My Superhero Uncle!

Guess what? Mamajee won the 3rd place in Hero Oven! We couldn’t be more proud of him. We know how challenging it was for Mamajee. It’s a baking competition, which is quite out of Mamajee’s comfort zone, but he didn’t back away. He took the risk! Now look what he’s achieved! Congratulations Mamajee! We really look up on you for willing to accept the challenge. You never give up! You’re absolutely brilliant. You’re the best uncle anyone could ever wish for! You’re our idol Mamajee. You inspire us all. You’ll always be our superhero… 🏅

#TeamAdamForever ♥️

11 Fun Facts About Fatimah & Ali!

Fatimah and Ali are two cute, lovable kiddies, and an interesting brother and sister! Their charm just gets to everyone, and they are full of personality. There is so much to know about them, but here, I’ve listed the 11 fun facts that you probably didn’t know about Fatimah and Ali!

1. Bread is their favourite, but Fatimah prefers toast (she calls it ‘roti keras’) whereas Ali likes soft bread.
2. Fatimah is more fond of Malaysia but Ali is all about Thailand.
3. They both love animals so much!
4. Fatimah is more mature and serious, but Ali is a jolly kind of person and likes to crack a joke and make people laugh!
5. Fatimah prefers hot weather, but Ali can’t stand the heat at all! Winter is like summer for him!
6. Fatimah has always spoken her own mind from a very early age, while Ali is the master imitator – he mimics Fatimah most of the time!
7. They love reading a lot – we have to read them 4-5 books (or more) every day! The library has become their new favourite place!
8. Both Fatimah and Ali enjoy swimming.
9. Meat is a must-have for Ali, while he does like eating his greens. However, Fatimah prefers vegetables more than meat.
10. Yoga is something Fatimah can’t live without! She also likes to do kickboxing with Mr Dad.
11. Ali is CRAZY about elephants! He even calls himself ‘Ali Chang’ (‘chang’ means ‘elephant’ in Thai)!

#my11things

Want To Write? Start With Reading!

I’ve received many requests to share my writing tips. Well, to be honest, I don’t really have any, but I’ve always loved to read. It’s been a major part of developing my writing skills and I have to admit, I have ORD – Obsessive Reading Disorder! Just one book a day can stimulate my mind into creative mode and get those imaginative juices flowing. So no, I don’t really have any tips, but I believe there is one core, essential practice which is the foundation of writing.

You. Need. To. READ.

Seem daunting? It might sound like that at first, but it is the key to writing. You’ll need to read to find ideas and check your work. It happens whilst you’re writing! When I say read, I don’t mean read for a day or two then stop, I mean read everyday! Make it part of your daily routine. Make it part of your LIFE! Keep a book close wherever you go, so if you have spare time, you can open it up and peruse with ease.

At an early age, we all learn to read and as we get older, we start to read more difficult texts. We’ve been reading naturally all this time, and yet some people sweat at the thought of having to read something. If you could do it so young, why can’t you do it now?

The action of reading has many benefits. Books can teach us grammar and punctuation skills and language basics. Your vocabulary will be enriched too. Books are like dictionaries – there’s bound to be new words on show! The human brain is similar to a sponge, so it will absorb everything it reads. For me, reading also enlarges my imagination and stimulates my creativity. Books have many other benefits, such as improving your health, helping growth and much more. It’s clear that books are a writer’s best friends!

So now you see why reading is so crucial. We shouldn’t just give up reading because it seems hard or boring. If you did, you wouldn’t be reading this right now! But then there’s the choice of what to read and what’s good to read and what’s bad. Well, like I have said in the previous post, there is nothing good or bad, it’s just what you personally prefer! I love reading science fiction and fantasy, but other people might not. However, even though I like these specific genres, I still read a broad range of books. It’s great to read many books, but if you want, you can find the genre that suits you. The best way to find your perfect genre is to read a range of them, and work out their pros and cons so you will be able to find the one that you like the most. Once that’s done, you can read with relaxation and soon write! Remember, reading is an important step towards making yourself a better writer!

