My Sweet Hibernation

My ex-students have been asking about my graceful hibernation for almost two years... hmm.. seriously, I have no specific reason for not composing my thoughts on this blog. But the writer has returned to blogging, all due to chance meeting with some very talented student-bloggers... hey.. I'm so glad I know you guys. So, let's pen down our impressions and get the ball rolling again on writing and speaking up! yeah! I am... so .. back!!

MURNI Top Model 14th March 2012

COme and join d fun & excitement at d extravagant event of d year: MURNI Top Model. It's a showcase of talent and fashion! 50% from judges and d rest??? yepp!! 50% is people's choice...so c u at BV 1 this wednesday 14th March.

Self-grooming Workshop with CLINIQUE

You are all invited!!! Please contact me at 017-2728644 or the names on the poster for registration. See you there!!!

National River Clean-up 10th July 2011

Do you know that our picnic-rivers are under threat? If you have enjoyed picnics by the river with family and friends, you may want to act NOW and conserve our watery wonders from dirty and stinky rubbish...in fact, the extent of pollution and deterioration of nature is beyond imagination.

Today, much of our natural beauty have perished at the hands of mankind. As layman,we regret having to witness tremendously horrifying destruction of Mother Nature, and continuous slaughter of our eco-system. Deliberating on these selfish actions is exasperating, and may go beyond our jurisdictions. So, let's identify opportunities to conserve nature at our own backyard, in our neighbourhood or some place where we can perform our responsibility as a concerned citizen.

At UNITEN, undergraduates are involved in diversed community service, and the most recent is National River Clean-up project in collaboration with KAGUM. A total of 87 staff and undergraduates joined the nation's call for conservation of our picnic-rivers. 4 KAGUM members provided the team with the necessary groundrules for river clean-up and joined us in clearing rubbish at the picnic site. Some rubbish are simply ridiculous; for example, who would need a cellphone charger by the river? Indeed we found 'just that' during our national river clean-up project on 10th July 2011.

Finally, we jumped into the river and connected with nature in ultimate bliss!! We pray may our picnic rivers remain this beautiful forever...Our volunteers collected a total of 618 kilos of rubbish from the site. In fact, several other voluntary groups have collected even heavier garbage... and this makes us wonder about the mentality of these litterbugs and selfish picnickers.

It's time to act and volunteer for river clean-up. For those who have participated in such activities, CONGRATULATIONS! The rivers are crying for our help! So, please share your experience with our readers in this blogosphere about your experience as a volunteer for any national river clean-up activtiy, and let's motivate others too.

CONGRATZ to IPSC 2011 WINNERS

This is a truly awesome experience. A grand meeting of great minds and talented, persuasive speakers...i'm glad that the event has brought together participants from various levels namely Foundation, Diploma, Degree and Masters...also, it's ONE MALAYSIA with some international flavour..at least 5 international students joined the competition and Twisha made it to the Finals. Well... 71 participants registered...and this is healthy for a public speaking competition at UNITEN...our friends from GMI, UPSI, Muazzam, and UKM have made it even merrier. Too bad, APIT and KLIUC had to pull out last minute. Let's hope they could join the competition next year.

Thanks to IPSC 2011 committee for a job well done. Yupp!! It's lecturers and students working together on the project that propels success and memento at UNITEN. This year, it's NATIONAL INTER-RESIDENTIAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION...next year shall witness a bigger success with better prizes and lucky draws..he..he..more sponsors???

To all our WINNERS, please don't stop here, okay... the journey has only begun. love alwiz from me and IPSC community. Let's make things happen!!!

Here are some photos as memento. of course you can also check the rest of the album on my facebook.

1st Inter-residential Public Speaking Competition

The 1st Inter-residential Public Speaking Competition shall make its debut on 28th May 2011...a total of 67 students from pre-university to degree to masters have registered for the event..it will definitely be awesome!UNITEN, UNITEN-Muazzam, UKM, UCTI, UPSI, GMI.

