STYLEBOOK BY SYAHIRA ZAKARIA

Readings @ Santai Seniman

Last Saturday, I participated in Readings @ Santai Seniman, a monthly session hosted by writer and activist raja ahmad aminullah. Who also happens to be my father-in-law.

I am super humbled to be featured amongst the greats. Like, literally two Sasterawan Negara were reading. Amongst them were also Tan Sri Kamarul Ariffin as well as amazing artist, Pot Amir from the band Innuendo. Who also happens to be my husband's uncle.

This was my first time reading something I’ve written that is not a speech. Usually, I would just post my musings on my instagram @stylebysya and I like to call them 'a little girl's rants' because that's what they really are. And I am not afraid to post them there because I don't have many followers.

The reason why I was nervous to read is because I hate putting myself out there, vulnerable like that. You see, after sharing part of my life with the world, the public persona that is stylebysya, I find that it opened a floodgate of made-up stories of me and it was as if I had given them license to do so. Some of the stories I've heard are to the point of ridiculous that I have truly given up on the 'influencer' life.

Yet, still.

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Prior to the reading, I actually sent out an invite to my friends asking them to come for moral support but don't actually listen to my reading. But Megat was not having any of that crap. He was like "I can accompany you on the guitar if you want." Sumpah, I am so glad to have him as part of my support system. Say whatever you want to say but he has been there for me since 2020.

So we did the reading and I promised I would share what I read in like a mini book form but I am now in talks on publishing deals so I am so sorry but it has got to waittttt. Wish me luck, OK?

Anyway, my darling SIL, RNadiaSabrina, shed tears during my reading. Ende Cho also asked me about the text and I felt so excited to know that I was able to articulate the feelings of the poems. I am also so thankful that Megat was there because it really helped with the pacing. And, of course, I am grateful that Abah invited me to go on his platform and introduced me to publishers. And so now you are looking at someone who just might become a published author (and not the non-fictional ESG report kind)!

On top of that, my name appeared in two online papers! Look, Ma, I'm famous! Hahahaha. Click here for Utusan Malaysia and Dewan Sastera's coverage on the event.

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# Europe, Family

Warm Winter: Swiss Alps

Dear Readers,

After COVID-19 hit the globe and we went into all kinds of lockdowns, I had not travelled overseas. Basically, ever since I can remember, 2021 was a year without the chop in my passport and it pains me to even brain that.

So, before 2022 ended, most of my family members packed our bags and flew off to Switzerland, again. We had not visited Switzerland in about 7 years because since my brother began his studies in the UK in 2016, we stopped our annual trips to the neutral country and had annual trips to visit him instead.

During one of my eldest nephew's conversations with his grandfather, he said that he really wanted to experience the snow. As we used to ski on the Swiss Alps, my dad thought it's the perfect place to revisit.

Little did we know, Europe would be facing a heat wave during the time we were there. And that was the first time we saw Switzerland not fully covered in all-white snow.

As usual, we went skiing and that was certainly the biggest mistake of my life because I already had knee injuries before flying here. But I really miss skiing! We chose Murren which was another big mistake because it's one of the hardest slopes for me and you know I have conquered multiple ski resorts in the Swiss Alps. So there I was, acah facing my fears when I fell, face down and tried to grip the ice with gloveless hands (it was hot!) and scraped my hands and knee.

Honestly, I felt like it was so weird that I'm shaking because I always fall. Until I saw blood. I didn't realize that I had cut myself quite badly. So the next day, I didn't ski again.

Instead, I got to spend time with my babies and tried out cafes in Interlaken. There's this one cafe near Hohematte, what I like to call Interlaken's central park, that serves amazing bagels and crepe. Maryam shared mine and was so angry when I finished it off, I had to order another one.

In Zurich, the Husband and I got some us time due to a miscommunication. We went on a very expensive date at Cafe Elena which is this pink floral cafe, which ada je kat KL but this one is in Switzerland and it's halal! I told my fambam so they all came to eat as were about to leave.