Colors of February

February, was filled with a little more love than usual with beautiful celebrations of love all around. Thank you so much February for the fabulous moments. Au revoir February and Bienvenue March!!

February, a rhapsody of love.

Welcome to the month of love! Happy February!

It is fairly obvious to all of us that February is legendary as the month of love. The atmosphere of February is always filled with love, joy and lots of celebration for me and my loved ones especially this year. February has been a blessing for me with an opportunity to foster closer bonding with your loved ones that ignites a passion in your soul. I see it as a reason to appreciate the little moments that put a smile on your face and colors the life. It is a chance for us to show that love for someone in this celebrated month (even though you express your love everyday throughout the year).

There is something special in February. And this year was extra special since I and my husband both will be celebrating our birthday (my big 30) + Valentine’s Day. While I am not a fan of the overly sensational display of affection in just one day but I love the softer sentiment hidden in this month. For me the celebration of love is not all about pricey gifts, lavish dinner, exquisite holiday although those things can all be exciting, but truly, love is more priceless than anything else.




Our long distance marriage taught us a love that is precious beyond all those sophisticated style of celebration. We rather keep it sweet and simple while keeping the spark of love alive. Little things like making a cup of coffee, a walk under the moonlight, a pleasant dinner and movie marathon in the embrace of your loved ones are simply precious and that holds close to your heart. These little invisible acts of love come from the bottom of the heart and this is the true love.

Certainly we can’t run away from the worldly gifts to pamper our loved ones but it should be something that adds a little more touch to the love being celebrated. Honestly, I can’t wait to celebrate the joy of love to show my loved ones, well that I love them to bits. And expressing your life is always a good thing no matter what month it is. I will be taking pleasure to spread the love all over. Cheers February!

Our First Wedding Anniversary!

A year ago today, I married my love of my life, Raj.

Time flies when you are having fun – and when you are with the one you love. Husband and I will be celebrating a special milestone on 29th January, our wedding anniversary. It has been an exciting 1st year and of course from today onwards, we will no longer get the attention of a newlywed.

I can't believe it's already been a year - sometimes it seems like our wedding was just yesterday! I feel like our life has been such an incredible whirlwind so far, but that's how it's been ever since we met so I'm used to it by now ;) Raj was one of the most refreshing and wonderful things that could ever have happened to me and after about 4 years of getting to know each other, we walked down the aisle to start a new life together.
Although we spent the entire first year of marriage living hundred miles apart from one another but our hearts were always so near. Yes we encountered little challenges as we didn’t get to meet every single day yet our relationship grew stronger day by day through phone conversations. In fact, our long distance marriage raised the eyebrow of many people including family and friends. Some even made ridicule out of it. Yet I can only feel bad for them simply because the bond, mutual understanding, affection, faith and devotion that we share can out beat any other couple living together. Yes, our relationship is something precious that we cherish each and every moment despite the distance till today. The distance was never a curse but a boon for us to appreciate our bond.

I am so happy that he is my husband and that we're living our lives just the way we want, not driven by anybody else. He will always be a huge inspiration to me. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. To the man I have chosen to love and be with me for a lifetime, Happy Anniversary! I want you to know that words are not enough to say that I love you.

It’s our one year wedding anniversary! What I’ve learned about marriage

Wedding anniversary is a time to celebrate the beauty, gift, and the blessing of our enduring love. This special day is a time to look back at the good times and a time to look ahead to live our dreams together.

Tomorrow, the 29th of January marks our big milestone, my husband and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Five years since we first laid eyes on each other and we are still learning one another but thankfully, also still loving one another too. As we get ready to ring in the New Year I thought I would take a moment to share some of the lessons that were solidified for us or that we learned about our marriage and each other this year. We still have a lot of growing to do but we are committed to growing together, one day at a time.

Love brought us together as husband and wife and gave each of us a best friend for life. Perhaps it sounds cliché and all but I really cherish each moments as time goes on. As I sit serenely on my balcony and looking far across the horizon, I could recall the moments leading up to my big day. I was making sure last minute wedding details were taken care of, savoring the bride-to-be pampering by my family and close knit members of the family, watching the decorations being put up, gently reminding my makeup lady and wondering anxiously about how the event of my lifetime is going to take place. It was so beautiful. And I could still feel like it was only yesterday.

Now, I am into a year of marriage with the man of my life, Raj and couldn’t ask for a better soul mate. So what have I learned within a year? For many of us, marriage is an eloquent aide memoire that on which our lives revolve around.

Even though we were halfway around the world from each other, we still learned some valuable lessons about marriage. Here’s to another year of love and lessons learned after one year of marriage!

Grow Separately but Not Apart

One of the most valuable lessons that I learnt and taught people around me is about growing separately but not apart. I believe it's pertinent to my marriage as many twitch when they hear about my long distance marriage. In fact some even ridicule that we are ‘living apart’ after marriage. It is not ‘living apart’ but I would strongly say it is living independently. To my incredulity, the many that fail to understand our bonding will never understand the sanctity of our marriage until their mindset really comprehend to do so. As for both of us, we appreciate ourselves more and realize we learn more valuable lessons about marriage. The tolerance, devotion, affection and mutual understanding that we learnt and shared has brought us to where we are today. We are going to change and grow over time. But the key is to not grow apart.

Remembering our wedding vow

Each time I will be reminiscent the way I felt the day my husband and I exchanged our vow and I remember the promise of our love. It reminds me why I love my husband so much and why I chose him. Sometimes it can a splendid romantic gesture that he does for me or perhaps it’s just the little things that I have to watch out for. At the end of the day, it’s the little things that go a long way to inspire the feelings. As long as I get a little bit of that every day, everything else comes easy.

