Out of my mind, back in five minutes!

Dear Anonymous

2012-02-01T02:33:00.000-08:00

Bring your popcorn ladies, gentlemen, and those in transition.

We have ourselves an anonymous commenter who feels a certain way. I wanted to respond to this person publicly, to show them what blogging is about. And my response - keep on reading.

Anonymous said...
You live in an imaginary world, wake up and smell the coffee. Be true to yourself and not lie to people. Tell the people who you are and don’t make up things in your head. Because personally I actually know u and what u post is completely untrue about yourself. Good luck with your lies

9:42 AM

Anonymous said...
Good day Lamya

I find your blogs quiet interesting but yet at the same time it appears to me that you a lady of many words but no actions.
It sounds rather strange but it sounds like you live in a glass house. Lady if you going to appear living in your glass house just be prepared when the glass breaks, everybody will see the true you.
The glass will cut you and your little portrait you sketching.

2:17 PM

Lamya said...
Dear Anonymous

I was thinking of deleting your comments, but you know, there's actually no reason to.

There's a reason why my blog is interesting - just because its online doesn't mean it has to be true, or that it is a lie.

A blog is a place where I am free to express myself, how-ever I feel that form of expression may take place. It can be the most amazing fiction I have ever written, or it can be a true account of the most intimate and heartbreaking moments of my life.

I could be a man trying to express himself through a woman's eyes, I could be a child or a transgender individual. I could be a mother, a lover, a fighter, or a b*tch. I could be neither of them ever or all of them at once.

Blogging is about writing, and writing takes many forms, from holy books divinely revealed, to scientific accounts of actual happenings, to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Writing can be cold, erotic, factual, fictional, dreamy, alarming, shocking, classic, inspirational -in fact, open the dictionary and search for an adjective, and you will have what writing is. Blogging is amorphous, and as many personalities as human beings have, so too, do blogs have.

This is the beauty of blogging. It is a place where people are themselves, whoever they imagine themselves to be at that moment, an escape from daily life, or maybe a prison in it..and it doesn't neccesarily mean that it all has to be your version of truth, whatever that may be.

In fact, this world with all its beauty and amazing grace, would be less without our imaginations. You and me would not be having this conversation if someone, somewhere, hadn't to imagine the first version of the internet into existence. Welcome to creativity, take the first step into the rest of your life :)

With utmost respect,
Lamya

Yes, this is how it is.

2012-02-01T02:15:00.000-08:00

I watched the movie, For Coloured Girls, last night. And while it wasnt On Broadway, ALL of the movie left resounding echoes in my heart. Its not just for coloured girls, its for all women. Anyone who's ever held a friend, a sister after her innocence was gone. Who-ever had their soul taken from them and had to work so hard to restore it. Who-ever has loved, lived, been a woman for even a half second will feel this movie with every inch of her being. We have all been there. I leave you with another of my favourite quotes from the movie:

"Ever since I realized, there was someone called a colored girl or an evil woman, a bitch or a nag I been trying not to be that and leave bitterness in somebody else's cup. Come to somebody to love me without deep and nasty smelling scars from lye or being left screaming in a street of lunatics whispering, 'Slut, bitch, bitch. Nigga, get out of here with all of that.'

I didn't have any of that for you. I brought you what joy I found. And I found joy. And then there's that woman who hurt you. And who you left three or four times. And then you went back after you put my heart in the bottom of your shoe. You just walked back to where you hurt and I didn't have nothing.

So I went to where somebody had something for me, but none of them were you. I got a real dead loving here for you now, 'cause I don't know anymore how to avoid my own face wet with my tears because I had convinced myself that colored girls have no right to sorrow. I lived for you. I know I did it for myself, but I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand being sorry and colored at the same time. It's so redundant in the modern world."

Looking back at 2011

2011-11-15T00:15:00.001-08:00

Its not usually the time of year that I would sit back and look at what the year was about, but I decided to do it early enough this year so that I still have about a month to make the best of it!

If I do a mental reconciliation, this year has been nothing like I had envisioned at the beginning of 2011 - but when is it ever? Close to the end of this year I have met some amazing people, and did some things that surprised even myself.

Its been a great year, even better since November - thank you for making each day such a wonderful and special adventure with your presence in every waking moment.

What you can do

2011-06-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

Did you know that women in Saudi Arabia cannot drive?

Simple, you may think - or - oh, how lucky they are, when you've just been stuck in traffic for an hour on your way to work.

However, did you ever think about the times when someone was ill and you took them to the hospital? Now what if a man wasn't around to drive you - would that person have died?

