Can I have a fairy godmother who will grant me a nice light pink kebaya?
Or if she's in a good mood.. add a baju kurung to that wish.
Please?

Nothing beats berbuka at home.
I love eating the normal everyday food that we eat at home, instead of all the kuihs, noodles and whatever whatever others have during Ramadhan.

Monday came and went (almost).
It was hard for me to wake up. But I went through the day fine.
Quite a breeze.

And I'm startin to feel the Hari Raya excitement.
CIk Razak n Cik Thoyyib will be coming to paint our house soon.
The first time we are getting someone else to do the work for us.
Feels kind of sad, cos we do enjoy painting. But mommy insisted that I shldnt be doing hard labour now. Hahah.. Macam princess ah.
And we have started listing down the kuihs we are going to make.
Making kuihs in the Mamat household is really like a factory production. Another perk of having many many daughters.
I'm so going to miss all these when I get married.
My sisters keep telling me that I HAVE to come back to do all the usual Hari Raya preparations we've been doing together all our lives. (especially the leceh task of washing the chandelier!)

My invites are here! How exciting!
Thanks to my cousins:
Fatiah who collected them from JB and Lukman who sent it to my house last nite.
What am I going to do without you, peeps?!
Don't forget out cuzzins' buka posa on Thursday!
Miss you guys...

Just came back from a movie marathon with the darling.
Not bad. As long as it's not gory (think Hostel), I can take it.
Heck, I even enjoyed it. Lots of hot chicks, guns, fast cars. My kind of movie.
And yeah, the free flow of popcorn n drinks.
I've never really fancied popcorn though. Shahreil ate mine when he finished one whole huge bucket that was his. Glutton! *ahakz*

Now I can't sleep.
I hate sleeping this late cos I'll wake up late the next day.
This morning I woke up at 11, and I walked around with a terrible headache.
Not that I love waking up at 5am every day either.
Let's just say..the right time for me is about 8 am.
Oooo ooo... Another problem for me and Shahreil.
He's a night owl where as I'm a morning person.
He's most alive at 1 am where as I'll probably be knocked out by then.
I'm most chirpy in the morning and he's the crabbiest then.
Ooooo oooohh...

Before I go off to slumberland,
I'd like to thank Shahreil for doing all the planning for our honeymoon.
I know it's difficult for him cos both of us have very different expectations.
(Sometimes I wonder how on earth two very different people can end up together)
Whatever it is, I'm sure we will hve one hell of a good time.
Thanks love.

Good Night.

I've never been so glad that weekend has finally arrived.
It felt like the hardest working week ever.
I practically dragged myself through the week, which went by at an excruciatingly slow pace.
I'm so tired. I think I've already mentioned that in my previous entry.
I am. Really. Very. Tired.
Worse thing, it's one of those times where you are tired, but you just can't seem to have a good rest. You just can't doze off and have that much needed rest.
I think, my mind is working overtime at night.
I believed, after writing 38 testimonials, i murmured what I've written in my sleep. Really.
It's like a faulty tape, playing over and over in my head.
But hey! It's the weekends! And I intend to fully enjoy it.

Me and Babe went to UCC to watch a dance showcase.
Well, Hamzah got us tics. And I've always loved his performances.
The only bummer, everyone was so dressed up in their pretty little dresses and blow-dried hair and perfect makeups.. while we were two exhausted women who started work at 7am and had a long meeting which ended at 530.. with no time to freshen ourselves up. *sigh*
It was nostalgic though to be back at NUS.
The good old days. In fact, the best time of my life was at NUS.
Go lectures, skip tutorials, go library and zap notes, walk around bazaar, go Clementi MRT, wait for Shahreil who will always come from behind and slip his arms around me. I miss those days!

Shahreil fetched me, and I suggested we go to Habib as I sort of craved for the orange juice at Habib.
Then one by one the gang came. Mank & Lin, then Shahrul & Sabrina, Sid & Annie, and lastly, Adil. Talked crap as usual. Laughter galore. But I was sleepy as hell. The 6 if us (minus Adil) cramped into the car and made our way to Tampines. A good start to the weekend I guess.

Last, somehow.. I'm always extra sensitive during Ramadhan.
I get affected very easily when I read bad news in the papers.
Rape, murder, kidnap, war, disasters, accidents... I always end up with a lump in my throat, a sick feeling in my stomach. Just 2 days back, I read the papers a few minutes before buka, I read about the kidnaps and murder of little girls in Malaysia. I lost my appetite after that. I kept thinking, here I am eating.. what about the girls? Can the girls' worried parents eat, cos I know if something like that happen to my family, I won't be able to eat at all.

