Perkahwinan Yang Pasti

Kita pasti dirisik..
Pertunangan sejak azali..
Di hujung hidup nanti..
Berlangsungnya perkahwinanmu dengan maut..

Hantarannya..sakit dan nazak..
Tamu bertandang menghadiahkan esak tangis..
Pengantin dimandikan..
Dipakaikan baju cantik putih..

Wangian gaharu dan cendana..
Keranda jadi pelaminan..
Pengantin bersanding sendirian..
Di arak keliling kampung..

Berkompangkan azan dan kalimah kudus..
Akad nikahnya bacaan talkin..
Berwalikan liang lahat..
Saksi pula nisan-nisan..

Siraman air mawar..
Keluarga terdekat menepung tawar..
Tiba masa pengantin..
Menunggu sendirian..

Malam pertama bersama KEKASIH..
Di kamar bertilamkan tanah..
Dan Dia menuntut janji..
Sucikah kita tatkala berpadu..

Pernahkah taubat sepanjang hayat..
Atau terkubur bersama dosa-dosa...
Dan Dia Kekasih itu..
Menetapkanmu ke syurga..
Atau melemparkan dirimu ke neraka..

ps:(takut)...Saya..tanak hidup...and tanak mati...abis,intan nk apa??karma???haha!nonsense!hurm,bila saya baca benda nih,i wonder:di manakah aku ketika itu??Kalau the prophet's companions pun merangkak-rangkak ketika nak melintas titian siratul mustaqim,how about us??dah cukup yakin ke boleh masuk syurga ni??muhasabah diri balik Intan...

Continuous Depression

huuuu...nape camni...saya rasa Tuhan memang nak diuji sejauh mana kekuatan emosi dan perasaan saya =( Satu demi satu diberinya ujian kepada saya.Saya rasa tension dengan keadaan sekeliling,tapi saya tau Dia ingin memberitahu saya something,yang saya boleh belajar banyak benda melalui ujian-ujian ini tanpa saya sedar ataupun tidak.Tarbiyah dari Allah adalah terbaik untuk kita anyway...

Intan kata nak jadi baik kan??and I've even identified some of my weaknesses that should be improved.Ada kawan saya cakap Intan lembut hati sangat and can't make a firm decision.Yeppp,I know..Dulu bukan camnilaaa wehhh(Yake?).and Dia cakap lagi Intan ni akan depend pada orang lain unless kalau tercampak sorang2...(haha,true true...sy prasan jugak.t senonohnya makcik Intan ni).Agaknya Allah rasa saya patut berhenti behaving like this and grow up some more..Jadi diberi saya test sket demi sket..

Bila datang into decision making,I tend to let other people to make the decision.Asalnya nak praktis lebihkan kehendak kawan dari diri saya sendiri.But lama-lama benda tuh jadi habit,and saya takleh buat decision sendiri for most of the time.SIGH~My heart cakap I shud think of myself jugak,jangan asik pk pasal org lain jek.Kiranya think what is best for mela...tapi yang kelakanya,saya sendiri takleh identify ape yang saya nak..what is best for me and for other people too..betulke nih yg saya nak or syaitan mmg saja2 nk kasi saya rs ragu2(nih kije setan gak nih buat otak intan makin serabut)..and macam2 lagila...I wish I could make everyone happy,tapi saya tau itu t mungkin..unless dengan keizinan Allah,Dia membantu saya untuk fulfill everyone's need(tapi manusia....mana pernah akan rasa puas kan?unlimited wants vs limited resources!)

Hurm,I wish I cud talk to someone about my prob(banyak nih,baru tau eh I'm such a troubled person).The thing is bendani ade yang boleh share and ade yang t boleh.So actually,kalau saya citer tuh...biasanya sy t menceritakan the whole story walaupun hati saya memberontak utk be totally honest and open with my listeners.Kekadang payah gak sbb certain people wont get the whole picture of my problem.Mungkin ini yang terbaik for me I guess??I dunno..aaaaaaaaahhhhh,nak nangis!!!(dah nk start balik daa).Apa-apapun,kekuatan from Allah itulah yang Intan paling harapkan now.I really hope that He gives me strength,shows me to the right way and kurniakan Intan takdir terbaik untuk saya become a better person..Huuu,dun put me into trials lama sangat plzzzzzzzzzzzzz..

ps:maaf,saya lg banyak merepek,dan merapu bila tensen..perangai saya pon akan jadik cam budak,n otak t dapat pk dgn baik..