Think about all the school drop-off and pick-ups you do, would your partner/husband/brother/neighbour be prepared to take on that load, EVERY single day of your life?

Think about your monthly budget - would you be able to afford to hire someone (that would take about a third of your salary) to drive you to work and home again?

Think about being in a car, alone with a stranger that you do not know - would he shift his rearview mirror to look at you? Would he make inappropriate comments knowing that you cannot retaliate - because if you do, you will be left standing at the side of the road, at the mercy of strangers?

Think about not being able to use your own car that you paid for with money you've earned.

Think about that, sister - and feel for those who can not.

Mobility is a basic human right. Whether you cannot afford an automobile, you should have the ability to attain a means of transport in order to realise your needs - food, medical attention, work, education - all of these and more. You should be endowed with the dignity of choice. That is what I believe in.

Friday Afternoons

2011-01-14T03:33:00.000-08:00

Something about a Friday afternoon in an office makes one want to drift away.

The pace slows, people laugh and make plans for the weekend. Lunch is a social event. Outside, even the sound of traffic slows down. The smell of cigarette smoke drifts through the windows.

I just looked at my first post, too. Came a long way in writing style since then, and I'm no longer one of the blog superstars (I mean I used get 50 comments on a good day!). This is a really a place I want to be. I want to be with people who want to be around me to hear my thoughts. Or simply just to share silence.

Whatever you do this weekend, make it a GREAT one.

My Happy Place

2010-11-24T02:24:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my happy place.

Its at Signal Hill, and this is as the sun is setting..

Wasting my Time

2010-11-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

What is it about places-of-work and workshops anyways?

You sit in one place, for the entire day, listening to one, or two or more interminably boring people telling you things you can either google or already know. Really, what on earth is the justification for wasting an entire day of 25 people or more's time.

What else could we have been doing? Saving lives for instance. Getting real 'work' done.

And there's another day of this mandatory bullshit to look forward to tomorrow. Great.

How my garden grows

2010-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

I love gardening. Theres something about the richness of soil under your fingers, the green fresh smell of the leaves and the coolness of pretty flowers to an overstressed mind.

Recently, Ive been trying my hand with roses. Delicate creatures that they are, they require specific conditions to flower.

That being the way it is, I've begun to notice that gardeners are a friendly and giving bunch. Ive recieved shoots and advice and help and seeds and compost and well..everything.. From virtual strangers who walk past when Im busy in the garden. Its amazing to exist in the kind of pay-it-forward little gardening community that keeps on giving.. Not only to myself but to the environment as well..

Blogging hiatus

2010-11-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone

I'll be on a blogging hiatus due to exams.. until the end of November Inshallah.

I'll still be popping by to read your blogs, but wont be doing many comment-athons, and for that, I apologise.

My emails still the same, and I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers..

Much love,
Lamya

My Kittehs

2010-10-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

Another post dedicated to MOCHNESS!! <- thirty foot high dedication in neon lights

This is Layla. She is my teenage cat, and loves spending time outside.. She isnt afraid of dogs, and here she is hanging out with Roxy, my dog..

Then theres my little cutesy and very naughty baby kitteh, Zeen Q. Wierd name, I know. Dont ask. Isnt she adorable?

Weekend

2010-10-18T00:25:00.001-07:00

What a chilled out weekend. Cant believe that Ive gone from sandboarding and go-karting to half-past-BORING!

My weekend = visitors, movies, beach, walking, tae-bo, lunch, and home.

I resolve to do something exciting next weekend. Like maybe going to look for sharks on a dive :).. Yes, the water calls.

For the moment, this post was brought to you by flu-lamya, from bed and pillow news.

Purpose

2010-10-09T08:35:00.001-07:00

So coming back to blogging a few years after I left off leaves me with the thought..why?

Why have I come back? Why do I keep writing? What am I writing about.. In short, what am I aiming to achieve by writing here?

And the answer is...Nothing.

In my daily life of constantly doing my best, constant goal-setting, and the motivation that keeps me going, I need a place where I can just..be. Everyone needs that. Every. Single. One. Of. Us.

I write here because I can. And in the mere pleasure of being able to set my mind free, to write without fear of reprisal, my spirit soars and rejoices.

Even if its a few minutes every week, I seek that expression.. In mundane topics, that allow me to ground myself. That lets me focus on the joys around us, instead of replying to email, talking on the phone, and typing that oh-so-important document ALL at the same time. I'd become lost in the doing.. and even though this blog may not be about a specific topic, its my way of letting my soul have its 'chicken soup'..

