LOVE LIFE

32

2012-01-13T01:50:00.000-08:00

Looking back at my life this year, all I can do is smile. I am happy.

I am proud of who I have become. I am excited at the things I am about to do.

I am about to turn 32, who would have thought that one day Nisha would be all grown up.

On a completely random note, check out http://franoramaworld.wordpress.com/

Love this lady!!

A Year End Review & Hope for the New Year

2011-12-27T02:41:00.000-08:00

Okay so I suck at regular posts but I'd like to think that every time that I blog I truly feel something profound. Let's face it, it is hard to be profound everyday. I would like to think that I am constantly looking for new things to inspire and teach me but after a while you have heard it all. I almost never get excited about new information anymore. But I digress, today's post is not another rant about the deeper meaning of life but rather a summary of the one that I have lead.

The year is drawing to an end and I have found myself thinking long and hard about what I want. This is mainly because of my experiences, that I would like to think have thought me well.

Although it has caused me a lot of trouble and heart ache, the one thing that I am very proud of, is that I have always followed my heart and not my head. That being said, I didn't do it right. I totally disregarded myself in the process and it has lead me to the brink of insanity....

Coming back from that I can tell you that the experiences were absolutely necessary. I am stubborn but life has definitely cured that. The thing about following your heart, is that it takes courage and whether we know it or not, courage my friend is hard to come by.

Although I have loved people with all my heart, my greatest lesson about love is that you must be able to love yourself. No one needs defective love. If you don't love yourself, YOU ARE DEFECTIVE. That is the hard and awful truth. If you think you can find love in fairytale romances, you are wrong. If you think you can find love in people, again you would be wrong. If you want to know love and I am talking about the unconditional kind... you can't even find it in a dog. But you can look deep within and that's where you will find it.

For me, that was a lesson that took years to learn. I had no self worth. To be honest, I don't know whether I truly have a lot of self worth now but at least its there. So how do you find it, if you simply don't have the tools to do it yourself?

Talk to a role model and THINK BIG.

Someone very wise once told me that you could be a walking God if you think big enough. Just think if you could posses God's love, what kind of an effect you could have on this world? What kind of legacy you could leave behind? Even if you didn't believe in God, just the theory of God's love is enough to entice anyone.

I understand now why I am the way that I am. I had a lot of negativity surrounding my life that contributed to my low self-esteem and lack of confidence.

That is not an excuse but a fact.

I am not saying that those experiences define me but it explains my shortcomings. The best way to improve is to identify your weaknesses and to know your triggers. I would love to tell you that you can just remove those triggers and it's all gone. But sometimes, it's not that easy. You can't remove all the negatives in your life. But you can find ways to cope with it. Get welcomed distractions to help you or someone you really care about to help. That's how I do it.

I have also learnt that its okay if you are not the life of the party, sometimes it is more meaningful to share a laugh with just one person than the entire room. Be yourself and be comfortable with who you are. Before you know it, everyone around you is comfortable too. It is rare and refreshing to meet someone sincere, be that person :)

Life is not a competition, it is an adventure. If you are able to talk about a long and hard fall in your attempt at life, it doesn't mean you have failed. It just means you were brave enough to take a huge leap that lead you somewhere else, somewhere unexpected. Thank God for the unexpected, a surprise party is special for a reason ;)

Happy New Year everyone... Here is to a better year because you made it better.

Instead of Stewing in the Negative REACH for the Postive

2011-10-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

"A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes" -Mahatma Gandhi

Lately I hardly watch TV... Even if I am sitting in front of TV my mind is switched off or wandering somewhere else. I am starting to worry about myself, seems like hardly anything holds my attention anymore. I have been on an amazing journey where my senses and thoughts have been overwhelmed and the entire knowledge of my existence has been challenged. I live by new rules and seek knowledge beyond the understanding of most. So after going through all that, everything else seems trivial, boring and mundane.

But on Sunday I came home after a long day of visiting friends and family and one TV show caught my attention. It was Oprah's last show. I had some friends who said that I should watch it but I never did. To be honest, I thought that Oprah came off as a bit preachy. But this show was a wow moment for me. (or by Oprah standards would have constituted as an AHA! moment) She said something that resounded in my soul, she mentioned that through her 25 years of doing the show she had seen a general theme that ran through people. They felt that they weren't enough, they didn't feel that they were good enough for the blessings that they have received. They don't feel like they deserve all the good things that came their way. She said that most people were self-defeating.

This has been especially true in my life. Let me tell you about my life right now, I am in a job that I love. I am with the man that I love and I surround myself with the people that I love. I have the best girlfriends in the world that literally make me laugh out loud. Most of the time we end up embarrassing ourselves at how loud we are. But to be honest, the world fades away while I am around my girls and to although most people might find us annoying, we truly couldn't give a hoot. We are off on an adventure this weekend but I digress.

I have fantastic job, an amazing boss and I am learning more and more as I go ... I was meant for radio and I am so glad that although I went away from it for a while I am back to a place where I know I can excel. As for the man that I love, well he is just every girl's dream. He's caring, funny, sensitive and the most generous man who spoils me and makes me feel like the most important person in the world.

With everything going right in my life, I was expecting something to go wrong. I was anticipating the bad because I didn't feel worthy of all the things I had inherited in my life. (I use the term "things" but what I really mean is treasures) I was so used to having drama, pain and hurt in my life that once it was gone, I simply couldn't accept it. It had become such a staple in my life, almost a crutch or a handicap to make excuses for why I couldn't move forward in my life that after a while I had grown to expect it and even miss it once it was gone. I am so content in fact that I have grown fat from it.... again another story that I will share at a later date.

I have learnt that I am enough and that I can expect for more great things to happen in my life and this my friends, is merely the beginning. But no one had verbalised it as eloquently than Oprah. So now, she's on my Flipboard (Ipad App- absolutely amazing, by the way!) and I visit her everyday, another good friend I have met on my journey of self discovery ( a bit late I know, but I don't find her preachy anymore) Maybe, I am getting older(what I mean to say is wiser)... OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) is filled with programmes that motivate and inspire you. So now instead of stewing in the negative I reach for the positive and expect more for me and my life.

Life

2011-08-01T23:28:00.000-07:00

Life has a funny way of working out. I am really happy to meet like-minded people who are willing to work for something, simply for the passion of doing it. I am about to embark on a new adventure with a new outlook in familiar surroundings. What more could you ask for?

Thank God for Miracles

2011-07-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

I am happy today when I am supposed to be sad. I don't know what I would do without the little miracles everyday.... tell me about your miracles, I wanna hear about it :)

A Great Start

2011-07-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than waking up to a good nasi lemak on a weekday morning. Rich fat rice grains flavoured with coconut milk, steam rising from from the very rice you just can't wait to digest, filling your nostrils with the sweet smell of pandan. The spicy sambal to give you a kick-start in the morning and the cucumber to cool your tongue once its fired up and salivating for more. The crunchiness of the ikan bilis and kacang make so fun to eat and break away from the flavours of the rice and sambal. The ultimate finale is the sweet hot taste of teh tarik to give it the perfect finish.

Blessed be Malaysian Food!!

What to do?

2011-07-19T02:48:00.001-07:00

I am faced with the question on should I stay in a job that I hate that provides me with all the time and the money I need or do I look for a job that I am passionate about? What I have learnt is that a life without passion isn’t a life at all and since most of my time during my week is spent at the job shouldn’t I then know the obvious answer? But oh the frustration of not having enough money to help my family is more unbearable than the dull days in this stuffy cubicle. When they said that life is tough....they weren’t kidding.

Frost & Sullivan Malaysia

2011-07-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

So believe it or not, I have started a brand new adventure in Frost & Sullivan. It's your typical 9am-6pm type job. I am handling Corporate Communications for Malaysia which is mad for me cause I have never taken myself that seriously, let alone have others look at me like some kind of competent professional.

I have an amazing boss, my colleagues are really pleasant and there is no hard and fast rule here at Frost. I would love to tell you that I welcome the stability but it does take some getting use to. I would love to tell you that now that I could actually anticipate what I could do in a day that my life is ticking like clockwork.I'd like to tell you that life is grand!!!

But I miss radio :(

I know that this too is temporary and that soon enough another adventure is bound my way. So till then, I shall sit tight... keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't do some irreparable damage at Frost :)

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

So 2011 is here!! I am excited at the new opportunities that this year will bring. New Year's day was lovely, of course and filled with parties together with friends and loved ones. The next day I caught up with cousins for a quiet drink and while we were there, the chinese zodiac book was broken out to read everyone's future of the upcoming Year of the Rabbit. According to the book, its going to be fairly good year however my past is supposed to come back to haunt me somehow.

Here's one reading for the Year of the Rabbit:

A placid year, very much welcomed and needed after the ferocious year of the Tiger. We should go off to some quiet spot to lick our wounds and get some rest after all the battles of the previous year.

