tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54907225949787740762024-02-21T00:50:00.867+08:00Put On Your Sunday Clothes(it's a whole new world out there!)Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-9493370105570861962013-09-22T00:11:00.001+08:002013-09-22T00:11:41.293+08:00Autumn Start<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:400px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/autumn_start/set?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=98142376' target='_blank'><img force='1' border='0' height='374' title='Autumn Start' src='http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/qyWe1zllXTvx7upwgPWsQ/cid/98142376/id/Ai4pgNgi4xGcUf3NFIJoxg/size/c400x374.jpg' alt='Autumn Start' width='400'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/autumn_start/set?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=98142376' target='_blank'>Autumn Start</a> by <a href='http://ninaali.polyvore.com/?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger' target='_blank'>ninaali</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/quilted_heart_shaped_purse/shop?query=quilted+heart+shaped+purse' target='_blank'>quilted heart shaped purse</a></small></div><div style='width:400px;margin:0 auto'><small><div style='padding-top:16px'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=88319579' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/88319579.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=88319579' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>McQ by Alexander McQueen black peplum jacket</a><br/>alexandermcqueen.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=90406074' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/90406074.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=90406074' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Temperley London print maxi skirt</a><br/>$1,840 - harrods.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=90162766' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/90162766.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=90162766' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Lipsy ankle booties</a><br/>$130 - lipsy.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=92235538' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/92235538.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=92235538' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Betsey Johnson quilted heart shaped purse</a><br/>betseyjohnson.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></small></div></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-32173200319928862232013-07-10T13:03:00.001+08:002013-07-10T13:03:25.656+08:00BIRTHDAY CAKES<br />
I have MUCH to update, but I DON'T have MUCH TIME.<br />
<br />
we had a small aqiqah do (for my lil bub) with 2 birthday parties inserted. hehehe... so much for cost saving!<br />
<br />
so here are 2 photos of my sons' yummy and beautiful birthday cakes.<br />
<br />
two siblings with totally different interest at this time. :)<br />
<br />
anyway, i ordered these cakes from a friend of mine. her blog is <a href="http://www.lovesdesserts.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqgn9aRAGrW6nhlkHaQ3P5Uuj9IhPk4Z4d5A76-D_O-kcM3lrqYtsoYL8NFTnVdCEbDMpRhfCJoF0nLbH7LFbohQqQe5t17h9-FzvQ-3z_ByNNp8bYb_UuNHyCoX1v_h0YQ9dzu-yuek/s400/blogger-image--999473802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WE COULDN'T EAT WALLACE AND GROMIT FACES</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxZ3AtEMh45jg95uu_X10HHgW83fhBwKN-Y6rD7VO-Sij4EvvQ17cexi5wB8Ou_uYD72RTp-u_yZnWotKNnGPs5aSCL19SXdS36I_qZkpAer9KCdz7wdNH4SSdXZuLHflYDucqUovZsQ/s1600/blogger-image--1877633059.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IRON MAN CRAZE IS INEVITABLE</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-73102228163481773712013-05-23T14:22:00.003+08:002013-05-23T14:22:58.802+08:00COLOURS OF SPRING 2013!Inspired by the seasonal colours at the moment, which are pastel hues with an edge.<br />
<br />
1.<b> BLUEBELL</b> - of course, the colour is derived from this flower. :) <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="516" id="irc_mi" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHiMp7kj0xT4pUIL8GN8J6wJRQUzSDu1V_iLYT9lUYm1b0gPuo" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="524" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebell Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
2. <b>MINT (or Grayed Jade </b>for some<b>)</b> - there are a few permutations of mint from the tech realm.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRonknSAdJrJRh2c_vFIWzRnBo_k7jzegqoKzYCFvqFx5FVEYeOJQ" data-sz="f" name="GmT9uTGioiN1XM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRonknSAdJrJRh2c_vFIWzRnBo_k7jzegqoKzYCFvqFx5FVEYeOJQ" style="height: 187px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; width: 212px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's Mint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="500" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCLkr88ya4azldv5g3QSh-XYIe17a8SkOWIsXgEX6nJJFkK1uz3zfraDy2v4ubMZSZfbZrwVN73zKDBV9klWxP29Y5MnS5YQJQi4eojxvjdUPBz9T2zB6tIFWEG1d4zY13jju_BUqHpiS/s640/1023171.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 8px;" width="398" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beatific!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
and course the ORIGINAL MINT.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="516" id="irc_mi" src="http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/molka/molka1208/molka120800185/15034627-fresh-mint-leaves-on-white-isolated-background.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="516" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's Clean Our Teeth NOW!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
3. <b>CORAL</b> - mind you, it is not the usual assortment of corals from sea that pops in your head, guys, it is the reddish hue with not quite orange.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAXyOdSTa36i5YBqLJxUGM_MMB_g8G7taxD32vkVsXHVYLIINe" data-sz="f" name="ZXzw4p7t7-3lnM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAXyOdSTa36i5YBqLJxUGM_MMB_g8G7taxD32vkVsXHVYLIINe" style="height: 176px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; width: 235px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrong Picture... haha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="5rray2xUdmsnTM:" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="height: 162px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; width: 162px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actual colour</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="516" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-U3UzRfv58rrMO3W3iHbpzN_uDbse6jzOegIwRrGIYvQgh-x8Jt5ms-iLmS8kGbYmLcd6xMNRqcGyA4f4lQZSUSMAT-D7v-yuEnI-ulUKI7de8moLWgMZm12LopKzcz0Yiu8iNIhoPIQ/s1600/CORAL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="571" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of coral inspired stuff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
4. <b>DUSTY BLUE</b> - I am loving this colour most at the moment, as I personally think it looks fresh compared to the others.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="186" id="irc_mi" src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZeYXVGEKB4FGlLTnao1YNLaQjHY2M9ZgKJ3N6bkDrfVrWCnga" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looks like pale blue, aight?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<img class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQER9iUMKxDgk4at0qQdjoWFLbOKCchsDGNOyN6a-LksVQiZ50e" data-sz="f" name="P4SsrxCj1vlUcM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQER9iUMKxDgk4at0qQdjoWFLbOKCchsDGNOyN6a-LksVQiZ50e" style="height: 181px; margin-left: -10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 116px;" /><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="HOeHdWGZuUhCQM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6u9mdE6iLaUoUJk1JpdFpuiMeWf_Y5qozG3jD219Ol0iY7SMK" style="height: 172px; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 214px;" /><img height="200" id="irc_mi" src="http://cdnc.lystit.com/photos/2012/05/22/dooney-bourke-dusty-blue-florentine-side-pocket-hobo-product-1-3572641-523579250_large_flex.jpeg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="165" /><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="Ceg7rmmVr9_1DM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXNP2V30i5H1KmPoOtE5vCI3IYyqu6p1NZR_cSo3vpTp5WsGlRmw" style="height: 177px; margin-left: -4px; margin-top: 0px; width: 137px;" /><img height="200" id="irc_mi" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTp1sCI_HcmmHNrTaegaVi3Feq1MkVe8JHrKdd1tLUV6VE4_tVB4Q" style="margin-top: 108px;" width="200" /><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="Trf4fpPZMeYV9M:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTNMManA8SY_CejdHRREI5nckCjsF8Opsb8L9JEIUGaIFhOWHYBkQ" style="height: 195px; margin-left: -7px; margin-top: 0px; width: 195px;" /><br />
<br />
5. <b>LINEN </b>- seriously, it is called Linen as in the fabric Linen, but to me it looks like a muted grey. I'm sure there will a colour called Cotton soon.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="75ZRJ6JlJBo5zM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQI0GCvggrET1QA7-O4qi1XvRKx5LbNtLdLTjNtr0MkN_Hcc-ZsBg" style="height: 207px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; width: 152px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flirty Linen Spring dress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="FUem-YodbE9U7M:" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT8hwrupAJP5rmu1dAg16DzighsNV2bYINew_XemMtzczsXa_cFeA" style="height: 169px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; width: 254px;" /><img height="159" id="irc_mi" src="http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Grey-Linen-Suit.jpg" style="margin-top: 41px;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice safe colour for all, especially for my hero, MR BOND</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-90755764127910808922013-05-22T15:45:00.000+08:002013-05-22T15:45:03.398+08:00Blog T.L.C.I haven't given this blog any TLC of late.<br />
<br />
There are a thousand and one reasons why I have not been active in updating but as usual, I shall not delve into it.<br />
<br />
I have been writing elsewhere though.<br />
<br />
I think you should be happy to know that I am now working on a short story.<br />
<br />
(From the rate I am going, it will not be a short story anymore... I am never known to be writing anything so short... this entry is a case in point).<br />
<br />
Anyway, if you want me to write still, please leave a comment or two to state your preference.<br />
<br />
Should I write more on<br />
a) gibberish stuff on everything and anything?<br />
b) fashion related post?<br />
c) musings a.k.a. thoughts and opinions on a particular subject?<br />
<br />
Well, on the chance that someone will comment, that will certainly make my day. :)<br />
<br />
Happy a great day everyone.... wherever you are.<br />
<br />
<br />Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-67739132729399365542012-09-04T11:07:00.000+08:002012-09-04T11:07:12.564+08:00Assalamualaikum!<br />
<br />
I know I have been away for quite a while now.<br />
<br />
Yes, I delivered a beautiful bouncing baby boy on 5 June 2012. Alhamdulillah!<br />
<br />