The only thing that makes me feel better is, knowing those people who inflicted cruelty on others, will receive their deserved punishment in the afterlife. It is still beyond me, how can a human inflict such cruelty on another human being. Zalimnya manusia ni eh?

I can't even begin to describe how exhausted I am right now.
It began yesterday where I spent practically the whole day infront of the PC, writing testimonials for my form class. Nope, not those in Friendster kind of testimonials, but the ones you need when you go for interviews.
And trying to describe someone's achievements after 4 years in school, is no joke.
Especially when some has none, in the first place.
And that, multiply by 38.
My back is aching.
My head throbbing.
My fingers cramping.
My eyes hurting.

I just want to go home and plonk myself onto the bed.

I am back in school..
Sad cos its back to work, office politics, stress from above..
But glad cos its back to fun mindless chats with colleagues, hellos from my kids (can't believe I actually missed them!)

I'm waiting for Shahreil to pick me up.
First day at work, cannot balik lambat2... enjin belum panas.
And it's our anniv today!
Our 100th month anniversary, to be exact!
Heheheh...
Happy Anniversary, sayang!
2 more months..

And we've booked the baby-making getaway..
Whoooopiiiee!!!

Another blissful date with Shahreil.
Blissful dates are hard to come, actually.
Usually, its during weekends (Saturdays NOT Sundays), or during school holidays.
When I'm nicely dressed and not thinking about work and feeling crabby.

We didn't make it to the travel fair.
Tak sanggup nak beratur!
So, we went to Marina instead, to get Lin her birthday gift.
The FCUK perfume that she wanted.
We knew that for a fact cos we asked Mankey to find out what his gf wants for her birthday.
I got one for myself as well. Heheh.. Too nice to resist!

Met up with the cousins for buka.
Then we went for our midnite movie.
I love Adam Sandler, so.. any movie of his, will surely crack me up.

Hey, did Itell you I bought Shahreil a jacket from Zara??
Well, I did. It was an impulse kind of thingy. We stepped into Zara and I saw the jacket on the rack.. made him try it.. and I thought he looked so cool in it (plus, it's something Ariel would wear..hahah), so I decided, he must have it! I guess, it's an advance anniversary gift for my dearest. It'll be our 100th month anniversary, this 18 September, btw.

Oooppss... it's nearly 3 am.
And I've got to wake up in 1.5 hour for sahur..
Good nite peeps..

I woke up this morning with a terrible headache.
And my body felt weak, due to the flu pill I took before I slept last night.
But then, I'm looking forward to a great Saturday.
Will be making my way to Singapore Expo with my love, to look for our honeymoon destination.
I'm not so picky actually, as long as I'm with Shahreil, who cares where we are right?
My parents had their honeymoon at East Coast Chalet (which my mum still grumbles about), and my p-i-l had theirs on a sampan. Hahahah.. (KIUT!)

Then, its buka posa time with Shahreil's kozens @ Amirah's Grill.
Then, I believe we will be watching a movie after that.
In the middle somewhere..I will try to trick Shahreil to go Geylang with me.
I know he hates Geylang, especially Ramadhan time.
But this is crucial ok, we still need that baju raya!

Last, a few observations I made this week:

a) Far from courteous and gracious people
I've been taking the MRT a lot this week, to go Tiong Baharu. It's been nice, cos for so long, I havent been cuci-ing mata on the train. Reminds me of NUS days. *sigh*
Anyway, I still can't believe those people who stands smack infront of the train door, wanting to get in, while knowing that those people inside to get out FIRST. I'm so DISGUSTED by their behaviour! AND we are not talking about children ok, it's the ADULTS we are talking about. And some of them well-groomed, in their high heels, solemn ties, briefcase in their hands. I stand there shaking my head, putting on my I'm-so-disgusted-with-you face, but of course, they are all too busy fighting for their seats and space to notice. I repeat, DISGUSTING!

b) Proud of your own culture/language
I have noticed for a long long time, and especially so when I started teaching. Orang Melayu ni, tak bangga ke jadi orang Melayu? When I was in sec school, most of my friends found it kental that I read the Malay novels.. So boring, they said. Well, too bad that your Malay marks sucks then. When I started teaching, its perplexing that students can even FAIL their Malay. 'Cikgu, I don't speak Malay at home lah..' (in their fake mat saleh accent) And when I asked about their English marks..its not even an A grade either. So, you are neither good in English nor in your own Mother Tongue. How sad.

