How iss life having to drive 40 miles each way, listening to insurance lectures for at least 5 hours a day for 4 weeks? Well, it has been one week and a day so far and its been very tiring.

I think my body is trying to catch on, having to drive 40 miles to Mountain View, and back...in this rainy season. Sure, love the beautiful scenery on I280 but I miss commuting only 8 minutes to work!

Good thing is, this like a smooth sailing no brain wrecking class for me as I know insurane inside out. So its like revision time for me. The real deal is when I get home, when the baby is sleeping. Thats the time for me to work till my eyes refuse to open, weekends included.

2 more weeks to go before I am home free. Anyone wants to buy insurance from me?

Here's munhckin taken last weekend.

This posting was firs initiated by my twin, Nazrah...looks kinda fun but true to me! My comments in red

What Ely Suraya Means

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. Very true, and i talk too much too! You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. Always true...i can be Oprah Winfrey with Dr Phil's touch! At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. Yer ker??? But for the important things, you pull it together. Always, u can count on me You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. But my boss says that i am high maintenance and such a complainer! Lets not ask what the husband says of me on this. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Sometimes only, the dont get worked up part. The rest is correcto! Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. True true, but when i am mad and not happy, they all run away! You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. How do u know eh! You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. Yeah, ask my parents...Allah blessed them with strong hearts. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. Eh, i am married twice...so this is not true. I am settled now. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. Suave? Okaylah. Sexy? Ahemm, but of course! Smart, hello, cant u tell? Strong? Not physically but i have a strong head! Like a mule! You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. True, i wont argue with that. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. I dont victimize the weak, i turn around and make them stronger. You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. Eh....so true! like the husband says 'whatever Ely wants Ely gets'...which means he'd rather give in to me than fight with me...not worth the suffering hahaha. And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. True...Tawakkalallah You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Never! Greeds evil! Spread your luck around a little to people who need it. i dont have the $$ to spread around but i am not stingy. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. Geez, stop it! Thats what my boss says to me ALL THE TIME! You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. Some say that i need to stop and breath cos i dont stop doing anything! You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. Heheheheh...Ely aka Troublemaker You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. Oh yeah babeh! But pls dont go into my bedroom...i am not perfect in terms of housekeeping. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. Really??? I think so lah You have the classic "Type A" personality.Wahhhh...is it?

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

So the time has come, for the torturuous 4 week sales class. I hate classes cos 80% of the time, after lunch, I fall asleep. I am so not use to sitting down for an hour listening, which means 8 hours is oh so tidak. Usually, I do the talking hahahaha. Also the class is mandatory before I start selling in March. I know 90% of the scoop. My boss says that now what I have to do is tech the class???? I can do that!

Long weekend...thanks to Martin Luther King Jr. Kakak Mas is such a peace activist, she knows the history of these holidays, shes a peace historian. She is also the one who will smack you on the head if you make a stereotypical comment on someone of a different ethnicity. I think she will grow up with a mission to go to Africa to care for the kids there and then go to Rome to pursue her ancient Roman history while listening to heavy heavy metal that sometimes contain suicidal lyrics which she says is not effecting her (althought sometimes she says that she will totally DIE if she has to run 1.5 miles in school tomorrow!).

Back to my work scene. I love my new job. Its all about me now. Nothing about the boss, nothing about my subordinates but about ME. How do I generate business? How do I market myself? Being in the company for more than 5 years and in the same department. Being once an underwriter give me A LOT of 'cracks' on where I can find open business. Its so addicting when you know that you can generate business. Will I ever share my trade secrets with someone else? Not unless I want them to take away my ideas. In short...NOT!

I love talking to people and I have no problems marketing myself and giving out my business cards. But kakak Mas sometimes has a problem with that...saying that I am over rated. Who cares!

Anyway, enough ramblings...I forgot to bring home the laptop charger this weekend, now I have to force myself to watch tv...ooops, yaya just found a spoon from the computer table!

Oh yeah, my new boss found a new name for me...Ducati Ferrari (which means, HIGH MAINTENANCE!), I kinda like that name hehehe.

