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.

Bali Hai

I went for another Teambuilding trip organised by the Company early September. This year, the location was Bali. If you remember from a previous post, the trip last year was to Kota Kinabalu. My, has it been a year already?

The Company seems to have a thing for Whitewater Rafting. Last year it was the Kiulu River in Sabah, and this year its the Ayung River in Bali. Afraid I don't have pictures of the rafting this time because I opted to stay on dry land, due to my knees. The sheer climb to and from the starting and finishing point to the basecamp was totally killing, so I was told. Apparently the number of steps was much higher and steeper than Batu Caves! Besides, I didn't fancy risking injuring my ligaments again, especially when they are still recovering.

Fortunately, the one or so hour spent waiting for the rest of the team to arrive at the finishing point was rather pleasant. The air was cool and the breeze was deliciously chilly. I was told by a Balinese that we had come during their musim dingin. It wasn't too cold, of course. Just pleasantly cool.

Of course you couldn't go to Bali without going to a Spa! In fact when I arrived together with the first group, some of the ladies and I went spa hunting almost immediately. The merry group of women found a quaint Spa and due to time constraints, could only opt for the 1 hour Balinese massage. Being used mainly to the Malay and Thai traditional massages, we found the Bali massage pretty "gentle" It was good though. Just not as "brutal" as those we were used to! The oils used at the Spa was made in-house and comprised 3 flowers ... jasmine, ylang-ylang and something else. Not as fragrant as my usual aromatherapy oil made by Dr Jariah (formerly of UKM). I wanted to do the full works ... lulur, massage, flower bath, steam and all, so I made a mental note to go Spa hunting again in the next few days.

I didn't do much shopping though, because it was more teambuilding than shopping, and time was limited. Its a shame really, since I was actually looking forward to some Balinese paintings and wood carvings. And by the time our daily programmes ended, the shops were already closed. So, after dinner, I hovered around the hotel and since I have pretty much distanced myself from the nightlife scene, I didn't join the colleagues on their clubhopping rounds.

Security was still rather tight, since after the bombing. Luckily nothing happened. The tourism industry was badly affected, though. Wanted to share some photos here but I seem to be having some problems uploading the photos. Next time perhaps.

Took Another Step Towards My Dream

I gave my first lessons on tatting last Saturday to a class of 4 pupils.

Before going into details, let me explain first. I am part of an online group of Malaysian stitchers, i.e. those interested in all kind of needlecraft. There are about 90+ members in the group who dabble in cross-stitch, crochet, patchwork, quilting, hardanger, applique and macam2 lagi la. And the pupils of my class are from this group who had expressed their interest to learn tatting.

Okay, back about the class. Out of the four, only one has attempted tatting before but has forgotten about it. So it was practically starting form basics and the two hour spent was just trying to make the doublestitch, the basic stitch in tatting.

I will be documenting the progress of the class which I will be using as part of my plan to write the book that I wrote about earlier. And the ladies in my class will be working through as part of the plan. They don't know about what I planned to do yet - wonder what they'd think if they ever find out about it!

That's all for now, more updates later.

I have a dream too ..

Actually this is a comment on Kasma's post below. But I have a feeling that it will be a long comment, so I decided to put it in as a separate post

After reading about Kasma's dream (wonder if dream is the right word to use) of making a mark as a writer, I want to share mine as well. I have been contemplating about coming out with a book as well. Except that it has nothing to do with pieces pf poetry, stories, anecdotes, etc.

If you have been reading my blogs you would have noticed that I enjoy doing tatting. I have even posted pictures of some of the pieces that I have made. Problem is, locally, susah sangat nak dapatkan buku on tatting designs. Di kedai-kedai buku memang jarang-jarang jumpa, and di needlecraft shops, kalau ada pun harganya punya la mahal. Ada satu written in Japanese, harganya lebih dari RM100. Thank goodness for the internet. I managed to get lots of pattern from there. Rupa-rupanya ramai betul orang yang minat tatting all over the world, and yet people still think of it as a 'dead art'. Some of the beautiful pieces shown on the various websites are made by men - imagine that.

Okay, back to the point. Since there are not many tatting books locally, I have been toying with the idea of coming out with one. Something simple to begin with, starting with basic instructions and some easy-to-do patterns for practice.

I have not really finished trying to learn all the different techniques in tatting - a DIY kind of learning from information obtained from the various tatting websites.

Also, since it's so difficult to get tatting books, I have started to design my own patterns. For those who attended the OGA Dinner - remember the small tatted heart that I gave out to every one that night? Well, that was one of my own design - clap .. clap. In fact I have quite a number completed already. I have photographed each one of them and am now writing up the instructions on how to make them. Right now, some are still in the PC and some are printed and nicely filed.

