Down

I just finished my conversation with one of the MARA officer from penang Mara headquarters. It is very dissapointing dan de-motivating, destructing.... i Felt sooo...down... oh my God... this is the person the goverment placed to motivate Malays in Business? No wonder we are still the same after all those years.

Sebenarnya MARA memang bagus, the mission, the vission, the service all good and benificial. Infact MARA help so many people achieve their dreams...Cuma orang-orang cam ini yang men'spoil'kan MARA punya mission.Is this the reason why penang MALAYS are always dalam dilema?

To be honest, this is the first time i contact MARA to ask consultation for my business,and perhaps it is the last. Here's my conversation for your own judgement and review...:) eventhough he sound so friendly, yet the conversation itself is useless, fruitless and what-ever-less.

me: Assalamualaikum...can I speak to ***** **** ***?
**: Ya bercakap.
Me: Tadi saya ada tanya receptionist dan dia suruh saya cakap dengan encik pasal ...

( he interupted without waiting for me to finish my words, sounds like he is so busy to talk to me...come on...i thought its their job to help?)

** : Pasal apa?
me : saya ada tanya , tapi saya tak tau nak pergi ke mana (what i mean is i dont know who to ask)
**: hah?... tak tau nak pergi ke mana?
me: maksud saya saya tak tau nak tanya siapa , jadi saya harap Encik boleh tolong.saya ada business nurseri pokok online...
**: hah kalau nurseri , jangan tanya MARA, kena tanya jabatan pertanian, mardi dan seumpamanya untuk bimbingan. Bila mula bukak nurseri?
me: saya rasa....
**: mana boleh rasa-rasa, buat business tak boleh rasa-rasa.
Me: maksud saya saya mula serius sekitar hujung 2004...
**: kat mana tapak business sekarang.
Me: ya...sebab tu......
**: Mara cuma berikan pembiayaan , selebihnya peniaga kena cari sendiri.
Me: ya saya faham,buat masa ni saya rasa saya tak perlukan bantuan kewangan lagi, saya cuma nak tahu kalau MARA boleh nasihatkan saya kat mana saya boleh dapatkan tanah....

**: Mara tak boleh sediakan tanah... yang tu peniaga kena cari sendiri, sewa sendiri.Takkan semua nak harapkan Mara.Kalau semua nak harapkan MARA teruklah... Kena la usaha sendiri jugak...

At this point , I already lost my hope.This is the first time i called them.They way he lectured me was like i've ask him so many time b4.it's quite difficult for me to understand the way this fellow think, more accurately, the way he behave.

Whatever I do after this, insyaallah i'll never ask consultation from them again.This is really dissapointing. I thought they are good, yet they are so arrogant and always look down to other people.Why? Are they to busy to entertain ikan bilis like me? Or they thought everybody called MARA just for their money? Please la...I called them because i still remember , in one of the course they organized the very same person said, you can always get consultation from MARA , it is not necessary money but anything to help you to operate your business .That's why i did called them.I need help now and i need it desprately but i dont know where to go.My business is expanding and i need guidance, motivation, consultation, or whatever you call it.Money alone will never help me, and for now, even it's tough i can still survive on my own.

Me: Tak pe la... Terima kasih

So i just hang up.I feel so stupid to call MARA and let them jeopardize and ruin my spirit and excitement.In the last few weeks, i keep on thinking to meet them personally and have some chit chat on my business, but since then, forget-about-it.


Prior to this waste-my-time conversation, i did called PERDA and they were good and full of encouragement.Eventhough in the meantime they cannot really help, but at least they some idea on what to do next, which is very helpful.The officer treat me with respect, even congratulate me for having a spirit to do something different.At least i was motivated after taking to them.

Next time if I need help, i know where to go, and it's definitely not to the same arrogant guy.

Well for those who like to know what I do, feel free to visit my page at:

http://melur.com

and remember : Everything starts small !

Corn tree,sometime knows as iron tree or botanically known as Dracaena fragrans is a very popular indoor plant.Infact we can always stumble with it in almost every office.The behaviour of the plant that need less attention compare to other indoor plant make a perfect choice if you are not a plant lover.