A Stripper On Birthday Party??

Huhu..baru je abis borak dengan my flatmate,Heena.I was half asleep already at this time,biasala...my sleeping time memang unusual sket kot.Kol 9++ pm,mula la menguap-nguap cam hippo nak tidooo..which is way different compared to the time when I was in UNIM-tido around 6/7am..ahahah!Sampai dengan pakcik-pakcik jaga dan makcik cleaner dah kenal dengan Intan yang suka merayau-rayau dan melepak di TISCRA tatkala malam menjelang.Kerja gila!

We talked a lil bit about her x ie Jay,exams,food shopping and lastly about Heena's plan to surprise her friend on her birthday party by bringing an Italian stripper!My oh My..terkejutnya saya,tapi berjaya kontrol la..ehe!I ask her more and more questions dengan curiousnya(about that stripper thingy of cos),sebab saya kalau boleh nak memahami pemikiran remaja Barat disini and approach them effectively(not to be influenced by them insyaAllah).So,she told me that in here they have this kind of agency,who wud provide a servicela on special ocassion including strippers!!Dahle tu,Heena kata it would be really FUN since kawan dia tu cam conservative sket..haih,saya rasa saya paling conservative kot kalo dibandingkan dengan kawan-kawan moden dia yang lain..ishk ishk ishk!Janganla ko buat kat aku camtuh or yang sewaktu dengannya wahai Cik Heena Ashok Tulsiani..haha

Apa-apapun,eventhough our background,personalities and lifestyles are different,I still love and care about you as a a flatmate,as a good friend of mine and as a person who teach me a lot about life..thank you.. =)

Diari Kembara:Turki 2


Hari seterusnya di manfaatkan dengan lawatan ke Topkapi Palace,the official and primary palace for the Ottomans Sultans from 1465-1853.This palace was abandoned in 1855 when Sultan Abdülmecit I, 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, moved to the new Palace of Dolmabahçe. In 1924, it was turned into a museum upon the orders of Atatürk.




Entrance to Topkapi Sarayi(Palace)


I don't know why tapi I just felt like I belong here..erhh,bukan perasan or syok sindrik yang saya nih bagaikan tuan puteri tauuu!!But,hurmm... hati saya bagaikan tertarik-tarik dengan suasana damai di Topkapi Sarayi.Feels like....sejukje ati ni..seolah-olah masa diputar balik,dan saya berada di zaman whereby Islam dipandang tinggi oleh segenap lapisan masyarakat.Dan dengan daya imaginasi saya yang limited ini,saya boleh membayangkan betapa hebat,kaya dan bestnya Islam satu masa dahulu.Imagine,khalifah-khalifah pada era Turki Uthmaniyyah tinggal di dalam istana ini termasuklah Sultan Muhammad Al Fateh!!(I personally adore his charisma fyi,jadik excited sketla).And if you look closely,you'll see banyak dinding bangunan disini dihias dengan tulisan kaligrafi Bahasa Arab and murals.Its a disadvantage for me sebab tatau Bahasa Arab.Else we would appreciate these more,I guess.The palace is also full of examples of Ottoman architecture and also contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons(pedang-pedang peninggalan sahabat, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, as well as a display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry.

