Meeting People

I remember how easy it was to meet people during my years abroad. All you have to do is say "please pass the sugar" at the starbucks condiments table and next thing u know, a few years later, ur in another country attending ur "best friends" wedding.

Why is it so difficult to meet people in the arab region??

If a guy ever came up to me at our local Starbucks and started up a conversation, I would think hes a freak / stalker / weirdo. If it was a girl, it would be even worse. LOL. Yet abroad, everything is so easy.

"Excuse me do u know which way Madame Tussaud's is??"
"Yeah its where Im going. Actually Im on my own, u wanna hang out??"
"Sure"

Imagine this conversation happening here in Oman

"Aqoolish, hain hathak il makan bu ysamyooh Markaz il Bahga"
"Roo7 seeda, ysar min il duwar oo ba3dain id5al sheeshat il betrool ili 3ala yamenak oo tshoof nafsak fil mawaqif mal il bahja"
"Mashkoora il '3alia. Aqoolish, tshili raqmi??"

Charming isnt it?? Omani guys (with exceptions of course) DO NOT under any circumstances have a nice isloob with girls. Dafasha ya3ni. Ifft.

So basically I think Im going to be sticking to my current friends ili 6afasht min ashkalhum.

A New Life Resolution

I plan to visit all these

http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/results.cfm?cat=hotels

What I Look For In A Man

As some random comment in one of my posts sparked off a series of questions regarding what I look for in a man, I promised that I will have a post entirely dedicated to this top.

Many people have a so-called "wish-list" of charachteristics that they look for in the person that they are willing to spend the rest of their lives with. Some of these items are must-haves and some are preferrables. Some are even there just to make the list longer and better sounding. LOL. In most cases, the list changes dramatically depending on the person and the one they meet. For example, some people want a really cool outgoing person but then realise that they are too jealous for that.

Anyways heres my list:

Must-haves (personality related characteristics)
1. Respect - notice this comes top of the list and before love.
2. Someone who loves me for who I am and will not try to change me.
3. Sense of humour.
4. Open-minded
5. Not too religious.
6. Social and out-going
7. Has the same hobbies and interests as me (mainly cars and water activities)
8. Intellectually stimulating - i like an educated reader
9. Accepting of my male friends
10. Confident and self assured - i dont like those so-so guys that need someone to make a decision for them
11. Romantic - im all about romance, flowers and presents will always put a smile on my face especially when there is no occasion for it

Must-haves (non-personality related characteristics)
1. Tall - as previously mentioned at least 173 cm in height
2. Big built - i like a guy who when he hugs me, i dissappear
3. Good stable job with a steady income - i dont want the reason for me working to be the NEED for money
4. No long hair - dont like that on guys
5. Trendy - im a fashionable person, if pink is in fashion, i want him to wear pink
6. Very good english speaker - i communicate mainly in english, cant think too fast in arabic

I guess these are the main characteristics that I want in my guy. Is that too much to ask?? LOL. No but seriously, in Oman, I have learnt that it is relatively difficult to find a guy with these characteristics. And there is a lot that Im willing to sacrifice provided I am assured that he really loves me and I really love him. (All except the height thing of course)

I know what most of you reading this are saying. 6al3u hathi ba6rana ma bagat shai. But seriously, I really dont think its too much to ask. I know plenty of people with these characterstics but my problem is that when I meet someone going into it thinking of them as friends, there is no way I can change my mind. Its a very bad habit but I really cant help it.

I would love to see a male version of my post. I can just imagine. 6aweela, baitha, tha3eefa, daloo3a, etc. LOL

The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift

I finally saw this movie. Ive been dying to watch it and I had said that I was gonna watch it on the first show that comes out but unfortunately I was stuck in Salalah on a business trip.

Anyways, I missed the first few minutes waiting for a couple of friends and then finally gave up and left their tickets with the dude that sells the tickets..

My advice for whoever hasnt seen it yet and is planning to. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WISH FOR A STORYLINE. The movie is all about cars and drifting. The white dude's accent is soooo redneck its not even funny. He falls for a girl within about 5 minutes of the movie and fights for her honour blah de blah blah. Point being, some fucking amazing cars around there.

Best scene of the movie?? The tarqeem 7araka. If a guy did that to me, I would be sooo impressed. Im not gonna say no more cos I dont wanna spoil it for those who havent seen it.

A Thin Line

Always, the discussion of attraction comes up between any group of friends where one or more is undergoing a relationship crisis. This usually means 110% of the time. LOL. Anyways, my point being, physical attraction is the major factor of a relationship between two people. And by this relationship, I mean romantic.