Originated from West Africa, the plant has made its way around the globe. Belong to agave family give corn tree an advantage as it is very strong can tolerate a wide range of climate.the plant prefers low light and high humidity.

The wide leaves are long and arc gracefully from the stalk.The huge and strong stucture of the stem and leave turn it as an attractive green furniture to your room.Dracaena fragrans belongs to Agavaceae family, the same family agave, yucca and joshua plant.Same like others in agave family corn tree too can stand the dry zone.Though in its optimum condition the plant can grow until 20 feet tall, but normally as a houseplant the normal height of this plant is between 4 to 6 feet tall.Ovet time the plant loses lower leave revealing bare stem.D. f. ‘Massangeana’ is a popular cultivar that features a wide central yellow stripe on each leaf.


In tropical climate , it is quite difficult to see corn tree blooming. the flower somehow, very attarctive with the special fragrant any flower lover will treasure.To flower, the plant must be a very mature plant.It should be at least more that 6 feet in height.The flower stalk s emerge out from the center of tthe leave whorl and will extend untill almost 3 feet.the The fragrant is very strong , you can smell it even it is more than 100 feet away, especially in the evening. The fragrant normally will last more than 1 week or even longer if it is keep in the office or well protected environment.

Some people believe that the plant will die after flowering.Well, it is not true as the plant will keep on growing.Cutting the flower stalk when it wither is a good idea to boost up the groth rate.Propagation is simple, it can be done through stem cutting.Eventhough the plant bear fruits(berries type) , normally it is propaged using stem cuttings.If you notice that the leave turn brownish it could be because of to much or too litle water.Eventhough it is a tough plant, sometimes mites can get attracted to it.

When the small become less smaller

everything starts from small... i remember this was what i said when somebody from an establish MLM network look down into my small web page , mainly on herbs info 3 years back.The guy...accused me of not having a vision, don't dare to dream big and cursed me ...:) that i will stuck there forever. Well.. now more than three years on the road i still remember what i said..and still believed that everything starts from small....

now when it become less smaller (forgive me for the grammar), more and more people start to visualize a vision that i put years ago.I have one stand that i hold closely to my heart. If you cannot do what you like, like what you do but if you cannot like what you do, try to do what you like.hehe... it's not a tounge twister though...that's what i do ... try to develop something that i love with my heart soul into a money machine...(though now the machine is not fully functioning yet).

For all the support and backup..... i really want to express my gratitude to my beloved husband for believing in me, for strongly stand besides me through thick and thin. For always put his faith in me when others not.For keep on telling me that i'm heading to the right direction and the day of glory will come. To my three lovely daughters that have to spent most of their weekends watching CDs and doing homework in the car,I hope i'm not torturing them.I hope they can understand everything i do, i do it for their own future.(At least they should be grateful that i never left them at home by themselves like most busy mothers will do)...And i hope too... the days of struggling will be over soon. Insyaallah

haha....my blog entry today is so sentimental...anybody cries?

What is rich

Last night my eldest daughter ask me:

" Mama, what you will do when you rich,are you going to do the same thing,wrapping things for people?"

She asked when she saw me so busy wrapping all the customers order for this week.This few weeks are such a chalenging weeks as i have to coop to my paid job, my master degree and my side business(http://www.melur.com).

Rich...is so subjective...when i first graduated and heard some seniors can earn at least 2 to 2.5 k a month..wow ..that's a big money..never think about it.Then when i start work at a pay of 2700/month 2500 seems a very small amoount of money.Life is getting tougher when you have to coop with your marriage,newborn baby , new house, new cars and so many new commitment.Bak kata orang melayu "besar periuk besarlah keraknya"

so what is rich...? Now ten years have passed since the first time i hold my first salary with pride.Money is never enough but The most important thing is to seek for keberkatan of that money we earn.Never think litle about those who is less fortunate than you and always willing to give.For me rich is when you can help people around you and never think yourself as rich.