A good friend in my husband

Before getting hitched, both of us are best of friends. We spend time together and always make an effort to be there for each other when needed. The more we treat each other as friends, life is more fun. Both of us laugh together, confide in one another, share our happiness and sadness, keep each other’s secrets and do things that we both love to do. It makes a huge difference as we both continue to relish our lives as time goes on.

Re-live our Romantic Rendezvous

Even after marriage, we both continue to date like how we used to be in our early days of courtship. The relationship blossoms with every moment spent to re-live our dating days and make us feel younger too. Raj always impresses me with even the little things he does for me out of blue and makes effort to create sparks in our bond like before. I hope to do the same for him more in future.

Appreciative of our life

Life is so beautiful. Yet life is never like a bed of roses all the time. Keep living, loving, and moving forward one step at a time. And ever so often take a moment to look back, not to live in the past but rather, but to see how far you've come. I have come to believe to see beyond those hiccups and be grateful to be blessed with a good life and a charming husband.

Be there for each other

It’s never too difficult to stand by each other in times of need. I think being there for each other are really important and if you think you have to go an extra mile to do so, by all means, do so. Everyone loves that little boost that comes from someone you love so much. Raj and I look up to each other from time to time and we both have been a great inspiration for one another. Trust me, it works like magic.
Magnanimous for a better life
More often than not, it takes a moment to look back, not to live in the past but rather, and to see how far we have come. Life is short and time is ephemeral too. I learnt not to miss out every single moment of my life on a chance to enjoy one another. Life is all about give-n-take. So I keep living one step at a time.

So that was the very few lessons that the one year stint taught me. I’m so happy I married Raj and couldn’t have asked for a better husband. I never even thought I’d get married let alone meet a man like Raj, so really, I still pinch myself sometimes.

Toast to a brand new year, 2013

On the first day of this New year… I make a wish


Hours of happy times with loved ones
Abundant of love
Prosperity
Patience
Youthful excitement at life simple pleasures

Nectar of God
Everything you need
Wishing you

Years and years of good health
Enjoyment and mirth
Angels to watch over
Remembrance of joyful life

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 :)

The year 2012 in Retrospect

As the year bit by bit approaches its last few days, we are getting ready to put the curtain down on 2012, it is now time to look back and reflect on the year. With the blink of an eye, 2012 is already on its back! It seems like it was just yesterday that we ushered in 2012 and yet here we are almost ready to bid 2012 a fond farewell. 
The year was surely filled with many bittersweet moments; so many that I just wish I could have the memories imprinted in my heart and it will forever linger in my mind. There were definitely some moments to cherish forever and others that we would rather forget but all in all we survived and that’s a good reason to celebrate and be grateful. Of all the moments in 2012, I wouldn’t change a thing simply because it helped me get to where I am right now. 
So this will be my last blog of the year to pen down my prospect in retrospect of year 2012. So as we wind up 2012 and count the days to welcome New Year 2013, let us take this opportunity to look back and appreciate the moments of the past 12 months which has been a wonderful year. I feel very blessed to be honest.

Well, here are few of my personal favorites that 2012 has blessed me;

January changed my life forever where I was blessed with the love of my life. It was a month of euphoria for the whole family to be gathered for the wedding gala. By God’s grace the sweet celebration worked perfectly fine in our favor. The New Year brought on new hope, newly found relatives and new beginning.

February showered me with more bliss as I begin to walk in the journey as a wife. The wedding joy lingered on with our reception and honeymoon marking the celebration of love. On the other hand, February also surprised me with mixed blessings as I saw the new members in my research team and a new hope.

March was a remarkable month as I was still basking in the glory of being newlywed and also a moment that ring a bell of how amazing friends, family and even complete strangers that turned into acquaintance can be. The outpouring affection, blessings and compassion shown in many different ways during the wedding was amazing. Besides, a new hope of life was bestowed upon us as we moved on in our lives into a new neighborhood. Much generosity and heartfelt prayers made me and my family humbled beyond any measure.

April saw me making headway in my work. It was such a challenging time as I had to plan out the research work frame and take it to next level. Although challenging but it was a fulfilling experience to spearhead the research project. 

May was definitely a laidback month. Nothing much to shout about but well I was mesmerized by the photography skills that my husband put forth into action. His passion overwhelmed me when I accompanied him to click away. 

June was the month with a blend of mixed emotions. It began with a heightened work pressure and eventually I began to start breathing again. It was the month that I remembered the joy and serenity of finally being able to relax after a rather nerve wrecking early of June. I began to be grateful for family, friends and myself. Nothing was more rejuvenating than spending time old friends, get together and celebrate our friendship. Life was finally back on track. 

July showered me with a sweet surprise as I was gifted with a career promotion. It was an opportunity for me to climb up the corporate ladder with appreciation of my work quality. I went from Scientist to Senior Scientist. It was truly blessed of how happy I was starting to feel. 

August inspired me with an unbelievable salary raise that we all have been waiting for a longest time and it has to come in this year. Just in time for tired soul like us who has taken a turn for droning work culture. Everyone was suddenly awakened to their senses and ignited for a change in workforce. A good start to show appreciation for our efforts. It was also in August that I and Raj had a dreamy dinner at rooftop restaurant to evoke our early days rendezvous after marriage.

September taught me that nothing comes easy. There is a price to pay for everything good that we are gifted with. It comes as a lesson in learning for me to progress further in my career. There was anxiety, challenges, laughter, stories and the knowledge that I saw it all coming that nothing could take away it from my life. It was a big life changing month for me in my career as I am embarking on a totally new research approach, positional cloning to hunt down the gene of interest that I am in quest for. Thumbs up to me!  

