Beyond a Q8iya

Beautiful Prints

2010-08-10T14:30:00.001+03:00

I'm a huge fan of handmade prints and lately I have been falling in love with a few unique ETSY finds. Here are among my favourites which I found posted on Danny Robert's blog, Igor +Andre's.

You can buy them here.

My fave is the one that features Karl Lagerfeld.

Thanks Dalal for helping stumble on this blog.

Jennifer Aniston chaneling Barbara Streisand

2010-08-05T10:30:00.001+03:00

I have always found a similarity between those two, i guess Harper's Bazaar agrees because they just did a full cover shoot dedicated to it.

the slide show is a must see!

Jennifer Aniston: The Barbra Streisand Cover Shoot

How to Train your Husband

2010-08-05T09:19:00.001+03:00

I was looking thru the archives of the NYT when i came across an article by Amy Sutherland titled: What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage. It was one of the most emailed stories of 2006.

I have to say it left me intrigued. Basically Amy preaches that men (all humans) can be trained the way animals are to do what you ask them. Tricks too!

Here is an excerpt:

The central lesson I learned from exotic animal trainers is that I should reward behavior I like and ignore behavior I don't. After all, you don't get a sea lion to balance a ball on the end of its nose by nagging. The same goes for the American husband.

Back in Maine, I began thanking Scott if he threw one dirty shirt into the hamper. If he threw in two, I'd kiss him. Meanwhile, I would step over any soiled clothes on the floor without one sharp word, though I did sometimes kick them under the bed. But as he basked in my appreciation, the piles became smaller.

So I set out and downloaded a sample from the Kindle bookstore and was hooked! Instead of fighting or nagging about the silly things my husband does that he does not mean, and that can little by little gnaw at my very being, I decided to start reading and see if I can make a difference.

I only started last night but will keep you posted on the results.

You can buy the book here.

Benefits of Water

2010-07-22T11:04:00.001+03:00

In an effort to push myself toward consuming more water, I decided to search the benefits to motivate me.

I have always been a diet soda addict, I quit cold turkey for a year and then went right back to my bad habits. And while I did consume around the recommended intake of 1.5-2L of liquid, I am starting to worry about the effects on my body and my tooth enamel.

Here are a few things I learned that I thought are worthy of sharing:

If you're not, you could end up with excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive complications, muscle soreness -- even water-retention problems.

Without water, we'd be poisoned to death by our own waste products. When the kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water. If there isn't enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones.

We need water to breathe: our lungs must be moist to take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide. It is possible to lose a pint of liquid each day just exhaling.

One of the functions of the liver is to pick up the slack for the kidneys, which need plenty of water to work properly. If the kidneys are water-deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering its total productivity. It then cant metabolize fat as quickly or efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight. If you allow this to happen, not only are you being unfair to your liver, but are also setting yourself up to store fat.

Have in mind: During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to, you will be running to the bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as it is going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless.

What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years! It takes a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesnt need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly. You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it doesnt need to save these stores anymore; trusting that the water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life.

Drink up!

Shake Shack Burger Secret Sauce recipe

2010-07-13T11:09:00.000+03:00

I have a burger lying in my freezer. It has been there for some months (number ommitted for fear of being judged), and I have yet to make it. I eye it every other day, and think of how I can cook it in an unforgettable way. I dread having 50/50 meals, it has to be perfect. I am a perfectionist you see. And today I have finally come across a recipe worthy of my burger, and shall head to sultan after work to buy the perfect bun that will complement my perfect burger.

I came across the "Shake Shack" secret burger sauce, courtesy of momofukufor2, for the sauce, which shall complement my burger:

Shack Sauce from Serious Eats

- makes about 3/4 cup sauce -

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices kosher dill pickle
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender until smooth, scraping down sides of blender with rubber spatula as necessary.

Let me know if you try it, would love to get some feedback.

Kuwait: Land of the cupcakes and no free speech

2010-07-13T09:25:00.000+03:00

I will not talk about the case of Khaled AlFadallah, but I will say that there was no reason he was convicted or thrown in jail. Many have said much worse with no consequence.

I was out of the country for a break and was refreshed with the fact that no one looked the same. No herds of matching makeup friends, no spikey boys walking in unison, just a simpleexpression of self.

Why is it that when one of us starts a fashion trend or a business, everyone else jumps on the bandwagon too? Cupcakes at home? ME too!! Hijab with inflated-exploding-flower-in hijab? Me too!! Birkin? Ok i'll get a fake..

What happened to Kuwait the innovator, and Kuwait the country that funded the education in its neighbouring countries.. i have to admit, even I was making baked goods for a few friends, (but mine were for those of us who have low tolerance for gluten or want to satisfy a sweet tooth without growing an extra behind)

As soon as i landed in Kuwait, i was greeted with the humidity and the sea of Alien heads that was flooding the streets.

Someone please take these ET's home.

Pray for FourMe, a Kuwaiti blogger – Help her fight cancer!

2010-05-20T22:57:00.002+03:00

I haven't blogged in almost a year, mostly because I have not been moved to do so. I no longer blog but i tweet.

I received an email from Anas, asking me to spread the word about a blogger who has been diagnosed with cancer.

This was his email:

"Hello,

A Kuwaiti blogger FourMe is suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a

form of cancer.

A community of bloggers have put effort to create a website for

her.
http://www.pray44me.com

It would be a great gesture if you could pray for her, spread the

word to your friends and post about her website,where people post

prayers and give support to her.

We have no idea who’s prayers are going to be answered. Please

spread to the word, help FourMe fight cancer.

Thank you,
Anas"

I was curious and went straight to her blog and found a strange post, FourMe was discussing her disease with such non-chalance, it brought me to tears. She was talking about how she has colorful scarves for when she loses her hair.

I wish her a full recovery and I wish for you to include her in your prayers. You can follow her touching blog here: http://fourme.blogspot.com/

or follow her on twitter here: http://twitter.com/FourMee

For a bank teller society.. what's next?