I just have a funny feeling that I am going to turn into a workaholic in a few days time. As it is for now, I tend to wake up hallucinating...about work! Need to get into that laptop and drum up more business! Or sometimes, I would wake up with my eyes opened wide and said 'Pergi kerja...pergi kerja!', but it was Saturday night, 1am!

Maybe the stupid Sales Congress that I went to this weekend has programmed me into this work mode. 3 days and 2 mights at the San Francisco Marriot...semi party Friday night, listen listen listen all Saturday and by Saturday night, I was oh so done with this Sales crap. Thank goodness the husband was staying in the hotel (he was bored to tears) with the baby, we went out to dinner at the indian place, I abandoned my company dinner with live music and GREAT DJ, thats okay.

You know, I have brought my laptop home from work for 3 weekends but never get to work at home. How ah like that? Cos each time I plan to work after the baby sleeps, I tend to hit La La land...as far as her!

But next week must be serious. I will be going to a 4 week Sales class and I have 5 days to drum up business so that I could hit them as soon as I return from the classes.

*Ely's hanging the tag 'Busy working' around her neck!*

Ely got social life? Of course lah. We are heading to Kak Jah's house this Saturday to visit her 'already 3 month old ' granddaughter. I have requested for her to make me satay hehehe. Actually we were suppose to meet up at another malay singaporean's home at Morgan Hill. But Kak Jah didn't call me, she must have remembered that I am going to be busy this weekend. And next Sunday, we were invited to go to Elk Grove (near Sacramento, 70 miles away I think) for housewarming. The husband has to work so we have to request for a rain check on that.

It has been raining for 2 days. According to the weather forecast, there will be rain till Monday, and then no rain on Tuesday and more rain the days after. Rezeki Allah...syukur...we don't get that much rain here in California. I do miss the 'monsoon bing bang thunder storms for 30 minutes and then the sun comes out' weather back home. Over here when there is a storm, the branches would fall and the fence would start slanting...a sign of defeat to the 'up to 60 miles/hr wind'. We were out of power for a few hours. We travelling 10 miles in San Mateo for a sushi buffet...they were closed due to no power. Even my office and 18 other offices were close in Northern CA due to lost of power.

This time, our side door was ripped apart by the wind, the fences are still standing strong (they collapsed last year) and the branches still could not survive. The cats are all over the bed, trying to get the warmth under the covers.

I am off today. Nice to be home, hoping to be able to go out for lunch or dinner with family but alas...the storm. But thats okay...my family will NOT be deterred by the stromy weather. Whatever may come, nothing can pull the food and the Greenfield family apart...geddit?

Bapak was discharged from the hospital yesterday Alhamdulillah. The dr says that he could have just had some muscle spasm when he was at the beach. Otherwise, his heart is strong and healthy.

Seems like Abang Mat is doing very well in school. Sec 3 this year and I heard that he is loving is first days in school. I shall get the 1st hand news from him tomorrow. We all miss him here. Each time when we go clothes shopping, we always think of him. Paps misses dressing him up...so he says :)

Suraya is learning to speak. Yes, she talks a lot like her Momma and Dada. The only language that she speaks now is Jibberish...a common language among toddlers. Still not walking yet though she can stand for a few minutes.

Kakak Mas is counting down on going back to school. She has been a terrific sitter when paps needs a break from baby sitting. She and Suraya has bonded so well, it warms my heart greatly to see them together :)

Me? Nothing has changed much for me. I need to stay away from the shopping mall...seriously, BUT BUT BUT, I always seem to need something right? Someone at the new office was complaining about me. She accused me of stealing business from the other sales reps as I have been getting more exposure with customers. But hey, I stole from noone and I do have integrity. Thats a good sign, which means this new kid on the block is a threat to the old kids hehehe. I work with honesty, not the other way round and thats how it should be right?

Dieting has been good. I still eat alot, minus the carbs. Not that I don't eat carbs at all, I do...but sparingly. And I am still losing 2 lbs every 1-2 weeks or so. Now I just need to exercise again. Hard though cos this momma has got no time!

