Pimples, Zits, Acne, Breakouts....

So let's try to update this blog at least once a month, shall we?

As usual, I like to number the things that I want to write about, just because I do. (even tho now i realize there is only one thing i wanna talk about!)

1. The biggest thing happening in my life right now is.... acne! It proves that you still can get breakouts at an old  mature age. AArgghhh... its making me stressed.. which is causing more breakouts I guess. My breakouts are mostly on my chin, which supposedly indicates that its hormonal. Hormone changes can apparently be caused by stress. (Btw, you can tell what health concerns you need to address based on where your pimples are on your face.) So, I have been frantically trying every suggestion on the internet (well, almost all). Lemme list down some for you:

• Rice flour face mask - I do this almost everyday, either on the whole of my face or just on the problematic area, just whenever I have time. It is supposed to make your face smoother and lighten the marks. I use it to dry up my acne faster. My face also feels smoother.
• Honey - I put it on my pimples and marks, because I read honey is anti-bacterial, and can dry up the pimples. It also has natural bleaching properties to help lighten the marks caused by my acne.
• Cutting down sugar and starch - My breakouts could also be a result of my poor diet. I cannot be sure of this, but I am cutting down on my sugar intake. This is REALLY HARD since I love baking and desserts and cakes!! :(( How am I going to survive!?? Anyway, this is a good thing, even though you dont have pimples. Right? The thing is.. its very hard to maintain not eating my beloved cupcakes!
• Dalacin T - I used this topical solution before in my younger days, and a friend of mine did recommend to me. But i didnt get around to buying it till last weekend. It seems to be making a lot of improvement in a very short time. When i say improvement, it means that it is healing my pimples quite fast. However, I still have the ugly black marks, or scars from these pimples. Maybe from popping it too much! 
• Hands Off! - No hands on your face!! I know ppl tell u this all the time but sometimes i just wanna get rid of that bump so that its easier to apply makeup. I have been trying more self control these days, and hopefully it ll work!
• Omega 3 - I also have been taking Omega 3 supplements since it can stabilize your hormones, you  know, since my pimples are hormone related. i finished a month supply, yet to restock. Cant really tell on the effect. Maybe need to continue eating.

Overwhelmed yet? I am. But its really making me depressed looking in the mirror. I can cover it up with makeup when I go out, but I have 2 running events this weekend, and for sure my makeup will wipe off with all the sweat! :( I dont wanna meet ppl with my face like this!! Anyone has tips on sweat proof makeup? hehe

Anyway... i hope these pointers can help some of you out there who are battling the same problem as moi :) .. also drink lotsssaaa water and detox too... 

till my next post... au revoir mon ami!

So many things... so little time..

So as I wrote before, I suck at blogging I guess. My last post was in May, and even though I have so many things in my head I wish to be written down, I never got around to it. Let's see what are some of the things that has been going on..

Of course, the suffering of the Palestinians. Though now the bombings have stopped (sort of), knowing the Zionists, it's only a matter of time when they will start breaching the cease fire again. Even if the war did stop, Palestine has so much rebuilding to do. Not to mention their lack of supplies, mainly to cure the injured. The lack of water supply also is a major problem, which leads to diseases and might cause death. These are all physical effects that needs to be addressed. What about the psychological aspects? Over a thousand children in Gaza are orphaned. Little children and babies are traumatized by the bombs and by the chaos caused by these Zionists animals. They lost their limbs, and also their parents. Unimaginable. These are little kids we are talking about. But not all hope is lost. Among these horrific ruins we find love, and kindness, and people helping each other. Not to mention countries like Algeria opening their doors to provide supplies and assistance to the Palestinians. And also our beloved country, sending our convoy with medical and food supplies to help, if not much, the injured and wounded. And as we all know, the Palestinians are strong, and resilient, and Allah will always look after those who pray for help. InsyaAllah, those who perished defending their Palestinian land, will be awarded Jannah, Amin.

 

(picture from Google)

Raya also has passed since I last wrote. It has been a simple cozy raya with family. Ate so much, as usual. Need to watch my calories!

Then there's my runs! My first run after the raya holidays was the Energizer Night Run on August 9, 2014. It was my first 15km run, and I barely did any training, and it was just after puasa and raya! Omg, but I managed to finish! it took me ages to get to the finish line but I did it! Best feeling!

 

Had another run on September 7, which was the TM Fan Run. Did 10km, and my timing was surprisingly a new Personal Best! This came as a surprise considering it was a hectic weekend for me. Whatever it is, felt good.

Though many more things are happening around me, this entry is long enough, hehe. Hope to write some more soon.

So, I was about to start writing when I heard the pitter patter of my baby boy's feet walking down the stairs. Gave him a bottle of milk and decided to note some life events that has been happening since my last post.

