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Review : Aquaria KLCC

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Sunday-July 29th, 2018.

Let me just make it clear: I'm not a big fan of fishes or the marine life. I've been to Aquaria once (or maybe twice) and it didn't fascinate me. But on Sunday, i went there again for the third time, hoping that it would at least impress me.

First impression: the entrance fee is expensive! For Malaysians, the ticket is RM46 for adults and RM36 for children. When the lady over the counter told me the price, my jaw literally dropped. There's no way in hell that i'm going to pay 46 bucks for something that doesn't really excite me. But we bought the tickets anyway, thanks to my partner for paying it for me.













We completed the tour in about 2.5 hours and here is my honest opinion : The whole experience definitely doesn't worth RM46, maybe just around RM35. It was good but it wasn't great. The most mesmerizing part of Aquaria has got to be the tunnel but that's about it. Well, you would probably love it even more if you're into …
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Taken from Suhaib Webb's Instagram

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Came across my, by far, favourite lessons shared by Suhaib Webb. It's so relatable to this current age and I feel that it is important for us to ponder upon these. Especially lesson 5.

I worked and trained in Azhar mosque and Dar al-Iftā Masriyaa for around three years, and I learned a few things from scholars, some dead, some disappeared and some who chose poverty over fame and comfort 
1. Don't be shy to say, God knows. I don't.
2. Be accessible to people
3. Euridition and scholarship is the ability to provide solutions, not impress people with appearance, style or who one studies with 
3. Offer people hope if it causes positive change, and reprimand them with fear if it does the same but no more, no less
4. Listen carefully 
5. Do not stick to your opinion or freeze the answers in outdated legal ones that may cause more harm than good. Respect scholarly heritage, but don't sanctify it
6. Be a student and a scholar always 
7. Have faith in the ummah because Allah loves them -…
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I can't take it anymore

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People should stop talking to me like my parents shit gold because they don't (?) and i certainly do not live off them. My father's income may be slightly above average but that doesn't mean mine is. That's his money and i honestly can't remember the last time i asked him for money.
I have a job of my own, which i got by myself without pulling any strings or using any connections. My pay is below average and i try hard to spend within my means.I buy groceries, do my laundry, pay for my transports and bills using my own income. I cook almost on a daily basis to save.  Concurrently, i also have my savings that i do not use in case of emergency. Since you're so smart and jumping into conclusions, do the math and calculate what i'm left with.
So I'm sorry to break it to you but i'm not a cheapskate like y'all think i am. I'm sorry if i don't spend like how i'm deemed to. I'm sorry if i do not spend like my father does because we cle…
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Skepticism Against the Malaysian Music Industry

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I am quite blessed that most of my friends fairly listen to local songs.
When i went to Faizal Tahir's concert a few years ago at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, i overheard this conversation between two ladies. That time, everyone was already seated and we were just waiting for the show to begin.

"Do you know who he is? Do you know any of his songs?"
"Sadly no! I only know Gemuruh and Sampai Syurga" "OMG me too! *chuckles* entah siapa2 entah. Takpe lah, kita dengar je la."
As a huge fan, obviously i was offended. Why would you come to a concert of a singer you barely know? But what bugged me more was that during the conversation, they kind of carried a connotation that Malay songs are not good enough to listen to. Being in 2018 where the society is gradually becoming more sophisticated and we celebrate liberalism, shouldn't they be more accepting when it comes to music as well? Funnily enough, if you approach these people and ask them why they hate loc…
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From housemate to best mate

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When i first got into diploma, i was a lone ranger. I was comfortable going places alone, having dinner alone (people were still looking down on solo diners back then).

After my first year, my hostel application got rejected and i needed to find a room to rent. So i rented a room of a semi-d house with strangers. The house was shitty, insanely expensive for the price. It's the second last house from the street's dead end. There weren't any street lights at night. Whenever i had to come back home late night, my guy friends would follow me from behind, let me enter the house and they would lock my gate for me. The street was that scary. The view from my window was thick bushes. It was that scary, might as well be the set of Malaysia's next horror movie.
For a room-for-two in Lendu that provided an aluminium kitchen utensils rack as a wardrobe, RM200/pax is batshit expensive. I wasn't even allowed to turn on the water heater: "Rina, jangan pakai water heater eh? …
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To those who like to point out other people's mistakes

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I understand that you're just doing your part, being a sister in Islam, to tell other members of Islam what they did wrong. I understand that you're just doing your part as a sister to remind others who have strayed away to come back and practise the teachings of Islam. You want to do your obligations and simultaneously seek blessings and deeds from Allah SWT.

