25 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

1. Birth name Juliana Suryani binti Abdul Rahim . ……

aka “ kak Juli” to most people……

”kakak” to my siblings…..

“Juliana” , “Nana” or “kakak koko” to my childhood frens in Kedah…

”Along” to my nieces n nephews….

“Sepi” to my sister’s Indon maid (???)

”Juliana Suryani anak suria cucu tok ani” (tu dia!!) to my childhood neighbour

“Ju” to most people in Kemaman…..

”ibu” to my 3 kids….

2. Eldest in a family of 7 kids…..Born in Alor Setar GH & raised in Jitra, Kedah . Lived in 290,Jalan Masjid with parents (both cikgus), grandparents(grandpa retired police), siblings and 2 cousins…..all 13 of us lived comfortably in a 5 bedroom one bathroom half batu half papan double storey house…how nice…I can only dream of having this extended family life now…….

3. Since babyhood I sleep with my grandma @ tok until she passed on….

4. Grandparents always been the anchor of the family, parents out working, tok cooked all meals from breakfast to dinner (back then in the 70’s goreng pisang pun kena buat sendiri) , cousins (much older than me) helped with house cleaning and babysitting…grandpa raised chickens (I didn’t eat chicken back then, they were pets ,not food!) and managed a sawah padi (quite a distance from where we lived) and maintained his small backyard orchard of petai, rambutan, durian and manggis trees…also landscaping around the house….roses, orchids, bunga cina, jasmine, kenanga…….I owe every skill I know to my grandparents……they are my true idols!!

5. Around 5 to 7 yrs old I used to follow grandpa to the mosque on his bicycle for Maghrib and Isya’ mass…I didn’t pray , only listened to the prayers while patiently waiting for him at the mosque corridor….Can’t forget the scent of his minyak attar and how he skillfully lilit his serban...he3…at times I wished I were a boy so I can dress like him and join the atuks praying…( confirm ada identity crisis masa ni…heee)

6. Always amazed by my grandpa’s neat wardrobe…despite all the attires that he always receive from his frens and family,he kept only two sets of baju Melayu, two batik shirts and pants and two jubbahs which he wore during the two hari raya celebrations….(he usually distributed his clothes to his bendang workers )..now i understand the true meaning of "less is more..."

7. At the end of each rice harvest season, my grandparents always bring me and my 2 other adiks traveling…..got my first airplane ride experience in 1980 to Kota Bharu….We also get to go Singapore, Penang, KL….night train rides were fun too…visiting relatives or simply makan angin….syiok!

8. Lately always thinking about my glorious childhood activities back in Kedah where every evening I used to play ‘tuju kasut” , “police entry” , “datuk harimau”, “lompat tinggi” , “batu tujuh” with frens …boys and girls….Sabarina , Biyah, kak Not, Gee, Shah,Nae, K Nayah, K Ida, K Ina …..we were all soooo ecstatically happy then….

9. Still a vivid childhood memory, “stealing” tok’s food strainer (penapeh) and smuggling to mengaji Quran class sebab after class nak ikut the boys and my partner in crime, Babuni, to go tangkap anak udang kat tali air bendang (maybe only Kedahans are familiar with this, whenever they pumped out the water from the sawah back to the irrigation system to let the padi masak, it’s a fiesta for kids to catch anything that came out with the water rush!)

10. When I was small always had recurring nightmares of being chased by a buffalo (kerbau) in a bendang setting... Nowadays don’t remember having any dreams at all…

11. During weekends I woke up 5am to go jogging / walking while picking water lily and lotus flowers along the sawah padi with my grandpa , adiks and best friend /neighbour , kak Not ……..still remember the magnificent picturesque view of sunrise and inhaling realllly fresh morning air at the sawah ……

(Kak Not is arwah Norlaili Osman…she passed away of cancer 11 yrs ago at age 30)

12. Despite all my fond memories related to sawah padi, I still haven’t had the experience of actually planting a rice tree…he3….takut lintah …!! I only stepped into the sawah when it’s dry / harvest season).This could be added to my to do list in the future…hope its not too late!

13. I am tone deaf and failed miserably in the singing department, but still remember playing ‘impersonation of artists” with my sis and our superstar Kak Nayah (Liyana Ishak , now with Bank Negara) my highly talented neighbor who used to impersonate Sharifah Aini and Uji Rashid in singing or acting…she’s the best! Sometimes we became “Boney M’ or ABBA….those days…..heeeee

14. I took a few weeks of organ lessons in primary school , I guess challenged by my sister’s high flying talent in music. …and my cousin , Kak Siti had to send me on her bicycle of course….but parents finally accepted the fact that I’m melodically handicapped…can’t remember a note…...would rather cangkul tanah or conteng dinding….he3..I have the highest respect to people who are musically gifted…singing or playing any musical instruments…tabik springggg!

