LuLus

U.A.E

2009-12-05T22:10:00.000+04:00

We celebrate you everyday <3

Time to Wake Up

2009-12-05T15:45:00.001+04:00

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"

ضد الحزن فيني فرح مخزون

2009-11-26T13:25:00.001+04:00

In this beautiful and spiritual time of the year. I wish you all a very happy 3eed, with your family and loved ones.

I packed my weekend bag(s), looking forward to a peaceful time spent in RAK away from all the traffic and the busy to-do-lists.

The Dead Man Who Wore Pajamas

2009-11-20T21:36:00.003+04:00

A beautiful story written by Paulo Coelho

"I remember reading a piece of news on the Internet that a man was found dead in Tokyo on 10 June 2004, dressed in his pajamas.

So what? I imagine that most people who die wearing their pajamas either a) died in their sleep, which is a blessing, or b) were in the company of their relatives or on a hospital bed – death did not come quickly, so they all had time to grow used to “the undesirable one,” as Brazilian poet Manuel Bandeira called it.

The news goes on: when he died, he was in his room. So, the hospital hypothesis is out and we are left with just the possibility that he died in his sleep, without suffering any, without even realizing that he would not see the light of day.

But there is still another possibility: assault followed by death.

Those who have visited Tokyo know that the gigantic city is at the same time one of the safest places in the world. I remember once stopping to eat with my editors before taking a trip to the interior of Japan – all our suitcases were in sight on the rear seat of the car. Immediately I said that it was very dangerous, someone was sure to come along, see all those bags and make off with our clothes, documents and so on. My editor just smiled and told me not to worry – he knew of no such incident in all his long years of life (in fact, nothing happened to our suitcases, although I kept tense all through dinner).

But to return to our dead man in pajamas: there was no sign of struggle, violence or anything of the sort. In an interview, a Metropolitan Police officer stated that it was almost certainly a case of a sudden heart attack. So the hypothesis of homicide was also eliminated.

The body had been found by workers of a construction company on the second floor of a building in a housing complex that was about to be torn down. Everything led to the idea that the dead man in the pajamas, unable to find anywhere to live in one of the most densely and expensive cities in the world, had simply decided to settle where he did not have to pay any rent.

And now for the tragic part of the story: our dead man was only a skeleton dressed in pajamas. At his side was an open newspaper dated 20 February 1984; a calendar on the table nearby gave the same date.In other words, he had been there for twenty years.

And nobody had noticed his absence.

The man was identified as a former employee of the company that had built the housing complex, where he had moved to in the early 80s soon after his divorce. He was just over fifty years on the day that all of a sudden, reading the newspaper, he left this world.

His ex-wife never sought for him. It was discovered that the company where he worked had gone bankrupt right after the building had been finished, since no apartment was sold, and so they did not find it odd that the man never turned up for his daily activities. His friends were looked up, and they put his disappearance down to the fact that he had borrowed some money and could not pay it back.

The news ends informing us that the mortal remains were delivered to the ex-wife. I finished reading the article and wondered at the last sentence: the ex-wife was still alive, and for twenty years had not even looked up her husband. What must have gone through her head? That he no longer loved her, that he had decided to remove her for ever from his life. That he had met another woman and disappeared without a trace. That life is like that, once the divorce procedures are over there is no point in carrying on a relationship that has been legally terminated. I imagine what she must have felt upon finding out the fate of the man with whom she had shared a good part of her life.

Then I thought of the dead man in his pajamas, of solitude so utter and abysmal that for twenty years nobody in this whole wide world had realized that he had simply disappeared without leaving a trace. And my conclusion is that worse than feeling hunger and thirst, worse than being jobless, suffering for love, in despair over some defeat – worse than all this is to feel that nobody, absolutely nobody in this world, cares for us.

Let us at this moment say a quiet prayer for this man and let us offer him our thanks for making us reflect on how important our friends are."

This post is dedicated from me to all my friends, my best friends, my parents, my family, my colleagues & my loyal readers. Those who remind me that my existence is a blessing in their life.

In A Peaceful State of Mind

2009-11-19T12:29:00.001+04:00

If only meetings are like this all the time. I drove to our gorgeous Yas Island this morning for a business meeting. After all the protocols Yada yada yada, we took a boat trip around the island. I shamefully say, it's my first time to go in a boat ride in my city at least. God, day by day I'm more convinced that there are so many things we should do in our day, however we shield ourselves under the roof of our house or work, thinking "well, I'll find time to do it one day" I'm just afraid that "one" day it's too late to do anything.
Live happy.

