Why Guys Should Stop Dedicating Songs to Girls..

Disclaimer:  I have not attempted to generalize this statement towards all guys out there; ofcourse, there is a good and bad side to everything.  I might be outdated in writing this entry because I am sure by now the internet has become far advanced, for such incidents to take place in public.  This is all based on a true story, any resemblance to any characters living or dead is mere fictional; please do not hold anything against me, as I will sort of not care for it. 

1)      It is not a dedication if the girl is forced to hear it.  Allow me to elaborate: if a girl, by mistake and yes I mean by mistake, walks into a Desi store to get something; it does not mean the music should be played on high volume immediately.  Girls care far less for these pathetic and so called dedications. 

2)      If the forced dedication is not a torture, playing the infamous romantic Indian songs sure is.  If by the luck of draw, the song was actually the girl’s all time favorite; good job at forcing her to hate it. 

3)      If the favorite song point did not work in favor of the girl hating the song; the singing and staring sure will.  Even if you think you are the future Mohammad Rafi, there is a very high chance of the girl not agreeing to this blasphemy. 

4)      I have never heard of a girl say: “oh my God, once he started playing the song; I just fell for him right that instance” – so let me be very honest here, it does NOT work.  My humble advice would be to just stop watching too many movies. 

5)      If guys take it as not embarrassing, please keep in mind that it might be for the girls.  People all around sure notice this pathetic attempt of self ridicule. 

The song playing disease is not limited to Desi stores; it happens on streets, in front of girl’s houses, in colleges and even around the mall.  My appeal to guys who do this: Please find better ways to reach girls’ hearts, because this self pity display will not do the trick.  

Being a Hijabi Means....

Being a hijabi means to smile at the ignorance of people…

Being a hijabi means to spread the contagiousness of happiness all around you..

Being a hijabi means to always remember to walk around with confidence..

Being a hijabi means to remain calm in the toughest of situations..

Being a hijabi means to never let the arrogance of people bring you down…

Being a hijabi means to ignore the rude comments..

Being a hijabi means to overlook the disgusted eyes..

Being a hijabi means to abide by the principles of modesty..

Being a hijabi means to remind oneself to remain down to earth in every aspect of life..

Being a hijabi means to inspire others with the acts of generosity..

Being a hijabi means to live by the motto “patience is a virtue”..

Being a hijabi means to be faithful to your religion, above the cultural norms..

Being a hijabi means to represent a nation of sisterhood and unity..

Being a hijabi means to define oneself by breaking the artificial norms of freedom..

Being a hijabi means to readdress the notion of fashion and sense of style..

Being a hijabi means to live and let live..

Being a hijabi means to control ones judgment towards others..

Above all, being a hijabi means to remember that your acts and faithfulness is only for the purpose of pleasing your creator and nothing more.  

Let's make it Right...

We make our lives more complicated than they actually are.  More of us are concerned with proving ourselves than to worry about the rest of the world.  We are so determined to be right in everything that we step over and hurt all the people in our way, regardless of how much they mean to us.  Today I heard three lines, which made me realize how much simpler our life would be; if we were to follow these three basic rules:

“The Person Is More Important Than the Point”

                How many of us can think of a time when we were so indulged in making a point that we ignored how much we actually hurt a loved one.  All of us do this countless times in a day; whether we admit it or not.  As Isaac Newton once said “Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy."

“Being Kind Is More Important Than Being Right”

                Ever told a person they are right just to make them happy?  Not many of us do that.  You might actually make it right by simply being kind and leave an everlasting mark of kindness in that person’s heart towards you.  As the Hadith reassures us “He who is deprived of kindness and gentleness is, in fact, deprived of all good." (Muslim)

“Say What You Mean & Mean What You Say”

Usage of words is not a difficult thing, but meaning those words is.  Before advising unto others, consider if it really stands true to your own self.  As the Arabic proverb goes “A slip of the foot is safer than that of the tongue.”

Flowers Can Leave you Wondering too...

