Homemakers Out There, You Guys Rock!!!

Sorry everyone for not being able to write lately. I keep telling myself that "tonight I am Going to write" but by the time Ryan is settled, I will be so extremely tired that I also get myself "settled". I am one of those people that loves to write and be it on paper or on the comp, I find writing very relaxing and such a stress buster. This past 2 weeks has been extremely taxing. With my teaching, housework I just do not have space for anything else. On top of that Alief is having his Final Year End Exam and I was busy coaching him.

Like today, I am home alone with the Kids. Mak is in KL and My Adlil went riding with his Harley Buddies to watch the Sepang Motor GP and some other things in between. That's him having his ME time. However, the weather is not too good and I will be here at home worried sick like I usually do when he goes for these day trips as it is tiring and the weather now is no help either. I would usually wait up and will only be able to sleep only when he is safe home. He'll tell be sharing it with all of you soon. He has been extremely busy with work and especially the kids. He has been wanting to write and says that he has been too busy and tired by the end of the day. Oh Yes, I was also busy helping him putting things together organizing things around for his office. I had fun doing it since I know he's very proud of his office. Now, his office is all set up and ready to go. That I will leave to him to talk about his new office. Donno what I will do without him, its amazing how he manages to keep everything together. I love him to bits for that.
My utmost respect to all the Homemakers out there, especially to our non working mothers. Now, I know that the work of a homemaker is so much under rated. Really guys, it is a lot of hardwork and patience. Amazing!! Hats off to all maidless homemakers. Honestly, since my maid is out of the picture, I appreciate homemakers who function without maids. I appreciate what they are doing and their hard work. Mind you, its not and easy task, putting it together and still regain your sanity at the end of the day. Homemakers are really under rated and under appreciated. People tend to think that a Homemaker's job is easy, very Tai Tai like, lepak at home, go pick up the kids, cook, go to the Spa (NOT!!), and lil bit of this and that. How bad can it be compared to an accountant's, engineer's job. At least for these jobs you do not work 24-7, but a Homemaker is on 'standby' 24-7, its more complex n taxing than you could ever imagine possible. Being a house wife is like any other profession. If you want it to work you need to run it like a well oiled machine. Which includes every element I need to feel like I am functioning at my best, I try really hard though being a part time homemaker (coz I still work what for 3 days a week) and boy it is not easy being a Home Operations Manager, mummy and wife. Still I consider myself lucky having my mum around and Adlil who are so much of help. Life is not so dandelife. Some days I say I can't complain and other days I think I feel miserable. A lot of moments during some of the days are good and I believe that we need to try to make it good or life becomes meaningless.

Just to share with all of you; yesterday, I had an interesting chat with my very very olddddd schoolmate. We practically went to 11 years of school together. It has been like donkey years since I last spoke or even met her. What started off as a what seems to be like a casual chat as she wanted to get someone to do up a 3D cake like what Ryan had for his 1st Birthday, went on for an hour or so. She use to practice medicine but quit her job as she couldn't get anyone reliable to take care of her toddlers. It was interesting to hear her daily run down of her schedule and she's not really having it easy with her kids and now she says the only time she goes out of the house is to perform "children related chores". How true, when you are a full time Homemaker, your life revolves around the chores, kids and the home. Regaining sanity is pretty absurd!! Thank god I make a point to have some ME time doing my thingy and hanging out with my friends every now and then just to unwind and get away from the routine. Kudos to all homemakers around the world!! No matter how people think you job is easy, I can vouch against that.
I am up for a really busy week with Alief's exams and work. I will also be busy with coaching Qyra who will sit for her Primary One streaming exam, her Art Class exam and her Final Year End Concert which she has been practising so hard on. As for myself, I have also some writing that is long overdue to complete, which I have been procrastinating not because I am lazy but because I cannot find the time to really sit down and do it. Now I wish that there are more hours in a day. I still have a pile of laundry waiting to be folded and organized. Sigh....Here's to a crazy week ahead guys..

Racial Sentiments..Very Unlikely

I had never grew upor brought up having racial sentiments towards other races. I respect and tolerate other people's religion as I was brought up not to ever to have prejudism or any racial sentiments towards ant race. No worries, this entry would not be some crappy racist entry but more of how we should respect each other as human beings not because of our colour.

I really do not understand how people can be racist or prejudice and not tolerate other people's belief and race. Why I say that is because, this year alone I had encountered this sticky situation, twice. I find it hard to reconcile in my brain, how can we, Malaysians, living in a multicultural community can become intolerant to one's belief. How can a person be labelled incompetent and unsuitable for a job, not because of his or her ability, experience, competencies, education background or other related capabilities in seeking for a job, but rather be access due to his/her race. Funny isn't it but reality bites, that is what had happened to me, my friends.

