Birthday Request for 26/11

More interesting.

My life has gotten more and more interesting. Unfortunately,  I just don't have the time (and sometimes the internet access) to blog. I miss blogging. I should really blog. I need to blog so that I can look back and be reminded of the things I always tell myself "Ok, I'm going to do this. I'm not going to that. I'll remember this."

ALIEN Biz.

www.alienbiz.blogspot.com

Introducing ALIEN Biz! Stands for "ALIa's Extra Notes Business". Name courtesy of my older crazy and spontaneous brother, Ahmad.

What Sparked ALIEN Biz.: Well, there's a different "How It Started" on ALIEN Biz.'s first post. It actually REALLY started because I desperately needed money. Oh wait, dejavu... I think I wrote this somewhere before.  But I desperately need money a lot anyways.

Back in around April 2011, I visited a Somali Refugee Community in Puchong a couple of times. Shobana Nair (the organizer of a TEDxYouthKL for which she invited me as a speaker for) asked for my help to hold a Medical Checkup in the somali community. I was a part of PPIM CUCMS Student Chapter, and one of the medical outreach programs they did was free Medical Checkups. So we held a medical checkup for them.

At the same time, we wanted to raise funds for the school. They only had 1 Somali teacher, their school was only one room and was in need of school supplies such as stationaries and exercise books. Thus we held a fundraising event called, "Night of Gratitude" where there was a multitude of performances and which the somali children starred as Guest Performers.

In May, just before my professional exam break, I visited them again and they served us some of their food. What I tasted was exquisitely delicious and when I told them this, Uncle Jama (the head of the community), showed me a list of cuisines that they sell. Apparently, they already have a business, whereby the startup was funded by UNHCR's SPF (Social Protection Fund). However, looking at the menu, the photos weren't that clear, it was an A4 paper, printed on glossy paper. I think with the combination of help from other people, insyaAllah it could be improved and be way more attractive to the market.

So I was determined to design the menu and have it professionally printed- for which I needed money. And where was I going to get it?

Poster to promote OSCE notes.

Sell stuff and get money! So getting money would either mean I have to ask for it (like what I did when raising funds for Smile Train Kerala and also Twenties for Smil:)ys) or sell a service or a product.

It was my pro exam break and we were going to have OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination)- a physical examination. Alhamdulillah, previously for our Nervous System OSCE, I made notes and uploaded it and my classmates said that they found it really useful. So I thought of selling notes for physical examinations for all systems. And it was the crucial time too since it was nearing exams. I didn't know how well it was going to go but I had the idea so I thought why not just go for it?

And ALIEN Biz. launches! So I started ALIEN Biz. Started a blog and attempted to make it look professional, so that I can easily promote it and allow people to order from there. It took long hours and a lot of critics from my brother (in terms of logo design, website layout and managing). Good critics that is because as he says, "When you start something, think long term. If later you realize that you need to change it, it's going to take a lot more work". But it did worry me at one point because I was spending time on it rather than studying. But it also allowed me to take a break from my books.

Character for ALIEN Biz. ;)

Overwhelming response: I didn't know how much money I needed for the menus. I haven't actually thought it through but I told myself I just needed to raise as much money as possible. And if I need more money, I'd find other ways to top it up. Ahmad helped me calculate the cost of each piece, considering the paper, ink, electricity and time. That was something new I learnt; how to calculate each. I sold each at RM 5.

I thought only those from my batch (which are those who were going to take OSCE in about 3 weeks time from then) were going to be interested. But even juniors bought it and a few seniors:)

I'm really elated to say that the money received surpassed the amount I needed to pay, and even more, that people said they found the notes really useful! The menu designs will be in the next post insyaAllah. And another project is underway for ALIEN Biz. That too will be revealed in a few months:) (possibly in the next next post considering the rate at which I'm updating heh).

If not for Allah's mercy to inspire me at that moment, I think things wouldn't have unravelled like this:) It might have looked all fine and dandy but there were some obstacles I passed. I admit, I got into a little bit of trouble with my university, something about copyright issues and Intellectual Properties. And that had me traveling back and forth to my college during the holidays. But it's settled now:) and now, that's why the new project is taking place:)

Update more soon:)

With all my salam from peaceful Janda Baik,
Alia Nadhirah
Founder of ALIEN Biz.

