I am very much into heavy metal, alternative, goth metal, and grotesque (mainly MM), but lately I have been listening to a lot of rnb/hip hop on the radio and some *gulp* pop music!

To my horror, I find myself liking the songs below lately:

1. Rihana – Russian Roulette
2. Sean Paul – Press It Up
3. Guy Manoukian – Shooting Star
4. Wiley – Wearing My Rolex (shockingly grows on you!)
5. Lady Gaga (whose real name is *brace yourself* Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta!) – Bad Romance
6. Pitbull *drool* – Room Service
7. Jay Z + Rihanna – Run This Town
8. Timbaland + Missy Elliot – Get involved
9. Timbaland + Nelly Furtado – Morning After

so its kind of a big change to my usual stuff.. but its ok to listen to sth that doesnt ivolve a lot of hearing impairing loudness and suicidal thoughts.

was a three day celebration starting 31 Oct ending 2 Nov. Modern day Dia de los Muertos is celebrated on 1 & 2 Nov only.

Dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead) is a ritual practiced for at least 3000 years in what is now called Mexico. Its simply a way to honor the dead, and celebrate their lives. Instead of fearing death, the aztecs and other meso-american cultures embraced death and celebrated it. Sugar skulls are baked with the names of the deceased on the forehead, and gets consumed by the family and relatives of the deceased. They decorate cemeteries, bring their deceased loved ones’ favorite foods, and sit on blankets at night talking about their fondest memories and eating these foods. Celebrating death and rebirth.

I am fascinated with the colourful skulls to be honest. I would love to get one as a memorial tattoo for dad. I vowed once never to get any faces inked on my skin although i have a perfect picture of dad (allah yer7amo) back in the 70s, black and white and very classical but beautiful, so a day of the dead sugar skull would be the next best thing.

I donno if any of you goes trick or treating, or dresses up for a halloween house party, but whatever you do tomorrow, have fun and celebrate life!

* TGIT! seriously, that was one of the longest weeks in history. well in my (short) history! its funny how happiness/misery sometimes can be a powerful time measurement unit! I wonder about the ancient times, before watches and sand clocks, how did they measure time when they were happy/miserasble? i mean we can say “the hours stretched forever” or ” the minutes wouldnt pass”, how about them? were they aware of the concept of time? or was it only measured by day and night in their heads.. worth googling i reckon! or snuggling in bed tonight with my best friend, the Discovery Channel <3<3<3 

* I thought i was such a good judge of character in the past, and now I am more sure than ever. Since i moved into the new office, i have observed everyone, I tend to take my sweet long time to mingle and make friends as i am a firm believer that there are no friends at work. Everyone will in the end worry bout theirselves. But if someone opens up, i give my two ears to listen! lol. so this girl who sits fairly close to my desk and i have been talking more frequently lately, general stuff, we’re both into astronomy/astrology, books, and jewelry : D but the other day she started telling me the office gossip. And its fascinating that most are just as filthy, and some, just as evil, and others, just as manipulating as i expected them to be. even though i did not engage in any talk with any. it’s not that i impressed myself. but it’s just funny how the human race can sometimes be so predictable.

* over the weekend as I was driving back from my sister’s place, i had to pass through al Quoz road, and to my joy and ultimate happiness, i found a huge traffic tail, as i somehow get clausterphobic, i got out of the car for a minute in the stand still to see what was holding us up. turns out the first car in the tail line was a cab, whose driver was honking frantically loud at two peacocks crossing the road AS IF they would listen or be bothered! its so weird that on al Quoz road you would see more exotic animals than you would at Jumeirah Zoo! i once saw a deer and its fawn crossing, someone was once mentioning they saw a couple of monkeys on that road too, and my boss was telling us the other day that he saw a leopard crossing! can you imagine your state of mind if you see a free wild leopard just crossing the street? I would panic and faint!! It seems there’s some mansion or sheikh’s palace there.

after a long (and boring) training session today.. this was very spot on. Have a good weekend everyone!

Its been a long while since i had one of those, so here’s a thought!

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway, and do good anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway.

