Tag Archives: fasting month

The Ramadhan Trend in 2010

Posted on by
Reply

It seems to me that it is a trend this fasting month to illustrate the Dos and Don’ts for the month using the signage concept.

Just this morning alone, I came across 3 different posters using signs to indicate what’s right and wrong for the month.

Well this one simply tells us that during the day in the fasting month, one should abstain from food & drinks, smoking, any sexual activity and pill popping (or plus ice cream, lol).

Out of these, I believe that smokers have the hardest time keeping away from cigarettes. However, some manage to quit smoking as a result from abstaining from it during the fasting month. Well I guess it’s all in the mind.

This second poster is a mix of do’s and don’ts, well except for the crossed-out devil. That is just reminding us that during the fasting month, all ghosts and evil are chained up. Which is pretty ironic this year since the 7th month (Hungry Ghost Festival) coincides with Ramadhan.

So the Do’s in this poster are: be kind and generous, be happy and sincere & plenty of prayers.

And the final poster (ripped from Tina & Maurina, hehe):

This poster is slightly more detailed than the previous two, and has more to offer as well. Things such as lowering your gaze (modesty), not cursing or swearing and not getting into fights are often ignored on normal days. Personally, I try abstaining from swearing during the fasting month.

However I am always guilty of wasting time on useless activities. Come on, in the digital age, you are surrounded by gadgets that lead to useless activities – and that includes listening to music.

I think having these posters are effective in a way that it reminds all Muslims what they can and cannot do during the holy month. They also educate non-Muslims about the fasting month, so that they will have a better understanding of it.

Lozenges: to be sucked slowly when necessary

Posted on by
Reply

Seriously, why is there an innuendo on the packaging of my prescribed lozenges from the doctor? *giggles*

So yes, today is the first day of Ramadhan and here’s what I did (or didn’t do technically):

1. Woke up for sahur despite the worsening sore throat. The sore throat started last night and it was worse when I woke up and my head felt extremely heavy with a blocked + slightly runny nose – go figure.

2. Went to the doctor’s and got 2 days MC – just like I predicted. Was given seriously disgusting pills. 2 of them have puke-worthy aftertaste (especially the deceptive small and red flu pill!!) To make things worse, my antibiotics is in the form of capsules. I can already foresee plenty of medicine time drama that can only happen to me.

If only pills are candies, then i wouldn’t have any trouble at all. In fact, I might suffer from an overdose.

Look: happy pills!

3. Broke my fast, took the meds and completely concussed for most of the afternoon. The sleep went on and on and it was pretty good. Must be due to the fact that the paracetamol given to me is also a muscle relaxant + my disgusting flu pill “causes drowsiness in some people”. Believe me, I am always that “some people”.

4. Watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy before taking the meds again.

5. So here I am, half awake typing out this post. Should be concussing again in no time. You have no idea how much difficulty I went through just typing out this post. I must have turned slightly dyslexic and very unfocused, seeing how I had difficulty typing and spelling words correctly. But of course you don’t see the mistakes because the perfectionist in me shines through the drowsiness.

My words don’t make sense? Too bad. I warned you in twitter that I’m blogging while drowsy.

Ramadhan is here again

Posted on by
Reply

Time really flies.Tomorrow we start the month of Ramadhan in the Hijrah year 1431. A whole month of fasting, goodwill and good thoughts.

Last year, I barely fasted the entire month. I had the worst stomach flu for 2 weeks, which ended with a trip to the A & E. And I had my period during the first and last week of the month.

So, yes. I barely fasted last year.

It was also a full month of firsts. I sahur-ed alone, and broke fast alone at the beginning of the month. I even fasted while on a work trip in Jakarta, where I experienced an earthquake and having my sahur in the wee hours of the morning at the hotel.

And not to mention, the terrible incident that happened towards the end of the fasting month which led to a serious domino effect – which I don’t want to get into right now.

My point is, I hope for a smoother Ramadhan this year – with not much obstacles and with a peace of mind. And that’s my wish for all my Muslim friends out there.

Happy fasting everyone!

Going Away in Ramadhan

Posted on by
Reply

Later on today, I will be making my third trip down to Jakarta.

While I truly look forward to flying from Changi Airport Terminal 3 for the first time, (don’t you know, I am Changi Airport’s biggest fan?), I feel sad about leaving this time.

It is the fasting month after all. Whatever it is, emotions will be raw.

It has so far been a fasting month of many firsts this year. I’ve been alone for most of the fasting month. I broke fast all by myself for the first time ever and it wasn’t a heartwarming feeling. This morning, I had my sahur all alone while watching Disney Channel. It was my first time having sahur in solitude.

