Meeting the Deadline

Its 4 days before deadline and at 18:42 today I successfully submitted my 2008 Income Tax returns...

Earlier I had to call IRB's Customer Service Centre to request resetting of password...(luckily they extended the time to weekend during these final few days!)...the lady who answered my call, nicely informed me that it was a normal request..they must be very busy nowdays as I had to dial (and kept on hold) few times.

well...its once a year after all! :-)))

Didn't take long to finish doing it as I'd done this e-filing for the past 3 years...the best thing is ~ I'm going to get some refund...yes!!..

hehehe...

4 days left

https://spsd.hasil.gov.my/Pki/

Tenggol Island, Terengganu

Going on an adventurous trip is not really my cup of tea...but I love hearing about friends' trips and seeing pictures taken by them.

I didnt know that there's another beautiful island in Terengganu...Pulau Tenggol

(Photos from : http://www.absolute-scuba.com/imgs/pulau-tenggol.jpg)


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Tenggol Island is another beautiful diving getaway island just 45 minutes from the coastal jetty in Kuala Dungun. It size is approximately 3km in length and 2km in width. However, this has not prevented it from becoming a paradise for many people especially diving enthusiasts.

(http://www.tourism.terengganu.gov.my/islands/dungun/tenggol.htm)

Pulau Tenggol offers experienced divers over 20 dive sites and the thrill of wall diving. (http://www.etourz.com/pulau_tenggol_island_terengganu.htm)


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Hehehehe...in response to my last posting on her (and on turtle conservation) my friend Ayu, forwarded me another picture (thank u!) of her diving in Pulau Tenggol, Dungun (yes!), Terengganu..

...and she said there'd no charge for this photo as well..ha ha..

A very rare pic of her as she prefers to do the "clicking" ~ she'd find beauty in oddest places, on people, things etc. ~ wish she could compile the thousands of photos.

:-) mmm...however much I try, clicking here and there, I could not capture really nice pictures, well... what do I expect..apart from having little "skill", I'm using a simple digital camera..hehehehe...

Turtle Rapper n Conservation

Cute video I found on youtube, hope the song is not an offensive one :-)

This reminds me of a friend who works at Ma' Daerah, with WWF-Malaysia for the "Turtle conservation in Malaysia". I'm proud of what she's doing, "Tabik spring"(salute) to her... a switch from a corporate lawyer in K.L to living in a small town of Dungun, Terengganu...(oops...its Kerteh, not Dungun as she pointed out..hehehe..sorry,sorry!)

mmm....partly b'cos of her that I'm more conscious with the environment issues... especially she'd always remind me not to eat turtle eggs whenever we go back to kampung...nope, we haven't eaten it for quite a while now, as I'd picture her "scolding" me!..ha ha ha.

after few years, she has a much better grasps of the local dialect than me, a Terengganu lass....latest words taken from one of her emails - "keto pala", "lok bodo", "ngelah", "beleng", "jeng kuwek"....hehehehe...

best wishes to her with her project!..this is my small contribution in helping out to promote the conservation :

Help Save Lives With Just One Signature!

( http://www.saveturtles.my/ )


"Turtles play a critical role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy; the same ecosystems which sustain our fisheries and tourism industries that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people. Marine turtles are threatened with extinction due to various factors, we must conserve them. "

Petaling Jaya, 21st April 2009 – WWF-Malaysia today launched the “Egg=Life” campaign aimed at improving the protection of marine turtles in Malaysia.

The campaign, which will run from Earth Day 22nd April to 30th September 2009, targets to gain pledges from 40,000 members of the public. People who sign up in support of WWF-Malaysia’s “Egg=Life” campaign will pledge to:

~ support laws that will ban the sale and consumption of all turtle eggs throughout Malaysia
~ support the call for comprehensive and holistic Federal legislation to conserve marine turtles
~ never consume turtle eggs, or trade in turtles or their parts

Anyone can sign up to support the campaign and help our marine turtles at wwf.org.my.

Organisations and colleges that would like to undertake signature drives in support of the campaign can contact WWF-Malaysia for educational materials and postage-paid hardcopy sign-up forms.



