oh hello 2014 or picking up from where we left off

In the last few days of 2013, I introspected on how the year had treated me and imagined a conversation with 2014.

Me: Went on unforgettable trips to Bombay and Dubai, survived CELTA, switched careers, lived in Europe for nearly two months, spent the best ten days ever in Germany, started teaching, was gifted a mountain bike for my birthday, had seven articles published, started running, ran two 10K races... let's see you top that, 2014!

What I imagined 2014 to have said: Challenge accepted.

What 2014 actually said: Bugger off, you twit.

Sigh.

I've been completely brain dead since mid-December, so much so that I've had to shamelessly delay writing my annual resolutions post, which sucks. Two jobs that took up 11-12 hours a day left my mind and sometimes my spirit in shambles at the end of the work week. Thankfully, I get both Friday and Saturday off. I've a new found respect for single parents that work long, grueling hours to support their children.

Why am I working two jobs, you ask in bewilderment? It was just to see if I could handle it. The first is just a temporary one that I'll be done with in 11 days. Hallelujah!

The other's a part-time teaching stint at a language institute. I taught a six-week course that ended less than two weeks ago and I loved it. I've realized that teaching English is a lot about give and take, if you allow it. I learnt so much about my students' cultures, countries, customs and traditions. They loved talking about food and we'd feel so ravenous at the end of class!

The only other interesting thing that happened since this year began is an injury which resulted in my right index finger getting swathed in an over-sized bandage for a week.

What happened, you ask out of idle curiosity? I was blending some meat and some of it got stuck in the blade. So I popped my finger in to dislodge it. Meanwhile, my left thumb suddenly developed a mind of its own and pressed the power button on the blender... while my finger was still in.

Quite a bit of blood sprayed around the kitchen and we might have consumed some that night. My finger however, is firmly attached to the rest of me. I am truly blessed.

My bike is perhaps my most treasured possession right now. I'd been planning to buy one for some time but the purchase was delayed when I traveled. My friends amongst the Q8FootSoldiers gifted it to me (and right in time, I had a meeting planned with a seller the same weekend!). My parents weren't happy at the prospect of me sharing street space with the psychopaths here but since I don't care for cycling amidst the traffic either, I mitigated their fears with the promise of either cycling early in the morning or with friends. The mother said she was glad I didn't tell my friends I want a dog.


I didn't meet many of my resolutions for 2013. And I don't feel the drive to even keep any for 2014. I made a list that I misplaced and I don't really care about finding it.


It's been ages since I wrote the last Deutschland Diaries post and Day 3 has been saved as a draft for over two months. I do intend to continue it, so stay tuned. There'll probably be a long overdue audit first.

the awesomeness that was the MEFCC.

Recognize this?

I bought the One Ring at the Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) in Dubai last year. It's the ring I'm going to put on my husband's finger the day I get married.

I attended the Con again this year. It. Was. Epic. I bought some more merchandise this time, an Avengers tee for my sister and a two sizes too big Captain America one for myself (that I usually wear on the Friday morning runs to motivate me not to give up), and a couple of Superman coasters.

I'd initially planned to leave by 5 PM and head to Dubai Mall to watch the fountains and maybe visit the Underwater Zoo again, but ended up leaving after 7 PM. I had to tear myself away; I needed to leave the emirate with at least one pair of shoes (and I did) since I have such a hard time finding my size in the wretched malls here.

A narrative of my experience at MEFCC 2013 was published in bazaar magazine's May issue. Yes, I realize it's June. I apologize for not enlightening you earlier. I still expect you to read the piece and this post and share your thoughts on both. I care more about your thoughts on the article though. Just sayin'.

There was a limit to the number of pictures that could accompany the article. Scroll down for more photos for your viewing pleasure.

Max Landis! Safe to say I was crushing on him along with half
the girls in attendance.

If you've watched Chronicle and liked it, this is the guy that wrote the script. He was supposed to hold a scriptwriting workshop but for some reason it didn't happen. That was disappointing.
He is however, officially the coolest person I've ever met, and also the only person that can get away with saying 'Holy Tueldo!' without sounding like a dweeb. I was too tongue-tied to make any coherent conversation, but he was nice enough to take pictures with me!

Unbelievable the number of people
that freaked out on spotting them.

This artist's signature was adding in stormtroopers
to her paintings!

Way cooler than the Batman statue that stood beneath it.