So. In the few minutes in a queue, in a commute, lunch-time at the office..take a load off. Do something useful. Just. Be.

Girls Gone Mild

2010-10-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

So theres a revolution out there, one that espouses the modest in us, one that enhances our natural state of being.

Coming from a period of wild days, I feel like I've come full circle, like the modesty in my life is precious and I cant say it better than this:

"When I chose to embrace modesty I wasn't just choosing to change my wardrobe. There honestly wasn't a whole lot that needed changing. But finding the few things that did need changing helped me to identify the attitudes that REALLY needed changing, for it really was my attitudes and beliefs that needed to be brought under the cover of truth about modesty, not so much my clothing.

When I chose to be more modest, I was shocked by what I saw in myself. I stopped obsessing about what I saw in the physical mirror and finally began to grieve about what I saw in the spiritual mirror. I had exchanged the truth about real beauty, the beauty that comes from being honest, intellegent, compassionate, confident and whole for lies about the importance of waist size, bra size or any other size. While choosing modesty helps to protect us from revealing our most vulnerable parts to the outside world, it also allowed me to reveal some of the most vulnerable and desperate parts of myself to the person who most needed to see them: Me."

Link for the above quote

Eid

2010-09-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

So, lets talk about Eid in Cape Town:

Eid in Cape Town is amazing. Although its not an official holiday, most Muslims are able to get the day off work and celebrate with their families and friends. Eid preparations start about two weeks before Eid, generally after the 15th night of Ramadaan.

General preparations include a complete spring clean of the home, painting inside and out, washing windows, changing all curtains and bedding, SHOPPING for Eid clothes and special Eid groceries. Most mom's get extremely stressed by their kids wanting a very specific outfit, and having to co-ordinate all of the Eid efforts. Usually the house where the grandparents are staying at (like all other Muslims, Cape Townians generally do not send the elderly to old age homes, but the eldest son or daughter usually looks after the parents in their old age). This is the house that usually has the most visitors on Eid as well.

From the time that thousands of Muslims gather on the BEACH, in a public area, to have iftar together, pray maghrib and then sight the moon, the excitement about Eid starts building.

There are two Muslim radio stations who broadcast the Athaan, and various other programmes in Cape Town. These radio stations usually broadcast the moonsighting event live from Three Anchor Bay. There is lots of excitement around this event, it has become a picnic of note for the year and a sort of unofficial kick-off to the Eid celebrations.

After the moon has been sighted, and the official announcement is made that Eid is the next day, women rush their families home to start with the food and other preparations. It is at this time that the men usually realise that their thawb's need to be ironed (lol) and that they need white socks to match their thawb.

That evening, women prepare the meat for the next day... and a pie for 'after eid prayer' breakfast. But the days's menu will be discussed later on..

Men usually have two outfits for the day. They wear a thawb to the mosque in the morning, and then change to apants and shirt or suit for the rest of the day. Lately, men seem to prefer the thobe as an all day outfit. Women usually also follow the same idea, with a decorative abaya for the morning, and a pretty dress or suit later on in the day, depending. Women who are 'hosting' for the day find it easier to keep the abaya on and not worry with a formal dress and heels. Children, the same.

All children are given money and candy on Eid, and some children, especially those who have fasted all month for the first time, may get an extra special toy or treat as a reward. Any child knocking on any door will get their Eid money. This also means that non-Muslim children will join the rounds to score on Eid day.

So, the MENU and Eid day routine:

After Eid Salah men go to the graveyard to pray for the dead, and then they come home for breakfast. They then have tea/coffee and steak and kidney pie. Also, fresh baked bread and grated corned beef sandwiches are on offer, as well as cream cakes, pastries and biscuits. Some homes serve a sweet milk drink called "seer" and have more indian-inspired traditional treats like burfee, dodery, chana magaj, and so on. I personally had some chicken pie and of the most diviine pavlova. Other homes serve some prawns and guacamole, depending on the preference of the household.

After breakfast, you start with greeting your neighbours. The term used for this, is going to say 'selamat'/'give mubarik'. Text messages abound, and the networks are usually held up by well wishers sending Eid messages. After the neighbour stint, one moves around the area to greet family, or stays home to receive visitors, depending on which your preference is.

In every home, the table is laid with little nibbles for any and every guest that may come to visit. The nibbles include: chocolates, home-baked biscuits, candies, nuts, dried fruit, something called 'meebos', also can be described as dried fruit, but rolled in sugar. The nibbles are accompanied by juices and soda. In most homes, the table will be covered with a net to keep flies away from the food and its is uncovered as soon as guests arrive. Oh. And I have to mention 'slangerchees'. This is a savoury 'thing' made with flour and water, pressed through a rice colander to form little 'ribbons' and fried. Its then spiced and really tastes great!

