Trick or Treat

October 31, 2013

By znjavid

Did you know that my husband works in a chocolate factory? No he’s not Willy Wonka but something close to it. He brings home half a kilo of free chocolates every Thursday.

So when the door bell rings this Halloween I’ll be giving out chocolates, not stationery, or carrots disguised as candy, but delicious chocolaty chocolates.

And here are some for my fellow bloggers!

Apart from some virtual chocolates I could offer my fellow bloggers some sweet poetry (http://wp.me/p3LoF9-5C), stunning photography (http://wp.me/p3LoF9-9I) and a few laughs (http://wp.me/p3LoF9-at)

And now for some silliness:

I was writing a post

About a scary ghost

When suddenly I felt

My knees start to melt

There’s someone there

In my very own lair,

In the middle of the night

This just wasn’t right.

Had he come to haunt

On his nightly jaunt?

What would he do to me?

Was there time to flee?

Then something familiar

I heard a cough so clear

It was just my Mr Right

Returning from his flight

I certainly was pleased

My breathing eased.

So I deleted my post

About the silly ghost

And decided to write

Something to delight

Was it worthwhile?

Did I make you smile?

Daily Prompt: Trick or Treat

First Day of School

October 30, 2013

By znjavid

When I was little and used to see my older brother and sister going to school every day I just couldn’t wait to start too. I had a small satchel which I would fill with color pencils and say “I want to go to ‘cool”. The nursery was right next to the primary school building where my brother and sister went. I don’t remember much about the first day except that my big sister popped in to check on me.

When my father came to pick us up, he picked up the older two and was driving out when they realized they had forgotten me behind! My father told me later that I somehow knew that I had been forgotten and I told everybody off when they came to pick me. I don’t know if this was exaggerated as I have no memory of that. Apparently I used to tell people off when I was little.

My son’s first day of nursery was nothing like that. They start the first week with just a few hours and then if the child is doing well they expand to full timings. Sometimes the mothers are asked to stay at the school if their child is crying a lot and some even have to sit in class.

Since my son was perfectly happy to go I was told to drop him and check in on him two hours later. When I came in, I got thumbs up from the teacher and told that he was doing fine and that I should come at the end of the day.

When I came to pick him up he had apparently been having so much fun that he didn’t want to come back. He clung to the assistant and refused to come to me! It was so embarrassing, but at the same time I was relieved that he didn’t cry without me.

I wrote this poem about my son’s first year at nursery and the principal published it in her monthly newsletter:

Nadir started nursery last year

To learn a thing or two

Away from his mother

Five hours straight through.

To begin with, quiet was he

Not living up to his potential,

More social he had to be

Said his school principal.

With time he became more sure,

And learnt to make friends,

Colors, shapes, numbers and more,

Hard work paid dividends.

His love of books was nurtured

All day he talked no end,

Working with his hands he preferred,

Anastasia became his best friend.

Another year is about to start,

New friends and things to learn,

Books, music, crafts and art,

And a whole lot of fun!

Daily Prompt: First!

Reliving the Past

October 29, 2013

By znjavid

The other day my mother who has been staying with me for the last 4 months told me that she won’t be able to visit again as she has become too old.

On this visit it’s the first time I felt that my mother really has started looking old and it scares me a bit. How many years has she left with us I wonder? Don’t get me wrong, her health is excellent and apart from some pains and aches she doesn’t have any problems. But when one keeps losing relatives of her age or younger, one can’t help but wonder.

My mother had her children after 16 years of marriage. I think we have kept her young. Nobody could tell the age difference of almost a generation gap between us. She used to keep herself busy, cooking and painting and meeting her friends. But after my father died she stopped doing all these things. She even stopped wearing bangles and it looked strange to see her empty wrists.

And somewhere along the way negativity crept into her life. I have noticed that a lot. If I talk to her about some new project of mine, she always points out the negative factors rather than encourage me to go ahead with it.

Will a pep talk help her? I don’t think so. What really does help her is to involve her in everything I do. My writing, my book readings, my art projects. Creativity dampens negativity. I really believe that.