October made me realize one of two things. Either I am simply oblivious to the world around me and completely gullible or my family and friends can REALLY keep a secret. I was honored with a surprise birthday party for a landmark birthday. Yes folks....I turned 50. As intimidating as AARP tried to make it for me....I did come to terms with the fact that I was darn lucky to have made it to such an age in as good of condition as I am in. I had no complaints. 

November indeed a sweet November for me as it was our first Diwali as newlyweds. It seems to be a rather special and memorable celebration together with my hubby and family, It brought a whole new meaning this year. A lovely get-together with kith and kin, friends and acquaintances made our festive spirit merrier. On top of it, wedding season is back with a bang. Being a part and parcel of Raj’s cousin’s wedding extravaganza brought out the beauty of family bonding. Being gifted with the recognition into a lovely family, I don’t need to scream for attention on my own. Instead, I was shining like a star amidst all. Thank God for all the love and respect I gained in this year that I became part of Raj’s family. I was beyond baffled at how it happened. It made me Happy! 

And here we are in December. December will always be my favorite all year long. I planned to do much more than I actually accomplished. I get to spent time with loved ones, shopping, spreading Christmas spirit all around, family gathering and short getaway despite my busy schedule. I got a bigger Christmas tree and spend time decorating it. In fact my office was filled with the festive joy as we all played Secret Santa and had gifts exchange. Something that I will never forget will be the false prediction of Mayans. They were wrong that the world is gonna end. It did not and we are here still :)

Well, 2012 was quite a year. It marked a milestone in my life and somehow there was so many lessons learnt and moments cherished than ever before. On the personal side of things, while this year has taught me more yet it has also given me a great deal of peace, self awareness and a happiness that made me appreciate life in more subtle manner. I will miss 2012 when I bid adieu to 2012, for later down the road when I find myself evoking nostalgia one fine day. There won’t be tears as we welcome 2013 which holds so much of promise and hope. It is really exciting if I start contemplating of what is ahead of us. I guess in retrospect 2012 had a little bit of everything and I have no doubt it gave us all what we need to continue on to 2013. So for all of you, my family, and friends, I wish that 2013 will be a happy and blessed one, full of love and brings you joy and is your best year! Let us all raise a glass and celebrate the end of another good year. Till next year folks, wish you all a fruitful New Year. Happy New Year y’all!

Christmas Spirit in the air

It’s already middle of December and Christmas is around the corner! In case you hadn't noticed that this year, the Christmas movies on our satellite channel, Astro are only handful. It’ such a shame that all those traditional Christmas movies that we use to watch brings out the spirit for a lovely yuletide celebration seem to be missing out of the picture. I just love watching the movie line-ups during the month of December as it cultivates hope, joy and love in our hearts. I, likewise, love to watch them to inspire the spirit of a holiday. 

So what’s your favorite Christmas movie? When it comes for magical and entertaining movies that can enthrall us, Disney is always holds the zenith for the best movies. Disney movies works like magic to spread cheers and ignite thoughts for eternity especially during Christmas season. It never fails to enthuse us with a virtuous message at the end of the movie. I would love to share few of the feel good Christmas movies for the rest of you to prepare for the forthcoming Christmas celebration. A must watch Christmas movies. Here you go!

1. Home Alone
2. Home Alone 2
3. Elf
4. A Christmas Story
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
6. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
7. It's a Wonderful Life
8. The Santa Clause – The story is about a man accidentally killed Santa and unknowingly become the person to replace the dead Santa.
9. The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause (2002)- This sequel , Santa finds himself a lovely Mrs. Clause
10. Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)- The 3rd series sees Santa in dilemma to stop Jack Frost from ruining Christmas
11. The Polar Express White Christmas
12. Santa Claus: The Movie
13. A Christmas Carol (2009 version)
14. Christmas Classics 


Happy movie watching peeps!

Last Sequential Date for the Century: 12-12-12

Its here. Wednesday 12-12-12. So what? It could be a special numerical day on the calendar and there will not be another with so many sequential dates in another 100 years but so be it then.

Of course it is one of the century’s most significant dates. Wednesday 12.12.12, the last of the great repeating sequential dates to occur in our lifetimes not until Jan 1, 2101 (unless we are alive till then). That’s bizarre to me! Despite the excitement of this milestone date, 12.12.12 doesn’t seem to be quite a big deal at all. For some it was believed to represents luck whilst for others, it’s a day that one may not forget for a lifetime. But for most of us, it is just another day. Regardless of your beliefs, 12.12.12 comes along with rather amusing facts and superstitions. 

Delving into 12s obsession was something exaggerated and people just got carried away with it. When I sat down on Wednesday morning flicking the newspaper, the news was so hyped about the triple 12s, where expectant mothers are booking themselves in for C-sections to ensure a fortuitous birth date for their offspring, and young couples around the world are tying the knot. Perhaps these triple nifty numerals were blindly hailed as a lucky number. However, to a numerologist, it’s just not an auspicious date although it can be memorable. In a mind of a frenzied person, the will definitely go all out to imprint the remarkable date into their lives for remembrance. Seemed like 12/12/12 just wasn't going to get enough respect. 