Yes, I think it’s great to read, but when I say ‘read’, I don’t mean just in English. You can read in your own mother tongue or your preferred language! Be it Malay, Urdu, Thai, Arabic, Gaelic, Chinese…you can read in any language you want! Don’t let language be a barrier that stops you from reading! And of course, remember to be bold, be brave, challenge yourself to read, read, READ and never stop reading! Now, if you’ve managed to read up to this point, then you’ve successfully read 581 words! So that’s me sharing my experience with you. Hope you find it useful.

Keep calm and carry on reading so that TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”

– Lemony Snicket

The Human Race – How Different Are We?

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

This was a quote by William Shakespeare, and it has a very good meaning behind it.

There are 7.6 billion people on this planet, and we have different backgrounds, culture, heritage, religions, skin colour, eyes, hair, fingerprints, but we have one thing in common: we are one race – THE HUMAN RACE.

Have you been in that situation where you’ve seen someone do something you found impolite, rude, or some other negative thing like that? Well, did you acknowledge the fact that their culture could be much different than yours? Almost every day, someone in the world judges another person without respecting their differences. In my eyes, this is quite cruel and careless, for not only are we judging them, but we are also claiming that they should be the same as us! We are all unique; God has made us this way, and this way is PERFECT!

Speaking of differences, here are some strange customs from around the world.

• Cutting a potato with your knife in Germany will insult the host of a dinner party
• In Saudi Arabia, burping after a meal is considered a compliment to the cook
• In Cambodia, Egypt, Jordan and the Philippines, leaving a little bit of food on your plate is polite; giving back an empty plate will be taken as an insult, suggesting that you were not given enough food
• To show that you have enjoyed a dish of noodles in Japan or Hong Kong, it is best to slurp loudly whilst eating
• The Greeks throw baby teeth on their roofs
• Nicaraguan people point with their lips
• To ward off evil, people in Greece spit on the bride at a wedding
• Sikhs wear a bangle all the time, even in the kitchen. Some Sikhs also carry a ceremonial dagger (not intended to harm others, but a sign that they should stand up for goodness)

Shocked? Me too. But, all this goes to show that we all do things for a reason, however strange or contrasted to our customs they may be. So we should all stop judging people and instead show some kindness to them by respecting their culture, customs, religion and basically who they are as a person. So next time, before you are about to judge somebody, remember that each of us is unique, and keep in mind that ‘there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so‘, because if we do, then TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

p/s: What do YOU think about this? Does your opinion differ? Feel free to drop a comment and share your thoughts!

*Media Source: Google Images

Happy 68th Birthday Dadajee!

Dear Dadajee,

It’s 7th of January 2018, your 68th birthday! You’re the best grandfather anybody could ask for, so on your special day, I pray to God that He will reward you for all the good deeds you have done! May God grant you a long life, filled with good health and all the happiness in the world. May He make all your wishes come true and shower you with His eternal blessings. And most important of all, may He reserve you the best place in Heaven and enable you to be the richest man in Paradise! I really wish I could be there with you on such an occasion – I miss you a lot! Hopefully, we can all be together again soon!

Thank you for always being that person who stood by my side no matter what! You were continuously helping me, advising me and guiding me in life. You made many sacrifices, like when you volunteered to stay behind when everybody went on an outing, just to help time my tests when I was studying for the 11+. You stayed with me from morning till evening, making sure I prayed and ate on time too! Not only that, you made sure I had enough sleep and rest, so I didn’t overwork myself. But most of all, I want to say thank you for making us all smile, laugh and stay cheerful! Your jokes, warm hugs, and even your smile could light up the whole world!

Thank you for everything, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Your loving grandson,

Omar Mukhtar

p/s: Have you read Dadajee’s love story? Click the link below👇🏻 to read it now!

BELATED SURPRISE…

Fatimah’s 4th Birthday!

*Dedicated to my li’l’ PAWSOME sister, Fatimah*

Time seems to fly sometimes, without you even knowing it, and this was especially true with Fatimah! It seems like only yesterday when I was 7 and Fatimah was born into the family, bringing joy and laughter. I can clearly remember when she was small enough to fit into my hands and only just starting to crawl – but look where she is now! She’s walkin’, talkin’ and as much of a diva as you can be (a lovely diva, that is)! And today, she’s…

TURNING 4!!!!!!!!

Yep, you read it right! It’s the 3rd of January 2018, a.k.a Fatimah’s 4th birthday, one of the most special dates in our family!

