Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

January 31, 2014

By znjavid

As it’s nighttime and I can’t go out I had to content myself by taking a photo of something inside my house. And what better than my favorite object, my Turkish lamp. Here it is with its reflection in the mirror.

Turkish Glass Mosaic Desktop Lamp #6
Shop Amazon Local – Deals for Your Valentine

Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

Learning from my 4 year old

January 30, 2014

By znjavid

My son got a wonderful report from his nursery this last term. They tell me he is very intelligent and does his work with concentration. Now that’s he’s 4 I’ve got a tutor for him to start reading the Quran. And when she comes over to teach him, my son wants to climb on the table or sit under it. I can’t understand why he can’t sit still just for 20 minutes when he can spend 5 hours at school doing his work so well.

I also can’t understand why he must get up at 6 when the alarm is set for 7:15am and then jump on me in my bed. And why must he go to the park and then tell me he wants to do potty. Despite some of his odd habits there is much I can learn from him.

Last year when he had Animal day in his school he put a python around his shoulders and didn’t bat an eyelid. I could learn courage from him.

One day he was pretending to be a wolf and walking on all fours when he took a tumble and hurt his head. Instead of stopping he went and wore his bicycle helmet. I could learn resilience from him.

He always has an answer ready for everything. When I asked him why he wasn’t eating the cheese with his breadsticks, he said because he wasn’t a rat. And he wouldn’t have his carrots because he wasn’t a rabbit. I could learn to be witty like him.

He was singing a song and changing the words and laughing loudly at the result. I could learn from him to laugh more.

If he’s upset with me over something he’ll tell me to go away and when I leave the room he’ll come after me and try to be friends. I could learn from him to forgive easily.

And lastly he tells me about 10 times a day that I’m pretty and kisses me and hugs me. I could learn to be more loving like him.

Daily Prompt: Generation XYZ

Top 10 Weird Driving Trips

January 30, 2014

By znjavid

It was around two and a half years ago that I got my driving license after 5 attempts at the test. I was extremely delighted since it meant that I didn’t have to appear in the test a 6^th time and also there would be no problem dropping and picking my son who was soon to start school.

Since then I have made some regular trips and some irregular ones. Here are some of the weird trips I have had to make:

Going to the park to pick up my son after an emergency call from his nanny because he needed to do potty and there’s no toilet near the park.
Taking him back when he was done.
Getting an ice cream for my husband from the nearby market late at night because he was craving for one and was too tired to get it himself. What can I say, I’m a dutiful wife!
Rushing to the birthday supply shop to have helium balloons filled up in time for my husband’s surprise birthday party.
Going to my son’s school to pick up his little rubber monster toy which he forgot to bring back with him and threw a big tantrum when he found out it was missing.
Bundling my aged mother, her wheelchair, my son, his stroller and his nanny into the car for a trip to the aquarium. It was worth it, we had a blast!
Bundling 4 ladies and 4 children in my 7-seater with supplies for a ladies day out in the park. This one I could have skipped.
Bringing two tables, 16 chairs and birthday supplies for my son’s birthday party on a day when it had rained heavily and flooded many roads. Thankfully the rain didn’t spoil the party and the tables and chairs looked lovely.
Making a trip to the Oman consulate and getting lost in the process only to find out that we could get a visa on arrival.
Rushing to the hospital emergency in the middle of the night with my son who wouldn’t stop coughing and was refusing to be nebulized. The staff was so inefficient they didn’t see him till half an hour, but thankfully the coughing had stopped more or less.

School assessment

January 29, 2014

By znjavid

Write a post entirely in the present tense.

We arrive at the school well in time for your assessment. Other children come in one by one with their parents. I check you in at the reception and wait with you in the area that they point us out to.

You are so excited to come to the big school and you want to go inside quickly. I on the other hand am a bit stressed. It feels like I’m in for a job interview.

Soon enough they call all the children to queue up. Parents accompany the children who are a bit nervous to be on their own at least up to the hallway. You on the other hand march off to stand in queue with your hands behind your back like you do in your own school. You don’t even look back at me. I come up to you and whisper in your ear that I’m outside while you do your assessment.

I wait outside with the other parents. I wonder why they take an hour to assess a 4 year old child. The first child comes out crying and the teacher looks for her parents. How disappointing for them.

I wonder what you are doing now. Are you following instructions, answering questions or just having fun? Whatever happens, I am so proud of you. Another child comes out also crying. What are they doing inside to the poor children?

I pass the time by talking to another mother seated next to me. We discuss about how difficult it is nowadays to get kids into good schools.

The hour is almost up and now the children start to come outside. This lot looks happy. I see you coming out too. You run to me and tell me you had fun. That’s a relief!

And now for the next two weeks I await the results.

Daily Prompt: Write Here, Write Now

Friday Fictioneers: No Smoking

January 29, 2014

By znjavid

Sami had been smoking since he was 18. When he married at 27, his wife begged him to stop but he wouldn’t listen. Holding his son for the first time he decided he had to quit. So he did. But after a year he was back again.

When his wife was going to have her second baby she reminded her husband how he had quit because of his son. “Do this for your daughter” she said.

Sami has not touched a cigarette since that day. But he does tease his wife about how many children they will have to have.

This story has been written for the Friday Fictioneers. For details see the link below:

http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/31-january-2014/

There’s a space-ship in my neighbor’s garage

January 29, 2014

By znjavid

This is the winning post for the Jan 2014 What if challenge (link given below).

