Monthly Archives: June 2023

Matrimony of MatinxHannan

Posted in Everyday Life, Parenting, Family and Relationships by

My youngest brother, Matin is officially married. The akad was done at Ayer Hitam with only the closest family members present in the hall. We are not a big family. Our core is made up of only four siblings with 2 of us already married with kids. So that kind of helped with the numbers. Our relatives are in Kuching. So, travelling cost is an issue. It would have been easier if I was a billionaire to fly them all out but I’m obviously not.

As an older sister, I naturally have concerns about how my brother is going to lead, feed and build his family. However, he is an adult and I’m sure he’d have to sort life out on his own and his significant other. I mean we have all been there at the start of a marriage, not knowing what to do and all. We all find our way. As a sibling, all we have to do is be there for support and guidance.

My father, brother and sister stayed at a homestay near the wedding hall. I on the other hand travelled from Melaka that same morning. Then, we had breakfast at the same homestay before going to the hall as a small entourage to witness the union.

I really like the couple’s outfit here. They look great. Matin’s hantaran for Hannan was a tower of Cadbury chocolates, cupcakes, a pair of shoes, a cute handbag and a beauty set. Matin received a few ‘man’ things in return. The hantaran was curated by my creative brother-in-law.

The reception on our part will be in the next two weeks. That will be the time when we get really busy. I need to get some extra stuff for our relatives who will be coming all the way from Kuching. At the same time, I need to make sure my assignments are submitted on the dot.

Congratulations, my brother. Welcome to the family Hannan.

Reset Saturday

Posted in Good Things, Home Management, Mini Project by

Sunday is for rest and low-energy activities. Hence, everything resets on Saturday.

In fact, I am currently in my ‘House Fever’ phase. That means my energy mainly focuses on decluttering, beautifying, decorating and improving my home. There will be phases of ‘Journalling’ or ‘Health and fitness’ or whatever that I felt like doing at one particular time.

For the past week, I have been assembling new bookshelves, study tables, shoe racks, telekung stands, setting up plastic bins for storage and decluttering unused items since 10 years ago. That included wallpapers my husband doesn’t use anymore, baby items, old vacuum cleaners, outdated coffee machines, plates and bowls. I’ve also been clearing my wardrobe, getting rid of clothes that just don’t fit my XL size. It’s so sad but if I plan on getting into those clothes – I need to get back on the diet wagon again. I send my clothes to the bin at Lotus Melaka. As for the bulk items such as the old furnitures, I put them out front on Mondays cause that is when SWM, our local garbage handler collects ‘sisa pukal’.

I am also in Solar stuff again. I have been buying solar lights again for the garden. I remembered buying one for the garden gazebo at least 2 years ago and it is still functioning. One of the best purchases ever. I just need to learn how to drill these things better into the wall and reach further heights.

I organized my kitchen too. Colour coordinated things to a certain extent. Somehow the colour red kept reappearing, so red it is with a splash of white, grey and black. Not the most picturesque kitchen on Pinterest but I loved it all the same.

All these activities I do it on a Saturday as I wanted to rest more on a Sunday. To clear my head and be calm for the coming Monday. Reset Saturday manages my anxiety as it keeps me in control of things.

Coffee ‘O’ Clock – Burghkin Coffee & Tea

Posted in Food and Drinks, Good Things, Places to Eat, Reviews by

It’s been a while since I saw this cafe on the Grab app. I thought I’d try it after a hectic morning assembling my shoe rack. Plus, it’s some sort of reward for my son who helped to screw all the problematic parts of the frame. Thank goodness for sons!

I ordered a coffee latte for myself, a mocha for my husband and chocolate drinks for my kids. Then I ordered salted egg croissants that my husband seems to like and a few croffles for the kids. Initially, I wanted it to be our tea time spread but it looked too good that we had it as dessert after lunch. The combination of cold beverages with warm pastries is a chef’s kiss.

At the same time, I was watching I Chang’s Youtube videos. I really liked those ‘heart to heart’ videos. They are very insightful. A few weeks ago, they commented on their observations of our multicultural countries and what they’ve learned about it. I like the part when they say Malaysians have an advantage to excel on the international platform because we know how to ‘fit in’ easily given our diverse culture. If only more Malaysians could hear this and take their word for assimilating more with people of other races instead of clinging to people of the same ethnicity. We used to be able to do this in school. I know I did but the picture is very different nowadays. We are somewhat divided.

Perhaps we could only see this interracial interaction in international schools or private education facilities. But then, that is another bubble that we need to address too. The bubble of T20s and the elite.

Recently, I Chang made another video where she and her husband shared how they were burnt out from making all the videos. They are after all making an income from Youtube hence I understand the pressure to create content that people want to watch. One of the gems I got from that video was when a vendor by the name of Danial told the couple that they have good followers because they make good content.

This resonated with me quite a bit.

Indeed, the type of content attracts a certain group of people. So if you want good followers, create good content too. I am a bit behind on my Youtube videos as I am swamped with my tutorials and assignments. There is a lot on my plate at the moment but I am still grounded and motivated.

I should be motivated as I just purchased a new computer. Ha ha ha.

Dr Cha had a good ending

Posted in Movie, Reviews by

If Dr Cha had come out a few years earlier, I think my mom would have been inspired by the story. Her narrative is somewhat similar. Instead of a liver problem, she had fibroid and needed an operation. What happened after that just sucked. My dad being a narcissist is not the best partner to be involved with in times of need. Because to him, the world evolves around him only. He lacks empathy and sadly it was apparent. Now that Mom has passed away leaving us to tend to Dad’s daily matters, my sister and I cannot help thinking, “This man is a j***”.

There was another part however that struck a chord within myself. It was a scene earlier on in the series when Dr Cha first joined the residency programme. It was something that Dr Seo said to her that kind of brings back old memories. I can’t indulge in the specifics but that scene made me sad. Really really sad, disappointed yet furious at the same time. It’s that same type of rage you’d feel when someone dear to you decides to not walk on the same path. Other scenes were relatable, which made me think that whatever we are experiencing now is normal for women around the world. It seems that the issue is the same with a cross-cultural nuance to it.

Dr Cha and her husband got divorced. She rejected Dr Roy’s love confession and remained happy as a single lady with kids. She learned new skills and cultivated a lot of self-love for herself.

Self-love is a very powerful motivator. Self-love is a powerful friend. It keeps the dark thoughts away. I have been indulging in a lot of self-love for the past two years. I realized that it helps to steer away from distractions and become more focused on your life goals. Self-love is a wonderful gift you can give yourself all the time for free.