New Year prayer

Beginning of the year prayer – to be read on the eve of the New Year after Maghrib.

End of the year prayer

 

End of year prayer – to be read thrice between Asar or before Maghrib .

Selamat menyambut awal tahun baru Hijrah. Happy New Year Hijrah.

Yogurt Salad Dressing

From today, I am going to start a new category – Recipes. Of course, healthy ones in line with my new year resolution  – to eat healthier food and I think I will start today (never too early) with this dressing:

Yogurt Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 8 ounce(s) yogurt, fat-free plain
• 1/4 cup(s) mayonnaise, nonfat
• 2 tablespoon chives
• 1 tablespoon dill weed, fresh
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in bowl and refrigerate.

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 23,

Saturated Fat: 0g,

 Sodium: 84mg,

Dietary Fiber: 0g,

Total Fat: 0g,

Carbs: 4g,

Cholesterol: 1mg,

Protein: 2g

Carb Choices: 0.5

Nice!

Shed fat fast with a 15-min cardio bench workout.

This workout combines cardiovascular drills with strength exercises to build muscle and burn calories. The only gear you need is a staircase or bench. See you at the top.

Sprinter’s Step Drill

Stand facing the bench with your right foot on the bottom step and your right knee bent. Rapidly alternate your feet on and off the step so you’re sprinting in place. Drive your knees up, and pump your arms as if you were sprinting. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds.

Incline Pushup

Assume a pushup position, facing away from the bench or stairs. Place the balls of your feet on the third step. Brace your abs and keep your back flat. Bend your elbows and lower yourself until your chest is a couple of inches off the floor. Pause, and then push back up. Do 10 to 12 reps.

Pistol Squat

Stand with your back to the bench, lifting one leg straight out in front of you. Push your hips back, and bend your other leg to try to touch the bench with your butt. Once you’ve reached your lowest point, push your foot into the floor and stand back up. Do 6 to 10 reps on each leg.

Upper-Body Shuttle

Face the bench or stairs in a pushup position, with your fingertips just in front of the bottom step. Lift one hand onto the step, then bring up your other hand. Return your first hand to the floor, and then the second. Walk your hands up and down for 30 to 60 seconds.

Two ways to work the steps

1. Alternate between the sprinter’s step drill and incline pushup for 2 sets of each move, and then alternate between the pistol squat and upper-body shuttle.

2. Perform all four moves in a row, rest 1 minute, and then repeat the grueling circuit twice.

Complete the routine 3 days a week, resting at least a day between sessions.

Watch video demonstrations of 15-Minute Workouts at MensHealth.com/15minute.

- By Mike Mejia, M.S., C.S.C.S., Men’s Health

Click and win air ticket prizes from RBA

10 Zulhijjah – the story

In the spirit of the Feast of Sacrifice or locally known as Hari Raya Aidil Adha, I have gathered a brief on the significance of the hajj rituals and the celebration:

- Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam (the other four are reciting the syahaddah, performing the five prayers daily, fasting in the month of Ramadhan and giving out alms or zakat to the poor).

- Hajj has been around even during Prophet Adam allaihisalam’s time.

- The first comprehensive hajj rituals as it is today, started in the 9^th of Hijrah (or 630 AD) when God sent His message to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who then asked Abu Bakar As-Siddiq and Umar Al-Khattab to perform the first hajj in Makkah.

- The following year (the 10^th Hijrah), Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made his only hajj before his death.

- Circling the Kaabah (the square black building) or tawaf (the act) symbolises the struggle of mankind to fight for their existence on this earth.

- Tawaf were made seven times because when Prophet Ibrahim allahisalam built the Kaabah, he ensured that the building stood straight by circling it seven times and looking over his shoulder that its in line all around.

- Tawaf is also the practise made by angels at the Baitul Makmur, which is located directly above the Kaabah in the sky.

- Wukuf means stop, so haj pilgrims stop at the Arafah plains on the ninth day of Zulhijjah. It is said that the Arafah plains symbolises the Judgement Day where humans will be judged on their deeds or evil during their lifetime and they are gathered regardless of race, status or gender on one place which is so hot and has a very high humid, much resembling Padang Mashar.