Memiors of a Day

2009-11-15T17:00:00.002+04:00

As we were about to leave the place. Another car parked across the street. A lady I would assume in her late twenties was driving an SUV. She was waiting for her kids to cross the street from our side. They were 2 boys and a girl. My dad noticed how energetic the kids were, so he stopped. Put on the signal to show the speeding cars to slow down while those kids were running to their mom.

The boy and the girl passed the street. A second later, my mom echoed screams and dad's strong horn made me freeze in my seat. The third kid was hit by a speeding car right in front of us.....

12 hours earlier.......

Since Ramadan ended, I haven't had a single weekend. I wake up at 6:30 everyday, sometimes a bit earlier and sometimes I indulge in a few minutes more before I hit the shower, or just switch on the dvd and watch something to gradually have the well to go out of bed.

Yesterday, and for the first time, I was able to sleep until it was 10. How fabulous! I woke up. My family were all here. Perfect! that means breakfast with them. Mama's usual attempts to make "traditional" ryooog & dad's comments over whatever he reads in the newspaper. And my brothers whom are busy with their own gadgets.

In the lunch time, we gathered around mom's machboos, I took the courtesy to tell them my January plans, gym plans, riding plans, summer plans and post everything plan. Few laughs that is followed by: "Ya Baba, one thing at a time"

Afternoon, I disappeared in my room to catch up on my TV shows. Oh and did I mention, I became an addict to iTunes purchasing! It's so much fun.

After Maghreb prayer, I packed my Ipod & camera we went to AlAin. The more peaceful side of Abu Dhabi. My attempt to make Chai-7leeb was a huge success. We reached Mbazzarah. I folded my leggings and tangled my feet in that River of Gold. The water was extreemly hot, I couldn't bear few seconds and lifted my feet again. I continued doing that until It was time to leave.

And that's when It happend

Dad opened the car's door, ran to the kid who was laying on the ground. I heard dad screaming at the driver: "Ma tshooof??"

Only god's miracle made the kid stand up and run to his mom. She was literally expressionless! The kid had few scratches over his face but that was it. Thank god for my mom's quick mind-processing of what just happened in front of her. She rushed to the kid and his mom, she hugged the kid and started wiping his little face with cold water.

Accidents take mere seconds to happen. Whether they injure us or they don't. They are printed in our memories so vividly.

The 200th

2009-11-17T21:57:00.002+04:00

Snow, Aldo

By Kate DiCamillo

"Once, I was in New York,
in Central Park, and I saw
an old man in a black overcoat walking
a black dog. This was springtime
and the trees were still
bare and the sky was
gray and low and it began, suddenly,
to snow:
big fat flakes
that twirled and landed on the
black of the man's overcoat and
the black dog's fur. The dog
lifted his face and stared
up at the sky. The man looked
up, too. "Snow, Aldo," he said to the dog,
"snow." And he laughed.
The dog looked
at him and wagged his tail.

If I was in charge of making
snow globes, this is what I would put inside:
the old man in the black overcoat,
the black dog,
two friends with their faces turned up to the sky
as if they were receiving a blessing,
as if they were being blessed together
by something
as simple as snow
in March"

و يعز من يشاء

2009-11-13T16:11:00.002+04:00

" This encounter would crystalize in my memory - almost into a mythological moment that I could return to and visit in present tense whenever I wanted or needed its message. I see the sports car in front of me just as if it's today, circling in slow motion, with the whirring sound of that unbelievably powerful engine as it idles, waiting and purring like a lion about to pounce." Chris Gardner of his book The Pursuit of Happyness

That first encounter with Chris and the Red Ferrari owner made him realize what the power of information meant. As a homeless, single parent and uneducated person, he bluntly asked: What do you do?
The Ferrari guy answered him: "A stockbroker"

My part of the story is little different.

It was the F1 day race in Abu Dhabi. I was standing in front of The Yas Hotel door waiting for my friend to come. The creme of the crop of people were coming and going, riding their one of its kind cars, wearing the most luxurious garments and looking their best. I was looking around, half blinded of the sun reflecting over the cars and straight into my eyes. for a little girl physically and emotionally to be around such a surrounding. I was just thinking, my education & my job; brought me here. And this is just the beginning.

The Princess & The Frog

2009-11-07T22:50:00.000+04:00

Once upon a dead end. A princess fell for a frog. A frog thought he has it all. He had his pride, and that what made him look so powerful. The princess thought her life would be complete when the frog is all hers. Neglecting the fact whether he was good for her. She prayed for god to bring them closer, to make him feel her affection.

