_Fu6MyRWuPoIfeiuaNYBfhp4PrsUEzvAN3KX034iIdW1JJicdS3O8a54YcchkjZozjEW9U3kVV_/s320/12841_363632135413_746910413_10162865_8268907_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428079105968226258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">View from the top</span><br /></div><br />The mountain safari was alright. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just views of the rocky mountains from above. All four of us in the Toyota fell in and out of sleep from the lack of it the night before. I kept banging my head against the window every time I dozed off. Which later resulted in a mild headache. Ouch.<br /><br />It was quite dark when we went back to the beach to set up tent again and prepare for our barbeque. Everyone was tired but in a good mood and we ate, chatted and went to sleep. I again chose the tent. I just love freezing to death and roll on stones in my sleep..<br /><br />The next morning we packed up and headed to the docks for our sea tour. Please note, we haven't showered since we arrived with the excuse that we'll get to jump into the water when the dhow (name for traditional boat in the region) drops anchor for the snorkeling session. Our mums would have been so proud of us! So the dhow cruised into the open waters and along rocky cliffs. The water was a deep green and was oh-so-enchanting. When we reached a tiny rocky island where the snorkeling session was to take place, everyone jumped to their feet in excitement only to find out our dhow (and tour agent) didn't provide enough snorkeling gear and life vests! This was rather unsettling as other dhows (from other tour agents) around us provided each person on its vessel with a life vest if not with snorkeling gear. We only had 3 or 4 life vests and about 5 or 6 snorkeling masks. And our dhow was carrying about 30 adults and children! The children snapped up all the gear in no time.<br /><br />My husband is not a good swimmer so he really needed a life vest if he was to jump into the water. Mind you, it was deep open water and more than a 100 meter swim to the rocky island. Even I had doubts whether to jump in or not and I am quite a good swimmer! Only half of our group jumped in in the end including me and my husband. He managed to get a life vest when one of the kids was done with it. The water was so refreshing and I felt a bit cleaner after not showering for 2 days! I can't say the same for the rest who chose not to jump in though. I'm sure they were very disappointed as we were all looking forward to it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2jEvKv6xiGm092_S-QtpL_a_WSJhwvCiRP5TSG1pXOAU-zF568PCWsBLrokzP8DegQxYJxEQp4WmabFknZQqlUMBLdwrT54hOJFTzNTR1OExvMyAhNawJ_c85I61jjJAhE678fKoQ9sn/s1600-h/12841_363750215413_746910413_10163741_1567758_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2jEvKv6xiGm092_S-QtpL_a_WSJhwvCiRP5TSG1pXOAU-zF568PCWsBLrokzP8DegQxYJxEQp4WmabFknZQqlUMBLdwrT54hOJFTzNTR1OExvMyAhNawJ_c85I61jjJAhE678fKoQ9sn/s320/12841_363750215413_746910413_10163741_1567758_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428079460227333698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The docks</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OJRMxiZiD3x3FYkNvoW_mMpsatu4ijDHIM8XjLl7obCcK3K7XiemJqdb1CTKCB1RGn2OqtgfsLwF7fXjRVOp1hyO22ZzTdF8bSwFrqotvp9Au27GifCAh2a7o-4TcvBppkrVo-Xdd0gz/s1600-h/12841_368067220413_746910413_10190687_2376776_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OJRMxiZiD3x3FYkNvoW_mMpsatu4ijDHIM8XjLl7obCcK3K7XiemJqdb1CTKCB1RGn2OqtgfsLwF7fXjRVOp1hyO22ZzTdF8bSwFrqotvp9Au27GifCAh2a7o-4TcvBppkrVo-Xdd0gz/s320/12841_368067220413_746910413_10190687_2376776_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428079944621416818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Swim, but please don't drown in the process</span><br /></div><br />On the way back to the docks, as promised, a small school of dolphins followed our dhow and jumped out of the water then and again. That was probably the highlight of the whole trip! Everyone was so excited and shouted 'oooouuuhhh' and 'aaaaahhhhh' every time the cute thing displayed its acrobatic skills.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZR4oqgqk5pPUQePVMhpjqhsUGaL7nJaY9myOf81kqsMW3HZRd_D9551C6pfXmuBAJq2HcU-2j0oCvg2poxpncRVOldlYvtK3snS6_lgVesfER5v96TPojo2fkcl-v_XTgZBMx8cDy_I1v/s1600-h/12841_368081735413_746910413_10190750_7004401_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZR4oqgqk5pPUQePVMhpjqhsUGaL7nJaY9myOf81kqsMW3HZRd_D9551C6pfXmuBAJq2HcU-2j0oCvg2poxpncRVOldlYvtK3snS6_lgVesfER5v96TPojo2fkcl-v_XTgZBMx8cDy_I1v/s320/12841_368081735413_746910413_10190750_7004401_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428080340566052946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hi cutie!<br /></span></div><br />Our coaster headed home that evening. Everyone was tired, exhausted but at the same time happy with the trip. We saw some amazing sights, made new friends and talked about going on another adventure. When and where has yet to be determined.