- Anonymous

(warning: girly post ahead)

I am in no way in the business of advertising for any product on my blog, however, i recently purchased an item that i had no faith in, only to change my mind from one day’s use!

I was instantly and pleasantly surprised! I felt the activity in every muscle, and my posture (which isnt bad to start with) was immediately better. Now, it is said that if you wear it regularly even if around the house, you are bound to tone your legs and glutes, and lose up to 4 inches a month from your thighs while banishing cellulite! I’ll give an update a month later, but if you have weak legs, or are a diabetic, or have a knee injury (like myself), bad back, or even arthritus, this flip flop helps ease the pain and improve posture. It might not be the prettiest design, but they’re coming up with new designs like fringed ones and closed fronts.

Im hearting my fitflops <3 <3 <3

لأن لازم افش خلقي!!!

كنت بالاردن الاسبوع اللي فات، للأسف، لأخلص امور من ضمنها حصر الارث و اللذي منو من معاملات رسمية و التي تتطلب التواجد في الدوائر الحكومية… و ما ادراك  ما الدوائر الحكومية! عنجد سموها دوائر لسبب وجيه! بتدوخ و انت بتلفلف لتوصل للي بدكياه

و ما وصلت للي بدياه!

i seriously cannot begin to explain the amount of rage and anger that was brewing in me everytime i had to set foot in any of those places, المخفر، المحكمة، الاراضي، الاحوال الشخصية,  the amount of قله احترام للمراجع and the way they so obviously displayed their nonchalant attitude to the people infront of them, not to mention the SMOKING! انو مش مفروض يكون ممنوع بالمكاتب\المخافر it was insane! i was ready to either kill someone, or just kill myself!

so i decided to come back and do what i have to do through the Embassy/Consulate here in UAE. Eft!

A couple of reasons as to why i found it hard to smile even though i live in sharjah…

a) power outages! Last Thursday, as i was driving home in the suffocating traffic between dubai and sharjah, i learn that the traffic is worse due to traffic lights not working in sharjah since there is a major power outage (SEWA needs a huge revamp!) so i quickly called the laundry dude in my building (simply because the watchman was too lazy/sleepy to answer) and asked him if we have electricity in our building! I was devastated with his quick and depressing ‘No’ (i live on the tenth floor!) but had no choice, i was way past the stage where i can make a turn and go back to dubai, to crash my sister’s office iftar party. or just hang out somewhere till iftar time.. thankfully i got home to find the building all lit again : D and did not have to go up 3828467 stairs to go up to a humid home! But other areas of Sharjah did not have any electricity till way later in the evening. I mean what about the families who dont have a car to stay in for a while until the power comes back, or drive somewhere to escape the heat at home! Something has to be done. I just dont quite know what.

b) A sudden tooth ache on Saturday night, eve of Eid, and not a living breathing good doctor/dentist was at their clinic! So had to wait till Tuesday and sustain Eid with a terrible tooth ache and an accompanying migraine. Needless to say, im almost limping coz one side of my head is heavier since my cheek is intensely swollen today, i had a root canal yesterday with the only working dentist in town.  She’s good though, so no regrets there..

Other than that, Eid was ok, busy first day, quiet the next, and the third was just a lazy-at-home day, where i was catching up on domestic chores and what not..

Yes, its another ’fashion dont’ post. and I will post for both genders, dont feel like writing two posts : D

Nail art: if you like art, buy a painting! having all these colours and designs on one of the smallest paintable parts of your body is not flattering. either french it, or stick to one colour.

Mullets: business in the front, party at the back. this look is so 80s, and it should have stayed there!

The male goth look: keep the pale foundation, black eyeshadow, and wine lips for women please. that look has goth to go!

Tiaras: unless you’re the queen of england, or a beauty queen, or natalie portman, refrain from wearing a tiara in public. you can play princess at home. alone.

Oversized bags: like outrageously oversized it would fit an infant. not flattering or fashionable at all.

Top to bottom branded items: a bag is enough, and maybe a pair of shoes. but full on head to toe will only make you look like designer luggage.