2009-07-06T08:18:00.003+03:00

The financial crisis could prove to be a good thing for Kuwait's youth. Banks and investment companies are hard hit, and they aren't hiring. The trend was, go to college, study business, work as a teller and see where that takes you. Oh, and start a cupcake company on the side.

In a culture of "haba" or following a trend, the trend was to join the financial industry whether you are interested or not, because its perceived as the best alternative and the most coveted.

The next "haba" was to become an entrepreneur, i believe it is the current trend, as i am still hearing almost daily about "toota's kaika" or "daloo3a's dara3a"... this trend i applaud, albeit it be done with a little more creativity.. all of you are good at making cookies? Really? was it your mother who suggested it? or your bestfriends? ahhh.. yes.. ofcourse you're good.

Why not a personal trainer? A chef? I respect Burger hub, prime and toast, slider station, these guys deserve a standing ovation, they made it. Their concepts are original, interesting and i know that both guys are true chefs who take pride in each ingredient.

The financial crisis is a good thing, because now, instead of having a teller who is a part-time cookie baker, we get a cookie baker only. Who will end up competing with the other cookie bakers, this will spur competing on differentiation, and may the best cookie win !

Point is, eventually there will be some filtering, and the next big "haba" will come, perhaps "Fatooma's samboosa", and soon instead of being a cookie cutter society, we will have true characteristics..

Perspective- Expatriate thoughts on Kuwait

2009-01-28T09:11:00.005+03:00

I recently met an Arab-American who has never set foot in the region and moved to Kuwait for the experience.

Unfortunately, he was a victim of the recent lay-offs due to his high cost to the firm, he holds multiple designations that require proper compensation.

I found his comments on Kuwait's culture to be hard to swallow yet quite accurate in some cases. A few highlights:

"I had an unfortunate incident at the airport in Kuwait prior to my
departure because I refused to let someone with "wasta" pass in front
of me in the line to board the aircraft.

I guess you could say I never adjusted to the way things function in Kuwait.

I think my time in Kuwait was a wonderful experience if only because
it taught me how fortunate I was to live in a country where everyone
is equal before the law, and how truly priceless this is.

I did not come to Kuwait to make a quick buck and mingle exclusively
with expats like most foreigners do. I had truly come hoping to make
meaningful friendships with Kuwaitis.

Unfortunately, I have come to the realization that this is simply not possible, either with my female acquaintances because of the rigid social structure; nor with my male friends who despite being extremely friendly at work would not
welcome me in their diwaniyas or their beach houses - let alone their
actual houses."

Why is it that we as a culture prefer to stay in our little shells and never leave our comfort zone?

BQ

The evoloution of values

2008-09-17T14:29:00.002+03:00

A simple exchange that i thought to be worth sharing, for clarity, one person is in the states, the other is in Kuwait (me).

"Dear BQ,

.... You know living here, when i look back at Kuwaiti politics and the agenda, we really seem very shallow and not worth even following. But the states has 3rd world characteristics in my opinion as much as we do, only theirs are in disguise. Capitalism is backfiring. All parties and interest groups are backed by the business men, and with lobbying, the US government and its policies are monopolized. Individualism is backfiring, as people have more love to there pets than people, relationships are diminishing and couples live with each other for reciprocal convenient benefits (sex, paying half the rent etc.) but strictly benefits, but the real love is for their dogs and cats. So we are truly blessed with our cultural characteristics of collectivism, generosity and respect for the elderly. The elderly here live their last years in solitude and nostalgia which is a shame.

The US is about to burst in my opinion, post cold war there was a huge gap of superiority between the US and other nations, so its easy for them to jump in to any conflict. now all modern countries are very independent and strong. Poor America, there dealing with everything all over the globe, and with the economic crisis, wars, now the recent oil boycott from Venezuela, $470 billion in debt, its like they're being punched all over, so they will either burst or die, which one who knows? i think democratic or republican victory will play a big role in dealing with these punches. But the world needs Obama now, not just America, they need a true diplomat that can resolve things peacefully and that’s exactly what he is capable of doing.

Considering McCain has passed the average death age, and Palin's ......no comment, I hope Obama can win, I am curious to see what diplomacy at its best can do to the world."

"Dear Friend,

Your analysis on issues in the states politically and personally was truly refreshing as you have consolidated thoughts i have always had. "but the real love is for their dogs and cats" this was sad but very true, it stems from how evolved their society has become, exhibiting the demise of emotional values, they have been stripped of the possibility of being worthy of that much affection and have lost the capacity of giving that much affection to someone at the risk of being emotionally blown to shreds, discarded simply when the benefits stop being benefits and they suddenly become an inconvenience. i can understand that world very well, as I don’t think we are living in the "collective" culture you described, instead i see that we are a society that is swaying toward rigidity and "convenience"..

Individualism can put a person in a box, demanding acceptance from others and pushing those who don’t agree simply because they value their individuality.. This creates the most dangerous feeling in the world, indifference...

Kuwaiti politics, American politics, World politics, start with issues, and end up being about money..

i fear that Obama doesn’t win... i don’t see it happening.. at the end of the day Americans are mostly republicans.. and they continue to choose leaders who appear less radical.. Palin after all is a safe soccer mom.."

Tolerance

2008-08-30T12:13:00.004+03:00

In an islamic country such as Kuwait, I have observed the lowest rate of tolerance, a concept prided by Islam. Yet remains ubiquitous in non-islamic countries.

We are proud of being a part of a religion where men from all walks of life stand together in prayer side by side, yet we choose to distance ourselves from those we differ in opinion with? No wonder we are a society that is lagging in development.

I am not discussing religious tolerance. I am discussing something simpler. Tolerance for mindset, taste, societal association.

An example to clarify. I was at an event recently, where groups of different circles and mindsets were present. I was conversing with a group that happened to be on the conservative side when a beautiful young lady walked in, its worth noting that she was a girl known for her accomplishments and not merely for her personality.