1. Trying to keep up with the happenings in the world, I sometimes read the huffingtonpost.com. One of the news that strikes me is about the 200+ abducted Nigerian girls :(. It has been almost a month now, and only Allah knows what is happening to them. We always hear about rape, torture, murder and other atrocities done to women in these broken countries. And to be captive for almost a month, I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through. All they planned on doing that day was go to school and complete their final examinations. Oh how can things turn out to be so wrong :(. Let's pray that Allah protect these girls from the savages, and say thanks to how lucky we are to be protected by Allah from this misfortune.

(picture from Google)

2. I went to a baking class last weekend! I learnt how to make walnut brownies, cream puffs and its filling and also the Victoria Sponge Cake. I also learnt to make butterscotch drizzle for the brownies, and the swiss meringue buttercream for the VSC :). So exciting! The girls in my class are all so nice :) and our teacher, Kak Tina, is also very easy to get along with. Humble and down to earth person, even though her cakes are out of this world! You can check out her IG at @ms_tinaz. It was a 1 day class at her home. We got to bring back our bakes and it was really yummy! A few days after, I tried making my own cream puffs and was so nervous about it I couldnt sleep the night before! But my class paid off and I managed to make delicious cream puffs on my own! I made a box of it for my best friends birthday and she loved it! :) Yay me! Could i possible take orders? hehe.. Yes I can!

3. After making and eating desserts, I need to talk about my running. I have been slacking! So today I managed to drag my lazy bum for a 4km run. Felt good, though I ran kinda slow. My next run is the Cyberjaya Night Marathon. Apparently we will be hosed down by the firefighters somewhere along the way! Can't wait! I'll write a review on it in about 2 weeks after the run. It will be my first night run actually. Yay fun!

(picture obtained from Google)

Life... to be grateful for what we have

I was just thinking about it this morning, when I looked at a friend's picture of her island holiday. Oh how I wish I was at the beach! The clear blue water, sparkling under the sunshine. The calmness the sound of the waves makes you. How you always stare in awe at the vast ocean without being able to say a word. And just enjoy the big, blue ocean for hours and hours. Huge sunglasses, flip flops, a good book, sun block, and just lay back  by the beach enjoying the wonders of nature as Allah created it. Don't even get me started on the amazing sea life, blue fishes never cease to amaze me. What is it with blue fishes? Silver colored fishes or black or white fish doesn't give the same kind of impact to me, but I digress.

I so long for a holiday by the beach. A peaceful one. Alone. Without the kids. I don't mean to sound cruel, but sometimes I think I deserve a holiday alone. I do bring my kids for our family holiday all the time. Just want one for myself. But there's no way my husband would let me go alone. My friends all have their family commitment. So I am left with nobody to go with. Blurgh. 

So as I was wallowing in despair, feeling sorry for my life, pretty sure it is the end of the world, all because of a picture of the sea, I came across this article on Iraq. Even after the Americans left, Iraq's internal turmoil has not ceased. The journalist spoke of teacups clattering as a bomb exploded nearby. A fighter for democracy described Iraq as "going into the abyss". 

Even though the essence of the article written was more on the politics and the reign of its current Prime Minister and the upcoming election, I came to think about the unspoken circumstances of Iraq. The voices of the civilians and helpless children. When the bomb was meant to do harm to each of the fighting sides, who is listening to the screams and cries of hundreds (prob thousands? I need to get my facts right) of innocent civilian casualties? People of Iraq, or those living in conflicting countries cannot live the normal life we live in everyday. We complain of traffic jams, of how tired we are of housework, how our bosses give us hell at work, how someone annoys us by hurting our feelings, how we always have nothing to wear, trivial things it now seems. I'm sure they would be so thankful to wake up in the morning and roam the streets of their own country without fear of being shot by a stray bullet. Little things that we take for granted in our lives. 

Islam also teaches us to never compare ourselves to those who has more than us, but instead look at the less fortunate.

On the authority of Abu Huraira (R.A.A.) who said: The Prophet (PBUH), said: "Look upon one who is below you in status. In this way you will not look down upon the grace of that God bestowed upon you." (Bukhari and Muslim)

I am human, because sometimes I cannot runaway from these trivial complaints I make everyday. Lucky me though, because I do realize that my complaints ARE in fact trivial. I just need to realize it more often. And I hope you all do too. 

Well.... guess I ain't a writer after all...

So.... it's April.. my last post was in January, and many things has happened since. First thing's first, I am not your average blogger. In fact, I am quite less than average since I couldn't keep up with my writing. So let's get that out of the way.

One of the more significant things that has happened since my last rambling was the disappearance of flight MH370. There has been tonnes of news and mostly speculations on the event. One thing we know for sure is, there are many pilots and airline expert amongst us. Just look at their Facebook posts. Everyone has some conclusion, or comment on the whereabouts of the plane, an opinion on the pilot and families, how the military radar works and not to forget, the capabilities (or lack of) of our government in handling the case. Everyone shares almost every news on their FB, without checking the authenticity. They tag the family members, as if they hadn't suffered enough. So, what I am trying to say is, I won't bore you with my opinion on the matter. I only pray for my dear friend to find happiness and closure, and be able to live life growing old with his kids. Amin.

