Qar's 2nd Day With Nek Yong

SLEEP eluded me the night after Qar's birth (Aug 13, 2011).

It was way past 3am on Sunday that I got to bed, sorting out things at home so I could be by my daughter’s and my grandson’s side again the next day.

That same Sunday, Nek Yong woke up at half past eight to the sound of an SMS bleeping on my hand phone. It was my daughter who just gave birth asking me to bring along a few more of Qar’s nappies, mittens and booties when next we visit.

By 11am my younger daughter and I were already heading for the hospital in her tiny twin-cam Kelisa, which runs like a blizzard. Before you knew it, we were at the hospital. Talk about safe driving in a matchbox.

The rules are very strict at the hospital – no visitors before visiting hours. Even grandmothers do not have privileges. But we were prepared to sit on the hot slabs outdoor again because the waiting area feels like a freezer with the air-conditioning turned down so low.

Nek Yong decided to take a chance. I walked up to the security guard at the entrance to my daughter’s ward and asked if I could go up to see my grandson. If looks could butcher one alive, the guard’s would. But somehow I managed to get in although it was only 15 minutes to Visitors’ Hours. Who cares? It’s nice to know as a ‘gran’ I do have privileges, given or forced.

I managed to snap some photos of Qar using my hand phone since the nurses watch over anyone who lugs in a camera outfit any bigger.

Qar giving Nek Yong the one-eye pirate look.

These are precious photos – Qar’s second day in this world. Nek Yong promise he will grow up a happy child.

With loving care – Nek Yong

My First Grandson, Grandchild - Qar

NEK YONG officially became a granny at exactly 11.40pm last night. My first grandson was born after I had spent two hours sitting on the stone slabs by the entrance of the delivery ward of Putrajaya Hospital.

Clad in faded blue jeans, a simple white T and a black leather jacket, Nek Yong felt jubilant as I cradled my grandson in my arms. He still had traces of blood around his shoulders, wrapped in the hospital’s blue blanket, wide eyed and perhaps wondering who the grinning woman cradling him was. I didn’t care if my first grandson thinks I’m an alien lost on Planet Earth. I was just happy he finally arrived...after 14 hours and 10 minutes to be exact.

Qar (pronounced ‘Khorr’) is adorable. His eyes were wide opened despite only being born less than an hour before resting in my arms. Nek Yong heard his wail right across the labour room to the waiting area right out to the main entrance. That’s my grandson Qar - my first grandchild.

Qar...Nek Yong has to go to bed now. While your mother wrapped you in her arms, Nek Yong was travelling back to our home in Kuala Lumpur. In the next few days you will come home with us and sleep in the baby crib that Nek Yong has prepared for you.

There will be more stories of our adventures in the next few days and weeks and months and years but for now Nek Yong has to sleep so I can see you at the hospital again this afternoon.

As I walked to the car-park at the hospital I was already thinking about taking Qar shopping. Nek Yong will get some new clothes and Qar will get some books.

Life – it’s very sweet at the moment.


With loving care - Nek Yong

Short Take 12

Text by My Name Is Insanity

Image by caseaplace (caseaplace)

You Speak Malay, No?

I SPENT half of last Saturday in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle. It has been ages since I went there. Due to its declining popularity as KL’s top shopping mall I thought I might as well have my deserving hair wash at one of the little hair salons scattered in the area. Where my office is a simple hair wash for a long-haired female would cost nothing less than RM28 perhaps.

However, enjoying a hair wash doesn’t come cheap in KL, no matter the popularity of the building the studio is in. Everywhere I went the charge was at least RM30+ so I considered myself fortunate to find one that offered service at only RM24. That is a fair price for a hair scrub and scrunge-dry service, right?

Images: Parlour by Moini & Hair by doug26

So I took a seat and a young Chinese hairstylist came over. He had a full head of dyed hair with a fringe that was almost hiding his eyes. The only time I saw his squeaky little eyes was when he lifted his head a little to ask me a question.

If looks can kill his would and no, not because he is drop-dead gorgeous or a hunk but because he is just SO angry. I swear that if I had a tape measure with me and measured his pout it could have easily reached a mile! Why is he so ANGRY?

His entire mannerisms baffled me. There was no “hello”, “how are you”, “how can I help you”...nothing! Just silence and a pouty face! After placing some hand towels around my shoulders, he reached towards a bottle I had placed on the mirror stand and pressed on the lid so the contents of the bottle came gushing onto his palm. I let out a seriously surprised + annoyed exclamation. And he shot at me with a “SHAMPOO???” No duhhh! That was my mousse! What in the world is wrong with him? He didn’t ask what was in the bottle and then got angry when he realised he had mousse all over his hand when it was shampoo he wanted. Did I tell him I brought my own shampoo? Noooo...

