Yippeeeee!

Yours truly is now officially a Beauty Writer for female magazine! Bring out the (non-alco) bubbly!

sloppy Beauty Writer kisses!

Another shout out!

...to my homegirl Shikin, for texting me this morning saying she read my 'sirih' post and that she's been following my blog since Day 1 - and all this while I had nooo idea. Yay to Shikin! :D

p/s: I believe it's the other way round - YOU made my gloomy Monday morning, darling.

sloppy kisses!

My mom on meeting a husband

So this morning I was watching American Idol auditions (for some strange reason they weren't showing the usual re-run of Friends..damn you starworld! You have messed with the order of my universe!) and my mom walks in and hands me a plate, with some sort of leafy thing on it.

"Eat this. Cepat sikit jodoh," she orders.

I grunt and roll my eyes. "What is that thing?" I mumble.

"Sirih. Just eat it, and baca doa cepat jodoh. Mama jumpa ustaz semalam. Dia tolong baca," she says irritably.

I take the plate gingerly and look at the sirih, like it's some sort of voodoo thing and it will jump at me and bite me.

"Minum ni," she hands me a cup.

"What in the world is that pulak?" I ask incredulously.

"Minum and baca doa cepat jodoh. Dengar cakap mama!"

I take the cup and peek inside it. It looks like normal, clear water. Phew.

"Ok bye ma," I say, signalling my mom to leave me so I can watch a girl in a pink top and cowboy hat warble her heart out in front of Simon, Paula and Randy. I place the plate on my lap and am still holding the cup.

"Doa `Aainaa, doa! Cepat jodoh!" she says again.

I swear, if I hear the word 'cepat jodoh' one more time...I think to myself.

"Yes ma, I'll do it in a bit!" I look at her, annoyed. Finally after we exchange stares for what seemed like an hour of my life I'll never get back, she leaves.

I slowly pick up the leafy thing and nibble around the edges. Ok, not so bad, I can do this. I take a bigger bite, and hit the middle part. It felt like I had just swollen a chunk (if it had chunks) of Minyak Cap Kapak. I grab at the cup and gulp down what was in it, rush to the kitchen to grab a handful of cereal and shove it in my mouth to drown out the taste. NASTY NASTY NASTY!

Moral of story: Good ol' fashion networking is a better way to meet men rather than chew on nasty-as sirih. And if you already have a boyfriend, bug his ass so he proposes. This method may prove to be far more effective and doesn't require you frantically ransacking your fridge for something to mask the Minyak Cap Kapak taste which will probably take you a lifetime to forget *shudder.

If all else fails, have some gum at hand. Strong gum.

This is a happy post # god knows, who's counting?

In stuffy, cant-breathe sinus-y times like these and when the world is in turmoil, I look to these little things that may seem so insignificant to some but give me that warm, fuzzy feeling :-

- Looking up at the stars on a breezy night.

- A shoulder to cry on when I'm sobbing away at a sad scene in a movie.

- My cat Dots kissing me when I say "Nak kiss!" to him.

- Secret Recipe's Caramel cheesecake. Had it for Datuknenek's anniversary and it was bananas.

- Aldo shoes at 70% off. I sleep, eat and shower in them.

- Watching Scrubs on DVD the whole of Saturday with The Boyfriend and generally being lazy bums.

- The latest addition to my cat family, tiny lil' Skater :) Found him by the side of the road, sitting all alone. He loves biting my fingers and I love him to death.

- Watching two episodes of Friends while eating cereal, before showering and heading off to work.

- Movie night at Maine's, with KFC.

- Grabbing tabloid magazines and pouring over them one by one in a corner of MPH or Times. Best guilty pleasure ever!

sloppy kisses,
`Aainaa

Let go

If you've been following my blog (If you haven't, go back a few months and read "Daddy dearest"), then you'll know that my biological father aka That Man divorced my mom when I was ten because of another woman. You'll also know that it's been years since I've heard from him and he's not exactly your typical, doting father. What I'm about to write is actually long overdue. I've been ignoring it for years, and it's crossed my mind from time to time, but I've always refused to acknowledge it. I've realised that it doesn't matter how successful/good/awesome you are..if you come from a dysfunctional family, it subconsciously affects how you handle your relationships, one way or the other. What I'm trying to say is, if your parents have had a bad relationship at one point, it's almost always bound to affect how you handle YOUR relationships.

