Aging

When I was younger, I was so eager to be 18  just because that’s the  age when I could things that adults do. But as years went by, birthdays after birthdays,  age slowly begin to catch up.. and how I wish I was young again.

But hey, that’s life! We come into the world, grow up, and sooner or later get closer to the time to leave the world that we first came into.

Aging is a scary thing. Scary because it means one day we would have to leave our love ones for good, forever. That’s looking at it from the final-end perspective. But if we look at the aging process overall, it’s not so bad for some people. For some, aging means having spent your life doing what you like and in the company of your family, friends and others. So the quality of life that you’ve led as you approach your much older self is what counts most.

So how is the quality of your own aging process?Aging is more than how your skin begin to shag. It’s about what each and every wrinkles on you means So live a meaningful life and embrace your aging self. Life is too beautiful to waste on worrying!

Pink is the new ‘Black’!

I’ve always loved the colour pink. I like it even more when guys wear it. But somehow, some guys find it ‘unmanly’ or lacking in the ‘macho’ quality if they do wear pink.

So tell me guys, isn’t is ridiculous to see a colour in this light? I didn’t know there was a gender issue associated with colours. What is actually preventing some guys from wearing pink? and why are other guys more amicable to the pink colour?

If you’re going to comment on this, please don’t give any discriminatory remarks and do leave homosexuality out of it ok. Keep it clean people!!

Economics and NPM

There is this ongoing effort to give economics reasoning to how the public sector manages itself. This can be a challenge, especially if you don’t have any economics background to begin with. But yet not impossible.

When people hear the word economics, you can see their facial expression changing to a very concerned and unfamiliar look. There’s nothing to be afraid of about economics. It’s just one of those subjects in school where most students just don’t opt to sit in as a choice. But it is a subject that is very closely related to our everyday life.

Simply put, economics is about how we behave in our daily life. Microeconomics is the effects of our behavior on those things around us, while macroeconomics is about the effects of everyone’s behaviour on everything else around them.

In the context of NPM (New Public Management), economics is seen under a lighter shade. Economics here is used to explain why certain choices of policy is more beneficial than others, in consideration of the micro and macro effect that it has. This is my own understanding and definition. So don’t quote me. But do debate if you disagree.

Hence, with the application of economics in management, the concept of ‘NPM’ begin to emerge. NPM basically brings traditional public administrators to a new height, with a focus for more strategic change and outcome rather than merely implementation base on instruction.  Again this is my own definition.

So when you put economics and NPM together, what is endeavoured is to ensure decisions in the policy formulation process is derived from assessment of the related environment and users/ beneficiary feedbacks. Of course, the explanation on this is much more extensive than what I’ve written here. But we can cover that another time.

On the implementation side, attempting to mould a new working culture revolving around economics and NPM is indeed a crazy and almost impossible undertaking. The very words of Economics and NPM, which are aliens to most people, will automatically turn people on the defensive mode and consequently produce a resistance.

Anything new, unfamiliar and imply a change from the norm will have this effect. So the force for change will need to be greater in strength and tenacity. Leaders (in action not in position) have an important role to play here. Because only strong-willed and tenacious leaders can bring out the ultimate change through alteration in mindset and working culture. Equally important is to manage such initiative with relevant and timely knowledge. People will ease up to any undertakings if they are constantly updated and informed on the progress.

I could talk endlessly on this. There are many dimesion to explore and deliberate. If there is an area you want to share under this title, please to pass in your comments. I’m dying to read more refreshing thoughts on this.

What Colour Are You?

Everyone has a specific preference for the colours that they choose. And among the many colours of the rainbow, there will always be one or two colours which seem to appeal more than others.

My favourite colours are (in order of preference) black, red, pink, brown, white, yellow. That’s a whole lots of colors. But my ultimate favourite is black, simply because it makes me look slightly down-sized than my actual size! And every gal would always want to find colours and clothing style that makes them look superhot and give the illusion of slim-ness

I found an article that gives ‘definition’ or the personality that is associated with colours. For example, my favoured colour black is defined as the ultimate power colour when it comes to clothing; it is associated with dignity and sophistication. Black also means that I carry yourself with dignity and is inclined to conceal my real personality and emotions from others. It also states that Black-lover finds it difficult to be carefree, but in public may put forth an image of wit and cleverness. Small amounts of black are inspirational, large amounts, oppressing. Black coordinates with all other colours… This is absolutely me!!

If you wish to find out the personality of your colour, do take the time to browse through my blog page titled “Personality of Colours”. Happy reading!

Inferiority

“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” Eleanor Roosevelt.

I totally agree with this quote. It’s so frustrating to see some people easily succumb to feelings of inferiority. What’s worst is if it was caused by what someone told you or make you believe it to be. In this case, self esteem or self confidence can either help shield or expose you to such feelings.

I remember when I was much younger, I never had much confidence in myself, probably because I was a shy person, especially in the company of adults. I always felt really small around these big and tall adults. And over the years, the feeling of “smallness” or inferiority somehow got stuck inside of me, making me uncomfortable at times. But luckily, that feeling slowly diminishes as time goes by. Probably due to my environment changing drastically, exposing me to events that compel me to release myself from that feeling of inferiority.

As we mature, hopefully for most of us, we begin to see things in a different light. For me, I underwent and still undergo numerous changing and self-realisation phases, where I take the time to constantly re-think my views and perceptions on things. I must admit, when trying to change myself for the better, it has always and still is a challenging  journey. But the important thing is, we have to really want it, in order to really realise the change.

At this juncture of my life, I can say that I’ve overcomed my previous feeling of inferiority and replace it with greater self-confidence. What continues to drive my confidence is knowing what I’m capable of doing.and the comparative advantage that I have over others. You may see other people being super capable in what they’re doing and others who seem so intelligent and successful, but at the end of the day, we can be like  or even much better than those people  Capabilities and success come in may forms. In my case, I honestly believe I have an exceptional capability that nobody else have. We’re all different, therefore we’re all capable of doing different things very well. But  behind the differences, we all have something to offer to others, doesn’t matter whether it’s something small or large.

My advise to those who putting so much effort holding onto feelings of inferiority, please reverse that energy and put in the effort to nourish and generate a new and more invigorating feeling of self-confidence. Just remember, nobody has the right to make you feel inferior without your permission. It’s time to take back that permission and invest in a more worthwhile cause.

Just Do It!

“In Politics, if you want anything said, ask a man – if you want anything done, ask a woman.” Margaret Thatcher.

Now this is a feminist quote

But I like it, it’s so inspirational. Like machines, from time to time we need to be fueled up. So quotes that are inspirational like this, or even words of encouragement from love ones, friends, colleagues and anyone else would indeed come in handy in providing the necessary fuel.

Unlike machines, our so called “fuel” needs to be transformed into spirit, enthusiasm and determination. Therefore, once in a while, let yourself enjoy a little bit of healthy “sunshine”. The hearts and minds are two tanks that need constant filling. So fill yourself up with a little bit of encouragement, and I’m sure the day will pass by with more joy and satisfaction

If U Can Do It, U Deserve to Brag About It!

I was watching this korean drama series “Couples and Trouble”, and there was this script dialog which I’m so taken up until now. The actress (character name Ra Sang-sil) said to the three little boys “there’s nothing wrong with bragging about what you have achieved for yourself. If you know you can do it, then you deserve to brag about it as much as you want”.

More often than not, the way we have been brought up is that we should always be modest. We were told by our parents never to be too proud of ourself, always embrace a little bit of humility for ourselves. In a way this is good, in certain condition. But where the above dialog is concerned, it’s also not a bad idea to sometimes brag a little. The feeling of self accomplishment should be shared with others. This particular action will not only alert other people of what you’re capable of doing, but at the same time it’s very nourishing for the soul and spirit.

To expect other people to give you praises and compliments can indeed be a rarity. Not many people are willing to do so. So why don’t you do yourself a favour and brag on your own accomplishment. Give it a try

Women, the Best Manager.

It’s an undeniable fact that women make better managers than men do.

Probably this statement may come off as feminist, but I’m merely stating what has been proven from the days of our great, great ancestors.

Women started off as playing a more domesticated role in the olden days. Yes, the men were always the ones going out to get food and livelihood for the family. But it’s always the women who produce something out of the food and livelihood gathered. Men may bring in fowl, beef and flour home. But it’s the women who then turn those items into something like bbq chicken, beef stew and bread – all with its various condiments and side dishes.

In the contemporary world, although men have been seen to dominate the working sector previously, women nowadays are becoming more and more capable as well as competent to compete with their male counterparts. Women have over the centuries has elevated in status from mere domestic housewife to professions such as government officers, teachers/ lecturers, entrepreneurs, engineers, lawyers and many more. And it has been widely acknowledge that women are more thorough and organised then men are. I’m not sure whether the men will agree, but this is what I’ve heard, not just because I’m a woman myself

Women’s competency as managers is not something new. It has flourished over time. Women started off as manager of their own home and family and nowadays (still executing their domestic responsibilities) have also gained a respected status as managers at the work place.

I salute what women globally have achieved for themselves over the years. Keep up the great work! Girl Power!!

Languages

I’ve always wondered how the various languages came about.

Let’s take the English language. How did people end up naming this round planet of ours EARTH? In malay it’s called BUMI.. who decided what should be named/ called what? And how did they manage to translate this one word into the thousands of languages practiced around the world? how? how? how?

How come some languages sound sexier than others? How many languages are there exactly? Do any of us know the story behind our own language?

I certain don’t. I can probably google it. But for those of you out there, do you know the history behind your own language? Share with me.

Individualism

Individualism simply means you as a person having your own vision and goals. Individualism opposes or is the opposite of collectivism.

Does individualism still applies in this contemporary world? How does individualism applies in sentiment of nationalism, regionalism or even globalism?

“ism” in this context is really stretching the horizon. Sometimes it’s even difficult to keep track on what these ideology really implies. Personally, I don’t think individualism is possible today. Unless you’re a complete loner and anti-social. My view is there’s power in strength. So does that mean collectivism overcomes individualism?

Can anybody shed some light on this?

Sushi Time

My weekend usually revolves around trying to find the best eatery place to satisfy my picky palate. This time I crave Japanese delicacies, specifically raw salmon. Being in the serusop area, my hubby and I decided to have our late lunch at the recently opened Japanese restaurant ‘Excapade Shokudo’. Although the placed can accommodate only up to 30 people, but the opening hours starts from 10am until 11pm in the evening. This is quite a rarity, especially when all of the restaurant that serves sushi dishes only opens at specific hours and at intervals.

Anyway, because of the limited seats we had to wait in line. So there we were, sitting on the sideline while waiting for the early-bird customers to finish up and take their leave. Luckily we didn’t have to wait long.. probably about 8-10minutes, when some seats were vacated and we could see the waitresses promptly clearing the tables.

But little did we know, as we confidently waited to be called to take our seats, two other late-comers popped through the door and just ignorantly took our seats without event asking the front desk to be seated. This display of selfishness was coming from two young ladies of ages between early 20s. It is just so sad how some people forget the virtue of courtesy. And such behaviour will not be as tolerated by other people. Lucky for those two, my huby was keeping his composure. He’s quite a temperamental man when he wants to be. And double whammy, another table was vacated and we were seated in a matter of seconds.

Despite the slight ‘annoying episode’ of the uncaring patrons, the dishes served at the restaurant were definitely satisfying. And I wouldn’t mind visiting the restaurant again. Hopefully, this time, we will not bump into those two ignorant patrons.

Salmon Don

Black Pepper Salmon

Tuna

Ebi

Wasabi..

Outsource

By definition from Wikipedia: “Outsourcing is subcontracting a process, such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. The decision to outsource is often made in the interest of lowering firm or making better use of time and energy costs, redirecting or conserving energy directed at the competencies of a particular business, or to make more efficient use of land, labor, capital, (information) technology and resources. Outsourcing became part of the business lexicon during the 1980s.”

This particular process is one that I’m trying to familiarise myself with, especially in my line of work. For me, the process promises cost-savings and potentially contributive to the national aspiration of helping small and medium enterprises to flourish. I’m basically looking at business partnership that will provide me high quality commodities. Of course, financial aspect is a sensitive issue and one that I seek to reduce or even divert away from my own purse.

I’ve just learnt that, when planning to make a purchase, there are several means on how that can be made. Of course the traditional way is to just make the purchase and pay from your own purse. The alternative is to hire for purchase. This means, we select and contract a business company that is able to produce the product and my organisation will just provide them the endorsement to use our corporate logo. The sales of these products will have a specific target, ensuring that the company will reel in the estimated profits. My organisation will then help to facilitate the sales of the product e.g. by promoting the product during visits or big events organised by my organisation. So this becomes a win-win situation. On my side, I will be able to promote my organisation through the products at no cost, while the contracted company will be guaranteed a sale of their product along with the targeted profits.

Of course, on paper it seems a pretty simple process. But in reality, I’m sure the task will experience its own share of challenges. Despite that, I’m still driven to try it out. And hopefully, I will get the support that I need from the top management to actually execute this new process. Once that is attained, then I will be supplied with quality and desirable products , readily available to be purchased by interested patrons. The next question is, where should the sales outlet be. Now that’s another area for discussion.

New Dashboard Design

It was only about two days ago that I last visited my website at wordpress. And today it was as if I’ve entered a completely different wordpress. The site has undergone a sudden facelift. For me it looks pretty complex at first glance. I was still learning and familiarising with the previous design layout. And now I have to go through the whole process of familiarising the new layout. Luckily I’m on my leave already. Then I have time to explore this new layout.

So to friends out there.. do keep on surfing my website. And I promise to keep it as updated as possible. Cheers!!

Weaved

I get unexplained thrill from taking close-up photos. This time I took snap-shots of this weaved item. I know this moon-shaped basket is usually found around construction area, but I just can’t help be awed by how the intricate layering is captured through the camera lens.

Bloggers’ World

Almost everybody and anybody have their own blogs nowadays. Each showcasing and bringing their own ‘thang’ to grab the attention or even merely to share with family, friends, peers and passing web surfers. Most of the time a blogger would be catering updated information, whether in the form of brief summary of events/ issues or even in pictoral layout. Others, more serious bloggers, would have almost essay like write-ups on specific issues that concerns respective interests. The more fun-seeking bloggers would be, on the other hand, showing more entertaining stories, jokes, puns, funny pictures and many more. So whatever bloggers wish to share with their patrons, it’s up to the individual to design, arrange and structure their blogs to suit their own interests and palate. The main thing  for a blogger is that, it is out there, published, and to be shared with their ‘targeted’ or non-targeted surfers.

I’ve only started blogging about two years ago (2006). Starting off with a blog about myself and my passion for chinese astrology and zodiac signs. In my excitedment, I opened up more blogs, one showcasing my interest in Work Management and the other more specific interest in Human Behaviour Pattern. But these blogs were never made known to any of my friends or peers. I somehow felt it lacked something. I didn’t think the blogs were catchy or even interesting enough. And I also thought, the information which I have posted may be unacceptable to some people. Because of these considerations, my earlier blogs remain anonymous and only known to myself and to a handful of very close friends.

But of course my blogging interest is not short-lived. I still love blogging and wish to continue doing it. It wasn’t until recently that I thought up a fantastic blog name, along with a niche of its own. APANYANGKU BRUNEI is my debut blog and one that I wish to share with everyone.

As a blogger I fully understand the responsilities that I have to shoulder. Everything that I say and show via pics in my blog must be carefully considered before being published. Things like this cannot be taken lightly. Any ‘unprofessional’ or ‘discrimatory’ inclination is to be avoided at all cost. Blogging for me is a personal interest. But for those who know me, whatever I have posted in my blog will be judged based on people’s knowledge on my background. My main profession is as a civil servant. And my blog in more ways than none is hoped to mould positive image of my profession through sharing of experiences, lessons learnt and views. At the same time, my blog is also showcasing my new-found love for photography. But above all, my blog is about sharing.

I’m sure at times, for some, having self restrain on writing whatever you feel like regardless of the consequences can be difficult. The blogging world is about having the freedom to say whatever you want. It is afterall  a hub for infinite information, whether good of bad. Of course, such statement is correct and there is nothing to prevent bloggers from doing what they want. But for fellows like myself, self-restrain is and remain crucial.

So to my fellow Bruneian bloggers, continue with your fantastic work and efforts in your respective blogs. But just remember, do it with a conscience, courtesy and balance that will bring everyone together in harmony.

Dusk Sky

The dusk sky can be quite a hypnotising sight.With colours of the rainbow in its most subtle mode painted overhead. Its moment like this, I’m glad I’m able to see and capture it on my lens.

Spring colours in the dusk sky

Looks like tides of clouds coming to shore..

Public Relations

Public Relations is what I do in my line of work now. But I didn’t start off from there. Initially I was in research and policy formulation. And by some good fortune, I was promoted to a completely different post.

Despite the total change in my career path, I treat it with renewed enthusiasm and determination. I love the thrills of a new adventure. And that is exactly what PR has for me.

In PR, I get to do all my favourite activities. I get to meet new people all the time, adding my circle of friends. I get to do public speaking through presentations and seminars. But best of all, I get to head a photography section. Totally my kind of work.

Aside from the perks, there are of course some visible challenges. In PR, there are a lot of spontanity, last minute requirements/ changes, and dealing with media matters. All these promising quite stressful moments. But it is something I expected and learnt to adapt myself to.

But what I’ve learnt, after being in the field for about a year, no matter what task is being given, I just have to remain calm and receive things positively. I know some may say it’s easier said than done. But I promise, it will be easier once you accept and embrace the positive mindset.

New Journey 2009

Another year has passed and a new journey is yet to be explored.

2008 was such a hectic year for me. It was a time of new transition in my career life, confronting tasks as an untrained leader. But without a doubt, it was an experience I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life.

I sincerely hope 2009 will be an even better year. I look forward to the new challenges, rather than dreading them. Without such challenges, my job will not be as exciting!

But this new year will certainly be another handful. I have a new superior to report to. But the same workload to handle. I just hope things will ease off a bit. And everyone will be able to function and deliver their tasks in a satisfying as well as competent way. And I’m sure everyone will try their best to do so.

As for myself, I’m eagerly looking forward to tidying up my career and life so as to achieve that level of standard and satisfaction which I aspire for. It may seem to be a long shot, but nothing is impossible if we put our mind to it.

So to all my friends and patrons, hope you have a fantastic new year. And may we face it with renewed enthusiasm, determnation and motivation! Happy New Year 2009!

And to my muslim friends and patrons, Happy New Year Hijrah 1430!!

God bless us all. Amin.

Flu Bug

The new year 2009 started off pretty slow for me. And I apologise to my readers for delaying to update my blog. Unfortunately, I’ve caught the flu bug and has been under the weather for nearly a month. Like the new year, my recovery is taking its sweet time. The worst thing is, my whole family got the flu. And they too are all too eager to recover from it.

Almost everyone that I know have got the flu. The sign that you might have it too is you will start to feel headached, body aches. And this will escalate into swollen or inflammed tonsils, making it hard for you to swallow. This is then followed by coughing, continuous and very dry coughs. And for some, running nose. The worst is the dry coughs. I’ve had uncomfortable and sleepless nights because of it. But once you get passed that stage, then sleep is back again.

To get better. I have to make sure I take my antibiotics. I can’t help but notice that everytime I take antibiotics, it seems that all my senses especially my taste buds and sense of smell just malfunction. My food would taste bland and anything that usually have an aroma, my nose just can’t seem to detect it. So that’s the downside of medicine.

To get rid of the coughing, dequadin is the key. Just take it as often as you feel necessary. I even swallow it when I sleep!!! Just to make sure I even get some sleep!! And of course, for my cold, it has to be actifed. That is the saviour.

Today, I feel almost my normal self, despite the occasional coughing. But I just hope I will regain my normal health so I can get on to doing my thang. So to all of you out there, drink lots of water and take lots of fruits!! You wouldn’t want to get the flu that I got!

New Year’s Resolution

Some people have the habit of making a kind of a resolution or promise at the turn of a new year. This ranges from making minimal, average to over-the-top promises, which in most cases never really materialise as they wanted. I guess some people are just not as resolute in their pursuit or it was just not meant to be.

As for myself, I used to fall into that category. I used to always look forward to making my new year’s resolution. And like always, even when the new year barely even begun, I forgot what I promised to do for that year!! I can honestly say, my intent in making the resolution was due to peer pressure rather than identifying truly what I want to achieve for myself.

Nowadays, I’ve grown out of making a new year’s resolution. But what I do pursue, is an ultimate goal. My goal is basically to be a better person each day than what I was yesterday. I know that still sounds like a pretty tall order. But I don’t think it’s impossible. It is a challenge though. But not impossible.

This particular goal, will take my whole life time to achieve. And I sincerely hope that I will preservere in fulfilling it. And for those of you out there, it doesn’t really matter whether you have a new year’s resolution or not. The main thing is you know where you want to be and you’re willing to do everything in your power to achieve it. Do it because you believe in it, not because of what people tell you to believe in.

Once again Happy New Year everyone!!! May we achieve the best in life and be happy with what it has given us!!

Sunday = Weddings

It’s quite a rarity for sundays to be a day to just unwind and relax doing absolutely nothing at all. And today is no exception. I had at least 3 wedding receptions to attend. And all were close relatives. But alas I can only attend one at a time. So I had to split attend my uncle’s wedding reception at the ICJ, kiulap, while my husband went off to attend his niece’s wedding at the Chancellor Hall, UBD. We had to miss the wedding reception of our nephew at the Rizqun Hotel today. Such a hard choice.

But as you noticed, nowadays more and more people are opting to have their wedding events at a commecial facility rather than the traditional venue, which is the bride’s or groom’s residence. I guess people have become more attentive in ensuring that their guests are treated and welcomed in a more comfortable, no-parking-hassle, and air-conditioned event. Although there is nothing wrong with the traditional way, which some people still prefer or even have the advantage to preserve such practice.

My own wedding of course took place at my parent’s house. The same with my brothers’ weddings. We have ample space for parking and for the canopy. So no hassle there. And my dad has his own collection of industrial fans to ensure that our guests will be seated with breezes of cool air filling the area. As for catering, my own wedding had 2 different caterers’s. This was as a precaution in case one should fail to turn up. But fortunately, everything went well.

I still have 2 younger siblings, who will one day have to plan their own wedding receptions. And my parents are already ahead of them, scouting around for a suitable and resonably priced facility to host their weddings. I guess they just want to try something new. And of course, reduce the burden of having to arrange everything themselves when it can be outsourced.

But whatever wedding reception is planned, the outcome will be hugely influenced by how it is prepared, managed and of course the available budget. So to the newly weds, may you be blessed with a wonderful marriage and harmonious partnership!! But above all, may the romance last for eternity…

The Cool Rain

Today is my favourite day. Simply because it rained the whole day.