[note : I've done my part :-) ]

Confirm Petition Signature - WWF: Egg=Life Campaign

Your signature has now been added to the petition. Thank you.

Take me back to "WWF: Egg=Life Campaign" )

( http://www.wwf.org.my/ )

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p/s - my fren during her diving trip recently, I've asked her permission to put this here in my blog, thank u! errr....dont have to pay u right? he he he... :-)

Sakura season in Japan

My friend forwarded me the pictures of Sakura season in Japan, she said I would luv it...yes I definitely do, very lovely..thank u for sharing...told her that I wish I could have a picnic at the park..cold weather or not...hehehe...

So Ze, with a "Sakura" song, I made a short video of it, hope you luv it too.

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A Little info:


A cherry blossom is the name for the flower of cherry trees, also known as Sakura (Japanese kanji) or hiragana in Japanese. In English, the word "Sakura" is equivalent to the Japanese flowering cherry. Cherry fruit (known in Japanese as Sakuranbo) comes from another species of tree.

The most popular variety of Sakura in Japan is the Somei Yoshino. Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest pink, especially near the stem. They bloom and usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out. Therefore, the trees look nearly white from top to bottom




Japan gave 3,020 sakura trees as a gift to the United States in 1912 to celebrate the nations' then-growing friendship. These trees were planted in Sakura Park in Manhattan and famously line the shore of the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C, and the gift was renewed with another 3,800 trees in 1965.



In Japan cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, while in China the cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty, the feminine principle, or love in the language of herbs.

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One translation of the song, thou I'm not sure if it's the same as the one I used for the clip :-)


[Song: Sakura / Artist: Naotarou Moriyama]

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
====================
Surely we're waiting,
for the day we can see you again.
On the street lined with cherry blossom trees
We'll wave our hands and yell out.

Whenever we suffer or start to lose heart
We feel we can hang in there
because you're smiling.
We can hear the song from back then
from in those hazy scenes.



cherry blossoms
now in full bloom
scattered fleetingly
I know it's fate,
farewell my friend.
when it's time to leave on your journey,
with that unchanging feeling.
now..

I wonder if now we can say those words without pretense.
Words from the heart,
Words to hope for your bright future.
It's as if the bussling city is rushing us.



cherry blossoms
just floating to the ground
believing one day they'll be reborn
Don't cry my friend, It's a shame but it's time to go
with that unadorned smile...
ahh

cherry blossoms
now flying in the air
eternally rustling
awash in light
farewell my friend
let's meet again here.
on the street scattered with cherry blossoms.

Meow...

"Digging" into my mailbox, I found this cute pic...
I believe my friends will luv this,
esp. the one at down under,
but of course she has her own..
errr...tom, nicole, brad, angie,
mmmm...

News from Egypt

Mummies found in ancient Egypt burial chamber.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-13 10:21


CAIRO – Archaeologists working in an Egyptian oasis have found a necropolis containing dozens of brightly painted mummies dating back as far as 4,000 years, the country's antiquities chief said on Sunday.

"The mission found dozens of mummies in 53 rock-hewn tombs dating to the Middle Kingdom" from 2061-1786 BC, Zahi Hawass said.

"Four of the mummies date back to the 22nd Dynasty (931 to 725 BC) and are considered some of the most beautiful mummies found," he said.

The linen-wrapped mummies are painted in the still-bright traditional ancient Egyptian colours of turquoise, terracotta and gold.

The necropolis was uncovered near the Ilahun pyramid in Fayoum oasis south of Cairo.

Abdel-Rahman el-Ayedi, who headed the mission, said that a Middle Kingdom funerary chapel with an offering table was also found, and that it was probably used up to the Roman era which lasted from 30 BC to 337 AD.

The team also found 15 painted masks, along with amulets and clay pots, Hawass said.

A photo released by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities on April 12, 2009
shows a mummy found 90kms south of Cairo. [Agencies]

Babies enjoy bath in tubs.

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-31

Seven babies sit in tummy tubs filled with water to cool down after a baby massage class held for young mothers in IJmuiden March 24, 2009. The "cooling down" segment is to simulate a womb-like environment for the infants to experience the warmth and comfort. [Agencies]



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so cute... :-)

Little bits...