<br /><br />And if we have to rough it again, 'koboi' style, I say, bring it on! :)mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-89082040202815806742009-11-25T00:53:00.002+04:002009-11-25T01:20:20.095+04:00A New ChapterI finally got a job. Been working for a month now. Loving it! Mainly because now I have more challenging tasks to be tackled everyday instead of harvesting my crops on Farmville! Looking back, I seriously do not know how I passed 15 months, jobless (yes, I said 15 months!). Mind boggling, really. And during those months, those close to my heart have continuously reminded me to enjoy the time I have (being jobless) because when I do get a job, I will miss having all the time to myself. Proud to say, I spent my time in those many months well, cherished it and now am ready to take on the world! Okay, one step at a time..<br /><br />Tomorrow will be an exciting day. As Thursday is the start of a 3-day Eid Ul Adha holiday here in the UAE, our boss has kindly (and rather surprisingly) arranged for a company paintball event. And has also given us half day off as to make sure we arrive at the paintball venue on time. Great, I have a feeling I will get hit severely this time around. *please refer to previous entry on my paintball experience*<br /><br />After the game, we will all be treated to dinner and then I have to rush back home, gather my stuff (and my husband) and join Bak and friends on a trip to Musandam, Oman. The rented coaster will leave at 11pm. I hope I make it on time.<br /><br />I'm not really sure what we'll be doing in Musandam, but Bak did mention snorkeling and dolphins. Sounds interesting. Even more interesting, the trip will be 2 days and 2 nights, with no sleeping arrangements. Meaning, we will sleep in the coaster, by the side of the road and will brush our teeth at any restrooms we can find. Nice. I haven't roughed it for quite some time. And I don't mind it at all, really. It will be quite refreshing I'm sure.<br /><br />Well, I have to go pack now. I need to dig for thick clothes for the paintball gig. And gather my bathing attire for swimming with the dolphins. Hope I'll be back soon with pics from my trip.mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-21890490866102259402009-07-18T11:59:00.006+04:002009-07-18T13:17:41.508+04:00My Cousin Is Married!Yes, I have kicked myself repeatedly for not updating. Not so much because people will have nothing to read (god knows if people even read my blog!). But it's more about discipline and fulfilling something I've started in my life.<br /><br />So, cousin Aida got married on the 3rd & 4th of August. The solemnisation ceremony was on the 3rd and the reception was on the 4th. It was a beautiful wedding. I especially liked the 'nikah' (solemnisation). It felt like we were in a different world. With fairy lights and flowers everywhere, I imagined myself in a private garden far away from the city. In reality, Aida's parents house is just by the side of a fairly busy road!<br /><br />The few weeks coming up to the wedding, I spent most of my days at Aida's, helping prepare all sorts of stuff. From gluing coasters on gift boxes, to cutting ribbons, to gluing ribbons to bottles, to filling gift boxes with nest-like paper. I also had to accompany Aida to the designer's and buy last minute bits and pieces. The weeks were hectic, but I loved every minute of it as I reminisced the days and the fun I had leading up to my wedding last year.<br /><br />Speaking of my wedding last year...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">HAPPY 1ST ANNIVERSARY</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">MY DARLING HUBBY!!</span></span><br /><br />Yup, today is our one year anniversary! My god.. has it been a year already?? Doesn't feel like it. I think I should take life as it comes and stop counting days and years. That way, I'll always feel young and not take my age into account. Hmm, yes, I'm in denial. Let me be..<br /><br />It's not a good feeling to celebrate your anniversary away from your hubby. I am still in Malaysia and Cha is in Dubai. Can't wait to give him a big hug when I return to Dubai in mid August.<br /><br />Back to Aida, or should I say Puan Aida ;) <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Congratulations!</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">(again)</span>. Hope you and Azman will live a beautiful life together and be blessed with many darling little children.<br /><br />We're waiting for Adelin now..... ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjeXamirJpvrKu_BcpLYYlI8ARRgSbE5xUEmxIeF36QV_4_0_CNBEyc_c-P3MxxSXdm6cjzfn9Sz2176RzEgK0Awj2uBI9A2Wv8dGO7k2-5IrzZFw8PKr0EeH09DhfpLOUWGLmycnywx3/s1600-h/DSCN4554.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjeXamirJpvrKu_BcpLYYlI8ARRgSbE5xUEmxIeF36QV_4_0_CNBEyc_c-P3MxxSXdm6cjzfn9Sz2176RzEgK0Awj2uBI9A2Wv8dGO7k2-5IrzZFw8PKr0EeH09DhfpLOUWGLmycnywx3/s400/DSCN4554.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359725466755396226" border="0" /></a>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-62129082354434189122009-05-14T23:02:00.000+04:002009-05-14T23:42:02.742+04:00HomeMy friend 'L' reminded me I had a blog. :D<br /><br />I am now back on home soil, fabulous Malaysia! I'm glad to be back, just a bit heartbroken to leave my hubby in Dubai. Will be seeing him soon in July when he comes back for cousin Aida's wedding.<br /><br />I am not kidding when I say Malaysia's heat is just unbearable. When I left Dubai, the temperature over there clocked in at 43degs Celsius. Yes, its a big number but somehow not as deathly draining as Malaysia's 30 something degrees weather. I was told it hasn't been raining for quite some time so maybe that's why I feel like I'm trapped in a sauna.