See, my ex boyfriends would all agree with me when I say I'm a bit bossy (ok, maybe a lot bossy) as a girlfriend. I'm not the "Don't wear this, Don't say this" type of bossy, but I tend to 'test' my boyfriend every now and then. I overanalyse. I find myself being dramatic, while a part of me screams "What the hell are you doing??", I can get upset over the smallest things, like when a boyfriend doesn't think to buy Vicks for me when I can't breathe. This is the typical thought process:-

I have stuffy nose and can't breathe -> Boyfriend doesn't automatically think of buying Vicks even when he sees I have trouble breathing = me thinking he doesn't care that I am miserable with said stuffy nose, and ultimately doesn't give a rat's ass about my well being in general = eventually he'll turn into monster crap husband a few years down the road, just like That Man and one day decide to pack up and leave.

I have a very distinctive pattern with all my exes. I test them over and over again, to see how much they love me, how much they're willing to go through for me. And after I do all that, I'll repeat the whole vicious cycle. And all because of one reason - I've seen how my mom and That Man were together, her hanging onto his every word, playing the part of the perfect wife. He left her anyway. I know everything happens for a reason, but deep down, I am petrified. And because I'm so determined to not go down that same road, I've developed this subconscious need to analyse, nit-pick the littlest details and shy away from commitment. My relationships are never short of drama - without realising it, I'll do everything I can to fuck it up.

I've come to realise that my quest for the perfect man, everything That Man never was will always get in the way of me being completely happy in a relationship. There's no such thing as The Perfect Man. There's no such thing as a Super Boyfriend who will do NO wrong - boyfriends are humans, and they will mess up from time to time. And isn't that what unconditional love is all about? Loving one another no matter how imperfect they are? I'm trying my best to let go of my demons, and let down this invisible wall that's been up so long, so I can stop protecting myself from getting hurt, but instead know the one I'm with will not hurt me. I have to tell myself that just because I have an awful father, not all men will turn out to be like him. Most importantly, I'll have to let go of my insecurities and learn to trust that my heart is in good hands.

To Yasir, thank you for the Vicks, and I'm sorry I cried in the car on the way to work this morning just because you didn't think of buying it for me before. I am slowly but surely trying to improve myself because I would like to keep you in my life. Please be patient with me, I'll get there one day..

I love you sayang.

Apparently I'm "Wild Sexy".

You Are Wild Sexy

You are sexy because you are always up for a fun fling. You're sexually open and assertive. You know what you want, and you're going to get it. You are a very physically attractive person. You take care of your body. You are attracted to other gorgeous people - and you don't care if that's shallow. You don't have many sexual hang ups or issues. You simply enjoy sex. You are adventurous and open to new experiences. You experiment freely.

What's Sexy About Your Name?

Hmmmm

Your Dress Says You're Classically Stylish

Your Personal Style: Modern and simple. You like clothes to accentuate who you are, not overwhelm you. Your Ideal Wedding: A small ceremony at an old church with a beautiful flower garden Your Philosophy on Marriage: You can have a deep commitment without marriage. It's only a piece of paper. Your Perfect Marriage: Simply loving each other a little more every day

The Wedding Dress Test

Your Little Black Dress Says You're Cosmopolitan

You are elegant, classy, and sophisticated. You know how to turn heads when you enter a room... and then keep people interested with your witty banter. Your style is classic, tailored, and flawless. You don't fall for silly fashion trends. If you were a shoe, you would be: Classic black pumps

The Little Black Dress Test

UGH!

Why does my family treat me like I'm a high school kid?? I'm a 25-year-old working woman forgodsakes!!

Sigh.

Why do girls want the Bad Boys?

I've been pondering over what to write lately, every single time I'd log into my blog but then stare at the screen for about half an hour, before finally calling it quits and closing the window. I suppose I'm uninspired at the moment...I want to write about something, but what? So I've decided to try the trick of just writing the first thought that comes to mind, not exactly focusing on anything in particular.