I am just a little jaded after so many numerical notables during the past decade, from 1/1/1 on up. The hullabaloo over the sequential dates doesn’t excite me at all. It’s just another date that pops up in our calendared years. So same goes for me on this 12.12.12, where I was back to work after a day off on Tuesday and ready to mingle with the bacterial cultures and date with my oodles of ‘ACGT’ data. J I am getting worked up in lieu of my scientific meeting. It’s more worthwhile doing something that I love to do rather than becoming dramatic over a mere triple date? Funny!

Certainly, another triple set of 12s won't happen again for another 100 years, in 2112. Or any more repeating digits until 2/2/22 (2022), and certainly not the same three-in-a-row style until 1/1/1 (2101), depending on, well, you know. So let’s bid adieu to the 12.12.12! 

My pet, my little joy

When one says that a dog is a man’s best friend, I think they had a dog like Hachiko in mind. Hachiko is based on a true story and watching the movie, it totally touched my heart. I sometimes wonder how an animal can be so faithful to its master when it is sometimes very hard for even a person to do something like that. Maybe people just need to learn the ultimate loyalty from a dog. It’s either we let go ourselves easily or we let our selfishness overcome us instead of putting ourselves in another person’s shoe and see things through their perspective, once in a while. I have a dog. He was a left astray in the park we used to work out in the evenings after the mother died mysteriously. Then the rest is his-story.

Each day as I head home after work, I will always look forward to my dog’s greet at the portico and his endeavor to amuse me with love every time I walk in the door. The calming effect of this little fella’s genuine affection as it jumps on me instantaneously brings a smile to my weary face. I am sure everyone who owns a furry pet will know that their pets are special and it brings a new hope of life. My dog has changed my life for better. After we adopted him on the even of New Year 2011, we began to see the happiness he brought to our life and a very good companion for all of us at home.

And let me tell you something, people usually believe that when you bring a new puppy to the house you need to train him and teach him stuff, I feel it’s totally the other way round… It’s the pet that teaches you treasured lessons that no one else could ever imbibe in you. A dog can really teach you unconditional love, patience, forgiveness, passion, and to never let your innocence and joy. It’s the most beautiful moments of your life when you own a dog and learn to live for him. This post is dedicated to one of the best gifts that life has endowed me with, a fury friend -Doggie!

It’s the little things that he does make a huge difference. His quirky bark when a newspaper peddler comes along, or his goofy habit of chewing the doormats in our house, we just can’t get enough of him. He can make our heart giggle in absurdity. I just can’t help but love him more when he greets me in the morning with a wet lick on my face. Whatever he does, it just melts my heart away.

There is nothing like the love of a dog. My dog would not be a celebrity dog or an expensive breed but he was a special one rescued from being starved when he was just a month old. This fella is fondly known as ‘Lucky’ since he was the only survivor among his nine siblings which died one-by-one mysteriously. The biggest despair came when he was left wandering by himself in the park when the mother was found lifeless nearby one day. My dad felt the grief of the orphaned little pup and saved him from his misery when he brought him home. The day we brought him back home, we showered him with all our affection. Since then, he trusted us with all his heart. Dogs are amazing in the sense that they are loyal, loving, protective and faithful unlike us humans. You can scold or hurt him yet he easily forgives us and put us before them. It is the most precious love in the world. A dog is truly an amazing companion.

A dog will be perfect partner to walk with you through your life, comfort you in your troubles and cheer you up when life is hard on us. Doggie’s little antics when he nudges you with a ball stuffed in his mouth calling for a play or his peculiar habit of sniffing through mom’s lovely potted plants (he loves to dig them out too!) Or even his surprising humanly behaviors, he is just too adorable for us to give him away. Everything a man has to be ideally can be learned from a dog. In a nutshell, I think dogs are the most amazing creatures that we have been blessed with.

No matter how frantic the days are, a mere woof and wag of tail will make it all go away! He loves to sit with me while gazing into my eyes that come as a huge soothing effect on any tired soul. I strongly believe it is the same loving heart that beats in every canine irrespective of the breed or pedigree. I am glad that our attention caught on this little fella roaming astray in the park even though he wasn’t an elite breed. What matters the most is the little joy he brought us. Sometimes his loyalty reminds me of Hachiko who waited for his master in front of the train station 10 years after his master had died. If only people have the same loyalty as animals, the world might be a better place. Families might not squabble over petty resentment, colleagues might not have another colleague sabotaging just to climb the corporate ladder, governments might not have opposing organizations trying to topple each other, friends might not backbite each other and the world might actually be a much friendlier, happier and serene place to live in.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing these memoirs which captured a significant part of my life. The memories made me smile and laugh.

Big Bad Wolf Rampage in Town

Hoot Hoot…

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is back with a bang this year. I and my colleague, Katharina got to the heart of the howl as the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale open its door for avid book readers like me. It couldn’t have been a more exciting time for a book lover as a golden opportunity to check out the wide selection of books on sale from December 7th – 23rd at the Mines Convention Centre. This year is the largest one yet as there are 3 million books will go on sale and all with discounts from 75 to 95%! 

I was flabbergasted to see whole lotta books put up on sale and it has a myriad of book selection to cater people from all walks of life, I believe. Anything you ever wanted from literature genre to cooking, pets, photography, arts, gardening, biographies, fiction, children’s books and more are available here without a doubt. I was told that there are a lot more books on offer this time around compared to the year before. To mark the special celebration of this year sale, the organizers extended its opening hours for 63 hours straight for the weekend of Friday Dec 7th right up to 9pm, Sunday Dec 9th.

Though I plan to only limit myself with a couple of books since I got quite a number of books a couple of months back at MPH with a hefty price tag, yet I couldn’t resist the temptation. I end up spending almost 100 bucks for 5 books. Though my eyes and feet were tired after awhile of browsing through what is not even a quarter of it, yet I was compelled to scout further. But time was not gracious to me since I got to rush back to office (as we sneaked in during our lunch hours. 