Another interesting development - I have received request to teach tatting. I joined a local online group of people interested in all kinds of needlecraft. The others in the group have seen my tatted pieces and a few has shown interest to learn this art. If everything goes okay, I'll be starting a class in July. Wow - that will be one big event in my life.....

So .... I have a dream too. Right now it is slowly taking shape, until that time when I will make that big decision to bring it all out to the open.

Will I do it ... or will it remain just a dream?

Its June Already .....

How time flies! I can't believe that the last time I posted anything on this blog was almost 6 months ago! If not for Jon, there wouldn't have been much of anything here. Thanks, Jon. But now that you have your own blog, I hope you can still post here.

Before I forget, Happy Birthday to Sherry, Noshi and all the June babies. 13th June is kind of difficult to miss because its also my brother's birthday. (Yes, Baby Danial's dad). Last I met Noshi was at one function for women in IT. Not that I am an IT trained woman. Just happen to work in that space! It been too long, Nosh. Must meet for lunch soon.

Some of us attended the OGA Dinner last month. It was really wonderful catching up again. Especially with the ever mirthful Ani Che Dan! Theme for the dinner was the 70s. Not too easy dressing up according to the theme at this age and size! So, we came in whatever was appropriate or possible. The best I could manage was a Kurta style long blouse and hoop earrings. (And with my knee injury, I couldn't even attempt one of those platform shoes!) Anything else would look too ridiculous on me! Noriah, as usual was her ultra slim, elegant and ever youthful self. Hard to imagine she is a mum-in-law already. She stopped aging at thirty, I think! What's the secret, Noriah? ;-)

Norlian was sooo ... excited about Bob Tutupoly, that I thought if he ever came over to our table to sing for her, she'd probably swoon! Hehehe ... sorry Lian, but it was so amusing to see you like that. Reminds me of the time we were 17! The show by the old girls were pretty good too. They sure had guts, doing the Saturday Night Fever dance, complete with John Travolta white suit, topped with a mop of Afro! And Puan Sri Fauzah and gang were cute too! Really polished, I should say.

When I looked around, I noticed that not too many came to the dinner dressed ala 70s, except some brave ones. I was rather glad I didn't go along with my daughter's suggestion of donning an Afro wig or a Pin or Blue Bob-style wig. Actually I had a broad, bright colored headband tucked in my handbag, just in case, but luckily the situation didn't call for it.

On another note, I'll be 49 next month. Back when I was 21, I had planned to write a book someday. I used to scribble bits and pieces of poetry, stories, anecdotes, etc then, and my late husband had actually encouraged me to write. That hasn't materialised and I wonder whether that too will be buried together with my cartoons and all the dreams that never happened. Well, blogging has helped a bit with the writing. Mrs Lee, our English teacher will be rather pleased I am sure; if she knew. Mr Karu probably horrified that I never took up Chemistry or Science again after Form 5. I can't remember our Art teacher, though. Oh, that's right, we never had one! Being in Science Stream, Art was not an option for us, but Faiz and I took it anyway and we had to learn it ourselves! What a bunch of crazies we were, Faiz and I. Resident artists for Class of 74, konon. Just for that, our principal, Puan Rahmah, made me do the Hall of Fame in the College Hall!

Ah, but again, I am rambling. See you all again in a nother post. Yang lain tu, cuba cuba lah tulis.

Till then, salams to all.

N/B by the way, I still have some CDs of the 3o year PD reunion. If anyone is interested, contact me. RM10 each. Collectors' item. Next one will be the Reunion for next year, when majority of us will hit 50!

I must.. I must .. I must increase my ......

I wonder if any of the old gang remember that mantra from the college days. I am not elaborating on that but I thought that would be a catchy title (for those who know it, it might bring them a smile or two).

Anyway, I went for a morning walk early this morning after dropping my daughter off at school. Dah lama dah tak pergi. Dulu ada juga buat, and I managed to drop a few kilos, to the point longgar juga la kain baju kurung I tu. Lepas tu berhenti kejap sebab pagi-pagi selalu hujan, Then the lutut mula rasa sakit-sakit, maybe because I banyak dok squatting masa buat weeding in the garden. After that the excuses not to go is more frequent that the motivation to continue. So dah lama la tak pergi padang for the morning walk.

Tapi lately ni badan rasa on the heavy side, ikut kan the weighing scale memang betul la tu, cos it has been showing a reading of high 50s. And my daughter also commented that my body shape has changed at the inapppropriate places. I think that is motivation enough.