As I woke up in the morning, I was awakened to the pitter patter of raindrops on the roof top. I love that sound. It’s so relaxing and serene.

And as I walked to my car with a mug of hot mocha in one hand, the wonderful coolness of the rainy weather seems to have cooled and calmed my senses this morning. I was simply in such a delightful and pleasant mood. Even driving to work was a sensational delight. It was as if the rainy weather seems to have brought back memories as to what it was like many years ago when I was in the UK. Similar weather, but different surrounding.

As you can see, I absolutely love the rain. Even when I was a toddler, my parents could not stop me from playing in the rain. Because of that, I have quite a few collection of raincoats, compliments of my parents. Everytime when it rained, I would wear my bright yellow rain coat along with my tiny umbrella. I love playing in the rain with that yellow rain coat. *sigh*

And today, as I walked from my garage to my office, sheltered by my oversized camouflage parasol, I truly took my time to reach my office. I didn’t even care when the raindrops splashed onto my silk attire. It was too a good day to be spoiled thinking about materialistic things.

The whole day, as I worked at my desk, I could not resist occassionally walking over to the glass door to glance at the constant and unstopping raindrops washing the outside vicinity of my Ministry. What a wonderful day it was..  and I hope it rains again tomorrow

I Love Babies

Today is a wonderful day for the whole family. At the crack of dawn, we welcomed another addition to the family. A baby boy was born to my bro and sis-in law. He weighs 3.9kg and he’s soooooooo cute!!

His name is Mohammad Ahlami Syafiq, not sure about the spelling though Welcome little nephew!!

Babyface

I just couldn’t resist putting up a photo of my lil’ boy. This was taken during our attempt to teach him how to walk. As you can see, he was not happy with it. But how could I resist that cute expression on his face. Luckily, I managed to capture that priceless moment. And I would smile every single time I look at the picture.

Wonders and Horrors of I.T.

As I look back at my younger years, I.T. was not something that is familiar to me or to people around me. Back then, it was still fine and normal to go out and roam around without having a handphone in your handbag or even a laptop doning the coffee table when you ‘lepak’ with your friends. During the yester-years, people were technology free, merely spending time like the olden days, merely enjoying the pleasure of those around you.

But today everything has changed. Nowadays, people would feel awkward without a handphone, or two, in their presence, wherever they go. Even laptop is a must when one go out of the house nowadays. These two technologies are examples of the things that today’s generation regard as life essention, wherever they may be. Without it, they would be lost.

This new lifestyle, which is dependency on technology, does have its good side as well as the bad side. The good side is techology such as laptops + broadbands, handphones allow us to constantly be informed and aware of what goes on around us. Whether it’s about world news, the stock market, friends whereabout, whatever the issue, we have the technology and facility to keep us connected 24/7.

However, the downside of it is that with technologies giving us the luxury of continuous connection with friends, business partners and world events, it somehow takes away the luxury of personal contact. Most of us are either so hung up talking endlessly on their mobile phones or faced down as if mesmerized by the power of computers and broadbands! People spend lesser time to actually enjoy life as they should, by having first hand experience as opposed to just browsing it through the internet. Even the process of making friends are now done through networks like msn live messenger, facebook, friendsters, tagged and many more. Just at the click of a button, we can add new friends and get to know them through that process. We don’t necessarily have to go out of the house to do that!

One way of looking at things, I.T. has brought about a deterioration or even minimise face-to-face human contact. We have become ‘lone-rangers’, to some extent, engulfed in the comfort of our soft sofa / bed, with eyes only for the laptop and what broadband / espeed allow us to have access to.

Personally, I’m amongst these technology-dependent generation. I cannot and will not leave my home without the comfort of knowing that I have my mobile phones, hard disk, ipod and laptop (depending on where I’m going) within my person. And this is one of the reason why my handbag seems to get bigger and bigger over time, just to accommodate all my ‘essential’ gadgets. But there were times when I wish I could make do without all these contraptions. At least I can travel light. Unfortunately, I’m too addicted already. And there’s no turning back.

BMI

Back at work, 90 percent or even more of my colleagues are those who maintain to their BMI (Body Mass Index). As for me, I’m simple obese if based on the BMI. But in my world, I consider myself merely curvacious or voluptuous

I’ve been trying to lose weight since the start of the millenium. It wasn’t until I came back from Hawaii that I was so geared up to really pursue my weight loss ambition. That was back in 2006 until 2007. I was successful where I lost about 15kg!!

My friends and colleagues were constant asking me what I ATE to lose that much weight. Eating is what I did less. I did alot of exercise, making sure I spent about 1hr per day. But I started off slow. The 15kg only came off after 1year effort. How did I begin?

I started off by walking around the Budiman track at the stadium, spending a minum of 30mins x 3 days a week. This went on for about 3 months. Once the body was comfortable with the pace and duration, I slowly increased my duration timing 45mins to 1hrs walk, still 3 times a week. On my 5th month exercising, I joined fitness zone. Since membership there was quite a pinch on my purse, I made sure I joined the exercise programme almost every day. I would go to FZ about 4-5times a week, spending 1-2hrs doing aerobics.

I love the aerobic session at FZ. My ultimate favourite was the body combat, hip hop dance, salsa, latino aero. I really into the dance aerobics. And because I enjoyed myself so much, 2hrs can easily pass by just like that.

Now, along with my committed exercise regime, I made sure my food intake was balanced. I manage to curb my cravings merely by keeping only a minimal, not removing completely, my indulgence. My favourite food are my morning Mocha and chocolate. I still consume them, but sparingly and at a minimal. What I did increase in consumption is food group comprising leafy vegetables and fruits. I reduced eating carb such as white bread, junk food and fast food. I also reduced my soft drinks intake by just taking cola light whenever I have cravings.

But above all, I would not have been able to lose 15kg if it wasn’t for my motivation to do so. What I aspired for myself was better health and ability to be physically fit to spend time with my family. My motive was not to be skinny. My ideal BMI was to be at 60kg. For that that is pretty much on the thin side. I prefer to retain some of my curves. So my target is to get my weight down to 70kg.

Unfortunately, since the birth of my youngest son, I regained almost all of the weight which I have lost. And to get back on track is proving to be difficult. But I will certainly keep on trying, until I regain the strength and motivation to gain my target weight back and more!

Mojo

It’s almost as important as breathing. Every single morning, it is a must that I have my ultimate favourite drink to not only energise my day but equally important to keep me awake throughout the day.

The aromatic hot Mocha luxuriated with fresh milk and brown sugar is my thang at the start of every single day. It’s my Mojo. And I always have it in my funky golden yellow coffee mug. This is the life!!

Finally Complete

It’s another wonderful day today. At last the final touch up to the exterior of my house infrastructure is finally done.  The next phase is to fill up the interior and do garden landscaping. But that will take quite some time, and I will work on it slowly to ensure perfect outcome. Of course, the finale is when my whole family moves into our own new home sweet home. It won’t be long though. In the next few weeks, my whole family will be deployed for the cleaning campaign, followed by moving all our stuff in and of course the official moving in ceremony which is usually marked by a ‘doa selamat’ (prayer).

Everyone is looking forward to the move. Even my other relatives are just as excited with it. Probably it’s because my house design is a unique one. I can proudly say, I’m not bragging at all, that my house design of 3-storey level is one of its kind, especially under the “Perpindahan Skim”. Because of it, our architecture and contractor are being sought by several prospective home-owners, all wanting to have their own 3-storey house under that scheme.

Towards that end, I can also say that it’s happy ending for everyone!!

Fruit Alert

In a few days time we will all be celebrating Chinese New Year. And as we all know, during this time of year oranges will be filling all supermarkets. And I for one just love eating oranges, all the ranges. My ultimate favourite is the tiny oranges, almost like the tangerine type.

I bought some of the tangerine oranges recently. And as I was peeling and gulping the succulent and juicy oranges, my parents told me there’s this rumour going on where someone found worms in these oranges!!! Yuck!! I didn’t know what to think. I kept questioning where did this rumour came from. Apparently, there was an email circulated with attchments of pictures showing the alledged tiny and translucent worm peeking out of the tangerine oranges!! Double yuck!!

Since that news, I simply lost my appetite. But I still want to see for myself  this email. Because this rumour  has really dampened my confidence in eating any more oranges. So if any of you out there who happened to have that email still in your inbox, please do tell me. I will gladly give you my email so that you can save me from my orange dilemma.

The New Age

Tuesday, 20th Jan 2009, is a day that will be remembered by all. It’s a marked day for the Americans who welcomed their new President, Barack Husein Obama.

A Moment of silence engulfed the surrounding spectators at the inauguration as President Obama delivered his  address. And here, I want to share with my readers the text of the speech. The speech carried in-depth meaning, which I believe non-Americans too can benefit and be mindful of.

Obama taking the Presidency Oath

OBAMA’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS TEXT

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

From Floods to Blackouts

Since the beginning of the new year 2009, we have been experiencing numerous wet weather. Personally, I love the rain. And I always look forward whenever the weather promises rain. But somehow, recently I saw that the rain can carry catastrophic outcome. On Tuesday night, 20th Jan 2009, terrible floods filled most of the main roads, government and commercial areas in the country which not only immobilised motorists but also put out the electricity supply.

Below are photos extracted from www.bruneimotors.com that captured the nights’ terror.

Overhead view of Kiarong underpass

Side view of Kiarong underpass

Traffic Junction in front of Riverview Hotel

In the vicinity of Borneo Clinic in Gadong before Menglait

The River canal behind the Mall Gadong

Junction 4 in front of Gadong Power Station

Early this week, we had rainy days from day till night and even till the next day. The worst was on Tuesday. It began since Monday night, and it continued the next day and till night. On Tuesday night, approximately 15-10 minutes before mid night, the area where my parents reside and its vicinity experienced a blackout. It was sleepless night for everyone. I was unable to sleep because I was so worried my baby boy might get too hot with no electricity supply. Luckily, my dad has his own generator to counter situation like this. So we could still light up our home and enjoy a reasonable breeze from the standing mechanical fans. The night was not as hot as thought. Probably because it was still raining outside.

The next day, it was still raining and the electricity was still out. As I drove to work, I noticed some of the traffic lights were not functional. And as I was driving into my garage at work, I noticed there were not many cars around. It was already 7:45am, and only a handful of cars were parked in the area. This was very strange indeed. I just assumed people were late because of probable flood.

As the day went by, bad news seems to arises everywhere as a consequent of the non-stop rain. It seems everywhere were flooded. Many homes were intruded by rain waters. And there were even casualties, as a result. A 19 year old gal was gushed away by the rain floods out of no where as the girl was trying to walk across to her home. A 49 year old lady was another casualty, but cause by a landslide which crashed into her home. Condolences to the family of the victims.

I also discovered from a fellow colleague that the electricity outage was due to the power station at gadong being flooded by the overflowed river in the vicinity. This has never happened before. Even the barrack there, experienced flood levels up to their ears!! The power station itself had the flood level reach waist high. Even the power room were invaded by knee high floods. Water was everywhere. And this caused a huge problem for the whole country.

My family and I were pretty lucky because we had our own generator to sustain us for a while during the blackout. But that was not sufficient to save our fresh foods like chicken, meat and fish. The generator was not strong enough to power all our necessity. We were deprived of electricity for about 44hrs and 45mins.

Exactly 2045hrs brunei time, 22 Jan 2009, electricity was restored. We were all relieved. But it is certainly an experience that will not cease in the future. Immediate attention needs to be focused in ensuring such incident to not repeat itself. The diligence and mindful attitude is paramount in countering future incidents. I hope the relevant parties will work together to overcome this once and for all.

But during the last few days, I saw effective deployment of personnel in ensuring things don’t get worst. I would like to take this opportunity to convey the highest appreciation and gratitude to the Royal Brunei Police Force for their roles in countering the malfunctioning of traffic lights. The flow of traffic was as smooth, of course with the assistance of RBPF. In helping the victims of floods and landslide, a hearty tanx to Fire Service Dept and the Medical Team for their support. I would also like to thank my fellow PRO from the electrical department, for taking the time and showing me pictoral evidance of the incident that cause the blackout. His prompt address of my queries is greatly appreciated. Keep it up!!

Road between McDonald building and the Mall Gadong

Road leading to the komunis shops

The bridge behind the Mall

Gadong roads overflowed

A Flooded Home

I would like to thank my friends for taking the time to foward me pictures of the flood incident which occurred on 20th Jan 2009. Below are more photos of the aftermath, a home affected by the flood. I sincerely hope something is done to help those in need. A home destroyed by the flood will no longer feel like a home. So please, take the time to lend a helping hand to those affected. I hope that the owner of this home along with the many others affected will be compensated for their losses.

Year of the Ox

On this auspicious occassion, I would like to take this opportunity to convey my heartiest greetings of the Happiest Chinese New Year to all my friends and readers!!

For me, every new year in the Chinese calender holds many excitement, especially when looking at it from the chinese astrology signs and predictions.

This year, the year of the Ox, is a pretty ok year for me. But for others it open up a window of potential wealth and even love. But whatever it is, it is truly up to the individual to make the best of what is held before them.

My celebration of the new year is usually very calm. But I’m just as excited seeing the neighbourhood filled with festivity, as if it was hari raya. Evern during the eve of the celebration, our surrounding was booming with fireworks, all welcoming the start of the new year.

Today, traffic congestion seemed to have eased quite visibly. Even in gadong area, the hustle and bustle was not like usual. Many of the shops were also closed for the day, probably all celebrating the new year. It is at this time of the year, when it becomes so obvious that the gadong area is mainly populated by our chinese bruneians. And hence, it is only during this time of the year, they would take leave of their shop and go off to spend it in the company of they family and love ones.

Festivity does not end there of course. As I was passing by the Manggis Mall, I saw that there were long queues of cars parked just outside the residence of a well known entrepreneur in brunei, who else if not Pehin Lau Ah Kok. Every year, people from all races and religious would flock to his home to wish the family a happy new year. You can say the atmosphere was almost like during hari raya near the Istana.

But whatever occassion it is, it is always a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends and get to know new ones. So to those of you out there, have an enjoyable Chinese New Year!! Gong Xi Gong Xi Ne!!

Orange Alert

As a follow up to my previous article on Fruit alert, below are the pictures of the alleged oranges being infested with the translucent white worm.For those with a weak stomach, viewers discretion is advised. The picture may be too gruesome for some.

I was forwarded an email containing these pictures. In the email, caution was requested when buying Chinese oranges. It was highlighted that the worms are very similar to the texture of the orange and therefore can only be observed if you look carefully, also mentioned was that long sighted person may not notice these worms at first glance.

The email also assured that the Chinese government had made efforts to destroy  hundreds of tons of these oranges and compensate the farmers for these. But however some culprit may still sell it illegally. That’s why we need to be careful. Whether the worms are harmful to the human body or not is still questionable. But generally if small quantities are consumed it should not cause any major harm according to doctors. However, it is  advisable  to be careful about it.

My next question on this issue is, do all our oranges come from China? And have anyone actually come across these worms?? If our oranges were also affected, I believe the Ministry of Health would have issued a health warning about it. At the same time MIPR would be making sure that we do not compromise the quality of food being imported into the country. So can anyone please verify whether this rumour of worms in oranges are true here in Brunei??

Personally, I’m not totally convinced that the oranges in Brunei are affected. But my parents are  totally and absolutely convinced. And as a result I get to hear them lecturing me NOT to eat oranges. Nowadays, I have completely lost my appetite where oranges are implicated. So I hope the relevant authorities will investigate this matter and give it the attention that is so deserve. Please someone help me to tell my parents what’s true and what’s not.

Canned Products Alert

Just a precaution, I wish to share with my readers a recent email I received about  a case in Malaysia concerning certain canned fruits containing pig’s fat. It was claimed that JAKIM issued letters to all retailers to remove the halal labels on the affected products. “Narcissus” is an established and well known brand associated with high quality China canned food and seasoning such as whole mushrooms, asparagus spears, lychees, spiced pork cubes, stewed pork chops etc. The range of “Narcissus” food products, which are in high demands in many parts of the world, include : Canned Meat, Canned Seafood, Canned Fruits, Canned Vegetables Seasonings.

Again, my next question is, is this claim authentic?

I believe that the relevant authorities in Brunei WILL NOT be complacent. They will certainly be on the look out, at all times, for any products like these. So again, like the case of the oranges, it will truly be appreciated if this matter is investigated immediately.

Hot Moto

When it comes to innovation, Japan is top of the chart. Check out these funky customised vehicles, for sure you will never seen these paraded on Brunei roads. They are just so outrageously over the top, especially the spoilers. Even the bodykits look exaggerated. You can say this is like Pimping My Ride, the extreme way! But other than that, I wouldn’t mind owning one of these. I would be the talk of the town!!

Ricky Martin & Twins

Ricky is a daddy!!! Via surrogate, Ricky is now the daddy to 4-month old twin boys. Who would have thought…

Playing with the twins… awwwwwww

Valentino and Matteo.. don’t ask me which is which..

Day out with the twins

Heidi Critics-Magnet

Heidi Klum is the last celeb that one would expect to be stamped as a terrible dresser. And that’s exactly how she was posted as at the 80th Annual Academy Awards last year.

Personally, I didn’t think this hot red flowy dress was that bad. She looked quite elegant and dramatically effective for the function she’s attending. I’m really wondering, who are the doing the best and worst dress labellings. I think their eyeballs might have popped out that they can’t even tell who are the best dress and who are actually not such a good dresser.

If Heidi kept being labelled as a not-so-good dresser, what does that say about her credibility as a Judge in Project Runway reality show? And to think that show is already in its 5th Season! Well, if people appreciate her presence and opinion as a judge in that tv programme, I’m sure her credibility will still exude through her fashion choices, somehow. Think about it…

Jolie Reverse

Once in a while I like to have diversions. In my blog, my diversion is talking about my fav celebs. Today I want to talk about Angelina Jolie, one of my ultimate favourite hollywood star.

As you probably know, last Sunday (25th Jan) was the Screen Actors Guild Awards. And guess who walked on the red carpet?!? Of course, Angelina Jolie was one of them, and she was wearing Max Azria cornflower blue gown. I love the dress and I love how it further accentuated the beauty of the star. But somehow, not everyone will agree with my statement. Apparently, Angie was wearing the dress the wrong way, backwards as a matter of fact. The critics said the way Angie wore the dress (that is backward) made it bland on their palate. And had she worn it the right way, she would have shown more skin rather than her disturbing tattoos!!

I’m sure we have all heard the all-rounder criticism about Angie’s tattoos. But hey, it’s her thang so let it be. As for the gown being worn reversed, well, either way Angie would still look great. It was just a matter of choice anyway,  that is whether to show her cleavages or back muscles!

But at the end of the day, it’s not the dress that made the actress beautiful. Angie is Angie. I’m sure there are many galz out there who would do anything to look like Angelina Jolie, even on her bad days!! I certainly would! But that is something that will never happen. For there is only one Angie. And trillion others of non-Angie. Well, at least we have an idol to look up to. Think about it…

What is Love?

I found this fantastic article about a child’s definition of love. You would never have guessed their answers, children are more observant than adults are. I found this article from www.rogerknapp.com. Hope you like it as much as I did!

Child’s Definition of LOVE.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, “What does love mean?” The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.  See what you think:

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore.  So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.  That’s love.” Rebecca – age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4

Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7

“Love is when you kiss all the time.  Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss” Emily – age 8

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen,” Bobby – age 7 (Wow!)

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” Nikka – age 6

“There are two kinds of love.  Our love.  God’s love. But God makes both kinds of them.” Jenny – age 8

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle – age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” Tommy – age 6

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared.  I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.  He was the only one doing that.  I wasn’t scared anymore,” Cindy – age 8

“My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” Clare – age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” Elaine -age 5

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris -     age 7

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.” Mary Ann – age 4

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” Lauren – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen – age 7

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.” Mark – age 6

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.  But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  People forget,” Jessica – age 8

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.  The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.  The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.  Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

Seasonal Fever

The new year 2009 is really putting it’s toll on my personal health. I seem to be getting sick, then recover, then sick again, and now recovering again. My body seems to be vulnerable to the recent wet weather, I get feverish so suddenly. My whole body felt scorching hot and aching all over. It was only 2 days ago when I was down with the fever. But fortunately, after taking my medication, I’m well again today.

I know there are several others of my colleagues who are also down with the fever. My advise is, to drink lots and lots of water + fruits. And if the fever persist, take panadol or go see a doctor immediately! But above all, avoid going to work, so you don’t infect your other working colleagues.

When I get sick, my only concern is for my little boy. I do not wish to infect him. But whether I’m sick or not, he still sleeps with me because he gets cranky when he’s not with me during bedtime. So I made sure I supplement him with enought vitamins, so his immune system is at its best.

Single Ladies Tops!

Again, I can’t stop talking about my fav celebs. Today, I want to talk about Beyonce Knowles. As you all know already, Beyonce has just released another new song, “Single Ladies”. It’s the second single from her “I am Sasha Fierce”  album. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this new song. So I manage to download the lyrics. and I’m sharing it here  in my blog, so that you will all remember and memorise the song!

BEYONCE – “SINGLE LADIES” LYRICS

All the single ladies (7x)
Now put your hands up
Up in the club, just broke up
I’m doing my own little thing
Decided to dip but now you wanna trip
Cuz another brother noticed me
I’m up on him, he up on me
Don’t pay him any attention
Cried my tears, three good years
Ya can’t be mad at me

[Chorus]
Cuz if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it

(Chorus)
I put gloss on my lips, a man on my hips
Hold me tighter than my Dereon jeans
Acting up, drink in my cup
I could care less what you think
I need no permission, did I mention
Don’t pay him any attention
Cuz you had your turn
But now you gonna learn
What it really feels to miss me

(Chorus)

Don’t treat me like things of this world
I’m not that kind of girl
Your love is what I prefer, what I deserve
He’s a man that makes me and takes me
And delivers me to a destiny, to infinity and beyond
Pull me into your arms
Say I’m not the one you own
If you don’t, you’ll be alone
And like a ghost, I’ll be gone

All the single ladies (7x)
Now put your hands up

(Chorus)

Kilanas Flooded

Here are more pics of the flash flood that had hit Brunei last week. These pics were taken around the Kilanas area. Thanks to friends for forwarding the photos. Truly appreciate it.

Something must be done to fix our drains. Apparently they’re inadequate to cope with heavy downpour! And most of the time the drains are filled with creeping plants!! Just look at the consequences of our own negligence…

Wet Saturday

As usual on Saturday, the weather was promising more rain. The whole day the sky was covered with grey overcasts. But we didn’t want to let the weather get us down. Today, we had plans to go swimming. And it was a debut for my little boy. His first dip into the giant baby pool.

