Well hi there, so it's 2017. Assalamualaikum to you.

2016 has been nothing but progress. The preparation for our wedding was pretty intense albeit mini arguments all couples face.

In September, all praises to Allah, I've landed myself a job in the administrative line. I've always dreamed about working in an office- printing, filing, being organised. So I rehearsed my lines and became a total robot for my interviews. On my first day of work, the current admin who I would be taking over in a few days, took me out for lunch. We had a talk, mostly her, and let's just say.. she got the better of me. It was terrible, and I wanted to leave. She made me feel so much hatred towards this job and it was only lunchtime. A few weeks passed, and then a month. I got my first paycheck, handling everything by myself. I took the lady's 4 month experience into advise. I converted her negativity to all things positive.. I didn't have 2 years experience in various offices as an admin like her, but hey, I have 7 years of experience with kids throwing tantrums and swallowing my anger. I have 7 years experience in doing things FOR my students. I just wanted to learn. My office is just a humble little space with only five of us. I doge the bosses attitudes with smiles and now I'm pretty good at my job. I have my own desk and I have a shelf full of personal snacks. The view from the 15th floor is pretty neat too. In December, a new colleague joined and I felt more secure with my decision in staying with the job a while longer.

Noriyah gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and Munirah got hitched in January, a few weeks ago. Insane. Cats had our first 2017 dinner at Seoul Garden and we all wore a mustard top. Seems like over the years, they are the only people who never took me for granted and I truly appreciate that.

It's February. It means crunch time for my school projects and wedding preparations!

Talk soon. xx

I might've accomplished something big and i wish to keep on accomplishing my goals.

I left my job. Yes, i have put an end to my seven years of music teaching. I wanted to concentrate on my spiritual level, understanding my religion more, learn new things and be open and accepting to what i was born into. I want to appreciate life in the proper way.

It's been four months and i have nights where i cannot seem to sleep because i miss teaching so much. I wish i was still on my daily routine - travelling from one area to another in public transports, singing repeatedly to my students of all ages making sure they get it on a habit, listening to my particular colleague repeating a story and exaggerating things every time he speaks to break the silence, seeing the most lazy and hard to deal with students improve and not take so much credit out of it, and most of all, seeing how happy a kid is when i include them in my lame jokes. I miss it. I miss the interaction and I miss seeing a child develop self-accomplishment. But it's okay i guess. I'm moving on to a better future. One that pleases my Creator. It is time to concentrate on myself.

This year i've enrolled myself to learn how to read arabic words and rusty as i may seem, it's such a joy sight-reading and some days i'm really fluent. I do not understand 99% of what i read but as long as i know what it sounds like, for now, i'm alright. My teacher is the same age as me. She's married and has two cute kids and the younger one has a crush on me. He is 12 months old. Haha. She understands the meaning of arabic words i pronounce and she laughs at the confidence i have when i read a letter wrongly. I tell myself that if i can read music notes at the back of my hand, i should be able to read arabic words easily.

Being in this path is definitely not easy. To start something new (or old and forgotten) and be consistent is surely a chore. But I have my lovely friend who has the biggest discipline and commitment in everything that she does and she has helped me be motivated as well. It also helps to have a partner who is willing to learn at his own cost and share stories about our religion. All i can say is Alhamdulillah.

Speaking of partners, i am happy to say that i am engaged. Yes, to the person who everyone knows i've been dating since highschool. Alhamdulillah. We got engaged in March this year. It wasnt all a western proposal. But after explaining why, in my opinion, it was truly romantic.

The conversation on being together in a halal way has been going on since last year. We were shy to speak of it openly to each other, hence we've been speaking in codes and everytime it comes up it lasts for about four exchanged sentences and a giggle. It was indeed a "mahu tapi malu" moment. You see, i knew my boyfriend well and boy, can he really keep secrets. He's a person who gets what he wants. If he has a goal in mind, not rain nor thunder will stop him. It's one of his characteristic that i truly adore. So, how did he finally broke the news to me? Through Line app stickers. Haha. Not your average movie type romantic especially in the middle of the day while i was watching tv. He wanted the approval of our parents first at the very least BEFORE i make my decision. We've been out of our ways dating for the past decade and the least we could do was seek my parents' approval first. Small steps. So we got a date fixed, and our parents met for the very first time in my house where i served them tea and was commented "the most hardworking Uin has ever been". It was an intimate affair which i have always imagined it would be. Everyone who lived in my house was present and he came with his parents and two younger siblings. The adults sat together. During the proposal, my dad called Muzap and i to sit in with them. My family wanted to make sure the intentions were as what Muzap wanted and therefore he was allowed to be in the conversation as well. Our dads exchanged their consent and and after a few loooooong words, my dad finally asked for my consent. Me being the person that i am only nodded with a tight smirk. His mom put a ring on my finger and at that very moment, i was someone's soon-to-be-wife.

It is definitely nice to share the same views and goals with your partner. We both ended our music career and are now studying Business Management. People (music industry friends) are still questioning our career change and all i can say is that we both are not really sure where this new path will bring us, but i'm sure it will benefit us a better future In sha Allah. We're out of our comfort zones and the fear in failing has pushed us to where we are now.

We're both 25 this year. Planning our own wedding reception. This age has been anticipated ever since we graduated highschool. There were so many assumptions and right now is not what we expected. I enjoy being a life long learner and hopefully my dream (yes i've a new dream) of picking up coding skill will come true and through. I actually just downloaded a start up on my phone an hour ago but i've not opened it yet. Haha.

May this year be fruitful, protected from harm and danger and everyone in our families including ourselves be blessed "abundantly with good health, good eyesight and lot and lots of money".

Looking forward to spend the rest of my life with the man who is able to share and understand my thoughts and jokes. Who think's i'm "funny without even realising it". Who helped me be a better person.

The best part, he's so cute and chubby i want to pinch his cheeks everyday once we are halal for each other.

Ima ai ni yukimasu muzap!