Good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty.

A time to watch out that we do not become too indulgent. The influence of the Rabbit tends to spoil those who like too much comfort and thus impair their effectiveness and sense of duty.

Law and order will be lax; rules and regulations will not be rigidly enforced. No one seems very inclined to bother with these unpleasant realities. They are busy enjoying themselves, entertaining others or simply taking it easy. The scene is quiet and calm, even deteriorating to the point of somnolence. We will all have a tendency to put off disagreeable tasks as long as possible

Money can be made without too much labor. Our life style will be languid and leisurely as we allow ourselves the luxuries we have always craved for. A temperate year with unhurried pace. For once, it may seem possible for us to be carefree and happy without too many annoyances.

http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/more_zodiacs/rabbit.htm

Lick my wounds indeed, the year of the Tiger has been a killer year and I for one am looking forward to quieter year ahead. Happy new year everyone, enjoy this year...seems like its going to be a good one.

It's been a while but I am back

2010-12-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

I know its been a while but now that I have some time to breathe its nice to blog cause you want to and not because you have to... So Christmas holidays were nice, got to spend time with the fam but let me keep you up to speed on what's bee.n happening on the love front, so you know I recently manage to catch another unsuspecting man to be my mate and his name is Leon. I have to say that he has gone way beyond the call of duty of a boyfriend to make me feel loved and help me through some really tough times

That's him, he doesn't like taking pictures for some reason...I think he has the cutest smile.

Besides that, a lot of my friends got married this year and I got to be apart of it, which I have to say I was honoured to be apart of but here some scandal for you I was seen with another handsome gentleman that stole my heart....

That's him! Triston, my best mate, Cynthia's son!! He is so sweet and I am not going to lie, he has stolen my heart

So if I wasn't working I was attending / emceeing weddings and I always had my trustee girls that I could blow off some steam with

That's my girls!! And honestly, this is us when we are well-behaved. We are all a little nutsos and that's why we all get along so well!

As I approach the end of the year, I usually take stock of all I have done and what I am looking foward to do. I haven't spent time with a real close friend of mine and that is something I am definitely going to start doing. Her name is Shareena and she has been one of the best friends a girl could ask for, I am looking forward to seeing her soon cause its just been too long since we have done one of these.......

Shareena and I in Cambodia

So 2011 is about quality of life and what I want out of it and not it out of me.

HOW TO BREAK UP WITH A NICE GUY

2010-11-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

It’s easy to leave someone who hasn’t treated you well: You give them

a piece of your mind and then say goodbye. But what if you find
yourself in a relationship with a “nice guy”? He’s kind, sensitive,
not a game-player or emotionally manipulative, but he just doesn’t “do
it” for you.

Perhaps you’ve decided you’re more into “bad boys,” or maybe you’re
just bored, but for whatever reason you want to get out of the
relationship. Breaking up with a nice guy takes a little more
finesse.

The traditional advice holds true: A telephone call generally isn’t
appropriate (unless it’s long-distance, or other circumstances demand
it). An email isn’t any nicer, and a text message is inexcusable. The
only nice way is in person.

Arrange a time to see him so that you can tell him how you feel. Once
you’re together, it’s best to say what’s on your mind sooner rather
than later. You don’t want to have to fake your feelings or pretend
that everything is OK.

There’s no easy way to let him know. The words you’ll say will depend
on the exact reason you want to leave, but let him know that he
deserves someone who wants to be with him with all her heart…but right
now that person isn’t you.

This may be difficult for him to hear. On the other hand, he may have
felt the same, but because he is a nice guy, he didn’t have the heart
to tell you. If you’re really lucky, he’ll be relieved, and you can
relax and start on a journey towards “just-friendship.”

Of course, he may be crushed and feel horrible. Tell him how sorry you
are to cause him any pain. If he tells you how much he loves you, ask
him if he would be happy with someone who didn’t love him equally. The
only reasonable answer is “no.”

Most nice guys are great, but for others it’s just a mask behind which
they can manipulate people. Watch out for emotional manipulation:
attempts to elicit pity, accusations of cruelty and selfishness, or
other similar behavior. You can cut him some slack because of his
pain, but be careful of taking him back out of sympathy.

If you’re overcome with guilt, relax: We all sign up for the
possibility of heartbreak when we enter a relationship. You owe him
your honesty, compassion and kindness. You don’t owe him another
chance, sex, or anything else that you don’t want.

Finally, remember to be cautious about pursuing a friendship – give
him a proper amount of time to recover (which will vary depending on
the length of the relationship). Here’s a good test: If you think
he’d feel bad when hearing about your new boyfriend, you shouldn’t be
friends.

Happy Birthday Hard Rock!

2010-10-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

So I know it was quite some time ago but I am a little upset with myself for not telling you how much fun I had Hard Rock's 1st anniversary party.... The bands were simply, the crowd was beautiful and the food and drink .... was just i unspeakably good. I wish I could bring every one of you for Hard Rock parties because I simply have the best time there. Thank you to Tommy Ong and Elisa for having us. I have to say I haven't seen a party that well organised in a while. But enough talk ...a picture paint a thousand words, so here are some photos of the fun we had

At the press briefing before the event

My favourite band; Bongga Bongga. They are so good and great guys

Fire-breathing by the beach... great bondfires there throughout the night too

Pizza tossing acrobatics, it was amazing!!

Look how beautiful the tent was and the amount of people!!

That was the 1st Anniversary birthday cake, it had to be cut with a chainsaw!!

The french Bono, his record sales in France have not been broken even to this date. I got to find out why first hand, this man is simply musical genius!

Tommy and I having a blast!

Tommy and I doing a Terry (The next time you see Terry from the Red Drive dance, look at his face...it's that exact same pout ;) Tommy does it better!)

Everyone was in the mood to part-a-y!!

Not a very good picture but the fireworks were amazing!

Wilfred Owen

2010-09-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

A picture of the poet - Wilfred Owen

You know being an English lit major in I got to indulge in poetry and Emily Dickinson was a favourite among my many female English Lit. friends, but of course yours truly, needed some blood and gore and a bit more drama....always more drama. In fact, that should be my motto. Anyway, in looking at the many great poets of all time, I stumbled on a British poet who was also a soldier in the first world war. His poems are often, gruesome and grey but they are powerful and very emotional pieces. Although I think it is unjust to categorise his poetry, he is often known as a war poet... His poetry moved me as a teenager and continues to be a great source of inspiration for me in my life. Since I felt such a connection to him, I wanted to share on of my favourite poems with you....

Greater Love

Red lips are not so red

As the stained stones kissed by the English dead.

Kindness of wooed and wooerSeems shame to their love pure.

O Love, your eyes lose lureWhen I behold eyes blinded in my stead!

Your slender attitudeTrembles not exquisite like limbs knife-skewed,

Rolling and rolling thereWhere God seems not to care:

Till the fierce love they bearCramps them in death’s extreme decrepitude.

Your voice sings not so soft,—

Though even as wind murmuring through raftered loft,—

Your dear voice is not dear,

Gentle, and evening clear,

As theirs whom none now hear,

Now earth has stopped their piteous mouths that coughed.

Heart, you were never hot

Nor large, nor full like hearts made great with shot;

And though your hand be pale,

Paler are all which trail

Your cross through flame and hail:

Weep, you may weep, for you may touch them not.

-Wilfred Owen-

Too much?

2010-09-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I have to say I love what I do, so when it comes to my carrier sometimes I get slightly carried away working. Okay, I am a workaholic, I have no qualms working mornin, noon and night. In fact, I welcome it, that way I really feel like I have deserved my weekend. However, in the process of doing this, I have lost friends and the closeness that I used to share with my family. I know that I should make time, and I think I do within reason but lately the voice of reason in my life ie. my bf has been telling me to relook at the way I do things. "How long are you going to keep doing this? You mean, you are going to keep this up all your life?" "I don't think I can," was my reply. But while I am still young I feel now is the time to do all that I can do. You see I feel that I am very well-adjusted. When I was in school I was very involved in the theatre and the like so besides the usual education that you get out of your primary and secodary school, I also learnt confidence and how to express myself. In college, I worked and studied for most of it and managed to graduate with good grades. I made the most of the experience while I was away from my parents and took baby steps in learning how to be a full-blown adult. Now that I am one, I feel the need to work hard and take care of the people that I love. I have always been doing more than what is expected and I have been pretty successful so far, so I really don't see what is wrong with that? But just because that is what I am used to, should I continue doing it or should i take more time to stop and smell the roses? What do you think?

Cashing in on Your Misfortune: Turn Your Frown Upside Down

2010-09-06T02:48:00.001-07:00

Some people have a knack for making lemonade out of lemons, taking a rainy cloud and turning it into profit, fame and fortune. If I could do that, I would be a trillionaire. But somehow I fail to see how my uncle’s recent passing or my mum falling ill somewhat of a cash cow. One thing is for sure, misery loves company that would explain why most people who are unhappy would usually, very readily share their rainy cloud with you. I digress, sharing your misfortune with others help them cope with theirs.

