Futsal.

My dearest Gang,


STFOGA (Srikandi) invited us to participate in an inter-alumni futsal, on 26th March at Rio de Futsal, Subang.


We sponsored our teams, t-shirts on the proviso that we WIN at all cost. Ha ha ha!


Now! Now! Now! Don’t we know it? There is no such thing as a friendly match..!


By the time our TKCOGA’s numero uno cheer leader (Puan Sri Fauzah, our President) arrived there was euphoric air of excitement amongst us. We just won 1-0 against STFOGA in our first game. We screamed, we jumped, we shouted. All decorum was lost. We were all transported back to our cheering camaraderie of yester-year back at college. It was so infectious that at one point we simply had to ask our President to get down from the bench. Aduuh!



Needless to say we all enjoyed ourselves. It was not the winning that counted, it was the participation (that’s what they always say...damn! Ha ha ha).



So how did we do? Pi Bani reported on our e-Group that we won once, drew once, and lost twice. Our team didn't make it to the semi-finals. But the hybrid team (combined TKC-STF-SSP) who was in the other group was champion!



I must add, whatever, that the young girls who participated and represented TKCOGA deserved commendation for displaying great sportiness and commitment. Well done and keep it up!


Not forgetting the fun of connecting with old and new friends from the other alumnae, MCOBA, RMCOPA, SDAROBA, STAROPA and more.


Next sport event will be our inter-alumni bowling which we are organizing, to be held in July. Start practising laaah gals. Don’t want to report the same line 'that it is sportiness that counts'...KITA MESTI MENANG oi!! (We must win!!) Ha ha ha!


Cheers,


Ruby Ahmad.






Photo 1: Puan Sri Fauzah and futsal gang.
Photo 2: Futsal gang and fans.
Photo 3: Cheering gang, from left Pi, Akmar, Ida, Bee, Ruby.
Photo 4: Imran, in grey top, who gleefully volunteered to be photographer for the day, ehem, and now being photographed! Oh Yeah also spotted Badrul Hisham from MCKK in red and black striped top, cheering us on.
Photo 5: TKCOGA with STFOGA, seated fr left, President TKCOGA, Vice President STFOGA.

Uniformity not Uniform!

My dearest Gang,

It’s funny about our obsession with being uniform.

Take the good old angsana tree, for example. They tend to be huge and throw an ever welcome shade to all on the road. You’d think that we are grateful for these trees but NO!

Why? You see...these trees suffer from one crime...they are not uniform! They do not grow in a straight upward manner. Their branches do not grow in a way that we like them to ie with a proper uniform length. They do not, therefore, obey our orders and hence... TIIIIIIMBER! Down they go.




We replace them with something more agreeable...the palm tree. These palm trees are really good, very...obedient! They grow uniformly, proper height and all that but...aduh! so hot lah! No shade!

And there we have it! We get satisfaction from things being uniform, never mind the inconveniences and impracticality that we suffer along the way. Our mentality is such that if things are uniform, then we think we can put away the problem and they do not exist any longer.

So, it is with the country as well. Our obsession with being uniform will have unintended consequences, just like the absence of shade with the palm trees.


Let's look at it in another way. The United States of America is great and powerful in no measure due to its diversity in culture, races, religion and goodness knows what else. Nothing uniform about them. In a small way, we are like them and we too have become great (relative to our size) due to this diversity in our form. We may not be uniform but we have uniformity in say, our love for the country, our tolerance for each other and our single mindedness towards achieving peace in a world that is growing increasingly violent.

Being uniform is really about materialism. It's not deep. It’s just a physical thing. It does not reveal what is beneath the skin.

I say uniformity, n-o-t uniform. Today, it may be the angsana tree against the palm tree. Some would say it’s a minor issue but eventually it may lead to us, unintentionally, killing the goose (ie our country) that’s laying the golden egg (ie our prosperity)!


Love,

Ruby Ahmad.


Pix 1: Oh s-o-o Beautiful luscious shady angsana trees: thestar.com.my
Pix 2: Uniform palm trees: www.travelblog.org
Pix 3: Our future: www.emalaysiahotel.com

The New Rules For EMOTIONAL HEALTH

My dearest gang,

I find rules keep changing themselves as we go through the passage of time. What was right yesterday does not necessarily hold true today.

In the world of fashion for instance, every credible-fashion-magazine would say, in a season for instance, in winter, that 'Black' is the colour of the 'Instant'. Up-to-the-minute fashionistas would not step out of their homes if they were not garbed in the latest black gear! Come next winter somehow we victims of fashion would drop our jaws reading what's splashed across all the latest fashion journals that 'brown' it seems is the new 'black'. After all the black numbers we hoarded from last season's nudging that 'black' is beautiful, we now have to rummage through stores for new 'black' that is brown to be current! Well, just the recent winter, I read, no 'It' girl is without the latest new 'brown' they call 'nude' (skin colour), be it shoes, handbag or top, whatever, it does not matter, but please, have any piece at all, you must be seen in 'nude' (colour I mean...ha ha ha)!

