Friday, December 27, 2019

The last month of the decade!

HOW is it already December?

I had a really nice girl say Hi to me at a ZARA the other day and she said she reads my blog. Which was SO nice to hear so if you're reading this, hi thanks for saying hello!!

I know it's boring to say I'll blog more in the new year but let's face it - I'll fall short on that promise and you'll see like 5 posts a year. 15 year old me would have been so disappointed.

It's a Friday now and I've been on leave since Christmas so it's been so refreshing to wake up without having to rush for work. Because that's definitely the case - me rushing to work on the daily. Speaking of work, all's well with me! I love it though it's been stressful at times but if anything, I've realised that I've come to slowly enjoy the stress and pressures of work. Does that sound odd? Or do you also thrive from that? Of course sometimes it can be overwhelming but I'd like to think I've gotten better at managing it. It's been a little over than 6 months now. And it's probably a big highlight of my 2019. To finally take that big girl step to move jobs! It was so daunting to me cause I didn't know what I was getting myself into. But here we are, 6 months in and loving it. Helps immensely that I get on well with my colleagues too! Don't think I'd be able to persevere anyway else.

We celebrated Tariq's birthday and I organised his dinner with our closest friends. It was really because I wanted to have dinner with everyone so it was perfect that his birthday was around the corner. We had Japanese at Lucky Tora and the food was pretty good! It was a Friday night so they also had an in-house DJ who played really really really good music. The kind of good that warranted lots of Shazam-ing the music he was playing but obviously to no avail because they were all his own mixes. Then we walked around the area and it was my first time at Changkat and it honestly felt like a totally different country! We settled on a place where Amir could play his darts and the boys played pool. Both I (unsurprisingly) can't play. 







Love you, Tariq!!!! Thanks for being the best sport. And for finishing my food always.

This next event I was really excited for; Kaveetha's brother was getting married and we were all invited. I had never been to a Hindu wedding ceremony so this was so cool to be at. I had a saree made. Had to drag my mum to central KL to find one. We went to City One Plaza (just next to Semua House) and we managed to find one that was on the sale rack and I loved it as soon as I saw the colour. I decided to not have it sewn as a ready made one because I wanted to reuse the material for a baju kurung. Do I regret it? Maybe. Only because you need magic hands and skills to wear a saree. I actually paid money to have someone wrap it for me (to do this: you can ask any Indian salons as they're most likely able to do it for you). Despite the number of Youtube tutorials my mum and I watched. We tried, we really did. But bless the Indian aunty at 9:30 am having to pin the saree in place. I'm obviously not used to wearing one so I was so cautious with it in constant fear that it'll just all come undone. But good news guys, it didn't! 








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Ok context for this next stream of photos: I was in Melaka the other with my colleagues for a company day trip. We went to watch two shows. The first one was cute and it was about Melaka's history. We happened to be there the same day as other school trips so it felt like a kid show. But it was actually pretty good and I was surprised at the quality of production that had gone into it. And then we went to watch another one called Encore Melaka. That one was spectacular and caught me by surprise because I didn't expect it to be so good!!! I was in awe the whole entire time and thinking to myself wait what in the world is this show and why is it not getting enough buzz??? It was unlike anything I've watched ever. 

So of course when I came back home, I had to tell this all to my mum who is easily excited and was totally game for a trip to Melaka to watch this show. So we actually did! Hahah. 






I recommend you going and checking the place out! Don't expect a storyline out of it ok, it's just very pretty to watch. 

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Is this post surprisingly empty with no wedding-related content? Well, here it is.

One of my good friend Afnan got married to the love of his life, Ina last week. It was the loveliest of weddings and he also got up to sing Cinta Luar Biasa to her which was just painfully cute and of course I cried watching the video montage. Something about collages of childhood pictures during weddings that make me tear up (read: cry)!!!

Afnan's one of the nicest boys around so I'm just so elated that he's found his forever in Ina. Love them!!!






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2020 is 5 days away. Surreal.

But I'll save my emotions for another blog post.

Talk to you soon.

xx 

Monday, October 28, 2019

I've got friends

Hi!

It's another long weekend. Bliss! Not a single work text too! I love 3-day weekends; if I ever was put in a position of power I'd definitely ask for 3 day weekends. Or at least 1 day off per month (any day of your choosing) and is taken as compulsory leave. To recuperate and reenergise. BECAUSE WE ALL NEED IT.

