Tolerance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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..

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

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

"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

"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

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

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

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

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

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 !

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

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