Hi everyone,
I am sharing with you pictures of red rose from my balcony tonight. I hope you enjoy it!
I also would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim friends 'Ramadhan al-Mubarak' or 'Selamat Berpuasa' (in my language). Tomorrow, 1st September 2008 or 1st Ramadhan 1429H. Ramadhan is the ninth month of Islamic calendar where Muslim will be fasting for the whole month.
Love - Larra
1st Ramadhan 1429H
A man in a hot air balloon realised he was lost.
He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below.
He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me?
I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The woman below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."
"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied the woman. "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help so far."
The woman below responded, "You must be in management."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"
"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You have risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems.
The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault!"
+++++++
Happy giggling! 
Hi everyone, Been having fever and coughing again. My body been acting weird lately - I must be getting old ..... 
please don't tell anyone! I still have not achieve my dream to climb Mount Kinabalu! 
I was trying to beat the fever yesterday 
Instead of lying in bed, I took out vacuum cleaner and vacuum the whole house. Not enough sweating, I continued with mopping the dining hall, living room and the kitchen. Yes, I was sweating like a pig! 
Mission accompished! But .... it's not just that, I feel pain - my waist - each time I bend down and also when I walk 
So, instead of just having fever and coughing, I now have additional pain - as if it is not enough! 
So, today I spent 1 and half hour at the massage - to get the waist pain fixed! Alhamdulillah, feeling a bit better now ..... not as painful as yesterday.
While I am sipping hot ginger drink with honey, I hope you are having better weekend than mine.
Take care! 
Larra
perhaps ....
our eyes
need to be washed
by our tears
once in a while
so that we can see life
with a clearer view again.
| |
I went out to Suria KLCC today - with one objective, to buy books! Seriously! I have no intention of shopping for other things I have run out of book to read while on my daily train ride to/fro work and I also need to look for book on Spain
So, after getting off the train I went straight to Kinokuniya bookstore. Spending almost 3 hours ..... browsing and enjoying the smell of old and new books and these are what in my shopping bag today:
The Places in Between by Rory Stewart, published in 2006.
" In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan -- surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion -- a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following. "
I read a review about this book last year and I went looking for this book but I couldn't find it. Today when I saw it displayed on the bestsellers shelf, I just grabbed it. This book is one of the New York Times Bestseller and if you would like to read the review about this book, visit this page .
And as a preparation for my holiday in Southern Spain, I also bought Lonely Planet's book, Andalucia . Hopefully it will give enough background information about Andalucia in order for me to experience Andalucia to the fullest in October 
.
I think these 2 books are enough to keep me occupied for the next couples of weeks. 
Good night everyone!
Just for fun
| You Are Green Tea |
 You are a well balanced person. You don't have many highs or lows in your life.
|
.... to catch another train ride,
to hear the swallows chirping just right infront of my office,
to enjoy another mug of 'teh tarik' 
to win another battle at work .
But I got the feeling it is not going to be a difficult one because today is FRIDAY! and I will soon have another weekend to celebrate!
Why today is a special day to YOU?
Today 8.8. 2008 - 3 eights in a row. To the Chinese people, number 8 is considered a lucky number. The main reason has to do with the pronunciation of the word 'eight' in Chinese. In Pinyin, a common romanisation of Mandarin, the word sounds like 'prosper' or 'wealth'. It is pronounced 'ba' and sounds like the word for prosperity which is pronounced 'fa'.
Whatever it means to you, I hope TODAY is indeed a special day to you and the rest of your family! Happy 8.8.2008! 
Love - Larra
Having difficulties to focus lately? Let's hear what expert has to say:
There's no magic bullet to boost IQ or make you smarter -- but certain substances, like caffeine, can energize and help you focus and concentrate. Found in coffee, chocolate, energy drinks, and some medications, caffeine gives you that unmistakable wake-up buzz -- though the effects are short term. And more is often less: Overdo it on caffeine and it can make you jittery and uncomfortable.
Sugar is your brain's preferred fuel source -- not table sugar, but glucose, which your body metabolizes from the sugars and carbohydrates you eat. That’s why a glass of something sweet to drink can offer a short-term boost to memory, thinking processes, and mental ability. Consume too much, however, and memory can be impaired -- along with the rest of you. Go easy on the sugar so it can enhance memory, without packing on pounds.
One of the great benefits of protein is that it generally makes you feel satisfied longer than carbohydrates and fats. Eating a diet rich in lean and low-fat protein is good for weight loss and overall health -- though it's hard to draw a connection with brain function.
Nuts and seeds are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which is associated with less cognitive decline as you age. Dark chocolate also has powerful antioxidant properties, and contains natural stimulants like caffeine, which can enhance focus and concentration. Enjoy up to an ounce a day of nuts and dark chocolate to provide all the benefits you need without excess calories, fat, or sugar.
Every organ in the body depends on blood flow, especially the heart and brain. Eating whole grains and fruits like avocados can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and enhance blood flow, offering a simple, tasty way to fire up brain cells. Whole grains, like popcorn and whole wheat, also contribute dietary fiber and vitamin E, while avocados have fat -- but a good-for-you, monounsaturated fat that contributes to healthy blood flow.
Research in animals shows that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Studies also show that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging rats, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats.
It may sound trite but it's true: If your diet lacks essential nutrients, it can decrease your ability to concentrate. Eating too much or too little can also interfere with your ability to focus. A heavy meal may make you feel lethargic, while too few calories can result in distracting hunger pangs. Benefit your brain: Strive for a well-balanced diet chock full of a wide variety of healthy, wholesome foods.
Store shelves groan with supplements claiming to boost health. Although many of the reports on the brain-boosting power of supplements like vitamins B, C, E, beta-carotene, and magnesium are promising, they’re inconclusive. Researchers are cautiously optimistic about ginseng, gingko, or vitamin, mineral, and herb combinations and their impact on the brain. A daily multivitamin is OK, but check with your doctor before taking other supplements.
