Takziah QZ8501

"With his revelation... I shattered into a million shards. I felt each piece as it splintered and separated from the whole like a glass I had broken the day before. Debris flew everywhere. It left me without any option but to pick each broken pieces up, analyze it, and find out where it belonged. I had to find out where I belonged" ~ T.R Graves

I know grief

I know death

I know loss

It haunts my dreams, my nights. Almost 3 years ago and committed to memory.

I wake up crying most nights, with the same dream of how that kind lady doctor held my hand in that surgery recovery room while I was covered with a shiny metal blanket over me and told me my SON had died. That he had lost his fight. I was alone. ALONE. Always alone.

And that I was shivering with cold. It haunts. It plunders. Eating away at my soul. Some days I tether on the edge of insanity. Some days are bearable. Rindu ingin berjumpa anak yg dicinta lebih dari nyawa. Sesungguhnya rindu itu menyeksa jiwa.

Gone.

My condolences to all the families of those lost in Flight QZ5801. The grief unimaginable. The pain unbearable. 

May you be granted courage to face what none should.

May those lost be blessed.

It is a trying year indeed.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

A Nation Tested...

"Your heart is like a great river after a long spell of rain, spilling over its banks. All signposts that once stood on the ground are gone, inundated and carried away by that rush of water. And still the rain beats down on the surface of the river. Everytime you see a flood like that on the news you tell yourself; That's it. That's my heart..." ~ Haruki Murakami

Readers,

It has been a time of trials and tribulations for anything and everything Malaysia this year.

My heart bleeds for those affected by the floods in Pantai Timur, Perak, Kedah.

After volunteering at a centre I am taking a break because I need to take care of Airiel.

But I wish I could do more. I wish I had tonnes of money at my disposal to help those who cannot help themselves.  Alas I do not.

I wish for endless energy to help pack, unpack and rearrange stuff into boxes. I don't have that either.

But for those who do want to help, I list down places and organisations that are helping out. Don't be shy in going and helping out, they need every pair of hands to help. They will welcome you.

Don't be afraid to spare with some of your hard earned cash and bonuses. Just close your eyes and put yourself in their shoes. It is simply unimaginable.

I list those that I know off here:-

1. Groupon has a voucher you can buy where 100% of it goes to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society. Lowest sum is RM10. Highest is RM100. Link is here;

2. Muslim Care. Its collection centre is in Shah Alam. Seksyen 8

3. IM4U. Drop by their centre in Bukit Kiara that is open 24 hours with goods. Or help in packing and labeling.

4. UITM's Misi Ops Banjir.

5. 3 NGO's have combined in getting relief efforts moving. Drop by with your goods at pintu masuk Matrade where the Vendeur Festival is going on right now.

6. This is an effort by Free Market for Pantai Timur. Drop by with your goods at Harley's Malaysia in TTDI.

7. Aman Palestin.They are targeting to collect 1 mil by 15 Jan 2015.

8. Even Milkadeal has set up an emergency flood relief appeal centre. You can contact them at this address:-

MilkADeal.com
22-3 (2nd Floor), Jalan PJU 8/5G
Damansara Perdana
47820 Petaling Jaya
Selangor

T: +603 7733 4733

(We are located directly behind Public Mutual, above Mutiara D'Maju mamak on the 2nd floor)

There are more organisations, but the above is what I can list down for now.

And below is not a donation request. A friend on FB uploaded this and I think it is extremely useful. So below a  list of a basic emergency kit everyone should have at home.

Just today, another plane went missing. This time its AirAsia:-

We are, a nation tested. Let us show the rest of the world that we band together and rise in times of calamity. That we shall stand hand in hand in facing the difficulties that are upon us. 

Let us show the rest of the world what we are made of. 

Courage my fellow Malaysians, courage.

And last but not least, a prayer for all of us to recite:-

Much  love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

1. Mikey's Pizza New York - Publika; 2. Switch Cafe - Publika

"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook" ~ Julia Child

Hello everyone,

It's time for a foodie update.

Mikey's Original Pizza

First up, Mikey's Pizza New York which recently opened in Publika.

 The menu seems to stick pretty close to the original, sans babi in NY la kan.

 Love the condiments they gave. I hate, and I emphasize HATE restaurants that skimp on the pepper, salt, chili flakes etc. Jangan berkira sgt boleh? Such a turn off. Haa, anyway, this place thankfully does not do that for the mo. Terima kasih.

So basically what you have to do is go to the counter, look at the pizza's you want to eat and order it. You do not buy an entire pizza, you buy per slice okay? You want to know why? Because the slices are HUGE. Bapakk besar. The pic above is a combination of 4 types of pizzas me and my colleagues chose to eat, with 2 slices of each different pizza.

