Happy birthday babu

Semoga panjang umor dan dimurahkan rezeki dan sihat sejahtera, amin.

Its mom’s birthday. Mom is among those senior citizens who lost their birth certificates so on her ID, its only her birth year was recorded. I heard that others who don’t know their birthdate also have their year of birth recorded on their ID. Since there’s no birthdate, every year we celebrate mom’s birthday on the 31 December.

Happy birthday babu. Thank you for everything. Words cant describe how we, your children feel. It’s not easy to raise 12 children but you you did and very successful at that. Love you.

How to avoid costly skin care

 The 6 Biggest Skin-Care Mistakes

by Dr. Baumann.

If there’s one thing I stress to my patients, it’s that great skin doesn’t require spending a fortune on some “miracle cream” made from rare seaweed from the Arctic Circle! It’s all about simple good habits. But let’s approach those habits from the opposite direction: What are the most damaging bad habits that I see time and time again?

 

1. Using a cleanser with harsh detergents: Many people assume that the suds of their vigorously foaming cleanser are a good sign — surely they’ll leave skin extra clean. Unfortunately, copious suds are generally a sign that your cleanser contains a harsh detergent, like lauryl sulfate, that strips skin of vital lipids. (And don’t get me started on bar soap — that is always a no-no.) Instead, look for cleansers that contain fatty acids and will actually fortify your skin, like Dove’s ProAge products, or even simple cold cream. If you have particularly dry skin, I recommend cleansing oils, which remove dirt and makeup without disturbing your skin’s natural protective barrier.

 

2. Not using a retinoid: Retinol, a form of vitamin A, is the only topical ingredient proven not only to prevent lines and wrinkles but to minimize the ones you already have. Past the age of 30, I recommend seeing a dermatologist for a higher-concentration prescription retinoid (like Retin-A, Differin, or Tazorac, for example), but there are also many great over-the-counter creams that contain lower concentrations of retinol. I like Roc Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Night Cream, and SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0.

 

3. Spending too much on skin care: Splurging on the beautiful packaging and luxurious scents of pricey boutique skin care lines can feel wonderfully pampering — provided you know that it’s absolutely not necessary for great skin. In fact, many of my favorite products are made by drugstore brands, because those companies have the large budgets for top-notch research and development. If you have to choose, put your money toward that prescription retinoid, and buy the rest of your regimen at the drugstore.

 

4. Getting facials: Yes, that’s right — you can strike facials from your skin-care budget and actually be doing your skin a favor! Studies show that as many as 80% of people break out after a facial. Aestheticians often don’t know which products are right for the skin of each client, and may use ingredients that can worsen acne, or essential oils that tend to irritate sensitive skin. Even if you don’t break out, there are really no long-term benefits to facials.

 

5. Washing your face at the wrong time: Always wash your face after you rinse out your hair products and conditioner in the shower, never before. Many conditioners contain pore-clogging isopropyl myristate and other hair products often contain coconut oil — both are common acne-causing ingredients that you don’t want to leave on your skin.

 

6. Not using sunscreen every day: Not just for your trip to the beach. Not just during the long summer days. Every day. Yes, it’s important to be even more vigilant if you plan to spend lots of time in direct sunlight. But incidental sun exposure typically accounts for more of our lifetime exposure to ultraviolet rays than those days at the beach. Walking to and from your car, dashing out of the office for a sandwich, or sitting outside for a few minutes adds up — make sure you’re covered with at least SPF 15, every day.

 

Wishing you great skin!

 

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, “ The Skin Type Solution.” To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com. 

Forwarded emails

Ok. With reference to my previous post on email, I like these:

Hilarious:
Why divorce?
In a divorce court a woman requested the judge: “Your honor, I want to
divorce my husband.”
“But why ?” asked the judge.
She replied, “Because he is not faithful to me.”
The judge asked, “How do you know?”
She replied, “My lord, not a single child resembles him.”

Love Your Enemy
From his death bed, the husband called his wife and said, “One month after I die I want you to marry Samy.”
“Samy! But he is your enemy !”
“Yes, I know that ! I’ve suffered all these years so let him suffer now.”