Imperial Hall


Kat situ ada sebuah bangunan yang dinamakan sebagai Harem,originates from the Arabic word Haram which means the concepts of secrecy, inviolability and sacrosanctness that pervade the very walls of this place and marked life here over the centuries that it was a closed book to strangers.(copy paste jek nih ahaha).The Harem section ni memang dibina secara cautiousnya so that it could not be seen from the state apartments and the courtyards where the public affairs are conducted. The harem was home to the sultan himself, his mother, wives, daughters, sons, brothers, the high ranking female officials who managed the affairs of the household, hundreds of maidservants, and black eunuchs.Kalau saya ni tourist yang memang datang ke Turki dengan otak kosong and asyik bertaklid jek-if diikutkan fakta sejarah yang saya baca kat information board and buku K Zu mengenai Istanbul,I would interprete Sultan time Ottoman Empire ni cam t senonoh sket..ade byk sgt gundik and kejam as well.Sampai the black eunuchs tu kena potong diorangnya @#% sebab kerja kat Harem.Mannnnn...this is not Islam.It's either information ni telah diputarbelitkan,or Sultan-sultantu sendiri tak praktikkan apa yang diajar dalam Islam..hee,geramnyaaa!!


The Paired Pavillion -built in 17th Century for the Crown Prince

Selepas itu kami bergerak menuju Grand Bazaar.Orang-orang Turki cukup kenal dengan orang Malaysia.Maybe it's due to our appearances and the way we wear hijab.Soksek2 sket M'sia..rimas Intan bila menjadi tumpuan ramai(I know it sounds perasan,but this is too obvious!).Anyway,6000 kedai dianggarkan beroperasi di Grand Bazaar ini.Kat sini jugak Intan boleh lihat kecenderungan rakyat Turki dalam bidang perniagaan yang melibatkan barang-barang seperti pashmina,karpet,porcelain,jewelleries,teh,Turkish delight dan lampu hiasan dari kaca berwarna-warni.:


Kedai Pashmina

Porcelains' shop


Evil Eye-kepercayaan karut masyarakat setempat yang mempercayai benda ni can bring good luck to you (Sigh)

Yang paling best bila dengar diorang cuba berbahasa Melayu semata-mata nak tarik perhatian kami.Antaranya :

1. “Apa khabar?”
2. “Murah,murah..mari mari!!!”

3. “Boleh saya bantu kamu?” and when I replied , “No,thank you”,the guy replied me back“Boleh kamu bantu saya?”.Terkekeh-kekeh saya..not bad jugak diorang ni buat lawak

4. “Saya cinta kamu”<-- yang ini pun satu,yakin jekkk diorang ni


dan macam-macam lagi… Intan rasa orang Turkish ni memang terlebih peramah agaknya =)























Diari Kembara:Turki 1

Bismillahirrahmirrahim...

Alhamdulillah exam dah abis semalam...Although I don't think I did well during the exam,I'm still happy and grateful for every takdir which is given to me.That includes having good friends to help,give support and cheer me up everyday..-Intan Syaz,Diana,Ruzaini and Heena.Thank you.Your presence did make a difference..


Yeszzaaaa...now have to continue with my reflection on Jaulah to Turkey as promised.Jaulah ini disertai oleh 8 orang sisters dari Leicester University; (Lily,Amani,Mai Syahira,Wan Mai,Kak Zu,Farhana,Mira,dan juga Aqilah) dan 4 orang sisters dari Nottingham University (K Fiesya,K Mahey,Fiqah and me).While on the way to Istanbul,K Fiesya asked me a question;what do I expect from this jaulah?Kenapa saya refute ajakan kawan-kawan saya yang lain untuk ke Spain,France,Swiss etc and nak join the trip to Turkey instead?At that time I don't really tell her the main reason kenapa saya beria sangat nak ke Turki meskipun exam dah sangat dekat time tu.Let's just say because I'm not ready yet to tell this to her face,haha!!Intan ni seorang perahsia jugak dalam banyak-banyak merapu dia pun..ehe..Well,memang tak dinafikan yang saya ke sana untuk reflect balik sejarah Islam and nak belajar sket-sket tentang culture diorang.(I love to get to know with people and learn their culture,sebab saya rasa...hebatnya Allah menciptakan pelbagai manusia yang bukan hanya berbeza dari rupa bentuk tapi dari segi adat,attitude,cara hidup,dll.).Most importantly,I think I was lost...and I am trying very hard to get back to the right track.And up till now,the effort continues..


