Do We?

YOU LEARN (Alanis Morissette)

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Ooh, ooh, ooh...

I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone, yeah
I, recommend walking around naked in your living room, yeah

Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles

1-You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn

I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free

Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears
(repeat 1)

I, I, oh, oh

Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway)
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend
(rpt 1)

You grieve you learn, you choke you learn
You laugh you learn, you choose you learn
You pray you learn, you ask you learn
You live you learn

21 Things I Want in a Lover?? =P

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21 THINGS I WANT IN A LOVER (Alanis Morissette)

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Do you derive joy when someone else succeeds?
Do you not play dirty when engaged in competition?
Do you have a big intellectual capacity but know
That it alone does not equate wisdom?
Do you see everything as an illusion?
But enjoy it even though you are not of it?
Are you both masculine and feminine? politically aware?
And don't believe in capital punishment?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover
Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer

Do you derive joy from diving in and seeing that
Loving someone can actually feel like freedom? are you funny?
la self-deprecating? like adventure? and have many formed opinions?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover
Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer
I figure I can describe it since I have a choice in the matter
These are 21 things I choose to choose in a lover

I'm in no hurry I could wait forever
I'm in no rush cuz I like being solo
There are no worries and certainly no pressure in the meantime
I'll live like there's no tomorrow

Are you uninhibited in bed? more than three times a week?
Up for being experimental? are you athletic?
Are you thriving in a job that helps your brother? are you not addicted?
...curious and communicative...

It's Ok ~~ A song for a BAD day

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LITHIUM (Nirvana)

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Lithium --------- by Nirvana

I'm so happy cause today
I found my friends
They're in my head
I'm so ugly but that's ok
Cause so are you
We broke our mirrors
Sunday morning is everyday
For all I care
And I'm not scared
Light my candles in a daze
Cause I found God
hey, hey, hey
I'm so lonely but that's ok
I shaved my head
And I'm not sad
And just maybe I'm to blame
For all I've heard
But I'm not sure
I'm so excited I can't wait
To meet you there
But I don't care
I'm so horny but that's ok
My will is good
hey, hey, hey
[[ I like it - I'm not gonna crack
I miss you - I'm not gonna crack
I love you - I'm not gonna crack
I'd kill you - I'm not gonna crack ]] x2

I, too, had an interesting weekend =P

Everyone seems to be talking about their weekend.

Oh~

My interesting thoughts i had last weekend!

Interesting Thought #1: Traveling.

My family has a knack for it.

My Cik Mi travels excessively. It becomes second nature to her as she works in Saudi. She worked in Brunei before. Her next travel destination is Russia.

Cik Ya travels too. Just came back from Umrah, her destinations include China, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon (and the loong list goes on).

Kak Mas too (and her husband, abang Herman) travel. They just came back from Turkey. Their honeymoon destinations include Japan, Germany and South Africa.

I'm deeply envious of them.

I know my family. They come from humble background. Just like the average you and me (actually, i consider myself below middle class) But, how can they afford the luxuries????

The weekend family gathering taught me some values in life:
- Identitfy what's important in life and pursue it.
- Be smart (especially with your $$)
- If you wanna travel, get a group tour. Its actually cheaper.
- The experience is far more valueable than the souvenirs bought from each country
- Make new friends while you travel. Be adventurous. The World is your playground.
- Better start moving further from just KL!!!

I'm deeply inspired.

Humaira shouts: I wanna see the World too. But first, lemme see some $$ in my bank account. Heh!

Interesting Thought #2: Migrating

I never knew migrating is an encouraged idea in my family. I thought it would be very difficult for any family to let their loved ones to be away from them. But, the very fact that my family has accepted my aunt to work in Saudi, i should have known their receptiveness towards migrating.

I've thought about it. And... the idea is always very inviting.

Isn't it nice to be able to start afresh? To be given an opportunity to start your life on a piece of clean paper/cloth?

