TRIP

Seriously ?
Yeah not kidding !
Actually I’m not off on another trip I just got back from another trip :P
I didn’t have the face to post before traveling.. as well as time issues !

I went to Qatar, for a wedding.. had a blast.. stayed at the Four Seasons.. and came back with the flu !
I’m typing this while tucked under a cozy blanky at my sisters house.. didn’t feel like staying home alone seeming my folks are outta town.. I hate this sick feeling ! I can’t smell, taste, and my nose is so red and sore !

Anyways, I am officially jinxed !
Remember when I was an active poster ? well now I’m lucky if I get something down once every month or two ! Huft !

I’m a busy gal ok ! but I miss this place.. I really really do…

TIP

Being the patient person that I am, the only thing I can’t tolerate is rudeness.. lately I realised I have a very limited tolerance for STUPID ppl too.. I used to pity them before for their ignorance.. but lately I really don’t have the time for it.. silly buggers !

I can’t handle cold hearted, emotionless ppl who take forever to express themselves even though they don’t mean to come across in such a manner but they end up doing so as a habit and when they do finally make an effort they expect some gratitude for it.. I say go shove a sock in it for Pete’s sake either do it with a good will or bloody well keep it to yourself !

How many chances do you give a person to prove themselves ? 1 ? 2 ? a week of patience ? 2 ? a month ?

I say twice, 3 times is enough.. otherwise why waste time waiting for something worthy when it’s just not in them !

CLIP

Being sick and in bed all day.. the best way to kill time is obviously watch an Indian flick..

enjoy this clip from Jodhaa Akbar:

Funny.. only a few days ago I was wearing a Sari for a Henna Night prior to the wedding I attended.. and I was thinking to myself I haven’t seen an Indian movie in ages.. strange how things fall into place without planning right ?

Whatever !!! I know the clip is mushy and all lovey dovey… just deal with it ok.. my estrogen levels are high !!!

(Pooj… I miss you)

Remember when I said it seems I only post when I travel and when I get back ?

Well I shoulda just swallowed my words and stayed quiet.

I’m off again, and yes that’s why I’m posting coz I refuse to travel without an update and this is a way overdue update !!

Nevertheless, it something.

I got a new job :)

What were you expecting me to keep travelling the world forever ?

I gotta make some money you know. and the only thing that would stop me from my travelling mania is if I got a job to ground me !

I’m officially grounded. I swear if there was no order in this world I would have definitely contributed to it’s destruction!

I love my job, I love my team, I love life !

That’s about it..

Yep, since I’ve been back all I’ve been doing is working and then heading home to family and my bed.

So this is another spontaneous trip to Dubai.

I hear everyone is there now and it’s mega packed, I couldn’t care less to be honest.

As long as I’m with my family, friends and the kids… and ofcourse Mellia.. then I’m happy.

I’m happy..

Are you happy ?

(p.s.

image taken above by myself, june 2007.

No photoshopping, just focal black&white. The tower was actually lit red.)

Everyone knows the typical question “if you were stuck on a deserted island what would you do ? / what would you wish you had with you ? / or even who would you like with you ?”

Well imagine you’re stuck on a happening island with so much to do, from trekking, to rock climbing, to diving, biking, island hoping and so much more; But, you can NOT do anything.. in-fact you have not yet even seen the beach.. worse yet you have only seen the airport, checked into a hotel the straight to the hospital.. yes hospital..

So here I am, after spa-ing in the North with Dad he decided he wanted to see the south of the country seeming he never had. So we booked spontaneously and the day we arrive, he falls sick, very sick; it scared me so much. I took him to the hospital and he’s been admitted the past 6 days, he’s had an emergency surgery and now he’s well.

It was so amazingly strange that in the midst of the holiday madness and storm of tourist on this very popular island, I felt very alone!

I felt I was on a deserted island.

So here’s my input for you about being stuck on an island:

- Even though I wasn’t on a deserted island it felt that way coz I was alone and felt I was losing my dad (allah e7aftha)

- In such a situation, you won’t care about a safe place to stay (I stayed mostly in the hospital bunking up outside the ICU)

- You won’t need a laptop or phone (though I kept in-touch with family and had support from a few friends.. I really wasn’t in the mood to chat)

- You won’t need food coz you’ll lose your appetite and if you starve you’ll make do with whatever you find.