This is how things are always. Change is unavoidable and to be relevant with times we have to keep abreast with the movement of new ideas every now and then, be it the world of fashion, health, social, politics and more.

Ok, I know, I always love to digress, as there are too many wonderful things to share in life. What I'd like to share this morning is not on the subject of fashion, apologies, but a very interesting article on 'The New Rules of Emotional Health' by Norine Dworkin.

Should you forgive and forget? Always express your anger? Mental health experts are rethinking old notions about emotional well-being.

Remember all those bits of wisdom that your mother told you would guarantee your happiness? 'Good things come to those who wait,' 'Nice girls don't get mad' or 'Opposites attract'? Well, guess what? Times have changed a lot since then. 'We're continuosly rewriting the rules for creating a joyful, satisfying life,' explains New York City clinical psychologist Shielagh Shusta-Hochberg, Ph.D. The good news is that building bliss is getting easier to understand-and easier to do.

Hey gang, see which ones may be knocking some spring from your step, then try our all-new live-better rules guaranteed to help you create a life you love.

Love,

Ruby.

Here you go...

OLD RULE: Good things come to those who wait.
NEW RULE: Better things come to those who ask.
Women believe that if something were available it would be offered, which isn't correct. Everything is negotiable. If you don't ask, you won't get anything. So even when you think the answer will be no, inquire. There's a chance the response will be yes!

OLD RULE: Ignore emotion in decision making.
NEW RULE: Use both your head and your heart.
Emotions don't carry the same weight as logic or fact, but they do give information about our choices. When it comes to what really matters to you, it's impossible to fool your physical self. If your body acts up, it's a sign you're not doing what's best for you. Say you're accepting a new job or moving to another city. If your head says 'Go for it'! but your heart isn't on board, you may feel a prickle of apprehension in your gut or a knot in your neck. Tune in to these signals and trust them.

OLD RULE: Wealth is the yardstick of success.
NEW RULE: Happiness is a more authentic measure of accomplishment.
Many of us still cling to the idea that the more stuff we have the happier we'll be, despite research to the contrary. Our culture emphasizes 'keeping up with the Joneses', but studies show that people who spend time and energy doing so, end up less content and fulfilled. Two clues that you're measuring success incorrectly: Your accomplishments remind you of what you haven't done and don't have; you compare yourself to others and find yourself lacking. Change your point of view by alloting five minutes a night making an exhaustive list of everything that you're grateful for , whether it's your healthy, well adjusted children or the chance to sleep late on a rainy Sunday morning. This increases the joy and keeps it elevated. Cultivating gratitude creates renewed appreciation for the good in our lives.

OLD RULE: When you're angry express it.
NEW RULE: Be mad, but stay calm.
Hotheads have twice the risk of heart attack and three times the risk of stroke, according to recent studies. Say someone cuts in front of you in line. Rather than brooding or exploding in rage, evaluate how important the situation really is. Decide whether you're overreacting and whether the situation warrants action. When circumstances are trivial or beyond your control, staying angry only fuels your stress. Always evaluate situation with a cool head.


OLD RULE: Opposites attract.
NEW RULE: Like attracts like.
When people size up potential life partners, they look for mates with the same characteristics and attitudes as themselves. The closer your self-perception is to your view of your mate, the stronger the bond will be. Differing attitudes toward everything from children to money to where to vacation and how clean the bathroom should be can lead to arguments or time doing separate things, Couples with differences can make it, but they must work harder to find common ground. What if you're irresistibly drawn to someone who's utterly unlike you. Suss out the core beliefs and interests you share-your love for jazz or your desire to make a differnce-and work on accepting the ones you don't. When your partner wants to play golf and you'd rather shop, agree to do different things without feeling guilty, Or make a trade-off: You shoot nine holes with him and he helps you pick out shoes later.

OLD RULE: Forget about it.
NEW RULE: Make peace with it.
Studies show that pardoning others lowers heart rate and blood pressure and reduces stress and depression. The point is not to forget you were wronged or even to let the offender off the hook, which keeps you harboring negative feelings. Instead, come to terms with the misdeed, then move on so it no longer consumes you. Forgiveness helps us release resentment, anger and sadness surrounding an event so we can live productively in the present.

Illustration 1: Issey Miyake: www.vam.ac.uk
Illustration 2: Issey Miyake: www.visasia.com.au
Illustration 3: www.ddavid.com
Illustration 4: www.mamamia.it
Illustration 5: people.howstuffworks.com
Illustration 6: One of the best ways to derive happiness (NEW RULE: Happiness is a more authentic measure of accomplishment) is to mingle with the young ones (3 nieces and a nephew). Children are so pure and true. They make you laugh over-time!