Cik Mi: Migrate jer Nur... Bagus.. timba pengalaman. Creates different perspective in you.
Kak Ina: A ah Cik Mi. Ina pon kalau boleh nak migrate jugak. Stress lar tinggal kat Singapore nih!
Cik Mi: Haa.. Bagus! Then u must work for it lar.
Humaira: (silent) I would migrate. But I'm a Social Worker. My profession roots me to the land.
Cik Mi: Apa pulak? Cik Mi jumpa banyak Social Workers who made it big in the international scene. You just have to further your studies. Work hard so that people create opportunity for you. Its possible.
Humaira: (Hmmm.. very inspired.. but...) Memang betul. Given a chance, i wud pursue that. Tapi Cik Mi.. kalau semorang kluar.. semorang migrate.. saper nak kisah pasal our community in Singapore? What's gonna happen to the ummah here? Hmmm.. Let me stay here and do that work. A lot of work to be done on our community ajer.
Cik Yah: Hmmm... point noted.

I dunno whether i'm being foolish and stupid, or naive and ambitious. I would WANT to achieve those big dreams, but i also know.. i'm NEEDed here, now, doing what i'm doing.

Allah a'lam.
Show me the right path. Puh-leaaazzzeee....

Humaira
Serious entries make my head spin.

The Entry Which Humaira is Talking to Self

I've decided.

Yerp. I did.

I'm gonna take up the challenge.

I'm gonna dedicate 4 more years to do it. Yerp. Another B.A, insyaAllah.

This time, it is to fulfil my mom's hope and aspirations.

This time, it is to pursue my interest and desire.

Allah... please guide me through.

A difficult decision, it is, as i'm aware that some ni'mah may have to go.
Those late nights and weeknights to hang out. Those classes with my cute DACC students.
All those will have to go.....
For the pursuit of knowledge....
To get to know You better....

BUT!

4 years is loooooong.
Can i persevere?
Will i?
Shall i?

And it'll be local!
Isnt it the same?
I wanna see different grass.
Different trees...
Different sky...

Allah.. guide me in my decision.
Show me clear lines between my necessity and desires.

Humaira
Praying hard to feel the seed of sakeenah in her decision

~One of the Most Cleverest ;) ~

I cant stand 2 types of people; proud and rude.

Next to terrorists, these people rank the second in the most dangerous people list. They should be annihilated from the face of the earth, and all of them can just eat soil!

I'm working hard on a divorce case. Thus i'm introduced to the legal culture.. which include the drivers of the law.. lawyers.

Initially.. yeah.. i was impressed by the confidence and aura that they haf. They intimidate, very sure of what they're saying and of coz.. authoritative. Which can be good for clients AND their social workers. Their lack of empathy in their communication and making it 'legal'... blew me away.

***wait wait. I've been using the word 'they' while its actually just ONE lawyer. I shall stick to 'they' as it preserves neutrality. So continue...***

So, here i am.. a newbie (actually not so new... but i consider 1-year in the profession still new ar), lost in the new culture, trying to understand new jargons.

I'm supposed to help my client fulfill some checklist. The checklist indicated 'statement...'

My understanding of statement is.. u fill in a form, u sign, and voila! That can be a statement already. What exactly does this lawyer want?

Naturally, i called the office. The assistant picked up. I asked her the question. The person didnt give satisfying answer. So i asked again. And the assisstant asked the lawyer.

Irritated, the lawyer took the phone and kinda scolded me saying heshe was busy and heshe couldnt understand why i cant understand a simple term.

HAAALLLLOOOO!!! You brag about your 14 years of handling these type of legal cases. For 14 years, you should know that not everyone is a lawyer dammit. For 14 years, you should know who should do the stupid affidavit! Just because this case is aided by the legal bureau and you're not gaining profit from it, doesnt mean you can shove your tasks for me to do!!!

Sheeshhh!!!

And what makes you think that you're busy that you cannot answer my questions politely? As a PROFESSIONAL who has been in the line for 14 years, using busy-ness as an excuse to be rude supposed to command respect? You command my loathe.

Yes, i reacted emotionally. It totally spoilt my momentum with my client.

Because I feel insulted and I feel stupid by your comments. And that make me sad. I know you can handle this matter in a different and less insulting way. Two different professionals working together require respect. And i dun get that.

Being a typical social worker, i need to end this with ermm.. a positive and 'lessons-learnt' mode.

My client and i bond closer ties fighting our emotional pain with this god-sent-to-test-our-patience person. We shall go through the process together, developing better trust with one another, insyaAllah.

