Congratulation Rahmah and Shidah!

Dah lama blog ni tak diisi dengan cerita-cerita baru, so this is something to stir it up a bit. And what better news to share if not about the personal advancement of two of us.

First up, congratulations to Shidah on the promotion as the Director of Hospital Tawau. Woo, jauh tu dati kita semua, susah la nak jumpa bila ada get together kat sini. Tapi tak apa la, demi tugas kan! So sekarang ni, rajin-rajinla tengok e-mail tu kalau nak tahu cerita-cerita terbaru kita semua.

And the other great news is about Rahmah who is now the Timbalan Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan) of UKM. Congratulations to you too. I think we all knew from back then that you are going to go far in your career.

We are very happy on your success!

Eid Mubarak

Ramadan came and went and before we know it, we are more than halfway through Syawal. I hope its not too late to wish everyone Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin.

I didn't even manage to send the Raya cards this year, that was how busy it has been! My apologies to all those who have sent me greeting cards, but did not receive my return gesture. You are all in my heart! Even the Open House invitations had to be passed because the last few weeks, banyak family weddings.

Won't attempt to write anything clever (?) or funny or deep this time. Just taking a few minutes off to say Hello! To those who have invited me for even more Open Houses or Birthday Majlis (you know who you are ... tak nak sebut kat sini, InsyaAllah, I will attend.

Will keep in touch. This time around, takde ke raya get-together?

Kasma

MGC/TKC 60th Anniversary Dinner

This year our alma mater celebrates it 60th Anniversary (1947 - 2007) and to commemorate the ocassion, a grand dinner was held on 18th August ... and I was there :D he .. he .. he .. Hey, come on! We all know what the college means to us all and how it has partly shaped our lives so this is something that I can't let it pass.

The theme for the night was Diamonds are Forever and true enough a number of those present had their bling-blings on. There were 21 of us from the Class of 74 in all our fineries.

Oh heck! I am not good with words like Kasma, so I'll just let the picture tell the story.

Shidot, Norsiah and Tiger were there

... and so were Zaininah and Nin

Kasma and Haizan did not wan to miss it, too.

Here are Sherry, Zah and Jon

And another one of Sherry with Normie

Pah and Sham came

and Jay and Shamp.

Edah, Dilot, Ani Salim and Atel were also at the dinner, but I must have missed taking their photos. Sorry about that girls.

Besides royalties from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Perak the special guests on the night were the pioneer students of the MGC when it was first opened in 1947.

Our ibu-ibu - calling them kakak just doesn't seem right

(please excuse the back of the chair in the picture, couldn't get any closer without getting in front of the royal table)

The entertainment for the night were by the old girls themselves from the years between '57 and '99. They certainly have the punch still, swaying with the rhythm in their dance performances. There was also performances by the current girls of the college.

As usual, the night will not end unless the floor is opened for the fling with the artiste Shahrizan getting the crowd moving and grooving starting with the song All Night Long.

With her busy schedule as the national organ transplant co-ordinator, we can understand Lela wanting to let her hair down

but .... what can you say about this? .... this lady certainly has still got it in her ..

And I think it didn't just stop at the dance floor. As I was leaving with Edah and Atel, a group of girls followed Ani up to the hotel room ..... for some midnight supper I guess. I wonder if any of them decided to squat in the room for the night.

But overall, everyone had a great time .... we can almost excuse the bland menu that was served for dinner. Hopefully it will be better next time.

Merdeka!

In 28 days, the nation celebrates its 50th anniversary of Independence. Merdeka! I have a photo of me as a baby in 1957 with my arm reaching upwards, as if joining the Bapa Merdeka as he declares. "Merdeka!" You must realise that at that time, I was just a little over 1 month old and was in no position to raise my arm to join the nation as it declares its independence! It was either my mom or my dad who must have thought it cute to have a baby appear to join the Merdeka chant even though I was lying in bed with one of them holding my arm up!

They liked it so much that in the following year, they managed to coax me for another Merdeka pose, since by then I was able to raise my own hand and utter some baby gibberish which, they said, sounded like "Ma aka!" I don't remember any of this, of course, but the story was repeated to anyone who cared to look at the photos!

As someone who celebrates her 50th birthday the same year the nation celebrates its 50th anniversary, I feel like I have travelled the same distance developmentally, emotionally, and intellectually, if not physically! :-(

I can proudly claim to my share of struggles, conflicts, achievements, sacrifices, compromise, ambition, joys and sorrows. At the end of 50 years, although I still have to continue the journey, there is a feeling of quiet contentment and fulfilment. Sure, there is still alot to do. And yes, some things could have been done better or differently. But it is more important to be able to reflect on the events of the past 50 years, and work positively to overcome any shortcomings or mistakes.

