Another Year Added

my beautifully wrapped present

A day becomes special when the people you love around you make it special. Otherwise it's just another ordinary day..

I feel lucky I have so many people around me who have made my day so special today.. Thank you so much to AZ and the kids for the presents. I love them! AZ completed my iPod RED collection and the kids shared to buy Mama 2 new pets.. I strongly suspect that although the terrapins are Mama's birthday present, they were chosen more for Adlina & Anas to play with ;) I adore them nonetheless (thanks to Ateh for going to the pet shop & helping them buy the terrapins. And thanks for the 30% discount!!).

More importantly, I had a very special conversation with AZ yesterday over lunch which made me feel all warm and fuzzy. He may not have noticed how important those words were to me, but they were rare and precious, and reassuring. I will remember and treasure them.

Thanks to the team members of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin for the surprise birthday party! It means a lot to me. It made the day special, and not just ordinary.. Thanks.

Just to share 2 memorable Haha :D scenes:-

Scene 1: Venue - Subaidah Restaurant, Jln Hang Tuah

Papa: Hakim has something for you from all of us.

Hakim: Here's your present Mama. Guess what's in it!

Mama: (Looking at the size of the beautifully wrapped box which could easily fit a ring) Is it jewellery? (asking hopefully!)

Hakim: (Looking panic stricken) Errr.. Guess again.

(So, it was the latest iPod Nano with touch screen! Not a jewellery!)

Scene 2: Venue - Home

Mama: Thank you so much for the terrapins! What a surprise!

Adlina: We all shared to buy the present, Mama.

Adlan: Hmm.. actually Mama, I had nothing to do with it. Really.

Adlina: Err.. Bang Long. Hakim took your money from your wallet..

Adlan: Haaaakkiiiimm!!!

Have a great day everyone.. (6_6)

Happy 8th Anniversary

Happy 8th Anniversary to the Team Members of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin. Most of how I feel about our team members have been stated here but let me just add that I feel blessed that Allah has bestowed so much blessing and rezeki in our 8 years of operation. Syukur Alhamdulillah..

I feel sooo lucky that I'm surrounded and supported by people who are loyal and committed in our quest to provide the best profesional legal services to our clients.. Thank you so much to Kak Midah, Eyta, Kak Faridah, Asalina, Faizah, Longchek, Mas, Saad and Hadi. I couldn't have done it alone and your unwavering support is tremendously appreciated. Never forget that!

Postscript: Thank you so much to all my staffs for the beautiful present and the lovely roses. Love them (^_^)

GOLD COAST: AAN Firm Trip 2010

The staffs of Messrs. Adillah A Nordin and their respective spouses had a blast in Gold Coast, Australia during our annual Firm trip last week!! What a GREAT time we had!

The weather was brilliant, with the sun shining brightly during the day with a temperature of 18-20 degrees. The evenings were a little bit chilly with a low of 11 degrees, but this was definitely a good experience for everyone. Came back and felt how hot & humid Malaysia is!!

What were the highlights? Well, there were many! Seaworld & the Dolphin Show. The Stunt Drivers performing live at Movie World. The Roller Coaster rides. The Sheep Shearing show. Gawking at the sleepy Koalas. Petting the Kangaroos. The nice apartments by the sea. The walks in the evening. Shopping at the Surfer's Paradise. Just being together as a team.. The journey for me was so relaxing, with a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings..

Here are some pictures -

At the Sheep Shearing podium

(Hadi volunteered to shear the sheep!)

Waiting for the next show

The Amazing Dolphin Show - WOW!

I went on this ride! OMG!! How did I live through it?

AZ persuaded (forced?) me to go on the Batman ride which was the vertical fall from a height of 8 stories (I think). It was terrifying. Definitely my first and last!! He went on it twice! So did Shah & Hadi.

All 19 of us on Mt Cootha

Apak+Mak, AZ+me, K.Midah + B.Rahim, K.Faridah, Eyta + Azahari, Faizah + Hizam, Longchek + K.Ton, Mas + Shah; and the first timers Saad, Lina, Asalina + Hadi. Look at the clear blue sky!