I wanted to go to the not-so-new-anymore swimming facility near the NTC. But apparently there were problems with the pool, mechanical I think. Probably something wrong with the filter. Anyhow, our alternative was the old Anggerek Desa Swimming Facility. It has been ages since I last set foot there. I think the last time was when I was a mere toddler! So you can imagine that place is practically a museum for me!

Entrance fee is B$1 for adults and for my little boy (10mths) FOC. As I walked into the facilty, with my eldest daughter, my PA and my siblings, I could see the place hasn’t changed much. Apart from the touch-up paint, the sitting stands around the pool area, everyting else was as I had left it many decades ago.

My baby boy was quite excited. I could see his eyes roaming all over the place. As we reached the baby pool, he was still quiet, but his eyes were as big as golf balls still looking at this strange new surrounding. He didn’t argue at all when I sat him on the pool stair. His eyebrow raised a bit, probably an initial shock to the slight current and coldness of the water. But other than that, he settled in pretty well. I got my son his own floats. So he could explore the pool with me. It took him a while though to enjoy the swim, as he was mainly distracted by the other little kiddies jumping and diving in the pool. But as my siblings and his sister joined briefly in the baby pool, my son got super excited and began shouting and screaming and laughing with joy. He was a happy little baby. I’m glad he enjoyed his swimming experience.

After an hour of hardly-coaching my son how to paddle, I decided to head home. But first we needed to shower  any unimaginable residue from the poll water from my baby’s skin. So off we went to the toilet/ shower area. As I had expected, the toilet was as old as I remembered it. I can’t deny that it was kept clean. Well, they tried to keep it clean. But because of the falling off / missing doors on the shower/toilet cubicles, missing toilet seats, missing faucets and shower heads, it was a pretty defective toilet. I could feel goose bumps going up my spine, signalling my disgust at the place. Even when showering my baby, the water was so cold. I could see his little lips trembling. Poor baby. But I had to give him the shower to wash away all the dirty things/ germs from the pool.

A day at the swimming pool was great for everyone. But the most dreaded moment, I think, was when we had to use the unkempt toilets. I just hope something is done to fix and refurbish the facility. The way it’s looking right now is not going to impress anyone. Especially when the facility is located near local residences and a few commercial hotels. Is this the standard we want for our fellow Bruneians? Is this the image we wish to project to our foreign visitors? And this goes to the other facilities in the area as well. Think about it…

Test for Idiocy

I was emailed this test. I took it and I’m found out I’m not so smart!!! hahahahah… have a try… if you think you up to the challenge!

For those who think they are SMART, You can SKIP this, if you want.…. that is if you’re afraid to try!!!!

But if you want to have a go, by all means!…just make sure you tell me your answers and I will tell you mine… hahahaha…

Test for Idiocy
Below are four (4 ) questions and a bonus question. You have to answer them instantly. You can’t take your time, answer all of them immediately . OK?

Let’s find out just how clever you really are….

Ready? GO!!!

First Question:

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?

Answer:
If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second per! son, you take his place, so you are second!

Try not to mess up next time.
Now answer the second question, but don’t take as much time as you took for the first one, OK ?

Second Question:

If you overtake the last person, then you are…?

Answer:
If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again.
Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person?

You’re not very good at this, are you?

Third Question:

Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only.
Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.

Take 1000 and add 40 to it.. Now add another 1000 . Now add 30 .
Add ano! ther 1000 . Now add 20 . Now add another 1000
Now add 10 . What is the total?

Answer:
Did you get 5000?

The correct answer is actually 4100.

If you don’! t believ e it, check it with a calculator!
Today is definitely not your day, is it?
Maybe you’ll get the last question right……..Maybe.

Fourth Question:

Mary’s father has five daughters: 1.. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono.
What is the name of the fifth daughter?

Answer:
Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn’t !
Her name is Mary. Read the question again!

Okay, now the BONUS ROUND QUESTION:

A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done.

Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?

Answer:
He just has to open his mouth and ask…
It’s really very simple…. Like you!

HAHAHAHAHAHA….!!

Seria Flooded

The wet weather continued unabatted today. Many cases of flash floods and landslides continued to fill the last few days. And government agencies were/are all at work wondering what can be done to help the victims. Since I always believe in using photos to add emphasis to my story, I received more photos of the flash floods incident. These photos were taken in Seria. Tanx again to my friends for forwarding me the photos.

Landslides

Pasar Ria Seria

Strokes

Recently I received an email providing pointers on how to identify strokes. Want to know how?

Here it goes….

A neurologist says that if a stroke victim was given care within 3 hours the effects of the stroke can be totally reversed. The trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

The key is to remember the ‘3′ steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARM S.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke: From the Tongue

Another ’sign’ of a stroke is to ask the person to ’stick’ out his/her tongue. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

So I hope we learnt something today. For me, anything to do with my health, the rules to follow is to basically to eat healthily and live healthily, remember to exercise!

Yummy Rice

I found these photos in one of my emails. The most creative meals I’ve ever laid my eyes on. I’m sure with these innovative meals, problems in making children eat their vegetables will cease to haunt parents. All you need is creativity and innovation!

Rice teddy

Packed lunch anime style

lounging rice puppy

Foxy rice

Pinnochio Lunch

Cuddly Lamb.. sleepy

Peeking Penguins

Kg Tanjong Maya Flooded

Just bringing more photo news on the flash flood that inundated most areas in Brunei Darussalam late January 2009. This time, I bring you photos of the situation at Kampong Tanjong Maya. I sincerely hope the flood victims are well compensated for their losses.

23 Feb 2009 Silver Jublee

It was an event that only comes along once in your life. 25 years of independence is truly a feat to be proud of. And I’m even more proud that it happened during my lifetime. The Silver Jublee celebration took place at the National Stadium in Berakas. Participants were seen committed and dedicated to making it a successful events. For almost a whole month before the 23rd of March, people from all walks of life were seen practising and practising with their marches as well as field performances.

Under the scorching heat, participants still preservere with their respective rehearsals. And the many days of rehearsal left visible markings on our skin, making us all look more tanned day by day. But despite that, the excitement in the air seemed to have evaporated all feellings of tiredness and aches. In its place were sheer determination of every individual involved in the marches and field performances to showcase the very best and memorable experience.

And I was very proud to be there as a member of the march past.

Maulud Procession

One celebration after another. 09 March was a very important day in Brunei, it marked the day of celebration to commemorate the birthday anniversary of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W (Peace be upon him). This year the celebration took place in and around the Taman SOAS in Bandar Seri Begawan.

I was amongst the invitees and I had a fantastic view from where I sat, which was on the right side of the Royal dais. I had such a clear view of the Royal Monarch. And even when His Majesty completed the Maulud procession, he was passing right in front of my stand!! It was so exciting.

Venice of d’East

The water village is indeed a rare sight. But in Brunei, it’s one of the most valued local heritage whose tradition and beauty intrigue any incoming tourists. Today my colleague and I had the pleasure to visit  one of the well known tourist s’destination. We took the trip there via the water taxi that cost BND$1 per person. And here are my ‘captured’ moments there. The beautiful sights from Kampong Tamoi Ujung water village.

The inner sight

Neighbourhood watch

Near the jetty

Entering the Water Village

The ride home

Serasa Shores

While on duty, I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of the breath-taking sights at serasa beach. The facility where I was at, had this resort-like wood/fibre bridge stretching several meters out. It was so dreamy and peaceful  when walking along the bridge.

Watermanship Training Centre RBAF

Serasa sea view

Dengue’s Remedy

I recently received this email on the discovery of a remedy for dengue. Hope you will all spend a few minutes of your time to have a read through the story below.

PASS THIS INFORMATION TO AS MANY AS YOU CAN, IT MAY SAVE LIVES.

The discovery was made by the father of a recovered dengue-fever patient. Apparently, his son was in the critical stage at the ICU when his blood platelet count drops to 15 after 15 liters of blood transfusion.

His father was so worried that he sought another friend’s recommendation and his son was saved. He confessed that he gave his son raw juice of the papaya leaves From a platelet count of 45 after 20 liters of blood transfusion, and after drinking the raw papaya leaf juice, his platelet count jumps instantly to 135. Even the doctors and nurses were surprised. After the second day he was discharged.

Accordingly, the remedy contained raw papaya leaves, 2 pieces, cleaned and pounded and squeezed with filter cloth. This will produce about one tablespoon per leaf. So two tablespoon per serving, once a day is required.  Refrain from attempting to boil or cook or rinse with hot water. This will cause the leaves to loose its strength. Only the leafy part and no stem or sap will work the remedy. This has a very bitter taste but it works. It is a natural cure for dengue fever.

As dengue fever is rampant now, It is good to share this with all.

Another lesson-learnt story. There was a lady who had dengue last year. It was a very serious situation for her as her platelet count had dropped to 28,000 after 3 days in hospital and water has started to fill up her lung. She had difficulty in breathing. She was only 32-year old. Doctor says there’s no cure for dengue. The family just had to wait for her body immune system to build up resistance against dengue and fight its own battle. She already had 2 blood transfusion and everyone were praying very hard as her platelet continued to drop since the first day she was admitted.

Fortunately her mother-in-law heard that papaya juice would help to reduce the fever and got some papaya leaves, pounded them and squeeze the juice out for her. The next day, her platelet count started to increase, her fever subsided. The family continued to feed her with papaya juice and she recovered after 3 days!!!

Amazing but it’s true. It’s believed one’s body would be overheated when one is down with dengue and that also caused the patient to have fever. Papaya juice has cooling effect and this helps to reduce the level of heat in one’s body. Thus the fever will go away. It was also found that it’s also good when one is having sore throat or suffering from heat.

Please spread the news about this as lately there are many dengue cases.. It’s great if such natural cure could help to ease the sufferings of dengue patients. Furthermore it’s so easily available. Blend them and squeeze the juice! It’s simple and miraculously effective!!

LEGCO Opens Today

Today, Thursday 12 March 2009, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam consented to officially open the Legislative Council session at the council’s brand-new venue at Jalan Kebangsaan.  This is the 5th time session of the council since its reconvening in 2004.

The Council consisted of its speaker; ex-officio members (prime minister and ministers); titled persons; persons who have achieved distinction; district representatives; and, clerk to the Council.

Historically, Brunei’s 1959 Constitution provided for a 33-seat Legislative Council, or Majlis Mesyuarat Negeri, with 16 directly-elected members. The body was disbanded in 1962 by His Majesty’s father, Almarhum Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddin Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, following a state of emergency, which saw the banning of the left-wing Parti Rakyat Brunei (PRB) or Brunei People’s Party.

In 1970 the Council was replaced by an appointed body by a decree of His Majesty. An elected Legislative Council is being considered a part of constitutional reforms. His Majesty abolished the parliament in 1984 after Brunei gained full independence from Britain. On September 24, 2004, His Majesty revived the State Legislative Council.Its predecessor, the Brunei State Council, known as Majlis Mesyuarat Negeri, functioned for little more than half a century from 1907 until the promulgation of the Brunei Constitution on September 29, 1959.

Everyone’s eager what will be derived in the discussions ahead. And this year, fellow colleagues in my profession have been given access to sit in on the council’s deliberation. I hope to be joining and listening in soon.

Limbang’s Fate Finally Sealed

Probably marked as an important landmark in Brunei history, on Monday 16 2009, the fate of Limbang was finally sealed with it’s handover to Malaysia through exchange of letters.

Below is the article on the event covered by Brunei Times. Do have a read through.

Brunei, M’sia settle land and maritime boundary issues via letters of exchange

Brunei has dropped all territorial claims over Limbang, thus ceding the district to the state of Sarawak and recognising it as Malaysian territory, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi was reported to have told Malaysian media yesterday.

This was among the boundary issues resolved under the Letters of Exchange (LoE), which included the establishment of a “Commercial Arrangement Area” (CAA) and the right of passage for Malaysian vessels across Bruneian waters.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Malaysian Prime Minister signed the documents at the Istana Nurul Iman.

According to Malaysian news publication The Star, Dato’ Seri Abdullah said that the Sultanate had agreed to drop the “Limbang issue” as a result of the two nations resolving their land and maritime disputes.

“With this resolution, there are no more issues to haunt the close relationship between Brunei and Malaysia,” the prime minister was quoted to have said at a press conference at the Malaysian High Commission here which was restricted to only registered Malaysian media due to “security” concerns.

In a joint statement, leaders of both nations noted the agreement of their respective governments on the key elements contained in the LoE, particularly the “final delimitation of maritime boundaries” between the two countries and the establishment of CAA, which resolves the dispute over oil and gas reserves located in the overlapping areas of the Exclusive Economic Zones of Brunei and Malaysia.

In 2003, arguments arose over four deep underwater blocks in the South China Sea after both countries awarded oil exploration contracts to foreign companies to the same area. Under the agreement, oil and gas revenues in the disputed area will be shared between the two nations. However, the ratio of how it will be shared was not disclosed.

The LoE also grants “unsuspendable rights of maritime access” for Malaysians travelling across Brunei’s maritime zones to and from Sarawak, given that they observe the Sultanate’s laws and regulations.

“The two countries would be able to enforce their rules and regulations and embark on new developments in their respective maritime zones,” the joint statement said.

The modalities of the final demarcation of land boundaries were also included in the LoE, for which a joint technical committee will be tasked to sort out the final formalities. It will be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between the governments of Brunei and Sarawak, and where appropriate, on the watershed principle.

His Majesty and the Malaysian Prime Minister believes that the signing of the LoE will “pave the way for the development of strategic partnership and closer collaboration between the two countries in all fields,” according to the statement.

Earlier yesterday, His Majesty, Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha and Her Royal Highness Pengiran Isteri Azrinaz Mazhar received in audience Dato’ Seri Abdullah and Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah.

After that, a meeting between the two leaders was then held, followed by the signing of the LoE.

A luncheon was also hosted for the Malaysian premier and his spouse as well as the Malaysian delegation, which included Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, the Chief Ministers of Sabah and Sarawak and other senior Malaysian officials.

Also present yesterday was HRH Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, HRH Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Hajah Zariah, HRH Princess Hajah Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah, HRH Princess Hajah Masna, the Ambassador-At-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as other members of the Royal Family.

$4.98b Approved

On Monday, LegCo had approved the national budget of $4.98b for the fiscal year 2009/2010.  Below is the extracted article of the announcement covered by BT.

LegCo Passes $4.98b budget for 2009/2010

The State Legislative Council yesterday approved a proposed national budget of $4,985,785,600 for fiscal year 2009/2010, targeting increased efforts in poverty eradication and ensuring food security in the medium and long term.

The budget also aims to ensure a strong and competitive fiscal position, increase government revenues (which stood at $475.8 million in March 2008), revise rates for government services “without affecting lower income groups” and intensify competition within the country’s investment environment to attract more foreign direct investment, the Minister of Finance II said.

About 18.8 per cent ($1,060,900,000) of the budget will go to human resource development and capacity building, said Finance Minister II Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Paduka Hj Abdul Rahman Hj Ibrahim. This is meant to increase research and development activities to assist in economic diversification efforts.

The budget for this fiscal year, which saw an increase of $200 million from the previous fiscal year, will be spent on four other areas: defence and homeland security, social harmony and poverty eradication, national food security, and the expansion and strengthening of the private sector.

The defence and security sector will receive 18.5 per cent ($1,046,000,000) of the budget this year, and an additional $10 million contingency fund has also been allocated to cover “unexpected expenses”, said Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Rahman.

In response to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s titah during the opening of the legislative council last Thursday, another $30 million has been allocated to speed up repair, maintenance and improvement works for infrastructure and public facilities, such as drainage systems, water and electric supply and communication systems, he said.

Yesterday’s Legislative Council meeting announced the establishment of two national committees to tackle poverty and social issues in the country the Special Committee for Poverty Issues and the National Committee for Tackling Social Problems. The government has a budget of $10 million to address poverty.

It allocated $270.3 million for socio-economic and public welfare. This is expected to result in an increase in job positions in the Community Development Department under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

It allocated $340.5 million for the improvement of the standards of medical and health services in the country, and $680.73 million for the construction sector and public facilities.

The government is aiming to achieve “cost-effective” targets for self-sufficiency in food, the minister said, noting a budget of $30 million for support strategies and plans.

It allocated $178.17 million for government agencies implementing plans and programmes to expand and strengthen the private sector. To achieve this, the minister said the government will provide basic infrastructure for business start-ups as well as skills training facilities and identify government services that can be outsourced to the private sector.

Corporate tax for fiscal year 2010 and the following years will also be reduced by two per cent to 23.5 per cent. To encourage the hiring of local workers, the amount that employers contribute to the Employees’ Trust Fund (TAP) will be increased by another 100 per cent, Pehin Dato Hj Abdul Rahman said.

The Department of Economic Planning and Development has forecasted a 1.2 to 3.1 per cent growth for Brunei’s gross domestic product this year.

The minister said the economic growth will be spurred on by increased manpower in the civil service, implementation of projects under the National Development Plan, and business spin-off businesses from the methanol plant.

The Brunei Times

Limbang’s Status Still Vague

Article today in Brunei Times stated that limbang claim issue were never discussed in the agreement signed Monday.

According to the statement by the Second Minister of MoFaT, the documents included the “final delimitation of maritime boundaries” between Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia, the establishment of the Commercial Arrangement Area in oil and gas, the modalities for the final demarcation of the land boundaries between the two countries and the “unsuspendable rights of maritime access” for nationals and residents of Malaysia crossing Brunei maritime zones to and from Sarawak, provided that Brunei’s laws and regulations are observed.

Quoting the joint statement, Pehin Dato Lim said that the demarcation of land boundaries would be resolved on the basis of five existing historical agreements between the governments of Brunei and Sarawak, and where appropriate, the watershed principle.

This is indeed a shocker. When will the limbang issue ever be resolved? I guess it’s still history in the making. Let’s just hope for the best.

Fast Cure for Coughs

How to stop cough in 5 minutes!!!

This is a must try….

We have all been kept awake by our own or someone else’s cough. Try this and pass it on. The tip and not the cough. ANYTHING is better than antibiotics. Even babies could benefit from this and the parents wouldn’t worry about the safety of their child. And of course, it is harmless and free from any type of side-effects.

READ IT ALL. It works 100 percent of the time, although the scientists at the Canada Research council (who discovered it) aren’t sure why.

Treatment:
To stop night time coughing in a child (or an adult, as! we found out personally), put Vicks Vapor Rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks.

Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time, and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly. It claimed that the head of the Canada Research Council describe these findings on the part of their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children, as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure. There was this parent who happened to tune in to a.m. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs, so he listened. It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly.

His wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago, and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe it this was a deep (incredibly annoying!) every few seconds, uncontrollable cough and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it.

If you have children or grandchildren, pass it on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed.

Transparent Creature

Amongst my forwarded emails, I received an interesting information about a very unique fish. It is so unique that I think you too will be quite doubtful about the authenticity of this news. Well, I’ve posted it up for you guys to have a look. Whether you believe it or not, it’s up to you. But it’s such an awesome discovery.

With a head like a fighter-plane cockpit, a Pacific barreleye fish shows off its highly sensitive, barrel-like eyes–topped by green, orblike lenses. The very existence of this unique creature was captured in 2004 but only recently, on 23 Feb 2009 the photo was finally released to the public.

The fish, discovered alive in the deep water off California’s central coast by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), is the first specimen of its kind to be found with its soft transparent dome intact.

The 6-inch (15-centimeter) barreleye (Macropinna microstoma) had been known since 1939–but only from mangled specimens dragged to the surface by nets.

The beady bits on the front of the Pacific barreleye fish in this picture released February 23, 2009, aren’t eyes but smell organs.

The grayish, barrel-like eyes are beneath the green domes, which may filter light. In this picture the eyes are pointing upward–the better to see prey above in the darkness of the barreleye’s deep-sea home.

The barreleye lives more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) beneath the ocean’s surface, where the water is almost inky.

The transparent-headed fish spends much of its time motionless, eyes upward, MBARI scientists discovered while watching the barreleye fish from a remotely operated vehicle.

Pavement Artist

I came across these wonderful photos of chalk drawings, which seem to come to life. But these drawings are not your typical piece of art that you see at the museum. These type of drawings are only seen on pavements!! Yep, on pavements. And the 3D effect of it is just so mind boggling. I was  so interested to see who the artist was behind these creative and life-like drawings. And believe it or not he can be searched through wikipedia

The artist’s name is Julian Beever. He is an English, Belgium-based chalk artist who has been creating trompe-l’œil chalk drawings on pavement surfaces since the mid-1990s. His works are created using a projection called anamorphosis, and create the illusion of three dimensions when viewed from the correct angle.

Beever works as a freelance artist and creates murals for companies. He has worked in the UK, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Spain, the U.S., Australia, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

Besides this pavement art, Beever also paints murals with acrylic paints and replicas of the works of masters and oil paintings, and creates collages. Amongst his other work are wood panelled drawings, usually themed around music, measuring 7 metres long by 1.5 metres high.

And right below are some of his work of art. Have a look…

That’s a long way down

Passer-by are actually going around the ‘hole’

How did he do that?

I feel like reaching out to that guy

The water rush look so real.. so does the alligator! yikes!

This is a real thirst quencher

Don’t fall Batman & Robin!!

Tips for Fresh Food

We have all experienced rotten veg and fruits stinking up the refrigerator, especially when we forget we bought all those stuff and haven’t been looking in the fridge for quite sometimes. But those days are long gone. There are some ingenious ways on how to preserve these veggies and fruitties.

One way is by wrapping up veg in newspapers. There has been claims that the newspaper will keep the veg fresh longer than if left in plastic bags. It is said that the print on the newspaper prevents evaporation and the paper content keeps the veg moist (as the fridge removes moisture).  I heard that the groceries from wetmarkets in Hong Kong used to arrive in newspapers and SEAWEED used as strings. But of course this was before there were those pink or blue or green plastic bags which are now an envioronmental nightmare.

Another tip I’ve come across in preserving fruits and veggies is by using aluminium coated plastic bags. This will help to keep the fruits and vegetables fresh for weeks. It is quite amazing and one that I have yet to try myself. But if it does work, hey why not try it!

Below is a sample of the type of aluminium coated plastic bag, this one is from quaker. Any type would be sufficient thought, as long as it has the same type of material. You can put in whatever and in any quantity you feel like it.

After one week, the vegetables are still fresh! Amazing right! No dehydration at all.

But remember, do not fold or seal the opening of the bag. The magic only works with the bag left open. so now, instead of discarding those quaker bags, it’s time to re-cycle and re-use them. You’ll not only be mother-nature’s new best friend, but you’ll save a whole lot of money for yourself and your family of course.