15. Another memorable childhood activity back then was playing “masak2 “ where my grandpa’s pudding trees were victimized by us to prepare our colorful ‘dishes”……still remember the scent of the sliced leaves….and the sting from the cut on my finger….ouch! The same 5 cent blade was also used to carve my “art work” on the house dinding and lantai papan….and a few unfortunate tree trunks…..the beginning of my artistic career…he3

16. During standard 6 I belonged to a group of kamceng buddies ….Ani, Ta, Nita , Eny , Khodat, Dek Yah and Mas (did I miss anyone??)….we were classmates and school dance team…..who sometimes played Sherlock Homes @ private investigator……we usually lepak at school after tuition class and talk about girl things , “period”, puberty, jerawat…all naive and innocent….somehow we were not boy crazy at all, unlike some 12yr olds nowadays….

17. One evening while we were playing “sepak bulu ayam” (biasa budak lelaki je main ni…) I accidentally stepped on the nail …! Couldn’t remember who pulled the nail out of my tapak kaki but we all went to the clinic together…. Bicycle convoy!

18. Mas is my bestest fren and thanx to her we never lost touch since we were 6 yrs old until today….! I never thank you enough , Mas….you’re the best!

19. The last day of primary school…. I was the last one to receive my offer letter to boarding school….TKC….an all girls school(???) I was numb for about an hour …then cried miserably to separate from my kamceng buddies….never thought I would have to be so far away from my family and frens …uhuk….the end of my childhood days in Kedah…felt like the end of the world….I wasn’t at all ready for this ……!!

20. First day in TKC was the scariest day of my life !The seniors seemed all gigantic and boisterous!! I felt homesick the minute I stepped into the school ground….constantly thinking of changing school back to Kedah, somehow persevered the first year…and later glad that I stayed on until the end…Those 5 years were the best times of my life!! Also had another group of kamceng buddies whom i miss a lot..you know who you are gurls:-)

21. The next phase of my life were KPP and US days….lots of memories , met lots of wonderful people (am glad that we’re now reconnected thru facebook)…..and not so wonderful people too..he he….therefore don’t feel like elaborating much further.

22. I graduated from OU in Spring 1993, landed my first job as trainee architect in Langkawi, then KL,yada yada yada ....then in 1997 married a “Ganu Kite” chap and moved to Kemaman Terengganu for a new beginning .

23. Dream of having many children and re-live my childhood life with an extended family like I had before..…however, God has other plans for me….

24. Granted with 3 wonderful kids and one understanding husband , living a simple kampong life in a small 3 bedroom house we call HOME...and reaching the age 40....phew... I have nothing to complaint about.....

25. By the way, my late grandparents never get to see me even finish secondary school ,or graduate, or get married or have my babies …..They both passed on in 1985 .Arwah tok passed on at home one evening after 4 yrs of cancer and my grandpa passed on the morning after in KLGH… of stroke. Such a rare incidence that we had two burial ceremonies 2 days in a row…….May Allah bless their beautiful souls….ameen.

DON'T RAISE BOYS....

I do watch Nickelodeon you know ,and during an interview with the JONAS BROTHERS and their PARENTS, they were asked ….

“So how do you keep your boys grounded….with the fame and attention and all…?”

THE PARENTS answered…

“We give them lotsa love and always remind them of their purpose …we are not raising BOYS here, we are raising MEN who needs to be responsible adults and good members of the society….!”

(hmmmmmm!! light bulb moment for me…)

Having two sons of my own, I can’t help but worry how they might turn out once they are all grown up since they now belong to the club whose some of the members had been exercising violence against the female gender… (On the note of the International Women’s Day celebrated worldwide this month)

Firstly, should we let “boy” be the term used only for the gender column of our newborn son on the hospital name bracelet….?

When a boy grows up ,don’t be fooled by his physics ( tall, dark, handsome, strong) , because on the inside he might still be that little boy who is insecure, deprived of love and attention, angry etc

In my opinion “BOYS” are the ones who abuse wives, rape sisters and make mothers lives a living hell because they NEVER GROW UP! They remained to be “boys” for the rest of their lives …….

Mr & Mrs Jonas’s method of raising their children could be something to ponder…

Therefore, parents out there, don’t raise ‘boys”, raise “men” who APPRECIATES wives, CARE for their sisters and make mothers lives heavenly.

I’m sure all of us strive to provide the best education, comfort and all the ‘material’ requirements that our sons need…. however, if you haven’t done these in a long time (or maybe never ..yet) please consider....i'm sure it's not too late...

ESPECIALLY for sons below 13 years of age…

Hug and kiss your son (esp before he goes to sleep) and let him know that you are thankful to Allah for loaning him to you …

Tell him how much you love him and give salam (assalamualaikum…good nite) before you leave his room

When he’s asleep recite in his ears…Ya Latiff…Ya Aziz…Ya Wadud…(Maha lembut….maha perkasa….maha penyayang) as many times u like

Always remind them that you depend on him to care for his sister for the rest of her life…for him to make sure that his sister mix with the right kinda friends , that everytime she goes out of the house covering her aurat , and that she will always have a brother to share all her problems with (ni penting ni!!)

If your son shows interest in cooking or baking or cleaning , encourage him to help in the kitchen…never ever throw your son out of the kitchen and say that cooking or cleaning is a women’s job……NEVER!!