And thus, I decided I needed the hiatus. Well, both baby N and me wanted to get to know one another. :)<br />
<br />
But I am back now!<br />
<br />
Will write more later.<br />
<br />
I miss writing nonsense! Hehehe... <br />
<br />
<img height="300" id="il_fi" src="http://lovejaney.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/chloe-paraty.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="300" />Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-35015708294997641212012-05-16T18:40:00.000+08:002012-05-16T18:40:11.613+08:00Worry Scurry<div style="text-align: justify;">
i am worried.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
usually, when i worry, it will manifest into absurd, impulsive and usually what-was-i-thinking purchases.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i am a woman who does terrible things to herself. what is that word again?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
self-destructive tendencies. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
those are 3 words by the way.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
anyway, i am in my 37th week of pregnancy. i will be this Friday 18 May 2012. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
to those who are never pregnant, or will never be pregnant (that is, you are male of the species), 40 weeks is the maturity date of a pregnancy. but a woman could give birth anytime between the 37th and 40th week. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
if you are wondering why is it 40 weeks since we human beings are supposed to be pregnant for 9 months, the 4 additional weeks are called 'artificial weeks' whereby we start counting from the first day of a mother-to-be's period or rather, the start of her last period before she gets pregnant.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
if you are still perturbed by this, go and Google about it in the internet. there is a wealth of information in the realm for you absorb and share. it is just a matter of what interests you, really.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
back from the short intermission. <u>i am actually worried because...</u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1. i am in my 37th week and that means i could deliver my baby anytime...</b> and i've yet to pack my bags and make the cot nice and the drawer ready to be filled with baby clothes. i should be able to this readily as i have had 2 kids prior to this, but with the gap being 5 years since my last pregnancy, i am still trying to navigate through what could be said a trying pregnancy in terms of trials and tribulations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
or perhaps, that is just an excuse. i am just too darn tired to do all these by myself. i want the support, the encouragement, the enthusiasm because i feel that my spouse is not providing those three enough, for me to do it wholeheartedly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
but despite that, should not i be wholeheartedly enthusiastic, encouraged and supported by my own self will?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
must i wait for someone to be my rock before i could rock on?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
yes, that bugs me a lot. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>2. well, this was already discussed in Reason #1. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
my hubby. my spouse. my other half.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
he does make the effort to accompany me once or twice to see the gynae ever since i was pregnant.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
he did say that he procured the cement drain cover for the baby. (i wondered if that was honey talk because i was sulking at the time).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
he has not bought any items for the new babe, other than the... drain covers. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
he was supposed to look for drawers last weekend but ended up buying a new bed frame for the guest room. what was that about? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
anyways, that is reason enough for me to be worried.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>3. then there is my medical condition.</b> i have what you call GBS. you could Google that too, because i am not going to elaborate about it here.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
it gnawed me for a long time. the more i read about it, the more i get jittery.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
my gynae recommended that i go through normal delivery with penicillin administered in my system intravenously. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>insyaAllah</i>, my baby will be alright. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i pray for that everyday. somehow i wonder if i have prayed enough.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>4. i wonder if my 2 elder kids will be alright</b>. i am sure they will be adapt to the change, but changes take time and my kids who are attached to me, will need to be able to understand that my time will be mostly with the new sibling who needs me more.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
actually, i am not that worried. i believe they will be fine. they are loving and supportive kids. and we have each other. :)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
=========================================================================</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
yes, the list is only 4. but i feel that it's a lot.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
for my silent readers out there, thanks for listening.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
more importantly, pray for my baby and me. <i>insyaAllah.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
to end, i found this poem and would like to share it with you here :</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img height="264" id="il_fi" src="http://www.jennysembroidery.com/JENNYSDESIGNS/Baby%20poems/Baby%20poem%205x7.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="345" /></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-56731017316598402742012-05-07T20:46:00.001+08:002012-05-07T20:46:30.482+08:00Spring in New York<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:400px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/spring_in_new_york/set?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48518387'><img force='1' border='0' height='400' title='Spring in New York' src='http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/cid/48518387/id/7eZBbHWDQ1CKRjiO2ey98Q/size/e.jpg' alt='Spring in New York' width='400'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/spring_in_new_york/set?.embedder=2269537&amp;.svc=blogger&amp;id=48518387'>Spring in New York</a> by <a href='http://ninaali.polyvore.com/?.embedder=2269537&amp;.svc=blogger'>ninaali</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/long_red_skirt/shop?query=long+red+skirt'>long red skirt</a></small></div><div style='width:400px;margin:0 auto'><small><div style='padding-top:16px'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53324870' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/53324870.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53324870' rel='nofollow'>AllSaints sequin tee</a><br/>$250 - allsaints.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=51458099' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/51458099.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=51458099' rel='nofollow'>Topshop boyfriend jacket</a><br/>$70 - topshop.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53653709' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/53653709.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53653709' rel='nofollow'>Enza Costa long red skirt</a><br/>€259 - jades24.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=55633222' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/55633222.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=55633222' rel='nofollow'>Madison Harding platform shoes</a><br/>$277 - amazon.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=50352316' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/50352316.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=50352316' rel='nofollow'>Stella McCartney neon handbag</a><br/>£1,075 - net-a-porter.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53464464' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/53464464.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=53464464' rel='nofollow'>Neon jewelry</a><br/>$4.50 - delias.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=54925917' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/54925917.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=54925917' rel='nofollow'>Cartier 18k rose gold jewelry</a><br/>$21,999 - jomashop.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=24433916' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/24433916.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=24433916' rel='nofollow'>Tarina Tarantino flower jewelry</a><br/>$38 - tarinatarantino.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48004905' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/48004905.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48004905' rel='nofollow'>Elie Saab chiffon shawl</a><br/>$206 - boutique1.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></small></div></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-38701383943500825872012-05-02T16:55:00.001+08:002012-05-02T16:58:59.069+08:00POSTO!<div style="text-align: justify;">
been awhile since my last update.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i have no excuse except for the fact that i am in my 35th week of pregnancy. (hoping that answers a lot of queries over the lack of updates, rather than sounding like an excuse).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
what have i been up to?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
shopping online. hehehe... which is to my dismay is very easy nowadays with the advent of PC, Wifi and some extra dosh of late.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i have been buying some necessities (my own interpretation) and some luxuries (again, it's my own distinct interpretation of the word). i blamed my own subconscious for this as i was actually trying (in vain) to forget some stuff by hoarding other physical stuff.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
one of the coveted items finally arrived last weekend but i was too sick and tired to enjoy the handbag. i wish i could muster the enthusiasm to use the bag, but i don't feel up to it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
which is so not me.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
maybe another purchase could cure me. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
or should i just accept it and face my issues head on?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
anyway, the picture below somehow prompted this post. i wonder if could call it my muse. *wink*</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
i am not much of shoes fan, but this pair is just too lovely to pass over.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
