What is the world coming to?

        Jeddah, KSA: I used to live in that part of the world. It USED to be the driest place I knew. Literally. Not even a drop of rain water for months or years at a time. Although we did have the Red Sea, it's a desert. It rained so rarely, there was no need for a drainage system. (So there's none at all). Then a couple years ago, when my family and I still lived there, it started to rain....hard.

        I remember it started at night because the sound of the rain on the air conditioner (the part that sits outside the window) woke me up and scared me. It took a while before we realized that it was ACTUALLY raining. The next morning, it even started to hail............HAIL!

        It was the first time we saw hail, my mom got so excited that she ran outside...with a plastic bag to catch some...in her nighties! LOL I also remember it was a weekend cause we were all home. [TRIVIA: In the Mid East, the week starts on Saturday. Weekends are Thursday and Friday].

        Anyway, when the rain stopped and the skies cleared, people started coming out of their homes...as did we. It was weird and funny at the same time. It's all flooded outside and yet families are actually out and about on a weekend morning, having fun wading in the flood. Some even had their camcorders with them. hihi.

        So yea. The next flood we heard about was the one in 2009, then again in 2010, and AGAIN just this week!

        Here's a link to Arab News, a local newspaper, showing some pictures of the recent flood: Jeddah Flood 2011.

        From no rain...to major flooding. In what, a span of just 10 years? What is the world coming to?? It's pay back time for all the things we've done to Earth.

        Nowadays we have sinkholes (which, really, you'd think can only happen in movies), tsunamis, mudslides, and other floods in surprising parts of the world. I wouldn't be surprised if it starts snowing in the Philippines. OK, I would.

        I wonder what's up for us in the future?

Our Heritage Too

        I feel bad for the people who tried to stop the looters from getting into one of the museums in Egypt. See story here.  At least they tried.

        If I'm not mistaken, Egypt is one of the earliest civilizations to develop in the world. They are such a big chunk of history, that it's pretty much where the world started. I remember watching a documentary about how Egypt was the most advanced of the early civilizations compared to others at that time; with their art and architecture, religious beliefs, politics and even communications.

        I'm pretty sure everybody knows something about Egyptian history. Mummies, sphinxes, Cleopatra, King Tut, pyramids, pharaohs, sarcophaguses (I had to search that! I knew it sounded like esophagus), hieroglyphics, etc. We've all been learning about them since we were kids.

        With all the commotion going on in Egypt right now, I just hope the protesters don't do much irreversable damage. I hope they stay away from their cultural heritage. Heritage which not only belongs to them, but in a way, also to the world.

        I'm also praying that the revolt ends soon. (And I hope it ends the right way too.) No more bloodshed. No more violence. Everybody has families they want to come back home to.

My January 2011 Theme Songs ;p

Last winter I had The Submarines songs on repeat in my iPod. This winter, I have quite a selection of artists. But now, I've had these on repeat since the beginning of January. :)


Animal - Neon Trees

Waiting For The End - Linkin Park

Yeah 3x - Chris Brown

Rocketeer - Far East Movement Ft Ryan Tedder

The All Time Low - The Wanted

Say It Again - Marie Digby

More of You - Mozella

        Imma play these songs over and over and oveeer again till I get tired of them. Then give them a rest.........then play them some more. hahaha. ;p

One Life to Live :)

        Back when Friendster was "the place to be" (like 10 million years ago LOL) I made this to post on the walls (or Friendster pages) of my friends. :) And since then, it's been my motto [motto paragraphs? =)) ] ...which I can only sum up to:

One Life to Live, Make Every Moment Count. :)

I know, I know...it's long...but it's a good read. (haha but of course I'd say that!) hahaha ;p

Maximize to the max...really. Have fun...life is gooood.
No regrets...whatever you're planin'...do ‘em...do ‘em now!
You just might someday find it too late...think eXoTiC...think survivor!!!
Wind in your hair and sand at your feet. Discover the joy of getting dirty!
Don’t care what people say...express urself! Be rEaL!!!
Cut down on your vices *ahem*
This might sound clichéd...but really...LiVe LiFe tO tHe FuLLeSt
...don’t be lazy...do something with your time...study (;p)
...hang out...do crazy stuff...there are a lot of people I know who’re bein' “CrAzY” :)
Help somebody out...always be confident.
Nurture your relationships. Don’t be in a hurry for anything.
Hold your head up high. Have faith. Believe in GOD!!! There’s almost nothing we can't do!
Patch things up with your ultimate worstest enemy. Touch everybody’s life you cross.
Don’t let bad instances ruin your whole day! Live like there’s no tomorrow!
Be childish! Laugh 'til there’s no more sound! Have faith in people.
Smile. Share a seat and win a friend (McDo) ;p
Do the cup game baby! Be free! Remember bein' free means to do good!
EAT ALL YOU CAN!!!
Watch a movie on your own. Dance like no one's lookin'.
Give yourself a pat on the back every time you do something good.
Hug yourself. Say I love you!
Sing your heart out...in the shower! ;p
Roll in the mud! Don’t be afraid…be fearless!
Write, write, write…writing does wonders for your feelings! ;p
Have nice clean fun. Reminisce. Daydream at night.
Look for your old buds from your childhood days...remember how naïve you were back then?!
Remember that in a relationship you should grow together with looove!
Be weird! Unleash your wildside!
Have a hobby…save perhaps!
Look forward to something every end of the week!