Take for instance this one scenario that I have experienced. I was contacted via email urging me to call to set up an interview for this job that I enquired on. So, I did just that, called them up. Then, they told me that they were looking foward to meet up and have an interview with me. So, to cut the story short, I was set with an interview, the following day. When I arrived at the premise, I went up to the receptionist to introduce myself and asked to see the HR Manager that I had an appointment with. I handed her my CV together with duplicated copies of my certs. She then noted down my name, took my resume and told me to sit down while she called the person that I was scheduled to see, to know the next course of action. At first, I could hear her voice telling the other person on the line, that I was already at the lobby. Then, out of sudden, I felt like her voice was getting softer by the second and by the end of it all, I couldn't decipher what she was mumbling over the phone.

10 Minutes passed...nothing, no reaction from anybody. I waited anxiously for any movement or for someone to call out my name or whatsoever. I kept looking at the receptionist but I could see that she was trying to avoid whatsoever eye contact with me. Hmm..something smells fishy but I was still optimistic, hey..they were the one who were so anxious and persistent that I come for the interview. Tak pe Ya, wait so more, but I felt really uncomfortable with the "chi" that I am sensing across the room. I continued to pretend to be oblivious to my surrounding and continue reading intensely to a 2004 issue of some crappy Free Health Magazine. However, I didn't fail to notice that there were no Malays in the whole organization except for the cheerful tea lady who was kind enough to offer me a drink.

20 minutes passed, now I am getting kinda irritated that my presence seems to be ignored, like I was just some potted plant sitting at one corner looking pathetic. So, I decided to go up to the receptionist and asked, how long more I had to wait and who was I supposedly waiting for me. Not even wanting to establish eye contact, this A-Moi dresses very the Ah-Lian like said to the monitor of her computer, You wait aaa, they got meeting..

I almost gave up after 45 minutes of waiting (yeahh, I was that tolerant) when that A-Moi of Receptionist said to me, Miss, You wait at Room No 3. I looked around and asked her. "And where is that?" Still my eyes was still wondering around looking for room No 3, just incase it was in my face but I was too annoyed to notice it. She said "You go straight, turn right and when you see the blue door, don't go in, walk straight and you open the door next to the black door, go up the stairs and Room No 3 is the no-3 room on your left" I paused for a while trying to get it all into my head. So I said to her, "up the stairs and its the 3rd room on my left". She said no3 room..I said to my self..Duhhh Bite Me!!

Then finally I was in Room 3. It was a small cubicle sized room filled with boxes of god knows what. I could have sworn I smell the odour of a dead lizard. After again waiting for 15 minutes, to muy surprise, the HR Manager was the chick that was seating two tables behind the receptionist. She wasn't in a meeting, she was there all along and didn't move an inch throughout my waiting there.

She didn't establish positive eye contact and her body language was very hostile. So, I said, what the heck, I wasn't keen in joining this moronic Organization even if it paid me 1/2 a mil monthly. So, not wanting to hold back anymore, I said " Don't mind me asking but why is that everyone here seems very hostile and unfriendly? Do you have anything against me? Look, I didn't want this job, you guys came looking for me, so what's the deal?". She paused, looked up to me and said "Actually we donno you are a Malay, I thot you are Eurasian, you sound like that..You English too good for Malay." I was beyond stunned although I could see that it was coming from the very beginning? Huh? Nursoraya Abd Rahman sounds Eurasian to you??? She paused and said "But your email and the way you talk on the phone like Eurasian, then when you come you are a Malay with tudung, so we donno what to do. Our Boss don't LIKE Malays working here.

Ya Rabbi at that time I felt like slapping the bitch and passing some sarcastic remarks , but I said to myself, No I am not going to be as petty as they are. So, I asked to see the GM or whoever is in charge. She had no choice but to oblige. So, to cut the story sort I went in to see him and he told me that the CEO didn't like Malays working for him. I said why? He said very leceh, a lot of excuses, cannot do work cannot speak English well, cannot interact well. Then I said to him :then, what do you call me then and wow your English is certainly beyond impressive??" He was perplexed beyond words..I gave him a piece of my mind which all sums up to - You live in my f#$^&*@ country and your CEO is making money from the resources and my people and how there you instill such racial sentiments in your company. You should have this sign at your lobby " No Malaus beyond this point" Makes things easy for my people and I don't have to waste my time waiting like a dumb fool. He has that dumbfonded look, and I left..

I left the company feeling annoyed, not because I didnt get the job but more of why on earth is this still happening in our country, and this a multi-national company owned by a foreigner making the big bucks from our people, our country.. This was my 3rd experinece encountering racial sentiments siruations like this. Ya Allah, never imagined how these people capitalize on us yet look down on our people not more than just a speck. I felt beyong insulted..spasm to the max..

Like Mr President as I would like to call him, Obama, I feel for him, everyday he's dealing with crap like this, I feel for him. Being coloured, underestimated and ridicule are some of the many crap he is facing everyday, day in day out and even constant death threats. I have high respect towards him and I know, he's the Man who would finally make a difference.

Comments anyone?

