Happy Birthday, Suami Terchenta

Dearest Suami Terchenta,

Today I woke up to a special day. Although yesterday was like any other day, except for the time I was 'merajuk' for 10 minutes after you spitted that chocolate bean I tried to force-feed you while you were driving just because I played a trick on you when I held on to the chocolate from your wide, open mouth. I'm sorry I did that, but it seriously made me roar in laughter to see your outrageous expression after you realised what I had done. Then we made up and spent the night watching CSI - with your chest as my pillow and you sleeping as usual.


What makes today a special day is that it is your 28th birthday. 28 years + 9 months 10 days of living on God's earth. I'm so proud of you, suami terchenta. In that 28 years of life, you have been in a relationship only once - and that is with me. That is just to name a few more about you that makes me want to cry in joy and happiness at marrying you.

Coincidentally, today marks 120 days of our marriage (yes, exactly!) and you have never snored, not even once. Throughout our 4 months of being together, I conclude that living with a messy person is not such a bad thing after all, although at an earlier stage, I experienced a bout of moodiness due to my stress at the sight of your clothes / papers / wires / mugs / Godknowswhatelse lying on the floor everywhere. Nowadays, I live with it. I even support you by contributing to the mess. M-E-S-S is ok as long as we don't breed maggots and cockroaches and other creepy-crawlies. However, I would appreciate it much better if you do vacuum the carpet at least every 2 weeks so we can be reminded that our carpet is green in colour.

You are such a wonderful person, you. When you are not busy in front of your laptop or sleeping in front of tv, you help me in the kitchen or throw away rubbish or do the laundry. The only task you hate is ironing your clothes which I don't mind doing because I am in love with the purple iron. If you had bought any other colour, I wouldn't be doing so much ironing too. Thank God for the purple iron.

I also discovered that after we got married, you tend to forgot a few things you promised to do before we signed the marriage certificate. Like singing to me before I sleep. But it's ok because you made it up with other things, like paying the bills and the house rent. Haha, I kid, I kid. You sing when I am fully awake, changing the lyrics as you like to show your devotion to me. I especially like your version of Sheila On 7 song, 'Ku petik bintang...' because yours sound better. After all, this is the first time you sing out loud much to my credit because I sing as and when I feel like singing and you caught my singing bug after we live together.

My dear Suami Terchenta,

As we settled into our married life, we seem to be more in sync with each others' thoughts. When I am thinking of watching a movie, you already booked the tickets. When you feel hungry, I already ordered what you want to eat because I feel like eating that too. Of course you don't know that when you are already asleep, I plug into your brain and upload my life program inside it so you think and feel like me. It's like the Briefcase application in Windows, only so much better. Tonight, when you sleep, I will upload Langkawi_Holiday.exe into your brain, hubby dearest. You are going to love it.

Talking about holiday, as my birthday treat to you, I am whisking you away to another city and we are going to stay at a four-star hotel. Instead of jumping up in joy and clapping your hands enthusiastically, you frown and tell me, 'Duit minyak! Duit tol! Duit makan! Blabla...' even though I told you that it's a birthday treat i.e. I will pay for everything. Perhaps this is one folder in your brain I should hide for a while, the Financial_Situation folder.

I am more to the kind of person who wake up and think I want to go to Africa, and I pack up and go. Where else you will make a more rational decision. In one way, it is good to have someone to keep the reality checks. But this is the time where we want to be and to go and to do whatever crosses our minds before our biology clock starts ticking! Once we have kids, we'll think a trillion times about going bungee-jumping because if we smash our heads, who will take care of them? In conclusion, let's go bungee-jumping, sweety-pie.

But that is not the only present you get this year. I am glad you like that new laptop backpack I gave you. When you come and fetch me later, I will surprise you with a fruit cheese cake I baked in the office today (haha!) And tonight, I am thinking of preparing nasi ayam that you love.

