Short Story #2 - RM 100 Discounts

So after I dragged few weeks and months to get my car for its regular service maintenance, today I finally did it. 

I went to the workshop where I used to send my car for the past 7 years. The owner/ foreman that used to attend me was busy so his older brother (which I never met before) took place. 

After 45 minutes or so, he told me everything is done - Engine Oil, Oil Filter and Spark Plugs all changed and replaced with the new one. 

As I walked to the cashier, he told me - 
"Everything is RM 268. But I give you discount of RM 100. So you only have to pay RM 168"

I almost want to laugh. Is that a new trick?

Oh come on uncle! I don't even think of haggling you with the price. I knew the price is always around that for minor maintenance. 

..anyway, I just paid and walked away to get my car washed.

I bet uncle think his trick works and he is happy for that.

As for me, well, I make an uncle happy today, though.

Pray For MH370

I must admit that the view from the sky down is the most beautiful. I always think birds are the luckiest creature among the animals because they can fly freely and get to enjoy panoramic  view everyday and traffic jam is none of their problem.

People risk to climb the mountains just to see the view at the end of the climbing. Big cities invested on tallest tower so that people can experience a bird's view.

The view from the sky is so beautiful until I got so frustrated if I couldn't get window seat in the plane OR my view obstructed by the plane's wing :(

and I bet some of you take window seat seriously just like me. I can stare at white clouds for hours until my neck hurts. Although I haven't been all around the globe, yet, but like a bird, I am kinda lucky to have my own sky view collection set of photo - day and night, from dusk until dawn.

View of Guilin from the Sky

Sometimes, when I can't sleep and I'm done with all the skymovies, I stared out in the darkness of the sky at night. Try to figure out what's underneath me. Is it a sea ? Mountains? or just a flat land?

Sky view of Phnom Penh

And every time when the plane suddenly shook and dropped a few feet down due to heavy clouds and turbulence, my heart sunk. I always anxious to hear the beep sound before the captain announce the current situation and the last thing I wanted to hear is "fasten your seat belt, we are going down, fast".

Skyview of Mount Rainier, Seattle

I am a frequent flyer. My work, my hobby and my relationship - requires me to fly quite frequent compared to my friends that I know. Last year alone I had to get on various plane more than 10 times and this year is not going to be any lesser. In fact I am heading to Saigon for work this weekend after 2 weeks I came back from the States.

Los Angeles to Seattle view from the sky

"Don't think that way. You could think that about anything. It was one incident out of millions of flights"

That was what Mike told me when I voiced out my worry. When the news hit the world about MH370, I couldn't help it but imagine I am one of the passanger in that flight. My heart racing just by picturing it in my head. Although none of the passanger of MH370 is related to me or I know of, but I mourn throughout the day and all the notes, updates and memes I came across on Facebook, Instagram and TV news brought tears to my eyes.

I know what happened  to MH370 is not the first case in the world. But, you will not feel the terror of disaster until it happen to someone that close to you or your own country.

And yet, I do not understand how some of Malaysian still can make a joke out of it, pointing finger, involve political issue in it and the worst is, bring in the religion into it. It's a God's warning to the  Malaysian. Once again, these people succeed to potray God is mean instead of wisdom. I don't know why Melayu suka sangat instill FEAR instead of LOVE towards God. 

I came accross on Facebook, a guy posted "Apa yg berlaku adalah peringatan Allah...bila berlaku musibah semua dtg bsujud kepadaNya...berdoa siang dan mlm...pada yg kdg2 lupa padaNya...bersama2 kita memohon Allah tunjukkan jln keluar....tapi ada jugak manusia yg bodoh menganggap ini bkn peringatan dr Allah....hati kamu dah rosak..."

FYI, everybody - regardless race, religion and age is praying for this. But for you to set a verdict some people are stupid and their heart are corrupted, that is not for you to judge. I see no differences between such an extreamists like you with this girl below;

You both are one of a kind.  

New Zealand View from the sky

Aku tahu mati itu pasti. Dan bukannya aku ingin menongkah kehidupan didunia ini selamanya. Tetapi selain mati di dalam iman, I wish that plane crash is not the way I leave this world.