COme on!! Let's make time for public speaking!!! Show your support for the speakers.

VENUE: Admin Theatre, Admin Building, UNITEN 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. free admission.

The theme is LEADERSHIP 2013. It's definitely a challenge for our contestants, so let's see how they unravel truths, explore new boundaries, and make breakthroughs through words and wisdom! Here's persuasion like you have ever dreamed of! It's happening at UNITEN and together, we shall make a difference.

~on behalf of the public speaking community~

Call for Participation

Salam & Greetings.

Good news! We’ll have our 1st Inter-residential Public Speaking Competition on 28th May 2011, Saturday. It’s especially designed for students staying at the hostel. All students who have registered for on-campus accommodation anytime between 1st July 2010 and 1st July 2011 can participate in the event.

The theme is “Leadership 2013” and we hope to get a crowd of public speakers deliberating on the theme.

Winners will get trophies and cash. All participants will be given certificates and SCORUN. Meals are also provided. There’ll be lucky draws as well, and that’s to motivate more students to experience and enjoy public speaking on campus.

JOIN US! You could help to cultivate interest for public speaking by extending this invitation to friends and students everywhere. Deadline is 20 th May 2011.

Kindly submit the participation form via email zue@uniten.edu.my or fax to 03-89212108 (att: Pn Zue).

For further information, please contact Puan Zue 017-2728644 04 or Ghobi 0126271673.

Thanks a zillion.

Zuraidah Ali
Director, 1st IPSC

Farah's BAM Tournament in Melaka

Here's a smile from Farah, playing for Putrajaya U12 at the recent 100PLUS National Junior Circuit Zone B in Melaka. Awesome experience!

To lovely Farah....great job, darling! I'm very happy for you, dearest...nadia and emir are also very proud of you....we like your spirit and enthusiasm...most importantly, it's the most wonderful gift for dad..we all know it's dad's dream to see all his children play badminton for pleasure, health, and with some luck...tourneys... righttt....so play well, forever, and realize your ultimate dream to become a champion!

As for me, it was my first time driving down to Melaka without my husband around...definitely challenging, but i shall do about anything and everything for my children...I've decided to join the team put up at riverside Hostel Sayang-Sayang, Kampung Ulu. Splendid bargain. It's relaxing sitting by Melaka river, enjoying evening stroll with my children. The state govt has done a good job at preserving the historical sites and old buildings. Of course, the river is now wider and cleaner..compared to my childhood days when i used to follow mak and abah shopping at Kampung Jawa and Kampung Ulu...so we took some photos...awesome...

Al-Fatihah

Salam & Greetings to all.

081110 - I lost my most precious gem and my forever better-half. My husband had to leave for a long break from all the pain that he has endured for approximately 11 years, suffering from end-stage renal failure, infection of the spine as well as heart valve.He has taken God's challenge with elegance and composure, never complained about the ordeal and always treasuring every moment with us with so much love, hugs and kisses, and family vacations. We almost always forgot that he was ill and life was pretty normal much like the rest.

Allah knows best, and we all accept this destiny. Still,this separation hurts because i have loved him for 20 solid years...and have raised our three wonderful kids together. Now that i am a single parent, i only have Allah to help me pull through during tough times. Nevertheless, i have overwhelming and wonderful memories with him that i hang on to so tightly in order to stay strong. As a husband, he has been very loving, caring, supportive of my career, and absolutely adorable. He's my forever 'prince charming', 'knight in a shining armour' and 'high school sweetheart'. I love him very much.

To all my readers, friends, colleagues and students who may only learn about this piece of truth at this very moment, please join me in praying for his most blessed and cozy heavenly slumber. As you read the posts in my blog, please also remember that it is my beloved husband who CREATED this academic blog and generated the concept. Hence, if you have found this blog educational, beneficial, and knowledgeable in any possible way, i owe it all to him.

