Eid Celebration for the Company

My official career portfolio has always been organising the internal events that have been happening in our training rooms, which consists maximum of 70 participants.  (Tak termasuk activities for social and sports club).  For the past 3 over years working here, I was given the opportunity only to assist my colleague in organising bigger events that involved more than 100 guests aside from organising the internal events.  

But recently, the first time I was given an opportunity to expand my portfolio by organising the annual Raya Celebration for my company which had more than 200 guests came and not only that, there was even special guests from Ministry came.   Alhamdulillah... It's kinda challenging but I can't deny that I had so much fun! This is what you call "DO WHAT YOU LOVE"...

VENUE

I started organising it about a month ahead.  Mula2 got the top management group to vote the venue from the 3 venues that we had proposed.  They decided to hold the event at Restoran Seri Melayu, Jalan Conlay.  I personally love this place as it presents the traditional Malay art and culture ambience, which preserves a memory of Malay kampung life.  So kena dengan Raya theme "balik kampung" kan... Siap ada beca yang tak tahan tu...  Tapi dengar kata next year Restoran Seri Melayu ni will no longer be there.  Harrods will build the first Harrods Hotel in Asia at the Restoran Seri Melayu site pulak next year... Damn... sayangnya... Those rich people are so mean to take away such a valuable restaurant! Even our guests pun happy dengan the choice of the venue.  They said, they felt so warm and welcomed. I am so emo right now... Aha!

FAVOURS

For the favours, mula2 fikir punya fikir, macam mana nak cari inspirations  ni.  Teringat mase I took up art courses, I always went to MATIC and Kompleks Karangkraf sambil brainstorming dgn sketches.  Well, that memory drove me to Kompleks Karangkraf and coincidentally memang ada Handicrafts Fair plak kat situ in conjunction with  raya season.  The one that only captured my attention was the wooden art bookmark.  So when I proposed a wooden art fridge magnet to the top management group, majority liked it and chose it to be the favours.  The first time I laid my eyes on doily papers memang I got crazy about it.  Apa lagi, I used the doily papers for the deco of the ang pau untuk letak the wooden fridge magnet inside the ang pau tu sebagai souvenir untuk guests.  Ape Motif? Motifnya macam tetamu datang ke kampung kita, so kita bagilah ole2 untuk dia jadikan kenangan. Kan?... Bila tunjuk the end product to my colleagues pun ramai dah chop sampai nak sorang dua lah, sorang tiga lah... Hahaha...  In the end, yang mana rajin carried out extra duties on the day of the event, I gave two to each.  

Go check it out the wooden art here: http://www.facebook.com/latitudeluxer

LIVE BAND

Untuk nak buat event lagi bertambah berseri-seri and more lively, haruslah ada performance... So I had proposed kugiran tradisional, tarian or live band.  This live band was strongly recommended by my boss and CEO, they had listened to them playing at a wedding.  It's called the Amethyst.  Cari punya cari, ler... coincidentally they have been playing at 39 Restaurant, PNB Darby Park... Alaa, next door je... Moreover, the Top Management Group had selected the Amethyst to perform at our Raya event.  That made it a lot easier!  But I must share this! They are absolutely AMAZING!!! Superb performance!!! Vocalist punya suara sangat gemersik dan syahdu... Feeling yaw! 

 

Pastu I threw out this crazy idea to my team, to call our CEO (yang memang dah terbukti suka menyanyi, suka sangat until he might take singing as a profession if he was not a CEO ;P) to sing with the band to entertain the guests.  Surprisingly my team and him accepted the idea... Best la, sporting la macam ni...   Dia pun nyanyilah lagu "Tunggu Sekejap", dapat whistling, sorakan dan tepukan gemuruh lagi...

 

The Amethyst totally has my fullest recommendation if anyone wants to look for a live band! If you want to touch base with them, can email to amtshowbiz@gmail.com . Diorang ni memang prompt and bagi Terbaeekkk (lagak mcm boboiboy)...  Even our official photographer pun tak abis2 memuji band ni...

TEAMWORK

When it was closer to the event, all staff were assigned to assist with their respective roles.  Alhamdulillah everyone of us worked well with each other.  Walaupun ada yang bidang terjun, tapi akhirnya tak sangka ada bakat terpendam rupanya...  Emcee, Ushers, Registration Ladies, Internal Photographer terdiri daripada my own colleagues.  Aside from the internal photographer, I have engaged the official photographer, most of the pictures here are from her camera.  She's pretty and talented! Most of her pictures have good composition.  Her name is Juaini, I called her Ju.  