- At Arafah, there is a place called Jabal Rahmah. This is where Prophet Adam alahisalam met his wife, Siti Hawa after both were ordered to leave Heaven.

- That was also the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his last sermon before he died.

- Saie (the act of jogging between two places) is one of the rituals in hajj. It was said that Siti Hajar, Prophet Ibrahim alahisalam’s mother was running around for water for him. She ran from one place, Safa to another, Marwah, seven times when she thought that she saw water but those were only mirages.

- ZamZam Well (Telaga ZamaZam) - [continuation from the above] As Siti Hajar made her seventh run near Marwan, she heard a voice and saw an angel was digging the earth with its wing and out came water, which was the point for the ZamZam Well.

- It was also said that Prophet Ibrahim alahisalam, who was a baby at that time, was crying out loud as he was so thirsty being left along with his mother in the desert. He stamped his heel to the ground and out came the water.

- Saie symbolises that human should make an effort to earn their living and at the same time earn rewards for their effort.

- Stoning symbolises that Muslims should let the evil go away. The story behind this was that when Prophet Ibrahim alaihisalam received a message from God to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail alahisalam in Mina (near Makkah), the Satan appeared as a human and asked Prophet Ibrahim alaihisalam not to sacrifice his son. 

- The sacrifice – When Prophet Ibrahim alahisalam was about to sacrifice his son, God replaced Prophet Ismail with a goat and this marked the start of all the sacrifices made to these days during the Feast of Sacrifice which falls on the tenth of Zulhijjah.

The day itself is unlike any social celebrations. It is more to appreciating what have been given to us and be ready to sacrifice anything. The Hari Raya Aidil Adha is usually celebrated for four days with the meat from the sacrifices distributed to the poor.

I pray I will make it to Makkah to perform the hajj at least once in my lifetime, amin. I was told that the secret is to salawat or recite praises to Prophet Muhamamd (peace be upon him) non-stop. Insya Allah.

Related post I put up a couple of days ago – The Feast of Sacrifice.

I am Legend

I am Legend – what a way to close the year with. I just love the movie and I am going to watch it again this week. Hehe. I think this is Will Smith‘s best ever. I have always enjoyed his movies and he is the best actor at the moment.

Synopsis:

Based on the classic horror novel by Richard Matheson, Robert Neville (Will Smith), a brilliant scientist, is the last human being on Earth. Everybody else on the planet has been transformed into blood-sucking vampires who all want to feast on Neville’s neck.

I am legend is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.

Also, read this biography on Will Smith. I have love him since his ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ series.

Estimated ticket sales for Dec. 14-16  [di US nih, sorry. No figures available in Brunei] – edited

1. “I Am Legend,” $76.5 million.
2. “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” $45 million. – Next in my ‘See-movie’ list
3. “The Golden Compass,” $9 million. – do-
4. “Enchanted,” $6 million. – love watching this if I am still a tween.
5. “No Country for Old Men,” $3 million.
6. “The Perfect Holiday,” $2.97 million.
7. “Fred Claus,” $2.3 million.
8. “This Christmas,” $2.3 million.
9. “Atonement,” $1.85 million.
10. “August Rush,” $1.8 million.

SEA Games 2007 – Brunei with six medals

 Why six? What happen to the expected 50 medals at the beginning of the games? Brunei team returned home from the SEA Games in Thailand with only six medals in hand.

Comments made were the usual lack of exposure and training. I think I have heard such comments for a couple of years now. Why not send our athletes to the best sports training camps in the world and let them take part in international events? I am sure we have the money, yes? Change our athletes’ mind-set and prepare them for international exposure.

One thing I have been noticing is that our athletes are not professional or serious ones. Once they are back to Brunei after their overseas stints, they go back to their day’s jobs as teachers or administrators or the likes. Are we going to wait for our students at the Sports School to finish their studies and make sports as their careers? How long would that be?

Take for example the footballers in the UK. They are full-time footballers and earn money from playing football. They train everyday even during winter and yes, football is their bread and butter. Wouldn’t it be great to do something you love best and yet at the same time earn very good money at that?