The other day my friends were talking about a orchestra at KLPAC and it reminded me of the Pixar Orchestra that Amir Azam, Amir Zain and I went in London at Royal Albert Hall. I didn't have the grainy selfie of us on my phone but I knew I had blogged about it so I just googled my name and 'Pixar'. True enough - first entry was my blog post on that trip to London. Which made me SO happy that I blogged about my days in the UK. And of high school and of college. I'm going to regret not blogging much about my life as working girl so I'm going to ****try**** to be as frequent as I can with this blog. 

I haven't had a photo update here for so long so here goes;

Yusrina Gets Married

Yusrina got married! So naturally it was a mini high-school reunion. It just occurred to me that it would've been a good 10 years since we (class of '10) graduated! 10!! Years!! Where has the time gone. Got me reminiscing about the good ol' days of JUST studying. Haha. I said it aloud the other day - 'Wished I was still studying - I miss it'. My 17 year old self would've been totally disappointed because 17 year old me hated studying. 




My baju kurung is courtesy of Mama - wished they still made batik like that! Pink batik bag is courtesy of Shera hehe.

Ok so none with the bride - they were all professionally taken so none with me. But it was so wonderful to see my high school girls again after so long. And so lovely to see Yus get married - she's one of the nicest souls seriously she's never not have a smile on her face!!

Kamar's Wedding

Oh look - another wedding. Hahahaha. I remember that few weeks were just weddings right left and centre. I didn't even have to be invited to one, I just had to open my damn Instagram to see about 70 people get married. 

Again no photo with the bride and groom because they're always all professionally taken! And it's never with us but anyway my most sincere congratulations to Kamar and Rus!!!

Compulsory wedding selfie with Amir.

And compulsory photo with one of my favourite girls ever - Fatin.

Does Tariq think he's cute? Weigh in the comments section below.

Love my boys.

Dinner Beramai-Ramai

So I was at Hawker Hall and I think I've brought so many friends there that it's become a running joke in the office - that I'm Hawker Hall's biggest fan. I mean, the food's okay but I just love the whole environment! It's being at a hawker place without actually having to be ... there. Hahaha. I recommend the Sixty Bites burger and the Korean chicken, guys!!

But yeah anyway, I was there one night and saw that they had a brand new menu so naturally I sent it to my work group chat and they were like "Ok let's go again!". So they organised a dinner there for the whole office.

So I'd like to think it was because of me.




That sweet, excited lady is one of the directors of the company. 

One with my team!

Dinner Beramai-Ramai Part 2

I say 'Part 2' because I actually did not have anything to eat at Hawker Hall with my colleagues because I had another dinner with Kanda just right after that. And this one I actually organised so I kinda want to go all out makan there instead.

KANDA WAS BACK FOR A HOT MINUTE!!!! And of course I gathered the gang for a dinner with Dr Kanda himself. It was really nice to have everyone come together again after so long because it felt like being at the dining hall in college again. I know I bang on about KY all the damn time but this honestly felt like college nights having dinner together. 

A hearty dinner with the best company.




May we forever forever forever be this close.

The OG Trio

Wanted to catch an intimate get together with Kanda and Marissa so that's exactly what we did. Kanda has been such a dear friend to both Marissa and I and it sucks that we don't get to see him so often now since he's all the way in Glasgow for work. So it was nice to go out just the three of us again. Even if it's just for a few hours.

We love you loads, Kanda. We wish you were home but we're very very very happy that you're doing great things there. Work as best you can and be the best doctor you can be, we'll cheer you all the way. Love you love you love you, can't wait to see you again soon.




Another College Reunion (???) 

Ok you guys can call me the Queen of Organising Dinners now. My dear friend, Julian, the sweetest of all time, is also back for a hot minute for his sister's wedding so of course I wanted to have dinner with him. And this was also another excuse to berdinner beramai-ramai again. I love seeing my friends and so I'm very happy to organise these things! 

Julian's only request was that he have Asian food so for me, that's of course Muhibbah at Sg Penchala. I've loved that place since it was first in Taman Tun and wanted to share that with everyone. Good thing they also really liked the food. Enough to wipe clean everything we ordered. I also brought a birthday cake for Izmal whose birthday was just the day before. 




Ok that's all there is for now. I actually have tons more to post but it's back to work tomorrow and it's already 12am. I still need to watch an episode of Be Melodramatic (thanks Aiman!).