The frog didn't come.

Day after day, the princess counted all the signs god has given her and realized:

The frog will always be a frog.

Sigh

2009-11-04T11:20:00.000+04:00

It's the internal pain you feel. Take a deep breath and you will feel your heart weakening half the way through the sigh. Yes! here it is, right there. Just stop. Take another deep breath, force your face muscles to form a smile. No, not that crocked smile. A better one please.

Few weeks back, I was having a conversation with a dear someone. He said: Life is so unfair, & then he concluded: "No one can look at his life and say, mine is perfect"

It got me frustrated. I looked at him with all the anger I could manage to show: " Your family are okay? You are perfectly healthy, You work, you have good education, everyone "y3iz" 3alaik is fine"

Then were is the Not perfect part of your life?

We seemed to drift away from the true meaning of happiness and attached it to probably the only obstacle we have in our life, and then we said our life is missing. Look at the big picture my friends. Look at the dimensions of your life. You brought up in a completely safe country, you have great parents and loveable surrounding.

So what if work gets hectic, if we get a cold or a sore ankle. Should we put a Stop sign on our door and dwell?

My mom travelled to my grandma and aunties. I couldn't because of my weekend course which I enrolled in. I decided to call grandma and hear her voice atleast. I heard her Sigh and say: "lel2asaf Ya Binty Mantee Ma3ana"

These few words sent me in a river of tears, knowing how much I miss her, how much I love having breakfast with her, that simple platter of Labneh and Cucumber, that mug filled with hearty Chai-7leeb taste like. Everything is different. When those people in your life are fine. You should raise your hands to the sky and left out a sigh that murmers: "Thank You God"

Hit The Target

2009-11-03T15:58:00.000+04:00

"En damat le '3airak, ma we9letak Al7een" The radio people should really work harder to pick encouraging songs every morning.

That half an hour drive every morning gets me thinking about such issues. Opportunities for instance. How do we define anything we go through is an opportunity. As something, if we miss, we should really really regret.

We may see education as an opportunity, others see work as another opportunity. And of course our mothers see the mirage of a new guy coming in as an "opportunity".

Well, everyone with his own mindset.

lots of phrases are thrown here and there that somehow should encourage us to look and find our golden opportunity. Phrases like: " Go for it", "Don't miss out on anything", "if you don't catch it, somebody will"

I think, "You Create Your Own" is the best. But how easy to say, how hard to follow.

P.s when in Doubt just trust your Gut. It will tell you whether this opportunity is worth it or not. Be confident and have faith in God, that no matter what comes into your life it's either a stepping stone of failure or the first step on the ladder of success and happiness. Knowing that failures is not bad, it create innovation at the end.

*Dedicated to my Muse: Mzmz

Breathe Out the Hatred

2009-10-25T22:24:00.001+04:00

You never know how successful you are, until some empty-headed people who I may also add: very shallow, materialistic *i.e they think their whole existence is based on their ownership of an hermes bag* come out of no where attacking you for no apparent reasons but jealousy and boredom.

When I look at myself, I see all the things that other people would dream to have. I have faith, self-worthiness, and pride. Something your daddy's money can't buy. I refuse to be sucked in into fights over: I'm richer, I'm prettier, I'm whatever heck of a deal they have.

My friend, How would our society grow and learn that status, religious, background differences is so old news? now it's the time to Earn your success and name. I personally felt sad over the fact that some people just never change.

p.s Allah la Ykathir mn Amthalkm

Snapshots

2009-10-22T20:56:00.004+04:00

I love you Abu Dhabi. With the first signs of winter coming in, I can't help but to look forward to my usual hangouts, extra doses of lattes & my new orange blanket I picked out at IKEA few weeks back.

Yesterday, we were one of the fortunate people to experience The Yas Hotel, situated in the centre of Yas Marina Circuit. Very unique people, very unique. I woke up today freezing from the room's ac, yet managed to have a lovely breakfast with my brother. After checking out, we both took different routes, each to his own destination. Mine was work, so I took the new "Sheikh Khalifa Highway" which links Yas & Saadiyat Islands to the Island of Abu Dhabi in one of the most beautiful road/bridge I've seen in the country. I mean it never occurred to me how Blue the sea is, especially in the mid of the day with the rays of the sun hitting right into it.

Couldn't be more proud to belong to you.