Funky coloured leather/suede: if you dont see that colour in nature on some animal then its not the way God intended it to be. You dont see pink cows, why wear a pink suede trouser? with the exception of red leather jackets, everything else is a no!

Satin and lace shirts: fit for the bedroom, and not the boardroom. (no pic, use imagination)

The side swept high ponytail: if you’re over 6 years of age, keep your ponytail behind you.

Mesh tops: need i say more? :la6im:

Disappointment is a sort of bankruptcy – the bankruptcy of a soul that expends too much in hope and expectation.
- Eric Hoffer

Sometimes, unintentionally, i give some people the benefit of the doubt, or too much credit, or just like them enough to expect the best out of them. Normally, i dont have much expectations, to avoid disappointment. But sometimes, it happens. w ghaltet il sha6er bi alf. (loosely translated into: a wise man’s err is equal to a thousand mistakes)

Disappointment is a hard emotion to process, its something that will always feel bad. Like with a first love, it will always be intense, the ones that come after that, less intense. but with disappointment, it will always hurt the same. I think what hurts more is the affirmation that our judgement is impaired and flawed.

The ways i found effective in getting over it, is disenchantment, and detachment.

And what did i do? Nothing! Absolutely nothing.

I am not one bit happy with my ‘activity’ this Ramadan. I had so much to do, humanitarian work, relatives visiting, work load was a bit more than usual, and the little time i had left, was not enough for all the religiousness i was planning to catch up on..

It seems that every year that goes by, im losing the energy i had, for midnight prayer for example.. and i dont necessarily like it.. i feel guilty in fact!

Wishing you all a serene end to a peaceful month. and a Happy Eid : )

embracing that change is not always easy..

what are your priorities at this stage of your life?

this is a question for both genders.

for the sake of the  most effective birth control possible, would you get ‘clipped’ if you’re a man? or ‘tie your tubes’ if you’re a woman? Also, for the men out there, would you let your wives ’tie her tubes’ in the future knowing that it is a big deal, a full on surgery with anesthesia and risks while getting clipped is a) reversable, and b) less risky and can be done in minutes?

random Q,  which was somehoe inspired after watching some sitcom a while back. it got me thinking, would the average arab male consider these options to begin with? and will the average arab woman be open for such a drastic measure to the ways of nature? But i guess with the side effects of the pill, and the very low percentage of men who would use ‘protection’ after they get married, one may want to think of other options.

no its not a quiz post.

i tend to see the word as ‘judge’ & ‘mental’ to tell you the truth! i dont think i was ever that judgemental, except when i was younger maybe, i had my few moments. however, the longer my journey goes is in this life, the more relaxed and laid back i have become, and the less judgemental i ended up. almost reaching zero judgementalitis (yes, in the infection form).

I am not sure how we become judgemental to be honest, but i always thought it was an environmentally acquired trait. if one is raised in a stereotyping community, one might get more accustomed to the idea of labeling others.. of course there are exceptions, who wouldn’t get affected by the people around them, rather build their own persona and own method of thought. I am not sure if it has to do with how religious we are either, but an old discussion with an ex colleague and a forever best friend brought it up, she believes that if one has faith in God being the ultimate judge of our actions and behavior, then one will never override God’s ‘authority’. Maybe some form of judgement is ok to have? to help in self valuation and self advancement? I dont know.

The judgement that i do not approve of however is the mechanism that we use to create and perpetuate separation, segregation, negativity and limitation for ourselves and from others. and sometimes. make ourselves appear better in our own eyes than others,  you know, putting others down to bring yourself up. which makes the second way of becoming judgemental in my books; good old fashioned low self esteem and total laziness to improve oneself, so one choses the easy way out!

After a lot of thought, i have concluded that understanding the following is the easiest and fastest way people can become less judgemental:

1. understanding that REAL confidence, is purely self created!
2. understanding that you are in no way superior to anyone for any reason.
3. understanding that making a negative judgement about another person is always a reflection of who you are, not of who they are.

the end!

