Girl With Gazillion Ideas

Have Been Away For Awhile

2011-06-29T23:13:00.000+08:00

Salam all.

I have been away from this blog for quite a while now. And that's mainly because I have started a new blog www.edirina.blogspot.com. I have also finally managed to set up our webstore at www.edirina.com.

Alhamdulillah! I guess I have partly accomplished some of the goals I set out earlier this year. Things are brightening up for me. I pray this year, my entrepreneurial dreams will become reality, Insya'Allah.

Pray for me. And visit my new sites.

Also like us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/EdiRina-The-Muslimah-Lounge

An Opportunity

2011-02-22T21:59:00.000+08:00

Sometimes when you least expect it, an opportunity presents itself to you. I am talking about really great opportunities that have the potential to change your life in a very positive way. This is exactly what's happening to me. I can't say exactly how I feel. I'm excited, I feel I can do it, I can make it, I feel joyous, comforted, full of hope.. All that's positive. And what opportunity can make me feel that way? A business opportunity, ofcourse! I love business! Selling, making a sale, especially if it's something that I love and truly believe in. I pray, this business will help me achieve my dreams of becoming a financially free WAHM.. Insya'Allah..

The Voice Guild

2011-02-13T06:10:00.000+08:00

Here is something that not many know about me. I have this secret dream of wanting to become a voice over. I didn't know it'd be possible until I came across The Voice Guild of KL & Selangor.

To my delight, when browsing through the talents profile, I found my senior Dalila Paris on this list! She 's a member too! And I thought to myself, 'if she can do it, so can I!" Right?

Ok, so I've submitted my application to become member. For newcomers in this field, they'll put you as a potential member first. You pay RM100 fee/year inclusive of one recording (to put on your profile). After you've gotten 5 jobs in year, you'll be upgraded to full member.

Benefits of joining: the Guild will represent you for any jobs, thus providing you with protection and members also get to undergo training to improve skill and knowledge. Not bad, eh...

My Telekung Ez Sarung

2011-02-08T20:28:00.000+08:00

Two weekends ago, my best buddy, Inaz and I visited MamaYaya a.k.a. Kak Taty at her recently opened showroom in Bandar Baru Bangi. Kak Taty operates an e-store selling products for mothers and kids. Her e-store is beautiful (designed by little kittle studio) and her showroom is just as attractive! I sure bought a few stuff there, one of which is a Telekung EZ sarung.

I've actually been eyeing it online for quite some time but I wanted to see how it looked and felt physically (so much for online shopping!). The one that I bought is purplish-pink and I love it! It's a one piece telekung (praying clothe/dress/attire) which you can just slip on over you and voila! ready for prayers! The cotton fabric is so comfy and the design so convenient. I used it to perform my Maghrib prayers just now and it felt oh so good. Alhamdulillah. good bye to kain sarung telekung (with elastic waist) that keeps sliding down!

Apart from shopping, we managed to have a quick chat with KakTaty on her business. You know how I'm currently on the look out for a mentor. I was thinking that maybe Kak Taty could be my mentor and I even mentioned it to her. Sadly, Kak Taty's abit busy catching up with orders and tending to her business. Maybe I can help out abit at her e-store for nothing more than the experience to be gained. That'll be cool. But have to work on our own e-store too, right Inaz? As soon as we have something concrete, I'll be sure to launch it here!

Thanks for the inspiration Kak Taty!

The Camelot House

2011-02-06T00:28:00.000+08:00

My Dream Home Come True!!

One Drop Perfumes By Egyption Potion

2011-01-30T09:34:00.000+08:00

Below is a note I posted on my FB some time ago:
**********************
Whoever came up with the idea of selling these one drop perfumes is totally brilliant! Especially those by Egyptian Potion. There are a few versions of these miniature bottled non-alcoholic scents in the market already. But to me personally, nothing beats Egyptian Potion. From the sleek packaging to the actual scents, I give them a 10/10. I love the miniature bottles that fit discreetly in small purses and the bottle caps that don't turn rusty (as they're made of plastic). The perfume rolls on nicely without overloading and most importantly the first, middle and last note smells heavenly (provided you find one that suits you!)!

Of course not all their scents suits me but that's being realistic. Because honestly it's up to your taste and ofcourse it's dependent on your own natural body ordour but I'll leave that to the experts.

My first box of Egyptian Potion is the glossy pink Celebrities' Special. This box contains my signature scent - bottle no. 8 ( I have to be discreet here because if everyone starts wearing no.8 than it won't be my own anymore! hhehehe! But really, it don't matter cuz the same perfume would smell slightly different on another person.). I only have a third of that bottle left! sob-sob.. But that's not so bad actually, considering how often I wear it (on all the right places). I now have only 6/8 bottles left in this box cuz I gave one to my mother and the other to my best buddy. And I find it so hard to resist buying more (boxes)!

If you wanna find out more about this splendid product, log on to their website at http://onedropperfumes.com/.

This is me writing a free straight-from-the-heart review but I'm seriously considering becoming a dealer. So if you want me to sell (at a price one notch lower - ofcourse it's already way affordable at RM40 a box), just drop me a line;)
********************

And today, 30 January 2011, we're in business!

One Drop Perfumes are making a come back! Check out their Mini 4 bottle sets! At only RM25, it's a bargain! Available sets and fragrance line up for all you gorgeous ladies out there are as below:

(i) Youth Pack (chic set) - *new refreshing fragrances for the young at heart:)
     - Pop My Berry
     - Look At Me Blossom
     - Fall In Love With Me
     - You will Remember Me

(ii) Mini Pack Women Set 1 (green box)
     - Inspired by Escape, Calvin Klein
     - Inspired by Pleasure, Estee Lauder
    - Inspired by Apple Blossom, Body Shop
    - Inspired by Cool Water for Women, Davidoff

(iii)Mini Pack Women Set 2 (purple box)
    - Inspired by Eternity for Women, Calvin Klein
   - Inspired by Envy, Gucci
   - Inspired by Intense, Hugo Boss
   - Heaven, One Drop Perfumes

(iv)Mini Pack Women Set 3 (purplish pink box)
    - Inspired by Sunflower, Elizabeth Arden
    - Inspired by Women Boss, Hugo Boss
    - Inspired by CK Be, Calvin Klein
    - Inspired by Palace, Paris Hilton

(v)Mini Pack Women Set 4 (red box)
    - Inspired by Amarige, Givenchy
    - Inspired by Montana, "Parfum de Peau", Montana
    - Baby Jasz, One Drop Perfumes
    - Inspired by Yohji, Yohji Yamamoto

These adorable mini packs that come in chic boxes makes perfect gifts for any occasions! Just drop me a line for further details:)

Salam, everyone!

-AzRina-

*Also available, single bottles (10 ml) at RM25 - limited fragrances only.
** Mini sets contain 4 bottles with 2.75 ml worth of fragrance per bottle.

This Year 2011

2011-01-24T22:46:00.000+08:00

This year, I want to:

take horse riding lessons at Taman Equestrian Putrajaya (Putrajaya Equestrian Park);
buy a Yamaha Clavinova Digital piano;
take up piano classes at Yamaha;
have a baby;
take up Quran classes;
set up online shop;
rent space for product showroom and sell offline as well;
learn more about running a biz;
increase my monthly income;
put aside enough to pay zakat;
furnish ground floor room to turn into SOHO;
write a non-fiction book on WAHM dreams; and
become a certified translator.

And I shall work on making all this a reality, insya'Allah..

WAHMs Wanted!!

2011-01-21T22:13:00.001+08:00

This is the year for me to become a WAHM..I've been wanting to do this for so long..I've been writing plans after plans..exploring this option and that.. I've discovered my interests, my strength and the meaning of my life. So isn't it about time I took the leap?

I have a wish, and that is to hear stories from other WAHMs. How they made their journey into becoming a WAHM especially from being a FTWM. I wanna hear from you. Stories good and bad. Experiences, advices, tips..

I have so many reasons for wanting to become a WAHM and among them are:

For my own sanity.
For my son.
For my family.
For my people.
For my religion.

For My Own Sanity

I have been a working a 8-5 job for the past 9 years . We all do it to earn a living - to buy food, clothes, shelter... I am grateful for it. It has provided me with a comfortable home, support for my family and once in a while some luxuries. But what if I could make money doing what I love? Then I'll never have to work another day in my life! Well that's what most motivation books say and I totally agree with them! I want to a live healthy, abundant and joyful life every single day. Being a WAHM will allow me to become my creative self. I believe in my own potential. We all have it in many forms. It's God given. It is this unique gift that is ours that we should be using to the fullest.

For My Son

I want to watch my son grow in front of my eyes. I want to be an energetic, vibrant, fun-loving mother who can keep up with her active son and answer all his questions about life. That young inquisitive mind of his. My son, ever the confident one. I lavish him, we all do, with kind, loving words of praise and encouragement. I want to be there for him. To be able to send and pick him up from school. To be by his side when he does his homework and during playtime. My son, who at this young age wants to become an entrepreneur. He inspires me so. To open a shop and be able to sell beautiful products. That is our dream and goal this year.

For My Family

My mother has taken such good care of my son while I am away the whole day at work. Whenever I have to work late into the night or go out-station, both my parents will tirelessly care for my son. Ever the devoted grandparents. They love him so. By becoming a WAHM, I can free my mom from some of this responsibility. I want her to live the many years of her life as she intends to. I hope through the work that I'll start as a WAHM, I'll be able to contribute more to my family and parents who raised me. And I hope they'll support me fully in my endeavour.

For My People

I want to start a positive revolution for muslimahs. Hopefully my work as a WAHM will take me as far. I want to explore a field that I can be knowledgeable in. The knowledge that can allow me to help myself and inspire others. I want to contribute back to the society in the best way that I possibly can. As a WAHM,embracing her freedom, I shall do just that.

For My Religion

I want to be a devoted muslimah. To be able to do good unto others. To live in accordance to Islam. I want to deepen my knowledge in Islam. To be able to understand it and share it with other muslimahs. I want to live every day feeling happy, blessed and grateful. I want to make an honest living for my life now and hereafter. I hope Allah will give me the strength and courage to pursue this dream of mine.

Once again, I call out to all the WAHMs out there. I wanna hear from you..

The Power by Rhonda Byrne

2011-01-02T08:34:00.002+08:00

As the title depicts, this is going to be yet another book review! Yay:) Come New Year 2011 and I'm still in the reading mood, Alhamdulillah.. I bought 'The Power by Rhonda Byrne' on 24 December 2010. Attracted by the cover (and the 30% discount and on it!), I did a flip through and the first few words caught me right at the heart...

"You are meant to have an amazing life!"

says Rhonda Byrne.

"You are meant to be fulfilling your dreams.."

I absolutely love the positivity she was putting through there and immediately bought a copy. Dr. Muhaya on IKIM.fm a couple of weeks ago talked about how one should spend at least an hour a day digesting motivational materials. So this is me following her advice, picking up a totally inspiring book..love, love, love.. I do hope I'll get to attend Dr. Muhaya's workshop, "Kuasa Minda: Ke Arah Sikap Yang Positif"(the power of the mind: towards a positive attitude). I would love to be under her tutelage and have her as one of my life coaches. She sounds phenomenal! Did I mention she's an ophthalmologist? To undergo LASIK is another one on my wish-list:)! love..love..love..

Now back to the book under scrutiny! 'The Power', in a way to me is similar to 'The Secret'. While the former focuses on the Law of Attraction, 'The Power' zooms in on the power of LOVE.. And love is actually the law of attraction..Yes, love. Love makes the world go round. Love is the essence of living. Love conquers all!

To be able to live the amazing life we all dream about, it is essential that we learn how to fully utilise the attractive force of love. Because like attract likes and what we give, we receive. So give good to receive goodness. It all totally makes sense.

If everyday in our lives, we focus on the positive, it is this positive part of our thinking that will materialize. Therefore, we have to think and talk about what we love: all the good news and the things that went well in our day. And next, we have to feel good about it. Inject positive feelings towards it. Feelings of love, gratitude, joy, passion, excitement, enthusiasm, satisfaction, hope and many more. Increase the frequency of these emotions to benefit even more from it.

According to Byrne,

"....Every decision you make in your life is based on how you feel.."

What we want in our lives, we want it because it makes us feel good. To receive the good, we need to have good feelings. Give love through good feelings.

"You have to be happy first, and give happiness, to receive happy things!"

The next few part of the book talks about The Creation Process. It takes you through a few simple steps to harness the force of love in every areas of your life - IMAGINE, FEEL, RECEIVE.

Yes, it all starts with the visualization process. This may be nothing new to some of us. Even major athletes use this visualisation technique before taking part in an event. This envisioning of the whole process and the victorious ending. It is said that the mind cannot tell the difference between what is imagined and what is real. This is what we have to use to our advantage. But how many of us have done it?

I love how Byrne describes that there is nothing too big for the law of attraction. We have to think of the things that we want and desire in life, no matter how big, to be just the size of a dot. It's achievable! And this is as far as I'm going to reveal. Especially, since I haven't finished reading the book whole yet.

But one thing's for sure.. Getting your mind to focus on what you love, really brightens the day..when you think happy thoughts and feel it through positive emotions, your day just turns out so much better. You feel more relaxed, at ease, and you'll find that others respond to you better and you just learn to enjoy the moment. Love, love, love!!

No Time Like The Present and Reading For Knowledge

2010-12-07T09:24:00.003+08:00

My 4-year-old son, Hariz is an excellent example of someone who makes full use of his waking hours. Some days he is awake 12 hours and sleeps another 12. Most days he sleeps less than that (8 - 10 hours) and is awake, the rest of the time. What does he do? He plays, explores, learns, interacts.. The world is his playground! Ofcourse, whatever he does is always under supervision (be it my own, husband's or his grandparents'). What I love about this part of him is his zest for life. He looks forward to every new day. When he opens his eyes in the morning, he won't just lie around in bed daydreaming (nor does he sneaks in a few more hours of sleep). He just sits up, gets up and is on the move! We adults sure can learn from this kind of zesty attitude!

So why is it important to make full use of our waking hours? Because we don't know how long we'll live! And if you have your life goals mapped out, I am sure you would want to have them realised during your lifetime, God-willing. So there is no time to waste!

I have been spending the last few weeks buying discounted books at the MPH sale in Alamanda. Mostly books on personal finance, parenting and writing. I have also been spending last weekend devouring these books. As you can see, I am in the reading mood and nothing, nobody can stop me from reading book after book! Right now I am reading 'Smart Parents Richer Kids' by Azizi Ali and Zaid Mohamad. Although I have read many other Personal Finance books (by Robert Kiyosaki, Azizi Ali, Dave Ramsey etc.) this particular book shares how we could get the whole family and especially the kids involved in financial planning, instilling good financial habits in kids from young and securing a better future for them. Some tips mentioned in this book are familiar. But it's being conveyed in such a delightful manner with Zaid, who's very much a family man sharing delightful anecdotes based on his real day-to-day life experience. I love it!