And so I have started a new project with her. I let her talk about old times from her childhood, her marriage, being an army wife and a mother and I write it all down. When we have enough I’ll compile it and it will be something that her grandchildren who never got to meet their grandfather can read. I have noticed that when she talks about those golden days of her life her eyes light up and her voice is full of enthusiasm. I find no negativity there.

This is my pep talk for her. She talks and I write.

Daily Prompt: Pep Rally

Ibn Battuta Mall

October 29, 2013

By znjavid

Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai is the world’s largest themed shopping mall. It consists of six courts, each of whose designs are inspired by some of the countries visited by the great explorer Ibn Battuta.

Today while on a shopping trip with my mother, I took some pictures of the Persia Court. Have you seen a more beautiful Starbucks than this one?

My charming son

October 29, 2013

By znjavid

Though children can at times be naughty little devils, they also know how to be charming and affectionate. My son can be a real charmer when he wants to:

When I lie down at night,

And think about the day,

With no doubt the highlight

Is when you come to say,

“Mama I want to kiss you!”

Elated, I open up my arms,

My smiling face next to you,

Enraptured by your charms.

And then you hold sweetly,

My face in your chubby hands

And on my cheeks so neatly,

A cute little wet kiss lands!

Seven words

October 28, 2013

By znjavid

Khalil Gibran once said that people will never understand one another unless language is reduced to seven words.

This quote has been taken from his work of Poetry called “Sand and Foam”. Khalil Gibran uses the number “seven” very frequently in his work. In the same work he has used the number “seven” eleven times.

As I researched online I found that the number seven is sacred in most religions.

In the same work he also says:

“Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it so that the other half may reach you.”

I wonder which half this quote that the Daily Prompt has given us today belongs to and whether we should really be trying to reduce the language to seven words. Maybe what he was trying to say was that to understand each other we should reduce the unnecessary words and get to the point. Just like when sending a signal, noise should be kept to a minimum, if at all.

And so I will keep this post short. I think you will get my point better.

Daily Prompt: Seven Wonders

DIY wolf costume

October 27, 2013

By znjavid

My son’s favorite character these days is the Big Bad Wolf. So for Dress up Day in school I decided to make him a wolf costume. His costumes are always homemade. It’s fun and inexpensive.

I looked this up on the internet and found some designs using felt and a hoodie. Since it’s still not cold enough for a hoodie I decided to improvise and used the same pattern on an old hat I had. Much more comfortable in this weather! I embroidered his shirt to read “LITTLE WOLF”.

Do have a look at the tail and the claws! (also made of felt)

I think he can just see under the Wolf’s nose!

And here he is just being a Big Bad Wolf!

DIY Wolf Hoodie costume

The 3 stages

October 26, 2013

By znjavid

My husband thinks I’m a big miser, but he should be happy right? I don’t go about splashing his hard earned money. I try to buy at sales and look for good deals. Maybe it’s because I used to have a job and I know what it’s like to work hard to earn something. Nah, that’s not it, I’m just a big miser.

So the problem that arises is that if I ever do indulge myself, and buy something expensive I become the biggest pain in the neck. I go through these three stages.

Stage 1: Doubt. Did I really need to buy it? Should I have bought another style, another color?

Stage 2: Guilt. Why did I spend so much money on it when it doesn’t even look that good?

Stage 3: Self Assurance. Maybe it is pretty nice and really worth it.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 involves bothering my husband with questions, trying on the new merchandise and asking him hundred times how it looks. Of course when he answers without looking I have to ask him again.. and again till he says in exasperation “It looks fine!”

“Fine is not good enough for what I’ve spent on it” I answer.

“It looks good, OK?”

“You said fine to start with”.

So what I really need to do is break this habit of mine, skip Stage 1 and Stage 2 and land directly at Stage 3. I should learn to enjoy an expensive pair of shoes or a new piece of jewelry without feeling guilty. After all every woman deserves it once in a while doesn’t she? And I guess after having made that purchase, my husband just wants to be left alone.