But what if.
What if what you've done and what you've said to the sinners are not drawing them closer to Islam but only turning them away from Islam? Isn't the blame partially on you too? Tak fikir kau pun dapat dosa?
Have you ever thought about that?

Dah berbuih dah mulut ni cakap, berapa kali nak aku cakap?

1. Speak of the beauty of Islam, bukan takutkan orang nak masuk Islam. You're supposed to be attracting people to Islam. Not pushing people away.
2. As much as berdosa buat benda haram, mengharamkan benda yang halal pun haram jugak, bodoh.
3. Yes, the ustazs are here to guide you. But remember, they&#…
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rinaridzwan.com

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10 years.

I can't believe it that i've been blogging for 10 years already. Wow, i am overwhelmed. If this blog is a TV show, we could do a reunion episode already! Hahaha. If you have been reading this blog all the way since i first started blogging, thank you for staying. You don't know how much it means to me.

This blog is a big part of me. I grew up with this blog. I recently went through my first few post and GOOD GOD, I'm mortified! There were days when i wrote like some emo kid, some 40-year-old aunty and even a rempit. I was so close to deleting some posts because, ugh, i'm so embarrassed of myself! But then again, that is my growing up process. If people want to see how much i have grown over the years, have a look at this blog. This blog is basically my life journey.

In accordance to my 10th year anniversary, i bought myself a little present.

My very own domain.

I have always wanted a domain. My own _____.com. But i hesitated because i thought it would be …
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The Month of Reflection

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Ramadhan truly is the month to reflect, isn't it?

The past few years, i have had some rocky friendships with a few people whom i once called my best friends. Along the way, more and more signs showed that we no longer have that chemistry and we're not on the same page. The friendships did not even benefit us on both ends. From what felt like best friends turned to close friends, and then to acquaintances and i finally decided that it is best that we part ways. The friendships just faded and to make it easier for me, i tried not to think so much about it. An advice from me to myself; this is all a part of my growing up process and you don't get to keep everyone in your life.

It hasn't even been ten days yet but i have already seen firsthand the signs of the holiness of Ramadhan. Allah worked his wonders and somehow someway, i crossed paths with three of them. For Ramadhan, i try my best to commute as often as i could from Seremban-KL because i want to buka puasa and sa…
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We know you talk about us.

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It somewhat flatters me to know that there are quite a number of acquaintances of mine who actually keep tabs on me and my friends. They have (and i assume they still do) read and watch everything my friends and i post online and discuss about them in their little Whatsapp group. They sometimes take screenshots of our Instastories, stalk more of my friends to know as much as they can about our lifestyle. Who we hangout with, what we do, where we go.

I'm surprised.

But don't take me the wrong way, though. I'm not hating on them nor ridiculing them. I'm merely surprised that our lifestyle is interesting enough for your to pay this amount of attention.

If you are one of those people who are always so curious about my friends and i, thank you for asking around. Let me make it easy for you. We're happy with the life we're living. Life has been good, fun and i'm genuinely happy. I'm happy with my job, my circle of friends and I certainly don't mind you go…
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9th May 2018.

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What a historic date. The date is as iconic as how 16th September 1963 is to Malaysians.

Malaysia's 14th General Election.

Last Wednesday was the day when the government became the opposition and Malaysia for the first time ever in history, gets a new ruling party: Pakatan Harapan. This is a change that is long overdue for us Malaysians. And finally, Malaysians have spoken loud and clear that we no longer want to stick to the status quo and it's time for change. Instead of progressing, Malaysia has been going downhill and for that, we need this change.

