i shall not stop writing.

Through a publisher, I got invited to my first ever media preview of a Malay film, entitled, Kapoww!! Atoi the Ajaib Boy.

Now, my first impression of it when I got snippets of what the movie was all about, wasn't something favourable. But I gave it some benefit of the doubt after I saw its cast - it was a list of powerful actors who I believed wouldn't have given it much thought unless the storyline was strong. Well, the stuff that I was asked to do kinda require me to watch the movie anyway and there I was... my first ever experience in such an event.

Someone else from the publisher's side was supposed to attend as well but I guess she didn't want to work after hours and decided at the last minute to ditch the event. So, I was all alone, and felt so out of place. I mean mannn... I was used to seeing famous corporate figures when I was working in the corporate communications line back then and would know how to carry myself in front of them Tan Sri's, Puan Sri's, Datuk's and Datin's but last night, I felt totally L-O-S-T in front of those popular actors! Seriously...

We all gathered in a restaurant at the top floor of KLCC and I found a secluded table to sit, all alone haha... to avoid looking too awkward, I hid behind the press kits and read through the press release s-l-o-w-l-y. After less than 10 minutes, I heard a voice asking me if the seats on my table were taken and I couldn't have been more than happy. Seriously, I thought they would pull the stint on me like back then with my Malay coursemates in uni who used to avoid sitting next to me in the lecture hall as if I was a leper hehe. But I guess positive people attract positive character and I was glad that they came over to where I was seated.

So yes, I made 2 new friends, Safina and Nani, who came to review the movie. Both of them were so friendly and when they knew that it was my first time in such an event, they gave me some very helpful tips and didn't mind me tagging along from the start til the end. In fact, they even treated me like an old friend... seriously, with the experience I have in corporate, I quite like such an experience for a change. I mean, they didn't need to be nice to me since I have nothing to offer them anyway. So, I felt grateful to have met them at the event ;)

this photo i stole from Bernama TV's newscaster, Hilmy Ashley Buddy's FB page. seen here is moi menyelit at the back with him, Safina and Nani :)

We had a nice dinner and we all then walked out of the restaurant to do some random interview with the cast. I am glad that I was there only to watch the movie to understand its storyline more than doing a coverage for the preview. But I still felt a little intimidated looking at how much the entertainment journalists knew their stuff and how huge their cameras were... they knew everyone at the tip of their fingers and some bits of info that was not stated in the press release. The way they talked about a certain actor/producer/director were things that I would tell the one of a corporate personality or their spouse or their wives' favourite bags/shoes ;) I felt really small and so afraid to stand out when that was what's required in an event like this. Gosh... it was so new to me.

I digress. But then again, this is not really a movie review from me, but simply to share what I felt while attending this event.

The one had told me earlier to get Lisa Surihani's autograph while my little munchkin told me to ask for Awie's. Seriously, I had plenty of opportunities to come up to them but I was either glued to the chair or if I was standing up, my feet just froze. I seriously cannot imagine myself coming up to them to tell them so and so love them because that's so expected out of an ordinary person like me... it's like I will be feeding them more points for them to feel more superior. They are, after all, superstars. I just felt I didn't need to inject more fat to their egos ;P

So, no, I didn't say hi to any of them although I did smile to Lisa Surihani because she was just so friendly to everyone. The way she waved her 'hi' to me was as if it was a long time since she saw me. Hmmm... entah... rasa tak boleh masuk langsung in this pretentious arena. But then again, it could also be due to the fact that this was my first experience. I just have to learn it up, I guess.

Kapoww!! Atoi the Ajaib Boy is not like any other Malay movies I've seen. I would like to refrain from saying too many positive points about the movie because everyone's taste is different and I seriously do not want someone coming up to me to say that they watched the movie because of my review and was totally disappointed at what they saw.

But, I can't say anything negative about it either because I truly enjoyed it and not just because it was a free preview. I was in awe of the special effects in the film where it binds together the elements of a movie and comics. More importantly, the film was damn hillarious! I can get awfully put off by jokes that use words with double meaning especially those that connote 'dirty' meaning but in this movie, the jokes were clever, making fun of things around us.

Of course in a Malay movie, you would have some touchy scenes. However, unlike Cicak Man (I use this example because it was a superhero movie just like this one) where I was so put off by the romantic scenes in what's supposed to be a comedy, this one scores well because the touchy scenes didn't come from anything romantic. In fact, it was more of a scene quite like 'Si Tenggang' where the son disowns his own mother.