My love for flowers is as everlasting as the love of humanity, fading away little by little….Kidding! Let’s try that again, shall we?

My love for flowers is beyond the horizons of the skies and deeper than the layers within the earth.  I kid you not, there is very little exaggeration involved in the previous statement.  I believe even the people around me have started to get bored of this obsession and roll their eyes every time I get excited about a plant or a flower.  Will I ever change because the people around me have started to think that I have totally gone insane?

The answer is, absolutely not!  I dare not let anyone come in between my plants and myself; and if they shall try to barge into our secret lives, they will be burned to ashes and scattered around the planes of this earth (ok ok I got carried away a bit *blush*). 

I suppose I made the point clear enough; above picture is from the plants I had planted earlier this year.  I was amazed at the beauty of the flower; I for one had not seen a flower blooming on top of another flower.  The sight did cause me to say SubhanAllah and admire the beauty.  

Space Launch to Mars

Kids are the most innocent and honest of human beings you can find on this planet.  They are honest about their opinions of people and never try to hide away their feelings.   Working with the kids is a rewarding experience; it is fun yet educational at the same time. 

Recently a space craft named ‘Curiosity’ was launched by the US to Mars, to collect different minerals and particles from the surface of the planet, to compile more data about the life on the planet.  I was given the task to teach younger kids about the textures on the surface of Mars, along with the different features formed by the meteors.  It was beyond fun to see kids’ reactions; their faces would light up with excitement once they had learned something their parents knew very little about. 

It gets challenging sometimes to get the kids involved into educational activities; but once you have their attention, be ready to answer all the silly questions their minds come up with.  All in all, the experience is surely going to fill you up with excitement and it would feel amazingly rewarding. 

You know what the most exciting part of it all was?

Handing out these stickers (Picture) at the end of the activity and telling the kids how they have been great scientists.  The smiles that fill their faces are far better than any gratitude you can ever receive.  

Chicken Barley Soup (Inspired by Sister Amena from Pearl Daisy)

As I opened my YouTube app to see the new releases of videos, my face lit up with joy as the cooking video by sister Amena popped up in the list of new videos added. Honestly, it is simply awesome to watch her videos; regardless of the topic they portray.  I could just sit the whole day and watch her videos nonstop and no, this is no exaggeration!

Anywho (one of the words I picked up from her videos), the cooking video was about making barley soup.  The amazing thing is just a month back I was researching on the foods Prophet PBUH used to love and came across barley as one of his favorite foods.  Ever since then, I somehow wanted to incorporate barley into the foods I consume.  Sister Amena's video came just in time.

Although I have added my own touch to the recipe and Alhumdulillah did manage to complete the Sunnah.  All thanks to sister Amena for the amazing recipe and also my family for the immense support of bearing through my cooking experiments.

I have discovered my love for Barley and inshAllah will be able to incorporate it into my daily meals.  

It's Time to be Back ;)

Yes, I accept I have failed in completing my New Year's resolution of keeping up with the Project 365.  Believe me, I tried really hard; but please accept my excuse as: Life just moves too fast sometimes and the shocking pace leaves you confused, stranded, and lost.

Alright, I might be exaggerating a bit; but only a tiny bit.  Nonetheless, I am back! I left off nearly three months ago.  Now I will start again from the 13th, the same date my last post was published.

Although I have compiled up some pictures for the months of March and April, a few from May as well; I will be starting off from June first.  If I get some extra time, I will post up those pictures as well; but no promises.

Last but not least, it's good to be back :)

Project 365 - Essie (March 13, 2012)

I've been meaning to purchase a nail polish with glitter in it, but I just never got around to buying it.  Today, it finally happened; I finally own my first Essie nail polish and that too a glittery one.

Yes, getting an Essie nail polish is that huge of a deal; because I doubt I would splurge on a nail polish I will use less frequently (Unless I get very tempted, then it becomes a total different story).