A word of advice for those planning to attack the sale, haul up a trolley basket or bad that will definitely help a lot in saving lots of your energy and paving way for you to last longer hours of book hunting around the exhibition hall. Trust me. If you are afraid of getting dehydrated or hungry from book hunting, need not to be fretful as they have food and beverage stalls to keep us refreshed.

So what are you guys waiting for? Happy Book Hunting at the Big Bad Wolf 2012!

A Dainty English Affair-Tea the English Way

A perfect Sunday afternoon with the girls to spend a relaxing afternoon over delicious English Tea-Time treats elegantly presented and complemented by aromatic and exclusive teas. One of my favorite things to do wind up is to have the classic English afternoon tea.

English afternoon Tea has always been an elegant tradition from England that dates back to the 1800s and it is perfected by this charming cozy ambiance with a touch of English flair. I enjoy a lovely afternoon sipping on a hot cuppa traditional English Breakfast Tea and delicious finger sandwiches, scones and strawberry jam served on a silver platter fit for the Queen and the ravishing Red Velvet Cake accompanied with two lovely girls.

Almost for the past one month, I had a busy life both on the social and work perspective. Then I thought I need a self indulgence and a girl’s day out. At last we gave it a thought to go for English Afternoon Tea which will be the perfect way to catch up with old times and at the same time indulge ourselves with the scrumptious servings of sweet treats – seemingly escape from the world. Just what we were looking for!

Delicious cozy ambiance and charming flair made me so relaxed all the way through till we called it off the day. I must concede that this experience is truly worthwhile. We girls got to choose from an assortment of afternoon tea and also the fluffy, varieties of cakes to top it off the set. When the 3 tier afternoon set arrived, we were thinking on how to finish up the whole thing as it seem to be quite a lot for three of us. Besides we order side dishes like calamari fries and fish burger.

Let’s savor the 3 tier set one at a time. Our first tier had 6 assortments of finger sandwiches and 2 Duck Confit in Filo Pastry. We had no trouble nibbling on the savory miniature sandwiches with smoked salmon as everything was very delicious and we enjoyed it wholeheartedly. The we moved on to the middle level where we were dined on the traditional English favorite of fresh home baked scones served with strawberry jam and a choice of clotted cream to sweeten our afternoon. The scones were buttery and light but not my choice as I would have preferred a pancake instead. However, the hand rolled chocolate truffles was marvelous. I could go for more of it although it was quite rich in chocolate taste. The rosemary and cheese cookies nothing much to shout about. The choice of treats could have been better with fruit tarts or so.

By the time we reach out for the top and last tier, three of us were already brimming with calorie treats! Oh gosh how much do I need to work out to get rid of of the extra calories? What’s on the top was ravishing Red Velvet Cake with macaroon and strawberry chocolate dip which was irresistible yet we allowed ourselves to digest before we munched on this. The red velvet was filled with sweet surprise. We spent hours chilling out and chatting accompanied by sweet treats and sipping on luxury afternoon tea, we just loved the heavenly moments shared and a great boost for the tired soul.

A dainty English affair indeed, ladies! Looking for more of it.

One Year Engagement Anniversary

So on November 27, 2012 the engagement was announced in Ipoh, city of hills while everyone gathered to celebrate the pre-nuptial union between a handsome lad to his lady love. So it was official! Raj and Nisha were engaged after all those years courting clandestinely– hurray.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to reminiscences the occasion on November 27, 2012.

It all went on very quickly that Sunday night with Raj declaring to the close-knits of family and friends that I will be now the love of his life (officially). It was a beautiful moment engraved in our hearts forever. The moment, Raj adorned the engagement ring into my finger, I felt a sense of euphoria and giddy. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. 

Reflecting upon the events of that day a year ago, I’m surprised at just how much of it I can still recall. I could remember that day so well and will always cherish it and honor it in my heart. Since that day, we go hand in hand through our lives sharing everything together. Looking back at those moments, I wouldn’t change anything about my life and Raj will always be the best of all the gifts in my life, undeniably.

Today is our one-year engagement anniversary. It was pretty surreal to know, it has been a year since we have lived as married couple. Although we are tied up in a long distance marriage, yet Raj and I have formed a beautiful life together that I truly cherish every little moment. The journey of our marriage never ceases but excites me more for an awesome life with my hubby.

The engagement anniversary will always feel special to me somehow. Happy engagement anniversary my honey bunny!

First Diwali after Wedding

Diwali this year was more precious to me and Raj as we celebrated our first Diwali together after marriage. Thalai Diwali – which means the FIRST Diwali as a married couple. It’s supposed to be the most special and auspicious of occasions since it is out first Diwali as husband and wife.

I would love to give a simple elucidation about what’s behind Diwali, the celebration of festival of lights. Diwali is the most esteemed and celebrated occasions of Hindu faith. This celebration honors the triumph of good over evil with a lot more spiritual significance. It is more than just celebrating Lord Ram’s victory over the evil king. But it is also to grace the inner light as well. No matter what, who and where it is celebrated, the essence of the festival remains the same – Diwali is celebrated be grateful to life, the goodness and purified soul.

Of course above and behind all those legacy, Diwali is simply a joyous occasions with showers of firecrackers welcoming the celebration of goodness, light lamps and fairy lights illuminating the ambiance in our homes to signify that darkness has been banished for good and also abundance of sweet delicacies, new and colorful attires to paint the town red.