Okeh,now u know alredy sebabnya..eheee..now let's move on.We stayed in Big Apple Hostel yang located in the city itself.Pagi 23 December 2007,kami mengorak langkah pertama menjejaki sejarah Islam disini dengan menyusuri Selat Bhosphorus.


Bumi Turki terbahagi kepada 2 bahagian,sebahagian besar berada di dalam Asia manakala sebahagian kecil berada di dalam benua Eropah. Selat Bhosphorus inilah yang memisahkan kedua-dua benua tersebut secara amnya.Viewnya sangat cantik!!Saya sempat notice 3 benda kat sini:


1.Banyak rumah-rumah besar dibina disepanjang pesisiran pantai.Perghh,kayanya diorg ni...berangan sekejap nak kaya camtu,haha!!but skali tsunami...haru biru seyhh...

2.Orang Turki agaknya suka memancing sebab ramai sangat dikalangan diorang dok lepak kat jeti dengan pancing masing-masing.N guess wut,hasil diorang pun cukup lumayan tau,penuh baldi sorang2!!If I have the opportunity,I would like to join them fishing too.Cam best sangat!!!!tapi saya perasan takde sorang pompuan pun yang ikut memancing sekali..eheee..jangan buat hal la Intan...

3.Laut dia alhamdulillah bersih,dijaga rapi oleh local authority and the Turkish people themselves.Far better than Selat Melaka,huuu...Boleh nampak banyak obor-obor kat dalam air while we were in the boat.Intan perasan jugak apsal la boat yang kitorg naik nih cam takde life jacketjek.Cuaknya...If Intan jatuh dalam air nih,memang heaven la...(saya t pandai berenang,dan hanya tahu untuk lemas sahaja)


Petangnya kami melawat Menara Galata.Menara ini merupakan salah satu daripada menara tertua di dunia dan diilhamkan oleh pemerintah Byzantine ketika itu yakni Anastasius Oilozus pada tahun 527 sebagai sebuah rumah api.Menara ini akhirnya jatuh ke tangan tentera Sultan Mehmet 2 ie Sultan Muhammad Al Fateh ketika penawanan kota Constantinople pada 1453. The tower was used as a weather observatory during the reign of Murat III 1514-1595. Then, Galata Tower has recently been restored and there are now a modern restaurant and cafe on its upper levels.



Galata Tower

Dengan ketinggian sebanyak 61m dari permukaan tanah dan 140m dari permukaan laut,kami dapat melihat keindahan Selat Bhosphorus and the city of Istanbul itself diwaktu senja..Romantiknya,ecece...Satu kenangan yang tidak dapat dilupakan;saya sempat mengusha seorang lelaki Turki menyanyikan lagu buat kekasihnya di puncak menara tersebut,dalam keadaan bersesak seperti ikan sardin!!!Sedap juga suaranya..haha!Aih...cinta oh cinta~

My Korean Friend


Sung In and Ayaz

Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:21:53 PM): don't wry i think you doing ok


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:22:02 PM): yeahh


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:22:06 PM): i will


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:22:09 PM): it is very sad that you can't drink beer with me!


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:22:16 PM): haha


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:22:16 PM): you don't drink do you?


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:22:20 PM): guess wutt


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:22:23 PM): haha


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:22:31 PM): i can drink tea or coffe wif ya


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:22:37 PM): ok then


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:23:02 PM): lets drink coffee all the way !


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:23:04 PM): after exam


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:23:07 PM): hahaha


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:23:09 PM): sure??


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:23:15 PM): ^^


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:24:04 PM): we need to be more closer.


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:08 PM): haha


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:11 PM): sure sure


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:24:22 PM): i wasn't a good student during the 1semester


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:24:31 PM): hu...


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:32 PM): ahh


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:34 PM): dun be sad


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:42 PM): people can change


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:44 PM): so do u


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:24:47 PM): help me to focus on studying~


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:24:50 PM): y


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:24:56 PM): great~!


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:00 PM): kk


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:25:12 PM): u r so worried about not getting a girlfren??