Fatimah is one of the best people I know, and I’m so glad to have her as a sister! She’s very loving, and protective when it comes to her family! She’s really confident in speaking, like when she’s doing ‘The Fatimah Show’. Fatimah also loves cooking, and enjoys making cookery videos, just like Mamajee @adamdidam. She absolutely loves it when he comes to visit because they will be able to do it together! She also likes me to cook with her and I must admit, it’s quite an enjoyable experience! The first time I cooked with her, I was expecting her to ask for help, but in the end, she was the one helping me! I guess she’s mastered all the techniques because she always helps Mr Dad when he’s cooking!

Fatimah is also a playful and imaginative girl. She enjoys making stories with her toys, running a pretend restaurant with them as the customers and making sure her brother Ali has a part by putting him in the role of head chef, or going on a trek through the forest! Speaking of which, she’s VERY active! She always manages to get exercise, inside or outside, doing things like yoga and dancing, especially to Bollywood songs! But above all, she’s always well-behaved and highly mannered. Another favourite hobby of hers is arts and crafts. Cutting, sticking, painting, making collages, she loves it all! Not to forget, I’m glad that me and Fatimah share the same hobby, READING, as I have ORD (Obsessive Reading Disorder! 😉 ) She enjoys storytelling too!

These are only a few of the reasons I feel blessed to have Fatimah as a sister! I couldn’t have asked for more from God! On her 4th birthday, she’s already such a mature child! Fatimah, I wish you all the best for the future! May God shower you with His eternal blessings and keep you in His safeguarding! I wanted to give you a special birthday present for you this year, since you’re so grown up, and I decided that instead of a poem, I’d give you something special that you could keep with you, always. So here it is below – a special drawing of you, from a brother to a sister! I used lots and lots of colours to capture your loving, lively and playful personality, so it can remind you of your childhood, to tell you to always remain carefree, and of course, to let you remember that we will all be with you in your heart, and you’ll be in ours!

Wishing you a very happy 4th birthday,

Your Lalajee,

The Pawsome Lion

p/s: Artwork above inspired by photo below.

…HELLO 2018!

2017 has passed, and as it steps off the stage, 2018 greets us warmly by the hand! At the start of every year, people set ‘New Year’s Resolutions’, their own personal goals that they wish to achieve in the year. From my humble point of view, I personally think it is more like a trend that everyone is taking part in to be the same as others, and after a few days, they will forget everything! Don’t you think life resolutions should come more regularly than once a year? I believe we should be setting our own personal goals everyday, not waiting a whole year to choose them and working on them for another year to achieve only a few of them! Some of the most popular resolutions are:

• Go to bed early
• Spend time with family
• Reduce TV time
• Read more books

These are almost never stuck to – and they’re things we should be doing every day! Don’t you think that our resolutions are mostly too self-centred? I feel they are quite selfish as we are mostly thinking about ourselves, and not the other people who have helped us a lot, or who are in need! So, this year, why not break the stereotypical trend and put our faith in God to help us achieve what we want. Whilst we help others and continue what we are already doing, doubling the effort, God always has the best plan for us, and if we do good things, we will surely be rewarded in return!

To start the New Year, I pray to God to put my parents on the top of His list for 2018 so I can continue making them happy as they are my main priority in life. How I will do this is:

• To keep on being a good son to Mrs Mom and Mr Dad every day so I can be able to make them proud and give them what they deserve in return for their love towards me
• To continue setting a good example to Fatimah and Ali and help them to do the same

I have full faith in God that He has the best plan for me because no matter how much trials I am put through in life, things always work out perfectly in the end with His countless blessings! He is indeed Al-Wahhab (The Supreme Bestower) as He has continuously gifted us no matter what!

And one thing we can all do to start the year on a good note is to give out to those who give to us, starting at home. Surprise our parents by doing something small around the house! Keep a good attitude and volunteer to help our parents. Don’t think of household tasks as chores where we’re wanting a reward in return, think of them as our responsibility as a member of the family. Of course, always be kind to our siblings too and avoid jealousy, or arguments – after all, siblings are some of God’s greatest gifts! Then reach out to the outside world, like the neighbours, and maybe even local community! From small things, like a smile, to big things, like donating money for a good cause, and all the stuff in between, everything can help and each little thing counts towards a better future! So, come on! If each and every one of us does this, then TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!

p/s: …HELLO 2018!