"23" for 2023

"23" for 2023

Sunday, January 29, 2023

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Perhaps it is too late to write this down because January will soon be over. Last year was fantastic, but I did not maximize my potential, particularly in terms of personal development. So there you have it. I’ve been spending some time actually making lists that are doable while also pushing me to be the best version of myself.

1. Read more – I’m not a bookworm, I do read but not the actual book. Maybe because my reading materials are more factual, and I had a hard time to digest. I would like to change my taste in books and we will see how it goes. So, this year, my goal is to read 7 books. Yes, lucky number seven. 

2. Track my habit: Did you know that it takes 21 days to actually make habits stick? I’ve been working on my habit tracker on a Google Sheet (which I did myself), and so far I am nowhere near close to actually reaching my habit goals. I believe having a to do everyday would be a good combination to my habit tracker. My goal is to stick to that particular habit for at least 25 days in a month.

3. Learn Mandarin. I love learning new languages and I have a list of languages I would love to learn. But, I always learn  basic phrases and stop. I used to take Mandarin class back in college and I stopped once I reached intermediate level.  I was having a hard time juggling lab work , research, and language class. I still remember some but this time I really want to focus and learn new vocab. 

4. Start a recipe blog. I still have my recipe blog, which I created in 2018. Somehow, things happened, and I lost interest in cooking. I want to get my passion back and continue to share, or at least have a record of what I’ve cooked. I want to post at least 23 recipes this year.

5. Solo vacations as a birthday gift to myself. I have a rough plan to go to the West Coast and DC this year. 

6. Exercise more. Ideally, I need to walk at least 30 minutes a day. On top of that, spend 15 minutes stretching in the morning and afternoon. 

7. Travel with Luqman: We didn’t have the opportunity to go on a honeymoon after our wedding; this is something I’ve been discussing with Luqman since we got married. I do not have the exact plan, but we will figure this out once we have enough budget to do so. Maybe somewhere in October or November.

8. A getaway with my parents—I would love to bring my parents somewhere. Maybe to Penang like we used to go when I was a kid. I want to relive those moments and just be a kid for a couple days. or maybe somewhere further.

9. Write a letter to my future self. I have always had this plan in my mind since 2 years ago. I think this year would be a great time to start.

10. Volunteering. I’ve been searching for a good place to volunteer. I do not have the opportunity to do so yet because I do not have the resources to start.

11. Track my monthly expenses. I need to be better with my money management so I can reach my savings goal this year.

12. Host a party at our house; I miss having a board game night. Both Luqman and I love board games so much. A board game night party has been on my mind a lot for the past few weeks.

13. Learn how to swim—yeap, I can’t really swim. I love water sports a lot, but now I have a limitation on how far I can go since I can’t swim—just yet.

14. Learn to edit video. A part of me loves doing this kind of thing, but I am not an expert. I would like to know more about editing videos to make them more pleasing.

15. Learn baking! I want to make focaccia bread from scratch!

16. Go on a hike! Maybe I can drag Luqman with me.

17. Get my supplements! I have a vitamin D deficiency. I have to remind myself to take it every day.

18. Buy a KitchenAid mixer—I’ve been eyeing this for years now.

19. Visit a National Park in the US – Grand Canyon specifically!

20. Get a facial aka spa day. It’s time to focus more on my skincare.

21. Finish courses in Coursera and Udemy – I have multiple courses I enrolled but have not yet finished. My goal is to finish them by March, after which I can add new stuff to learn.

22. Learn Tajweed so I can recite Quran better.  

23. Save at least $__k by the end of the year.

It does sound like a lot. However, I really want to make sure I achieved at least 90% from the list.

Toodles!

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Lock In For Life 💍

Lock In For Life 💍

Monday, January 23, 2023

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It has been 2 months since the wedding. I’m still in disbelief, wondering how so many months of planning, anticipation, and excitement boiled down to the happiest and most beautiful hours of my life that felt like minutes, and then boom!!, it’s over.