Recently I wrote about Eat, Pray Love…I seemed to have missed the point completely. Although I wasn’t particularly impressed with the book and the movie is supposedly even worst. Here is a woman who has turned her divorce, a crippling experience for most into a New York Times Bestseller. She has turned her inability to hang on to a union made before God and man and turned into an adventure to foreign countries, sampling food, spirituality and romance. She didn’t sit around mope and cry over her spilt milk, she made it into a Hollywood hit! So now I look at Elizabeth Gilbert through new eyes. I heard of a man here in Malaysia, who was so moved by the tsunami that hit Asia in 2004 that he traveled to all the countries hit by the raging waters and made a moving documentary of the people and their lives after the storm. He is now immortalized in the hearts of the people that he encountered and the people that he has touched through his film. While another radio personality who survived the tsunami in Sri Lanka and went back a year later to help the people there. She looks at life in a way that most people could only dream about, she is fearless.

So what have I learned about life’s tragedy, that some people handle it much better than others. Some people can cash in on it while other grabs life by the horns…make it almost seem silly for all that crying fussing now but I am gonna try it…the next time something bad happens… I am gonna turn it around…How? You will just have to wait and see.

Sticks and Stones Will Break Your Bones & Words WILL Hurt You

2010-09-06T02:21:00.000-07:00

Whoever came up with the term “sticks and stones may break your bones but words can never hurt you.”….LIED!! I have grown to realize how hurtful words can be. I never thought that they could be that damaging but sometimes a rash and rude word can change the way someone looks at you for the rest of your life. Don’t get me wrong this is not some preachy blog about how we should all be nice and get along but a recent realization that nothing good comes from saying something bad. This problem is particularly bad for me cause I have rage issues. In my younger years, I have surpressed a lot of hurt and anger and only recently did I start dealing with it. A friend helped me with NLP and that has worked for the most part but every now and again it rears its ugly head to come back and haunt me. So how do I make sure that I don’t lose my head the next time I have an argument with someone. Before I get into that, I wanted to find out where this anger stems from and I stumbled upon this finding:Where Angry Feelings Come From?University of Pittsburgh researchers found that anger and hostility in women could be caused by biological factors, such as an alteration in a serotonin receptor gene. Low serotonin levels can also lead to depression and obsessive compulsive tendencies -- and possibly even anxiety disorders.Now this fact makes me feel better, my anger is not a conscious decision but a chemical imbalance. This doesn’t mean I am not about to start drugging myself to diffuse my anger but it simply helps me accept the fact about me losing control a little better.Now that I understand the anger, all I have to do is….

1. Take a timeout from the person that I am angry with
2. Deep breaths and calm myself before I even utter a word
3. Write, I have always loved writing and this would be an interesting entry to my dairy ;)
4. When I do discuss the matter, use “I” words like “I feel” instead if “You did” and “You are” and “You always”
5. If possible use humor to diffuse the situation, but if not done correctly… this could backfire so I use step 5 with caution.

I never want to see the hurt I caused recently when my tongue went on a rampage after I had lost my cool. So I hope the Mayo Clinic knows what they’re talking about when it comes to Anger Management. I will let you know if it works…

My weapons in the warfare of marriage (If that day ever comes….)

2010-08-31T19:45:00.001-07:00

If you’ve been following my blogs you would have known two thingsabout me, I am a commitment-phob and I am currently in a relationship.Those of you reading this for the first time will laugh out loud andalthough funny at first. I am seriously struggling with the fact thatI love someone and I need to do ME. However because I am in love, I amtaking baby steps to make this one work. Recently I decided to do someresearch to see how much support one can get without having to rely onmummy and daddy when things go wrong in a marriage. In my quest, Istumbled upon this website or rather another blog that I think wouldcome in handy in case I need to keep the flame going in a union thatdooms you to one partner FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

(And if you wondering, yes my boyfriend has been talking aboutmarriage and yes I am freaked out!)

Simply named http://strengtheningmarriage.com/ it gives you practicalsolutions to intimate problems in a marriage that you would normallybe afraid to talk about. The website has articles and videos that takeyou through the nitty gritty issues that we Asians shy from. Theseissues however are crucial to a successful marriage and I for one, amnot ashamed to admit that probably 20 years into a relationship withMr. Right, might make you look at him as Mr Write-Off. So yes, if itmeans I have to intellectualize something that came naturally before,so be it.

The next tool I came across was a book from John Gottman titled TheSeven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from theCountry's Foremost Relationship Expert. If you ask me, the title isway too long for it to be memorable, but it’s a great book. In thisNew York Times bestseller, the author shatters the common myth ofcommunication being the key to a healthy marriage. Thank goodness,someone had the common sense to come up with this conclusion. Nomatter how much we would like to believe it, sometimes talking tothings out only makes matters worst. So the gist of it is to find asolution that is workable for

My third and final tool is observation, I have the privilege of havinga lot of married friends and although I might not want to confide inthem all the time… I do think observing the dynamics of therelationship between man and wife and trying to apply some positivebehaivours like being your partner’s biggest cheerleaders or justbeing a listening ear without trying to fix the problem goes a longway.
3 tools for a lifetime of challenges, what do you think? Do I have a chance?

Eat Pray Love

2010-08-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

In 2007 my close friend Ruby gave me a book as a going away present. (She was the one going away, mind you and I got a present, don't you love my friends!) The title of the book was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's story about one woman's self-discovery. She recently got a divorce and decided that she wanted to find herself again...she travels the world picking the brains of the people she meets and tries to open herself up to new and very different experiences. Her travels take her to 3 places, Italy, India and Indonesia. I can't say that it was the best book that I have read but I took something away from it like I do most books.

Sometime last year, I heard that they were planning to make a movie from the book and Julia Roberts was to star in it. Now the movie is out in the US and it has all these women talking about the meaning of it. I didn't realise what a great marketing gimmick this would be cause when you get a word of mouth publicity about a movie that is meant to be appeal to more intellectual, you really don't need much else before people start flocking into what i would guess to be a less than mediocre film.

The trailer for the movie : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZzmqHJ0gPU

Maybe it would mean more to Americans since a lot of them don't travel outside of their own borders and the mystical Asian ways are all very new to them but looking at it from an Asian perspective and having done my fair share of travels and diary entries.... What I want to know is, what's the big deal?

What a load of....

2010-08-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

For fun, I like reading the horoscope section in the newspaper and when you read enough of them, you find a way to relate your life to what is being said, I think I am making it quite obvious here that I am buying into this whole prediction by planets nonsense. I have to say though there are varying degrees, we are all superstitious when it comes to life and love. I remember my mum telling me that if you finished the plate that you would remain a spinster... must have been the curse of the FOOD GOD.... I have also heard such silliness like you should never get married on Friday the 13th or your life will be doomed to misery. But the best one of all was to think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off. I knew for a fact that I truly did not believe in superstition when I heard this:

Monday's child is fair of face;
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is full of woe;
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving;
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
is fair and wise, good and gay.

I am born on a Tuesday and if you know me, I am far from graceful unless they mean that there is a little woman by the name of Grace living inside of me and somehow I imagine her getting bigger by the day (think I just scared myself). Although, I did admit that there are varying degrees of superstitions so although I think that a lot of the superstitions are a load of crock... I have superstitions of my own.

When it comes to my own pantangs, well let's say I never go out with people who are overly-suspicious! :)

My baby!!

2010-08-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

My Pancho and my cousin, Kristin

So my Pancho (dog) got really sick for the first time, I had to admit him at the animal medical centre, in Jalan Tun Razak..man it was the worst scare ever. He started purging then there was blood in his poo and soon enough it was just blood. I have never been so scared in my life....after rushing him to the animal hospital in the wee hours of the night, I found out that I had to leave him there...that was the hardest thing...he looked so scared and sick... and I never knew how much I loved my dog till that very moment. Turns out he had a bacteria infection in his intestines. He is back home now and recovering, the doctor said that it was something he ingested... so now when we are out on walks I am super paranoid, like those really irritating, over-bearing parents... I hope I don't turn out to be one. But for right now, I am just too relieved that my dog is ok and on the way to recovering. What a scare!

Bungee..eee.eee!

2010-08-16T03:31:00.000-07:00

I think I have mentioned this a million times, but I can't say it enough, I am afraid of heights. Every time I have to climb a ladder to some dusting, I fear for my life. (I know, I am a drama queen). Anyway.... the Red FM Breakfast Show decided that it would be fun for all the announcers to bungee jump and even surprised Hazim(our weekend jock) that he would have to jump at the last minute... so we get to Sunway Lagoon and my heart is beating so hard it feels like its gonna fly out of my chest. All our lovely listeners arrive shortly to support us and we're off. Next thing I know we're on the bridge being weighed in like animals just before the slaughter. I was the meatiest so if we were being slaughtered I would be prime-cut...but I digress.