Gloomy days

I feel so tired. All the energy has flow to my paid job that slowly dragging my attention from other thing. Sometime i wonder what is the priority in life? huh... live to work or work to live? The only good thing that happen last week is another one of the few plants from my husband US seed has bloomed.I think this flower is the prettiest among those which has bloom.So far only 4 out of 6 has bloomed.Have a look on the picture. It is know by the scientific name coreopsis tinctoria. the common name is golden tickseed or some call it calliopsis.The flower last quiet long. It can still beautifully bloom for more than 2 weeks.Seed is produced from the dried flower.It is an annual plant and will flowering between june to september.

below is the wikipedia link for golden tickseed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coreopsis_tinctoria

I really love the color and shape...savy...:)

God's gift

Gift from god
When i was young, to be exact when i was nine and above after dad's business colapse , life was very hard , we survive mainly
on food from nature. we got the protein from fish that we caught from nearby bendang or taliair.Vegies from nearby bush.
Things that always made mum worried was what if we run out of rice, sugar and salt.The rest , we can always found it somewhere
around.
One of my favorite vegetable was / is pucuk pulut musang as my mother call it.My fathers kampung folk used to call it kerak
nasi or kerak-kerak nasi.It is a small plant, so much resemble to a very popular ornamental plant, chinese evergreen. Infact
, the first time i saw the chinese evergreen i thought it is the pulut musang plant and until now i still wonder, whether the
young shoot of the chinese evergreen can turn into a very delicious and mouth watering vegetable as the pucuk pulut musang
is.Never dare to try, perhaps i should i try it... who knows...:)
the part from the plant that can be cook is the young shoot.My mother used to cook it into a very delicious soup.She pounded
the black paper, grilled fish, shallot and garlic together. While pounding the ingridient, she told us the story when she was
young.My mum is the youngest among her siblings.When she was young she used to follow her father travel from place to place,
open new land, in the jungle.Along her journey she learnt many thing about various kind of plants which she always told
me.That's how i develop my interest in herbs and plant.My mum is like a walking plant library for me.
back to the delicious soup.After pounding the ingridient, she boiled it with water until the vegetable got tender.Any other
sayur kampung cannot challenge the sweetness of the plant.
recently when i visit one of my herbs collector, the pakcik show me this plant which he call pecah kelambu, i've saw a few
plant that is called pecah kelambu befor.Some even call galak tua (stemona tuberosa) as pecah kelambu too. but this one
really rang a bell in me.After more than 15 years i never see this plant , it is really like a deja vu for me. It's like you
see an old good friend...hehehe... too much? but that's how i feel...The pakcik told me ... this plant should be the woman
best companion.. why? because it is very beneficial to increase woman sexual desire ...(hahhhhh alamak , really??? , i have
ate so much of this plant during my young days, is there any side effect?) especially for the elder woman. the effect,
according to him is almost the same as kacip fatimah (No wonder the fruit looks almost the same...any direct relation? dont know...
:P)
Then, a litle chat with dad also gave me knowledge that this plant also can cure hemarrhoid(buasir).According to dad , one of
my aunt recovered from her severe hemarrhoid after drink the soup everyday for a few weeks.HOOOO.... it's so beneficial... i
never know...the only thing that i knew last time is it tasted good.
so i grab a few bags an try to nurture it in my garden.One thing about this plant is you can never expose it to the direct
sunlight.In a few days it will....die.You need to grow it under the shade or under a tree as the original habitat is in the
bush.
The great thing that i should always remember is Allah is great, with HIS Love and guide we (me and my siblings) grow up
healthily and happily during the very hard time in our life.Alhamdulillah.No matter how far we go or how many types of food
we eat, the food that give us life is always the most delicious food ever.
enclose is the picture of the plant botanically know as Terenia polygonaides

Bunga Mayang Sari

Here is another snapshop of the white fragrant Flower. Please help me with the name of this flower

The flowers name is mayang sari

White Fragrant Flower

It's quite sometime since my last blog.It's not i'm lazy or busy (since both words are so subjective...:). Perhaps the new layout and interface of the blog make me sick...Hmmm... it takes time to get use to this new look.

so today... here i am again, with new flower. I dont really know the name of this flower but i really love the smell. Wanginye....I try to figure out the name from friends and few other newsgroup. All that i found out is some of them said the flower is from genus Duranta (which i doubt it so much as the leave is totally different) The flower looks alike though....Some of them said it's duranta repens. The only duranta Erecta that bloom in my garden right now is deep purple in color...It's from the hybrid called "Geisha Girl". In contrast with this one, the purple duranta has a very mild smell (almost cannot be detect at all).