Tunku Kurshiah College newsbulletin-Antara Kita

Hi there Gang,

This morning, I am happy to post a part of our TKC (Tunku Kurshiah College) news-bulletin for the benefit of our OGs (Old Girls) who did not receive them. Of course, I do remember also, the so many of our lovely OGs who are currently residing far and wide, experiencing new jobs, or travelling with family and more (I am so happy with numerous notes from our overseas OGs expressing happiness and gratitude in being able to be connected with our alumni, through our blog).

Enjoy gang. (Please click twice on each illustration for larger view).

With lots of love,

Ruby.

How to Recognise The Signs of STROKE

My dearest Gang,

I wish to greet all of you a healthy morning.

I have said this before and I want to say it again that more than anything else in the world, the one most precious asset is still certainly our HEALTH. Again, I have said many times before, that once we lose it, we regret it oh so bad. Don't despair gang! It is always never too late for as long as there is a formidable will, a good medical team, getting the right amount of health knowledge and good family support. You are well on your way to recovery and good health insy.

This morning, I would like to share information on key early steps as to how to recognise the signs of STROKE. I know this article has done intense circulation, but any good knowledge should be shared again and again. I thank my friend Azian Zain Ahmad for making effort to post this article to me. Pass the article to your loved ones please.


Have a wonderful healthy life,

Ruby Ahmad.


STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital (at 6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.)

She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ - had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. It only takes a minute to read this -

Recognizing a Stroke -----

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.



Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SAY A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (example: "It is sunny today")

If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-9-9 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions.
They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.


Illustration: www.baymedical.org

The Husband store!

My dearest Gang,

One of our OGs, Ir Azura Mahayudin aka Aa MCE 77 (Mahsurian) sent this lovely and awfully funny article to me (thank you my dear). Her 22 yr old son actually sent the article to her (isn’t that sweet, such a nice mummy-son relationship), and she wants to share and laugh with us all. I laughed out loud, indeed.



Love,

Ruby.


Here you go...

A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!


There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights. There is, however, a catch…You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.


On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

'Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord'.


The second floor sign reads:

'Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids'.


The third floor sign reads:


'Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, and are extremely good looking'.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.


She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

'Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework'.


"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

'Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak'.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the
Sign reads:


'Floor 6 - You are visitor number 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please'.


Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!



Illustration of Homer Simpson: www.wvah.com

What kind of Tree are You?

My dearest gang,

I read this posting from one of our OGs Farah Shameen. It is really mind boggling to me sometimes as to how people can be so creative and also, how varied interests and in-depth studies can be done on just about anything to do with us.

To start with, we have all kinds of horoscopes, both western and eastern, by dates, by animals and more. We have the elements, whether we are water, earth, fire or wind. There is the study of facial features that they call physiognomy, by looking at the shape of your eyes perhaps (big, small, round, triangular, as they all have different meanings). How about your forehead (high, low, medium, as this could be an indication of intelligence or whatever!)? Oh! Don't forget your moles too, the positionings all have different indications (near the mouth, maybe you have the gift of the gab, and a mole near the eyes, you have a somewhat 'nakal' (naughty) personality?)... yeah call me 'Madam Zorra' (a very pseudo-kind...), I know some stuff too...ha ha ha. People also study numbers or rather numerology (Do not sign that deal on the 11th, 12th is a better date, sure 'dapat punya' (you will clinch the deal)...ha ha ha.

Gee .. where would one stop? I have no answer to that. It is up to you. I will be of no help indeed, as right now, I'm about to add one more such interest, yeah! just one itsy bitsy more, to perhaps either enlighten or more likely to confuse us all...ha ha ha! This time you are asked, What kind of Tree are you? Relax gang..., trust me, just enjoy this interesting little article with an open mind,...get distracted therefore, get de-stressed.



Love,

Ruby Ahmad.

Here you go folks...

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and
somewhat accurate. (Nevertheless, please remember it is just for fun!)



Dec 23 to Jan 01 Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) Beech Tree

YOUR TREE
( in alphabetical order)

Apple Tree ( the Love ) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree ( the Ambition ) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree ( the Creative ) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree ( the inspiration ) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree ( the Confidence ) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree ( the Honesty ) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree ( the Faithfulness ) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it , strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree ( the Noble-mindedness ) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

Fig Tree ( the Sensibility ) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, few sexual relationships, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree ( the Mysterious ) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, any friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree ( the Extraordinary ) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree ( the Good Taste ) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree ( the Doubt ) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree ( Independence of Mind ) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree ( the Brave ) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree ( the Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.


Pine Tree ( the Peacemaker ) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree ( the Uncertainty ) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership Seriously.

Rowan Tree ( the Sensitivity ) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree ( the Passion ) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow ( the Melancholy ) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others Laugh.



Photo 1: Could this be your kind of Tree?
Photo 2: My kind of Tree?