House Calls
Old Dr. Carver still made house calls. One afternoon he was called to the Tuttle house. Mrs. Tuttle was in terrible pain.
The doctor came out of the bedroom a minute after he’d gone in and asked Mr. Tuttle, “Do you have a hammer?”
A puzzled Mr. Tuttle went to the garage, and returned with a hammer. The doctor thanked him and went back into the bedroom.
A moment later, he came out and asked, “Do you have a chisel?”
Mr. Tuttle complied with the request.
In the next ten minutes, Dr. Carver asked for and received a pair of pliers, a screwdriver, and a hacksaw. The last request got to Mr. Tuttle. He asked, “What are you doing to my wife?”
“Not a thing,” replied old doc Carver. “I can’t get my instrument bag open.”

Friend For Dinner
“Honey,” said this husband to his wife, “I invited a friend home for supper.”
“What?… Are you crazy? The house is a mess, I haven’t been shopping, all the dishes are dirty, and I don’t feel like cooking a fancy meal!”
“I know all that.”
“Then why did you invite a friend for supper?”
“Because the poor fool’s thinking about getting married.”

Husband & Wife – Same Service
A husband visited a marriage counselor and said, “When we were first married, I would come home from the office, my wife would bring my slippers and our cute little dog would run around barking. Now after ten years it’s all different, I come home, the dog brings the slippers and my wife runs around barking.”
“Why complain?” said the counselor. “You’re still getting the same service!”

Talk About Husband
One woman told another : “My neighbour is always speaking ill of her husband, but look at me, my husband is foolish, lazy and a coward; but have I ever said anything bad about him?”

No Answer Back
A man was telling his friends, “When my wife is infuriated, she starts shouting at me, my children and even at our dogs and nobody dares answer her.”
One of his friends asked.”And when you are angry, what do you do?”
The man replied, “I also shout angrily at the windows and doors of the house and none of them dares to answer back.

Remember your wife’s birthday
The most effective way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once.

Problem Father
“You looked troubled,” I told my friend, “what’s your problem?”
He replied, “I’m going to be a father.”
“But that’s wonderful,” I said.
“What’s wonderful? My wife doesn’t know about it yet!

Iron Man Competition:

Iron Man Competition

 

Chain email which initially say something that make sense but then turn err, senseless at the end.

I think this one want your brain to focus and when you do make your wish, whatever you wish for will come true. Akin to ‘The Secret’ where you focus your mind and the whole universe will come to you. Na’ujubillah. Takut syirik but do exercise your brain once in awhile. 

Can you find the B? (there are 2 B’s)

DON’T skip or your wish won’t come true…

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Once you’ve found the ‘B’, find  ‘1′ .

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Once you found the ‘1′, find the ‘6′.

9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999699999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999

Once you’ve found the ‘6′, find the N (it’s hard!!)

MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMNMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Once you’ve found the ‘N’, find the ‘Q’.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Make 2 wishes!

>
>>
>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>

[This is the last part and no, I don't believe in this but I did forward the email for the brain exercise part]

Now that you have made your two wishes, they will come true.  
ALL YOU HAVE to DO IS FORWARD TO 3 PEOPLE, BUT IF YOU FORWARD TO MORE IT WILL HAPPEN SOONER!!! 

Email

I agree how email and all these ICT stuff have make our lives easier. I just cleared my inbox and afraid that I might miss a genuine email, I have to check one by one. Just in case they are not spams.

What irritate me is these forwarded emails. I don’t mind getting them as some are entertaining, informative and touching. What I do mind is the long list of email addresses which I dont want to know.

Dont people know that an email address is also like your home address? To those who forwarded me emails, I sincerely thank you but please those email addreses that were also forwarded to you.

Thanks. You just save your space and mine. Cheers everyone.

New kid on the block

While wheezing through Jerudong a couple of days ago, I noticed a previously-worn-down-building has turned to what look like a hotel, well, at least that’s what the name says – JH – Jerudong Hotel?

JH in Jerudong

Last night, a number of cars were parked alongside and some of the lights were lit up. I dont think its ready by tonight. Missing the boat?