Last weekend, I was at home because I was down with a terribly annoying sinus problem (something along the lines of not being able to breathe at all, or sounding like I'm snoring when I'm actually wide awake) with Yasir watching the Idiot Box. This old teenage movie was on - you know, one of those fluffy and predictable flicks where there's always a bitchy Miss Popular, a goodlooking jock who rules the school, a geek who's invisible but turns into a likeable Miss It and of course the ever important Prom Night, where Usher magically appears spinning on the decks...yada yada yada. This movie is titled Whatever It Takes (2000) and isn't a particularly memorable teenage flick, but I remember having watched it, god knows when exactly, or why. I have to say Shane West looks rather appealing in this, god bless his soul (this is before he turned into Boy-Of-My-Dreams in A Walk To Remember), albeit a little on the scrawny side, but he sure fixed that didn't he? Anyway, so in a nutshell, Ryan Woodman (aka Shane West) is trying to get to know Miss Thang Ashley (played by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe - who btw is also Miss-I'm-Evil-But-Very-Popular in a few other teenage movies, google it up if you're curious) and enlists the help of jock/jerk Chris Campbell (played by James Franco - not bad, but not my type). So Chris tells Ryan that if he wants to get Ashley's attention, he should treat her badly. This includes insulting her hair, breath, saying her butt looks fat in a particular pair of jeans.

Now, while all this may sound like complete garbage, Chris has a point. Of course, which girl would love hearing that her breath smells like rotten fish, but I remember at one point in my life, guys who kept me guessing drove me crazy. Everyone knows that girls tend to go for guys who treat them badly at SOME point in their life. Nobody wants the good guy, who calls you at a predictable time everyday, buys you chocolates, lays out a handkerchief so you wouldn't have to step on that puddle. At this warped stage in our lives, we want a guy who doesn't call when he says he will, sees you at a party but acts like you don't exist and talks to other girls, swears like a sailor, even flirts with other girls deliberately in front of you. These guys used to drive us CRAZY. We'd dissect their behaviour painstakingly bit by bit, daydream about the moment they'd pick up the phone and ACTUALLY call us, then dissect that phone conversation to see if he gave us any signs that he was remotely interested in us. We dream of taming them into good (well, sort of) boyfriends, settling down and having their babies.

Almost every girl I know has somehow obsessed over a guy who treated them like shit.

All I can say is, boy AM I GLAD that phase of my life is over. O-V-E-R. To hell with mind games, a man to me is someone who knows what he wants and goes for it. He'll show that he's interested, and treat you with respect because he knows that a woman like you deserves nothing but respect. He'll bring you out, and he will love spending time with you, and compliment you on how beautiful you look. He'll plan romantic surprises for you because he knows you're worth all that trouble, and when the time is right, he'll whisper in your ear that he loves you and he feels like the luckiest man in the world to be with you. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what separates the men from the boys.

Sadly, as we speak, there are millions of girls tossing and turning at night, obsessing over that one jerk who doesn't even make the initiative to call when he says he will, because he's not even thinking about the girl in the first place. I guess I was once one of them - and I'll never understand why I even got myself into those situations! I suppose every girl used to want the 'bad boys', for some strange, unexplainable reason. To these girls, I hope you'll see the light very, very soon. It's just not worth it. Boy, am I glad I can now step back and laugh at how stupid it all was.

I suppose it's not so bad after all, being a 25-year-old with some wisdom, eh?

Firdie

Posts about makeup and fashion bore some people, so I won't stick to only writing about that. I find that delving into the thoughts, emotions and personal life (no matter how hilariously petty) of some people seem to be much more satisfying than going through a couple of beauty or fashion posts. So I'll make it a personal mission of mine to write something worth reading at least once a week, hopefully.

Last Sunday morning, Yasir's phone beeped and we received a message from my friend saying "Firdie passed away last night in a car accident. Al-Fatihah". I was shocked. I thought it was a sick, sick joke. I didn't know Firdie that well, but we've hung out on a couple of occassions (he was a friend of my close friend, Dina - she called him Firdie, while some called him IQ) and I had seen him just two weeks before at a friend's wedding. So I called Shamaine for an explanation and she told me he was on the way home in the wee hours of the morning and was sitting in the passenger seat. He wasn't even driving - his uncle was at the wheel when the left side of their car slammed into a lorry. Both his uncle and aunt escaped with minor injuries...he broke his neck and died on the way to the hospital. It was a very, very tragic death.

That whole Sunday, I felt this weird air around me...I was affected by Firdie's death, haunted by it even. It stayed with me every second of the day, even the day after..till now. I remember telling him that because of him, Yasir and I met each other. It was his 24th birthday, during February this year, when I went to Palacio to celebrate with Dina and his other close girlfriends. That's when I met Yasir. And I jokingly used to tell Firdie if it weren't for him, Yasir and I would never have met. I'd still like to think it's true. I didn't know him really well, but he always had this soft spot in my heart for being our 'cupid'.

