Mama's 49th.

Dear Mama,

You're 49 this year but you don't look like it. Yes, I'm being sincere. This year, you're celebrating your birthday in style because we're celebrating it at Medina, close to what is one of the most beautiful and opulent mosques I've been in.

You've been a wonderful mother, who likes to splash me with water. You cope with my random baking sessions, merely muttering under your breath when I ask you to buy more butter/chocolate chips.

You have your moments of being funny, like the time you told me that "Finally, my daughter has finished her studies." which definitely became a much-liked Facebook status. You also impressed us when I sang some random, incorrect lines from a Hindi movie and you knew what movie I was talking about, and which scene the song took place.

You're an amazing woman, and on this day, hopefully I'm treating you to a White Chocolate Mocha at the Starbucks in Medina.

Love,

Your gorgeous daughter.

Tuesday Thoughts.

Eager to Fly.

My flight is tomorrow afternoon, the bags are packed and Mama is telling me to get my hand luggage ready. I wonder if I can sneak a novel into it, just for the airplane ride. I've written some posts that are scheduled for release during my away time.

Now, don't miss me too much. Do read my old posts. If any of you are interested in reading that manuscript of short stories so you can review it, do email Mokesart at mozart(at)olbrychtpalmer(dot)net and email him the reviews.

Hmm. Wish me to have a safe journey going there and coming back. I'll try to take plenty of pictures. I'll eat the yummy ice creams and kebabs. Of course, I'll do my best.

Unofficially Graduated.

When I was in high school, I was eager to finish and move on to university. I was eager to experience campus life that promised more freedom. But when I finally graduated from high school, I was sad because there was no going back for me.

The same goes for uni. I was eager to finally finish my degree, after 5.5 years and look for a job which will help me to fill up my Travel Tin. But when we were done with presenting our final year project, and when we had that last cake together, I got sad.

Nothing is going to come back. I had a wonderful 66 months learning at that place, obtaining both a Diploma and a Degree. I started out as this scared little girl, who cried to a friend on the phone about how worthless she felt in class. How everyone was getting Calculus while she was struggling to even understand the first topic. And I'm ending it as this confident, but still kinda scared young woman, who academic-wise, had a great 2 years of doing her degree.

I had my ups and downs. I made friends. I failed subjects. I lost track of my purpose and I regained it. I used to keep every notes for a difficult subject in a separate box, knowing there's a chance I will fail that paper. But I haven't done that for 2 years now. Back then, I was happy to pass. Now, a B is the lower limit for me.

I'm still a bookworm. Still love to write. And still, Hanis. But a better version. University didn't only give me an education in Actuarial Science, but it taught me about life. It taught me about making friends, about taking chances. It taught me to be selfish at times, and generous at others. It taught me so many things that I will always be grateful for it.

Needed: Readers.

Wanted: People to read a manuscript of a collection of short stories and poems. They'll need to be able to give their honest opinion on it.

Interested? Drop me an email at hanis-is-gorgeous@hotmail.com or leave me your email address in the comments section.

I'll love you so much.

Stage Fright.

In 12 hours, I'll be standing in front of a class, with two lecturers as the panel as I and my group presented our final year project. I'll be feeling my heart beating in my mouth, my palms sweaty as I keep reminding myself to take deep breaths.

I'm scared for it. But I'm hoping for the best. The best is just to make some corrections to the report and send in the hardbound copy. The worst is to represent it, which I sincerely, don't have the time to since on Monday, I'll be boarding a plane to Medina.

I finished my exams last Saturday, not feeling the glee my classmates were at finishing our last ever exam. I still had the burden of this presentation on my shoulders. I went home after a dinner with some classmates and slept early. The next day I baked brownies and picked a book from that collection I bought back in December.

Once this is all over, I will finally breathe easily and enjoy my moment. 

That is why I haven't post much ever since finishing my paper. Put that with the emotional rollercoaster ride I'm going through, I simply lost my mood to blog. I might blog more if things go well tomorrow. But I promise, before I go for my trip, I'll write something.

Tuesday Thoughts.

Confession No.46.

What can I do?

What should I do?

What do I want to do?

All I know is what I don't want to do.

I'm Impatient for This.

16 more days to the first picture.

Then the second picture.

Stop beating so fast dear heart.

Its been nearly 8 years since I was there.

Confession No. 45

I'll be your dream.

I'll be your wish.

I'll be your fantasy.

A Joke.

Knock knock.

Who's there?

You Know.

You Know Who?

AVADA KEDAVRA.

*bows to the applause* I made up that one. If you get it, I salute you fellow Potterhead/ HP fans.

Roast the Cream Stress Away.

While my classmates are studying for the 3 papers next week, I'm at home and puttering around in the kitchen. What can I say, cooking helps me with stress. 

Sunday:
Mama asked me to make dinner. So I marinated some chicken parts with honey, olive oil and black pepper before peeling the potatoes. Quarter them, put in a pot, fill it up with water before bringing them to a boil. As I wait for that, I put the chicken on the grill in the oven after trickling some more olive oil on them.