Raya with The Harfy Bunch

I guess everyone is still in the Raya mood. As for me, this Raya, is full of mixed emotions..full of complexity. I have to admit, I had fun celebrating Raya as for the first time in 10 years or so, my 2 sisters and I plus the other half and the 7 Bambinos ( Kakak's 4, Ours 3) got together to celebrate Raya with Mak. Mak was really excited and happy to have us all at the same time together with her grandchildren. It was written all over her face. For that, I am glad.

On Hari Raya morning, I was woken up by the smell of Mak's Beriyani and rendang. Delicious..yum yum. Got my boys, Adlil and Alief ready for sembahyang Raya. Ironed their sampings and all. There after when they came back, they had makan Raya - ketupat pulut, beriyani, lemang and rendang. Then when everyone was ready (we had to get the kids ready first ). Ryan looking all adorable with his baju Melayu and Songkok Bujal and Qyra looking princessly pretty in her baju Kurung. Then, it was salam Raya time. It started off with Mak, my sisters, B-I-L and then the Harfy Bambinos followed by the nephews and nieces. Then came the finale, really don't why this year I was teary eye when I seek forgiveness from Adlil, usually I do feel sedih but this year is a bit different. I guess it is because this year has been quite a challenging year for me, I got all soppy and slushy this year. I guess that's good, it is sincere, comes straight from the heart. Corny, but it does makes you realize all the things that you have done, a moment of reflection...Deep..

After that, we headed down to Ayah's grave at Mahmoodiah. I guess is also happy to have us all visit him all at the same time. All over us were all trying to contain ourselves, not to cry but the atmosphere is really sombre. I really realize how much I miss him and hoping that he is happy as we want him to be. Amin.

Then we headed down to Kak Antein's house over at Kampung Melayu. As usual, we would eat, drink, gossip and ridicule each other - Bobby, Olin, Hannah, Ijal, Adlil, My Sisters, Pak Mat Tongkol, Kak Eda, Yus and all. Seeing all our Aunts, Uncles, Toks and Neneks made us realize that we will reach that point in time, sooner that we expected. While chit chatting, we were actually trying to picture how would we be like when we are in our 50s or 60s. Simultaneously agreed that we will be just as loud, bitchy, laser and the swearing rawkss on. the last time we had everyone all together was during Zaza's and Fifi's Wedding. The amount of noise and the mockery that took place was out of this world. Didn't bother to watch our tongue, just went on shooting our victims with our bullets. Best gila.. Hehehhee. You should experienced being with us, its mind blowing..full of noise and sarcasm all over the place. These are people that you will grow old with...simply divine. Lepak there till before Maghrib where we headed home to just relax. Our whole family just wanted to go home rather than go visiting. We also had to pack since tomorrow, The Harfy Bunch, Mak & Mackie will be heading up to Malacca where we will be taking Mak and the kids for a short break. Kakak and her family will be heading to Negeri Sembilan to my B-I-L's kampung. Adlil will be filling you up on the details to the trip, while I summarize the whole Raya week in this entry.

The next morning we went to Hwa Mui at Taman Sutera Indah (yup, its the new branch) coz, my B-I-L kept thinking of the Mee Goreng Mamak, simply delicious. Just two days before Raya, we brought them for berbuka there - Yup all 13 of us!!. So, we decided to go there again since, there is no Hwa Mui in KL, so better fufill my B-I-L's craving. We started off by ordering 15 sets of Roti Bakar, all of us had our main dish of our choice and at the end of it all, we were contentedly stuffed to even move.

So, we made our way to Malacca and surprisingly the traffic wsn't that bad untill we got to Malacca town. My goodness, it was jammed from just after the Ayer Keroh toll plaza till the waterfall/feature inter-junction. Other than that, we had a lot of fun there in Malacca only that we always found the roads in Malacca being a bit "challenging" despite the numerous times that we have been there. Honestly, I have always had this thing for Malacca. To me its really a nice almost clean city. It has that modern facilities but still restoring the authenticity of the historical city. Kudus to too the government of Malacca whom in my opinion, did a good job in developing Malacca to the way it is. There was one period that I was constantly bugging Adlil to move to Malacca since we both equally like the place but reality check.. I guess not now. Like my aunt who lives in Malacca said, it is a nice place to grow old in. I guess I'll be revisiting that idea again when the kids are all grown up..We had fun while staying at the Everly Resort which has just been renovated. Nicely made up with new coat of paint and some improvisation of the facilities.

By 5pm the next day, we were on our way to Beranang where our in laws were all eagerly waiting for the arrival of the Harfy Bunch. M-I-L cooked Lodeh which happens to be my favourite Hari Raya indulgence. Did not go anywhere - beraya and all, only went to Mid Valley the next day to get some stuff and bought Adlil's youngest brother Irfan's birthday present. Unfortunately, we had to go back earlier than expected. We had to drive back to JB at about midnight, that day as Adlil had some last minute function set-up that needed his technical expertise.

Well, I guess The Harfy Bunch had a reasonably fun Raya. Raya to me now is more to the kids' enjoyment and fancy. To me it is more of a time for reflection and spending quality time with family. Hope you guys had a great Raya, we did.