Chicken Wings

Amongst my forward emails, I came across this urgent message about chicken wings from a lady named Sharon How claiming to belong to Singapore Medical Association. It was a pretty interesting matter that she brought forward. But I do advise my readers to use you own discretion in this matter.

In the email the lady claimed that eating Chicken Wings frequently can have adverse effects, especially to the ladies. She recalled the experience of one of her friend who recently was diagnosed as having a peculiar growth in her womb and thus underwent an operation to remove the. The cyst removed was filled with a dark colored blood. Her friend thought that she would be recovered after the surgery but she was terribly wrong.

A relapse occurred just a few months later. Distressed, her friend rushed down to her gynecologist for a consultation. During her consultation, the doctor asked her a question that puzzled her. He ask if she was a frequent consumer of chicken wings and she replied yes wondering as to how, he knew of her eating habits.

It was told that in this modern day and age chickens are usually injected with steroids to accelerate their growth so that the needs of this (Singapore) society can be met. This need is none other than the need for food. Chickens that are injected with steroids are usually given the shot at the neck or the wings. Therefore, it is in these places that the highest concentration of steroids exists. These steroids have terrifying effects on the body as it accelerates growth. It has an even more dangerous effect in the presence of female hormones as it leads to women being more prone to the growth of a cyst in the womb.

Therefore, the forward email that I got on this matter aimed to advise the people out there to watch their diets and to reduce their consumption of chicken wings. My personal opinion on this is that, thank goodness our poultry are slaughtered the islamic way. We do not use steriods on them to enhance growth. Things are done naturally in Brunei. That’s the preferred way. Besides, I’m a chicken wing lover as well.

On the other hand, it would be wise to heed the urgency of this message especially for those travelling abroad. As the poultry provided outside our borders cannot be guaranteed the same assurance as what we enjoy here in Brunei. So do be careful with what you put into your stomach. Be wise with your dietry choices.

Earth Day 2009 – Grassroot action

Happy Earth Day 2009 everyone!!

22nd April has been declared Earth Day worldwide to inspire greater awareness and involvement of everyone in caring more for our environment. We have heard and seen numerous media news about the need for change. Not merely change in our habits but also change in how we see life.

In the hustle and bustle of our busy daily life, we tend to forget the importance of playing a part in conserving and sustaining the ‘health’ of mother nature. As years go by, and greater developmental progress achieved, we find ourselves engulfed in the materialistic aspect of life. In which case, these factory-manufactured materials are one of the main cause of illness to our earth. Pollution, energy wastage, overflow of plastic usage, global warming and others are the consequences of our improved living standards.

We truly need to refocus our commitments. Living luxuriously will be meaningless if we have to compromise clean air, clean water and healthy earth. Let’s do something completely different to help change and rid of  the damage we have done thus far to our earth. Change to make a difference!

Food for d’soul

Whenever I get the chance, I would indulge myself in my ultimate fav hobbie, which is cooking. I would cook whatever I can lay my hands on. And of course the challenge lies in making sure that the final dish is tasty. Other than taste, presentation of the dish is equally important, especially if I want to entice people to actually want to eat it.

To help in my every cooking session, I make sure I gather as many recipes as possible to experiment with. And I do this by watching the available cooking channels on astro. My all-time favourate channel is AFC (Asian Food Channel). I get great recipes from there, as well as insights on how to cook like real chefs

Of course, I still have a very long journey before I can be called  a chef. But for me, as long as I’m able to cook something that’s tasty, I’m a happy gal. So I will go on cooking, as practices will make me a step closer to being the perfect chef

Life’s Cycle

Watching my children grow day by day gives me such a fulfilling sensation inside of me. But at the same time, I also have this anxious feeling that as my children grow, so will I.

I know nobody gets younger by the day. We will all grow old and eventually life will reach its final destination. I recall the days when my grandparents were still around. Their last few moments with family members were the most precious and challenging times. It was hard to even comprehend that similar atmosphere and storyline will one day be my own. I sorely miss my grandparents, they played a very important role in my younger years. My only regret is that I didn’t spend enough time with them or even tell them how much they mean to me.

It’s true what people say about taking for granted things that you see often of and not really take the time to appreciate and even express those feelings of appreciations and affection to your love ones.

The way I was brought up, verbal expression of affection is something we’re shy to truly show. However, we have no resistance to showing it through things we do. It just gets uncomfortable to look into the eyes of your love one and tell them you love them without them suspecting something not right. Suspicion in this case would be the norm reaction, especially if we’re know not to be as expressive.

Anyhow, I think no matter how hard it is, it would still be a worthwhile cause to nurture ourself to be more expressive, more frequently. It may be awkward at first, but ove r time, it will just come naturally.

In the meantime, I truly hope that my family knows I love them all to bits. And eventhough I don’t say it, doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. I feel it all the time. And sometimes to the extent of scaring myself, afterall we will not live forever. Time will be the stop-watch to life. But death will definitely not be the border for affection. What we feel for someone, will never perish.. not unless you want it to.

We all know where our life’s cycle is heading. So spend your time wisely. Spend it with your family. Spend it doing worthwhile or even unworthwhile things. Just make sure you live you life to the fullest, without regrets.

Swine Flu Awareness

With stories and news about swine flu sweeping many more countries around the globe, precautions taken in Brunei continues with full speed. Many people are still unsure as how to behave in this phase 5 pandemic alert.

For myself, I’m no so familiar what the phases mean. But what I do understand is that the virus is at a point that it able to transmit from human to human. So this could have deadly repercussions if not handled immediately and with great cautious.

Although travels are not restricted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), but I personally think travels should be restricted for the time being. The concern is how to contain the virus without spreading any further. This would be difficult if people continue to behave irresponsibly and in ignorance of what is going on around them.

Basically, to prevent the spread of the flu, just stay away from the affected areas and affected people; keep proper hygiene; avoid crowded places; and ensure you consume balanced diet, daily.

If you think by getting yourself injected will prevent getting the flu, this is wrong. The virus itself is still evolving and mutating. The existing vaccination is only tamiflu which is for seasonal flu. So it will not necessarily guarantee we will be immune to the virus.

So let us keep ourselves updated on the situation by browsing the relevant websites. Education is awareness, and that itself will teach us on the relevant prevention. Insyallah

Effective PR

I had a very interesting discussion with my colleagues in the PR business. There seems to be a shared concerns on what effective public relations really means. Current understanding on public relations, specifically in the public sector focus mainly on the dissemination of information to the general public. Probably, in my opinion, too much focus has been granted in passing such information via the media, and very little attention and yet necessary has been allocated on exploring the alternative channels for such purposes.

I’ve only been permanently posted into the Public Relations business about less than 2 years, and during that time I’ve seen so much potentials that are just left to pass everyone by. My peers in this field are most of the time too bogged down with menial tasks that they lacked the opportunities to explore the more relevant and core area of their profession.

And this was exactly what my discussion yesterday was touching on. A question was posted to all my peers, what exactly makes an effective public relation officer? And surprisingly, my peers just remained quiet. I don’t blame them really. Because PR business is a contemporary concept that has yet to be fully absorbed into a traditional and conventional society such as ours.

Just to share my own thoughts, for me PR is everyone’s responsiblity. There is no law or rules that states only PR practisioners can be involved in such profession. Personally, public relations is an activity that everyone are involved in on a daily basis. But yet, when the word PR is even mention, fingers start to be pointed at the PR officers every single time.

Base on my experience, PR officers are the frontliners in this business. But their effectiveness lies in how other entities and personnel within and outside of the organisation are willing to render their assistance and support in the process as well. Therefore, the whole organisation has to work together to make PR work for them. Not merely making PRO work for the organisation.

Therefore, a change of mindset and culture in fully embracing PR responsibilities is necessary. And this has to start from the top of the hierarchy ladder and cascaded to the personnel on the ground. Realistically, this is a very complex and difficult task to achieve. Even in the management field, attempting to cascade an ideology to all levels is almost like trying to penetrate a steel door with a wooden chopstick!

But overall, achieving change means we have to be able to convince, fully or even partially, those around us on its imperativeness. Only through the such support will there be progress. At the same time, it would be useful to have a well thought out plan as well. So gather all your wits and prepare a sound plan, you might just be able to succeed in the PR business

Diet Supplements

Gaining weight is always easier than trying to lose it. And there seems to be the misperception that those who are able to lose the excess weight might have taken some kind of diet supplements. And there are thousands of brands and types to choose from.

Base on personal experience, diet supplements have never assisted in losing any of my excess weight. As a matter of fact, I gained even more weight because of it  along with other side effects like gastric and fatigue. And it took me several years to realise that the supplements are actually prolonging my over-weight condition rather than helping to reduce it.

It wasn’t until in 2007, that suddenly it hit me in the head, telling myself why in the world didn’t I just get myself to do some exercise to lose the weight rather than spending hundreds of dollars on diet supplements. So I had a mission in mind, it was not merely to lose weight but also to get fit. Of course at that moment, I had renewed dedication to truly lose the weight, so I came up with a simple fitness plan, which was to spend about 30mins, 3 days a week, walking around the National Stadium area. And I did that for about 3 months.

After 3 months, I got so pumped to lose my weight so I joined one of the local private gym. The aerobic programmes were my fav which included body combat, latino aerobics, hip hop and many more. Since my membership at the gym, I would spend no less than 1 hour a day, 5 times a week doing the various aerobic sessions. And when I had extra time, of if the aerobic sessions were my fav, I would do it for 2 hours a day.

So within 5 months or maybe even more, I lost about 10kg!!! I was so happy. Then came the fasting month. I couldn’t do my aerobics, not on an empty stomach for fear I might forfeit my fast and faint :p so I just controlled my food intake. Choosing wisely what I eat during the fasting month, like taking in lots of fresh veg and greens + fruits before consuming my main meals during opening of the fast. And guess what, I lost 5kg just during the fasting month!! So overall, I lost about 15kg.

That was a wonderful feat for me. And I felt great. But alas, since the birth of my son, I regained my weight simply because I spent my time being with my baby rather than at the gym but I’m confident, I can go through the whole process again, because I’ve been there and I know what to do.

So for those of you out there. Give up the diet supplements. They don’t work! Just get your booty onto the running tracks and just walk it off. Start simple, 30min per day or 3 days a week. And of course, watch your food intake. Reduce carbohydrates like bread and rice and increase on the fibres like vegetables and fruits. But this doesn’t mean you have to give up your favourite junk food completely. Just eat in moderation, and only have it one day in a week.

I promise you, this discipline will work!! You will be able to lose at least 5kg in 3 months. If you’re a hard worker, you can even lose 5kg per month!! But the main thing is, you enjoy doing the exercise so that you will continue doing it, even when you’ve reached your ideal weight!!

So make exercise part of your life’s routine. A healthy person is a happy person See you at the Stadium then!! or the gym!! Good Luck!!

Water is Life’s Essential

In my country, water is something you can easily find at the turn of the tap. But in other parts of the world, it is something of a luxury and scarce to some. My heart goes out to those who are deprived of this life’s core essential. And I just hope and pray that something is done to distribute the essential to those in need, immediately.

the middle east

trying to have a sip of the little water there is

Only one source to get water from

in asia

cherish the water

Green Thumb

In the cry to save the earth, we all can make our individual contribution to help improve the green house effect. One of the ways is to plant more plants Being a green thumb would be helpful in this case. You can plant whatever you want. It doesn’t really take a genious to plant something, all you need are very good and fertilised soil, a beautiful pot, plant seed and of course water and the sun

Some plants are easier to grow than others. I prefer to just buy them off from the Sunday Flower Market, and I have a ready potted plant to beautify my front yards! See how easy it is

But the main thing is, we share the common responsiblity to always live our lives in an earth-conscious way. Let’s work together to preserve a future for our next generations!

To Lie or Not To Lie

Nowadays, relationships between people, especially workmates may not necessarily be as genuine as it seems. In a capitalist world like now, fostered relationships are mainly calculated. It means, if a person wishes to befriend another person, e.g. at work, then befriending that other person better have its perks. I know this sounds quite conceited, but things like this do happen.

Such ‘relationship culture’ is usually the case between an underling/ junior executive and a top CEO. Some people would try to mush up to the top brass just so that they hope to be given incentives as a result. But most of the time, people deny having this ulterior motive. Probably for fear of their plan back-firing. If I was in such a position, I would truly feel horrible the next day. I just don’t feel right about fooling around with other people’s trust for the sake of materialistic things. And I’m sure, things like this will come to haunt us back, and then we’ll have to pay our dues.

It is just so funny to hear such denial, when it is so obvious from the individual’s actions and behaviour. It’s just something that cannot be hidden. People are quicker to notice something that is wrong, than otherwise.

As for me, I prefer to just speak my mind. But at times, I find it can be difficult, especially when those around me just don’t wish to admit that something is wrong. Some people even told me that my frank remarks can be hurtful. But for me, it would be even more hurtful if we lie, especially when we’re lying to our love ones or close friends. I have this belief that a friend has a responsibility to be truthful, no matter what, to their own circle of friends. So my mission is to express myself, rather than trying to impress. And if some people are not happy with that, then they’re welcome to find themselves new friends, who’re willing to lie to their faces! Good Luck…

Fear and Anxiety

At the weekend I was reading a very interesting book about fear and anxiety. There’re quite a number of people who have this problem of sudden fear and anxiousness when confronted with something new or something they anticipate to happen in their life. In the book, it gave quite a comprehensive explanation as to WHY we feel anxious and what are the process involved when we fear something.

It says that, some people fail to answer when asked why do they feel anxious, even though when it’s such a simple question.

But the reason is basically when we experience fluctuations or inconsistency and varibles in our lives, these feelings would arise. Of course, when an individual feel they are threatened, then their whole nerve systems would automatically react to the feeling as if being in danger. And the reaction may be physical, e.g. just try to run away from reality, and it may be mentally e.g. just suddenly be quiet, stiff and frozen.

For a psychologist, such reactions are normal. It is basically how our body prepare itself in the most suitable manner in facing event of anticipated fear or danger.

When the feeling anxiety emerge within us, it is derived from our emotions and feelings being lured into that anxious state, and later diverting our attention towards the event or condition that caused us to feel that way.Of course, this is basic human reaction in such condition. For some it becomes more hazardous when a conflict occur within that person as if there are two personality. And this cause some to be divided as to how to confront their anxious condition.

Another interesting thing mention in the book was that, there are two types of fear: sudden fear that is unintentional and a made-up fear which we await its arrival. The first type is basically how we feel fear when something really happened to us. But the second type of fear is when the person feel extreme fear about a suspected future without any real facts. This happens because of constantly imagining and baseless anticipation that only failure and difficulty will come by. And the more that person imagine such negativity, e.g. about the nearing of eventual failure or difficulty, anxiety will overcome that person to the extent of feeling delusional, disturbed, quickened heart beat, be withdrawn from reality and possess unsettling feelings. And this is cause merely by imagining the ifs and what might-happen scenario, with unfounded/ no hard facts.

So how to overcome this???

We have to be brave in confronting it. Or use other means which might help us to overcome it. Other means include to purify our minds through spiritual activities like zikir, prayers and learning more about things we lack understanding on. But most importantly, an idle mind is a dangerous mind. Just use our time more effectively, fill it by doing positive and useful activities such as exercises, spending time with the family, hanging out with friends or even working. So the key is basically, be BRAVE, LEARNED and ACTIVE.

Hope you enjoyed reading this article. I certainly enjoyed writing about it And tanx to the Author Yusof Al-Aqsari. ‘35 Tips to Rid of Fear’.

Anger.. What’s the point?

Emotion is a very complex matter. And different people handle it in a completely different way. Anger is the most hazardous emotion of all. It not only has the potential to hurt oneself but also others whom we’re angry at, both physically and mentally.

For me the feeling of anger is more visible when we’re at that younger age. Youth seems to have excess of everything, energy, creativity, innovation, strength and even emotions. So in regards to emotions, when youth experience a particular feeling, it is usually in the most extreme way.

Anger is the most dangerous emotion to be feeling in extreme. When on gets angry, you experience an adrenaline rush throughout the whole body, which will consequently produce not so good outcome. We get blood rush to our face and head, our hands and legs become so light as if ready to punch, kick or pounce on the person we’re angry at or just a nearby scapegoat, then our minds become dishevelled with violent thoughts!! I’m sure everyone have experienced this. During the moment of feeling anger, yes it does feel good. But it’s the outcome which we usually end up regretting.

For me, during my younger years, especially when I started working, I noticed that I got angry a lot and quite frequent. Mainly angry about how other people don’t do what they’re supposed to do or angry about other people incapability to think the way I think. Well, these are some of the example of course. But the ultimate launching pad for my angry emotion is when people behave in double-standard manner!! urrrgggghhhh.. that can really set me off, still!

Whatever the issues are, there will always be something we don’t approve of and one that might cause us to be angry. But after thinking about it, and with a little bit of maturing going on, sometimes I just don’t think it’s worth it to even get angry about. Especially when anger cause your blood pressure to shoot up and may cause your heart to over pump blood and stop functioning!! hmmmm…

Once again, it’s never a good or beneficial idea to get angry when things just don’t turn out the way you want it to. And it’s wrong to expect things to be perfect all the time. It’s like Murphy’s Law, where if thing can go wrong, it will go wrong. Probably, for some it would be too much to ask to just look at things on the lighter and happier side. Honestly, what do you truly gain by being angry all the time at everyone?? Nothing much really, except you will end up having the person you’re angry at feeling uncomfortable and probably hating your guts for it and also causing your own health to deteriorate from over-excitement.

So the next time you feel angry at something or someone, try to rethink your reaction. What will you gain from getting angry?? Nothing at all. So cheer up and just go with the flow. People tend to respond better and be more sincere to a happier person than to an angry person. So just remember to put on your smiling face the next time you go out and meet people. Do smile and laugh more, as it’s the medicine for a healthier heart!

Things are not always what it seems.

Probably it’s a common human behaviour to judge things as one sees it. I think being given free reign to judge or recreate reasoning why certain things happen, somehow gives a person a superpower, a power to control perception.

What I noticed is, when a group of people gather for whatever reason, if something was to happen out of the ordinary or someone who seemed unique, I dare say there would be a lot of speculations and judgements being made on that particular scenario. People just enjoy sensationalising things that are not. And this more often than not, bring about quit complicated atmosphere where the feeling of suspicious would be the final outcome.

Basically, people are just so nosey about the business of other. And the fact that they’re able to spread whatever news, whether it’s the truth or just made-up, give them a sense of control and power over the situation. Why do we need to feel this way? Why do we have to dominate situations like these?

The only thing that can be gained is merely a 5-sec fame. Fame not necessarily base on truth, but what excite people by the things we tell them or make them think.

I know what I’m writing here seems to go round and round in circle, but the message that I”m trying to bring forward is basically, just try not to be so judgmental next time when you see something unfamiliar, new and strange. If you really want to know the facts, stop making mere assumptions or imagining the possible answers. Just go straight up to whatever it is, ask!! Again, next you’d have to keep in mind, why do you really need to know such trivial things? For me, if it brings me no benefit or otherwise, then just don’t bother to speculate. And just stop trying to guess why certain things happen, just so you have a more exciting scenario to think or talk about, eventhough when it’s not really our business to do so.

So lighten up people and don’t be too quick to judge things or people. We’re all in the same boat. Just live your own lives and make sure it’s a good one!

Do we behave as a family?

Quite an outrageous question, especially in a society like Brunei. Everything and anything that we do here revolves around family. So what caused me to bring you this question then??

I’m still at awe thinking that there are families, real families out there, that don’t behave like a family. What I mean by this is that they don’t spend time together, they don’t communicate with one another, and they don’t even sit down at meals together!! For someone like myself, who’s brought up in a typical conventional family, it’s quite shocking news to absorb. My kids were telling me that some of their own friends actually live like this, lacking communication/ interaction with their immediate family members. They don’t even know the birthdays of they own parents!!

What happened to those families? Why do they let themselves fall apart like that? Did something go wrong that cause them to isolate themselves from their love ones? Or do they just take for granted that their family will always be there?

I’m still in disbelief that some families don’t act or live like a family. And when you deprive yourself of such liberty, life would really be lonely. Children will start to go astray and hide things from their parents. Parents just assume things are well and dandy when their kids have nothing to complain about. Or is it?

Holding strong to family values is key to ensuring that we all grown up to be responsible and respectful persons. It gives us a sense of belonging and purpose. If we lose sight of what is truly important in our lives, we will eventually lose our own path in life. Family, parents and siblings are the one’s who are supposed to be there in times of wellness and in times of need. They don’t disappear at the sight of trouble. In fact, they preservere and stand even stronger besides you and help you through whatever troubles that crosses your path.

So for those families, that are slightly or temporarily diverted from such path, go back home and sit down with your family. Make sure you allocate some time to be in each other’s company. And you will realise, a strong family will be a happy family. And hopefully we will all mature to be responsible human beings!

Biggest Loser

I truly enjoy the reality show ‘Biggest Loser’ on Hallmark Channel. And no, it’s not about losers = useless people. It’s a show about the race to losing the most weight.

In the show, the participants comprised guys and gals who weigh well over 200pounds and more. They will be trained towards fitness by a professional personal trainer who will also advise on the proper diet. And the participants will race against one another in losing the most weight. Along the process, someone who lose the least weight with a week or so, will then be booted out through votes by fellow participants.

I certainly would not mind having that kind of show done in Brunei. It would be like getting a double bonus i.e. losing my excess weight and winning a lottery when losing the most weight. Fantastic!!

But of course watching it on tv seems like a piece of cake. But it’s not as easy as it looks. Those participants have to go through the gruelling daily routine of ultimate fitness, with the supervision of their merciless and often brutal trainers. But hey, you get results. And that’s the main thing.

look at the result!!

Trainer: Bob & Jillian

The Biggest Loser Gym

part of the gym

Elimination process

Child Abuse

I’ve been hearing stories about circulation of an email showing video of a foreign maid abusing her employer’s young children and toddlers.

Firstly, I hate hearing stories like that. I would automatically visualise those little babies being kicked, stamped and slapped around. Arggghhh!! Truly horrific and inhumane act. How could anyone be so heartless and cruel to do something so violent to innocent and defenseless little beings??

Thinking about my own children, I truly empathise with parents who have experienced this horrible event. The maid in question should be punished severely and totally. There is no excuse for violence on the innocent. This is usually the incident that cause parents to put up cctv at home just to make sure their children are safe in the care of the paid-nanny or maid.

But there are also cases where the family members are the abusive ones. This scenario is even worst. How could they have the heart to hurt their family and love ones? Is there no compassion at all when they do this? What do they hope to gain from inflicting harm on these innocent people? This I will never understand.

So those of you, who know of any incident like this going on here, please please report it immediately. Prolonging it means you’re also an accomplice of the crime. Think about the abused and think about their families, nobody deserve to be mistreated like that, especially children. Don’t let them grow up in fear, make them feel protected at all times.