In hindsight, I guess messed my life up somewhat when I was younger. But I managed to contain whatever damage created during the ignorance of youth, and can claim tha I am quite content with my lot.

My peers and I were fortunate, no I should say, priviledged enough to be able to enjoy the fine education at TKC, a boarding school for ladies who were regarded as creme du la creme. Ahem! those who performed better at school, at least. TKC taught us not just in terms of formal education, but I daresay, it has helped build character and personality. Most of us are, to a certain extent, vocal, opinionated (read, not in a negative way), independent, witty, strong and resilient women who, I realise now, some of our children may find to be somewhat tough acts to follow! Of course, the competition then was not as steep as it is now, and I shudder at the kind of pressure our children are going through. Although the temptation to push them to achieve was great, almost as great as the temptation to protect and shield them from life's problems, I finally learned to let them find their own pace and their own niche in life. My eldest used to remind me that I must allow her to learn from her own mistakes. I reluctantly conceded, but kept a constant watchful eye. Like they say, give them enough string, but not too much so that ensnare themselves.

So, dear Ladies of the class of 74, a penny for your thoughts!

Being 50

Today, I turn 50. When you think about it, 50 is a big number. Its half a century, for goodness sake! My, that makes me a half centurion!

I had been clinging on to being a forty-niner, the past one year. I desperately wanted to savour every last minute of being "forty something". Fifty sounded so O-L-D. Especially when I still feel young-ish inside. If I didn't look in the mirror, I still felt the same way I did when we were in college those good old years. I am sure we all feel that way too, espescially when we are together. Sure, the years have taken a toll on our waistlines and our bones are getting a wee bit rickety. Our bodies are battle worn in the fight against gravity, while the reflection in the mirror shows only the slightest hint of the girl we once used to be. We sigh at the expression lines that had built up over the years. Character lines, expression lines, wrinkles ... no matter what you call them, they are a clear statement that says you can't stay young foerever. Unless, of course, you wanted to subject yourself to surgeries, etc.

On the upside, it is so good to be able to reflect on 50 good years of life and living. The accumulated wealth of experience has made me what I am today. Sure, there are so many things I wish I could have done, and yet even more things I wished I could have done differently or done better. While there is nothing I can do about some bygones, there is still an opportunity to correct some mistakes, and make a change for the better.

And again, there were times when things happened to me, and I wondered, "why me?". The good thing about being older is that I can now rationalise, "why not me?" What made me think I was special and that these undesirable events and experiences shouldn't have happened to me? At this juncture, I have been able to realise that no one is too special to avoid the experiences Life has to offer. These experiences made me a better person. It made me a more understanding individual. It made me thankful for Allah's graces. It made me humble, and it made me accept that I am an ordinary human. And more ... it made me resilient.

Yes, I am a stronger person because of all the experiences and challenges that Life had offered. Every challenge that was placed before me, I learned to either resolve it, or if I couldn't, I learned to accept it and embrace it. C'est la vie! I fully understood the verse in Al-Baqarah which translate into something like .. . No soul shall have a burden placed on it, greater than it can bear. Allahu Akbar! Those things I wanted to achieve but I didn't or couldn't, I can now accept as my fate or destiny. So, I learn to accept that these were never mine to achieve, enjoy or experience. I have since learned to forget about the what-ifs and if-only's. They only clutter the mind and make me restless, or worse, vengeful. Acceptance brings peace of mind and that makes me happy.

The journey is still unfolding. Life could probably still throw a curve ball or two along the way. There could even be a few more surprises in store. Achievements ... still not too late to work towards them. Repentance? Allah is always forgiving. Challenges ... life is full of them, and this time around, InsyaAllah, we are better equipped to weather them. Changes? must make them while there is still time.

There have been regrets along the way. Like, I regret not being there for my Mom during her last few months, battling cancer. Sure I was there physically, and paid for her medical bills, etc. but I could have done more. And sure, I loved her deeply and felt for her. But I could have been more selfless, I could have displayed more emotion towards her, and I could have shared her fears, desperation and pain, more than I did. I know she knew I loved her plenty. And I know she knew I cared deeply for her. But I deeply regret not being able to tell her I love her, in her last few moments, because I was busy doing some acceptance testing for some new computer programme at the office. That was somehting I could never forgive myself for...

There are many more things I could have done better ... in fact maybe too many to enumerate. But instead of dwelling on them negatively, I should try to glean the lessons learnt and strive to improve.

This afternoon, my staff pulled a lovely surprise for my birthday. The cake, of course, wasn't a BIG surprise because it is customary for everyone's birthday. But the timing was what made it a surprise. They timed it exactly for when I least expected it. Hehehe ... thanks guys.