I feel like starting a Total Money Makeover again! Yes, I've been slacking these past few years. The problem is, the more I earn, the more my desire to buy increases. So now is no better time than ever to put a stop to these useless desires! Time for me to think rationally and get back on track to my goal of becoming financially free (and not to have to work for others but to make money work for me). Due to my spending fury these past couple of years (I have vague memories of what I've spent on, except one expensive hair treatment programme), I have alot of catching up to do. Damage control: credit card bills to pay up, monthly budget to scrutinize (items to be divided into categories: essentials, nice, crap), 20% of income to be put aside each month (the pay- yourself- first concept which actually should top the list), to teach my son to save (he spends like his mom these days and he uses other people's hard earned money - which just drives my mom up the walls) and ofcourse to set out our family's Objectives, Goals, Strategies and Measures (OGSM). Like Zaid mentioned in his book, (in my own words now) you won't know which path to take unless you have it all mapped out. So yes, we shall be doing that. Infact, I've been making drafts of it while going through the book. Now all I need is to go through the OGSM with hubby and son before we get to the implementing stage. Phew! Some work needed there!

Now the next book on my reading list is, 'Bear Hunt: Earn Your Living By Doing What You Love' by Malcolm McClean. I am also in the midst of reading 'Rumahku, Ofisku' (My Home, My Office) by Mazneera Zainal which is also pretty inspirational for a woman like me who is yearning, wanting, trying and is in the process of realising my dream of becoming a WAHM. Another mind blowing book I read last week was 'The One Minute Entrepreneur' by Ken Blanchard, Don Hutson and Ethan Willis. They share their secrets to Creating and Sustaining a Successful Business. Yes, yes, that is one of my long term goal - to become a successful entrepreneur. Before that I must have solid foundations which is what I am working at right now - good financial planning and then I'll need a sound business plan.

More books on my reading list (books I've bought and have yet to read):

English:

1. How They Started In Tough Times by David Lester and Beth Bishop ( I got this book at 50% discount! and it's just been published this year!! Thanks MPH - my fave bookstore!)

2. Writing Fiction For Children by Judy K. Morris (70% discount - yay!)

3. The Power of a Positive No by William Ury (among the first books I bought when the year 2010 opened its curtain)

4. The 48 Laws of Power by Robbert Greene (bought July 2009 - hmm wonder why I didn't get around to reading it - I guess I'm not so crazy about being controlling and being in power over others. But then again it is actually necessary to be in power over your own self - having self-control.

Bahasa Malaysia:

1. Jejak Bisnes Rasul by Mohamed Sulaiman and Aisuddinur Zakaria

2. 7 Formula Individu Cemerlang by Dr. Danial Zainal Abidin

3.Rahsia Bisnes Isteri Nabi: Khatijah by Shadi Zain

4. Jana RM Dari Rumah by Masayu Ahmad

5. Rahsia Bisnes Orang Cina by Ann Wan Seng (fantastic!!)

6. Mudahnya Bisnes dengan Blogshop by Zamri Mohamad

7. Rancang Wang Dari Sekarang by Pakdi (founder of bicarajutawan.com community)

(All these Bahasa Malaysia books I've started but have yet to finish reading - these are mostly on business, personal development and personal finance)

8. Satu Rasa Dua Hati by Pahrol Mohd Juoi (on marriage)

9. Teknik Memotivasikan Anak Cara Positif (on parenting)

Wow, I just realised I have loads of reading to do. Actually, there's probably about 5-10 other books (including fiction) which are still left untouched (mostly because I bought them on sale especially the novels and over time I felt too adult to be reading them tsk...tsk..I also would rather be filling my brain with more useful knowledge than fantasy - better excuse!).

Ok guys, all these listing is actually to serve as a reminder to myself, a way to keep track of my reading materials. And if you're looking for interesting books to read, feel free to pick one from my list. If I am not mistaken, the MPH sale at Alamanda is still on! See you there!!

Muslimah Model

2010-11-29T00:41:00.001+08:00

Just yesterday, I had my first taste of what's it like to be a model at a studio photo shoot. My husband,  photographer-in-the-making and his group of colleagues from his photography course had rented out a studio in Shah Alam for their photo assignments. It was at the spur of the moment that my hubby asked me to model for him. He hadn't anyone else in mind and he desperately needed to complete his assignment. So I got together a few outfits in a rush that morning. We headed straight to the studio with our 4 year old son in tow and spent a whole day (and a little more) there.

For me, it was an eye opening experience. My husband chose the Muslimah concept. His colleagues didn't. I don't blame them. The western influence is so deep rooted when it comes to fashion and model shoots. From the dressing to the poses, all were based on what the west did. Why do I say it as if it's a bad thing? Well because these influence causes us to forget the Islamic principles. Which to me is rather sad.

A photograph can speak a thousand words. It can influence, evoke emotions and create impact. If that's the case, then photographers play a certain role in shaping our society's thinking and way of life. A photograph in a way is like a campaign, telling onlookers that yes they should be like this and not like that. The person being photographed, the model is indeed a role model. These models that we feature in fashion magazines, they are being emulated. People admire the pictures and want to be like them (or not want to be like them?).

If more and more muslim photographers took interest in photographing muslimah models in their proper attire and decent poses, then perhaps our younger generations will have a better role model to look up to and try to be like them.

I applaud local muslimah magazines like 'Nur' who try their best at capturing the essence of a muslimah (although at times they do have a few models who are 'dis-overly' dressed). At least they try. Their feature articles cover the issue of 'aurat', at  the same time they try to get across the message that you can be a muslimah, covered and all yet still look confident and feel and be beautiful.

In 'Nur's' latest issue (November 2010), they're looking for a new generation of muslimah models. I am so tempted to send in an application. I feel the need to get a message across on the 'being of a muslimah'. What better way then to be in the industry itself. To create influence, to inspire others, to show them that yes, this is how we muslimahs should dress. Now all I'm waiting for is for my hubby to edit and print out the best full length and close up shots before my application can be sent. I hope the windows of opportunity are open wide enough for me to slip in. Till then, I'll just keep on writing and hopefully be able to inspire through words..

The Baju Kurung

2010-11-20T22:54:00.003+08:00

Having googled 'the baju kurung', the search result lead me to this useful site: belajar cara nak buat baju kurung. Translated, it means: learn how to make the baju kurung. Hmmm..very informative. I've been thinking of taking up sewing lessons for quite some time. There's this sewing class in Bandar Baru Bangi which looks so inviting. But an online free tutorial is even better. Hehehe..maybe I should have a go! But I don't have a sewing machine..Maybe now's a good time to invest in one..hehe..but why not? my late grandma was a tailor after all. Shouldn't it run in the family? I can feel the GWGI part of me coming out again. Another new hobby? Hmm..just the beginning. (These days it's making pizzas, if you're wondering. And gorging out on books!)

I guess it makes sense to learn how to sew, if I'm ever going to take this venture into muslimah fashion far. But then again, I could also hire these talents. But knowledge is power! So no harm learning..

Ok, me blabbering.. Back to business. Now why an entry on the baju kurung? In one way it's to honour my roots. I am a true Malay (ok, maybe not so pure as most Malaysians are from mixed heritage except for the Orang Asli, I suppose) and the baju kurung is the traditional Malay dress worn during formal occasions to work, functions and weddings. Now most Malaysians wear it too (it's the 1Malaysia spirit!).

The baju kurung is by far the most versatile dress that's muslimah certified! I say this because the baju kurung (at least the original one or we call it 'baju kurung pesak') serves to conceal a women's body shape as Islam intended. These days though, there a many variations of the baju kurung - baju kurung kedah, pahang, modern... Ok, I'm no expert, but most of these are deemed appropriate. It's the material (and cutting) that it comes in that either makes it wearable or not. Cotton is in (especially English cotton), so is silk (especially for batik designs/patterns), satin is good, lycra is easy to maintain but tends to cling..the list goes on (actually this is just an excuse for me not doing enough research on this).

The great thing about the baju kurung is that they're so comfy and airy (then again it also depends on the material and cutting). If they come with lots of pleats in the skirt, you'd have no problems jumping across a drain in it (kids, please don't try this at home)! If you choose dark colours or long stripey designs or little flowery patterns, it actually has a slimming effect! For you slim ladies who want to look less frail, try brighter shades with larger patterns. I have mine in many shades.

Sri Munawwarah's collection of modified baju kurung is very graceful. It looks like a jubah but is a two-piece. I shall put up pictures soon (I hope - I'm actually more of a verbal than visual person. But I believe readers love pictures, judging on the number of reads most picture blogs get..so your wish is my command;)).

I am also a huge fan of this fab boutique in Metro Kajang called Kajang Textiles (previously PSA). Their collections are a perfect fit! They're even better than tailor made ones!! Even tailor made ones don't come this close. Amazing, amazing...Alhamdulillah.. Another amazing thing you should note is that the owner is chinese and non-muslim. Despite that, she understands just what a muslimah wants! Her chosen materials are non-see through and if they happen to be a few, she'd add inner linings. She's awesome! And I just keep coming back. As a return customer, she gives me a great discount every time. Thank you, thank you.. My last visit, I ended up buying 4 pairs! Just couldn't resist. I haven't been clothes shopping for awhile so this splurge is permissible and guaranteed not damaging to my wallets.

Ok, better get some sleep. I have laid out my fave Sri Munawwarah baju kurung for a friends wedding reception tomorrow. Assalamualaikum..

Business 'Do's

2010-11-14T01:42:00.000+08:00

The list below is to serve as a reminder to myself and anyone (for that matter) wanting to start a business or is currently in business.

DO:

Treat your customers with respect as much as you want your business to be respected.
Smile and put on a pleasant front for your customers and do this with sincerity coming right from your heart.
Show that you are passionate about your business and that you enjoy serving your customers.
Build a great relationship with your regulars (and all customers) to keep them coming back to you and recommend your product to their contacts.
Make yourself approachable and open to suggestions/recommendations.
Listen to what your customers are saying about your products/services and take action for constant improvement.
Ensure that you only provide products and services that are of good quality and value-for-money and that these are the products/service that you yourself would use.
Ensure that you have enough staff to attend to customers, otherwise try to accommodate as best as you can.
Provide sufficient training to your staff on product knowledge and your business code and ethics.
Create a warm, friendly and cheerful environment in your showroom/storefront etc.
Extend your opening hours when customers are still coming in and stay open during weekends/public holidays.

The above is solely my own humble opinion and not taken from other sources. This is just random thoughts coming from me based on personal experiences, my observations and what I learned from the mistake of others. I hope to be able to update this list from time to time;)

WAHM Goals

2010-11-11T20:38:00.000+08:00

I had just performed my zohor prayer today at work when I noticed a lady in the corner of the room expressing milk using an electric pump. It reminded me so much of my early days back to work after maternity leave, 4 years ago. Oh..what a hassle it was trying to save those precious drops of milk for my little one who if given the choice would no doubt choose direct feeding over expressed milk any time.

That got me to thinking, as I have been doing all these years, wouldn't it be great if more women could work from home and still be able to earn a decent living? That is actually my secret wish, which is not so much a secret anymore but a deep yearning inside - to be able to work from home, earn lots and still be able to care for my child(ren) full time. Oh, how joyful it would be!

The motivator on IKIM.fm today says that we should all dream big and plan far ahead to be successful.

I can see it already..

Me, Azrina Aznan at home in my home office that is totally comfy, organised and chic. I have my schedule of daily activities to complete and time allocated sufficiently for each activity. I have time for spiritual connection, my work/business, my children, my husband, my family, my friends, household matters and my own self. I am deeply focused and passionate about the work and business that I do. I have many good clients and a network of wonderful, helpful friends. I have my own showroom/shop to showcase my products and I am assisted by an efficient, friendly, honest and hardworking team that delivers. I am absolutely grateful to Allah for all the goodness that He has bestowed upon me in this life. I feel this wonderful desire to share and spread this happiness to the less fortunate. I give and I receive. I am the best that I can be. I am living my life the way Allah intend it to be. I feel so blessed and thankful for all this.

What wonderful thoughts and the perfect way to end the day!

Goodnight, dream big and sleep on it!

The Bride and Groom

2010-11-08T23:19:00.000+08:00

Looking dashing and exquisite in white

Muslimah Bridal Gallery

2010-11-07T09:33:00.001+08:00

My younger brother got married recently to his college sweetheart. He had his wedding reception at a grand hall located in Precinct Diplomatic, Putrajaya. It was a beautiful wedding attended by close friends and relatives.

What was even more beautiful were the bride and groom themselves, both dressed in stunning white. A collection taken from Puteris, a Muslimah Bridal Gallery found in Precinct 8, Putrajaya.

So why are they labeled muslimah bridal? Because all the wedding dresses and gowns available there are lovingly made to conceal the bride while still appearing ravishingly gorgeous. All Puteris' dresses are long sleeved and non-see through. And the fact they have a great management team to run the boutique is a huge plus. Ofcourse the friendly treatment we received from one of the owner in this family business, Puteri Salwa, truly made our preparation for the wedding a smooth one. We graciously thank her (and the team) for that!

Weddings are a sacred occasion, where two soul mates unite and rejoice in the celebration with their loved ones. It is during occasions such as these that we need the blessings of the Al-Mighty. It is He who brought them together and made this happen. Therefore for the bride and groom to show their gratitude, it is important they hold the wedding in adherence to Islam. Being dressed the proper way is among it.

For those of you aspiring to open a wedding boutique, I say go for the muslimah wedding bridal market. We'll all thank you for it! Syukran:)

I Love Muslimah Fashion!

2010-11-05T23:17:00.001+08:00

I have always loved dressing up and looking pretty, just like any ordinary girl would. It is a natural womanly desire to dress up in clothes that would accentuate her beauty.

When I was much younger and naive (that was during my early teens), I used to turn to fashion magazines for advice on what I should be wearing. Hollywood stars used to be my role models. Baby Ts, tights, skinny jeans..those were the staple..

However, as I started to pick up new knowledge on Islam and mingled with the right crowd, my fashion sense too has changed. Ever since I started wearing the hijab 15 years ago, I've started dressing more conservatively, the way Allah intended women to be clothed. Clothes that conceal and protect a woman's body from the eyes of those who aren't authorized to view them. Alhamdulillah, I'm thankful for being shown back to the right path early in my life.

For a young girl who wanted so much to feel attractive yet still having to remain decent to protect her dignity, I have to admit, it wasn't an easy path. At times I succumb to wearing clothes that aren't too Islamic like short sleeved t-shirts and body hugging shirts. Those instances, I truly regret. Then again, 15 years back, it was rather difficult to find decent t-shirts, blouse and pants to wear. So much so, that most of the time I ended up shopping for clothes in the men's department. There you can find baggy t-shirts, shirts and loose-fitting pants. Ofcourse, I made do with these and tried to look as feminine in them a I could. That is by choosing shades that women are naturally attracted to - red, maroon, pink, purple..

