al-'Asr

Finally alhamdulillah, research proposal done. Not the best one but I must send it tonight so yea.

Quote for today:

"to be able to talk to your heart’s content about a book you like with someone who feels the same way about it is one of the greatest joys that life can offer." - haruki murakami

The past few days have been very hectic that I didn't get the chance to update this blog. I want to update this blog, believe me. Alas, the work loads and the shadows of exams just made my plan to update this blog go awry. Anyway, right now I'm stealing a little bit of time I've set aside to finish Biology's assignment and use this time to update this blog. Hence, this post will not be that long. Probably it will consists of my ramblings about my work and how I very much want to rewrite the research proposal and review as much others' works as possible. It's a joke to say that with the amount of time I have now. Yes, it's still 24 hours a day but minus the work loads, sleep, pray, eat...rewriting research proposal is very unlikely to happen. Sad.

I want to tell you about my experience during the Jati Diri camp. It seems like everyone is updating about the camp. I have so much to tell but ishh, assignments envies me. I also want to tell you about my research proposal but then again, Biology assignment is waiting. Ouh, I'm so sorry for not being able to tell you all these. By the time, I'm free from assignments, this camp story is old already.  Haha, dilemma of a student.

Right, time to do Biology assignment. By the way, some people is just so retarded.

Photo of the day #004

[via Melanie Watkins]

Just a boring post.

I'm at the library, my favourite place to be at during Semester I.

Yesterday, I was told that Blok A do not have Internet connection so while I'm here, I better update my blog. I don't have anything to say, really. How about eid? Let's talk about eid.

My raya was very simple, I'd say. I won't use the word normal to describe it. The norm in celebrating raya in Malaysia is just wow. So, my raya was not normal. Mama cooked lontong. Not my favourite dish but yesterday it was the best lontong I've ever had in my entire life. I wonder why.

Supposedly yesterday I should get the first draft of the magazine for BM's assignment. Nevermind, I believe the designers. Go designers, you guys could do it!

This week will be very stressful. Stressful is not the correct word but I can't think of a word right now. My vocabulary is not functioning well right now. Talk about assignments and quizzes. Then, exam is just around the corner. Weird enough, we will go camping this weekend. So, I must finish all the assignment by this week.

My head feels like there's a huge rock in it. I just need some sleep but hey, Japanese language class in half an hour. By the way, today is Day 5. May you be in His guardian, always. This headache is probably because I slept late last night. Talked about things with Yana and I accidentally fell asleep when she was talking about something. Sorry, Yana!

Today, must sleep early! But Physics quiz is tomorrow. Carry mark...exam....pointer....

May He ease.

Big Bad Wolf 2013 book sale!

I'm watching Ombak Rindu. It is so depressing so I google-d the ending. This is so not me.

I'm here to tell you about the most jaw-dropping sale you've ever heard in your entire life! Well, to a book lover like me, it is. *adjusts spectacles*

This is the only sale that could excite me! I've been waiting for this sale since the beginning of the year since I wasn't able to attend the sale last year. Last year's sale was held from the second day of PPCS until the last day of PPCS. I was thinking to go to the sale right after PPCS but those who attended the camp knew that the tiredness made you say no to almost everything.

Those who have seen my laptop's desktop know that I have a sticky note saying I'm targeting to go the the book sale this year. Yes, this is a determined girl saying she will go to a book sale. Oh, I forgot to tell you why this sale is awesome. Most of the novel is priced at RM8.00. I'm targeting to get a few books that I've always wanted. One of them is Darke by Angie Sage. It's the sixth book of the Septimus Heap series. Big fan!

I could go on forever talking about this sale but the reason I'm blogging this is to let the words out. So, save the date and get the books.

Ughh, why must this movie full of screams and tears? I mean, yea it's a good movie; nice plot and everything. Probably just not my cup of tea, aye.

Sweet scent.

Helped my sister baked chocolate chip cookies today.

This time, I was the sous chef and my sister was the chef. Okay now. If a chef is reading this post (which is very unlikely but it'd be cool if it really happens), the chef will probably say what is this girl messing around with the title chef. I know...I know. I have respect for chefs around the world. I think these people are one of a kind. Not to mention that it takes a lot to be a real chef and to me, at least, just being a sous chef is already an honor.

Anyway, it's just our custom when we bake. I'll say who's who before we start baking. Because usually, the sous chef needs to do all the washing after all is done, hehehe. You probably don't know this yet so yea I love baking. Cooking in general. I enjoy cooking some dishes but when it comes to baking, I just...I somehow think it's a relaxation time when I'm baking. It's therapeutic, you know.