What if you discovered a space-ship in your neighbor’s garage?

I was coming home from my afternoon walk when suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks. There in broad daylight was a shiny white space-ship parked in my neighbor’s garage.

“I knew it” I thought to myself, “I just knew it”. I always knew there was something strange about the neighbors. They had never returned my calls or thanked me for the cookies I sent them nor the chocolates on New Year. And then their two boys were so odd because they never made any noise. I mean how strange is that? I never saw them playing in the garden or heard them shouting or laughing.

I giggled to myself. So my neighbors were aliens. I wondered what they actually looked like. Did they have green skin and one eye in the middle of the forehead? Mrs. Jones always looked so prim and proper with not a hair out of place. But I must say they were being very daring, not even bothering to hide the fact that a space-ship was parked in their garage.

I was just opening my front door when I heard a voice behind me.

“Hello there!” It was Mrs. Jones standing in my driveway in a neat little blue dress.

“Xertang from Mercury is here to see you. They landed in the wrong house and asked if they could keep their space-ship in my garage. I told them of course, what are neighbors for?”

I swore. My secret was out.

http://okaywhatif.com/2014/01/06/new-feature-month-long-writing-challenge-with-voting/

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/daily-prompt-neighbors/

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Neighborhood

January 28, 2014

By znjavid

I guess the theme is to walk around your neighborhood and take some pictures. So that’s what I did this morning. The most prominent thing in my neighborhood is the bougainvillea. Every house has it. It flowers most of the year round and requires little water. That’s why it is very popular here in the desert. It comes in beautiful vibrant colors and I think its reflection in the water looks stunning.

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/01/28/cees-fun-foto-challenge-walk-100-steps-or-less-and-take-new-photos/

The Strength of Family

January 28, 2014

By znjavid

I’ve had good friends throughout my life but they’ve come and gone. I’m still in touch with many of my school friends but they’re living their own lives so far away. All this time the person I’ve been closest to is my sister.

By coincidence when I moved to Dubai she had moved here as well just a month earlier. We live only 15 minutes away from each other. Before that we were both living in the same city where we had spent all of our childhood. We’ve been together all of our lives.

I saw my sister who is a doctor look after my father when he was dying of cancer. I learnt from her that no matter how many friends you have it is family you can depend on in times of need. Family is the most important thing you can have. You don’t choose your family but they are a blessing that God bestows upon you.

In every crisis we have faced I have seen my family come together. After my parents I know I can depend on my siblings if ever I need them. For the same reason I panic at the thought that my son is an only child. Who will he turn to when his parents are no longer around?

Just the other day when I was driving my son to school he said, “Dear God please give Mama a baby”. I was very surprised that he said that but at the same time I repeated in my head “Dear God, please listen to him.” I hope my son gets to experience the joys of having siblings and never has to feel alone in this world.

Me with my brother and sister

Daily Prompt: BFFs

Weekly Writing Challenge: Perspectives

January 27, 2014

By znjavid

Expanding on a story I wrote for Friday Fictioneers and showing the different perspectives…

Adnan’s mother put the kettle on for tea and looked out of the window. Adnan was sitting in the garden with his new fiancé Meena and talking and laughing. Her son looked happy but she couldn’t come to terms with the sudden surprise he had pulled on her. They had just known each other a few weeks and he had proposed to this mystery girl who had come from nowhere. On top of that he had given her his grandmother’s ring. Of course it was his to give but at least he could have consulted his mother.

Adnan had found the love of his life. Meena was the sweetest, prettiest, most caring girl in the world. He loved the way she hung on every word of his and laughed at his jokes. He hoped he would get that job he had interviewed for so that they could set the date of the wedding soon. He was sure Meena would make a wonderful mother. Adnan turned around. His mother was calling him inside. He knew his mother must have been a bit surprised by the news but he also knew she would love Meena. Who wouldn’t?

Meena was tired. All this laughing and pretending sapped her energy. Adnan was good looking but a bit childish and boring. And that mother of his was watching her the whole time. What did she think, she would make off with her china? She had better be careful of this woman. When Adnan was driving her home Meena let her mind wander. She remembered the day she was supposed to be getting engaged to Raheel and he never showed up. She sat there dressed up as a bride but he didn’t even call. That day she promised herself she would never let anyone break her heart again. She looked at the ring on her hand. She had got what she wanted. It was time to move on.

Weekly Writing Challenge: Leave Your Shoes At The Door

Self Motivation

January 27, 2014

By znjavid

A conversation between the dreamer side of me who provides the motivation with the practical side who actually gets things done.

So what’s up?

Nothing much, just the usual.

How’s that “Freshly Pressed” post coming along?

Haven’t written it yet.

And your novel?

Writing it slowly but not really inspired.

Why what happened, I thought you set yourself a goal of finishing it this year?

Yeah, but ever since I didn’t win that competition I feel I’m not really that good. Why would anyone read my novel?

You won’t know till you write it. You know it is a good idea.

If my best wasn’t good enough, I don’t think I can write any better.

It shouldn’t be about winning, but trying and giving it your best shot. If you decide to quit that’s when you really lose.

It’s easier said than done. I’m the one doing all the work.

That’s why you need to believe in yourself and stop putting yourself down. Be your own supporter and stop looking to others to tell you that you’re good.

The others are the one who are going to buy my novel.

Yes, but until you don’t believe you can do it how can you convince anyone else?

OK you have a point.

Where are you going?

To write a post. I got a great idea.

Daily Prompt: Obstacle Course