by the way the image is from <a href="http://www.ysl.co.uk/en_GB/">http://www.ysl.co.uk/en_GB/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<img alt="" class="visual" height="335" src="http://media.ysl.com/images/ams/031f24dcdb4f3a26d43c6781ef193d803117d998-SPLASH_980x513_SS12_US.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<br />
and another thing.<br />
<br />
the funny bit about shopping online is that i even skipped opening my blogger account. i haven't found any appealing posts in my reading list for awhile, and decided that it did not require my attention any longer.<br />
<br />
and today, with heavy rain and heavy eyelids being my biggest current headaches, i decided it's time for a post.Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-65494842284144069722012-03-14T11:56:00.002+08:002012-03-14T20:43:26.000+08:00the unexplained<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">at times i wonder what is it that triggerred the human psychosis to feel that sensation of missing someone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i am sure there are a number of researches which have been done to unearth the mysterious ways in which a human mind works.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i remember missing my other half when he went away overseas for work and the mere sniff of his worn t-shirt made me bawl like a baby.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">there are other times, when certain random, mundane events made us go back to the times that has passed and we long for it once more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">we human beings are hardwired to be sentimental - even if some would say they are not tied to the hogwash of yesteryears - because face it, we have many men and women striving to get back to their youth or their youthful days when all things are carefree and (relatively) easy. they either try very hard to maintain their looks by exercising and eating healthily and then, taking the even extreme steps to consume or indulge in endeavours involving chemical assistance or knife intervention to look young.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">not to mention the middle age or mid life crisis. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">when men buy the fastest cars that money can buy, or that top of the line gadget just to stay hip. i shall not go into that part on chasing younger women, because to be fair, there is a growing trend of older women dating much younger men. and we do not need to go abroad to find such examples.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so i shan't spare the women. but we rather like to indulge in a more beautifying aspect of feeling young such as those oh-satisfying and sensory stimulating slimming and spa treatments. anything that makes us feel good, in turn makes us feel young.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so i do not believe anyone who say they are not sentimental at all. believe me, even if it does not manifest in their outward behaviour, it will surely be inherent in the things they hoard or accumulate. it will be in the way they dress or the company they keep. the sentimentalism will definitely appear in a myriad of colourful ways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">but here i am digressing again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i am actually wondering about the scientific reasons for missing someone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"here i go about in my daily routine, telling myself that by not contacting him anymore, i will be better... and i was... except then, all of a sudden, without notice, when i was just going about doing something totally routine, the pangs came. i feel these painful spasms in my heart... literally. well it felt that way. it felt debilitating."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"my grandma's sister in law, which means, she's my grand aunt, was so heart broken, grieving badly and missing her other half who passed away recently, later was struck by stroke within days after the funeral - the similar ailment that caused her husband to pass on. she loves him too much and the thought of going through life without him just made her feel... totally numb."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so how do we explain all these?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i went on a bit of a research on the net. type "missing someone scientific explanation" on the <b>Google</b> page and press enter.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Voila!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">a few thousand hits. i haven't really found the reasons yet in this one but this particular site below is a good groundbreaking find.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/special/ten-mysteries-of-you">http://www.newscientist.com/special/ten-mysteries-of-you</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(not exactly answering the questions, but it delves into the other things or aspects in life which you often wonder and yet there are still no definite answers to them)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i also found this.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.science20.com/variety_tap/science_behind_heartbreak_progress">http://www.science20.com/variety_tap/science_behind_heartbreak_progress</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #494949; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;">When a person feels secluded or feels loss, changes in the brain's blood flow occur. The anterior cingulate cortex (responsible for regulating physical pain distress) becomes more active during these times. This is seen in victims of </span><a href="http://www.science20.com/search/node/depression" style="background-color: white; color: #3d4a89; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">depression</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #494949; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"> who also register physical pain due to the detection of nociception, which triggers a variety of responses, one which results in the experience of pain. People who are depressed or who are under extreme stress are more at risk to develop heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases based on research that found depression to help in thickening artery walls . </span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #494949; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px; text-align: left;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">while it does not actually answer the question about why we miss someone, it does elaborate about the feeling of loss, which is akin to that 'missing feeling'.<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #494949; font-family: "Lucida Grande", Lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">but i think the most relevant to my burning query could be found here:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-brain-chemicals-involved-when-I-miss-someone-Im-in-love-with">http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-brain-chemicals-involved-when-I-miss-someone-Im-in-love-with</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">In short, depending on the length of your relationship, you either miss the things you did with your partner because of testosterone/estrogen, serotonin, and dopamine or your addiction has evolved beyond the activities and also includes targeted feelings for that specific individual (and possibly feelings related to share responsibilities) in which case you have nerve growth factor, and possibly norepinephrine and oxytocin to blame.</span></i></div><i></i><br />
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></i></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">This is, I suppose, a somewhat important distinction. You may feel like you love a person now, but if the relationship hasn’t lasted longer than at least a year, then you were probably did not love them so much as you loved being with them. In which case, “jumping back on the horse” really can make you feel better. If you did love them, then you will probably just have to “suffer through the pain” for a couple of years while your HGF levels go down.</span></span></i></div></span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">don't you think these sound totally hokey and farfetched?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">made me wish i did not ask for an answer in the first place. teeheehee...<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, default; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">to end this hopefully dissecting discursive on missing someone, here is a short poem or saying on the subject:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>"As contratries are known by contraries, so is the delight of presence best known by the torments of absence." - Alcibiades</i></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-88153533823197170032012-02-21T17:21:00.001+08:002012-02-29T10:27:09.520+08:00Maxi-mus<div style="text-align: justify;">the last time i've written anything, either in this sphere or 750words.com was in January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i admit that although i have the time to write, i do not have the inclination (<i>read: plain lazy</i>) to craft anything remotely creative.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so before February turns to March, i vow to post something in either here or the other place i use to jot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">as i am not in the mood to write wordy stuff (<i>hence avoiding 750words</i>), here are some pictures that make me go <i>aaawwwww </i>because the creration is just purely breathtaking and whimsically feminine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">whimsically feminine? is there such a phrase.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">never mind. i shall not dwell on the triviality of such thing and let us gawk at Alberta Ferretti's and Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti's latest Spring-Summer 2012.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://kentonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Alberta-Ferretti-spring-2012.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AF's latest strutting on the catwalk</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://redcfa.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Philosophy-di-Alberta-Ferretti-Spring-2012.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Philosophy Di AF dresses which are equally feminine and chic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Alberta Ferretti " src="http://cache.net-a-porter.com/images/products/182494/182494_in_l.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is my favourite</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Alberta Ferretti " src="http://cache.net-a-porter.com/images/products/182494/182494_ou_l.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">even lovelier on this thin model :P</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">lovely things aren't they? they just make me swoon....</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">nevertheless i find it weird that bags do not have the same effect on me at the moment. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">maybe because i am expecting. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(photo credits are from : <a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">http://www.net-a-porter.com</a> and <a href="http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2011/09/16/philosophy-di-alberta-ferretti-spring-2012/" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/2011/09/16/philosophy-di-alberta-ferretti-spring-2012/</a> and <a href="http://kentonmagazine.com/recap-milan-fashion-week-spring-2012/" style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">http://kentonmagazine.com/recap-milan-fashion-week-spring-2012/</a>)</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-15966921099776555472012-01-31T14:05:00.000+08:002012-01-31T14:05:52.276+08:00Fictional Love<div style="text-align: justify;">there should be a statute that every written word must be supported by some fathomable feasible and rational evidence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">but then again, if i were to agree to such a statute, there goes my favourite genre at the bookstore - FICTION.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">yes, my love of fictions has been a old kind of love. the enduring kind, because i grew up making stories using a regular school exercise book, with imaginary characters, drawn of course with my own two artsy hands. (yes i consider it artsy because it was rather 'pretty' and 'handsome' at the time - to my eyes, that is)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i grew up with fictions. i have to admit i was into the guy meets girl scene. guy does not know he loves her until much later. girl is too proud to admit that she likes guy as well, because they are friends. or perhaps, the more dramatic one would be, girl and guy were betrothed. yes this would be a historical romance. guy is a pain in the you-know-where because he is older and cynical about the world. guy doesn't mind the betrothal because he thinks he can continue his life as before when he gets married. but then he doesn't plan to fall in love with the girl, whose innocence and optimism win him over. things like that...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i suppose one could easily take a guess on what type of fiction i am into. (i can't write 'was into' at the moment, because i have to confess that i do love to read them still). yes i am in love with romantic fictions, be it the modern day romances or the historical ones. although, i assure you that i am not a romantic fool. that's relative as well!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i am not sure what types of books which have shaped me growing up, but i have read all of my mother's beloved Judith McNaught collection. there were also the occasional Mills and Boons which i would 'borrow' from her - trashy novels when you were a teenager seemed unfailingly rebellious. truth be told, i do not get much of what was written then! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i also love reading thrillers and crime novels. i have loads of Stephen King and Dean Koontz books. i also read all three Hannibal Lecter series (Thomas Harris). then, there was a phase when i would read a lot of Alex Cross' novels by James Patterson (even before the novels were made into movies). i do not remember reading much while i was studying overseas. except for that one time when i was raring to collect all of the Green Miles series - Stephen King released the book by chapters then, most probably for gimmick reason. i supposed in the United Kingdom, i was either busy watching telly or reading the course books were already too much. not that i read most of my accounting books. i remember i started reading more vigorously again after coming back from the U.K. although the genre would be more varied and focusing on family, relationship and life in general, rather than the airy fairy world of romance. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i love Wally Lamb's I Know This Much Is True. it struck a chord or two within me because it was essentially a story about twins. i also love Audrey Niffennegger's Time Traveller's Wife. and then, there was Cecilia Ahern period (but all her books after P.S. I Love You were not as comparable). also the Sophia Kinsella's bug. i did read some of Tony Parson's books but none of them were memorable. there was also one of those one-hit-wonders, like Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) and Prep (Curtis Sittenfeld). and then i got curious about the best-selling self-exploratory book called Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) that i had to read it. it was not that bad - was not great either, but it did provoke some thoughts. some are welcomed and some are not. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">although we are discontent about our lives, but we are so used with its regularity and familiarity that we rather leave it as it is - however unhappy we really are. i wonder at times whether that is keeping me from trying out something new which is the unknown. it is not so much of the ambiguity and probability of failure, it is more about not wanting to leave my comfort zone. the next question is how long would i last?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">the last great book which i read is called 'One Day' (David Nicholls) which was about a year and a half ago. i love the premise of an enduring friendship between a man and a woman. i love that they could talk about everything except how they felt about each other. i love that friends turned to lovers. maybe i am reaching out for something that is lacking in my own relationship. nonetheless, it is good to be lost in the whole fictional relationship for awhile. consume the unattainable but pleasing to the senses and leave graciously and willingly when it is time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">hence, the reason why i love fictions. it could not be as factual as real life. it does not need to. it lets you escape for a while into a world that is different from your own. to learn about things which are familiar and yet foreign. and perhaps to learn about yourself as well. if you let it to.</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-47310531164629104962012-01-27T11:12:00.001+08:002012-01-27T11:18:56.099+08:00750<div style="text-align: justify;">I was introduced by a friend to <a href="http://750words.com/">750words.com</a> about two weeks ago and have never looked back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">it is a neat little site to discipline prospective writers to write a little bit of something or in other words, to unload anything which needs to be unload, which ideally should take place early in the morning, in order for writers to be able to write <i>better</i> (that's highly relative, actually) for the rest of the day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">one thing i like about 750 (as i like to call it), is that it's purely personal and private. it is not meant to be shared with others. it is just your own thinking space. the place which you could unload and would not feel judged by the your lack of writing repertoire. write away! it seems to taunt you, because you would need to write until you reach the 750 words mark.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">yep, that's why it is called 750words. a personal journal to jot 750 words or roughly about 3 pages of thoughts and ideas. mind you, when i first started, it took me a while to finish the 750 words, because hey, i was not used to be able to write freely. until today i am still self-conscious of what i write in this sphere. there are faceless readers out there, and i don't know who they are, but they still read and judge me from what i have written and/or share.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">at 750, i just write what i want to write, share my pains and sufferings. unload all the nasty business which is milling about in my brain. it doesn't actually solve my problems, but it does help me get there. eventually. written words promote clarity of thought. clarity of thought results in clearer path of understanding on actions required.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">perhaps, one day when i feel confident enough, i will copy-paste something from 750 to my blogspot. did i tell you that it also runs a competition to see who could write for a whole long month? yes, 30 long days, inclusive of weekends, emergencies and holidays. you just have to muddle through all the inconveniences in your life and write away so that you get the coveted title of 'writer of the month' or something to that effect ( i forgot what it is called at the moment ). also, 750 gives 1 point for finishing the 750 words mark and 2 points for more than 750. you could also get 2 extra points when you write without getting distracted, which means that you do not leave the site for whatever breaks or distractions, for more than 3 whole minutes. (so i cheated by staying on the site and doodled - and deleted afterwards - even if i do not know what to write). it is just a fun way to see how far writers would do to be more disciplined and determined.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">but as of now, i am enjoying the freedom and glee that 750 seems to provide. i am yet able to write in consecutive days, but i am persevering to do so in the upcoming month. and February has shorter days anyways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">it just takes sheer discipline. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">actually buckets and loads of it.</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-32617132858581628602012-01-19T16:29:00.001+08:002012-01-19T16:29:12.973+08:00missing him look<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='position:relative;width:400px;height:400px;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/missing_him_look/set?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=42460489'><img force='1' border='0' height='400' title='missing him look' src='http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/cid/42460489/id/oFiIorQjQfm0CRKWGIrj_w/size/e.jpg' alt='missing him look' width='400'/></a></div><br/><div><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/missing_him_look/set?.embedder=2269537&amp;.svc=blogger&amp;id=42460489'>missing him look</a> by <a href='http://ninaali.polyvore.com/?.embedder=2269537&amp;.svc=blogger'>ninaali</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cable_hat/shop?query=cable+hat'>cable hat</a></small></div><small><div style='padding-top:16px'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48604803' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/48604803.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48604803' rel='nofollow'>Cardigan</a><br/>¥5,480 - jshoppers.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=49110334' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/49110334.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=49110334' rel='nofollow'>Monsoon skirt</a><br/>£38 - monsoon.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=41396144' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/41396144.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=41396144' rel='nofollow'>Gucci zipper boots</a><br/>£810 - profilebrighton.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=44105440' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/44105440.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=44105440' rel='nofollow'>Yves saint laurent handbag</a><br/>$1,358 - forzieri.