Diaphanous Dreams of You

Closure

2008-07-10T02:44:00.008+03:00

8th July 2008 ~ 11:45p.m. ~ Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur
Distance to destination - 6159 km
Flying over Al-Ain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This is it. The end. The events were not quite as dramatic as the words of course, but monumental nevertheless.

What felt like a lifetime away from home was in fact only a mere ten-month duration. I came to Saudi Arabia with my head amidst clouds of excitement and heart shrouded in dreams. Thinking of and expecting Arabian romance and adventure. Never once I thought or believed that my experience here would be less than perfect. I know... incredibly naive, but entirely true. For sure I did expect some unpleasantness, for this after all is a closed and rigid society. However, never once did I imagine that my time here would be largely unpleasant. So high were my expectations that looking forward to coming to this place was a serious understatement. Every single minute of wait steeped in impatience. On retrospection, I admit, it was sheer foolishness.

7th September 2007 - My first breath of desert air. I remember enthusing my appetence for an experience of life in a land of extremes. Were I to recount each and every experience, it would take too much of an effort. But still and all, I do have only this to say: Never again. While it is highly unlikely that I would ever work in the same university, for some reason that even I cannot comprehend, I might be tempted to return to the kingdom. As contradictory as it may sound, one has to admit that one can never be too sure of the future. But for now, never again.

9th July 2008 ~ 1:00a.m. ~ Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur
Distance to destination - 5113 km
Flying over Muscat, Oman (Gulf of Oman)

If someone asked if I had regretted my decision to live in Saudi Arabia (if only for a year), my perfect answer would have been a 'no'.

But honestly?

At times I wished that I had never even entertained the idea, let alone pursued it. Nevertheless, at times I loved it in Jeddah. I truly did. But sometimes, I was so driven up the damn proverbial wall that I would have done myself in had it not been for my faith. Life in Saudi Arabia was primarily one of frustration. I do so believe that trials come in their truest form in this monochromatic land.

9th July 2008 ~ 1:45a.m. ~ Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur
Distance to destination - 4559 km
Flying over the Arabian Sea

Air turbulence. Reminiscence of life before.

It has become strangely hard to recollect the difficulties I faced in Jeddah. Especially now with the prospect of home. Drawing nearer and nearer. But recalling the journey towards Saudi Arabia was inexplicably a lot easier. Then, tears were unexpectedly shed. Considering how desperate I was for an adventure, the despondence was astonishing. But yes. As the familiar landscape disappeared between floating clouds, I felt a deep sadness overwhelmed me.

I was scared. And apprehensive. Yet I was raring to go! I wanted to leave!

But why the sadness? Perhaps Malaysia is always home after all?

9th July 2008 ~ 3:10a.m. ~ Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur
Distance to destination - 3255 km
Flying over Hyderabad, India

Witnessing the sunrise as we travel eastward is a sight never to be forgotten!

Through the narrow window, I can see the sky transforming from pitch black velvet to deep, soft navy blue to translucent cerulean with a faint blush of rose in the horizon. And then suddenly, a bright strip of light breaks! Thereafter the sky turns into a delicate porcelain blue. As I look out of the window now, fluffy white clouds are drifting serenely beneath us.

I was surprisingly happy.

9th July 2008 ~ 4:30a.m. ~ Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur
Distance to destination - 2170 km
Flying over Bay of Bengal

We switched seat partners for a while earlier. As I sat with a friend, D (whilst husband was sitting with her daughter), we talked about the times we shared in Jeddah. Reiterating old times.

Oh, the drama of it all! Recounting the stories of events passed. Of eleven teachers from Malaysia. Out of that, five left on our own terms. One terminated. One involved in a scandal. One absconded. And the remaining three who have decided to brave another year. Oh, what a year we've had!

Both of D and I felt the same way about leaving. This year in the Mid East can be likened to life in an impenatrable bubble. Away from reality. And now, while on this plane, on the way back to reality, we realized that we missed that damn place! We have somehow attached ourselves to the very place that drained us dry. Which, if you think about it, is quite an irony. Or not.

Two hours and twenty-six minutes to KLIA. Ground zero. Reality awaits.

When we wanted to leave last year, we were full of anticipation. Likewise the way back.

Funny how circular life is.

Mild Randomness

2008-07-05T04:04:00.007+03:00

The closer we get to the date of departure, the cornier, tackier and cheesier I get! Let me illustrate...

I start singing John Denver's Leaving on the Jet Plane. But because I have a horrible memory, I can only manage the first line. Aloud. Again and again and again. Several times a day. To the utter dismay of the only listener, i.e. my long-suffering husband. >.>

My calendar is full of crosses on the account of my fervent countdown. I know... eewww...
Not to sound like a total snob, but the last time I did this was 5 years ago when I had to do my 3-month teaching practical in a school run by an incompetent headmistress and a fat lecherous discipline master. Seriously I couldn't wait to finish then. Can I say likewise now? (although the situations aren't quite parallel)

Two examples are too many I'd say! I won't reveal the rest! :D

The numbers on the left are the number of days left.
The crosses indicate the days passed.
The circled date is our departure.
The underscored dates denote our (long overdue) mini holiday in Langkawi.

Doing the Karen Cheng! Join the craze now! It's fun! :D

Yellow Light Solidarity

2008-07-03T00:08:00.002+03:00

Only in this place. :)

Ever heard the adage "yellow means go faster"? Well, it's more than just a saying here. This is a frickin' decree! :P

Note to self

2008-06-30T02:41:00.004+03:00

The following is pinched (not plagiarized :P) from NSCC's The Loft:-

Grammar Handout

Order of Cumulative Adjectivess (*tsk tsk* in a language teaching site? :P)

Cumulative is the term used to describe a string of adjectives modifying (describing) the same noun. Convention has established a usual order for these modifiers. For example, we would not (or should not) say, "Winter woman's coats," or, "Warm women's winter coats," but rather, "Women's winter coats," or, "Women's warm winter coats." It's a matter of logic and the usual rule of English that words that belong together stand together.

The normal order for these modifiers is as follows:

Markers

Article: a, an, the
Possessive: my, John's, women's
Number: four, few, several

Evaluation (Writer's opinion)

Lovely, tasteful, depressing, cheerful

Physical Qualities

Size: giant, 10-foot, minuscule
Shape: pyramid, blob, tube
Condition: rusty, brittle, used
Age: Ancient, 6-year, new
Color: black, blue, ecru
Pattern, style, design: argyle, dotted, batik

Source

Nationality: American, Chinese, Greek
Location: southern, Vermont
Religion: Jewish, Muslim

Made of

Stone, glass, plastic, linen

Class/type (often a noun working as an adjective)

Coffee (table), ski (boots), pine (tree)

Noun

The object described: jacket, box, child, store

Here are some examples:

John's beautiful teenage daughters
Some large, round, gray stepping stones
A priceless, antique southern pine writing desk
A well-worn, black herringbone sport coat

While the examples above and below illustrate the generally accepted order, variations are possible.

But of course.

So.

A normally cheerful 28-year-old Chinese English teacher from Malaysia is counting the days anxiously until she kisses her delightfully cranky fat white longkang cat on the nose!

Back then (circa 2006) I haven't discovered the power of MUFE concealer. Hence the tiny pic. :D

Obscurity

2008-06-27T22:13:00.003+03:00

As the days draw to a close, the angst builds up.

Head underwater
And they tell me
To breathe easy for a while
Breathing gets harder, even
I know that
Made room for me;
it's too soon to see
If I'm happy in your hands
Unusually hard to hold on to

Blank stares at blank pages
No easy way to say this
You mean well, but you make this
hard on me

I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one,
you see
I'm not gonna write you
a love song
'cause you tell me it's
Make or break in this
Or you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leavin',
Imma need a better reason
To write you a love song today, today, yea

I learned the hard way
That they all say
Things you want to hear
And my heavy heart sinks deep down under you
And your twisted words,
Your help just hurts
You are not what I thought you were
Hello to high and dry

Convince me to please you
Made me think that I need this too
I'm trying to let you
hear me as I am

I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one,
you see
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you tell me it's
Make or break in this
If you're on your way
I'm not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leavin',
Imma need a better reason
To write you
a love song today

(Sara Bareilles)

Only instead of 'writing' you to stay, it's the other way round.

The Scream by Edvard Munch (How aptly done)

"Hello to high and dry..."

Hope Springs Eternal

2008-06-21T14:30:00.005+03:00

I'm always on the quest to seek writers adept at their art, online and off, because like a lot of people, I can spend a good part of an hour relishing vicarious (often designer) experiences otherwise out of my grasp.

Amongst the better writers in the blogosphere, one of which I've dropped by several times, is Evie of I Need More Drama. She, as written in her description, is a "fashion addict. latent drama queen. shoe obsessive. couch potato. prada worshiper." She writes almost sardonically, edged intermittently with a hint of acerbity but always, always, always in good style.

Recently, Evie mentioned the name 'Scoop' in one of her posts, and moi being a noob (and worst still, a noob who has been in one of the most fashion-backward countries in the world for nearly ten months) got real stirred up at the words 'Prada', 'half... of original price', 'pre-loved'.

Sheer excitement! Let me tell you why.

As much as I love to possess a medium classic Chanel 2.55 (in lambskin AND caviar, and in pastel pink AND black... ok, mathematically that's more than one!), I can't quite see myself plonking down such an obscene sum of money for an arm candy. *crossing fingers hard in hope that I speak too soon* But I digress. The thing is, Scoop, a store that resells pre-loved and more importantly genuine designer togs and stuff, has been selling some 2.55s in the past! I checked! Might it be that someday I will own that darn coveted quilted bag (in mint condition no less) minus the retail price tag?

One can always hope.

You will be in my possession.

Reason No. 17645

2008-06-14T15:22:00.006+03:00

Our flight home can't come sooner. Somehow the closer I get to our departure date, the more impatient I become. There seems to be a gazillion things I'd like to do once I step on Msian soil.

One of those would be to get my hands on a copy of Vogue US June 2008.

Heck! I'll probably buy every woman magazine available at the KL international airport newsstand, starved as I am for them. It has been 10 long months since I've perused a nice, glossy, fashion-y mag. I still remember the last one I read was 'OK! Mid-East' whilst transiting in Abu Dhabi. And that doesn't even count because it's more of a gossip rag than a fashion periodical. Bah.

Imagine my 'surprise' when I found out that no international magazines like 'Cosmo', 'Vogue', 'Allure', 'Elle', 'InStyle' (my all-time fav) etc. made it through the customs in this special place. The only decent one available is 'People' and even that has pages ripped out due to "explicit pictures of celebs in evening gowns"! *roll eyes* Seriously.

So, back to Vogue US June 2008. Why do I want it so badly?

I. want. this. magazine!

There. Eight perfectly sound reasons why this edition has to be in my possession. Glossy pages of Carrie and Big's decadent fairy tale honeymoon in NYC (by Annie Leibovitz). *swoon*

And that is reason no. 17645 why I can't wait to board flight VS8324!

The Learning Curve

2008-06-09T22:40:00.014+03:00

Learning curve (np): A graph that depicts rate of learning, especially a graph of progress in the mastery of a skill against the time required for such mastery
(Answers.com)

In the beginning, I was too naive, too relenting, and too slow.

Fast forward 10 months... I've learned to be critical (hopefully not overly so), relentless, and relatively swift.

Managing administrative work (and occasionally staff) in this special place entails several special skills (which I will elaborate in the following paragraphs). More often than not, there's a mountain of paperwork to be done and no one in particular strives to conquer this Everest. All too often, one has to do some wild goose chasing, which inadvertently requires one to perform way out of one's job description.

Help!

Today was a perfect example. I had to track down a nameless person in authority (simply because the department administration has no idea of her name) to sign a relatively important document pertaining to our exit from this country (or something to that effect because nothing in it was written in English). Thereafter, I was expected (heck, demanded more like) to track down yet another unknown person and then make several copies of the said document for several parties involved.

Oh, yes. I did mention that I'm a teacher, didn't I?

But I digress (not entirely I might add).

If it were 10 months ago, I would have broken down and cried. Remember, no one speaks much English here, especially in the Idara'ama (main administration).

10 months ago, I would've given up. I would've said it was impossible to hunt for a nameless person in the huge maze also known as the largest public educational institute in this fair city. Let alone two. In short, I would've thrown the proverbial towel in.

But today. Today, I allowed myself five minutes of ranting (on the phone to the long-suffering hubby). Then I buckled down and tackled the job.

Ranting... it's good for the soul

First, what to do in a hostile situation where English is quite frowned upon? Quite obviously, find an ally. So, I walked the five-minute-under-the-searing-furnace-of-a-summer-sun distance to the Idara'ama and all the while, I thought hard, 'Who is the one person who knows, and more importantly likes me in this complex?' If I can find this person, chances are she'll be willing to help me. This is a very important aspect to remember when wanting to get a job done here. It's all about favors, benevolence and don't forget to also include partiality. Then it pinged! There's a certain Mrs. K who seems to be fascinated by my heritage (Chinese) and holds my home country in high esteem. She's the golden ticket.

You and me both, Charlie

True enough. When I found Mrs. K, (she wasn't in her room, so I had to go on a minor quest, but that's another story for another day), I showed her the above mentioned Arabic document, which she read in a trice, and then pointed me to the correct corridor.

Part one solved. Nameless person now has a name and more importantly, a door number.

Now, on to part two. This previously nameless person, let's call her Mrs. F, doesn't speak a word of English. Somehow I had to ingratiate myself so that she'd be willing to spend some time with me and to sign this document. The last thing one wanted was for her to be offended (which can happen rather suddenly for seemingly no reason) and then refusing to cooperate and worst, dallying the paperwork. What to do, what to do, what to do? A task made doubly difficult with linguistic abilities taken away. Well, nothing a friendly 10,000 mega-watt smile and a standard greeting (remember, never in English) wouldn't help. :)

I did just that and like a lamb, she signed the document (but not without making me go upstairs first to get a copy of another document from yet another person).

And there. I was half-way through! I'll not bore you with the rest of the details because the steps are mainly repetitive from thence onwards. However, (in the true manner of a good teacher *grin*), let's recap the special skills required:-

1) Find someone who really likes you.
2) Be extremely friendly (a smile will usually take you a long way, but no guarantee because in reality, everything hinges on skill no. 1, as per above)
3) Greet in native language (very appeasable most of the time, but again no guarantee; see skill no. 1)
4) Have a truck-load of patience (the running around, especially in a 40degC weather, can get to one's nerves all too easily)

Literally grinning and bearing

In conclusion, to get two signatures on a single sheet document took me an hour. And THAT is a major accomplishment. 10 months ago, it would've taken me a whole day. I'm proud of myself. I'm proof that the learning curve is errorless.

Goooooood!

No good!