My husband's gift to me today is a bigger washing machine. Sigh ... men! :-) The thought is sweet though. It would help me do the laundry in record time. 10 kg capacity ... indeed! But then again, if I think about it, it was a most appropriate gift. I mean, it was really something I needed, but never got down to buying it myself. Besides, I have plenty of perfume, crystal jewellery (my favourite) and what-have-you's. Flowers would have been nice though, but he reserves those for anniversaries. The card was really sweet and touching. It spoke of a deep, undying love and I was soooo... touched. Really, at 50 you would think that we are past that, wouldn't you? That was when I realised that no matter what I look like, he will always see me as the girl he married, some 15 years ago.

Anyway, Life goes on...

The Golden Reunion

The Golden Birthday Reunion came and went, and I hope everyone had a great time. There were limitations in terms of the programme, mainly because it was just a 3 hour affair. With the limited time at hand, I think it was more important to mingle and catch up with old friends. Which was exactly what most of us did!

It was really great seeing all these 50 year old women who looked vaguely like the 17 year olds that I used to know! But I must say, some of you looked really fabulous. You must have stopped aging at 30 or so! Just how do you it? (Ini kena buka satu lagi Blog called "Perempuan Melayu Teranggun"!)

I have received all 450 or so photos from our friendly and comel photographer, Haizan. (By the way, Haizan kirim salam kat semua makcik makcik!!!) . Jenoh lah pulak nak upload photos to a website! I will try to sort out with Jon, on how best to do this. Most probably, we will set aside the individual photos and just publish the group photos.

Meanwhile, lets take a look at soem of the photos here:

An appreciative applause from the girls for the Committee.

Food, glorious food. Yum!

As a reminder, I hope to receive the write ups oneach of you so that we can start the Book project, where we have your recent photos and an update on you. For those who didn't attend the reunion, you can send me a soft copy of your photo and your write up. It may take a while, but with more help, the project can be completed!

Any volunteers?

Those Schoolgirls Days ...

Its Friday again, and another week is ending. I have hardly recovered from my niece's wedding last weekend and now another weekend is looming ahead. Sure, I love weekends. Its the only time I get to watch some TV, cook a few meals for the family instead of the usual take-outs or eat-outs, get some rest, catch a movie, clean up the house, do the laundry, catch up on my jewellery making hobby, post a blog, etc., etc. Looks as if the weekend is even m ore hectic than the weekday!

In about a week, we will be attending our 50th Birthday gathering. I won't actually (ahem!)turn 50 until late July, so I am hanging on to the last few months of my 49er year! I haven't even gone out to get the RM50 or more compulsory gift yet! Oh no, looks like another really busy weekend ahead. So, those who are attending, don't forget your gift. I guess it becomes some sort of a 50th Birthday gift to whoever gets your gift, so make sure its something you would appreciate receiving if it was for your 50th Birthday gift. The problem is, there are so many things I like, and can't decide exactly what to get for the lucky girl!

I wish more of us could make it to the reunion. It will be good to catch up again, especially the ones who have been pretty quiet for a long, long time. I realise that not everyone thinks this kind of reunion is of interest to them. And that some are too inhibited to attend. Or too Kiasu. Or too busy (understandable, of course). Or even too shy! The fact remains that we are sisters who shared some period of our life together and have a common bond. Sure some of us may be so successful that they don't need this kind of thing but to some, the sisterly support is something that can actually help them through some bad times or difficulty, or through a phase they are going through. It is an accepted fact that after all these years, and especially at this period of our lives, maybe our perspective, our interests, our attitude, our whole outlook has changed. Some have moved up, some have become high achievers, some have just remained status quo. And sadly, some have passed on. The message we want to share is that we are not alone, and that there is a friend who understands, or has gone through something similar, or who is just willing to listen. We need these kind of girlfriends.

Some of the best friends I made were the ones made during the school years, the university years, and at work. But I shall always hold closest to my heart those who shared the best years of my "innocence" in the 70s. The midnight birthday parties just like in Enid Blyton's St Clares series, the flings where we just gyrated, jumped, twisted and moved nonsensically to the music (did we call it dance?), the hard boiled eggs we smuggled out of the dining hall, going to prep in Kain batik, etc. Those were fun years with a capital F-U-N!!! And those were the girls who have grown older with me and understand where I am coming from. I always feel that with all of you, I can always be my innocent, semonel and sementel self, and giggle away as if I was still sixteen or seventeen. Goodness, I even feel like I still look that way (NOT!).

A friend suggested that for my 50th Birthday,I should write down 50 things that I like about myself or am good at or that I've done well in my life. In fact I started writing it already and horror of horrors, it wasn't as easy as I though it would be! Especially in the beginning. After a few weeks, I have managed only 46. Hmmm.. does that mean that I have actually lived only 46 years fully? What happened to the remaining 4 years?

So, help me ladies, because I would like to compile something like this. Just give it a thought and send me (email, sms, phone call, or whatever means) your thoughts on the things you (now, after 50 years) like about yourself, or are good at, or have done well, or wish you had done after all these years. It should be fun!