What’s the point of revenge?

This is one of the many quotes from Mahatma Ghandi.

The typical human nature is that we are never satisfied with what we have and will always seek revenge in the pursuit of the so-called personal justice.

Even in a malay society like our own, those kind of mindset are not fully exempted. When somebody does anything unjust to our own persons, we will feel betrayed and dissatisfied. To regain our own satisfaction, revenge remain the solution, even in actual fact when revenge does nothing more than make the situation worst!

I can truly understand the quote by Gandhi, and it’s true that when we are so absorbed in taking our vengence, we become blinded with this heated emotion and would completely be shut out from all rational thoughts. And yet, we never repent and keep on harbouring these feelings, and thus prolonging our ‘blindness’ to what surrounds us.

But what’s the point? Even the satisfaction that we gained from it is only temporary, after which comes regret. Yet, we never fail to keep on going through the same cycle, each time re-creating the final condition of temporary satiated feeling that eventually leads to more regret.

Allow me to take an example from my own experience. Many years ago, when I was much younger, single and fully loaded with emotions I was in cloud-9, so I thought I was, with a guy. He was the type of guy some parents would truly approve. And so did my parents. Being so in love, I became a willing advocator on everything he tells me. He was a religious man, by profession, so he wanted me to be the ideal muslimah. So I did become that. But somehow, this became complicated. He was the jealous type, and he absolutely disapprove of me hanging out with friends, in particular boys. At that time I was doing my undergraduate in the UK, and I had loads of friends that I hang out with, especially guys. And when I want to have a group study with these guys, he won’t let me. After a while, probably because of over-jealousy, one day he gave me a call, during my examination week, and broke it off just like that!! I was so shocked, sad and angry. Luckily I was more angry than sad, coz if it was the latter, I could have failed in my exams.

I was so angry that he broke it off via phone. Such cowardice. And since that moment my mind was so consumed with revenge. Revenge to teach him a lesson about breaking off relations via phone.

One day, I had the chance to do so with the help of a mutual friend. I went to one of his night-religious class. He saw me, and he looked as if he saw a ghost. Since that day, I was satiated. And since that day, everytime he saw me, he would go the other way.  But now that I think of it, it was silly. And yes, I was so blinded with revenge, that I failed to see anything irrational about it. My mission was ‘to hurt him back’ one way or the other. But all I did was scare him. Well, at least my mind is in peace now. And I never want to go through that again.

That was my experience. And I may say now that I never want to do that again. But the truth is, we just don’t want to change. If we did, then we would stop seeing things like “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. It’s just not worth it. So next time, if something like this happens, just pause a moment, and try to reflect and visualise how negative reaction will benefit you. Nil, no negative reaction will benefit anyone. So don’t waste energy trying to make it so.

Spread the love

For me adoption is one of the things that can give a person the greatest joy and fear all at the same time. The greatest joy is being able to adopt beautiful kids and the fear is of course having to go through all the legal processes and just hoping that nothing will disrupt it.

But why do people want to adopt other people’s children? My guesses are: they can’t conceive their own yet, they love children, they want to have a much bigger family, they are humanitarian who strive to saving unwanted children etc. Regardless of the reason, the consequent is there is a new member of the family.

In Brunei, the adoption process is very delicate and complex. And the main players are the civil courts, syariah courts, community department of the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports, and the Immigration department. If the child to be adopted is a foreigner, then the Embassies would be involved as well. Throughout the various layers of processes, the crucial documents that you always need to have with you are your identity card, latest pay slips, identity of the child’s biological parents, birth certificate of the child, and an agreement letter between the child’s biological parents and the couple adopting.

The scariest process is during the interview at the civil court. It is at that moment, when the child’s biological parents are able to convince the Registrar whether they are truly and really willing to release their child for adoption. Forget about their promises before the interview, it is during the interview you have to wary about. And the Registrar are very strict in this matter, as it is their responsibility to ensure that the whole adoption application is done with the consent of the biological parents. Without it will mean the end of our adoption desire.

For me, I’ve always wanted to adopt a child/ children. Gender is not an issue with me. As long as the baby is healthy, then I’m fine with it. I had this strong desire to adopt unwanted/orphaned children since I was a blossoming teenager. At that time, a group of orphaned male children came to our house. We were hosting a dinner for them. And there was this little boy, sweet boy, healthy but mute. My heart went out to him. And if I was able at that time, I would have adopted him on the spot!! My parents however did try to do that, but the guardian was not willing to let him go as they too are attached and taken by the little boy. He was such a sweetie. I pray everything is well with him now.

I’m envious of people who are able to conceive as many babies as they want. As you know, not everyone is blessed in such a way. For other, we have to wait, and wait, and wait some more, before we are given this gift of a child. The main thing is, even if it seems forever to conceive our own children, adoption is still an option we can take up. But then again, not everyone is willing to do that. For some people, adoption is just out of the question. There could be many reasons for this, and only they will truly know why.

Personally, whether a child is adopted or that child is my own, my treatment will be the same. They are all my babies, from young to old, they will always be my babies. I don’t approve of differentiating between adopted child with biological child. This is an act of selfishness. And I’m totally against it.

There are also some people, who say with their lips how happy they are with the adoption. But in their hearts, they seem divided. And this become visible overtime, through verbal and gestures. Like I said, adoption is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. It takes a true saint and pure of heart to truly accept someone else as their own. And I just hope there are more saints out there than not.

Even though I’m already blessed with 3 kids, I’m still and always on the look out to adopt unwanted children. I just adore and love children. I love watching them grow, learn and blossom with age. It’s like watching a miracle happen under my own rooftop! For me, my children are my peace, havoc, happiness, sadness.. all the wonderful mixture of life. And it’s something we will never tire of. Believe me.

So for those of you out there, if you’re thinking of giving your child for adoption, whatever the reason, please do get in touch with me Myself and many others are all just waiting for the chance to embrace a new member into our own family. They will be well cared for and loved.

Snap!

A few days ago my team and I had successfully held a course on photography and news writing. It was interesting to sit through all the lectures which I find truly refreshing. But after all have been done, the most difficult task now is to write a report about it.

I’m actually having a mental block with the report because I’m trying to find the most suitable introductory on photography. I know what photography is but somehow I just get stuck on what does it really mean in my line of work. So here I am, trying to think and blog about it.

Personally, photography to me is about capturing moments in my life which one day I hope I can share with my grown up children and grand children, and even great grand children. At my own time, I would take picture of my children, candid pictures of course. Then I would spend even more time editing those picture, cropping them just to give that extra ‘umph’. But my photos composition is pretty amateurish. And I know I need to learn more about the art of photography. But for my own personal purpose, my current standard would just have to do for now.

But in my line of work, photography is more than keeping a memory of things of events that had occurrred. Photography in my line of work is more about capturing images of our activities, our organisation, our people and everything that we are, and then use those digital images to pass an even more important message to our stakeholders. Here, skill and expertise in taking the photo are of the utmost importance. Therefore, I had this course conducted to ensure that such skills and expertise are present within my organisation.

But still, I’m stuck with my own introduction on what photography is. I know technology has a huge impact on photography. The latest camera on the market shelf, with it’s fancy price tags, has the capability to produce digital images of mind-blowing super-wow. Cameras nowadays are able to capture the right lighting, sharpness, and give fantastic effects. But that’s on the technical side.

Again, I’m still stuck. I remember the phrase ‘a picture tells a thousand stories’. Again this is how the final outcome of the image taken has the capacity to influence certain perception. But for those actually looking through the camera lens, what do they feel when taking these photos?

Personally, when I take snapshots, I like to focus on those little-little things like insects on plants, tree bark, flowers etc. When I take picture, it’s the same feeling like when I’m drawing or painting. It’s like doing art, but with sophisticated gadgets. At the turn of the lens or press of the ISO button or Shutter speed or aperture, the object captured becomes an art of its own. But this type of art is in the assistance of a gadget. Different from drawing and painting where our own hands and minds control the shades and texture of the art piece.

I just don’t know. I’m still stuck. Maybe my brain is just tired.

But maybe those of you reading this can share with me, what is photography? What does it mean in our society today? Why do people love photography so much? I have so many questions in my head… argggghhh!!

Tickle Your Taste Bud

A friend of mine a few weeks back had made an attempt to try some of the local dishes in Singapore. He claimed he had crocodile feet, turtle soup (with the feet still intact), black chicken, frog saliva and stinky tofu. Quite a bizarre menu and I wonder how his stomach took it.

I don’t think I have ever had the chance to taste any bizarre food.. well not yet that is. I’ve always wanted to try eating fried insects like grasshopper, scorpion… or ever flower . I have always wondered how those things tasted. I had this idea of eating fried insects and flowers since I saw a tv programme on bizarre food around the world. They way those people were gulping the dishes down make it seems as if it might just be tasty. But then again, looks can be deceiving. Maybe their taste buds are way experienced to endure the taste. Then again, I don’t mind trying. And I do hope I will one day get the chance to do so.

don’t that look scrumptious.. zucchinni flower fritters.. yummmm… I wanttt!!!

The only bizarre food that I had eaten (accidentally) was cow’s tongue. A friend of mine tricked me into eating it. She just told me to have a taste. Then I did, I chewed, and I swallowed. It tasted really weird. Then my friend told me it was cow’s tongue. My stomach did a somersault. I really didn’t like it. I kept imagining as if I was french-kissing the cow. Yuck!!! So never again. And I warned her not to serve me that dish ever, ever again. Yuck!!

that tongue should stay with the cow and not end up on the dish plate!

I saw this tv programme called Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmerman or something like that, and in one of the episode he had to eat durian. And he actually gagged before even putting the durian into his mouth! He just couldn’t take it in. He was so disgusted and disturbed by the durian aroma. What a sissy!! And this is the guy who ate maggots, bats, belut, and other way weirder food before. And he falterred at the sight or rather the smell of a durian. Go figure!!

If somebody gave me durians, I would just gulp it down. I like eating durian, especially our local bruneian durian. Yum Yum… wonder when the durian season is :p

yummmmmm.. I’m drooling now *slurrppp*

Anyway, talking about food always make me hungry, even when it’s about bizarre food. So I’m off to visit my fridge now. In the meantime, if you happen to think of one or more type of food considered bizarre to share with us ok.

Girlie Flicks

What movies do you enjoy watching, that you would watch it again and again?? I have quite a few movie favourites that I can never tire of. I especially like the type of movies that has a happy ending, like a kind of fairy-tale story.

PRETTY WOMAN. To me this is a classic! I fell in love with this movie not just because both of the leading actors/ actress are among my fav celebrities but the story is sooooo romantic and so far out! I would rate it 8/10!! I’m such a sucker for romantic movies.

NEVER BEEN KISSED. Drew Barrymore is an absolute dork in this movie. But the fact that she had a second chance to go back to high school and crowned prom queen is something to really watch out for. I love the ideals of this undercover reporter falling in love with her shakespeare teacher… awwwwwwww… another romance. I grade it a 7.

MISS CONGENIALITY. Sandra Bullock started off as a bushy eye-browed FBI agent who just happened to get assigned to go undercover as one of the beauty pageant contestants. I totally enjoyed the make-over  scene, especially when sandra’s character was beautifully transformed that  her fellow male agents just went ga-gay. Loved it!! I give it 8!!

EVER AFTER. A modern yet medieval version of the Cinderella story. I especially like the slight twist that Cinderella, Drew Barrymore, turned out to be an intellectual gal at medieval times, who also happen to be quite a fiesty character. I give it a 6.5.

ENCHANTED. Not really into the toon part during the earlier part of the movie. But I truly enjoyed the scene at the park, when everything just came to live and people were singing and dancing all over.. so broadway :p I also enjoyed when Giselle ’sung’ a calling to her little furry/ feathery animal friends to help her tidy the apartment in the city.. and guess what turned up?! Pigeons, cockroaches, and sewer rats!! hahaha.. that was funny. I give it a 6.

BLOOD: The Last Vampire

At the weekend my family and I went to watch the new movie Blood: The Last Vampire. I was so excited and looking forward to watching it because the movie trailer seemed really really good. But after spending about 1hr 15mins watching it, it was not as I had hoped it would be.

The movie was truly bloody, with heads amputated from the bodies, other body parts being chopped and blood particles splashed all over the movie screen about 80% of the time. The fights were truly superb, as expected from a Japanese movie. But the so-called evil monsters were clearly computer animated, it looked soooooo fake and lame. The movie dialogue was disappointing too. Overall, the movie storyline was so predictable, no surprises at all.

After watching it, I grade it a 4.5/10. So if you’re planning to see this movie, you’re better off staying at home!!

Penelope

When I have nothing better to do, I would just enjoy a relaxing time watching HBO or anything interesting on Astro Channel. Recently I watched the movie Penelope. I’ve been wanting to watch it, and finally I did. Penelope is one of those fairy-tale type of movie. The storyline begins with a girl called penelope who was born with a curse attached. The curse made her look like a pig, with the snout and thin ears. To break the curse, she has to get herself a husband. So to expedite the process, her mom hired a match-maker who listed out all the single nobles and arranged for them tie the knot with Penelope. Appointments were arranged for the bachelors to ‘meet’ penelope through a one-way mirror. She could see her potential suitors but they can’t see her. Rather than spoiling the surprise, I will let you guys discover the rest of story. After watching it, I would grade it a 7.

So when you  get the chance, do watch this movie. It’s something not to be missed, especially if you appreciate fairy-tale type movies.

Transformer II

It was fantastic!!!! A 2.5hrs movie you cannot miss! I was kind of worried when I went to the cinema last Tuesday, especially with the rising cases of swine flu in the country. But I didn’t really have to worry much because I’ve gotten myself vaccinated, and I watch my hygiene and diet.

Anyhow, if you haven’t seen the latest Transformer movie, better get your tickets now!! Over 10, I would give it a 10!! yeahhh!!!

By the way, just want to say HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY to my babu… we’re having a party at Ruby’s tonight.. lovey duvey cake for my mom!! Love u Mom!! muahzzzzzz…

Rock for sport?

The most sought after sporting activity that seems to a rise of interest in would probably be rock climbing. At my work place, we have a 1.5 storey high rock climbing wall which seems to be a great hit among our incoming visitors. Whenever we have visit tertiary academic  institutions, I would always bring them over to have a try on our rocky wall. And every single time, everyone just enjoy themselves and seem to be caught in the sport, forgetting the time.

I think there should be more facilities extending this new sport activity. It is probably for those thrill seeker, but at the same time for the ordinary individuals, it is a sport that will certainly raise their self confidence and physical strength.

As for me, I’m afraid of heights. But yet I have the craving to try the sport. So maybe one day I will. When I start to lose more weights, to make myself light enough to just breeze through the rock climbing activity. Hopefully one day

M.J. Died at 50

Michael Jackson, the former King of Pop, died in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest in his home. He was 50 years old.

According to press reports, the singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center not far from his rental mansion in the Holmby Hills. The cause of death wasn’t known. In recent times, Jackson had been busy with preparations for a planned comeback tour, set to begin within weeks in England.

But like any celebrity, there seems to be some mystery associated with M.J. death. One day after his sudden death, speculation was already turning to what killed the 50-year-old “King of Pop” just weeks before a long-awaited series of comeback concerts.

A family attorney said today he had been concerned that Jackson’s use of prescription drugs for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer’s inner circle had ignored his warnings.

Authorities scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.

We hope we can get answer soon. In the meantime, condolences to the family. M.J. will be greatly missed. We love u Michael!

Wolverine

Finally, I manage to drag myself and watch WOLVERINE on a decent dvd. It was full of special effects. Fantastic!! But the flow of the story was not as good as in X-Men. Anyway, I would grade it 7/10. Just because Jackman, Henney and Reynolds are in it

Shrivelled for Health

I was referring to raisins, if you’re wondering about the title of this post. It was a few days ago that I bought myself a fitness magazine. One of the articles had a title that says “Raisins cut appetite and Improve Blood Fats”.  Wanting to know more, I googled on the benefit of raisins and this was what I found:

“The health benefit of raisins is that they are an antioxidant. These help keep the blood clean and flowing. They get rid of all unclean impurities in the blood, raisins can’t do the job alone, there are other fruits and juices that act as antioxidants and together they can cleanse the blood and make you healthier. Raisins are said to beneficial for bone density. The minerals in raisins in conjunction with estrogen in women help make bones stronger and ward off osteoporosis.

Raisins are also great for healthy gums and teeth. Though raisins are sticky and very sweet, they do not cause tooth decay ore gum disease. The key ingredient in raisins that help promote good oral hygiene is called phytonutrients and olenolic acid. Raisins are also a preventative measure for macular degeneration, which is the health of your eyesight. Just as carrots are good for your eyesight as are raisins. Overall, raisins help with eyesight, oral hygiene and they act as antioxidants. Raisins are sweet and great tasting and promote good health.”

After reading that, I got myself a big box of yummy and shrivelled raisins

By the way, I just wanna say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my 2nd Brother.. he’s 29 today!! You’re getting old dude :p

Happy 63rd Birthday

A day of great celebration has finally arrived. Happy 63rd Birthday to our beloved Monarch, may Allah watch over His Majesty and the country. Although the celebration this year has been put off to a later date, as precaution against the swine flu pandemic, but the whole country will still be performing the mass prayers for the Monarch’s birthday.That’s the most important event

Let’s just pray that the pandemic will not drag on too long. May Allah protect us all from this illness. Amin Ya Rabbil Alamin.

What you need to know about Swine Flu.

Brunei’s first A(H1N1) casualty was a 12 year old girl, who also had a chronic condition. The medical team is still trying to find out how the girl got infected in the first place. But we express our condolences to the family.

In the aftermath of that news, I became really worried. Thinking that I still don’t kno much about this infection.  Recently, I was surfing the website www.medicalnewstoday.com and I found useful information about the swine flu infection. I hope you will take time to have a read through, you truly need to know what the infection really means.

Swine flu (swine influenza) is a disease of pigs. It is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by one of many Influenza A viruses. Approximately 1% to 4% of pigs that get swine flu die from it. It is spread among pigs by direct and indirect contact, aerosols, and from pigs that are infected but do not have symptoms. In many parts of the world pigs are vaccinated against swine flu.

Most commonly, swine flu is of the H1N1 influenza subtype. However, they can sometimes come from the other types, such as H1N2, H3N1, and H3N2.

The current outbreak of swine flu that has infected humans is of the H1N1 type – this type is not as dangerous as some others.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) can also infect pigs

Avian flu and human seasonal flu viruses can infect pigs, as well as swine influenza. The H3N2 influenza virus subtype, a virulent one, is thought to have come from pigs – it went on to infect humans.

It is possible for pigs to be infected with more than one flu virus subtype simultaneously. When this happens the genes of the viruses have the opportunity to mingle. When different flu subtypes mix they can create a new virus which contains the genes from several sources – a reassortant virus.

Although swine influenza tends to just infect pigs, they can, and sometimes do, jump the species barrier and infect humans.

What is the risk for human health?

Outbreaks of human infection from a virus which came from pigs (swine influenza) do happen and are sometimes reported. Symptoms will generally be similar to seasonal human influenzas – this can range from mild or no symptoms at all, to severe and possibly fatal pneumonia.

As swine flu symptoms are similar to typical human seasonal flu symptoms, and other upper respiratory tract infections, detection of swine flu in humans often does not happen, and when it does it is usually purely by chance through seasonal influenza surveillance. If symptoms are mild it is extremely unlikely that any connection to swine influenza is found – even if it is there. In other words, unless the doctors and experts are specifically looking for swine flu, it is rarely detected. Because of this, we really do not know what the true human infection rate is.

Examples of known swine flu infecting humans

Since the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) implementation of IHR (2005) in 2007, they have been notified of swine influenza cases from the USA and Spain.

In March/April 2009 human cases of influenza A swine fever (H1N1) were first reported in California and Texas. Later other states also reported cases. A significant number of human cases during the same period have also been reported in Mexico – starting just in Mexico City, but now throughout various parts of the country. More cases are being reported in Canada, Europe, and New Zealand – mainly from people who have been in Mexico.

How does a human catch swine influenza?

• From contact with infected pigs (most common way)
• From contact with infected humans (much less common way)

In cases when humans have infected other humans close contact was necessary with the infected person, and they nearly always occurred in closed groups of people.

Where have pigs been infected?

As swine influenza infection among pigs is not an internationally notifiable disease we cannot be completely sure. Swine influenza infection among pigs is known to be endemic in the USA. Outbreaks have also occurred in other parts of North America, South American, Europe, Africa, China, Japan, and other parts of Asia.

Is there a pandemic risk?

People who are not in close contact with pigs generally have no immunity to the swine influenza viruses – they are less likely to be able to prevent a virus infection. If the virus infects enough people in a given area, the risk of an influenza pandemic is significantly greater. Experts say it is very hard to predict what impact a flu pandemic caused by a swine influenza virus would have on the global human population. This would depend on how virulent the virus is, what existing immunity among humans there already is, plus several other factors.

Do we have a specific swine flu vaccine?

No – not for humans.

Will current human flu vaccines help protect people from swine influenza infection?

We really don’t know. Influenza viruses are adapting and changing all the time. If a vaccine was made, it would have to be specifically for a current strain that is circulating for it to be effective. The WHO says it needs access to as many viruses as possible so that it can isolate the most appropriate candidate vaccine.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine influenza in humans?

They are similar to those of regular flu, and include:

• Body aches
• Chills
• Cough
• Diarrhea (less common)
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Temperature (fever)
• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Vomiting (less common)

What medications are there?

There are some drugs around that can effectively treat swine flu infection in humans – and many types of flu infections in humans. There are two main types:

• adamantanes (amantadine and remantadine)
• inhibitors of influenza neuraminidase (oseltamivir and zanamivir)

Most previous swine influenza human cases recovered completely without the need for medical attention.

What can I do to protect myself?

• Wash your hands regularly with soap
• Try to stay healthy
• Get plenty of sleep
• Do plenty of exercise
• Try to manage your stress
• Drink plenty of liquids
• Eat a well balanced diet
• Refrain from touching surfaces which may have the virus
• Do not get close to people who are sick
• Stay away from crowded areas if there is a swine flu outbreak in your area

If I am infected, how can I stop others from becoming infected?

• Limit your contact with other people
• Do not go to work or school
• When you cough or sneeze cover your mouth with a tissue. If you do not have a tissue, cover your mouth and nose.
• Put your used tissues in a waste basket
• Wash your hands and face regularly
• Keep all surfaces you have touched clean
• Follow your doctor’s instructions

Tradition over-rated?

Not many people are comfortable with the notion of change. Some people prefer to stay in the status quo and be complacent with what they have. While some other group of people prefer the opposite, always striving to make a difference,  a more positive change to what they already have.  In other words, they want to become what is usually not becoming of others.