Project 365 - Goodies (March 12, 2012)

The toughest part about being sick is laying in bed all day.  It's weird but whenever you are sick, you get sick of resting too.  Suddenly you feel the need to take a walk down the street or to go visit a park; or maybe it could just be me, whose this random.  

Anywho, One good thing about today was receiving my MyGlam bag.  It completely made my day.

Project 365 - Grape Tomato (March 11, 2012)

It wasn't until today that I have finally decided to include tomatoes on the list of fruits.  Even though it is classified as a fruit; I came to a conclusion that it was all dependent on the way you use it. For example, until now I've mostly consumed it through salads or everyday cooked meals; therefore, it was considered a vegetable for me.

Today I discovered the grape tomatoes; after being inspired by the Korean shows ofcourse.  Contrary to my initial thoughts, they are very delicious and healthy.

Project 365 - Favorites (March 10, 2012)

It was very difficult to choose the picture of the day for today; merely because there were more of the special things than what usually occur.  I suppose I can always write about them, instead of mentioning it.  But, I won't.  There should always be a curious side to a person; what's the fun in telling everything straight up anyway!

Aside from plants, Korean TV has sort of taken over my life.  I am as addicted to watching Korean dramas and movies, as I would be to eating.  Apart from wanting to learn the language, I want to learn their cuisine as well.  Also, Korea has been added to list of the top countries I would like to visit someday.

It is true that you start falling in love with something you see almost everyday.  It is human nature to be influenced by something that is in front of them most of the time.  Well you might say that one could also like something they don't see everyday; Ofcourse one could also love something based on their imagination as well; but it wouldn't be the love for the actual thing, it would be more like their love for their own imagination.  I am not sure if I make any sense out of it, but just a thought that crossed my mind.

So, all in all, eventhough I witness the culture, cuisine, and the language through TV; I would love to see it all in person someday and only then I can truly know how much I really like it.  I present to you, in the picture, my attempt at imitating Korean Cuisine; it turned out to be pretty well.  I wanted to make the egg rolls, but fell short of the time and energy.  Then again, some things should be left for later.

Project 365 - Predictable Actions (March 9, 2012)

And yet again I find myself standing by the aisles of seed bags.  I have seriously gone insane, even I have started doubting my sanity.

I had to hold myself back from buying all the seed bags; which was a very very tough decision indeed.  I only bought about four packs for this time around and convinced myself that I can always come back to get more, if needed.

Now, you can surely predict that one of the future posts is going to be about planting the seeds I purchased today.  I suppose I am becoming sort of predictable.

Project 365 - Ray of Happiness (March 8, 2012)

Today was an even better day.  Better because of the weather, but most of all because I was able to see the first blooming flowers.  You could only imagine my excitement when suddenly my eyes landed on these flowers.  I had to stop, take a picture and admire their beauty for a few moments.

I certainly do not give much thought to people passing by and giving me weird looks.  They must think I have never seen flowers in my life; but you know what I have learned that, seeing something that makes your heart really happy is a very rare opportunity.  All in all, my happiness certainly made the day enormously brighter.

Project 365 - Mister Softee (March 7, 2012)

Today was such a nice day, after so long.  The sun was out, the wind was blowing and the cold was gone.  Sitting under the sun felt so surreal.  It seemed as if everyone was outside enjoying the weather.  There were happy faces, happy people and weather.  Everything was just awesome.

Most of all, the most amazing thing was eating ice cream.  Soft cones by Mister Softee.  Carrying five cones in my hand for three blocks with my sister, just to enjoy it with everyone at home was priceless.

Project 365 - Post Office (March 6, 2012)

Post office is one of the places I really dread going to.  The customer service is super rude, the people are unhappy with the long lines.  The place is always understaffed, when clearly there are three other empty windows.  Also, it is such a small area that the line sometimes goes outside on the street.