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=37470193' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/37470193.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=37470193' rel='nofollow'>Antica Murrina flat earrings</a><br/>$60 - forzieri.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=47681407' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/47681407.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=47681407' rel='nofollow'>TopShop cable hat</a><br/>$32 - topshop.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48409244' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/48409244.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=48409244' rel='nofollow'>Ray-Ban ray ban shades</a><br/>mrporter.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=43445931' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/43445931.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=43445931' rel='nofollow'>Antiques on Old Plank Road - Stunning Original Paint Antique French 4...</a><br/>antiquesonoldplankroad.1stdibs.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=47715564' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/47715564.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=2269537&.svc=blogger&id=47715564' rel='nofollow'>Harper'S Bazaar Fashion: Your Guide To Personal Style</a><br/>£11 - austique.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></small></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-86772561626537336972012-01-12T12:41:00.000+08:002012-01-12T12:41:42.163+08:00twenty-twelve<div style="text-align: justify;">it has been about a month since my last post. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i had some drafts in between, but i was too downtrodden to finish them. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i would like to say i was just too tired, but to tell you the truth, i don't feel like writing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">some say the pained, the heartbroken, or just those who are generally facing a bad time in their lives, would write better. it is something akin to release. writing is a release of all their pent up emotions, and these are translated into a poetry, or a sad love song or a best-selling collection of wizard boy adventures.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">for me, i don't think i'd write when i'm feeling down. i would just look at the paper/ screen and wonder what is it that would make me feel so good about writing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">nevertheless, writing is also a purification of soul. crying cleanses you, but writing purifies you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so anyways, i wouldn't write anything more, other than yes, i have been busy since the last time i have written. the things which i was up to and going through in no particular order whatsoever.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. went to Singapore from the 16 to 18 December weekened for a short holiday. my boys' first holiday during the long school break. we were there for me to watch the musical <a href="http://wickedthemusicalcom.sg/">Wicked</a> (which is still playing at the Marina Bay Sands Grand theatre until this February 2012), and for the boys to swim in the big swimming pool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. my parents finally moved out their house in Kota Damansara - our house - which we have been staying since 2002. thats like 10 years. i got married there. two of my other sisters and my brother also got married there. i called it the 'transition house'. the house in which all of the married sisters and brother stayed in, for that short while, before we moved on to our own houses (save for one sister whose husband already have a pad in Ampang at the time of their marriage). it's the house where my first son grew up before moving to our own just before my second son was born. the transition house of all sorts. where we learned to adjust to be a good wife/ husband/mother/father. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">hubby helped a lot with the moving. he even fell twice during cleaning up the house. he was mopping and carrying a bucket of water when he fell once. i was shocked by the loud thud. concerned and alarmed that he might he seriously hurt. actually, it is during these kind of events, that you know how much you care for someone. until he does something stupid like being inconsiderate or insensitive. hohum. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. my twin sister came back from Dubai for about 2 weeks of break. although we didnt get to hang out much due to family commitments, but it's good to know that she was back in our Malaysian soil. i did call for a family pot luck dinner on second day of 2012, but she couldnt make it in the end as her daughter contracted chicken pox. as i am expecting, i dont think it's wise for her to bring her daughter to the dinner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. our birthday fell on 21st December - we didnt get to spend it together, regardless, due to scheduling conflict, but we hung out a few days later. hubby said my birthday gift was the Singapore and Wicked trip. oh yes, there was a belated birthday treat on the following Sunday. or was it Monday 26th? we went to Ben's Pavilion KL.... again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. my 9th year wedding anniversary. i got a card and nothing else, but i know he was saving for the change of maid. so i was kinda okay with it (took me awhile to unpout). i treated him to dinner this time around at a local hotel. suffice to say, we need to go out on our own more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. my second son started kindergarten. oh my baby has grown up! *sob* i had (well, am still having) some problem letting go. seeing how good he was at the kindy without me. i did accompany him for the first 2 days of school, in which he was so clingy to me that i was afraid he would not be able to be independent. although, he's the more independent one as compared to my first son, he doesnt want to participate much when i was with him. but he fared much better when his father took him for the 3rd and 4th day. he started taking the transportation on the 5th day and my heart wrenched thinking how a little boy like him could go on to and fro without someone to accompany him. then i realsied that my first son had undergone the same thing. although, the duration was slightly longer, with the maid accompanying him for about two weeks!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. the agent for Indonesian maids whom i have been in contact for about a month passed away suddenly the day i was supposed to meet her to pass my deposit. what bad luck! it was more eerrie than surreal. apparently it was due to natural causes. i am now without an agent (there is one potential but she charges high). and my current problematic maid's contract/ visa will expire this upcoming Chinese New Year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. a dinner with friends on Christmas night. it made me laugh. i realised i am happiest when i get to converse without any prejudice. these are mostly the people whom i am comfortable with. and ironically, they are my hubby's friends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">9. an expected wedding of a pseudo friend. yes, i am not sure that i am even a friend to this person. i know it's coming but it's still a shock. there are things i want to say, but i guess the truth or reality will unveil itself in its own time. well, as Elphaba has famously sung "i hope you're happy now that you're choosing this..." :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. i am now almost 20 weeks pregnant, <i>insyaAllah. </i>halfway there little one. i cant wait to meet you. i hope i'm ready for your cries and hunger. and i hope we have patience for one another. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">that's the gist of what had happened during the past month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i do hope i will write more often. it's just a matter of willpower. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">after all, one of my favourite authors, <b>Stephen King</b>, has written :</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others : READ a lot and WRITE a lot.... reading is the creative center of a writer's life... you cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you."</span></i></div><div><br />
</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-27440745681965617832011-12-14T15:25:00.000+08:002011-12-14T15:25:23.808+08:00Channelling my Chanel<div style="text-align: justify;">to date i have 66 posts in this blog. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i think that is quite an achievement given that i havent written much over the past year. and when i did write, they are mostly gibberish and done out of the fervent need to whine and rant.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">but then again, the main purpose of a blog is to do just that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">anyways, i have promised myself that i would have 70 posts before the year ends and thus, for today i think i have a 'lil treat for you. well, it was a treat for me to be able to find this article on the net, because it was indeed an eye-opener. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i found this article on the <a href="http://www.purseblog.com/"><b>www.purseblog.com</b></a>, which is one of the leading designer handbag blogs. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i blame my friend for taking me to Chanel earlier this week, to prompt me on this obsession to find the name of a certain bag design. (going into Chanel itself again is a definite no, because i am not in the mood to act as if i'm buying :P)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">so without further ado, please have a look at the pictures which i found on the post called "<a href="http://www.purseblog.com/chanel-bags/how-a-chanel-bag-is-made.html#more-35577">How A Chanel Bag Is Made</a>" for your viewing pleasure.