The group i was sitting with all greeted her warmly, and as she walked away they were commenting in unison about what a great girl she was, not only smart but also a true sweet heart. But there is always a BUT. They added that the only thing wrong with her was the fact that she is a "a little too open minded". She doesn't smoke or drink, but she has no issue going out in mixed events, or traveling alone and she mixes with all types of people. ( i am sitting there thinking, how is this a crime?)

Apparently, you are not supposed to be open and tolerant. So the girl in question, if she chose to socialize with people who are a bit different and have swayed from the norm, even if about timid topics such as books, life, etc.. this in itself was wrong.

In developed countries, the techie, the conservative, the fashionista and the nerd work together and make progress happen. Until we get of our high horse, we will only be remembered for our oil and impeccably dressed women.

My secretaries diet

2008-08-20T10:38:00.004+03:00

As my friends know, i am known for my sugar free life and endless diet theories, experiments, etc.. it is a spot of amusement for me, like my insistence on wearing high heels everywhere, its possible i enjoy a constant challenge.. That being said, i am very open to change and prone to it, i am wearing flats to work today..

That said, my boss's secretary at work had an upcoming trip to Lebanon, and wanted to loose some weight to get her body beach ready so that she can feel good about herself around her family and friends who haven't seen her in 7+ months..

knowing that this is an area i enjoy discussing she came to me with her query of losing weight, 2 week timeline, the catch was that she wanted to keep the weight off and she did not want to eat anything boiled or steamed.

SO i started my search, and found something called the Paleolithic diet, which is basically a caveman's diet (will explain below), and this eager beauty started the next day once i explained it to her.

The results: 7kg loss, 15 pounds, in 2 weeks

She has now been in lebanon for 2 weeks and has kept it off because she has maintained it as a lifestyle.

WOW?

Here is the diet:

Breakfast: Non-fat latte or nescafe, no sugar, or preferably water..

No lunch.. you're at work so you're already busy.. may consume additional coffee, but again h20 recommended..

Eat one meal anytime, after work, around 4-whenever.. consume whatever you want at this one sitting..

example meals of secretary: Big Mac, small fries
sushi, some choc cake

we even took her out to slider station the day before her trip, she had fries, onion rings, a slider, and some vanilla ice cream.. result? lost one more kilo

YOU decide whether u eat healthy or not on this diet

Why this will not ruin your metabolism? Because low-calorie is what puts your body on a slow metabolizing state, NOT frequency of meals as previously alleged.

unfortunately, i am a breakfester, i love breakfast and leave bed to breakfast, thus i can not adhere.

the site i used for info:

http://fitnessblackbook.com/?s=one+meal

For men, Success is the Substitute for Love

2008-01-22T14:31:00.000+03:00

Just a thought.

A family member of mine asked why I havent married yet, and I answered the standard answer of "I havent found the right person". And she remarked that its not that I haven't found the right person, its the fact that my criteria doesnt make any sense, I should be happy to marry someone that has the following specifications:

1. good + compatible family
2. good person, good future potential
3. Acceptable looks

I agreed to get on with it, and later mentioned it to a close friend who shocked me by answering that I am only interested in people who are not interested in marriage to begin with, meaning to serious, too interested in their work, no time for relationships.

Its true, I am attracted to success, and not any success, success that has not been inherited.

Which brings me to the title of this post, for men, is success the substitute for Love?

I have met many successful young men, single young men that is, in my line of work and through family etc, and the common denominator was that they were all not interested in relationships or marriage, and they are close to thirty or even a bit older. One even told me in a discussion that "love, relationships are over rated".. is this true? Is it true that the over ambitious, cut throat competitors are not interested and not even thinking of ever having a family?

" if a man wants the power to build the highest tower, then that's his substitute for - LOVE"

Fatboy Slim - Bushes (Markus Nikolai) lyrics

Brain Exercises

2008-01-22T13:18:00.000+03:00

My mom always encouraged me as a kid to solve puzzles, play scrabble, lego, etc.. games that involved exercising the brain, i didnt know that back then, but these activities helped with problem solving skills etc.

As an adult, the only solving i do outside of work or school is "how micheal is gonna get out of this one" on Prison Break, or how they are going to leave the island on LOST.

From meeting a challenging person through work who seemed to know how to the job and answer any question regarding an article they read even if it was 3 years ago, i began to question my goldfish memory.

After asking around and researching, i found two programs that can help with memory, cognition, and problem solving. Then i decided to put the programs to the test, and I can now confirm that they really do help. You will first notice small changes in the first week or so, then larger changes will appear.

1. a Nintendo DS game called BRAIN AGE 2, which has a daily exercise regimen, and which tests your "brain age".. i got a 82 first time, now i am in my forties :P (the ideal being 20)

2. a website www.lumosity.com which also has daily training.

ALSO, a handful of nuts daily, and some dark chocolate are considered brain food.

Cure for Cravings

2008-01-19T13:54:00.000+03:00

We all go nuts trying to keep away from our cravings, but sometimes our bodies are trying to tell us something, and sometimes u just want chocolate :P

For all the other times, here is something useful i found:

If you crave this...	What you really need is...	And here are healthy foods that have it:
Chocolate	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Sweets	Chromium	Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, calves liver, chicken
	Carbon	Fresh fruits
	Phosphorus	Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains
	Sulfur	Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage
	Tryptophan	Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
Bread, toast	Nitrogen	High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans
Oily snacks, fatty foods	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Coffee or tea	Phosphorous	Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes
	Sulfur	Egg yolks, red peppers, muscle protein, garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables
	NaCl (salt)	Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad)
	Iron	Meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Alcohol, recreational drugs	Protein	Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts
	Avenin	Granola, oatmeal
	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
	Glutamine	Supplement glutamine powder for withdrawal, raw cabbage juice
	Potassium	Sun-dried black olives, potato peel broth, seaweed, bitter greens
Chewing ice	Iron	Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries
Burned food	Carbon	Fresh fruits
Soda and other carbonated drinks	Calcium	Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame
Salty foods	Chloride	Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt
Acid foods	Magnesium	Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits
Preference for liquids rather than solids	Water	Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Preference for solids rather than liquids	Water	You have been so dehydrated for so long that you have lost your thirst. Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day.
Cool drinks	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
Pre-menstrual cravings	Zinc	Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables
General overeating	Silicon	Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
	Tryptophan	Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables
Lack of appetite	Vitamin B1	Nuts, seeds, beans, liver and other organ meats
	Vitamin B3	Tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds and legumes
	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries
	Chloride	Raw goat milk, unrefined sea salt
Tobacco	Silicon	Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables

Good Luck Noureyah AlSubeeh

2008-01-03T11:09:00.000+03:00

I'm not one to comment on politics simply becasue I leave it to my fellow bloggers who have the knowledge . But i am commenting now as an outraged citizen.

