Hello All!

I had a somewhat quiet New Year this year...I say that with a smile on my face because I've spent New Years every which way since I've been in KL...I've been in Bangsar for one New Year and walked a mile, got stuck in traffic and nearly got mugged, I spent one New Year at a restaurant not 10mins from my house and when New year kicked in we left to meet some friends and got stuck in traffic for 2 hours...we eventually decided to stop at a mamak and have a teh tarik and wait out the jam, then went home deflated. I've had a house party for friends which ended up with broken glasses, a dirty mess but a great night...the point is...I've tried all kinds of New Years but this year I jes had a small group of friends at Sid's Pub (my local watering hole) waiting to welcome in the New Year. Not to say it was "quiet" but there was no mugging, no jams, no mess to clean up, it actually turned out to be one of the nicest New YearsI've welcomed in so far! Good food, good company and a lot of memories!!!!

Happy New Year all!

X Sara

Its my favorite time of year....where its all about being with family to welcome in so many things, the new year and of course...welcoming in all mychristmas presents I'll be getting soon! ha ha ha...only kiddin.

I'll be on leave from this friday onwards, which is the 19th up until next year Monday the 5th! PK will be taking onwill be on alone! So I'm little worried about him. ha ha ha...Jes wanted to wish everyone a fantastic New Year and a Christmas full of giving and special family memories!

Its been a great half year for me working at Lite fm...its a good team and most of you guys have been very accepting of me and PK, being new and all. Hope to be waking you up next year when we return with the Lite Breakfast!

God Bless. Much love. All the Best!

Sara

Hey guys,

last Saturday I went to Sid's Pub to attend an event for Furry Friends: an animal shelter.Its run bya great group of people who really put a lot of effort into their work. The point of the event was to raise money but it was done in a way that also made your time there, fun! There was a raffle with great prizes, 3 grand prizes, a human auction and a best dressed owner and pet competition. Tickets were RM50.

I want to digress a little and say that Sid's Pub is a cool little 'Brit Pub' hangout which is dog friendly...great food,amazing service, the nicest people you'll meet... and as me and a lot of my friends say 'Its our version of Cheers!'. It was the perfect place to hold the event and although the turnout was a little small, we all had a lot of fun andfunds were raised to help out Furry Friends for a couple more months. But...it will happen again in the future and when it does, I will be blogging like mad about it...so please do come and support our furry friends. It really is for a great cause and if you feel like it, bring old shirts, a few cans of dog food, a big bag of dog biscuits if you feel like you can contribute a little more.

The mascot of Furry Friends is a beautiful dog called Jojo with 3 legs. Some of the stories you hear about animal cruelty is shocking when you actually get to meet the rescuers in person. Jojo's owner ran over her leg at 3 months then pretty much threw her away after that! But she's ahappy dognow with a wonderful temperment. Looking at her is a beautiful yet sad reminder that peoplethemselves, are sometimes animals in their own right.

I'm gonna keep everyone posted about this and let you know when the next Furry Friends event will be happening. Again, I hope we can all come and show our support. I most certainly will!

Cheers All!

X Sara

When I was younger and I got sick...I always ignored my parents and friends telling me not to eat spicy food, stay away from cold drinks and carbonated drinks, drink lots of water and get lots of sleep. Well...31 years later I have to say...I believe! Ha ha ha!

I was so ill, drinking water and sleeping was all I did. Then when I thought I got better, I tried to drink something sweet, cuz I was not able to taste much, so I poured out some coke light and it was horrible!! Ha ha ha...water was the best thing for me. Funny thing is...I'm one of those people who is not a HUGE fan of water. I know. Strange eh? I mean, its great for when you exercise and you want a thirst quencher and I am drinking a lot more of it now than I use to...but there was one point where I needed water with something like Ribena or Cordial....cuz it was boring to drink it alone.

Well...after I got sick....I drank enough water to start a rather large pond! ha ha ha...its been over a week and I'm only recovering. Still have a cough. My ear is still slightly blocked and painful...but fever is over and flu is gone...only a matter of time before I'm well for the Christmas season.

Which will bring me on to my next blog in a few days to come. Christmas shopping!