I have also been running (though some people might call it brisk walking). Joining running events gives  me a sense of high, and I am forced to run, all for the sake of a medal. I am old, so I do not run to improve my timing what so ever. I just want to collect medals. It's my own personal achievement and I am proud of myself.

Recently, some younger friends have been putting ideas in my head to run a Half Marathon. So last night I suddenly had this semangat to actually try running a HM. So this morning I put on my running shoes, and ran my normal morning routine, and tried to run the whole way. Yes! I did it! Though it was not 21km.. (notice I refuse to let you know how far I ran) but I still felt good. But.... I don't think I can stomach it. So I will not register for HM in the Putrajaya Night Marathon. Maybe next year. Who knows? The registration for it is already open by the way, so be sure to join the crowd! Go to the page below for more information.

http://www.bsnpnm.com/

Yes, the event is on my birthday, so if I were to run a HM on that day, it would be awesome!!! But, alas, .. Might need to checkout some HM training plans soon. Though... 

The next day however, is the Standard Chartered KL Marathon. Which is also a huge international event. So I'm torn between the two. Do I dare enough to enter both? Will I be able to do it? I need to read more on running, I guess. 

Oh well, my little baby boo just woke up. Need to get back to my house chores before a lunch outing with the ladies. I need to write more. I have all these words in my head I need to let out :). Au revoir!

There's always a first

My life has entered a new phase recently, about four months ago, and I must say it has its ups and downs. I have always been working, in the telecommunications corporate world, i might say, and after much thought, I decided to become a full time stay at home mom, or SAHM they now call it. Well, I didnt just decided over night, it was a result of months of thinking, and arguing, and guilt and exhaustion. The maid left in Feb 2013, and since then my mom has been looking after the kids. The house was a mess, and I never seem to have time. By the time I got home from the office, had to rush and pick up my daughter, and then rush home. Dinner was usually bought, and the nights is usually spent tidying up or preparing for the next day routine. My childrens birthday cake was usually ordered at the last minute, and I never have time to sit down and think of the little things, like what kind of picture to put on the birthday cake, which will definitely make my children happy. I tried sending my youngest to the nursery, but he wailed like nobody's business, and I apparently cannot take it. Call me over protective or emotional, but I cannot stand leaving my kids wailing in the arms of people I barely know and trust. My mom, on the other hand, is over 60, and she should have her own peace as well. Taking care of toddlers is no walk in the park. Especially my kids! And then there's the task of sending and picking up the bigger kids, so its a full-time job I tell you! Poor mom!

Life at the office was not all breezy, though having great friends helped maintained my sanity a lot. Work wasnt great, no job satisfaction. Somehow my boss at that time likes to clean up other people's mess, and then take the crap for it. So it kinda helped me in making my decision. 

So in September 2013, my life as a 'housewife' began. I am still getting used to that term, by the way. I had to fill in a form recently for my daughter's school, and it needed the mother's occupation. Paused there for a bit. In denial? haha Anyways, after 4 months of not working, I have to admit I have my ups and downs. I sometime feel like working again, though I cannot admit that to everyone, because as far as I know, many working moms would love to be home and cook and take care of their kids. So it made me feel like a bad mom, a little bit. "I dont feel like I'm doing anything with my life." .. "Of course you are, you are taking care of your kids and nurturing them to be a better person when they grow up, how can that not be anything??" .. it's those kind of conversations I have in my head whenever I think of working again. Dont get me wrong, I love my kids to death, but sometimes I need more human interaction. Being at work gives me the chance to meet new people, and bond with the old ones. I vent out to my friends about my day, and they confide in me in various areas, including VPLs. hehe.. 

My ups, however, are really great though. I have been running a lot in the mornings, improving my health and losing some inches :) yahooo! I have also gathered the courage to enter a running event, my first 10km! I have entered 3 runs since, and i have more lined up for this coming year :) .. thats a great accomplishment for myself, i feel. And of course, my kids. I have been able to pay more attention, and not rush every school preparation. I could also make them eat properly, though I am still working on that. I am not much of a cook, and I sometimes buy food too. :( .. I envy moms who work, and still be able to come home and cook dinner for the family. To me you would need superhuman power to be able to cook, hahaha... I admit I am more relaxed, and I am also able to do more reading. I got a weekly maid for the housework too, yeehaaa! and I try to go out once a week for lunch with my buddies. I still need to be in contact with the world, or else ill go insane!! 

So all in all, well actually i havent covered everything here, i still need to talk about my skin condition and beauty regime.. hehe.. my lack of funds for shopping.. my friends.. my family.. and so many other things about my transition in life!!! next post then... this is becoming too long for a first post in a blog.. adios!