I want you to know that I love being married to you and I love teasing you and I love looking at your gobsmackingly handsome face and I love laughing at your jokes and making you laugh. I love falling asleep in your arms and waking up to your voice and hugs. I love loving you, Suami Terchenta. Happy Birthday.

Love,

Wife Terchenta.

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Where The Solution Is Just a Click Away

I was wrestling with the P&L statement for March sales which can get extremely confusing as I have to refer to three different spreadsheets simultaneously.

In the midst of this fight for sanity, I was interrupted by my colleague calling out in frustration, 'How do I make these as secondary bullets??!'

I walked and stared at the monitor. He was preparing a PowerPoint presentation and having a problem trying to get a list of text to go under the main point as sub-points. In vain, he selected the list, clicked and un-clicked the 'Numbers & Bullets' button several times.

'Let me.' I took the mouse, pointed towards the 'Indent' button and clicked. 'Tadah!'

Immediately, the list jumped one-inch to the right, bullets and all.

'That's it??? I spent five minutes trying to do it and you just clicked once???'

'Which explains why Trump never fires me no matter how bloody rude I am.'

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Apple Pie Ala McD & Gathering Msjbox

Cerita #1: Kisah Apple Pie
Para pembaca yang budiman,

Minggu ni aku kerap mengeksperimen toaster oven hadiah perkahwinan kami. Aku sungguh teruja dengan oven tu akhir ini. Teruja untuk menghasilkan makanan yang enak-enak untuk santapan suami terchenta. Semoga dia akan bawa aku bercuti-cuti Malaysia lepas ni (mata bersinar-sinar dengan harapan) Huhu.

Dan semalam, aku teruja sekali lagi untuk cuba buat apple pie yang macam kat McD. Dengan berbekal semangat waja dan Google, aku carik resipi apple pie yang lazat, lemak berkrim & disukai ramai. Akhirnya aku terjumpa:

Apple Pie

Kulit / Crust:

• 2 cawan tepung multi-purpose (aku guna tepung gandum je sbb tu je ada kat rumah)
• 1 sudu besar gula
• 1 sudu teh garam
• 6 sudu besar mentega
• 6-8 sudu besar air ais (sejuk)

*Gaul semua sampai jadi doh yang tak melekat / lembik, pastu balut dalam plastik & simpan dalam peti sejuk selama 20 minit

Isi / filling:

• Epal sebiji dua - dipotong dadu (aku potong sesuka hati sambil sekejap2 berlari ke ruang tamu tengok rancangan kesukaan aku, CSI)
• Sepatutnya rendam dalam air + 1 sudu jus lemon tapi aku takde jus lemon so aku tak rendam.
• 1 sudu besar gula
• 1 sudu teh serbuk kayu manis (cinnamon)
• 1/4 sudu teh garam
• 1 sudu besar tepung
• 1 sudu besar cuka (rumah kami takde cuka, jadi aku gantikan dengan jus limau nipis)

*Gaul semua bahan2 termasuk epal

1. Keluarkan doh, bahagi dua dan leperkan dengan roller. (Sekali lagi, tiada perkakas seperti itu di teratak miskin kami jadi aku terpaksa guna gelas je. Doh aku memang fail tapi aku teruskan jugak hasrat buat pai epal)
2. Taburkan epal dan bahan2 atas doh, tutupkan dengan doh satu lagi tapi sebelum tu taruk la 4 sudu teh mentega di atas inti untuk menambahkan kesedapan. Last sekali, bakar dalam oven sampai masak. Tapi tolong jangan tiru aku ya puan-puan, bakar pai sampai terbakar kulitnya.

Apple Pie aku yang hangus!

Jadi, lepas ni kalian semua tak perlu berebut-rebut beli apple pie di kedai roti / McD, sebab resipi ni setanding rasanya dengan apple pie di luar! Marveles, kan? ;)

Cerita #2: Gath Terkejut

Hari Selasa lepas, sedang aku berhempas-pulas menyiapkan design corporate brochure, suami terchenta telefon.