Fast forward to the present, muslimah fashion is now the rage! In the local fashion scene, Sri Munawwarah Design were among the first in Malaysia to come up with fashionable decent wear for women. These days you hear the brand names: Hajabba, Sumayya, Hilyah. For Fashionable Hijab brands, we have Ariani, Seri Kapas, and gosh so many names in the market including home-made and mass-made ones sold at the night market. Amazing, amazing... And I'm loving it!

My interest in muslimah fashion has never dimmed or faded(pretty rare for the Girl With Gazillion Ideas). And the same is true with my desire to become a wahm and an entrepreneur. It is because of this burning passion and desire that I've decided to begin my research on muslimah fashion. My aim is to encourage other women to take interest in this 'field of study'. Imagine if I can persuade all muslimahs to dress the way they should..Alhamdulillah, I would have served some purpose in this life..

Insya'Allah, this is my vision so far.. And I'm working on it starting with baby steps:) Please pray for my and our ummah's success..

Making Peace

2010-11-05T22:19:00.000+08:00

Alright then. Since I'm not getting anywhere by being indecisive, I suppose I have to settle with what I've got here. Hey, it's not that bad (me consoling myself)! I rather like the new template design. Just the kind I would use for a blogshop.. Yeah..my own blogshop..the one reason for me wanting to start anew...

SOS

2010-11-05T21:43:00.003+08:00

Help!! I am trying to create a brand new blog and blogger is not allowing me to! They're asking for some sort of verification - my hp number - which I have already given but they haven't sent me the verification code. I am so tempted to use wordpress instead, if it weren't for the ease of blogger. So how, how... Should I buy a new url? If I did, I might as well use wordpress, instead. Sheesh..I am so undecided...

Shabby Blogs is The BEST!

2010-04-11T12:18:00.003+08:00

Thank you, thank you dear Shabby Blogs for brightening up my day! I couldn't help but smile gleefully after putting up this beautiful background from Shabby Blogs!! Love the rainbow colours!! I used a background from little window shop before, but this rainbow coloured one just envelopes me in it's warmth!!

I also tried out other background designs listed on my right hand panel. Gorgeous,but all the terms and conditions they had are just too complicated...unlike shabby blogs being as they put it "totally easy, totally free and totally shabulous"!

Oh, and I must thank Anne for leading me to the Shabby Blogs!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Today I feel sooo deeply inspired!!

My Hubby's Passion is Photography

2010-04-08T23:43:00.004+08:00

My other half, Edi has taken an avid interest in photography since he first laid hands on a DSLR camera. His passion in this form of art has allowed him to learn the skills of a pro faster than you can say 'go' (ok, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration but it's true, he's a fast-learner when it comes to these stuff)! And I really do admire his talents and being his no. 1 muse (or so I think)and wifey, I shall always and forever support his work. I really do hope and pray that this field of study will enable him to make an honest living while still enjoying himself. I refer it to as a field of study because he is currently doing his executive diploma in this very specialized area.

Thus the idea of him becoming a freelance kiddy photographer is to me, a brilliant one (because I came up with it! and) because than I too can come to his aide since I love working with children (I had a short stint as a kindergarten teacher but I had to move on to a more degree-appropriate-parent-approved career)! And why not become a kiddy photographer?! Putrajaya and it's neighbouring areas are scattered with kindergartens which will surely require the service of an experienced photographer come the time of events such as sports day, school concerts, class photo sessions, field trips etc! So yeah..why not? For a snap shot of my husbands unofficial portfolio, visit his blog at http://simpology.blogspot.com/ ;)

Already, I can picture our new (and first)couple blog dedicated to this passion of his! Here's to passion (and the start of yet another venture)!!

S-a-t-i-s-f-a-c-t-i-o-n

2010-04-08T03:01:00.006+08:00

I shall start my ramblings today with a number of questions:

1. Why are we often never satisfied with what we currently have?
2. Is it of inert nature to be dissatisfied most of the time?
3. Could it be that we are programmed this way so that we may strive to consistently improve ourselves on a daily basis, in order to achieve greater heights and recognition?
3. Is the displeasure that we have towards our present situation, the fire that will ignite our desires, determination and perseverance to reach out and work towards materializing our dreams and goals?

Looking at it from this point of view casts a positive light on dissatisfaction.

I for one am forever scribbling away in my dream book, trying to figure out a way to live a life worth-living. One that I can enjoy every second of and that will enable me to project my (inhibited) skills and talents to good use while gaining good financial standings. I think you know which aspects of my life I am referring to.

For now I am trying to learn from those who have taken the path before me, taking notes and making calculated moves.

Today I am experimenting with blogger template designs. Is this it? Or do I still have to embark on a search for one that says, 'This is me!' That's my dissatisfaction for today. Finding my identity in a blog design. As absurd it may sounds, it reflects the reality of life that nothing comes easy. Even trying to figure your own self takes effort and time. I am still soul-searching..though I have already found a part of me. And this part of me I reckon, helps make me a better person.

My passion for now: my family, my writings and.... muslimah fashion!

New Design, New Name

2010-04-07T03:36:00.004+08:00

I really should be sleeping right now, but I'm a little bit excited to the few changes I've made to my blog design thanks to Emily of 'Little Window Shop'. Simple and neat!

Just to announce that I am back in the blog-sphere. Why I ever left is beyond me. And the fact that my dad has started his own blog is also another motivation for me to update mine!

Also, I know this may sound a bit vain but I LOVE my blog! Feels like an old diary that I just found again after months of searching. Now I need to dust off the pile of dust which have settled on the covers and take off where I left! Yay! 'What Mommy Loves'..Yes, definitely a better name for this blog! And that's exactly what I shall be yapping about. Ok now, off to bed!

Another Fresh Start

2009-05-17T16:35:00.006+08:00

Finally, I figured out the correct password to my blog! Spent nearly a week doing guess work. Oh dear, I really need to sharpen my memory.For now I feel so grateful to be back and writing:)

So much has happened since I last updated. Mostly good stuff for which I am so thankful for: a new home with a totally new community, career accomplishments and development of new interests/skills/knowledge/discovery.

My life has taken a new turn. I feel so tempted to start a new blog. I have left Success University so far behind that if I were to keep my current blog, I'd have to let go of all SU related entries. Not that I haven't benefited from it. It'd opened my eyes to the world of internet marketing and personal success experts. I left it with a heavy heart but I have valid reasons for doing so (mostly personal). But to those who have inquired about it after I had left, I advice that you refer to my former internet marketing sifu, Zamri Nanyan (sifu, thank you so much for sharing with me your wealth of knowledge!). He'll be more than happy to guide anyone who's genuinely interested.

Right, so I did mention about starting a new blog.. Hmmm..If and when I do decide to, I'll post a link from here like I did my now non-existent-name-blog.

For now, I'll let my ideas mature just a little more beforw I work on a new launch.. haha..now that sounds definite!

Around the blogsphere I've notice some major developments at Mamafiza's blog. Our Malaysian homeschooler. This mom-of-4-kiddies is an inspiration! She's achieved so much in such a short period of time. Now that's alot of loving effort at work and attention to details. Also CoachSha's blog now looks fantastic! I feel enticed to join her English-Class-For-Ladies! (yeah.. i do require improvement in that area if i were to sound as good as nazihah ismail!hmm..that reminds me, i should hop down to her blog right after).

Ok, I'll be heading my way now. Take care n cheers everyone:)

I've Moved Back!

2009-01-07T09:42:00.000+08:00

Also to announce my return to my premiere blog "Abundance Journey" - because it is still a destination that I am headed to. All the things that I love to blog about still remains the same. Although I have left Success Uni (to follow through with my Total Money Makeover), I am still more than ever passionate about personal development. So if you're still with me, drop me line or two :)

Back with a Passion!!

2009-01-07T09:08:00.004+08:00

I've decided to start blogging again. Why today? Because I've settled all my week's worth of work (and am waiting for more!). Writing gives me something worthwhile to do that is stimulating for the mind. I am starting on a new book today called 'Roberts's Rules of Writing' by R. Masello. A book that practically jumped at me from my father's bookshelves. While browsing through the book, one of the rules caught my eyes and that is that "writing should be with purpose". Because anyone can just scribble nonsense. But writing with a purpose is what makes you a real writer.

My passion has recently been rediscovered through 'The Passion Test'. The results of my test tells me that my passion is in actual fact writing. Yes, but not just any writing. Infectious writing that affects other people's lives positively. My other top five passion includes (not in any particular order): living life as a work-at-home-mom (and encouraging other moms to do the same for the benefit of our children and family), having inner peace through reconnection with the Higher Powers, having financial freedom (I love personal finance!)and living in my perfect family dream home.

As advised by the developers of the Passion Test, I have made markers for each passion as an indicator of having achieved and am actually living the life I am passionate about. My next step is to create a vision board which many, many personal development guru advices on doing. It's to ignite your passion and keep your dreams and goals in view. I can't wait to get started on my vision board! It's going to be fantastic!!

As a personal reminder, the next two steps in actualising your passion process is:

1) creating passion pages; and
2) writing your 100th birthday speech.

So stay tuned.

I've Moved!! - My New Website

2007-12-24T16:05:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone!! Just to announce that I've recently shifted to a new site. Visit my now not-so-brand-new dot com site at http://AzrinaAznan.com. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do updating it! Any comments appreciated;)

~Season's Greetings~

2007-12-20T12:44:00.000+08:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all muslims a Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha! Keep safe during the festive seasons!! Take care everyone! When you return, do check out my new website at http://azrinaaznan.com.

Visit My New Website!!

2007-12-17T08:26:00.000+08:00

People, as you've probably realised, I havent't been updating this blog for a number of days. But that's only because I now have a brand new dotcom website to blog on!! I shall be focusing mainly only Personal Development issues there but will come back here to blog on more personal stuff from time to time.

So what are waiting for? Visit AzrinaAznan.com and join me on the road to financial freedom!

What Is Ethical Email Marketing Basically?

2007-12-13T15:02:00.000+08:00

What Is Ethical Email Marketing Basically?
By Zamri Nanyan

Email marketing as its name suggests is using email as a means to do your own marketing on the internet.

The basic mechanics behind it is that you collect the emails from your website visitors and email them your offer or anything related to your niche.

For example, if you are blogging or have a website about "breeding arowana fish", you put a subscription box where your website visitors can leave their name and email in exchange for some kind of information that you offer. This information could be in the form of an e-course about arowana, an e-book or just simply a permission for you to send out more information on the website whenever you update it.

People who are interested about arowana will definitely like to be updated about anything related to this fish and they will allow you to send more emails to them. Of course, you want to also include a note saying that by filling up the webform that you put on your website, they allow you to send more emails in the future.

Then, when you get their names and emails, it becomes your goldmine.

You can send out the product that you promised immediately (e-course or e-book) or update them with current activities you have on your website. From here, you can also send out advertisements on the products related to arowana, and since this group of people are really arowana lovers, there is a high chance that they'll buy the products that you recommend (or advertise).

If you are the product owner or an affiliate for the products that you recommend to this mailing list, you will generate an income from sending out your emails. This is because, in the eyes of the people in your mailing list, you are an expert in arowana or at least a person that they can trust enough to buy your product recommendation.

Email marketing will work in any niche if you do it right, and the powerful tool you can use to build your email database is by subscribing to one of the autoresponders services such as GetResponse or Aweber.

About the Author

Zamri Nanyan is a team leader in the hottest and most lucrative personal development program on the Internet. Visit http://www1.successuniversity.com.my/r/into now for more details.

New Web Update

2007-12-13T11:19:00.000+08:00

I am currently working at setting up a more professional looking website using wordpress.org but with my own domain name and Ecommerce Mastering webhosting. The process is 70% completed. However, there are a few changes which needs to be made for the site to be more presentable. I must say that I first went about with the task thinking that it'll all be easy and just a piece of cake. However, I found out that I still had alot to learn since I'm not a technical person. I must take note to increase my knowledge in that particular area. I'm considering getting Gobala's Wordpress Adsense e-book kit. I hear he's got a package that can cut down one's learning curve in mastering wordpress. Plus he's got some great professional looking templates. Hmm.. very tempting..

Another reason why it's taking awhile for me to move on to my new dotcom site is because there's a part of me that's gonna miss this blogger site. But I must let go of this sentimental value thingy to move on!! Or maybe I can keep both blogs and have them running on different niches. Or make this blog a personal one for friends and the other one for more professional internet marketing purposes. Hmm.. that's an idea I can use. Aaahh.. things are starting to look bright already.

I actually already have a couple of entries posted on my new site. Hmmm.. should I take you to it? I'll be changing the theme in a while soon. But if you guys really want to take a look at it. I guess I can give you a peek. Ok, visit www.azrinaaznan.com. But I'm warning you, it's only in the initial stages. And yeah.. I could use some constructive comments. Please post the comments here if you have any. Would really appreaciate it! Thanks people. I really value your support.

The Right Balance

2007-12-10T09:23:00.000+08:00

As a full time working mom, getting the right balance between work and family can be quite a challenge. Especially as I found out, when you're on a mission to achieving financial freedom. Sometimes you have to sleep later than others, use the extra time in between work to carry out your mission and miss out on leisure activities at first. It is important that you persevere whatever the circumstances, get back up when you stumble, set up new strategies when reach a road block and all that. Who said it was easy to become financially free? The hard work you'd be putting in these first few years will definitely pay of once your money starts working hard for you. It's when you have a constant abundance of passive income that you can declare yourself financially free. By that time, you wouldn't have to work if you didn't want to and you'd have the leisurely time to spend as you wish. Now wouldn't that be ideal?

As for quality time with your family, it takes good time management, patience and some effort to strike the right balance. Sometimes when you are supposed to be spending time playing with your children, you may have your mind on work and don't give your family the attention they deserve. It's unfair to them and breeds dissatisfaction in the family. So plan your time. Allocate time for both your family and your (mission) work. Enjoy your family time when it comes and concentrate on your tasks during the time allocated specifically for that. Have faith that financial freedom awaits you and your family provided your efforts are constant and on-going.

Financial Plannings

2007-12-09T00:02:00.000+08:00

We took our son to the park today. We've decided to stay away from shopping malls for a while to avoid impulse buys during this coming holiday season. I for one have decided to take full control of my own finances. Harv Eker has inspired me to do this. And it's wonderful how when you start taking action, delightful surprises awaits you. Like just few days ago a colleague gave me a financial planner to easily budget my spendings and savings. My urge to spend has also slowly dissipated and it is being gradually replaced by the urge or need to save. I just love it! Whenever, I refrain myself from an impulse buy, it makes me feel more powerful where else before I would be restless and not stop thinking about buying a particular thing. I am planning my finances to pave my path to financial freedom! I feel great!!!