A friend once asked me what is a total no-no for me when it comes to guys and I admitted, without shame, that it is something with relation to their physical appearance. And no, its not his direct looks, its the height. I have a big thing against shorter guys. I cannot possibly be attracted to them. Of course its not the only thing, there are many others but you can say that height is the basis of my first impression. LOL.

This friend, to this day, argues with me that a person does not choose who they love. I agree with that. But where does this "lack of choice" come from?? Its the basic standards that someone has with regards to the person that they will spend the rest of their lives with.

This friend STILL refuses to accept that I will NEVER fall for a shorter guy. I never knew how to build my argument until finally I figured out how to explain it.

What is the difference between lovers and best friends?? Physical attraction. I cannot be attracted to a guy that is shorter than 173cms at least. Im sorry. I know im not making it easier for the guys but I cant help being tall. At least for the Omani female standards. Therefore, if my best friend is taller than me, I might fall in love with him but if he was shorter or almost equal in height, I never will. Cos you cannot fall in love with someone that u are not physically attracted to. Just not possible.

What are YOUR No. 1 no-no's in ur non-specific other??

A Time For Revelation

i just found this post in my draft - dated sometime in July 2006 - trying to remember but i honestly cant - guess this just shows that when u think something HUGE is happening, its not that bad cos after a little while u wont even remember what the whole thing is about

____________________________________________________________

i thought men were supposed to be the strong ones that say "bitch, get off me, im not interested" instead of "I dont see u as being mine"

my five days away from muscat did me a great deal of good. i had time to think about the situation and how i feel about it. i realised that im noit really that affected

i know the post is giving the general auro of "i was going through something but now ive pulled myself together" but its not. its more of a "why am i so bothered?? fuck him and his stupid premonitions"

A Dedication

We talked, we met, we talked again
We discussed our future, our kids and friends
We agreed on honeymoons and wedding plans
We even talked about our family van
And then we met for a second time
Realised then that its a thin line
We might be soulmates, yes thats true
But this is not what lovers do
"Can you imagine a kiss from me?"
He asked as he looked at me
I didnt need to give him a reply
As i sat there and wanted to cry
Its been two minutes since we last spoke
Its been two minutes since i heard him choke
Sitting here helpless, not knowing what to say
Its our one week anniversary today
I have no regrets and neither does he
As we try to decide what it should be

Are we lovers or are we soulmates???

A Scary Dream I Just Had

The dream consisted of me looking out the window at home and 3 men are shedding their Jewish disguises onto the neighbor's garage floor. My mom was about to go out and get into her car and I told her to hurry and not take her time and I would watch her go away safely. She was right by her car when the men approached her and one opened her car door. She still hadn't move long enough for the auto-lock to activate and the doors opened. The man closed the doors again and took out a gun and aimed it at the side mirror.

I dont know what happened next. I had run into the TV room and called my brother screaming that my mom was being attacked by guns by three men.

We came back to the window and my moms car was crashed into my dads car and the driver and passenger windows smashed. I cant see my mother. I'm screaming at my brother to go outside and check on her and hes frozen.

Then I woke up.

Does anyone have any idea what this dream might mean??

Re-Evaluating My Life

I think there is a time that comes along in everyone's life where they begin to think "what exactly am I doing?? And why??". This time is usually preceded by a continued phase of utter boredom.

The decision to stop doing something or start doing something else is usually, or at least should be, a decision that is made when the individual is totally convinced. Otherwise most likely, its the case of peer presure or external influence.

Granted these decisions sometimes occur when someone else makes u realise the harsh reality of ur actions, never the less, nobody is smacking u upside the head forcing u into it.

We all lead double lives. One for ourselves, and the other for society.

Preparing To Be A Housewife By Any Chance??!!

I walk into the vegetable market holding a peice of paper and full of confidence . . . yeah right!!! Im on the phone to my mum going "what does green qarnabee6 look like?? is it the tree thing?? is it brocolli??"

Im all for grocery shopping - not a problem there at all. Im actually very used to it and Ive been doing it for almost 4 months when my parents were out of town. But I have my limits. I dont usually do vegetables and meats. Im ok with fruits cos I can at least tell the difference between ripe, semi-ripe and over-ripe. I can even do the watermelon tapping test to tell whether its a good one or not. Fish market is a total no-no for me. Since Im allergic anyways, why put me through the misery and the stench of a fish market!!!