The Feast of Sacrifice – Hari Raya Korban

 We are now in the fourth day of the Muslim’s month of Zulhijjah 1428 Hijrah. On the tenth of the month, corresponding to Thursday, 20 December 2007, Muslims around the world celebrates another important event of the Islamic calendar, the Feast of Sacrifice or locally known as Hari Raya Haji or Hari Raya Korban.

Hari Raya Haji in Brunei is usually celebrated with much less fanfare than the other festival, Hari Raya Aidil Fitri or the Eid-Mubarak, which marks the end of Ramadhan.

I remember when I was small, Hari Raya Haji would just passed like any other ordinary day. Dont blame me. Back then I wasnt sure on why one is much celebrated berabis ani bah and the other, you can even hear the crickets in the woods.

These days, all Muslim celebrations are celebrated on a national level in Brunei. Hari Raya Aidil Adha, as is Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, would start with the mass prayer except that the former is usually followed with sacrifices of cows or goats made throughout the country. The meat would be distributed to the poor.

Read on the information about Haj and the sacrifice here.

There would not be any preparation made, like baking cakes or for some, ordering curtains and purchasing new furniture like during the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Even Bruneians dress normally during that day.

So, what can Muslims do during the month of Zulhijjah, especially for those who are not performing the hajj? The first ten days of the month are very important and for those who would like to reap more rewards or pahala do these:

Tahlil: Reciting La ilaaha Illa-Allah (There is no God but Allah);

Takbir: Reciting Allahu Akbar (God is Great);

Tahmid: Reciting Alhamdullilah (All praises to Allah).

Fasting on the ninth day. – This is also the Day of the Arafah, where haj pilgrims gather at the plain of Arafah, near Makkah. Fasting on this day cleanses one’s sins of the past and the coming years

Show me your tongue please

 Did you guys ever wonder why a doctor asks you to stick out your tongue to check if you are healthy or not?

Sit back and relax for here is a report from MSN Heath on the strongest muscle in our body – the tongue (nope, its not that something else).

The report says that a healthy tongue should be in a shade of pink. So different colors and appearance show different health warnings. In brief:

White coating – can be a sign of infection.

Too dark – can be stains from tobacco, drinks, food or lozenges that you consume. Good news is that you can make the color disappear by repeated brushing and the bad news is that tobacco stains can show signs of increased oral cancer.

Hairy – infections, taking anti-biotics or having dry mouth.

Sore spots (including mouth ulcers) – awww, they are very painful – cause by cold or fever, taking excess citrus fruits or even biting your own tongue. Warning – these spots usually go away after ten days, anything longer than that should be checked by a doctor as it may be a sign of oral cancer.

Red and painful – lack of Vitamin B3, folic acid, Vitamin B12.

Yellow – fungal or bacterial infection. May also be gastric reflux, meaning that the acid may rearrange the mouth’s natural bacterial flora.

Burning sensation – may be due to eating certain food that causes temporary stinging sensation. Mostly happen to post-menopausal women. Ladies take note.

Pale and smooth – anaemic.

Apologize by Timbaland

I just love this song which I am sharing with my other half, so meaningful….whoaaaa :’(

Artist: Timbaland
Album: Timbaland Presents Shock Value
Title: Apologize

I’m holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I’m hearing what you say
But I just can’t make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down
But wait…
You tell me that you’re sorry
Didn’t think I’d turn around and say..

That it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late

I’d take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
(But that’s nothing new)
Yeah yeah

I loved you with a fire red, now it’s turning blue
And you say
Sorry like an angel, heavens not the thing for you,
But I’m afraid

It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologizes, it’s too late
Woahooo woah

It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, yeah yeah
I said it’s too late to apologize, a yeah

I’m holding your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground…

Satay and ketupat with a hint of gold

 

Satay is one of Brunei’s delicacies. It is barbecued beef or chicken meat, skewed, for easy handling and cooking, in sharp-edge bamboo sticks. The dish is well-known throughout South-East Asia.

Satay, or meat-on-a-stick, originated in Indonesia.It iw now well-known in the West and almost all local restaurants will have some variation of satay on their menus.

Some people believe the word ’satay’ to be of Tamil origin but it is more likely a corruption of the English word ’steak’, because Asians tend to have trouble pronouncing consonants together, particularly the letters ’s’ and ‘t’. Because it is a phonetic spelling, you will also commonly see this dish written as ’sate’ or ’satae’.