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:25:20 PM): just joking


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:24 PM): haha


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:28 PM): no no no


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:32 PM): i'm not like that


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:33 PM): kkk


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:25:37 PM): haha


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:25:39 PM): well ok ok


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:25:48 PM): well i think i was holding you too long


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:25:54 PM): its fine


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:26:03 PM): ill help u whenever i can


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:26:16 PM): thank you for saying that


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:26:33 PM): no problem


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:26:47 PM): good friends always help each other


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:26:49 PM): i wish we can talk more and be a good friend!


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:26:55 PM): yeah


forte_angel86 (12/1/2008 11:26:56 PM): sure


Sung In Ahn (12/1/2008 11:26:56 PM): yep!


Berikut adalah sebahagian conversation Intan ngan Sung In,my classmate from Korea.I know that taking alcoholic beverages is not allowed in Islam.Terang-terangan dalam al Quran,dalam surah al Baqarah ayat 219 dan 168.


"Mereka menanyakan kepadamu(Muhammad) tentang khamar(segala minuman yang memabukkan) dan judi.Katakanlah "Pada keduanya terdapat dosa besar dan beberapa manfaat bagi manusia.Tetapi dosanya lebih besar daripada manfaatnya.Dan mereka menanyakan kepadamu tentang apa yang harus mereka infakkan.Katakanlah "Kelebihan(dari apa yang diperlukan.)"Demikianlah Allah menerangkan ayat-ayatNya kepadamu agar kamu memikirkan,"(2:219)


Wahai Manusia!Makanlah dari (makanan) yang halal dan baik yang terdapat di Bumi dan janganlah kamu mengikuti langkah-langkah setan.Sungguh,setan itu musuh yang nyata bagi kamu.(2:168)


but saya terharu jugak sebab dia sudi ajak saya drink ngan dia..appreciated dengan ajakan dia,but sorry dude...minum kopi pon jadila ehh??hahhaa... I find the best way when it comes to people inviting u to go to party/drinking or perkara2 yang sewaktu dengannya is to just explain to your friend that u dun do those things.That way it will make them more understand you..Seriously,Heena my flatmate pun camtu jugak..I remember at the time when I ask her how does the alcoholic drink taste,haha!She said it taste bad..Diorang just minum sebab they like the after effect tu ie mabuk2 coz they will forget everything and just think of having fun.Huuuu,terasa kesian dengan mereka ini...I'm so glad that so far kawan-kawan yang mengajak saya untuk minum tu semua hormat dengan pendirian saya untuk tidak minum mahupun untuk ke kelab or eat non-halal food..Terima kasih Ya Allah kerana mengurniakan kawan-kawan yang boleh bertoleransi dengan saya =)


Ehe,lupa nk inform.Comel budaknya Ahn Sung In nih...Korean guy,age 25years old,doing Management Studies sama ngan Intan!:)ok,Korean fans..nk berkenalan bolehla...dia single lagi,haha!!

Emel from White House


"On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence.We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions.Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to every message.Thank you again for taking the time to write."


huhu..terkejut kamik sat..got this email probably because I signed this one online petition.Petition yang saya sign tu lebih kurang camni la bunyinya:


Dear President Bush,

Since you first took office six years ago, our country continues to witness an unprecedented rollback of workers' rights. Consider this your 'performance review.


'Recommendations for Improvement:

- Don't bust federal employees' unions.
- Stop outsourcing the federal government.
- Pledge to sign the Employee Free Choice Act.
- Appoint judges who protect workers' rights instead of dismantling laws.


[Your comment here]<----tak komen pape,sebab pening dah byk komen kat petition lain


Sincerely,

[Your signature]


[Your address]



Tak tahula pulak yang benda nih mmg sampai straight away kat White House..I just sign it because memang dah muak dan geram dengan kerenah government US yang menyusahkan banyak orang termasukla rakyat mereka sendiri.

Somehow,saya rasa kagum dengan team Care2 Campaign - Breeana, Emily, Joe, Natasha, Ray, Rebecca, Robyn and Rosa.Diorang work very hard for this website,and I think it's a huge success.A toast to all of you!!Korang best!!