The current state of so called "democracy" in Kuwait is starting to lose credibility, and i feel we are starting to lose faith in the system. I recently attended a discussion held at an MP's hq, which gathered in support of our minister of Education, Ms. Noureyah AlSubeeh, and one of the MP's was disucssing faith in the system, and at that point it hit me that we as citizens have lost our faith in the Parliament. What do they actually do there besides argue? Does anything ever get accomplished? Instead of teaming up armed with their different skill sets, backgrounds, and resources to help the greater goal which is the betterment of Kuwait, they are focusing on their differences and ganging up on one another. The parliament should be the headquarters of "Team Kuwait", where a look into the future and the setting of the steps needed to reach the greater goals are set, and not a battleground of ideologies.

Honestly, when we vote, do we vote because we feel the MP will make a change? Or is it because we feel we can relate more to his background? It makes me sick to think of where the future of our country is going. Qualified people are being terrorized out of their jobs by threats of yet another "stejwab". Mostly pointless. And then we wait for the estejwab, then it gets delayed, then it happens, or the minister resigns, and they fight, then they appoint someone else, and the cycle continues. Where is the part where the minister is given time to do his job? By the time a minister sets an agenda he resigns. The future of the country is stuck while these MP's are busy pointing fingers at one another.

Good Luck Kuwait, and Good Luck Noureyah AlSubeh, a woman who is only trying to do her job.

I'm a Gold Fish

2008-01-02T11:32:00.001+03:00

There was a time when I used to know specific dates of wars, and why a certain king invaded what country and when, and the names of all the buildings and their architects which i admired, but that was then, and this is now. I am a goldfish.

I was a diet coke addict for a while until my dr found an abnormal amount of a certain mineral in my blood and told me that the cause was excessive diet coke consumption, and warned me that diet coke has a chemical which literally eats up ur brain sells. I have been 4 months clean now. Is this why i dont remember events, places, and names of things I should? Or?

Currently going through gruelling decision making, similar to mental olympics. I hate growing up.

The picture above is a tattoo.. cool right?

BeyondQ8iya in the News: Thank You Velina Nacheva

2006-10-28T21:42:00.000+03:00

Thank you K for mentioning this to me,

I just heard from K that an article in Kuwait Times by Velina Nacheva mentioned me.. thought i'd share..

Thank you Velina Nacheva for your mention.

This is the specific excerpt about me,

Kuwait bloggers: A league of their own

"Behind 'Beyond Q8iya' blogger stands a 22 avid poetry reader with an occupation "in the works" who thinks that a blog "gives you the chance to say whatever you want and to hell with it.. it's almost therapeutic to say everything you wouldn't normally say." Listing finance, investment and politics as her top three interests it is hard to take her "in constant evolution" motto as a clean slate.
"Your people want to make a statue in your honour. What will it be made out of and what victory will it commemorate? Ice, so that it melts, because by the time it's done I would have changed my mind..." she posted.""

For more from this article, go here

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/fridaytimes.asp?dismode=article&artid=558031430

Happily Unemployed

2006-09-28T02:04:00.000+03:00

"A father passing by his son's bedroom, was astonished to see the bed was nicely made, and everything was picked up. Then, he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow. It was addressed, "Dad." With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter, with trembling hands."Dear, Dad.It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend, because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.I've been finding real passion with Stacy, and she is so nice, but I knew you would not approve of her, because of all her piercings, tattoos, her tight motorcycle clothes, and because she is so much older than I am. But it's not only the passion, Dad. She's pregnant.Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods, and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't, really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves, and trading it with the other people in the commune, for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS, So Stacy can get better. She sure deserves it!!Don't worry Dad, I'm 15, and I know how to take care of myself. Someday, I'm sure we'll be back to visit, so you can get to know your many grandchildren.
Love, your son,John.

P.S. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house.
I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the school report that's on my desk.I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home. "

I'm writing a similar letter as we speak to all my family members who have been pestering me about getting a job. (stalling for a reason)

Oh yeah, i applied to a bank that is known for hiring anyone or anything.. online, and they sent me an email that said "sorry, but you do not meet our minimum requirements".. the application was for a teller.. they then called me to schedule an interview.. HMMMM?? weird.. so i told the guy who called bout the email and he said "oh dont worry about it, thats our standard email." cracked me up.

Hint: Bank affiliated with the color RED.

When a woman reads..

2006-08-09T15:41:00.000+03:00

Read this, found it funny:

One morning the husband returns after several hours of fishing and
decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife
decides to take the boat out. She motors out a short distance, anchors,
and reads her book.
Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the
woman and says, "Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?"
"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't that obvious?")
"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.
"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm
reading."
"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could
start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up."
"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault,"
says the woman.
"But I haven't even touched you," says the game warden.
"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you
could start at any moment."
"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.
MORAL:

Never argue with a woman who reads. It's likely she can
also think.

The Thin Red Line

2006-05-04T23:06:00.000+03:00

The opposite of Love is not Hate.

The opposite of Love is Indifference.

When you hate someone it means you carry strong feelings toward them.

This is why they say there is a thin line between Love and Hate.

If I hate you it means I love you so much that you have angered me to a level that I started Hating you.