I usually don't make cookies. I don't know why. Usually, I bake cupcakes, cakes or muffins. Maybe baking cookies is not my thing. It's nice to learn a new recipe this time. Let me tell you my experience when it comes to baking. Firstly, maths is involved. Usually, the recipes that I copy come from western countries. We know how the measurement system is different to convert Fahrenheit to degree Celsius, stick of butter to gram, ounces to gram, cup to gram. But thanks to a set of pink measuring cups that my other sister bought for me, converting measurement has become easier than ever! But I still need to do the maths before I start baking.

Next, it takes a lot of practices to get the right skill. So far, I've baked cakes quite a few numbers of times yet I'm still trying to figure out when to stop creaming the butter and sugar. I always view technical skill as an art and baking is also counted. It's an art; how you mix certain ingredients together and voila, a mixture of pure happiness! That's why I think those chefs around the globe are amazing. They're able to learn such delicate skills and art. There's science in baking, actually. Some chefs even think of scientific explanation when cooking. For example, mixing cannot be done overly because then the air that gets into the batter will affect the outcome. So...hats off, chefs!

When I was 9, I asked my mother can a chef owns a ph.D? That time I wanted to get a ph.D and become a chef. Now, that is dream is somewhere else, though. For the chef part only, the ph.D is still in consideration. Anyway, I do enjoy watching cooking show. I love watching Chuck's Day Off, Jamie Oliver's shows especially his 30-minute meal show, ummm...and a few other cooking shows. Speaking of 30-minute meal, Jamie Oliver is a genius! He could prepare a complete 4-course meal in the same time I could prepare a slice of sandwich for myself! I 'd really like to master the art of cutting using knife. I've always become so fascinated with their knife skills. And the terms used to describe different types of cutting; julienne, chiffonade and not to mention the varieties of dicing.

 Before I get too overwhelm writing about this, I better stop now. I bet you don't want to read about me writing how noodle-makers have such high skills to be able to master the fine art of making noodles. Lastly (I promise I'll stop after this, hihi), there's this master at Japan who makes soba noodles, daily by hands. The precision in making soba noodles is beautiful.

Yes, they have to cut the soba noodles thinly like that.

I learnt myself.

Psychology is very intriguing, I must say.

Today I accompanied my sister to a few places at KL. We bought some stuff. Food to be exact. Haha, that's what we usually do when we go out. Walk around looking at stuff yet ended up bringing lots of food on the way home. Every. Time. Or if that's not the case, we would ended up feeling bloated because of the overdose of glucose.

I personally could feel the difference of holiday this time. I usually think of my assignments when I'm at home but I rarely do them. I will always end up watching the television, what I like to do. I'll watch CSI, Law & Order and many many food shows. This holiday however, I've cut down the time I spent to watch TV and strangely, I do my assignments. I've been thinking about BM's assignment for two consecutive nights. Last night I started writing Chemistry lab report. And tonight is even stranger, I am planning to burn the midnight oil to finish up my assignments. You see, for the past few weeks, I go to bed at 11 p.m. Even if it's not at 11 p.m., I won't stay up until one in the morning. Except for that one night recording for history documentary. I'm quite surprised with myself. 

I've always been the person who counts her sleep before and after sleeping. I value sleep. Sleep is such an important aspect in my point of view. I always try to regulate and to have a fixed sleep schedule but ever since I came to PERMATA, it's not impossible but there are consequences. So, for the past few weeks I've been practicing to go to bed at the same time everynight. Quite a success except for today. What I'm about to do now might ruin my sleep schedule. I'm taking a big risk here! That's how I value sleep. To the point I read about REM sleep and stages of sleep and of course, about dreams.

While finishing my part in doing BM's assignment, I learnt one thing about me. I've become what I used to be years ago, a perfectionist. Years ago, I was a perfectionist. My work must be perfect and even after I've done it, I always feel something is not right somewhere. Sometimes it's bad to be a perfectionist. Being a perfectionist required me to know when to stop acting like one. Gotta know how to balance. I noticed a few months ago, I'm starting to be like that. There was a point, I almost write my Chemistry lab report for four times. Luckily Dayang made me see when to stop. Thanks, Dayang!

I also learnt a hard truth. I am one person who can't make decision. Even when sometimes I made a decision, I will feel extremely guilty and contemplating on other choices. That is why I need someone else beside me to tell me that "that is the one". A very simple example, when buying shoes. I would pick a few pairs that I like and I let my mother pick the one for me. I don't really mind what it looks like as long as it is comfortable. Just like today, I can't decide which article to go first for BM's assignment. That's where Hanisah comes in handy. She's my assistant for this group assignment and she lets me know what's the best. Out of many things that I let people decide, there's one ting I won't let anyone decide for me; my spouse. 