Everytime i wrote an article for my students and readers, he would be the faithful husband-editor, muse and conscience. I would read aloud my posts and he always completely smiled, nodded in approval, and gave constructive comments...and of course, he was also excited whenever i wrote about family trips and vacations...well..he simply loves holidays...

Lastly, my heartiest gratitude to all of you who have visited us at our humble abode, UNITEN mosque as well as the cemetery. Thanks also for your kind prayers during tahlil and yassin recitals. On his behalf, i pray may Allah bless you always.

sincerely,
~zue~

Weekend Getaway at Cyberview Lodge Resort

It's so near our humble abode, yet we only got the chance to enjoy a holiday at Cyberview Lodge Resort recently while celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary. Gorgeous tropical beauty with lush greenery!





So, what's great about it? hmm...almost everything in the package...the pool view chalet...the food...and best of all is the swimming pool!!!

It's not like any ordinary swimming pool! With two beautiful man-made waterfalls cascading into it, complete with exotic plants and garden palms around, swimming becomes a total experience.It reminds me of those unforgettable trips to village waterfalls and rivers...fantabulous! Special thanks to my beloved husband for a wonderful holiday inspiration. In fact, he has been thinking about a holiday there all this while, especially everytime he passed by the place on his way to work...

Cyberview lodge shall remain our favourite family destination for a long, long time.
Hmmm..on this note, you should tell us about your favourite hotel, motel, resort, lodge, hostel,homestay. This may be a good opportunity to practice your persuasive skills... so, get your findings and share it with us on this blogosphere!

2nd October 2010 is my Birthday

Awesome! The most simple yet splendid birthday celebration ever!

Remind me again..yeah..I am 40 years old..quite matured and successful..most precious achievement is indeed...a cozy and loving family with a beloved husband and three wonderful children. they mean the world to me!

So, we put up two nights at Carlton Holiday hotel and suite, had swimming splendour at the Pusat Akuatik swimming pool, lepak and makan at warung, and best of all...my husband took us all to see...the miraculous city of lights, I-CITY. ohhh..who invented this idea? Amazing and absolutely gorgeous. my most favourite is 'my birthday wish' and the light-trees...i took lots of snapshots and i shall share with my readers in a while, until my daughter uploads the photos in this laptop..which is really not my forte...

Thanks to all thoughtful friends and students who have wished me happiness ++. Thanks a zillion. Life is a gift of precious and tenderly moments with tots and love...

...n wat's dat?radiator leak?so not me to handle this!

Here's a nightmare, and this is really happening for the FIRST time in my life! Pheeeuh...was i nervous? agitated? well...it's more like the earth was all falling on me...!!! But I'm glad I didn't panic or give up or do anything ridiculous. You see...I know almost nothing about cars, except for the mundane routine visits to the car-wash pit-stops and petrol station.

Last Thursday, I was driving my husband to hospital, at 120km/h. Well, this is pretty normal on SKVE, the new motorway. If you have taken the SKVE, you'd know that driving becomes peaceful and enjoyable with the awesome 3-4 lakes and some panoramic view along the way. So, i didn't bother to check my metre or whatsoever..untill..yupp..untill my husband alerted me about the temperature. My car was running HOT..and I actually didn't understand a thing what he was talking about.

When i finally understood the consequences, i slowed down and ...believe me..I was then travelling at 60 km/h and praying so hard for my car to sustain and 'persevere'. We stopped at the SKVE plaza and the SKVE patrol helped us. Thanks to Mr Shahir and Mr Muzaffar, the mechanic. Earlier, they had given me some instructions over the phone, which was 'scary' and almost impossible... so, for the first time ever, i discovered what the engine looks like, also,the radiator, the water hose...bla..bla..bla...i was like an apprentice learning so much about 'my car' in less than an hour!!!