So I pergi la pagi tadi. I still saw the same group of people from whence, young and old. I have to admire their perseverance. I even saw an old lady leaning on her walking stick, slowly ambling along followed by her maid (I think) not far behind. The group of elderly Chinese ladies were still there doing their tai-chi. Well, I did not do too bad this morning. I managed to make four laps round the padang in about 30 mins in a casual walk. I think one lap is about 300m. Tak nak attempt the brisk walking lagi sebab dah lama tak buat. Managed to break some sweat and really felt great after that. Kalau dapat continue about 3 - 4 times a week pun bagus la kan?

Okay, we'll see how it goes from here.

Tatting is not dead .......

Been a bit late for my monthly posting. Don't have much to write cos I have not been doing much this February. But I don't mind sharing with you my creative side, if there is any.

Well ..... one of my favorite thing is doing needlework, and for the past year or so I have rediscovered tatting. I said 'rediscovered' cos I was into it a long time ago (definitely more than 30 years ago) when I was still in school. But other things came along, and I forgot about it.

Then I found a book on tatting when I was browsing at a book store (which is another one of my favorite activities .....) and that brought it all back to me again. Before that I thought it is a dead art, maybe because I don't find many books about it compared to other needlecrafts such as cross-stitch or crochet. So I started to browse the internet and I realise it is not dead at all. There are so many sites on tatting and the designs in the sites are really beatiful. And I began learning new techniques in producing tatting works. But I still have a long way to go to produce anything close to those beatiful designs that I find on the numerous tatting sites.

But I managed to produce some samplers of my original designs, 'samplers' cos they are just small samples of the design. I haven't come up with ideas on what to use them for. Anyway, here are some of them....


This is a sample of an edging, which can be used to decorate the edges of a table linen, or pillowcases or similar things.








This is another edging pattern.








This design can be completed into a circle and used as an edging for a circular piece, of if left unconnected it can be used to dress the collar of a blouse.





I may share more of my designs in future postings when I have new ones and some complete pieces as well. I hope you find the designs interesting.

Hooked on Tolkien

I wonder if anybody is also like me. Somehow I am now hooked on JRR Tolkien, in particular about the hobbits and the Ring trilogy. I know this is not a particularly new thing to most (.... or to all?), but there is something in his style of writing that I find attractive. He made it look so believable, as if there really is a Middle Earth, with hobbits and elves and wizards and all else.

Well.. I haven't heard of JRR Tolkien until the first film came out. But when it did, I watched all three and enjoyed it very much. Until now I have watched them over and over again and still enjoyed each one as if I'm watching for the first time. If there ever is a poll for the movie classics from the 21st Century, it will be for these.

Then I thought, why not read the books. If a 3-hr movie can evoke so much feeling, the book must have more. So I read the book, except that I read it out of sequence. You see, I already have the 2nd and 3rd books, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, in my house ( my daughter had brought it back from my sister's house but didn't get round to reading it). So I started with them first, and I realised that I just couldn't put it down. On a few nights I was reading it till way past midnight, even when I already know how it is going to end. And I couldn't wait to continue with The Return of the King, which again cost me some more late nights.

Reading these books out of sequence made me curious about the beginning, about how it all started, so I went round looking for the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. Lucky for me I got it cheap at a shop selling used books.

So I read that first book, but it didn't stop there. After finishing it, I straightaway continued with the second book and the third, even though I have read it earlier. Altogether I must have read them three times in a row. In between, I would watch the movies and started to pick out the differences between the books and the movies.

Still that did not quench my appetite and made me want to know more about the beginning of the elves, hobbits, dwarves and men. So I went out looking for The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. This time I wasn't so lucky at the used book store, they don't have any in stock. But I managed to find them elsewhere, and the cycle started again.

After reading The Silmarillion and The Hobbit, I continued straight into the Ring trilogy and have just finished it for the fourth time.

Well... what do you think about that? Crazy huh?

A New Year ... A New Baby

Its the last day of 2005 and I can't help but wonder how quickly the year had passed. There were so many things to do and before I realise it, we will be ushering in the New Year in a matter of hours. InsyaAllah, next year will bring better things for all of us, and the proposed reunion in early Janaury will be a good start to renew friendships and strengthen ties. Hopefully, more will join us in Putrajaya. I missed the OGA Raya Gathering recently, but if any of you are interested, just go to the TKCOGA blog (the link can be found at the sidebar of this blog), where Kak Ruby has posted some photos. I hope to be able to gather some good photos of our January event, to be posted here for the benefit of all who cannot attend.