Last year I spotted a guy clutching an actual Death Note
(Not the manga! THE REAL THING! Or as real as it can get.)
Couldn't get it off my mind for weeks.

Stormtroopers in a rendition of the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band. Painting by the same artist
mentioned above (don't know her name, sorry!).

He was so in character, that when someone
remarked, "It's Jack Sparrow!", he said:
"It's Cap'n Jack Sparrow, love."

Zero from Code Geass. He bowed when I thanked him for
posing for a photo. Threw me off completely.

I love this chick's cosplay.
No idea who she's cosplaying though.

The spectacular venue.

Yet again.

Can you spot Mario and Luigi? And the Akatsuki?

Interesting project. The first is a comic for kids on Ali Kashwani,
an Emirati martyr that died protecting the island of Tunb.
The second is a take on the Arabian Nights.

Young Emirati artist's renderings.

I liked this best.

It gets pretty crowded at the Con and if you're interested in meeting and greeting the celebrities, then investing in VIP tickets makes sense, as that allows you to enter earlier. There was a press conference (which wasn't stated specifically) in one section of the venue and I was an idiot not to head there earlier while exploring. I only encountered Max Landis, Warwick Davis and Manu Bennett as it was ending, I've no idea where the rest of them were holed up (when they weren't in the autograph section—you had to pay to get photos and autographs...something I refuse to do). I would have liked to see Ioan Gruffud (from watching him depict Horatio Hornblower back when I was a kid) but I stopped caring after I witnessed Manu Bennett's jaw-dropping, rib-tickling Haka demonstration. It was HILARIOUS! Read my piece to get the lowdown. 

And then share your thoughts here :)

2013 Resolutions: The First Quarterly Audit

I promised myself I'd keep track of my resolutions every quarter and come closer to achieving my goals this year.


Writing Resolutions:


1. Post at least once a week.
When I miss a week, I squelch my conscience by making two posts the following week.

2. Start reviewing books on Goodreads.
Started! I've linked the Goodreads widget to the blog.

3. Give some thought to converting this blog into a website.
I'm still weighing out the pros and cons of shifting to Wordpress. The cons are currently winning.

4. Send articles to publications every month and build a writing portfolio. Rewrite and edit the unfinished write-ups from last year.
Got rejected, then had a piece published! It appeared in the April issue of bazaar magazine. Working on old and new ideas.

5. Have a tryst with Fiction.
I had an awesome dream a week or so after New Year. It was vivid, heart-rending and is going to be the foundation for my first novel. Except for scribbling down a few notes on the protagonists and a couple of scenes (that appeared in my dream), I haven't really begun writing it yet, although I replay said scenes in my mind everyday. It'll be challenging, will require a ton of research, and the novel if completed may never be published, but I foresee it as a journey I must embark upon.

6. Make a wholehearted attempt at writing a screenplay.
Watching more plays and encountering Max Landis at the Middle East Film and Comic Con in Dubai last week (write-up coming soon) has only impassioned me further on writing one, but I haven't come up with anything decent yet.

7. Continue recording dreams. Skim through past records for potential material.
See 5. Haven't done any skimming yet.

8. Add to the vocabulary arsenal and draw from it.
In progress. Wodehouse and Doyle are assisting me. 

9. Get in touch with like-minded bloggers and writers; read and comment on their work.
In progress, but I don't comment as much as I should. I will.

10. If the words start flowing, put them on paper/Notes app/Kleenex/currency notes/what have you IMMEDIATELY.
Long live the trusty Notes app! It's been an indispensable tool for when the words are aroused.

I haven't really been working on my Reading or Continuing Education resolutions (only read five books so far), except for turning to Wodehouse when in dire need of mirth, and attempting to pick up more Arabic.

What are your resolutions or goals for 2013? Are you keeping track of your progress or is your list lying forgotten in a drawer? Pick it up, blow the dust off and get a move on.

an eventful weekend.

This weekend has been a very nice one. I'm sorry it's come to a close. Yes, I realize I said here that I was sure I had more to say than tell people in so many words of what a good time I'm having, but you know that feeling when you have SUCH a good time that you must share? This is me sharing. I promise to make it worth your while.

Since I started working, I've rarely had a very packed weekend in Kuwait. Occasionally, I do breakfast with the BFF and then we go gallivanting in her car across the country, or I take in a concert or a movie. Else I prefer to stay in and relax with the family, read or write. This Friday however, was different.

