The Simplest Things in Life..

Salam..

Having a pet is a great way of reducing stress. So, love thy animals like ye love thyself. ;)

Err, covert operation perhaps?

The two of my three-member cat trio.. =)

Thanks for reading.

ps : Finding ways to smile upon is easy. Just look around! =)

The Wonders of Life

Salam..

It is inevitable to think that the world revolves around oneself. For example, we are having a bad day at work, at the very same day our car is having problems, all the ATMs were closed for maintenance, and our phone accidentally dropped into the toilet bowl, and we'll say to ourselves, "The world is doing this on purpose!" or "What did I do wrong?! I never wronged anybody, is this how I'm repaid?"

In reverse, I'm sure that all of us has experienced a day where somehow everything goes right. We wake up smiling, got praised at work, have a blast with our friends, nail that most important business deal that would guarantee our career, and we'll say, "Ohh yes, I'm the best!!! Ever!!" or "I don't know what I did, but I'm loving it!!"

Funny isn't it? Because when we think back, surely those things do not happen solely on our account. Maybe its just plain bad or good luck? A series of coincidence that negatively or positively affect us?

 People always say that everything happens for a reason. There used to be a time when I've always felt like I am are the heroine of this movie I call life. So, logic applies that things actually happen because I was there. But, isn't that the ego (or the pride) talking? Doesn't everything that has, are and will occur, happens because of Allah s.w.t.?

Now, I'd rather like to think of it as God's way of demonstrating to me, my own uniqueness to Him. Like I do exist, and my life has never stopped from being in His scrutiny no matter what situation I'm in, or how bad I've been. And its also a demonstration of His power that I could somehow feel special and connected to Him in a world of 7 billions of people, and all those 7 billions of people minus one feels the same at one point or another in their lives whether they know it or not.

Allahu akbar. Allahu akbar. Allahu akbar.


Thanks for reading. =)

What People Says Behind Your Back..

Salam..

Just wish to share a picture. I've snapped this up in November issue of Time Magazine (can't remember which week it was, though).

The very small caption says, "Nicolas Sarkozy, French President, discussing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with President Obama in a private conversation that was recorded by the press at the G-20 summit.

And guess what Obama said in response, "You're fed up with him, what about me?" Then, "I have to deal with him every day."

=))

Read the full story here : http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/11/09/sarkozy-to-obama-i-cannot-bear-netanyahu-hes-a-liar/

Enjoy the weekend, people! And thanks for reading, still. =))

I Remember, I Love, I Live

Salam..

Its already the first day of the last month of 2011. Oh, how fast time flies. I still remember making up lists of things to achieve earlier this year, and the list keeps on changing and evolving; some items were finished, some needed extra efforts and care, while certain additions had to be made to improve the whole picture.

That, to me, is what life means. There's only so much that I can plan ahead, be it original plan complete with contingency plans (or backup plan as I used to say). There can even be a no plan at all, just plunging-headfirst-into-the-unknown type of plan, which is hopefully limited to the most adventurous of us. But all in all, it boils down to our own desires.

One of the things my Dad taught me was the concept of SWOT analysis. To those who don't know, SWOT refers to S : strength, W : weaknesses, O : opportunities and T : threat. Actually one of the major decisions I've made regarding my choice of university was based on this (although there was some bias on the part of my parents, lol) which saw me ultimately become a UKM graduate. And I've never regretted that one decision even a bit! =))

Taken from Wikipedia.org

Dad, thank you for being who you are. Its true, nobody is perfect and this holds true for everyone in the whole wide world (except the Prophet Muhammad of course!) but in being your daughter, I've learn to accept people the way they are, imperfections and all. You taught me that what truly matters is whats inside our heart (our will and niat) rather than what is externally projected and paraded to the world. You've always stressed the importance of remembering where one comes from (our roots, in a sense), and let that ground oneself even when success (be it money, position, or even respect from others) comes around. Resam padi, semakin berisi, semakin tunduk. You've shown me why money should never become a major thing in our life, why earthy possessions were only temporary, why family is the most important thing in life and why I should always see both sides of a story (situation, sides and people included). Even when things were hard I could always find a silver lining among the dark clouds, and enjoy the smallest things in life.

This simple post could never truly portray the gratitude and love I feel, but I still wish to do so, at least to share it with anyone who wants to. =) So, without further ado,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!

Picture taken last year. Mom and Dad, at Kuala Lipis, Pahang.

ps : Aaaaand, last but not least, thank you for making life interesting (and difficult sometimes too, lol). Love you, Dad. And you too Mom, always.. =))

Years go by...

Salam..