The Death of Network Marketing Review

2007-12-06T14:29:00.000+08:00

The Death of Network Marketing Review
by Zamri Nanyan

The Death Of Network Marketing is an ebook by Mike Filsaime
and Ellie Drake. Ellie Drake is a successful network marketer,
while Mike Filsaime is a well-known internet marketer that
does not need an introduction anymore.

This 45-page pdf ebook is targeted to the people who are
involved in network marketing and also to those who are
curious about the industry. While you will not get an
introduction about network marketing from this ebook, you
will know some of the problems faced my network marketers
nowadays - especially network marketers who are still using
old methods to grow their network marketing team.

Ellie Drakes talks about her past experience about how network
marketing was done previously. In brief, she explained that
she had to do cold-calling, belly-to-belly meetings and
seminars alike. She explains that some of the leaders are
still doing that now but the wave is changing.

People are looking for easier ways to grow their network
marketing business and the old ways of doing network marketing
are dying. The attrition in the industry is high because what
people are looking for is not presented to them entirely - things
like how to get people look for them and how to use cutting-edge
internet tools to grow the business.

This is where the ebook talks more about using the internet
to do recruiting, training, coaching and more. You will see
some of the action steps suggested in the ebook such as
studying lead generation page, automated training, forming
online communities and a few others.

Although internet marketing can be powerful in the network
marketing industry, Ellie warns that high-touch connection
is equally important as well.

In case you are wondering what Mike Filsaime has to do with
network marketing (or NetWeb Marketing as it is mentioned in
the ebook), you can guess at the end of the pages as Ellie
mentions that Ellie and Mike are working on internet marketing
tools to help network marketers build their business much
more efficiently (do you smell another product promotion?)

The good news is that this ebook is free to download. For a
limited time, Mike is also giving commissions to those who
distribute the ebook to others.

In conclusion, this ebook can be an eye-opening for lots of
network marketers out there. And, I agree that you can't avoid
using the internet to build your network marketing business
nowadays. It's one of the BIGGEST reasons why I left my previous
network marketing company - they were not internet marketing
savvy enough while others company are pushing for automation
and more automation.

Zamri Nanyan is a team leader in the hottest and most lucrative
personal development program on the Internet. Visit
http://www1.successuniversity.com.my/r/into now for more details
and don't forget to read "The Death of Network Marketing" ebook
to know the future of this amazing business model.

Wealth Files

2007-12-05T20:28:00.000+08:00

'Secrets of the Millionaire Mind' by T. Harv Eker is by far the most brilliant book I've read this year! So much so that Harv's voice keeps playing over and over again in my head (despite me having never attended his seminar)! This goes to show how powerful his messages on wealth creation are. His words just resonates through me and I actually feel financially liberated. I can't recommend his book enough! I so want to attend his 'Millionaire Mind Course', I feel like writing to Harv inviting him to share his expertise right here in Malaysia!! Harv, you've made such an impact on me!!

That said, allow me to share the tip of the iceberg as to the secrets of the millionaire mind.

The first chapter of this book talks about your financial blueprints (as mentioned in my previous entry). Your financial blueprints are thoughts, ideas and beliefs on money that has been programmed into your mind while you were growing up. If you end up with a lousy financial blueprint, you can always undo it (undoing it is important as it determines your success in this area). Supposing your mind is a filing cabinet. Your financial blueprints are the files that get filled into these cabinets. Changing your blueprints means taking out the old and putting in new files. In his book, Harv provides you with new, more positive wealth files in order to help you achieve a millionaire mindset.

Now these wealth files come together with declarations and activities you must do to have a millionaire mind. I'll let you in on Wealth File #3 as I find it quite amusing. This particular wealth file talks about 'complaining'. According to Harv, "when you are complaining, you become a living, breathing 'crap' magnet" and "what you focus on, you expand". So complaining can do more damage to your financial success than you think. To help resolve this, Harv instructs us to do the following activity: for the next 7 days, go through each day without a single complaining whether out loud or in your mind. Doing this would really make a remarkable difference in your life. When you stop complaining, you start to view life in a more positive manner. You view the good side of things. And when you focus on the good things in life, you put your energy in it or to it and more of these good stuff start flowing into your life. Again let me repeat as Harv likes to do,"what you focus on, you expand".

I found the above exercise to be rather challenging as although I can manage the not complaining out loud part,quietening the mind is a task that takes some discipline. But I know I'll succeed in doing it for the rest of this week and for the rest of my life (as that's part of what it takes to become a millionaire!).

Now say it with me, "I am committed to taking the necessary actions to becoming a millionaire. I have a millionaire mind!!"

Santa's Big Giveaway Event!

2007-12-05T11:16:00.000+08:00

This is an even bigger MEGA GIVEAWAY! This Santa guy is giving money for telling others about his JV Giveaway event.

Just clik on NOW!! and you're on your way for that extra pocket money;)

P.S. Pls note that this offer will only be up for a limited time. Grab it while u can!!

Free CD!!

2007-12-05T09:26:00.000+08:00

Get Your Free Copy Of "True MLM Wealth Online" ($197 Value FREE) by clicking HERE NOW!!

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

2007-12-03T10:19:00.000+08:00

It's a brand new week, and I have a brand new book in hand! And boy, I'm glad I got my hands on it!! The book as you must have guessed by now is 'Secrets of the Millionaire Mind' by T. Harv Eker. I think Anamiraa recommended this book previously (Thanks Ana!). I was actually attracted to it's cover and when I viewed it's content, I made up my mind to purchase it right away. I bought other books as well and using my trusty MPH member card, I'd managed to collect myself points and received free book vouchers (festive seasons people!).

What's so great about this particular book? Well, it provides you with the missing link between your desire for success and your achievement of success. Now this is very important since, nearly everybody wants to be successful and rich. And most of these wannabees have the intense desire to be so. But what is it that's lacking in many that they haven't achieved this success or richness? Could it have something to do with the economic downturn? Limited opportunities? If no, then what?

Ahaa.. I have yet to find out.. But for now, the chapter I'm reading refers to our financial blueprints. These are our preprogrammed thoughts on success and money. And how the results we have or see in ourselves now is actually contributed by the programming we've had in the past. Redo the program and you are most likely going to get a different and more desirable outcome should you have done it correctly. That's what I'm trying to find out in this book. That and many, many other secrets which will soon be revealed to my eyes/mind/soul.

The Panther Personality

2007-12-02T07:59:00.000+08:00

If when asked to choose from a panther, an owl, a dolphin and a peacock, you choose a panther, then the following may describe your personality:

A person with panther personality is one who has good leadership quality, is good at making decisions, are people oriented and values productivity.

Each of the animal personalities I mentioned before have their strengths and weaknesses. However, I do not mention them all here. The ones I did mentioned are described in my own words. If you're interested in the whole material, please get a copy of "Conquer Fear!" by Lisa Jimenez;)

Success University - Team Malaysia

2007-12-01T04:51:00.000+08:00

Dear Readers,

I have some very exciting news to share with all of you! I am currently in the process of setting up my own website!! This is one of my goals being realised! And for this I must give credit to my Success University mentor, Zamri Nanyan and ofcourse to my SU teammates. We've all been working very hard to move towards our goals of achieving abundance in life. Through this program, I have started to see positive changes in myself. I feel more excited about what life has to offer. I have found my passion (Personal Development, Internet Marketing and Blogging)
and am turning it into something profitable!

If you've missed out on my past articles about Success University, please refer to my category archive. You would definitely want to know what Success University is all about and the opportunities it provides you with.

Many people who have joined Success University are successful because they have followed the Internet Marketing program that comes with it. If you are familiar with Multi Level Marketing, this is pretty similar except that you are using the internet to market to prospects. With Success University you have a great Personal Development product backed by some of the 50 most inspiring, international motivators/speakers/trainers/experts. And knowing the power of the Internet, you are able to market your product worldwide and to limitless, massive numbers of people. But to do that you have to be equipped with the right skills. These skills you require will be yours should you decide to sign up for Success University under any trusted mentor.

For Malaysians, we have currently set up our Success University Team Malaysia. If you think you have what it takes and have the burning desire to be successful through this business, then sign up HERE!! Join our friendly team of motivated people who are more than willing to help you graps the neccessary success skills you require! Learn along side us, and become successful with us!!

I also extend my invitation to anybody from any parts of the world to join our lucrative program. This program is one of great quality that it's founder Matt Morris has passionately created with your success in mind. We are real people, in a real business and we care about your success. Success University is devoted to bringing you success in many areas of Personal Development be it Leadership, Communication, Relationship, Health, Internet Marketing and many more! By joining Success University, you get to share this wonderful program with many others and with more people involved in the field of Personal Development, imagine what the world would be like! You make the choice. ACT NOW!! and you'll thank yourself for it later!

Pay Per Post - Get Paid To Blog!!

2007-11-30T11:21:00.000+08:00

I recently signed up for payperpost (PPP)and am absolutely delighted that my blog got accepted! In the past, I've often blogged about products I genuinely love and would recommend to others. Now having signed up for PPP, I get to rave about great products/sites/services and get paid for it too! This is just too good to be true;)

What I love most about PPP is that it's fairly simple to apply. All you have to do is sign up and follow the steps provided. If you're an internet newbie and want to give PPP a try (which you should as it is an internet income opportunity!), you would first ofcourse need to have your own website. The best way to start would be to set up a blog like the one I have here (Blogger and WordPress provides free blogs). It could be about anything you like provided the contents are decent and does not discuss sensitive issues. Having gotten your blog set up and contents written, you could then visit PayPerPost's homepage and sign yourself up. Once your site has been approved, that's when all the fun begins. Start by choosing an assignment that interests you. Reserve it, then do your review well! That's all there is to it!

However, there is one thing that you must take note of: your whole blog shouldn't consist of sponsored contents only (meaning entries whose sole purpose are to generate income). That would only lead to your blog and reviews being rejected. So keep a balance check and only take opportunities that you genuinely like and appreciate so that your readers will have the benefit of honest, positive product reviews.

Happy blogging and reviewing!!

John Chow, Dot Com Mogul

2007-11-29T21:18:00.000+08:00

I had recently subscribed to John Chow's newsletter through his blog. Just for subscribing, I'd gotten a free e-book on how to make money online.

I always get excited about receiving freebies. Especially ones that are of great quality. I have just started reading John Chow's e-book and the first few pages itself did strike a chord in me.

John talked about how all successful people have goals. Goals are different to having dreams because a goal has a set target date of when you plan to achieve it. Many people just dream their life away. They say they wish they have or they are this and that but they do nothing to pursue their dreams. So dreams will just remain a dream unless one takes action. To take action you need a plan, a strategy and an estimate of how long it would take for your goal to materialize. John says, a goal without a dateline is like houses being built where the developer have no idea when they're going to be completed. So it's not good enough telling yourself that you're going to become a millionaire oneday or someday and expect to become one. You have to be specific and say something like, "My goal is to become a millionaire by the age of 30 or by my 30th birthday."

I also like the way John reveals how he's giving away his ebook for free just to attract readers to his blog as he makes money blogging and not through selling ebooks. Well his words have worked magic! I am very drawn to his blog and will be obtaining more new knowledge from him through his jottings.

An Article By Sifu Zamri

2007-11-29T14:34:00.000+08:00

How To Build The Right Online Business Mindset For Day-job Employees
By: Zamri Nanyan

Talk to majority of employees and you'll find some of them would definitely come up with a dream of starting their own business. Since I'm building an online MLM business, I can relate these few points in building the right mindset in any business.

1. Business Is Not Employment

If you are still working with other people, do not treat your business like your job.

In the office, you will most likely be told to do your own tasks or assignments and they'll be people setting up goals and directions for you. These goals and directions will align with the company growth - not your own personal financial growth. So, what plans do the company have for you? Not much!

However, in building your online business, you have to set your mind about where, when and what you want to achieve in life - meaning that goal setting-and-getting is your job.

You have to set your goals, strategize and work towards getting those goals on your own (with the help of your business team, of course). There will be no one forcing you to do any specific tasks in an online business and you won't get penalized for not completing your tasks - but you have to remember that your income in any online program will not grow if you don't grow.

So, treat your online business as your future investment.

2. Doing Half-heartedly Doesn't Count

What's the worst that you can get if you work half-heartedly at job? Not much if your boss doesn't know that you are not giving your 100%. As long as you can deliver what's expected from you, you are safe. Come back tomorrow and you are still at work.

It can be tough at times when you build an online home based business while still working - not only in terms of consistently getting the income but also in terms of giving attention to your business.

I still remember a quote from Robert Kiyosaki on a website. He suggests to keep your daytime job while starting a business part time mostly because of the experience. He says, "Not only will you learn about business, you will learn a lot about yourself,"

Since you already make certain amount of money every month from your job, a little income from your home based business seems trivial. But, it will grow bigger once your business starts to grow big.

However, this does not mean that you will put only a little effort in growing your business.

You would probably have heard that most wealthy people work harder than those who have jobs, but how do you build a business when you are still at work 9 to 5?

The key is to keep yourself disciplined and do the right things to grow your business consistently. If it takes 2 to 3 hours a day from your spare time to build your business, then use those hours effectively to build your business.

Doing the right things for your business only for 2 to 3 hours a day does not mean you are doing half-heartedly. It means you're giving a 100% on a limited half-time you have for your future.

3. Grow yourself more than you grow your business

That is right!

You can grow your business to a million dollar empire but you should know that your first million can go down the drain overnight because of a lot of factors.

What do normally business people do when that happens?

They get back up and build a bigger business because they are equipped with what it takes to be successful.

This includes sharpening your skills in networking, sales, communication and other areas of personal growth.

Most people with employee mentality will probably feel frustrated and unmotivated with failures and give up the first time business turns sour. They do not know what to do next when it happens.

Well-equipped business people know that failures are just temporary. It is like a stepping stone for them to elevate to a higher ground.

The friendship, self-motivation, business networking and sales skills will take them anywhere they want to go and build a new business in a more powerful way. The last temporary hiccup was actually their biggest lesson for them to grow to even smarter entrepreneurs.

Even when they are successful, they will keep on learning to grow themselves for greater challenges in the future.

In short, great business leaders are life-long personal development students.

Now, let's close it by a quote from Jim Rohn that I love so much.

"Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune."

Interpret it well and it won't be surprised why the most respected business philosopher, Jim Rohn himself, said like that about personal development.

****************

About the Author

Zamri Nanyan is a team leader in the hottest and most lucrative personal development program on the Internet. Visit http://www1.successuniversity.com.my/r/into now for more details.