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(you can hop to the link itself to read more, but do gawk at the pictures here first.... :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">apparently some of the comments made on the post were that the fact the bag was machine made (with manmade stitching does come to play on some elements of the bag making), or that the price does not befit the machine made bag, did cause some women (and men) to pause on whether they should even get the bag, but frankly, i would still want to own one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">one day. in the upcoming future. when i earn like RM20k a month. :P</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(please don't add 'and pigs may fly', because the Anne of Green Gables in me, still does 'believe')</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">okay - before i rant and rave again - below are some of the pictures <i>'borrowed'</i> from <b>The Purseblog</b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(pssstttt.... they are not in order of process, because they are also jumbled up in the original post)</span></i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqTD5uoAqJN3K1L260zCfgKRGlT6LHoA49GSO4pkbqyzQGEtXWIOpQIOUaRJ2VkXp1WOANR0jUWPJX4-OU6EWtpV6iIrYvDd-Ek8-4FLQjTZ1jsc2Jbzow1XTME1g3yRElnrMueyx_cM/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-3-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqTD5uoAqJN3K1L260zCfgKRGlT6LHoA49GSO4pkbqyzQGEtXWIOpQIOUaRJ2VkXp1WOANR0jUWPJX4-OU6EWtpV6iIrYvDd-Ek8-4FLQjTZ1jsc2Jbzow1XTME1g3yRElnrMueyx_cM/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-3-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEePghC3XFvKC3ywF6fVbwO_v5Cswl9rfLUsukwpg21E8X_GIaD7JA-T-pRZsUIgOIblL57PSFGGbxxwvdctGGsUDoZ_GaFtnEVNAQwbdAC3xiSJBvFx_f1WtQyANL9DIi_PyuYuSDq8g/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-2-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEePghC3XFvKC3ywF6fVbwO_v5Cswl9rfLUsukwpg21E8X_GIaD7JA-T-pRZsUIgOIblL57PSFGGbxxwvdctGGsUDoZ_GaFtnEVNAQwbdAC3xiSJBvFx_f1WtQyANL9DIi_PyuYuSDq8g/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-2-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZ_XoMofXTWD0lPdsBb21_cnfmdKzlZ0JgzjDCYs03dJFrAC5fJNXugTzDuIbK3p_xnL7tMTGlRKgl2Ltkb60NGlq5Xci8PVYF2KCTuF8GhrPku6AZ4Aa_uT-u4qdGKwU2MJREUPRVxk/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-8-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYZ_XoMofXTWD0lPdsBb21_cnfmdKzlZ0JgzjDCYs03dJFrAC5fJNXugTzDuIbK3p_xnL7tMTGlRKgl2Ltkb60NGlq5Xci8PVYF2KCTuF8GhrPku6AZ4Aa_uT-u4qdGKwU2MJREUPRVxk/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-8-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK74LbZGNDZoXlYycEbq-KdCcQRCSUHZ3o5-GEXj6ZhDSiDbBabKhEdhcK4P8q2oeQFlXJpQH8clcTklz8SjgbYmxmFHwv5tKRhwrQ_dyvQTPTQ76R3GlF388frySZO_8LVOAGzHfIH-s/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-7-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK74LbZGNDZoXlYycEbq-KdCcQRCSUHZ3o5-GEXj6ZhDSiDbBabKhEdhcK4P8q2oeQFlXJpQH8clcTklz8SjgbYmxmFHwv5tKRhwrQ_dyvQTPTQ76R3GlF388frySZO_8LVOAGzHfIH-s/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-7-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyd_ksJcVXQxEVDMrAZsuUsqEDMCe1nN3LjeEk_2I2xl_ioMPfEfBUPTG445e1Aro4Thf_TIxZy5d4Yxl_EpaqQk9GhTzMcFZXqj8WJUNDTFDDqkw9BtNDfkUHNlENcN7xmXJPLaVimN8/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-6-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyd_ksJcVXQxEVDMrAZsuUsqEDMCe1nN3LjeEk_2I2xl_ioMPfEfBUPTG445e1Aro4Thf_TIxZy5d4Yxl_EpaqQk9GhTzMcFZXqj8WJUNDTFDDqkw9BtNDfkUHNlENcN7xmXJPLaVimN8/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-6-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0A142ToT1WU_ZyoCYTVAbW2NMLooxwdQejcEt9Myr5Ptea7aBcAUaFOMMtbQKlWA48du5nR0-009ddEjROEXQMEI5_ryqD7lmdrZvihQTUiKdD0j6Aa16AsHMmElgV8SIEawK5XNWPc/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-5-444x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0A142ToT1WU_ZyoCYTVAbW2NMLooxwdQejcEt9Myr5Ptea7aBcAUaFOMMtbQKlWA48du5nR0-009ddEjROEXQMEI5_ryqD7lmdrZvihQTUiKdD0j6Aa16AsHMmElgV8SIEawK5XNWPc/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-5-444x667.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBatflSZzaC2Uhc3DNP8hLlQ7giXfag9oxrJH17nPwl0yHBde3a4lgWfJYeylH5HvhwVINJI1XVm2VMjTTDmpHtzQGG-ZvIPCuTLfRVKZ0bGYZs4x8Ru2DouqBNC-YZ0vLrf33ByuhK8/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-10-474x667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBatflSZzaC2Uhc3DNP8hLlQ7giXfag9oxrJH17nPwl0yHBde3a4lgWfJYeylH5HvhwVINJI1XVm2VMjTTDmpHtzQGG-ZvIPCuTLfRVKZ0bGYZs4x8Ru2DouqBNC-YZ0vLrf33ByuhK8/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-10-474x667.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX2nRLeT0YvyGF5IdVLV94UikZblVe54L8_DnmoNVZg8bA8_3Ohw3cqUaA35YI1mzuFKKrFqcd2vyNtzruywf7PkWdNY2QFkAW96XVI5Tu8MxMS2H09a1LKxftYjW8CcyxiED-shox50/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-1-600x399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX2nRLeT0YvyGF5IdVLV94UikZblVe54L8_DnmoNVZg8bA8_3Ohw3cqUaA35YI1mzuFKKrFqcd2vyNtzruywf7PkWdNY2QFkAW96XVI5Tu8MxMS2H09a1LKxftYjW8CcyxiED-shox50/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-1-600x399.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFM4ebtyC9wvAK860VBmyp16QKI5cCWBHTNeoIL9N5XTIuZ0zlDd4RK-eeqTmTptv12tE_kNAkmEI5_Ljs9tcJMJ7Yq32pkozrNx3u-Uv0QAALvlXHnerukTIF-33YgDFXUxYGX14-dY/s1600/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-13-600x399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFM4ebtyC9wvAK860VBmyp16QKI5cCWBHTNeoIL9N5XTIuZ0zlDd4RK-eeqTmTptv12tE_kNAkmEI5_Ljs9tcJMJ7Yq32pkozrNx3u-Uv0QAALvlXHnerukTIF-33YgDFXUxYGX14-dY/s320/Chanel-Handbag-Creation-13-600x399.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-30365122413295928172011-12-09T15:51:00.001+08:002011-12-14T14:51:16.169+08:00for the heart<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: 14pt;">Why Aren’t My Prayers Being Answered?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><img height="240" src="http://abunuha.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/doa.jpg" width="320" /></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 6.65in;" valign="top" width="638"><div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Question</span></strong><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">: Why aren’t my prayers being answered? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Answer</span></strong><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">: May Allah reward you for asking such an honest question, and may He guide us towards the truth.<em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Ameen.</span></em><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I think what happens in this type of situation is that we mix up<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><strong><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">our means</span></strong><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><strong><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">our ends</span></strong><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">. When we make<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for a good husband, for example, is that strong marriage a means or an end? I think many people take it as an end, which explains much of the disillusionment and </span><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">disappointment that often follows (ironically in both cases: whether we get it or we don’t). Like everything in this<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">dunya</span></em>, marriage is only a means – a means to reach Allah. So if we pray for it and we don’t get it, perhaps Allah has chosen another means for us – perhaps through hardship, the purification it may cause and the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">sabr</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>it builds, to bring us to that end: Allah. It may be, as only Allah knows best, that had He given us that amazing husband we made<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for, it would have made us heedless and therefore not achieve our end at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Instead of seeing it like this, however, I think the problem is we are seeing things as just the opposite. The<span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">dunya</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(that great job, certain type of spouse, having a child, school, career, etc) is our end and *Allah* is the means that we use to get there. We use that means, through making <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em>, to achieve our end (whatever it is that we’re making <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>for), and then get disappointed when our means (Allah) didn’t come through for us. We throw our hands up in the air and say our <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>are not being answered. Our means just isn’t coming through for us!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">But, Allah isn’t a means. He is the end. The ultimate objective of even <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>itself is to build our connection to Allah. Through <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>we become closer to Him. So, I think the problem is that our focus is wrong. That’s why I love the <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">istikhara</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>so much. It’s just perfect because it acknowledges that Allah only knows best, and then asks for Him to bring what is best and take away what is not best. The focus of that <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>is not that which you are asking for. The focus is what is best in this life and next. This is not to say that we cannot make <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>for things specifically that we want. On the contrary. Allah loves for us to ask of Him. But it means that once we ask, do our part to the utmost, and put our trust in Allah, we are pleased with what Allah chooses for us. And we realize that Allah answers all <em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">du`a’</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></i></span>- but not always in the form we expect. And that is simply because our knowledge is limited, and His is unlimited. In His infinite knowledge He may send us what He knows to be better for us in achieving the ultimate end: the pleasure of Allah (swt).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Wa Allahu `alam</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="color: #282828; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(and Allah knows best).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.yasminmogahed.com/2010/05/11/why-arent-my-prayers-adeyah-being-answered/">http://www.yasminmogahed.com/2010/05/11/why-arent-my-prayers-adeyah-being-answered/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">On a side note (something I learn):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Du’a is something that we always make but I think many of us fail to see the light and purpose in it. I remember a scholar once shared during his khutbah about du’a. Many muslims he observes make du’a as if it is not a big deal… it is seem as part of a ritual after salat; in a sense that the du’a is the same after another, they are usually rushed and the recitation of the du’a is on automatic mode (dah hafal doa-doa yg afdal). He also observed they usually have blank expression and even yawning compared to those who make dua with hard or soft expressions like teary face, weeping, closed eyes + frowning, bowing while hands raised high above the head…. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">But, as muslims he said we cannot judge other people because we cannot tell what lies in the heart, only Allah knows that. So the scholar advised that we should make du’a when THERE is a NEED for it for Allah will judge and favor on those who really NEED His favors. ONLY WE on own OURSELF can tell whether our du’a is empty or not. While it is good to include recitation of du’a from the Quran, examples from beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w and his companions (amalan doa yg afdhal)… he advise that we should also include into our du’a by words expressed of our ownself. Only thru this, our du’a is meaningful coz we find the NEED for it and it will not be as empty nor on automatic mode. Especially for muslims whose Arabic language is hard on the tongue. Du’a is free from rituals of physical order (tak ikut tertib macam dlm solat) and it is free of language. Du’a can be made anytime, anywhere and any way you like. E.g. in the heart, after prayer, conversation, in congregation/majils, e.t.c <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Du’a is an engagement session with our Creator so it is best to make du’a all the time for ALLAH loves those who always praise and remember Him. Allah is our personal counsel, confidante and saviour – that is why muslims put their ultimate trust in Allah and never give up hope in His mercy. Lastly remember Allah is our final end. So let us make meaningful du’a everytime we make one and hopefully Allah will forgive us lovingly, shows His bountiful mercy on all of us as we journey to our final destination in His straight path, ameen.