Diorangnya website:http://www.care2.com/

Doa Akhir Tahun & Awal Tahun


DOA AKHIR & AWAL TAHUN



Doa Akhir Tahun dibaca 3 kali pada akhir waktu Asar atau sebelum masuk waktu Maghrib pada akhir bulan Zulhijjah.


Sesiapa yang membaca doa ini, Syaitan berkata :


"Kesusahan bagiku dan sia-sia lah pekerjaanku menggoda anak Adam pada setahun ini dan Allah binasakan aku satu saat jua. Dengan sebab membaca doa ini, Allah ampunkan dosanya setahun"


Berikut adalah Doa Akhir Tahun








Doa Awal Tahun dibaca 3 kali selepas maghrib pada malam satu Muharram. Sesiapa yang membaca doa ini, Syaitan berkata :

"Telah amanlah anak Adam ini daripada godaan pada tahun ini kerana Allah telah mewakilkan dua Malaikat memeliharanya daripada fitnah Syaitan".






Berikut adalah Doa Awal Tahun





America's Pursuit Of Happiness??erkkkk..

Investor's Business Daily

America's Pursuit Of Happiness

Wednesday January 2, 6:20 pm ET Ibd


Public Opinion: Each time you open a newspaper or turn on a TV, you'll hear how unhappy, glum and dissatisfied Americans are. Don't believe it. The U.S. is, to borrow a phrase, the happiest place on Earth.


A long-forgotten 1960s movie title pretty much sums up how Americans feel about their lives: "What's So Bad About Feeling Good?" According to a new Gallup Poll, for most people that's not just a rhetorical question.


"Most Americans say they are generally happy, with a slim majority saying they are 'very happy,'" according to the Gallup Poll released on the final day of 2007. "More than 8 in 10 Americans say they are satisfied with their personal lives at this time, including a solid majority who say they are 'very satisfied.'"


Another extensive survey conducted in 2007 by the Pew Research Center found that 65% of Americans termed themselves "satisfied" with their lives. That compares with the four economic powerhouses of Britain, France, Germany and Italy, which averaged about 53%.
This difference isn't something new. It's been around for a long time. It's a part of what foreign-affairs mavens call "American exceptionalism." The question is, why are Americans so darned happy?


For one thing, Americans are far richer than those in other countries. And yes, this matters. Contrary to popular belief, neither the Europeans nor the Japanese lead better lives than Americans.


A study a few years back by Sweden's Timbro think tank came to these startling conclusions: Virtually every nation in Europe lagged the U.S. in income. Indeed, if it were a state, the EU would rank 47th in per capita GDP -- on par with Mississippi and West Virginia.
Americans' homes have roughly twice the square footage per occupant as those in the EU, Americans own more appliances, and, on average, they spend about 77% more each year than Europeans.

Yet, though the U.S. economy is head-and-shoulders above the others, you'd never know it from our friends in the mainstream media. As repeated surveys show, U.S. media coverage of the economy is overwhelmingly slanted toward the negative side of things.
But a look at the facts shows something quite different.
U.S. household wealth climbed from $38.8 trillion in 2002 to $58.6 trillion in the third quarter of 2007, an unprecedented 51% surge in just five years. That includes the recent meltdown in home prices.


By any historical standard, Americans are unbelievably wealthy.
Moreover, despite the near-collapse in housing, the U.S. economy remains strong. It grew at a 3.1% rate during the first three quarters, and almost certainly kept growing in the final three months.


Economist Irwin Stelzer adds another reason why Americans are happy right now: a million new jobs over the last year, a milestone that is underpinning U.S. economic growth right now.
But can economics really matter that much? You bet. Money may not buy love, but it helps buy happiness. In fact, according to the Pew folks, there's a 72% correlation between per capita GDP growth in a country and its citizens' happiness.


What about social trends? As economist Irwin Stelzer recently noted, "teenage drug use, pregnancies, smoking and drinking are all on the decline; welfare reform is working, bringing down child poverty, and the divorce rate is falling."