KHALAS! Shukran! Ma'asalamah!
(Done! Thank you! Goodbye!)

PS:- If Carrie can talk about the cheating curve, I can talk about the learning curve! :D

Carrie Quote:-

Carrie: Someone's definition of what constitutes cheating is in direct proportion to how much they themselves want to cheat.
Miranda: That's moral relativism.
Carrie: I prefer to think of it as quantum cheating.

Mama

2008-06-07T15:20:00.004+03:00

I know, I know... I have a whole lot of final exam papers to mark, but hey, today is a special day! ^.^

My mum and I share a bond that most mothers and daughters miss out. We were born on the same date, i.e. 7th June. ^.^ I used to say that I was my mum's 28th birthday gift!!! :D And this year as I'm turning 28 in the sandland far away from her, I wish, as many daughters do, that she were here with me.

Sometimes, she reads my blog... so...

HEY MUM, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING HOURS IN LABOR 28 YEARS AGO ON YOUR SPECIAL DAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND WE MISS YOU (and papa and Monsoon and Chekolye) SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!

I've bought you a birthday gift, but since you're only going to get it in July, here's a sneak peek:

*hihihihihihi*

Leading the Life of Riley

2008-06-04T15:20:00.006+03:00

We had a few days respite before the final exam marathon begins (for me at least). Three consecutive days of non-stop invigilating, marking and grading... looking forward to it NOT! -.-"

To make full use of the time, we went, once more, to the Red Sea.

Not totally unrelated: On retrospection, I kind of regret not signing up for diving when I first came. The Red Sea, according to one of our friends, has a 60% clarity as compared to say Sipadan at only 45%.
When we initially arrived, we were... how to put it... dejected and disheartened and completely disinclined. More on that when I get home. o.O

Right. Back to what I was saying.

The Red Sea could do no wrong. It is, perpetually, breathtakingly beautiful. More so during summer months when the sun is so strong that no one, except crazy people like us, wants to hang out there. Don't worry, mum. We slathered on tonnes of sunscreen. ^.^ And wore long sleeves (not as if there were a choice for me =.=) The sight of glittering sea is gorgeous beyond description and definitely is more than what these photos can ever hope to capture. ;)

The Red Sea

I'm not a creative photographer (that's more my husband's speed), but I seemed to strike gold this trip. ^.^

See what I mean? My husband called this the 'emo shot'. loooooool. >.> (taken from inside a moving vehicle, yo!)

We took turns...

First you

and then me :D

I wonder if the rock formation were natural? Probably not. A little bit too neat to be Mother Nature's, eh? :P

Near Corniche St.

It's a favorite spot for anglers during the cooler months. It's now virtually empty.

After that trip, I was parched!!!! *glug glug glug*

Now back to the grindstone, you! :P

Ambivalence

2008-06-04T14:41:00.007+03:00

Sephora here does not NOT have Posietint!!!

*sad*

*sad*

*sad*

Because we are regulars at this particular outlet (yes, 'we' including the husband ^.^), one of the staff was kind enough to make a call to the Sephora head office to find out if Posietint is going to be available anytime soon. Unfortunately not!!!

*very very sad*

*extremely sad*

*exceedingly sad*

I'm now hoping that it'll be available in Msia.

*crossing fingers tight*

Since I was in Sephora anyway, I picked up...

BeneFit's Dandelion! ^.^ I know... it's like staving off one craving with another.

I've been reading about Dandelion in Makeupalley and it's sounds like a dream.

And IT IS!!! I've not stopped using this since the day I got it! Dandelion makes me glow! ^.^

(The Sephora sharpener is baaaaaad! It almost always breaks the tips of my pencil liners for some funny reason! o.O)

Some reviews say that the brush sucks, but it works just fine for me. It's nice and compact and so far, the soft bristles haven't shed. ^.^

This is why I love Sephora Al-andalus, Jeddah! Generous with freebies!

We have a regular SA, Mohmed, and he is ever so gracious, polite, obliging and friendly. ^.^

On the right: Dior Addict 2 miniature.

On the left: Full-sized Shiseido The Makeup eyebrow pencil! (More on this later)

Inside the box. So sweet!

Mohmed likes to give away Dior miniatures. The last time, I got a Miss Cherie Dior one from him!

*happy*

The Shiseido eyebrow pencil story:

I wanted to get a new eyebrow pencil because my Red Earth one, which I got as a birthday gift TWO YEARS ago, was becoming kind of stubby.

I tried several at Sephora, but none as firm and dark as Shiseido's. For some reason, most of the other brands only have light brown or blonde or ashy shades... totally unsuitable for my Oriental skin tone.

So, I've finally decided to get the Shiseido eyebrow pencil only to be told it was out of stock!!! *sad*

Then Mohmed surprised me by giving me a new, full-sized sample pencil FOR FREE!!! That was really nice of him because the pencil retailed for approx. rm90.

*happy*

(1) Shiseido The Makeup Eyebrow Pencil in Natural Black.

(2) The 'sample' sticker

(3) Full-sized and new ♥♥♥

The moral of the story: Sephora makes a girl happy.

I <3 BeneFit!!!

2008-05-31T23:47:00.004+03:00

I want THIS:-

Posietint by BeneFit

I'm a mega huge fan of the original iconic Benetint, but this newcomer looks better and prettier than its predecessor.

Benetint by BeneFit

Going to my fav Sephora store to check it out! Lalalalalalalala... *silly grin*

PS:- Makeup makes a girl happy! ^.^

PPS:- Sephora had better have this in stock! >.>

Wistful

2008-05-29T17:59:00.011+03:00

Whilst water...

and mango frappie taste the same everywhere...

I still miss home.

The quaintness

The fun

The freedom (to wear what I want)

Enough of the Red Sea. I'd settle for the Straits now.

Home... 41 days away still.

Of Za'atar and Warg Enab

2008-05-28T14:27:00.005+03:00

One of the first things that struck me when I came to Jeddah was the lack of food on campus.

Y'know... food as in 'proper' stuff we eat for lunch back home in Msia? Come 1 p.m., we're so accustomed to swarming the char kuey tiow uncle and the chicken rice auntie. But there's nothing of such here. What I can find on campus are only carts selling doughnuts, sandwiches, ice-creams, curly fries, etc. No char kuey tiow. -.-"

Then I found out: ooOoo... most men drive out to other places for lunch or some of them go home to lovely home-cooked food (courtesy of mums and wives). So, where does that leave the women (who can't %$#&@*% drive)?

We make do.

Some lucky female staff get to leave by 2:30p.m. The administrative staff in the English Dept, for example, goes home at that time so that she can cook lunch for her husband. (I've learnt to settle my admin work by 2p.m. the latest before she does her disappearing act)

But teachers ain't so lucky. Some of my classes ran until 4p.m. and I HAD to find something to eat, right? >.>

The first few weeks, I ate cheese croissants bought from a cart manned (what a misnomer) by a Sudanese lady just outside the building I work... they were yummy, but monotonous.

Then, one day I got adventurous and went exploring the medical complex (I teach med students) in search for fooooooooooooood. And chanced upon a cafeteria! Yay!

My joy, however, was short-lived.

Sandwiches... and sandwiches...

Until...

oOo... what's that? Looks dubious, but let's live a little, eh?

I bought one. Took a small tentative bite. And hmmm... it's good! Took a bigger chomp. Ooo.. it's yummy! (The photo shows only half of what was left ^.^)

This is a "za'atar" sandwich. The bread is soft and warm and the "za'atar" filling (which, I know, looks a wee bit icky in this pic) consists of herbs, sesame seed and lemon juice.
I love it!

Having survived the za'atar encounter the previous day, I went to the cafe again to try something else the following day.

I spotted something veerryyy familiar...

"Warg enab"!!! I love "warg enab"! Bought some and gobbled them down within minutes. Scrumptious! Some which I've tried from other places are too sour or the filling is bland or the vine leaves are badly wrapped. But these... from a school cafeteria... absolutely heavenly. Even my husband, who usually hates "warg enab", gives his approval.

"Warg enab" are stuffed vines leaves. A student explained to me once that "warg" means 'paper' (the leaves are paper-thin) and "enab" means 'grape' (which I presume 'vine' as well).

It's a Mediterranean dish, but the Saudis love them (and so do I!)

Hence, ends my two-day culinary adventure in the university because I can't find anything else interesting to eat. :P

Does that mean I go back to cheese croissants?

Nah...

Cheese thingymajig... Never did find out the name of this.

Maybe because I don't like it. The pastry tastes dry and yet slightly undercooked and the cheese filling is grainy. But it looks cute, eh? ^.^

A Malaysian's tastebuds never change. Bring on the char kuey tiow!!! ^.^

Withdrawal Syndrome

2008-05-24T20:31:00.018+03:00

Top Ten Quotes from SATC
*bearing in mind that I have MORE than ten but having to pare down for the reason of space

Carrie: Maybe all men are a drug. Sometimes they bring you down and sometimes, like now, they get you so high.
Carrie: I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it.
Carrie: His hello was the end of her endings
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle
His hand would be hers to hold forever
His forever was as simple as her smile
He said she was what was missing
She said instantly she knew
She was a question to be answered
And his answer was, "I do”
(Episode 19: The Chicken Dance)
Carrie: There is no way that the love that I had with Big is the same thing that he has with Natasha.
Miranda: "Natasha"? When did you stop calling her "the idiot stick figure with no soul"?
(Episode 30: Ex and the City)
Carrie: I realized I was in the throes of an existential crisis. One that not even the sight of this season's Dolce & Gabbana strappy sandals could lift me out of.
(Episode 37: Drama Queens)
Carrie: When Charles Dickens wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," I believe he must have been having an affair with his married ex-boyfriend.
(Episode 41: Running with Scissors)
Carrie: I like my money right where I can see it; hanging in my closet.
(Episode 75: To Market, To Market)
Samantha: I'm so sick of these people with their children. I'm telling you, they're everywhere! Sitting next to me in first class, eating at the next table at John Schu— [A child runs by] Look at that. This place is for double cappuccinos, NOT double strollers. [Glances at Miranda] I'm sorry.
Miranda: Hey, no need to apologize. I wouldn't bring Brady here. Mommy needs two hands to eat her eight-dollar cake!
Charlotte: You're not going to defend children?
Miranda: No, I don't like any children but my own.
(Episode 83: A Woman’s Right to Shoes)

Some photos to tide me over til July when I can finally get my hands on the DVD of the movie...

Cocktails with Carrie (and Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha)

Starry-eyed Carrie (♥♥♥ her effervescence)

A classic Carrie style; quirky, fun and always stellar! ^.^ (in Manhattan)

Another classic Carrie; don't you think her dress looks like a portion of watermelon? ^.^ (in Paris this time)

Even when going for jury duty, Carrie is spot on spectacular (with Berger; about to do their "movie-star kiss")

Carrie and Aiden (sweet guy but still. No Big)

Carrie and Berger the temperamental-insecure coward (love her Mickey T paired with structured jacket)

Carrie and Aleksandr (hot pink prom-like dress at a fast food joint... only Carrie ^.^)

CARRIE AND MR. BIG (at the risk of sounding puke-worthy, they are indeed perfect for each other! ^.^)

Carrie and Big

The END

Every wish save one

2008-05-24T16:08:00.009+03:00

Whilst Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte rock it on the silver screen, I'm stuck here in no-cineplex land!!!

I'm going to die of frustration!!!

Why? WHY? WHY???

My favorite series of the century comes up with a movie version and I can't watch it!?! (Along with the rest of the world, I mean >.>)

And these days every single style blog I visit is abuzz with the upcoming premier! It's driving me mad!

The quintessential Manhattanites.

Big and Carrie - off and on and off again? ♥♥♥

Rumor has it that Carrie is NOT getting married to Big?

I want to grow up to be like Miss Carrie Bradshaw...

and snag me a man like Mr. Big! :D
"Abso****inglutely"

Lol for gwd's sake!

2008-05-22T14:08:00.005+03:00

This never fails to crack me up every time!

He does remind me of my baby Monsoon (who is a home cat).

Only Monsoon, bless his little paws, will never degrade himself with puppy dog eyes! looooooooooooollll....

Image from the geniuses at Lolcats

Stuck

2008-05-20T18:39:00.006+03:00

With a whole load of marking to do this week (on the account of endless mid-semester quizzes), I have to stay home these days.

But y'know, some adults (a perfect example being ME) have the attention span of a poodle (again quintessentially moi). Sick and tired of marking yet another pile of exam papers, I turn to more entertaining diversions online. (Someone please take my laptop away from me! -.-")

Presenting...

Ta-da! My princess room! Yes lar... if XiaXue can have one, I also can waaaat! (albeit a virtual one! :D)

Note the princess-y bed and the puke-worthy furnishing. ^.^"

After I got fed up with the room (how many different positions can one place a bed?), I hopped over to the doll section.

I hear that mixed prints are now in style...

This really reminds me of the cut-out paper dolls that used to keep me occupied for hours when I was a little girl! Talk about severe retrospection, huh! Only now the dolls are way more advanced. I mean, variables like eye color, hairstyle, make-up etc. can be tweaked to one's fancy! Hmmm... a lot like those KiSS dolls (which I, admit shamefully, still play with!). Oh, I love 'Play FKiSS'! *squealing in mortification*

Yup, mixed prints are definitely in! ^^ (Take a leaf out of Blair Waldorf's book, everyone!)

If you're also a closet kid like me, log on at i-dressup.com. (I promise not to tell ;P)

P.S ---> I know... I need to get out of the house soon!

Get out already!

2008-05-18T20:23:00.007+03:00

When boredom coupled with endless hours online...

Fall 2008 Style Picks

Aschafava's Favorite Femme Fatales

All images are generated from i-dressup. ^.^

Fashion Panacea

2008-05-18T15:47:00.011+03:00

For some obscure reason, I'm full of rant today. The last post I was ranting about the "inadequacy" of the Msian education system. >.>

Now...

WHY don't Yoox.com ship here?

Look at all the fab buys I could've gotten:-

Moschino satin LBD. Love the back detailing. ♥ ($208 - reduced from $794)

Fornarina pink casual pants. The color is the perfect pink. Not too bright or pastel-ly. ♥ ($30 - reduced from $60)

Versus mini. My standard issue kind of skirt: slightly A-line, wide waistband, two rows of buttons and pleats. ♥ (a definite steal at $49 - reduced from $189)

Marni red layered skirt. Red! Love it! Sheer overlay! Love it! Marni! Love it! *sigh* Three very good reasons countering against one. The price. Even at $330, reduced from $689, it's a hole-in-the-pocket burner. But then again, it's a Marni! :D

See by Chloe. Talking about saving best for last... this is a I've-died-and-gone-to-fashion-heaven skirt. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ The price: $79 (reduced from $328) SUPER♥

I feel a wee bit better just looking at that skirt. ^.^"

HTML Illiterate

2008-05-18T15:35:00.004+03:00

17 years of education.