Okay, as usual, I ramble. You ladies need to put on your thinking caps and come back to me on this. For those coming to the Reunion, I'll see you there soon. And perhaps it is still not too late to decide to come, for those who haven't given their names to the recruitment committee. Or even to Jon or Ani CD or me.

Hasta la Vista, ladies.

1428 or 2007 ... Its the New Year Already!

Contrary to the old adage, Time really flies, whether or not you are having fun! It is already the 10th of Muharam today, and the 29th day of the Gregorian new year. And throughout all this time, I have been sooooo ... busy! Well, although I did manage to squeeze in time to attend Zah's (Che Ngah) son's wedding reception and do some collection for the flood victims in Johor.

I realise that I am really tired. Ani (CD), tell me how you find so much energy to do what you do? I mean, has anyone taken a really close look at Ani? Every time we meet, she has so much exuberance and joie de vivre that it appears as if she is still 17!

It really is time to take stock of my fitness level, and do some serious exercising. It is so embarrasing, my lack of exercise I mean, especially since my husband is trainer to the ( ahem!)rich and famous. So, to take up from where I left off during Ramadan last year, I am now seriously pushing for the Belly Dance classes. I spoke to the instructor yesterday, and she asked me for specifics i.e. times, day, etc. The number of students don't matter to her, since she charges a flat rate for private classes (RM250 per class). All it means is that we each pay less if there are more of us. So here it is again, my pitch to all of you. Apart from those who expressed interest previously, anyone interested in some fun-filled, health benefitting activity? All women in the class, and you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in, so there are no issues on that score.

Aah, but I digress. Going back to the title for this posting, what I wanted to say was, it is the time of year when people make resolutions, usually to break them, and I missed the occassion! But you don't need an occassion to resolve for a better and more meaningful life, so here goes Resolution number 1 - take better care of my health, starting with some exercise regime a.k.a the belly dance class. There is a lot more I need to do, especially now that I (or we?) am pushing 50 (what? already?), and that includes the spiritual aspects of life.

So, ladies, if you are interested, (the exercise class, I mean) do call me. Or sms or email. Whatever suits you. I need to get your feedback on schedules, suitable days, location, etc.

By the way, Jon, that was a lovely piece in your last posting. I know exactly what you mean when you talk about the special list. We meet so many people on this journey of Life, but there are some who have touched our lives, left lasting impressions, and even shaped the course of our lives. Apart from the obvious ones like parents, teachers, good friends (like the sisters of 74!) , spouse, there are unsung heroes who have left an indelible mark. And for some reasons, there are even some who cannot be mentioned.

I know this someone who told me exactly this, " Failure is not in falling down, but in staying down." He told me that phrase when I dropped out of medical school, and although my then spouse (Allahyarham Sheik Izuddin) was there for me, I needed to hear that from an unbiased party, one who was apparently not clouded by emotions or sentiments and could see me for the person I really was (or am). Those few words kept me going and I am glad to say that person is one of those on that special list, who have touched my life and helped me shape my future. Thank you BigBro!

Alamak, sentimental lah pulak! Anyway, it may not be too late to wish all of you Happy New Hijrah Year!

The Special List

I read this poem in a free newspaper that was left on my front gate. It left a meaningful feeling in me that I want to share this here. There is no need for names ..... you know who you are after you have read this

The Special List ...... by .... Unknown Author

I have a lot of folks I know ... All written in a book,
And every now and then .... I go and take a look.

That is when I realise ....
These names ... they are a part
Not of the book they are written in ...
But taken from the heart.

For each name stand someone ....
Who has crossed my path some time
And in that meeting they have become .....
The reason and the rhyme.

Although it sounds fantastic .... for me to make this claim
I really am composed .... of each remembered name.

Although you're not aware ... Of any special link
Just knowing you has shaped my life ....
More than you could think.

So please don't think my greeting ....
As just a mere routine
Your name was not .... forgotten in between.

For when I send a greeting .... That is addressed to you
It is because you are on the list ....
Of folks I'm indebted to.

So whether I have known you ...... for many days or few,
In some ways you have a part .... in shaping things I do.

I am but a total ..... Of many folks I've met,
You are a friend I would prefer ...
Never to forget.


May Allah bless you always

It has been a long while .....

.... but take a look at what I have been doing.

I have not been posting here much lately, but this is something that I feel so good about, I want to share it.

If you had read my earlier postings, you'd know about my passion for tatting. Well,.. that is what I have been doing a lot of this past few months. And I am happy to share that it has attracted comments from all over. Just take a look at
this . Without being too much of a peacock (he.. he...), all that you see are my own creations and not taken off any pattern somewhere.

I am not going to say much more about this. Just click the link above and see for yourself.