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #1f497d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-small;"><i>PS: this is from something that arrived in my mailbox.</i></span></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-86195854925182244062011-12-07T11:20:00.000+08:002011-12-07T11:20:15.964+08:00Muzak<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">From the dictionary.reference.com, the definition for </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">Muzak <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">(ˈmjuːzæk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">- <b><i>n</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">trademark </i>recorded light music played in shops, restaurants, factories, etc, to entertain, increase sales or production, etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">so i suppose the piece of music, or rather <i>muzak, </i>which i am about to share here does exactly that - which is entertain and perhaps, on some deeper level (stretching a bit here), it does make you want to get up and do MORE.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">like seriously.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">not necessarily by boosting your productivity, but by boosting your energy by getting you out of your funk.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">well, it's a start, <i>kan</i>?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">thus, i hope you will enjoy this piece of muzak, as much as i do (although i think i'd get tired of it soon). it doesnt require any soulful interpretation or make you weep - although i must warn you that the vid is a tad dodgy, bordering on soft p*rn <i>*wink*</i>- it just makes you want to get up and do the jiggy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">jiggy? i'm OLD.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">speaking of old, i just realised that my father likes this kinda music. and i wonder if one's taste of music would change when one gets older?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #cc0000;">OMG. i'm turning into my DAD.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/Zv0OF_1tX6c/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zv0OF_1tX6c&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zv0OF_1tX6c&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-61568118167055549762011-12-05T15:01:00.002+08:002011-12-07T09:20:53.115+08:00Women<div style="text-align: justify;">We talked about my recent issue at work. i thought she didnt want to talk about it - and truthfully, i am just freaking tired telling the story all over again, because y'see, it's like putting salt over the wound over and over again - but i was glad she asked. because she didnt even try to avoid the issue. she wanted to talk it over with me.... and i'm glad and blessed, to have a friend like that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i did tell her that if i ever break down and go into the brink of depression, i would want her to slap me. really. i just couldn't bear to be this huge pain in the neck. i can be a pain in the neck, but i dont want to be the cause of pain to others. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i wonder if it's because i have always felt all along that no one wants to listen to me. i am always the listener. playing the advisory role. my troubles are usually being swept under the carpet, for them to stew until they rot and eventually they just disappear along with the wind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">whatever it is, i felt better, but the hurt is still there - and will be there for a long while. a decision is to be made. the road to wellness is still far. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i want to write that hurt is good because it will prod us to work harder to prove ourselves. but i've done that. been there, done that. and i guess my 'harder' is not their harder. in final analysis, i am just.... tired.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">we also talked about the expectations that we women face in this world, when we went to the topic about friends who are not yet married. the societal pressure to be married at a certain age sometimes get to these women, even when they are better off with other aspects of their lives such as a thriving career life and being able to do the things only single women could do like travel at a moment's notice or dressing the way they want without their partners disapproving. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">women face a lot of pressure nowadays (men would counter that they also face the same). but forgive me for saying, men are more likely pass the pressure of being married to their spouses. women still need to work when they come back from work. men have it easy. the king of the house as he is largely known in every society. nevertheless, the kings should also realise that their queens are also supporting the household as well.</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-91888367920203576912011-12-01T15:51:00.001+08:002011-12-01T15:54:44.360+08:00last day<div style="text-align: justify;">today is the last day of November.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">i havent been writing much of late. been about two weeks since i last updated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">yes i'm still in my <b>funk</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">anyways, i am trying to cheer myself up with the number of quotes i have compiled over the past months.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">if it doesnt motivate you - meaning it just makes you gag - just close this post. no one's forcing you to read anyways.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(eeeewwww.... i do sound a funked up person, aren't i?)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>===========================================================</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;">"Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">- Ralph Charell</div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif;">"Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif;">Involve me, and. I'll understand."</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;">-- American Indian Proverb</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force."</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>-- Irving Berlin</b></div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"The winner's edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent. The winner's edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0;"><div style="text-align: justify;">-- Denis Waitley (American author, motivational speaker)</div></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: 'Courier New';">"Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can</b></div><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>describe it only from the vantage point of distance."</b></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- Charles Lindbergh</b></div></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I believe that everything happens for a reason, people change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so that eventually you learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together!"</span></div><span lang="EN-GB"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">- Marilyn Monroe</div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> "Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it."</b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- Mark Twain</b></div></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing."</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">- Louisa May Alcott</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be."</b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- Samuel Johnson</b></div></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><b><br />
</b></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><b>==================================================================================</b></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">so which ones are your favourites? </div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">the one that i need to remember most at the moment is the last bit. my heart maybe breaking but i will not let myself become bitter. i pray to Him that i have the strength to do what i must. to change. to become better. to live my life. Amin.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>InsyaAllah.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>note: initially drafted on the last day of November, but only got posted today... due to writer's traumatic experience yesterday.</b></span></div></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-4859400376480185702011-11-14T10:37:00.001+08:002011-11-14T10:42:50.343+08:00Out of sorts<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have not been doing much upkeep on this blog of late. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">for that, i am truly sorry... to myself, for not taking the initiative to whine (and/or gloat), whenever i can. as the opportunity does crop a lot of times... it's just that i dont feel like writing.<br />
<br />
I have been reading a lot of blogs lately. mostly pictorial blogs. goes to show that pictures do say more than a few thousand words. more than a few written gibberish words, pulled together to form coherent thoughts.<br />
<br />
anyhoo, there are things which i want to write but i guess i'm not in the right frame of mind to divulge much, because i may just divulge TOO much.<br />
<br />
so as usual, i change the topic and here is a picture of a yet designer bag which is unattainable at the moment but could be mine, if i put all my priorities wrongly.<br />
<br />
: P<br />
<br />
girls, the bag in question is by Yves Saint Laurent or YSL for short form easier-to-pronounce-name.<br />
<br />
aptly called 'Muse', this bag is something to be mused about. (this sentence does not even make sense)<br />
<br />