So it was my time to be at the post office.  Everytime I have to go there, I always get a little afraid; thinking what sort of incident is going to happen today.  Today, ofcourse was no exception.  The line was the longest and there were only two staff people there; both happened to be very rude.  I actually had to stand in line twice because of not having the right certified mail receipt.  All the lady had to do was pick up another slip, which was right next to her, and write the zip code on it.  But why must they even make this little effort to make the customers happy?  Instead, she asked me to walk across the room; pick up the slip and stand back in the line.

Just after me was another person who faced the same problem; but unlike me, she was very outspoken about it.  She stood there demanding to be helped and not wanting to get back in line.  Well, what happens?  Just to get her to be quiet from screaming out all the curse words; they just do as she asks.  Yes, I was a little disappointed; but then, I know I would never have the courage to say even a word to them.  So, in the end, I quietly got my work done; with a bit of delay I suppose.

Project 365 - Joshanda (March 5, 2012)

You know when you feel very tired; so tired that suddenly your body just doesn't want to cooperate with you. You have no choice but to just lay down and stare at the ceiling.  Yes, my words are very dramatic and depressing; but sometimes we all feel that way, even if it is only for an instant.

Well, luck has it, I am very Desi.  When I suddenly feel like I am going to be sick soon, I warm up a cup of water and add a pack of Joshanda (herbal tea).  I love the smell of it and I love having it; I sometimes have it just for the sake of smelling it.  Yes, we all have those weird habits.

Well a warm cup of Joshanda and your warm bed is a perfect prescription for tiring days.

Project 365 - Spring Cleaning (March 4, 2012)

Cleaning out is definitely one of the chores I look forward to.  When it comes to organizing my closet, it is just the worst.  I put off organizing it for as long as I can, or until my mom accidentally sees it; then I have no choice but to finally clean everything out.

It literally took me about five hours to organize all the clothes, fold them up, and take out old seasons clothes.  I am also the sort of person who doesn't like to take things out or to throw them out; so I had to take out most of the outfits with a heavy heart.  Nonetheless, my closet is finally organized and hopefully it'll last me a season before any further deductions are needed.

Project 365 - Fried Fish (March 3, 2012)

I am not a fan of sea food.  The only exception I have made to eating fish is Tilapia.

Saturdays are all about eating comfort food and resting; Fried Tilapia is one of my favorites.

Project 365 - Gizmo (March 2, 2012)

Gizmo, the star of our house.  The one person who does as he pleases, is Gizmo.  Yes, meet my cute little bird Gizmo.

Ok technically my brother brought him in; but I end up taking care of him more than he does.  Today, I spent a good amount of time cleaning out his cage.  For a small bird, he sure likes to make a huge mess.  He always gets inside his food bowl and digs through the food; spreading all the food around his cage, and then later he circles around his cage to eat that food.

He sure has his weird habits, but then again he is a cutie.  He is very particular about his things and doesn't like it when we move things around his cage.  By things I mean his toys; if one of them is moved around, he wouldn't even play with it and sit quietly in a corner until we move it back.

He sat on my shoulder as I cleaned his cage, as if overseeing the whole process to make sure I don't mess anything up.  If I took him off my shoulders, he would fly back in 5 seconds and wouldn't stop; so I had to give in.  Later on the day, he followed me everywhere and would bite anyone else who tried picking him up.  According to my sister, he fell in love with me since I cleaned his cage properly.  He is still following me around every time he gets out of the cage; he sure knows how to be lovely.

Project 365 - Turkish Food (March 1, 2012)

I am very seriously considering changing my Project 365's name to "Project about food and plants."  I suppose these are a few of my interests, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see myself indulged in such habits.

Anyhow, today's Turkish food day.  I haven't had much Turkish food over the years, so today was one of those rare moments.  Although the food might be very similar to other Arab dishes, but it sure has its distinctive flavoring.  I would definitely recommend Turkish Cafe on E 16th street in Brooklyn.  The Tavuk Kababs with rice and Shepard salad were amazing.  

Project 365 - Leap Year (February 29, 2012)

Leap year eh!  Which means my project 365 is actually going to be a project 366 this year.