So i think this is not Duranta. Some said it is also called Bunga sundal malam... a typical Malay tag for the flower that has a strong fragrant at night.Some said it is called bunga kerak nasi..like bunga kesidang also called bunga kerak nasi.

so until i finish my quest for the real name for this white lady... do enjoy the picture...

greenest regards
Nor

Kesidang (vallaris glabra)

my kesidang (vallaris glabra) is blooming. Every night when i reach home, the rich sweet pandan smell is in the air. Some people who like the pandan smell will really love it.My mother hate the smell, infact she said the smell will trigger her migrain. The smell of the kesidang flower is said to be resemble to the rice smell, describe why in nothern region of Malaysia it is called kerak nasi which literally means rice leftover.The flower also known in western as bread flower, perhaps because of the white color? hahh... just my wild guest.

Kesidang is a climber which make it a very nice companion to your trellis or pergola.It can be easily propagated by layering technic.Layering can be done by pull the branch until it touch the ground or the medium , then put something heavy , like a brick on the branch to make it always touch the ground. after +- 2 weeks, new root will come out for the part that touch the ground. Cut the branch and plant it somewhere else. It can be grown in a pot too...Other way to propagate is grafting. although stem cutting will grow into new plant if you are lucky, by the chance to stem cutting to root is quite low. A little help from root hormone might increase the chances to survive...:)

The leave is quite big, from a far it look like mango leave...:) the leave surface is shiny.Kesidang leave can easily turn yellow and drop if you give not enough water, esp in dry season like now. This the kesidang photo from my garden... Really love the clean white flower with the unique petals and the smellll.....so refereshing....My mother will hate me for this. Next time when she come to visit I'll make sure no buds is allow to bloom....:)

p/s: kesidang is said to be the symbol of malay folks, whic always rich with adab, budi bahasa dan kesopanan.

Do you believe in healing effect of the Gemstones?

I just bought a new bracelet, made from garnet gemstone, the seller claimed that this stone has the healing effect such as it will make you feel healthier and has more evergy.I never believe in this kind of thing. They said scientifically the vibration of the gemstone molecule will make your blood run smoothly. Though never believe in this theory, i bought it because i really like the color. Look at the photos, nice color ...emm??

I've been wearing it for almost a week now, and the funny thing is , every single night after wearing it i never feel tired. I can cook, do laundry , housekeeping , water my plant, monitor my daughters with the homework....etc, etc... I just feel wierd, but i dont want to believe in a thing without a proof. so i start my self-research in the internet ,and this is what i found....