Having Faith

2007-11-29T03:36:00.000+08:00

If only we had more faith in our Creator, we could achieve so much more. The so-called diseases of the modern ages would be few and more people would be living a peaceful and contented life. Regardless of which religion you follow, it is important to have faith in the Creator. To turn to Him in our times of need. And to thank Him for our good fortunes. It is when we lose our connections with God that we start to fall apart and lose our directions in life. The importance and benefits of a prayer should never be underestimated. Through prayers and our conversations with God, we are able to reach into our subconscious thoughts and allow it to enhance our well being and help us achieve the success we desire with all our heart.

Your Personality Type

2007-11-27T20:30:00.000+08:00

I am still dwelling on the subject of the e-book I raved about yesterday (Conquer Fear! by Lisa Jimenez). This time I'd like to share another activity from the e-book without revealing too much.

According to Lisa, our personality type can be determined by which of the following animal we choose to represent our personality: a panther, an owl, a dolphin or a peacock.

So have your pick!

As for me, I chose dolphin first. Then I thought I preferred an owl and ended up having a hard time choosing between the two. So I continued reading the passages in the book and it mentions that I can choose a second animal. So it's settled, I am a dolphin first and an owl second. Now the animal I like least (this has got nothing to do with me not liking the actual animal as I love all God's creations!) is a peacock.

So what do these animal preferences translate as?

A dolphin: someone who likes helping others and is a team player.

An owl: one who likes a lot of information, is very detail oriented and prefers to work behind the scene.

A peacock: someone who is a socialite and loves being the centre of attention.

And lastly a panther: ....

Ok, let's put it this way, I shall let it be a secret until someone admits to choosing a panther. hehehe.. how about that for suspense?!

Conquer Fear!

2007-11-26T01:18:00.000+08:00

While my son was napping during the day, I'd checked my email and discovered a delightful surprise from Success University. My SU weekly plan for this week contained a free e-book entitled "Conquer Fear!" by Lisa Jimenez. Out of excitement, I decided to start reading it there and then. And what I read really intrigued me.

According to the author, the reason why many of us don't achieve the goals we set out is because we have a fear of either 'failure' or 'success'. The author goes on to explain the differences between the two so that we can recognise which category we fall under. However, it is deemed more serious if you have a fear of success. People who fear success have a negative perspective on what success does to them. They may associate success with being arrogant, losing friends, being too busy and many other negative attributes. Their subconscious mind responds to this fear by either fleeing away from it or fighting it, bringing them even further away from their intended goal. Now that makes sense doesn't it?!

Behind these fears lies a negative belief system that have been built upon us based on what we've gone through in life.

For you to go to the root of these negative beliefs, it is also important to first know yourself well. What is your personality type? What are your positive traits? What kind of natural abilities/skills do you have? What are your values and principles in life? I did a little bit of soul searching based on the above questions by going through the activities provided. One of the activities required for us to ask our loved ones to list down 6 positive words which describes us. I turned to my parents for this since hubby was away. And the words they listed down really surprised me just as the author had forewarned.

So just to share, my father had listed down the following words to describe me:

1. active (am I? maybe it's because I can't sit still when I'm at my parents' place),
2. courage (hmm.. yeah.. I've had had some courageous moments),
3. happy(I act that even when I don't feel that so that I'd eventually feel that..),
4. kind (awwe thanks dad, I'm really touched that you think so - that you actually think so brought tears to my eyes),
5. conservative (my dad still can't get over how fast I changed my fashion sense)and
6. fast (fast-learner? fast walker? fast..?).

While my mother listed down the following:

1. intelligent (due to the many awards I received in the past..),
2. hard-working (yes.. I am),
3. kind (thanks ma - same as dad)
4. friendly (really?:)),
5. sweet (ahahahaha) and
6. responsible (have to be!!).

Ok, enough bragging about it already! The main purpose of this particular exercise was to point out to us that sometimes how we view ourselves may differ to that of others (or so, I think). So try it out! It's a real confidence booster:D

I'll share more about this book after I'm done with it, ok:)

Technorati- I am claiming my blog!!

2007-11-22T22:15:00.000+08:00

Technorati Profile

Demure..

2007-11-22T21:15:00.000+08:00

I was sitting by myself at the dining table, thinking about how much of my parents' traits I'd inherited when a word came across my mind. It came to me when I started thinking about my father and how he is such a patient and generous man. How he takes such good care of my son when I drop him off at their place before work. That word which I'm referring to is: demure. I like the way the word sounds, "demure" which according to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2004) means: "(of woman or a girl) behaving in a way that does not attract attention to herself or her body; quiet and serious..". So why did I think of the word, 'demure'? It certainly did not refer to my father since he's a 'man'. Did the word ring a bell cause i was actually referring to myself? Was I or am I still a demure young lady? Maybe so.. Both my parents are pretty conservative, so I can see where it's coming from.. Does being demure means you're boring, unattractive and plain? I don't think so. I guess it just means that you're a modest person who is unselfish and have good moral values.

To be successful in your pursuits of your life-time goals, what are the most desirable traits you can have? My personal opinion: being brave, strong-willed, have perseverance, being optimistic, visionary, creative, intelligent, resourceful, passionate.. and the list of positive traits just goes on and on.. wow.. so how do you develop these traits so that they become part of who you are? I've read many times that it's by surrounding yourself with people who already have these desirable traits. By doing this, if you don't have those traits already, they may just rub off you. You could also read inspirational books written by equally inspiring people and pretty soon you'd see these desirable characteristics being put into motion as you begin to accept the ideas behind these traits and turn it into your one shining personality.

Hubby's New Interest

2007-11-20T20:19:00.000+08:00

Hubby is really excited today. He just enrolled himself into a photography workshop which is going to be held for 2 days at Cheras this coming weekend. I am truly happy for him. Glad to see him all psyched up about the program:) He wants to turn photography into a profitable hobby. I sincerely hope he will see it through. I pray he'll be a success.

Whenever we are excited about something, there's this positive aura about us that surrounds our being. This so-called aura is a colorful bright color encircling our body. The happier and more positive our state of being, the brighter and bigger this circle of aura will be. And the bigger it becomes, the more opportunity it can reach out to as well as attract. I don't know whether you've seen what a person's aura looks like. It looks a bit like having a rainbow hanging all over you! If you go to Chinese shops selling crystals, a few would have aura photo services. Take an aura snap shot then have your aura analysed. Though not all will take the advise given by these aura analysts seriously, you can still get a kick out of discovering your own aura.

But then again, your aura does tend to change over time as you develop new skills, let go of old habits and find a new perspective in life. Talking about change, so does our personality. And the same goes for our dreams and goals. They evolve over time. My hubby used to be so into modifying cars. He's over that stage now and has moved on to photography (both are rather expensive hobbies, might I say). However, when it comes to personal development, it is a continuous journey we take on. Our paths may change and so will our areas of focus. But our quest for self-improvement is never-ending whether we realise it or not.

My New Companion - The Dictionary

2007-11-19T22:09:00.000+08:00

For some reason, it seems that lately I cannot do without a dictionary by my side. After going through a few Personal Development materials, I've had words popping out of my head and onto the pages of my blog. I had to just look up the meaning right away to ensure that I am understanding those words correctly and using it right. Still, I have to practise alot more to perfect my writing.

I have always wanted to become an author. I guess that's another thing I will put down in my wish list: to become a world renown author. But what shall I write about? Personal Development? Or maybe issues on WAHM? That would be one area to tap into since there don't appear to be many in the local market. Yes, my next mission would be to interview successful Malaysian WAHMs and showcase them here to be an inspiration to other WAHM wannabees. It'll be great! I'll get the answers I'll need to move closer towards my goal AND I get to share those knowledge with the rest of my readers(just how many are there?).

I can do it!!

The Power of Association

2007-11-19T21:18:00.000+08:00

Many of us are oblivious to how associating ourselves to a particular person, group or identity can determine how successful we are in life. More often than not, we tend to adapt ourselves to the people surrounding us whether at the workplace or at home. We do this out of habit, to be accepted, to follow the norms of our culture or environment we are being tossed into.

How often do you find yourself in a situation where you are forced into being someone you're not or behaving in a way you don't normally would, just for the sake of pleasing the person/group of people you're with? At times we have to adhere to the fact that we are unable to avoid all the people who are detrimental to our personal development. No matter how hard we try, one of these appalling characters are bound to pop up in the corners of our lives. When this happens, we have to choose to limit our associations with them should we be unable to get away from them altogether.

Again as intellectual beings, we often have selective memory patterns whereby we choose to only remember what we want to remember. This could be disadvantages in certain circumstances, eg. when attending lectures or meetings that require our full attention. However, when it comes to disassociating ourselves with negative personalities, selective memory is a good thing and will prove to be useful.

So when it it comes to choosing the people we should associate ourselves with, how can we tell the good from the bad? It's pretty easy really. Parasitic people tend to drain the energy out of us and make us feel hopeless and irrelevant. Positive people on the other hand are inspiring and full of life. They talk about being successful. They believe and have faith in us. They allow us to be who we chose to be. They give us just the push we need to be on the right path to success. These are the people we always want to be around and make friends with.

With friends or allies like these, our journey to achieve our heart's desire becomes more smooth-sailing. There are no obstacles that we can't overcome. With the right support system, lost hopes can be found and dreams can be realised, provided we allow ourselves to.

Weekend with Family

2007-11-19T10:02:00.000+08:00

I spent my Saturday with hubby's family. Started the morning with a health talk on 'Healthy Heart' by the team from our National Heart Institute (IJN), held at Eastin Hotel. It was my father-in-law (FIL) who received the invitation but he dragged us along. And since only two can enter, my mother-in-law (MIL) and I ended up waiting outside while hubby and FIL enjoyed the talk.

We had lunch at The Mall right after MIL and FIL checked into Pan Pacific Hotel which has a different name now but it didn't stick in my head. My family used to stay at this hotel alot as a transition place before my father gets posted abroad. The place looks different now. Even the rooms have had a refreshing face-lift.

Lunch was followed by a visit to BIL's place at Ampang. Then it was dinner at the Pavillion, a new shopping centre at Jln Bukit Bintang. It's been ages since our family had last been out shopping in KL (these days it's either Alamanda or Metro Kajang). So we were pleasurably surprised at the appearance of a totally new, magnificent shopping venue which probably has all the desirable branded boutiques under one roof! Man, you could probably get anything there from Juice Couture and Coach designer bags to cute Pumpkin Patch wear for kids. I could window shop all day! But ofcourse our purpose there was to have dinner at a restaurant selling the world's best beef ribs. So much for the health talk! Thank goodness I shared a chicken salad with SIL, though I couldn't resist a few bites of the famous ribs!

So that was my weekend in a few short paragraphs. Hope I get to actually shop at the Pavillion real soon:p

Success Package

2007-11-16T22:40:00.000+08:00

Yay!! I've been waiting in anticipation for my Success University package and finally it has arrived! Tore the packaging open to find a folder containing the following:

1. Latest issue of EMPOWER magazine - featuring our fellow Singaporean SU leader, Jaz Lai (check out his blog)!

2. My Personal Development Plan

3. Further detailed complan explainations

4. SU brochures

5. And most importantly the following awesome CD/DVDs!!: Murphy's Committee, Jim Rohn's Building Your Network Marketing Business, Zig Ziglar on Excelling in the New Millenium, Dennis Waitley's Healthy, Wealthy and Wise - Acres of Diamonds and last but not least, Success Mastery Academy by Brian Tracy!!

I also managed to listen to my first Success University faculty call today. The guest speaker was Dr. Wayne Pickering and he spoke on 'How to Get Well Then Stay Well for Life'. Since nutrition is one of my favourite topics, I tuned in and listened intently, making notes of the important points (boy, it felt like I was back in uni - i miss those days!!)

Managed to gather a few newfound info which I'd like to share:

1. Dr. Wayne promotes healing and not curing. Healing is a natural process that your body goes through when you allow it to. Curing involves medication.

2. Fasting is the best way to regain your health back. Your body saves 70% of it's energy when fasting. It also eliminates fat and toxins.

3. Cancer cells thrive in acidic environment. Reduce intake of meat, poultry and dairy products. Take more fresh vegetables, fruits and grains as they are alkaline.

Ok, there's more to it but I can't recall it all since I didn't bring home my note book. Sorry people.. guess you'd just have to listen in yourself!:p

Valuable Characteristics

2007-11-15T22:34:00.000+08:00

I am currently taking an achievement course at Success University called 'Your Goal Mind'. Our so-called 'e-lecturer' for that particular class is Cyndi McDonald. Day 3 into the class and I've learned how to identify what my principles in life are. I was made to list down characteristics that I value most in life and from there I had to choose my most important value, one that I do not compromise.

After much thought and contemplation, I discovered mine to be acceptance. Why 'acceptance'? I guess it stems back from past experiences growing up as an international child and constantly having to adapt to new situations. Like most of us, I crave to be accepted by the new group of people I join. Although now my life is pretty settled, the importance i put on that value has not diminished. I understand what new people to an organisation experience and go through. Unless you are the super friendly and extra warm type, trying to fit in can be a rather overwhelming experience that does not resolve overnight.

Other characteristics which I personally value are: passion, love, happiness and success.

So tell me, what about you?

A Teacher Will Appear When The Student Is Ready

2007-11-14T19:45:00.000+08:00

I have a question to ask and the question is this: "How much would you be willing to pay in exchange for the shortcut to success?" Say 50 bucks? 100? 1000? Yes, you say? It's not surprising considering the number of Personal Development books appearing on bookshelves these days to cater to our insatiable hunger for self improvement references. I've read quite a few myself, "The Secret by Rhonda Byrne" being one of them. But what do all these books that share the secret to achieving success have in common? They talk about role models, a mentor, a coach, someone you could look up to and who's success you can emulate and who's footsteps you can follow through. He/She is the sifu, sensei, teacher.

Everyone, at some point in their life looks for a teacher who can guide them. Sure we all have religious beliefs. Religion and our believe in God exceeds everything else, but we still do require a teacher to help us understand and practise a religion.

A teacher is someone who has walked the path before us. One who is wise from the accumulations of knowledge, mistakes learned, wisdom gained. One who can lead the way and show us what is in fact a shortcut to success through his/her own setbacks, tribulations and achievements.

However, if one is in search of a teacher, one may not find THE TEACHER right away. A teacher is often someone who is sought after. Therefore making him/her unavailable at your convenience. Which teacher will show you the way through the passage of your choice? Which teacher is the one who is right for you? More often than not, a teacher will appear most unexpectedly. You may have searched places and have decided upon who to look up to as your role model but later to your disappointment find that he/she is unsuited or too tide up in other endeavours to spare you his/her precious time.