We got to see Richard from Bungy Malaysia again, the first time I met him was the Red FM Breakfast Birthday Bash. He was so bubbly and great to be around that it was hard to forget him. Meeting him again cheered me up a little but it was a temporary distraction...the nerves started to set again and I can distinctively remember saying that I did want to be one of the last to jump (but I was). Soon enough it was my turn and low and behold, I am standing at the edge of the platform ready to jump. 5,4,3,2,1...Bungeeeee!!!

What a rush! It was one of the most free-ing experience ever. I think its funny I use the term free-ing cause my love-handles were apparently freed as well.

Now I can look back and laugh at the whole experience and I am really glad the morning guys made us do it. Cause I don't think I would have had the cahoonas to have done it myself. So thanks guys! I owe ya and thanks Bungy Malaysia...one fear down, a million more to overcome and you can bet your bottom dollar I am going to blog about it

The money bungee shot! (Thanks Dalbir)

Now what?

2010-08-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

So you know I am dating someone and he is a darling. I can't believe I have someone this kind, who loves me this much and for the life of me, I don't know what I did to deserve this.

That being said, the sad fact is that he can't say the same thing. I have no time for him and between family commitments, work, my girls, my dog and the million other things that I need to juggle...I just can't seem to find the time to truly show him how much I care. So this blog entry is a cry for help! How do you juggle it all? What should I do? I don't want him to think that he is second-fiddle to everyone and everything else. But at the same time I don't want to neglect my responsibilities to my loved ones. What am I to do?

Femme City 2010

2010-08-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

So I got to hang out in KLCC for the first ever Femme City exhibition for women, organised by The Star. YB Dato' Senator Sharizat Abdul Jalil, one of our most graceful and poised ministers, I was so proud to be apart of such a festive and momentous occasion. The fashion shows, talks and promotions were truly fantastic. My hats to the organisers, the Dress A'Flair, a fashion show by local designers at the exhibition was the peak to a historical event. I got to wear an evening dress by one of my favourite local designers Eric Choong. I felt like Carey Bradshaw but brown :). It was definitely a highlight for me and I was truly happy to be there.

Photos of the festivities: http://web.red.fm/Archives/Archives/Pages/Femme_City_%40_KLCC.html

Pacho and me

2010-07-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

I recently acquired a dog and he is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Since returning to Malaysia, (I was working and studying in the States) I have been yearning for a pet. Cause I live with mum and she was dead-set against it I never got one. However my pooch came into my life by accident. My brother's friend was moving to Brisbane for work and couldn't afford to bring his dog over with him so my brother volunteered to help find him a home. We housed the dog here in my home for a little while... and my brother put an ad out on the internet. Several people came to see the dog, but because Pancho (that's the dog's name) is a very sensitive and temperamental he didn't really warm up to anyone except me :) (I think you know where this story is headed) So I begged and pleaded with mum to let me keep him and after 2/3 weeks of constant whining, she caved. Now Pancho is part of the family and is such a joy in my life. I love him very much although most don't. (cause he's not very friendly) But all that matters is that I have Pancho and he has me!

My darling Pancho

When It Rains It Pours

2010-07-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

We have all gone through a stressful period in our life and sometimes it just feels like all the bad things in your life happens at once. Hence the term "When it rains. it pours!" I know that in no way I am special and have it particularly harder than most but it is hard to not get down on yourself when bad things happen. But here is where you know who truly loves you. When things get hard and times get bad, you rely on your loved ones to help you get through it and make you stronger. That's how I get by. I can only hope that you have the same.

So here's an ode to everyone who has helped me through my hard times:

We all have a cherished garden we tend -
It is planted with love of family and friends.
The memories and dreams we treasure and share
Are like beautiful roses found blooming there.
The comfort and care on which we depend
Is given with love between family and friends.
The sunshine of laughter and rain of a tear
Only make our love grow with each passing year.
We may all be ourselves with no need to pretend
Because of the love of family and friends;
They notice the rainbows and weather the showers.
They overlook weeds and praise all our flowers.
The most valuable thing is the time that we spend
Tending this garden with family and friends.
When counting our blessings, we know from the start
That family and friends come first in our heart.

© Jill Wolf

My Brother's Big Day

2010-07-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

My brother got married a year ago in Singapore but since he moved to KL, he thought that it would be nice to relived the moment with his family and friends here. Needless to say the planning was painful but when it came together it was simply beautiful.

He married this angel who I now call my sister-in-law. This was one wedding that I really didn't have to do much. You wouldn't believe how relieved I was to know I wasn't emceeing it. Except that I had to give a speech as the Maid of Honour and what an honour indeed.

Since weddings warm my heart I thought I would share that moment with you and hopefully it will spread the warm and fuzzies to you too.

My brother and his two best men (Rim, My brother[Mark] and Gordon)

My beautiful sis-in-law, Cindy

The girls getting ready

Shereen, one of my best friends (She helped so much at the wedding)

Fast forward - Cake Cutting

My darlings from Red FM, there to support (Nick, Shareena, Mary, Terry and Aly)

Aly was our emcee that night! She did a fantastic job and made my mum her fan

Their first dance

My beautiful family

My brother-in-law and Cindy's cousins

Me and the sister I have always wanted

Welcome to the family Cindy!!

You should know better...well we don't

2010-07-21T00:08:00.000-07:00

I have been getting complaints from my significant other that I am a lot like a guy. I am a little too relaxed when it comes to dealing with relationship issues. I am not really fussed about shopping and going for movies. Instead I am obsessed about going to the gym, eating way more than i should and salvaging an ego that is way too big for my own good.

Good thing the man that I have met is patient, sweet and willing to give in even when he knows he is right.

Every time I talk to my girlfriends and hear them complain about their boyfriends, they have the same complaints as mine boyfriend does about me. When I try to explain to them that this is simply the way we are. They get upset with me. But let me tell you something ladies and some gentlemen... you want us to be sensitive enough to know what you want without you telling us, yet when we get it wrong again you get angry. Its a lose-lose situation, there is simply no winning with that one. So do me a favour... don't expect, explain. Even if it seems like we should know by now, just humour us and say it anyway. Is it really that hard to do?

Summer Fest @ Hard Rock Penang

2010-07-12T22:28:00.000-07:00

Last month we went up to Penang and had a blast at the Summer Fest 2010. What more could a girl ask for.... amazing bands throughout the day, good food, drink a flowing and company of amazing people. (I am in such a good mood that Terry is included in the group of amazing people there)

But I have to say the highlight of the whole event was Zainal Abidin, he is an amazing performer and a true professional. Here are some photos I thought I would share.....

These two boys are amazing talents, they play several instruments and they play it well!

Tommy Ong, the man who made it all possible in Hard Rock Penang

Terry enjoying his cocktail on a hot afternoon

Hydra, one of my favourite bands! They are soooo good!

Last but certainly not least, Zainal Abidin...the best part of SummerFest!

The Legend Is True

2010-06-28T23:14:00.000-07:00

Now I know that I usually blog about love but today's entry is simply about life. Don't know if I have told you already but I recently bought a house. Its a really small townhouse in Kajang but I think its pretty and perfect for me. I still haven't got the keys yet but I am excited at the prospect of it. I am going through the usual problems that a new home owner goes through and I have no qualms about that. But since I am as poor as a church mouse I could use all the financial help that I can get. Here's where my story begins....

Naturally when you have no money, you use all the available resources to help you out. So I recently went to EPF, to withdraw some money under the first home scheme. Now I had heard some nightmare stories of people returning to the office, time and time again because they got the documentation for the application process wrong. So this is what I did to avoid the much-talked about nightmare reoccurring in my circumstance, I went online to see what I needed. Then, I double-checked with an EPF officer before getting everything I needed. I thought that I would be one of the few people that would walk out of the EPF office without having to return.

So I get all my papers in order, photocopy everything that is needed plus I bring all the original copies then I even double-check with the checklist. I go to the "Semakan Dokumen" Counter and wait with baited breath....."Pleease tell me I don't have to come back and I have everything I need." ..... Success!! The man at the counter tells me what I want to hear. I go to the other counter just to hand in my papers.... "Yay! I am out of the woods!!" Or so I think.....

The lady at the counter tells me that my developer's lawyers have to have their company stamp on the S&P agreement and my application would be rejected without it. So now I have to see the lawyers and get both copies stamped. I was not the first to get my application through without a hiccup. I was not the one to claim victory over the EPF application. I was not to the one to make history among everyone I knew.

Legend has it, no one ever will!!

Love Has Funny Way

2010-06-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

I was always a late bloomer. For most of my life, I believed I was a boy. Only towards the later part of my life (when I started to develop) I realised that I was truly a girl. Had a few crushes and met a few people but I never really felt strongly for men.