How to prepare Satay?

Chicken meat or beef are cut into finger-length pieces and marinated, usually over-night, with herbs and spices such as cumin, coriander and black pepper and mixed with seasoning. When they are ready to be cooked, the pieces are put into wooden skewers and barbecued or grilled until golden brown. Tourists might be familiar with the smoke coming from the barbecue cause by the use of coal to cook satay.

Apart from chicken or beef, enterprising satay-sellers venture out with farmed ostrich (nice!), prawn (not a seafood fan here) and even rabbits; yes those flurry, hopping bunnies (couldn’t stand the thought of eating these cuties). There is even a vegetarian version – tofu sliced into strips. Yes tofus are not as solid as its meat counterpart so to firm tofus, freeze solid them then thaw in the fridge, marinate and grill them. Prices also differ accordingly.

Satay would taste even better with a peanut sauce. The trick to a perfect peanut sauce is just by looking at its appearance – not too oily and the color of thick brown. Also if the seller allowed you to spoon the sauce, it should not be too sticky. Another food that usually accompanied satay is the ketupat or stuffed-steamed rice which you may also dipped in to the peanut sauce.

So, as I was enjoying my satay and ketupat (along with that butter cookie in the pic), I noticed that some of the children around me left small pieces in the ketupat wraps. I asked if they would be interested to hear a Brunei’s folklore on ketupat, which I myself heard from my late father. ‘Mauuuuu…. (yessssss)’ they all yelled. The story goes like this:

The story of ketupat with a heap of gold.

Many centuries ago, most Bruneians worked as fishermen and it was normal for these seafarers to bring along food as they stayed all day long at the sea.

One fisherman brought with him some of those ketupat with him. He didn’t finish his ketupat so he just threw them away to the water. The ketupat felt sad with this act because it thought that, here it was, fulfilling a man’s hunger and yet it was just thrown away, wasted.

So, as the ketupat was drifting with the tide by the Brunei Bay, it noticed a glow of yellow in the distance. As it came nearer, the ketupat asked the glow on what it is.

Ketupat: ‘Hello Glow. If I may ask, who are you?’

Glow: ‘Oh hello there. Yes, I am a heap of gold and I am on the way to bring richness to this country.’

Ketupat: ‘Oh, is that so? You are gold and you want to bring richness. Just look at me. I am a kind of food that fills the countryman’s tummy and yet I am being thrown away, wasted. What good would it bring if you are to give richness there and yet the people waste their food?’

Glow (which you know now is gold): ‘Hmmm…. You are right. In that case, I will go to another country where the people appreciate what has been given to them.’

The end.

So, I turned to the children and asked what was the morale of the story. Some witty answers:

• Don’t talk to strangers, especially those who said they are gold!
• Ketupat is a geek and don’t have friends!
• I don’t know that food can talk. I thought I am the one with a mouth.
• What was Ketupat so sad about again? It should be happy that the fisherman didn’t eat it.
• Yeah, the ketupat is free so now it can go anywhere it wanted to – to the cinema, arcade game, The Mall… anywhere except the fisherman’s tummy.

Kids!

P/s. actually the story taught us not to waste food. Also, Islam teaches us that those who waste things are a friend of the Satan. Nau’zubillahi…

A daughter’s letter to her dad

  This is a forwarded email that I received and decided to post it here instead of forwarding it – chain email. Read on…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A father passing by his teenage daughter’s bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was neat and tidy. Then he saw an envelope propped up prominently on the centre of the pillow. It was addressed “Dad”.

With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:-

Dear Dad,

It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you, but I’m leaving home. I had to elope with my new boyfriend Saim because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.

I’ve been finding real passion with Saim and he is so nice to me. I know when you meet him you’ll like him too – even with all his piercing, tattoos, and motorcycle clothes.

But it’s not only the passion Dad, I’m pregnant and Saim said that he wants me to have the kid and that we can be very happy together. Even though Saim is much older than me (anyway, 42 isn’t so old these days is it?), and has no money, really these things shouldn’t tand in the way of our relationship, don’t you agree? Saim has a great CD collection; he already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter.

