Just Coffee...

Bismillah..

I wasn't a coffee lover until our trip to Melbourne in 2012. I remember it was spring. Although the temperature was generally pleasant during the day, it often dropped to a single digit in the morning and late evening. So, in the morning I made it a habit to drop by at whichever 7e that I came across to grab a cup of the AUD1 coffee to warm myself up before I start driving. It was then that I realized how good coffee could actually be. And if I paid attention, I could taste the different notes in them.

My aging gut decided it could no longer take latte or cappuccino. Therefore, I've been only drinking Americano for over a year now. This lets me taste and appreciate the true flavour of the coffee, without it being masked by milk or other additives. So, nowadays, I go coffee hunting whenever I'm solo travelling.

I watched this yesterday. I really love the way he explained the essentials of coffee. It was clear, simple and interesting. Here I'm going to put a quick summary of the things that determine a coffee's flavour.

Processing

• Washed : Cleaner, brighter flavours with pronounced acidity. Floral, citrus and fruity notes
• Dry (Natural) : Intense fruitiness and pronounced sweetness.  Lower acidity

Altitude

• High: Less oxygen, more anaerobic respiration, more acid build up. More complex beans with high acidity and floral or fruity notes
• Low: Warmer temperature, more oxygen. Milder and less acidic coffee. Nutty or chocolatey flavours

Brewing method

• French press: Immersion brewing method. Oils and fine particles are not filtered. Rich and heavier flavour profile
• Pour over: Infusion method. Precise control of water temperature and pouring technique. Clean, light and delicate flavour profile

The above are pictures of coffees that I tried in Seoul during my trip in October 2025 and February 2026. Honestly, Seoul does feel closer to KK now since there are lots of direct flights daily.

My personal favourites are 

1. Rewire Coffee

It's just a few minutes walk from Chungmuro station.  A very small cafe tucked away on a street frequented by locals. A steady stream of local customers kept on coming when I was there. I also noticed a few Japanese coffee magazines in the cafe. The vibe did felt more Japanese than Korean.

2. Maxim Plant

This is a huge cafe on the main street of Itaewon. It has 5 full floors for guests which offer a variety of spaces for socializing and working. There's also a spot where you can just sit by the glass window and watch the street below. As for the coffee, I didn't know that Maxim is the sister brand of my favourite Kanu coffee. I loved the coffee from the very first sip! The only drawback is the cafe is quite a walk from the nearest subway station.

3. Sim Coffee House

I was rushing that afternoon, but I needed my coffee to avoid getting a headache from lack of caffeine in my system. The cafe has the highest rating on Google and it was just 3 minutes walk from where I as staying. How I wish I had more time to spend in this cafe because it's not an ordinary one. The owner is a seasoned barista and many young baristas come to his cafe as his apprentices. His impressive range of coffee brewing equipment is displayed as decor and this added a sophisticated touch to the cafe. Best of all, he takes time to explain about the beans and brewing process. You don't just drink the coffee, you truly experience it in this cafe.

I think my blog's content will be very different from what it used to be (^^)

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Return to Writing...

Bismillah...

Wow! I guess this is my longest hiatus from writing ever. Not that I entirely stopped, I do write lengthy posts on my IG story. I just haven't got the time to really sit down quietly, organize my thoughts and put them into words. I was just reading my last posts before I start with this one. Hurm.. I left off with a note that things were not going too well for me. If there's still anyone reading this blog, they might have thought I was in a really bad place and have probably given up writing. Nope! I love writing too much to give it up...

On the contrary, things actually got better for me around October in 2023. The department got a new leader who was prepared to make a massive change in both the system and culture. I was immediately appointed to lead my unit. I was part of the team tasked to reinvent new culture and to pursue goals that weren't there before. So, I suddenly had my hands full. And around November, I started to join this group of people who plays volleyball at the mortuary. And that was when I returned to sports, widen my social circle there and pretty much found my old self again. 

If I were to be asked whether I discovered the 'blessing in disguise' of being transferred to Tawau, the answer is no, I have not. To me, it was simply a prolonged career 'reset' and one of the greatest tests of character I've ever had. The most challenging part of it all was navigating my way through depression. I spent a lot of time in deep internal conversation, asking myself how to break free from cycles of negativity, how to refocus on who I envisioned to be and how to get back on track towards growth in the direction that I truly wanted in my life. Eventually, I left Tawau with no resentment. I was happy to have contributed the best I could within the time and capacity that I was given. And most importantly, I'm grateful for all the memories created.