I first fell in love with a man when I was 23. I went out with him for 4 years and thought that I was going to end up marrying him but he wanted something different. After that I never thought that I would end up getting married, quite frankly I gave up on the idea of it. Plus the experiences that some of my married friends were going through, honestly made me believe that marriage is simply not for me. Resigned to the idea that I would be one of those people that most people would wonder about, I went about my life quite happily...if there someone there to share special moments then great, but if not I wasn't going to cry about it. I learnt to enjoy my own company and to be frank, I haven't found someone that I truly enjoy being around with as much.

But life has a way of throwing you curve balls and recently I have been looking at life a little differently. Am I going to end up someone's Mrs after all? We'll see how this one goes. Will keep you posted :)

How Do You Know That You're in Love?

2010-06-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

The other day my cousin came up to me and asked me, what I think to be the toughest question you could ever ask..."How do you know when you're in love?" My mum simply retorted, "You will know." Now although that answer is truthful, I think it is less than sufficient. You see my mum comes from years and years of experience of different types of love and she knows that it simply can't be summorised for my cousin to understand. She would have to experience it for herself.

However for me, love is not thinking about your boyfriend/girlfriend all the time. Love is not the butterflies in your stomach when you see that special someone. Love is not chocolates, flowers and surprise gifts, that my friend, is infatuation. Love happens when you get passed that stage. Its the patience you have for someone even when you know you've seen this happen a million times and instead of saying "I told you so", you say "Its gonna be alright." Its the strength you show when you know you should be at your weakest. Its being there for them even when you hate seeing what's going on. Its sticking through the hard times while being thankful for the easy ones. Its the knowledge that love doesn't fade without you allowing it to happen. Its working at it and never giving up. Finally true love is letting someone go even when all you want is for them to be yours forever and trusting that if it was meant to be they will come back to you......eventually.

How Can We Be Lovers?

2010-05-17T08:11:00.001-07:00

There comes a time in every love songs radio jock's life that they want to meet the people behind the mushy love-dovey songs they play and talk to them about their lives to find out what inspires them to put their feelings into song. Well this radio jock got that opportunity, on Friday's show I talked to Michael Bolton. Now it was an exhilarating experience being able to talk to the man who wrote "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You." As we warmed up, chatting about his past and how he's carrier had developed, I must admit that i had remind myself constantly not to giggle like a school girl or sound too much like a a fan... "Be professional Nisha, just be cool!". But man, oh man.... he's as poetic when he speaks and it was hard for me to hold back that slowly I was falling in love with Michael Bolton. So when he finally admitted that he was single, I jumped at the chance to offer my services as his potential girlfriend.... he's on his way to South East Asia anyway and if there was a chance I was going to make my way into Michael Bolton's heart as he did mine.... this would be my only opportunity. So am I going to stalk him and meet him in Singapore?.... cause after the interview, he did say that if I ever were at one of his concerts that I could come up and say hi. Now most people wouldn't take it seriously but since I have now become almost scarily obsessed with the man and his music....I think I just might.

So far so good

2010-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

So by now I think everyone knows that I starting a brand new relationship and I must say it is going rather well. (Hope I don't jinx it!)

I met his mother for the first time yesterday. There were no awkward silences cause American Idol was playing in the background, so every time we had nothing to say to one another we would comment about the contestants and how well they were doing in the show. We also discussed about the future of American Idol contestants, we both agreed that without Simon Cowell the show will be useless.

But enough of American Idol, I also met his sister. She is so sweet, I could seriously see myself getting comfortable in this family (mind you it hasn't been 2 months).

I blame it on the age, I think when I date now... I am thinking about the whole package. I am still a little afraid of commitment but I have to admit in this relationship, (if it keep going the way it is now) it won't be hard for me to get over it.

Will keep you posted :)

Man, this one will make you laugh out LOUD!!

2010-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know whether you have read this but if you haven't you must.... too funny!

Subject: Letter from India

My dear Jagjit,

I am in a well here and hoping you are also in a well there. I'm
writing this letter slowly, because I know you cannot read fast.

We are not living where we did when you left home. Your dad read
in the newspaper that most accidents happen 20 miles from home,
so we moved 20 miles.

I am not able to send the address, as the last Sardar who stayed
here took the house numbers with them for their new house so
they would not have to change their address. Hopefully by next
week we will be able to take our earlier address plate here, and
that our address will remain same too.

This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine,
situated right above the toilet. But I'm not sure it works too
well. Last week I put in 3 shirts, pulled the chain, and haven't
seen them since.

The weather here isn't too bad. It rained only twice last
week. The first time it rained for 3 days and second time for 4 days.

The coat you wanted me to send you, your Aunt said it would be
a little too heavy to send in the mail with all the metal
buttons, so we cut them off and put them in the pocket.

Your father has another job. He has 500 men under him. He is
cutting the grass at the cemetery.

By the way, I took Bahu (daughter-in-law) to our club's poolside. The manager is
Badmash. He told her that two piece swimming suit is not allowed
in his club.
We were confused as to which piece we should remove?

Your sister had a baby this morning. I haven't found out whether
it is a girl or a boy, so I don't know whether you are an Aunt
or Uncle.

Your uncle, Jetinder fell in the nearby well. Some men tried to
pull him out, but he fought them off bravely and drowned. We
cremated him and he burned for three days.

Your best friend, Balwinder, is no more. He died trying to
fulfill his father's last wishes. His father had wished to be
buried in the sea after he died. And your friend died while in
the process of digging a grave for his father.

There isn't much more news this time. Nothing much has happened.

Love,
Mom.

P.S : Jagjit, I was going to send you some money but by the time
I realized, I had already sealed off this letter.

Red FM's Skool Daze Earth Hour Party in Penang

2010-04-02T01:26:00.000-07:00

So we went down to penang last weekend and had a blast, our long-time listeners and friends, Carol and Jeffrey were there to support the event and I made a few new friends in Penang. I have to say that I have really warmed up to the Penangites, I think that there is something in the air of the island that make them friendly and just fun to be around. Tiki lights and tea lamps set the mood for the Earth hour party and did I mention that it was a pool party, where the DJ console was errected in the pool. How cool is that??!! People really started to get into it after a couple of games and lucky draws... I have to say the snacks and drinks helped as well to set the mood for the festivities.

The party was gorgeous!

Food was fantastic!

Jeff and Carol partying with the crew!

Throughout the night we (JD, Dilly and I) gave out fun facts about Earth hour ( prepared by Adrian, our angel behind the scenes). Lights turned off at 8:30pm and the party started heating up... We laughed, we gave out prizes including a Revelation Rewards holiday package worth RM30,000. Not to mention, music from yesteryear to bring back some great memories. Man, it was great time!! I can't wait to party in Penang again. Thanks Penang I had a blast!

JD charming the ladies

Some listeners were dressed to kill!

My new found friends

The games were laugh out loud fun!

Man, we had a great time!

They Got Me Good

2010-03-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

So you would know by now that JD and Dilly have been playing pranks on all the jocks in the name of 40 minute Forfeits. I thought that I was just going to be set up on a blind date but little did I know that they had the whole room set up for a disaster date. Bad enough I was late, but my date decides to arrive later. He brings me flowers and chocolates, but here is the best part...he eats some of the chocolates cause he's apparently stuck in a jam. Then we start talking and he doesn't seem quite interested but when someone comes up to me to get my autograph cause he is apparently a fan of the show.... he gets all huffed about the man interrupting the date. In my head I am thinking.... "Dude, its really not that serious." Anyway, the worst of it was towards the end when Jd shows up disguised as a special-needs waiter and accidentally bumps into Nik (my date). Niks almost comes to blows with him when JD reveals its all a joke!! Unbelievable!!

Check out the latest 40 Minute Forfeits Video

http://web.red.fm/Red_FM/Videos.html

www.laugh-out-loud

2010-03-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you would know that I love to laugh. I am note necessarily funny (although I might be funny looking) but I am a fan of anything that makes one giggle uncontrollably. I am attracted to funny people and I try to laugh as much as I can because honestly my life is a comedic tragedy, but that story is for another day. I also have to confess that I have the most annoying tick, when I am nervous, extremely frustrated or just plain right sad.... I laugh till I tear. I don't know why it happens and how it came about but it happens. I have managed to annoy a lot of people that I love because of it. But I will tell you what I tell them, "I can't help it and it is really not my fault. It's a tick that I simply can't control."

But there are some days where I find it hard to even crack a smile and for those days I rely on the internet. I have been scouring the world wide web and have come up with a few sites that help me on grey days and if you need a pick me up I would suggest:

1. The Fail Blog is a site that highlights the common stupidity of man. A good lesson on how you need to be able to laugh at yourself and others when you do or come up with something stupid.
http://failblog.org/

2. The Darwin Awards is a site dedicated to those who improve our gene pool...by accidentally removing themselves from it.
http://www.darwinawards.com/

3. A Lady with a Wicked Sense of Humour

http://www.blog-blond.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you have favourites, always looking for more great sites.