It’s true he has other girlfriends as well but I know he’ll be faithful to me in his own way. He wants to have many more children with me and that’s now one of my dreams too.

Saim taught me that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone and he’ll be growing it for us and we’ll trade it with our friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we’ll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Saim can get better; he sure deserves it!!

Don’t worry Dad, I’m 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure we’ll be back to visit so you can get to know your grandchildren.

Your loving daughter,
Rosie.

At the bottom of the page were the letters “PTO”.
Hands still trembling, her father turned the sheet, and read:

PS: Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at the neighbor’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that’s in my desk centre drawer.

Please sign it and call when it is safe for me to come home.

I love you!

Kurang asam punya anak.

Promotion – Food

Maybe this is a good way to spend my holiday – indulge myself with food. Also, its domestic so I don’t have to spend on air tickets and accomodation :p

In case of emergency

I haven’t plan on what to do for the current holiday. Not going anywhere I think because I just moved in to a new place. By the way, its something that I can call Home Sweet Home now. Everything is in order. Perfecto! Except for that flash flood last night. Our area was affected with water level reaching our doorstep and almost drowning small cars [pls see pic].

Our neighbour who has lived there for 30 years said that last night’s was nothing. One time he said, it was up to his waist, and he is one tall man, about 1.8 metre tall. I believe him because I noticed the neighbourhood has poor drainage system with some drains only about six inches tall.

Read today’s local news on the flash flood here.

These are important emergency numbers and useful website (in case you have time to surf in time of emergency :p) – I will put these under a new page on the side bar.

Ambulance – 991

Police – 993

Fire & Rescue – 995

Search and Rescue – 998

Water – 140

Faults and complaints – 222 2428 (office hours) & 222 2429 (outside working hours)

Electricity – 144 (24-hour service)

Welfare/ Children – 141 - If you suspect that a child has been abused, you may call this number and remain anonymous. The authority will investigate.

Flight information – 233 1747

Search and Rescue Centre – Air and Sea – 233 2600

Weather conditions – 2330142 ext 1551 or 1888.

Narcotics Control Bureau – 877 7444 (outside working hours)

Daily Weather Forecast – surprisingly updated daily – nice!

Weather’s warning and advisory – more thundershowers expected causing flash flood this evening. Be prepared guys.

Haze conditions – not recommended, as the page was last updated, hold on guys, 8 November 2006 – a year ago!

Regional Haze Map – From the National Environment Agency. At least this is updated daily.

Geez, why am I rambling on emergency numbers now? I know the answer myself. I think its due to what has happened last night with the flash flood. I was searching for the emergency numbers when I noticed the water was rising.

I know some of us are ignorant with these important contacts. Only when things happen do we frantically search for them. So, lesson learnt.

The race for a living planet

Previously I have written on the Amazing Race reality show. This time I am writing on a similar title, and a real race at that.

I love it when there are sound-minded business organisations that do care about the planet we live in. One example I can be very proud of is Standard Chartered Bank.

The Race for a Living Planet is a joint effort by the Bank with the World Wildlife Fund – WWF. It is an initiative to conserve the environment and individuals like you and me, can make a difference to world we live in.

Make up to eight pledges from the site then select the country of your choice from the list (Brunei is included). Standard Chartered will donate USD 1 million to support vital vital environmental projects which will benefit the three nations that receive the most pledges per capita.  Currently Brunei, yes our beloved country, is on the lead for this race. So common guys, make your environmental pledges NOW and select Brunei as the country of your choice. Brunei Boleh.

Think of the Heart of Borneo…I am confident it will be a success.

Reflexology path

 

As promised, (see my previous post on reflexology stones) this is a picture of that reflexology path I mentioned. See, this path won’t make me look like I’m in trouble as the area is large enough to accommodate up to twenty users at a time.

This is a pedestrian reflexology path built purposely at the natural waterfall park, Tasek Lama, right in the middle of Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The place is very popular with joggers, casual and serious ones. Friday mornings will see avid Tai Chi practitioners with their gentle moves filling a spot at the top of the park’s hill. Friday afternoons will see yoga-lovers at one of the park’s resting areas doing their sun-salutations and other moves; stretching their muscles and ligaments. Most of the day, the park will be filled with families with young children taking advantage of the attractive children’s playground.