Well actually, a few weeks ago, we had some girls talk during Maghrib-Isya' gap. Surprisingly I came to a conclusion that I might leave my marriage thing in my mother's hand. I'll let her choose the one for me. Yep, I am that sick to that point! But when I think again, maybe no. I'll choose for this matter. Truthfully though, I'm really okay if my mother wants to arrange it all for me. I think I will somehow reach a point where I will be too overwhelmed in my studies and career until I've got no space to think about marriage.

Woops. Anyway. Ehem, how did we get here...?

If Mr. H read this post, he'd comment on the endless grammar mistakes I've made so far. I don't know, tenses confuse me. All the time, I'm always like, how can the tense be past tense if I'm talking about things that won't change but happened some time ago. It's always a 'pulling-hair' time when I'm learning about tenses.

Wait. Before I babble more about my life ('cause I'm thinking to talk about me and my endless hard times choosing an ambition), I better stop here. This post is getting long and I bet you who are reading is getting "what is this girl talking about?". I guess that's all for today. Remind me to write about Malala Yousafzai and Big Bad Wolf book sale.

'Till then, aim high! To infinity and beyond, as always.

Some words I found.

I have an anonymous follower. Hey there! You like my writing? I think it's a bit plain.

Here's an inspirational quote for today.

“I think that we are like stars. Something happens to burst us open; but when we burst open and think we are dying; we’re actually turning into a supernova. And then when we look at ourselves again, we see that we’re suddenly more beautiful than we ever were before.” ― C. JoyBell C.

 I've been completing my assignments today. Kakak arrive home today. Earlier, she asked me whether I want to go to Bukit Bintang. There's a sale there. A pack of five socks normally priced at RM29.90 is priced at RM5.00. And this is H&M we're talking about. Crazy, I know. But then, I had to hand in the articles for class magazine for BM assignment so I cancelled my plan to go out with my sister this evening. Hah, the cancellation of the plan better be worth it. We decided to go there tomorrow. We'll see.

In the morning, I did some Add Math questions. Now I know why some say Add Math is hard. Differentiation is difficult, I must say. Harder than function but that's a challenge. With practice everything should be fine. Well, it's actually not super hard. It's just that I do not know what formula to use for what type of question. Once I get the way of doing it, the rest will be fine. I've got problem with the beginning of how to solve it. I think that's the problem every student faces. Sometimes, I could see the trick in the question and miraculously somehow I know how to solve it but I don't know where to begin. Yep, that's Add Math. So, it's not hard at all. Right?

I discovered something very useful to me today. I've found the perfect shampoo that works for me. Okay, maybe not the perfect shampoo but the shampoo works its magic. Usually the shampoo I use will make my hair frizzy and 'puff up' after my hair has dried but this one, it made my hair nice. My hair behaved nicely today. I usually have to put olive oil when my hair has dried after using the shampoo but I don't need to do so this time. About the olive oil, it's just me and my likeness towards stuff like that. I find natural oil products good. It's just me. Continuing. I've always been experimenting with what product suits the best for my hair. Finally, after years of searching, I've found the one!

And here you are, reading me talking about hair.

I should be writing Chemistry lab report an hour ago but I was answering questions on ask fm. The questions were left unanswered weeks ago so I had to clear it before I finish the lab report. Then, I thought why not I write a post first (remember, managing this blog is also an assignment)? So, since everything is quite settled here, I shall do my lab report now.

Photo of the day #003

[via Benjamin Bergh]

Imagining disappointment.

Back at home and I couldn't be happier.

Today started off pretty good, I'd say. I woke up at 6.15.

Almost everyone was busy completing the history documentary. Students everywhere with their laptops and earphones in, editing, listening to audio. Some were begging the laptop to render the videos faster. For my group, Shaspreet had to render the video for 11 hours. That's almost 12 hours. Well, obviously but I think we've set a record. The moment the video was fully completed, we had a silent moment of joy slash almost crying moment. Aha.

I felt bad towards Miss Ing. She cancelled her holiday to teach us but things happened. I guess we were to noisy and eager to go for lunch. I could see her face reddened for she was holding her angst. Such a patient person, our teacher is. Even then, she was able to said a piece of advice to us. She told us to think positively in any situation. Even if the situation is as bad as it could get, there's always something positive behind it. We just have to seek further and open our minds.

Well.