Hate is a big word, like salt and fat, use sparingly.

the randomness of it all

2006-04-15T15:54:00.000+03:00

"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."
-HP Lovecraft

This goes hand in hand with my strong belief that everything happens for a reason, but this means we will never know the reasons behind the small random things that happen in our lives..

On another note, i am a car junkie, love that car..

The Real Thing

2006-03-30T14:01:00.000+03:00

"Tell me what we got, tell me it's a lot tell me it's the real thing,"

When in a situation with a person who you know loves you from his every action, but he doesnt say it because he has alot on his plate.. or has had alot for a very long time, because he doesnt know how to adjust to bad changes, and you have been patient all during that time, and have been listening and listening and listening and are getting tired because it is never your turn to be sad or to talk about your bad day because you feel its your duty to stand by him..

how much is too much?

*the real thing reminded me of the old coca cola ads..

If Men Could Talk

2006-03-15T11:58:00.000+03:00

It's not that men don't talk, it's just that sometimes they speak a different language.

Women too, to be fair, women hint i was told, lol, if only they would just say it, men would give them what they wanted.

DECODING THE WAY SOME MEN TALK ABOUT SEX:

"I have some sexual anxieties"
Translation: I can't get it up.

"It's hard for me to get close to a woman"
Translation: I can't get it up.

"I had a horrible dream that I can't even talk about"
Translation: I have sexual fantasies about men.

"I love women"
Translation: I'm a sex addict

"I may have a thing about getting old"
Translation: I'm attracted only to sixteen year olds.

"I don't know how to put sex and love together."
Translation: I love rough sex.

"I'm beginning to think I drink too much."
Translation: I can't get it up.

To be fair, men can be the best friends, brothers, etc.. but god bless em they have trouble expressing themselves.
I have a friend who has been friends with a guy for the longest time, he treats her like his gf but doesnt have the guts to ask her out, but then again he may not be "that" into her.

The painting is by Rene Magritte, a surrealist painter, this painting is supposed to point out that ".......................................................".. Art is in the eye of the beholder, get what you want out of it.

This message is dedicated to someone: Thought you had all the answers, but something happened, you didnt see it coming.

Life 101

2006-02-27T09:18:00.000+03:00

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

"Live.. love..jump.. get hurt, or live safe and die bored," .. me

Men, Woman, Love, and Sex

2006-02-21T17:08:00.000+03:00

It’s all right for a perfect stranger to kiss your hand, as long as he’s perfect.
-Mae West

If you never want to see a man again, say, “I love you. I want to marry you. I want to have children”- they leave skid marks.
-Rita Rudner

The more you love someone the more he wants from you and the less you have to give since you’ve already given him your love.
-Nikki Giovanni

If a man prepares dinner for you and the salad contains three or more types of lettuce, he is serious.
-Rita Rudner

A girl can wait for the right man to come along, but in the meantime, that still doesn’t mean she can’t have a wonderful time with all the wrong ones.
-Cher

An intelligent woman, who reads the marriage contract and then goes into it, deserves all the consequences.
-Isadora Duncan

A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he’s finished.
-Zsa Zsa Gabor

A man’s kiss is his signature.
-Mae West

Before marriage, a man declares that he would lay his life down for you, after marriage he won’t even lay down his paper to talk to you.
-Helen Rowland

I never liked the men I loved, and I never loved the men I liked.
-Fanny Brice

If you are dating a man who you think might be “Mr. Right,” if he a) got older b) got a new job, c) visited a psychiatrist, you are in for a big surprise. The cocoon-to-butterfly theory only works on cocoons and butterflies.
-Rita Rudner

I love you no matter what you do, but do you have to do so much of it?
-Jean Illsley Clark

I never hated a man enough to give him back his diamonds.
-Zsa Zsa Gabor

Give a man a free hand and he’ll run it all over you.
-Mae West

Boys don’t make passes at female smartasses.
-Letty Cottin Pogrebin

Easy is an adjective used to describe a woman who has the sexual morals of a man.
-Nancy Linn-Desmond

When women go wrong, men go right after them.
-Mae West

Our Barbecue

2006-02-20T17:11:00.000+03:00

We had a very nice barbecue elyoum.. the weather was perfect.. here's a pic :)

I was the only vegetarian so my food was left for last.. each person cooked for himself..

bas they still ate most of my fish! no fair

Me Me Me: i'm pretty :P

2006-02-18T23:35:00.000+03:00

Took a bunch of tests.. here goes..

You Are a Flawless Beauty!

When it comes to beauty, you spare no expense - and it shows
You're the kind of woman a man would launch a thousand ships for
It's hard for anyone to beat you in the beauty department
But remember, it's okay to show a flaw or too - you've got plenty to spare

What Type of Beauty Are You?

Your Aura is Green

Your Personality: You are a high acheiver who is very competitive. You're bound to reach your goals, no matter how lofty.

You in Love: Picky with high standards, it's hard to find your match. You need a man as driven as you are!

Your Career: You need a high profile, challenging career to satisfy you. Consider finance, sales, or running your own company.

What Color Is Your Aura?

I want to be a garage millionaire !

2006-02-17T18:37:00.000+03:00

Apple computer started out as a two-man partnership in a garage. It grew rapidly and by 1985 grew to hold 60 million shares of stock and a total market value in excess of $1 billion. Not bad ha?
After some sour business, the co-founding Steven Jobs resigned only to be rehired to his old job as CEO again , a few years later after the good entrepreneur formed his own company, Pixar studios (Finding Nemo)..

Jobs was named manager of the year by Business Week in 2004 following the introduction of the Apple iPod family.

I'm too sexy for my blog

2006-02-13T22:08:00.000+03:00

I just changed my profile pic.. i put a painting .. the old one was me but shrunk and adjusted for security reasons :P

As soon as i changed my original pic which i was told looked like "barbie" (it was a painting).. and i put a pic of me.. i was told it was too much for the blog world.. the exact words were "too sexy".. hahha..