Firdie was the sort of guy you didn't have to be close to to know he had a good heart. He always had a cheeky smile on his face, and was friendly and easygoing. He just got along with everybody. His close friends knew him as someone who was a fiercely loyal friend and dependable. You didn't have to worry about him sticking up for you when you needed him to - this was someone who had your back before you even asked for his help.

Because he was such a good friend, it wasn't a surprise that he had A LOT of friends. I suppose people don't know how to deal with their grief - they find comfort in writing on his facebook wall, putting down what they wish Firdie would have known before he passed away. His wall is now filled with comments on how he'll be missed, how he was a gem of a friend. I've realised now that life should not to be taken forgranted and you should always appreciate even the littlest of things. I just wish Firdie and I could have hung out more, and that he knew that I'll forever see him as my Cupid.

Rest in peace, Firdie. Al-Fatihah.

If you heart Ashley Olsen's eye makeup like I do...

...then check out Chanel's eye liner - Le Crayon Yeux in Brun-Cuirve from their Spring Makeup 2009 line, Bohemian Fantasy (inspired by gypsy dresses), which will be out in January 2009. This eyeliner is a bronzy, sexy option from your usual black - as Rachel Zoe would say, "I dieeeeee". I'm wearing it to the office now as we speak, and am yet to try it with bronze, gold eyeshadow, which I will play around with, very soon. Be sure to check out Vendetta from this same line - it's a vampy and rich dark purple nail polish which looks gorgeous with anything. Wear it with your biggest, flashiest rings. Love, love, love!

sloppy kisses,
`Aainaa

Polyvore is more fun than Poly pocket

Behold my Polyvore creations! There's something so satisfying about putting together pieces I know I can either never find here or ever afford. Sad, but this will do in the meantime. Be sure to scroll!

Find me on Polyvore


p/s: They're not terribly creative, but I was in a hurry because The Boyfriend was downstairs waiting in the car. Sorry sayang!

This is a happy post #5

...at least I think it's number 5? I haven't done this in a while, so it's about time. Also because I'm still in the office at 8pm because I'm waiting for The Boyfriend to pick me up, and he's in a late discussion for the billionth time. God, I'm so hungry. Anyway, these make me happy just thinking about them even when I'm stuck in my office and craving fattening food:

- Mamee, because I have been snacking on them ever since I can remember. If someone who works in Mamee (although I doubt you can actually work IN Mamee) reads this post, do send me free packets, you will change my life.

- Watching people walking their dogs. I once saw a man walk his cat, best moment of my life! You wait, I'll train my cat to walk with a leash one day!

- Free stuff at events. C'mon, who does not love these?

- My datuk asking me why I have to go to work every morning when I salam him, as if I have a choice. It's very cute and he makes me laugh.

- Bridal magazines. I once went through five magazines in one sitting.

- Souvenir shops at the end of a tour. I always get excited and feel the strong urge to buy something just for the sake of it, even if it's a dorky looking pen I would never put on my office table.

- Elaborate looking table decorations. Fav - the girly-looking tea parties in the garden, with pink roses as a centerpiece, pink napkins, candles, petals, pretty china, colourful cupcakes and cake, women in flowery dresses, perfectly coiffed hair, pearls.

- This vintage wedding I once read about in a magazine. The bride wore a simple, antique lace dress, her husband in a vintage-looking tux, bridesmaids in vintage flowery dresses and the boys in shirts and Raybans. Very shabby chic - everything was beautifully done, the epitome of simple and sweet. Ugh, wish I brought the mag back with me! :(

- My zebra print desktop wallpaper. At least now I don't have to stare at the boring blue screen which just makes me THAT more excited to be at work.

- When The Boyfriend finally finishes his discussion and tells me he's on the way. Ughhhh

sloppy kissies xxx
`Aainaa

Crap.

It costs almost 9k to go to New York from here.