However, when you feel like giving up your search, don't stop just yet. Hang in there a while, because a teacher will appear when the student is ready. For when a student is ready, he/she is eager and at his/her most enthusiastic moment will absorb new knowledge readily, willingly. He/she will be the ideal student to whom a teacher wouldn't mind pouring his/her resources into. A student who is easy to mould and is burning with energy and drive. A brilliant student who the teacher can trust to be his most proud successor. Someone who can carry the teacher's message and teachings to other generations to come long after the teacher has gone.

Success can be duplicated, that's what books on success tell us. So what if you still can't find a personal coach/teacher/trainer? Well all secrets to success have already been revealed to us and is readily available in forms of both text and audio. Look for it, and you will find it. Follow the blueprints, adjust it according to your circumstances, turn your teacher's success into your own. Having done that, now it is your turn to become The Teacher.

A Day In The Life Of A WAHM-Wannabe-but-for-now-FTWM

2007-11-14T00:02:00.000+08:00

6 am: Rise and shine! Drink cup of water with pure honey (Madu Lebah Hutan Pak Long), iron office attire, get ready for work, change baby's diaper, nurse baby, prepare baby bag.

7 am: Send baby to parents, then off to work listening to Ben and Fat Fabes on FlyFm.

8 am: Reach office just in the nick of time. Eat breakfast from workstation. Have friendly conversation with cleaning lady.

8.30 am: Check emails, reply those necessary. Prepare the day's 'To Do List'.

9 am: Division meeting (listen to boss ramble on about office assignments and who does what. Give an affirmative anwer to all bosses query. Listen to colleague whine about not being able to take the year end off because of work assigned. Listen to boss asking all to stay back until assignments are completed while nodding obligingly. Continue to listen to boss conducting meeting millitary style.).

10 am: Back to office assignments. Prepare, edit reports/paper work. Call relevant people, follow up on status of other paperworks, check emails again in between. Join in forums for SU in between. Entertain visitors, answer questions, resolve any work related issues. Snack in between. Direct heavy work traffic to co-workers.

12 pm: Rush home to nurse baby, lunch.

1.30pm: Off to work again.

2pm: Reach office. See boss to approve editted paperwork. More paperwork editting, answering phones, short discussion with immediate boss and colleage, assist junior colleague in assignments. Answer queries on SU from prospects. Email Sifu. Back to office duties.

4.30pm: Work assignments nearly complete. Surf internet to avoid work-induced boredom. Back to assignments. Glance at watch from time-to-time.

5 pm: Clock chimes, time to return from work. Clear clutter on desk, shut down PC, lock door, toilet duties.

5pm: Get in car, rush home, get stuck in trafic, listen to FlyFm DJs Shel and Hafiz (my fave!).

5.55pm: Stop over to pick up son. Have dinner with hubby and son.

7 pm: Reach home, pick up clothes from line, fold clothes, clean house, play with son, put him to bed, chat with hubby.

11pm: Start work on SU assignments, leave comments on forum, update blog, read e-books (currently Paul Chan's).

2 am: off to bed, wake up in between to nurse baby.

and the day repeats..

P.S. Schedule at home may change depending on how early baby sleeps and whatever other things that crop up.

Note: FTWM stands for Full-Time-Working Mom.

Studying at Success University

2007-11-11T14:08:00.000+08:00

These days I watch less television and surf the internet more. I also spend more time reading e-books and working on my assignments for Success University. Studying at SU is like being in a virtual classroom (headphones on, notepads out!). However, you have a choice of deciding when you want to attend your chosen classes and how fast you choose to complete your courses. That's how it should be with learning. Not everyone learns at the same rate. Some people are fast learners and may speed through their course, constantly hungry for more new, updated materials. While others prefer taking their own time trying to digest and absorb the materials to the max. Success University provides you with this freedom.

I also spend more time learning from my leaders and peers at SU especially those who are more tech-savvy. We even have our own password protected forum to share knowledge to strengthen our team and ensure each team member's personal success, provided we work together as a team. On that note, I'd like to extend my invitation to two genuine friends who would like to join me on this success journey. If you're up to it, give me a nudge (message me, call me, sms me, whatever to get my attention)! You may also get a head start by clicking on the Success University link. I'm looking forward to hearing from my success oriented friends! Till then, take care;)

Getting Organized

2007-11-11T12:09:00.000+08:00

Getting organized is top priority when working from home. If you're a mother to children below school-going age then you may have more to juggle. Planning the day ahead would be the best way to avoid any time being wasted doing non-profitable activities. So what is the best plan? First of all you should list down all the chores and work you want to achieve in a day. Do this first thing in the morning or better yet, the night before! Find a daily/hourly diary and slot in the relevant chores, work or assignments accordingly. Set aside sufficient hours on all tasks and stick to the schedule. Step two, tick of items from your list as you go about it throughout the day. At the end of the day, after successfully accomplishing everything on your daily planner list, reward yourself - watch tv, take a foam bath, read your fave novel, indulge in a sweet treat or whatever that makes you feel good.

So that was just the basics. However, if you're like me and have kids, then the time you may want to make full use of is when the kids/baby are/is napping during the day and after they've gone to sleep at night. Make sure you get all the vital things done during those hours (eg. blogging, replying e-mails, researching, doing reports, calling clients etc..)

Another tip is to involve your children in doing household chores. This is for those who do not employ domestic help. Children (especially the young ones) love doing what adults do and would readily join in any clean up activities you invite them to. When tidying up your home, don't waste time and energy in getting everything perfect. Reduce extra thorough spring cleaning to once a month and involve your spouse and all children.

So there you have it! This self-written article also acts as a reminder to myself. Afterall, nobody's perfect! And we all need to be reminded once in a while!

Till my next post, happy organizing!!

WAHM link exchange

2007-11-11T08:06:00.000+08:00

I don't know how many people my blog is reaching out to but if you're a WAHM or a WAHM wannabe (like me!), I invite you to exchange links with me. Let's take a fast track to becoming a WAHM!

The Perfect Housewife!

2007-11-09T16:34:00.000+08:00

It was just a couple of weeks ago that Anthea Turner inspired me to become a perfect housewife just like herself! The first time of watching her show filled with much enthusiasm that I started spring cleaning our home right away!! This week though, our house is not as neat. My focus has shifted to building a home-based business and working on assignments given to my success team. Plus I've been nominated best employee of the month at work, a reputation my bosses expect me to live up to.

Now back to the show on Astro Discovery, Home & Health Channel, I absolutely love watching Anthea Turner on her Perfect Housewife program! And personally I don't think she's over doing it trying to get everything in perfect order. House-keeping is an art in itself. It's a skill that a WAHM wannabe like myself should make an effort to master. Through Andrea's show, I've learned a few marvelous tips like how to fold a towel- hotel style, using white vinegar to clean the bathroom, using baskets to put things in order and whole lot more. You have to watch the show to really appreciate those tips because they do make heaps of difference to how you go about house cleaning. That brings me to my survey of the month question, what type of WAHM do you wanna be??

Making US Dollar From Malaysia Is Not A Dream Anymore

2007-11-07T14:30:00.000+08:00

It's not a secret anymore, the internet has everything in store for everyone. The information required for you to start making money from home is right at your finger tips provided you have the time and commitment to sieve through the vast ocean of information. It's a fact that with the right tools and resources, you can actually start making US Dollars from home! And I'm not only talking about stock shares!! The latest trend being Internet MLM, Network Marketing and Affiliate Programs. All these can generate you more income than you'd ever believe. However be wary of leads that are misleading. You don't want to associate yourself with any get-rich-quick schemes that would only backfire and cause you to lose more then you gain.

You would want to start your search right away if you're in a hurry to retire from your boring day job. And keep on looking until you find the one opportunity that would fulfill your needs, are in accordance to your skills and strength, and one that provides you with ample money to live comfortably if not wealthily.

Other not so new income generating ideas (that still work and are widely used): If you have a pile of good-conditioned items you don't need anymore, sell them on Lelong.com or Ebay. Sell your skills by providing whatever services over the internet like translating, web-making, match-making, party planning etc. Not good at any of those? Then why not take up some lessons on any skills you are up to. Not motivated? Then don't quit your day job just yet!

Meanwhile, you could always join a group of people who care about you and are willing to pool their resources in helping you succeed at obtaining your work-at-home dreams. They'll be requiring your commitment though. Make sure you are trainable, coachable and have the intense desire to succeed. These brilliant people are our group at Success University where learning costs you next to nothing. ok not quite the picture, but it's quality education at the price of a burger and fries meal per day (here in Malaysia, that is)! And that's not all, while acquiring the success skills you require and desire so much, you'll be given a compensation plan that allows you to start earning a living from the word go! All these from the comfort of your own home! Enroll as a student, and you're on your way to learning and earning your dream (in US Dollar!)! Here's to your success!

Learn & Earn!!

2007-11-07T11:20:00.001+08:00

Learn and earn??!! Click on Learn&Earn to find out!

If for whatever reasons you're unable to view this link, then click on the LearnAndEarn link under Mommy's Useful Links on the sidebar.

Generate Income from the Internet

2007-11-07T10:12:00.000+08:00

There Are 19 Different Ways Of Generating Lots Of Money On The Internet As Practised By Top Internet Entrepreneurs From Around The World.
========================================

All can be done by just one person.

All are low-cost, high-profit methods.

All are very different from each other.

Some can be totally automated. You don't lift a finger after it's been set up!

Others require some work - but you will enjoy it! (Otherwise you wouldn't start.)

You will discover what they all are.

Whether you have a product to sell or not.

Whether you can write well or not.

Whether you're technically skilled or not.

Some don't use Search Engines or Affiliate Programs AT ALL as their primary marketing methods.

Some use ingenious traffic generation methods you have never noticed before.

All are being operated by very happy, ordinary Internet Entrepreneurs, some of whom have discovered their good fortune by accident.

Click on NOW For An Eye-Popping, Jaw-Dropping And Heart-Stopping Revelation And Concept That You've Never Experienced Before In Your Quest To Be One Of The "Players" With The Least Amount Of Effort Possible!

Success Team

2007-11-06T23:28:00.000+08:00

Wow! I can't believe I'm now part of a Success Team! Lead by.. guess who... yeass, Zamri Nanyan!!

I've been following his blog closely for the past few months. Not in the stalker kind of way (ofcourse ;P), but more to gather info on internet marketing and exceptional ways to multiply your income. I signed up for his ecourse and got some ideas about writing ebooks. Then oneday, a banner caught my eye and it was that of Success University (SU)! Seemingly that Zamri had written a few entries on SU, I decided to check it out. Signed up for their 14 days trial and next thing you know, I was hooked!! This thing is major! And apparently it's making waves wordwide. People all over are singing praises on how SU has helped them in many areas of Personal Development. What's more, SU is a lifelong learning program that's well tested to take you to the top. Provided you're willing to be coachable.

It's alot about leadership development, networking and endless pursue of knowledge. All of which I love and am greatly excited about! I've been losing sleep for many nights now, thinking about how much more I want to learn and gain from this program. Basically, for me since I have a day job my free hours are after my son's gone to bed. So that's the time I've allocated to work on my SU program. I have a wonderful mentor and team members who are just as psyched as I am about making this program work hard for us!

Great Personal Development Program!

2007-11-05T09:14:00.000+08:00

I just recently hopped onboard a terrific Personal Development Program at Success University. Friends, you people would want to know about this!

info blog

2007-11-02T00:56:00.000+08:00

I found this article from wangcyber's site and thought i'd put it here, seemingly that my blog is not informative enough. it's also a reminder for myself to seek knowledge so that i can share wit others instead of just babbling nonsense in this dear blog of mine.

Great Blogging Resources – How to Find Information and Ideas By: Jason DeVelvis

When you are thinking about your blog entry, you may be faced with writer’s block. This is common for most writers – even bloggers. Don’t panic. The good news is that writer’s block always passes. There are a number of great blogging resources that will help you come up with ideas or find information to write your blog entries.

In some cases, it is a good idea to make a list of future blog entries. You should keep a pad of paper and a pen handy at all times. Pay attention to the world around you. When you are surfing the net, be on the lookout for topics that you can blog about. When you are standing in line at the grocery store, again, be on the lookout for blog topics. Make sure you jot these ideas down, or they may be lost forever.

Determine how often you will blog. If you will blog once a week that is 52 blog entries that you will need to write. If you will blog daily, that comes to 365. Try to write that number of topics for future blog entries on your list. That way, when you are stumped, you can refer to your list to find something to write about.

Another common practice for getting ideas for blog entries is to visit other blogs that are related to yours in some way. You aren’t there to copy information, but your blog entry can be based on one of theirs, as long as you provide a Trackback to the other person’s blog entry. This is what makes the blogging community so great! All of the information works together and is connected – allowing us to pass information around at the speed of light! You can also visit websites that are related to your overall blog topic to get ideas.

Of course news websites, such as http://www.cnn.com , http://www.headlinenews.com , http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ , and other such sites are great resources for information and ideas for your blog entries as well. Many bloggers incorporate the daily events of the world into their blogs, and there is no better source than a news website for this information.

Other sites such as Yahoo at http://www.yahoo.com may also give you ideas for your blog entries. Even doing a search on the most popular keywords that have been searched for recently can give you ideas that you can write about.

Once you’ve chosen your topic for your entry, you may need to do some research to find specific facts. There are numerous resources for all kinds of information available for free online. Typically, you can go to any search engine and simply type in a keyword or keyword phrase and find what you are looking for. If you need specific statistics on a given topic, type in the topic followed by the word statistics, and you will find what you are looking for.

Just try to make sure that the information you are writing in your blog is accurate. If you are unsure, simply say that you are unsure. If you are using estimates, make sure that it is clear that it is just an estimate. If you are stating your opinion, make sure that people will understand that this is your opinion, as opposed to actual facts. Nobody wants to be flamed, and we all hate it when we are wrong and somebody points it out! Avoid this by checking your facts, and distinguishing between fact and opinion!

About the Author:
To learn more about Mike Filsaime, and to stay up to date with his successes, head to Adventures In IM

A Niche..

2007-11-02T00:26:00.000+08:00

I really should start finding a niche for this blog. Or should I let it remain as just an online journal? But then ofcourse i have a niche! i am blogging about my journey towards financial independence or so i think.. oh well..

I've been visiting zamri nanyan's blog quite alot lately. the reason being becuz i keep getting e-mail (which he's automated) daily from him on reasons to join Success University. I'm still pondering about whether to join. I'm sure I'll benefit from all the online lessons and personal development info from world class speakers. and i would love to follow zamri's success model. him and irfan khairi. hey, what about women internetpreneurs? oh yes, how could i forget, many to model after - susuibu.com, momslittleones, miabambina.. all of which are e-shops i frequent, all run by inspiring malaysian women!! and hopefully, God-willing I'll be one of those successful women one of these days! InsyaAllah..

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!!