But, after a long-winded touchy-feely act, we were all brought back to laughing hard, and I totally applaud the smart efforts of the Director, Azizi 'Chunk' Adnan. You hardly find another Malay movie quite like this one and I felt that it just might become the best film of the year, as what was whispered here and there before the preview began. It is so different than the rest I've seen.

Azizi 'Chunk' not only wrote and directed this movie quite brilliantly, he had also injected several messages that I find absolutely scarce in many of our local movies and dramas. Although it took me awhile to get used to having well-thought messages and life's lesson in the movie (and felt that it may not augur well with the audience due to it being a little draggy), I nevertheless salute his efforts in including these elements. It's as if it is a 'community service' from him where these things totally lack in the industry, since entertainment, romance, subject of wealth and power seem to dominate an entire story.

Best of all, I was totally surprised at how well Zizan Raja Lawak acted, this being his first act as the main cast. As he had said during the interview, it is not only his first time acting as a hero of a movie but it is an even bigger role - a superhero named, Atoi, an ordinary kampung boy turned superhero after he was struck by lightning. He pulled off the character so well and having Awie, Afdlin, Lisa Surihani, Khir Rahman and many other famous cast by his side, made the movie an even more enjoyable experience.

I dunno... I may be biased because of the fact that I was totally taken in by the [almost] flawless special effects in a totally local production. But if that made someone like me, who never paid much attention to local movies except those of the late Yasmin, and who'd usually brush off any local movie that's said to be funny, since their jokes are usually distasteful, I guess Kapoww!! Atoi the Ajaib Boy probably contains the right formula to be successful.

In the mean time, I have plenty of things to figure out regarding this movie and wish me luck in my latest assignment, ok?

This is a much overdue post and I hate having to make excuses like being busy with work and the demands at home. Then again, that is the truth :|

Anyway, I have been very excited about this piece of stale news... recently (early last week, rather), I attended a cooking class by Rohani Jelani.

I found out about her when a blogger-friend wrote about her cooking lesson, visited the link that she provided and was sold instantly! ;P thanks, Izreen... the power of blogging, indeed...

Rohani Jelani is a petite bubbly personality who exudes an infectious charm. The moment that she came into the dining area where her eager students were waiting for her, I was totally enchanted by her small size and zest.

From what I read about her, she studied at the London Cordon Bleu before returning to KL and was employed in a commercial kitchen, slaving through back-breaking hours working in a large hotel. Through time, she made a switch in her career and became a resident food writer of a woman's magazine. I guess after awhile, it was a natural step for her to set up part-time cooking classes which I personally feel is a success story...

I mean, I went for a class on a Tuesday and was worried that it'd get cancelled as there is a disclaimer in her website which states that some classes may be cancelled if there are less than 4 students. It surprised me that she had a big turn up that day, 9 pax, to say the very least.

Since I am always such a stickler for time and totally hate the bad morning traffic at the LDP, I made my way a little early that day, to her beautiful resort-like cooking school in Sungai Penchala. As I was very early, the gates were still closed. Called them up and Wati, her assistant answered the phone and walahh... open sesame. Another student came just minutes after and we introduced ourselves to each other. I found out that Aishah, was to be my partner that day and we chatted non-stop. One look at her and she reminds me of my beloved cousin, Fida, who's residing in the UK for more than 10 years already *sigh... how I miss her dearly*

One-by-one the students arrived... we even had a Swiss couple who were so friendly and a reporter from the Star online, who was doing an online reporting about Bayan Indah, which not only has a spacious and airy kitchen for cooking lessons, but also accommodation facilities to those who need to get away from the hectic lifestyle and relax in its warm atmosphere (and, enjoy good food all day long!)

Rohani does her lessons according to themes. And I am not embarrassed to tell you that I enrolled in the theme, Kampung Cuisine. Yeah yeah... one may think that it is easy to whip up masak lemak and all that (and I believe I do whip up a mean dish at that) but I wanted to learn much more... I believe that cooking is an art and that one should be consistent with the quality one produces. More often than not, I work according to my gut feeling... a dash of this and a dash of that, some spoons or this and some cups of that.... I wanted much more. I wanted a proper step-by-step guide so that I do not have to worry all the time (since I am such a pain hehe...) and I would like for someone to tell me what I am doing wrong. I know that we could always learn from our moms but since my mom doesn't have specific measurements every time she cooked, I thought it would be an eye-opener to learn from the best in the industry.