Seventeen!

All for nothing!

What did I learn?

I can't even put up a simple header in my own blog!

RM of --+ designed me a real neat header and now it's just rotting away on my desktop because my 17 years of education has done nothing but got me a job after university.

Did the teachers teach me HTML? Noooo.

Did they tell me how to resize a header so that it can fit nicely on my template? Noooo.

Did they educate me on the mysterious ways of troubleshooting a HTML problem? Noooo.

*sigh*

Excuse me whilst I go drown myself.

The Other Singular Passion

2008-05-17T10:51:00.008+03:00

I came to uni today thinking I was going to finish up the last bit of the Grammar syllabus with my class. As it turns out, I completely forgot that the students are having their second quiz this afternoon and thus, no one is the least bit interested in attending any morning classes. Bah.

With 2 hours to kill before invigilation...

What to do?

Let's take a look at my seemingly long abandoned blog. ^.^

And let's talk about SHOES. (This is ample warning for those

not as passionate)

Man, can't get enough of them.

The qualities I look for in a pair of shoes: QUIRKY and CLASSIC

Hence, the draw I have towards Louboutins! I ♥♥♥ Loubs!

Decollete paillette pumps

Catenita platform pumps

Marilou woven sandals

Very Noeud slingbacks

Very Prive pumps

LoVe! LoVe! LoVe!

Now, who's going to buy me a pair? I'm just a poor teacher. :P

(All images from the site of lust ---> Net-a-porter.com)

Lazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy time!

2008-05-13T23:38:00.004+03:00

My current fav line is:-

"(insert word of choice) time!" (with long emphasis on time)

For example:-

Confession time!
Sleepy time!
(and even: pee-pee time... ok, I'm sick)

Now, it's lazy time!

Bogged down with work lar... the usual yadda yadda of a working woman. :D

Here's hoping to blog properly soon!

Tata time! :D

P.S. The students filled in the lecturer evaluation form today where they have to grade their instructors based on a five-point scale. Some of them came up to me later and said I deserved more than a five-star score and that they would've given me a ten if there were such. Awww... so sweet. This is where the true reward of teaching lies. :D

My kids (the one in blue had a major crush on me and shadowed me everywhere!!!) :)

My BIG kids (and I)! :D

I ♥♥♥ teaching! ^^

Tables turned

2008-05-08T12:39:00.010+03:00

I think it's corny to like Jay Chou's music.

Well, basically I think it's corny to like any wildly popular Asian songs/singers (and I'm speaking in special reference to Jap music, with the exception of L'arc~en~Ciel of course).

However.

I now have to swallow my words.

I like Jay Chou!

*mortified scream!!!*

In my defense, I recently discovered that the words to his songs are beautiful! Nothing cheesy about them. Unlike the Cantopop of yore (think Leon Lai and the like).

Lost in translation as they may be to me, I still find the words wonderfully indescribable in its connotation.

The songs I ♥♥♥ include 'Snow-like Hair' (Fa Ru Xue - I suck at pinyin, so forgive me). I still don't know how to embed YouTube videos in blog, so click here to enjoy this AMAZING song. :D

"Out of thousands of women, I choose only you again and again"
The imagery invoked by these words is a vehicle to a place I never imagined existed.
Or am I just a hopeless romantic? :p

Jay Chou - you're a monolid member too! :D

^.^ Translated lyrics courtesy of Janice

I hate it when people...

2008-05-07T23:55:00.005+03:00

Pinched from Facebook ^.^"

In the order from most to least... I hate it when people:

Patronize me
Ignore me
Disappoint me
Lie to me
Talk behind my back
Yell at me
Tickle me
Hit me
Criticize me
Sweet talk to me

So, does it mean that I like being tickled more than being criticized?

And I, like all girls whether or not they admit it, like to be sweet talked to??? :p

The first two are what irked me the most when I first came to this fair city. *sigh* I prefer not to relive those nasty moments. :D

Patronizing git.

(just that in real life, I used a stronger word than 'git')

I, unlike the ever talented usws, can't draw for nuts! And therefore have to take the cartoon from here :p

The Quest for Proenza

2008-05-06T20:34:00.009+03:00

My Proenza Schouler lookey-likey.

I *may* have found them. In my ever trusty Aldo.

Aldo Atlanticcity pumps in fuchsia

Here's the lowdown:-
:( Patent instead of suede (that really screams at me)
:) Correct shade of fuchsia
:) Hidden platform for extra height
:( Slightly pointy boxed-toe instead of rounded boxed-toe
:( Stiletto heel - too thin for my liking
The longer I look at the shoe, the more flaws I see. :(

Two out of five counts for something? Definitely NOT.
The major downer is the patent finishing. C'mon, everyone knows that fuchsia is too bright for patent!!! Suede would've toned it down substantially and made it a lot more wearable. And don't get me started on the ciggie-slim heel. :(

*sigh*

What can I say? The designers at Proenza Schouler must be paid more than the ones at Aldo.

Another alternative:-

Nine West Liatris in orange

I kind of like the peep toe but the only colors available? Black croc. Orange. Medium green.

OMG! Who wears medium green??!!?!

It's summer, people! Bust out the pinks!

In the meantime, the search continues........

One last look lest we forget. As if. :p

I ♥ Krispy Kreme more than shoes

2008-05-06T18:32:00.006+03:00

Well. Maybe on some days.

When I get sugar craving.

OMG!!!! I love Krispy Kremes lar... especially them original glazed ones.

I can eat 6 in one sitting.

Yes. You read tight. SIX!!! *huge, greedy grin*

Original glazed is the best and (I think) forms the base for all the other cream or jelly filled ones. The donuts are NOTHING like Dunkin's, which, by the way, I hate hate hate. Krispy Kremes are as soft as cloud (weird but true metaphor!) and has a slightly savory taste that goes oh-so-well with the sweet, crispy glaze... hmmmmmm... a ring of heaven.

The box is a dark green polka-dot designed one! So totally my kind of shop! Looks like a nice print for a summer dress methinks! Gotta find one just like it! Whee! :p

A very good marketing ploy. Donut box in a clear carrier bag.
Makes for free advertising, no? Works on me because every time I spy this box carried by other shoppers in a mall, I craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave Krispy Kremes! And we just have to pop in and grab a dozen (or two!)

Nos. 1-6: Original Glazed

7&10: Glazed Cinnamon
8: Glazed Strawberry Filled
9: Cinnamon Apple Filled
11: Powdered Strawberry Filled
12: Caramel Kreme Crunch

Nos. 1-3: Original Glazed
(I always insist we get them! :D)
4: Cinnamon Apple Filled
5: Chocolate Iced Glazed
(not chocolate-y enough *sad*)
6&9: Glazed Cruller (cake donuts)
7: Glazed Cinnamon
8: Sugar
10: New York Cheesecake
(I love this too!)
11: Vanilla Cake (cake donuts)
12: Caramel Kreme Crunch
(the husband's fav)

If you were wondering whether I've got Dumbo's memory, the answer is no. I can remember all the names because I love Krispy Kremes!

Ok, the truth.

I stuck the Krispy Kreme menu on the wall right next to the dining table! It is a bad decision really because then I keep craving for them donuts!!! :p

Saying this Ah Lian style: "But what to do??? Like them so much wor!"

:D

YUM!

Proenza 'Shoe-ler'

2008-05-05T17:05:00.004+03:00

I can't believe this.

Too many fluffy posts in a span of too few days.

Well, let's make this one short then.

I ♥♥♥ the suede pumps featured in Proenza Schouler Fall 2008!!!

I'm not greedy. I want them in PINK only. :D

They're sooooooooooooooooo gorgeous. ♥ ♥ ♥

Where can I find a pair JUST like this??? *tearing hair in despair*
(Photo credit: Dottie of FashionNation thrifted this pair! I can't believe it!!! Lucky her!)

Note to self: Check out Aldo this weekend. *crossing fingers on both hands*

For the love of 2.55

2008-05-04T18:43:00.007+03:00

I've not been a very loving person recently. I'm full of spite. And envy. And I covet. Heck, all the seven deadly sins could've been created just for me.

For example, I love this bag:-
I'd do anything to own it.

I love this bag and I hate this person. She went to Chanel on Rue Cambon to get it. *hate* :p

I love this bag and I want it in

white

metallic silver

red

patent blue

black

And yes, throw in the mustard yellow one too.

However, at nearly USD2000 a pop, I think the probability of me becoming a math teacher is higher than the possibility of owning a Chanel 2.55 quilted classic flap. And I've sworn off math a decade ago.

(Well, except for calculating discounts during summer sales. But that's not math. It's shopping)

Battleground: Kitchen

2008-05-04T17:38:00.011+03:00

It sickens me to say this.

But I have to say it.

I mean, it's only right, right?

Ugh.

Ok, get to it already.

I'm saying it...

*deeeeeeeep breath*

MY HUSBAND IS A BETTER COOK THAN I!!!

Aauughhhh... *hides in shame*

:p

Let's look at the bright side though... I can always use the excuse: "You cook lar. Your results yummier than mine". :D

Look at him! I swear if he weren't married to me, I'd hate him! :D

He can cook...

Fried glass noodles (This is delish. Damnit)

But I can cook...

Yam rice (My mum's secret recipe! Hah!)

He can cook...

Kick-ass fried kangkong, fantastic onion omelette, and deep-fried beancurd slices (Damn. He's one stiff competitor!)

BUT I can make...

Brownies with pink sprinkles (I brought some for my colleagues and they said it was good! I hope that they weren't just trying to make me feel better. :p)

He can make...

SASHIMI!!!

OMG!!! I can't possibly top that!!! *going greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen*

Ah what the heck! I'm going drown my defeat in food. And I can blame him if I get fat!

"Ya lar... because of you I cannot wear miniskirts."

See? Good strategy!

Tata! :p

What is your favorite day of the week?

2008-05-03T18:41:00.009+03:00

I never thought I'd say this. EVER. But I'm saying it now:

I HATE SATURDAYS!!!*

*Only in Jeddah. Because it's the first day of the frickin' work week.

Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! I hides in dis bag til Wdnusdey.

Note on the title: I used to teach foreign teenage students in Msia... come to think of it, I still do now, but the Saudi kids are fast becoming not-so-foreign to me. :p Right. Back to what I was saying. These students' level was way below elementary and we had to teach them days of the week! Yeah, I know... it can get pretty snoozy. One of the favorite questions used in drill is "What's your favorite day of the week?"

That and the drill (used to practice yes/no questions): "I love you. Do you love me?" I made my students say to each other in class!!! *loud wicked laughter*

You know you ♥ me :)

2008-05-01T23:10:00.011+03:00

The new TV show abuzzing these days is Gossip Girl. I haven't had the chance to catch any of the episodes except for the pilot, but I must say this series has got some potential. (Note that the operative word is 'some') For instance, I'm totally loving the outfits that have been put together. :D

I read the GG books a couple of years back and seriously, nothing can top Sex and the City. I mean, GG is about a few extremely privileged teens living in minimal parental supervision and having unlimited credit. How interesting can it go as far as plots are concerned? I'm still waiting to be surprised though. :) Nonetheless, it isn't unexpected that the U.S Neilsen reports the series' rating as such:

The first episode of the show (GG) was watched by 3.65 million viewers, coming in last place in its 9:00 p.m. timeslot on Wednesday nights (...) The show wasn't able to cling to its viewers in its second outing, however, losing more than half of ANTM's audience and 22% of its own debut numbers in the face of strong competition from other shows.
Sourced from Wiki

But hey, I'm not here to nit-pick. :D Back to what I was saying. Great clothes. (Which will hopefully make great TV!)

Here are some ideas from Serena, Blair and Jenny that I will steal. :D

These girls love their hosiery! And so do I! In this scene, Blair had on pair of chevron tights I'd kill to get! Plus, the dress and the mary-janes are so perfect together.

Patterned tights (that go oh-so-wonderfully well with the vintage-y eyelet dress). Ultimate in cute! :D I'm so snagging this idea!

Blair seems to be the highlight in this post. :p But look at her! I ♥ knee socks too! I've bought a few pairs and am now just waiting to bust 'em out (when I finally leave this place :D).

Knee socks and patterned tights... ♥ ♥ ♥

Oh, and also Blair's red-bow aliceband and Serena's plaid school skirt. :)))

The colors are perfectly contrasted here, Blair! (Never mind what you are about to do! ;p)

The rare occasion when I actually like Jenny's outfit. This one is quirky yet chic. So like Jenny, I guess. She's not the most confident of girls, but she's got surprisingly more guts than Blair! (in the books anyway... I've no idea how she's portrayed in the episodes)

Blair with yet another great ensemble. It's simple, understated and sleek. ♥

Y'know when I read the books, I liked Serena a lot. She's the victim of Blair's insecurities and underneath her seeming perfection, Serena's vulnerable. But to my disappointment, the show made her character a little flakey (based on the single episode I watched, so I may stand corrected if otherwise! :p)

Here, Serena is the teenage version of Carrie Bradshaw! The hair, the stance, her dress and coat... (well, except the bag... Carrie would've swapped that for a Prada clutch)

And yes, Blair again. Some might think that her dress is overwhelming, but I'm loving the humongous bow on her left shoulder. So avant garde! ♥
She should lose the wrist corsage though. Not only it's tacky, it's also out of place with her dress. I never like flowers on wrists anyway. It just doesn't seem right. :)

All photos from The CW

Note: I've been blogging about fluff because currently, I'm quite stressed out with the final exam preparations. Usually, the two programs kept open simultaneously are Microsoft Office (to type the exam questions) and Blogger on FireFox (for me to take a break once in while from the *gdfs* exam papers). :D

Run!!! Monster!!!

2008-05-01T21:55:00.007+03:00

I find the following to be funny!

For this academic year, I've been assigned to teach Language of Medicine to first year Meds. Amongst the (seemingly) gazillions of combining forms, suffixes and prefixes, one in particular stood out.

Teratoma
Teratomas are a very peculiar sort of tumor that may appear in the ovaries or testes. These growths consists of hair, teeth, bone and skin. Hence, the name terat/o which means 'monster' in Greek.

Sounds grotesque.
Looks even worst.

But when I was surfing for an illustration of a teratoma for my class, I came across this!

Hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahaha!!! *rolling on the floor* (Got this from here. This guy really cracks me up!)

I'm guessing yeah... rambutans DO fit the description of a teratoma!

I sure am not going to look at my favorite tropical fruit in the same way again after this! :D And IF you want to take a look at how a REAL teratoma looks like, click here. I dare ya! :p

Uniqlo :)))

2008-04-29T18:19:00.015+03:00

Love the styles! (From Uniqlo's 20 color Fraise t-shirts)

In anticipation of flying home this summer...