So, back to my reflexology path. I certainly wouldn’t miss this part whenever I am at the Tasek even if I am only there for a few minutes. Some would still put their socks on while walking along the path which is understandable as some of the stones do have sharp edges.

I will write more on the benefits of reflexology. For the time being, as recommended by my new-found web-friend, Kevin, who have practised reflexology for over 30 years with his wife (that’s very long guys); visit his blog on reflexology at: http://reflexologylive.blogspot.com/

Really BiG magazine

 ”BIG which stands for Brunei Insider’s Guide is the definitive quarterly news-magazine that aims to entertain and inform the discerning business and leisure traveler to Brunei on essential tourist information, what to do and where to go amongst a whole menu of interesting articles gathered from a network of seasoned local journalists and photographers.

Indeed BIG is more than a news-magazine; each issue would serve as the world’s window into the rich, unique tapestry of Brunei’s life and culture. “

There, that saves me a lot on what is BiG. I have been the #1 fan of the quarterly-mag. I just love the articles and accompanying pictures. The pictures are superb and did I tell you that it’s website is awesome?

At the moment, the mag is organising its first photo competition. Closing date is very near – 20 December 2007 – that’s two weeks away guys. So better start clicking and sending.

How to mend a broken heart :(

A niece came up to me last night in the middle of my unpacking-of-boxes session at my new place. I could see she was really sad as she is usually one bubbly and happy chick.

She sat in the corner and didn’t speak for about an hour, just staring at the bare floor. As it was almost supper so I offered her some food. We sat down and I talked non-stop about my place, my scattered boxes and this and that. She looked around the place and apologised to me to say that she didn’t notice so she would offer her hand after supper.

I thanked her for her thoughts but I know she would like to say something but couldn’t utter a word. As I continued with my work, she suddenly broke down and cried. She was sobbing uncontrollably and I have to calm her down.

I knew she has problem and it’s about her boyfriend, now ex-. It’s her first love and she thought that their relationship would last forever. She kept on asking why. I was afraid she would say, why her.

After letting her cry her eyes out, I gave her a hug and asked her to sit on the chair. She was calm then and started to tell me what happen. In a nutshell, it’s over between them.

I told her it’s no use thinking what went wrong and who is to blame as the fact now is that man don’t want anything to do with her anymore. Yes that was cruel to say but someone has to say that straight to her face. She was stuck and dumbfounded.

She went back to her hysterical cries and I let her did that for the next couple of hours. It was mid-night when she came to her senses. She agreed with what I said and she said its time to move on. I thought she meant she wanted to go home but she shook her head and said she would try to forget all the memories and continued with her life. Smart baby though that’s really quick. Aight!

I told her that would be easier said than done because the pain would still be there even after so many years. To make her feel better, I taught her a prayer when we encounter a problem, no matter how big it is: Innalillahi wan inna lillahi raji’un. Ya Allah Engkau berilah kami pahala dalam musibah kami dan Engkau berilah kami pengganti yang lebih baik. [From God we come and to God we return. Oh Lord, please rewards us with our problem and give us a better replacement]

I also told her she would continue to see the man everywhere but her feelings towards him will go over time. Just keep moving with life. Find things or activities that make you feel good at – painting, dancing or gardening, even if you don’t have a green finger. The best thing is to surrender oneself to God, tawakkal, and pray to Him all the time. Insya Allah you would feel much better and look forward more to life.

A friend told me this when I was heart-broken: I remember the boy but I don’t remember the feeling. How true.

Daily flight to KL…uh uh!

I love KL. Ok, I love Brunei too. Cant make comparison with your own country.

 Anyway, RBA is re-instating its daily flight to KL effective last Saturday 1 Dec 2007. Nice! Thanks Sayer.

Seven exercises you can do at your desk

Ok, so I am still sitting on my chair, typing. Here are seven exercises you guys can do while at your desk, as reported by GNS:

1/ Chair twist (mobilises and relaxes the spine as well as stimulating the digestive system and easing bloating):

Sit sideways on your chair with the chair back on your right. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are in line with your hips.