It's the mandatory once-in-three-months update, people! =) Oh well, just kidding. But wouldn't it be nice if there is a blog-keeper that would blog for you as soon as you experience something that went *BAM!* and "I've gotta blog about this!" before the moment passed by and your thinking went to ecstatically bursting with anticipation of sharing the news, to uncertain-because-it-felt-like-old-news?

I'm rambling, I know.. Haha.. Been a while since I've casual-writing. Lately, all I ever write about was my conference paper, presentation slides and all things academic, so its kinda hard to shift back. Others might or might not experience the same thing, but alas, my muse is playing hide-and-seek with me.

Actually this post is just on a whim. To tell you the truth, I'm waiting for the my next sampling (back to experimental stuffs, see) as it takes about 15 minutes for centrifugation. =) But, I don't wanna bore anyone with these details. ;) Sometimes, we all need a little time off, to clear our heads or just reevaluating ourselves and our values.

This last few weeks, I've been thinking a lot about who I am, who I wish to be and what would happen in the future. Of course, Allah s.w.t. has plans for all of us, and it is to Him that I seek enlightenment. And I truly hope that whatever happens in the future, I shall remember who I am, and the values that I seek will continue to guide me in anything and everything I do, insya-Allah. =)

ps : I've been thinking of closing this blog, at least for a little while. Maybe experiment on some other kind of writing? =) And it might or might not happen, sooner or later, only time will tell.

Updated, Finally...

Salam..

Suddenly feels like updating today. Motivated by 'rakan-rakan seangkatan' who were actively blogging lately.

Update 1 : Just gotten well from a combination of fever, flu and coughs. And this time it took longer than usual. After discussion with my parents, we have decided on a course of action for future preventions, though an exact time or date is not firm yet, but I remain hopeful. =)

The positive outcome is that, I realize how much of a gift our health has truly been. It's humbling, and its an eye-opener while also being a gentle reminder from Him.

Update 2 : I am now in my third semester of my Masters degree now. Work has been constant, though there is now a need to put more time and energy into the daily timetable. Change is sometimes unwelcome, but inherently necessary to achieve my goals. Work hard, Irina!! =))

Update 3 : One of my bestest friend is getting married! I'm so psyched for her, yet at the same time, sad that we'll be apart (sorry dear wan-ika *sob sob*). It's almost been 12 years, and all the memories will always be there for us to cherish. But, from the bottom of my heart, Congratulations!! Hugs and kisses~~

Update 4 : I rarely spend time on FB nowadays, so to anyone who messaged, tagged or invited me to their events, very sorry if awaited response is lacking or grossly late. The same applies to blog posts and other social medias. ;)

Update 5 : Tis not really an update, actually I just want to wish, "Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir Batin." After all, there is a week left, right?

Picture credited to cik Wan.. =)

Till we meet again, people!
And in the meantime, have a great one! ;)

Let It Go..

Salam..

It's certainly have been a while.. Forgive me for the lack of post. =) That is, if anyone was waiting for one. *wink wink* It's just that although sometimes I really want to share something, thinking of the expected reactions of people who read puts me off.. I guess everyone felt so at one time or the other, and it depends on ourselves on how to handle it.

Research-wise, I'm currently keeping up with my timetable to run my bioreactor once every week. Hopefully, I could still work as usual especially with the coming of the holy month Ramadhan.

Personal-wise, things have been a roller coaster ride, with things unraveling unexpectedly. I've now learned (for the second time) that caution is a must. Even though familiarity would sometimes cloud our judgement, trusting our inner voice or what people call instinct is ultimately better in the long run.

=)

The best thing is, however, I'm fine. I've spent some time mulling over things that cannot be undone, and all the damages that I can't control, angry at myself for being too naive, and making my life a mess of unchecked anger and frustrations. But somehow, with the unchanging nature of the people around me, the wound is healing. The scar might always be there, and the phantom pain might sometimes cause me bitterness, but all is as it should be, alhamdulillah.

To my dear friends (you know who you are!! *hugs and kisses*), thank you for simply being there, sharing my pain and being the constant I need. =)

Things will be okay, I know it will, insya-Allah..
Love y'all!!
=))

I leave y'all with my favorite song right now; Iridescent by Linkin Park.

Secret Recipe : Halal or Not?

Salam..

It's certainly been a while. And I'm happy to say that I've already presented my paper at ICBioE'11 which takes place at Legend Hotel (directly in front of PWTC) and coincidentally my Form 5 dinner venue back in 2003.. Oh, how time flies.. And don't worry, pictures will be posted in the next update. For now, I wanted to share something as I've said in the title.