New Year resolution

It has become like a tradition for some people where they make resolution when the new year arrives including yours truly. I admit I got motivated and always in high spirit during the first couple of months during the new year but some where along the line, my resoultions (that’s a plural) got lost in the thin air. By the end of the year, I looked back (like I just did) and said to myself, ‘Hey, what happen to ….’ Hmm.

Now I read somewhere about tips on New Year’s resoultion and thought would like to share here. Here goes which I have added with my own words:

• Be realistic – reality check. Spend some time thinking about what exactly that you hope to achieve and be realistic. Most common resolution is losing weight. Nothing wrong in this but be realistic in setting the target. If you think that you can lose two kilo per months, that’s ideal. Don’t say that you can lose 20 kilo within the same period. Unless you use some kind of miracle like diet pills.

  Personally for me, the faster I lose weight the easier they come back. Please ask if this is the same for yourself. If it is, it’s time to to do some reality check.

• Take baby steps. Instead of having a long list on what you want to achieve, try limiting the list. Its better to do one thing well done then several poorly. If the result that you want to achieve is a tough one, dissect it to smaller pieces.
• Write it down baby! Research has shown that closely observing AND recording what you do is a huge component of success. Write down what you have achieved and compare with previous record. Try this, it work for me.
• Gather support. Work or work out with someone who has similar goals. Chose friends who are positive and has a high level of commitment. So anyone want to be my exercise partner next year, please send me an email.   
• And, last but not least (my fav part) reward yourself. If you are stuck with your resolutions for two months, treat yourself to something that motivates you. New shoes, a spa or even a holiday (again) if you can afford to.

All the best with the New Year everyone. May the New Year bring more peace in this world; we all can make it a better place to live in. Here’s to a peaceful and greener planet. Amin.

Batu – the sequel

Esp for my lovely sis kepalahotaknya bejambul di depan…now living abroad with family…missing you guys… berjoget pulak dia. Ada gambush? haha!

Sudirman

Joget Kenangan Manis

Riuh kicau unggas rimba
Langit biru kala senja (I thought its crimson at dusk?)
Kini engkau jauh dari mata
Hatiku merindu tiap masa

Pagi hari pergi pekan
Pakai baju bunga-bunga
Bila hati sedang kesepian
Ku tulis untuk mu surat cinta

Memanglah hai adat berkasih
Berpisah selalu gelisah
Terbayang kenangan yang manis
Terasa kau ada bersama

Padamu hai si jantung hati
Dalam tidur ku termimpi-mimpi
Selagi kita berjauhan
Hati rindu tiada tertahan

Kalau pergi Kuala Kubu
Tulis nama atas batu (your fav part sis)
Saban hari ku menanti waktu
Pulang segera kepada ku

Couldnt find the video by Almarhum sis but could only find some. The following is the rock version, kinda like it

Ip Man

Move over Butterfly Lovers. Here comes the Ip Man.

I haven’t seen Cantonese movies for awhile for obvious reason that there aren’t that many shown here in Brunei. Based on recommendation and good review of the latest kung fu blockbuster, I went out to watch Ip Man.

Ip Man now showing at both the Mall and Qlap.

Ip Man, according to the movie’s official website, is adapted from the life story of Ip Man, the grandmaster of the Wing Chun style of Kung Fu. Ip Man, played by the cool Donnie Yen, is also the sifu or master of the legendary kung fu superstar Bruce Lee.

The movie is not about Bruce Lee, that fact came right at the end of the movie. So give me a movie based on a real story and I will surely watch it; such movies are just so, err real.

Anyway, back to Ip Man, the movie claimed that it ‘differs from the dazzlingly romantic and purely fictional style of previous martial art movies. Its explosive punches and aggressive close-range combat offer a new thrill never experienced by modern day audiences, said the movie website.

Directed by Wilson Yip, the film stars Donnie Yen as Yip Man and features fight choreography by Sammo Hung. Yip Man’s two sons and several Wing Chun practitioners also appear in the film. Ip Chun, Yip Man’s eldest son served as a consultant for the film.

So what do I think of the movie? I give it two thumbs up. 9 out of 10. Go watch it! This is no ‘Kung Fu Panda’ – that’s hilariously entertaining. If you are a fan of Bruce Lee and wanted to see kung fu moves, this movie is for you.