So, how am I doing now? This image on my new phone case perfectly captures how I feel internally...

Not fully practicing clinical pharmacy doesn't come without consequences.  

Well, I actually fought to be posted to my old hospital. And before I graduated from my masters program, I did mention to some close friends that I felt drawn to critical care. A part of me wanted a change, wanted more challenge. I guess, after the long career reset and everything that came with it, it feels like Allah had finally answered this one quiet prayer that was buried deep within me. Now, I no longer identify myself as an ID pharmacist but am proud to call myself a critical care pharmacist.

In 2 months, it'll be a year since I started. I've been enjoying the journey so far. It's been a steep learning curve every single day. Even patients with the same diagnosis can present so differently and their management has to be individualized. Lately, though, I've been struggling a little more. I've just taken over the RVD clinic again and it's not easy holding 2 very different specialties in your head at the same time. I feel switching between them as needed requires a different kind of mental agility. 

And that brings me to WHY I feel the need to write again. I want to make writing as one of my mental exercise. In the past, writing used to help me gain clarity. What I didn't realize was how much writing shaped my thinking and how it has strengthened my neuroplasticity all along. 

As I aged, I do notice episodes of mental fog from time to time. But interestingly, since working in ICU, I can feel my memory and cognitive function sharpening again. So now I'm intentionally working on improving my brain through multiple approach like writing, language learning (Still working on my Japanese), reading, word search etc. 

How we age is a choice after all...

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The bird's tale...

Bismillah...

As I tuned in to a podcast on nurturing discipline yesterday morning, one particular segment deeply resonated with me. It was a part where the podcaster told a story about a little bird that decided to come down to a lake to have a rest. With the lake's peaceful water and its reliable source of food, the bird grew fond of the lake and decided to stay longer. What would only be a few days turned into weeks, then into months and then into years. It began to think of itself as part of the lake and it forgot that it could fly. When the water turned rough, it either waited for the water to be calm again or it tried to control the water. It forgot about its capacity to take flight, soar through the air and explore the rest of the world.

I was getting ready for work at that time. Shuffling between where my skincare and make up were placed and the mirror, my mind wasn't fully on it. But then it suddenly dawned on me that I was once this 'bird'. The girl who used to score her exams with flying colours and actively involved in extracurricular activities became a person who is content with the comfort of her daily routine, who no longer feel the need to strive for more. She forsaken her dream, the self-image that she crafted in her mind.

For many years I focused on meeting societal norms. I aimed and successfully secured myself a good paying job. I used to be like any other woman in their twenties, seeking for the right partner to start a family with. And I used to be a person who believes that life should be lived in a slower pace from thirties onwards after the whirlwind adventures of the twenties. 

My perspective shifted when I turned 30 in 2017.That year I crossed paths with many people who are in their forties and beyond, who are still chasing their dreams. Some of them were still advancing in their careers and some were checking off items on their bucket list. They appeared joyful and was in excellent shape, with age posing no apparent barrier to them. It made me realized that perhaps the key to happiness and longer, meaningful life lies in embracing life to the fullest until the very end. 

The following year, I charted out my plans in detail, listing all the necessary steps in their order. I decided to refresh my Japanese language skills and joined a Japanese class. I also committed to an online course to gain an internationally recognized certificate in my chosen subspecialty. But as life often demonstrates, it is inherently unpredictable. Two years into the journey, my well-structured plans were disrupted by the pandemic. I then opted to pursue my master's degree first because the certification exam was unavailable during the pandemic. However, as you probably already know, upon my return I was sent to a place where I couldn't leverage my new acquired skills and knowledge.

I came to the realization that I used to be that 'bird' who was once content and reluctant to fly away. However, when I finally mustered the courage to leave, I soon found myself trapped once more in that very lake. The fact that I have no authority to steer the course of my career scares me. And now being a 'bird' with bigger and more powerful wings, I know this time I need to take flight once again and this time leave for good.

It was actually a surprise to me when some friends revealed that they were deeply inspired by my pursuit for a master's degree. I was holding back tears when they said my actions and my perseverance prompted them to reflect on their own lives and subsequently take decisive steps. In a way, they gave me a renewed motivation to gear up for another flight. I'm well aware it won't be a walk in the park. It will demand immense courage, unwavering determination and resilience to navigate through frustrations. But, isn't that the very essence of life? For as long as we are breathing, it's going to be an ongoing process of navigating the unpredictable twists and turns that live presents.

I'm all set to begin with this new journey and I'm starting from a place of aspirations rather than animosity~

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