Failed attempts at finding normality..

Having recovered from that horrible flu, I am trying to find my grounds again. The combination of extremely elevated temperature and fasting was not pleasant at all. I really did not want to break my fast (I know I am an idiot), but I did not fancy accumulating more days to make up later after Ramadan. I endured long hours of an intense believe that the white and grey matter of my brain was turning into a mush and I will lose all my memory (I wish), but this did not wean my determination to stick to abstaining from much needed liquids (barking mad..I know). I have to admit that I slept for hours and hours, obviously my body needed, but also I did not realise that the coughing syrup I was galloping 3 times after iftar time was making my limps ever so heavy. You see, because of the horrible cough I had, which made my abdominal muscles including my rib cage ache, I thought carrying on taking this bloody syrup will do me just GREAT. Until I read the bottle...I thought MoH have non-drowsy coughing syrup just like the UK!

Naturally, I stopped taking the syrup. Then I realised what I got myself into.

Feeling energised again plus + nothing to do + extra energy because I slept a lot in the previous 10 days = sleepless, and restless babbler..

Thursday night during the last 10 days of Ramadan is not fun. You can hardly decide to drive to have a coffee somewhere in Salmiyah, let alone be in a quiet area with a book.

So, I was on my bed rolling all over until the early hours of the morning. I just could not sleep last night. I am feeling extremely frustrated, missing things I do not have any more and wanted to get away but not knowing where to..I wanted answers and I needed patience (something I have not mastered well yet)...

I Switched on the TV, movie channel and then ta-dah, heard some Irish natter, checked the title and it was 'Intermission'. I thought..let me watch it, I needed to connect to something close to my heart. I never heard of this movie, so it must have been a small budget movie or something. It was starring: Colin Farrell, Shirley Henderson, Cillian Murphy and Kelly Macdonald. It was such a fun movie to watch..I laughed out so much..it cracked me up. I found some photos on the net to post here, but the uploading mechanism is not working..so sorry for the technical failure. Please try to watch it, it is a good light-hearted comedy..I loved the bit when the TV crew realised the shadow was a moustache!

==================================

I was once told that hope was my worst enemy. My hoping mechanism is failing. Whether I want to regain it again, I am not sure. I am just surprised how it does not operate in areas which are much needed...maybe I should engage into cognitive re-interpretation. This should be my next self assignment..

It's that time of year again...

People, I am down with a cold. oh boy, I hate it when it happens. For some reason, I always get cold & flus on weekends which for some of you, is a bonus, for for me it is not. I was absolutely okay on Wed, until night time when I developed this mild cough. Thursday morning involved a mild chest wheeze and a headache, until noon time when the wonderful flavour of cold hit my taste buds. The feeling was ' oh no, not now'.

I was in bed early, not happy with the aches and pains. I slept for long hours, but kept on waking up in the middle of the night a number of times. Friday, was more sleeping and stronger coughing..and now, I am getting sniffly..

Why do I always get ill during Ramadan? Last time I had a cold was last Ramadan too! I can find one reason, the unhealthy diet takes its toll on your immune system especially with the funny sleeping hours.

Looking at the brighter side of things, the weather is getting better! oh joy..I love winters and cold air, the thought of it just makes my heart flutter. Hopefully, by the time I rid myself of this cold, I will be enjoying this lovely weather to the fullest.

In the mean time, I will be reading blogs, watching telly, sleeping and doing work-related reading..

I have been tagged by mother courage

I am not sure who started this tagging business and what is the significance of it. Nevertheless, I have been tagged by the famous mother courage. So, here it goes...

Seven things I plan to do:

• Be more patient
• Become a specialist & world-renowned researcher
• Have my own place abroad
• Get a tattoo & a naval piercing
• Travel
• Weight-train to tone up my physique
• Take up black & white photography
  

Seven things I can do:

• Talk for hours
• Keep things tidy
• Writing
• Throwing a good surprise
• Make others happy (well, I think I do)
• Be independent
• Treat myself

Seven things I cannot do:

• Stay up all night..
• Be dishonest
• Live without my mobile
• Live without my caffeine fix (Obliged to do during Ramadan)
• Keep quiet when I see something wrong
• Keep my opinion to myself
• Sit idle

Seven things I say most often:

• Well..
• No way!
• Anyways..
• ..o bas..
• Put your seat-belt on please
• Oh my God!
• In my experience…

Seven people I want to pass this tag to:
The first seven who read this post

hot hot politics

HH Sheikh Salem's revelations two days ago created havoc in peaceful Kuwait. The Sabah's, together with the current parliament, are gearing up to face any uprising problems which might occur in consequence. Sheikh Salem's accusations, if we are to call them that, of corruption are true. However, one cannot put all the blame on a leader who had faced a lot during his ruling period. One also cannot blame a government which is plagued by tribal thought. One also must not forget that Sheikh Salem is trying to gain power by supposedly logical way, but in an authentic tribal manner..