New York, New York

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it - new york, new york
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - new york, new york

I wanna wake up in a city, that doesn't sleep
And find Im king of the hill - top of the heap

These little town blues, are melting away
Ill make a brand new start of it - in old new york
If I can make it there, Ill make it anywhere
Its up to you - new york, new york

New york, new york
I want to wake up in a city, that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one top of the list, king of the hill
A number one

These little town blues, are melting away
Im gonna make a brand new start of it - in old new york
And if I can make it there, Im gonna make it anywhere

It's up to you - new york new york

A wedding portait

I loved this story so much, I retyped it again just for you guys to read - it's taken from a bridal magazine, told from a groom's side. For maximum tear-jerker effect, go HERE wait till it's fully loaded and you've got the perfect background music to this article. Enjoy :)

Like many betrothed couples, my fiancee, Rachel and I got completely wrapped up in the wedding-planning process during our nine-month engagement. We debated everything, and there were moments when we were convinced the napkin colour would make or break the whole celebration. The choice we struggled with most was where to hold the event. We are not the greatest decision makers – it took us eight months to choose a china pattern – but we were both sure of one thing : We wanted to have an outdoor wedding in a quaint New England setting. Another big decision – choosing who would officiate- was such a no-brainer that I took its importance forgranted. You see, my father is a rabbi. Growing up, weddings and funerals were to me what childbirth was to a Huxtable; just another day at the office. As with any parent’s profession, it comes with its own drawbacks and perks. However, not being able to snooze during a sermon was a small price to pay for having a father who could perform my wedding ceremony. Friends expressed envy over my parental lottery, but I hardly gave the notion a second thought. Who has time for sentiment when there are chicken dishes to ponder?

The morning of my big day, tensions soared due to early rain showers and tardy hairdressers. As the wedding party lined up for the processional, all of our worries and excitement came to a crescendo. But when Rachel and I arrived to face my father under the huppa, all of our stresses disappeared. Just like that, I was transported to the backseat of my family’s ’78 Chevy with no worries about how we would reach our destination – Dad was at the wheel, cool as a cucumber, tossing me knowing glances. As my father welcomed everyone, the sun shone and he instantly transformed an event on a synagogue patio into an intimate outdoor New England wedding.

He intertwined traditional wedding blessings with personal stories of how I was always “the life of the party”, even at an early age; he captured Rachel’s essence when describing her ability to bring a smile to the face of even the crankiest of her younger cousins. He fought back tears recounting how Rachel and I had met at camp twelve years earlier, and then he lost the fight as he passed on my grandmother’s wish for a happy life together. Here was the man who has run alongside me, holding onto the banana seat, as I learned to ride my first bicycle. And just as he has then, he let go and sent me off with the encouragement and love that only a parent can. The literal translation of the Hebrew word rabbi is “teacher.” My father has always been my teacher, and that day his lesson was clear: Weddings are about love and family. When those elements are present, everything else just falls into place.

Hang on...

Alright, this post is regarding my last post about double standards in relationships. And before any of you think Yasir put me up to this, he didn't..it's 100% from me. I am aware that some of you may read the post and think I'm venting my frustrations about my boyfriend. Well, I wasn't. I know a lot of people with psycho jealous boyfriends and Yasir doesn't belong in that category. He's so cool he doesn't need to take a chill pill in my book. So before rumours start spreading around like wildfire, I thought it's only fair to him that I clarify things - and for future reference there will be some posts in my blog that are general and not refering to my personal life. They're simply issues I want to address (whether seriously or for fun). Hope I've set the record straight! :)

`Aainaa

You can but I cannot meh?

Boys and girls, today I'd like to talk about double standards in relationships. This phenomena may be happening to you right now, at this very instant, right this second as you twirl that strand of hair between your fingers and stare at this blog with a "Huh?" look on your face. Sure I may sound like I'm being dramatic, and maybe I am. But have you ever stopped to wonder if you're a victim of DSIYR?

- Is it okay for your boyfriend to go out with his female colleagues for lunch, but when you go out with your male workmates, your boyfriend thinks they're taking you out to eat because they're hatching an evil plan to get into your pants?

- Do you let your boyfriend exchange casual sexual banter with other girls because you know it's for fun and you trust him, but when you do the same thing your boyfriend gets into a hissy fit (yes, guys can throw bitch fits - they just get all quiet and their jaw starts twitching) and he thinks your male friend just wants to get into your pants?

- Do you check out other girls with your boyfriend (i.e You go "Check out the funbags on that chick!" while you're hanging out at Coffee Bean and your boyfriend agrees), but when you point out a cute guy he gets into a hissy fit (again) and he thinks YOU want to get into EyeCandy boy's pants?

- Does he think any male that even talks to you just wants to get into your pants?