2007-10-19T12:47:00.000+08:00

Our family celebrated raya in Perak this year. The nite before raya was spent at hubby's home town, Teluk Intan. We'd reach there real late so we only had time for a late buka puasa dinner, then it was off to bed.

The next morning, first day of raya, the three us, me clad in red, hubby in blue and son, yellow (colour of the Malaysian flag) headed to Parit, hubby's late grandparents' place where we were to meet hubby's extended family. The day was spent visiting relatives around Parit. In the evening we prepared for a BBQ in the kampung house's backyard. My sister in-law makes great BBQ. I watched them prepare and helped around abit in between chasing after Hariz and babysitting my cousin in-laws 3 month old daughter, Rania Husna. She's much easier to look after then hariz, being the hyperactive boy he is.

The following day, after visiting relatives in Batu Gajah, we set of to Ayu's apartment in Proton City, Teluk Intan. On the way there, we stopped over at Mom in-law's sister's house which is in the same vacinity.

Proton City looked alot more developed then the last time we'd stopped over. the whole place was surrounded with luscious green scenery of the Banjaran Titiwangsa. hubby's mom had recently bought a semi-d house which overlooked a lovely, scenic park with a lake. the whole place was magnificent!! clean fresh air, beautifully designed homes, strategically located in a secure multicultural neighbour with fully equipped ammenities just around the corner...what more could you ask for?!! i personally adore the type e lakeside bungalows. they're a dream!! hopefully we could afford them in soon to come;)

To Save or To Splurge

2007-10-09T16:13:00.000+08:00

I can't help myself sometimes.. I love shopping.. and if I have the money, I'd buy my heart's desire.. which is not good. i tend to buy on impulse.. one habit i must quit. i need to start saving more.. or put my money to better use.. budget is tight as it is. so why on earth did i sign up for a magazine subscription with that sales fellow who approached me at work? again, i couldn't help myself.. the offer was too good to resist - subscribe to one magazine and get two others free! so i could have bought them off the news stand seeing that i don't normally read each month's issue of a particular magazine. so again, why did i subscibe? apart of me tells me that it's for sharing with others.. like my family.. but deep down i know it's only to satisfy my desire. a desire to spend? how evil could that be??!

i must, i must, i must start SAVING!! or else.. find other sources of halal income.. which is what i've been seeking for quite some time now.. SAVE Money..otherwise work for MORE!!

Cooking Frenzy

2007-10-09T14:22:00.001+08:00

It's about time I posted another entry. The holy month of Ramadhan is nearly coming to an end.. It's been a pretty busy month both at work and at home. Thank goodness for Pak Long's Madu Lebah Hutan (100% pure honey), it provides me with the energy I need to make it through a whole day of fasting. I've been taking it as a supplement even before the fasting month. and i've noticed some immediate difference in my energy level. It's great for digestion too (as observed by hubby - he takes the tongkat ali version).

I've been up extra early these past few days, cooking up a storm! Ok, not quite, but I've been making an effort to cook whatever I can get my hands on (whatever that's available in the refrigerator). This morning as well as the morning before, I'd prepare Dory fish marinated with plain salt and pepper, then fried with olive oil and accompanied by lemon and butter gravy. Apart from that, I successful made delicious chicken soup (using leftover chicken scrapes) as well as chinese mushroom soup (with garlic, cabbage and baby tomatoes). Also last weekend, i made Hariz chicken rice porridge with yellow lentils, mix vege and potatoes. I'm happy to say, both my hubby and son love my dishes! Hehe..I'm so excited about this newfound skill that I plan to cook every single day! Hooray!! I can finally tick of " Become a fabulous cook" from my wish list!!;) (i decide how fabulous a cook i wanna be)!

I know, I really should post pictures in this blog. But I blog at work (when all official duties are completed, that is) and all my photos are at home. haha..that's just an excuse. I'll make an effort next time, ok..

Work under pressure

2007-10-04T16:51:00.000+08:00

Today's been a pretty stressful day at work. most of which is self-inflicted due to inefficient self-control over matters which i seem to have little control over. i don't know who to talk to. so i just bluff my way through work pretending to be ok about everything. sigh.. am looking forward to the weekends and to the days both hubby and i can work from home. home is where the heart is..

Melissa & Doug

2007-09-30T10:25:00.000+08:00

It's the weekends again! Time flies so fast. It's time for house cleaning, marketing and shopping again;p We headed for MidValley yesterday at noon after picking up Hariz's stuff at IJN. As usual the parking area is congested and i bet nearly everyone was scowling if not swearing/complaining about the lack of parking spaces. i mean, i don't get it, we always manage to find good parking spaces at KLCC no matter how crowded the place is. But not MidValley. Each time we go there, we vow not to ever return, however there is this weak spot in us which tempts us back.. and yesterday was no different. hubby wanted to redempt items from RealRewards but to his disappointment discovered that they've relocated. I wanted to buy Hariz an educational toy using the RM25 Toys r Us voucher i received earlier, and i did succeed in getting him something wonderful. It's Melissa & Doug music set which has 10 pieces of instrument - made to last a life time..so it says..or am i wrongly quoting it.. regardless, it's a lovely, charming box of instruments even my hubby and i could play with - as was demonstrated by hubby while driving. so now we have a tamborine, a triangle, a shaker, a cymbal? and another piece which i shall call the scratcher:D

Kaizen...

2007-09-27T15:17:00.000+08:00

I truly admire Dr. Irfan Khairi, regardless of what my hubby says. His success is phenomenal! And his willingness to guide others to achieve the same kind of success shows the positive spirit that he carries with him. kaizen is a term mentioned in one of his earlier daily 'one minute tips'. for those unfamiliar with this term, it means to improve yourself a little at a time.. to become a better person day by day.. a concept that is well taught in Islam as well.

so what sort of kaizen steps have i taken today? hmm.. i've managed to complete a good number of paper work.. my desk looks pretty neat as of now compared to the heaps of files i had on a few days ago. so i am achieving something at work, in terms of completing my tasks. what about self improvement? i could really use some help financial wise. i'm always talking about setting up my own e-biz but never getting around to doing it. each time i manage to free myself from mothering responsibilities at home, i waste it by surfing other not so relevant websites.. so how to be kaizen in terms of that?

solve financial issues by: 1. spending less 2. avoiding impulse buys (i do this alot of times with clothes and books) 3. saving more 4. finding other sources of income

other sources of income in planning: 1. sell muslimah swimsuits 2. sell unused items at ebay and carboot sale 3. sell cloth diapers 4. pay per post 5. ...

ideas?

Natural Parenting

2007-09-17T18:42:00.000+08:00

Wouldn't it be fantastic if i could practise natural parenting?! it would start from pregnancy and childbirth using hypnobirthing method, then when the child's out in the world, breastfeeding and cloth diapering..when he's ready for solids, home cooked baby puree it is.. then comes home schooling... aahh..if a mother can do that and the mother is me, i would definitely be the happiest. ofcourse, it would not all be plain sailing.. especially when it comes to implementing it on your first born.. and especialy when ur a working mom. oh how i wish i could become a WAHM!!

if u must know, i have done a few of the above.. tried hypnobirthing successfully until right before birth.. breastfed fully until intervention from the people who ate salt first.. bought a cookbook with recipes for babies but end up too tired (or plain lazy) to cook (cook occasionally for now).. now am trying to cloth diaper my son with what looks to be a good beginning.. next, homeschoolong? must get more inspiration from mamafiza;)

Cloth Diapers!!

2007-09-17T18:28:00.000+08:00

Yay!! I've finally hopped on board! not that my son is fully cloth diapered yet.. i hve yet to convince my mom on how easy it is these days with all the innovative designs available in the market. one of my fave cloth diaper site is mia bambina run by sandra from KK. love her site and blog as they are filled with pics of her daughter wearing assorted line of cloth diapers. i can't believe the variety available in the market. and to think that i was unaware of it until now. must thank the mommies at susibu.com too for leading me to the link.

last week, i bought a trial pack of freshbots cloth diapers (CD). i chose freshbots cuz i found out that a distributor/retailer (really, what's the correct term?) lives near by. i asked to see the samples first and i was instantly hooked!! the material is so lovely and soft.

just yesterday, my son had nappy rash from wearing a new brand of disposables. so i changed him to a CD for the night and in the morning, the rash is gone! so voila!! and no leakage whatsoever! for now i'll be wearing CD on my son for night time only.. until my next pay ofcourse.. then, i'll order some gorgeous looking ones from sandra's miabambina site. i can't wait!!

Crocs!

2007-09-15T00:16:00.000+08:00

Hehe.. i just bought myself my second pair of crocs! the new one being a gold colored mary jane. i absolutely adore them!! to make it truly mommy style, i've put on it a too cute butterfly jibbitz:D absolutely love them!! they not only look good but feel great on my feet too! aahh..maybe, i'll have a few more to add to this collection - a sueded alice perhaps? (still not available in Malaysia);)

Why mommy loves crocs:-

(Quoting from crocs' website)

Mary Janes are sporty, yet totally chic;
• slip-resistant and non-marking soles;
• anti-microbial and odor resistant; and
• made with croslite tm material.

Beach being their original model and my first pair of crocs (i bought it in fuschia pink)are:

• comfortable, cool, and molds to your feet;
• orthotic foot bed; advanced toe-box ventilation system;
• slip-resistant and non-marking soles;
• anti-microbial and odor resistant;
• ergonomic italian styling; wide, roomy foot bed; made with croslite PCCR material; and
• buoyant; weighs only ounces.

My fave place to look for crocs is Ikano at Mutiara Damansara..more choices and staff are trained to help you pick the right pair:)

dream job

2007-09-06T16:31:00.000+08:00

So it's true.. almost everyone i know is on the look out for that dream job be it whether you're working for someone or working for yourself. job satisfaction matters cause you spend most of your hours at your job to earn a decent living. my dream job? one that is flexible, creative, allows me to use whatever skills i have and provide me with the opportunity to expand on areas i'm interested in, be my own boss, be able to work from home, one that would benefit me as well as others; a business, where income is in abundance and has no limits; where it doesn't matter what other people expect me to know or be able to do but what matters is what i already know, want to know, can do, and am willing to learn to do.

Late Merdeka

2007-09-05T15:09:00.000+08:00

It's been a few days since I last updated. I hope it's not too late to wish all Malaysians a Happy 50th Merdeka!(ok, it's too late..)

I am still having to complete my fast.. I've discovered that eating pure honey mixed into a glass a water really helps increase my energy level - far more effective than eating the expensive spirulina and gamat mixture i recently bought. i also came across a rather disturbing info(?) on spirulina - that it is usually cultivated in unhygienic water.. wonder if anyone can confirm this?

A few minutes ago, i came across another insightful blog by mujahid with an article on power foods for creating geniuses (an age old Islamic secret). so i'm adding him to my link..

ok, gtg!

weekend update

2007-08-27T00:40:00.000+08:00

Daddy's starting his new job at OCBC's call centre today. Mummy wishes Daddy the best of luck. I know you can do it dear!

As for Hariz, he's doing pretty well. I've started him on Baby Genius's Language flash cards and he seems to like it ok. at present his attention span is close to a minute but i'm sure we'll build up on it in time. *hey, this is my first home schooling enrty!*

For myself, I bought food supplement in the form of spirulina gamat.- a liquid mixture of both to provide double of its' benefits. hopefully this will help increase my energy level and sustain hunger since i need to start fasting again this week and the next. To those who are in the same boat as me i wish you a "happy fasting" (ganti puasa or puasa sunat, that is)!

p.s. i really want to watch high school musical 2 (tv debut early next month) but we don't have disney channel. wonder whether it's available on dvd...

Inspired!

2007-08-23T14:22:00.000+08:00

I'm adding MamaFiza to my list of blogs to read. Hers is a very interesting one and on a topic which i myself dream of pursuing - home schooling. Yup, get this, MamaFiza, mother to 3 young children at the tender age of 22, home-schools her children!! i personally think she's a courageous genius!apart from devoting her time to her kids, she still manages to work from home doing web designs and even have time allocated for herself and her hubby. talk about fantastic time management!! i really do admire her, i do. and what's great is that she loves doing what she does. the next time i get impatient with my son, i'm going to think of mamafiza and how loving and patient she is with her kids. from now on, i'll be the patient, understanding, even loving mother i had planned to be no matter what the situation was at work. home is home and i shouldn't bring back unwanted emotions nor gear my frustration at work towards home.

i felt so inspired that this morning i'd create a new wish list! the one i made 2 years ago have mysteriously disappeared. thank goodness i've crossed off alot from that previous list. my new wish list cum to do list is even more focused. and 'tis i learned from reading 'how to get from where u are to where u want to be'. fabulous book!! i must thank Allah for all the ideas and inspirations i've been blessed with. Alhamdulillah..

Puku Petit Wanted!!

2007-08-20T10:06:00.000+08:00

I visited the Parenthood Expo at MidValley last Saturday. Crowded as usual and extra tiring when you have to drag your baby and ever so reluctant hubby along (actually hubby was a good sport and i love him for that- hehehe;)). However, we managed to find some very useful products at delightful prices. I bought my son an edible toothpaste which comes with a toothbrush where parents can put their finger in; a Puku Petit milk bottle with nipple and straw which my son loves cuz he can drink it sitting down (he breastfeeds and usually hates bottles and latex nipples so I am absolutely raving about this product!!); and lastly a baby jogger (which we bought due to the timely break down of our anakku stroller and which is our most pricey buy of the day!!). and the reason why this entry is entitled puku petit is because i am frantically trying to find a shop that sells this product since i received no brochures during the expo.. can anybody help?

i can write..

2007-08-18T06:59:00.000+08:00

whenever i'm excited about something, i find it hard to concentrate on anything else.. like blogging for example.. when i'm excited i can't quite channel it into writing.. it's kinda funny.. when i'm feeling down, the words flow much easily.. maybe because i need to let those feelings out. if i haven't been blogging for a while, it's because life have been good lately and still is... i'm finding new things to look forward to each and every day.. so now i'm trying to channel all this happiness n gratefulness into creative writing.

i love reading nazihah's blog, especially her travel stories.. she'd make a great children's author.. i've been thinking about writing books for children too.. for the pleasure of knowing you are enriching childrens' life AND for the extra income;)

i feel the need to reach my goal of having abundance.. to always have enough of every good thing..

i'm thinking of doing more for charity.. i have a whole load of treasures that i've hardly used.. so who should i give it to? anyone?

whatever..