Update:

1. I had not been feeling so well when I went for hi-tea with my friends at the end of February...thot I had dengue so I called someone to confirm and she said I had most of the symptoms except high fever...

...that night I took lots and lots of drinks and by the next day I was feeling slightly better. I was very thankful..as I had to drive about 500kms (to and fro), sending back our nephew up north to his boarding school that Sunday.

That was the first time I visited his school, but we only stayed for a while. After helping him out to organize his belongings we left him and drove back to KL.


We had a pleasant journey...Alhamdulillah, reached home about 7pm - slightly late due to heavy rain along the journey.


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2. A week later, in early March I got high fever, ended up with me taking medical leave and emergency leave the day after as well when I was still too ill to leave the house. Luckily third day was Saturday and I could stay at home to recuperate.



Alhamdulillah, even thou it took me about 2 weeks to fully recover, I'm very thankful for my good health...

...my officemate remarked that I must be really ill then as she noticed that my attendance record had not shown any medical leave for many years...

mmm...I do get sick once in a while but if I could still go to work, I would... and sometimes when I fell sick during weekends, by Monday morning I normally was okay!...so no excuse then...hehehe ...


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3. For the past 3 weeks or so, I became a "private nurse" and "personal assistant" during non-office hours, when my sister had to take days of medical leave and stayed at home...

When I told others about this new "jobs" of mine, someone said I should claim "nursing allowance" from the Health Ministry, and one friend pitied me (I guess!) for not getting paid in being a P.A ..ha ha ha...that cheered me up..

During that period I always pray that I'd be very patience with the "patient" and I think I made it. I guess there's no complain b'cos so far I haven't receive any "scolding" from the "Home Minister" (meaning ~ my mum!..hehehe..) - [sorry sis, glad u r better and back to work now].

I'm back to normal routine....mmm...may be I should put these additional "skills" (as chef too!) when I update my C.V!..ha ha ha...



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Gotong Royong

One of the things I like about staying in our area is that our neighbourhood still practice the concept of "gotong-royong" during "kenduri" (wedding reception), i.e..food are prepared by the host and community, and are not catered.

Few weekends ago, I had the chance to join the ladies in peeling the onions and other basic ingredients..while at another tent, the men were preparing the meat and chicken...and the kids were running around...

It was fun watching the jovial mood of everyone..talking, laughing, eating...so many sories to update I guess.

Me? I mostly listened to their stories and jokes..I seldom join in these "occasions", so some didnt know me, but its okay with me, I prefer the low profile anyway..he he he...








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("Lagu Jiwa Lagu Cinta" - Mawi & M.Nasir)

Polar bear mauls trespasser at Berlin zoo.

A polar bear attacks a woman who jumped into its enclosure at Berlin Zoo Friday April 10, 2009. The 32-year-old trespasser was bitten by one of the four polar bears in the enclosure before being pulled back to safety by zookeepers.

It's still unclear about the cause of the woman's dangerous stunt, who is now recovering after surgery at local hospital. [cnsphoto]

News : Sixth Prime Minister

King Consents To Najib's Appointment As Sixth PM
(April 02, 2009)



PUTRAJAYA, April 2 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has consented to the appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan announced Thursday.

He said in a statement that Najib would be presented his letter of appointment as prime minister and would take his oath of office, loyalty and confidentiality before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Istana Negara at 10am tomorrow.


-- BERNAMA


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Najib Sworn-in As Prime Minister.
(April 03, 2009)

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took his oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Friday. Najib, 55, sworn in as Malaysia's sixth prime minister today, taking over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after leading the country for over five years. (Pic: Bernama Team)




KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was sworn in as Malaysia's sixth prime minister today, taking over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who stepped down after leading the country for over five years.

Najib 55, took his oath of office before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Negara.

After taking his oaths of office, loyalty and confidentiality, Najib signed the four instruments of appointment, followed by the reading of the doa selamat.

The instruments of appointment were then signed by Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff as witness and handed over to Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan.

Najib was born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang, on July 23, 1953, and is the eldest son of the late Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the nation's second prime minister, and Tun Hajah Rahah Mohd Noah.

His appointment is most significant in the country's history in that this is the first time that a prime minister's son is holding the post.


-- BERNAMA