So now.. i put a painting.. hope it represents me well .. and anyways i'm in constant evoloution, wouldn't live up to my name if i didnt change my pic the minute ppl start identifying with it ;)

anyways.. weird day.. day before valentines.. i'm kind of anti-red.. hate that color.. so red hearts .. red candy.. teddy with red heart.. and worse.. those huge white teddies holding a red heart saw it in sultan while grocery shopping.. made me nauseous..

out of curiousity.. if a girl (single).. gives her friend (single male).. a gift on valentines just to make them feel special.. does that mean he is her valentine? would he think that even if it was not her intention? just curious..

i just feel that if you're in love.. everyday is valentines day..

happy valentines day anyway.. enjoy ur loved ones

Crest Commitement

2006-02-10T22:15:00.000+03:00

Today i realized i'm so afraid of commitement that i didnt even finish my Crest Whitening Strips 7-Day Program.. I only did 6 :P

Ode to Art: Jack Vettriano

2006-02-10T16:38:00.000+03:00

Paintings by Jack Vettriano give me that warm, heavy heart, human feeling, mixed with anxiety, and an extra je ne c'est qua. I hear Sinatra in my head when i look at some of his moving paintings. This painting in particular moves me to Sinatra's "Stranger's in the Night". Its called "Dance me to the ends of the earth".. its consistent with that feeling of when u are with the object of your affection and it feels like its just the two of you in that room..

Do u feel it..

"What are the chances?"

Funny Finance: Big Mac PPP

2006-02-10T12:41:00.000+03:00

A survey done by “The Economist” that determines what a country’s exchange rate would have to be for a Big Mac in that country to cost the same as it does in the United States. PPP refers to Purchase Power Parity, which is a theory that currencies adjust according to changes in their purchasing power. With the Big Mac PPP, purchasing power is reflected by the price of a McDonald’s Big Mac in that country. The measure gives an impression of how overvalued or undervalued a currency is.

The calculation of the Big Mac PPP-adjusted exchange rate looks at the price of a Big Mac in a given country and divides it by the price of a U.S. Big Mac. Say we are look at the Big Mac in China. If a Chinese Big Mac is 10.41 Yuan and the U.S. price is $2.90, then according to PPP the exchange rate should be 3.59 Yuan for $1. If the Yuan were trading in the currency market at 8.27 Yuan for $1, the Big Mac PPP indicates that the Yuan is undervalued. Make sense?

*While looking for a picture of a Big Mac... I read that it takes 10 miles of running to burn one! No picture will be provided, I don’t encourage junk food.

A M B I T I O N: A Fire in the Belly doesn't light itself

2006-02-09T22:27:00.000+03:00

Why is that? Why are some people born with a fire in the belly, while others need something to get their pilot lit? And why do others never get the flame of ambition going?

For every person consumed with the need to achieve there's someone content to accept whatever life brings. "Ambition is a revoloutionary product" as defined by Edward Lowe at Soka University of America, in Aliso Viejo, California. "No matter how social status is defined, there are certain people in every community who aggressively pursue it and others who aren't so agressive."

People with goals but no energy are the ones who end up sitting on the couch saying "One Day i'm going to build a better mousetrap."

Assuming you have drive, dreams, and skill, is all ambition equal? Is the successful musician to whom melody comes naturally more driven than the unsuccessful one who sweats every note?

Most troubling of all, what about when enough ambition becomes way too much? (Got someone in mind).. Grand dreams unmoored from morals are the stuff of tyrants.. think Enron..
The 16 hour workday filled with high stress and at the desk meals is the stuff of burnout and heart attacks. Even among kids, too much ambition quickly starts to do real harm. Its not enough for people to be housed and fed, people want more, and thats ok.. but how much is too much? A study done at Ohio State University reported 70% of over ambitious people are stressful and DULL. Their successes amounted to short term bursts of achievement.

"For me, ambition has become a dirty word. I prefer Hunger." Johnny Depp

The correlation of brain activity and persistence is high, and that reflects the drive defined as ambition. Sometimes its the finding something to be ambitious about that becomes the jolt. Franklin D. Roosevelt would have not become a President had his disabling polio not taught him valuable lessons about patience and tenacity.

"Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast that however high we reach, we are never satisfied." Niccolo Machiavelli

Computer Help: Should i buy this?

2006-02-09T16:10:00.001+03:00

I have always wanted a tiny laptop that fits in my hand bag.. and mine does ( i carry big bags )..

But i saw this laptop "VAIO® TX670P/B Notebook VGN-TX670P/B".. which is the one in the picture.. and totally fell in love.. its tiny.. its black (my favorite color) .. and has long battery life.. I cuurently own a toshiba tablet which is great to use but bad battery life..

my problem is i dont know how it plays out from a technical perspective.. I hate carrying a laptop bag and usually use my laptop wherever i go so i would love to be able to carry it conveniently..

my needs are simple, i only use Microsoft Office (excel, word, etc..).. and the internet... nothing funky..

what do u guys think? Does anyone own one?

What Does Love Mean?

2006-02-09T16:02:00.000+03:00

I read this somewhere and LOVED it.. thought i'd share.

A group of professional people posed this question to a group
of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they
got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.
See what you think.....

1. "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over
and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for
her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.
That's love."
- Rebecca -age 8

2. "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is
different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth."
- Billy - age 4

3. "Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on
shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
- Karl - age 5

4. "Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most
of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
- Chrissy - age 6

5. "Love is when someone hurts you. And you get so mad but
you don't yell at them because you know it would hurt their
feelings."
- Samantha - age 6

6. "Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
- Terri - age 4

7. "Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she
takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is
OK."
- Danny - age 7

8. "Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired
of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they
kiss."
- Emily - age 8

9. "Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you
stop opening presents and listen."
- Bobby - age 5

10. "If you want to learn to love better, you should start
with a friend who you hate."
- Nikka - age 6

11. "Love is hugging, Love is kissing, Love is saying no"
- Patty - age 8

12. "When you tell someone something bad about yourself and
you're scared they won't love you anymore. But then you get
surprised because not only do they still love you, they love
you even more."
- Matthew - age 7

13. "There are two kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But
God makes both kinds of them."
- Jenny - age 4