Really sad stuff when you think about it.

And now this. I’ve never had to fast while traveling. That said, I have never been away during the fasting month. When you think of my solitude this Ramadhan, this going away certainly pushes my isolation to the next level. No doubt that this will add on to the experiences that will make me stronger but it’s also something that will push me out of my comfort zone entirely.

Of course sahur will be provided by the hotel – an experience that I am actually quite looking forward to try out because I’ve never heard of such a service, very interesting indeed.

Also how can I forget I actually have some special people (hello, girls!) who look forward to seeing me. It’s a nice feeling to be wanted, hehe. That is of course beside the fact that I have people to interview, people to review and projects to discuss. So in actual fact, I won’t really be alone all that much.

So I should be okay right?

I should just take this experience with a grain of salt and an open mind. I survived Banda Aceh at Hari Raya. I can do this.

So I’ll blog when I get back, hopefully with nice photos.

xoxo.

Air Kathirah + Chendol = New Drink?

Posted on by
1

One of the things I look forward to during each fasting month is Air Kathirah.

To drink it when breaking fast is like pure heaven. Not only is it sweet, but it is also thirst quenching after such a long day.

For the uninitiated, air kathirah is a like a milk beverage that is sweet and yummy. There are these ingredients in it that I don’t quite know what they are – probably sago seeds? These sago seeds are equivalent to the pearls in bubble tea, just 1/100 the size of a pearl. I’ve tried looking for a photo of this drink but to no avail.

I can’t believe nobody has taken a photo of Air Kathirah. Maybe I will, haha.

But anyways, Air Kathirah is the best thing ever.

So my story about Air Kathirah today adds on to my long history of bimbo tales.

So there I was with FP walking through the Pasar Malam looking for food, drinks and possibly Malay or Indo DVDs. But my main mission was of course to find my beloved Air Kathirah. It has become a personal custom for me to have it every Ramadhan. So we searched and searched.

First there was this stall that sold Air Kathirah in so many flavours that a bubble tea shop will cringe in shame. Blueberry Kathirah, Strawberry Kathirah and so on. I was like.. “WOW, interesting but NO. I must have the original”.

So we walked on.

Then directly across from where I was standing, I saw a sign saying AIR KATHIRAH + CHENDOL.

So I pointed the sign to FP, to which he says, “Chendol sounds good! Let’s go!”

Now here’s where things get complicated all because of Air Kathirah.

When I saw the sign, I honestly thought that it meant that Chendol is mixed with Air Kathirah and therefore a new drink has been created. That was my logic because that is truly the literal meaning of the sign. (I’m a simple girl, you know?)

FP on the other hand, caught the real meaning of the sign – which simply says that they sold both Air Kathirah and Chendol at the stall. Not mixed. They just have both available.

So bearing these opposing thoughts in mind, let me tell you what happened when we got to the stall.

So this is the conversation that occurred between me and the stall aunty:

Me: Can I have one kathirah, and one kathirah + chendol

Aunty: Ok, one kathirah, one chendol

Me: No, one kathirah, one Kathirah + Chendol! (thinking why doesn’t she understand when she has a sign saying kathirah + chendol up! At these moment FP was nudging me saying stuff. I ignored him)

Aunty: (begins putting one packet of Kathirah in a plastic bag)

Me: Um, can I have that in a cup? (to which FP nudged me again saying, “Nevermind.. we can just drink from the plastic”)

Aunty: Sorry we don’t have any more cups. (she then takes one packet Chendol and put it in the plastic also)

Me: Oh ok.. (notices that the Chendol does not seem to be mixed with kathirah) Aunty, is this already mixed with Kathirah?

At this point of time, the aunty did look annoyed. She looked incredibly tired and did I tell you that we can break fast at any minute? And still she had to deal with nonsense from a certain innocent bimbo.

Aunty: We don’t have mixed ones. It’s either Kathirah or Chendol. No mixed! So you still want or don’t want??

Me: Oh (blush blush) yes yes ok

Aunty: So with Chendol or no Chendol?

Me: With. So one Kathirah one Chendol.

After which, FP laughed at me nonstop. But to my defense:

a) The sign was misleading
b) Prior to this stall, I saw air kathirah in so many flavours
c) Who knows, air kathirah mixed with chendol might be yummy after all!

So perhaps we should try mixing eh, Kawan E? :D

Related Searches:

www air katira com,ramadhan trend,katira drink recipe,bimbo moments meaning