X Sara

Well...it always happens..at the end of the year...I always get his with a big one...illness that is! I've come down with a respiratory infection and I had Monday off...I was asked to take Tuesday off. I attempted to come in on Wednesday with my fav clinical psychologists, Paul Jambu and struggled through the show...went home, passed out and woke up with a very bad ear infection! Just whenI thoughtit couldn't get any worse! ha ha ha...So went to the doctors again (I tell you, he made big bucks off me this week).

So...Thursday was spent in bed...trying to numb the pain in my ear, face in teeth. I usually don't get sick too often but when I do...I really do!! So...hopefully, thats my sick quota for this year!! Ha ha ha...

I've been very down in the dumps since I've been ill.You would think sittingat home watching television and sleeping all day would have its perks..but after awhile I was dying to get out and see people...so I had to callpeople to come and see me...which they weren't too happy about cause Iwas infectious! Ha ha ha...so for those who dropped by...majorgratitude!

So...this week I'm on with Non which has been fun.Although I do miss the peeker...but its nice to have a switch once in awhile. I'mknow the hours are killing non however...so he's probably happier being moved back to his9 in a row! The breakfast showdoes have tough hours! And I've found its not a job that a lot of people can take (in terms of the hours) so...I'm amazed at myself for starters that I am able to wake so earlyand very proud of PK...whom I don't have to call anymore to wake up! Ha ha ha

Stock up on your vitamins dears and prepare for the festive season...you don't want to be spending the holiday season sick and watching television all day! You've been warned!

Ha Ha ha

X Sara

Hello there!

We had special guest speakers in the studio on Mondaychatting about HIV and AIDS. The thing is, the speakers Puan Jamaliah and En Marh were themselves HIV positive. I think its so hard to come out and open yourself like that, talking about how much your life has changed since contracting the virus but they were both happy to do it if it meant educating the public and creating an awareness!

Puan Jamaliah contracted HIV from her husband which, just hearing it,saddens me deeply. Its hard to imagine that the one person you look to in your life, to share and trust is the one person who let you down the most. She also has 3 children. Its very tough to hear but I guess things like this happen daily and one can only learn to live with it.

En Marh on the other hand, regrets his turbulant youth and unfortunately made a lot of wrong choices with 'wrong' substances. But he mentioned on the show that sincebecomming HIV positive, his life has direction and purpose.

Now, hearing their stories was indeed sad and humbling and it also made me think about all the smallproblems I complain about daily...thatcan be solved by paying a bill, or going to the doctors for a cream or cough mixture etc... To live with HIV is just unthinkable...yet peoplelive with it everyday. It also makes you think what are you really complaining about!!

However, the beauty of PaunJamaliah and En Marh is that they found each other when they started working for the cause and they came into the studio, in full support of each other and very much as 'one'. Through the dark and turbulent times, a wonderful bond was formed and it almost seemed like they were meant to be together. They married 6 months ago and seemed happy and content with one another.

The show brought a bag of emotions with it and at the end of the day...En Marh said it best...whatever happens, do not become a victim! Really gives a new meaning to the phrase. Just wanted to share. Put your problems into perspective. If it can be solved....solve it. Time is too short to be unhappy.

X Sara

Good day all...

Last night I attempted to jog with my dog...reason being was that Iwanted to stop being lazy and ripped myself away from the couch to get on thehealthy bandwagon (I've been exercising indoors for about a week now)...the other reasonwas to exercise my dog...who was getting quite round at the middle. Since I moved into a gated community, I've not allowed my dog out for a run off the leash, as there are a lot of considerate dog walkers around who leash their pets when going out for walks. But Milo is a mongeral. I found her on the street as a pup and took her home. The one thing I always noticed about her...that dog loves to run!!! She's not the same when she walks. She craves being free and loves to take her own sweet time exploring! I even invested in one of those leashes that lets her walk about 20 feet in front of me when she feels like moving further ahead.

So...I took her out on the leash last night....started off slow and eventually hit a slow paced run....which did not last very long cause I'm not much ofa runner just yet...but I was more happy that my dog was head over heels in love with running! She was running ahead of me, circling me, teasing me to keep pace with her.

I've now gotten excited about running. I've never had the opportunity to take Milo out much as she is a very anxious dog...scared of everything...post men, garbage men, neighbours etc....so it was wonderful to see her so alive and getting in some much needed exercise. I hope in time the running will increase hers as well as my stamina!