Post-Weekend Thought

2009-10-17T21:40:00.002+04:00

I clicked on the "New Post" bar felt like my fingers are betraying me. I don't know what to say exactly. I have a lot going on right now, and I don't know where to start. I have gone above and beyond thinking about what happened last week, and the more I think about it, the more it amazes me Why was I happy I had a fight with someone? was I waiting for that moment to happen.

I have always prayed to god to give me a closure, was that my closure? a usueless, tastless fight over something I don't even care about?

Since that day, I've been surprisingly sleeping well and having pleasent dreams.

I boxed up my feelings, left it home writtin all over my mental diary. I wore my new Green Satin Skirt a la blair Waldrof and tied my hair in a super silky pony tail and off to the birthday party. Life is too short to worry about anything.

P.s I love you Salama, Layla, Joody & 3houd. You are my rocks.

Boxing up the Anniverseries

2009-10-14T14:59:00.002+04:00

12th October dates my first year at my first job ever. Yeho. Mabrook for me.

Oh yeah let's move on.

Last week and this week, I have done a pile of activities with my friends and cousins. Opening of the Middle East Film Festival was ah-maazing. Lots of actors and actresses I met. Surpisingly, everyone was very kind and sweet. This diminishes the stereotype I keep hearing about celebrities being complete snobs. One highlight of the evening was Demi Moore passing right next me. And well, meeting "Bu 9agir"

who I instantly told:"9aya7tni fl musalsal"

He let out a big laughter and said: "Hatha ely Kint abi aw9allah"

Funny encounter about the festival was my friend telling me a day before. " You know Clooney is coming?" I answered her completely transfored in my own thoughts: "NOOO Su3aad Abdullah is Coming as well" she gave me the look of how I could relate those two togather.

P.S Make sure to check my blog few hours later, I'll add the pix I took from the event.

Moreover, time with my cousins is just delightful. I love them to every bit of my life. We crack up over anything and everything. We always have great time. I thank god for them being in my life seriously. Cousins are something unique, they are not your sister who will constantly tell you: "do this and do not do that" and they are not your friends who you will have the inner doubt of being hurt one day. Those are the people you know by heart will be there for you, when everyone goes away. I still love and can't breathe without my sister and friends lol.

Friends Time

2009-10-12T20:36:00.000+04:00

Yum! Craving these evenings
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Ra7al

2009-10-12T20:02:00.001+04:00

What happened four years ago is being repeated right now. In this minute. In this second, a stream of pictures goes around my mind, reminding me of our glorious days. The days we lived under his care, love and genuine kindness. This rare person, who left us a legacy that would stay as long as shall we live, is leaving us today. Once again, unexpected, unforgettable.

This huge picture that stood mightily in the Cornishe road reminding us everyday that Baba Zayed is watching us. Caring about his people. Seeing this picture *sent to everyone via the magic of bb* made everyone silently wiping the tears of loss. It's what that tangible monument represents: The intangible secret.

A secret of our happiness; You Obboya :( Allah Yer7amk.

Edit: Fire ate the frame only. Thank god

World's largest sweet shop to open in Dubai

2009-10-03T12:18:00.001+04:00

World's largest sweet shop to open in Dubai - Retail - ArabianBusiness.com

Shared via AddThis

Happy Friday

2009-10-02T12:46:00.000+04:00

Time to cook the cutest bow-tie pasta. I was supposed to go to work today, but I am extreeeemly exhausted to go. Probably tomorrow :) Yes! Here goes my social life.

P.s Happy Belated Birthday Daddy
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For Better and For Worse

2009-09-29T22:37:00.001+04:00

Two days ago I was nagging about how much my lil sis gets on my nerves. But when she fell sick, all am thinking god the house is dead without her usual fights over the remote control and her screams to take her to buy the new Hello Kitty! Pencil case. Which am sure she has the exact same one thrown somewhere in her room.

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The quality of life

2009-09-25T23:06:00.002+04:00

The more it becomes simple, the more it becomes enjoyable.

I was scrolling down at my previous posts when the one posted on the 9th of November 2008 made me stop. I ran a scenario of all days that had passed from that particular day till today. Have I ever thought I'd go through a Huge amount of self-exploration, verge-of-depression sometimes and a feeling of victory at most? certainly not, I thought life is such a piece of cake. Truly "Work" is one of the finest experiences anyone could encounter. I don't think I came out learning to be strong as much as I learned to be open-minded, respectful and very determine to shut off any creature that says "you can't do it".