Lunch is huge deal. Eid lunch is usually spent with your parents and as much family as you can gather. So, whats on the menu? Usually a leg of lamb, roasted. The leg is usually accompanied with a sweet yellow-coloured rice, roasted potato and vegetables. Sheep tongue is also an essential part of this meal. Then theres usually also roast/fried chicken or a roasted stuffed turkey/duck, accompanied with gravy and fresh salad. Other families have a biryani or curry as well, but no Eid table is complete without copious amounts of roasted meat.

Then, dessert: Usually three of four different kinds of pudding. Favourites are cheesecake, strawberry pudding, caramel and mint fridge tart for the summer, and if Eid is in winter then hot favourites are malva pudding, milk tart and bread pudding. Ice cream is always on offer for the kids, and adults usually have some too.

Dessert usually happens around three or four o clock. After that, there is one more round of family visiting, and then the teenagers split from their parents to continue visiting friends. Recently, teenagers have been hanging out in all their Eid glory at malls, and they meet up with large groups of friends there. Older people in their twenties usually have dessert parties, or meet up at one pre-arranged house and then stay there until the early hours of the morning.

This Eid was fantastic as we had a whole weekend to celebrate, and so Eid continued the next day with friends visiting those they couldnt see on the first day of Eid. Usually it isnt that way though.

Well, thats Eid in Cape Town. Any requests for a next post?

FOOOD POST!!!

2010-09-06T04:22:00.000-07:00

*spoiler alert* All fasting people beware, food ahead!

Blog DJ POST DEDICATION: Mochness

So, we were talking about the gatsby in the previous post. While googling for images, I found that someone actually wrote down the unspoken rules for eating gatsby!

Find the modified version below:

1. Keep the time between purchase and consumption of the Gatsby as short as possible. Cold chips are no one’s friend.
2. Cut the Gatsby into a maximum of four pieces. Anything smaller is a gross injustice to the Gatsby because there’s no way you’ll be filled by a fifth or less.
3. Any chip falling from any given piece of the Gatsby is considered fair game. The ruling on this is final.
4. When separating the Gatsby, note the point of division: practice absolute precision here to avoid taking the bottom roll of the next person’s piece. Ask for assistance if necessary.
5. You must finish your share. Besides it being a terrible waste, you’ll be scorned by the Gatsby Fraternity for all time.
6. Grip is critical. Cup your piece in your hand so that loose bits have nowhere to fall except back into your hands. Avoid the scenario described in Point 3.
7. NEVER leave the Gatsby unattended.
8. It’s best to accompany the Gatsby with a beverage, ie Jive, Frulati or Cabana. Hearty burping guarantees relief.
9. Observe relative silence when consuming the Gatsby. No one likes to talk and eat at the same time. See Point 1 regarding cold chips.
10. Always wash hands with soap and water at the conclusion to avoid getting a spicy finger in the eye, a condition commonly known as Gatsby Eye. The only cure is self-induced crying. No one wants to see that, so just make the trip and wash your damn hands.
11. The person that contributes the least towards the gatsby gets the smallest piece.
12. The Gatsby is not supposed to be eaten out of a plate, so make sure you ask the pB.Sc (Person Behind Shop Counter) to doublewrap the Gatsby to ensure enough paper for everyone.
13. Avoid eye contact with anyone not eating the Gatsby for fear of them asking for a “piece”.
14. When sipping on the Frulati, make sure you only have 2 sips then pass… anyone attempting more than 2 sips forfeit the next round.
15. Nothing on the Gatsby is to be wasted (refer point 5), that includes any salads or sauces still remaining in the paper… lick it up!

Check out the original article and pics here

Fun things to do in Cape Town

2010-09-03T04:59:00.001-07:00

Another post dedicated to Mochness:

Part of the installment on 'Why Africa is special, and this would be Part Two'

So, what do we do for fun at night in Cape Town? For those who are interested, theres quite a hip and happening party scene, complete with alcohol, loud music and pretty people.

However, this Lamya is not usually found partying. In Central Cape Town, the party street is called Long Street. Apart from clubs, Long Street also has its fair share of shisha cafes, bars, coffee shops, all buzzing till the early hours of the morning. And theres a mean shwarma stand in the middle of the street, all fully halaal, of course. So I'd much rather be hanging out at a coffee shop than a club.