Grasp the sides of the chair back, one hand at each end, and gently rotate your torso towards it, pushing the right hand away and pulling the left hand in towards you. Look over your right shoulder and hold the posture for 20 – 30 seconds, breathing freely.

Repeat facing the other way.

2/ Cushion squeeze (strengthens the innermost thigh muscle, the vastus medialis, often a factor in the knee problems. Also good for firming your butts):

Place a cushion or rolled-up jumper between your knees, keeping feet flat on the floor and hips square. Squeeze the cushion while clinching your butts so you feel the inner thighs and bottom muscles contracting. Hold for five seconds and gradually relax, without letting the cushion fall. Repeat.

3/ & 4/ Hands and arms (recommended for office workers to help prevent repetitive strain injury – RSI ):

Place an elastic band (with a reasonable amount of tautness – not flimsy ones) around the middle of all four fingers and the top of your thumb, all digits together.

Now draw away your thumb, working against the resistance of the elastic band. Hold for a count of three and repeat five times. Swap hands.

The wrist and forearm stretch is great for anyone who uses the keyboard regularly (like me). Hold your right arm straight out in front of you with your palm facing up. Use your left hand to pull your fingers back and down to the floor. Feel the stretch on the underside of your forearm and wrist. Now turn the arm palm down, and draw the fingers back towards the forearm, keeping them straight. Swap sides.

5/ Spine stretch (you need a chair with low back to do this to help stretch out your thoracic spine -the mid-back region, into extension):

With your arms crossed over your chest and feet on the floor, lean against the chair back and allow the mid-back to curl over it, lifting elbows up to the ceiling and allowing your head to follow your neck. Hold for a moment, then return to an upright position and repeat.

6/ Core strengthener: 

Sit upright on your chair, with weight evenly spread on both feet. Without letting your pelvis tilt or your back slump, lift your right foot off the floor, bringing the thigh towards the torso and keeping tummy muscles engaged. Pause, and then lower and repeat with the left leg. Alternate for two sets of eight repetitions.

7/ Neck mobiliser (helps to stretch out the muscles on the sides of the next and keep joints in the cervical spine mobile):

Take your left ear over to your left shoulder to stretch the muscles on the right side of your neck. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the right, aiming for two to three repetitions each side. Then, with chin tucked in, slowly turn your head to the right and left, five times to each side.

Still having pains? Go and get some fresh air outside. If you still have pains, don’t worry. They are just signs of ageing. Boh!

Moving on….

I spent the entire weekend with boxes; big, sturdy boxes. Not that I have planned for this real soon but it’s because the place where my family and I is renting (and a location we have been eyeing on all these months) has become available for occupancy. Also, the agent called and said she has one very persistent client who also loves the place and was willing to place a deposit and two months rental fee in advance.

We acted fast and furious because one, we don’t want to lose the place and two, we were literally furious with the agent for letting other people viewed the place when we already have paid for the deposit weeks ago.

So, taking a day’s off, I spent last Friday with those boxes of clothing and more things. Luckily we managed to hire a big truck to ferry our furniture (beds, wardrobes, etc) to what would be Home Sweet Home for many months to come.

As I am the sort of person who doesn’t like things to lay around, I have spent endless nights for the past few days, packing and unpacking. It’s halfway completed now and soon the place would something we could call home. At the moment it’s a little less like a war-zone.

As I sat here typing this, I look forward to having my own place after spending years at my mom’s house. After all, Einstein said ‘A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.’ Right on genius!

Students need guidance on how to behave overseas?

An interesting comment caught my eyes in the Opinion Page in today’s Borneo Bulletin. The writer wrote about the fate of Bruneian students aboard and ending the note with a question on what will happen to Brunei in the next decade when we have students who lead a ’strange social life.’ as the writer wrote, because there is no Big Brother watching them.

I think this would not be an issue if parents, being children’s first teachers, have already instilled moral values right from the start and nurture them to the right path. Islam teaches that parents are the one responsible for the upbringing of their children, whether they want the children to be Muslim, Christian or Jewish.

Logically if parents have teach their children (and I mean not just by lecturing them but in action as well) on moral values, the children would grow up with those teachings at the back of their mind even until the end of their lives.