And to whoever who still reads this space, thank you - I love that you do.

xx

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Work Update

I think it's the first time in my working life that I've felt so overwhelmed with the work load. I like being busy and productive, don't get me wrong but it gets too much sometimes. I'm only 4 months old in this new company and I've already learned so much to which I am thankful for. But man, it's a lot to handle sometimes. To the point where if a work group chat pops up on Whatsapp, I get so nervous to see if it's anything to do with me. And they know no mercy, whether it's at night or whether it's the weekend, they'll bombard the group chat if need be. It's just pretty tiring.

I know it gets easier over time but it's such an unsettling feeling to know that it's such a long way to go to be good at your job. And I'm so far from it - I beat myself up for being so inept all the time. It's a different environment from my previous job, it's a lot more fast paced, a lot more challenging and a lot more demanding. I'm adapting but it can get so difficult.

__


Sunday, July 14, 2019

Sarah is a married woman!

*cue the tears

So one of my very, very good friends recently got hitched! And it has been something she's always wanted for all the time that we've known each other; to love and be loved eternally. Alhamdulillah, she has found a partner for life in Asyraff and they took the big step to marry. 

I love Sarah, she has been the sweetest and most wonderful girl I've known since we first met in KY. Like with all my other friends, I have NO recollection on the first time we met but Sarah has been, since day 1, the nicest to me. She talks so much and she's loud and she's funny and she's generous and hardworking and beautiful in and out. My heart bursts for her - she truly deserves all good things this world has to offer for her.

I was lucky enough to be named a bridesmaid and be in the loop for all her wedding prep. From sorting out her hantaran the day before her engagement to giving her a contact for a caterer (after hers bailed on her nikah day!) to seeing her cry during speeches at last night's reception. I love her so much and I can't believe she's all grown up and married!!

Here are some beautiful photos from the events (photo credits below!) ;


Sarah was SO STRESSED in the days leading up to her wedding - to the point where we didn't want to tegur her or be funny funny because she would have nONe of it hahaha


With the bridesmaids :") I had SO much fun being part of this bride tribe (my very first!) and I love these girls - so sweet and beautiful.



One with the groomsmen!


This was also super fun! Fatin, Marissa and I had a sleepover at a hotel and I looked forward to this for so long because i) A hotel!! ii) With my friends!! iii) Sleepover!!!




MasyaAllah how beautiful!!!! We were there the night before for rehearsals and didn't see all this glory until the day of. SO beautiful - we were in awe.



These photos are courtesy of the wedding photographers and interlaced with our (the bridesmaids) iPhone photos. I'm pretty sure you can tell which are from the iPhone and which are professionally taken hahaha








It was *hot*. Like......... really.













We were so amused by....


... a comical groom.


I love this photo! It was blistering hot and we couldn't have our eyes open for so long but we managed to pull a great one, guys!




We all love you so much, Sarah!!! You make a hella pretty bride.





See how pretty!!!!!


"Can you feed me because I don't want to mess my lipstick!"





Cool, calm and collected.


And after the nikah, we went back to the hotel and Marissa had to leave for Temerloh for her cousin's wedding so she unfortunately, had to miss out on the night reception :/ I stole bit of a nap before Beii, my make-up artist, came over to doll me up. I WAS SO TIRED! We woke up at 5:30 to get dressed for the nikah because we had to go to Sarah's wedding by 7 for a bit of a photo shoot. 7!! AM!!







So glad that through Sarah, we all met Farah - her best friend since primary school days and Sarah's maid of honor.


UGH I love you Sarah, I'm so happy for you!!!


Moving to Asyraff's side of the wedding last night. It was at Putrajaya so it was a good 45 minute drive. Phew. Managed it thanks to a lot of good Spotify music (and when I say good I mean listening to Ruel all night long!).


How cute is the theme! It was a P.Ramlee themed wedding and it was super retro. Down to the invitations Sarah sent out to us to the emcee who was dressed in '50s garb. With dancers and singers all! 











With my soul sister, Fatin. Thank you for being my plus one and for coincidentally matching!! Luh you! Moga the next wedding kita ada plus one for real.



And that's it!

Damn, after all this planning and staying through Sarah's side throughout her bridezilla times - we doggone made it!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Sarah is truly the nicest person I have met and so you cannot imagine how happy seeing HER happy makes all of us who know her.

We love you Sarah, have a wonderful honeymoon and a blissful marriage, we are always in awe of your beauty, strength and generosity and we can't wait to see you again. Thanks for leaving us all still single!!!!!!!!

Hehe love you.

#AsyraffSarahnderstoNaima 
(Asyraff surrenders to Naima)
(took me some time and I had to ask Fatin for help)

xx

PHOTO CREDITS:

and