Sky view of Bangkok City

As at today, there is no definite answer for MH370. Crash, hi jacked or dissapear into parrallel world - but everybody has same thing in mind - hope for miracle to happen. That is positive enough for LOA practitioner. Untuk yang Islam sangat tu.. "miracle" maksudnya pertolongan tuhan lah. Tapi jangan pula paksa yang bukan Islam tu pray for miracle pada tuhan yang kamu sembah. They have their own belief. What you can do as a good muslim at this point is - respect other people's belief if you want to earn the same thing.

Sky View Los Angeles at Night.

Thank you to those countries who sent their assets and equipments in search  of MH370 expedition despite of how majority of Malaysians HATE you and your country and please do not expect these Malaysians to show their gratitude except this is God's punishment. They don't see this as a whole picture like - at least we know the list of 1st world country that are willing to help Malaysia without charge.

Arizona sky space at dawn

Seperti kata Tun M - "Malaysia are being watch by millions of people all over the world right now. Be a grown up and stop embarrassing your country".

Don't you think this is also another hikmah? Those millions of people might be the biggest mirror to the Malaysian this time and give the clearest reflections of who you are after thinking yourself as the most holy human kind in this world just because you read The Book in Arabic language. Nor this is not a conspiracy neither. World does not revolves around politicians too.

#PrayforMH370

I DO.

"More than anything else in Asia that I want to see in September, I want to see you. I want to make you mine when I am there. I don't know how I can keep you after that. I don't know where I will be or what I will be doing. Somehow, I will find a way to keep you."

He said it back in year 2011 when his heart has decided I am  "that girl"

Woman at my age knows what she wants and knows what's the best for herself. Remembering the time when I was young, I realized every choice and decision I made was wrong. Mistakes after another and I keep on wishing that I will be given a second chance to make it right since then. Now, that I am glad that I have the chance to do it all over again, at this age. I am blessed.

I am glad that I am able to finally experience a true meaning of union of a man and a woman at very basic. 

A wedding officiant (Kadi)

A Wali which is my brother

2 witness

Immediate family and BFF

Dowry (mahar)

Wedding Rings

Nice but not so expensive attire so that people can tell we are the bride & groom. 

However, when it comes to ring, I am such an ass person. It took me 2 months to find the sparkler that struck my heart when I first see it. Well, I am no Kim Kardashian to get a 15 Carat sparkler, but I am truly happy with 1 Carat solitaire with 42 encrusted diamonds  *pause. staring at my ring* and it is the second most beautiful thing I ever get in my entire life after Mike's care & attention. I can stare at my ring in 1001 different angles during my free time, so now I don't have time to play Candy Crush on my mobile phone anymore.

I always love champagne color. It is the most classy color in pastel chart. Also, I am a big fan of tulle so I got it done in a simple dress which can serve me both decent look for solemnization & modern outdoor photoshoot. Veil sewn by my sister 3 days before the wedding. As for Mike's attire, it was prepared 4 days before the wedding at RM 120. My brother gave him his 'Songkok' (Fez) which he use it on every Friday and sampin is borrowed from my brother in law. So we got the something old, something new and something borrowed.

I bought this shoes 2 days before the wedding. Last pair left of the shelves, in MY SIZE. Well, it just meant to be my wedding shoes, waited for me to pick it up, I guess. With 15% discount. RM 160. It didn't took me that long to like the design. Once I saw big bow, I knew that is my type of wedding shoes that I wanted to be seen on my feet.

I know berinai (henna) is not a sunnah, but I get it to cover up my dry hands :( and it really helps to fire up my look as a bride. No fancy majlis berinai. I drove to the mall nearby my house and get it done in 30 minutes. Mike stood besides me enjoying the process because it is his first time seeing it. RM60.

It happen that I have a lot of friends and 'adik angkat' that doing freelance in Make up artist and photography. So, I don't need to queue or book in advance for this area. Just whatapp and confirmed.

So, while the groom took 10 minutes to get ready, it took almost forever for the bride. Nampak sangat tak natural beauty.

Tak dapat muka secantik Che Ta, bulu mata ala ala Che Ta pun... aci lahhhh.

I saw this hairdo from youtube and I asked her to do it for me.

