30 Days Writing Challenge 2023 Day 10 - Your Best Friend

I met my very first best friend when I was.. 3? 4? 5? 

I don't really remember but we were family friends. Close enought that we call her parents Mummy & Daddy while she calls mine Mama & Abah. We weren't really neigbours but we must have me up often enough because my childhood is filled with memories of her with photos to prove it. 

We met again in Standard 1. She was among the first to talk to shy little me. Both our fathers worked in the same school in USM and we hit it off in no time. Her parents bought me my first pembilang when Abah refused to buy one for me (he thought it was a waste but we really did need to use it in class) saying they had an extra one. 

When we were in Standard 3, I welcomed my new long-awaited sister into the world. I was so giddy with excitement that when Cikgu Noerida asked me to tell the class what my new sister's name was, I was still speechless. It was this very friend who excitedly answered for me because, of course, she was the first to know and she memorized my sister's name because she knew it was important to me. 

Each year from Standard 2 to Standard 4 we'd vow to wear the hijab together but being kids, it usually lasted only a few weeks since we were always misplacing our tudung or more often than not, burnt it while trying to iron it 😂 During that time, it wasn't that easy to find a kids white hijab so we'd sheepishly wait for next year to start the debacle over again until I finally wore it for good in Standard 5 😂

In Standard 5 and 6, me and my best friend were always on the phone right on the dot at 3pm. I don't even remember what we talked about but we almost never missed our 3pm phone call to each other. 

In secondary school, we were in the same class. She was talkative and really smart. I was, well, not appreciating my full potential then 😅 I got to know her Mama & Mak and always felt welcome at her house. 

She was one of the cutest beings I have ever met and seemed shy at first but once you get to know her, jaga² lah tudung tu. We both had a crush on the same celebrity and fought over him macaaaamm la the said celebrity kenai sgt pun 😂

She kept my secrets, and I kept hers. We sat at the back of the class, never really wanting to sit with anyone else 😁

After SPM, she worked at an arts & craft store. So unlike her.. What was more unlikely was that she developed an interest in it. She made me a turtle plushie and made my sister a fabric photo frame. Now, she makes bags as a hobby and side income. 25 years ago, none of us would've believe this haha.. 

We planned our studies together when I was accepted in UiA with the same course as her. But our joy was shortened when Abah told me to send an appeal to USM. I begged him to reconsider but he didn't want to so that night, we cried together knowing we weren't headed the same way. 

Then in my first year, we met again as Geometric group members. When we realized we were both from Penang, I guess that just sealed our fate for the next 3 years. She introduced me to the Chicken Soup series and to her dear, dear parents. We had classes together, chose the same major and all. She always laughed at me at my reluctance to go to my English classes (I was the only freshie in that class.. Stress!) sbb I was always bernazar if the class was cancelled, I'd fast hahah.. Aci ka main dgn nazar camtu? 😅

We repeated classes together. Getting C- or D at first than both getting A+ the second time around 😁 Sometimes we'd go watch movies together when we had free time on our hands. This was one girl who I can share anything at all without hiding the trurth. 

When she got married, I was the pengapit bidan terjun during her nikah. We thought she didn't need one then masa tu sbb it wasn't for the kenduri and since I was there, they told me to fill in. I wasn't ready and the photographer even laughed and asked us, "Awat muka pengapit lagi merah dari muka pengantin?" 😂

She was always there for me when she's near. We're different, like night & day and more than once have I had people ask me how come we are friends 😂 During my postgraduate years, when I moaned about not having enough money, this cheeky girl would actually sit in front of my bookcase and calculate all the money I had spent on books.. Ewaaahhhh kauuu 😂 But that shut me up quickly 😂

When I got my heart broken, she could be there in person for me since we were 200km apart, but she sent me a heartfelt card that I still keep till now.

Once when we were separated by the Selat Melaka, she messaged me. Told me she had dreamt of me and felt that I was sad. I'll never understand how she knew but I was so grateful for it. I didn't want to talk to anyone then but somehow with her, I let it all out. 

Till now, she has that knack of knowing something about me even when I never told anyone. Most recent was a few years ago when she reached out to me because she felt in her heart that something was wrong. I was keeping things bottled up inside, distracting myself with outdoor activities but she somehow guessed and more suprisingly, she guess the 'who' too.. She even said she was gonna ask her dear hubby to go pukul the said 'who' and that made me laugh. 

When I was getting married, I had the misfortune to not be working at that time due to the lockdown. I was panicking a bit since I didn't really have much savings and I had to pick and choose what I could have for my nikah instead of being able to afford everything I wanted. 