Yes, we finished everything. Hehe

Switch Cafe

And then there is dessert. So based on the rave reviews on all the flogs (short for foodie blogs, apparently) we dropped by.

The salted caramel cake was moist and flavourful, just like what the reviewers say. So this is a definite yes. 

This is macha latte. An acquired taste but which I loved!

While it was a hit with me, there were some misses. My colleague Farahshu remarked that her red velvet was quite dry, so it was nothing to shout about.  

Switch Cafe has really wacky baked concoctions, I mean while I was there, it was doing a promo for mangosteen cake. Lu ada bran nak try? Haha

Both these shops are located in Publika.

I need to run readers.

Some major pieces of work and stuff to do. A lot to do for the end of the year.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Bye Bye

"She leaned down and looked at his lifeless face and Leisel kissed her best friend, Rudy Steiner, soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted like regret in the shadows of trees and in the glow of the anarchist's suit collection. She kissed him long and soft, and when she pulled herself away, she touched his mouth with his fingers...She did not say goodbye. She was incapable, and after a few more minutes at his side, she was able to tear herself from the ground. It amazes me what humans can do, even when streams are flowing down their faces and they stagger on...." ~ Markus Zusak 

Hello everyone,

It is a Monday.

I miss Akif today. For the longest time I could not even bear to listen to that song by Mariah Carey, Bye bye. Familiar with it?

Yesterday I accidentally heard a remix of the song with Mariah Carey and Jay Z.

I just cried and cried when I heard it.

Right THERE. At the heart. Stab, stab, stab.

Some of the beginning parts of the remix really ... well... you can read it below:-

"I'm wishing the days could go fast

So I can crash

Close my eyes

Try to go to sleep

And bring you back but..

I can't bring you back

(No, can't bring you back)

...Wish time could freeze

But our time is up

And I promise you

I am going to hold it down until it is my time to leave

And I am okay

I mean I am alright, I am not okay

And it hurts my soul

I won't see your face

But if you truly are in a better place

Like what they say

Then that's okay

I'll be alright..."

I never knew that I could hurt like this... but I will be alright.

I miss you, angel son.

Have a good week ahead everyone.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Recent Fabric Shopping - Fitrahshoppe

"Pain is like fabric: The stronger it is, the more it is worth..." ~ John Green

Hello readers,

An update about some of the fabrics I bought. This is long overdue I know hehe.

On the left is a black and white kebaya fabric.

I can't even  describe the colour of the fabric on my right because it changes according to the lighting. Best described as copperish. Stunning.

I bought these from fitrahshoppe at drop dead prices.

The facebook page for fitrahshoppe is here.

The Instagram ID is fitrahshoppe.

I am told that it is a public holiday in Selangor tomorrow. So those who work in Selangor, have a good holiday.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

Lets Get Lost 2015 - Coming soon

"I imagine a line, a white line, painted on the sand and on the ocean, from me to you..." 

~ Jonathan Safran Foer

The sea beckons.

I yearn for the sound of the waves.

I yearn for the sand between my toes.

This is coming soon.

And this time, it will be a family affair... and more. *grin*

Mid week almost.

Going to be a busy weekend ahead for me.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.

P.S - I do not own the pic above. Credit goes to its original owners.

Ada Apa Dengan Cinta 2014

"Aku baru menyedari bahawa antara Cinta dan rasa Ingin Memiliki itu tidak sama" 

~ Habiburrahman El-Shirazy

Adalah cinta yang mengubah jalannya waktu

Kerana cinta waktu terbahagi dua

Denganmu dan rindu untuk membalik masa

Detik tidak pernah melangkah mundur

Tetapi kertas putih itu selalu ada

Dan waktu tidak pernah berjalan mundur

Dan hari tidak pernah berulang

Tetapi pagi selalu menawarkan cerita yang baru

Untuk semua pertanyaan yang belum sempat terjawab..

You're in my veins...

Saranghae...

Lets Get Lost 2014 - Part 10 - Mount Batur

"I felt my lungs inflate with an onrush of scenery - air, mountains, trees, people. I thought "This is what it is to be happy"..." ~ Sylvia Plath

Hello readers,

Next up, another to go place to see in Bali.

Mount Batur.

Its quite a scenic drive up to Mount Batur, so keep your eyes peeled. There were a few shops selling fresh fruits at drop dead cheap prices, which we bought to bring back to the villa to eat.

 Wow, just wow..

 Now that would take one's breath away...

My travelling feet has been HERE! Ngeeee

The sellers here are pretty forceful, so just politely decline and say thank you. But shopping here isn't that bad with really cheap cheap stuff.

I have to run.

Life awaits.

Much love from Airiel and I.

Peace and love to everyone.