* i always used to think people were gluttons for happy endings, but with every incident that happens i become more convinced that people (in our part of the world) CRAVE drama, whether its a car accident, a fire, religiously watching a soap opera, a public lovers’ quarrel, or even someone tumbling and falling in the street! we just have to watch it! the psychologist in me suggests its because of wanting to see others in bad situations, a resounding conviction of  ‘life isnt always perfect to others’ it makes one feel better about one’s life in a way..  but still people, go to therapy in Dubai and STOP RUBBERNECKING on the roads! Some of us would like to reach their destinations!

* One of the things i hate bout this city is that there are no theatres, art cinemas, proper museums, and more cultural events worth attending.. I long for a good foreign movie! or a trip to a good museum, that will actually entice me more than Dubai museum of the ‘old’ heritage of this city. i need something more than 40 years old! I hope now that we have a modern metro system, that someone will actually come up with something less expensive and more educational and cultural. Bleh!

* The new office has such a different culture than the old, not that the old one had any definite culture to begin with, but the new place has a more enviting aura. I am not the type who actually believes in office frienships, as most of them are superficial and periodic, once you leave, you’re forgotten. But this office begs to differ. I see a lot of people who enjoy a professional atmosphere but have strong friendships amongst them outside of the office, which is, quite frankly, very refreshing! I’m not sure i will be makng any of those strong friendships, but I am enjoying a healthier environment. Il7amdila.

* and on a final and completely irrelevant note, my thought of the day: ” A divorce paper is one that gives a wife the upper hand, and gives the husband the middle finger! “

Wow, i have been so away for so long, what has it been now, 4 months? give or take. had a lot to deal with. Changed jobs, finally! I couldnt be happier thank God, il7amdila, im finally back in my element. Personal Banking. No more crappy boss, who incidently, was laid off shortly after i left. I had a tough time on my exit interview, as i was debating the idea of snitching, many of his actions and transactions were completely against compliance (and work ethics) rules. To be honest, my conscience wouldnt have been cleared had i done that. God has his ways. and his cover was blown eventually. Thank God i had no hand in that. seriously. even if it were the right thing to do. I would have felt horrible doing it. Anyway. its all past me now. So totally over. I have a new beginning, and im very content with God’s blessings. Please God, keep them pouring!

I was planning on taking the  metro this weekend, just for the heck of it, from the first station, to the very last one. and back again! lol. But will do that next weekend hopefully. I have never been on a metro can you believe that? all the travel i have done, never once went. i may have an underlying fear of it with all the accidents we hear lol but seriously, i love driving! i dont think i can depend on any other form of uncontrolled transport! especially that our metro has no driver :S feels kinda weird. I just hope it eases traffic, whether i take it or not!

I am developing a craze for books recently! I am especially head over heels for Paulo Coelho. Reading The Zahir now. Just finished Veronika Decides to Die. surprisingly not the dark novel i expected it to be. its kind of life-enhancing! as all Paulo creations i reckon. I also got Deepak Chopra’s Grow Younger, Live Longer. lol. i know, too soon, and so unneeded since everyone thinks im 22-23, while i am fastly approaching 30. Hope that trend sticks on for another 20 years!

I will be back, but i have an urge to go blog hopping. I must have missed out on so many good writings, and many events in your lives..

he was supposed to turn 60 in June. God had other plans.

mom texted sis and i saying he’s tired, and that we should come down and see him.. hopefully when he sees us he will feel better. we did not even set foot in the plane when we got the call that he had passed. i havent seen dad in 3 years, and sis hasnt seen him since start of 2008. the flight was a blur really.. once we got there my cousin picked us up, took us to the hospital where dad passed.. we had to say goodbye to one of the most amazing people and one of the greatest fathers who ever lived in the morgue.. mkaffan. ice cold. yet smiling. he passed away smiling. i still cant believe i have to say allah yer7amo every time i mention my dad.. he did not get to see me in white, never will see my children.. but im sure he will be watching over us all. he always was our guardian. our protector.

please send out a prayer when you read this. Allah yer7amak w ye7sen eleik ya rab.

* its funny (not funny ha ha) how some people like to ruin things for others when its ruined for them! why dont people just leave others alone?! especially the happier ones.. karma is not be taken lightly people!