If you have said yes to any of the above, then you are, indeed, a victim. Ladies, check him the next time he decides to go all crazy on you. Men, if you're reading this, please acknowledge how cool your girlfriend is and take a chill pill.

And they say we women are unreasonable. Tsk.

Standing up for my sisters,
`Aainaa

Beauty Beauty Beauty

Just for fun, here are random beauty tips I've learned after only a month of working in the land of beauty:

Rubbing strawberries on your pearly whites help whiten them. But be sure to brush afterwards, unless you think cavities are a good look.

Wind is actually bad for your hair - strands of hair rubbing together will cause cuticle damage, so if you're in a windy place, tie your hair up. Just make sure you use soft ties, because rubberbands can break hair.

Don't rub your hair vigorously with a towel after washing your hair, this causes the dreaded frizz.

Dab some creamy concealer on your eyelids before putting on eyeshadow. The colour will pop, and it lasts longer.

If your eyeliner pencil is crumbling, store it in the freezer for 15 minutes and voila - it's good to go!

Alright, that's about it for now. Hope these tips made your day more beautiful! Have a beautiful day everyone! I'm going to go watch Beauty and The Beast!


Blowing you beautiful kisses,
`Aainaa

Hari Raya

I've been a very bad girl.

I know I pinkie swore in my previous blog that I would tell you about my new job, but between the flurry of writing about how not to clump your lashes with mascara (primer is good people!) and frantically grouping christmas makeup gift baskets into colour code for our christmas section, I have abandoned this blog and am sad to see cobwebs building up around it. If only I had internet access at home, then I would update it every weekend, but now I'm only able to write when I've actually got time to take a breather. There's a part of me that just feels like writing and writing and expressing myself, but then there's another part of me...that just wants to sleep after work, if I'm not buying something or looking at shoes.

So, Hari Raya has come...and err..not really gone because openhouses are only just starting, yay! As I'm typing this, I'm actually wearing my kebaya top with jeans because the big boss of this company is having an openhouse after work. I know some people find it annoying how people wear kebaya with jeans in an attempt to make it look modern, but I think mine actually looks pretty alright. No, seriously. Anyway, Raya has been good so far, but I'm still recuperating from all that rendang and lemang. By the fourth day, I couldn't even lay my eyes on any Malay food - I was screaming for good 'ol Italian pizza (screaming at The Boyfriend to order Domino's, in particular). And you know what the best thing is? I still get duit raya. My friends are amazed by this, but I'm happy because I've got really generous relatives. Just as long as I don't have any obvious grey hairs or deep crow's feet, I think I can still be a receiver of money for a few years to come. My sister is 27 forgodsakes and she still gets duit raya! So if any of my relatives are reading this and you were so kind enough to donate to the `Aainaa Charity for Petrol Money, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I was having a conversation with my sister (or maybe I should call it very brief chit chat while we were getting ready in front of the mirror because we don't really have 'conversations' per se - and it's usually one-sided) about how Hari Raya isn't that exciting anymore when you're an adult UNLESS: a) You just got married so you're ecstatic to be celebrating Raya as husband and wife, or b) You just gave birth to your first baby. I don't mean 'just' as in a few minutes before raya, I meant the baby has to be at least a few months old, obviously. You wouldn't want to spend raya in the hospital with leaking, sore boobs, no sirree.

Another thought that ran through my mind (I use the term 'ran' loosely, maybe it was more of 'flew') was when the heck am I supposed to start giving duit raya. I mean, I'm working - does that mean I automatically have to shove my money in other kids' hands? I know I should start sometime soon, but aren't there boxes you need to be able to tick, or requirements you need to meet in order to be eligible to give out money like candy? I know, I know, generosity comes from the heart...you either give or you don't if you're a stingy son-of-a-bitch. I unfortunately fall in between being a giver and a tight arse. I WISH I had money to give. Insya-Allah, by the next time Raya rolls around I'll be giving out those ang pows.

I'd have to say that the best part about this Hari Raya is that everyone is home and we're all together - this includes my weird cousin Kak Sheena, who is back from Germany. I haven't seen her for yonks, so it feels good that all the crazy cousins/sisters are back together. Plus I got to spend my first raya with Yasir, who had a shit Raya morning when I was throwing one of my diva tantrums but then forgave me when I felt embarassed and wished him Maaf Zahir dan Batin (convenient, eh?)

Time for pics!




Selamat Hari Raya, everyone.

sloppy lemang ketupat raya kisses,
`Aainaa