<br /><br />And because it has been so hot, with the sun beaming its delightful rays upon us, my skin has darkened significantly. I actually feel burnt! My mom just commented a week and a half ago when I touched down at KLIA that I had gotten fairer living in Dubai. Well, since I've been home-bound jobless for the past nine months (if I had gotten preggers, I would have had a baby right now), its no wonder I lightened up from lack of sun exposure. And now, after just a mere one and a half weeks, my efforts of pale-ing myself have been thwarted. Damn.mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-65048965818589064492009-04-01T14:55:00.003+04:002009-04-01T16:01:21.449+04:00Gets me everytime!I was watching an episode of Oprah and she talked about the 'Christian the lion' video which had generated millions of views on youtube. I had seen the video a few months ago and cried my eyes out as I am such a sucker for things like this. Later that day, when my husband came home from work I showed him the video and cried my eyes out again watching it with him. Then the next day, I emailed the video link to my mom and for fun, I watched the video again. And cried my eyes out again!<br /><br />And yes, you guessed it! I was bawling like a baby when I saw the clip again on Oprah! Thanks Oprah. I needed to clear my eyes out of Dubai dust.<br /><br />So anyways, last Saturday I went for Coldplay's concert in Abu Dhabi with my husband and a couple of friends. Weather forecast showed that it was going to rain that day and I was sooo hoping that it wouldn't as the concert was outdoors. Or at least rain during the day so we could enjoy the concert at night.<br /><br />As if on cue, it started to rain lightly when we were lining up to get into the venue. Good thing we had plastic bags to put our mobiles and other stuff in. It continued to drizzle for quite some time and still I was hoping it would stop before the concert started.<br /><br />The rain did stop, thank god. Coldplay came out on time and started performing. They were so great! The sound system was superb. We were singing along and jumping up and down. All the while, thunder was rumbling and lighting was illuminating the sky. And then suddenly, probably halfway through the concert, when Coldplay was performing Yellow, rain came pouring down like mad! I was drenched! The only thing I had to cover my head with was a pashmina. It's not plastic. So it didn't help. I had to wring water out of it once in a while and put it over my head again. Even so, Coldplay continued playing so we tried our best to pay attention through the cold shower.<br /><br />Like Coldplay's performance, the skies gave it their all and the rain stopped after about 30 mins. The show went on and we continued to scream our hearts out to their songs. Since that day the whole world was celebrating Earth Hour, I noticed Coldplay only put minimal lighting for most of their slow songs. There was even a time when Chris Martin asked for the lights to be turned off and he asked everybody in the audience to hold up their mobile phones' lights.<br /><br />Another highlight of the concert was when Chris brought a lady up on stage because it was her birthday that day. Apprently, the lady's sisters were screaming at Chris (they were all standing right in front of the extended stage) and he heard, and he said the right thing to do was to bring her up on stage since it was her birthday and it had been raining. Lucky her!!<br /><br />The concert ended with an encore where Coldplay played The Scientist and Life in Technicolor. It was a great concert. The best I've been to so far. I can't stop watching the video clips I took. Gives me goosebumps (not tears!) everytime!mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-89901475212399569922009-02-22T13:33:00.004+04:002009-02-22T22:20:25.350+04:00Border ShockLast Friday my husband and I took a one hour drive to the Hatta - Oman border to do my visa run. I've been doing visa runs ever since I arrived in Dubai. When I first touched down at the airport last August, the UAE immigration granted me a 30 day visit visa, just like any other visitor to the UAE would get. Before the 30 days are up, you are supposed to well, leave the country or go do a visa run. A visa run is where you go to a UAE border (in my case, the Hatta - Oman border), get an exit chop from the UAE immigration, enter Oman, exit Oman and re-enter UAE with a fresh chop for another 30 days stay in the UAE. There are only a group of countries which are allowed to do this visa run and thankfully, Malaysia is one of them. <span style="font-style: italic;">Syukur</span>..<br /><br />Another easier way to avoid doing visa runs is to apply for a spouse visa under my husband who holds a UAE resident visa. Spouse visas cost a few thousand dirhams and as we had just got married when I came to Dubai, we decided not to opt for that. Aaaaaand, we were so so sure that I would get a job within the first two months in Dubai and usually when you get hired, the company you work for will take care of your visa. So that would save us the few thousand if we were to apply for the spouse visa.