There are a few theatres with lovely shows, too. The Baxter and Artscape are two of the biggest, while quaint little theatres dot the rest of the city..depending on the show and the vibe you're looking for, its all good, clean, fun.

Obviously, theres movies too.. There are quite a few movie theatres throug the city, and they offer quite a variety. Cinema Noveau offers the more artsy non-commercial type movies, while others focus on commercial movies, and some even do full feature Bollywood films.

The restuarants and other coffee shops, well.. they're all there to be discovered. From beachside to mountaintop, theres a whole variety of food just waiting to tantalise your tastebuds. This post wouldnt be complete without a mention of authentically Cape Townian fast foods. There the 'gatsby', which is a huge french loaf type thing, filled with fries, salad, chicken or steak, and usually divided in portions amongst a group of friends. Other fast foods include 'chip rolls' which are fries on bread rolls, 'salomee', essentially curry rolled in roti and served as a type of sandwich.

Okay before this degenerates into a complete food post, Im going to just mention a new Cape Town ramadaan tradition, its called a 'facebooka'. People invite all their facebook friends to 'booka' (see meaning in previous post), its usually held at the beach.. People all bring their own food and blankets and chat and have shisha late into the night. Nice way to meet new people and make new friends. This is done to socialise as its very frowned on to be seen at the movies or in Long Street during ramadaan..

Next post will entail fun things to do during the day, in Cape Town.. Hope you enjoyed this..

Why Africa is special..(part one)

2010-09-01T01:23:00.001-07:00

This post is dedicated to Mochness:

There is something in the air of Africa, an interconnectedness that you dont feel elsewhere. Its like I feel Im close to the pulse of the Earth. There's a smell that hits you when you get off the plane, a feeling of homecoming, even though you are only visiting the first time. The air embraces you, and the sun even feels different.Yes, Africa is special.

I have settled in Cape Town, South Africa, a beautiful gem of a city. I love this city because of many reasons. Lets start with the history.. Like Ive explained before, Cape Town was a little watering and refilling station for the Dutch East India Company, on their way to and from various spice and slave destinations in the East. It was 'discovered' in 1652, by Jan Van Riebeeck, who completely discounted the fact that there were already natural inhabitants to this stretch of beach, called the Khoi-San.

The Khoi-San were inquisitive and warm people, who had a penchant for shiny objects.. And had wonderful bodies which enabled them to live in this climate. They could store some food in their cheeks and when they feated, they built up a supply of fat in their buttocks to keep them goin when they didnt find anything to hunt or gather. They were awesome hunters and trackers, and could mimic bird and animal calls with uncanny accuracy. Well, the Khoi-San people were initially tolerated by Jan Van Riebeeck, but were eventually hunted down almost to extinction, enslaved, and the remaining part of the population driven far into the interior.

Also, the interesting part comes when the Dutch East India Company decided to establish a watering station at the Cape of Good Hope, as Cape Town was known back then. they started vegetable gardens, and built a few homes for their farmers.

A few years later, the Cape of Good Hope became an area where people started to settle down.. A castle was built, and a town established. Around the same time, slaves from Java and India were brought to the new settlement for their craftwork, and handcarved beautiful wooden bedposts and weaved baskets and obviously cooked and were healers, too. Many of these Javanese and Indian people were Muslim, so the Muslim heritage of Cape Town holds strong for more than 400 years.

Muslims at the time were persecuted for having their own religious beliefs, and so learnt to recite the Quran and various athkaar quite melodiously.. Which also sounded like singing.. obviously the 'master' did not realise these people werent singing and actually worshipping their Creator.

Anyways, there are various people through Muslim Cape Town history who risked their lives to teach Islam to others, to encourage hafath al quran, and to make sure the legacy of Islam lived on. Well, their legacy lives on even today..

Part of living in Cape Town, is that you are not persecuted or questioned (even since 9/11) for practising your religion. Also importantly, you practice because YOU WANT TO, not because the government tells you to. There is an abundance of halaal food restuarants, major supermarkets all run lines of halaal meat in seperate fridges, men get off from work early on a friday to attend Jumuah prayers. A few major malls have prayer rooms for salaah. One mall even has a full taraweeh programme. Families openly go and break their fast at the beach (its called 'booka'). At the end of Ramadaan, thousands of Muslims descend on Three Anchor Bay to hear the verdict of sighting the moon, and pray Maghrib together, in the thousands. Friends hang around and have shisha.. Its not odd to see a family praying somewhere at a beach or picnic.. So we really have alot of religious freedoms here in Cape Town. You are protected by the Consitution of this country, and can wear your hijab to work, and wherever else you may choose to go.