My rating:-
♥♥♥ - seriously copiable
♥♥ - needs some tweaking
♥- let's do it my way!

The combination of the oversize shades, leopard print belt, sky-high heels and tight ankle-skimming pants are just so awesomely Bond girl. ♥♥ (only because I lack the locks)

Once a long time ago, I was very afraid of high-waisted pants. Fear no more. Especially not when cinched with a skinny belt and flaunted with gorgeous open-toed sandals and Hermes Birkin wannabe. :p And oh, gotta make sure them pants are wide-legged! ♥♥♥

The skirt is too waaaay up there. Hence, a ♥♥ rating. But the hoop earrings, covered peep-toe platforms and waaaaay out 'fro... to die for.

Loving the fail-proof scarf-cum-belt. The slim hips and long pins don't hurt either. ♥ (because real women have curves - so says the one in denial :D)

The weave belt. Is it making a comeback? Or is it never really gone? Anyway, this... totally doable. For any size and shape. Now, that's style. :) ♥♥♥

I *wish* and *wish* and *wish* for a pair of Chanel quilted ballet flats to magically appear in my wardrobe so that I can pull this one off. ♥♥(because surely I can manage to find a substitute until I get my wish :D)

ooOoo... I'm always partial towards cutoffs and wedge-heels. Never thought of pairing them though. Looks promising... ♥♥ (because the floppy hat has got to go)

This is compelling me to grab a pair of Vans I've been eyeing for the longest time. Motivation to shop... it's everywhere if you look hard enough :D ♥♥♥

Now get me that plane ticket! :D

I know I have too much time when...

2008-04-27T19:59:00.005+03:00

Seriously, you can love and hate it here. (For my list of loves, refer to the snippet on the sidebar entitled "Come 8th July...".)

These days I'm going just a WEE bit off my rocker. Work is, at best, less than fulfilling sometimes. Yaneen, I go to the university 5 days a week for hours ranging from as little as two daily to as many as the regular eight. Hey, no complaints there really.

Weeeeeeeeeell, maybe I do wish things would jazz up a little. -.-"

Still. Hands down this place has the best working hours. With the best pay (she concedes!)

No just cause for complaints lar.

Weeeeeeeeeell, maybe maybe maybe yours truly (do people still say that?) is just a teeny-weensy bit bored. You judge:-

Wheeeeeee! Thank you for generously sharing the Internet , ARPA! :D Now I can ~~waste~~ while my time away with virtual makeovers!

I'm getting sick of me. ^.^

Tata!!!

Sandstorm Update

2008-04-26T16:16:00.005+03:00

I'm still spitting sand from my mouth as I type this.

Remember I wrote about the start of the sandstorm season and how I wanted to witness one in tightly sealed building? Well, NEVER HAPPENED. :) Instead...

The weather is acting up again, and I've had the ill fortune to be outdoors when the sandstorm reared its ugly head today.

It started at around 1 p.m. I was on my way to my second hour of class when I was suddenly hit by a hot (and by hot, I mean 40degC perhaps?) gush of wind as I stepped out of my office building. Phew. HOT HOT HOT... I imagine it like being in a convection oven?

Anyway, by 3p.m., the storm was at its apex. I leave at 3 on Saturdays and my driver (what a guy!) usually likes to come pick me up at 2:45! And it is a loooooooong walk from my office to the entrance (or exit) where the drivers/fathers/brothers/husbands wait for their 'charges'. To make matters worse, it is a long walk in the open! Not only that, today of all days, I didn't bring my hijab (black headscarf). If I'd brought it, I'd have used it to cover my nose and mouth.

So, hijab-less and exposed to the blasting scorching wind, I braved my way out.

MISTAKE.

The wind was so strong that all the time I kept thinking, 'OMG! The next gust is going to lift me straight off my feet (And I don't even need a man for that. :p Ok, lame joke) and land me 100 feet away!' And 'Oh nooooo... indecent exposure alert!". :S

My mouth and throat were filled with fine grains of sand so quickly that I still taste the grittiness of sand between my molars! (I'm a disgusting mouth-breather in times of panic)

My eyes, needless to say, teared copiously. I'd have to say this: contact lenses + sandstorm = cry baby. :P Sorry, another lame joke! The sand must have addled my brains as well :D

And my throat, oh my throat.

Here's hoping for fine weather tomorrow. No more wind! Mafi wind! :D

USWS-ism

2008-04-21T17:53:00.005+03:00

As I was drifting off to sleep last night, I'd had a sobering thought.

I know. Funny choice of words considering there isn't a single drop of drinkable alcohol to be found kingdomwide.

I digress.

The sobering thought.

"I'm turning 28 this year."

TWENTY EIGHT.

28 28 28 28 28 28 28

I'm officially in my late-twenties.

I hate the word 'late'. It connotes negativity. Late = tardy = lazy. Late (period) = pregnant. (Ok, maybe the second example isn't so great. But still.)

Right after I realized I'm growing ancient, the next sobering thought: "Soon I have to give up mini skirts."

Now, THAT really shook me to the core!

I mean, how many women enter the cusp of their thirties wearing a mini skirt??? And I *love* my minis. *waaaaaaiiiilllllllllll*

No wonder I was exhausted this morning. Last night was just way too traumatic.

To pop quote Kelly Clarkson: "Never again"

From thisTo this???

I think I've been hidden underneath the abaya too long. Time to go home and bust out the minis. Before it's too late! :D

Monsoon Lye-Lee-Chan

2008-04-19T21:49:00.008+03:00

The best cat ever.

Monsoon the Handsome.

Hellow everyone. I'm Monsoon.

If I had a Facebook account, I'd totally install the nickname app. It'd look something like this:-
Mummy: Monsoon booooy, Habibi, Cayang
Daddy: Habibi, Bibo, Nekoki
Grandma & grandpa: Bibi, Boy
LSK & LKY: Mimi

*sighhh* I know. I know. I'm ever so lovable and popular.

The day I was rescued, I was just a tiny bit of fluff.

With a grubby face, no less.

See how small I was? That was daddy's hand.

But didn't I look grand in my red sweater? (Made from mummy's knit top sleeve)

Even then, I'd already developed an affinity for feet (the smellier the better), which would eventually grow into a full-fledged addiction for socks of any sort.

When I was an itsy-bitsy kit, daddy and mummy should've called me Tim because I was afraid of a lot of things. Weeeeell, I'm still afraid of a lot things today, but let's not get into that just yet.

And I also loved my 'itchigo' (strawberry) pant~~ies~~. Mummy threw that out when it got nasty. I still mourn the demise of my 'itchigo' till today.

Now I'm a big boy. When I dislike something, I'll either pee on it or sit on it. Like this pile of rubbish mummy likes to read. Yeech.

Saya taiko besar rumah Section 5, Kota Damansara. Mong meh mong, sei pat poh! Seong seong hamik kui, chao pui poh! (Yes, I'm multilingual. Aren't I amazing?)

*sighhh* I resign to the fact that I'm loved... ever so visibly.

Get away from me, you evil witch.

Eccentricity

2008-04-19T21:41:00.003+03:00

OK. No need to understand.

Just know.

I want to go to Medina (المدينة المنورة).

Only 420km.

A friend in an unlikely place!

2008-04-19T18:15:00.005+03:00

One day, we decided to have ice cream for lunch. Yes. We have ceased to eat normally in sand land. In fact, I often have chocolate and crisps for dinner.

Kidding, mum!!! :D (yes, me mum reads me blog) The truth? On that particular day, we've driven everywhere in the city and failed to find any place that was open as it was quite close to sallah time :p So, to stave off hunger, we went quickly to get some ice-cream before Baskin Robbins too decide to close!!! (Trust me, it's like a frickin' race against time here! :p)

Nyum yum... lemon meringue (my favorite strawberry cheesecake was unavailable... hmm... I seem to be partial to cake-flavor ice cream). Note that hubby dearest was carrying MY handbag! :D LOL

We sat in our car, parked in front of the Baskin Robbins, to eat our 'lunch', and from the car, we had a pretty good view of this --->

A MEGA huge lamb/sheep carcass hanging upside down.

Honestly, it was quite gross, but we were too famished to care! :D

Then, whaddya know! --->

Well, well, well, looks like someone doesn't think red, bloody, upside down carcass is too disgusting! :D

Isn't he the 'dopey'-est looking little fellow? :D

I couldn't stand it any longer. I *just* had to make friends with this dopey. :)))
Didn't matter that the day was 30degC and my ice cream was quickly becoming 'liquid lunch'. :p

I *wish wish wish* I could bring you home with me!!!
You've got the most gorgeously lined eyes. Some Abyssinian ancestors perhaps? :D

Then it was time to go! :(((

Tata, dopey mopey. I'll always remember the name of the street where you live. And I'll definitely *force* my husband to bring me here again! :D

البحر الأحمر

2008-04-18T17:38:00.011+03:00

The Red Sea is called Al-bahr Al-ahmar in Arabic (bahr = sea, ahmar = red). It is not uncommon for people who haven't seen the Red Sea to erroneously think of it as, well, red. As a matter of fact, it is as blue as Sinatra's eyes! :p (Corny I know, but I can't help it! :D)

Hence, this leads us to question this misnomer (?). Could it be that the person who first christened this blue body of water was color-blind? :D (such a stupid yet common notion) Many people are familiar with the theory of red marine vegetation giving the sea its supposed color. Personally, I think it's a claptrap theory. :) I don't see anything red in the sea. There you go. Evidence--->

Where got red lor? (I can never shake off my Manglish :D)

Oh, whaddya mean you have to dive into the water to see it? Rubbish. Check your facts. It says right here that this crimson algae (or whatnot) is visible near the surface. Nada. Well, at least not in this side of the coast (I acquiesce :p).

According to Mr. Wiki, there are several speculations as to "Why Red Sea?". My favorite one is:

Some suggest that it refers to the mineral-rich red mountains nearby which are called Harei Edom (הרי אדום). Edom, meaning "ruddy complexion", is also an alternative Hebrew name for the red-faced biblical character Esau (brother of Jacob), and the nation descended from him, the Edomites, which in turn provides yet another possible origin for Red Sea.

The chronicle in the book of Exodus must be the reason why I favor this explanation. (Also there are some reddish mountains bordering the Red Sea in Jordan :D)

Though it's geographically wrong (Moses and posse were in Egypt, not Jeddah!), one can't help but be reminded of:

"But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea"... And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. Exodus 14:16,21

Right. Enough writing methinks. On to the pictures! :D

On the way to the Jeddah's Red Sea coast. Head towards 'Al-Shate'e', which, by the way, means 'the beach' in Arabic.

We (and hundreds of Jeddah residents) love to go to Obhur Creek. Like its name suggests, it's a small inlet and the sea is a lot calmer here.

I took this photo and am ridiculously proud of it! :D Creative photography isn't really my thing (more my hubby's), but just as I was about to press 'click', a flock of birds flew by, much to my delight! *whoop* (That's just some random guy looking under the hood)

Obhur Creek. Look at the shades of blue. Mesmerizing. :)

I know it didn't show in the photo, but I was freaking out here. I can't swim and even that skill wouldn't have helped as the rocks under my dangling feet were so perilous looking! :p But I JUST had to have a picture taken! :D

Don't be fooled by that smile. I was still freaked. :p Even the clear azure Red Sea failed to qualm my fear. :D

My poor husband had to take his own photo cam-whore style because I was too busy admiring the sea (by this time, my jitteriness had sort of somewhat passed)

The sun was high up, but it wasn't the least bit warm. The sea breeze was surprisingly cool. I love it! :D

The Red Sea... I'm going to miss you. (Seriously though, the time has come, the Walrus said, to get over my 'emo-ness' :p)

P.S. --> Everyone *must* read Lewis Carroll. It's a sin not to. :D

There's always a first

2008-04-17T16:53:00.006+03:00

It seems to be that I'm 'slacking off'. My last post was 10 days ago. :p

Well, I never claim to be dedicated. In fact, I've been called 'fickle' more times than I care to remember. :D

Right. Anyway, I've had a week of semester break. And boy, has it been a whirlwind of a week. :)))

We went to the beach everyday. We got hooked on shisha. We hit the warehouse sales. We ate out for all our meals. Yes, it was great week all in all. And I will blog about it later.

Now. On to a more pertinent matter.

Seriously, this is an epiphany for me.

*Emo post coming up*

You have been duly warned. Usually I don't do the pouring-your-soul-out sort of post. I like keeping things cappuccino-light. (Thus, the disclaimer) However, there has to be an exception. (Hey, I teach English and trust me, nothing but exceptions truly matter. :D)

Anyway, amongst all the things that had happened in the past week, we finally confirmed the date of our flight home. Yes, our final exit. In Saudi Arabia, there are two ways about this matter, exit-reentry and final exit.

So, we've purchased our flight tickets and when the university re-opens the day after, I'm going to get the administration to begin processing our final exit. Yeah, I know... so dramatic... final exit. *sigh*

My point is, I thought I'd feel happy, relieved and ecstatic about leaving. (note the 'turbulent' use of adjectives) Life here ain't easy, let's put it that way. One of the toughest would be the staring I have to endure, due to the fact that I totally *don't* blend in.

It has taken me nearly six months to adjust to that and more, but now we're leaving? ALREADY?

I'm not done with this country! I'm starting to love it here and now we're leaving?

I still want to enjoy the perks of being an 'exotic' foreigner (people at Sephora fawn over me, for gwd's sake!).

I'm just starting to learn the language and unique customs of the Saudis.

I've yet to take advantage of the extremely affordable diving sessions in the Red Sea!

I love the food here although they do put me in weight danger zone. Zatar, mandi, warg enab, kabsah, hummus, baklava, kunafa.

Is there anywhere else in the world near strangers (of the same sex) hug you and kiss your cheeks and say 'keif al halek'?

I'm even getting used to the staring! Come on, it can't be that soon, can it?

I will miss Jeddah. Dreadfully. :(((((((

The جمل (jamal) beauty

2008-04-06T13:37:00.011+03:00

I've been gone long.

I apologize.

But hey, the camels are a-calling! :D

Warning: photo-heavy post

One fine weekend...

Whilst we are taking a drive in the city after a nice lunch..

Ho hum... same sights. This is getting old.

The three of us. My husband, a friend of a friend who in turn became our friend - J, and I!

J: "Since you like camels so much, I'll bring you see some la."

Me: "Wheeeee!!! Yes!"

Off we went!

Trees

Long stretch of road (This is heading towards the international airport in Jeddah)

Lamp posts (and vast flat land)

More desolate desert (I can't get enough of the beauty of its aridity and seeming despondence)

Makkah (to the left) or Medina (to the right)?