My CITRA was in a critical state, so we decided not to 'push' her beyond her threshold. So, we drove back to UNITEN, at an unbearable 60km/h without air-cond nor music..alhamdulillah, we reached home safe and sound. So, what actually went wrong? According to SKVE mechanic Muzaffar, the readiator water hose leaked so much, so we had it replaced by mechanic Harry the moment we reached home.

This experience teaches me a very important lesson. Well, my beloved husband has always reminded me to trust PLUS, SKVE, etc. So, should i encounter any kind of problem with my car, I only have to pull 'into' the PLUS or SKVE motorways. Call the helpline number on the ticket, and the patrol will come to my rescue.

Alhamdulillah, this is a very precious tip indeed, and i hope that other lady drivers who may be as naive and blurrrr as i am will remember this note, forever. So ladies...now we know that we can never be alone on SKVE...

Curious? Here are some shots of the incident..take care.

Aidilfitri Comes Early at Seri Malaysia

Like last year, we spend our Raya holidays at Hotel Seri Malaysia. It's a simple and comfortable hotel, offering sumptuous Malay dishes for 'berbuka puasa'. Today, i enjoyed a plate of traditional Malay kuih...delicious!!! Dah lama tak jumpe...kuih tepung kelomak, abuk-abuk, kuih ku..and of course, other local favourites i.e. dodol and buah Melaka...my elder sister is coming to visit us tonite. She will bring us 'nasi impit' and 'sambal udang'...hmmm.sedapnya...tomorrow, we shall visit Pak Lang, Pak Ibik and Busu at the village. Not forgetting, we shall break fast at my younger sister's house..so,i shall continue this journablog only after that.

It's lots of fireworks for children and Raya packets (RM2, RM5, RM10, RM50..wow...don't we envy them...) As for everybody else, Raya is a get-together, an opportunity to catch up on exciting events in each other's lives. Raya is always a long holiday for us as this seems to be the best time to take a break from work and urban life, returning to the village and meet as a big happy family. As the saying goes, 'a picture paints a thousand words'. So, here are some photos during Raya celebration 2010.

The Legend International Water Homes (IWH)

I admit. I have been too occupied with my career untill I have found it almost difficult to make room for a break - a family vacation. Indeed, the weekend holiday is a compulsive and desperate getaway. It's to celebrate my children's success at school, an approximate time-out from my busy schedule, and most importantly, a hope for my dearie husband's speedy recovery.Have you checked-out The Legend's IWH? I fell in love with the local 'beauty' immediately. The IWH offers a different holiday experience, tranquility and family quality time. It's home+++.

Like other families, we also love swimming so much, and we usually spend much of our vacation time at the gorgeous pools.

But that takes away a lot of our time...really... the changing, packing, walking to the common pool...not at IWH!!!The pool is indoor and absolutely yours...my children jumped into the pool every other minute, sometimes in home t-shirts and shorts...ha..ha..who cares about the proper swimming attire anymore.

i've been told that the IWH has won Best Architecture award..i couldn't agree more. For a romantic soul like me, the design, layout and exquisite arcitecture is fabulous..they've made it like home and dream vacation. Simply irresistable!! It's total relaxation and serendipity

Another subject that's close to my heart is food.so..what about food? food? food? Frankly, we had a 'feast' at Duyung Restaurant.. thanks to the chefs..the Ramadhan buffet was simply awesome, delicious and most importantly, generous. Of course I shall visit IWH again, even before the next Ramadhan...but they will only have dinner buffets on Saturdays for other times of the year...

Finally, I guess, the 'water-home' concept is simply brilliant. I can't afford to go to the Netherlands, or Maldives, or any other places like it...being Malaysian, i feel thankful and proud that we have The Legend International Water Homes at Lukut...so, wait no further...make a date with the IWH, and you shall know what i mean. It's awesome.

Would you like to share your most unique family vacation? most memorable and most rejuvenating, perhaps? Come on, this can become our travel log, yeah...