Some people go crazy for such days.  So many people long to get married on February 29th and make it memorable; which seems pretty stupid to me.  I mean why would you get married on a day that is going to come by four years later.  I suppose it is better for husbands in this case, since they wouldn't have to remember their anniversary date for four years.

So what did I do on this "not to significant day" ?  I was at home, relaxing with a face mask on!  Yes, my first try of LUSH face masks!  So, in a way I made the day memorable I suppose; won't you agree? :p

Project 365 - LUSH (February 28, 2012)

My visits to the city used to be all about platters.  Don’t get me wrong, they still pretty much are; but now, another obsession has taken over my life.  I proudly introduce to you my latest obsession, LUSH products! 

Lush carries organic products with no chemical added and they are very skin friendly.  I have to admit that this obsession started off from YouTube videos; but once I tried out their products, I was convinced within the first try.  Ofcourse some credit is due to the convincing Sales people at the store; but mainly it is due to the quality of the products. 

Slowly but surely, all of my favorite cosmetics brands are starting to be replaced by LUSH products.  

Project 365 - Seedlings (February 27, 2012)

Spring is approaching fast and I cannot wait to be indulging in one of my favorite hobbies, planting and gardening.  Although everyone makes fun of me on that, I cannot leave my plants behind.  It’s one of those few interests my mom and I share.  In our house, everyone is pretty much annoyed by our love for planting. 

Since spring is on its way; we have already started preparing for it.  The seedlings have already emerged and in a few weeks they’ll be ready to be planted outside.  

Project 365 - That Feeling! (February 26, 2012)

If I had to name my favorite jewelry item, rings would be amongst the chart toppers.  I remember visiting the mall back in December with a friend of mine.  She had to purchase a gift for a friend and I tagged along to the jewelry cases.  Ofcourse being a girl, there is a natural tendency to be inclined towards jewelry items. 

While we were looking for a suitable jewelry item, my eyes stopped on this cute pink ring.  It was one of those rare moments where I suddenly wished I could buy that ring.  After trying out the ring and finding out that it was my birth stone (Sapphire), there was more of a reason to buy that ring.  Unfortunately, at that moment, it was sort of out of my price range.    

Every time I went to the mall after that time I made sure to check the ring prices, if it was on sale yet or not; and I would tell myself “not yet! Don’t worry if it is meant to be yours, it will be.”  You know telling yourself this line and waiting patiently is probably the hardest thing and you can only imagine how my face had turned out when I went to the mall and saw the ring had been purchased by someone else.  Just like any other person would, I said “see you should have just bought it then,” but another voice emerged “it’s ok, at least now you know it wasn’t meant to be yours; so why be sad over someone else’s fate?” 

Call it a coincidence or mere fate; my friend handed me a bag and said “Happy Valentine’s Day.”  I looked at her in shock, we don’t really buy each other valentine’s days gifts; but coincidently enough this year we both planned to give each other a gift and kept it a secret.   I opened the bag and to my amazement, there it was! The ring! The ring I had wanted for the past three months.  The ring I had happily accepted to be not in my fate.  It was the most amazing feeling ever, Alhumdulillah. 

There are very few moments in life, when you truly smile; your eyes shine, your heart’s content and you cannot help but to be in that magical state of mind.  

Project 365 - AC (February 25, 2012)

Road trips are always a fun way to enjoy some time with valuable people around you.   An opportunity to make memories, have fun and relax at the same time.  No matter what the content of the visit is; neither does it matters how long the trip lasts.  All that matters is that you are with someone, who is worth your time. 

A trip to Atlantic City is definitely one of those treats that one cannot have very often.  

Project 365 - Nail Color (February 24, 2012)

Nail color is the hottest trend these days.  Every now and then, a few colors become the colors of the season.  All the top brand names compete against each other to produce a better quality shade.  A few of the name brands will always rule the market whether they are more versatile in shades and the quality of the product or neither. 