ProExam break til 3rd Year

Currently sitting at the verandah of Saujana Janda Baik:) Finally able to sit down and type down my thoughts. Reading back my blog, I think the last entry about events in my life was the beginning of my professional exam 1 break. That is very very far. For my self-reflection, these are the things I've learnt since then:

1. Professional Exam 1 break was for a month. We started revising during the break; like all the core topics and by the end of it, got really really saturated and ended up feeling not wanting to study and just wishing that ProExam would come right there and then. I actually ended up understanding most of the topics I didn't understand earlier during classes. And I wished that I had read Robbin's Basic Pathology more diligently. But I learnt my lesson. And Alhamdulillah, from the support of lecturers and guidance from lecturers, passed my ProExam 1:)
2. End of Year 2 break: I think one of the most significant things was doing my Elective 1 with Brotherhood Arts. I didn't know that there was a lot MORE to art and design. Well, actually I knew but I didn't know WHAT. I learnt that art with business is about discipline and about Client-Design Brief. Best of all, I was guided by amazing people who genuinely wanted to help me. Kak Anfaal showed me books on art, colors, designs and samples of interesting art. Abg Syahid mentored me on using Adobe Illustrator and using Wacom Cintiq. Abg Ammar gave me gave comments for artworks. And Kak Ayu kept me company for lunches- vital after watching the screen for so long!
3. End of Year 2 break: I also started on a few projects. Researching, getting criticized and designing a menu was one of the things I did and that got me 1EXP up! Another project which caused me to go to college back and forth is also on its way. It's quite a short-term project but taking a little longer than I expected. InsyaAllah, will try to speed up the process. Note: I just realized I speak so 'unspecifically'. I just say 'it' and 'a', but nothing specific... InsyaAllah, will update with the proper info once they're out and official.
4. Start of 3rd year: Break was, of course, too short. In 3rd year, we're divided into groups and would be rotated around the postings Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obs and Gynae and Community Medicine. I was supposed to start with Internal Medicine but somehow it changed and we started with Surgery. I'm starting with Hospital Seri Manjung for Surgery and the week after raya, will be posted to Hospital Angakatan Tentera in Terendak. 

Well, what can I say about Surgery? It's really fun but really tiring. We're supposed to already know our basic sciences and being able to apply them but sometimes it's not that easy. What I really like about clinical years is that... you finally understand MOST of the basic sciences that you learnt. How the pathophysiologies give out certain signs and symptoms. Clinical years are to love!:)

Today, I'm on raya break for a week. Hanging out in Janda Baik with my family- the perfect place to be. As Ahmad puts it, "A slice of heaven on earth."

And indeed it is:)

Exactly what I needed.

Elbert Hubbard said: "To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing."

Angah reminded me, "Well, now you know how 'he' felt. Just don't give up like he did."

And Faisal reminded me: "Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else."

a mountain

Dear Alia,

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. This world is full of people who makes drama. But sometimes it's not their fault. Sometimes they misunderstood and sometimes they just don't see the full picture as what you explained. It's okay, don't freak out. You'll be fine. Just smile, accept and you'll come out a stronger person than now:) No one ever achieved great things without having to go through hardship, resistance and rejection.

Besides, these hardships are meant to make you wiser. And you'll pull through:)

ANADH

Hope you're doing well and happy:) Miss those days. It's a lot lot different know. And these words you wrote might not apply now anymore. But I'm happy they applied once in your life:)

"ANADH"
We, have not ended.
You and me, have a lot more to catch up with.
You and me still have a lot to tell, to share and to conquer.

You still have to be there to care, to control and to catch me.
You still have to draw, speak and advice me.
You still have to be there, to be, my friend..

I may sometimes run, but you'll have to chase me.
I may be selfish, so shake me with ur selflessness.
I may be ignorant, so nail me back to reality.

I am the kite, and you are the runner.
Don't let me go, let me fly high.
Control me with your strength,
Care for my beauty with your passion towards flying me.

Look up to me, knowing that you mean a lot to me.
Look up to me knowing that we depend on each other.

The string connecting us, shall never be cut.
The string between us, is our friendship...