Know what my bestfriend did? She secretly ordered a beautiful cake for me as a gift to us. What I didn't know was that Mama also wanted to sponsor my cake when she heard that I might not have a cake for nikah (I could only buy ONE cake so I chose one for my engagement 1.5 hours before the nikah. Tu pun last² tk byr sbb my sweet lil' Ija just gave it to me 🥹) In the end, instead of no cake at all, I had 3 😁

If you've read till this paragraph, I think you've already realized I'm not talking about one exclusive person. I'm talking about almost all who have been my best friend at different stages of my life. I say almost because there is so much more to share but if I do, I won't finish this post by today 😅

But to each and everyone of you, I'm sending a great big hug and a big chunk of my heart to let you know how much you mean to me. My life would surely be dull without you guys 😘

30 Days Writing Challenge 2023 Day 9 - Write About Happiness

Happiness is when you wash a huge load of laundry on a bright sunny day and your clean clothes turn out crisp and dry and smelling heavenly.

Happiness is trying out a new recipe that you were scared to try out before and it turned out great.

Happiness is being greeted by bright, vibrant blooms in your makeshift garden despite always feeling like you don't have green fingers.

Happiness is having the each and every light turn green just as you get near a traffic light intersection.

Happiness is being lost in a great book that you don't even notice the passage of time.

Happiness is a good night's sleep, uninterrupted & really, really restful when you are so used to being insomniac.

Happiness is accomplishing something you thought was impossible for you, be it another success in your education or even making an actual wedding cake for your friend's brother (and having her mum praise it until you blush)

Happiness is finally graduating when you never really wanted to continue studying anyway. Extra happiness is when the lecturers (even the ones not in your field) personally tell you how they enjoyed your thesis 😁 Really, really proud moment 🥰

Happiness is seeing (almost) everyone that you love under one roof celebrating your wedding, knowing most of them made a looooooonnnggg trip just to be there on your day.

Happinesss is hearing the laughter and seeing the bright gleam in the eyes of your nephew after not seeing him in a very long time.

Happiness is always feeling safe with the one you finally gave your heart to.

Happiness is seeing people share their own happiness and feeling giddy with joy for them..

..and wishing everybody else would be just as happy (or more!)

In short, happiness is in the little things..

..and in the big things too

..and in everthing else in between ❤️

#30dayswritingchallenge

30 Days Writing Challenge 2023 Day 8 - The Power of Music

Music is not really my field. If you ask me the difference between each notes, or if you give me a note and ask me to guess which one it is, I might as well admit I'm tone deaf. 

And if you proceed to teach me about the said notes, my eyes would glaze over in no time after my mind has struggled to try to understand your kind teachings.. Sorry 😅

But I DO love listening to music, more specifically worded songs. I don't think I have ever met anyone who hates songs. Hate certain songs? Yes.. Hate certain genres? Also yes.. But to not even have a love for music tu mcm tkde langsung kot. 

To me the power of music is how they tie to one's emotions and/or how they may influence it. I'm sure you've heard about how a simple smell can trigger a memory? Well, a simple tune from a well loved song could do that too kan

A soft lullaby could lull a baby to sleep and when you've sang it to your baby brother/sister enough times, you'll find the lullaby could soothe you too during times you are anxious.. Regardless of how horrifying the meaning of the lyrics turn out to be haha.. (read: Rock-a-bye Baby) 

I've struggled with insomnia ever since I was a child. One night, as I was tossing and turning trying to sleep, I was suddenly running happily into the cave with Red while the Fraggle Rock theme song was heard all around me. I fell into a deep sleep once I met the Fraggles. How do I know it was a deep sleep by then? Because I blacked out terus 😝 Don't remember anything after that. 

Funnily till now, when I'm sometimes having trouble falling asleep, I remember that dream every now and then. Half the time, I fall asleep right when I meet the Fraggles. I'm 43 now, that incident happened when I was 5? 6? Still works wpun only half the time.. Or maybe that was just a sign that my body and mind has decided to rest. 

There are songs that remind me of my heartbreak. 20 years ago I got my heart broken by my bestfriend and I was a mess. I felt like I was constantly holding back tears and forcing a smile with everyone, even to those who knew I was shattered. I was trying to pretend I was okay and failing miserably. Even his mum got worried and she kept calling my fellow RO, dear kak Ana, to ask about me. It didn't help that this song resonated deeply with me that I kept listening to it continuously. 

Also didn't help when a few years later after I received his invitation card, my heart shattered into a million pieces all over again and, you guessed it, this song was once again my anthem.

Till this day, I sometimes (not always, but most of the time) avoid 'How Could An Angel Break My Heart' because there are times when I'm minding my own business then this song comes up and I'd suddenly burst into tears. NOT because of what happened, I've been over it for years now. But because of the emotion that surges everytime I hear this song. It's as if I'm experiencing my heartbreak all over again. 