Naik Bas jalan-jalan

AZ + me

Apak, Mak + me

This trip was made extra special because Apak and Mak joined us. Mak was the chief Chef, making sure everyone was well fed - asyik makan, makan, makan! We were lucky all the food we brought into Australia was allowed in by the Customs except for the Milo & 3-in-1 Nescafe. Imagine: even Mak's sambal belacan & asam jawa lepas! Haha :D

It was the 6th time we had travelled together as a group, and it does get better and better. Thanks to everyone for making the trip and the whole journey so much fun and special.

Really looking forward to the next trip (^_^)

Cherryl Alya Abdullah

Cherryl on her last day

It is with a very heavy heart that we let Cherryl go today to pursue her career in Singapore and be with her mom. Cherryl is family. She has been with us since 2005 and we have gone through so much together. In the years that she has been with us, I've had the priviledge to watch her grow and bloom. Almost 2 years ago, Cherryl made a life changing decision when she embraced Islam. We were so proud of her. We still are. It is just too difficult to say goodbye.

Our lunch before Ramadhan

Dear Cherryl, wishing you the very BEST in your new place. May you have a lifetime of success and happiness, and always be in Allah's protection. Farewell my friend. We will miss you much. Take good care & keep in touch..

Hadi

Having tea and cake at the kitchen on Hadi's last day

Of all the interns who had been attached to our Firm, Hadi is the most special. He is focused and he works at a given task seriously and diligently. He understood instructions given to him well & researches his work with much enthusiasm. To be fair, some of our previous interns were good too, but what made Hadi different is that he genuinely made the effort to get to know all the staffs. He is always willing to help (even in the kitchen!). We were comfortable to have him with us. We felt that he was part of the family.

Hadi left last Friday to continue with his final year in UIA. We wish him the very best of luck as he strives to obtain the much coveted law degree! 

NORDIN GROUP is officially open

CM looking at the Red Maze

NORDIN GROUP is officially open on 15th May 2009. Alhamdullillah the opening ceremony went well, officiated by the Chief Minister of Melaka. 

The people behind the Group of Companies

Thank you for the flowers!

The most meaningful bouquet came 

from my dear friend, Tati.. Thanks :)

Coming to office is such a pleasure these days. The kids feel so much at home here - weekends are spent in the office for them to finish up their homework & spend time with AZ and me. This is a true blessing from Allah and I am so thankful beyond words.

I pray that this will be the start of a really GREAT journey for the whole group of companies. My Firm now feels that it has come home.

The Neglected Page

It's been more than 10 days since I last updated my Blog! My days have been really packed with meetings and discussions, and in between, there were some highlights as follows:-

1. We all finally settled into our new office after almost 3 weeks of unpacking & re-organizing (the kitchen cabinet was finally installed yesterday!);

2. My youngest sister, Norliza, became a mother for the first time. Congratulations sweetie! Adrian is so cute!; 

Baby Adrian

3. My cousin, Amin got married to Mas - Congratulations, Amin & Mas! For the nikah, Mas's good friend Syarifah Amani was her pengapit! How exciting! I'm a big fan, so tanpa segan silu, I took a picture with her & Mak :);

4. The biggest Maidin Hypermarket in Malaysia opened up 500 meters from our office (Yay! Beli barang-barang murah!)

5. Adlan got 1st in class for his Exam (this is a first - I was shocked!);

6. Adlina got 7th in her class in her last Exam (1st time she got Top 10!); and

7. Apak is 75 today. Happy Birthday Apak! We love you sooo much! Semoga Allah panjangkan umur Apak & murahkan rezeki sentiasa.

Apart from that, it's really refreshing working in the new office. I still haven't posted any pictures of our office yet. The truth is, I haven't taken any pictures! Will do so soon, and post it in my next posting. Promise.. (^_^)

Settling In

Moving office has its virtues. I get to throw away so much unnecessary stuffs that I've accumulated over the years (there were plenty!). Found many keepsakes which I have forgotten about over the years. Chanced upon lovely old pictures and cards tucked away in books and boxes. Love notes and drawings from my babies who are now in their teens. So many trips down memory lane..