I know that this past few days a lot of people would have heard about this, especially Malaysian Muslims. There was a confusion on this matter due to the announcement made in Halal Malaysia Portal (www.halal.gov.my) regarding "PENEMUAN DNA BABI DALAM BAHAN RAMUAN SYARIKAT PURATOS MALAYSIA SDN BHD" (which translates to Discovery of Pig DNA in Ingredients Manufactured by Puratos Malaysia Sdn Bhd) and were picked up by a number of blogs linking it to Secret Recipe.

And this is why:

Puratos Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. also supplied baking ingredients, and the two that I've circled contains the phrase "Secret Recipe". This is not, in any way, means that this two were Secret Recipe (restaurant) cakes. It *is* not. If you could see from the website itself or from the image above, both Talento Brownies Concentrate Secret Recipe and Talento Cake Concentrate Secret Recipe were their own products, not Secret Recipe. And thanks to the efforts of a blogger, just yesterday Secret Recipe Cakes & Cafe Sdn. Bhd. had clarified this matter. You can read the full statement here :

http://fatihashuhaimy.blogspot.com/2011/05/update-maklumbalas-dari-secret-recipe.html

The gist of it is that the blogger had emailed her concerns on the halal dispute over Secret Recipe cakes, and a response came from Secret Recipe Cakes & Cafe Sdn. Bhd. explaining that they do not acquire any ingredients from Puratos Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and all their ingredients and cakes were halal-certified by JAKIM.

So everyone, please spread the word.. Actually the reason I'm highlighting this is that it is a very serious matter. As a blogger, we have the flexibility of saying anything we want, true, but we also have a responsibility to make sure what we say is true. Although some might say that there is always two sides of a story, but it remains to be acknowledged that facts would always be more reliable than hearsay.

So please, before posting something up, especially when the subject of the matter involves sensitive things like this, make sure that your words are backed by facts, not only something that you conclude based on what is apparently there. It's understandable that sometimes we were overly excited when we noticed anything of this magnitude, hence the news can't wait. But would it hurt too much to take a breather and try to confirm it first?

You are the judge, readers. I've done my part. Hopefully the confusion will be settled over this. Thanks for reading!

=)

Peace of Mind.. =)

Salam..

There will always be problems in life, for some much much bigger than others. It might even involve things that are beyond others' expectation or comprehension. And there will be times when even the strongest will not prevail over the dark cloud that looms over their head.

But, when such times do come, one of the best things to do is to share that burden with someone. It might not actually solve the problem itself, but from my own experience, through sharing, things would finally become clearer and I could finally see the problem from a new perspective. Though sometimes the risk of the 'secret' part of the problem being exposed kept some people away from trying this approach.

What I can say is that it all comes down to one thing; trust.

Thank you for reading.

ps : “No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence.” ~ T.S. Eliot.

p.ps : I'm praying for you dear.. Hope that everything will be okay and you'll come out of it stronger than before. Insya-Allah.

The Hill

Salam..

Just a brief update today I'm afraid.. To keep the resolution that I've made (updating at least once a week, which I've already missed once), hence this post. In actuality, I'm supposedly doing my slides now for the presentation at ICBioE'11 in two weeks time. But alas, a break is needed to keep the mind fresh, no? =)

My to-do list for now:

1. Completing the slides so that I could have at least a 10-days backup time for the rigorous polishing-up that my supervisors expected.
2. Adding another sub-topic to my paper for journal submission (this is really, really a loooong way to go, but I need to take the first steps lest I'll be swamped by other work-related stuffs this coming months).
3. Practice, practice and practice playing my guitar.. =)) Yep, I'm self-teaching myself for my personal goal achievement as required during YK's Personal Mastery training.. Alhamdulillah, it's getting better now compared to when I first started, which is, horror! ;p
4. Start with the bioreactor for my optimization study.. This one, no comment.. Anybody wants to offer some help? *wink*

Oh well, life goes on. All the best to y'all in everything you do. When there's a will, there's a way.
Thanks for stopping by!

Template Designer.. My Current Obsession. =)

Salam..

For those who know me, they were quite surprised when my blog was decorated by hearts (of the lovey-dovey kind) last time. Especially Miss Nad who I seriously think went, "Aik?!!" with a perplexed look on her face while viewing the page. (Nad, need your confirmation for this.. Hihi..)

=)

Nevertheless, that is not the reason why the background has changed (yet again). The fact is, I simply like to play around with my blog template, and the background, the links, the layout, everything. Which is why, I love Blogger's Template Designer.