Friendship is Bliss

It has been long that i have not recorded my thoughts and appreciation on this blogpage. Now, i'd like to share a simple poem on friendship for us to ponder. This inspiration came around when i saw the smile and happiness on my beloved husband's face upon receiving his friends, some whom he has not met for 22 years.i'd like to take this opportunity to thank all his school friends who visited him at the hospital, also friends whom we meet elsewhere. My special thanks to Cikgu Azanuddin for his humble presence together with the bubbly and vibrant crowd of ex-MRSMJ ... May Allah bless all of you always. Yupp:) Happiness is everywhere, within our reach...and friendship is indeed the magical capsule that supersedes much of the rest.



Forlorn and somber moments fade away as we
Reminisce upon younger schooling days filled with rich tricks and tapestry.
Indeed – this relationship inspires a jovial mood, a glory,
Everlasting and blooming like a patch of yellow allamanda and fuchsia.
Now and forever, we are friends and it shall remain this way
D journey may have its toll; we are still friends and it shall remain this way.
Success, sickness and serendipity, and we shall remain friends forever.
Hitherto, this spirit of mine finds bliss and blessings
In this friendship and relationship that grows and glows in
Pensive ambiance and sincere stratosphere.

Thank you friends, for this special delivery.

~zue & shidee~

Ticket for Success

REFLECT! If you have climbed the tallest mountain, perhaps a breathtaking view of the valley from the peak represents success. If your life has been tormented with deprivation and exclusion, a sense of freedom liberates you almost instantaneously. At school, if you have always dreamed to be a prefect, to join the school basketball team, or even to obtain straight A's for your exams, you'd understand the fulfillment and exhilaration called success.

As success represents its blessings in two and threefold, for school leavers, success can take a student from school to varsity and straight into employability. Nevertheless, is university a valid benchmark for success after school? Can enrolment in university be a personal choice, a turn of fate or even, an alternative to a pathway laden with maturity?

Indeed, success is the sweetest gift of life. It brings bountiful happiness and contentment. Success paves way for a bright and promising future. It opens the threshold of opportunities and offers a glimpse of perfection.

What about you? Why are you here, in UNITEN? Do you believe that university education will make you a successful person? Take time to ponder and you shall find the answer. Tell it to your heart and think aloud – TELL US all on this blogosphere.

Life Begins at 40....?!

Have you ever dreamed to be an ATHLETE? Frankly, it's been my lifetime aspiration, inspiration, and dream-nation, and i'm glad to announce that YEAH!!! I've accomplished it, recently...during UNITEN Track and Field 2010, 7th March 2010.

Of course, I enjoy running and brisk-walking so much, but i've never had the opportunity to really WINNNN. Now, at 40, i represented IKAL for 4X200 veteran, and we became champion... WOW.... fantastic... incredible.. unbelievable.. My children, Farah and EMir, were there at the stadium to witness my triumphant moment, and i guess i have inspired Emir to be a sprinter? runner? sportsman? ha..ha...anything that has to do with sports, will do. Best of all, my COIT students cheered for me as i entered the track...thanks wonderful supporters...LUV u all so much...

thanks to IKAL lovely (shima, Evelyn, Iza, Jiha, Kak Dah, Dr N) and sinewy (Mizi, syafiq, anip,etc) contingent...we made it happen!

Now, is this trivial? Perhaps for some. I always believe that we should NEVER stop dreaming because one fine day, our dream will come true. Of course it takes a little bit of initiative, guts and enthusiasm. I have other dreams and goals to attain, and if they must come around at 50 or 60, so be it. At least, i shall still have lots to cherish at old age..so friends, and the younger generation out there....come on...strive for the best always, and life begins right NOW!

Inspired? Yupppp! Well, ask yourself - what have you accomplished recently? What is your BIG dream? FIND the answers and take some time to share with us in this blogosphere. For now, i shall share some celebrity snapshots, courtesy of Hanif. Later, I shall share more photos taken by my student, Amzar...and friends Evelyn, Jiha, etc.