I hope from this experience, i become stronger when facing buggers like these. Heh.. no lar~ actually.. i hope i become more knowledgable in matters pertaining professionalism. At least now i know the attitudes that i cant accept. I am determined not to be the very person i loathe.

Another good thing about the incident was; i realise that MSN is a CRUCIAL support system in my work. Just after the horrendous phone conversation, i straight away type to anyone whom i first click the cursor on and blurted out wad happened. Someone responded very well to my crisis. Thank you for saying the sweetest thing :: "Zakiah... you are one of the most cleverest and smartest friends i have in my contact list":: It made me cry, and smile.... Thank you.

Humaira
One of the MOST cleverest and smartest

Good Mental Health anyone?

An article from AmericanValues.org

Interesting how they perceive marriage vis-a-vis these factors...

About Men

* Married men earn between 10 and 40 percent more than single men with similar education and job histories.
* Married people, especially married men, have longer life expectancies than otherwise similar singles.
* Marriage increases the likelihood fathers will have good relationships with children. Sixty-five percent of young adults whose parents divorced had poor relationships with their fathers (compared to 29% from non-divorced families).

About Women

* Divorce and unmarried childbearing significantly increases poverty rates of both mothers and children. Between one-fifth and one-third of divorcing women end up in poverty as a result of divorce.
* Married mothers have lower rates of depression than single or cohabiting mothers.
* Married women appear to have a lower risk of domestic violence than cohabiting or dating women. Even after controlling for race, age, and education, people who live together are still three times more likely to report violent arguments than married people.

About Society

* Adults who live together but do not marry—cohabitors—are more similar to singles than to married couples in terms of physical health and disability, emotional well-being and mental health, as well as assets and earnings. Their children more closely resemble the children of single people than the children of married people.
* Marriage appears to reduce the risk that children and adults will be either perpetrators or victims of crime. Single and divorced women are four to five
times more likely to be victims of violent crime in any given year than married women. Boys raised in single-parent homes are about twice as likely (and boys raised in stepfamilies three times as likely) to have committed a crime that leads to incarceration by the time they reach their early thirties, even after controlling for factors such as race, mother's education, neighborhood quality and cognitive ability.

The authors conclude with three fundamental conclusions:

1. Marriage is an important social good, associated with an impressively broad array of positive outcomes for children and adults alike.
2. Marriage is an important public good, associated with a range of economic, health, educational, and safety benefits that help local, state, and federal governments serve the common good.
3. The benefits of marriage extend to poor and minority communities, despite the fact that marriage is particularly fragile in these communities.

So people...
get yourselves married!!!!

Yours truly...
humaira

~lalalalala~

Your Musical Tastes Match: Jennifer Garner

See her whole playlist here (iTunes required)

What Celebrity Matches Your Taste in Music?

The Taib Clan Part 1

Irdina.. my little niece. She's round, aint she?

A super manja girl, she luvs EVERYBODY who holds her. She'll keep quiet... hold on tight to you like a little Koala... Wad more can one expect from a baby? =D

Tired little one... Hey!! Its just 1pm on the first Syawal!!

Aini so happee!! Going Sri Lanka gerl? All the best yar!

Cheeky Little Hafiz. The Clan's youngest grandchild.

Ini lar anak dara anak dara Ya-e Taib. Kalau dah jumper.. macam2 bebual!

Aisyah... Brudder's student.






Introducing... SOME of the Taib clan (Cik Cit's and Pak Wa's family not in the pic)


From left: Kak Ina (getting married next year), kak Liana (the baby's mommy), kak Mas (behind her is her hubby abang Hirman), Wak Mahmud and his first granddaughter DIANa, behind him is abang Zaki. Next, Mak Wa and her 2nd granddaughter irDINA, behind her is my brader A-mat Zarir, beside him is my daddy. Sitting infront of him is my mommy, den my aunt Cik Mi (working in Riyad at the moment), yours truly, and my sis. Not in the picture is the baby's father, my cousin abang A-Mat Sabri.

;)

~Another Beautiful Day~

Smyc Pictures

Uploaded some SMYC pictures.
Yes.. its LOOONG overdue... but... hey. Better late than never they say. Late because, my photo n video team had to consolidate over 3000 pictures taken. For the benefit of my personal memory and appreciation, i'm just gonna d/l my fav moments/pictures.