Change is inevitable. Everything we see, feel, touch, hear and taste changes with time. Some more obvious change, other in a much slower pace. But change do happen. With that in mind, how come some people still resist change?

Holding onto tradition is an example of resisting change. But some may argue, tradition is the only proof of people’s origin. Personally, in this globalised era it is difficult to really define someone or something base on tradition or practiced culture. We are just not what we used to be. Our surroundings are now more open rather than the olden-ways of merely confined to a certain demography, culture or traditions. Even the younger generation nowadays are slowly forgetting their own traditions and way of life and opted to living a life that is more of MTV kind.

For Brunei Darussalam, tradition is an ideology that the older generation still hold onto very firmly. And it remains the desire of these older generation for the tradition to be contiued by the next and younger generation for many years to come and beyond. In this aim, many platforms have been utilised to ensure that our children are constantly reminded of their roots and origin. This can be seen through the contents of curriculums, projects, forums and exercises that involve youths and bringing them closer to their traditions and culture.

As a bruneian, I don’t think tradition is over-rated. But I do think it remains in the danger zone of being extinct. Tradition is a very tedious process. But a process that should be preserved so that our great-great grandchildren will still have the priviledge of understanding how our humble country came into being. It is our tradition and culture and belief that have shaped the way we are today. And it is indeed amazing how we have managed to still practice our tradition, despite the evolution of time and lifestyle around us.

Let’s just hope we will be able to share our traditions and culture for many more years to come. And to ensure that, each of us, as Bruneians, have a role to play. So let’s start doing our part!

Better Under Disguise

I was just clicking away on my astro remote control, and on Star Movies channel ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ was playing. That movie is basically about a recently divorced and unemployed dad of three children disguised himself as a 60+ year old lady and worked as a nanny at his ex-wife’s household just to be close to his children! and probably trying to patch things up with the ex-mrs as well.

Mrs Doubtfire role is played by Robin Williams, and we all know how wonderful and renowned he is with his acting skills. Anyhow, there are many more movies like this, where the character pretends to be what they’re not through disguise. We have that other movie Tootsie, also about a guy (acted by Justin Hoofman) who couldn’t get an acting career until he disguised himself as a women and landed himself in an all favourite drama series role!

This brings us to the question, it is true that people DO judge a book by its cover? Do we behave differently to the same people when they’re disguised as something else? Why do we tend to be judgmental about other people? How about those people who are actually doing the disguise? What do they hope to achieve by doing that?

Personally, I think it’s human nature. We like to judge things, especially things that are different and unknown to us. To add spice, sometimes we even judge with a little wild imagination added to the whole thing. Probably hoping to make it seem more exciting that it really is or just so that other people will listen to our translation of possibilities.

As for the one in disguise, probably they just hope to get a different reaction from people. Probably being themselves was just not enough. Or there could be a totally different reason all together! If you know, do tell me…

But all in all, we know that being judgmental bring no benefit to anyone. But somehow we still do it, every single time! So what do other people think about this? Do you agree or not? Do give me your comments….

Empowerment is just an illusion.

A lot of people make attempts to relate to empowerment without really understanding what it truly means. One way of looking at empowerment is that it is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power in people for use in their own lives, their communities and in their society, by acting on issues they define as important. Additionally, empowerment is the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes

In a nutshell, empowerment is not what other people can give to you. It is about you making your own choices and  by your own ways on how you wish to live your life. Now that is true empowerment.

Putting aside the definition of the word, is it really possible that one can truly and realistically feel empowered? Or is it just make-believe? An illusion that seems to give us an excuse for not being the best that we can be? How can one really be empowered?

Empowerment, empowered, empowering or to empower are all words meaning, in my own definition, to have a power to do something. Power here is an entity that is more internal rather than external. Internal meaning, it is what a person feels inside, something that is quite synonymous to confidence, wits, visionary and belief all at once. When looking at that way, it is quite an amazing word. Too amazing to comprehend for an ordinary being to even aspire for. But yet, not impossible.

Earlier in the month, I attended a forum that touched on the role of women today and how the word empowerment was constantly referred to women’s changing role. Personally, even before the forum I couldn’t really get a grasp on how I can truly be empowered. I certainly don’t feel empowered. This is probably my lack of understanding of being empowered.

Today, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, it just hit me. Empowerment lies with my own self. It is how I face the world, goodtimes and badtimes, and still manage to stand tall and pursue after what I believe in. The influence of being empowered cannot be diminished by people or surrounding that act as resistance to it. The influence and power still lies and always will and always has been with the individual being empowered.

With that new revelation, I experience a new outlook on things around me. I’ve been feeling quite out of sort with my surrounding, feeling that I was just incapacitated to do anything at all. But somehow, my mind seems to have re-focused itself and I feel a sense of calmness.

I guess my problem is that I always try too hard to change my surrounding. Every single waking moments, I feel I just need to do something to change the world. I know my limitations. And it is within that recognised limitations that I can still make a difference. But for the last few weeks, things just got harder and new insights revealed that seem to act as hindering blocks to my quest to save the world, or save what is closest to my surrounding that is.

Anyhow, I’m totally at peace with myself. I just forgot that changing the world will take time, and I have to expect resistance to it, eventhough those resistance initially claimed to be my alliance in my quest. I just have to keep my own thoughts and vision intact. If I begin to falter, then all is lost.

So to all of you out there, if you happen to fall into that brief moment of forgetting what you aspire to do. Please just take a breather, relax yourself, and try to refocus again on what matters most. Life is a roller-coaster, it has its ups and downs. So just sit back when you get to the down part, and rejoyce when you get to the up part. But most importantly, just don’t lose yourself in the journey.

Know who you are to know what you can achieve.

A recent seminar brought to my attention the concept of Personal Brand. It is an element that adds value to the brand or reputation of an organisation, derived from the person running the show or business. Usually it is associated with the leader of an organisation.

I’ve always believed that in the mission of sustaining solid and credible reputation, it has to start from the people themselves. Beginning from the leaders and cascaded to the supporting staff on the ground.

Now, the most difficult task is the HOW.

How do we establish and solidify our own personal brand in order to augment or boost the good name of our organisation? What exactly do we need to do?

Base on my observation, a well respected and sustainable personal brand largely depends on the personality and attitude  of the leader. Personally, for a person to leave a positive mark or aura, they have to behave in a way that is acceptable by others. Like the saying “treat people how you wish to be treated yourself.” This is a useful quote to use in reminding us how we should conduct ourselves in the presence of others.

I’ve noticed in my few years of employment with staff working under me, they are happier and more productive when I acknowledge their hard work and empathise with any shortcoming they may face, be in at work or even outside of work.

Sometimes, when so engrossed with work overloads, leaders tend to forget that workers are still human. Eveything and anything they do can easily be affected by certain variables that goes on in their respective lives. Just because a worker under-perform doesn’t mean he or she is lazy or incapable. There could be other reasons, beyond work, that caused the worker to slack, probably unintentionally.

Therefore, it is essential that leaders and workers alike treat each other in a more human manner. We all have issues and problems, but in making a difference we can tackle whatever challenges we encounter together.

I’ve always found that “working like a family” does wonder for productivity. Working and caring may sounds sappy, but it is how we can ensure leaders and workers work side by side in a more friendly and motivated environment. Just look at how children perform better when parents reward they good efforts through encouring words, hugs, or even star stickers! The idea is ensure good efforts or work are warranted with appropriate recognition and motivation.

Another crucial criteria in emanating positive and credible personal brand is how well a leader perform in bringing about change within an organisation. This includes they leadership qualities, intra- and interpersonal skills, visions forward, values and charisma. These qualities are indeed a package for an ideal leader, not many have it, but few do.

It is important that characteristics such as these are nurtured continously. It is part of the delicate process of uncovering respected and effective leaders.

There are many more ways we can use to establish our own personal brand. But one thing for sure, it takes a lot of effort and strong dedication. And that in itself is the greatest challenge that you can face in this particular mission. Again, the outcome will depend on how you, as a leader, is able to exude and act upon your best qualities and at the same time to optimise resources around you. It would indeed be an interesting journey. And I, for one, am enjoying the ride so far! So why don’t you give it a try too!

Leaders are born not made!

I guess this post is somewhat related to my previous post. And one that I’m interested to explore further into.

How many of us truly understand what being a leader is all about? What does it mean to be a leader? What does a leader have to do? And how do the actions of a leader differ from the actions of a follower?

I know my questions are pretty heavy and the answers that I’m about to give will certainly raise a few eyebrows if not disagreement. But hey, I’m just sharing my thoughts. If any of you wish to contest any of my statements, please do so. I always enjoy a good argument, for constructive reasons of course.

To me a leader is the chosen individual in running a mission and somehow manages to pull through without compromising the essentials. Sounds confusing? Let me give another definition. A leader, to me that is, is a person who has the charisma, skills, knowledge, confidence and dedication to bring everyone in his team on a journey or a mission promising eventual feat. A leader is the boss but yet a team player; be firm with decisions but yet not brushing aside input or feedback from other team members; professional and skillful; confident but yet not cocky; focused and not complacent.

My description of a leader may probably sound too good to be true. But it is not impossible for someone to possess these qualities. The next question is, what does a leader have to do other than merely own the mentioned qualities?

Leaders have to know how to lead a team/ mission. A leader has to know how to command his team with motivation rather than oppression. A leader needs to nurture a sense of belonging, loyalty and confidence upon his team so that his leadership will be supported without questions. A leader has to make plans, execute the plan and review the plan (rather than leaving the latter two actions to the team members as usually the case). A leader has to see himself/ herself as part of the team, not as the big shot. Modesty and humility are essential.

Of course, the list of actions that a leader can pursue is indeed endless. But I’m not going to bore myself or my readers any further than deemed necessary. I will let you do that to yourself

Anyhow, my favourite question now is, are leaders born or made?? Which is your thoughts?

I certainly think real leaders are born. But before such leaders can really realise and utilise their capabilities, they need to be groomed and nurtured to bcome the true and potential leaders that they are. We can’t just groom any Tom, Dick and Harry.. a potential leader has a certain X-factor that make them stand out from the rest. The X-factor may not be something that is tangible, or something that can be seen with the naked eye. It may sound so far out, but hey, this is my own observation.

So the next time a new leader has been selected at your organisation/ unit/ team, just take time-out to observe their every actions, inaction, speech and attitude. I’m sure you will notice a difference, between good leaders and not so good leaders to exceptionally superb leaders!

So if you’re a leader of some sort, do drop me a comment and share your own observation on what makes an exceptionally superb leader.

Magical World

Since the publication of J.K. Rowling book series about a boy named Harry Potter, the world seems to be hypnotised by Rowling’s illustration of wizardry and witch craft. Then there is also Chronicles of Narnia, a movie about four orphaned siblings stumbled onto a secret passage via a wardrobe into a magical land with magical creatures like centeurs, majestic lion Aslan, and many more.

When looking back at history, it’s quite ironic that a community that has a historical background of literally hanging any individual believed to be involved in deviationist activity like black magic or witchcraft has over night embraced the storyline of harry potter.

Personally, I enjoy watching Hollywood version of Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia, all encompassing such magical moments, wonderful special effects and wild imagination. But to have those in reality, no thanks. I prefer my reality to just be what it is right now, boring and more human. I think if our lives are anything like in those movies, I doubt very much if I could even have a decent sleep at night. I would be worrying all the time about what will suddenly appear from my wardrobe or from my fire place! So in this real work, I prefer to remain a muggle

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Botox, liposuction, face lifts etc… all claimed to be done in the quest for greater beauty.. so they said.

Somehow nowadays, especially in hollywood, people, men and women, are so obssessed with the idea of looking young. This is probably because once you start showing signs of aging, nobody would want to cast you for any movies. Oh well that’s hollywood!

But the sad thing is, other ordinary people, who may be under the influence of the fame and glamour of hollywood, have also succumed to similar obssession. And the tragic is, not all of them end up looking like beauty queens or mr. universe. There have been stories of plastic surgery going wrong, and the beauty-wannabe turn out to look like alien beasts with swollen and distorted faces and other body parts!

It’s scary to be the one experiencing these tragic surgical failures. But hey, the risks have always been there. And it was just a matter of choice, whether you want it or not. And for some, it was indeed the worst choice to make.

Personally, it’s understandable for an individual to always want to look their best. On a daily  basis we do that simply by adorning ourselves with fashionable and flattering clothes, glowing make-up products, beautifully scented fragrances and the most sensual hair do! But for some, this seems to be inadequate. They just have to go the extra mile and get themselve on the surgery table and make corrective alterations to they entire body. I don’t think I have the guts to just lie still at the end of the cutting knife. I’m happy the way I am. I may not be a beauty queen, but at least I can I’m wholly original!

Not many people, especially in hollywood, and even those around us can say they’re physically totally original. Some people, like I said, are willing to go the extra distance to achieve that so-called perfect look for themselves. A better nose job, more satisfying bumper size, more hair and other imperfections they wish to have perfected. And such works are not without it’s pain. Other than pain from all the knife cutting and needle piercing, your purse string will feel the pinch as well.

Again, it’s a matter of choice. And only those with big purse can opt for that choice. For us common and monthly paid community, I will just settle with my natural beauty. As the saying goes ‘Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’. So the next time someone tells you that you’re not pretty, just treat them as if they’re blind. It means they’re not really looking. I don’t believe there’s such thing as ugly people. Ugliness is merely an invention from hatred and jealousy. While beauty is a creation from sincerity, modesty and love for life.

So for you gorgeous people out there, beauty is skin deep. Take good care of what you feel inside, and take good care of what comes out from inside, then only then will true beauty surfaces and capture the hearts of those around you. Stay beautiful people! Love ya all!

Girl Power!

No, I’m not referring to the Spice Girls! I’m referring to all women, and how they too can have the power to unravel the best of what they can become.

More common than not, the community still places little significant and acknowledgement on women’s postential. The notion of the world being male dominated is slowly dwindling. Women are rising to significance faster than you think. More and more girls are getting better and higher education, and more and more women are assuming higher executive positions in the corporate and even government sector.

This post is actually dedicated to boosting and heightening the morale and self-awareness of other women, ladies and girls who still think they don’t have what it takes to become their potential successful self. The secret to success is that there is no secret! To be successful doesn’t require other people to keep tabs on you and what you do so you will excel. To be successful doesn’t not require you to come from rich families in order to enjoy the various opportunities out there. To be successful only requires women, ladies and girls to believe in themselves. You have to be focused, you have to be brave, courageous, committed, dedicated and most importantly not be afraid to fight for what you want. Nobody can tell you that you will fail unless you allow them to do so. Nobody can tell you you can’t do something unless you allow them to do so.

It’s a matter of how we are able to take hold our own heart and mind and focus on what we truly want!

Another misconception about success is that, you have to end our with loads of money to be successful. Wrong!! Success is about achieving the greatest feat, not necessarily having to associated with any materialistic assets. Success is about feeling good and fulfilled at the end of the day. Feeling that you have done everything in your power and reaping the outcome that brings out the best in you and those around you. Success is about fulfillment and peace of mind!

You don’t not other to motivate you into doing something that you’re already good at. You just have to motivate yourself. Motivation is indeed a contagious feeling, that once you get the ball rolling, others around you will surrender themselves to this internal and natural ecstacy. Appreciate yourself more, only then will you have the confidence and motivation to step a little further out, hopefully into a world of greater opportunities.

So for all the women, ladies and girls.. it’s time to show everyone what you can do. And nothing and nobody can stop you once you have your mind set on it. Believe in yourself, and you will surely achieve!

My Desire

I’m quite a keen singer, especially on the karaoke set and one of my favourite karaoke song is by Mary MacGregor titled “Torn Between Two Lovers”.

It’s a pretty easy song to sing, with moderate beats and requires no screaming at all. So it’s no wonder that I like to sing it every single time.

On the other hand, the song lyrics has indepth meaning for me.  It was one of those song lyrics that happen to make sense to me at specific juncture in my life. And I hope by sharing the song lyrics with you all, you too maybe will discover a much deeper meaning from it.

There are times when a woman has to say what’s on her mind
Even though she knows how much it’s gonna hurt
Before I say another word let me tell you I love you
Let me hold you close and say these words as gently as I can

There’s been another man that I’ve needed and I’ve loved
But that doesn’t mean I love you less
And he knows you can’t possess me and he knows he never will
There’s just this empty place inside of me that only he can fill

CHORUS
Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool
Lovin’ both of you is breakin’ all the rules
Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool
Lovin’ you both is breakin’ all the rules

You mustn’t think you’ve failed me just because there’s someone else
You were the first real love I ever had
And all the things I ever said, I swear they still are true
For no one else can have the part of me I gave to you

CHORUS

I couldn’t really blame you if you turned and walked away
But with everything I feel inside, I’m asking you to stay

CHORUS

Torn between two lovers
FADE
Feelin’ like a fool
Lovin’ both of you is breakin’ all the rules

Little Einsteins

One of my son’s favourite tv programme is the LITTLE EINSTEINS. I think it’s a wonderful programme that teaches children about classical music. The interactive programme also educates children on selected verbs and adverbs.

So if you have young children, do click onto the Playhouse Disney Channel and do watch the Little Einsteins in action.

Hot Dog Dance!

My mornings always involve with turning the tv to the Playhouse Disney Channel. Just to make sure my son is kept pre-occupied while I get ready for work. And every morning, his favourite show is of course Mickey Mouse Club House. He especially like when mickey and his friends get on the dance floor to do the Hot Dog dance. My son would try to mimic the cartoon and he looked so funny and adorable.

Tongue Twisters

I always enjoy tongue twisters. It can indeed get your tongue on a tangle! But it’s a useful exercise to better improve your articulation. Have a try on this! It’s one of my fav!

Betty Botter bought some butter,
“But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
It will make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter -
That would make my batter better.”
So she bought a bit of butter,
Better than her bitter butter,
And she baked it in her batter,
And the batter was not bitter.
So ’twas better Betty Botter
Bought a bit of better butter.

If you thought that betty botter bit was hard, wait till you have a try on the wood chuck phrase!

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,
And chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

This next one is one of the hardest tongue twister I came across. Somehow my tongue just gets all tangled up. I’m still trying to master saying this phrase:

Sarah saw a shot-silk sash shop full of shot-silk sashes as the sunshine shone on the side of the shot-silk sash shop.

Peace of Mind

Have you ever wanted to just go away from the hustle and bustle of city life? A retreat from all the work stress, deadlines, complaints, requests and traffic? To live  a life without worrying too much about money, bills and credit cards?

A world free from capitalism, communism, marxism and terrorism? Does such a utopia world exist?

After a hard and long day at work, I am always looking forward to going home. Going home means being in the company of my love ones, my family, spending time with them and appreciating what we have together. But being at home does not put an end to my constant worry and concern for the future welfare of those I love. And working hard is one of the ways that I know how to do in ensuring the future security of my family.

Thinking likewise, sometimes put quite a heavy pressure on oneself. It continues to be an alarm clock or reminder that if we want comfort and financial security when we’re old, we have to work hard now, in order to reach the top. Money is essential. The saying that goes “Money Makes the World Go Round” is indeed true. Especially in today’s world.

I’m at this juncture in life where I’m beginning to rethink all my previous actions, especially in how I approach life. I spend approximately 8hrs working at the office, and when I go home I still end up trying to finish up some of my working documents for the next day in which I may spend even up to an extra 2-3 hours. Aside from that, I still have the committment and responsibility to cater to the needs of my family, as a wife to my husband and a mother to my children.

With all those responsibilities harbouring on my shoulders, there seems to be not enough hours in day to do it all. And in fulfilling my responsibilities to other people, I forget my own responsibility to myself.

Sometimes, the pressure and workloads can be overwhelming. But when I look back at what I manage to provide for my family, it seems to be all worth it. The wish that remains is for me not to fall to deep into trying to hard to work towards materialistic things. I need to free myself from such thoughts. I need my own peace of mind.

If anybody of you out there who have suggestions on how that can be achieved, please do share your insights.

PEACE OF MIND

Carry all the weight upon your shoulder

It’s another day in your frantic life

You’re just another voice in the crowd

You don’t know who you are

Sometimes you don’t understand

Nothing’s ever what it seems

They sell you wrong for right

All you really need..

Some Peace of Mind, yeah

Meanwhile all go mad around you

More and more unsatisfied

In the race for progress

We’ve spun out of control

Don’t you think this all

Has gone too far…

But life is precious

A gift we shouldn’t waste

Go and get yourself

Some Peace of Mind…

Nothing’s ever what it seems

They sell you black for white

The world is upside down

But life is precious

A gift we shouldn’t waste

Somebody help me find

My Peace of Mind.

8hrs Sleep is Essential!

Good sleep habits are essential to a strong immune system. A good night’s sleep might also be the best way to prevent colds and flu.

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh exposed people to a cold virus (rhinovirus) and found that those who slept 8 hours a night were 300 percent less likely to catch colds than those who slept less than 7 hours, or restless sleepers.

Other studies found that inadequate sleep promotes weight gain, heart attach, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. (Archives Internal Medicine, 169:62-67, 2009)

This was indeed quite a shocker for me, someone who has always been told that those above 20+ of age only need 6hrs of sleep. Luckily I came across the article in For Women! Fitness Rx magazine.

So for those of you out there, make sure u punch in 8hrs of sleep per day. It’s not only good for you immune system, but it will also help to alleviate those bags under your eyes!

Online Hypochondriacs?

Once I start reading a fitness magazine, I just can’t seem to put it down. There are always something new that can be gained from the magazine, specifically on health info.

I came across this article that alleges the internet having an effect on people and turning them into a nation of hypochondriacs. Ready access to medical information on the internet have encouraged untrained people to self-diagnose health problems based on random symptoms and to rely less on the opinions of medical experts. In the mind of some, symptoms listed on medical cookbook websites can turn a headache into a brain tumor or a sore leg into bone cancer.

The advise was for these hypochondriacs to learn as much as they can about their health and well-being, but to refrain from allowing their imagination to run wild with them!

I have a few of those hypochondriacs among my family members. They’re so obssessed with their health that they over-worry over the most trivial of things. Some even to the point of insanity, that’s what I think. Their behaviour is just so over the top, I can’t imagine how they can live that way.

It’s ok to be concern about one’s health. But to become obsessive with every single infection or flu or wounds, can have the potential of turning that person slightly crazy.

So if any of you fall under this category, don’t worry too much. If you still worry, go see a doctor!

Running for Bone Health.

I came across this article stating that running or jogging is the best form of exercise for women.

The article stated:

Weight training helps build bone strength in women, but jogging might be better. A University of Missouri study found that running had a more positive effect on bone mass than resistance training.