Half an hour later, I was mashing potatoes and adding butter to it while checking on the chicken. Mom made some coleslaw and we have roast chicken, mashed potatoes and coleslaw for dinner.

Monday:
I decided to make cookies. And the Mama wanted that no bake cheesecake. I make the batter for cookies, put it in the freezer and took a small nap. At 3pm, I took it out, form into small balls and start baking them in between episodes of Big Bang Theory on my laptop.

While the last batch was cooling down, I started to whip the ingredients for the cheesecake. Lay them out on the table and watch another episode while I construct the cake. About 40 minutes later, I covered it, put it in the fridge and waited 20 hours before taking a taste.

Too good to be shared. But, here's the recipe.

Marie biscuits/ Digestive biscuits- Two flavours or just one.
Thick condensed milk (12 tablespoons)- You can decrease the number if you think its too sweet,but make sure to divide equally for A and B.
Nestle cream ( 1 tin)
Philadelphia cream cheese (250g)
Chocolate chips/ Sprinkles

Beat the cream cheese and half of the condensed milk until it turns smooth and creamy looking. (Mixture A)

Mix the nestle cream and the rest of the condensed milk.(Mixture B)

Double dip a biscuit in B and line it in the caserole dish. Repeat until its all covered up and fill in the gaps with crumbs from the biscuits. Trickle some B onto those crumbs. 

Lightly spread A on top before repeating the step before with another flavour. 

Repeat until you got the thickness you want.

Coat the top with the rest of A, making it as thick as you want.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips/ anything you want on top of it, or leave it plain.

Cover and put it in the fridge for at least 20 hours.


Its perfect for people who don't like that sickly cheesy taste they get from a normal cheesecake. Which is me, cause I like the base part only. And talking about baking, few weeks ago I made roasted pear and chocolate chunk scones. So yummy.

Now, I better start studying.

Tuesday Thoughts.

4th and 5th January Playlist.

Perhaps as you read this I'm sitting in that cold hall for my very first exam today. Managerial Economics. Send your good wishes and thoughts my way. 




Say something funny, say something sweet but don't say you loved me.

To think of all the nights I cried myself to sleep.

You have my number and you can take my name, but you'll never have my heart.

Why are you so shy when you walk by?

You must not know about me.

I love you like a love song baby, and I keep repeating.

And I'll find a way to let you know that you'll be mine someday.

You love me but you don't know who I am.

Now all I got to say is why.

Its like, you're the swing set and I'm the kid that falls.

Oh kiss me with your eyelashes tonight.

I know I tend to get insecure, doesn't matter anymore.

There may not, Be another way to your heart.

I like you the way you are, When we're driving in your on car, And when you're talking to me one on one.

I'm like a ringleader, I call the shots.

Tonight I'm gonna dance for all that we've been through, but I don't wanna dance if I'm not dancing with you.

I need a bridge to cross thie dangerous ground.

You and I are a story that never get told, You are a daydream, I'll never get to hold.

What would my daddy say, if he saw me hurt this way?

Honesty is honestly the hardest thing for me right now.

And I know you think that its just a fantasy.

Tell me that we belong together, Dress it up with trappings of love.

But he is so pretty to me.

I remember all those crazy things you said.

Cause we're living in a world of fools.

Now you have hear everything I have to say, where do we go from here?

Got our friends, got the night, we'll be alright.

I want to lay like this forever, Until the sky falls down over me.

When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight.

And this type of love isn't rational, Its physical.

I'm not going through the motions, waiting and hoping for you to call me.

This Friday night, do it all again.

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend.

Honest, baby, I'll do anything you want to.

Oooh boy you're looking like you like what you see.

Lightning don't strike the same place twice.

Oh what a shame that you came here with someone.

Our song is the way you laugh.

Kiss me through the phone, see you when I get home.

Let me see you through, Cause I've seen the dark side too.

So let's set the world on fire, We can burn brighter than the sun.

Save me from being confused, Show me what I'm looking for.

I've been keeping busy all the time, Trying to keep you off my mind.

3rd January's Playlist.

I shiver when I hear your name, I think about you but its not the same.

Take back that sad word goodbye.

Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wanna stay awhile.

Watch me strike a match on all my wasted time.

Now rumour has it she ain't got your loving any more.

Last week when I was sad, you said that you knew, my eyes change from kinda green to kinda blue.

I only pray that you'll never leave me behind, Because good music is so hard to find.

And I don't belong to anyone that call me homewrecker.

You have a way of coming easily to me, And when you take, you take the very best of me.

Tell them all I know now, Shout it from the rooftops.

Leave me with some kind of proof its not a dream.

Everytime I close my eyes, I see my name in shiny lights.

Do you know how to touch a girl?

Don't judge me tomorrow by the way I'm acting today.

Shot me out of the sky, you're my kryptonite.

Well you whisper in me and I shivered inside.

If love was red then she was colour blind.

You left me so speechless.

A simple love with a complex touch.

You're trying to be cool but you look like a fool to me.

Do you have to, Do you have to, Do you have to let it linger?

I used to be love drunk but now I'm hungover.

Tuesday Thoughts.