This spring, the more recent trend is either bright neon or coral colors.  Nail polishes are the one thing that isn’t going to be out of fashion anytime soon.  Also, the more classic colors; such as: Red, black and purple are proving to be in style year after year.  

Project 365 - Fruits (February 23, 2012)

How can I write everyday blogs and not mention my favorite fruits.  I am the biggest advocate of eating fruits, when it comes to eating habits in general.  I am not claiming to be a healthy eater, nor am I trying to project a healthy image.  I have my fair share of junk foods (For those of you who know me, have closely observed my bad habits); but fruits have a very special place in my heart.  Be it picking fruits, or eating them; I love it.  Oranges and apples are a definite winter favorites of mine.

P.S.  I honestly cannot wait till the summer comes by, so I can get to pick strawberries and peaches!

Project 365 - Candies (February 22, 2012)

One’s love for candies never really dies out.  When you are kid, a piece of candy seems like a winning prize.  Once you grow up, you never really let go of those old habits.  You remember your favorite gum, candy and even chocolates.  Our childhood memories depict our image in the future years.

Just like we learn to pick up language, habits and personal skills; we pick up our likes and dislikes earlier in the age as well.  I remember Airheads was one of the few candies I enjoyed having, along with Recess; its weird how all these memories make you realize how life is going by so fast and you are adding on years to your life much faster than you had once anticipated.  

Project 365 - Just a Few Weeks (February 21, 2012)

Passing through these flowers reminded me of how spring is only a few weeks away.  My favorite time of the year.  When all you see is different colored flowers, greenery, birds, and the amazing food markets.  Everyone is out, everything seems happy, and even the sun smiles everyday.

Project 365 - Crystals (February 20, 2012)

Sorting through my jewelry box, I came across a piece of beads' strand.  It's funny how everything you ever own, or anything you ever come across leaves this little memory and history on your mind.  Immediately, I could remember the moment I was so excited to buy it.

I remember those days I was going through a phase of redecorating my room and wanted a chandelier; instead of taking a normal person's route, I decided to make one on my own.  Yes, I get these random off tangent ideas pretty frequently.  Although I did purchase all the beads and the flowers to go with it; I ended up changing my mind with the theme and instead used crystal circles.

Hence, the beads sitting around; reminding me of how I need to put them to a good use (a crystal heart is definitely not a good use for them, but then again I was going for this whole symbolic theme - which is for me to know and you to find out).  

Project 365 - Do Something for yourself (February 19, 2012)

Sometimes we all need to learn to give ourselves a little time and a little dedication.  It doesn't hurt to treat yourself once in a while; even if it's as little as taking out 5 minutes from your busy schedule and taking a walk down the street.  Yes, I came to that conclusion myself.

I signed myself up for this monthly subscription of beauty products called MyGalm, they send you a bag each month filled with different products.  It is a fairly cheap deal, considering the fact that there is no shipment and you do not have to spend time sorting through the aisles of beauty products at shops.  Every month you receive a package right at your door steps.

It honestly feels good to do something nice, something that you know only you will do for yourself and something that you won't have to rely on someone else for.  So give it a try and you might just agree with me :)

Project 365 - Favorites! (February 18, 2012)

No food compares to the food that your mother prepares.  All of us have our favorites, but there are certain dishes that no one can make it better than your mom.  Those few signature dishes, that no matter where you go or who prepares them; they just cannot taste the same.  Since I am a huge sweets fan, most of it is because of my mom.  All the Meetha (sweet) dishes she makes, no one and I mean no one can make it better than her.

Be it zarda, kheer, halwa or my favorite Mutanjan; they just do not hold that same sweetness.  Even though I have to request it a few times, at which my mom suggests I learn to cook it myself;  but my answer remains the same "But mama no one makes it better than you! :)"

Project 365 - Let your Imagination Run (February 17, 2012)

I am sure all of us have this inner child that we come across every now and then.   Be it the childhood memories,  our stupid acts, or watching Disney movies.  I am not one of those people who are up to date with all the latest movies or even the old ones.  I like to watch movies if there is nothing better to do at the moment; but most of the times I forget the movie plots within a couple of days.