- You will need hope and faith to keep your spirits high.

- but mostly you will need COMPANY.

After a few days my brothers arrived and it was nice to finally have a shoulder to lean on. So at the end of the day if I was stuck on a deserted island, all I’d want with me is … is … is someone to give me a hug, tell me all will be ok and a friendly face to smile to when I’m feeling low.

Dad is well (7imdilla), we’re just waiting for the doc to give us the ok so we may travel back home. Bro’s have been fab and the best support a little sister could ever have. Those friends who know have been beyond thoughtful and caring, and those who have yet to know I know they woulda been too. 

One thing I have to note is that this is a fab Hospital and have not seen the likes of it or anything close anywhere, not in Europe, States or the Middle East !

We all fear losing the ppl we love, to me maybe that is my biggest fear. but I must say I learned to balance that fear by trying to understand the cycle of life, and death. During my Father’s toughest days at the ICU, the nurses would ask me to leave as it’s against hospital regulation for anyone to be there for long. The newborn baby nursery was close to the ICU, I would step out and gaze through the nursery window and attain an instant sensation of warmth and calmness. It’s amazing how the sight of children could make you forget the worries of the world, or atleast in my case it made my mind at ease.

P.S.

Their kids here are beyond adorable ! They look like real life anime.. they even sound like it too ! absolutely adorable I tell you !!

    I’m off to rub Buddha’s tummy for luck ;)

I’ll be back in 2 weeks my lovelies..

Will miss you all..

(Lately, it seems I only post when I travel and when I return from my travels the past few months.. huft.. I’ll be a good girl when I get back inshala)

I just received a fab email from a friend asking my opinion on this post that she stumbled across on CraigsList. Now, be sure to scroll down and read the initial post dated Oct 4.

Basically it’s a young woman ranting about how she wants to marry a wealthy man and wants to know the does and don’ts of how to do so (if there was such a guide line I think she woulda had a better chance asking ppl from this area of the world rather than NYC :P). She goes on to even state how much she wants to meet someone that makes a minimum of half a mill annually !(seriously ? is that the common criteria now for “what I’d like in a suitable life partner ?” what happened to “knight in shining Armor ?”) Oh, and she continues to state that half a million is being fair as that’s what’s regarded to be middle class in NY standards (rather than making her own money and having a life and a sense of responsibility). She doesn’t stop there.. no no.. she goes on to rave about her indescribable beauty and how “Plain Jane’s” have better luck than her in this arena, oh lets just call it shopping shall we !!
Wait ! wait ! The best part is the responses she got from suitable, rich, young and single men. But you have to read them on your own to get the laughs ;)

Now, although this has improved majorly during the past few decades.. yet this is a typical case of what we have here in our dear home country.. and at times I feel sad for these ladies as one of the guys in the responses put it.. the “gene pool” is all messed up coz you got “gold digging mummies”.. teaching their “gold digging daughters” the tricks of the trade. And even men are guilty here of looking for a marriage of convenience! After all, it does take too to tango.

Hey everyone is looking for someone, right ? Even though they may deny it completely.. we all don’t want to end up grumpy, old and lonely one day. I understand when girls out there (and even you boys do this !) are out and about trying to find Mr/s right.. but when it’s solely for superficial materialistic reasons.. then what happened to compatibility and life long connection ? What happened to Love ? Huft !! I know, I know, I can’t help being a romantic :)

Beauty.. in the eyes of the beholder ?

hmmm or in the hands of your best nip and tuck surgeon ?

Either way.. Beauty fades, yes.. Moneys can’t buy you happiness but it can buy you everything else.. including some brains.. a little intellect and sanity too.. so invest in yourself mentally, spiritually and do stay pretty.. it always helps to be easy on the eyes !

P.S.