<br /><br />On my first visa run in September, I was granted the same 30 days as before. Then I heard stories of friends who went for visa runs after I did mine that the rules have been changed and visit visa's are now granted for 60 days instead of 30. Okay, so I missed out on that. No worries. So when we went for my second visa run in October, we were happy to know that I was granted a 60 day visa. I went for the next run on the 27th of December 2008. Again, just to be sure, we asked for how many days my visa was valid for. The officer said, '60 days. Even though the chop in the passport says 30. We have not received the new stamps which states 60 days. But here in the computer it states your visa is valid until the 24th of February 2009'. Such words of assurance.<br /><br />The run I went for last Friday was 4 days before my visa was supposed to expire. I reached the counter, handed my passport to the UAE officer and waited for him to slam an exit chop into my passport. Instead, his brow creased and he looked annoyed. Then he started talking VERY loudly to his colleagues in Arabic. I didn't expect anything to be out of order as the Arabs do have the tendency to talk to each other and totally ignore that you are standing in front of them. Then suddenly, he shoved my passport back to me and growled, 'Go see manager in that building. Go see manager!' pointing to a building across the road. If you were me and saw how huge this officer was, you would also stop yourself from asking 'Why?' and just go and see the manager like he says.<br /><br />So Cha and I walked over and asked to see the manager. An officer (we'll call him Officer B and the earlier one Officer A, ok) at the door asked why, and we told him Officer A sent us but he didn't say why. So Officer B asked for our passports, told us to wait and vanished inside the office. 15 minutes passed. At this point I definitely knew something was wrong. My crazy mind started imagining handcuffs and rough shoving. I shuddered to think what was going to happen when I didn't really know what was wrong in the first place! At the same time, I noticed many other different nationalities going in and coming out of the manager's office. A few minutes later, Officer B came back with our passports and said sorry it took so long (yes, he was one of the rare few who were actually polite). He said nothing was wrong and told us to go back to Officer A and tell him there was no problem. Still, absence of explanation.<br /><br />I went back in line at Officer A's counter. More people had arrived who I suppose were there to do visa runs as well. So I had to wait for quite a bit. When my turn came, my husband handed over our passports and told Officer A the manager said there was no problem. He gave us a look and started punching at his keyboard. And again, he started talking loudly to his peers. Only this time he looked and sounded really, really angry. Still not saying anything to us, he picked up his metal stamp and flung it across the counter. Thank god he was inside the cabin and we were outside, separated by see-through counter barriers. Then he pulled off his identity card which hung from his uniform pocket and threw that too on the counter. As if to say, 'I don't want to do this job anymore'. I was really scared and confused that I didn't dare to even look, much less ask him anything as he continued to now shout a string of Arabic words around. After this went on for about 10 minutes plus a few minutes that Officer A was on the phone probably talking to the manager, our passports were shoved back to us with words - 'Go to manager. You overstay. You overstay!'<br /><br />Okay. So the problem was I overstayed. But that was not possible as we were assured two months ago my visa is valid till the 24th of February. We went back and asked to see the manager. To cut the story short, the manager checked my passport details on his computer and said I did overstay. We told him what the officer in December had said. He told us to talk to Officer Hassan (that's December officer's name) and said he couldn't help. Officer Hassan it seems, was out and would only be back in an hour. So we waited, and waited and waited. I asked Cha what would happen next. He said we'd have to pay a fine for the days I overstayed and only then can we get the exit chop and proceed to enter and exit Oman. Cha was shaking his head in disbelief as he said we'd probably have to pay thousands as the first overstay day would cost us 200 dirhams and the following days 100 dirhams each. We sat in silence the rest of the time as I was shocked and sad, and he was shocked and angry.<br /><br />During this time, I noticed some faces I had seen throughout the day queueing up at the immigration payment counter. One Korean lady and her English husband were complaining to the officer at the payment counter as to why they did not accept credit cards as no one carries thousands of dirhams around. I knew that in a few minutes or hours, I would be facing the same situation.<br /><br />We finally got to see Officer Hassan and asked him how is it possible that I have overstayed my visa when he had assured us the visa would be valid for 60 days. His reply was that the government changed the rules on the 26th of December that visas would only be valid for 40 days instead of 60. My god! <span style="font-weight: bold;">30, 60 then 40 days?! Can the UAE government please make up their mind!!</span><br /><br />'But I came on the 27th! Why did you tell me I had 60 days when the rules changed one day before?'