Live preview of the changes.. ;)

Do check it out if you are a Blogspot user. You could also upload your own picture as the background of your blog. Personally, I love the Abstract pictures although there were also some good ones in other categories.

=)

Till next time peeps! Thanks for stopping by. =)

Khazanah Watan Scholarship

Salam..

Those of you who are waiting for the application status of the Watan Scholarship, I've checked in the website and found this as posted above. Good luck to all who applied! =)

ps : Really trying to push myself to write another paper, this time to join the Writing Workshop next month. Bbllluurrrrp! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by, though. Really appreciate it. =)

"Our greatest joy and our greatest pain comes in our relationships with others" ~ Stephen R. Covey

Salam..

It's been quite some time that all of us have been together, but once we did, feels like no time has passed.. Friends come and go, this is very true, but to keep those friendships alive, we need to work for it. Just like any other relationships, there has to be some give or take. Although I have to admit, the amount of work you did would naturally mirror your true desire of how much you want it to work.

So, remember you loved ones (be it, your family, friends, acquaintances etc etc) and be sure to let them know how much you love and appreciate them. It's good to have them in your life, as the world would be too lonely without them.

=)

ps : Here's a snapshot of our lunch last Friday.. Cik Zira, so sorry sebab gambar cik xde.. Nak kena tunggu gambar dari kamera Cik Wan.. Hehe..

Domino's!! See the lady looking on to our mountain of pizza? She's really puzzled because she was sure we couldn't finish all.. Lol.. But in the end, we managed to clean everything up (minus 5 slices), haha.. =)

So, anyway, thanks for stopping by.. Take care y'all!

Sales Abound.. =))

Salam..

This week has been quite a handful (in a sense that we, as in me and my parents had crossed 4 states, to and fro Selangor, past Perak, Kedah, Penang then back to Selangor, all within the span of 4 days), coping with labwork which haven't took off due to the only 3 days availability etc etc.. You get the driff..).

Nevertheless, today is, after all, a Friday.. And while searching for a place for lunch, the PR gang with Kakak Hijau (wink wink), I came across today's sale;

Parkson's Bonuslink Members Day!

Its only for today (25th of March) and a lot of things are on sale.. Hehe.. I must confess though, shopping was never really my thing, but I'm always interested in going to select few, because you'll never know what you'll find.

Until then, take care okayh dear readers. Insya-Allah, I will be heading to Parkson today to check it out.. ;p

Thanks for reading.

ps : And btw, I also find some interesting sales, foremost in my mind is MPH Online sale.. There's about 650 titles on sale, but only of you buy online.. But the saving is quite worth it. =)

"Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction." ~ Anne Frank

Salam..

It is always interesting when we meet up with old friends or acquaintances, old schoolmates or workmates included. One thing for sure is that people do change, only the magnitude of that changes differ among all. One of the must-ask thing for me are; work, home and hints of any status change *wink*, and not necessarily in that order.

It's nice hearing about other people's life, the experiences that they have, the situations that they'd endured and the nature of the working life. After all, I have:

1. never worked before, and by work, I mean literally work and being in the workforce (hence negating the RA experiences that I have) and hearing about others' tales of exploits.. ;-)
2. always wanted to know the way things worked in other sectors besides engineering and bio stuffs (bio-engineering, bio-technology, bio-chemistry etc. the list goes on). Finance, administrative, accounting, journalism, design, oil and gas, marketing, Q&A, safety, architecture, education, all have their own plus(es) and minus(es). And one thing I learned, being in one definite industry or of one definite position, doesn't mean that it's the best or the worst (and it does not give you the right to belittle other people) because it is simply different. Yang penting, kerja dengan hati yang ikhlas & betul; jangan makan gaji buta atau terlibat dalam kerja-kerja tak berfaedah (atau haram) macam rasuah, back-stabbing etc.. =)

Pic swiped from the internet.. =)

Oh well, to those who are working in your respective fields, work hard and persevere okeh. Be optimistic and pray to God that any problems that come your way, is never without solution. =)

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share any work experiences that you have in the comment box.. *wink*

=)

Tag by Wan Zulaikha.. =)

Salam.

Today's post is a tag.. And, it's in Bahasa.. Sila la baca.. =))

1. Siapa anda:

Irina.. ;)

2. Saya sedang mendengar:

Farmer's Daughter - Crystal Bowersox..

3. Mungkin saya patut:

Minum air panas untuk melegakan tekak yang rasa berpasir sekarang ni..

4. Saya suka:

Ungu, kucing, buku, hitam, music, belajar benda baru, boling, kacau kawan2 bila bosan, airkrim almond pistachio, lamb chop, tengok2 gadget terbaru, tangkap & edit gambar, duduk sorang2 kalau tengah black mood, tengok wayang, among others.. =)

5. Sahabat-sahabat baik saya:

Memahami & menerima saya seadanya.. Girls, you rock!!