Raj and I had been looking forward for this occasion for a long time. He will be the most celebrated as a lovable son-in-law in my family. The first Diwali is being hosted by the bride’s family for the newlyweds. Raj drove down to KL two days earlier and we had our own time to do some eleventh hour shopping, decorating the house, prepping the ambiance and even making trips to Little India to get some firecrackers, extra decorations, raw items needed for rangoli kolam and enough of fairy lights to illuminate the entire house. Raj was so enthusiastic to put up the lights around the house – they look so lovely and festive, we organized the tea candles around the house, designs for kolam to be in place, and put up more decorations here and there to spruce things up. All this was done in two days in time for Diwali celebration to kick in.

We got up early on Diwali morning to have our oil bath, followed by prayers before we put on our best attire. As usual women ended up in kitchen exercising their muscles to have all the sumptuous meal spread out on our dining table. I and my sister puffed up the ambiance with lots of fresh flowers around the house. Music filled up the air. Nothing is more pleasing than having your loved ones by your side during a joyous occasion.

Morning of Diwali is usually about family time. Good family bonding, having meals together while catching up with the movies and reminiscing about the celebration in the past. Since Raj was celebrating his Diwali in KL for the first time ever, we were invited to his parents place for a get-together lunch which again is about lots of food! We enjoyed the company more than the food for sure.

Night of Diwali saw us hosting the dinner for all our friends at our place. We made sure we prepared plenty of food, delicacies and alcohols to last the night. We had a good time chatting, drinking and eating our way round the clock. A Diwali to remember!

It was a fantastic day and I had such a great time with my husband, family and friends. Happy Diwali once again!

Monday minor mishap

It was a cold Monday morning when I got up with a void feeling as I had sleepless night due to my flu infection. A heavy heart and cold feeling made me feel that I got up on the wrong side of the bed. Yet I made my way to work with a strong determination to fight off the odds of Monday, ONLY to be trampled down before I could reach out the battle ground.

As I sashay slowly through the morning traffic brawl, I could still feel my senses were weighed down in forty winks, I guess. Yet, I was vigilant of the cars ahead of me since it was a wet day. Out of the blue, I was jolted with a loud thump at the rear of my car. I was bewildered for a moment wondering where in the hell did the loud bang came from. It took me awhile to convalesce myself out of shock. Before I knew what was happening, I was quick to lift up the handbrake and get out of the car only to give an intense stare to the abysmal driver with a hand gesture indicating my exasperation. How else do you expect me to treat the guy who actually gave me a rude awakening on an already gloomy Monday? Oh gosh! What do I do now?

I could sense vaguely from his face expression that he was feeling guilty as he made the turn into my lane absurdly and rammed into the rear of my car out of control. I was calmed down when his apologetic looks convince me to move out of the busy road to give way for others and settle the issue. However, I am not so naïve to trust any stranger especially when they see a woman behind the wheels; they will try to take us for a ride. Hell no! I am no such women to give in easily and raise a white flag. Yet, this is my first accident on road without my dad being with me (Technically it was my second accident but first time in the sense I was left all alone to fend myself here. The first one, dad was sitting right beside me and yet I could ram into car! Ha-ha).

The first thing I did when I moved to the side of the road, I jumped out of the car to see the intensity of damage incurred. My heart sunk when I saw the bump and scratches my car had. The bumper needs a makeover including the reverse sensor. However, I saw a good thing in the obscurity. My headlamps had a close shave but survived the aftermath. Thank god. When I turn around to see the guy’s car, Myvi, I should consider myself lucky since his damage was beyond my expectation. His left-side front bonnet was badly dented and the damage goes beyond superficial level. That’s pretty bad but it was his blunder and his mad-rush to work cost him a big hole in his pocket. I felt bad for him though. Then we both exchanged our contacts and details only to know his wife is working in Sime Darby HQ. What a coincident?

We both are first timers on having to deal with road accident and were totally unsure to go ahead make a report and claim from his insurance or we settle out of law. My damage would cost about MYR 1k++ but his could easily cost him more than MYR 2k. Since we both were bamboozled as to what we should do, I made a call to my dad to get his opinion and as always dad will be a savior for his daughter’s predicament, he made a dash to the site of accident in less than 30 minutes. Finally we agreed to lodge a police report and claim from the guy’s insurance since he was on the wrong. There you go a day of hassle with the redundant procedures and the lackadaisical of the enforcement officers. Phew by the time it was all settled, I was totally jaded.

The good thing about me is I never panicked in such circumstances and remain my poise at all time. I must say the guy whom hit my car was a nice chap and I was lucky enough to get correct contact information. However this will not be the scenario most of the time. Most of the time, the contact details furnished by other drivers can be false and alas we end up paying for the damage from our very own pockets. So we should stop being nice, trusting person when we are shoved into such a situation.

At least, now I know what I should do if I’m unintentionally pushed into such mishap in future. First of all, move our vehicles to the side of the road to alleviate roadway congestion. Don’t panic but remain poise and try to secure as much information about the vehicle and the driver involved in the accident –license plate number, vehicle description (make-model-color), driver’s & vehicle owner’s name, address, phone number, identification card number and if possible the insurance information. Do not forget to lodge police report and take a snapshot of the damage of vehicle. A lesson learnt the hard way but a good experience for me.

My Health Screening

After much procrastination, I finally feel compelled to get myself a thorough medical check-up. My last health check-up was in 2008. I should be getting a medical check-up once in two years but you know, I was just too paranoid of the cold hospital atmosphere, test results, and the smell of medicines. So a week ago, I made appointment with the executive health screening centre at Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) and finally I am getting it done after much persuasion by mom and in case before my body decides to surprise me. This will be my first attempt to a healthy living style effort.