. He said they had not been informed at that time. And I said, 'But this is not my fault! How was I supposed to know the rules had changed?'. He said, 'I know. But everyone also has the same problem. Everyone else also didn't know. You have to pay the fine'. There was no other way out. There was nothing we could do.<br /><br />The computers showed I overstayed for 16 days. Guess how much I had to pay?<br /><br />1700 dirhams!!<br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />(if I was hooked up on hospital equipment, that line above indicates what happened to my heart. It stopped beating)<br /><br />We were lucky we had the cash between us. And that was the last of what we had to spend for this month. We are now officially <span style="font-weight: bold;">broke</span>. Until my husband gets his salary for this month. Even so, this calamity will definitely rattle our financial plans for months to come.<br /><br />After we paid the bloody fine, we had to go back to Officer A's building to get an exit chop. Thank god he was not around anymore. Maybe his shift ended. And as another officer took care of some paperwork regarding my passport, I saw a woman carrying a toddler in one hand and holding the hand of her daughter in another, plead with the officer behind the counter next to mine. 'Please sir, I didn't know the rules have changed. I do this every time. Every time I get 60 days. I didn't know. Please sir, help me just this one time. Please', she begged. The officer just sternly replied she had to pay a 1700 dirhams fine and that was that. I turned away as I did not want to see the disappointment in the woman's face.<br /><br />I finally got an exit stamp in my passport. As I was walking away, I glanced at the counter next to mine as an Englishman's eyes bulged just as he was told he had to pay a 1500 dirhams fine. Another victim to this merciless drama.<br /><br />Everything went on smooth after that. Went to Oman, entered, exited and re-entered UAE. Five hours in total was spent that Friday for something that usually only took 2 hours.<br /><br />But it got me to thinking, in this time of financial desperation, is this some kind of conspiracy played upon us defenseless expats as an easy way to swindle money out of us? Just imagine, if one overstaying person had to pay 1500 dirhams each and there were say, 30 people on that dreaded Friday that had to pay the fine. Hmm.. you do the math.mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-34357881370123141452009-02-16T16:49:00.005+04:002009-02-16T17:59:52.073+04:00Desperate TimesToday (as I do everyday), I checked up on a few sites I have bookmarked which lists jobs available in the UAE. One thing I have noticed over the weeks is that the 'jobs available' list is getting thinner and the 'jobs wanted' list is getting heavier! So many architects with years and years of experience are posting ads looking for whatever scarce architect positions are left in Dubai. And that just diminishes any hope of scrawny me (scrawny in experience, unfortunately not physically) ever landing something the near future. *sigh*<br /><br />There were two posts on one of the job sites that really caught my eye. One of them was offering DHS10k and the other DHS5k to anyone (recruitment companies or individuals) who would offer and secure a job for them in their related field. One is an events manager and one worked in a bank. Both have been retrenched. I find it very sad that some people have to resort to such desperate measures to find a job. And as these two are men, I cannot bring myself to imagine the worry they must have for their families.<br /><br />Although I myself have been job hunting for the past 6 months, I am thankful every single day that my husband is still employed and can care for the both of us. <span style="font-style: italic;">Alhamdulillah..</span><br /><br />On a lighter note, I am proud to announce the blogshop my cousins and I have started. I have a bunch of talented cousins who have nowhere to channel their creativeness. So my cousin Wien and I set up shop called <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://kazensstudio.blogspot.com/">Kazens Studio</a></span> and we had the others post stuff there to sell (mostly jewellery) and share with the world. Please do check it out. And maybe buy a thing or two! ;D<br /><br />So far, so good. Most of the stuff have been sold or reserved. And we hope to come up with more things to sell soon. At the moment, the only thing I have to offer on the blogshop is the 2009 Planner which I co-designed with Wien and her sis, Finaz. We still have a few copies of it left so if you're one of the unfortunate who is still scratching your head looking for a planner/diary, this is the one for you! Check it out on the blogshop.mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-13604680599073117642009-02-04T11:37:00.002+04:002009-02-04T13:34:43.031+04:00Fat FactorI've left my blog hanging for about two months now. Really didn't know what to write about. My sad life revolves around the daily routine of waking up, breakfast, tv, laundry, internet, cooking. I feel like a hermit who just doesn't care about the world anymore. Haha. Nothing interesting happening, so nothing interesting to blog about. One thing that shocked me was, last Friday Cha and I went out for lunch and as I stepped out into the sun, my eyes hurt and my skin felt like it was jumping for joy. And then I realised, I haven't seen the sun for the past five days! Gosh!