6. Saya tak paham:

Kenapa sesetengah org perlu membahayakan diri sendiri & orang lain bila memandu, betul2 macam F1.

7. Saya kehilangan:

Kamera saya suatu masa dulu, cuma baru perasan lepas beberapa bulan insiden berlaku.. *geleng kepala*

8. Ramai yang berkata:

Saya suka ketawa.. ;) Memang betul, cuma masalahnya kadang2 keadaan x sesuai.. Oops.

9. Makna nama saya:

Em.. Kena tanya ayah saya.. ;p

10. Cinta itu adalah:

Secara automatik memahami & menyokong, tanpa perlu diminta..

11. Di suatu tempat, seseorang sedang:

Berkebun.. =)

12. Saya akan cuba:

Jadi seseorang yang saya kagumi.

13. Ayat SELAMANYA membawa maksud:

Forever..

14. Telefon bimbit saya:

Sony Ericsson Aspen.. Saya suka qwerty pad.. Hehe..

15. Bila saya terjaga dari tidur:

Saya bersyukur yang saya masih hidup & sihat walafiat.. =)

16. Saya paling meluat apabila:

Sesiapa cuba membesar-besarkan diri dengan saya, sebab saya tak pernah buat macam tu.

17. Pesta/Parti adalah:

Huh? Pesta Buku saya tau la.. Tak pun, ICT Fair.. ;)

18. Haiwan paling comel yang saya pernah temui ialah:

Tak pernah jumpa depan2, tapi tgk dalam tv - Polar bear!

19. Peringkat umur yang paling menyeronokkan bagi saya ialah:

Sweet 18.. ;p

20. Hari ini:

Saya masak mi goreng.. =)

21. Malam ini saya akan:

Tengok tv macam biasa.. =)

22. Esok pula saya akan:

Berusaha nak jumpa Bos, dan prepare untuk lab minggu ni..

23. Saya betul-betul inginkan:

Supaya suatu hari nanti saya mampu menunaikan impian ayah & ibu saya.. =)

24. Ketika anda lihat wajah anda di hadapan cermin pagi ini:

Mamai la masa tu, tak tahu perasaan macam mana. =)

25. Pusat membeli-belah atau arked permainan:

Beli groceries & main game racing.. ;p

26. Makanan Barat atau Jepun:

Barat #1, Jepun #2.

27. Bilik yang terang atau gelap:

Ikut apa aktiviti masa tu. Kalau perlukan lampu mestila akan buka lampu, kalau tak, jimatkan elektrik.

28. Makanan segera adalah:

Maggi mee.

29. Ayat terakhir yang anda katakan pada seseorang?:

Ok, kejap lagi ye.. =)

30. Siapa yang anda mahu Tag?:

Tak kisah, siapa yang nak buat, silakan ye.. =)

Anyway, a new post is coming up.. Stay tuned.. ;)

And thanks for stopping by. =)

I've Lost Count On How Many Times I've...

Salam..

It's certainly been a while, isn't it? The truth is, this is attempt #20++ a.k.a. I've lost count of how many times I wanted to update this blog. I'm sure a lot of us have experienced this, where once something happened, the first thing that comes into mind is, "I'm going to blog about this, later."

Only that 'later' sooner or later becomes 'not ever'. One of the things I've noticed is that, once the excitement has passed, I started to question, "Hmm.. Should I post this up? Ala, malas la pulak nak menulis. Banyak lagi benda nak buat.."

--> First moral of the story, don't procrastinate things okeh!

Another thing that I sometimes struggle over is the fact that I'm overthinking about what people *want* to read, as opposed to what I *want* to write. After all, I think most of us who write or blog, truly and really appreciates it when there's feedback from people who read it. It makes me feel warm and understood when this happens, so when none were given, I start thinking that, "Well, this is not interesting enough. Let's find some other things to blog about." So basically, the intent to write has now changed. And that, my dear readers, stresses me out. Period.

--> Second moral of the story, truly understand why you want to do something. If it's truly for personal gratification, then that should be the push @ motivation for you. Surely, you'll feel much more satisfied with result. ;)

So now, I'm thinking of transforming this blog. But, of course, nothing big, just expect some changes on the topics I'll post about. Hopefully, y'all still be reading this after kayh.. Because I will try my best to keep Hearts in Two alive. After all, we've managed for almost five years now, right?

All the best to all! And as usual, thanks for reading!

=))