That day, I chose Ayam Percik (spiced, grilled chicken), Nasi Kerabu (herb rice salad) and Masak Lemak Ayam Nenas (chicken and pineapple curry). I chose them because my family loves them compared to the other three dishes that were also listed under this theme. Aishah, my partner that day, chose Onde Onde (glutinous rice ball with palm sugar) instead of my last choice but since there weren't anyone else with similar choices to ours, we were given the option to whip up 4 dishes instead of 3. It sounded pretty okay until we were in our 2nd-3rd hour... and I'll tell you all about it later on :)

Before we started, we had a really wonderful chat with Rohani. I think she wanted us all to feel welcomed (and very welcomed, we did feel). She explained how the class will be like. She also said that many of us were first timers compared to other classes where she would have students who come by every once in awhile to take up different lessons from her over 60 themes! I could tell that Rohani loves company, she loves to be around people, she loves to talk to enthusiastic people, she loves sharing her passion for cooking with people and she's very engaging. It made me feel totally involved in what she was sharing with us all and made everyone aware of everyone else. She also explained on some of the processes and preparation that were done the way her team did and we all then grabbed an apron and a hand towel each before getting into action.

My 'work' station was further inside and I liked that the kitchen was pretty airy... it was hot, I tell you, cooking and going here and there to whip up stuff which was explained clearly in the recipe that she provided in a folder but the atmosphere in the airy kitchen made it less stressful.

during the earlier stage - the preparation of the gravy...

While the chicken was cooking on the stove, we quickly went on to the next one - masak lemak nenas. Instead of chicken, we both got large prawns instead. Now, I know I always like to cook masak lemak at home and I do believe I cook it really well too... but through this lesson, I learnt the things I shouldn't do and Rohani scolded me in a joking manner on two things. Of course, I do think that if she could, she would have reprimanded me much firmly haha... but then again, she did want us all to have fun while cooking instead of being afraid to cook ;) in the end, the dish still turned out pretty tasty...

Next, came the ironic part.... as I mentioned earlier, my partner wanted to make Onde Onde, right... and the main reason I enrolled in this class was to learn how to make my favourite Nasi Kerabu. However, we discovered that I am not very good with knives and didn't cut the herbs as fine as how they should be cut. Therefore, Aishah took over slicing them herbs oh so finely while I had to move on with the next recipe as we only had another half hour before lunch. So.... you guessed it... I did the Onde Onde instead... and what a tedious task, as I found out later!

I know I've seen my mom done it many times before and I've even helped her put them balls into boiling water before taking it out after it floats to the top. But mannnn... I find making kuih very very cumbersome. You know, when you cook, it's like you take a little of this and that and grind and chuck them all in a wok bla bla bla... but this... the flour and the water temperature must be right to ease making a perfect dough. I was baaaaddd at that and Rohani had to add more flour and then even more because it was a total mess for me! Another student from the neighbouring group had to assist me as we were running late and Aishah had to help with the Nasi Kerabu from other groups but alas... the Onde Onde turned up ok despite all the drama. Still, if you asked me to make it again, I would give you a piercing stare. Ok?

Hmmm... then again, I think it must be a test from god since He knows how much the one loves Onde Onde. So I guess (and I am making a promise!!) that this year's fasting month, the Onde Onde shall come from my kitchen, not the Pasar Ramadan at Kelana Jaya hehe... *errksss*

We all then enjoyed the finale where everyone gets to taste everyone else's creations (I thought I took a picture of our Ayam Percik but that photo seem to have gone missing from my camera). We all chatted away and got to know each other even better.

All in all, I truly appreciate this wonderful opportunity to learn while we expand our contacts. I think learning is a never-ending process in life and there is always so much to learn. I also admire at least one of them, who has a high-ranking position in one of our largest banks who took some time off work just so she could do the things she had always wanted to do. I mean, you may think that Kampung cuisine sounds too simple and easy for us locals but you'd be surprised how so many of us would jump at the chance of learning to prepare these dishes the proper way.

Rohani doesn't just teach us how to cook, she gave us valuable tips on preparation and presentation. It was even better that everyone was so lively and it helped even more that Rohani was quite patient with our quirks.