<br /><br />I know it's bad, but I really don't have a reason to leave the apartment. Other than taking out the rubbish and buying some stuff at the groceries. Even this I seem to do when the sun has set! And I would SO LOVE to go jalan-jalan at the malls, even just for window shopping. But I live so bloody far from the city that taxis would cost a bomb. My husband leaves for work so early in the morning I just can't picture myself waiting around for the shops to open. Aaaannddd.. there's the money factor. As I have yet to be employed, we can't afford to be spending unnecessarily.<br /><br />So, back to my blog title. No, I'm not getting fat. Eventhough I have bound myself to the confines of my apartment, I have been eating healthily (grains, oats, fruits, veggies. And we have not had rice for more than two weeks now) and I do light exercise everyday (like push ups and sit ups and stuff). What I wanted to talk about is how weight seems to be the center of all conversation these days.<br /><br />What made me want to write about this is the recent news about Jessica Simpson's weight problem. Its everywhere on the tv. What's the big deal anyway? If you're a fan of hers, good for you. If you're no more a fan coz she put on weight, then go find someone else to be a fan of. Just leave her be. I don't know why they have to get all hyped up. But then again, she's a celebrity. Who is always under the eye of scrutiny and whose little stories like this will bring much fortune to people like the paparazzi and the magazines. So is it ok to talk about her coz she's a celeb? Because she chose the life that got her recognised all over the world? Everyone knows you, everyone will talk about you.<br /><br />But what about people who aren't celebs? The media has made weight issues the centre of everyones lifestyle that everyone ALWAYS has something to say weather you're gaining weight or losing weight. And what hurts the most is that people do that to people they call friends.<br /><br />I have a lot of experience on this. And I want to make it clear, I AM NOT FAT! I've never thought I was fat. But sometimes what people say to you makes you think you are. And that's sad. I had no problems in high school. Everyone was happy and everybody loved everybody. Nobody really cared who was thin and who was fat.<br /><br />Then I went to college. I had never experienced the minds and thinkings of people outside the girls school I went to. And they were harsh. I guess I put on a bit of weight 2 years into college and the shallow minded male friends of mine started asking me, 'Why are you getting fat?'.<br /><br />Its a known fact that guys always pick on girls when they see one of us putting on some weight. But the sad things is, I have girl friends who do the same. And this has carried on and on and on and is still going on. I have Facebook pictures with friends commenting on how I have put on weight, how my husband has put on weight or how a friend in my pictures has put on weight. Then I browse through pictures of other friends and see similar comments from other people as well. Is this how shallow of a person we are? That the only thing we care about our friends is that how he or she has put on weight?! Do you even care weather they are happy or not and if they have a good life or not?<br /><br />And it really, really pisses me off to have friends stare and smirk and sometimes comment when your friends are trying to eat or do the same thing on what they are eating. Please, grow up!! I had a friend do that to me, something I did not expect from an over 30 year old person.<br /><br />I guess I'm venting my frustrations because like I said before, I really don't think I am fat. But when friends imply that I am, it really does effect my self esteem. And I know I'm not the only one. So to all of you who are reading this, please love and respect your friends for who they are. And when you find you are about to say something about your friend's weight, stop and swallow it! Unless of course, the weight problem is effecting your friend's health.mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-36267682550270775362008-11-16T14:00:00.003+04:002009-01-23T13:07:26.299+04:00I Got Hit<span style="font-size:100%;">So last Friday night Cha and I joined some friends for a game of paintball. It was my first time and I was excited and also a bit nervous. I've heard stories from friends about the game, how it hurts when a bullet hits you, how the spot where you got hit will bruise for weeks and how your heart will pound when you're in the game coz it feels like you're gonna get shot with a <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> bullet! So let's just say, that night on the way to the battle ground, I was feeling 30% excited and 70% scared like hell! :lol:<br /><br />We got suited up (in very unfashionable jumpsuits with no padding whatsoever! and I was only wearing a t-shirt and jeans!), were given our gun with 100 pallets in it and got briefed on our mission (the first round was to totally eliminate our opponents). The horn blared and the game started. Everybody ran off in different directions to find cover behind barrels, in huts, in bunkers, etc. I found myself behind a wall of bamboo covered with some mesh made of rubber. I couldn't see my husband anywhere! He left me! Dang! At that point I guess it was every man for himself. Haha.