X Sara

Hello All…I just gof Eckert Tolle’s new book ‘A new Earth’. I watched Oprah the other day and saw her promoting the book online, encouraging everyone to join in on an online class…the biggest class in the world.

I did read ‘The secret’ when the hype first came out. I never finished it though. It was basically a book that taught you to look at your glass half full! But it did hit home. If you surround yourself with negativity, its more likely that negative things will come your way, because that is the energy you are sending out to the universe (yeah, I know its sounds a bit far fetched but its true!).

I use to complain a lot. It’s a horrible trait. Complain about this and that. But after reading the secret…I decided to try to think positively for a change and I have to say…it took awhile to get there but now I don’t let things get me down…I move on with a positive attitude and I have to say I am much more happier in life. I know that whatever is thrown my way…there is a silver lining to everything…and if you believe it…great things CAN happen for you!

So…as I embark on reading ‘A new Earth’…I hope to become even more positive and ‘empowered’ and I decide what my destiny is and what I want my future will hold!!!

X Sara

Hey everyone...

You know, I read in the Star yesterday about the MPSJ catching a dog who had escaped and slipped past the gates of an abandoned house, seeking shelter and the events that followed made me unable to think straight for the rest of the day. For the sake of not getting upset again, I’d rather not re-tell the story…alls I can say is that it shocked me to my very core.

Animal Cruelty in Western countries is a criminal offence! People who are cruel to animals are heavily fined and sometimes jailed! Why can’t we follow suit over here? Such appalling treatment of animals in Malaysia is shocking! And its not just the MPSJ who are treating animals badly! Some people should not even be allowed to own animals! My brother lived next to a house where they tied a dog up in the hot sun from the time they went to work, no water and only let him off the leash when they got back! They use to sneak into the front of thehouse and give the dog a bowl of water. After a few days of seeing the owners treating the dog this way, my brother and his wife told the family that it was not right to leave the dog out in the sun without water to which they replied “Mind your own business”!

How can anyone leave a poor animal out in the sun with no water? My brother and his wife eventually complained to the SPCA and they paid them a visit. They have since moved but the last time I went over, I did not see a dog around so I also wonder what they did with it.

The amount of cats I’ve given to the SPCA with a heavy heart does no good for my conscience. I’ve spoken to the SPCA and they have an influx of cats being brought in daily! We all know what happens when they can’t house them.

In the UK, there was an animal adoption series where people, who wanted to own a pet from an animal rescue shelter went through, what seemed like an awful lot of home visitations and paper work! It was almost like adopting a child! The rep from the animal shelter would go over to view the house and deem it appropriate for the pet to live it…with enough room for running and talk to the owners about their work schedule as some pets would need regular walks and exercise. It is indeed a very serious matter.

If we are to do anything about it, I must ask everyone who reads this to think very carefully about the pets they are looking to buy or adopt and consider the animals they already have at home. The stray dogs and cats we see on the streets? Most of them are there because of human neglect. Its sad but true.

When we take on a pet...its no longer a pet...its a family member.

Cheers. Sara

Hey Guys,

Last week I took my first leave, along with PK. It was great! I was meant to go to Pangkor for the few days but decided instead to stay in PJ and catch up with friends and family. Its been hard to meet up with friends during the day as we have very differentworking hours so by the time they're ready to meet up at night, my eyes are closing! ha ha ha

But I took every advantage and stayed up late,went out and had late nightsupper, watched midnight movies...I did practically everything I could at night! Its amazing how everyone becomes sociable at night. I've not been very good at balancing my time because I get tired pretty early...from waking up early. Its not been very good for my friends...but I'm slowly beginning to get the hang of balancing my sleep time with my socialising time.

The hoursare still a bit harrowing. Sometimes I'm not able to even have dinner with the family because I know it will be a long one, so I'd rather not go. So...sometimes I miss outon a lot.But still, when you work on a breakfast show, you're not only there for yourself, but foreveryone who tunes in to listen to you...and you owe them your full commitment to start their day on as high a note as possible!

My friends find it amazing.None of them took me for a 'morning' person...let alonean early early morning person...so I've surprised them as well as myself! Ha ha ha.

All in all, I had a great time catching up with everyone on my leave...and its recharged me for the next couple of months until I have to take leave again! Ha ha ha....

X Sara