2007-08-12T04:07:00.000+08:00

it's 4am. they're both sleeping.. i'm awake looking for free website templates to install.. still not asleep due to stomache ache that comes and goes.

spent alot of money today. mostly on hariz. bought him toys (duplo-legos and play farm with horses), clothes and a drinking cup.

still feel like buying myself the neeta herbal shampoo set. had a RM13 hair wash at the bangi branch last week. the product's great! shampoo with no foam - all natural ingredients. love it!! hmm.. have to wait for my claim.. it's so much easier splashing on others.. but i have to think longer when it comes to myself.. or is that not true anymore..

karma.. do good unto others and be rewarded triplefold..

ok..so i didn't do as promised

2007-08-08T21:28:00.000+08:00

this time, i won't pressure myself into blogging every day.. i'll keep it to at least once a week. so how's that? hehe.. i feel like starting a new blog..all about customer service.. who's doing it right and who/which company needs to send their people for training or revise their employee selection system.. or whatever they call it.. and why does it almost always involve our people? are we all in it just for the money? why do some sales people treat customers like beggars when we have a hard enough time parting with our hard earned money to pay for their services/products?

continued..mission and vision..

2007-07-24T10:34:00.000+08:00

..we can be whatever it is that we want to be.. sit down, close your eyes and think a minute.. what is it that you really want to achieve in life.. what is your real mission in this world. what are you passionate about... if you're stuck in a rut, ask yourself why.. is it because you are not following your dreams..fulfilling your desires.. what are your financial, career, family and personal goals?? Those are the few questions which i have been asked.

many of us have been conditioned by our parents, teachers and the society to follow their way, their dreams of how we should be, what we should be.. but as child we knew what we want.. if you watch babies, each baby being the unique being they are will gravitate towards different toys, objects, according to their interest. as a child, i've always been interested in children younger than me.. i always saw myself as a kindergarden teacher. but others took that dream away from me.. they say, why teach kindergarten when you have an honours degree. they say it's shameful.. but i don't just want to teach children.. i know what my mission now is.. it is to make this world a better place for children to live in. that takes me to the state of our child care service in Malaysia. so much improvement to be made in that area..

so i am now thinking of my vision and mission. the how will soon come to me.. insyaAllah..

the real secret

2007-07-24T10:12:00.000+08:00

After reading the Secret and now reading a self-enrichment book by the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul series, i want to more than anything to be able to work from home. As advised in the Secret, my husband and i have put up a visual board to stick or write down our dreams and goals. That being the first step to realising ones vision. Because all dreams are achievable. For what the mind can perceive, it can achieve. The next step is to believe that what we asked for or wish for is making it's way to us. When we pray to Allah s.w.t. we have faith that Allah the Al-Mighty will listen to our prayers. Ask and He will give. Provided that it is in line with Islamic teachings. Then according to the author of the Secret, we should make believe that we are actually living this dream of ours now. and i guess this actually works. eg. act confident and u will soon start feeling confidence.. pretend that you are unwell and you will start feeling weak.. so whatever it is that u desire, act the part.

In achieving ones dreams, it is also important to regard others in a positive light no matter how they treat us. because like attracts like. if you treat people unrightfully, then you will most probably end up being treated the same way by some other people. treat nature with respect. respect everyone. send out loving energy to every one you know or meet. be grateful for what you have now. do charity. donate more...

we've moved!

2007-06-29T10:39:00.000+08:00

i'm back to blogging again! the delay in updating is due to our moving homes from usj to tmn sepakat. and also due to us not having a PC+internet connection at our current home. so i've resorted to blogging at work. i'm planning to buy a work station soon. still deciding between HP, Accer and Dell. Dell's online offer looks irresistible. must discuss with hubby first. i often get told off for making rash decisions without consulting him. so i must remember this to maintain harmony in our relationship.

our apartment as of now looks lovely. furnished with all the items we bought while staying at usj. some will say it looks like an ikea show room. but cofy enough without being too commercial.

we've also managed to make some arrangements with regards to independent living. since previously we've depended alot on our parents for support, now we're learning to live on our own. and so far so good if not for the occasional squibbles.

i've also taken to driving my hubby's punto. it's plain sailing for me. auto, compact and real fast! hehe.. but i need my own car soon. at the moment am still borrowing the iswara from my dad.

hariz will also be sent to the nursery at my office starting 1 july 2007. hope he'll adjust well and get along with the babysitter as well as other kids. i can also go down to check on hariz and give him feeds.

and next, to carry out our biggest project yet.. a shift from work at office to work at home!!

House Hunting

2007-06-12T12:23:00.000+08:00

my husband and i are looking for house we can call our home. it's the search for our dream home. and i think we've nearly found it. had already arranged a meeting with an agent for this evening.. lovely house (double story link, not at all grand looking but the neighbourhood is gorgeous), serene area... hope it looks better inside than the outside.. and i'm being really positive about this.. the house is pricey.. but i just know we'll find a way to be able to afford this. so the next meet i have to arrange is with bank rakyat..

Kuching, Sarawak

2007-06-07T20:22:00.000+08:00

it was on 24 May 2007 that i first set foot on Kuching Sarawak. My sister-in-law wedded a Sarawakian and their wedding reception was to be held on the 26th. Meanwhile, she'd book us on a guided tour around tourist attractions in Kuching. I was in love with the city at first sight. everything there's so clean, green and well organised. it also helped that we stayed at one of the apartment suites at Merdeka Palace. talk about royal treatment....FULL STOP.. to be continued due to interruptions (hariz la kacau mummy ni)...

business ideas

2007-06-07T12:43:00.000+08:00

what i really have the desire to do is to set up an e-business. alot of working mothers are doing it these days in hope that it will earn them enough income to enable them to quit their current job and work comfortably from home while raising their children. the most ideal situation. which is exactly what i have in mind.. i have plenty of ideas.. ideas which i'm not going to list down here just yet. so..provided that i have enough desire to realise this dream of mine, it shall be carried thru.. and there's no better time like..now?

the zahir

2007-06-07T07:12:00.000+08:00

not sure what i should write about.. so i'm leaving out the title until i figure out the contents of this morning's entry. since i'm in a rush to leave for work (only 2 minutes left), it'll have to be the shortest entry for this chapter.. have i mentioned about the zahir? it's a book by paulo coelho.. i have yet to finish reading it.. but already, i'm loving his writing.. or rather the translated version of it.. so i'll be reading more of his work.. ok, got to go.. more on the book later..

finally i can log on!!

2007-06-04T21:15:00.000+08:00

goodness! i dunno how many times i changed my password till i totally forgot what it was.. now this new password, i WILL remember:P i sort of miss blogging... it has really been ages. and reflecting back on my previous writings, they were rather sadistic.. but let's not dwell on that.. from today onwards i, azrina will make an effort to blog every single day (all positive entries) no matter how short. so there you have it!!

i have an announcement to make. i've come up with a new resolution! it may be the middle of the year, but better later than never! i've decided to turn over a new leaf.. and this rather has got something to do with discovering the innertalk series at a recent book fair. awesome technology!! if u haven't checked it out already, visit innertalk.com.my. oh and another interesting find is a book called the secret.. which supposedly is quite the rage at the moment. but i have yet to get hold of a copy. did check out what others had to say about it on oprah's site. pretty interesting, though i agree that most of the contents are no big secret to some of us.. still, like all motivational books, i expect this to serve as a confidence booster. so yes, i'm definitely going to bag it:)

oh yes! now back to my resolution!! the new azrina will focus her thoughts on only the positive. as mentioned in the secret, like attracts like.. therefore i will choose only to like the good, the positive energy that will attract all the goods which life has to offer... wealth, happiness, health, love...

ok, enough said.. goodnite people of the world..

Skin Food

2007-02-07T20:09:00.000+08:00

Upon chance, i came to discover this new beauty chain store similar to bodyshop with their own line of organic beauty products. Skin Food from Korea! Love their products!! not to mention super friendly staff:)i'd reccommend the branch at Alamanda(the shop itself is inviting - opposite Modern Mom). the products too are packed in attractive, convenient casings. i was persuaded into buying a compact powder (made from sweet potatoes! - smells scrumptious!!), a lipstick (beautiful, natural pinkish earth color - makes my face light up as a sign of good health - oh and it's made of brown sugar - sweet!!) and also their bordeaux face mask (smells of yummy grapes, cooling and just invigorating!!). lovely, lovely, lovely!! will be coming back for more! also received a loyalty card where i'll be rewarded free products with purchases. great stuff!! too bad there's not much info online.

solid food

2006-12-18T22:47:00.000+08:00

i've started Hariz on solids. it's not home-cooked though. just soemthing i got off the supermarket shelf. i'm still experimenting. hariz seems to take it well. he seems excited even. plain rice cereal from Take One.. tastes even better mixed with mommy's milk. nxt i'll be feeding him mashed, pureed bananas. yyumm!!

working mom

2006-11-30T07:19:00.000+08:00

"Oh what a beautiful morning.. oh what a beautiful day.." hehehe.. it always is on days i don't have to go to work;) took leave for the rest of the week. really need a break from work.

however, my immediate boss seems rather unhappy when i handed in my application. he looked discontented. but i did complete all the papers he asked me to. please don't make me feel guilty for wanting to spend more time with my baby...

i try to please everyone but it's impossible. sometimes i feel like running away from it all. to have time for myself, doing what i like to do.. why won't they let me? eversince i left uni, it's been a serie of endless work/job.. it's amazing how when u want to run away from something, it comes chasing after u.. so how come i don't get to work from home? i've been praying hard for a miracle.. for my husband to land a job he loves and that pays big, halal money.. i certainly hope better days are coming my way..

having to wake up and travel to work, and face the day at work just exhausts me.. so much so that at the end of the day, i don't have much energy to play with Hariz. now that makes me crancky. cuz the minute i reach home and put down my handbag, my mom thrusts baby in my arms and hurries off to the kitchen to prepare dinner or if dinner's ready, she settles down to catch her favorite show on telly. and me all tired and weary.. oily and sweaty.. have to force myself to be a mom. and i try.. i really do.. but after maghrib, i just collapse on bed..eyes shut tight, my head whirling...

i don't know how u career women do it.. go about ur business at work, then come home and bustle in the kitchen, keeping a well-kept home and happy children/satisfied husband.. i suppose life goes on... and one day i'm just going to have to get used to this all.. but i feel like throwing in the towel.. not the being a mom part.. only the part about being a career women and all.. it's just not me.. why do i have to please everybody..

my blog.. my place to unblock..

Hello people..

2006-11-28T08:45:00.000+08:00

i'm on emergency leave. Hariz was cying, screaming and yelling while i was away at work yesterday so can't bare the thought of leaving him today. at the moment he is sound asleep... looking very peaceful indeed. last nite he woke me up every 2 hours to feed.. ok.. spoke too soon. hariz has opened his eyes. and now my bro is waving a rattle in front of his face making him even more awake. so there you go *sigh*.. my short entry..

p.s. Anne, i'm so glad u found me!!!

Grouchy

2006-10-17T07:42:00.000+08:00

took hariz for his shots yesterday.. had half the day off from work. i'm on leave today as well which is great. hariz came down with a fever last nite so he needs me.. especially mommy's milk.. even during the fasting month, my supply has been plentiful and i feel very blessed.. Alhamdulillah..syukur..

whenever i'm at work and hariz wants more milk than i've left him with, my mom resorts to formula. which makes me feel a certain guilt. happened yesterday morning. i felt real homesick, feeling the need to rush home so ended up not being able to concentrate on the task at hand. i call my mom everyday from work just to check on hariz. but yesterday morning i was missing him even more. so i kept looking at my watch to see whether it's lunch break yet.. my work is neverending.. each time i complete an assignment, a new one gets piled onto my desk.. i didn't mind it before.. but with the festive seasons coming, i'm really in no mood to be productive (workwise).. but that's not fair on the government who's paying me good money.. but then again, who IS in mood to work a week before raya. wish i had applied leave starting this thursday. but last week i didn't feel the need to. and now i do.. so can i change my mind?

also, the management has decided to tighten the rules about our movements in and out during office hours. now we have to sign a form everytime we leave the office except during lunch breaks. since i always leave for lunch breaks earlier than the designated time, guess i'll be filling in that form every single day! it's ridiculous!! feel so trapped like when i was working at the private sector, where they made u fill in time sheets to keep track of every single thing that u do (which includes going for prayers!).

the other thing i dread is the weekly division meeting where my boss makes us all say something.. but what is there to say when my boss has said it all? besides, i hate public speaking.. this hatred first started when i joined mrsm. all the intelligent kids - high IQs but low EQs.. no care for my feelings.. always felt my esteem lowering when around them kids.. but this feeling of unselfworthiness has stuck. it doesn't come to surface all the time.. only around people who reckon they are too good for their own self.. which includes the support stuff at my current division. shoot it.. i shouldn't be condemning people during this holy month. kurang pahala puasa...

alright, have to get dressed fo my appointment with the gynae. papsmear..urggh..

sorry for a grouchy read!!

Miss Blogging

2006-10-15T15:57:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since my last update. I was surfing other people's blog on friendsters when i realised how much i miss blogging. oh..just great.. looks like a storm is making it's way here. i can hear thunder already. so have to type faster. don't want to be in front of the pc during a rainstorm. read about how you can get electrocuted or worse struck by lightening even when ur in-doors. and if ur anywhere near electrical appliances it's even worse. read about it in the august issue of reader's digest. i've recently subscribed to newsweek and gotten a year's subscription of readers digest and national geog for free!! now that's a real bargain! heeehee!! got to log off.. lightening..

gtg

2006-10-01T14:32:00.000+08:00

Ok so it's the weekend, thank goodness. I have already completed office work which i took home - basically just a couple of cab papers. so that's a relief. am waiting for both my hubby and son to wake up from their siesta so we go out as a threesome.. oops, there goes the baby alarm!! gtg.

can't help it!

2006-09-14T22:09:00.000+08:00

i know i should be sleeping but can't fight the urge to update my blog. Work has kept me busy for the whole week. so busy that i can't believe tomorrow's friday. i owe this to my new boss for asking me to be transferred to his department. i like my new position. it's less boring and at least now i have a mentor. unlike my previous position where i had to figure alot of things myself. workload now is a whole lot more though - the reason why time seems to fly. i also have no more time to daydream - which is good cuz i'm spared the evil thoughts.. this job/position also involves writing which i truly enjoy. i do cabinet papers now. tricky, yes. but it's got system.. and i'm given a guideline.. plus my predecessors have left templates to make things easier. alhamdulillah.. finally a job that is worth my time..

though it's pretty tiring when i subject myself to all the traveling i have to do going back home for lunch to feed Hariz, it's all well worth it. i leave the office at 12.30pm; buy lunch for my mom, bro and myself; reach home, breastfeed Hariz, pump out the other side; have a hasty lunch; then drive back to the office like a madman, only to reach my desk half an hour later than i should. hubby says i shouldn't be doing this everyday cuz 1. it'll wear me out, 2. other staffs will 'pandang slack' and that'll prevent me from building good rapport with them which will work to my disadvantage. so he has a point.. i'll only go home during lunch every other day or at least twice a week..or, on Fridays only(longer breaks)..