There are also happy songs. One time I got smitten with this unlikely song (Yup! You read that right 😂 I got a crush on a song 😂) that I'd always play first thing I come into the postgrad room every morning. Abg Fadzil calls If That's Okay With You as Lagu Cikebum Ayu 😂

Then dulu during my cousin, Elin's wedding as we were helping Wan Chor in the kitchen sbb lauk habis, my sister laughed at me when Sedetik Lebih was played by the DJ sbb dlm penat² tu, my face instantly brightened when we heard the intro of the song and continued radiating right until the end 😂

Sbb tu la kot I chose that song for our kenduri 😝

When I had to move from the old rumah sewa, I was really penat. I had only a 1-month notice sbb tuan rumah urgent nk jual rumah so it was quite a rush to pack EVERYTHiNG, I noticed I packed quicker to Shakira's La La La (Brazil 2014) song 😂 Aci? 

Later I added Better When I'm Dancin' sbb I'm a Snoopy fan and masa tu baru lepas tgk Peanuts movie tu 😂 Lagu lain tk jalan, dua lagu ni je 😂😂😂

But the most memorable one happened a few years into my first degree. I actually just shared this story in my Twitter the other day.

Me and my siblings were never close to my father. He demanded perfection, something that wasn't easy for us so we never turned to him much for anything since we were scared of the disapproval and criticism. I always thought he didn't know much about our personality, about our likes and dislikes. 

One day, they were at Sunshine (what I first thought aritu when I shared in Twitter ) or Popular KOMTAR (what my memory seems convinced it is now) looking for stationeries. Suddenly they played If I Let You Go in store. This was when Westlife was everywhere and I, like so many others, was crazy about their songs. 

Adi was still choosing what he wanted when Abah tapped his shoulder and asked, "Ni lagu yg kak Yong suke tu kan?" much to my brother's suprise. 

Balik tu, he rushed to call me to tell me all about it. Like I said in Twitter, dia tanak nganga sorg² 😂 But yes, we were really suprised. 

So smpi skrg if I hear that song, this would always come to mind 🥰

So there's my take on the power of music and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one feeling this way 😁

P/S Please refrain from commenting about betapa lagho nyaaaaa laa dok dengar lagu² ni.. Klau terdetik dlm hati, shushhhh.. Gi main jauh²

#30dayswritingchallenge

30 Days Writing Challenge 2023 Day 7 - Favourite Movie

This is a tough one 😅

I'm not really sure if I have an actual favourite sbb I like A LOT of movies and love even more. Dh few hours dh ni wracking my brain trying to pinpoint which movie is my favourite but my mind keeps jumping from this movie, to that movie, to the other movie over there and to this movie right beside the one I thought of first 😅

As a child, my favorites were Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music up to the point I could sing each and every song in both movies, just like almost everyone around my age lah, of course. Then as I entered primary school, aside from the various Disney movies I loved, there were also P Ramlee movies with dialogues we would repeat, much to my parents horror. Sbb ye laaahh, dialog yg bahasa kurang sedap tu la pun yg nk diulang 😂

In secondary school I cooled down a bit about movies not only sbb dh masuk hostel, but also because Abah forbid the tv in the house dh masa ni and blum reti gi tgk movie kt cinema lagi. But once I entered Uni, movies were my staple again 😁

Still, I'm really not sure which exact movie is my favourite. I'm mostly okay² laaa with book adaptations wpun I also whine constantly with the annoying complaint that, "..it's not the same as the book" Typical bookworm, I know 😝

But LOTR is different. I really do love the trilogy. Why? Sbb I tak sanggup habiskan the book 🙈🙈🙈

A small number of movies just pass me by mcm tu je because they don't leave a lasting impression but most do so, again, this makes it hard to choose an actual favourite. 

But if you ask me what movie would I never, ever watch, I can tell you that in a heartbeat 😂

I had just finished my first degree and was working as an RO at my alma mater whilst delaying the registration of the MSc I didn't really wanna do. For this project, we had 4 rooms assigned to us. 3 for the ROs and 1 for the admin staff (kak Sue & kak Bibah). Each room had is own TV, NOT for entertainment purposes but rather for the data collection from traffic recordings. Of course la once the job is done, the TVs can be used for anything we wanted 😝

That day, kak Sue had already planned on watching Ju-on on the screen with anyone who was free (they had completed all their daily tasks right after the lunch break). It was a serious affair since they actually closed the blinds and turned of the light. Even light snacks was prepared. 