Meanwhile, the good news is that our Blog had gathered quite an encouraging number of visitors. Most of them are girls from our Batch, but some are not, although they have become regulars. Very few leave comments to the postings, but I know many are just "silent" readers. Of course, most of the Sisters of 74 read the postings in their email, because the postings are sent to the egroup anyway!

For me, 2006 brings a new addition to the family ... no, I am not having a baby! It is a new addition to the Sulong family because my brother's wife has just delivered a new baby boy early this morning. At 3.54 a.m., to be exact. Here is a picture of the Baby which my sister-in-law sent via MMS.

8 hours old Baby Danial

Well, I will end this post with a New Year wish for all, and hope to see you in Putrajaya!

My Little Accident

Two Thursdays ago, I fell by the roadside while walking to a meeting and injured my knee. It was excrutiatingly painful since my knee was dislocated and I looked in horror at my bent, distorted looking knee. It was also totally embarassing since passers by stared and cars slowed down to look. Some good Samaritans and 2 policemen tried to help me up but it was too much for me. So, I tolde them to hang on, and tried to starighten my knee very slowly, until I heard (or felt?) a snap and my knee looked closer to its original state, albeit somewhat swollen! Wow, I actually did a McGyver!!! Never in my wildest dream did I imagine something like that could happen. (Of course, later the doctor told me that it was quite possible for the knee to slip back in like that easily.)

I was rushed to the nearest hospital (PUSRAWI) in a taxi flagged down by the policemen. After X-rays, I was told that I needed to be admitted and a procedure (athroscopy, I think) needed to be done. By next morning, the knee area had swollen so bad, and I was almost eagre for the doctor to do what needed to be done. Luckily, I didn't need a General anaesthetic and was awake throughout the whole proecedure!

I was given 3 weeks MC, and am now recuperating. That means I can mope around the house till after the new year! Of course, going for physiotherapy too. I still go to office now and then because there were some stuff that required my attention. Also probably, because I needed to feel useful!!!!

Anyway, I don't know if I'll be able to move around as usual. The therapist thinks that I could be restored to almost 90%. Cuma tak boleh squat saja lah, he said. It could be either impossible or too painful. Anyways, I am hopeful.

Need to lose weight though. Now that I really cannot work out in the gym to shed off the excess baggage, any ideas on some magic bullet that can shave off those extra kilos? Ha, got to put this down as a New Year resolution!

A history lesson.......

I have just discovered something very interesting (actually, I knew it long before but did not realise the extent of it). My husband's family on his mother's side has a long history that can be traced back to an Indonesian freedom fighter. Like I said I knew about it much earlier but only realise the significance of it recently.

It all started when one of his cousins mentioned about wanting to trace their family history, since he had also known about the relationship with the freedom fighter. And as a result of of his search, a big gathering of all the suku-sakat was held sometime the third week of Raya in Seremban.

It turned out that his moyang (to the power of?) was one Tuanku Tambusai (or his real name Fakeh Muhammad Salleh Tambusai, aka Tok Ungku), a respected religious teacher and freedom fighter in Indonesia. He came over to this country sometime in the 1800s, fleeing the Dutch after they had defeated or killed most of his comrades. The Tuanku Tambusai came to settle in Kg Rasah in Negeri Sembilan with some of his followers. He did not get involved in the politics of the region after that but his followers did, which had an impact on the history of our country. Jalan Raja Laut was named after one of his followers ..... so it seems.

The Tuanku Tambusai died in Kg Rasah in mid-1800s and was buried there. His makam is on a small hill, and has now been turned in a historical site by the NS goverment. The Indonesian govt has also recognised the Tuanku Tambusai as a national hero, and a plaque was place at his makam to announce this. Some of my husband's other ancestors/relations were also buried there, some as recent as within ten years ago.

By strange coincidence, I remember watching an Indonesian film on TV years ago about Tuanku Tambusai. At that time I did not know about this history so I did not say anything to my husband about it. I was watching alone and it was shown late at night. I was getting sleepy and did not wait to see the ending. Later I found out that the producer filmed his makam in Kg Rasah and inserted in the closing minutes of the film.

I visited his makam some Raya back (about 15 years ago) and visited it again recently after the clan gathering. My husband managed to get a copy of the Indonesian film and I noticed that the scene of the makam in the film was as when I first visited it. The place looks better now since it has been declared a historical site. You can drive up to the site, whereas before that we had to walk up the hill for about 150 metres.

Just for the record my husband is the 5th generation and the youngest of the clan is of the 7th generation ....... I think.

There are a lot of info about Tuanku Tambusai on the Indonesian websites but I have not seen any on Malaysian websites.

Well ...... just thought I'd share some history with you all.