Suami Terchenta: Petang ni kita pergi Kajang, geng Msjbox buat gath sempena Fysal datang.

Aku: OK - ( jawapan skema seorang wife yang taat tapi dalam hati: Uwaa! Mesti tak sempat nak tengok Ugly Betty, Supernatural & Desperate Housewives!)

Suami terchenta: Abang datang amik pukul 6 tau?

Petang tu, Suami Terchenta datang amik di ofis sebelum bertolak. Kata suami terchenta, 'Dah tukar tempat gath pulak. Sekarang kat KLCC.' Maka berlari lah si Sang Kancil kami ke KLCC. Lepas masuk parking yang mahal tu, Suami Terchenta dapat tahu pulak gath bukan di KLCC! Tidaak! Ditukar ke Wisma Central pulak. Ni ialah gath yang sangat full of surprise.

Sampai di Pelita, dari jauh nampak tiga jejaka mengangkat tangan macam nak jawab soalan cepumas. Rupa-rupanya tu ialah Sodep, Azkam dengan Chot. Kami join dan borak-borak sementara tunggu yang lain-lain datang (Kak Retna, Shai, Umie & Kak Shida).

Dipendekkan citer, borak-borak di situ sampai pukul 10 malam. Lepas tu baru semua bersurai. Aku & Suami Terchenta offer diri hantar Fysal ke rumah pak sedaranya.

Chot ada amik gambar. Dalam banyak-banyak gambar, aku paling berkenan gambar di bawah. Sebab apa? Sebab Suami Terchenta tengah gelak macam ni la masa aku mula-mula terjatuh chenta sama itu suamiku 3 tahun lepas:

Suami Terchenta

Apapun, terima kasih kepada semua pengguna Msjbox kerana menyokong titik peluh Suami Terchenta yang banyak berkorban demi Msjbox nya ini! ;)

P/S: Tido lambat lagi sebab hapdet blog. Huarrghhh... zzzz...

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Saturday Window Shopping + Sunday Picnic

Sebenarnya bersusun2 entri yang perlu dihamburkan di sini. Sejak akhir-akhir ini, aku sangat hiperaktif pada hujung minggu. Mengalahkan kanak-kanak Ribena. Tapi bukan selalu kan? Selagi aku masih terdaya (walaupun sangat mengantuk ni!), aku akan cuba untuk memuntahkan peristiwa bersejarah dalam hidup aku di sini. Walaupun sejarahnya cuma makan sandwic ayam.

Sandwic ayam itu ialah resipi pada hari Sabtu. Para isteri, walaupun aku seorang yang ganas, tapi aku sangat gemar ke dapur. Especially lepas kawen ni. Tak hairan la aku semakin comel (dalam erti kata lain). Tapi Suami Terchenta, entah apa vitamin yang dia makan, tak jugak naik2 berat badannya. Musykil aku. Walaupun lepas makan malam dan terus tergolek di sisi aku yang sibuk membuat design ni, dia tetap me 'maintain'kan berat badan idealnya tu. Huhu. Aku sangat dengki.

Prolog Jumaat malam. Kami pergi menonton cerita Mr Bean yang sangat bodoh tapi kelakar. Sebelum tu, aku merengek2 nak makan nasi di KFC sebab tak makan tengahari. Kami pun order 2 set. Lepas tu ayam seketul tak abis. Maka aku pun bungkus bawak balik. Besok paginya, aku keluarkan ayam untuk dipanaskan. Tapi ayam cuma seketul je! Suami Terchenta sekali ngap! je mesti dah abis... Akhirnya aku buat sandwic, biar sama-sama dapat makan. Sama-sama gembira.

Sandwic ayam ialah resipi yang simple dan sedap. Isi ayam KFC dicarik2 halus, lepas tu tabur atas roti, tambahkan hirisan tomato dan kepingan keju + mayonnaise (tapi sebab aku tak gemar mayonnaise, aku cuma sediakan utk Suami Terchenta). Lepas tu bakar selama 5 minit. Tadah! Seketul ayam KFC tu boleh menghasilkan 6 keping sandwic! Sangat mengenyangkan.