Once they are free from their parents’ eyes, like studying abroad, these children would be able to withstand whatever negative influence that come along their way. Keep the faith people.

Also I noticed that some parents do not trust their own children. I think this shouldn’t be in the first place. Trust is one of the foundations in any relationship – in partnership, family, etc. If parents treat their children like adults, they will gain respect from the children.

A child who lives with distrust turns outs to be deceitful and has no self-confidence. Children who are brought up with criticism learn to condemn. This is what I learn in life.

Smiling birds

Flashback – Brunei lifestyle 10 years ago

Bruneians favoured eating, driving and talking over the phone, so reported Borneo Bulletin ten years ago. “The candid observation was made by a senior official, who also said that as a result of this trend, there seems to be many maladies and even fatalities.” Could it be that what this officer meant was that Bruneians eat and talk over the phone while driving?

Anyway, that was a decade ago and look at us now. Bruneians still preferred eating, driving and chatting over the phone BUT other activities are also on the rise, like blogging.

Eating – a popular past time with many eating outlets opening (and some closing at the same rate). Even ambuyat, the Bruneian traditional food is being served at restaurants. (I can’t wait for the likes of Lauk Rabus (Fish cook with tumeric); Lauk Tahai (Smoked Fish) and local salads like Rancah-Rancah being included in the menu as well.)

From the World Health Organization on Brunei Report: “The trend in the major causes of death has changed over the past 30 years from infectious diseases to chronic degenerative diseases related to a modern lifestyle.”

Read more on the report here.

On driving, the problems now are: too many cars on the road (Brunei has one of the highest car-ownership in South East Asia); fatalities; road bullies (maybe as a result of eating the ‘wrong’ food) and accidents (happen almost everyday).      

Talking over the phone – I am not surprise with the highest number of mobile phone owners in Brunei. This report says that mobile phone penetration in Brunei had hit 118% by mid-March 2007.

So has the lifestyle change over the years? I think so, and thank God, in a better way. With the invention of many new technologies, home improvement plans and this huge word called ‘globalisation’, Bruneians lives have change.

For example: I was checking on the latest washing machine in one of the electrical stores in Gadong and do you guys know what I found? A tumble dryer. I used one way back in the UK but thought, what? In Brunei? When you have the sun all year round? I wouldn’t use one for it means that we are using more energy and for what?

Fast tract to success

I was very happy to hear that as of next year, secondary students in Brunei will just have to study for four instead of five years up to complete their ‘O’ levels. Now why didn’t we think of this before?

Gone was also the ‘N’-level which was scrapped since last year was it, after only seeing the light of the day for a couple of years. I don’t see what was the purpose of introducing the ‘N’-level – which could also be called the ‘M’ or ‘L’ or any other alphabets (except the ‘O’ and the ‘A’). ‘N’-level students studied an extra year instead of two, after their PMB exams.

I agree that we shouldn’t let our children study too long in school when they can venture out to the real world and enjoy their lives earlier. I read an article from the New Strait Times a couple of weeks ago about a family in Singapore who is lucky to have brainy children.

The couple have three children aged 14, 12 and 4. The first and second are already done their ‘O’-levels which means that by the time they are 16 and 14, they have completed their ‘A’-levels and obtain their degrees by 19 and 17 respectively.

Now the father’s plan for the youngest child is to complete the child’s education before he turns 15 – ‘O’-level by the age of 9; ‘A’-level by 11 and a degree by 15. So how on earth could he achieve this?

The parents started introducing books to the children when they were one. They would buy any books that the children wanted so their house is full of books instead of CDs or VCDs. They also limit TV viewing to only news and current affairs. The children are allowed to use the Internet to surf for a school’s project and to play video games. The father prohibits violent-theme games. The youngest has already started to read books, encyclopaedias at that! Dinner would be filled with questions and answers on how things work and why. The parents are both doctors by the way.

Now I would like to see my children complete their education before 20 so that they can enjoy life more, maybe go away on an internship or go round the world, saving people and animals, then comeback to Brunei and contribute to their country in a meaningful and positive way. Nice!

Read this related article from the i-uk website on a number of UK universities offering degree courses which you can finish in two years instead of three. Not sure how this fast track system could affect the award of scholarships or in-service training to Bruneians.