A day before, I just found out that Luqman has to prepare the dowry, or “mas kahwin” physically. You know, in this era where technology plays a big part in our lives, we thought Luqman could just transfer the money to my bank and print the receipt as a proof. Hahahaha, silly me. It didn’t work that way. I was anxious and flooded with all the what-if situations in my head. Getting a handsome amount of money within a day is impossible, especially during the weekend. The bank was closed. Luqman was on his way to my place, which took him half a day to get here. Plus, he was with his driver, and it might not be safe to carry a huge amount when you have a stranger around. Even if he could, he has a limited amount he can withdraw. On the other hand, I have limited ways to get money as I don’t really use my Malaysian bank that often. I only can withdraw money from ATM that has VISA. Thank God, my umi and ayah came to the rescue and had the money ready. So, Luqman could easily transfer the money to their bank account. Phew~

December is monsoon season on the east coast, so it is expected to rain. But we did not expect it to be that heavy. The weather was beautiful a week before my Nikkah. But the rain didn’t stop pouring when my big day approached. I went out with Luqman and his mom and sister to pick up our other dress. I was super anxious a day before and I could not stay still and followed my sister to pick the youngest from school. I remember all my parents, siblings, uncles, and aunties were busy preparing for my big day under the rain the night before. I could not thank them enough for their extra help. The night before went by pretty quickly. Everyone was busy preparing for the next day, and it felt weird because I used to do all the preparation for my friends’ weddings in the States, but it was my turn now. I didn’t really help much that night, plus I had to do my henna. My sister-in-law helped me with the henna. I was planning to go to sleep early, as that’s what I heard from my friends. I planned but didn’t happened. I did my henna and my skincare and looked at the clock; it was already 12:30 PM. My sisters and I slept together in my bedroom that night. The rain hasn’t stopped…

My brother knocked on my door the next morning when I awoke. He informed me that Fauzan, my non-biological twin, had just arrived. I nodded and tried to sleep again. The time was 5 a.m. I have to get up and ready at 6 a.m. I tried to close my eyes, but I couldn’t. I was both nervous and excited. It was my special day. It had finally arrived! I had no trouble getting out of bed that morning. When I entered the kitchen, my siblings and sister-in-law were already preparing the food. I showered and prepared myself. It continued to rain… In the interim, my photographer arrived and took some photos. I finished my makeup around 9:30 a.m. I was expecting Luqman’s side to arrive. Ayah approached me and requested my permission to marry me to Luqman. Ayah does not express his love in an obvious way. It was a touching moment for me.

The rain suddenly came to a halt. The sun finally came out. Luqman and Tok Kadi have arrived at my house. The MC tuned in selawat. I walked beside Umi to the pelamin. I saw Luqman in his white Baju Melayu. He looked good and neat. I was anxious as everyone was there waiting for the ceremony to start. The Tok Kadi proceeded with the ceremony, and he asked Luqman whether he knew how to ucap lafaz nikkah. Well, he said no. Everyone laughed. Luqman just goes with the lafaz nikkah he learned when we went to Majlis Nikah orang lain. The ceremony was done in 30 minutes. I did not expect it to be that fast and simple. We proceed with the ring exchange session. We were both awkward. Luqman was puzzled, as he didn’t know where to put the ring on my finger. And once again, everyone laughed. He is very good at making jokes.

I don’t really have an exact flow to my Nikkah ceremony. We just played it by ear since the rain hadn’t fully stopped. It drizzles sometimes, but we have canopies. We had makan beradab after that. Unfortunately, the caterer did not prepare the special food for the groom and bride. But I don’t really take it seriously, and that issue did not really affect me. We had a lot of food. I mean, a lot! My parents tend to be extra generous when it comes to giving food. Guests are king, y’know. We had gulai kawah, ayam masak merah, nasi minyak, fruits, and beverages from the caterer. On top of that, my family cooked extra food too. Some brought kuih-muih. My brother and his wife made Mee Kari, and my sisters cooked Colek Ayam. I don’t really eat much that afternoon. Maybe because I was so on a cloud. 

The MC was very good with her duty. She walked around and asked our family to give a speech on the spot. Luqman and I were not excluded. Luqman’s speech was funny. “Saya sangat bahagia hari ini, saya harap anda pun bahagia”, he said. This guy never fails to crack jokes. Everyone was pretty amused by his speech. Luqman’s family stayed until noon. Later that day, many more guests arrived. Umi and Ayah’s friends and extended families were mostly present. The rest of the day went even faster. Soon, it was an outdoor photoshoot. We went to the beach. I’m glad that the rain had stopped by then. The shoot was successful. We went home with half-wet clothes and sand everywhere. There were stains on my Baju Kurung and Luqman’s Baju Melayu. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I was starving that night. And finally, I got to eat all the food. I would say that everything eventually falls into place. Months of worries were completely worth it. 

Even after a month, the feelings are still there. I’m deeply grateful for everyone who helped make our day so perfect and for the outpouring of love from people who’ve been an important part of our story.

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