Women can maximise bone health by practicing bone-loading exercises (e.g. weight training, jogging, plyometrics, bolleyball etc), consuming adequate amounts of calcium (1,200mg perday for most women), and maintaining optimal levels of reproductive hormones.

Non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming and cycling can actually decrease bone density, so women should include bone-loading exercises in their fitness programmes. (Journal Strength Conditioning, 23: 427-435, 2009).

So the next time you feel like doing some exercise, do little bit of jogging for your own benefit.

Happy Bday to Nadz!

The Happiest of Birthdays to my eldest daughter, Nadz.. May the new year bring you many wonderful surprises and good health. Amin.

I know she will love this poster.. just for her!

Say ‘NO’ out of love. ‘YES’ is not always the answer.

Say YES out of fear. Say NO out of love.

It was during an Oprah Winfrey show where the issues revolved around the tendency of some siblings who kept on bailing out their least successful siblings thinking they’re mere fulfilling their responsibilities. But little did they know, their very actions only make it worst for everyone. During the show, Oprah brought in a family where the least successful sibling has been putting a toll on the purse of the successful sibling and her mother. The challenge was to stop the least successful sibling from expecting help from her family and start making her own living, while the sister and mother were asked to sign a contract promising to stop supporting her.

I guess it is true that in some families we can’t say no when a family member needs help. We would go to all length just to make sure our love ones are safe. But sometimes the so-called love brings about a completely different cause-and-effect outcome. Instead of helping our love ones to be stronger and take hold of their own life, we end up taking away their right to do so.

Good intention may not always have good outcome. We have to keep reminding ourselves on this. I know it would be hard or even very difficult to refuse helping your sibling the way we know how, but if the final outcome is going to make it even worst, then we have to just do the right thing.

It would take a very strong person to say NO out of love. But it is necessary.

BRIDEX 2009 Jumperz

To  those of you who managed to squeeze into the BRIDEX 2009 event, thank you so much for coming. It is truly a sight for sore eyes to see such overwhelming and encouraging response from everyone. It was also nice to hear positive feedbacks from visitors to the event. Once again thanks for your support.

Now for those of you who were so blown away by the BRIDEX 2009 Demonstration show, this article is basically dedicated to my dear friend’s team of parachuters who awed everyone with their sky-slicing jumping skills. It’s not easy to do what these guys are doing on  a daily basis. And during BRIDEX 2009 their parachuting segment was spectacular. Congratz and well done to the team!

Step into d’Flip Flops

During my lazy days, I enjoy nothing more than just slipping into my flip flops, my shabby top and worn out 3/4 jeans. Those are my comfort wear, esp the flip flops. I know this way of dressing may not be appropriate for someone of my position, but hey for me comfort comes first. Besides, it’s only during my lazy days, which are usually during the weekends.

I’m always on the look out for new flip flops though. I have this thang about leapord designs or camouflage designs flip flops. But sadly, I just can’t seem to find any here in Brunei. And when I do find it, it’s one of those really cheap ones and non-lasting. So if any of you know where to get really funky flip flops, at reasonable prices, do tell me ok.

I love this flip flop!!

College Crush

College Crushes.. Have you been there? I have

I guess that was the first time ever, for me, to even think about a guy in a romantic way. But the sad thing was, I had a crush on this guy and I didn’t even dare tell him :p Probably for fear of being rejected. I was no beauty queen anyway, so probably I would get rejected.

But now that I’m all grown up and more confident, I’m not shy anymore to be expressive about my feelings. But somehow, other people seem to be slightly uncomfortable when I allow myself to be as blunt in how I feel. Well, that’s their problem, so deal with it :p

Anyway, recently I had the most wonderful thing happened to me. I found my old crush in facebook!! I was sooooo elated, and I didn’t even waste time to tell him that  I used to have a crush on him. And guess what?! I felt as if a boulder has been lifted off my chest after that confession. I feel so super light. And light headed too. It feels as if I’ve finally put an end to that part of the story in my life. Finally!

As for that guy, he was ok with the confession. He didn’t freak out or anything. He’s such a sweetheart. I sincerely hope we will become good friends. I don’t have a crush on him anymore. I just feel funny that after all those years, he reappeared, as if giving me a chance to confess my self. And I did. Glad I did it too!

So for you out there, if you happen to have a crush on someone, don’t waste anymore time. Just tell him straight up. Life is too short to be spent on wondering the what-ifs.

Behave Confidently, To Be Confident.

I know it sounds like a mind-twister but that is exactly what we have to do if we ever want to be confident in whatever we do. So how can we behave confidently? Well, there are five procedures to follow:

1. Be a Front Seater

The next time you have a function to attend, make sure you seat yourself as close as possible to the front. Confident people should not hide at the back seats. They should be at the front.

2. Eye-Contact.

Make sure you establish eye contact when speaking to someone. This alert others that you’re sure of yourself. If you avoid eye contact, it will just signal shyness.

3. Walk Fast.

Walking fast and head high up illustrate someone with a mission and confident. If you slouch and lag behind, it will be deemed as lack of self-esteem and purpose.

4. Speak Up.

Speaking up is another trait of someone with great confidence. If you speak with a soft voice, that is hardly seen as confidence in the making. So speak up!

5. Smile Wide!

Above all smile wide. It is only after a wide smile, will you have the strength and confidence to face anything that comes your way.

Make sure you practice all these procedures on a daily basis. And I promise you, confidence with become a visible part of you.

First Day of Ramadhan

Today mark the first day we fast for the year 2009 (1430Hijriah). And in everyone’s mind is basically one thing and one thing only.. what to eat for break of fast!

For this whole month, our minds will be filled with plannings… plannings on what to eat today, tomorrow, the next day and henceforth. This is the time of dangerous indulgence. People just gulp anything and everything down when they break their fast. Most of the food choices are either something oily or something sweet with colours!

I used to be amongst those people. I just crave fried, oily and sometimes sweet cocktails whenever I fast. But no more!! Time has come for each and everyone of you to choose vegetables/ fruits over all others. I’ve discovered that if we make it a habit to break our fast with dates, then fruits and followed by fresh vegetables, our stomach will feel much lighter. And if you’re still hungry, then you can start eating the carbs and proteins you crave. This particular arrangement of eating healthy food first before ‘fun’ food, will not only supply you will all the vitamins deficiency but at the same time will help you lose weight the healthy way!

I did this last year and it worked! I lost 5 kg just during Ramadhan! So I’m planning to follow the same discipline, and hope I will lose 5 kg. Why don’t you give it a try. What have you gotta lose? Just 5 kg.

HAPPY RAMADHAN EVERYONE, BLESS YOU ALL!!

Fashion 70s

Regardless of where we originated from, we all share a common habit when it comes to fashion.. We all have a personal mission when it comes to how we look in public.

Fashion is basically that. By dictionary definition, fashion means a common and popular trend. By my definition, for the sake of this article, it’s about what’s accepted especially in how we are dressed or looked in the eyes of the public.

Over the decades, there have always been dramatic evolution of this so called fashion. The decade that is more familiar to me starts from the 1970s. That decade can be said a time when the Spice Girl should have come in. The youngster of those times were into colourful and eccentric looking platform shoes, super bellbottom trousers, floral shirts and some crazy hairdo. Some of the hairdo thing is just so outrageous that they look like human-cones with ice cream on top! But on the other side, there were those with the really afro and absolutely straight and middle parting hair style. ABBA is a good example to look at, these guys and gals were fashion icon of the 1970s. They rock!!

 Looking at how things are right now, I think the 70s fashion is making a comeback with a vengence!! I’m as guilty as the others in this. I’m so into platform shoes. I love ‘em. Just can’t get enought of ‘em. As for 70s clothes, well… I’m not that deep into the 70s just as yet. Bur for others, I’m sure deep-down we all possess a part of 70s mania within ourselves. Do you agree?!

 

80s Fashion

During the 80s I was a teenager. And that was the time when I experienced my fashion flop trends. Don’t ask me why. It just happened. And I’m still trying to figure out why I dressed the way I did during those times.

The 80s was the era of the tsunami hair styles. All curled and really high wave-like fringes. Hairsprays are the favourite during these times. My own hair was like this, and the over-loaded hairsprays have always given me headaches at the end of the day. But hey, in fashion, no pain no gain!

The dress code in the 80s were like plastics and too colourful for words. Unlike the 70s, the 80s people were more into abstract designs and distorted looking dresses. If you’re finding it hard to visualise what I mean, just think MADONNA or MICHEAL JACKSON in the 1980s. That’s what I mean! Again bright and mis-match of colours was the IN-thang during that time. For some it worked, but for most it was a fashion circus! Also all-type hand gloves were also an importance accessory of that time.

I think the 1980s was a fashion transition period. None of what people were wearing at that time made any sense. It was as if they were on a journey to find what really suit them. But I must say, the 80s was the time when they invented ‘funky’ and ‘wacky’ in fashion. That’s what I think

Glitter Me Up!

Bags, shoes, clothes, bags, shoes and clothes again.. are all the items that women just can’t seem to stop buying. Even when they already have dozens of them. Sales season is worst. We seems to be hypnotised by the SALES banners and big percentages like 50%… 70%.. deduction in sales, but yet still knowingly that those discounted items are actually old products. And still, we are like on remote controls and keep on spending till we drop!.. metaphorically that is

But the one ultimate item that every women ever truly wish to possess is… a beautiful large glittery rock!!

Diamonds!! Women will be completely mesmerised when in eye-contact with well carved diamonds.. just like that song “twinkle twinkle little ‘diamonds”…

Well, the song doesn’t actually referred to diamonds, but you get my point. Guy may wonder what is it about diamonds that make women so attached to it. It’s rainbow-like glitter of course. Having a diamond around my finger feels like I have the whole universe filled with glittery stars resting on my human finger. So surreal… but quite a satisfying feeling. To be in possession of a diamond is always a feat for every living woman. So the next time you go to a jewellery store, don’t waste time looking at the golds.. just go straight to the diamond section. As the saying goes.. “the way to a woman’s heart is to get her a large diamond!” Diamonds are forever.. Diamonds are a gal’s best friend :p

Glitter me Up pleaseeeee!!!

Raya Cakes

Selamat Hari Raya!!!! During the Hari Raya (Eid Mubarak) festivity, Bruneians will spending the whole month of Syawal eating all kinds of cakes, biscuits and wonderful and delicious foods. In this article I was want to share with you tantalizing pics of my favourite raya cakes. To the photographers of these pic, well done on the beautiful pics.. but now I have to use them to visually share with my readers my fav cakes

Kek Batek is my ultimate favourite. And this is the only cake that I’m able to make. The only difference when I make it is that I would sprinkle generous helpings of almonds shreads.. yum yum!

Almost similar is kek vico. I love this too. But I can’t make it.. not until I can get hold of its recipe But it’s similar to kek batek.. both contain cocoa… and more choco I can’t wait to eat these cakes…

Wonderful Wonderful Biscuits..

Raya is just around the corner.. and that means… raya pastries!!! yeah yeah

I love only the chocolaty pastries.. if it has chocolate, then I will gulp it down.. yummmmmmm!

For those of you who don’t know the type of pastries we serve during raya, well today is your lucky day. I managed to goggled a few photos of these scrumptious biscuit.. let’s see if you’re enticed by them too..

Poem: My Love

A suitable life partner is what all women hope and pursue

And a fairy tale handsome prince is usually how it starts

A tall, loving, suave and romantic prince charming

Is what we dream of..

But time has the magic

To alter that pursuit or conquest

And time can truly reveal the true love

Of the person we are bound to marry..

My love, my husband was my closest friend

He started off as my confidant and listener

Who was always there to be a real friend to me

He’s the only one who was able to calm me in time of troubles

From friendship, feeling of love blossomed

It was never planned nor expected

It just happened

Like nature taking its course

But how do I know he’s my true love?

I know because my feelings for him

Bear witness to the authenticity

Of our love being true and real..

I know he’s the one because..

Every time he’s beside me I would feel at ease

Whenever he’s away, I would feel empty

As if a part of me is missing..

When he smiles, I couldn’t resist but smile along

When he’s troubled, my heart would be in a knot

And I want to do whatever I can to ease his worries

And see the smile back on his face..

When we fight, the hearts experience chaos..

But we never fight for long..

We don’t scream or hit each other..

We rationalize.. or most of the time we just keep quiet..

The way we live together

Shows how we suit one another..

Life may have its ups and downs

But it’s d getting up bit that’s important..

My love, my husband..

He’s the right man for me..

And I’m the right lady for him..

And may God bless us to be together for as long time permits..

Song: Meanings

My life is filled with stories,

All beginning with words,

For me it carries many meanings,

Where I will always be entranced,

My world is nothing like others,

It is unique from the rest,

Eventhough I’m just a simple lady,

My desire is beyond imaginings,

What is the meaning of all these

My life is like a dream

I am indeed a one of a kind

Always chasing my ambition

Chorus

Listen to what I have to say

Do not remain in silence

Nothing’s wrong with wanting freedom

For the sake of attaining your ambitions

Give me space to feel

What I seek all these while

Eventhough my world is simple

What matters most is its meaning

Maybe others may not understand

What is enclosed in my heart

All that matters is what I’ve been through

and my strive towards my ambition

I would pawn my wealth

Just to get the satisfaction

This world is only temporary

So why should we waste it

Alas every human is not perfect

With whatever means

For me all that do not matter

As long as it carries meaning

Chorus

Listen to what I have to say

Do not remain in silence

Nothing’s wrong with wanting freedom

For the sake of attaining your ambitions

Give me space to feel

What I seek all this while

Eventhough my world is simple

What matters most is its meaning

Am I a Leader or Follower?

This question is constantly tainting my thoughts whenever I see the word LEADERS. I would try to recall all my actions, especially work performance-wise, and make an assessment whether my chosen actions illustrates my leadership qualities or not.

When at work, I have this habit of observing people’s every actions, speech, decisions and even inaction. From such observation, you can easily detect who are true leaders and who are not. But you must be clear about your own definition of leadership.

So who is the Leader? And Who are the followers?

Just because a person’s appointment is as the Head or Leader of a selected group, I dare say not all of them display the leadership qualities that supposedly-expected with the post. So don’t get confused with job titles and actual leadership’s charisma and aura.

Why I say this is to give everyone a fair chance. Just because a person does not hold a ‘leader’s’ post, doesn’t mean they lack or in absence of that quality. Anybody can have a leadership streak about them, only if they have what it takes of course.

For me, I don’t necessarily hold top post, but I do have this habit of wanting to make a difference. I always make it a point to be very pro-active in my job… meaning I don’t wait for others to give ideas on what to do, I act on my own ideas and disseminate it as soon as my brain thought of it!

I always try to seek the opinions of others, no matter how trivial. It doesn’t matter if it’s the opinion of my most inexperience or youngest staff. People should encourage to share their ideas, and when consolidated with other ideas, great ideas will follow.

Always treat people how I wish to be treated myself. If you don’t care about others, they will not care about you. So you will end up with nobody supporting your cause.

So looking at these few traits of mine, I can confidently say I am a LEADER. And I just hope that one day, I will be a recognised Leader

How about you? What are your traits? Are you a leader… or a follower? Think about it…

Ghosts..

I believe in ghosts. But most people don’t.

I don’t have the gift to be able to see ghosts. But I’m surrounded by family members who possess such gift. And believe me, at times you just don’t want to know what they are able to see with their naked eyes.

The closes encounter I got to almost see the passing shadow of a ghost was at my previous house in Jerudong. That place is truly haunted. Probably because I’ve left it vacant for quite some time.  Many years ago, I went there alone. It was only after work, about 5pm. I was just going to the house to pick up a few of my stuff. So I went in, went upstairs to my bedroom and start packing a few things. As I was going out of my bedroom, I felt something was moving behind me. I turned around, but there was nothing there. So I walked on, again *swoosh* behind me. As I was turning my head, I saw a little shadow moving fast just from the corner of my eye. Suddenly, I had hugeeeee goose-bumps. And that automatically signalled me to get out of the house immediately, Presto!!!

I tried to seem brave, I think I did. I came out of the house in one peace. As I drove out and closed the house gate, I looked up at my bedroom window to see if something was peeking at me. No, nothing at all. Maybe my imaginings you say. May be. But I know when I start to have goose-bumps, it is not my imagination. There was something there, and it wanted me out. So I was more than eager to oblige.

Well, that’s one of my ghost story… for now. Do you have any?

Bang, Crackle, Boom!!

Those are the sounds that surround my neighbourhood in the last few weeks coming to raya. All kinds of sparkles and fireworks filled the sky, signaling my neighbours’ excitement to welcome the end of the fast. But there’s still a few more days left for that.

I remembered my younger years, when my uncle was the ring-leader in getting all my cousins and siblings excited and eager to light up the next fire-crackers that we see. My uncle always bought the best fire crackers, and ones with the biggest sounds and sparks. There was once when we lit up this fire-cracker, but before that we had to plant it under the soil. And when it exploded, the land beneath us experienced a slight tremor. Being young and small at that time, I don’t doubt being able to actually feel the tremor. That was some super fire cracker. If it had been lit up while it was not under the soil, I bet it might even have sounded as if somebody fired a cannon!!

Even generations after me, they have not ceased to try and find the loudest and most impressive fire crackers the market have to offer. And in a neighbourhood like mine, when somebody lit one up, you can expect someone else trying to match it. So it’s like a fire-cracker tournament!!

Well, that’s only one part of the anticipated fun during the fasting month and upcoming raya month. And I’m sure with all those sounds, sleep will indeed be a deprivation

Departure

It’s never easy to go on with normalcy when you’ve just lost someone dear to you. It has now been 2 weeks since the departure of a dear grand-aunt of mine. She the last grand-aunt in our family on my mom’s side, and now she too has departed.

It was a shocking news. I’ve always know my grandaunt as someone so full of spunk and spark. And now she’s no longer amongst us. It started off with a stroke, and after just 4 days, she just went.

The day when my grandaunt’s body was brought back to my aunt’s house for the pre-burial rituals, I was still in disbelief that my grandaunt has passed. Watching strangers preparing her for the ritual was such an intricate process. Every detail of it was so impeccable and full of meaning. My only thought about the whole thing was, would I know what to do if I was faced with the same situation? I don’t think so.

The final moments when all close relatives bid their final goodbyes was truly heartbreaking for everyone. Tears were in abundance, but belief has it that if we grieve too much, the spirit of my grandaunt will be in pain. So for that sake, everyone held their tears in, as best they could. But it was really hard. I was almost crying my eyes out, if I hadn’t turn my head away from the crying relatives.

After the final goodbyes, my aunt was blanketed and all the men were lined up ready for the prayers. After4 or five mass prayer for the departed, the body, in a simple coffin, was hoisted onto the men’s shoulder, heading towards the departed van. That was the last I saw of my grandaunt. She was buried at the Jame Asr’ Graveyard. May she rest in peace. There she will join my grandmother, God bless her soul, who has passed many years before. I do miss my grandparents. And I sincerely hope they will all find peace and are given a special place in Heaven. God bless them all!

Al-Fatihah…

Raya at the Housing Settlement

This year is the first time my family to celebrate the Hari Raya at our brand new home. It is located in one of the housing scheme area in the Muara area. An as we anticipate, there will be incoming visits to our home, not only by our relatives and friends, but also neighbours in the vicinity.

Celebration at a housing scheme area has always been a lively one. This is what I’ve heard from relatives and friends who have lived in such area longer than we have. And the ones who will be frequent patrons are the children of the neighbourhood. And when they do come, you better be prepared with the green packets, because that is the only motivation for these children.

With our house being the odd one out in term of size and design, I’m sure that will act as a beacon or magnet for these children to come by. So far I’m not sure how large a crowd the visitors will be, but I’m expecting quite a handful. Let’s just hope my house will not fall prey to those raya-syndicates, where they collect van full of kids and drop them off from house to house just to collect the green packets. This will indeed be a challenge, and one I have a feeling will be confronting everyone in the neighbourhood.

But in the raya spirit, we will welcome all relative, friends and neighbours to our new home. We hope through this celebration we will be able to get to know people in the vicinity. And I’ll be able to make a survey of how many boys are exactly in the neighbourhood. Because I know, boys will be boys. And with 2 teenage girls in the household, I have too look out and make sure these boys stay out :p Oh well, that’s always a parent dilemma.

So to everyone out there, enjoy your Hari Raya!!!

Saturday Raya

Most people will be at work by now. But since it’s a day off for my organisation, I get to do a little raya festivity of my own. Usually, weekends like this my family and I would make an excursion to Kuala Belait, to visit our relatives there. It’s a 1.5hrs journey, and with my brand new wheels, I’m sure the trip will be a bearable one.

During hari raya, my family have the challenge of firstly, to visit all of our aunts and uncles on both side of the family. On the first day of raya, we would first visit my in-laws, followed by my parents, the my dad’s elder sister where we recite the tahlil for my late grandparents.

After that, we would follow my parents to visit all of my grandaunts and uncles. Later in the afternoon (still on day 1 of raya) we would continue the trips, but this time with my in-law. This switching trends is exactly what we have to keep on doing for the first week of hari raya. And it is a very tedious and tiring event. Especially with my little son around. He can’t really keep up with the trips, as he has his baby’s needs which we need to cater. But so far, we manage and we were able to enjoy our-self in the process.

On the second week of hari raya, this is the time when the cousins will be having their open houses. So no need for home cooking, because for sure you will be so filled by the time you reach home in the evening. Some friends and office colleagues will also be having open houses during the second week and third week of hari raya. So the eating and mingling goes on and on.

Few years ago, just on the first day of hari raya, my family would be able to visit about 15-20 houses. This is quite a feat, especially since the houses were not so close to each other. Ant this was covering both sides of my and my huby’ s family. It’s always nice to visit relatives whom we don’t frequently see otherwise if not during hari raya.

And this year, and probably the following year, this is what we have to do. I just hope we will be able to cover all our relatives, in all the districts (except temburong, because that is just too far) for this raya. And I hope you all will be able to do the same.

Thinking Work

Although the hari raya festivity is still burning hot, but by this week people, more or less, in conscience have returned and refocused on their jobs.

For some, Monday is always a slow day, as people are trying to recover from excitements during the weekend. For me, it’s just another day, work or play. I always enjoy working on Monday though, just because it’s only 5 days away from the next weekend! :p

Anyway, whenever I’m at the office, the first and foremost, I would start thinking about what project I can do. I love planning excursions, especially since that is exactly what I’m supposed to do in my current line of work. There are a few other activities I wanted to do, but prior to that, I have to submit a proposal paper on it to the higher authority. This is usually the hurdle for some people. To write proposals on something, is just not for most people to do. But for me, I love to write. So it worked out fine for me.Well, so far it does.