The past one week have been a roller-coaster ride of emotions for me. Sad and Nostalgic to leave our old office where the Firm started 7 years ago - the first place Nordin Group started as a group of companies working under one roof. Anxiety - worrying about probable lost of files and important documents. Fatigue - my whole body aching from all the running around and carrying things (finally admitted that I'm really getting old). Pride and Excitement in moving into a new bigger office. Happy that everything is finally coming into place.

Moving means that we get to organize our files and systems better. We get to design our office space better. We are more coordinated. There is a new motivation for the staffs. It just feels good all around! It's really rejuvenating. I feel a new drive to perform my very best. Seriously.

But the most special part about moving for me is that I finally get to be in the same office building as AZ. I have been waiting for this day since Danau started 2 years ago. Now my life feels more complete... (^_^)

Moving Office

We are moving office. 6 lorry-loads of stuffs were ferried to our new premise last weekend. Today we started unpacking the files, books and law journals while the contractors assembled our workstations. A day of unpacking, sorting, marking, storing & filing. Books in shelves, files in pigeon-holes.

Every part of my body is aching.. I'm so tired beyond words.. Also managed to sprain my wrist somehow & it's excruciating. But all in all, I'm so excited about the new place! We have more space now & the location is near everything that is important in our every day dealings. Alhamdulillah..

I will write more when we have finally settled in. Photos later ok.

Exhilaration

It is difficult to describe the feeling of winning a case, especially after having worked so hard for it and having gone through a really tough time being grilled by 3 judges in the Court of Appeal, and after much argument with the opposing counsel. 

When the judgment was delivered, I could literally feel my heart expanding, and eyes watering. It's a mixed feeling of being excited and thankful; happy and proud; a feeling of having learned a precious lesson; it seems surreal somehow. Humbling. Exhilarating. 

Syukur Alhamdulillah.

And now I just feel drained, but in a good way :)

2008 Annual Trip to Jakarta!

The staffs of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin and their respective spouses were in Jakarta for our annual company trip from Thursday to Sunday last week & we had so much fun!! There were 15 of us in the group, with Mak joining us as usual. Zaharim & me, Kak Midah & Abang Rahim, Kak Faridah, Eyta & Azahari, Faizah & Hizam, Pakcik Long & Kak Zaiton, Mas, Cherryl & Masliza. We all had a BLAST in Jakarta!! 

We stayed at Le Grandeur Mangga Dua which is connected to the famous shopping mall called ITC. The hotel was fantastic & the location was perfect! Just a door to separate the hotel & 3 inter-connected shopping malls! Ini sangat-sangat membahayakan poket & dompet! :-)

Things are so unbelievably cheap in Jakarta, especially telekung, Muslim garments & leather products. If you are in Jakarta to shop, I highly recommend these places in particular:-

Jakarta City Center (also known as Warduk to locals) for Telekung, tudung & Muslim attires;

Tanah Abang Block A for fabric, clothes & garments;

ITC Mangga Dua for leather bags & wallets. 

You will be surprised by the variety & most of all: the Price! Murah Murah Murah!! You will be spoilt for choice! By Friday, most of us realized that we needed more Rupiah & we got so excited when Abang Rahim (who is a banker) informed us that we could withdraw money from the ATM machines! WOWIE!! More shopping sakan!! (I told everyone: Don't look at it as How much you have spent BUT How much you have saved! Heehee..)

Over and above all this, our tour guide Hasim took us to lovely restaurants for our meals. Mak (our tour leader every year!) requested freshly cooked food for all meals, so we didn't have any nasi padang at all (Phew! I don't fancy cold pre-cooked meals..). Instead, we had delicious masakan Sunda for most of the meals. Lots of seafood & vegetables! Yummy! 

I really look forward to these annual trips every year. It's not just the excitement of traveling to a foreign land & discovering new things, it's much more than that. It is a journey where we share good times together, we get to know each other better and we create unforgettable experiences & memories together. It's the bonding. That is truly priceless. 