the bag comes in many colours, even in that emerald shade that i absolutely adore, but somehow to be practical, i chose this chocolate colour for illustrative purpose.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Cgcc7hVltcoj3EYGQ0aNoH0VJ7WqiEFjXPzHj5Ltfk8YEgIVeXvpV1Xi_dOCclOsZQjUV2mhv7I0U7Om2jgpeBmzawHe1GYS1N6j34p15QA_V0z2BvZBECH6o2o49BjTDxbidMOgvgc/s1600/YSL+Muse+Choc+2+YSL+Site.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Cgcc7hVltcoj3EYGQ0aNoH0VJ7WqiEFjXPzHj5Ltfk8YEgIVeXvpV1Xi_dOCclOsZQjUV2mhv7I0U7Om2jgpeBmzawHe1GYS1N6j34p15QA_V0z2BvZBECH6o2o49BjTDxbidMOgvgc/s320/YSL+Muse+Choc+2+YSL+Site.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie5lcQrWjRv7YXYWGoHGWHIKnEh4yN-vazz421mrzHXa_IZ5x__OJyoyNTGnqSqoqWn3aBDHbDsm3vZBL8PGbzPSYzuPHWuRgry3nBgwlirqX362N_64KMEIWEbFGrdB9JdPE6ue21BY/s1600/YSL+Muse+Choc+YSL+Site.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie5lcQrWjRv7YXYWGoHGWHIKnEh4yN-vazz421mrzHXa_IZ5x__OJyoyNTGnqSqoqWn3aBDHbDsm3vZBL8PGbzPSYzuPHWuRgry3nBgwlirqX362N_64KMEIWEbFGrdB9JdPE6ue21BY/s320/YSL+Muse+Choc+YSL+Site.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2BF04xXxJv4j2Min6fgSCaHoYPhULy7wr6IQgFv6fq13yemjdhxBGnFCxyR377yANqSdlgXt76cp9n0PtRi04yFKqOik6FWO6dZHGyKrqrsqJWGdj91tby8IXj2b7nBpMnf4K7Xr7b8/s1600/YSL_Muse+Mytheresa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2BF04xXxJv4j2Min6fgSCaHoYPhULy7wr6IQgFv6fq13yemjdhxBGnFCxyR377yANqSdlgXt76cp9n0PtRi04yFKqOik6FWO6dZHGyKrqrsqJWGdj91tby8IXj2b7nBpMnf4K7Xr7b8/s320/YSL_Muse+Mytheresa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: pic credits : <a href="http://www.ysl.com/">www.ysl.com</a>, <a href="http://www.mytheresa.com/">www.mytheresa.com</a></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">PS: took me about 3 weeks to have this posted (sat in draft for the longest time). something is wrong somewhere. hmmm...</span></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-8198864268334267042011-11-02T22:52:00.000+08:002011-11-02T22:52:55.914+08:00outta sleep<div style="text-align: justify;">this was as a result of my insomnia last night.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #783f04;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #783f04;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;">i am tired, i am beat </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">but i cannot fall asleep </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">too many things on my mind </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i feel like i'm out of bind </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span></span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">perhaps i should just admit </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">that it hurt and it bit </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">rather than carry on as usual </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">with my nitpicking nonchalant perusal </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i am tired i am beat </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">hope this poem helps me sleep </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">as long as the secret i that keep </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">be buried as far and as deep. </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">outta sleep and still sound </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i pray that the demons be gone </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">uninterrupted slumber is a luxury </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">and waking up is not a hurry. </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i am tired i am beat </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i owe myself to go to sleep </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">good night worries good night pain </span><br style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">i am determined i must remain.</span></span></span>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-83888503937174608902011-10-25T14:40:00.000+08:002011-10-25T14:40:30.672+08:00<div style="text-align: center;">one of those days....</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZ9CryN6ZMvmDO27BNPHDIlu6CNO3htHBoDLLDtmQU866jPPW3OdcihdjV2wpW6_OuOZpOY-BpRpTVFpzlaqVcGScpxtQlO-shvdjZYO8N7wW8BxQE8cuh_YkRu5OxoRCB6wWeXpxgo/s1600/tummyturn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bZ9CryN6ZMvmDO27BNPHDIlu6CNO3htHBoDLLDtmQU866jPPW3OdcihdjV2wpW6_OuOZpOY-BpRpTVFpzlaqVcGScpxtQlO-shvdjZYO8N7wW8BxQE8cuh_YkRu5OxoRCB6wWeXpxgo/s1600/tummyturn.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">else, i just eat EVERYTHING... and i don't know what i had eaten and why i ate it in the first place.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(well, actually, i do know WHY, but the joy of eating is no longer there)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i just hope the bloating feeling will dissipate soon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i would very much like to LIKE my food. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-48004673052197503372011-10-18T17:43:00.000+08:002011-10-18T17:43:12.136+08:00Desserts spelled backwards is?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">just a short post on fooooooood.....</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp25CRwNyswzGIXMdLphfEmGJo4NHKI9biYabwv-zEKGgaNMwi7AtMWr3r97dlf9nHykoj40or0npZvFgxfaGrJ64Hh3d3XO88q0EGWG3yiimiS8V-xK0FoEhTB81NbJTqrM6YV1rodys/s1600/strawberry+cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp25CRwNyswzGIXMdLphfEmGJo4NHKI9biYabwv-zEKGgaNMwi7AtMWr3r97dlf9nHykoj40or0npZvFgxfaGrJ64Hh3d3XO88q0EGWG3yiimiS8V-xK0FoEhTB81NbJTqrM6YV1rodys/s1600/strawberry+cheesecake.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tell me, does that NOT make you want to salivate?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">i proclaim that i aspire to bake this sumptuous cheesecake. i even printed the recipe from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">All Recipes.com</a>. if you want to find the recipe, do write '<i>Chantal's New York Cheesecake</i>' in the search box.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">printing is one thing. actually making the cake is another. i shall endeavour to try soon. i feel the need... the need to create or craft something. perhaps this need will dissipate soon. else, i do not know how to stop the other need to design my boys' room. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(refer to previous post, if you must)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">so enough narrative for now. i shall leave you with the visual of an enticing new york cheesecake topped with strawberry jelly... oh yums!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">then again, if i couldn't wait, i could always skip to Isetan to find a frozen one. :P</div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-87780982213759431732011-10-17T10:41:00.002+08:002011-10-18T08:49:39.833+08:00homely retreat<div style="text-align: justify;">as i plough through another sickly day, trying to make sense of the tiredness, i came across this in my mailbox. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">it heartened me. the sheer visual of the beautiful room just made me (and my heart) smile.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMztpc9RtbGsmnezvOklcvAOW5hWOoja9X2Mgh56BTmixXJUl3zQ014R34WtRmTnw7rvQtgKaEy1VPEVcCAqtcTSTJ1VibBv_KS2owpsip2RyZz1j0ffkdXqOMOJDGfGDuN4HtvceTIo/s1600/girl_bedroom_contest_winner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMztpc9RtbGsmnezvOklcvAOW5hWOoja9X2Mgh56BTmixXJUl3zQ014R34WtRmTnw7rvQtgKaEy1VPEVcCAqtcTSTJ1VibBv_KS2owpsip2RyZz1j0ffkdXqOMOJDGfGDuN4HtvceTIo/s320/girl_bedroom_contest_winner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lou's jumping on her bed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzCqqmJ9pYG5BrfBqBGYPecYG4Nw7OHUaDNd3ElYz-2EG5y11qESQeptMiwNWEJ1v5LL6QDmr7-ICMEFngvqrJZdmEKtQSpM1K9ZLdGy7ZdM-CK9KlBSvpHNg-e8Jdwl4JcQIBA0JIto/s1600/Lou%2527s+Bedroom+-+Final+Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzCqqmJ9pYG5BrfBqBGYPecYG4Nw7OHUaDNd3ElYz-2EG5y11qESQeptMiwNWEJ1v5LL6QDmr7-ICMEFngvqrJZdmEKtQSpM1K9ZLdGy7ZdM-CK9KlBSvpHNg-e8Jdwl4JcQIBA0JIto/s320/Lou%2527s+Bedroom+-+Final+Web.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">doesn't this make you want to ooh and aah?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2feYZRkbMh5pijqWcr5guYmIJxPWpBdex0Z8aq9tw4G2FwYAPFAmbUkc65ecWovUhkt8mtj5YmOET4gP0APf1-mHjjjww69PZ24fIU-KGSmdJ8WvVUMzmom1okwec_zlaJSgb8PA-uiU/s1600/Lou%2527s+Bedroom+-+Final+Web+Chandelier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2feYZRkbMh5pijqWcr5guYmIJxPWpBdex0Z8aq9tw4G2FwYAPFAmbUkc65ecWovUhkt8mtj5YmOET4gP0APf1-mHjjjww69PZ24fIU-KGSmdJ8WvVUMzmom1okwec_zlaJSgb8PA-uiU/s320/Lou%2527s+Bedroom+-+Final+Web+Chandelier.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i especially love the beads chandelier :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>as well as the accompanying story : a mother planned to redecorate her daughter's room with the sole goal of her sleeping in there more often and ended up being the winner of the first <b>Washington Post Kid's Room Contest</b>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">in gist, Krista Salmon, the mother, has been undergoing this 'Big Girl' project to make the room for her lil' girl, Anna Louise aka Lou more livable. something that both of them would be proud of.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">(see the whole story <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home-garden/kids-room-contest-grand-prize-winner-krista-salmon/2011/10/06/gIQA0vtKfL_story.html?wpisrc=nl_home">here</a>)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">if you want more inspiration to do up your kids room, please go to Krista's personal blog called <b>Kiki's List</b>. the post on the revelation of Lou's room could be found <a href="http://kikis-list.blogspot.com/2011/09/lous-room-reveal.html">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">now.... what could i do to make my boys sleep in their own (non-existent) room?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">hmmm... first off, need <i>ze</i> hubby to get cracking by inciting him with the idea of more privacy. :P</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">next up... i need to think of a palette for the room. Big Brother likes Purple... and lil brother likes... er... Pink. for now. <i>hehehe.</i></div>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5490722594978774076.post-71484560011246297442011-10-13T10:04:00.001+08:002011-10-13T14:21:32.416+08:00Dont Fall For It! :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXidQRIe_k0ug6PGdGdHn3tbwx_wbksEsRmDo3SSXHm5vYfY706ER_IUqcgcAV3WDRHsVugyC7yfdxJOIOprA5rz7-Sjfu2ph7o6rNvXirrPb863MTpJ6710l-X-X4RtsMb_tiV1DJZ70/s1600/net-a-porter-fall-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXidQRIe_k0ug6PGdGdHn3tbwx_wbksEsRmDo3SSXHm5vYfY706ER_IUqcgcAV3WDRHsVugyC7yfdxJOIOprA5rz7-Sjfu2ph7o6rNvXirrPb863MTpJ6710l-X-X4RtsMb_tiV1DJZ70/s640/net-a-porter-fall-2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">AS PER USUAL, i do not know how to edit the image to make it fit the screen but i think you get the gist of the picture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">this is from Net-a-porter site. more specifically, the issue is on the Fall 2011 Must Haves or trends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">i especially love the lists on <i>2. A Shirt Story, 12. Fancy Pants 13. Arm Candy 15. Modern Maxi 19. Lace Is More and 21. High Drama.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">since we dont have four seasons in Malaysia, i would advise that you follow the trend...with due caution. :) </div><div style="text-align: justify;">(i.e. parka, cape, fuzz are not applicable to us)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">here's the link for your ease of browsing later. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/theedit?cm_sp=homepage-_-edit-_-edit">http://www.net-a-porter.com/theedit?cm_sp=homepage-_-edit-_-edit</a>Nina Alihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03082174921018072771noreply@blogger.com0