14. "Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he
wears it everyday."
- Noelle - age 7

15. "Love is like a little old woman and a little old man
who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
- Tommy - age 6

16. "During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared.
I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving
and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared
anymore."
- Cindy - age 8

17. "My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone
else kissing me to sleep at night."
- Clare - Age 5

18. "Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still
says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
- Chris - age 8

19. "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you
left him alone all day."
- Mary Ann - age 4

20. "I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all
her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
- Lauren - age 4

21. "I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she
only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby
sister because I love her."
- Bethany - age 4

22. "Love cards like Valentine's cards say stuff on them that
we'd like to say ourselves, but we wouldn't be caught dead
saying."
- Mike - age 8

23. "When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and
little stars come out of you."
- Karen - age 7

24. "Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she
doesn't think it's gross."
- Mark - age 6

25. "You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.
But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
- Jessica - age 8

Beautiful

2006-02-06T11:39:00.000+03:00

Someone left this comment on my post and i thought it was so beautiful it had to be shared:

Khalil Gibran said it best:

Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them.

And with a great voice he said:

When love beckons to you follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

From the book, "The Prophet"

Tagged: My GUY

2006-02-05T13:34:00.000+03:00

I was tagged by Stallion..

The rules of the game:
1. The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different points of their perfect lover.
2. Need to mention the sex of the target.
3. Tag 8 victims to join this game & leave a comment on their comments saying they've been tagged.
4. If tagged the 2nd time, there's no need to post again.

Sex Target: MALE

Smart and Ambitious
Attractive to me ( i like the Arab.. Naydi Tan look with gorgeous eyes..)
Responsible/ reliable
Well Read, and cultured
Well mannered/ Respectful
Easy going, social, funny ( they go together)
Open minded yet has values (basically Kuwaiti Go7 with a twist)
...................................................(leaving it open.. a random trait)

Tagging the following 8 people:

K.the.Kuwaiti
The Don
Miyafushi
Entrepreneur
Samboose
NibaQ
Don Veto
meWho!

Sunday Morning

2006-02-05T12:25:00.000+03:00

Sunday Morning is my favorite morning because Sunday Morning (Maroon 5).. is my favorite song.. Singing along to that song makes me feel like i am in love..

Today i was listening to it as i was running my errands and the next song that came on was "Me, Myself and I" .. Beyonce.. which was an old favorite at a certain dark point in my life..

The blend of the two songs helped me unravel the confusion i have been feeling this past week..

I am a commitement phobe, and i realized today that its not because i am afraid of surrendering to one person but becasue i have trust issues.. this is not because a man screwed me over and hurt me.. its because this man who hurt me and severely screwed me over happens to be my father..

the part that hurts me is that i feel i cant trust anyone .. and how could i surrender myself when i feel the urge to cut them off the minute i start feeling something.. or worse when they show me that they feel toward me..

As screwed up as that sounds i have managed to bury that and tuck it under the bed and have resumed a perfectly normal life.. consumed in pursuing my career and burying myself with endless tasks to get there..

but i wrote this post not to face things as much as it was for someone in specific.. who i feel i have not been entirely fair to..

how would you feel love if you spent a long time teaching yourself how to live without it.. and telling yourself that it is unnecessary..

but to my bestfriend.. i love you in my own way..

i have been tagged !

2006-02-05T10:36:00.000+03:00

Stallion tagged me.. :P (have in mind stallion this will change the minute i type it eheh )

Four Jobs I've Had:

Assistant Auditor at Deloitte and Touche Tohamatsu ( not anymore)
Internship in the Treasury Department at a Bank
Internship in an Asset Management Department at a Bank
Designer

Four Movies I can watch Over and Over:

Jerry Maguire
You've Got Mail
When Harry Met Sally
Hope Floats

Four Places I have lived:

Kuwait
Los Angeles, California
United Arab Emirates
Cyprus

Four TV shows I LOVE:

Gilmore Girls
LOST
Desperate Housewives
CSI: NY, Miami

Four Places I've Vacationed:

India
Cannes, France
Milano-Roma-Firenze, Italy
Hawaii

Four of My Favorite Dishes:

Thai style cooked Fish
Sushi
Mu6abag Zbaidi ( Grandma MOM's side)
Mongolian Stir Fry Seafood

Four Sites I visit Daily:

Kuwait Stock Exchange
Email
Safat and my favorite blogs
Entertainment Gossip :P

Four Places I'd rather be right now:

Ah.. New York
walking on a rainy day in london toward a starbucks
sitting on a beach somewhere with someone i love
having coffee with friends (Coffee Bean :P)

Five People i'm tagging: (al7een kilshay 4, laish hatha 5?)

Entrepreneur
Don Veto
Saviour Machine (its petronet girl!)
Caffeneited Kuwaiti ( i think she's cool )
Jelly Belly Nonesense (always has interesting things to say)

-----------------------------------------THE END--------------------------------------------

my business is your business

2006-01-29T16:26:00.000+03:00

isnt it odd how kuwaiti society keeps tab on everything..

its like you are supposed to live according to wat everyone agrees is ok.. but who makes up these rules? I feel that we are in a courtroom and the society is the jury for the trial.. and each action is depicted by a unanimous vote on whether you are guilty of committing a social crime or not..

I recently ran into a female friend of mine having coffee with a male friend in a well known coffee shop.. i said hi and walked away toward the cafe i was meeting my friends at..

when i arrived i told them that i ran into flana and i commented that she got a hair cut and her hair looked much better now and moved on from there to give them an account of my hectic day..

i was interrupted by another who said: "BQ did u see that flana was with a guy? is she engaged or is that her brother?" so i was like "huh?" (annoyed at the irrelevant question and thinking who cares?).. so i replied that i didnt notice who she was with to avoid the conversation..

to me whoever i saw was not doing anything out of the ordinary, she was simply having coffee with a friend.. one of my family's american friends says "in kuwait, the only socially acceptied way of meeting up with a friend of the opposite sex is where no one can see you like shalaih, i wonder wat that leads to"..