What I like about the movie is the humbleness of Ip Man. He didn’t fight for money; he fought for dignity as it was during the Japanese occupation that most of the story was set. He didn’t show off his skills, he hid them. I also love the part when he was challenged and his opponent asked: “Are you afraid of your wife?” and he replied: “It’s not being afraid, it’s all about showing respect,” or something like that. Now that’s commendable.

Who is Master Ip Man? Born as Ip Kai-Man in 1893 in the Foshan City of Guangdong Province, he studied Wing Chun style kung fu under Money Changer Wah to improve his health. Ip Man became the last pupil of Wah and was cared for by Wah’s senior pupils.

When Foshan fell under the Japanese rule during rhe Sino-Japanese War,  patriotic Ip refused to serve the Japanese militia. In the movie, it was shown that Ip agreed to a fight with a Japanese General as he would rather die than to teach the Japanese, the Chinese kung fu. I don’t want to spoil the story-line, you have to watch it.

I am happy to learn that there would be a sequel to this movie next year. Yes to Ip Man (and NO to ‘Yes Man’).

Batu – a photo essay

This is a place in Jerudong Beach unofficially called as the Batu. So called as there are huge boulders here (batu is Malay for rock). It is a man-made spit popularly frequented by fishermen and the general public alike. This very poor pic was taken at dusk. There was a heavy storm that evening.

 

Batu is a very romantic place as you can get to see the best sunset, if not in the world but in Brunei. It is also very good place to take scenic pictures as you can see here. This is the pose for this man's next album. Kidding. The water in frame is the South China Sea.

Batu is also a place for courting couples, married and unmarried couples, frustrated people, groups, gangsters, family with children. In fact everyone. Dyan and Amir were here on 08/ 02/ 2007. Whoever they were.

...And so were Dinie, Apy, Maya and Hip-Hop Boy who were here on 07/ 02/ 2007 they claimed.

okay...so was this 'puhun jatii' who claimed to be here on several occassions. If there is a visitor's log book for this place I am sure it will be full within a week.

Dated 12/ 11/ 2008...Someone was clearly ditched and has gone crazy. I thought 'sorry' is the hardest word, no?

 

Batu is also a place to declare your love. Iska, this is for you. Someone has also left a container here. Think of the environment please.

 

Killing two birds with one (big) stone? You will be in trouble if both Noriska and Nortika found out about this. How can you love two people at the same time?

Whoever this Kasim is has done something here. I have to air-brushed the remaining letters - self-censorship. Batu is also a place occassionally raided by the religious CID. Both my hubby and I were caught once here. It was 1am and there was already a group of men and women at one end. All of a sudden they ran helter-skelter. It was the religious CID. Hubby and I kept our cool and we were questioned by the CID team. We explained that we are legally married so they let us go. I should have taken a video footage.

Foot reflexology

This is awesome. Just go to any of the coloured area below and click. See what the area corresponds to which part of your body.

Learn to read your foot

More about reflexology

Hand reflexology

My interest. This really works.

Learn to read your hand

More about reflexology

Foggy morning

Fog surrounding Jerudong at 06:20 hrs.

I went out jogging one morning along Jerudong road. Sunrise now starts around 6:20ish. Not that morning. By 6:20am the area was a bit dark and only then I realised that it was surrounded by fog. I thought I was out in a cold country as it did remind me of such places. 

 From wikipedia:

Fog is a cloud bank that is in contact with the ground. Fog is usually the only clouds that touch the ground and it only differs slightly from other clouds in that it touches the surface of the Earth. The same cloud that is not fog on lower ground may be fog where it contacts higher ground such as hilltops or mountain ridges. Fog is distinct from mist only in its density. Fog is defined as cloud which reduces visibility to less than 1 km, whereas mist is that which reduces visibility to more than 2 km.Fog belongs to liquid

The foggiest place in the world is the Grand Banks off the island of Newfoundland. Fog is frequent there as the Grand Banks is the meeting place of the cold Labrador Current from the north and the much warmer Gulf Stream from the south. The foggiest land areas in the world are Point Reyes, California, and Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, both with over 200 foggy days a year. Even in generally warmer southern Europe, thick fog and localized fog is often found in lowlands and valleys, like the lower part of Po Valley and the Tiber Valley, especially in late autumn and winter.

