What is happening to me?

I don't know what is happening to me lately, but I think I'm falling in love. Awwww(Some of you think that it is time, isn't it) haha...Yes I think I am falling in love. I'm falling in love with Pink. MasyaAllah, I can't believe I said that! Ann, don't you dare laugh at me. Curse you Ann if you did :P

OK, love is a big word, let's just say LIKE. OK? Yes, I don't know why I see pink is very nice indeed. Before this I hated it so much. Remember the post I hate pink even more. Hehe. Every time I see someone wearing pink, I curse that person. Haha. She did nothing wrong. Hehe. To me pink is too feminine. It resemble extreme femininity which I think is rather uncool. I'm a cool person(haha) I mean, I like mysterious and exotic thing, pink doesn't say all that. Black and red does. How does pink fits that? Pink spells high-maintenance chic which I am not.

Like they say, what goes around comes around. What you hate, you will love like. I've come across beautiful pinky stuff lately especially in the clothes department and I complementing on how pretty they were. Opps (grin). There are some shades of pink that I like. Not those too pinky like The Pink Ladies from Grease or Pink Panther, or those candy floss pink like Patrick. Really, there are certain pink color that I'm awed at especially smokey pink which I think is sexy. Can I say that? XD

My colleagues noticed my interest in pink too. Every time we came across some clothing bazaar, I would hand out to them to try pink out or at least say that this pink is pretty. Is this really me? Or is this some curse or spell someone has put on me? Which ever it is, Red remains my No.1 favourite color.

This pink looks cool XD

Beauty regimes around the world...well...some parts of it

Last Friday, caught Oprah at 8pm since I can't perform my prayers so I sat in front of the TV instead while having dinner. The talk that night was very intriguing. It was about women beauty regimes from around the globe. I didn't sat from the beginning of the show. It's very fascinating how women would go to the extreme in the name of beauty. Like the Japanese women, who consume bird poop (I don't exactly recall what type of bird) to get beautiful and maintaining youthful skin. Would you eat birds poop for that?

How about women in I can't remember which country, where they put brass of necklaces around their neck and piling it up as they get older. As a result, they will have long neck and it is very essential within that country. A sign of pure beauty. Hmmm...then there's the Brazilian, where plastic surgery is nothing extravagant and it is seen as something usual in everyday life. Staying fit and keeping a good body size is a must for a Brazilian. If they are not able to obtain the desirable body shape or boobs or butts, then going under the knife is a must do. Sometimes well most of the times, they will spend half of their salary on making them look totally good. Imagine that! I, myself have problem buying a RM20 lotion. Huh!

Women in Oman, a country southern of Arabia, keeps it all traditional by using traditional stuff like miswak. They use it as a tooth brush. Dried petal roses for bathing to get good aroma and the rest I was not able to capture. Most of the women from different countries are trying to stay thin. From France to Indonesia and from the rest of the globe, keeping slim is every women dreams. However in Mauritania, it doesn't work this way. It's the other way around.

While many are trying to lose weight, women in Mauritania have to gain weight since the age of young. This is so that they have a high chance of getting married. Being chubby and rounded are seen as sexy and desirable there. Even having a cellulite too! If I were to shift off to Mauritania, I think they would force food down my throat because I look totally the opposite. Blame on my metabolism. XD. I don't think I can handle that. Still, there is a downside to living the Mauritania way. You will get health issues. Diabetes, high blood pressure etc. Not good.

There is another country that caught my attention. It is rather controversial because it involves an Islamic country. To my utter surprise, the women there being totally conservative, well some parts of the women there, are having their nose done. Yes, they are having nose jobs and it is very common there. How can someone, a Muslim do all this? Isn't it forbidden to change what was created for you? We are not even allowed to shape our eyebrows, let alone do a nose jobs or what ever that requires surgery. Unless under some certain condition, surgery is permissible like if your nose is cracked in half, maybe it's OK to have your nose done. Funny thing was that, if that women from that country couldn't afford it, they would put bandages on their nose as though they had the surgery and people would think she did. They would leave it on for like a year just so to have people think she had a surgery! So I guess having bandages on your nose is more pleasant than having to display your real nose! Funny humans.

Overall, beauty is subjective. Only the individual can interpret what beauty is. To whatever extent, we must always be thankful for what we have and for what we don't have. After all what we have is a loan from Allah, no matter how beautiful you are, or no matter how beautiful you are trying to be, it will sure go away. Life in this Dunya is only for a while. Then again, it doesn't mean you have to look frumpy and ugly! =)

Pingu on the loose

This came through the mail box from Anne. Totally hilarious!

Drawing is forbidden in Islam?

I'm disturbed. Totally disturbed. I ran across a site saying that drawing is unlawful. As a person who loves drawing this can be upsetting. Who wouldn't? Yes, I was once told by dad that we are not allowed to draw humans because the 'people' (which I don't know whom he was referring to) said they might come alive and that we have to mark an X on their neck so they won't come alive. Oh dad, you didn't fall for that one, did you? I certainly did not. I guess he was trying to be funny. XD

Ibn ``Abbâs relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Every image maker is in
the Fire. For each image he made, a being will be fashioned to torment him in Hell.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (2225) and Sahîh Muslim (2110) – The wording accords with al-Bukhârî]

This really gives me the spook. Really, if she is doing her best as a Muslimah, living the ways Islam tells her and she just happens to love drawing, she is not going to hell just because of this. Is she? I'm sure our Prophet (peace be upon him) said them out of a reason. He can't be saying it out for no reason. I'm not saying this hadith is wrong. My knowledge is too little, but sometimes, you really need a logical explanation to this.