Oh hey, here's the munchkin wearing my camisole...in the midst of the big mess that she had created!!!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

People in my office find me kind of 'unique' for not celebrating Christmas (they keep forgetting that I am a muslim). So yesterday, on New Year's Eve, they asked if I celebrate New Year. 'Of course I do, you kidding me?'...hah! Well what do I really do at 12 midnight? Whatelse but to snore...just another night.

What do we do on new year's day? Not that its Chinese new year...which I also do not celebrate. I dragged the girls to the mall when the husband sleeps the day away after slogging at work all night last night. Spent 2 hours at the mall, with nothing but just cat food. You know, sometimes you shop so much during the holiday that you just lose that buying touch? Well, besides the fact that I had spent too much for myself and blew a tire of the car yesterday on the way to the mall...so thats at least US$150 spent to repair the tire.

At least I managed to wave hello and goodbye to my dream diamond ring which I keep showing Kakak Mas, just in case the husband would like to upgrade my ring (yeah right!).

Chicken's in the oven and Suraya's porridge is stewing. Time to savour the rest of the day before going back to work tomorrow. Good thing...I will be off on Thursday and Friday...wooohooo!

Oh and bapak's in the hospital. Did not know about it till yesterday when I called home. I think bapak had too much bbq'd food on Sunday that he had heartburn after that but did not know what to make of it. He's still under observation...insyaAllah, he will be fine.

So...how was your New Year?

I am NEVER a video game person. I just can't get myself to have my thumbs and fingers on the remote for hours trying to either kill someone or get that treasure. Give me a keyboard and I could type on it for hours.

But last night was different. We went to a girlfriend's home and she has a Wii..you know, the new game gadget. In order to play tennis, you will have to wave the remote as if its a racket or wave the remote when you play bowling. This game system is awesome! No wonder people are raving about it and is still out of stock.

If only my girlfriend did not lose her twins when she was having them, her offsprings would be the same age as Suraya. Frances and I had gone through quite a bit together. She was very sad when I moved to another office as she wouldnt have anyone to talk to. But thats okay, we promised to each other that we would still keep in touch no matter what.

2008 will be here in a few days...any new resolutions yet?

You see, I truly do not believe in resolutions. Its like setting yourself up to be mocked at for not fulfilling 'the promise to myself'.

How about taking it like a 'goal' instead of a resolution? Goal is a shorter word...easier to spell and pronounce...and it doesnt sound THAT big...right? Right!

I do have a few goals. Some major and a few not worth mentioning, but I shall share them all, if I can remember <~~a word which is non existant since I had the baby.

I have shed about 25 lbs or so. I have 10lbs or more to go. 10 most difficult lbs..why? With the Xmas and this coming New Year, co workers have been bringing in leftover xmas candies, cookies, goodies, pies and free lunch to the office. Sure, I could say no...the first 4 times and then say 'Errr, ok, BUT just a bite' and then 'Okay...I'll be right there!'. To cover the guilt, I would eat salad or just meat for dinner...again its hard as we had been going to the Indian restaurant 2 nights ago as the husband had a friend visiting from San Diego and tonight, we're going to my girlfriend's $1.4 million home in the SF Avenues for post Xmas pre New Year's party. She just spent $60k to renovate her bathroom and expanded her son's bedroom. So I told her that I would come in a bath robe and will take a bath in her new jacuzzi tub :)

Anyway, goal #1...Lose 10 more lbs or so.

Goal #2...make that money. about 60 more days before I start selling and have production on my books. I don't know what my goal in terms of yearly earnings would be. So as not to disappoint myself, I would goal for yearly income which is more than how much I am earning now.

Goal #3...move to a bigger home. Can't afford to even say that we are going to own one. With the Bay Area making big headlines with humungous Foreclosure rates, maybe renting a bigger home would be great.

Goal #4...not that this is the least important among the others, but this is the most difficult and emotional and time consuming goal. To heal my family. I wish for my son to meet Suraya sometime soon and heal the family. Sure..everyone thinks that this is easy. But I shall keep this point as shallow as possible...

Goal #5...to achieve the other 3 goals.

Any room for goal #6? After goal #2 has been achieved, the other goal will be TUMMY TUCK and liposuction...can???

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What a tag...