From a bigger perspective, this change is long overdue and crucial. But when the media announced on Pakatan's victory, a part of me screamed "It's time" but a part of me was quite mellow. I feel sorry for our founding fathers. I'm sorry that we let you down, that we failed to uphold what you have been fighting for for decades. We have shifted to a new party, a new phase and we hope that you understand that …
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My first time voting!

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Malaysia’s 14th General Election is just around the corner. This will be my first time voting and I’m quite excited! 
But here’s what I would like to highlight. 
Every vote counts. If you’re a Malaysian and you’re entitled to vote, then please vote. There is no point of bashing the government or the opposition on social media; having political ‘debate’ on Facebook; ridiculing other people’s political stance if you do not vote. If you love a certain leader of a party, don’t just express it on social media. Prove it. 
Secondly, you decide for yourself if you’re voting for the political leader of the political party. Know that when you’re voting for one political individual, you’re voting for his party as well and vice versa. The hard part comes when you like the candidate contesting for your area, but you hate the party he is representing. So before voting, decide if you’re voting for the candidate or the party. Hope that goes well for you.  
I truly hope that whatever the result is, Ma…
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Brighton 2018

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I know before i left Malaysia, i told people that i was going off to the UK. Ironically, i only spent 5 days in the UK and i barely went around London. I spent two nights in Brighton and the rest in London.

Coming back from Amsterdam, we took a low-cost flight back to London Gatwick, about £38. Yes, bus is a cheaper alternative, but we were worn out; we couldn't go through anymore long bus rides. The most famous London airport is of course London Heathrow, but we chose Gatwick because it's the closest airport to our next stop: Brighton.


From the airport, we took a coach to Brighton, then we took a train to the nearest stop to Emma's house. My accommodation in Brighton was settled because i stayed over at Emma's place. When going around Brighton, we completely relied on the bus. The buses there are so efficient! The frequency of the buses is quite high, so the waiting time isn't long. But before taking the bus, you have to download an app called Brighton&Hove an…
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How i started Grassroots

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I was only 17 when my father gave me the opportunity to organise my own event. And of course, i picked the theme that was then the closest to me: photography. But i knew i couldn't do it alone so i brought along my family, a bunch of strong-willed friends and teachers on the journey and we did it together. Exactly 6 years ago today, Grassroots' first photography competition was held and around 100 people competed. May be a small number to you but it was a good start for me. Tapi tu semua cerita lama. Camera tu pun dah kena curi.
Ps: It has been too long. Grassroots should make a comeback, don't you think so?
Date written: April 7th, 2018.
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That one phone call that changed me

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Today i received a phone call from a friend's mother.
In my world, this is normal. Quite frequently, some family members of my friends would ring me to advise their child/sibling. But for whatever reason, this phone call that i received today gave me that epiphany-- that being a friend isn't merely about being a companion.
Friends aren't just about being there to fill your loneliness or accompany you in times of despair. Being a friend carries its own weightage as well: responsibilities. Alhamdulillah, in my case, a satisfying number of friends' families trust me enough to take care of their child. Some of them can easily get permission to go out when my name is dropped. But when you look at it from a different perspective, this also means that i am being entrusted to take care of the well-being of their child.
When i received that phone call today, it got me thinking to myself. "Why would you pick me of all people to advise your child? What right or power do i h…
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Two Broke Young Adults in Amsterdam

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When Emma and I were planning our trip, she asked me "Do you wanna go anywhere else other than Paris? Do you want to go to Amsterdam?" and i went "Yeah sure. Of course."

So frankly, i wasn't that looking forward to coming to this country. So like i said in my previous post, we just snuggled up in the apartment most of the time. When we arrived in Amsterdam, the temperature was around 3 degrees and it was so windy. My face was numb!

After checking in at the airbnb, we settled down and we waited for dinner. For dinner, we went to this sushi place near our apartment, as recommended by our airbnb hostess. And the food was quite good, to be honest!


I can't remember what it's called; probably Ayumi Sushi or some sort. After having sushi abroad, i've finally valued and grateful for the cheap price of Japanese food back in Malaysia. After conversion, the price of sushi in Amsterdam is around triple the price of sushi in Malaysia. That is why they tell you n…
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