Then, it was time to go home. Everyone takut excess luggage after all those shopping! But fear not, Azahari did his magic trick after some coaching from Zaharim (wink* wink*) & we were way below the limit!! Will not put in writing how this is done but if you need to know for future reference, do give me a call.. heehee.. :-)

Thanks to everyone for making Jakarta a wonderful & memorable journey! 

(^_^) Ikhlas from me & Zaharim

Zurina

Zurina, our legal assistant heading the Conveyancing Department is leaving to join Civil Service. She will be inducted into the Syariah law division in the Prime Minister's department. She has been with us since 2002 and it's really sad to let her go.

Zurina chambered in our Firm. She was my first pupil. In the past 6 years, I have had the privilege in watching her grow from a quiet young lady, to a person who is firm and full of self-confidence. Zurina may be soft-spoken but she is assertive and can hold her own. She handles clients well. Amongst the staffs, she is our reference point on religious issues and matters, and some of them even calls her Ustazah as she speaks Arabic fluently. Zurina works independently and would refer matters to me only when in doubt. She was pleasant to work with.

We had a farewell for Zurina during lunch today & tears welled in my eyes when she gave her final speech. Kak Midah (her Kakak Angkat!) was in tears. It was really moving for everyone.

To Zurina, may you soar to greater heights as you spread your wings in your new world. Wishing you every success that you deserve & a lifetime of blessings from Allah.

Farewell, my friend.

Keep well.

Happy 6th Anniversary!

The firm of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin is celebrating its 6th Anniversary on Friday 1st August 2008! My posting today is dedicated to all team members who have contributed tremendously in the growth of the Firm. 

Kak Midah, the Sifu in our Conveyancing department has been working for Apak since 1984. 

Nampak garang, tapi sebenarnya hatinya sangat-sangat lembut & sensitive. Kak Midah is kind and ever so helpful to anyone who wants to learn, and there is so much knowledge in her. I have learned a lot from Kak Midah. Abang Rahim, her other half is the "Penghibur" during our company trips :-) He is so funny!

Kak Faridah has been Apak's secretary since 1984. Both Kak Faridah and Kak Midah saw me growing up, and i feel so humble in their presence. Kak Faridah is assisting in our Litigation department and her work is meticulous. She doesn't talk much and speak only when delivering an important message. I would say that she is the perfect secretary for Apak. She is so well organized!

Eyta is very efficient. She works fast and learns fast. When I need something done urgently, I would normally ask Eyta to do it. Consider it done. She takes instructions really well and asks questions if she is not sure. Eyta is the perfect assistant. Eyta's husband, Azahari, is also a friend and joins us in all our company trips - he would buy the strangest souvenirs! :-)
Kak Midah, Kak Faridah and Eyta are the people who have been with me ever since we started in 2002. They are my Core Team.  I cannot imagine the Firm without these 3 very special people who are so loyal and dedicated. 

Zurina is our Legal Assistant in the Conveyancing Department. She was my first pupil & joined the Firm when she was called to the Bar in 2003. I can see the growth in Zurina through the years and she is now so much more confident and assertive with clients. The others call her Ustazah as she speaks Arabic fluently & she is our check-point on religious matters! Zurina works independently most of the time and would only ask for my opinion on issues when unsure. Shidi, Zurina's husband joined us for our trip to Cambodia last year and it was a real pleasure getting to know him.

I would say that Faizah is the most friendliest amongst all of our staffs. The office is quiet whenever she is on leave! Faizah started as  a staff in Nordin Group and we absorbed her into the Firm as we could see that she is capable of doing so much more. She does her work well and has a positive attitude to learning. It's good having Faizah's husband, Hizam join us in our trips too.

I don't see Pakcik Longchek as merely being the driver. He takes care of Adlan, Hakim, Adlina & Anas, as he shuttles them to and from school, tuition & afternoon activities. He is a great help. He also assists with banking and posting. Longchek is a devoted husband and father, always talking about his family. His wife, Kak Zaiton, joined us in our trip last year & we could see the special relationship that they have.