That was just a picture of a little of the history of this city, and some religious insights which make it easy to live here. On the next installment, I'll tell you about the fun things we can do here..

Cycles..

2010-08-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to my hairdresser.

She works from her home, and I prefer it that way. Commercial hairdressers have huge open windows and its not always the modest thing to do.. So I met this lady, Yolanda, and she used to do my hair whever I needed her to. No appointment required..and without fail I'd always look fabulous. She didnt live in the most savoury part of the city but..

She's the kind of person that held together her whole impoverished neighbourhood. All the children in d neighbourhood were raised by her, when their mothers were drunk, on drugs, working, or just too young to know what to do. She fed everyone that came to her door, hungry, and she never complained about the kind of life she led. She looked after the sick, and listened to everyone's problems..

Today I went to my hairdresser.. And walked into her funeral.

God bless you Yolanda, you will be sorely missed..

Its my.. SISTER!!..

2010-08-22T21:35:00.001-07:00

I have to tell u guys about this.. Amazing moment that filled my chest with warmth and awe..

Alright, this all begins with a craving for home-made pizza. I only realised this like an hour before futoor, and wore an abaya and shayla, with baggy tracksuit bottoms and sneakers underneath :) this has relevance to the story, trust me..

So off I go to the closest mall to get the bases, as anyone who had ever made pizza bases knows that an hour before futoor may NOT be the best time to start..lol.. So the closest mall is closed and i zoom off to another mall, and its 40 min before futoor..

Get there, grab a pack of halaal bases and rush to the queue.. And a kind Muslim gentleman sees my shayla and abaya and one item in my hand and rushed look, and he gives me a place right at the front of the queue..

*insert* in Cape Town, where I live, the law of the queue is utterly respected. Nobody jumps, bumps their way up, or does anything else but join the back of the queue.. And jumping or bumping is regarded as horribly rude, and people WILL protest..LOUDLY.. !

I pay, wish the kind man Ramadaan Kareem and turn around.. And all over the store (its a store kind of lke Tamimi, or Tesco), I see Muslim people giving other Muslim people a place at the front of the queue.. Someone did dare to protest.. And a lady turned around (clearly unrelated to the person she gave a place to) and hissed..'Its my SISTER'..

I was so proud to be Muslim at that moment..

Im in love!!

2010-08-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Just got my new pc casing: Gigabyte Sumo..5115.. And its worth every single cent! Oh my word. Its tool-free, comes with great accesories and a mesh cover for extra cooling..

Flip.

Cant wait to get my I7 now.. Many happy hours of gaming await :)

And yes, Im goin to get 3 new monitors too. Just for eye-finity. Happiness!!!!

*UPDATE*
Why this case is so awesome:

-Supports SLI, crossfire dual/quad multi graphic cards
-Supports 12'' by 13'' motherboard.. So u can use ATX, CEB, E-ATX or micro ATX.. But no micro ATX for me.
-Its aluminium with hair line brish anodised finishing.
-When u switch it on, its got a personalised image projector, so u can shine UR NAME out from d casing :)
-Front and back fan is illuminated in blue LED lighting
-sooo the transparent side panels come in handy for showing the lighting
-The aluminium alloy chassis accelerates system cooling performace, in addition to feeling and looking really mean and awesome!
-It has a front panel that's a door design, so it opens to reveal the slots for (5.25'' drive bays) dvd drives etc.. Its got about five slots, so u can STACK EM UP!!

I wasnt joking when I said its an awesome casing. Im building my own pc, so this is why im so excited with the casing, it arrived first..

Goodbye

2010-08-11T02:25:00.000-07:00

No, this is not goodbye to blogger. After a tumultuous two, or so, years, I have decided to blog again.

So I guess it is kinda fitting to start up again with a goodbye.

One of my very good Saudi male friends has gotten married. This means that he is not allowed to have any female friends. After worrying and stressing about him for about a month, I mailed him and he gave me both shocks at once. Anyways, I had just read hnings post on 'breaking up smooth' and decided to use that as some inspiration for the following goodbye letter (edited version):

"I guess congratulations are in order, and I hope everything works out for you, I really do. I cant seem to feel like Ive been short-changed somehow, because it should be the happiest time of your life, and even then, the one person who will always have your best interests at heart (Im referring to me, silly, not YOU!) cant even be there for you when things get tough. Im kinda glad ur living the 'Saudi Dream' (arranged marriage, living with parents, and ur wifes probably pregnant by now, too) even though its a choice I wouldnt easily make for myself, or anyone I really cared about, but eventually, we all do as the Romans do and take our chances at a shot for a happy life.