Pada hari Sabtu, Suami Terchenta meninggalkan aku demi tugas untuk negara projek ofis. Dulu dia penah sound kaw-kaw sebab aku suka masuk ofis hari Sabtu tak keja. Itu dulu, zaman hamba-abdi di Johor. Sekarang, aku sudah persetankan semua itu! Muahaha! Tido adalah aktiviti yang tak boleh digantikan oleh apa2 sekalipun (melainkan blogging).

Nasib baik kawan serumah masa di UTM dulu ajak aku beronggeng2 di Sogo. Mahu beli perfume mahal katanya. Aku pun setuju. Dah lama tak melepak bersama kanak-kanak periang. Lalu, sebelum drop Suami Terchenta di ofis, aku amik kawan-kawan di Pandan Indah. Dan bermulalah jalan2 bersukaria bersama kawan-kawan.

Hari Ahad pulak, Suami Terchenta konon-kononnya nak menyambung tugas negara untuk projek ofis. Aku mula-mula nak cadangkan berjalan-jalan di Melaka. Tapi pagi-pagi lagi dah tercongok layan Smallville depan laptop. Aku pun join sekali. Last-last dua-dua plan pun tak jadi!

Tapi petang tu Suami Terchenta ajak berpiknik di tasik. Sebelum tu waktu pagi, kami sibuk experiment buat muffin coklat. Berjaya jugak! Tapi sebab perut dah berkeroncong, muffin tu tak menyelerakan di mata kami jadi aku pun buat nasi goreng dan bakar sosej. Suami Terchenta sangat suka! Sampai licin nasi goreng yang dibekal. Makaceh Suami Terchenta! Aku sangat bertuah dapat suami yang sangat suka masakan aku :)

Jadi, tu lah aktiviti kami pada hujung minggu lepas... Pasal gath terkejut tu, aku akan story next time. Huaargh! Good nite everyone ;)

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Pursuits of Happiness (Not a Movie Review)

Everyone has something that they enjoy to do and they make it their pursuits.

Some, like my friend, Magic, likes to travel because she likes discovering new things / uncovering the history. She will save up and earn extra cash for her trips and I must admit, I am really in awe with her because she has the courage to go places tainted by war or touched by poverty in her search for humanity. Currently, she's somewhere in Vietnam, wondering about the famous Vietnam war that happened in last three decades.

Some, like my sister, enjoys her job. She works with a multinational company who knows better than just sesuka hati slash another department's budget by half, and hope we'll manage to squeeze thru our way. I've never met anyone more enthusiastic about work than she does. Or more focused and clear about her work goals. I am very certain that in 15 years time (or even less), she'll be made a Senior Manager or even Managing Director and earns 20 times more than I do now, or even 15 years from now. I am nowhere near envy because I'm proud of my high-achiever sister, but I just wish I know how she keeps up her motivation when I barely could hang on to the idea that I could only leave work in another 3 hours (which equals to another 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds more) and return to office 12 hours later.

Some, like my ex-housemate / coursemate, Syani, likes being married and having a family. Ever since we were housemates during our student days, she had planned how to be a good wife and a good mother. She was married 3 weeks before I did, and now is expecting her first child. No one can argue that she works hard to be what she wants to be.

These are just some inspirational stories. Whatever you want to be, you go for it. You want to travel? Do a bit of research on places you want to go, save up and go. Want to love your job? Find what you love, plan it and work at it. Want marital happiness? Prepare for sacrifices and love every bit of it.

Most importantly, we must know what we want to be and how we can be it. We must love it so much that we will not mind spending the rest of our lives with it. And that thing we want to do give us a purpose in life and make us feel enthusiastic about getting up and starting the day.

Are you ready to go after your pursuits?

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