The hospital itself was a house of award-winning class, complete sophisticated medical systems, cutting-edge technologies and experienced doctors. I was obliged to go health screening at SDMC not simply because as a Sime Darby staff but I believed in the outstanding healthcare services. Through the experiences of other colleagues, I was told as soon as we walk through the doors, you are no longer a patient. They treat us as a whole person beyond just looking after our illness and after-care. I guess it will not be a mistake once we choose SDMC as our loyal healthcare provider although it can be quite pricey.

As I walk into the reception lounge, I handed in my GL letter and was asked to take a seat. The waiting can be painful at times but I was assured it won’t take that long. Besides, filling up personal information and getting my consent for additional test, my height, weight measurements and eyesight were taken. Then, it all began with blood and urine samples drawn. I was led from one room to another, each for various type of test stated in our health screening programme. All in all, the entire check-up took me about half a day.

At the end of the check-up, the nurse told me that I can collect my results the following day which surprised me. It was quite efficient and I get to pick a consultant to explain my results. I had no idea of all the doctors listed in their list but I chose Dr Ashoka Menon who is a distinguished consultant. The most daunting part of the check-up is the results. A lot of questions went through my head of what will be my state of health. It made me slightly nervous as I have not done any check-up in the span of 3 years!

After what seemed like an eternity, I was called in to see Dr Ashoka who did some check-up on my nervous system and sat down to explain the outcome of my medical check-up. He gave me a clean bill of health although my hemoglobin level is slightly lower than the required range. It was normal for women like me whom menstruate and prescribed me some iron pills for it.

Wow. So glad and relieved that I did it before I reach my thirties and vow to exercise health screening once in every 2 years. And I have since been more conscious and informed about my diet.

J'aime le Be Delicious

I have always wanted a signature perfume that epitomizes my personality as modern women today. One that reflects a modern feast for the senses. Like most people today, I love perfume. I believe that people who love perfume tend also to love food and art more than the average person. Perfume lovers adore a story, too, and see their lives as movies in which they’re the star. And it’s freaking true. It’s just my hunch and not a convincing fashion statement. What makes me adore perfume?

It is so simple. I love perfume like all beautiful things around me that twirl me into a rapturous delight. It is more about chemistry, fashion and also a finishing touch to my personality. Moreover, I believe that the more one is attuned to smells in one’s surroundings, the more one can appreciate simple pleasures.

And here we go! DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom is what I was looking for in a perfume a very long time. Indeed, it is!  Now I have found it. What a refreshing and pleasant relief it turned out to be for me.

It is designed to fill in a sleek metal and glass apple bottle, this juicy fragrance combines the scent of apple with a sophisticated blend of exotic flowers and sensual woods. Like the city that inspired it, Be Delicious celebrates individuality with refreshing spirit. I must confess that the very first time I tested this on myself at the perfumery; I was mesmerized by its magic on my mood.  After going round testing on Salvatore, Coach Poppy etc, I was enthralled by Fresh Blossom that I decided to go for.

For me, Fresh Blossom accentuates the floral sensation with sweet lacings of fruity notes, true to its name. The subtle sweet pink color of the perfume oil itself is fresh, dewy with a hint of beautiful floral accents creating some lightness yet distinct. I must say DKNY did a great job in blending up citrus and lovely pink blossoms to give a signature scent with truly reflects femininity. 

J'aime le parfum – I love perfume

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in town

There is really nothing that can get us enough of the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Don’t you think so? Yes, the charm, amiable, humility, grace, compassion and the natural flair they execute are just more than enough to sweep us off our feet. I am definitely one person whom adored the British Royalties for their regal personality and exuberance. The late Lady Diana Spencer (aka Princess of Wales) is a great exemplary. Perhaps that could be the reason behind my admiration for the young Duke and Duchess of Cambridge whom resembles the lovely persona. Just like everybody else, I seem pretty excited at their visit here as I can’t wait to see Prince William and wife Catherine in the person. 

After weeks of intense eagerness, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Catherine Middleton have arrived in Malaysia on the 13th of September, 2012 for their inaugural 3-day trip. William and Kate flew in from Singapore as part of the Britain’s royal couple’s Southeast Asia Pacific tour in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Their arrival were welcomed with hordes of Malaysians who were excited to catch a glimpse of the two as they waved their way to the exit only to be whisked away by a limousine to Putrajaya where a luncheon was hosted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife for the royal couple. 

The couple has a tight schedule on their hands after just concluding their visit to Singapore which will see them through Solomon Islands and Tuvalu stops after Malaysia. Catherine affectionately known as Kate amongst her admirers all over the world delivered her first speech as she settles into her duty as being part of the British monarchy. Her heartwarming speech at the Hospis Malaysia brought a glimpse of hope to the young patients and cheered them up. 

I was overwhelmed when I first knew that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be at KLCC Park for a private tea party and do a walkway around the park to meet the public today (September, the 14th) as it was something I have look forward for a very long time. Unfortunately I can’t due to my call of duty as I have my ad-hoc performance plan meeting at office. Even though it was a huge disappointment for me, yet it will definitely be a memorable event for us, fellow Malaysians, a memory that will be etched in our hearts for decades to come. 

The royal couple will be making their next stop at Sabah, the Land below the Wind. It was an honor for us to feel proud to have them visit our country as one of their destination for their royal visit.
All in all, we are delighted to have the royal couple visit our country and experience the presence of Duke and Duchess in our land.