* i read this sentence somewhere and ever since i did, its been stuck in the back of my head, resurfacing every once in a while to fuel my insomnia again: “if u have no passion for what u do, u’ll never be really happy“..

i have certainly reached that stage. depressingly so.

i’ve prolly been feeling it for a while but denying it coz we as humans do that sometimes, its taking the easy way out basically.. it takes so much risk and effort and energy and even courage to change your life and career dramatically. will you make it? will you not? addeh 3alam 7ayeshmato feek if you dint! not to mention the monetary burden of not being in the same lifestyle level you’re used to (not to mention the people you support financially – i.e. parents or kids)

i feel like i have reached that midlife crisis stage, but im not a man, and im not middle aged, and my crisis doesnt involve cheating or buying a cherry red car! i just think the time is right now. not next year or the one after. now.

the psychology of deception is an interesting study, especially that of self-deception..

deception by general defenition is the act of convincing another to believe information that is not true, or not the whole truth. (brought to you by Wiki).  (personally i believe hiding facts is just as horrible and hurtful as lying). Self-deception  is the process or act of misleading ourselves to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid, self-deception in short is the way we justify false beliefs to ourselves!

Psychologists usually focus on unconscious motivations and intentions when discussing self-deception, they also usually consider it as a bad thing, although its sometimes used as a self guarding mechanism one uses to avoid getting hurt/broken/shocked. we do it all the time. yes we do. i might even exaggerate and claim its an instinctive act at times! but dont quote me on it : D

In relationships, self-deception sometimes helps couples see the best in each other, to a certain extent, relationships could not survive without some level of self-deception, but too much optimism or denial, can be just as costly. The trick is to engage in self-deception in order to see the best in a partner without letting self-deception create too much vulnerability.  In relationships, it can create more harm than good when it limits people from seeing important warning signs, or it leads people to overlook serious problems, or it causes people to put the best spin on everything that happens.  & frankly thats why i personally dont believe in traditional marriages. as everyone wears a mask and partners use self deception to make the suiter look better in their eyes in order to make it happen and rid themselves of society’s pressures. (which in my very humble opinion, is no valid reason to get married!).

 is there a point of this post? not really, just some psychobabble.  every day life brings thoughts and the psychologist in me keeps analyzing people non-stop!

is very widespread, i am inclined to believe its actually instinctive!

(long psychobabble post ahead!)

if you observe children, you find that they are masters at emotional blackmail, and so are parents when they get older, simply coz they go back to being kids again! younger siblings manipulate their parents to blaming the older kids for messes they created.. bosses manipulate their subordinates into doing all the work for them then arrogantly taking all the credit for it and then some! and that’s where the art part comes in. art here has to be subtle.

i like to think that manipulation is split up into two directions, one is mind manipulation, while the other is emotional manipulation.

mind manipulation is best described as brainwashing or mental hacking.. which means enslaving the person and puppet-izing them, sometimes with the use of hypnosis. most of mind manipulation is seen in cults, groups, and the army. i believe in the Arabic saying (il zann a2wa min il se7er – loosely translated into ‘continuous nagging is stronger than voodoo’).. techniques include: endless repetition, group-think (using the whole group to draw each person into its mindset), enemy creation, and control of both the surroundings and the flow of information. by themselves, each technique has little effect, but when taken together, they create a strong influence over personal thought-patterns and behaviors. i tend to believe that this form of manipulation began with satan, and is still ongoing.

mind manipulation is a bigger concept and a more agressive tactic and is used usually by groups, emotional manipulation is used between individuals and is more subtle and sometimes unnoticable except after a while, so you need to adjust the sensetivity of your bullsh!t meter to escape unharmed!

you can spot an emotional manipulator easily, they 1) never try to be honest and even if you ask them specific questions you will only get vague answers 2) say one thing and later assure you they did not say it! its called crazy making, and be sure to make them know ur on to it, carry a pad and pen if you to jot down stuff if have to! it’ll tick them off. 3) make you feel guilty for speaking up OR not speaking up, for caring or not giving a damn, for being sensetive or insensetive. they will make you feel guilty for anything and everything, since most of us are inclined to do whatever is necessary to reduce the feeling of guilt and thats where they want us! 4) have no sense of accountability at all, and will never take responsibility for themselves or their behavior, and usually they dont do their ‘dirty’ work themselves either. they manipulate others to do it for them. very satanic behavior.

if you’re being vulnerable, dont show it, an emotional manipultor present will take advantage of it and will be the willing helper until they get full control.