<br /><br />It was quiet at first. Then the shooting started. People were running here and there and those who had got shot had to remove themselves from the game. I didn't move at all. Haha. I just stayed at my spot and shoot whichever enemy who was unfortunate enough to cross my path. My heart was pounding in my ears. I was bracing myself for the pain that would follow if a bullet were to hit me. And afraid that an enemy might sneak up from behind. My GOD! Talk about an adrenaline rush! Of fear! My mind, for a minute wondered off to the movie Saving Private Ryan. Of how it would feel to be in a real war, facing real bullets...<br /><br />Ok ok ok. All that drama was just for the first round. By the second round, (the mission was to capture a flag in the middle of the battle field and take it to the enemy's camp, without getting hit) I was actually enjoying myself! This was fun! The third round was to protect one of our team members we chose to be the 'President' and lead him to the enemy's base without getting hit. And the fourth round was to 'finish whatever bullets you have left'. In other meaning, Go Crazy!<br /><br />That's when I got hit, just as I fired my last bullet. It felt like someone had thrown a stone at my collarbone. Yes, it thumped on the bone itself! What was worse, the bullet didn't break, which meant the bullet was not as soft as it was supposed to be, which meant.. IT HURT LIKE HELL!!<br /><br />All in all, it was a good game and I am up to play it next time! Next time, I will come prepared. I got a few pointers as i watched my friends suit up in the beginning. One of them wore a snow cap to save his head and another one actually zipped on a thick padded jacket before putting on the jumpsuit!! Well THANK YOU for not giving me the heads up guys! No wonder you were running into enemy territory fearlessly!</span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-84509352589891459482008-11-11T08:44:00.004+04:002009-01-23T13:06:47.882+04:00Still Waiting...<span style="font-size:100%;">OH MY GOD! I am so bored I feel like puking! I am getting tired of my daily routine. I NEED A JOB! I feel like my brain is functioning slower and slower. Its starting to feel like it has no purpose. And I keep thinking about money. I need to pay off my study loans damn it! Won't someone call me and offer me a job?! (ok, offer me an interview first).<br /><br />The scary thing is, I heard tons of resumes are coming in to the UAE from used-to-be well off countries like Ireland, the UK and Australia. Some of them people have even flown into the UAE to secure a job for themselves. Dang! How do I compete? It already looks like I can't win the battle. Frustration, frustration, frustration!<br /><br />But I'm not giving up that easily. I'll keep on trying...</span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-54350647061535741012008-10-06T17:49:00.001+04:002009-01-23T13:06:04.502+04:00Eid in Dubai<span style="font-size:100%;">Ramadhan came and went. Alhamdulillah I didn't miss a day of fasting this year. And no, I'm not expecting as my mom has been conveniently telling everyone that I might be. Sorry mom. Soon.. soon.<br /><br />So Eid in Dubai was as expected. Boring. Apparently Arabs celebrate Eid a day earlier from Malaysia. I texted mom on Monday night asking if Malaysia had announced when they will be celebrating Hari Raya. Mom said on Wednesday, the 1st of October. So that would mean UAE would be celebrating it on Tuesday the 30th of September. Cha and I were with Johnny at that time, on our way to the airport to send John for his flight back to Malaysia (btw, John's real name is Jamil. I don't know why we call him Johnny. It's been like that since our days in UiTM). He was one of the last of our friends on their way back to celebrate Eid in Malaysia.<br /><br />Anyways, we switched on the radio coz that's how Cha said he found out when Eid was last year. He'd only realised that it was Eid when people started calling in and wishing 'Eid Mubarak' on the radio! God. That's quite pathetic. John was also telling us a story of how last year, a friend of his actually called the police to ask when was Eid! Kesian. I have no idea if they have official announcements on tv like they do in Malaysia. Even if they did, it would be in Arab, so I wouldn't have understood it anyway.<br /><br />So the DJ on channel 4 UAE was saying Eid might be tomorrow - 30th Sept. But he has not had official confirmation yet. He said that Abu Dhabi had announced Eid on the 30th. But the DJ said he thinks Eid will be on the 1st. What?! Abu Dhabi and Dubai are located in the same country. Surely Eid will be on the same day?! But then, this <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> Dubai. Where anything and everything is possible. This is a real nail biting situation. Is it the 30th or the 1st? The DJ says he will announce it on the radio once he has official confirmation. So we waited with bated breath till he announced it about an hour later, that Eid was to be on the 30th Sept. Alhamdulillah.