The malls are taboo places to go to now during this xmas season. Go there after 10am, you will die of stampede, claustophobia (spelling*), hallucinations, etc etc. Malls open at 7am today. Too bad, I did not have the energy to make the run for the best deals as we just came back from a long drive to and from Jamestown, 124 miles from here. It was a good day...pictures will follow after you read this silly tag.

ADIEJIN tagged me, as if I have nothing else better to do...

=============================

Who cares about getting tagged? Well here it is...

1) Name one person who made you laugh last night?
Actually, did not laugh at all yesterday. Geram dengan suami, buat aku naik darah.

2)What were yuo doing at 0800?
Breastfeeding my baby...aper lagi.

3) What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Cooking porridge for the baby.

4)What happened to you in 2006?
I got pregnant and had the baby in December.

5)What was the last thing you said out loud?
"YAYA...NO!!!"...the baby was crawling into the kitchen.

6)How many beverages did yu have today?
Just Diet soda.

7)What color is your hairbrush?
Unlike Adiejin, I have a black hairbrush and a blue wide tooth comb, gua ada rambut beb!

8)What was the last thing you paid for?
Last Monday, at Starbucks, Caramel Macchiato.

9)Where were you last night?
On the way back from Jamestown, Sonora County, 124 miles from here.

10)What color if you front door?
Black

11)Where do you keep your change?
Ina change jar.

12)Whats the weather like today?
Very cold but sunny.

13)Whats the best ice cream flavor?
I love Chocolate flavor

14)What excites you?
Besides sex? Shopping of course!!!

15)Do you want to cut your hair?
I need a hair trim in 3 weeks.

16)Are you over the age of 25?
Of course not! I stop aging after 25.

17)Do you talk a lot?
YES..I do. Sometimes too much.

18)Do you watch OC?
Dont like it.

19)Do you know anyone named Steven?
Yea, quite a few.

20)Do you make up your own words?
Rockadoodledo!

21)Are you a jealous person?
Of course.

22)Name a friend whose name starts with the letter 'A'.
Angela, Angie, Angeline

23) Name a friend whos name starts with 'K'.
Kent

24)Whos the first person on the received call list.
'David'...hes the top on my list who calls many times a day. Tu laki aku lah!

25)What does the last text message you receive? say?
Ibu- Emergency, I have band practice and wont get home till 5pm, please tell paps that.

26)Do you chew on your straw?
Nope

27)Do you have curly hair?
I have wavey hair...and I refuse to answer like Adiejin did.

28)Where's the next plave you're going to?
Work, its Sunday today.

29)Whos the rudest person in your life?
Too many to list.

30)What was the last thing you ate?
Sweet potato chips.

31)will you get married in future?
Already did.

32)Whats the best movie you've seen in 2 weeks?
Cant remember. I dont go to thaeters but too many movies watched on tv. Life with cable!

33)Is there anyone you like right now?
What kind of question is this?

34)When was the last time you did the dishes?
Just now. thank god for dishwashers too.

35)Are you currently depressed?
Nah...

36)Did you cry today?
Nah...

37)Why did you answer and post this?
Cos I am trying to get Adiejin out of my hair for now hahahaha. Jgn marah, lu tau gua sayang sama luh.

38)Tag 5 people who would do this survey.
Alah...whoever wants to do this, please do!

The birthday came and went. In the midst of this holiday and extremely cold season...quite a bit has happened in my household.

Seems like Suraya has turned into a bigger tyrant since she turned one. Hmmm..she had learned to crawl out of bed, feet first and onto the ground to peek under our bed to look for cats and whatever kind of garbage that she might be able to find under there. Most times, she would look at us with garbage in her hands, smiling happily.

Is she walking yet? She refuses to 'tateh' (train to walk by holding our hands) but instead, she would stand on her own and walks a couple of steps before calling it a day, and I really mean, she would not do it until the next day. Can't rush babies nowadays, let her do what she wants. I am in no rush to run after runaway babies!

With the husband picking up evening shifts, this means that he goes to work as soon as or a few hours after I get home from work. We do not get to communicate with each other as much as before and yes...I do miss him alot. But hey...this means that we do not get the chance to argue as much hahaha!