I came home feeling good yet highly lethargic as I kinda overdid myself after I swam for the first time in 2 years just the night before... and being on my toes for a good 3 hours in the kitchen made me hit the sack early that day.

I look forward to attending more classes from Rohani Jelani but especially her next one where I would be bringing my mom along, as a belated Mother's Day treat... that one shall be another memorable experience ;)

Friends in facebook are aware of my search for a new stroller.

See, getting a new baby and considering the fact that I'd be taking care of 2 babies without help made me suggest to the one for us to have a new stroller that could fit 2 of them at one go. I know I've seen mommies who babywear the younger one on them while the much older toddler sits in the stroller but in terms of practicality, I would much prefer both babies to sit on a stroller rather than me having to lug a baby around while tending to another.

Mannn... stroller hunting is not easy here in our country... especially if you're looking for a duo stroller. First of all, there isn't much choice out there in the market compared to those you see abroad... I mean, we went to so many online stores in the UK and US and you'll find so many good brands that are affordably priced.

Over here, the only ones with a duo carrier is from Mothercare and Phils & Teds, while you have those twins stroller from MacLaren and Chicco. I shall not touch those on local brands or other China brands that are cheap and flimsy because I believe in quality and safety after a horrifying experience with my first born when he was 7-8 months old. Note: made in China and China brands are two different points, okay.

Anyways, as usual, once we have something on our minds, we would go ahead with the proper research online and then calling up a few places, and we then went on our hunt to get it over and done with.

This was what I wanted - the Graco Quattro Duo. it has individual trays for each passenger but most importantly, it could fit little jj's baby carrier for when the baby is still very small. however, this stroller is unavailable in our country and my enquiries to littlewhiz.com and Babies'R'Us provided me with a negative response :(

First up, right after little jj's class in Kizsports, we went over to all the baby shops in 1Utama. We found a twin stroller in Chicco which was around RM1,300 after discount. It was perfect for newborn to 4 years old kids so it was perfect for both little jj and a newborn, and the handling was pretty good so it was quite alright. The only thing I didn't like was, it was pretty tough to fold and the weight was pretty hefty. I mean... get this - I go out buy my groceries and all, then I would need to get the stuff into the car, get one baby into her car seat and another toddler into her car seat, and they would then have to wait before mommy could start the engine while mommy fold the stroller (kick here kick there for it to fold). By the time I am done, I foresee my babies crying out, feeling the heat from the car park, etc. The price was very reasonable though, and I said to the one that Chicco would be our last choice.

Another outlet in 1Utama that I always liked to drop by every now and then, is Mom's Care, nearby MPH. They have a huge variety of baby stuff in many good brands. Over there, we discovered the twin MacLaren. The price was slightly more than Chicco but within our budget, the handling was so easy, the material was of a better and more comfortable quality and it was much lighter than the first one we saw. However, despite it having all these positive qualities, I still didn't like how it folded and we were still contemplating on 2 things:

1. the twin stroller will make it tough for me to maneuver in many areas because majority of shops do not have alleys large enough to accommodate a twin stroller; and

2. we were still considering getting a new stroller for little jj so that the baby can use her current Graco travel system.

Both points each have their own positive outcome - the first point would make it easier for me to handle both kids at one time while the latter, would eliminate wastage as the current stroller can still be used especially that Graco is a good brand (and still in very good condition) plus the fact that when little jj grows up, we would only be using one stroller VS an empty space in the twin stroller. And, the latter would allow either one of us to take the babies separately either to the changing room or wherever else when need be.

Of course, I would still like to discover my options fully before getting one. So, off we went to Mothercare in Bangsar Shopping Center. For those of you who are not aware, BSC has the largest Mothercare outlet and I went crazy at their ELC area after the renovations at BSC was completed. I think so far, it must be the best baby outlet in this country.

There, in Mothercare BSC, I finally got to see Phils & Teds, which suits my requirements perfectly but with a deep hole in the pocket. Strange though, that we would just grab a designer handbag of a higher price without much guilt but would think long and hard for a stroller that cost RM3k plus ;P

The Phils & Teds duo strollers were absolutely gorgeous! They have huge tires which makes handling so efficient and they are absolutely light in weight. The folding was a little too complicated though, even for the sales assistant, and we didn't bother to consider it. I mean, if a trained sales assistant finds it hard to fold it, let alone a busy mommy who has her hands full.