* hypocrites must be, in addition to liars, my most loathed category of society. i dont understand how can one think something, and do another. or be nice to someone in the face, and then take their chance at bashing/offending them behind their backs, in the case im referring to, it was deliberate, & right infront of me, but in a concealed manner.. as in, using an Alias!  you know yourself. and i dont know how you even began to think i would be so oblivious. im no idiot.

* actually yeah, thats all i wanned to blurt out today!

everything else is variable..  i completely agree with that proverb.

everyone changes at some point, i believe it happens at least once every 5 years of ones life, some change occurs in preferences, taste, degree of stubbornness, some qualities mellow out, others become more intense.. even if it was a very small change, it happens, personally, some things i liked 5 years ago don’t quite matter to me now..

so when you realize that your partner/spouse is changing.. in ways you did not see/expect, what do you do? do you immediately run away? do you doubt the foundation of your relationship? does it make you evaluate your current partner’s personality as a separate one from the initial personality you knew him/her with? i guess what I’m trying to ask is: would change eventually lead to an end?

one cant always be certain of everything, however, in relationships, i reckon its more of a leap of faith! you’re not certain of how things will go, but you have almost utmost faith in your better half.. or at least that’s what the idealist in me thinks.. i believe love will conquer all.. yeah yeah i know, wishfull thinking, foolish optimist, etc etc.. but that’s what i believe.. love should be the foundation, the base, the essence. and it should be the reason for eventual acceptance, and a partner’s accomodation to those changes. also, i find talking helps, there should be clear communication between a couple to figure out what is the reason behind any change, especially if that change is dramatic. coz i dont think anyone wakes up to realize something has changed! its a process, and stages, and unless the couple communicates properly, it will go unnoticed until it hits you one day and you find yourself in a rut!

the scary part is not knowing how to take a leap of faith anymore..

Premeditation will kill the trust
They’ll never know if you fear me
With every second collecting dust
I feel so bloated and weary

……

 
She’ll cut you down with a single thrust
She’s taken over too quickly
No medication can cure the lust
So say a prayer for the sickly

from my favorite band at the moment, Seether, song called Like Suicide.

i will not post accompanying pictures, since its a long post!

25.  octopus: especially baby octopus, deep fried with tartar or marinara sauce, or simply in a salad, yum!! it might not look very appealing in the raw, but when cooked the taste is heavenly.

24. gazelle meat:  in my meat eating days i was pretty adventurous with the meat i tried. and gazelle or dear meat was exquisite! very woody kinda earthy taste, dark meat, cooked to perfection with red potatoes and gravy.. num!

23. Lobster: this sweet meat has to be eaten at least once before one moves on! its light, sweet, succulent, and simple.

22. sushi:  sushi must be my favorite, even though i dont eat red meat or white, i love seafood! and i crave every once in a while, and usually in the form of sushi. i do not appreciate sashimi but sushi is amazing, especially with a heavy dose of wasabi! Yum!

21. hot dog from a street cart! lol i dont think there’s anything better than that! warm bread, all the toppings one would wish, and the great outdoors! (for those of you in the states, dont take that delicacy for granted!)

20. curry:  i think the indian cuisine is one of the best if not the ultimate best in rich, colourful, spicey aromatic foods. and curry being the king of all food, best if eaten in south india, or southern indian restaurants, coz they make the best curries ever!

19. spanish paella: paella is a unique ’saucepan’ dish from spain, that is both spicey and very de-lish however made! usually its a mix of rice, meat, seafood, vegetables, beans, and spices cooked together with meat/veggie stock and chili paste, you can be creative with the ingredients, or even cook it vegetarian!