<br /><br />In Malaysia on the eve of Eid, we would have been back in Air Hitam or Johor Bharu, my parents' hometown. The house would be buzzing with kids running around playing fireworks, aunties and girl cousins in the kitchen preparing a big feast for the morning of Eid. Some would be ironing their baju kurung and baju melayu. The uncles and other guys would be sitting around drinking coffee and chatting about politics or sports. It was the time of the year. My favourite time of the year.<br /><br />This year, I spent the eve of Eid with my husband, our friend Bak and one of his friends from the office having coffee, hot chocolate and shisha. <span style="font-style: italic;">Very</span> Hari Raya. Cha and I didn't go back home for Raya this year due to his annual leaves running low and also we're financially unstable at the mo' coz we've spent all our money on our wedding. That's alright, we're looking forward for Eid in Malaysia next year. I'll start counting down the days...</span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-60376782971042846792008-09-25T11:59:00.001+04:002009-01-23T13:05:12.449+04:00Food for Raya<span style="font-size:100%;">I made biscuits yesterday! Successfully. :D Although for the life of me, I couldn't shape the biscuits into the shape of cashews as the biscuits are made of ground cashew nuts. The recipe said to shape the dough into the shape of cashews. But I say, the cashews are already grounded. So my biscuits will be flat rounds! And they taste great. So there.<br /><br />Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just around the corner and I just wanted to get in the mood. Although this is our first Raya as husband and wife, sadly we won't be going back to Malaysia to celebrate with family and friends. But I guess that's ok. It's an experience, right? And I'll be cooking yummy dishes for Hari Raya just like we do in Malaysia. We're planning where to go 'jalan-jalan' for this short hols. Maybe take a trip to Abu Dhabi.<br /><br />Tonight, a few friends are coming over for iftar (buka puasa). I'm cooking Nasi Ayam and lasagna. I'm starting to get really good at cooking. Considering I don't really cook much back in Malaysia. Living overseas teaches (actually, forces) you to be independant and try new things. Food was readily available everywhere in Malaysia. And at really cheap prices. Ready cooked food in Dubai is absurdly expensive, hence the home cooking I do now.</span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-49465355886676718632008-09-24T09:45:00.002+04:002009-01-23T13:04:34.418+04:00Dubai's All That<span style="font-size:100%;">I've been in Dubai for almost 2 months now. I haven't landed a job yet. Unless you've applied and secured a position in a firm or company before actually coming to Dubai, I'm starting to think it's hard to get a job here. I'm sure a lot of women who are family focused would love to have my job right now - housewife in a glamorous city. No paperwork, no deadlines, no irritating colleagues and certainly no out-of-this-world-crazy bosses to please.<br /><br />So what DO you do everyday if you're not employed at some glitzy, high-powered firm? (I'm an architect by the way). You do your everyday chores (cleaning, washing, cooking), then you have a walk in the city, visit historical spots, savor the culture and have a chat with the locals. Haha, tough luck! You won't find that here. I have to say, other than the humongous shopping malls, sleek skyscrapers and lavishly mouth-watering cars, Dubai really has nothing to offer. To me, at least.<br /><br />For instance, I surfed the web looking for interesting things to see and do in this land of sand, and all I got was shopping malls and more shopping malls. Seriously, I think the most popular culture here IS shopping. And nothing else. I was hoping I'd stumble upon interesting architecture walks I could take, like the one I did while I was in Sydney. That was inspiring.<br /><br />But that said, I have yet to throw myself into one of those Dubai city circle buses. Maybe, just maybe, I'd learn or see something interesting in this buzzing city. My hubby says the bus will take us to popular spots in Dubai and stop at various shopping malls. He also says I don't have to get down at the malls if I don't want to. Hell yeah, I will make sure I don't! :D</span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619877295143727369.post-57116676313420362462008-08-21T15:27:00.002+04:002009-01-23T13:03:05.189+04:00the journey continues here..<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Yes, I am now in Dubai. The land where everything is hot and can't get any hotter.<br /><br />This blog is a continuation from my previous one, the one I had on friendster. The one that suddenly blanked out and I couldn't access. And left me blog-less for quite some time. It's accessible now. But sorry, I've moved on to greener pastures.<br /><br />If you want to check out my previous postings, <a href="http://mizuraesa.blogs.friendster.com/d_story_so_far/">click here.</a><br /><br />My last blog there was in Sept 2007. I guess that was the last time I had any spare time. Most of my postings before was created when I was studying and living in Australia. Being far away from home, I was a family-less and money-tight student. So of course I had a lot of time to spare.<br /><br />And now here I am again. Happily married and living in Dubai. Family-less (again) but not so money-tight with lots of time to spare...</span><br /></span>mizuraesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508506839172028778noreply@blogger.com0