Clone Me

Every night, during bedtime ritual for Girl and Bean, I wish I can clone myself and be present in two places at the same time.

Bean wants me to shower him, place him into the bath tub for 10 minutes (we turn on the timer, so we know precisely when 10 minutes is up), lift him up, rinse and dry him before letting him choose his pyjamas for the night. He calls it "poh-jar-mous", in his cutest voice ever.

Concurrent to this lovely scene:

On nights when Girl wants me to accompany her to brush her teeth, wash up for the night, tuck her in after her prayers and cuddles (which happens almost every night, but of course!) - on nights when The Other Half can and will help but vehemently refused by Girl...

She cries. Loudly. In her bedroom.

Bean cries too. Loudly. In the bath tub.

Sigh.

Clone me. Quickly.

How do you avoid such time clashes in your nightly routine? Do you stagger bed times? I have tried and still these two cheeky rascals will somehow time it such that I wish I can be cloned.

Help!

Happy Deepavali

Salam my lovelies,

May the Light thriumph over evil. May your muruku and jelebi be in abundant supplies. Safe travels and happy holidays!

I am having a terrible time nursing a bad flu and fever and cannot wait to be better so that I can devour crispy muruku and sweet jelebi.

Oh, I am obsessed with these two right now because I cannot have them, argh...! Let's hope the dengue bloodtest and H1N1 swabs return negative results.

***2 hours later***

Negative for dengue.
Negative for H1N1.

Syukur alhamdulillah.

A course of antibiotics for 5 days has been prescribed because bacterial infection showed up in the blood test.

Totally enjoyed those few pieces of muruku from PIL's driver's wife. Thank you, Madam Usha. It went so well with a cup of hot tea and Marnie, a Studio Ghibli final production.

Deepavali and Halloween well spent, despite the flu and fever.

I Can Never Be Who I Was Before

Silly me.

I went to search for myself to realise that I can never the person I once was. I am like the proverbial hermit crab who has outgrown her shell and need to find a bigger, shinier, stronger, better shell.

The person from 10 years ago who was single, without the Love and Mercy of Allah swt, hand-to-mouth-making-ends-meet while looking good in suits and corporate business trips, no dependents whatsover other than plants and bills and mostly spends her entire life working even when travelling.

What was I thinking?

I am so glad I came to realise this. It took me many cups of latte on my own to think straight but the harsh truth came from someone I used to know, who recently reconnected on a professional basis. "You are now a mum of 2. Not single anymore. You wear tudung now."

Wow.

OUCH.

Thanks! I sure needed that rude slap from one of the most rude and selfish persons I have ever encountered. That aside, it is truth is I am a mum of 2. I am married and trying to make my marriage as happy as can be. I do don the headscarf, despite my dugaan of heat and sweat.

On a positive note, I am more aware of my blessings and shortcomings now. I make a conscious effort to improve myself. Stay with me and root for me.

Have a blessed Friday and weekend, my lovelies!

I Question Myself Sometimes

It saddens me that there are a few types of "charities" in Kuala Lumpur.

The Other Half and I were approached by someone who gave salam, and showed us his plastered wound and asked for money in shopping mall near home. It made us feel bad if we had not returned his salam. It made us feel bad that he was suffering from a wound (that looks a little too Halloween, if you have seen one of those before). It made us feel bad that he would suffer even more if we do not give him any donation.

The same man plies the same pitiful situation in a few malls (Suria KLCC, Avenue K and Great Eastern Mall) and we bumped into him several times on different days. Just like that, our hearts became hardened and we stopped pitying "his situation".

Conscience.

I guess it is the same as the many "my-spouse-is-blind" couples who give salam, sell tissue papers and hover around mamak stalls and open air eateries in Bangsar and Damansara Utama. Over the years, I learnt not to fall foolishly into such business schemes.

Conscience.

Recently, it hit close to home. Someone I have been assisting "got found out". His Revelations were timely and accurate. Just like that, I told myself to stop. It is no use giving fish to someone whom I had already taught to fish but refuses to fish for him/herself.

Syukur alhamdulillah for His Revelations and Signs. I "halalkan" everything given before, of course. I just will not continue being bullied and used, that's all. Thank you so much for the lessons.

Conscience.

Do you question yourself too?

Solo versus Partnership

Salam, my lovelies.

So it has come to pass that I am better suited as an in-house legal counsel for various reasons. The mother of all reasons would be my flexibility to work-from-home so that I can still care for my children.

I know.

Same old story.

Money is not always sole reward or motivation. Access to client account, decision-making process, structure of partnership, and 1001 details should be clearly spelt out in partnership agreement. Therefore, in a situation where  a draft partnership agreement is not forthcoming, that reflects on lack of interest to pursue further.

One can also stick to the quiz on the Malaysian Bar Council website to help determine if one is better suited as a sole proprietor or a partner before even considering such talks. It helps with decision-making process beyond wanting to have partners just for the sole purpose of "beefing up the firm profile", "opening doors" and such.

Well, I have sort of reached my conclusion about myself, and insyaAllah, this is a "happy" one. Syukur alhamdulillah!

Note to self: Shaytaan threatens you with poverty and command you with evil and obscene deeds. [Al-Quran 2:268]

When September Ends

Hello, October!

My month of September was one full of revelations, sign and answers. Syukur alhamdulillah, I can say the outcome is better than my imagination.

While work load is heavy, I tell myself to be thankful for His rezeki.

While my body is weary, I thank those who are here to root for me; and sincerely want to see me survive and eventually triumph this transition period.

You know who you are, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.