Yeah

We saw TV sets in the open (no need to worry about rain, remember?)...

... picnic grounds right in the middle of nowhere (desert no less!)...

And finally! CAMELS AHOY! :D

With mama and babies too! Wheeeee!

The keeper was a young man of about 20. In spite of the language barrier, he was a really friendly dude. He kept reassuring us that his camels are used to people by kissing it and calling it 'Habibi' (my beloved). It's quite amusing. :D And sweet. :D

This photo is like way hilarious! I had to put it up here. My husband and the camel had on a WTF face. I 'fell asleep'. The keeper was posing like one of those old world English hunters in Africa! :D

Watcha lookin' at, Mrs. Camel? (Yeah, it's a girl camel)

Mrs. Camel and kids
Me: "Hey, where you guys going? I wanna pose with you! Don't leave! Come back!!!"

Finally, she got fed up and pooped us a pile! :D

Camel tit-bit: The Arabic words for 'beauty' and 'camel' are derived from the same root: jml / jamal. Nothing is more appropriate, I tell ya! :D Camels are my favorite animals, after cats of course! :D

After we were through with the camels, J brought us to a beautiful stretch of coastline. It was super amazing! We arrived quite late. The sun was about to set and worst of all, my husband's camera phone was low on battery!!! What a pity because this place is so difficult to access (rocky, sandy roads and all). Hence, chances of us coming here again... nil. :( Nevertheless, we managed to snap a few pics, albeit low-quality ones as the phone was going into auto battery-saving mode.

Breathtaking

In the horizon, the sky was all purpley-pink swirls. Pretty!

Behind, miles (or seemingly so) of desert sand. It really is quite a singular sight! :D

These are the things I'm going to miss about Saudi Arabia! :)

Frivolity

2008-03-29T19:54:00.009+03:00

Don't say I didn't warn you. Read the title.

*starts with clear conscience*
First, new lippy. M.A.C. is now my new best friend. :D What's there not to love?

great fun products
wide range of shades
fantastic color pay-off
best of all, reasonable price!

Admittedly M.A.C is not as affordable as say, Revlon, L'oreal, Kate or Bourjois, it's price tags are still pretty alright as compared to Estee Lauder ('auntie' colors) or Clinique (cheap packaging) or Christian Dior (freaking cult!). I'm not being fair. I forgot my other best friend BeneFit. And another one of my best friend Sephora. But that's for another day la. :P For now, Lovelorn:-

Perfect pastel pink! Pretty yet not overly saccharine sweet.

Pucker up beauty-blog-style. (Of course my blog isn't a beauty-themed one. I'm just too fickle to stick to just one topic. :D Click here for my fav beauty writer)

Second, my style diary. I've not done this since I initially started this blog. Tsk tsk tsk. Traditions must prevail. Thus:-

The only day I actually obeyed the university dress code for female staff. Long skirt is so not my style (and I only have one in black!).

Boring black happens to be my favorite color. I broke the monotony by wearing leopard print flats from Nine West. (The flats are described weirdly on the box: leopard print pony skin! Hahaha)

This is a total outright breach of dress code (no short tops with trousers)! But hey, it was Wednesday (Friday equivalent here) and I was too lazy to think of ways to manipulate my wardrobe to suit an Arabian workplace. :P

A weekend outfit. Old hair, so just guess how old this photo is! Hah! :P

This, by the way, is my absolute Carrie-esque skirt. Carrie of SATC. Speaking of which, I CAN'T BELIEVE that I'm going to miss the opening of the movie version because I'll still be stuck here by then!!!!!!!!! *end of rant*

Dreary morning? Dress it up! This is Heather-Graham-in-Austin-Powers-inspired. Only duller as I couldn't possibly go to work in psychedelic colors, could I? (Not here at least :P) I was even wearing stacked heels with this outfit.. pity they can't be seen clearly. Oh well.

Third, I've been dreaming about Chanel classic flap quilted sling bag. I'm quite in love with the 2.55. It's now in my wish list. :D I don't do fakes by the way, so forget about recommending copies *mega grin*, but with the its astronomical price, who knows when I can ever afford a 2.55? A girl can always dream (for now)...

See? I even thought of the outfits that can go with the ever beautiful 2.55! :P

To prove that I'm not all that fluffy-brained and utterly useless... see, I do housework! :D

THE END!

Miss Independent?

2008-03-25T15:19:00.005+03:00

I'm a big girl. I can go to school on my very own.

Today is the first day I went to work on my own (after being in sandland for 6 months). YES! It's a BIG step here for me. Well, mainly because my husband is super protective (rightly so, as we've heard too many stories of people going missing in this place) and has always been 'chaperoning' me to and from the university daily. Hahaha... I'm a pampered pooch I know! :D

Women, especially young ladies, attract TOO MUCH attention here if they travel singly. Even for a short distance. It's difficult to imagine what the situation is like here unless one is immersed in it. Anyhow, we finally found a driver that my husband likes and trusts enough to send me and pick me up from work everyday. So, in a situation that can never truly happen back home on good ole Msia, I now have an ahmad! So to speak.

Going to work... this is a photo taken by my husband like aeons ago in a cab (see my hair?).

Booth or booth?

2008-03-24T17:32:00.007+03:00

Since we're on the subject of Al Baik restaurants, I thought I might as well put up some photos we took the other day when we had lunch in an Al Baik near our place.

This is the first Al Baik that we've been to that has a family section. And man, was it weird. The only seating choice is booths and what's more is that each booth has its own pair of mini glass swing doors!

See? Mini glass doors on our booth.

Mini glass doors on other booths. Ahhh... now no more spying on other people's wives.

I wasn't rubbing my hands in glee! Note the clear bottle on the left of the photo? I was 'de-germing' before I eat so that I can lick my fingers 'tanpa was-was'! :D

I was too hungry to wait for my husband to finish taking photos. Digging into my portion of the delectable chicken.

The first thought that struck me when I saw these booths was, "Wow! We could make out in public and no one would ever know! :D My husband looked at me like I've lost my mind, but then again, maybe I have in this land of sand. :P

P.S - The title... a twist of the common question asked at restaurant about seating preference: "Booth or table?", which in this case is totally not applicable as we are in booth-land! :D

Waxing Lyrical

2008-03-22T18:31:00.011+03:00

I don't know if many people are aware of this, but I think Jeddah is hoarding a secret from the rest of the world. A secret that even Colonel Sanders would kill for. Tee hee.

OMG, people, the best fried chicken fast food chain is here in the heart of the land of sand!

If I were a teenager:-
TODAY: "Al-Baik rocks, y'all!"
IN THE 1950s: "Al-Baik? Coolsville!"
IN THE 1920s: "Al-Baik is the bee's knees!!!"

Ahahaha... ok, got a little carried away just now. But seriously, Al-Baik serves like the best sinful fried food. There's a short Wiki article on it and in Fac ebook, it has a fan base of over 7100 members! Rumor has it that the Saudi princes even fly into Jeddah to savor the delectable, juicy fried chicken as there are no outlets in Riyadh for some reason (*shrugs*). Not bad, eh, for a chain based ONLY in Saudi Arabia (according to its official website) that has yet to hit its 40th anniversary.On the other hand, KFC, an international rival, has been around for 78 years and its Facebook fanbase is a pathetic 4300-odd members! :P

For some (obvious) reason, in Jeddah, a lot of Al-Baik restaurants are built RIGHT NEXT to KFC and one can see that people FLOCK to Al-Baik. It's always jammed pack with customers, whilst KFC's is always 'pak bang' (an transliterated expression in Hokkien that means 'swatting at mosquitos', i.e. too free with nothing better to do! Hahaha). So, really, Al-Baik's food is the most yummilicious! :D KFC, perhaps you should rethink your 'world's best fried chicken' tagline because you have been overtaken! By a little chick in Jeddah, no less! :p

I get HYPERexcited whenever I see this lil chickie logo! :D

The garlic sauce synonymous with Al-Baik! I dunk everything in it. Chicken, nuggets, fish fillet, bun! I'm SUPER addicted to it! Not to mention, I can probably fend off a pack of vampires too! Beware, bad breath! :D

See? We always ask for EXTRA garlic sauce! Usually, the guy gives only two or three little cartons and I'll say "Some more please?" :D And he'll give SEVEN! *joy!*

The eight-piece meal.
Eight pieces are equivalent to one whole chicken: 2 breasts + 2 wings + 2 legs (drumstick lar) + 2 thighs with fries and two buns. All for only less than rm20! *greedy, gluttony grin* And you won't believe how succulent and tender the breast meat is! My husband who abhors KFC fried breast meat and had, in the past, sworn never to touch it with a 100-foot pole, LOVES Al-Baik's breast meat! Now, that's a true convert for you!

The chicken nuggets from Al-Baik are totally different from the filler-filled ones from KFC or McDonald's. Each nugget is shaped from three carefully sliced and breaded lean meat. 100% firm, juicy chicken. No dubious spongy thingy that makes you wonder if it's truly chicken or something else! Deliciously satisfying! :D
Oh, and in the foreground, hummus from Al-BAik!!! I LOVE hummus! It's supposed to be eaten with flatbread, but I can just eat it just as it is! Oh, Lordy, get me some right now! :D

Writing this post is sure hard because I keep getting visions of the fried chicken from Al-Baik. Oooh, it's a good thing we 'tapau'ed some earlier! Yummy! Tata!

Cat Tatt

2008-03-19T21:12:00.009+03:00

These are the designs I'm thinking of getting. They're ok, I guess, but I still haven't found one I truly like yet. In the meantime, I'm surfing the net for ideas.

Initially I wanted this, but methinks it might be a wee bit too complicated? (have to find a really GOOD tattoist for this) It's really awesome though.

Then I thought a cat inspired design would be better and more time-worthy (as in it won't look odd on me as I grow older). So, this is quite likely until...

I saw this one! I like this too! :D Simple, not too obvious and yet still very cat.

Ermm... maybe not this. Too... girlish? Imagine a fifty-year-old woman with this tatt... eewwwsss... :p

This design isn't what I really I have in mind, but it captures all the qualities I'm looking for: simple, clean lines and a smooth silhouette. (But I won't go for this one. I think it'll look like a blob of something from afar! Hahaha)

Why a cat tatt? Well, obviously I'm such a cat person. Cats are smart and handsome and independent, and can do no wrong in my eyes. Once (a really long time ago or so it seems) someone told me that I resemble a cat/kitten. Until today, I haven't a single clue of what he meant by that, but hey, sounds good to be a cat because everybody wants to be a cat, right? ;) Cats reflect the puurfect blend of sophisticated breeding and feral freedom. Cats make the best pet in the world. If you're busy or away, they can entertain themselves, thank you very much. Once they are litter-trained, they're really efficient in using the box (and also in 'telling' you that it's time for fresh litter). They don't slobber all over you and neither do they keep you and your neighbors awake all night (neuter them toms and they won't be wondering the back alleys 'singing'). So, cats, cats, cats... my babies. :D

And the best cat in the whole wide world... Monsoon baby. This was taken just before I left Msia! *sad!* (Monsoon always looks grumpy, don't mind him :p)

I did some reading online as well and obtained quite a lot of advice regarding where to place my (pending) tatt. For instance, for women, it's a wise move to get tattooed on areas which can be easily concealed. Popular choices include:

on the inside of the wrist (hide by wearing a watch or a bracelet)
near the ankle (wear long pants/skirts or opaque tights)
on one of the shoulder blades (can only be seen when wearing a tanktop/tubetop)
behind the ear (covered by hair)
on the small of the back/lower back (a good place for a relatively large tatt)

I seldom wear 'skimpy' tops, so a tattoo on my shoulder blade is just going to be hidden all the time. Ditto behind the ear as I hate to tie my hair up in a ponytail. In addition, I read somewhere that inking the lower back might pose a problem if I want to get an epidural (lest I either cannot take the pain of childbirth or need to deliver my baby via C-section). With a low pain threshold, I sure ain't gonna take that risk! :p So, that leaves only the first two options. Hmm, I like the idea of having a little catty design on the inside of my wrist or near my ankle. Which one now? Need to do some thinking first.

Sneak a peek

2008-03-19T15:27:00.003+03:00

I've been wanting a cat one... like this:-

Cute! (Image from here)

More later!

Preview

2008-03-18T23:30:00.002+03:00

I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for about a year now.
Right. It's now 12 a.m.
Will update tomorrow.

Knock knock! grooaans

2008-03-16T20:01:00.014+03:00

This is long overdue.

Nevertheless.

Better late than never.

Ugh. I can't believe I've just used that cliche, but bearing in mind of my writer's block aftermath, it's forgivable.

Gawd, I'm such a snob! (Don't mind me, I'm in a weird mood).

On we go with the post.

This city is a whole lot more metropolitan than most would think it to be. My reason for saying that? Well, the ability to go around with 'uncovered' hair and in form-fitting abayas aside, I've never been to so many ethnic restaurants in such a short space of time! Back in PJ/KL, it has always been the options of either Friday's, Italiannies or Fasta Pasta during the weekend (I know we're boring! :p). Weekends here, on the other hand, have been spent dining at
Thai
Pakistani
Northern Indian
Korean (awesome place this one)
Indonesian
Arabian (that's a given, of course)
restaurants. And the ubiquitous American steakhouses. It's amazing I haven't yet gained any weight, but the lack of things to do here does drive one to gorge all the time! :D

Whenever we go to these places to eat, we always look for the family entrance. I don't know when I became so conscious, but if I entered the wrong entrance, I felt sooOOoo out of sorts. (Man, I hope I shed this habit once I get home! :p) Another thing these eateries have in common is, of course, the partitions in the family dining section. Well, not all restaurants have them, but MOST I've been to do. (You can read about these partitions in McD, but I have to warn you that post is a MESS!)

For the sake of documenting, I'm glad that this particular restaurant we frequent did not to put up our side of the partition. And oh, remember that all photos are taken surreptitiously from a camera phone (why don't people say 'phone camera' instead?), so I apologize if the angles are a bit off, as I was trying to pretend to be text-ing! :D

Don't bother the name. People here are always using the most 'obvious' and unoriginal ones. (Damn, I must stop being so nasty) This restaurant serves the best-est Thai fried rice this side of the world and my husband is practically addicted to the raw shrimp dish! (See, I can be nice too! Heh)

For women, the proper way to enter and exit. :p

What to eat??? I hate making choices! Anyway, see that the tables around us are completely enclosed? Imagine eating and staring at four claustrophobic walls? But as they say, when in Rome...

Another angle of the partitioned tables. Peekaboo, I can see yoooouuu! (By the way, on the left... that's a friend who always recommends new places to go 'makan'!)

Peekaboo, I can see you tooooooooooooooo (another table opposite ours)

And when the waiter comes with the food, he'll knock the partition politely before coming in.