I felt my ears went red with anger. I couldn’t believe what was happening and so I just stared at him as he shampooed my hair. Suddenly he decided to speak. He asked me in English if I’d like to blow dry my hair and roll them up. I said no, just scrunge-dry using the diffuser. But he couldn’t understand that I didn’t want my hair rolled and straightened out. Then he got mad again. And he repeated his question and I gave him the same answer. He gave me an annoyed look and just as I was about to swear profanities, his colleague told him what to do.

Image from clker.com

At this point I was thinking of knocking him senseless with my heavy leather handbag, or the bottle of mousse or even the hairdryer. When suddenly he said, “Are you Chinese?” I checked my skin – dark brown. My eyes – very Malay eyes, complete with double eyelid. My hair – wavy and dry and big (how many Chinese girls have big, wavy hair?).

I am a typical Malay with Indonesian, Dutch, Thai and Arab lineage and he asked if I was Chinese.

Strangely when I told him I am Malay his behaviour took a 180-degree turn. And then he asked if I can speak Malay. Can I speak Malay? Why? Do I sound like I’ve been eating too much French Fries when I speaketh English?

When he found out I am Malay, speaks Malay, all his anti-social-ness disappeared into thin air. Suddenly he was all chatty. He asked if I’ve ever been to the mall before. He wanted to know my age. And if I were to ever need a treatment to consider him. Before I knew it he was revealing more about himself. How he has to handle more than 20 customers in a day on weekends, most of whom are his regulars. Then he said, “I’ve not even had a bite to eat since the studio opened this morning. I’m so hungry I can barely talk.”

My conclusion of his behaviour is: he thought I was a snobbish Chinese girl who refused to speak in my native tongue to a native boy! And my replies to him in English had annoyed him because he isn’t conversant in English and prefers to talk in Malay.

Goodness young man! Say so la! I can talk Melayu anytime. With the way he was all dressed up and his brunette mop of hair and swagger I thought he was more Western than Western itself! Adoi... Talk about assumptions.

Short Take 11

 

Text by My Name Is Insanity

Image by c-louise (c-louise)

Crazy but GOOD!

IT’S been a crazy month of May for NFM. Out of 31 days we only managed to post twice and that is really sad for us who have been trying to write every day for the rest of our lives ? However, it goes to show that not everything we plan in life will happen exactly as how we want them to be. This gives us the strength to believe that out of some weaknesses there is a hint of strength.

And talking about strength, all of us would like to thank our friends as well as readers who continue supporting us despite our MIA act the past few weeks. While friends who know of our site either sent messages to us on FB or SMS us on our mobiles, those who visit the sites from land afar continue providing our site a steady stream of visitors. What can we say but thank you?

Screaming Eye's - BIGDODADDY bigdodaddy

We did not plan on neglecting our site but some of us, at the last minute, were offered to partake in some big projects, which require 110% attention. And since the project has an urgent ring to it, we decided some things have to be sacrificed, although only for a while as we sort out a few things, whip people into shape and then take a breather and divide our attention between the project as well as our site. So hang on and don’t give up on us yet.

Despite our “disappearance”, a lot of good things have happened while we went “missing”. We’re hoping it stays that way all through the year as we believe 2012 will be a challenging year for many reasons.

We attended very few events the past 29 days and cancelled several lunch dates but made things up by trying out several food outlets and cafes in the Mont Kiara Solaris area. We promise we will run those very soon :0

And we promise Ms Sanity’s works will be up and running again as soon as she returns to homeland. The Daily Bitch has gone into early retirement and says he will post as soon as he gets sick of chilling out. Nek Yong is busy making preparations for the arrival of her grandchild. And the rest of the contributors are either busy baking or eating.

Let’s hope we will again gather in this “room” to share our story like when we first started. Till then, take care.

Short Take 10

Text by My Name Is Insanity

Image by Biewoef (biewoef)

I'm Blessed

IT is only the second day of May and already we’ve been plagued by several setbacks. But being the hardcore that we are giving up is the last thing on our mind.

Our posts have gone MIA for several days now due to a virus attack on our system. We are fixing the problem and our techies are hard at work so we hope none of our regular readers have given up on us?

URGHHH!!! You ugly mean virus!!!

 Clipart: Worm - UTRESCU (utrescu)

It’s been a good rest for many in Malaysia due to the long “weekend”. Labour’s Day was on a Sunday, which makes Monday automatically a free-from-work day.

The shopping centres were jam-packed and that observation was merely at the neighbourhood malls. Wonder what it had been in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur itself?

Well, there are a lot of sales going on already and some branded boutiques are giving away impressive discounts. My credit card company has been sending me flyers, encouraging me to spend, spend, and spend! And no, I’m not tempted simply because the country’s annual grand sale is just around the corner. So my gang and I plan to splurge then.