18.  mexican mole: bit of a wierd combination, but its a sauce made of chile and chocolate served over meat!  it tastes great whatever the meat used is.. i like the idea of chocolate with salty foods, it makes it more interesting, like in the french cuisine they have an amazing dish of grilled fish and white choc sauce.

17. authentic wood fired oven baked pizza: this is my ultimate favorite! even more than wood fire ovens, i love pizza made on charcoal (like the turkish pizza) that is a must try (and a sure instant love)!

16. sweet potato: as a main dish or dessert, sweet potato is a delicious veggie that is versatile and goes nicely with lamost all cuisines.  i personally like it as sweet potato tempura, or sweet potato pie, but many mash it instead of normal potatoes as it is lower in carb and is suitable for ppl following the GI diet.

15. chowder soup: my favorite type of soup, its chunky, thickened with crackers, its got a creamy base (usually made out of milk, skimmed milk can be used also, hurrah!) the most famous chowder soup is clam chowder, but i personally love potato, corn or mixed vegetable chowder soup more. healthy, chunky, and so good in the cold days!

14. miso soup: or ‘dashi’ is a traditional Japanese soup made out of miso paste some add tofu, some add veggies, the variations are vast but the base is one. a very healthy Japanese snack or side dish, and i think everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime..

13. lucky # 13 is paneer: most famous in indian/persian cuisine. the non melting, non fat cheese cubes incorporated in many vegetarian dishes and i personally love the indian use of paneer in dishes like paneer makhni or dingri mattar paneer.. once tried, you will fall in love instantly!

12. salted lassi: keeping with the indian cuisine, also widely drunk in pakistan and neighbouring south asian countries, is lassi. i love the salted one more than the sweet one coz it makes more sense! its simply yoghurt mixed with a bit of water, salt, pepper, cumin seeds, and sometimes milk and lemon juice.  perfect for summer days!

11. pumpkin hummus: this is a great chinese take on the traditional middle eastern hummus! and it is  a must try. no regrets there i assure you…

10. durian fruit:  the notorious foul smelled fruit that has been banned from buses, hotels, and hospitals in many asian countries, in fact some countries may fine you if you get into a cab or a bus with a durian fruit in your lap! it is a creamy sweet tasting fruit, if you can get past its horrible smell, it tastes like.. vanilla pudding! Durian is also known for its healthy benefits as it cures insomnia, OCD, suicidal depression, parkinson’s disease, PMS, and also can curb a glutton appetite since its rich in proteins and minerals and very filling.

9. dragon fruit: funky color! and tastes amazing. also very healthy and is known to reduce weight and reverse diabetes type 2 if eaten regularly. i love the scent and color of it more than my love for its taste to be frank!

8. rambutans: the overall image isnt so appealing and one may take time to figure out how to tackle it, but once you get there, oh wow the sweetest, silkiest, and most refreshing fruit ever is just waiting! One of my favorites and although i sometimes wish it did not have a seed (flaky skinned seed that you should avoid at all costs when digging into a rambutan) but still is one of my faves!

7. freshly baked saj goodies: i love saj, especially in winter, freshly made before your eyes, with tons of zatar and cheese, and just baked to a perfect crunch! YUM! with mint tea and great company, this is prolly one of the (many) things i would love to eat right  before i die! lol

6. pocky: a japanese snack simply being biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate or strawberry! i love them and the original ones should be tried at least once in a lifetime. recently the variations have become endless: cherry cream covered, almond bits and choc, coffee, toffee, banana and choc, vanilla, and the last i tried was an amazing Glico bitter chocolate pocky! Yum-eee! the japanese come up with the craziest stuff most of the time, but pocky, is a sane yet very addictive treat!  

5. krispy kreme’s original glazed doughnut:  ‘nuf said!

4. MacDonald’s Big Mac: again ‘nuf said!

3. freshly bakes ice cream cones: first, they smell alluring and drool inducing! secondly, they taste just out of this world when they’re fresh!

2. home grown tomatoes: there is nothing more fulfilling than picking up vegetable and fruits and legumes from your own back yard, but even more so if that home grown item is a red, rich, sweet, and juicy tomato! seriously, unbelievable.