Friday morning I met the Q8 Foot Soldiers a second time (they deserve an entire post, stay tuned) to go running (in my case, walking more than running) on the promenade from Marina Crescent to Scientific Center and back. The weather, in case you slept in and failed to notice, was absolutely gorgeous. The walk/run was rejuvenating, the crisp, fresh air revitalized my senses that had been so dull and dismal and in danger of catching a cold the past week. My skin was finally exposed to sunlight—merciful sunlight—and I basked in it. So much more refreshing than a workout at the gym!

The scenic route: pausing to stare at the scenery

After the walking/running, stretching and socializing with a couple of the other runners, I met the mother for breakfast at Zaatar w Zeit and devoured the most mouth-watering and delicious fattoush salad ever. It was heavenly. I can still taste the lettuce doused in the tangy lemon-olive oil dressing and hear the echoes of it crunching in my head...I can never get that taste in homemade salads.

The afternoon consisted of a shopping spree for sports apparel at Decathlon with the sister. I think I drove her to the brink of frustration and insanity as I circled the store for nearly two hours in search of a long cotton jacket. Finally conceded to buy one two sizes too big since nothing else was long enough for my liking.

It's about time I linked back to my blogger-aspiring writer friend Lord Aymz. He writes exceedingly well, has a distinct style and wit, and his blog is the first local one I stumbled upon that was articulate and intelligent. We had a chance meeting at Better Books a couple of years ago when we were just following each other's blogs. He is also the founder of the aforementioned Q8 Foot Soldiers.

He likes to try new things, and somehow got himself into performing stand-up comedy for the first time at the Isma'ani Open Mic Night event Friday night at Argeela Bar. Carpe diem baybeh! The online audience registration had reached capacity so of course I invited myself, and attended with a lovely (and very lively!) member of the Q8 Foot Soldiers.

It was a very enjoyable evening and I'm still laughing at the hilarious dialogues and antics of the host. Aymz's act was very good, considering it was his first time (his face beetroot red with nervousness throughout). Stand-up comedy is probably the toughest form of public speaking and I admire his guts. Watch his act here. He has loads of potential and I've already invited myself (again) for the next show.

There was another performer, a beautiful young woman from Saudi, that grabbed my attention as soon as she started speaking. She narrated a letter titled 'Woman', a dedication of sorts to her 'yet to be conceived daughter'. It was the most stirring, soulful piece of writing I'd come across in a very long time. She received (much deserved) thunderous applause.

What made the day even more memorable is an unexpected meeting with Nada Faris, a very talented Kuwaiti writer and blogger. Her short stories and posts have become a crucial part of my weekly reading and I'm learning a lot from them. I spotted her across the room, recognized her immediately (having seen her picture dozens of times on her website banner) and patiently waited for intermission to go say hi. When it did come, I hopped over in excitement and after making certain it was her (I had a sudden thought that she could have a sister that looked exactly like her) introduced myself, and we enveloped each other in a bear hug. I love meeting people I know from the internet, especially the blogosphere. And especially when those meetings lack premeditation!

Saturday was spent in rumination and relaxation.

So that was my wonderful weekend, and I've introduced you to two awesome bloggers. Told you I'd make it worth your while.

Resolutions for 2013: Writing, Reading & Continuing Education

Some of my resolutions for 2013, in conversation with myself.

Writing Resolutions:

1. Post at least once a week. Don't ever abandon the blog again.
2. Start reviewing books on Goodreads instead of just reading and forgetting about them. Get into the character's skin and the author's mind.
3. Give some thought to converting this blog into a website.
4. Send articles to publications every month and build a writing portfolio. Rewrite and edit the unfinished write-ups from last year.
5. Have a tryst with Fiction. Eradicate the mental block that you're no good at it. You did it before, you can do it again.
5. Make a wholehearted attempt at writing a screenplay.
6. Continue recording dreams. Skim through past records for potential material.
7. Add to the vocabulary arsenal and draw from it.
8. Get in touch with like-minded bloggers and writers; read and comment on their work.
9. If the words start flowing, put them on paper/Notes app/Kleenex/currency notes/what have you IMMEDIATELY.

Reading Resolutions:

1. Finish reading The Elements of Style; read more on English grammar.
2. Read Stephen King's On Writing again.
3. Dwell in more classic literature, including works by Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Gaskell, Anton Chekhov and, when in dire need of mirth, PG Wodehouse.
4. Read 25-30 books this year.
5. Read and learn about Impressionism from the books you bought in Munich.