Hopefully, insyaAllah he will grow up to be a man who is SECURE, RESPONSIBLE AND HAPPY CITIZEN , a man who truly understands his purpose on earth.

Remember, an abusive man is not always uneducated or from a broken home….there are highly educated men who rape and men with high status who abuse …..renung2kanlah...

COOKING WITH LOVE

Despite hours spent watching cooking shows, I still cook the same meals everytime ,coz I NEVER write down any of the recipes. My favorite nowadays would be Rachel Ray, since she’s loud and clumsy, unlike Martha Stewart, who watching her show usually stress me out..

I consider myself highly efficient in preparing a meal in less than 30 minutes but still needs hubby’s help in cleaning up the kitchen …(he also cooks and amazingly enjoys washing dishes and scrubbing the sink…unbelievable! so I take advantage la..)

Fascinated by sister (she is a true domestic goddess!!) who feeds her children home made burgers , home made bread and pizzas, roti canai, mayonnaise(the list goes on and on..)I attempted to start baking bread but until now(it’s been months) the ingredients bought are left untouched..he3 (I have chest pains already thinking about the energy I need to uli the dough…)

Preparing meals from scratch to feed our family is the best way of living… More barakah, u can doa all you want & choose the healthiest ingredients you can find…. I salute you supermoms and superdads out there whose ‘air tangan ‘ will insyaAllah help build better society:-D

HUTANG

After a long break (5 months I think) I resumed my Quran class last week. This time Jasmine came along , since she's already 3 months old & I'm confident enough to handle her alone in the car.Interesting that I had to read Ayat 282 surah Al Baqarah....the longest ayat in the Quran (bukan baca satu nafas yer..) that talks about HUTANG....the importance of writing down the loan agreement...the requirement of 2 male saksi (or one male 2 female)...etc...makes me wonder whether we're doing it the right way with our bank loans ...
It's actually not just for bank loans, even hutang mertua kat menantu ke...kawan2 ke ...still kena tulis so that x timbul masalah di kemudian hari especially bila berlaku kematian.....did i owe anyone any money that i might have forgotten ??tu la, tak tulis....kalau ada yg berhutang dgn akak tu and x sempat nak bayar , don't worry...i halalkan:-)

Al Baqarah 282

you who believe, when you contract, when you are dealing with, a debt, such as in prepayment for (future) delivery of goods or a loan, one upon another for a stated, a known, term, write it down, as confirmation and security against any dispute; and let a writer write it, the contract of debt, down between you justly, accurately, not increasing or decreasing the amount or the terms; and let not any writer refuse to write it down, if he is requested for such a task, as God has taught him (the kāf of ka-mā, ‘as’, is semantically connected to the verb ya’ba, ‘refuse’), that is, just as He has given him the advantage of knowing how to write, he should not be niggardly in this respect; so let him write (repeated for emphasis), and let the debtor dictate, to the one writing the contract, for he is the one being witnessed, and must be fully aware of his obligations; and let him fear God his Lord, when dictating, and not diminish anything of it, of the debt due. And if the debtor be a fool, a squanderer, or weak, not up to dictating on account of old age or immaturity, or unable to dictate himself, on account of being dumb, or not knowing the language and so forth, then let his guardian, the one in charge of his affairs, be it a parent, an executor, a custodian or an interpreter, dictate justly. And summon to bear witness, the debt, two witnesses, men, mature Muslim free men; or if the two, witnesses, be not men, then one man and two women, to bear witness, such witnesses as you approve of, on account of their piety and probity; the number of women is because of the fact, so that if one of the two women errs, forgets the testimony, given their lesser astuteness and accuracy; the other, the one remembering, will remind her (read fa-tudhakkira or fa-tudhkira), the one that has forgotten — the ‘reminding’ clause is the reason [for the choice of two women], that is to say, so that she may be reminded if she errs or strays into error, because this [forgetfulness] is the cause of it (a variant reading [for an, ‘that’] has the conditional in, ‘if’, with [the verb inflected as] tudhakkiru, ‘she will remind’, making it a new sentence, the response to which [follows]); and let the witnesses not refuse, whenever (the mā of idhā mā, ‘whenever’, is extra) they are summoned, to bear witness and take responsibility for the testimony; and be not disdainful, lazy, to write it down, that which you have witnessed in truth (for this frequently occurred), be it, small or great, a little or much, with its term, that is, the date on which it is due (ilā ajlihi is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the [pronominal suffix] hā’ of taktubū-hu, ‘you write it down’); that, writing down, is more equitable, more just, in God’s sight, more upright for testimony, that is to say, [that is] more helpful in summoning witness, because it contains the reminder; and nearer, closer to attaining [the desired state] that you will not be in doubt, with regard to the amount and the due dates; unless it be, [that] there is, trade carried out there and then (tijāratun hādiratun: a variant reading has tijāratan hādiratan, in which case the nominal sentence is missing its subject, and must be the pronoun for tijāra, ‘trade’, that is, hiya, ‘it [fem.