I've been googling around all day, because I really need a firm answer and I found this site HERE. Alhamdulillah. I am a bit relief. The explanation satisfy my needs.

We find in the texts mention of many other major sins that are certainly worse that the making of images – like adultery, taking usury, and abusing parents – without it being declared that the perpetrators of those sins are consigned to the Fire, like we find in “Every image maker is in the Fire”. This should make it even clearer to us that those who make images without the intention of aspiring to create like Allah are not included in the generality of the hadîth’s meaning. Rather, the hadîth applies to all of those who have the intention of aspiring to create like Allah.

When I draw, I can never draw as beautifully as what Allah has created. Nothing can be compared to His creations. My drawing is never perfect, even if it were, to me, they are just drawings. A lifeless piece of drawing. Nothing more. I do it out of pleasure and for the sake of sanity. Drawing helps me to relax my thoughts. I do tend to draw when I'm crazy as well. Oh well...

Drawing is a way for me to express my feelings. Like when I stumble across a cloudy day, it's so much easier to see that in drawing. Rite? People will know instantly through a drawing. What I draw captures the beauty that Allah created within this world. I love to draw eyes because it's truly beautiful and captivating and I love translating it on paper. Does this mean I'm creating something aspiring to create like Allah? I love to draw cartoon as well. I'm not trying to create something bigger from Allah. I can never create something bigger from Allah. I am one of His creations. It never crossed my mind. May Allah protect me from arrogance. I just like to draw, like a kid who loves lollipop. Allah knows best, that's for sure.

Never have I in a million years thought that what I have drawn could be given life or to challenge Allah. Astagfirullah. I know for sure that what I draw is just a piece of drawing, an appreciation to what Allah has blessed me with these hands, something I enjoy doing. Isn't it a sign of His Majesty? That what He gave us is a sign He created us. Nothing can be compared to that. This talent that I have is all from Him. Without Him, can I draw? Without Him, I might not even have these hands.

Bottom line is, I guess it all goes down to what your intentions is. It all goes down to your heart.

May Allah forgive me for all the wrong things I've said. The good things comes from Allah, the not-so-good things comes from my own weaknesses.

Salam

Some people don't get it

I need intelligent conversations. Conversations that stimulates my brain. Conversations that will help me develop a better me. Not like those telling me to have fun with a friend if you know what I mean? I don't mean to be cruel but Hello, there are better things to talk about rather than your distasteful acts. To them, having 'fun' is the ultimate-must-do.

I feel sorry for these people. Really I do. I guess this is what differentiate us from them. I'm not saying we are better. What I'm saying is, Islam is beautiful. There's a reason why Islam forbids talking indecent and all that. We live accordingly to what Allah has prescribe us. If we follow the rules, we are safe. If we lost track, we will still have a chance by doing it right. Doing it for the right reason. Not trying to please yourself all the time especially if it involves the letter L.U.S.T. Of course, it doesn't mean you have to throw it out the window. One without lust is not human, but use it the right way. The Islamic way. Not by talking to stranger telling them if you are feeling hot or not when they tell you what they are doing down there. Pretty much disgusting.

So the next time if you happens to come across these bunch of people (to those who chats in YM, Skype, etc) just terminate them. They're not doing you any good. I don't even know why I chat up with them in the first place.

Photoshop Newbie

At last, I got my hands on Adobe Photoshop. Yeah, I know I'm a little left behind, but it's not too late to learn right? Thanks to Atul, she made it work for me. Well since she and I were working on my friend's wedding card, she had no choice but to teach me how to use this popular tool even though she was having a hard time explaining to me. Hihi. No offense OK.

With that, I've created my first ever graphic editing with Photoshop. Don't laugh OK. I know it's not superb, still getting there but I'm ecstatic coz' I get to do a lot with it. I'm now officially an adobe newbie. Hoping one day to be a Sifu of this magnificent, one-hell-of-a-cool-tool on Earth. InsyaAllah.

I drew this picture a few days back, snap tons of photos of it to get a good lighting and edit it in Photoshop and I found this easy to use feature. Very cool indeed. What do you think? =D

Check out the original at http://skinnylegs16.deviantart.com/

P.S - I've only used Picasa my whole life. It's a bit easier for an amateur like me and still using it to add border and stuff. Heee...

Your Call

I dreamt of you last night. It was the first time I ever saw you in my dreams ever since we've known each other. The first time I could see your face. I came to your house and I didn't know for what reason. The atmosphere was rather gloomy. The day waiting to end. I knocked on the door but there was silence. I waited and suddenly out of nowhere I was greeted by a family
member of yours. It was your mother, I guessed. She smiled and welcomed me and dad.

We stepped into your house. Your house is not what it seems in reality. It was not as lavishing as in real life but little yet cozy and warm. We laid our bums on your sofa while waiting for you. Your mother called out to you and there you were, standing right before my eyes. All beautiful with that curly black hair of yours and the eyes that I fell in love with. The most beautiful eyes I ever seen. The eyes that I wished I would see everyday of my life. You were standing and you didn't seem excited to see me.

You came and sit with us. We talked and then talked and you told us how you wanted to come and see me but you said that I was too serious. Even now I didn't really quite catch what you meant. It ended when we left your home and you followed right behind us with your car. I reached some place and I turned to look at you for the final time. You opened up the window, I thought you wanted to stop me, instead you fled away without any kind of reaction across your face. You are gone. Forever gone.

I woke up with Your Call by Secondhand Serenade reciting in my mind. A melody that I yearn to tell you but I'm awake in reality. I realized now I can never have you even in my dreams.