"Knock! Knock!

Who's there?
Waiter.
Waiter who?
Waiter minute while I'm tying my shoelace!"

Right. Definitely time to go. Cliches (two to be exact!!!) and knock knock jokes in ONE post? My lame-o-meter is soaring! :p

Anal

2008-03-15T16:33:00.008+03:00

I've been cursed.

With the proverbial writer's block.

Plus, it doesn't help that I've been elected to assist in the assessment committee this semester and thus a-wee-bit-bogged-down-by-work just doesn't describe the situation.

In addition, I've just discovered (again) that Anne Rice writes really engaging and intriguing books (I've passed up on my Stephen King phase last month) and hence my time is now spent reading the Mayfair Witches Trilogy.

Heh. I'm quite certain by now that you notice I write only a sentence in a paragraph to fill in the space.

Guilty. Guilty.

Gawd, I never thought I'd resort to RANDOM POSTING! X( Yaneen, I hate it when bloggers write under the topic of Random. I'm an English teacher! I need:-
structure
thesis statement
topic sentences
body paragraphs
supporting sentences
substantiation
a thought-provoking conclusion!!!!!!!
If an essay (or in this case, blog entry) lacks these elements, I throw a fit! I'm anal that way. But look!!! LOOK! I'm writing randomly. I'm slipping ever so slowly but surely into randomness.

I think I'd better stop before I go into writer's OCPD.

*GULP*

It ain't that bad

2008-03-09T20:02:00.013+03:00

The first remark many people exclaim upon learning of my then-prospective/now-current location is "OMG! You have to cover your head and wear that long black dress thing!!!". It's pretty funny, really, seeing their astounded faces and/or hearing their even more astonished tone of voice! Before I came to Jeddah, I already knew I have to wear the 'long black dress thing' (it's called abaya, people!) and may even be required to cover my head with a hijab. I took that for granted... something that had to be done to be in this place... a price to pay, if you must.

On retrospection, it was totally weird that I was FINE with the idea! :D (Just so you know, I love my mini skirts... come rain or thunder thighs! :p)

Nevertheless, as carefree as I was about the whole concept of covering up, it wasn't an easy transition for me. Many a time, I nearly walked out of the house forgetting to put on my abaya (a relatively dangerous thing to do as it could either land you in jail - darn muttawa- or be harassed by men). Too many an occasion, I grumbled for hours on end to my long-suffering husband (:D) about the encumbrance of the abaya. And I truly, truly have lost count the number of times I tripped on this enshrouding garment. (I even fell once! Oops... malu! Hahaha) It's a good thing non-Muslims here aren't required to cover their heads. Phew! Or else... woe betide poor Aschafava! :D

AFTER MORE THAN 5 MONTHS HERE...
I still whine and gripe, but not as much as before. (I'm pretty sure my husband is sighing in great relief!)

I bought my first 'proper' abaya too. Ahhh... buying an abaya is tricky business here.
No price tags (or at least legible ones! :p)
So, make sure you know the 'market price'. I made a mistake by asking my students where to get abayas. Of course these poor dears, not knowing that I have NO intention whatsoever of staying more than a year, recommended a really expensive place. Lovely pieces, no doubt, especially if you have magpie-tendencies like ME (my other nick is Magpie because this special bird and I share an affinity for sparkly, shiny objects! :D). Yes, beautiful, gorgeous abayas studded with

crystals

rhinestones

sequins

moonstones

glass beads

turquoise stones!!!

Some are richly embroidered at the hems of the sleeves and the colors of the patterns are stunningly vivid against the black background!

Kam fulus? (How much?)

2000 riyals (approx rm1800)
3000 riyals (approx rm2700)
5000 riyals (you can guess)

Eerrr... okay, if I were staying for a few years, then *maybe* I'd consider getting one. But hey, let's face it. The moment I get on that direct flight back to KLIA this July, I'm taking off my abaya the moment I board the plane and it's back to minis for me! With rm1800, I can get me 10 minis! So. No.

In the end, I bought a plain black abaya that I can accessorize with necklaces and brooches to my heart's content.

From Al Sultanah. It took two days for the alteration (no one buys an abaya without some alteration, especially if one wants the abaya to fit nicely)

Nice packaging for a simple garment.

When in doubt, wear black. Literally.

AND NO, I don't wear slippers and shorts underneath. I still like to dress up regardless. Usually I put on a high-neck top under the abaya so that I don't look nekkid. :D

The rare moment I chose to wear a hijab. This was during Ramdhan when the muttawas were a lot stricter. Sigh...

Some designs I would possibly get if I were staying:-

I LOVE this design! Pink trim with huge bell sleeves.

And this! Sheer top layer with turquoise lining. Too beautiful.

Aren't these ladies lovely? The abayas here are actually very, very stunning up close. These are the ones that cost an arm and a leg and probably also a head! :D Photo is of some fashion event in Dubai, UAE.

Final note: According to my students (my source!), ONLY in Jeddah, women are allowed to wear abayas with color and 'uncover' their hair (although Muslim ladies will face some pressure to cover up).

Wonders upon wonders

2008-03-06T13:24:00.013+03:00

Two nice things happened last evening. (Bear in mind of my Saudi Arabian context whilst you peruse the rest of this entry)

Incident number one
'New Look', a UK high street fashion retailer somewhat like Topshop etc., opened its doors to its Arabian clientèle yesterday in Aziz Mall, Jeddah. The opening ceremony was chockful with oh-my-god-droolsworthy English men!!! Yes, it was oglesville for me last night. Methinks they were part of the 'New Look' team from the UK. (Sorry, no public photo taking in Saudi Arabia... otherwise... :p)

Oh my!

In addition, the moment we stepped into the store, which was HUGE (much, much bigger than the combined floorspace of Zara and Mango in MidV Megamall), I heard MUSIC!!!! Actual, honest-to-goodness, 100-decibel-loud music!!! You must understand that music, particularly English (the so-called Westernized), cannot be played in public places here. So, shops and stores and restaurants are usually abuzzed with the sound of people talking. No 'atmosphere' at all! Blek.
So, imagine my excitement last night when I heard Good Charlotte, Lifehouse, Timbaland, Fallout Boy et. al. blasting over the sound system!?! Truthfully, I didn't want to leave the store even though I didn't buy anything in the end. (I hardly, if ever, buy clothes and stuff which are not reduced in price)
Notice I said nothing about New Look's merchandise? (and their stuff is seriously awesome no less). I was so into the atmosphere of bright lights, loud music and gorgeous guys that I *almost* forgot I was in Saudi Arabia! Hahaha... poor deluded me. :p Even my husband, who last night was fretting over his almost-lost U600 phone (he left it at home by accident... duh), said he felt 'gratified' whilst in the store!

A clichè (sorry, can't be avoided :p): The power of atmosphere! Amazing! :D

Happy.

Incident number two
An hour later, we left the mall... hating the thought of leaving the store and dreading the hassle of finding a good cabby and haggling for a reasonable amount of fare. Lots of cab drivers (or cabbies) are some kind of horrors in any city, not just here. (I've had my fair share of nasty ones back home in KL/PJ) Wallah, some of them are just out to rip you off. For instance, demanding 30 riyals (approx rm28) just to travel the distance of One Utama to MidValley (using all the shortcuts)!!!! And remember petrol price in Saudi Arabia is only rm0.45 per liter. (in Msia, rm1.95!!! Crazy!!!) Click on desertdairies for more about taxis in Jeddah.

A Jeddah cab photo from Wan's web gallery. Check out this dude's album on Jeddah. Beautiful shots of the city and its lifestyle. Note that his photos are devoid of people except his own family. Taking photos of the locals are risky. We don't want to get into trouble. :p

So, yesterday, when a cabby offered to send us home for 20 riyals, we agreed immediately. (Oh, by the way, never ever ask a cabby to use the meter here because it'll get even MORE ridiculously expensive!)

In we went into the taxi. Cabby turned out to be an extremely, extremely pleasant man. Now, some cabbies are downright rude ('"where from? filipini?"). Some are plain scary (with huge, intimidating beards and barking voice). Some are maniacal drivers (swerving at 130km/h on service roads, anyone?). But this cabby we had yesterday was such a learned, polite, dignified gentleman with such impeccable English. He seemed to be in his late fifties with silver hair and fair skin. First, he apologized for not being able to wind up the driver side window on the account of someone breaking it earlier to steal his things in the cab:-

Cabby: He broke my car window. Thanks to God, the thief wasn't a professional. I left my wallet in the car and it has no cash in it. But these papers (he pulled out three official looking documents from his wallet when we were at a red light) cost 1000 riyals each if the thief were to sell them in the black market.

Us: Oooo... what are they? These papers?

Cabby: Saudi identity card, cab grant and driver's license. To apply for these, it takes 6 months! Not two, three but six! And we have to find two witnesses and post an advertisement in the newspapers for 30 days (I assume he meant 'notice' or 'announcement', much like the ones people post before the civil registry of marriage). It's not easy.

Us: Your English is really excellent. Are you from here... Jeddah?

Cabby: Yes, yes. I wasn't a limosin (what they call cabs/taxis here) driver before this. But the government has been processing my pension for more than two months now. I'm now just driving limosin and do some part time jobs with computer maintenance. I like driving anyhow, especially along the roads to Makkah, Medina and Taif. I don't like city roads. But if I have to drive in the city, I will find ways that have no traffic lights.

Us: Oh, yes, we've noticed that you used some shortcuts. You know Jeddah so well.

Cabby: Where are you from? Japan?

Us: No, we're Chinese, but we live in Malaysia. (Have to say it like this here, or else people always think we're from China! Hahaha)

Cabby: The best! The best of two countries. Malaysia and China (see?) Malaysia... I like one of your presidents (he meant prime minister)... Mohammed... (he struggles a bit to recall the name)

Us: Mahathir Mohammed?

Cabby: Yes, yes, Mahathir Mohammed. Very good leader. Helped the country to progress. Unlike Bush. He's a terrible president. Look at Afganistan. People are not born into suffering or to be killed. Bush should be slaughtered (Cabbie's exact words!). To him wars are opportunities to make money. To profit.

Us: Yes, Bush is not a very wise person. But he won't be president anymore by the end of this year.

Cabby: That's good. I like the new one... Obama. He is promising.

Us: We hope he'll win.

Cabby: Yes, I hope so too.

See? This is only part of the stimulating conversation we had with him. Such an affable man. I tried to reproduce what he said word-for-word too. He really speaks perfect English (a definite rarity here in KSA... remember, we're talking about a local cabbie).
All the way home, we discussed many things... the tussle between the people and the muttawa to allow women drivers in KSA (a hot hot hot topic outside the kingdom!), King Abdullah, his family, our life and jobs in Jeddah.

In the end:

Us: Turn left here and go straight for about 600 meters. There. That apartment building. Thank you.

Cabby: You're welcome.

Us: By the way, we didn't get your name.

Cabby: I'm Nagabi (I think that's his name. I couldn't really pronounce it).

Us: Thanks, Mr. Nagabi.

Cabby: Please, call me just Nagabi. (such humbleness.. another rarity) What are your names?

Us: I'm Xxxx and my husband's Xxx. Nice to meet you and thanks again. Have a good night. Ma'salamah.

Cabby: Ma'salamah.

A ride I truly enjoyed.

Classroom Control 101

2008-03-02T18:49:00.004+03:00

Classroom Control 101 (only applicable in Saudi Arabia)

If and when the table-banging method of getting female students' attention ceases to be effective, a non-Arabic speaking teacher can say this at the top of her voice:

"BANAD!!!!"

The female students will be reduced to stunned, utter silence, only to be broken by extremely friendly laughter. Then and only then when all eyes are focused on the teacher, she can resume or begin her lesson.

What is the meaning of this magic word?

Banad = Arabic for "girls"

The silence is due to the fact that I profess my inability to speak in Arabic and then I said something in Arabic. A definite attention-getter. Haven't failed me in the five months I've been here. ;)

(I learned the word 'Banad' from a student from another class and I used it on a different class with amazing results! Heh.)

This little piggy...

2008-03-01T20:19:00.029+03:00

This little piggy went to the market
This little piggy stayed home
This little piggy had roast beef
This little piggy had none
And this little piggy went "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home

~Traditional English rhyme~

I went to a major hypermarket here one day with two intentions: to get surreptitious photo materials for my blog and to do our weekly grocery shopping (sans Nutella since I've put on 1 kg &*^%!!!).

So, anyway, we intentionally went at nearly 4p.m., just in time before the doors of the hypermarket were closed for the Asr prayer. The Baladiah's (city council) policy is that once prayer times start, all establishments must close for about 20-30 minutes. In some places (mostly restaurants and supermarkets) the customers are still inside eating/shopping. But you can't pay for your items or get your vegetables/fruit/seafood weighed because all the staff are supposed to be performing their prayers. So, if one wants to snap some photos without other people frowning, glaring and possibly even following one around (to presumably scare), prayer times, preferably during Zuhr (approx 12:30p.m.) or Asr (approx 4 p.m.), is best for public photography. Even so, I snapped the following photos with a camera phone, not a digital camera, so I have to apologize for the occasional poor quality.

At first glance, hypermarkets anywhere would be somewhat similar, no? Well, that is until one takes a closer look and spots the 'finer' details. And these details can tell you awfully lot about the habits of the inhabitants of a certain habitat. :D Ok, for instance, in this oh-so-blessed land...

Dude, I counted *at least* twenty varieties of dates... dates stuffed with nuts, dates from various parts of KSA, dates which are specially cured, firm dates, mushy dates, dates, dates, dates! The one thing all these dates have in common? They are mighty expensive!! And delicious too, I might add. ;) (It's a pity I managed to take only one photo as the display of dates is actually quite wide!)

In Jeddah (and probably all over KSA), every hypermarket/supermarket worth its salt must have a delicatessen. It's like a prerequisite, and this one is no different. Let's now take a look at the 'contents' of the deli

If there are twenty kinds of dates, there must be twenty types of olives here as well! Jordanian, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, black, green, sliced, whole, basically anything you want lah. I even saw a sort that seems to be cured in chili paste. (It could've been tomato because people here don't do spicy much)

And the cheese! Look at the varieties available. Practically mind boggling. Starting with prepacked Kashkaval (yellow sheep's milk cheese)

Smoked, red and white Cheddar, and Gouda cheeses

Humongous Parmesan wedges enough to grate over 100 plates of pasta, Edam as huge as pumpkins, Rambal (with herbs or peppers), and French blue cheese (Bresse Bleu)

Blocks of white cheeses (some have Arabic names, which I have yet to recognize)

A favorite of many in the Middle East... Labneh (strained yogurt cheese)

Another popular choice of Saudis (and also me!) The ever-so-yummilicious stuffed vine leaves or warg enab (circled in red)... love them! Hubby won't touch them with a ten-foot-pole though... oh, well, that just means more for me to gobble down! :P

Out of the deli and over at the dessert section, an evidence of a nation of sweet-tooths! Doughnuts! (which reminds me... I must blog about Krispy Kreme some time soon)

Assortment of cookies. Again, my paltry photos do the dessert section absolutely NO justice. There are also mini puddings, cheesecakes, gateaus, caramel milk, local sweets like kunafa and baklava, all sorts of nougat and toffees... Literally a dentist's nightmare! Heh.