Moving to a new office for me has been a blist. To tell you the truth, I did not miss my old work place as I have been so busy adapting to this new sales position. You can find this insurance sales job as tough as you want it to be. Currently, I am starting this job back as an underwriter, talking to customers BUT, I get to make them my prospect customers and so far, I have had 5 in my list. I do not have problems convincing people to buy insurance from me, if i see them face to face BUT but but, I have problems calling customers to sell insurance. Sigh...I shall not be selling until March. Now is my training, and I have another 4 week sales class that I have to go to before starting to sell and wreck my brains.

Moving to a new office also means that I get the priviledge to send Kakak Mas to school every morning. 15 minutes of having just me and her int he car has been priceless for me and her. Thats the only time that we can communicate in peace. She has been such a good daughter to me and I would never 'exchange' her for anyone else at the mall (hahaha).

So there...lots of things happening in this little house.

Here are pics from munchkin's birthday...

Thank you Alya, Uncle Sam and Auntie Sal for giving Suraya a surprise birthday visit :)

A year has passed
A year ago when this little munchkin was born
How much she has changed our lives


She is full of love
Full of laughter
Full of fun

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SURAYA EILEEN!!!

I can't believe that I am here again, pen it while I can eh?

I just asked this question in my Facebook page. 'Are you an idealist or a realist?' This question is now triggering me to blog about it.

I admit that I started off being an idealist. How can I be shameless about it? Cos if I wasn't an idealist, I would not be married to my husband who lived 6,000 miles away from me who was of totally different religion than me and who was a total bachelor who never had kids. Hmmm...maybe the husband was being such an idealist until he married me and the kids moved in hahahahaha...then the REALITY struck!

After having gone through a marriage status twice (of being divorced and remarried to another man, that is), gone through a migration (never thought I would have done this!), through a job change (of the same nature) and then another huge major job change that will happen 1 week from Monday...I realized that in order for us to achieve our ambitions, we should make it real.

It took me 17 years...yes 17 years, to be able to take this huge step of diving in to the insurance business knowing that I will do very well. The thought of working on 100% commissioned basis is not an ideal thought especially when I have kids to support, rent to cover and bills to glide us through month by month. But I know that there is nothing to lose but alot to gain.

My 'trial introduction' to selling insurance was based on the reponses of my acquaintances...the chances of them trusting me to sell them auto and home insurance. 90% says 'lets get on with it'...some says 'ok I want to switch to your company ASAP' and some says 'I want to be your first customer'. It was positively overwhelming....and my business plan grew...and grew. And then I get my 'punk' friends saying that 'Nah, I don't like your company, it sucks!' or 'I just switched from your company to another cos of a claim problem', thats a challenge and what makes me think that I can't change their minds?

The manager of the office that I will be moving to was happily surprised that I am jumping into this 'sales' arena. He likes me alot as we have worked together when my boss was in the Gulf fulfilling his military duties. I was told by the HR personnel that up to 30 resumes were received...alot came from existing sales rep achievers...but this manager picked me. Of course, I had to EARN this position. The 2 hour interviews and simulation sales interview were not easy. But I nailed it!

So...can I divert to be an idealist for just a few seconds? I would like to be a sales achiever (that is, achieve a sales Club) in 12 months, buy a home and maybe get that dream car of mine (not telling you what it is!).

Maybe I am right, in order to be a realist, you have to be an idealist!!!

Tip : sometimes when you feel that you have no confidence to achieve a task, just puff your chest up, think and know that you can do it and say 'You have to be AGGRESSIVE!!!'. Still have problems doing that? Message me, I'll help ya :)

Been a while since I last updated my blog. If only I had the computer time to update my blog. the thing is, each time I am in the midst of updating, I get interrupted by the little munchkin demanding attention. By the time I get back here, my blogging moods vanished. So lets try this one more time....uninterrupted.

Not too much happened since my last post. Boring life eh? One more week before I move to another office. I shall miss my co workers very much but at the same time excited on what I am going to undertake.

2 more weeks and Suraya will be one. I think she is about 25 lbs now, with 7 teeth. I could see a shadow of another tooth at the bottom, threatening to appear.