So, Phils & Teds were definitely off the list despite it having all the points I need. Damn... it was so perfect...

We also discovered a Mothercare duo stroller which I already saw on their website. It is only slightly more than RM1k and has all the requirements I need too, except that it is much longer than P&T. The handling was pretty easy as well. It has its individual trays and cup holders and collapses very easily... just one turn of the handle and it folds down instantly. One step and boom. Perfect. There is no need to kick one lever and kick another lever and pull this and pull that and put them together (like that song, 'Hokey Pokey'). The only downside, is its weight after it is folded. I cannot possibly lug it into the boot of our car. It is waay too heavy. *urrgghhh*

Therefore, we then decided to stick to our 2nd option - for little jj to get a new stroller.

We were worried that she wouldn't like a new stroller because she's such a routine toddler. She likes familiarity and may not welcome something new.

I saw a single stroller from Combi which looked perfect... it 'spoke' to me and I fell in love instantly. It was damn light and just pretty for little jj. However, with one more stroller in our car boot, we know that we have to get one that folds like an umbrella to save space. The one even mentioned of one that he saw, that folds like a golf bag and he could carry it on his shoulder.

So, adding another hour to our stroller hunting in Mothercare BSC, we discovered one from MacLaren. It was only RM600+ and could fold like an umbrella, exactly like what the one mentioned. The only thing was, it doesn't have a front tray, which many parents say one of the reasons for their much older toddler's disinterest in sitting on strollers... without a tray, I know little jj would not have that 'security' of being locked in, especially where she uses the tray as a table for her to put both feet up at times hehe. And, she could rest her favourite books on the tray.

But as life has it, one cannot have it all, right? We let her try out the MacLaren, she hated it at first but as soon as the one strapped her nicely, she actually let daddy push her around the shop.

So, we asked for a nice raspberry colour which they have one, asked them to take it out of the box and everything else, put her inside and walah.... the princess fell asleep. Soundly.

So yes, we found the 'perfect' stroller. And despite moi wanting a stroller that can fit both babies, I guess this choice is more practical. However, I may not be able to go out that freely without being accompanied by another adult... I mean, I can't possibly push two strollers, right... so................ there goes my freedom. But what is life without those small sacrifices, right?

And there goes our adventure :)

Anyway, as a follow-up to this entry that I did, I managed to get an invitation to the Nuffnang FRISO family day out in Kizsports 1 Utama last Saturday. At first, we were a little worried since little jj fell ill earlier that week and was vomitting away by Wednesday. Thank God, she recovered on time, though not fully, as she just got back some of her appetite, while her body tires easily.

Her usual Saturday morning class at Kizsports were cancelled due to this event and their receptionists were surprised when they saw us with little jj hehe...

There were so many fun-filled activities and Kizsports also promoted their classes for babies by giving a sneak 20-minute preview to all parents with toddlers. Little jj made herself at home from the start by targeting the swing first, then the ball-pool and after that, her favourite section in the playland, just like she would each Saturday.

All these while I eagerly await the announcement of the winning entry. Though I wasn't the least bit hopeful in the beginning, I did get a little excited when I was informed that I had been shortlisted for the final selection of entries during registration early in the morning. Of course, I already could guess that Kak Ros of MomBloggersPlanet would definitely win since her entry was seriously creative and original... and am so proud to be associated with her site.

Since it was my first real bloggers' meet, I wasn't sure how to carry myself and a little shy when I heard the mention of so many of them recognisable bloggers... but I did get to know Amira and Zuhaini, met Kak Ros for the first time, while I said hi to several other people whom I can't truly remember their URLs. Even saw Red Mummy in person for the first time and I was so impressed by the aura that she exude that day - a true 'Celebrity-blogger' persona. I must add how happy I was for that opportunity to shake hands with her ;)

The event was pretty organised; Marcus, the emcee, did a great job in getting everyone's attention; the crowd was AMAZING; and everything in the programme line-up was truly interesting for everyone. Too bad little jj slept half way through the event but it was good that she totally enjoyed herself to the max.

So... I'm hoping to blog more frequent now that the entire madness of rushing for the usual annual report/fund report deadlines from my regular clients is pretty much over... and hopefully be able to make it to many more family gatherings like this.

