Hey All!
Apologies for the unannounced hiatus. I’ve been busy with exams. Just a quick one to share iPhone photos of the metro (Instagrammed, yeah!)
Hope you like them.
Oh by the way, were you wondering why I called this post “The metro and my thoughts”? Because public transport is a great place for getting your thoughts together. And if the ride is long, it’s great for clearing out your email inbox too. Trust me on this one, lol.
First published in I Got it Covered
http://www.igotitcovered.org/2011/04/27/beyond-the-hijab/#disqus_thread
There is a thick layer of grime that encrusts the walls of my heart. I know this isn’t a great way to start an article, but for this piece I couldn’t come up with anything that was more apt. To be sure, I’m a hijabi and I mostly offer salah with punctuality, but my inner self is an unfortunate combination of doubts, sins, ego, self-love and love of dunya.
Hey there! You! 
I told you not to read this post and you’re still here? Go, because you’ll probably not like what you read. I don’t have any pictures to share, I don’t even have good quote to share, basically I have my brain to pick. And trust me, if I were you, I’d not hang around for the umm… ‘treat’.
Ha! Still here? You don’t get it, do you?
Laundry. Dirty laundry, every time I look at the hampers. Washing up, piles of it. Dirty dishes, in uninviting stacks line the kitchen sink. I flare up when I see her put her socks on the floor.
Speaking of which, I’ve been flaring up all day. Tired, unable to go on.
Then the books that sit on the study table beckon but I’m already exhausted, both physically and mentally. More stress.
Then the realization that I’m probably just acting stupid.
The need to be thankful, the damn need to be positive, or eventually curl up and die.
The need to curl up and lock the world out, and just be.
The need to connect.
Connect with Him, He who really matters, he Who knows what’s in my heart.
The need to say sorry. The need to be forgiven, accepted, held. He knows why.
At the moment, anywhere you look you find flame trees in full bloom. It’s a beautiful sight. Below are some pics of the same. 
Bursting into a riot of colour!
New beginnings
When bloom and bud live peacefully together.
Patch of blue sky
A wall of orange.
Dubai Marina
Mamzar Beach
A view of the Burj ul Arab, the 7 star hotel
Burj Khalifa!
Pool @ the Address Hotel, Dubai
PLEASE watch this! The video will make you cry and you’ll see why I’m so crazy about this song. Seriously, watch it. It’s a great song! Maher Zain! Go, buddy!
And when you’re done, pls watch me trying to sing the same. Short clip, yeah, it’s not so great and everything, but who cares, lol!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs8U7pWYfYo
Hope you enjoyed the videos. I am still not studying. Any tips?
They’re yummy, they’re healthy (well, kinda), they take as little as 10 minutes to prepare, and the kids love them! And they’re perfect for school snack boxes and they will be ‘allowed’ (don’t ask, my kids can’t take anything remotely resembling junk food)! So why don’t I make them more often?
Crumbly, melt in the mouth, aromatic…
Top 5 reasons why I don’t bake oatmeal cookies more often.
1. Time. Who has the time? Between school runs, homework sessions where I basically pull at my hair, and studies (my own), can I actually find time to do (unnecessary) recreational baking? Yeah, maybe once in a while. But I’d much rather get dinner ready, know what I mean?
2. I end up eating a few… not a great idea! When you have a jar of fresh, warm, home-baked cookies on the premises, it gets just that bit harder to resist.
3. Lazy? When I finally get some time, I don’t want to go in the kitchen. I could read, write or simply play with the girls.
4. I don’t have any more cinnamon powder. Ha! Yeah, this is easily rectifiable, but until I grind some cinnamon (I’m not crazy about the store-bought variety) I have a perfect excuse!
5. I have to study! Currently I am doing the following:
S- Sleeping
T- Talking
U- Unlimited texting
D- Daydreaming
Y- Yawning.
I gotta get the act together. Right after I finish this blog post. Er.
PS: My point and shoot canon with a big lens (Powershot sx30is, the very baby which has taken all pics on this blog) is not great with indoor light. I’d love a Canon EOS DSLR for such days. Someday…
PPS: If you want to bake them, this recipe is nice, but I don’t follow it exactly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4_X2qwLpqk