Call me a kid or even childish; but my all time favorite movies are Disney movies.  I can watch Disney movies everyday and still would not get tired of them.  I was very excited to watch the latest movie, The secret world of Arrietty.  The movie has a very cute plot and definitely brings out your inner child; puts a smile on your face and widens your imagination.

Project 365 - Pasta (February 16, 2012)

We all have different ways of dealing with the stress in our lives.  Whenever I feel stressed or frustrated about something, the first thing I think about is cooking a new dish.  I don't mean a huge meal, I just mean trying out something new.  That way I forget about the worries I have at the moment and focus my attention towards coming up with a new dish.

I would not call myself a good cook, but for an average person; my dishes do turn out reasonable or maybe my parents and siblings are good pretenders.

Project 365 - Brownie & Desserts (February 15, 2012)

I have the biggest sweet tooth ever; if I was given only sweet things to eat as meals, I doubt I would ever complain.  I came by University today and the first thing I saw was the Bake Sale sign; I smiled and then suddenly realized that I had no cash on me.  With a very heavy heart I walked pass it and told myself to forget about the dream of having brownies (Yes, I can get a bit dramatic when it comes to brownies).

About a few hours pass by and two girls pass by us (My brother and I).  Suddenly the girls stop and ask "would you like to purchase some desserts, it's from the bake sale we are having."  I with a sad face replied "I would love to, but I am really sorry I don't have any cash on me."  My brother sitting besides me says "oh I have some cash, what is it that you would like?"

Now you can imagine, I had the hugest smile on my face; apparently he only had a bill of $5 and they did not have any change.  So we ended up getting more than just the brownie I had hoped to get earlier.

Project 365 - Notes Writing (February 14, 2012)

Throughout University days, I have always dreaded assignments and homework.  I was the type of person who would wait till last minute to do everything and then stay awake all night to complete that one 15 page paper or even an assignment.  I always thought I was the type who works best under pressure, clearly there is no correlation between my procrastination and getting things done last minute; it's merely my laziness.

My brother, sitting besides me in school, looks up and says "can you do me a favor?"
I casually say "What is it?"
He mumbles "Umm can you copy down homework for my friend"
I look back with a confused face and say "huh? do homework? for your friend?"
He repeats " Yes, do homework for my friend"
I am like "but why? and you do know that I am not an engineering student"
He assures "No, he is out of the country and wants me to hand in homework for him.  Since our professor wants it hand written; can you please write it out since your hand writing is different than mine."

I had to give in and write down the homework for his friend.  Not to mention, how my hands were hurting after copying down 6 pages of God knows what.

Project 365 - Swedish Fish (February 13, 2012)

One of my favorite hobbies is to study and snack, minus the studying of-course.  I am very particular about the things I like and the things I do not like.  Once I find that favorite thing, it is very hard to convince me otherwise; most of my friends, that sort of know me, will say that I am the most difficult person to convince when it comes to trying out something new.  My immediate answer is always no; if I say yes, consider yourself very very lucky.

One of my all time favorites has been Swedish Fish.  

Project 365 - Family Time (February 12, 2012)

Platters! when you can't go to them, have them come to you instead!

Although cooking and preparing everything can be a dread.  After all the time spent cutting vegetables, cooking and washing dishes.  A Sunday spent preparing platters and then my lovely family enjoying the lunch together is just priceless.

The time to make a few wonderful memories that will last forever; my favorite day of the week!

Project 365 - The Green Leaf (February 11, 2012)

I have always believed that there are two kinds of people: one that love Paan and the others that are just plain jealous of the ones that like Paan; Too bad if you don't get what I mean; I assume you are the type who don't like Paan.