Cheers!

Confessions of a Commitment Phob... or should I say EX

2010-03-04T06:04:00.001-08:00

So its no secret that I have been single for a while, this is not only because I haven't met the right guy but because I am (and admittedly so) dysfunctional. The classic cliche of "its not you, its me" definitely applies to me. Let me break it down for you. I am a commitment-phob. Every time someone says that they serious about the relationship I start hyperventilating. Just at the point when they utter those three words that every girl wants to hear "I LOVE YOU", my head is telling me "RUN RIGHT NOW". So this has been going on for a while now, hence why I am 30 and single.

However, recently something weird happened. Maybe its my biological clock, or maybe its just emotional maturity but I find myself warming up to the idea of marriage...wow I can't believe that I am using the M word. Getting back to the story, it all started not too long ago when I met someone, yes I met someone... he made me laugh and boy did he make me laugh. Then I found out that we share a lot of things in common and we can talk for hours and still want to talk some more. He makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. It also helps that he has also been spoiling me rotten. So I don't know how far this will go but I don't feel like running for the hills and I guess that's a start. Wish me luck!

Cambodia, Believe the Hype

2010-02-03T08:34:00.000-08:00

I really don’t want to jinx it but I have to say that so far, I am really enjoying my 30s. One of my best mates bought me a trip to Cambodia as a birthday present. We had a lovely holiday together. Firstly, it must be said that there are no amount of pictures or documentaries that could do justice to the archaeological parks in Cambodia. The mighty blocks of lime stone used to build the temples and terraces were (to say the least) awe inspiring then the carvings or bas relieves (as I am told they are called) simply blows your mind.

When we first arrived at Siem Riep, it was already swarming with eager tourists. Some of the more seasonal ones had already rented bicycles and were cycling around town. Being first timers ourselves, we had hired a tuk tuk driver cum tour guide for the three days that we were there. On the first day, we went along the Siem Riep river to this great fishing village for a taste of local life. Then, we visited the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia, Tonle Sap. On our way there, we passed a massive mangrove forest that is just a sight to behold for a city girl like me. When we got to the lake it was impossible for us to see the land mass on the other end.... of a lake!!! Is that crazy or what... By the time we got back we were so tired all we wanted to do is eat and sleep. Needless to say I love Cambodian food, fresh and spicy... lots of lemon grass and mint. Feels like summer in your mouth.

After a good night’s sleep, we were up bright and early at 6am, the sun was already out and we were ready for some major sightseeing... we visited a lot of temples but the one that really stood out besides the Angkor Watt was the Mountain temple that we visited. The reason why it is called the mountain temple because it is literally like climbing a mountain.... the stairs are so narrow and steep that you can barely stand on them. I overheard a tourist guide saying the reason they built it like that was for devotees to prove their dedication assuming the same form a monkey and climbing the stairs to get to the temple. Its a good thing I heard it after I had come down cause that would have made my climb up a little harder J

The Angkor Watt simply breathtaking...
Here are a few pictures from my trip
The villagers of the fishing village along the Siem Riep River

Mangrove Forest along the Siem Riep River
Shareena & I at the Elephant Terrace
The same temple as the one in Tomb Raider (the movie)
The beautiful bas relieves at the Angkor Wat

More to this Life

2010-01-26T21:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know where I heard this song, but I can't get it out of my head. The lyrics go a little something like this;

"But there's more to this life, then living and dying. More than just trying to make it through the day.
More to this life, more than these eyes alone can see and there's more to this life alone can be.So where do we start, to find every part of what makes this life complete...

Then I started thinking of the lyrics and realised that we all get to a point where all of us ask this same question(the one in the lyrics). I know people who bury themselves in books to search for the answer while others pray, some even go out and do something outside of their comfort zone. But what I want to know is do we go through our lives wanting more. Cause we all know once we reach the goals we aim for, we find new ones to achieve. So here is my challenge to you... be happy despite goals and challenges, be kind no matter what a big A-hole someone else can, be helpful even when time constraints don't allow you to be as generous as you would like to be and more often than not, you will look back and realise that your life is complete :)

My Love for American Idol

2010-01-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

So through the years now I have been following American Idol and I am really drawn to that show. I love singing but that's not the reason that I am so intrigued. Its a conversation starter and instantly bonds you to people that you meet. Many a times I should have thanked American Idol for saving me from dull conversations. Most people are quite passionate about the contestants that they support and I rarely see people really feel that strongly about strangers a million miles away. So you could say that I am not so much obsessed with the show in itself but everything else that comes with it.

I am not afraid to say that I am part of the American Idol occult, in fact I embrace it. Really, it brings out a lot of good in people... think about it, how many times do we have a common enemy (Simon Cowell)? He is the man, we love to hate. How many times do we cheer and hope for complete strangers to succeed? How many times do we bond over a tv show? How many times do we make time just to sit down? (even if it is in front of the tele)

So I love American Idol, not only cause it's a show that showcases talent but it also tells you a little more about the contestants and their lives while making ours a little better.

Oh yeah another reason why I love American Idol, it gives you hope that any Joe off the street could be a super star. You gotta love a show that gives you hope!

Happy New Year

2010-01-10T22:17:00.000-08:00

So the new year is here and I am not afraid to say it, I am turning 30 this year. I never thought that I would say it with such a big smile on my face but I am. I hope I am not jinxing it when I say so far my new year has been so nice. I got to spend a lot of time with family and friends and realized, man I am a lucky girl! I have such wonderful people surrounding me all the time and although I am single, I am never alone. I promised that I wouldn't have any new year resolutions but since the new year is already here, I guess we could call it my goals for this year.

1. I want to live more intentionally- to be aware of everything around me and to understand the people that I meet a little better, to see where they are coming from rather than interpreting the world only through my eyes.

2. I want to love completely - there are people in my life who I truly love and I want them to know so I am going to express it as often as I can and not be afraid to do it.

3. I want to learn humbly - throughout the years I have morphed from a know-it-all to someone who knows that you can always learn more...

I'll keep you updated on my progress. I know this year is going to be a phenomenal journey. Happy 2010 everyone!

:)

2009-12-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

"Addicted to Love" is a song by Robert Palmer first released in 1986. The song has now become known as his signature song, thanks in part to a highly popular video featuring high fashion models. Lately it has been running through my mind, over and over and over again. I think its a sign for us to put it on late night love songs. Check it out and tell me what you think.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0U5JfGYx4c

How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways

2009-11-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

As I child I used to have an exercise book filled with all my favourite quotes. Now as an adult, I collect love quotes...not only because it gives you a better insight on love. But I find that romance is not so much about what you say but how you say it and there is nothing more romantic for me than insight on love. Here is a list of my favourite quotes:

1. “Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.”
—Henry Louis Mencken

2. “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”
—Franklin P. Jones

3. “Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”
—Erica Jong

4. "She walks in Beauty, like the night
Of cloudness climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes..."
--Lord Byron

5. "Two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."
--John Keats

6. "Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

7. "Love is friendship set on fire."
--Jeremy Taylor

8. "You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly."
--Sam Keen

9. "Love is the emblem of eternity: it confounds all notion of time: effaces all memory of a beginning, all fear of an end."
--Germaine De Stael

10. We are all born for love... it is the principle existence and it's only end."
--Benjamin Disraeli

Love my friends, it is the nectar of life that makes all the hurt worth it! --Nisha :)

True Love Doesn't Cost a Thing

2009-11-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

So a good friend of mine is cracking his head on what to do for his girlfriend on her birthday. Although he wants to give her the best birthday that a girl could ever have, he (like me) is not exactly made of money. So what to do? Well here are a few suggestions:

1. Make your own "love coupons." Love coupons are basically little cards you give your beloved that are like gift certificates for romance. You can create cards that are good for a massage, a picnic at the beach and a movie night. It doesn't take much time to type them up and print them on your computer and they are always good for a smile and laugh when presented to your mate. Leave them in lunch bags, purses or wallets or tape them to a bathroom mirror to make them a sweet surprise.

2. Make her a romantic meal. A private dinner with lots of candles, wine and great food. The perfect combination for a perfect night.

3. Pretend you’re going on a first date — show up at the door with flowers, all dressed up, with your car washed and cleaned, looking spiffy. Recreate the first moments the two of you had as a couple.

4. Burn a CD with love songs. All the songs on Red FM's Late Night Love Songs are recommended :)

5. Pack a sunset picnic.

6. A massage followed up by a bath together (use bubbles!).... if you're married la.

7. Jot down all the things you love about your partner. Your partner will love it.

8.Buy something that your partner dreamed of when she was a child, but never had. The sentiment will bring her to tears. And the fact that you remembered will get you so lucky.