How embarrassing lol.. and i agree.. here in q8 if u do normal things its wrong and ur reputation goes down the drain, but when they cant see you and ur away somewhere ridiculous then its ok just cuz they dont know..

just think its ridiculously funny how we all live with these silly rules ..

another silly thing i noticed was the concept of "estegbalat".. which is when an event happens to a person and as a result the person must welcome guests into their home and go buy very expensive chocolates and flowers for when the guests arrive..
wat i noticed is that both parties, the hosts and the guests are not inetersted in participating in this event yet both do it .. the woman who just got out of 8 hours of labor is supposed to welcome guests, have makeup on, and provide them with chocolates and a small trinket instead of enjoying her new born with her husband..

FUNNY!

Love and Marriage

2006-01-29T15:08:00.000+03:00

I recently read a blog (ss_stallion), that reminded me of the situation i am in at home.. pressure to get married..

Marriage is a big step where you choose a partner to share life with, someone who will be there as your rock and you as theirs throughout life.. someone who you are comfortable with..

that sounds nice but too practical.. Where are the fairytales? I want someone who sweeps me off my feet, someone i fall for and hard and still not freak out about how much he could hurt me.. someone good looking.. someone smart.. funny.. reliable.. honest.. and the list goes on..

but then comes the reality check, these people dont exist...

How Kuwaiti are you?

2006-01-29T14:52:00.000+03:00

It recently hit me that our open minded youth is losing their kuwaiti identity or roots.. Suddenly open minded means 100% american or close, no sense of belonging to Kuwait except by liking the food and music.. No sense of values..

Religion is a personal thing, and i never wanna talk about that because again its personal.. but i hate the idea of being cleansed from my traditions.. Twisting tradition and updating it sounds good but a total loss is nothing but a true loss.. I dont know if that makes sense but i guess i am a bit frustrated..

The question is: "How Kuwaiti are you?"

are you kuwaiti cuz you eat machboos? in a world that has become a global melting pot i fear that we will lose our selves.

I love listening to western music, reading english books, and i only watch american shows.. but i do love our values of respecting our family and ourselves and living according to our norms..

Living abroad and mixing with foreigners is an amazing learning experience for both parties, but why is it that we end up being totally erased as a result..

Hope that made sense..

Political Situation in Kuwait: A tooth ache

2006-01-24T15:28:00.000+03:00

The political situation in Kuwait.. reminds me of my childhood.. when my baby teeth were falling out.. Like a bad tooth the situation remains hanging.. everytime you think yalla khala9 gareraw new emir, the tooth refuses to fall out.. and hangs on..

I had my wisdom teeth removed about a year ago.. I was sitting on the dentists chair watching a movie they put on some weird glasses while the dr was cutting stitching removing doing his thing.. while i watched or didnt in the background.. Like now.. we sit trying to live our lives just like i was desperately trying to watch that movie at the dr while wondering what he was doing and the exact details.. and i remained hanging until the very end.. Yes, just like Kuwait now.. with us in the background.. only without the sedatives to keep us calm...

Shaikh sa3aD Oath?!!

2006-01-23T19:14:00.000+03:00

My grandma was just over.. and she said that one of her nieces showed her a video on his phone (mms).. which was off shaikh sa3ad taking the oath..

Can this be true ? Have you guys seen this? My grandma has poor eyesight so i figured it was someone impersonating him etc..

Wat do you think??..

..i love you..

2006-01-23T17:14:00.000+03:00

in Limbo..

2006-01-23T16:16:00.000+03:00

Had too much on my plate for a while now its over.. but now in limbo as i wait for things to happen..

wat makes it worse is that the whole conutry is in that position too but over the current political situation.. its like we're stuck.. i feel my productivity is on hold even though it has no direct personal effect.. just worried wat a new emir might mean..
and the weather is not helping.. just wanna curl up on my couch with my coffee mug and watch desperate/o.c./lost.. all day..

btw i'm a big art fan.. i hate the cats in the painting but loved the theme..

Ra7 il Qa'ed

2006-01-22T18:57:00.000+03:00

La7tha.. a power struggle within the royal family?

SHouldn't they stop and think about the best interest of the country? Is it possible that shaikh sa3ad and the salim al-3ali clan should rule while they are mainly concerned about who rules and from which side of the family, instead of who would be best fit for the job?
Should we really want that? We need someone who puts Kuwait first.. interesting how it ended up like this..

I'm sure shaikh Jaber alah yer7ema would really be hurt by this, a man who always put kuwait first..

Help! I am addicted to LOST

2006-01-22T16:36:00.000+03:00

wow .. totally impressed..

Just finished season one of LOST.. Had it since god knows when.. never even bothered to watch it cuz i was like "Plane crash, jungle?.. totally not me" .. I am a desperate housewives girl, previously a sex and the city addict simply for the shoes..

They don't wear Manolo's on LOST.. so when i saw some of the first episode on showtime while flipping through, i was like NAAAh not for me..

Not only am i completely addicted, I feel the writers have outdone anything else.. even when i started liking it i doubted where they can take the show.. the concept is limited but they just kept surprising me and grabbing my attention..

All LOST fans, im sure you know what i mean.. Season 2 here i come

To Blog or not to blog

2005-12-25T23:10:00.000+03:00

i'm new to blogging.. have read many but never actually wrote one.. why? cuz i felt i had nothing new to add or say.. and cuz i didnt wanna be judged on wat i said.. then i realized that a blog gives you the chance to say whatever you want and to hell with it.. its almost therapeutic to say everything you wouldnt normally say.. or just to say whatever.. whenever..
assuming i will be addicted.. although i am a woman of few words..

most amusing insight of the day was that staying home and watching the rain was beautiful.. i feel we take for granted the small things like walking around our house in our pyjama's.. unbelievably relaxing..

dilemma of the day was the O.C. Vs. Desperate housewives.. which one better? I prefer the housewives.. its dark.. has an edge.. O.C. has a tiring plot of ongoing problems or cliche fun.. but still love it so cant complain..