I think I have most another 5 lbs last week. But I am not sure if I have gained it back during Thanksgiving! 17 lbs of turkey for Thanksgiving, just for the husband, Kakak Mas and me to eat and we still have abt 3lbs of roasted turkey meat left in the fridge. The husband did a great job in slow cooking the turkey. Juicy and very very tasty!!!

Here are updated pics of my jewels in life...

Remember the South Beach Diet that I was on 2 years ago...before I got pregnant? I am on it again. Since Suraya is eating more solids now, I feel that it is time for me to start my dieting and still breastfeed.

I have lost almost 10 lbs since I started 10 days ago. Happy? well, I did not lose as much as when I first started 2 years back where I lost 13 lbs in 2 weeks. But thats okay. Baby fats are taking baby steps to melt. The last time, I could feel the 'babats' around my waistline melting, this time, I feel the hips melting. The waistline? Well, it got saggy-er (ya know, after the pregnancy and all). I know I can't bring the stepper upstairs from the garage as the crib has taken it place. This means that I will walk during lunch for 45 minutes after lunch.

Getting back on the diet was not as difficult as 2 years ago. No sugar/carb withdrawal symptoms...I just bounced off the walls when I cheated last night, eating baked beans! The keropok has only 7 gms of carb if I ate one huge one. I need to stop this!

I know I have a looooooooong way to go. I want to lose at least 20 more lbs, in 2 months? I don't know...maybe.

Oh you might be asking, how do I maintain the milk supply and pump 2x a day while at work? V8, the vegetable juice did it for me. YUMMY!!!!!!!

This has not happened to me in a long long time. I am never an impulsive buyer. Okay, I was a shopoholic but quit since I met the husband (thanks to him??).

I was on a rolld yesteday, had this $45 off coupon at my favorite women's clothes store, on every $90 I spend...cool right? Yea...the husband was very nervous before I left as I do have the potential of doing more damage.

Got my clothes, went to Macy's and was 'bowled over' by 2 things...a pair of BCBG flatties which are oh so gorgeous and a pair of Steve Madden oh so comfy sherpa boots. Should I get the flatties that I will wear for work, or the sherpa boots that will keep my feet oh so warm when I am out at nights and weekend in the winter? OR..both?

Went home, could not take my mind off of the dilemma. I dreamed of the flatties! Thats it I thought, I shall go to Macy's and buy them flatties and the husband could get me the sherpa boots.

Aaaaah, I am a proud owner of them BCBG flatties...40% off, cant beat that! Sherpa boots...$39, anyone could buy that for me hmmm???

So my birthday came and went...life goes on like any other birthdays.

I have 5 more weeks before migrating to another office. YES...I got the sales job, but not at my office, at another office in the same company that is just 8 minutes drive away. One big advantage of working with my boss, I know the managers in this office.

It was hard earned...this sales job. I was interviewed...or should I say intterogated for 2 hours? And then another simulated insurance sales over the phone followed by an hour of phone interview right after. In short, if you do not know insurance, do not even hope to be considered. My contender at that time was a Sales and Marketing Associate, a person who markets the company's products everyday and me? An underwriter who knows the features of the product inside out with strong (ahemm) qualities. I gave them 200% during the interview. I hate interviews, they depress me, especially when I want the job REALLY BAD. After a span of 3 weeks of such interviews and they needed half a week to decide, I was given the job! Happy...happy giler! I knew I earned it (although the fact is that, I know the managers real well too but I know I was not givent any slack in this selection).

My boss was at first happy for me, but not happy when they wanted me to start with the new office in 2 weeks. No way...the boss says. Firstly, he had to find another person to manage my office, I would need to train this person...boss needs to take back his tasks (he's super spoilt) and redelegate to the new managers and he thinks...I repeats, thinks that I should be ready to go. We both promise that we would remain good friends forever (we went though a lot of office crap together.

One thing for sure...if not cos of my boss...I would not be who I am now. He had created a monster ...eh no...a strong person out of me. Ambitious and directive and not take nonsense from anyone and best of all, to go for what I think I deserve. I never fail to tell everyone at work that my boss is such a good friend to me (though some say that I am his pet, oh well).

Back to the new office, 8 minutes drive away from home, on the way to work, I could drop kakak Mas at school and on my way home, pick the munchkin up from the sitters house. Perfect? I could go home for lunch too!