Ok.. it’s been almost a month since my last post as I’ve been very pre-occupied… well, mostly due to the constant Twitter updates that is just as satisfying; a little more due to facebook and their addictive games which I could always participate in between breaks; but more so because of the endless attention required of a growing toddler who has learnt to walk and always able to grab mommy at any time and every time. *phew*

Anyways, I have been very busy with work and I thought it may take me another one week or two before I have the energy to blog again but something just hit me tonight and I have this strong urge to write an entry.

See, there was this discussion on blogging and how some people could still regard blogs as an unimportant marketing tool. Really, at this age and time (and this, I meant the 21st Century – not my ‘age’) I am perplexed at such an opinion. No, it’s not because I am a blogger myself. I am saying this because anyone who’s familiar with the internet and use the internet as a source of info would know and could see how much has changed over the years… how blogs have evolved from what they were before – an avenue to voice out concerns/sharing of information to one of the most effective marketing tools nowadays.

I was even more perplexed that this opinion came from a successful entrepreneur who was taken in by the advise of her friend (also a successful entrepreneur in the same industry) that a blog is not important, and that she should focus more on revenue-generating efforts – an advise given by a person who owns a personal blog with plenty of links to reputable connections in the industry, advertisement spaces and clearly stated contact details for, what else – income generating opportunity! I was about to open my mouth wide but stopped immediately since my advise doesn’t come free that easily and I shall say no more ☺

No longer can one say that blogging is a waste of time or rubbish. Yes, you get some people who writes rubbish but who’s to judge when they have hundreds of ‘followers’ on their blogs. It’s no longer about the content… but more of the following, readership and connections on a personal level. Some say it is no longer fun blog-hopping because one tends to read too many advertorials and entries on online contests but I guess, this sort of marketing and promotions work… or else no advertisers or sponsors would venture into such tactics – it works!

One is no longer subjected to the confinements of one’s home with house chores to be completed. Instead, many housewives have now started to blog to gain additional income (although I am not sure how much one can really earn from sponsored posts/ads like nuffnang, on average). Housewives are also smarter by pursuing their hobbies and selling their products online, through their blogs, that are also filled with links to other bloggers and a huge number of online conversations.

Big corporations in Malaysia have started to open up and welcome bloggers to their events and functions, as they know how powerful it is when certain messages are exchanged in blogs. In this case, bloggers are treated somewhat similar to media practitioners because some people (moi included) do not have that much trust in paid media due to the perception that adspend always (or most of the time) influences the angle of an article unlike independent opinions of bloggers, who at most times provide an objective opinion and approachable at a more personal level through the interactive environment - be it in the comments section or ‘Shout Box’ displayed in their blogs. I, for one, was privileged to be invited by MAS to their Cabin Crew Training for bloggers as they felt that it was important for us bloggers to educate the public of their new motto of Malaysian Hospitality and that cabin crewmembers are not just pretty faces.

Many companies have adopted and accepted the concept of including bloggers into their PR and marketing acitivities. One just cannot discount the importance and strength of published information on a blog, as I learnt back in 2005 just after the Tsunami that badly hit our neighbours and some northern parts of our country. In the news sense, information traveled faster than the main news channels; footages from the catastrophe that were aired on national and international news networks were sourced from blogs; and what I remember most was how a mat saleh baby, whose family had fallen victim to the giant waves in Phuket, was identified by their relatives in Germany (I think!) from photos of him posted in blogs. These, I found out based on my research for an IT article I was required to submit for a client's newsletter. From then on, I discovered the satisfaction of blogging, made many friends through blogging, and of course, met the one from blog-hopping.

Now, almost 5 years later, companies not only welcome bloggers' opinions, many have built special blogs for employees/customers/registered bloggers to post entries/reviews on their blogs. Even politicians have accepted this fact – that opinions posted on blogs can be powerful and how many have tried to create a monitoring system for Malaysian bloggers. Of course, this ain’t easy. Hence, we can now find many blogs of our politicians, all who fell into the saying, "If you can't beat them, join them."… some write their own entries, while some probably use the services of ghost writers.