Not everyone has the chance to be 'Lamya' and screw the world and find our own way, no matter who says what.. sometimes the best and most honourable fight is just to be where we are and make the best of it. Give it all you've got, because without you, someone wudnt have a person to wake up next to in the morning. Someone wouldnt have been able to look at their son with pride and say, he's married to so-and-so's daughter. Without you, a wedding wouldnt have existed, two families wouldnt have come together, and without your contribution, Saudi ways would wither and die..And somehow, your wired to fit right in..

So Im proud of you for fighting the fight I was too much of a coward to face, for settling in and taking the good and the bad with it..

I think that no matter how long or short this email is, or how Ive tried to hide it, Im feeling a little heartbroken, and quite a bit sad. You've been a huge part of my life, and Im reluctant to say goodbye, but in parting.. just remember that the breakup of a friendship like ours is not the end of future involvements, not the end of respect and kindness for each other. This breakup is an acknowledgment of unconditional love, no matter what the time and place may be.

Have a good life. "

Yeah. Welcome back to Lamya's World

Coming up: 'Escaping the World Cup in South Africa'

Crumbles...

2009-02-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

Crumbles of thoughts about my last few days..

Why is the beginning of the academic year always so busy? It seems as though all the planning done last year just serves no purpose as students wander around like lost sheep.. I wouldve thought that reading and university go together like white on rice.. but Im constantly being surprised.

Cape Town weather is like a woman really. So unpredictable. For the past few days its been wonderfully sunny and I was making plans to go crayfish diving this weekend, and suddenly the weather changes. If the swell comes up, I cant dive.. :( and no crayfish for everyone..

A very good friend of mine is in Cape Town right now. We have a habit of giving each other special gifts every year. She has gotten me a very cute perfume and a heart shaped pendant. Thing is, she has two kids and a mashallah husband that gives her everything she wants. So perfume is out, jewellery is out, and I really dont know what to get her. She is a probiotic 100% cotton kinda gal. So I was thinking of something organic and natural...Any suggestions wud be fabulous:)

I have been going to gym :) whoohoo. Its amazing how excercising every day can make a difference to your energy levels.. try it! Today I feel a bit tired because I didnt go to gym this morning. My ankle was paining, as I resprained it playing putt putt. Imagine that.. of all the wierd adventure things I do, I end up hurting my ankle playing harmless putt putt. I truly am a klutz!

Scenes from life in Cape Town I: The Taksi Gaachey

2008-02-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

And, I'm back ... (That new years resolution I made last year flew out the window with the first bar of chocolate at ten past midnight 01 Jan 2008)

The taksi gaachey is an integral part of life in Cape Town. He is an institution by himself, avant garde poetry by just existing..

In Cape Town, the public transport systems are not very well developed. Most commuters make use of the buses, taxi's and trains. The most popular form of public transport is the taxi. Now this taxi is unlike the ones you will find anywhere else in the world. It usually is a 12 to 15 seater mini van, which has been unusually pimped. Chrome wheels, dvd players, and loud, loud, loud stereo systems characterise the typical taxi.

The popularity of the taxi probably rests with the fact that it is one of the cheapest and fastest ways of getting to your destination. Its also an adrenaline-filled death defying trip. Taxi drivers have no clue what the rules of the road entail, and indicator lights are much like an appendix to them, there, but useless. They brake in the middle of busy intersections in peak traffic to pick up passengers and defy speed limits, they tailgate, and overtake normal cars even if they have to drive into oncoming traffic. The taxi drivers however, are not the point of this post.

Back to the point. The Gaachey is the taxi drivers assistant. He is responsible for taking the taxi fare from commuters, and providing them with change. He also makes sure that the taxi is filled up for each trip, and this is where he becomes so innovative and worth mentioning. The Gaachey remembers his destinations and walks along the 'pick-up' zones chanting them like a litany or song. One often hears ' Ethlown, Mowbreeey, Kaaap!' They use the sweetest language to get pretty women to drive with them, and are of great assistance to pregnant and older passengers.

The Gaachey is a Cape Town institution, one that makes me smile every day, as his chanting fills the air when I drive by...

Ramadhan in Cape Town

2007-09-27T08:44:00.001-07:00

Of course, I wouldn’t disappoint.