Enjoy~



The Umbrella people. We RAWK!!

I actually miss the rehearsals, the endless practices and bickerings of the members. Oh~ Aina's scoldings too "Aiyaa... not like that lar!Can you guys be serious or not. Don't kick too hard. Be lady liiiiikkkeeee... Be suwaaaaaarve. suwaaaarve. You know what i mean? (Actually she meant suave)" and etc etc.

Learning modern dance, ladies? It beats those gym workout regime! =D

SMYC!! Awoookkk~~~~
(Awok means 'Ok' in Sarawak language. Taught by our dear Awang)

(Left) Ailing Darling.. my partner in crime.
As camp's Official photographers, we did a damn good job aint we? =D


(Right) Miss Huda a.k.a Miss National Leader..With Moggie sesat kat belakang tuh






This is my favourite moment @ Ubin. As a Watch, we were tasked to build a raft and test it on real water. So.. we were listening to the instruction...



...and strategising... and figuring out how to tie the complicated knots...










Now this is our completed Raft...

Sui Sen RAWKS!!
Talking about Sui Sen, it took me 2 days @ OBS to realise how FAMILIAR the name is. NUS mates, you remember Bizad Hon Sui Sen library?? The most terperuk lib but super comfy (before the newly renovated Arts library lar). The library was only relevant when we do our Human Resource Management module (muahahaha)

Niwei.. back to rafting...

Getting ready to test our baby in the real world....

Ready...

READY....
(Haha!! The lop-sided raft on the extreme left is my watch's. Something gone wrong during the design stage. We survived... barely...) =D

ATTAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Right) The Kayakers

(Left) Visited by Bro Shahid..... (Right) THE INSTRUCTORSSSSSS!!!




BBQ @ Nacli and Cultural Nite @ (i cant remember the place)... I'm the modern Japanese Muslimah with half kimono and denim skirt and tudung. Rojak betol


Pics pics pics


Smile smile smile

Sabbie the 'Serial' prawn

Urashima ~Xa Quay Ah~ Haruka

Simply knowing you are there gives others a sense of security and continuity. You are a woman of few words and much wisdom, and the capacity to see beyond the surface that others are distracted by. However, you tend to find distractions for yourself to keep you from thinking about the bad times in your life. Try to solve your problems as soon as you can, so you can live life in genuine happiness. Which Love Hina Girl Are You?

A Family Life Cycles

Eid Mubarak to Muslims all over the world.

The preparation to celebrate the day wasnt much. I was too sad to leave the blessed month of Ramadhan. Nevertheless, the day came with renewed relationships and love between human beings. I'm happy.

It's normal for my family to visit my eldest maternal aunt during the first day of Raya because
(1) She's the eldest aunt (duh)
(2) She cooks GOOOOOOOODDDDD SINFUL food
(3) Meeting point for all married cousins and unmarried ones
(4) Photo-taking session

Yerp. We did all those, ALL.

Met my second and youngest (thus far) niece, Irdina. She's 5 month old and sooo round!! Hehe.. and so manja. She refused to sleep unless someone cuddles her to bed. So, i hugged and 'serenaded' her to sleep. The feeling was good. Humaira says Hello motherly instinct! =D

My family is growing larger.. both physically and in numbers. I'm appreciative as i've always wanted to have a large family. More people to talk to, to visit, and to care for. As the new ones are born... the older ones are beginning to take a back seat. One person who has changed the most, is my eldest aunt.

She was a SUPERB cook. I can force myself to eat her delicious satay or fried lontong even when i'm full to the brim. This year, nature is taking a toll on her. As another aunt mentioned, she has over-used the tools endowned by God, and its asking to take a break. Indeed. One thing i can assure my aunt is, she has utilised her God's gift tool to the fullest.

My heart breaks seeing her putting in effort to walk. She ages so fast.

In my heart, i remember her as the supermom to 4 wonderful cousins of mine. She has brought them up with her never-ending patience and graceful silence as tools for disciplining.

She was a supermom to me too. Taking care of me when i was in pre-school years, while my mom works.

My aunt.... the indicator of change in our family life cycle.

Humaira
Renewed Self in Family