You definitely know you're in the land of sand when you see this: CAMEL meat!!! I've not tried it and I daresay I won't ever try it. (Keeping fingers tightly crossed and hope that colleagues don't trick me into eating! Haha!)

Don't ask me how to cook this. I just thought it's weird to sell the hooves of lamb. Can hooves be EATEN? Ok, I don't want to know. :P

Initially, some of these things strike me as odd, but nowadays I hardly bat an eyelid. There are many more 'weird' stuff (considered so from a Chinese person whose race claims anything and everything, cooked accordingly, is edible?), but I ran out of time, salat was over before I knew it and I had to stop taking photos lest I got into a sticky patch! :D

Excuse us

2008-02-29T13:25:00.007+03:00

We love it here, wallah we do. (wallah = Arabic for 'I swear') But. Sometimes, the lack of options with good entertainment value...

Hubby says:"In addition to the fact that I married a vain camwhore...

she's bonkers, to boot!!!" X-p

Hubby: "Might as well join in!"

Ok, this has gone from being simply funny to plain madness!

My first 'Ke'if halek' (tee hee)

2008-02-29T10:58:00.007+03:00

As mentioned briefly in one of my previous posts, it's common in this part of the kingdom to see people of the same sex greeting each other with cheek kisses and a volley of enthusiastic greetings. Most would go like thus:

Person A: Al-salamu alikum! Ke'if halek!
Person B: Walaikum assalam! Kois! Ke'f halek!
Kiss each other's cheek. Once or twice on one side and twice or thrice on the other.
And then: both simultaneously (seems to me, at least!) say "Ke'if halek! Alhamdullah! Kois! Ente taib? Kois kois!" in an utmost gung-ho way.

Translation:
Al-salamu alikum = Peace be upon you
Walaikum assalam = And upon you be peace
Ke'if halek = How are you
Kois = Fine
Ente taib = (literally) You good
Alhamdullah = Thanks to God

The cheek kisses are very common here in Jeddah (and probably in many parts of the Gulf countries although I've read otherwise). Everyone does it. Everyone.

I think, I may be wrong, Arab greeting is a step (or several!) above from the casual and customarily indifferent greeting we are used to elsewhere. For example, the much adopted so-called-western greeting of a handshake and polite inquiry of how-do-you-do is, more often than not, cursory. One thing to remember is... cheek kisses ONLY take place between two people of the SAME SEX, i.e. a man to another man and between a woman and another. Do not attempt otherwise less you break the strict social code here. Anyway, as I was saying, cheek kisses are somewhat warmer, more intimate and reserved for friends. So, I was flattered when I was greeted this way only a week after my arrival here.

I was shopping and bumped into one of my students. She seemed superlatively happy to see me and proceeded literally to greet me Arab style! Needless to say, I was surprised and totally unprepared. Damn, I wish someone could've taken a photo.. it'd doubtlessly show my gobsmacked face and awkward mannerism (right cheek first or left???). Hahaha... it's funny thinking about it now, but then, I was a tad embarrassed as I wasn't used to being greeted so 'personally' by a person I know professionally. Still, I reckoned it to be a good experience. :D Imagine if I started greeting various colleagues back home like this! Hahahahaha.

Gates imagining himself being kissed by a man.. Heh.

P.S - I'm quite accomplished at this form of greeting now, although I still don't know which side cheek to kiss first.. left or right, folks? Otherwise, I'm thoroughly enjoying myself! ;)

Arise Anck-su-namun

2008-02-26T20:02:00.010+03:00

I got sick and tired of battling bad-hair-days with the mane-disguised-as-hair atop my head...

Wallah (Arabic meaning 'I swear') I could start a bushfire with those dried twiggy bits that I *think* might be hair!

So, I bravely ventured where no Chinese lady have gone before (well, ok, maybe I can speak only for this hairdresser I went to). But first I must say that a finding a hairdresser for women here is hard UNLESS you can read Arabic, because remember everything feminine is concealed behind closed doors? There's no way to tell if it's a hairdresser by looking at the shop's window. So, one can tell if a shop is a 'ladies' beauty center' (they do everything there; haircut, makeup, facials, you-name-it!) by recognizing the female-sounding name of the place, like one I went to is Aihed, or Ahed.. something like that lah. It's difficult to romanized Arabic spelling because the original words tend to be missing several vowels that you have to fill in in order to pronounce.

So. I went to the 'beauty parlor' (as how my mum likes to call places like these) just 2 minutes away from our apartment. As expected, it's totally 'closed up'. The shop occupies a whole ground floor of an apartment building with sealed shut windows and the entrance has a thatch roof that my husband said looked like one of those 'tom yam' stalls in Thailand. Hahaha!

Right. How to go in? It's obviously locked from inside.
I pressed intercom and said the standard greeting of "Assalamualaikum" (everyone says this regardless religion here).
No answer.
I knocked on the door (which looked more like a humongous gate with thick, opaque and frosted perspex cover) and it went 'dong, dong, dong'.
Still no answer.
I swear they were all inside wondering who was the idiot who didn't know how to ring a bloody doorbell!
Speaking of which, I finally spotted the doorbell waaaaay above my eye level! (Ok, it's either Arab ladies are very tall, or I'm a super midget, or the person who installed the doorbell was a cousin of Gigantor! And I happen to know that the former two to be quite untrue! Erk.).
The door finally opened after I rang the bell. Ahhh... for a while there I felt like Ali Baba's nemesis trying to steal treasures from his cave; "Open oatmeal!".. "Open wheat grain!".. "Open sesame!" Heh.

After being granted the permission of stepping through the threshold, I was glad to hear that ONE of them hairdressers can speak some passable English. I whipped out my good, old HP pda and showed her the shots of the hairstyle I wanted. Alrighty, mafi mushkilla (no problem). I was ushered to a seat facing the mirror and she proceeded to cut my hair. All the while I was sneaking peeks at the place. It's nothing amazing. In fact, it looked like one of those 'auntie perm parlors' (again, my mum's moniker, not mine) in Malacca. You know, with tiled walls, those huge alien-like hair steam thingies and constantly permeating chemical-ly smells. Hahaha... Only this one is much, much bigger (about the space of a two-bedroom Arabian apartment) and filled with Arabian beauties of various sizes and shapes. :p And oh, with smell of spices. Don't know where that came from. Probably some burning oud or something.

Snip snip snip snip... Many snips later...

'Ia-kak-thau!!' (Transliteration from Hokkien meaning coconut shell head!!)

No matter which angle, my bangs still resemble a upturned black bowl! Blek!!!

The good thing is that now I can do a Vidal Sassoon swing! Whee! Heh.

You think this look might go with my new hair? Nyehhh...

Why can't I get THESE bangs? She doesn't look like an 'ia kak thau', does she? :p

"Where thou art - that - is Home" ~Emily Dickinson

2008-02-24T20:43:00.016+03:00

Not one of my favorite writers, Emily Dickinson. Sure she wrote some amazing poetry but really, too depressing for words. All that death, death and more death.

But I digress.

Yet there's certain truth in those words. "Where thou art - that - is Home". Isn't it true that we make our home where we are. Maya Angelou's idea on not being able to leave home is so completely untrue. At least that's what I think. :D For us, Msia is a country we were born and bred in, so to uproot will inevitably be difficult after the decades of attachment (yes, that 'd' word is applicable to me in the plural form :p). However, in a new destination, the best remedy is try not to feel too homesick. Let's use a much-hated cliche here: 'easier said than done'. Heh. I'm fortunate for my husband's with me, so relocation is a coated bitter pill. Like the sugar shell, there's something (in this case 'someone') to buffer me in times of distress following the leaving of a familiar environment.

So, we put in our best to make this place home. We may be here only a year or even less, but it's home nonetheless. :D

Welcome to our apartment building in Jeddah! There are 4 floors and...

no elevators!!! We live on the 3rd floor. So, good cardio I must say! :D

Number 35

Our 'umble 'ome's living room. No TV... want to rot brains issit? :p

Only a section of the kitchen. (Forgot to take out the garbage, so the other side's photo shows a full bin! Heh.)

Look ma, no bedframe! And our wardrobe is somewhat makeshift using rods, wires, shelves and material from Ikea and of course, hubby's endless ingenuity (bless him!) I sewed the curtains and wardrobe dividers! I can do so much more apart from teach! Hah! We wanted a Zen-inspired room. Hence the monochromatic theme. :D

My abayas... truly monochromatic! :p We've converted the spare bedroom into a laundry room on the account of the raging sandstorm! Heh.
Now for some fun...

One lazy afternoon. The sun was blazing. So we just switched on the air conditioner full blast. Did some crazy camwhoring! :p

Kuan Yin Teng!!! (She IS, after all, according to some, an androgyne)

Door leading to the balcony which we hardly, if ever, open lest we invite a sandstorm in! :D

Sandstorm Arising

2008-02-23T21:18:00.014+03:00

The pending arrival of March marks the end of the cool weather we've been enjoying thus far.

We're now entering 'sandstorm season'...

This was taken yesterday at 4 p.m. when we were in a friend's car. It should've been bright and sunny, but see the dismal-looking sun? That's due to suspended sand in the air. (Looks like our Msian 'jerebu', eh? :p)

We've yet to be 'lucky' to witness a sandstorm, but the advice is you'd better run (fast!) for shelter indoors because it can get pretty nasty!

I haven't been able to obtain even an approximate time frame as to when sandstorms are most likely to occur annually. However according to some sources (of which I'm not naming), sandstorms usually happen at the end of 'winter' and again at the end of summer. So, technically, we're at the end of 'winter' now. :D

Waiting for some sand action? The following is what I hope to witness. From a very safe distance and in a completely sealed building, of course! :p

Photo courtesy of Faith at Scoop

Here are Faith and Tony's eyewitness accounts on a sandstorm and a hailstorm (all happening in TWO days) in Jeddah. Pretty awesome stuff!

"Look at these amazing photos (the ones above) of our recent sandstorm in Jeddah . I got those windows & doors sealed with towels at the edges, just in time! Here are some awesome pictures of a recent dust storm in Jeddah which you will all appreciate, if you once lived there, or be enlightened as to what we are talking about when we mention them. For those of us who were there in the early to mid 80's or earlier, you will remember that this was the pattern at this time of year--dust storm, heavy rain closely following, mud hole!--sometimes several times, but that all changed, for whatever reasons, after the first Gulf War. Of course the maturity of trees and greenery planted around the city has changed the weather patterns so that the dust storms stay on the fringes more now than they used to. This one seems to have broken all the rules!
Enjoy!"

Faith

"Speaking of the weather--you should have seen the dust storm here two weeks ago! Basically the weather is always nice and still not too hot but this dust storm came around 4:30 in the afternoon and turned the sky into night. It was so dark that I needed to turn on the lights to move around the house. For about 10 minutes during the two hour storm it was as dark as midnight with no moon. I thought it was an eclipse of the sun! After that you could see huge clouds in the sky but they were all brown with dust--no white clouds. It wasn't too windy either and usually you get a lot of wind with dust storms but not this one. Also even if you went outside for just a few minutes you could feel the fine dust in your lungs and eyes. Next day everything was nice again but early this morning at 4:30 the wind started, lighting and thunder all over the place and continuous not just once or twice but continuous and then heavy rain with hail the size of big cherries came out of the sky. All the roads are flooded this morning because they have insufficient drainage pipes in the city. It was really a vicious storm! Glad I wasn't flying! No way could you stand outside with that hail coming down! As far as people can remember, it never rains around here during this time of year usually only November or December, if it rains at all."

Tony

How to make chocolate mint :p

2008-02-23T19:18:00.006+03:00

Not a recipe. On the contrary...

TIGI BedHead Chocolate Head (hair treatment)

+

Funky Farm mint body wash

=

Step out of the bathroom smelling like a box of After Eights! Yum!
I *heart* pamper nights! :D

Welcome to...

2008-02-22T16:01:00.011+03:00

"The world's largest Pizza Hut restaurant"?
Yeah, I was surprised to see this marble slab mounted on the side of the 'family entrance' (for ladies and families, as opposed to single men) of the Pizza Hut on Tahlia (the 'it' stretch of Jeddah).

Anyway, when we reached this Pizza Hut, it was around 7:50p.m. and the last prayer of the day, Isha, was in progress. The doors were locked, there was no place to wait outside (we don't have a car) and WORST, we were starving! Then suddenly, a clank! ooOOoo... the door was opening from the inside and one of the waiters was letting a group of people out of the restaurant. So, we (hubby and I) quickly dashed in. The waiter protested in Arabic, but we just made our faces blank and said "Mafi Arabi" (basically means "I don't understand Arabic"). Hahaha...

Nevertheless, we didn't get served until the prayer time was over (at approximately 8:20pm) and by the time the menus were given to us:-

I literally wrestled it out of the waiter's hand! :p See the blurry motion of my hand in the photo? Haha. (Hubby took this surreptitiously with his spanking new U600)

The food in this Pizza Hut restaurant differs somewhat from what we are used to back home. For one, the dessert section is more extensive (didn't I say something about these people's predilection for sweet stuff?):-

We ordered the peanut-chocolate-caramel slice (top left) and a large customized pizza (pineapple, olive, pepperoni and garlic). And another thing I wish we have in Msia:-

'All-you-can-eat-any-day-you-choose' pizza buffet! For sr30 (that's like rm28?)!!! Whoa, we're definitely coming back again any day! (only between Dohur [approx 12:30pm] and Maghreb [approx 6:30pm] though :p).

Tasted like a slice Snicker-bar-cake! Yum!

In total, we paid about sr75 (rm70) for a large customized pizza, a slice of cake and two drinks. A wee bit expensive for fast food. So now the sr30 eat-all-you-can is sounding pretty good, eh?

Feeding my vanity

2008-02-22T15:52:00.004+03:00

I just bought a new pencil skirt last week (for rm25 from Terranov a) and am pretty pleased with it. So, a moment of narcissism must be allowed:-

red turtleneck (Mango)~shell necklace (Aldo)~leopard pumps (Nine West)

Nice to be needed

2008-02-21T22:10:00.005+03:00

I was asked to write about my work in Jeddah, but the reason why I'm disinclined to do so is because I'm afraid of stepping on some (super)sensitive toes here. But I guess I can always blog about the nice parts. :-D

Before I proceed with one of the nice parts, let me just explain a little bit on the system here. Students take two semesters of English in their first year. The English courses in the first semester is usually a prerequisite for courses in the next semester. Last semester, I taught Academic English, grammar, writing and Medical Terminology to two groups of Pharmacy students. However, while I still teach the same subjects this semester, I'm assigned to different groups of students.