Daily Prompt: Breakdown

Sunshine Award

October 26, 2013

By znjavid

A big thank you to Sheen Meem at Flowers and Breezes for nominating me for the Sunshine Award. Do check out her blog for some wonderful poetry and life experiences.

Rules for the award are:
1. Use the Sunshine Award logo in the post.
2. Link to whoever nominated you.
3. Write ten pieces of information about yourself.
4. Nominate ten fellow bloggers, “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere”.
5. Leave a comment on the nominees’ blogs to tell them of the award.

So about me:

I don’t believe in zodiac signs as I know many people who have the same sign but are totally different. My sister and I are an example. I don’t even know what sign my son is.
I love all types of fruit and could just have fruit for a meal.
Unlike a lot of people I struggle with being underweight though you can’t tell that in my pictures. (Yeah, having fruit for a meal is not a great idea!)
As a child I was a tomboy and loved following my brother around.
I care a lot about what others think of me.
I love dressing up.
I only like putting nail polish on my toenails.
I am one of those people who are always punctual. I hate being late.
I don’t like dogs. (Sorry!)
I love decorating my house and collecting beautiful things. They make me happy every time I look at them.

And here are my nominees. Check them out for some sunshine in your lives:

1. A Curious Gal

2. Jesse Robben

3. The Library Lady and Rosie Bear

4. What Is It?!?

5. The Adventures of Inigo Boy

6. Rob’s Surf Report

7. Moments In Your Life

8. My Guilty Pleasures

9. Okay, what if?

10. Castelsarrasin

Phew! Awards are hard work! I hope all of you will accept the award.

http://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/2013/10/21/sunshine-award/

http://lifeconfusions.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/Sunshine-award/

Pakistani culture

October 25, 2013

By znjavid

NASA is building a new Voyager spacecraft that will carry the best of modern human culture. What belongs onboard?

Civilization stands at the brink of extinction. I represent my country and am in charge of sending on the spacecraft the best of Pakistani culture.

I would include the inspirational poetry of Iqbal:

When an eagle’s spirit awakens in youthful hearts,
It sees its luminous goal beyond the starry heavens.

Thy abode is not on the dome of a royal palace;
You are an eagle and should live on the rocks of mountains.

and of Faiz Ahmed Faiz (translated into English):

We shall see
It is imperative that we shall also see
That day which has been promised
Which is written with God’s ink
We shall see

When the mountains of cruelty and torture
Will fly like pieces of cotton
Under the feet of the governed
This earth will quake
And over the head of the ruler
When lightening will thunder
We shall see

photos depicting the architecture of the area dating back to the Indus Civilization of the 3rd millenium B.C. and more recently the Moghul era starting from the 16th century,

Badshahi mosque, Lahore

the hypnotic Qawwali (devotional music of the Sufis) of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

and the ghazals with the central theme of love and separation of Noor Jehan,

videos of the upbeat and popular Bhangra dance from the Punjab,

the paintings of Gulgee and Sadequain (or at least pictures of them)

Calligraphy by Ismail Gulgee

Section of the mural “Treasures of Time” (65 x 10 foot) pays tribute to intellectual advancement of the Arab scholars. Shown in the section are Al-Beruni, Al-Khawarizmi, Omar Khayyam, Ibne Rushd, Sadequain, IbneZakaria, Rumi, Al-Idrisi, Hafiz, and Ibne Khaldun

videos of the victorious Field Hockey team in the Olympics and the World Cup and the Cricket team in the 1992 World Cup and the winning matches,

Cricket World Cup winners 1992

samples of the Shalwar Kameez, the national clothing worn by men and women.

Models in the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, 2011

and lastly samples of delicious Pakistani cuisine which has Middle Eastern, Iranian, Afghan, Indian, and Turkish influences like Biryani (rice with meat), Tikka (Barbequed meat), Daal (Lentils) and Chapati (bread) (I’m assuming they have a way of preserving food and maintaining it’s temperature on the spacecraft).