Oh, and we're having more babies than at any time since the 1970s -- not something that a gloomy, depressed society does. Our 2.1 babies per adult woman puts us at the top of the developed world's fertility rankings (Europe, by comparison, has a population-shrinking 1.5 rate). A child is the biggest bet on a happy future that two people can make.
Then there's religion. A 2006 Harris Poll found on average that 43% of those in Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and France believed in a Supreme Being. In the U.S., it's 73%. That suggests a link, in developed nations anyway, between religiosity and happiness.


Face it, Americans are an unusually happy, optimistic people. In a way, it defines us. A big reason is our economy -- huge, innovative, low-tax and less regulated than others.
That's what makes us different. Vive la difference!



Sumber:http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/080102/issues01.html?.v=1&.pf=personal-finance

Pergi Tak Kembali

Pukul 4 pagi waktu UK tadi,Ummi menelefon beberapa kali untuk memberitahu berita pemergian nenek ke dunia yang seterusnya sebelum sampai ke syurga yang kekal(insyaAllah).

Honestly,saya agak terkedu dalam mamai ketika mendengar berita tersebut. I took masa yang quite lama untuk memproses input tersebut..Namun,setelah beberapa ketika,saya baru sedar yang saya kehilangan seorg lagi ahli famili yang agak rapat dengan saya selepas pemergian Che Ka,uncle saya ketika berumur 15 tahun.Walaupun saya tidaklah sangat-sangat rapat dengannya,tapi mungkin kerana "blood related" atau hubungan yang telah sekian lama terjalin,perasaan kehilangan itu tetap dirasai..Dan disebabkan terlalu complacent dengan hidup saya sekarang,saya lupa bahawa orang sekeliling saya sebenarnya hanya menunggu masa untuk pergi one by one,kembali pada penciptanya yang Maha Esa seperti dijanjikan.

Fikiran saya mula aktif dan ligat berputar..Seolah-olah something strikes me..perasaan cuak menguasai diri.Oh God,i've lost Mok(nenek saya)...What if kalau yang meninggal seterusnya ialah my parents-Abah and Ummi?or my siblings?-Abe Se,Kak Sue,Buja,Mat E and Mat D...or maybe my bestfriends-tak kisah di Malaysia mahupun any part of the world..How would I respond to the news??Rasa takut untuk ditinggalkan...dan perasaan takut untuk menghadapi mati mencengkam,kerana saya tahu bahawa saya masih belum bersedia untuk menerima semua ini.

Apa-apa pun,terima kasih sangat-sangat kepada kawan-kawan dan sahabat yang sudi menghubungi saya sama ada untuk menyampaikan salam takziah mahupun meng"comfort"kan saya.Korang best!!Sangat bersyukur kerana saya sedar bahawa saya dikelilingi oleh kawan-kawan yang baik dan mengambil berat antara satu sama lain..alhamdulillah~Saya sangat-sangat sayangkan kamu semua..(even t terucap di lidah,di blog pun jadila...haha!)

Hurmmm ,personally,saya agak terkilan kerana tidak sempat untuk berjumpa dengan arwah nenek dan meminta maaf atas salah dan silap saya sebelum ini.Beberapa hari yang lepas ketika saya menelefon rumah,saya bercakap dengan semua orang kecuali dengan nenek saya hanya kerana memikirkan dia mengalami sedikit masalah pendengaran.Hanya salam yang disampaikan.Walhal,mungkin jika saya bercakap dengannya walaupun sebentar,atau berpura-pura mendengar dan memahami kata-katanya..mungkin...mungkin,itu dapat menggembirakan hatinya sebelum dia kembali ke rahmatullah.Jauh disudut hati,saya masih berduka dengan apa yang terjadi..Tapi Dia ternyata lebih tahu,dan lebih bijak dalam mencaturkan hidup hamba-hambaNya...

Tiada apa yang saya harapkan melainkan arwah berada dibawah pemeliharaan Allah SWT dan ditempatkan dikalangan orang-orang yang beriman.Tolong doakan dia sama yer..