Down The Memory Lane.......

Ever wonder why sometimes when you think of nothing, you start to walk down the memory lane?

Today... I have been thinking about long lost-touch family & friends....

1. I have this one sister, Mie, who stays abroad, don't know how she is doing. I hope she's fine..
2. Angah, a dear friend when I was in MRSM... I know she has 3 kids and happily live in Kota Kinabalu... I miss you!
3. Wanie, a dear friend too, know her since MRSM days, and went to Australia together.. how are you doing?
4. Ayah Man lives in Gombak.. he's here, so close yet so far... And I've lost touch with him.

I may write more on these people and my other loved ones... soon... I promise... real soon!

ps: Elin, it was good to meet you last Thursday... Stay cool and good luck for your masters!!

Confusion on Hari Raya

I love hari raya... one of my favourite time of the year. As for the muslim, we have two hari raya @ Eid per Islam Calendar -
a. Eid Fitr (where we are required to perform one month fasting before celebrating it)
b. Eid Adha (where we usually do Qurban i.e slaughtering of animal as gift to the poor or the
less fortunate).

Something interesting after 30 years of living with my family, I am still confused everytime hari raya is on... why???? Everyone has a title of their own and you must be able to address them accordingly. Take this scenario.........

1. My daughter, Adilah, is older than my auntie's daughter, Khalida (who happens to be my cousin!). My auntie is the youngest in my dad's siblings, thus I call her CIK (youngest auntie). But Adilah sadly has to call Khalida "Mak Long" (as in auntie) even though she is older, due to the rank in the family ties.

2. When I am upset with my little cousins who are bout my kids age, (Boys...... always hyperactive).. and my daughters happen to "join the crowd", I have to mentally remember to address them using two different terms refering to myself:
To Adilah - "Ibu (mom) is very upset with you. Please don't be naughty"
To my cousins - "Kak Imi (as in sister Imi) is very upset with you. Please don't be naughty"

How confuse can you get??? Especially when you have like 60 people under one roof at one time of raya ........... How did I derive to this number??
1. My father + Mother in law + 7 kids (3 is married, so plus 3 pax + 4 grand children ) = 16
2. My father in law has 6 siblings }
3. My mother in law has 5 siblings }(each of them has minimum of 5 kids)
4. My mom has 8 siblings }
5. My dad has 10 siblings }

Oh.. and don't forget, in Malay tradition, we have this order of birth that give you the title Along, Angah, Alang, Anjang, Uda, Ateh, Andak, Acik, Usu etc... I may miss out some.. can't remember the correct order.. so be ready to get confused if you're single and about to be married to a big family!!

I am very sure I'm not the only one on earth who face this... we all do.. and that is why Raya is always fun coz raya brings the meaning of having FAMILY with you!