So is it winter in Brunei now?

Christmas Day

I was driving along the Jerudong area close to midnight last night when I saw a police block. Not that I panic, just a bit bewildered that they held a blockage on the very night the Brunei Government servants received their 13^th-month pay.

I thought the blockade must have got to do with the pay day but why on earth? As I came nearer to the police personnel, I noticed that a number of vehicles were being pulled over. Passengers and drivers stood by their vehicles. I wondered what they did wrong. I haven’t done anything wrong (by law i.e.) so yes, they let me go. I thought that at least they would ask for my driving license but they didn’t. 

That’s odd, I said to myself. I was a bit slow to think. After awhile I realized that it was Christmas Eve so they must be checking for booze. As it is ‘normal’ that people carry their booze around in their vehicles especially during such celebrations like Christmas so it is also ‘normal’ for the police to perform their duties.

And its Christmas Day today. Yes Brunei is a Muslim country but Christmas is being celebrated throughout the country. It is also one of the public holidays in Brunei. Fine restaurants and cafes alike offer Christmas dinner or lunch. House visits, exchange of presents, those stuff. I also received a gift from my colleague, she’s so sweet. In exchange I sent her a New Year Card. I was told that Muslims should not say ‘Merry Christmas’.    

An email sent to me tells a story about a former priest who converted to Islam. This convert said that it is haram or forbidden for a Muslim to say ‘Merry Christmas’ or anything related to Christmas as the meaning is actually Blessing to Jesus the God. Wallahu’alam. Anyone can clarify on this please?

Now read this ‘dit’ of a Royal Navy sailors’ account on their Christmas celebration in Brunei back in 1962. A dit is the Royal Navy expression for a tale, story or anecdote.

Anyway, I would like to wish my friends and colleagues and their families celebrating Christmas a happy holiday and many happy returns.

Sunset

Sunset at 6.16pm Brunei time. In Astronomy the time of sunset is defined as the moment the trailing edge of the sun's disk disappears below the horizon in the west.

Sunset @ Batu at 6.11pm Brunei time. Sunset should not be confused with dusk, which is the moment at which darkness falls, when the sun is about eighteen degrees below the horizon.

Did you know that every sunset is not the same? At 6.13pm Brunei time

 

The period between the astronomical sunset and dusk is called twilight. Twilight is also the best-selling novel and movie by the same name. Luv it.

Sunset on mars. Sunsets on other planets appear different because of the differences in the distance from the planet to the sun and in different atmospheric compositions.

PMB 2008 result

I thought of sharing… Please click the link below:

pmb_2008

Am I in heaven?

I am in heaven now I think…nope, I am not dead yet (and yes, everyone want to go to heaven).  I am on leave actually…a long one, till the new year and yes enjoying every single minute of it. I started to run again as I don’t want the holiday to ‘eat’ me. Last time I had my leave, I gained several kilo and shaking them off is not that easy. So now I am taking my leave slow and easy.  

So what have I missed blogging about?  Missed the 60h anniversary of the Human Rights which fall last Tuesday, 10 December. For 2008:… “the theme “Dignity and justice for all of us,” reinforces the vision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as a commitment to universal dignity and justice. It is not a luxury or a wish-list.  The UDHR and its core values, inherent human dignity, non-discrimination, equality, fairness and universality, apply to everyone, everywhere and always.  The Declaration is universal, enduring and vibrant, and it concerns us all.”

For Brunei, this 2007 report from the US Department of State on Brunei’s human rights, highlighted the country’s commitment to the high standard of living, free healthcare and education, strong family values and others.

I have been telling those from around the world, how bless I am to live in Brunei. While abroad, someone asked me if Bruneians are happy without democracy. I said, we live peacefully now, and have always been, so what’s the need?  What do you think?

Okay I am going back to my heaven now. Have a Happy Muslim New Year of 1430 Hijriah and the 2009 New Year. May the new year bring more peace to the world we live in, amin.