Happy birthday to me…
Happy birthday to me…

I knew that my co workers will get a cake for me, but did not expect them to get cupcakes! I love cupcakes, they're so pretty that I had to take a picture before I devour one.

35…that’s how old I am today. I feel old…but then age is just a number, which can be untrue as when I touched 30, my knees tend to squeak, BADLY!

When I was 34, I only had 2 kids and was an underwriter. Within a year, I had another beautiful child, got promoted and then another good paying job in 30 days! MasyaAllah, Alhamdulillah…rezeki Allah.




Hopefully when I reach 36, I would have been an achiever in my insurance sales career. Oh and I will move office too…the office will be about 8 minutes drive away from home!

Who says that we can't raya like back home?

It was wonderful and fantabulous. Our first visit was to Sharun's house. Delicious food and mostly, we were very glad to have met up with Sharun and family again. How fast her 4 kids have grown! Thank you so much for having us at your house Sharun and Ridhwan!

Next was at kak Jah's house. Kak Jah is known as the 'mother' to the younger generation in the Bay Area dan kawasan yang sewaktu dengannya. She caters malay food and invites us to her house many time a year. It was our family's loss for not having visited her as often as we actually should.

I met more malay Singapore friends. And I think I found a couple of friends who live in the Peninsula that migth become my partners in crime *winks*.

As for mak, she has made quick acquaintances with Kak Jah, who is begging for her to visit her again when she comes back to SF and Kak Ann, who is doing the same thing.

Alhamdulillah, it was a nice day for us yesterday...now we have 2 more days to be with mak.

Its been...

quiet and peaceful. We're reaching the final week of Ramadhan but it has been that way, since the 1st day of Ramadhan...thats what mak says.

No Geylang, no shopping to buy new carpet, clothes, shoes, bags except having to make kueh tart and some cookies and cook a big meal for raya and for our raya visitation on that first day.

Naturally, Eid is not a national holiday here. Luckily, it falls on a Saturday which means that we could visit our malay friends after Eid prayers in the morning.

I thought mak would be homesick thinking about home during this time...but she had proved me wrong. She says that she feels peaceful...that she does not have to think of having to go to the market during the raya rush, and think of stuff to do for Raya. But she surely is excited to meet up with Sharun's and Kak Jah's family on the 1st day of raya as she had bought 6 empty tubs to pack the cookies that she will be baking.

It surely has been nice experiencing Ramadhan with mak...someone who is as peaceful as this miracle month of Ramadhan.

I thought I could resist from listening to Raya songs. I played the songs for mak. She suddenly sprang up from the sofa and directed me to hang the curtains in our rooms. Such Raya songs can turn a docile mak to a directive one...regardless of wherever she could be. (I peeked into the living room...mak is eating Doritos with a remote control in her hand...shes 10% americanized!).

First tune of lagu Raya...I cried. I think of home. I think of my sister, bapak, my nieces and my precious son. During this time if I was there, we would be roaming Geylang, me being so fascinated by the people spending their precious money.

My son, I miss my son the most during this time. This time last year, I was very pregnant and was a total wreck when I heard Raya songs. I always wonder how he celebrated Raya without his family. We all think of him here.

To all Muslim friends out there...Eid Mubarak!!! Maaf Zahir Batin...

Introducing the husband's Asian 60's pop music Website on myspace.com. Let me tell you what is so different about this website. This is how a westerner (like the husband) values our Asian 60's music in his perspective...videos and MP3 songs included.

Yes, I am one of the guilty (but I don’t feel guilty) ones who take the music history for granted. I do not care for such music. In fact, I am so ignorant about it that the husband knows more about our past music industry than a born Malay Singaporean like me.

This website covers the Asian 60's music in a broader form…which means it does not just cover Singapore Malay music but also the Chinese and music from Indonesia and Japan.

The husband has over 3.5k of friends on his myspace account and it is growing. It is his love and passion for music on my side of the world (hes a talking music encyclopedia) and this website is built out of love. If you're into Pop Yeh Yeh or Japanese GS music…click on here .

In the meantime...here are the girls!!!