 

You can contact her at juaini@gmail.com or go check her pictures out at http://www.35mm.com.my.

That's not a fake smile.  That's obviously my little self-satisfied smile sincerely from the bottom of my heart... Alhamdulillah, the event went smoothly and most of my colleagues and my CEO said the event was well organised.  It was a great opportunity given to me to explore my capability skills and sense of dedication. On top of that, I am also thankful for the good team effort. :')

Guest of Allah

It's a lazy Saturday after weeping last night... Last night we sent Mama to Tabung Haji Kelana Jaya.  She has gone to Madinah to start her Haj journey.  Until now I feel so sad and empty.

When Mama got to know that she was honoured to become one of the guests of Allah to complete the rituals of Hajj, she said this to me "Mama dapat pegi Haji, tapi Mama takde kawan"... That's my Mama. If she wants something, she wouldn't ask for it directly I guess.  She's just like my Arwah Tok who wouldn't want to menyusahkan sesiapa.  I didn't know how to respond to that.  As much as I wanted to follow her, honestly I wasn't financially and spiritually ready (since she's gonna go along with private travel package which costs more than 20k) .  I felt even more guilty when people asked me "Mama pegi sorang je?" Allah gave me strength to tell them, "No lah, she'll be going with her cousin". 

I am also quite worried of her health condition as she has lower back pain. She also gets migraine and asthma attack sometimes.  It may seem like I do not care most of the times, but the truth is I do and only Allah knows how much I care for her.  

I hope and pray that she will be in good health, she will have enough strength to perform Hajj.  May Allah the Almighty grant all the pilgrims acceptance and grant us the opportunity to visit the Sacred land someday.  Ameen...

Whoever performs Hajj for the Pleasure of Allah and therein utters no word of evil, nor commits any evil deed, shall return from it (free from sin) as the day on which his mother gave birth to him. Bukhaari, Muslim

the Diary of a Late Bloomer

My Mom told my neighbour that I am a "Late Bloomer" recently...  It was because at the age of 30 something only I learned to bake.  Yeah... Guilty as charged...

What is "late bloomer"?  Uncle Wiki said, 

"A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. The term is used metaphorically to describe a child or adolescent who develops more slowly than others in their age group, but eventually catches up and in some cases overtakes their peers, or an adult whose talent or genius in a particular field only appears later in life than is normal – in some cases only in old age".

Not that I am OLD now.  Cheh tak ngaku... Everytime orang tanya "u rasa u dah tua ke?" Me being positive "Tak tua, tapi dah MATANG". Aci tak? Hehehe...

I grew up like the other kids when I was in a primary school.  Went to school by bus, Arwah Tok picked me up then sent to Sekolah Agama.  Got 4As 1B for UPSR, all As for Sijil Rendah Agama.  My academic performance went pretty smooth until I became a rebellious 13 teenager.  I made a lot of wrong choices at the time.  Must admit, I quit listening.  I wanted to be DIFFERENT from other kids.  I wanted to be an INDIVIDUAL.  I stop studying.  I got distracted by attraction towards something else or someone?  May be I was just trying to find my identity...  

• When the kids at my age struggling to succeed in SPM, I was busy doing part time job at McDonald's. 
  
• When the kids at my age struggling to make it through University education, I was busy having fun while earning my own money by working at the bank. 
  
• When the girls at my age were getting married, I was busy with furthering my studies at college.

• When the ladies at my age were starting to get pregnant, I was busy with finding jobs.

• When the ladies my age were having more and more children, I was getting married while busy with my part-time study.  

• Yang agak tak sedap didengar, when a  few of of the ladies at my age are struggling to go through difficult times with their husbands due to mid life crisis, I am still struggling to build a better career while maintaining a good relationship with my husband.

I am in my mid-thirties,  I haven't had my own kids yet, I haven't had my own house yet but I am happy.  I am grateful for having a good life and a loving husband.  Insya-Allah, biar lambat asal selamat...  Anyway, it's better to have it now than never.  It might be a long way to go, but I'm catching up... Nonetheless Insya-Allah I will continue drawing closer and near to Allah and will always be thankful to Him for all of His blessings. 

Walaupun bunga belum berkembang mekar, tapi yang penting ia masih subur and slowly blooming...