Of course, despite my extensive experience with supermarket shopping, I just CANNOT for the life of me handle a trolley. Im great with baskets but trolleys are a nightmare. I make the classic mistake of leaving my clutch and car keys in the trolley and walk away looking for something. I cannot begin to tell u the number of times a supermarket staff thought the trolley was abandoned and went about returning everything to the shelves OR the number of times im running around looking for my car keys cos they fell through the bars of the trolley. Im a disaster.

And god forbid I get a phone call while in a supermarket. I forget myself and laugh and giggle and chat away (meanwhile leaving my trolley desserted yet again) and walk around aimlessly up and down the aisles. If its a message its even worse, I just suddenly stop in my tracks to reply to the message causing traffic and the occasional trolleys bumping into me because of the sudden halt. I get so distracted and chances are I will pick up at least a dozen things that are not on the list because it makes me feel glamourous. A jar of sundried tomatoes, ementhal cheese cubes, sparking peach water, etc.

God help my husband if I ever go shopping with him.

A Little Poem I Wrote

Im not a bit fan of poetry but sometimes Im inspired by a certain occasion which influences rhyming thoughts. So I thought I would share them with you all.

A friend's word is a friend's promise
Yet you say "I didnt promise"
How can I, on you, depend
When I cant even call u a friend
Lies, betrayal, last on the list,
Priorities, my dear, is what u missed
Granted, I may not be the best out there
But this is MY best Im doing here
Trust may not be built in a minute
But when broken, it is infinite
I weep at night, i smile by day
When I look at this peice of clay
A gift received for some past adventure
Makes my heart about to rupture
What do I do this to myself?
Why do I put my pride on the shelf?
Sick and tired of this treatment
Or should I say this MIStreatment
A friend's word is a friend's promise

A Day of Relaxation

What more could be more relaxing than a three hour swim followed by a 75 minute shower???

Then a full hour of body lotioning and hair blowdrying!!!

Too relaxed to write more.

Italy - Germany match is on half time and neither have scored anything. Not even going to follow the game.

Happy Birthday To Me

Yes. Im 26. And I feel 62 instead.

I was attending my friends wedding and had to leave early to see someone. Was told Im looking gorgeous and got a very very very sweet and thoughtful present.

I was told I look "stunning" by a friend who seriously had an expression of shock on his face that I read as "how is it possible that u look this good". It was funny. The expression that is.

I dont feel stunning or gorgeous. I feel like people dont see me for what I am anymore.

Is it weird??

I was in Bun Bun (again) tonight for dinner. I walked in and started the routine "bumping into" people I know. Kept saying hello over and over to people whether they are friends, family, old school mates or even co-workers.

When I finally sat down, I thought it would be the end. But there were still more and more people I know that I had to say hello to.

Now when I was at my table a few male friends came over to say hello. Nothing rude or embarrassing or anything. On the contrary, it was quite nice of them to make the effort to get up and come over to say hello.

So I was thinking, my dad is sitting at some table across the placce, an uncle's wife somewhere and a family friend on the table behind us. For an outsider, they would say "This girl knows a lot of guys. Since she sat down, one after the other are coming over to say hello." I was wondering whether I should feel embarrassed or ashamed but I couldnt decide.

I decided I was going to feel none of the above. Why should I?? Do you know why?? Because the girls that I knew there did not have the courtesy to get their big butts off their chairs to come over and say hello. I was there before them and they didnt even stop by my table for a simple "Hi how are u?" before being seated. And I wasnt about to go chasing after them to say hello either.

Now I realised, the guys are a lot better behaved and well mannered then girls. I dont blame the guys for calling the girls "bitchy and snobby" anymore.

Not One of My Best Days

Super powers amaze me. They really do. And it really amazes when that the good guys and the bad guys will have the same super powers but the outsider will interpret them in such a different way because of the way the powers are used.

Ive always wanted a super power. Nothing like flying or x-ray eyes. I just wanted to always be able to know peoples "intentions". Is that too much to ask??

How does a person feel when they purposely stab someone in the back?? How does someone feel when they are purposely playing the "im too cool for u" game therefore treating them badly and ignoring them when they need them most?? Other than that, what exactly are they gaining from these evil acts???!!! I would love to know whether satisfaction is acheived from such horrible-ness!!!

"I needed someone today. Just for a little while. No one specific. But I just needed to be the centre of someones attention for a little while." Silence is received.

How does it feel when a heart is breaking??!! Apparently Ive done it to someone.

Oh Dear Ground, Please Swallow Me Alive

Here I am mit5amra jidam il new 42" TV watching showtime that Ive missed so much because nobody bothered to renew the subscription that expired 6 months ago due to multiple random reasons. Enjoying my day. Havent done anything since I got back from work except eat and change my clothes. Mom is loving it cos Im not going out as much since the new TV arrived. Dad just got home and sitting by me watching whatever random "crap" he thinks I always watch.