Resolutions pertaining to Continuing Education:

1. Finish the Argument course on Coursera, absorb and apply the knowledge gleaned from it.
2. Pursue and complete some more courses on Coursera, at least two from: The Modern and the Post Modern, Gamification, Greek and Roman Mythology, The Modern World: Global History since 1760 and Learn to Program: The Fundamentals.
3. Learn some Arabic.
4. Revise French grammar and vocabulary. Attempt conversations in French. It's all there in the back of your mind.

______________________________________________________________


What are your resolutions for 2013?

2013: My Year of Change.

It's that time of the year again. Time for another audit. Yes, I realize it's the second of January and that the time has passed us. It matters not.

You know the drill - note progress on last year's resolutions, mull over the past, set new resolutions for the year ahead.

Let's get to it.

2012 Resolutions:

1. Perform three good deeds everyday.

I lost track of this—not that I performed so many a day, mind you, there may have been days when I didn't do any at all—because I believe kindness should come unconsciously. Glad to note I'm nowhere close to losing touch with my humanity.

2. Never. Stop. Learning.
Never did =)

3. Exercise complete capabilities and mental faculties in the execution of a task.
I sometimes forgot about this. But the little voice inside me always spoke out when I was doing a shoddy job, albeit in a low voice. It never failed to gloat with "told you so!" when the shoddiness was noticed and I had to repeat said task. I need to pay more attention to it.

4. Continue having awesome experiences and meeting awesome people.
Check!

5. Read more classics.
I didn't read as many as I'd have liked, but did read more than I did in 2011. Jane Eyre, a PG Wodehouse novel (Jeeves in the Offling...CLASSIC!) and about two-thirds of the Sherlock Holmes series.

6. Get published. 
I DID!! I just neglected to tell you. Sorry about that. A piece was published in Bazaar Magazine's July-August 2012 issue; it was about the misadventures from the first Euro trip. If you've been around the blog, you've probably read some of the content in longer posts; the article was condensed.

7. No rice. No bread.
Pftttt. Pish tosh. I followed the 'no rice' rule for about 6-8 months, giving in generally but not too often, and then completely ignored it. Let's not talk about the 'no bread' policy.

My track record for 2011 was better.

2012 was a pretty decent year—I got a kick-start in marketing, I went to Europe again for 3 weeks, met some more people, spent some time with a couple of very close friends I hadn't seen in ages, had a few unique experiences in Kuwait. Went to India for my cousin's wedding and had an AWESOME time bonding with my family in Bombay. Watched The Hobbit on my birthday after waiting for it with bated breath for three years and fell in love with Middle Earth all over again. Also fell desperately in love with Sherlock Holmes (the literary character, NOT the British TV series—post on this in drafts) as I discovered the series on iBooks in Innsbruck, Austria, reading fervently against the backdrop of the Alps.

Again, I felt nothing as the new year dawned, not even a tinge of excitement. Just a realization that another year has passed and not too much accomplished. My whatsapp was abuzz with wishes from friends and even a couple of cousins whom I never thought would deem the occasion important enough to text. Apparently it was. I spent the last few hours of 2012 at home, cleaning up, watching the striking fireworks erupting from Burj Khalifa on Dubai Television (pretty sure TV viewers of the event had a superior view than the 1.7 million people in actual attendance of it, so many of whom witnessed the spectacular display through their  smartphone or camera screens while recording it) and writing my resolutions for 2013.

Resolutions for 2013? I went all out this year, contemplating on what aspects of my life need change. I ended up compiling a somber list of resolutions that fell under different categories: health including dental (yup), finance, religion, general, work-related, education, environment, reading and of course writing...some are goals, others are guidelines I intend to live by and weave into my lifestyle, hence the title of this post.

It's a daunting list, but I figure I must adhere to it so as to truly lead a more fulfilling life, get the most out of it and give in return. What troubles me is that I have issues with commitment and discipline, lack time management skills, am lazy and often lose sight of goals and other things that matter (I have a lot of faults), so this will be challenging for me. And because of these God-awful habits, I've decided to have a quarterly review in 2013, instead of the more traditional year-end audit. I doubt I'll post the entire list on the blog, just the ones pertaining to writing, reading and education, and will probably dedicate a new page to them, so they remain in plain sight and don't get lost in future posts or lie forgotten in one of my journals.

Wish me luck!

Good luck with your goals and resolutions if you've set any; may they bring out the best in you. Happy New Year!