In the US alone, the acceptance of blogs as a powerful source of info is so overwhelming that even CEOs blog. Sad to say, the only CEO in Malaysia who blogs is none other than Tony Fernandes (I’m not sure… is he a Datuk Seri now?). No wonder he can be such an admired corporate figure… it’s this acceptance and moving along with the times allow him to be the pioneer of many wonderful opportunities…

I, for one, who’s an internet savvy individual – who uses the internet to find information and learns from what she discovers every time, would have to totally say that blogging is an important tool for whatever reasons – be it for marketing purposes or even branding… not necessarily branding/portraying a certain image for your products. Blogging also creates branding for yourself, through the eyes of your readers from what you write. This is because you allow people to get to know you better since what you write is usually seen as a personal opinion; you reach out a massive audience as your blog can be accessed publicly (if you do not choose to make it private) and there are millions out there, at least, who, like me, uses the net as a main source of information. Heck, just one keyword typed in a search engine will display hundreds if not thousands of blog lists that relate to a certain view or reviews that you are searching for. More often than not, those opinions count because those are the information that you obtain FOC.

Heck, I no longer buy beauty magazines as I sometimes find them with too many adverts that do not appeal to me and articles that are downright boring. For now, I am very happy to read two beauty blogs whom I have begun to trust in their suggestions and recommendations, even though I have only been following them for a couple of months. Part of my decision to try out a facial session at Lancome was due to limited information on some beauty brands that I was looking for and the Lancome Beauty Institute in Bangsar Village II was at the top of the list, written by one of them. That was enough to get me curious and how I got totally hooked after the experience under those warm, magical hands of Tiffany ;P

Same goes for you, if you have not been blogging yet. I am not persuading you to… but if you underestimate the power of blogs, get these facts:

- 22 of the 100 most popular websites in the world are blogs

- 51% of blog readers shop online

- blog readers average 23 hours online each week

- 89% of companies surveyed say they think blogs will be more important in the next five years (this is an American survey

- there are 500,000 active bloggers in Malaysia, ranking us among the highest in the world after Indonesia and EU (70% of the election results were influenced by information found in blogs)

- more and more bloggers have garnered additional income from blogging

If you are seeking to reach your audience and brand yourself to be more approachable and accessible, this is one great way to do it. But if you can’t see that, then you lose out in the massive opportunity and just be a follower, rather than the force that you want to portray to them. Hence, you lose out to your competitor who actively blogs.

Geesh... now this is definitely a free advise, huh?

Malaysia Central - Blog Directory

For the past 2 weeks, I have been working diligently on a dear friend’s e-commerce blog. As a mummy herself, she was working on something she feels truly passionate about and hoping that she could make it a full-time job – working from home while tending to her daughter who’s growing up lovely.

As I’m really close to her and have so much ideas about her hopes and desires from what she has been sharing with me throughout the years, I also feel very passionate about the project she has set for me to do – where I was to come up with the copy and the entire set-up of the blog, including its layout, look and feel.

So, everyone… the site has been completed (and I had so much fun tweaking and learning up html codes!!) and I would really like to share with you this truly wonderful venture, targeting little girls from age 18 months to 5 years (also targeting discerning mommies who loves dressing up their daughters, definitely!)…

Little Girls’ Closet is a set up which was established simply from love. I am not publicising this for my friend, Ning, because she’s a dear friend, neither am I doing this because I was involved in the initial set up of her blog. I am sharing this here because I fell in love with what she had to offer and the amount of time and passion she put into it, resulting in gorgeous hand-made dresses with intricate details which is beautifully sewn. I was totally in love with them that I got little jj 3 pieces of her hand-smocked dresses during Raya and as expected, so many people asked me where I got them. Not only are they made of comfortable 100% cotton material, the patterns of the material were specially designed by her (so that you cannot find them anywhere else) and the hand-smocking detail starts from the shoulder line that runs through the entire bodice rather than just a vertical pattern on the chest area in many smocking dresses you see in the market. Best of all, little jj was all comfortable in the dresses unlike those many maxis we’ve bought for her since she usually prefer her comfy cotton bodysuits and tights.

But there are more dresses there, even hand-painted batik dresses that can be worn on its own or over a bodysuit and tights.

Do feel free to browse through the entire blog and do make it a point to add yourself as a fan to Little Girls’ Closet facebook page. You can find the facebook icon on the blog itself. Even if you do not have girls of your own, who knows who else could benefit from going into the website just by referring to the link that’s listed on your facebook info where you are fans of…

Thank you for the support and go crazy shopping there ya ☺