1. choclate mousse cheesecake: this i bet women will agree with me on, but men will appreciate since its the most sinful item of food that you can ever sink your teeth into! actually u will not need to use teeth for this as it melts so seductively in your mouth infusing all that (fat) rich taste.. ahhhh! beautiful!

this is my list, feel free to add or even make up your own!
enjoy good food, be adventurous, try new things, especially in their native country, try to stay healthy with your choices, at least most of the time you can always indulge every once in a while..

why does it seem like il 3alam ma betsadde2 yseer shi la yseer everyone talking and blogging about it! the whole blogosphere is repleted and overcrowded with the shoe-throwing incident. are people THAT uninspired? and would people please stop calling my blessed day of birth  ’youm il 8anader’! :rant:

* what is it bout national day that makes ppl ’snap’ in this country! the traffic and accidents and ta5mees and burning wheels and face paint and all that crap! its ittihad, not ta7reer!

* as Eid drops by every year, i find myself more detached of every jolly emotion it should bring.. im more convnced that Eid and all other celebrated occasions, are mostly great forkids.. adults lose something as they get older that doesnt make em enjoy these celebrations.. but the wierdest thing is, i love christmas! of course  for the decorations and colors and all that, not for the religious reason behind it.  oh and Kel 3am w ento b5eir.

* why is it that men hate questions so much!? normal questions and innocent inquiries make a man blow up! inno r their brains designed differently!? like to identify any form of query as nagging! eft! i have no idea how we came from that creature’s rib!

* im sick of everything and need a MAJOR change. suggestions!?

sometimes.. you plan something unintentionally.. its not like you plan it on paper and figure out all its details, just something you want to happen.. sometime in the future in a way or another.. you’re just taking it a day at a time.. all signs are positive.. everything seems to be heading that way.. then something happened.. life happened. and life is a hoe.

so what is one to do when one’s plans come crashing down? one cant give up! coz i believe that winners never quit, and quitters never win. but how do you go on with your life when something that has taken a huge part of your time, effort, emotions, money and years, just doesnt seem to be coming together into reality anymore!?

im a strong person, who has a lot of faith in myself and in God and in fate and karma, and all things spiritual, i believe that some factors of life are out of our control, and the remaining most, is usually in our hands. i’ve never lacked patience… yet i find myself hopeless now. and i hate that feeling!

looking at my last post, i think im coming across as a whiner!! but for those who know me in person, and they are very few.. you know im not. i just have more on my plate than ever before.. apologies to the readers (if any)! lol

this morbidly obese economy is experiencing a minor heart attack.. or is it a major one?

what bothers me most, besides that our jobs are at stake and everything is so uncertain. is that no one wants to tell you what’s going on honestly & clearly! either the decision makers in Dubai are in complete oblivion of what the risks and consequences are, or they just want to calm the panicked masses. either way, its not calming anyone. its only adding to the stress..

hiring is frozen, hundreds of thousands of jobs are hanging by a very thin line, loans, mortgages, cars, cards, expenses, installments, rents! it is said that when a person is in a near death situation their whole life flashes infront of their eyes.. so when a job is about to expire, all the bills of one’s life flash before them too!!

and he cudnt be more true!

this morning, i was unfortunate to witness a terrible accident, involving a motorbike, an innocent pedestrian, & a couple of cars.. and when i say witness, i mean i SAW the WHOLE thing from start to finish.. had to wait for the ambulance and police to finish up wrapping the scene,  announcing the pedestrian (who was a poor municipality labourer cleaning the side of the road) half-dead, rushing the very injured biker to the nearest hospital, clearing up the very TINY shreds of his bike from the road, and then easing the traffic that was backed up horribly..

i cudnt care much bout the traffic, it was just so devastating to see such a waste of life, only coz the biker was speeding and lost control of his bike.. why would anyone want to speed at 630 in the morning!? there is hardly any traffic, there wont be anyone breathing down his neck for being late at work coz its all too early anyway! sigh.. what a shame really..

drive safe ppl, seriously nothing is worth risking your life or that of others..