Garnet in Mental HealingBecause of the shared similarities in physical and compositional traits, the garnet family of stones (for the most part) also share similar healing properties. In light of the above, the different colors and different chemistries of garnet varieties allow them to have some healing properties exclusive to that particular crystal. Green garnets, such as Tsavorite (a form of grossular garnet), some Andradites and African Jade (also a form of grossular garnet), are associated with bringing peace, pureness of thought, unobscured mental capacity, and creativity. Green garnets are another of the healing crystals that bring aide in meditation and focus. Orange garnets, such as Mandarin, orange Malaya, rare shades of Spessartite, orange Almandites and some Grossulars, are associated with energy of commitment. Orange garnets help an individual to solemnly dedicate themselves to any endeavor that captures the need for awaited attention. Purple-colored garnets like Mozambique and Grape possess the tenacity to make subtle anxieties and stress brought on by worry and unrest. They also make stable a mind that is not otherwise regulated. The most common form of garnets readily available and more commonly known are the various shades of red. Red garnets, like many red crystals are associated with passion. Though many red stones are found to heal the slings and arrows that love throws our way, it is not necessarily the sole healing function of this and other red healing gems. Along with being a gem the ignites and refuels the red fires of passion and romance, it also sets ablaze the inner fires of self-confidence, creativity and reflection. Since anger causes the body's physical temperature to increase, the opposing fire of positive energy from which garnet burns, can be used against tantrums and episodes of angst. Garnet has also been identified by healers as another of the vivid dreaming stones and one of past remembrance. The Garnet family, in general mental healing, is a jewel of life, love and purity enhancing vitality (the life force), commitment in indecisiveness and sexuality. It's regenerating and warming attributes help it not only to cleanse and renew, but also help to comfort, protect and inspire.
Garnet and the ChakrasWith respect to the Chakras, garnet is readily associated with (2nd) Centre and the Base/Root/Spine (1st) Centre. Garnet not only clears the blockage of negative energy from these areas, it also is used in the healing and enhancing of the activities that occur within and via the centre. Within the realm of the 2nd Chakra (that of the Navel/Sexual/Spleen), garnet has many functions. It acts as a vehicle for the passion and spirituality that are involved in emotional character of sexuality to communicate and influence the physical aspects. It aides in administering both healing and romantic energy when levels are low or difficult to obtain. For this reason, garnet is a healing stone for those who desire a spark in an existing or in beginning a relationship. It has also been highly utilized in helping to heal and energize those who feel they have been sexually weakened (by self-consciousness or other means). Physically some have used it to aide in relieving the negative energy that blocks the sexual centre related to infertility. As a stone of sexual power, garnet acts to renew, awaken and heal the sexual centre. For the Base/Root/Spine (1st Chakra), garnet helps by absorbing energy from locations in the body where there exists surplus and filters it into a fresh and positive energy that is very usable and stimulating to the Base. It not only stabilizes the foundation, it also arouses and initiates energies related to peak performance in life.
Physical HealingGarnet's emotional and mental healing associated with purification, regeneration and warmth also carry over to it's qualities of physical healing. As a healer and protector from toxins, garnet is recognized as a remedy in the body's fight against food poisoning and blood toxicity. It is also known for aiding in treatments against infection of the kidney, lung and facial (irritations, inflammation and blemishes) and area. The garnet family is also an aid to therapy for disorders of the heart (including low blood pressure), bones and spine, blood, pulmonary and even sleeping disorders. It has even been noted to provide gallstone relief and also work down to a cellular level. Because of it's warming energies, it is also used therapeutically for frostbite, aching muscles, arthritis and other discomforts relating to the joints. In early history, recordings of garnet use to treat jaundice and yellow fever were made. Today, garnet is still used by healers to treat fever and even balance antibodies and hormones.

from http://www.jewelrysupplier.com/2_garnet/garnet_healing.htm

and somemore .....

GarnetGarnet is a stone of romantic love and passion. It is used in metaphysics to enhance sensuality, sexuality, and intimacy. It is said to bring positive thoughts and boosts energy, and be excellent for manifestation. It can also assist mystically with success in one's career and building one's self-confidence. It is also a protective energy stone which is especially effective for protection from evil, and is used for gentle spiritual healing. Lore says that garnet can heal the blood, heart and lungs. Garnet is associated primarily with the root chakra, but also with other chakras depending on its color.

from: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysicalproperties_g.html

which never really explain it scientifically.

as a muslim, i avoid believing in anything that can be consider 'khurafat'. I just dont know , and want to know whether this thing really work and how it work?

Gaillardia

Haaa....at last i manage to find out the name of the flower that my husband brought back from US.This one is better known as gaillardia(nice name and it suite her...:)) I use to mention flower as her as i feel that 'it' is too harsh.The scientific name is gaillardia aristata. The name is drive from a french botanist name , Gaillard de Marentoneau. This plant is easy to grow in any variety of soil, provided that it is free draining

Nor's Paradise

My kampung life

It is a pleasure for me to talk about my kampung life.As a kid i am a hardcore kampung girl.I was brought up in a small village in kelantan.My house is surrounded by a mini jungle.When i was young , there was a rubber plantation around the house.As the rubber tree was getting old and produced less latex, My father cut it off and sold it to the furniture maker.