To Miss Ing, if you're reading this. On behalf of 4K7, we would like to apologize from the deepest of our hearts for being what we were all these times. We're also deeply sorry when there were times we didn't pay full attention during class. Please accept our apology, Miss Ing. We love you to the moon and back! Heeee.

During the 10-11 gap (yep, I call the Friday break period as 10-11 gap), something happened. I considered myself blew up a little bit. I seriously don't know what to do anymore. The thing is, I'm not saying this to people who don't know and understand but I'm saying this matter t the people who know and understand. Who knows what's the importance of fostering good relationship with God in order to achieve success. Yep, to the people who know akhirat is the aim. But I guess, I've failed to convey that. Sometimes, I just think that we're selfish. We ask things from God yet we give Him so little. And we still being arrogant for what we have that He had gave yet, still make so little time for Him. Are we selfish?

Some even asked whether or not the 10-11 gap could be cancelled. That moment, my knees weaken and I sort of could feel my whole body was paralyzed for a split second. We (my exco peeps and I) have prepared a module for us (yes. All of us) so that we could understand this deen better. Imagine how disappointed we could've felt when we hear someone asking the 10-11 gap to be cancelled. That was how we felt. Humans. Imagine how God must have feel. I'd like to ask this again, what does it feels like to disappoint your God?

So.

My father picked me up at 2.30. I slept in the car. It was raining when we entered KL zone. Plus the slow traffic. Believe me, I always get 'car sick' when I'm going back. I also get stressed because of the traffic. KL and the traffic. It's a package. You couldn't say no to one without saying no to the other as well.

As usual, I straight away wash my clothes when I got home and searched for food. Eat while watching TV and only then, I will do other stuff. Yea, I think that is it for today. The rest of my day was just normal.

1: Sorry if my way is not correct. Please kindly say it to me if I've failed to behave like how the Prophet did.

Thursday.

Tomorrow is Friday, I'm going back! :)

Nothing worth of writing for today. Ouh, Yana is skyping with her family and was skyping with her brother. Hah, cute! I don't have a skype account and I don't think I want to make one. Probably not now.

I just noticed something weird. I have lots of work. I mean, assignments. We all do but I couldn't feel the burden, somehow. I don't know what this could possibly means. But I do feel bad for not really helping Shaspreet doing the history documentary. I'm sorry, Shas. I wish I could help more.

Arghh, I really don't have anything to write. You wouldn't want reading my post babbling about assignments and works. The thing is, that's the main priority in most of the students' minds here so.....yea.

Looking forward to tomorrow. I will meet Nana whom I haven't see for almost two months now. She's in a boarding school in Perak and I'm at Bangi. We don't have the same holiday schedule so yea, it's hard to see my sister.

Quran at Fajr by Nouman Ali Khan

A little talk by Nouman Ali Khan.

So, here's a little sharing from me for this morning. Take a few minutes to watch the video and I hope you gain something from it. But in case you don't have time to watch the video, let me point out a few things said by this brother in the video.

Basically, the video revolves around verse 78 of Surah al-Isra'. Translation of the verse:

Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. [Surah al-Isra': 78]

Allah has commanded Muslims to establish prayer, which means to pray, during maghrib until very late at night. Thus, we have to pray maghrib prayer and isya' prayer, on time. Then, it is also very much encouraged to wake up early in the morning and do tahajjud. It is mentioned in the verse above, "until the darkness of the night".

Okay, the next part gets interesting. Allah said, "Quran of dawn". Here, it means, recite the Quran at fajr. Allah didn't say establish subuh prayer but instead He said Quran of dawn. It basically means, the Quran has its own right to be recited ruing fajr, during subuh time. Yes, it is still compulsory to establish subuh prayer but set aside a little bit of time after your subuh prayer to recite the Quran.

I've been trying to implement this verse in my daily life and I've practiced it for quite a few numbers of times and I must say, it really brings a lot of differences in my daily life. I guarantee you, practicing this small act will bring changes that you've never expected. The most miraculous thing is you'll see the difference immediately. You'll feel different but I can't really say how it is. You have to experience it for yourself.

So, people.

I think we should try, at least, to do this everyday. Even if we can't make it, at least, Allah sees our effort. At the end of the day, Allah sees our effort, not the effect. May Allah makes us among those who practice His religion.

That's it, people. Have a nice day! :)

Photo of the day #002

[via daydreamlily via schorlemadchen]

Subhi - my morning.

No, not that hilarious YouTube dude, Subhi :P

So...it's Monday. We had assembly, as usual. And Dr. Melor always said wise things during assembly. I always get inspired when she talks. I don't know, she must have some magical words that once they get out of her mouth, get straight into me.