I feel that all of a sudden my interests, my topics has changed. I'm more interested now to improve the quality of my life and myself in particular. I want to enjoy new hobbies. I no longer want to read fiction, I find my joy reading things I can relate to in my life. I have finished Outlier. Great great read indeed. And now I have started The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner. This book which I got from Amazon right after watching the movie (2 days in row dragging my friends with me to cry over that scene when Chris Jr runs his hand on Will Smith's cheek and tell him: You are a good Papa) But I kept it as a decorative item in my room. I wonder what got to me to dust it off and flip through the first page which reads: Go Forward.

The Flash Lights of Past Life

2009-09-17T22:59:00.006+04:00

- Nana *my great grandmother* laying down on the floor with her head on brother's lap. She handed me a golden tweezer and asked me to pluck her eyebrows. I thought to myself! walla old ladies never miss the opportunity to look glam

- A cold wind blew my hair all over the place. Our little boat in lake beuna vista . We were listening to very energetic kuwaity song and I could remember our hysterical laughters when the boat broke down in the middle of no where and Joody screams at me to hand her the steering wheel

- Me & Mzmz sitting in the shady bench overlooking the small pond at the university. We were listening to Abdu. A moment of silence followed by: Have you been in love?

- The moment my eyes falls at that picture. A person I did not know anything about. Few months later, my life was all about it

- Auntie was hanging the laundry, I came running: ummy jabaaat walaaad, bysamoonah Mansour. A huge smile on my auntie's face and a reply: 7elo ismah. She looked like her mind started wandering for the time her turn will come

- My family laying down on blanket, in front of the beach. My mom's usual rice & sh3eereia. Dad's red cassette player and my white monkey which I considered my baby throughout my childhood years.

- Mom's driving me & my bro with her newly purchased red mercedes, taking us all over Abu Dhabi. That famous fountain, children playing football and the smell of kabab bbq-ing "tfta7 el nafssss"

- The moment I did my first horse canter, I was transferred to another world

- I decided to hop in another school bus and go to my friend's house. My first experience to try Yamani Cuisine. Tasty Mandi & Besbas left me in la la land

- I was in charge of getting balloons for our friend's surprise party. In the way to her house I heard the song : la 5a6aweena waraha lega, wen tlagaina, tlagaina eb shega

- Climbing what seemed like 1000 stairs to my cousins' friend house in ksa. The house was very dark and trees were so old and tall. She had a huge fish tank in her room. I was scared

- I was writing my english assignment when the news hit on 9/11

- My tears falling down when I saw the documentary on Princess Diana death

- My kuwaity cousins, My saudi cousins being all-nighters. All of us gathered around my aunt who was chopping cucumber and drizzling it with salt & lemon

- Our great seafood bbq at my grandfather's house in KSA. The smell of the "gabgoob" in my plastic plate

The flashlights are countless, it makes me blow a huge sigh coming from a heart that has been through it all. I could look back at my life and feel myself being the "outlier". To much more nice memories and sad ones too. Being open to everything in life, to the fact that remembering these smaller details build our gratitude to everyone who has been part of it.

The Fragile Truth

2009-09-16T20:39:00.003+04:00

The terminology of Hurt:

1- There comes the time, unexpected scenarios play in a mid of your peaceful day. And it ruins whatever you built or thought you built. It's the unexpected truth about people you care about. In the larger scale of relationship, I wonder how honesty is supposed to be measured.

2- The struggle to end something you dearly loved. Protected and felt special about. Then the "fragile as a web" truth came out and you felt that Trust-worthy people are very few in this time. I don't want to sound too dramatic, yet I have to, because everyone can relate to a story when a person goes on and on about something and how that thing is very bad and stupid, then suddenly you figure they were doing it. It's just a way to make themselves look good.

3- I once asked a person very close to me how can he cope with lose. The answer was: I would be feeling hurt for two days and that's it. That's how men think! tough?

4- Girls on the other hand decide Not to move on. It is like we enjoy the heartache and the shortness of breathe and all that sort of movie-like drama. Wake up! life is not Carrie & Mr.Big *lel2asaf :( *

Bottom line and what I personally think is the most important factor to not being hurt is: do not build high expectations on people whom one day will come out to show their other side. The side that they chose not to reveal to anyone.

Frustration

2009-09-06T19:34:00.001+04:00

Of myself. Period

Saturday night

2009-09-05T21:17:00.000+04:00

I ditched a trip to the mall for a "me" time spent with Marie Claire, Green tea with fresh mint leaves and a rich sofa.

I've been hating driving lately. Going to work everyday seems like a Huge burden every morning. Dad told me I should be lucky for that some girls would die to have my freedom. I don't know about that. I just got bored.

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