It's sadder that when I wear baju kurung to school, my kids will cheekily say, 'Selamat Hari Raya or Cikgu, hari ni kan bukan hari Jumaat...' What? We can wear baju kurung ONLY on those days? It's sad that when there's concerts, Malay kids will be so excited to do their Missy Elliots and 50 cents and Maroon 5. Why not zapin or Abdullah Chik or dondang sayang? Is our own budaya so down there that it's embarassing for you? And you know what's the saddest? When I did a unit last semester with my Sec 2s on traditional Malay games.. they do not even know sapu2 ringgit, or bang selebu or enjit2 semut!

I'm not saying that you have to wear baju kurung EVERY day, or read Ahadiat Akashah's books (I bet you don't even know him) daily, or burn all your Nelly Furtado's CDs. I just hope that you will at least see the beauty of the Malay culture, and not be embarrased to embrace it.

I think, there's only so much the Malay Language teacher can do.
I hope, parents will do their part also.
Kalau bukan kita yang memartabatkan bangsa Melayu, siapa lagi kan?
Kalau tak, Hang Tuah's 'Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia' will be so wrong...

My lil bro's first teraweh session, I believe.

Couldn't resist taking a few snapshots.

He looked so cute with the songkok.

Macam haji bakhil!

My abang has grown up!

The internet's back!
YEAHHHH!!

Thanks to the peeps at Singnet.
No thanks to the people at home who'd use the net for hours, but refused to do anything when it's down. Yup, Im bitter. Blame it on the hormones.

I've been having a funtastic time, away from school.
Wish this wld go on and on and on..
But, come Monday or Tuesday OR Wednesday (hopefully!) I will have to drag my feet back to the real world. Yucks.

Fasting month!
Always have mixed feelings about it.
Suka tu suka ah..nak raya, makan best2.
Tapi kadang2 macam rasa syahdu sangat. heheheh..
Especially when its buka time. I dunno why also.

To all, selamat berpuasa.
I especially miss my family @ Buru this time of the year.
Tapi untuk berpuasa di sana.... gua tak larat wooo... Sekali je lah try, no more. No more.
I'd rather fast in Singapore.
Kat sana, asyik2 tgk jam...tapi masa macam tak gerak2. The time passes by so so slowly.
Tak sanggup ah.

But to raya there.. I LIKE!

Last note, I always miss Shahreil during Ramadhan.
I guess cos we meet up less.
And we still have NO baju raya for this year! Can you believe that?
Light pink? Amciam cakap??

Here I am at Anang's place again.
Supposed to help him move the things in his room around. so that we can start painting tomorrow.
Yup, I was sort of forced to help him paint his room, cos he said it's going to be our love nest.
So..here I am.
But, he is still not moving his butt away from the sofa, watching Simpsons.
And he said that after this, we'd go down to Habib for our dinner.. (since I was too lazy to cook for him.. Heheheh.. belum kawin pe, masak sendiri ah!)
Jadi, nampak gaya, niari tak buat apa-apalah..

I went to Tiong Baru just now.
Wahhhh...terkenang zaman dolu2 sey..
When Anang was doing his ns..
I used to go Tiong Bahru, took the bus to somewhere and meet him.
SAFTI eh? ntah... i dun remember, si Anang tu masa ns banyak tukar2 tempat.
Those were the good old days.

Ok, I think I go bathe first..then can go Habib.
I love going Habib.. I just hate it when he goes there without me.
Heheheh...

Shahreil's bike is all clean and shiny.
Thanks to me. Hehehhe..

Was fun, only missing was the bikini and white tshirt and water hose.

The pain is so bad.
How is it possible that a person can hurt you so bad?

Queen of the Day

Another day being treated like a Queen. (by the kids, NOT the school!)

I always look forward to Teacher's Day celebrations.

The school will be buzzing with so much activities and kids swarming you.. and of cos the prezzies that you get. Hehehhe..

When I entered the hall yesterday, I was greeted by a group of my ex-students.

The whole bunch of them!

My very first batch of kids who are now in ITEs.

Such handsome young men they've grown into and at that very moment, my heart was filled with so much pride that it hurts.

I've watched them grow, from nervous, squeaky-voiced 13 years olds to macho, street-smart 17 year olds and some even 18..

And to know that I have been part of that growing up process.

The feeling was really indescribable..wahhh.. I nearly cried.

The this-is-worth-all-the-slogging feeling.

I love the presents, all of them.

I love all the thanks and wishes and I-Love-you-cikgus.

I love all the cake and goodies.

I even loved being grabbed by Faisham and gang who sprayed me with confettis and got my hair really messed up.

Thanks, kiddos.

And yeah, I also the love the performances.

Especially the item by the X-students.

I've really missed your breakdancing..

Let's see them relive the good-old-days..