It's half day at work today with Raya songs blaring in the office, you could practically sniff the joyous occassion in the air. It became quite infectious since everyone at work is in festive mood, I am taking a bit of time from work to pen this.

Tomorrow is Syawal, abit surreal since I did not get to enjoy Ramadan to its fullest. Not to mention I still have like a million of other errands to run today. It's a mad rush but let's hope I get everything done. The first thing I will do is to drive down to Far East Flora later on to buy fresh flowers for home. A routine I am happy to repeat for the past couple of years! Something about fresh flowers on the first day of Raya makes everything at home a complete picture.

My past weekend had been fruitful. I went last minute shopping with mama to get the things I haven't had the time to do in advance. Everything is in moderation this year, I was able to comfort myself by slashing certain things from the list that was not necessary. Only one thing, ok wait there is 2 things actually that I was not able to forgo was shoes and my hair. I bought myself 2 pairs of shoes last weekend, I am so crazy about heels! And this is coming from someone who rarely wear heels on daily basis. The other thing is of course my hair. I finally got it done yesterday, my hair was in a huge mess for the past months. Loving it now but let me assure you it is nothing fancy. My dark knight was lucky he was the first to preview it last night.

And speaking of the dark knight, this raya is made to be more special. I am feeling so deliriously excited that we are celebrating this together. So, yes in a typical coupledom manner he got himself a matching outfit to go with mine (last minute too yesterday heh).

A brief rundown of my raya preps and it's all been good so far. Except I failed to bake my cookies! That is something I cannot squeeze into my schedule today. Guess I will have to shelf that thought to another day.

Anyways the gist of my entry is to talk all things Raya and at the same time I would like to wish all muslims Salam Lebaran! Maaf Zahir dan Batin!

Today is the last episode and I urge anyone who is reading this to watch. I hardly self promoted of the programs I do but because working on Warna Ramadan gives me a different kind of fulfillment. Hence, please do watch! If you do no know Warna Ramadan will be showed on Suria at 5.30pm and it's second re-run of the episode will be at 11pm at night, just in case you miss the earlier telecast

One particular segment worth mentioning is Jalinan Kasih, every week we meet people from different walks of life who wrote in to plead their cases to be picked and to help them look for their missing family members. 5 episodes and we had featured 4 stories, so far 3 out of them were solved successfully.

I look forward each week to call these people personally and find out more about their missing family members who they had not met for a long time or some even who they had never laid their eyes ever since they were separated from birth . It stirred my heart most of the time when I talk to these strangers on the phone who felt genuinely delighted when I introduced myself and where I am from. The instant trust and hope which they gave to a nobody like me moved me to the point of tears. How they appealed their stories and believed this segment could assist in reaching out to the very person they are looking for or anybody who has information with regards to that person to come forward.

Usually after I hang up the phone, I couldn't wait to meet these strangers myself and arranged the filming day. I remembered one particular filming, the speech given by the lady was powerful in every sense of the word 'mother' all I wanted to do was to run back to my mama and let myself get lost in her embrace telling her how much she means to me. Never have I ever felt this grateful to be reminded that I have people at home who means the world to me. Looking at how much time I spent outside the house this month breaks my heart inside that I might have neglected the people at home.

The gratitude I received and how thankful they were leaves me humble but most of all words cannot describe the contentment of having to be a part of family reunions and how emotional it can be. I get too emotional and attached sometimes that I broke my professional barrier when I got choked up in tears.

So do watch if you have the time today, it is not so much about garnering ratings but more about the humilty content the program brings especially on this holy month. Ramadan is a month of purity and miracles. And I am lucky to witness this. Prayers were answered and how special can this be to reunite with your flesh and blood during this holy month.

On another note, 'Jalinan Kasih' is something very personal to me. It stares back at me daring myself to feel emotions I did not dare let myself to. Not wanting to care before was my bruised ego but the stark truth that I cannot change my past made me wonder that maybe in time will I should I be brave enough to seek that missing person who didn't even want a part of all this.

This month has been such a blur and I am still in denial that we have approximately one and half weeks to Syawal. It is the crucial period and I know for sure panic mode will come to attack next week.

Raya preps is still taking the backseat. I hope I will have the time to get the necessary from next week onwards. Thank god its pay day too next week! At the moment I have jotted down the list in my brain on random times when I am idle at work. Told myself to put it to writing but alas I have not!

Budget is my concern but whatever it is my top priority is the change i desperately needed. Yes the Hair is the big issue. Something's got to be done and I already know what I want to do with it. This gonna be fun because the best friend and me are going to do this together next week too! I promise my dark knight that the change will make him fall for me harder. The physical attraction so called, something he wasn't concern about. What a good man I have. Heh. A heavy promise to my dark knight and I will bawl my eyes out if the change doesn't turn out well.

Nah kidding! It's my hair we are talking about even if he doesn't approve. I think we ladies know this better than any man would!

Till then, have a good day!

Never have I ever visited Geylang so frequent within the span of 1 month. For the record, I had already visited Geylang 5 times on the first week of Ramadan alone, how about that!

Anyway besides being in an intense and deep relationship with my job this month, I have been spending a bit more time with the best friend.

-We had break fast together with my colleagues and had a very good time.
-She slept over at my place just like old times.
-She surprise me with my belated birthday gift. An Armani Exchange bag, the same exact one which I saw with her at the shop a couple of months back. Love!!
-Impromptu night out to Geylang on a weekday.
- And frequent calls.

I feel blessed this holy month we decided to have a bit more time for each other. Looking forward to 2 more dates with you!

Knowing you can read my journal now, cheers to reviving our stale friendship!