In the Wake of 9/11, A Time to Reminisce

It’s hard to believe that 11 years has passed since that dreadful day that claimed the lives of thousands of innocent American citizens and awakened many of us to the vulnerability of a country. While some of us watched the devastation unfold with our loved ones from our living room television, there were many that were faced with the reality of their loved ones tragically killed. The nightmare continues as many more lose family members daily who continue to fight for the rest to feel safe in their nation.

God Bless all of those who were directly affected by the terrorist acts on September 11th and for those who have given their lives for the country, you are the true heroes!

September 11th, 2001 lingers in my memory as a day of heartache. Glued to my television set, watching the nightmare unfold, I felt sorrow well up in me. Islamic extremists had reminded America just how dangerous radical religion could be. The hijackers had destroyed the Twin Towers and wounded the Pentagon, killing countless innocent people. All I prayed for was for the healing of those who lost their loved ones.

I grieved not only for the lives lost, but for the horrors that were bound to take place after that dreadful day. I was worried that the West would blindly chastise law-abiding Muslims together with Islamic extremists, and that oppression of Muslims would soon follow. I also feared that the Americans might go beyond indispensable justice in its pursuit of those responsible for this horrible sin. Retaliation was something we all could foresee in near future. In some way we might be in the face of a war. With a heavy heart, I feared that many innocent people would perish in the fighting like what has happen to those victims of circumstance. Ten years after the tragedy, it seems that we are possibly inept of distinguishing Islamic fanaticism from Islam as a whole, spreading fear in their wake. The world looks darker to me now than it did on September 10th, 2001.


Even after 11 years after the attack, still the pain lingers in everyone’s heart. At the crack of the dawn, all of us would be left with delusion of aghast memories coupled with enormous human suffering. The tragedy of September 11th was followed by an era of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, weakened civil liberties, and human rights violations in the name of "security." Still, the past 11 years have brought glimmers of hope as well. On September 11th, people came together and united in the face of horror.

Looking back, I take comfort in the resilience of the people, knowing that there will always be those who face chaos with courage. I know that in times of horror, there will always be people who set aside their differences and help others. There are many voices for human rights, and many people who have condemned extremism without succumbing to blind fury and xenophobia. Many look back on September 11th with a spirit of humility. As a nation, we are more mindful of religious extremism now and awareness of a threat in the best possible way to prevent in the wake of a racial catastrophe.

As we walk into the eleventh anniversary of September 11th, we can take look of what has passed since 2001. There is always a better way to look at things and spread the awareness against the threat of radicalism through knowledge, coordination, and justice. We must understand that war and blind wrath will not extinguish extremism, and may actually inflame it. We can go forward reflecting on ways to prevent religious extremism and create a more just and peaceful world.

The people who died in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 should not be forgotten. The courage of the fire personnel’s should never be forgotten. Nor should their sacrifices, as many perished on September 11th and others live on with the agony. September 11th impacted all Americans, and worldwide regardless of race, gender, or religion, and all of us must remember and draw wisdom from that day. As we remember those families who were touched with the loss of loved ones on that terrible day, let us also remember than we can do nothing more for the dead. We must concentrate our efforts on those still living. The legacy of 9/11 hasn't been particularly helpful for them. The damage done to the collective American psyche seems incalculable.

A quiet weekday

As I drove in to my office vicinity this morning, I was feeling rather austere since I can sense the quiet and still air with only sounds of birds chirping. What’s ahead for me will be a week of hushed ambiance with only a handful of us working here. However, I had my agenda planned out well to fit for the week. Besides my principle project on my schedule which is topping the priority directory, I was assigned to do DNA profiling for a subset of samples shipped into our lab 2 weeks ago to verify its distinctiveness as an air of doubt was clouding us in our recent data analysis performed.
When I finish a project in hand, I find it slightly tricky to right away get started on something new. My mind simply needs a break to refresh and slowly absorb to the new task seamlessly. So after spending days prepping for my next pipeline, I was a bit sluggish getting into the office. Rather than thinking of judgment calls, I spent the morning preoccupied with something that I do not find so straightforward: legal memorandum of understanding (MoU). Especially those part of research information that may be exploited by the service provider. Time to ponder on the nitty-gritty details of confidentiality as we are fast pacing into the crucial element of the work.
Do you see the headache I can get into? Well, I poured myself with some white coffee and made myself comfortable in my chair ready to draw out my framework. The mere thought of the exciting outcome from this project to benefit our plantation counterpart, it drew a smile on my face and a satisfying joy to my heart. As a scientist, nothing is more precious than bringing goodness to mankind.
On a more pleasant note, I made plan for a little celebration in conjunction with my aunt birthday. I am thinking of making her happy as every year is a milestone for her (since she is a cancer patient and in healing stage). The love and inspiration to drive her to make a living that she wanted to.

This will be my aunt’s second birthday which I think I had celebrated for her (the first during her chemo treatment period). I really am looking forward to it.

My long weekend

Speaking of my long weekend, I had no plans on hand since it will be a mad rush travelling out of KL. Coming on guys, it is Eid celebration and our fellow Muslims will be busy packing off to their kampong’s! And I don’t want to vie with them on roads just to spend the long weekends.

I rather spend the weekends getting up late, relaxing, and going for a drive around the city, window shopping and nature hunting. It is also time for family bonding as I enjoy the company of my lovely mom, happy-go-lucky aunt and her naughty little girl.

I only have leave for another day and I am back to work. So I am trying to enjoy my available morning together while we can. It’s those lovely times such as a morning talk with mom that make me look forward to the tomorrow's of my life. Tuesday here I come.