I remember when i was young the bushes around my house was my playground.With my sister(2 years younger, now a doctor in terengganu) and brother(4 years younger, working here in penang in one of the MNC company) we explored every inches of the bushes. Our snack is rather simple...hahaa..we use to chew buah kenerai/cenerai, the small green berries produced by a small tree.The fruit is useful as bullets for our bamboo gun too....Or sometime we just chew pucuk kandis ( yarghhh.... its really sour until you can feel the pulling effect at your jaw...) with pinch of salt.It's like you're chewing a buble gum..... you suck the liquid away and spit out the hampas...:). One thing i really dont like about this pucuk kandis(garcinia spp.) is it will give you a bitter taste that last for quite sometime. other snack are buah mata ayam(ardisia crispa), buah samak(euginia palembanica) and buah kerian.

with a group of friends we used to play police sentry at the bendang there.There were a few time when one of the midwife in my kampung ask us to pick the rumput jarum Emas(striga asiatica) for her as one of the ingridient for the afterbirth medicine. She paid us rm0.40 for every grip of dried jarum mas, which was a big deal for us at that time.So instead of playing police sentry we kept racing for the jarum emas, which sometime turned into fight....:) some have scars to prove that...(grin)

i have sweet memories of catching fish, swimming in the swamp, rolling over the hill of grasses and paddy straw.Sometime when i close my eyes, I still the smell the grass, the paddy field and the mud.There was one time when i catched a snake with my bare hand, mistaken it for a fish.Litle that i know that the snake also in the same mission as me, try to catch the fish for dinner...:)

life was hard...really , really hard, but when i look back, i just remember those old sweet memories.We used to enjoy our sweet time, lying down on the field watching the sky and try to figure out the cloud shape. But watch out!!!...while lying down my mother said you should not let the eagle fly over you or you will be a dead meat.Hahaha... now i know my mothers bluff just not to let us lie on the ground and dirty our shirts, as we dont have many.

I guess that experience brought me up to be what i am today. Even i've been living in the city for more than 10 years, i still crave for the kampung life.My husband is the opposite, he has been brought up in the city and used to stay in city for the whole life.

i'll talk more about my kampung life next time... till then ...bye..

The single layer gardenia

Hi...

it's me again...Last few days was really hectic for me...My eldest first days in school. going back to my hometown on the 2 past weekend and not sure whether have to go back again this weekend...Hmm... it's have been some time since i want to talk about my single layer gardenia. Well... most people know gardenia, the white fragrance flower that resemble the roses. But i bet not many people ever see this single layer gardenia. It's really a gardenia, with the smell and everything except the flower only has single layer.Normally we keep on looking for multi layer flower. but for me, single layer gardenia is even more pretty and unique( i like to use this word to describe it...:))

The behaviour, propagation, sun exposure is the same like multi-layer gardenia. It can keep on crazilly blooming if you expose it to the full sun light. Just don't forget to water it sufficiently. Here's the picture of my single layer gardenia. Enjoy it...!!

San Francisco 2

hi...
Today is my daughters first day at school... thing going quite well for her and i can see that she's quite independent. Perhaps because she was raised up in the day care since she's 1 year.Time fly fast and without you know it,you have to go through the moment and keep on dwelling on how much you have missed. I felt it's just like yesterday when i hold her for the first time and now she's already in school, playing joyfully with her friends.Hehe... dont want to be so sentimental ... it's early in the morning now...:) , just 5 am, everybody is still sleeping.

hmmm.... raising up a kid is like growing a plant. you have to really handle it with good care, nurture and give your love unconditionally.

Actually i want to talk about my san francisco 2 that has bloomed during my raya haji holiday. when i cameback here, i think it's has been blooming for a few days.Looking from the condition, may be the flower can last up to 2 weeks. The petals is very nice, eventhough i do not really like the color.I will search the actual name, and let you now.for te time being may be i will call it bunga alani (my eldest daughter name)... sound quite okay rite...? It's gonna be a tough quest as i dont really have clue for the name, not even the family. and attached here also my san francisco 1, it has been blooming non stop from the last blog till now,

Till some other time.... bye