The session is wrapped out with the veil. Among of all items on my wedding day, I love the veil the most. My sister must sewn it with love & heart full with sincerity.

Puff some powder on that nose before put on earrings. I never thought I will ever wear pearl accessories before age 50. Rasa macam umur Rosmah Mansoor je tau pearl pearl ni. But the dress & the color seems suits it very well. The earring was a gift from my officemate when he went tour leading a group in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and my bracelet was a gift from my boss when we were in Pearl shop in Beijing.

No necklace because I don't want it to look too much since the neck of the dress is heavily embroided.

The solemnization ceremony is scheduled at 10AM at Pejabat Agama Islam Ipoh.

So for those who get used to see fancy solemnization at the comfort of home, sitting on big fluffy cushion, infront of the fancy pelamin OR at the Mosque, I show you what is it like in the office of Religious Department.

Ours is kinda special. It was performed by deputy director of religious department in Ipoh, Perak. 

I did asked Mike whether he feel nervous like the most of those guys I knew, he smiled and answer me 'no'.

From that moment I knew, he is so ready to marry & to take care of me & very sure that what he got himself to. He is not afraid of what future may come because he finally got me in it. And because of that,  Im not afraid too.

I got texts from few of my friends asking how many times Mike had to pronounce it (lafaz akad). I told them how hard it is to say 'I DO'?

The wedding officiant says it all complete with my name & mahar. All the groom has to say at the end is 'I Do'.

Sesungguhnya Islam itu mudah. Hanya adat Melayu menyusahkannya.

Anyways, it was twice. Because the wedding officiant (tok kadi) mentioned the mahar 'one hundred thousand instead of one thousand'.

hmmm kalau tak, kaya mak dapat rm seratus  ribu mas kawin gitu.

Ring exchange and all.

pose sikit2  untuk kamera PHONE yang ada...

and after lunch at the hotel, we took santai pose with the family.

Mike with my mom. He said my mom is cute for great grandmom at age 72. So I know he is now not worrying  about how I look when I reach that age anymore. Because I will be looking as cute as my mom. Hehe.

and that is the last day my brother able to treat  me like a little girl.

with my pet sister who helped me a lot. I couldn't thank her enough,  now I have to find the best gift for her during my honeymoon in the states. She is the one who drove me &  my family around in Ipoh. My bridesmaid and a photographer. No she is not a freelance photographer. All she do is took photos with his samsung tab and then I set my dslr to Auto mode & let her snap pictures during the ceremony as anyhow she likes it. Because in the end,  it will be me who edit it :)

so,  start feeling feeling photoshoot ala poster la kan...

Some taken by my husband,  Mike, when my pet sister has to go to toilet.

After that we went to Kellis Castle for outdoor photoshoot gitu.

My pet sister paid for the entrance fee RM5 for local & RM10 for foreigner plus RM50 for CAMERA FEE!! Total RM75 for all of us and thats her wedding gift to me. Thats the most memorable & useful wedding gift ever a friend can give to another friend! Now I got all 800 nice digital pictures which I can freely choose & edit anyhow I like!!!

I can't put all 800  though. I am on my way to Alaska for wedding reception & honeymoon trip, 4 days after these pictures taken. In fact, Im updating this post from Seattle airport, on my mobile phone while waiting for my flight to Anchorage, Alaska

Thank you for the well wishes and doa from you guys. I am glad that I am able to share my happiness among friends although it is only through Instagram, facebook and blogspot.

Also, Thank you as well to those who think that we were not going to make it, because you gave me the chance to prove you are dead wrong. It is YOU who are not going to make it in LOVE and HAPPINESS so you need to drag everybody else with that nasty thoughts because you do not want to be alone being pathetic lonesome. Hey, aku tak payah date berpuluh mat salleh untuk kawin with one lah. Classy sangat lah kau tu ya hanya sebab head to toe pakai branded.

Untuk sedara mara & kawan2 yang lain... jangan cakap aku tak hebahkan berita baik ya...kalau tak,  mcmana you olls dapat tau dari instagram, facebook & blog? kira dah hebah la ni kan.

next post-reception di Alaska & honeymonth pictures :)