And I love emails too! So whenever I’ve done my papers, I would just have it email to my immediate supervisor, and cc it to my bigger bosses. Personally, it’s more effective this way, and consume lesser time.

Anyways, I better head off back to work if I’m going to get anything done at all. Smart working to y’all!!

Excellent Performance

Do people who excel in their job performance deserve the recognition in their appraisals? And for future assessment, what is the next stage after excellent??

Some people have the difficulty to decide whether or not to recognise excellent performance through appraisals. Some people are mindful of the good performance of their staff, but to put that recognition in written form, they seem to be reluctant. The reason being, if staff were assessed excellent, it will be harder to assess them in the future as they were already previously excellent.

I know this sounds confusing but just bare with me for a while. Personally, as a senior executive, I have no problem recognising the hard work and excellent performance of my own staff on paper. Providing they do perform in the most outstanding way. I believe people should be rewarded where warranted. Hence, an outstanding performance would be deserving of such recognition of award, whether in written form or through incentives.

But prior to making any appraisals, there are specific criterias we have to observe. But what we need to consider are basically, first and foremost, what is the job spec of the staff and whether they are able to perform those job spec. or is there any gaps for improvement.  The second consideration is, is the staff able to execute special project, that transcend their allocated job spec. If yes, this will be a vital point in the assessment process, that differentiate between average performance and outstanding performance. And the final consideration is, the psyche of the staff concerned. Are they in terms of mind and spirit, in tune with the vision of the organisation? with colleagues? what are the most visible positive/ negative attributes illustrated by the staff?

Of course there are other considerations that can be looked at. But the above are some of the essentials that I use myself. But for me, recognition on excellent performance is only warranted when that worker has done beyond their own job spec. It’s about the person’s credibility, competency and potential. Key word here is potential. Potentials are derived from how a staff is able to complete an assignment, whether it has any relevance to his job spec or not, in a timely and professional manner. Assignments in this instance include organising an international event, producing proposed paper on ways and means of improving an organisation or process, leading a major project etc.

This is how I would conduct the appraisal of my own staff.

But for some, giving excellent appraisal report to staff is merely a way of boosting the moral of the staff concerned. It is an effective way of doing so. But the downside is that, it compromises the professional development of the person concerned. For some, once they are given excellent appraisal report, that marks the point where they just maintain what they do, instead of further enhancing their performance.

I can talk at length on this, if I had the time. And I’m sure there would me many debates about it too. But regardless of HOW we wish to assess the performance of our staff, I’m sure the heart of it all is basically to help that person progress to the next stage. I also believe today’s working community consist of professional individuals. And with that mindset, people are committed and well-trained to conduct themselves in a professional manner.

As a last word, Remember to Work Smart while you Work Hard… Look after those under you, so that they will reciprocate by looking after you!

Raya Open Houses

During the hari raya festive month, there would be endless invites to open houses for family and friends. During such an event, wonderful and succulent foods will be laid out for the taking. In addition, the patroned house will be fully packed with incoming visitors, bustling with greetings and laughters.

I have held my own open house event, and it was a real success. My mom and sister-in-law helped out with the cooking that began as early as 4:30 in the morning!

Although the day saw tedious preparation, but the outcome was satisfying. Everyone were well entertained and fed. And families and friends were brought together to rekindle ties.

I thoroughly enjoyed that day. Thanks for all my family, relatives and friends for coming! Selamat Hari Raya to all of ya

Weekends

Second weekend of the raya month, people are still having open houses.. which I’m more than willing to entertain

I’m not planning to do anything today, other than visit those close-ones in the name of hari raya. I still have load of relatives and friends yet to visited and I better do it today.

To the rest of you out there, hope you enjoy your weekend with your love ones! Just don’t over eat when you do go to another open house ok

Standard Curriculum undermines innovation?

A few months back I had encountered a man who was vibrant in personality, persistant in action and focused in life’s ambition. He said something that seem to have stuck in my mind ever since. He said existing educational systems dictates the curriculum that students should take, completely ignoring the individual capacity and requirement of the student. He also said, it would be more beneficial to work on curriculum that actually fit to the requirement of the individual student rather than trying to make everyone fit into one standardised curriculum.

What he said made a whole lot of sense to me. And it also eased out a few personal concerns of my own.

During my school days, I fall into the those category of students who have the potential to seriously excel in my studies, but due some fun distractions, I manage to perform averagely in my studies. I was and still am the type who make attempt to still add fun-life to anything ’serious’ that I do. And this is the one habit my friends envy most, although they are equally capable of doing it if only they know how to do so

Anyway, during my schooling years I’ve always had problems with one subject. Maths. My brain just seems to wander elsewhere whenever I have maths class. That’s why my grades are always super average in this subject. But surprisingly, when it comes to doing accountings, almost similar to maths without the x and y thingy, I got excellent distinctions! Go figure.

I’ve always hated the policy making maths a compulsory subject. Just because maths is just not my cup of tea. Never was, never will be.

I totally agree with the statement that existing curriculum in school, around the world, gives very little attention to developing curriculum to develop the potentials of individual students. As a short cut, a one-fits all curriculum is produced, with the hope of turning the students into ’successful’ and useful ‘asset’ to the nation.

Personally, this idea of one-fits all curriculum actually undermines innovation, creativity and personal niche capability.. especially at the start of the educational process. Children need to be nurtured and taught and groomed base on what they’re good at, not base on what the curriculum dictates them to do.

If we ever aspire to have a generation of great thinkers, innovator and drivers of great changes, we have to workimmediately in changing the way we do things. To achieve change, to achieve innovation, we have to first change ourselves.. change the way we used to do things, the way we used to think, and be more forward thinking for the greater good.. without compromising the individual potentials.

Innovation and change is never a straightforward process. It will be tedious, it will be demanding and it will be challenging. But in order to realise our true potentials, we have to stop standardising how we do things. We have to evolve with time and current needs. And education is a significant component of this process.

It’s time for change.

Public Affairs vs Public Diplomacy

In reference to the book ‘The Public Diplomacy Reader’ by J.Michael Waller.

I haven’t finish reading the book, but the first few pages have given me very refreshing insights on the definition of Public Diplomacy given by various influetial figures/ quotations.

But for the sake of discussion, is there really a difference between public affairs and public diplomacy?

Initially, I thought there was not much difference between the two. To a certain extent, I was correct. But on the bigger picture, there were more than meets the eye.

Public affairs, or public relations (PR) as we are more familiar with here in Brunei, is primarily about informing on what we do. Our activities and any other relevant events. As a PR practitioner myself, I do this by taking advantage of the local media, internet facilities and face-to-face interactions. All for the puropse of sharing information about what my organisation does.

Public diplomacy (PD) is a new word for many of us. From what I’ve read (briefly) it is similar to public affairs, but its purpose is not merely to inform. Public diplomacy is conducted to inform AND influence a targeted audience.

Public Diplomacy is usually conducted abroad. It is a favourite exercise of the US, e.g. during deployment in afghanistan. PD is used to ensure understading among the local people on the policy and peaceful intent of a mission. They do this through the media, and communication with the local people.

Personally, PD would be similarly effective exercise for our own PR practitioner, especially in furthering the aspiration and vision of the government. Prior to employing PD, prior criterias have to be fulfilled. There need to be clear guidelines and policy on what we’re trying to project to the people, understanding the impact of selected activities, and consistent through the monitor of progress. It’s about strategic communication.

PD would indeed be an interesting topic for discussion. And if any of you have anything to say about it, please do share with us. I’m craving for your views on this.

Royal Birthday

Wishing a wonderful birthday to our beloved Queen, Her Majesty Raja Isteri today. May Her Majesty be continually blessed with good health, prosperity, and endless adoration of her humble subjects.

SELAMAT HARI PUJA USIA!!

To Tell the Truth and Nothing but the Truth…

Whether it’s family, best friends, colleagues or ever stranger.. more often than not people prefer to not tell the truth most of the time, for fear of hurting the feelings of the person they tell it to.

Once I had this brief conversation with a friend, and quite diplomatically she told me that I’m too vocal with my thoughts, which may be hurtful to some people. My response was simple. I simply replied with a question: would I want my friends to lie to my face? Aren’t friends supposed to tell the truth, even when it hurts? My friend just kept quiet after that.

Personally, I know it is always hurtful to hear something negative about yourself. It is even more hurtful if it was coming from someone close to you. But there’s always two side of the coin. It’s about trying to see the positive light of things.

I prefer a friend who is honest, for the sake of bringing about a better change for me. I will appreciate such honesty. But what I will not appreciate are hypocrites and back-stabber.

Most of the time, people find it hard when I tell them up straight what I really think. I’m not much of a ‘pleaser’, but I am a carer. But I do make it a point to only speak to those I intend to without the presence of others. This way, I will not be demeaning the reputation of the person in question. It is always respectful to do things privately, especially if you which to comment on someone’s shortcomings. People are very sensitive about this.

So for those of you out there. If you’re among those people who detest me for being to vocal about my comments, well I’m sorry. But hey, my intention is always good. I will not make comments where not warranted. Everything I say is always in the name of better improvement and change. I can’t keep things bottled up. I prefer to just let it out. I always believe, a friend is only a true friend when they are truthful to their dear ones. And I will always be a true friend, whether you ask of it or not.

So next time, if you’re expecting me to lie, go find yourself a new friend. I just hate liars. Liars are not helpful at all. So why bother to befriend liars.

Think about it!!!

What’s Love gotta do with it…

True love.. does it exist? How about love at first sight.. do you believe there is such a thing?

At different stages of our lives, our feelings go through a roller coaster ride with numerous ups and downs. Love is one of the feelings that goes through such rides. Most of the time being it abused or misused.

In a modern world like now, kids as young as 8 years old are already in search of their ‘true love’. At that age, it is definitely not true love, puppy love is more like it. Kids nowadays are so influenced by what they see on tv.. falling into romantic idealism or imaginings.

At high school, they are even more curious and active in search of their ‘true love’. Peer pressure is more the case at this age, where teenagers seek out ‘love’ just because their friends are paired up as a couple as well. Additionally, teenagers goes through a very dramatic hormonal process, hence making them even more curious about the opposite sex.. even to the extent of being curious enough to make ‘experimentations’.

Then comes college and university, where reaching the age of 18 is like being given passport to have endless fun! Does this age group think about love? Definitely not! Lust is more like it. Why the change in attitude? There could be many reasons for this, one being the human body of an 18 year old is now more aware of what they are able to do. And the mind of an 18 year old is usually focused on the fun, rather than being tied down.

As people get older, time will come to one day tie the knot. This is the big question. Are all married people truly and really in love? The shocking answer that I gave to my daughter was that, true love does not necessarily applies to all married people. She was disappointed.

Some may argue my view on this, but base on my own personal observation ‘love’ between married people is more to do with ‘love for the children’. Yes of course, for the newly weds, they’re constantly in embraces, holding hands  and snuggling each other wherever they go. But when a child comes between that ‘newly weds coupling’, the love and attention is automatically transferred to the child.

Personally, I don’t believe in true love. I do believe in love though, but not true love. To me, true love is only something that is made up in movies.  Do you agree?

Failure vs Success

There’ are always two sides to a coin. One cannot be without the other, complementing one another as a core entity. The same thing applies in life.

In any undertakings, we always have this hope that things will run smoothly and successfully. We never want to encounter complex challenges that have the potential to cause us to fail in reaching our destination.

Failure vs Success is fundamentally about in emphasizing that in every success there are bound to be failures. We can only reap success after overcoming and conquering our failings. Most people know this by heart, but their actions do not necessarily align to what they know.

I’ve encountered many people who are so eager to make big changes in their lives and career, but when it comes to actually doing it, the one major obstacle that hinders them from doing so is the fear of failing. I’ve tried numerous times trying to explain that failures are actually a good thing. Failures help us to better improve ourselves.

The only worst kind of failure is failing to try at all. So the next time you guys have this fear of failing, you will only have failed if you failed to try at all.

Cheers!

Mentoring and Youths

I was browsing through the bookshelves at the library the other day and I came across this book on Mentoring. I didn’t actually read the book, but the title itself made me recall an article I read on that same topic.

There was this notion of applying Mentoring on troublesome youths. Somehow I was kind of skeptic about this idea. It’s a good idea though. It’s just that I doubt the capability to executive such an idea.

Looking at my own personal experience, I’ve been primarily educated at the national public schools. And when it comes to students’ welfare issues, there has never been any qualified counselors at the school to help sort out the troubled students. The usual practice, as I remembered it, is that the welfare teacher allocated at any public schools are usually one of the teaching staff at the school, who happened to be free and don’t necessarily possess any counseling skills.

And now, they have this new idea about mentoring. I seriously would like to know how this notion will be applied.

To me, when it comes to troublesome youths, we have to look at the root cause of it. The usual common issues confronting these youths are divorced parents, negligence, peer pressure, lack of religious education, and many more.

Troublesome youths can be considered as one of the social ills of the modernised world. If we look back at how things were during our great grand parents days, they didn’t have problems like this with their youths. Youths of yesteryears were more obedient, loyal, respectful and fearful of their elders. But today, youths are more exposed to their surroundings and thus have a tendency to be calculative with their obedience, loyalty, and respect. And most youths certainly do not fear their elders like they used to.

Looking at these characteristics, the attempt of applying mentoring (defined as a responsible adult becoming role models to the trouble youths by being their confidante, conscience and adviser) to these kids will indeed be a challenging one. Most youths, when in trouble, prefer to turn to their peers than to an adult. It’s a universal culture or traits. Reason being for fear of being nagged and scolded at probably.

My suggestion as a solution to trouble youths syndrome, is to revert back to how families used to live their life. Example, rather than parents being so engrossed with their worldly jobs and daily upkeep, please do make the time to spend quality time with every family members, find out what the children have been up to, how they’re doing in schools, who they hang out with, who their friends are, and etc etc. Another example is, rather than letting your child spend most of their time with their peers at the Mall, use some of the free time to get close and get to know your child, be their parents and friend.

I know it’s not easy to try to revert our modern way of living to the old backward days of our ancestor. But for me, it’s a worthwhile effort and journey to retain the value of family-hood just so that we can live harmoniously as a family. So let’s give this a try.

Website and Portals

Technological change and globalisation has brought with it the never ending challenge of competition. One of the effective mode in boosting our competitive edge is the capability to optimize usage of the internet. Whether you’re in the public or private sector, utilisation of I.T is a must if you wish to ensure that people are well informed about your organisation.

Yesterday, I attended a workshop that specifically focused on finding a solution to challenges in establishing an organisation’s website and portal. Although it was only a one-day session, but the discussions that transpired were exceedingly refreshing. Within that one-day session we were able to identify common challenges and eventually selective/ unified solutions.

The internet revolution is still a new concept to fellow colleagues in my sector. Although slow in embracing this new technology, we are not completely ignorant of its potential. The ongoing problem is that we are just not putting enough effort and attention to realise this potential.

Personally, the intent of establishing a portal for our sector would go a very long way in not only allowing us to reach out to all corners of the nation and beyond but concomitantly will help to further disseminate our aspirations to others. Today’s society is different from the olden days. Nowadays people are more and more curious and crave for information on anything an everything. With the advent of I.T., the general public have the freedom to access all types of information just at the click of a button.

Although on the one side I.T. enables people to be more well informed on things, but there is also the danger of people being mis-informed at the same time. There is not specific software that is capable of filtering inaccurate information. And this is a shortcoming that specific sectors have concerns about.

As a solution, organisations world wide take the initiative to set up their own official website and portals. Hopefully through this effort, people will be provided with timely, relevant and accurate information.

But for some, implementing such an initiative entails a huge challenge. It requires an organisational change i.e. to designate the right people for the job, who knows and understands the organisation’s needs, and are empowered to do so. These are only some of the necessary changes that need to take place. There are other activities that are of equal importance, and should be explored base on respective needs and requirements. And this was exactly what I went through in identifying and deliberating during the workshop yesterday.

I seriously hope friends and colleagues will make attempts to familiarise with I.T. Although it may seem common in today’s business, but its impact has no barrier. And it would be a personal as well as professional achievement if we can start and continue to utilize I.T. in everything that we do. Remember, Work Smart, not Work Hard :)

Beyond the naked eye

Yesterday I was watching the movie Shallow Hal. The movie flow is so symbolic and representative of the perception of today’s society.

There is indeed a dramatic and prominent change in how the society view similar things but during different times. As time evolve, expectations and opinions changes base on what is the ‘fashion’ of the day. Fashion here is defined as what is commonly acceptable by everyone.

The movie SHALLOW HALL looked at perceptions on the beauty of individuals. Probably as a mockery towards certain people who are so shallow and superficial, the movie highlights the habit of always judging people base on their looks. For example, just because someone is physically imperfect, doesn’t mean they are not worthy to be accepted in a society. But it is true in some cases where a person will simply not be-friend someone just because of their imperfect looks. Such individual is not even interested to know beyond the physical appearance.

I remember during my college years, there was this group of girls who were basically labelled as the Glamour-Gals. Not sure they know it or not, but because all of the girls in that group were really pretty and model-like, hence they got named as the Glamour-gals. I didn’t belong to that group. I didn’t fall into the pretty category, probably because I was a tomboy. Anyway, guys were seen flocking and eager to say hi to the glamour gals. Simply because they were really pretty. Luckily those girls also had personality. They were nice and brainy. So they were even more likeable.

In the movie, the perception was more bias. The pretty gals are those without personality and more inclined to be selfish, rude, and not very smart. While the Ugly Ducklings were funny, wonder personality, nice and intelligent. And then there is this group of guys, who are not so good looking and yet expect to get a really Hot looking gal thinking the ugly ducklings are not even up their league.

The movie is basically telling its audience that everyone has their own imperfections. And it’s not beneficial to anyone when judging and selecting base on how they look physically. A rule that I’ve always remembered, not sure where I got it from though, is that always look beyond the naked eye. What lies within a person is what will ensure long lasting appreciation. Meaning, when we’re interested in someone, let the reason be because we share something similar and like the same things. Don’t like someone base on how they look, look will wither away like flowers do. But personality and internal qualities will last a lifetime.

I’ve always make it a point get to know someone beyond their physical appearances. I admit, good looks are beacons for attention. But it is always personality which put a chain on that attention. We can easily lose interest in someone so gorgeous and beautiful if they just don’t have a personality or mind to match that. We get more entranced and captivated with someone who displays wits, brains, humour and personality.

So tell me, which beauty are you interested in?

Criticism vs Compliments

Why is it that we’re so quick and willing to criticise and yet very slow and reluctant to give compliments/ praises?

I’m sure all of us have had our actions criticised at some point or another. And I’m also sure that not many of us had the luxury of being complimented or praised for a job well done, not on a regular basis that is.

I noticed that being in a competitive surrounding, like the work office, people are just not keen on raising the morale of their fellow competitors. Where the superiors are concerned, they are more wary of what they compliments might imply in the long run. I’m not sure what that means, but it is quite strange to even be so calculative and frugal with our compliments when situation warrants it.

I’m the type of person who would definitely be forefront about my feelings, especially where work is concerned. If I see my underlings not performing to their best potential or demonstrating slackness in how they conduct their jobs, then I will straight up tell them that it’s no good and I expect a much better performance and effort. And when I see my staff performing well, I’m still as eager and willing to compliment them on their efforts, and encourage them to continue this excellent performance.

There’s nothing wrong with telling people when something is not done to a satisfactory level. But it is wrong to suppress well deserved praises to those who deserve it. We are after all humans, emotions can either fuel or deflate your spirit/ enthusiasm. So make sure there’s always a balance of the bad and the good that we give to people. More good is always preferable, because the ultimate aim is to encourage and raise the morale of those around us.

So the next time you see a job well done, please take the initiative to say “excellent work”. A simple word like that will not take more than 2 seconds to vocalise, and it will definitely brighten up someone’s day. 2 seconds for an entire day sound a very good value for money don’t you think?

So Let’s live life happily! And be ready to praise more

Democratic Management

I was reading a book on public administration a few days back, and I came across an interesting view on the topic. The book stated that the public sector has been cultured to do things just because the top authority tells them to do it. And they will not do things beyond the instruction given. So the so called public servants were merely like puppets with the strings symbolising the directives and procedures given to them to conduct the necessary action.

To an extent, those statement still applies in today’s world. Some of the people in the public sector seem to be more comfortable to just stay within the above definition. And for the few of the people, this can form a kind of resistance, especially if the organisation aspires to evolve into something more dynamic.

I also came across a book on Participative Management which among other things highlighted how democratic management is the way to go nowadays. Democracy in this sense is about empowering people and allowing them to take rein and be accountable for their actions. The superiors in this instance will not be surrendering their authority but instead delegating the task and sharing the responsibility with those in the organisation.

I love this idea of democratic management. Although I haven’t really finished reading the article, I’m keen more than ever to further explore this concept. So if any of you know specific books I should be reading on this, please do tell me.

My Ambition

From primary school, to high school, college, university and today, I’ve experienced changes in my personal ambition in life. It’s funny how ambition can change over time.

When I was in Primary school, I had this ambition of wanting to be a musician. I was pretty good with musical instruments, especially keyboards and recorders. The talent seems to just come naturally.

Then when I started my Secondary level education, I aspired to be a basketball player. I guess during that time I was so enthusiastic about my P.E lessons, and basketball just happened to be one of my favourite sport. At that age, I had a talent for basketball, netball, badminton, tennis, baseball, softball, rounders, cricket, dodgeball and volleyball. I also did gymnastic (although I must admit my body was not flexible enough, but heck that didn’t stop me from trying!), hockey, rugby and swimming. I was a pretty athletic gal.. and very tanned.

The came high school, I matured a bit (I think :p) and by the age of 14, I had this ambition of wanting to be a lawyer. I was pretty good in my debate class, but unfortunately it was an ambition my mom didn’t approve of.

By the time I went to college, at age 16, my new found ambition was to be a politician! Hahaha.. funny it seems now. I wanted to be a politician because I thought the profession have huge influence over people.. well, that was what it seemed like during my Public Affairs lessons.

Then came university, and at that juncture of my life I had a new ambition in life. I wanted to be the First female Minister in Brunei, Minister of Women’s Affairs. Even until now, I still hold on to this ambition. You just never know right

I had many more ambitions over the last decade or so. But at this very moment, my ultimate ambition is basically to be my true self, doing what I do best (whatever that may be). I know now that my previous ambitions had given me the motivation to always do well in what I do. Although I don’t necessarily do well 100% of the time, but I manage to have fun in the process as well. That’s what counts!

Now, at the age of over 30, married with 3 kids, my ambition is just to be a loving wife to my husband, a nurturing mother to my children, a dedicated daughter to my parents, a supportive sister to my siblings, and a true comrade to my friends. If I can achieve all these, then my life-time ambition will be fulfilled!