Anyhow, last night I received a phone call from one of my ex-students from last semester. I know teachers aren't allowed to play favorites... however, I really can't help liking this student from the word go. Heh. She is a hardworking, diligent and intelligent girl with a very pleasant personality and such a sweet disposition. Although she is an only child (a rarity here), she is not at all spoilt (another rarity).

The call lasted exactly 8 minutes. Whilst the reason of her call was to inquire about the grading system, she seemed to be pretty upset about the fact that I'm not teaching her class this time around. And that was the fourth or fifth time this week students from last semester coming up to me and asking why I'm not teaching them. I was really taken aback! But it can't be denied that I'm flattered too! Heh.

I guess this is one of the rewarding parts of teaching. It's not the money (hah, as if!) or the fame (yeah, right!). The satisfaction (for me at least) comes when you know you have a job well done and students have benefited from as well as enjoyed your class. And the best perk of all is when your students become your friends! :-D

Gurēto Tīchā Onizuka, some of your pedagogical methods may be rather questionable, I salute you nonetheless! :-D

Wisdom?

2008-02-21T00:14:00.017+03:00

These are 10 things I have learned thus far in this wonderful city :-)

1) Feta cheese is super scrumptious in sandwiches.

2) This one is for men: When driving, it's perfectly acceptable to make up as you go along. A great example, in a huge, wife-is-going-to-give-birth rush... just dash through the red lights. Pretty girls in the next car... just slow down and leer away. Never mind the fact that there is a mile-long line of cars behind you. Too late to flick on the blinker... just swerve in. There's no rule against that, isn't it? ;-)

3) Ditto honking long and loud at any old time. This is a free world after all! (Back home, we'll get bashed up pretty bad by an ah beng driver for doing this!)

4) Don't be fooled by the statement "Extreme heat... (is) characteristic of most Saudi Arabia" (source: Wikipedia). Not true. Definitely not.

5) In public, while it's fine for men to walk hand-in-hand and embrace each other as a sign of friendship, the same is not for a married couple.

Photo taken and edited from Kai's Public Gallery

6) Arabian sweets are ever so delicious and addictive. Konafa... baklava... ooooo.... Heh.

Baklava - you can't possibly stop at just one! (Photo from FoodPix)

7) If one gets hungry while grocery shopping, just grab a candy bar from an aisle, tear open the wrapper and eat! When one reaches the till, just show the cashier the wrapper sans the candy and pay up. And he (yes, the cashier is always and inevitably a 'he') will even help you to dispose the wrapper. (People do this here all the time and I too am guilty! But instead of candy bar, I like to gobble down those mini Nutellas (mini spoons provided too)! Yum!)

A clever marketing ploy to fatten us all up whilst grocery shopping... 20g of chocolate-y sinfulness nicely packaged in foil! :-D

8) Caution for first-time female lingerie shoppers:- all the sales assistants are men. (It's a little disconcerting initially to see a man nonchalantly lugging a huge load of panties in public but one gets used to it after a while ;-p)

9) ALL businesses, including ALL eateries close for 20-30 minutes five times throughout any given day. So, choose when to get hungry very carefully... lest you end up like this:-

"Open up! We're starving!!!" (Taken surreptitiously by yours truly's other better half!)

10) Favorite catchphrase of many? Mafi mushkilla! ('No problem!' When actually there is! ;-p)

Aschafava can cook!

2008-02-17T19:42:00.014+03:00

Ever since we moved to Saudi Arabia, my cooking skills have been severely tested. Without my mum or any of those oh-so-convenient hawker places (Msians, you don't know how lucky you are, food-wise at least, until you have to live out of the country!), I've had to resort to putting my cooker to good use! And my husband, the poor guinea pig (sorry to RM ;-p), has to choke down every mouthful and say yum! or else... Heh.

My experience in the kitchen was very limited prior to coming here, so you can imagine the 'concoctions' (Wiki says this word is often related to "poisons ... or... witchcraft"! How wonderfully apt in this case! :-p) I served some times! :-D Glad to say that now, with 5 months of careful research and often not-so-careful methods, my culinary skills have gone up quite a few notches. *Pats self on the back*

As usual, photographic evidence is needed, so here you are:-

Honey roasted chicken wings with parsley fettuccine

One of my earlier attempts - baked dark meat chicken with potato salad and caramelized carrots

Breakfast - homemade pound cake (I used Betty Crocker cake mix... idiotproof and highly recommended!) served with a choice of omelette or scrambled eggs

Taiwan style beef noodles (but I used linguine, not egg noodles! :-p)

Nasi lemak! :-D Served with turmeric fried chicken and lamb curry (laden with calories but again, who's keeping tabs? ;-p)

'Fake' char kuey teow (on the account of using thick rice vermicelli instead of proper kuey teow and the lack of something my husband terms as ingredient X.. haha)

Chicken porridge (topped with shredded steamed chicken, spring onions and garlic oil)

By this time, I've gained a whole lot more confidence and decided to try my hand at something more complicated.. Hainanese chicken rice! With sesame roasted chicken. ;-) Boy, the rice was hard to perfect because this first attempt was too oily! :-p

My mum would be bloody proud of me! Hahaha...

Testosterone-filled land

2008-02-16T14:58:00.008+03:00

There are several factors why this land is a man's 'oyster'.

Women's inability to drive aside, there are many things observed which made me come to this probably-lopsided-and-definitely-less-than-scholarly conclusion. :-p (Ooo... update: The decision to allow women drivers on the road, a hot topic emerging some time in 2005, has been debated over and over again to no avail until very recently. Looks like the ladies of Saudi are going to get themselves some freedom soon! Good for you, princess! :-D)

Now. Yes. Men's land. Yes, apart from women drivers. Here are some (but not all) of the factors:-

1) When going to a bank, do not enter via the main entrance! That's for men only. Find a small, off-course, inconspicuous door by the side of the building. That's the women's entrance.

2) Ditto restaurants.

3) Ditto any government buildings.

4) There are no female fitting rooms in shops! If you like something, buy it and then go to one of the public restrooms-cum-fitting-rooms in the mall to try out your gear. If it doesn't fit, return it or get a refund. This gets really exhausting after a while, especially if shops and rooms are on different floors in a 1,025,000 sq feet mall. Plus, this return/refund policy may not be applicable for sales items. And oh, one more thing... not all malls have those public restrooms-cum-fitting-rooms. For men? Of course there are fitting rooms.

5) It's considered extremely odd for a woman to enter most food take-away places. The wives/daughters stay in the car and wait. What if you don't have a car? "Woman, stay outside" (Trust me, these take-away restaurants are crowded with men... no way you want to be in there with them!)

6) Al-fresco coffee? Nope. Please sit behind the partition. (But there are some places that are more liberal. So, yay to that! :-D)

7) Still on the subject of eateries. Women, or sometimes called 'family', are segregated from single, sometimes called 'unaccompanied', men in a restaurant or a food court. 'Unaccompanied' men usually get more of the prime spots and 'family' gets tucked away in a corner. In more traditional places, they even place mobile partitions around the 'family' tables (don't want husbands checking out the next table's daughter now, do we? :-p). It's kind of depressing to eat facing your husband and bare 4 walls. What about ambience, eh? Heh.

8) Do I really have to explain the abaya? With all due respect, it is the traditional garb, so no. But then again? With long black gloves and socks? And heavy veil? In summer temperature soaring to 35 deg C and beyond? ;-)

9) Technically, a woman are not allowed out on her own. The operative word is 'technically'. Here in this fair city, this rule is much more relaxed. However, horror stories of women disappearing, either by design or mostly otherwise, deter majority of young (and may I also add foreign) women to venture out by herself. Anyway, a single lady (youth need not be the factor) will definitely attract a LOT of attention. Men will whistle and basically do what we classify as verbal harassment. Sigh.

10) There are several legalities restricting women's freedom here , particularly in the court of law. But I'm not going elaborate on that. :-D Google it up if you are interested. My blog is supposed to be fluffy not heavy, remember? :-p

So. There you go. Ten reasons. But don't take my word for it. Come and experience it for yourself. :-D It is a beautiful land despite.

The meeting of desert and sea, Jeddah, KSA. (Photo courtesy of Majed81)

Konafa, my love

2008-02-13T02:36:00.000+03:00

The one thing I notice here in KSA is that people just love their sweets. Desserts, either local or Western (meaning cheesecakes, puddings and gateaus galore :-p), seem to be available everywhere. Consider this, Baskin Robbin ice-cream in the faculty cafeteria, mini cheesecakes sold at popcorn stand, and doughnuts stalls on every corner of the campus. So, it's only a matter of time I succumbed. Heh.

Right. Konafa. It's a really delicious local dessert. Some of my students brought me a whole plateful to try and I was hooked from the very first bite. I did a bit of googling and here's what I found. It's essentially Middle Eastern and is very popular during the fasting month of Ramadhan. Here's a photo I took of a box of konafa I bought from a supermarket:-

Yummy!

So, how does it taste like? Hmmm... a slice of heaven (Pardon the cliche, but hey, I'm entitled! Read this). The crispy top and bottom is like vermicelli (bihun lah) saturated with syrup and a hint of rose water. In between is a thick and delectable layer of creamy, custard-y filling. I've only tried two kinds of filling, i.e. plain cream and bananas as those are the common ones in Saudi Arabia, but I think there are lots of other varieties. Can't wait to try them! Seriously though, konafa tastes like it contains a zillion calories, but who's counting, eh? ;-p

Bon Appétit!

Guilty

2008-02-13T02:11:00.000+03:00

I was brought up to appreciate good literature, worthy writers, classics that stand the test of time, books that make you question. So why the heck am I writing junk in this blog?

Truth is, writing light, thoughts-left-at-the-door sort of things is really therapeutic. Well, at least for me. It's like rifling through the crackly paper in a box of chocolate knowing that you'd find a delectable truffle. Never mind the fact that you're on a diet. :-p

Go on, have a chocky! ;-)

Help help help me! :-(

2008-02-12T20:07:00.000+03:00

I don't know what to do!!! My blog has gone crazy. For those of you viewing it with IE, I'm sure you'll notice that all the pics are haphazard. I keep editing and editing and editing, but they won't go right. And those of you using Firefox, you'll also see weird gaps in between paragraphs and photos! Again, multiple edits to no avail. I'm at the point of tearing my hair out! So, anybody's got any advice for me?
Oh, by the way, I don't know how to use html.

Please view my blog using Firefox. Otherwise, it'll just look like a load of nonsense! (or maybe it already is so. :-p)

Our new toys

2008-02-12T18:03:00.000+03:00

It started with one mobile phone. Hubby had wanted to replace his clunky Nokia but he didn't find anything he liked until he was tipped off by a sales assistant a week before that the Samsung Ultra U600 phones were going on half price slash. So, a week after the tip he bought himself this:-

It's a nice, sleek and slim phone with a 3.2 mega pixel camera and loads of other cool features. And the best part? It cost only rm690. The only thing is it's not for super klutzes (like yours truly :-p) because the soft keys are so sensitive! When I tried to use the phone, I kept deleting or exiting a screen by mistake because of the soft keys! Grrr. But my husband is much more 'coordinated', so he has no complains. :-D

And I, not wanting to feel 'left out' (heh), started hunting for the elusive Motorola V3i Dolce&Gabbana edition. I wasn't able to find it back home in Malaysia, as there were reportedly only 1000 units in the world. But hey, this is Saudi Arabia... anything is possible (well, ok, you don't have to get it, it's a joke we crack here). And whaddya know! There:-

With the price I paid, rm890, I could've gotten a better phone with more 'canggih' features. This has the features of the original V3i (released in 2005?). But I just love the color (matte and shiny gold) and the D&G thingies (wallpaper, ringtone, screensaver, etc.) that came with the phone. Yes, I got suckered by the bling factor! Hehehe... In fact, LG mobile also has a Prada edition (approx rm2000), but I saw the phone and it was boring black. So, nope.

Man, I've been doing a lot of shopping posts! Ok, the next one will NOT be on that topic. :-D

I'm back! (with more shoes)

2008-02-12T15:59:00.000+03:00

I'm on lazy mode these few days. University's on a semester break and I go on a Lost marathon. Managed to watch the whole of Season 1 and half of the second in 2 weeks! Heh.

So, back to where I left off... the previous post was about my husband's shoe 'fetish', so to speak. Now, my turn. I bought all these during the end of winter sales. :-)

Aldo pointy pumps (rm120) mainly for work because the 2-inch heels are not too high for my hour-long classes. And Aldo shoes have nice comfy inner soles. :-)

Another pair of work shoes. From Charles and Keith (yes, we have C&K here... Vincci and Nose too but the prices are ridiculously expensive!) This is on sale for rm45. Love the contrast stitching and grosgrain bow.

These patent pumps are actually half a size too big for me but at rm65 from Zara? I only hesitated for 5 seconds before proceeding to the cashier. Hehehe. To make up for the size-up, I've been wearing them with stockings. Works just fine. :-D

Jelly shoes!!! These really reminded me of the ones I used to wear back in the 90s when I was in secondary school. It was all the rage then, for those of you old enough to remember! They looked a lot like these Betsey Johnson ones. And until I find where to buy Melissa jelly shoes, Aldo on sale will have to do. :-D (Pink sparkly pair for rm30 and matte gold ones for rm20)

Sandals with tassels! :-) These were too cute to resist. And the price tag of rm70? Well, just another factor to get them, isn't it? These have wedge heels and thus combining comfort and style. :-D

Leopard print pony ballet pumps from Nine West (rm70). These are ever so soft! When my husband first held them, he said they felt like the fur of our cat! Hehehe.

Yeah, I know. We probably are going to overload our luggage when we leave in July. :-)))

Newsflash: I Married a Shoeaholic!

2008-02-03T13:42:00.000+03:00

I was just making an inventory of all the things we bought thus far during this fall/winter sales here and I just discovered my husband is equally as addicted to shoes as I am!

Here's what he bought from Aldo in the span of a month! You've really got to hand it to him! :-)))

Brown leather slip ons from Aldo (rm165 - note that all prices are after discount and conversion from SR)

Patchwork leather-suede loafers from Also (rm170). I think this pair is quite cute... wish they do woman version too! :-p

Black leather square toe formal loafers from Aldo (rm135).

It's either I'm very lucky (he doesn't complain when I buy shoes) or I've trained him too well!!! :-p

*** Coming up next: my shoe steals from the fall/winter sales. :-D