Ok so my point is...LiFe iS sHoRt!!!
Live like there’s no tomorrow! Expand your horizons.
Look beyond the glass...have tons of fun!
Live on the extreme! Belive in yourself...you’ll make it through!
Life is short so enjoy it while it lasts! Say what’s on your mind!
If you love me...you’ve read up to here. You love me! sweet! ;p


Now go...head held high, chin up and all...with a mischievous smile on your face saying
"There’s nothing in this life that I can't do"
...go face the world...
I’m right here behind you! Mwah! Ciao! :)

A feW words tO LivE bY
Ishq © 2003


;p

Winterpegger

        Oh boy is it cold today. BRRRR. Went home at around 7pm today and it was -26 degrees outside without wind chill, -33 with. Both my buses were late. The first one was 2 minutes late, which made me miss my second bus. So I had to wait for the next one...which of course never came. I was waiting at the bus stop - without a shelter - for about 30 minutes. argh.

        To add to that, I wasn't wearing my mittens because I didn't think that I'd have to wait at the bus stop long. So I just stuffed my hands in my pockets. I was too cold to get my mitts from my back pack. I didn't want to move much hihi.

        5 minutes, no bus. 10 minutes, no bus. 20 minutes, no bus. My fingers and toes were already starting to hurt, and my thighs felt like pins and needles. So I had to keep on pacing and moving my fingers and toes.

        Good thing I wore my down jacket today and put on an extra pleather jacket under that. (pleather jackets are really good insulators BTW...or at least mine is.) So I was still warm...it was only my fingers, toes and face that were frooozen.

        My legs were getting so tingly that I was already thinking up a plan in my head of what to do if my legs give way. hahaha.

        Such a relief when my bus finally came after 30 minutes.

        Tomorrow is going to be colder.

        Therefore, I conclude: Winnipeg is cold. So bundle up.

ciao! ;p

DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT: weight, that is. ;p

I love food. I just can’t stay away from food. No matter what I do. FOOD FOOD FOOD.


        Ever since school started, my exercise routine has practically stopped. And now I’m a couple pounds over my regular weight (and still getting heavier.) Actually, I don't even remember when I last went to the gym....or even if I ever did. .......Oh, you know what, I did. I went to the Wellness Institute a couple times to play badminton with my friends. But still, that isn't really gyming. When I gym...I gym...the whole shebang.

        Anyhoo, all I know is that since September, I’ve been having a hard time fitting going to the gym in my schedule. I always plan to go...but I never do. So by November, I decided to cancel my membership at the Y. Oh how I miss the Y. I figured that if I ever get any time to gym, I can gym at the school gym - for free.

        And so now, I always have my trainers and a change of gym clothes collecting dust in my locker just in case I feel like gyming. I repeat - just. in. case. hahaha. I always do feel like gyming. It’s just that after class, I turn into a lazy bum. When I sit down and look at all the homework I have to do, I sigh and say to myself that “There is no way that I’ll be able to gym.” THEN I log into Facebook. HAHAHA. kidding. But yea...it can take me a few hours to get my homework done, even if its just to write a little paragraph about, say, my IPP. (ok that’s a bit exaggerated.)

        Every time I’m connected to the internet - by laptop or iPod - I almost always somehow end up being on Facebook! Even though I don’t mean to. I’ll be working on a paper, then I’ll get a bit of downtime when I’m thinking of something to write. Then as if my hand’s on auto pilot, it clicks on Facebook. And before I know it, I’ve already ‘liked’ a ton of stuff already, commented on my friends' posts, commented on THEIR comments and posted pictures of myself and whatnot. Argh. LOOK, now I’m talking about Facebook hahahahaha. Perfect example? =)) Ok, I digress.

        Back to the gym. I always plan to go to the gym, *fiddles with her thumbs* but I just never get around to do it. So I just keep packing on the pounds.

        Now to make it even harder is the HOLIDAYS!! ARGH the holidays! *raises fists* Already I don't exercise, and eat so much more than my body can burn, and then there's all that food during the holidays that no way can anybody avoid!! I can almost curse the yummy mouth-watering spread of food on buffet tables...............!$^%$^#@^ WHY DOES FOOD HAVE TO BE SOOO GOOD???? *then takes a couple cupcakes* hahahaha. =))

        I just haven’t been this um.... “meaty” in a long time.

        So, since I know that I’m not the only one with this problem - cause I noticed that some people seem to be chubbier in the Winter than in the Summer (MWAHAHAHAHA!) - I wanna share some tips on how you can drop some weight.

1. EAT, EAT, EAT. then GYM, GYM, GYM. This is one thing you can do if you don’t wanna lessen the food you eat. I highly recommend this but you have to be DISCIPLINED. And you need to have a REGULAR SCHEDULE of exercise in order to make this work.
2. Eat in small portions. My sister used to do this because she wanted to lose a few pounds for her grad ball...and she did. She used to only eat from a little bowl maybe about 3.5 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches deep. Everything would be in there, rice and a viand. She’ll only eat one of those bowls per meal. Whatever she could fit in there. I tried that once, but I had to get seconds, thirds, and fourths. hahaha. =))
3. DON’T EAT. yea right.

        OK, that's all I got. Basically, what I’m saying is that NOT EATING is not an option, so it’s either eat less, or eat AND exercise.

        You have to work for it. I don’t really believe in liposuction or those diets. Because they’re only temporary. And they cost money. What if you can’t afford to pay for those anymore? Whacha gonna do huh? Whacha gonna do???

        So what of these do I do? I do #1 hihihi. But then again, since September, I’ve only been able to do half of it...which is to EAT EAT EEEEEAT. hahaha. Oh well. That’s life. Imma really start THINKING about gyming fo’realz.

        Remember, the key is DISCIPLINE. Another key is SELF-CONTROL. (Question: if there’re keys, where’re the locks? BWAHAHAHAHAHA)

        And finally, remember: NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

Kbye. ;p