Staying happy, that's life's No. 1 rule.

 Clipart:Happy - ZINDYI (zindyi)

At this very moment we are experiencing rain. Gorgeous, cool evening after a terribly hot, hot, summer-ish day. Not that we have summer really. But the weather is changing so much, thanks to our own carelessness in protecting the environment!

Malaysia’s Monsoon season is between November and March and the dry season is between May and September. But look what’s happening today. It’s May and it’s pouring cats and dogs. April was a very wet month as well.

Besides the virus attack and a very hard fall I experienced in the toilet of my home two days ago that left bruises on my torso, everything else is reasonably going good (pray hard).

I bumped into a long-time friend in the mall today as I was making my way to my fitness class. She had her two kids with her. “Factory closed down already,” she said when I commented she already has a pair. The elder kid hugged and kissed me. That was really sweet and to think she doesn’t even know who I am as we’ve only met once, when she was less than a year old.

The funny bit about the meet was what my friend’s mother said: “She is always working. Always in front of the computer, writing. She might as well go for a full time job”.

I think my answer of “that’s what life is these days, aunty” didn’t go down well with her. She looked quite sullen after that. Maybe I should have lied and scolded my friend so the mother is happier that someone’s on her side? Hmm…have to think about that.

Every day I plan to achieve something, no matter how small.

Clipart: Alpiniste - ZINDYI (zindyi)

Oh. And I also “met” this “loony” character – a craft shop owner who dragged me into a conversation as I was browsing her merchandise and watching her make a scrap album for a customer.
I can’t believe my ears when she went on and on complaining about a difficult customer to me. While I can understand her frustration I think it is highly unprofessional for her to criticize her customer and to a total stranger too. At the end of the day she is running a business and no matter how wrong her customers are they will always be “right”.

I walked out of her shop as she continued complaining. I refused to be a part of it. I am determined to bury all negative vibes out of my life.

Note: We’ve been asked several times why our posts mix “we” and “I” all the time. Because we are sloppy writers ? No, actually when we say “we” that refers to NewsFlashMedia and the team. When we say “I” it refers to any of the team member who is writing the post ;)

SanTerri Cakes Like No Other

I LOVE cakes but I’m fussy over the choice. Unlike a majority of Malaysians, I do not like my cakes loaded with sugar especially when it’s a creamed cake with an assortment of toppings, which I prefer to finish rather than place aside because they are too sweet to stomach.

If Malaysians are just learning to reduce their intake of sugar in this 21^st Century, I have been practising the less-sugar-is-better discipline way, way before the rest.

When the cupcake trend stormed Malaysia, I did not fall head over heals on them because I did not find one recipe that has the correct amount of sugar in both cake mixture as well as the butter icing.

Carrot Cake With Walnuts to go with Café Mezzo Mezzo.

When you enjoy a piece of cake, you want to savour every bite, every mouthful. If you can take continuous bites off a piece of cake without cringing at the sweetness then you have found the desired cake. I have found mine and not just in one type of cake but many. The place – SanTerri Cottage.

The SanTerri Cottage I frequent is the one in Bangsar Village II in Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur although there are several SanTerri Cottage outlets throughout the Klang Valley.

I have not been to most of them as the one in BVII is very convenient for me whenever my craving for tea-time-with-coffee-and-cake builds up.

SanTerri has a big selection of cakes on top of their other items like sandwiches and pastas. But I go there strictly for its cakes. I’ve tried some of them but have to keep returning to make sure I taste most of them as I’m very sure they will agree with my tastebud. My favourite, which I buy for my yearly birthday celebration is the Opera.

Every year it's the same cake for me - Opera from SanTerri Cottage.

I wouldn’t say a slice of cake is too highly priced here as several other cafes and restaurants adopt almost the same pricing if not higher.

The difference between SanTerri’s cakes and prices is that even IF you were to be charged more than the outlet’s RM6.50 for a piece of Carrot Cake With Walnut for example it would still be worth it because the cakes are delicious.

When I eat cakes I take coffee with them and its regular brew, which I called Flat White, is named Café Mezzo Mezzo, also at RM6.50 for a reasonable sized cup. SanTerri serves Illy coffee.

And do you know that Illy coffee is served in 140 countries in five continents in over 50,000 public venues? According to its official website http://www.illy.com/ more than six million cups of its espresso coffee is served throughout the world every single day.

I may not be a coffee expert but I love coffee and what’s in an Illy coffee for me? A rich coffee that’s full of flavour and a beautiful aroma. Team that with a SanTerri cake and it’s bliss for the rest of the day.

SANTERRI COTTAGE

Bangsar Village II

Upper Ground Floor – K2

Lot 43872.73.74 Bangsar Baru

59100 KUALA LUMPUR

Short Take 9

Text by My Name Is Insanity

Image by Bizior (bizior)