Anyways so Im flicking between 2 channels watching an episode of Desperate Housewives, one that Ive already seen, as well as Hollywood's 101 Most Kept Secrets. So ive watched almost the whole thing and were at number 8 or 9 and the secret is about Arnold Shwartz-nigger so I think "Dad, likes him so I wont flick back to DH to update myself". So were sitting there watching and they are randomly babbling about some article that was published in the papers when he had just been elected Mayor and I had random thoughts of English Speaking classes, long lost family, illigetimate child . . .

. . . shock horror. A scene of Arnie in all his glory, afro 80's hairstyle and erotic facial expressions humping away at something that cannot be seen except for the delicate waxed knees by the sides of his torso. Suddenly the knees stretch out, and just in case u didnt get it, its a pair of "supposedly sexy" red stilleto heels now by the sides of his face.

I quickly try to change the channel in order to avoid any more graphic images when DH is showing a scene when Gabby is trying to seduce Carlos out of giving Sister Mary Hot Pants the pink slip to his brand new Jaguar by offering a 5 minute fellatio session.

Oh Dear Ground, Please Swallow Me Alive.

Cruising through Bloggosphere Boulevard

As I "trial and error" my way through codes and what used to be IT mumbo jumbo to me, I figure out how to import a template from a "catalogue" and input the code into my blog. I also got my title changed into something else that was not part of the template package. All this WITHOUT loosing my counter code.

My next step, which I was going to do tomorrow, was figure out how to get the time to read as local time and not some far off american eleven hour difference time. Adrenalin decided I was gonna do it tonight.

YAY TO 3ANEEDA

Help required

As I am new to this "blogland" as most of you so affectionately call it. I am beginning to realise more and more that my stay here will be shortlived. Why?? Cos I dont know what the hell Im doing. Im trying to figure out how to personalise my blog and everything I come across is a code. Im not at all an IT minded person.

When I first started my blog, I had the support of a net friend from www.omanicrib.com who suggested I get a counter. It took soooo long for me to figure out exactly what to do even though she was walking through it step by step.

Now I realised that I dont remember other people's blogs that when I visit I think "hhmmm, I would like to come back to this one". Next day Im like "what was that one I saw yesterday??!!!"

Blog Help is no help AT ALL.

BLOGGERS HELP!!

The Da Vinci Code - Finally saw it

Finally saw the long awaited Da Vinci Code in cinema today. Went straight after work and sat through a 2 and a half hour worth of "book reading". How dissappointing??!!!

Dont get me wrong. I LOVED it. I loved the book as well. But come on Mr. Screenwriter!!! Couldnt u have spiced it up a bit??!!

Firstly the movie IS the book. No changes. I expected something like "A Walk to Remember" where the screenplay was adapted to the modern day interest. But nope. The book IS the movie and the movie IS the book.

Secondly, they made NO efforts to shorten it. The only bit from the book that is not featured in the movie is Robert Langdon searching for his passport.

Basically, Im really disappointed. I think in majority it was the fact that I had to sit through 2 and a half hours straight after a full working day. The heat doesnt help either.

Air Conditioning - and the relationships it destroyed

As I sit here at my desk that I havent worked on for over 10 days (I took a week off last week), I am in my usual state. Slouching on my reclining chair, working through the gazillion emails that Ive received since activating my "Out Of Office Agent" and wondering why I never get that many email when Im actually IN OFFICE??

Suddenly I hear a thunderous roar of machinery. I turn around and see that someone had switched on the very very VERY old air conditioning and immediately I start to whine. "Please dont switch it on!!! Im just beginning to thaw!!!!" in response I get "but its boiling hot outside and im sweating, just for a few minutes, come on"

This is the standard office chatter where I work. Each floor of the building has controls for the air conditioning for that floor. None of that central stuff. And it gets FREEEEEEEEEZING. Of course, for someone like me whos majority of the work is desk work, I dont get much blood circulation in order to warm me up but others who may have just gone out for a quick errand are trying to cool off the scorching Summer Muscat Sun off.

All this I get. What I really dont get is why people take it personally!! Inter-Office relationships have been destroyed due to this hot-cold situation. A guy who has NEVER fought with anyone ever, recently had a fight with a colleague of mine OVER THE A/C. She promptly applied for a transfer and is no longer here.

Two best friends, who each organised the other's weddings, are no longer on speaking terms due to a fight OVER THE A/C.

What the hell??!!

Sorry I just felt like venting.