9. Use your special talent to make an original gift. If you are musically inclined, Compose a Song for the recipient! There is no feeling in the world quite like hearing a song and knowing you were in the mind of the composer. Using materials you already have, Create a Painting, or sketch or draw a picture/portrait for your loved one. Film a Fun Video! Make your memories and laughs will last a lifetime.

10. Finally tell your loved one how much you love them publicly. Announce it in the PA system of your favourite restaurant, write I Love You (name of your loved one) on your car with removable paint, stuff like these will give her a memory that will last a lifetime.

Good luck my friend!! Love like its your last day!

Feel Good Movies

2009-11-13T08:25:00.000-08:00

Being the self-proclaimed love guru I have made it my life's mission to include everything romantic into my daily routine. To tell you about it in one blog entry would simply be impossible so let's do it in stages. I have watched a million movies to come up with the best romantic comedies list that I could find. And this is what I have come up with (in random order):

1. When Harry Met Sally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nNhOH4Y0bI&feature=related

2. Love Actually
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBDEN5AFmWU&feature=related

3. Notting Hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhuTL-rtQa8&feature=related

4. Knocked Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS97C3_yTiQ

5. The Ugly Truth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aywFP5gS9g&feature=channel

6. The Wedding Singer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsqXE6Izbvc&feature=related

7. As Good As It Gets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCOxcDcZ69o&feature=related

8. Meet the Fockers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RuutlqnurQ&feature=related

9. I Love You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb9f3Eior1I&NR=1

10. Couple's Retreat (yet to be released)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbfhb-43UNQ

Fantastic movies that will get you rolling with laughter and oooing and aaaahing about love. What more could ask for.

Today we talk movies, lets leave the most romantic dining spots for a different day shall we?

Live, Laugh and Love my friends!

I'm Yours

2009-11-05T06:08:00.001-08:00

By now I am sure you have heard of the The Script, my favourite boys
from Ireland. Well I am sure you have heard of The Man Who Can't Be
Moved and Breakeven. But there is song that I simply can't stop
listening to and its called I'm Yours. It has to be the sweetest ever
written. Here are the lyrics:

"I'm Yours"

You touch these tired eyes of mine
And map my face out line by line
And somehow growing old feels fine
I listen close for I'm not smart
You wrap you thoughts in works of art
And they're hanging on the walls of my heart

I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
And though I may not look like much
I'm yours
And though my edges may be rough
And never feel I'm quite enough
It may not seem like very much
But I'm yours

You heeled these scars over time
Embraced my soul
You loved my mind
You're the only angel in my life
The day news came my best friend died
My knees went week and you saw me cry
Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes

I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
And though I may not look like much
I'm yours
And though my edges may be rough
And never feel I'm quite enough
It may not seem like very much
But I'm yours

I may not have the softest touch
I may not say the words as such
I know I don't fit in that much
But I'm yours

Check it out, I think you will love it too!!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBiWBx7JOsI

How to Cope with a Bad Day

2009-10-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

So times have been a bit rough for me lately. And I have been trying to get out of a slump, so what do i do? I google how to cope with a bad day and this is what i got :

http://www.ehow.com/how_4536884_cope-bad-day.html

Instructions

Step 1

Remind yourself that whatever you are dealing with is only temporary. Think back to another really bad day or period of time in your life, noting that the whole thing is now nothing but a memory. Repeat to yourself that, as every second ticks away, today will soon be history.
Step 2

Shut yourself away in your car, your bedroom, or the bathroom–anywhere you can be alone and undisturbed. Crank up the radio or your MP3 player, blasting songs that speak to you. If you feel like screaming to an angry playlist, go for it. If you just want some sad songs to cry to, that is OK, too. Just let it all out, knowing that someone else shared these feelings, wrote a song about it, and got through it.
Step 3

Call off from work, put on your comfiest jammies and climb into bed with your remote and a bowl of mint chocolate chip. Treat yourself the way you would your very best friend or precious child. You are valuable and deserve to be treated as such. As long as it is not an everyday thing, you can indulge yourself.
Step 4

Find someone who is having a worse day than you and help them. Volunteer to serve food at your local homeless shelter. Read the local section of your paper. No doubt there is an accident victim who might benefit from a pint of your blood, or a family whose home has burned down and would appreciate your small donation.
Step 5

Look for five good things about this day. Your job might be stressful, but the just laid-off man whose wife is in the hospital would trade spots with you in a heartbeat. Your house might need repairs, your significant other may get on your nerves, and your children might cause you constant worry. For every one of those concerns there is something to be grateful for. By focusing on the positive your attitude will adjust and the day will immediately seem brighter.

Great advice but what if you're stuck at work. Here are some great suggestions:

http://www.wikihow.com/Cope-with-Having-a-Bad-Day-at-Work

Steps

Deal with the pressure crunch. Accept that nobody is a superperson and that mistakes happen when too much is attempted at any one time. Don't take to heart the mistakes that get made when juggling too much under time constraints; they are bound to happen.
Get the right person doing the right thing. If reformatting is stumping you, a legal issue has arisen and the support staff are whining about the milk supply all at once, it isn't a good idea to be their answer, at least not there and then. Delegate immediately to those best able to respond. You don't need to be a manager to delegate - cross-delegate to those colleagues who are clearly able to deal with the issues.
Go the bathroom and have a good cry/sit/deep breathe/stretch/air-punch. Get it out in privacy. If this means going to the bathroom several flights above or below where nobody knows you, do it! If not the bathroom, take a 5 - 10 minute break outdoors and away from the place.
Ask for help. Don't wallow in self-pity thinking the world is crumbling around you. If you don't understand something, don't want to do something or find something harder than you expected, it is not a shameful thing to ask for help. That is what others are there for. What people do hate is when a person neglects to seek help and then stuffs up.
Go home early where warranted. If a day is bad because you brought a bundle of home issues with you, sometimes nothing will turn that around. For some people, work is an escape from home issues but sometimes even for them, the enormity of something happening in your personal life is too large for work to help you forget. If you feel exhausted, teary, distressed and liable to explode and say inappropriate things, it is probably a good idea to call it a day and go home and sort issues out.
Don't take snide comments to heart. If you are having a bad day because someone said something nasty to you, grin and bear it. It is important to not over-inflate the unhelpful or rude observations of colleagues who have a clear agenda to be disruptive, hurtful or unkind. Ask them to explain themselves if this feels appropriate and ask what it is you could do better according to them. But don't let this fester and make your day rotten.

Tips

Remember tomorrow will be better and you will probably have a better perspective on things than today.
If you keep having a string of bad days, it is likely you need to consider a new job where your self-esteem or enjoyment of it is not constantly battered.
There is no shame in changing career streams. If you have constant bad days because you feel out of your depth or you lack interest, it may be due to the fact that you made a bad career choice for your thinking type. Seek counseling assistance on career changes if this is the real underlying reason.

It helped me and hope you're having a bad, it will do the same for you. Have a great day ahead!

My Personal Favourites

2009-10-15T21:21:00.001-07:00

Now that we have Red FM's Threesome on the show, a lot of people have been asking me what is my personal favourites when it comes to love songs. Its funny cause when I finally listed out all the songs I liked, I realised that I love quite a wide genre of music. This is what I mean, my favourites are

Classics:

1. Al Green - Let's Stay Together
2. Etta James - At Last
3. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
4. Frank Sinatra - I Won't Dance
5. Nat King Cole - L-O-V-E
6. The Chordettes - Mr Sandman
7. Dixie Cups - The Chapel of Love
8. Dusty Springfield- Wishin' and Hopin'

Easy Listening:

9. Sting - All Four Seasons
10. The Corrs - One Night
11. Bob Marley - I Wanna Love You
12 Israel Kamakawiwo Ole' - Somewhere Over The Rainbow
13. Lauren Wood - Fallen
14. Elvis Costello - She

Edgy:

15. Queen - Somebody To Love
16. Pearl Jam - Better Man
17. Joan Jett - I Hate Myself for Loving You
18. 311 - Down

Current:

19. The Script - I'm Yours
20. Fergie - Clumsy

Movie Soundtrack :

21. Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow - Cruisin' (Duets)
22. Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two (The Proposal)
23.Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor - Come What May ( Moulin Rouge)
24. You Got It - Bonnie Rait (Boys on the Side)

Love Classifieds - MED@Marche

2009-10-04T20:30:00.001-07:00

Its been a year and a half since the first Love Classifieds and I have to say we have a long from when we first began. It started out as a speed dating event and is now a party full of fun games, lucky draws and great food. We had so much fun for the last one, not to mention the food at Med@Marche is phenomenal. I was pleased that a lot of the attendees are first-timers and they were so sporting....the games were a little naughty but a lot of them really got into it. Between the laughter and the cheers it was hard for me to get a word in cause most of the time I was laughing so hard. If you haven't been to a Love Classifieds party, it is a must do!