Mas is always ready to help. She learns from others and executes her tasks well. Although she is primarily assisting in our Litigation department, she would also lend a hand to the staffs in Conveyancing department when they call in for help. It's good to have Mas in our team.

Cherryl is the first person you will meet as you enter our office. She brightens up the front desk! Cherryl is soft spoken & polite. She makes our clients feel comfortable as they wait to be attended to.

Saad has been with us for over a year now. He is a big help for all our land matters. I cannot now imagine how we got by without him before he joined us. He has settled countless problems at the land office & managed to overcome even the most difficult snags. I'm glad Saad is with us.

So, these are the team members of Messrs. Adillah A. Nordin.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for assisting me and being with me throughout the years. We have gone through so much together, the ups and downs, the tears and sweat, the pains and hurts, the joy and laughter. You each have contributed in the success of the Firm, and I am very proud of you. You are my family.

Happy 6th Anniversary!

Footnote: Thank you so much to Zaharim for a really special posting on the Firm's anniversary here.

Farah

Farah Nadiah has been a member of Messrs. Adillah A Nordin ever since she started chambering in 2005. She was my pupil when she chambered. After she was called to the Bar, Farah continued her career as a Legal Assistant in our Firm, specializing in Civil and Banking Litigation.

Farah is very serious and meticulous in executing her work. She is responsible and conscientious. She works independently most of the time. Farah takes instructions very well and she is naturally good at drafting documents. Being in charge of our Litigation department, she spends most of her mornings in Court, mentioning cases and taking judgments. Farah handles all her Court matters well.

If you don't know her well enough, you may think that Farah is a little aloof. She is actually not. Farah is just a very shy girl. Once she warms up to you, you will find her to be quite engaging. Farah is well liked by the legal fraternity in Malacca as she is very helpful, being active in many activities organized by the Malacca Bar Committee.

When Farah informed me two weeks ago that she was leaving the Firm, I was crushed. I truly felt like I was losing a friend, not a staff. But I told Farah that I would not stop her from pursuing the career path that she has chosen. Farah will leave our Team next week and begin a career in the Multimedia University. It will be a sad day for Messrs. Adillah A Nordin when she finally leaves next week.

To Farah, I wish you every success that you deserve and a lifetime of achievements. All the very best in your new undertaking. 

Farewell, my friend.

The Team Members of Messrs. Adillah A Nordin

Back (L-R): Longchek, Cherryl, Faizah

Front (L-R): Mas, Eyta, Faridah, me, Zurina, Hamidah

Introducing the team members of Messrs. Adillah A Nordin, advocates & solicitors.

We have Kak Midah, the Sifu of our Conveyancing Department who has been working for Apak since 1984; Kak Faridah, Apak's most efficient PA since 1984 and also the heavyweight of our Litigation Department; Eyta, the backbone of our Conveyancing Department who has been with us since 1992; Zurina, our learned Conveyancing Legal Assistant (my left wing) who has been with us since she chambered in 2003; Faizah, who is assisting in our Conveyancing Department and Mas, who is assisting in our Litigation Department; Pakcik Longchek takes care of other things like banking & posting (and more importantly - driving my kids around!) and of course Cherryl, the first person you meet as you enter our office (she brightens up the front desk).

Unfortunately when this picture was taken, Apak was in a meeting; Farah our learned Litigation Legal Assistant (my right wing) was also in a meeting at a client's office & Saad our Land Office Assistant was at the land office. So the team picture is not exactly complete.

Well, what I want to say is that these people are the other part of me, my second family. We have grown together since my Firm was set up in 2002. Like all other families, we sometimes have our arguments and frictions. We have our ups and downs. We have our fair share of hurts and disappointments. We have gone through many, many things.

But, above all, we know that we have each other and we can depend on each other. We have LOTS of good times together. We work together, laugh together and cry together. We are interdependent on one another not just for work, but also for other much more complex things which can't be explained or measured. It's the invisible tie that binds. We are a Team.

I am mighty proud of my team members. They really are my second family.