First, a history lesson. (Jaja and Shale I know you are going to Wikipedia this, so if I make any mistakes please feel free to correct) Muslims first came to Cape Town in a great number about 310 years ago, from the Malay archipelago, as slaves. They were valued among other things, as healers, craftsmen, and obviously for their petit beauty. A later group was exiled to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company. The exiled group consisted mainly of religious leaders and political dissidents. They were given a higher status by colonialists, and so amassed wealth, which was then taken from them during the Apartheid era.

The first Muslims that came to the Cape lay down the traditions, that are still followed today. They brought with them Malayu, which eventually worked its way into the grammar of modern day Afrikaans.

So, what effect did all of this have on Ramadaan in the Cape? How do I experience Ramadaan, and 3eed here?

Ramadaan is a special time that the whole of Cape Town embraces, Muslim, or not. Large supermarkets have special prices for food that people eat often like bananas, milk and rice. One large supermarket chain (something like Tesco’s or Tamimi) even has a drive to sponsor some poor families in the community so that they can have a better Ramadaan. At the major universities, exam times are shuffled, so that students don’t write while they have to Iftaar. Colleagues are always sensitive to a fasting person, and apologise if they have to eat in front of that person. Muslims in Cape Town come together to give meals to the poor, and have a city-wide Qara2at Al Quraan competition.

A large contributor to the spreading of the news about events that are happening, is the Muslim radio stations. They play the Adhaan (all year round) five times daily, and keep the entire community updated with news of deaths and births, birthdays and prayers, and also have a range of normal programmes like sports and social commentary.

The day is pretty normal, up early for Su7oor. My Su7oor menu sounds large, but I only eat little portions of everything. I have eggs, low glycaemic index bread, vegetables, oatmeal, fruit, water, and yoghurt. Then its off to a eight(sometimes ten or twelve hour) day at work, and then home. Iftaar is milk, or soup, or a fruit. And tarawee7 after that. By the time I get home finally I’m knackered, and its even worse when I’m invited out, because then its back to the hosts home for dessert.

Tradition here dictates that the younger children take savoury or sweet platters to their neighbours in exchange for something from the neighbours table. In recent years the trend has been away from oily and sweet foods to more healthy treats. Traditional treats include samoosa, boeber, soji, falooda, and oh, too many more to mention. (May I add that they are all equally delicious). The night before 3eed, most Cape Townian Muslims gather in an area called Three Anchor Bay, to sight the coming of the moon. They have a mass Iftar, and then perform Maghrib salaah together. Last year it was estimated that 7000 Muslims showed up. People then stay for a picnic if the next day is 3eed (with shisha too!) and go home for tarawee7 if it is not 3eed.

3eed in itself is a big deal, like it is elsewhere in the world. Most people apply for leave from their work for 3eed, and then work over Christmas. Others get the day off. New clothes are bought, curtains are changed, houses are aired, and loads of food gets prepared. Kids get some money as an 3eediya (or 3eed gift).

On the morning of 3eed, most men go to the masjid. After masjid, they visit the graves of those who have passed on in their families. Others go straight home for a breakfast of pie and other yummies. Then people usually get dressed and go to greet each other. Lunch is usually at the family home, with brothers and sisters and uncles and everyone. In the evenings, the older folks sit together, while the younger ones group up with friends and go to ‘model’ their 3eed clothes at the biggest malls or go for coffee together at the beach. This is the best people watching time, as some guys even hire flashy and smart cars to take their friends out with.

And that everyone, is Ramadaan and 3eed in Cape Town.

For Shale:

some of the terms that you may not be familiar with:

Iftaar: dinner
Qara2at Al Quran: Reciting of the Quran in a melodious fashion
Adhaan: call to prayer
Su7oor: breakfast
Tarawee7: special evening prayer after the last prayer of the night. It lasts about two hours.
Samoosa: a triangular folded pastry, usually savoury
Boeber: a sweet, spicy, warm, milk drink, with nuts and raisins
Soji: a sweet pudding
Falooda: a pink, fragrant cold milk drink
Maghrib: the prayer after sunset

This one's for women

2007-07-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

To all the wonderful amazing women out there who make it through the many difficulties we face..to the survivors (hning), the challengers (jaja, taqo, fishy), the penguins (grabmyboobs!), and all the rest, you are special. And whatever you do, remember your worth!

A woman has strengths that amazes man
She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens
She holds happiness, love and opinions
Smiles when feeling like screaming
Sings when she feels like crying,
Cries when she is happy
And laughs when she is afraid

She fights for what she believes in
And stands up against injustice
There is only one thing wrong with her...

She forgets what she is worth..