Nothing much happen this morning. Woke up, toilet, ironing uniform and getting ready. Oh, sorry Nukman for not replying your message. I did not notice your message. One thing about me in the morning, don't try to contact me when I was in the toilet because I usually don't check my phone when I'm done with my shower. Usually, I check my phone when I'm going down the stairs  for breakfast so yea, after this if I didn't reply anyone's message, it probably means I'm just getting ready for the day.

What else to write about...? I should do Mod Math assignment after this. So much assignments. Oh, a quick little something.

"What are words if you really don't mean them when you say them" -Chris Medina.

Be The Movement.

Charity walk for World Hunger Relief 2013 :)

This evening I accompanied my sister to Putrajaya for the charity walk. Such a serene feeling to be back at Putrajaya after so many months. I miss that place oh-so-dearly. The place that has taught me so much. It holds many memories.

The most interesting part for today is the St. John's Alumni Pipe Band (SJAPB). Upon the finishing line for the charity walk, there was a bagpipe and drum band playing songs for the walkers. I was sitting on the grass in front of Istana Kehakiman. Kakak started her walk and I don't want to stand waiting her to finish her 5KM walk so I sat. Then, I started hearing bagpipes sound and I thought they were going to play it for a few minutes. But then, somehow I got interested so I went to them and listened. They sounded really good. I was smiling all the way through their performance. Yes, I was smiling alone to the sound of them playing it and sometimes I chuckled 'cause they're just so good.

Oh, the 'skirt' as what we would call it, is actually called kilt. So, the Scottish don't wear skirt, people! They wear kilt. One thing that I noticed during the performance, the bagpipers had a way of tying their shoe laces. They took the shoe laces above their ankle and tied it at the front somewhere above the ankle. It was not like how we do it. It's different. Must be a scottish thing but I like how detailed they could be. In some of their photos (yes, I searched for their FB page because c'mon, a band that good deserves a 'good job' comment from the audience), they wore the scottish attire with songkok. They can play Malay songs with bagpipes. I could hear the song Lenggang Kangkung and this one song which I forgot the title.

Other than that, my day went normal. Woke up and pretty much that was it.

Nobelist Mindset Workshop 2.

Just finished LA class~

So, yesterday I was told that I got to be one of the participant for Nobelist Mindset Workshop 2. Yes, that actually means leaving classes for a week yet assignments still needed to be done and at the same time, must start revising topics for exams. Oh, not to mention the long due proposal for Jati Diri, kerohanian activities, personal development and some other stuff. Well, life of a student. Plus, in Islam, really life is a short stop before the eternal life. A senior of mine once said that it is during this life that we should be tired. Hmm, wise words.

So, about Nobelist Mindset Workshop. I'm in Prof. Noriah's class. Such an inspiring lady she is. Today in class, she showed us the one of the only 1000 copies in this world, of Charles Darwin's notes on Evolution. His handwriting was not very legible but still, it's very nice to see his notes. I don't really believe in his theory but getting to see his notes is just nice. You get that feeling of connectedness to the past, somehow.

Then, during the afternoon, we had to think of a research problems. Sounds easy, yes but not really. Hillary (a scientist from New York Academy of Science) told us that literally, no jokes, the minimum time spent for a scientist to do some searching before actually doing the research is two months. Some even do searching for 5 months. They spend all those months, every single day, reading other's works. Or we call it literature review. I'm not into pure science much, sorry to say but I'm more into social science. Thus, I chose psycholinguistics for my area of interest. Yes, I do find pure Biology very interesting until I sometimes float around thinking 'whoaa, that's just awesome' but to do a research based on Biology......., naaahh. I don't know why. I've tried to come up with something but it was just for vain. Nothing much change after that. So, social science it is.

This morning, Richard Roberts, a Nobel prize winner came to give a talk. He collaboratively with another guy did a research on 'gene splits' which has helped us to understand genes better. Alas, I wasn't able to attend his talk. I puked yesterday evening, had a fever last night and stomach ache. This morning I went to PK feeling a little bit better. By the time I came back from PK, the talk was almost over. It was held Bilik Seminar 2 and a source told me that only the front door was open. It would be very awkward if we just enter like that so we entered class at 11.30pm.

Alright, what else? Hmmm, let me see. Nothing interesting worthy of typing happen after that. It's just the same 'ol stuff, assignments and exams. I guess you have to bear with me 'cause I might write about the work that I have in every single blog post. Haha. I don't know what that means.

'Till then people, finish up your assignments and take care of your health! :)