Have a Shirley Temple and enjoy the sweet cherries.. May your lives be as sweet as a cherry.. Don’t forget.. if you can make a knot with the cherry stem by only using your tongue. Then you’re a…

مبارك عليكم الشهر

و عساكم من عواده

Here we go again..

Off on a jet-plane blah blah blah.. you know the drill.. I’ll be back in a few weeks..

As usual I gotta start packing.. or maybe I’ll wait a few more hours and do it just before my flight in a bit.. yep.. that’s most likely whats gonna happen..

You know what I hate about packing ? is worrying about weight and space.. why can’t I just ship everything and then just be indecisive there.. that way even if I don’t wear or use most my stuff.. at least it’s around me and I can build that huge pile of clothes on my bed and floor everytime I wanna go out.. OK I don’t really do that.. well sometimes :P

Ever since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to travel with Trunks.. yes, trunks.. but a trunk on it’s own is heavy let alone trunksssss and all my stuff in it.. then again it would be a hassle seeming you can’t pull a trunk on wheels..

Still I wanna travel with trunks one day..

Well that one day is not today.. but today I’m flying off to Europe and will miss you all plenty..

now be good my lovelies..

Back soon :)

Since I got back from Africa.. Yes it was Africa.. I’ve had a song stuck in my head..(Jambo Bwana - originally by Them Mushrooms but is now a commonly sung tune by many) I heard it once.. and memorized it on the spot coz it’s simple, catchy and I already was using all the Swahili words in the lyrics with the locals.. The scene in the video below is exactly exactly exactly how I came across this infamous East African song.. and I was so happy that these ppl posted their video on Youtube.. In my case.. I was too busy breaking my neck looking up, flabbergasted with his ability and fab voice .. and not to forget swinging to the fine tunes of Reggae..

I thought I’d share this song/scene with you all.. and I bet you’ll all find it quite contagious.. It’s been a month and I’m still singing it daily.. and when I did today, it brought a warmth to me and an instant smile.. It’s amazing how the simplest thought of Africa cheered me up.. even if it only was a tad bit.. so Thank you Africa.. Asante sana..

P.s. Header and thumbnail are shots I took in Africa.

Disclaimer: This is not a mockery of my God.. This is the way we communicate.. We are close that way.. I’m no Joan of Arc.. But I sometimes like speaking my mind to others.. even God.. and if you can’t handle that I’m writing a letter to God or how I chose to express myself toward God.. then don’t read on… and no hate comments.. mo nagi9ny o maly khulg.. Just deal with it..

It’s been a while since I last wrote you.. Ironic actually.. coz I have no faith today.. I have no spirit.. I have no compassion or sensation of any sort.. I feel numb.. I feel empty.. hollow..

My chest hurts.. I have that sinking feeling right at the core of me.. I’m embracing the pain.. it’s strangely keeping me company.. I keep losing my breathe trying to hold back my tears, all choked up.. I keep gasping for air and my lungs are tired.. the pain is tickling me all through to the back of my lungs.. I can feel them expanding and it feels like I am compressing on a sore bruise with every inhale.. my shoulders are heavy.. my knees are weak.. my nails hurt.. yes my nails hurt..

How powerful you are.. you even make my tiny nails hurt when I am sad..

Sad.. is that what I am today ? I’m in such a blur.. how powerful you are to take him away.. yet you leave his memory to linger at my very existence with every day the past 2 years..

It’s been 2 years.. he woulda been 29 now.. young and full of life.. 2 years of waiting, waiting for what I don’t know.. maybe I was waiting for reality to sink in.. maybe I was waiting to forget.. mostly I think I was waiting for him to come back.. or to meet him in anyway possible.. no matter what the odds..

how powerful you are to make me hurt so much.. enough.. watching his last breath was more than enough.. my own flesh and blood.. the closest person to me.. my mentor and guild in this world since the day I was born.. you took away my brother.. you took away a huge part of.. can’t you see how hollow I am.. I beg you enough.. let me be..

I miss him..

so much..

a day never passes without the thought of him..

My eyes are sore.. my voice is hurt.. Curse’d this week curse’d this week.. I hate it.. I hate it !!

Love,

D.