Political instability/(ies) is/are striking the country, and we have to be prepared for whatever is ahead. I tried to imagine:

• what will come of those Marina Mall strollers with rainbow coloured t-shirts and spiked up hair if a revolution happens? will they just carry on strolling aimlessly?
• What will happen to women rights?
• What is Sheikh Salem like? Do we know enough about him and his agendas to be able to resist any opposition?

There are many other important questions we should be thinking of at this critical time.

Just to end the post in a classic old-fashioned Kuwaiti way:

أمان يا كويت

Advantages of living in Kuwait: 2. Ramadan working hours

Listening to: Another lonely day by Ben Harper and Pearl Jam

As Ramadan was approaching, I made a conscious decision that I should take this month to relax. This of course was in gratitude to the fact that my 'governmental' working hours were so short. In addition to the fact that eating activities are deducted, hence more hours to spare. I thought the equation which I am facing at present is:

Late start + 4 official working hours + no work-related activities in the afternoon + guilt-free siesta + night life (not the wild type) = time to SLEEP & RELAX

So, day one of the fasting month started and thankfully enough I stuck to my relaxation vows. I started my long walks again, continued reading my lovely novel and also managed to refresh my memory with information I had to read for work. I love it when I come back from work and go straight to bed sleeping for as long as I want and not to have to worry about how it will affect my sleep at night.

I paid hard for the years I spent fasting in the UK. I had to be at University from early mornings until past If6ar time. So, having such luxury just handed over to me is overwhelming. At work, so many were complaining that we should get the whole month as a holiday. I say, some people just take things for granted. At least those 4 hours or so at work make the day go faster and only help you to sleep more in the afternoon.

Again, thank you lazy government officials for allowing us a free and paid relaxation month.

========================

I realised what was wrong with my template. It was all down to my browser which decided to play up. It is too complex and long to put down here. I am just happy that things are all back to normal again..

========================

Reasoning with someone who sees the glass half empty torments you

Ramadhan and plenty of spare time

First things first...مبارك عليكم الشهر

It is most strange that the activity on the blog-o-sphere has been suboptimal during the last month. I predict it will continue during Ramadhan too, especially with the extreme change of sleeping and munching routines.


If any of you had noticed, I changed the template of my blog. Something happened to my html settings in the last template, and I thought by trying to change the template, things will go back to normal. Obviously it did not. For some reason, my sidebar had decided to take a different location or the main body of the template...not sure which one went wrong. Anyhow, with the spare hungry hours I have, I tried over and over again to play around with the html settings. So far, I have not noticed much change. Then I thought maybe if I post something new, it will go back to normal...so I am keeping my fingers crossed this time.

If any of you know how to solve this problem, please let me know as it is getting on my nerves.

any html geniuses out there?

The Doha Debate

Today, on BBC world there was a program titled ' The Doha Debate', which as the name stated was located in Doha (Qatar). As I was flicking through the channels I decided to stop and watch it for a little while. I would like to share a part which angered me a little..

Ms. Ghada Karmi, enthusiastically defending the Palestinian cause, was accusing the Arab countries for relying on the Americans politically a little too much, hence their hands are tied when it comes to dealing with Israelis. She further explains, that the Arab countries are taking too many favours from the American government, therefore they have to support the Americans in whatever they do. Since Israel is backed up the Americans, the Arabs are too lenient towards the Israeli presence on Palestinian soils. Ms Karmi added, that the Arab countries should stop accepting those American favours and stand by the Palestinians so they are a stronger front against the Israelis...

So, a lady stood up and asked her: But aren't you asking for too much from the Arab countries?

Ms Karmi kindly said: No...(now I forgot what else she said here)

All I would like to say to Ms Karmi:

• Has she forgotten how the Palestinians stabbed us (Kuwait and the Kuwaitis) during the Iraqi invasion when we used to be their no. 1 supporters?
• Wasn't it for the Americans who helped us to get our country and homes back?

I am very sorry Ms Karmi, with all due respect for many, The Palestinians do not have a good track record...

Deep down, I wish the Palestinians would get their rights back, but not on the expense of others..

and I agree with the lady, Ms Karmi was asking for too much.

==============================

On another note: Bali got bombed again, shame on those extremists who are cowardly attacking the innocent when and where they cannot retaliate.