I couldn't join in as I still had a lot to do but that didn't stop me from being cheeky 🤭 So after half an hour or so, I quietly creeped to the door and opened it quickly trying to scare them. It worked 😈

I did it 2 more times, I think. Each time managing to scare them and each time glancing kjap² at the tv screen. I didn't get to see much pun sbb just kejap² masa scaring them je pun. 

Malam tu I had my usual class at Bagan Serai. On the way home, I had to go through a stretch of road yg wpun main road, tetap gelap skit. I don't know why but I had a sudden image of the boy ghost in JuOn sitting at my feet under my steering wheel 👻

Gilaaaa panic.. And I was uncharacteristically scared 😅

Langsung tk berani pandang kt bwh steering saaaaampai slmt tiba kt rumah 😅

That night, for the first time in my life, I slept with the night light on 😅 And this continued for the next 2-3 weeks 😂

Not only that, if I woke up at in the middle of the night wanting to pee kaa, or even bila dh bgn utk Subuh kaaa, I wouldn't dangle my feet from the bed. Instead I sort of leaped from the bed to the floor farther away from the bed in order to avoid having something pull my feet from under the bed 😂😂😂

It was that bad! 🙈

I don't consider myself a coward much but for the next few weeks, I surely was. Everytime class kt Bgn Serai, I tried my best NOT to look down while driving.. Aci? 😅

Bear in mind, I didn't watch the whole movie pun. Not even half of it. All in all, I think tk sampai 3 minute puuunnn tgk tp the effect of it was.. Unpleasantly suprising 😅

Sampai skrg I have never watched any JuOn movies at all. I tried once, to face it once and for all tp baru few minutes, terus off 😅 I don't think I could go through the same 3 weeks again 😅

So there it is. I might not be able to answer what my favourite movie is, but whenever people ask me want movies scares/suprises me the most, THIS is my favourite answer 😅

30 Days Writing Challenge 2023 Day 6 - Single and Happy

I got married when I was 40 years, 8 months and 2 days old.

I watched almost all my siblings get married. I watched almost all my cousins, even the ones 15 years younger than me get married and have kids. I watched the majority of my friends get hitched and start a new wonderful life with their significant others. 

Was I sad? Was I angry? 

No way!! 😁

And this, I speak for all my single friends who are still single and who married late, just like me 😁

People (particularly those who are unhappy, I assume) love to say that us late bloomers are resentful, are jealous, are so many things that we aren't. I only get angry at these types of people, never to those who are in wedded bliss.

Of course there were times we felt the need for companionship, but c'mon, that's normal!

Sometimes we do get scared watching married people be more unhappy than they were when they were single but we take the lesson and keep it close to us then try not to let it scare us much. 

Most of the time, we actually enjoy our time with ourselves 🥰

I learnt that even though I'm an introvert, I actually love going out.. Alone! 😝

I have no problem eating out alone. I can order whatever I want and enjoy my meal just like that. It's times like these that I am more adventurous as I can take my own sweet time to choose whatever is on the menu and to savor it accordingly. 

I have no problem shopping alone. I used to love buying blouses at the now closed Parksons at Prangin even while I lived in Nibong Tebal. Since I prefer less crowds, I'd drive there in the morning dari NT so I'll arrive early. Ala² tolong bukak kedai 😂 Then I can choose without worrying about making people wait for me. 

I loved doing movie marathons alone too. Especially dulu² masa Tuesdays was Student Discount days (this was when I was a postgrad student), Wednesdays was half-priced days or Thursday was Ladies Discount day. During summer kn bnyk movie baru keluar so pilih minggu where there were 3 movies I wanted to watched then marathon la sampai mlm 🤭

Do I even need to talk about book buying alone? 😝 I could spend hours (and of course la I actually did 😂) without annoying anyone. But just to clarify, the Exboyfriend doesn't get annoyed when I spend too much time at bookstores.. At least I don't think he does 🙊

Us (then) single ladies could also enjoy socializing with our own special circle whenever we liked AND we got the best of both worlds sbb we enjoy time with single and married friends without worrying about a husband or kids. I'd say it was our pleasure to help married friends enjoy their limited me time to the fullest 😁

We organized picnics at the beach, hanging out at malls, briskwalking together in the parks even joined runs together without much worry. We even offhandedly daydreamed of finding old folks home together so we can enjoy the friendship till the very end. 

Do I love married life? With it's ups and downs, it's an exciting lifetime adventure.. Yes, of course! 

But do I also love my once upon a time ago single life? Definitely 😁 We're a happy bunch of people, content with our lives and enjoy celebrating our married friends milestones together.

So no, don't you ever dare call those who are single envious nor resentful. You might actually learn a thing or two about true happiness. 😉