The next one is going to be in PD (Port Dickson) but that's all I am going to tell you for now. You'll have to tune in to find out more, but just to give you a better picture of Love Classifieds...here are a few shots that still put a big smile on my face.

MED@Marche, beautifull!!!

The spread of food was amazing!!

The peg game got everyone laughing

The ping pong game and this is not metaphorical,
I really mean ping pong balls

Watch out!! JD has some serious moves!!!

Everyone at Love Classifieds had a great time!!
Next one, coming up.....

Fun Through the Generations

2009-09-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

My nephew celebrated his first birthday... firstly I can believe that I have nephews (being a baby myself) but the weirdest thing was the cousin that I used to get up to mischief with is now a mother. Although I thought that things would change when my cousins became parents, it didn't really. My cousins are still the same fun-loving people I know back in the day. The only difference is now they would have to pass down that same spirit to their kids. Being a bias aunt I will tell you that my nieces and nephews are the cutest in the world but I believe every aunt shares the same view.

I love family gatherings, with our busy schedules I barely get to see my cousins and this is the perfect opportunity to do that.

When we were kids we would do all sorts of performances for my aunts and uncles and now we reminisce about the songs we made up, the dances we choreographed and little skits we used to do ( its no wonder i ended up doing theater). My favourite was a song that we made up to We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel, only ours was titled We Didn't Start Malaysia... it was hilarious... man those were the days. My only hope is that my nephews and nieces carry on the same crazy tradition of their aunts and uncles before them.

My nephew, Karl's birthday cake

Karl with his mum (Karen, my cousin)

Karl with his dad, the party is heating up...all shirts off!!

Karl with his aunt Kristin (also my cousin)

The Jackson 5 performance that had everyone in stitches

Group shot of Karl his parents and the Jackson 5s

My Raya Miracle

2009-09-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

I have a great relationship with a lot of my listeners, so much so that they have now become my friends. One of them is Linda, we first met at the very first Love Classifieds event. She was such a breath of fresh air, generally bubbly and a force of positive energy. All in all, she's just a joy to be around. Its been more than a year now and we have been chatting on and off...

Well the other day she mentioned that she was selling baju kurung for Raya, we got to talking about it and she mentioned that I should have one. Of course you never think people are serious when they say things like this... its a nice thought.

Well the next thing I know I see Linda at the radio station, she tells me that she has dropped off a baju kurung just for me!! Sure enough, there in the studio, waiting for me, is a baju kurung with beautiful red roses. It fits like a dream. i felt like a kid at Christmas who got exactly what she wanted. I was so touched by her kindness and generosity, I actually started to tear....

So now everytime I think of Linda, she is now my Raya miracle, not only cause of her selflessness but because I really needed an outfit for Raya and she had the perfect gift just for me.

Thank you for making me feel so special Linda, you're truly an angel.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

2009-09-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

If you live in the city, you know all to well about how stress can seriously bring you down. I live with my parents and although that takes away a lot of financial stress. It adds to a different sort of stress... if you are an adult and still living with your parents you know what I am talking about. But one saving grace that I have from work and everything else that makes my brow sweat, is my friends. I believe in angels because they are by my side almost everyday, I happen to call them my best buddies.

Every time I feel down, every time I need someone to challenge me, I have my friends to give me that extra push and put that smile on my face. So this blog entry is an ode to my wonderful friends, thanks for being there for me when I needed you most and I want you to know that if I didn't have you in my life, I would go ....mad, wait a minute, it's too late for that... I would be even more insane would be more accurate.

Harpreet and I during Christmas

Jd, Dilly and I back in the day of Red FM's Battle of Mars and Venus

Cynthia, Sherlyn, Audrey, Shereen and me at Audrey's Wedding

Dom, Me and Juli out on a Sunday afternoon

My friends in the States out on St Patrick's Day

Richie and me at Genting

The best interns ever, Cindy and me at Red FM's Love Classifieds

Tim and I at Red FM's Love Classifieds

Joanne and I on a dancing night out

Ruby and I at dinner

Sam and I in the studio

Jeremy and me having a ball on a beutiful sunny weekend

Mary and me in the office

Sheerena, Me and Aly

Terry and me ready for Raya

Love & Marriage

2009-09-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

I think I am finally suited for the radio programme that I do. Late Night Love Songs has transformed from a cynic to a romantic. How is that possible? You listen to 3 hours of love songs almost everyday and send out messages from girlfriends to their boyfriends, husband’s to their wives and people just starting out in a relationship, see how you turn out.

I used to think that marriage is the scariest thing in the world. Actually I still do. However it is admirable when you see two people ready to make that final leap into being a couple, FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. Although I don’t think I would ever take that leap, I am a little jealous to see some couples who are so sure that this is the path for them. It is a very noble one, cause you now live your life for someone else. First for your partner, then for your children, then your grandkids and then you croak…. (see why marriage scares me) But when you love someone so much that you are willing to do that knowingly…. That my friend, is a down right miracle.

So two of my friends just got married over the weekend, let me tell you if you don’t already know… getting married can be a very stressful affair. The bride was single-handedly handling most of the arrangements and by the final week she looked like she was about to burst. I couldn’t understand why she would put herself through all that pain, she was worrying about everyone, forgetting the simple fact that the wedding was just about her and the groom. But like any bride, I guess she just wanted it to be perfect.

But when THE DAY rolled around and everything had turned out well, I had never seen a happier woman. The families came together, the guest were gushing and the whole thing was a dream come true. So alls well and now they start out their journey; to love one and other, to grow in that love and to procreate like bunnies :)

Back in the day I would gasp for air at the thought of being married, for better or worst never seemed all that reasonable to me. But now despite the stress and pain, despite the promise of FOREVER, I have nothing but warmth in my heart. My eyes have been opened to the fact that marriage is the glue that brings families together and brings hope for the future. Most importantly, it has brought a cynical girl like to me to tears, knowing YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE.

Megan Fox in the Making

2009-08-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

I know I have said this before… but I am going to study up on cars. I hate not knowing whether what my mechanic tells me is for real. See, I have had a bad experience with my previous mechanic and although this one seems legit, I just can’t be sure. Today after visiting my friendly mechanic and paying quite a painful amount for my car (yet again), I went to the gas station to fuel up and there right in front of the petrol kiosks are two guys fiddling around underneath the bonnet of their very souped-up car. They might not know what they are doing and were simply fiddling around with it but I doubt that was the case. It was so cool to watch the one guy obviously knew more than the other and was confidently showing him the ropes….

I too want to be that guy… well not exactly. I want to be a Megan Fox type in the Transformers movies. How cool would that be! Although I know it is physically impossible for me to match Megan, although I come damn close…NOT! Her cool factor sky-rocketed to the moon when she started working on cars in the first movie and was sprawled on the bike for the next (she was working on the bike, if you haven’t seen Transfomers 2 yet) So maybe I could up my cool-factor…wish me luck

Love Defined

2009-08-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

So my parents have gone off on a romantic adventure to Tioman, not bad for a couple that has been married for more than 30 years now. The two of them are rock stars really, my parents are truly the best friends you could have. My dad is the cooler and practical one and mum is the caring, emotional one. Together, they make the perfect individual. This is why I think that my parents are meant for each other because they compliment each other so well. You could imagine that being polar opposites, there would be a lot of arguments too. However, as the third person looking into their relationship, I feel this is why they will never grow tired of one and other.

There is another thing that I simply love about my parents; when they dance. They look like characters straight out of a fairytale. When my dad takes my mum’s hand and leads her to the floor, there is no other couple that can rival the grace and style my parents have (I am obviously being biased). I love the fact that when I come home sometimes I find my parents playing cards and having a few laughs over evening drinks. I love that my mum cooks with my dad in mind and my dad never stops running little errands for my mum.

The reason why I am almost 30 and unmarried is simply because like my parents, I don’t want to settle for anything less than my soul mate. They are always setting the bar higher with each passing year. I know that I might never be able to find something this rare but I will never stop trying. So this week’s blog is an ode to my parents for being the best example of love that a girl could have.

It's the last week

2009-08-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

So it's the last week that we are giving out RM100,000 in Red FM's FourPlay with Acer. There has been a buzz of excitement here in the station ever since we started and I would hate to see it end.

There have been so many people that have picked up their share of it and although they aren’t anyone I know personally (nor is it me, obviously), I am so excited for them! What a treat! Can you imagine, out of nowhere, you pick up ALL that cash? If you haven't won your share yet don't be disheartened cause there is still time. If you have been faithfully trying for the money and still haven't seen your share, I am sending the “luck fairy” your way so that YOU will be the next winner. But remember to sign up before trying. Don't miss out, cause it would be a shamed if you miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime moment that you will probably never get ever again. So go to red dot fm and find out how you take part in Red FM’s Fourplay with Acer! In the meantime, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

There is a reason why I do the Late Night Love Songs, I really do care you know!