What is Paan you may ask? It is the most amazing thing, especially after a desi meal.  I don't mean the hardcore tobacco sort of paan; I just mean the non-tobacco sweet paan.  Not everyone knows the art of eating it properly, I was lucky enough to get some advice from a "Paan waley Uncle" (Which, one of my friends thought was him being perverted - so for the sake of this blog, I will not write what he had said).

There are a very few things that make the list of being my favorites, including people (kidding!).  Paan is just one of those things!

Project 365 - Unexpected Happens (February 10, 2012)

Sometimes life gets so unexpected that when you learn to accept the way things are; what you had wanted to happen, happens all of a sudden (If it makes sense).  

After a whole day's worth of waiting and not being able to try Auntie Ann's Pretzel; the unexpected happens the next day.  Even though I had given up on my dream of finding the Pretzel around town; suddenly I find myself in front of the stand.  So I happily announce that I have finally Tried the Auntie Ann's pretzel and with more joy that I am in love with the Pretzels!

Project 365 - Everyday Lessons (February 9, 2012)

An absolutely crazy day, filled with lots of errands.  The satisfaction you get once you get something done is absolutely priceless, it's one less thing you have to worry about.

Whereas I got lots of work done, there was one thing that made my day kind of incomplete.  A friend of mine is absolutely crazy about Auntie Ann's pretzels and had been talking about it nonstop for weeks (Sorry, I called you crazy - If your read this :P).  He suggested I should give it a try; so all day long I waited for my trip to the Mall.  In all the anticipation, I skipped on lunch.

As soon as we reached the mall, I jumped in joy and said "Finally Pretzel, here I come."  Little did I know that my hopes were going to be crushed really soon.  The mall did not have an Auntie Ann's pretzels!

Which meant that my search to find the pretzel wasn't over yet; so I had to convince myself to be happy on having Pizza hut's pizza instead!

Lesson learned:  Don't be disappointed when you meet a dead end, be happy that now you are that much closer to finding the right path ~ Romaisa Choudhry

Project 365 - Waiting (February 8, 2012)

Waiting for a ride to come by, is the most anxious thing to do, or maybe it is to me.  It doesn't matter what the destination is, nor does it matters what the method of commute will be.  Waiting itself just holds all these jittery feelings within an individual.

All four years of University days, I had waited for the shuttles to come by and take me to the train station daily.  Standing there today reminded me of all the fun days of traveling with your friends.  Just to make the anticipation a bit lesser, the university has posted these "timing boards."

Project 365 - All about Pennies (February 7, 2012)

I am not the biggest fan when it comes to carrying cash, well ever since I have discovered the more amazing things in the world: Credit & Debit Cards.  Now do not wander off thinking, oh she is that sort of girl! (see I got cha!)  As much as I love shopping, I am not about huge credit card bills that daddy will pay off, a girl has got to know her limits!

Anywho, I realized I would have lots of change left over and I would hate carrying all that in my wallet.  To solve the problem, I went and bought this plastic cookie jar and punched a hole in it; for the change to live in.  I started putting the coins in every time I had some extra change and gradually built a decent amount of coins.

One day, out of boredom I decided to count the coins and I believed it came out to $15 altogether.  After a while, I noticed that my sister actually used the coins as conveniently needed.  Every time she was in need of her bus fair, she would just dig right in and take the coins as pleased.  I came to know about this, when one day I needed to dish for some quarters; and to my surprise, there were no quarters left in the coins.

Upon asking my sister, she casually mentioned "oh I thought you didn't need the coins anymore so I used them up for my bus fair everyday."  I was furious and asked her to stay away from my coin jar; but just like all of my other threats, this one went to a waste as well.  First the quarters disappeared, then the dimes, then nickles and now all that is left are Pennies!

I have stopped adding on to the coins, unless they are pennies.  I use the jar to leave my bedroom door a little open for the hallway light to enter in (Why? Because I am claustrophobic, but this topic is left to be discussed for another day).

The best part comes in when my sister bumps into the Jar every morning; call me evil or whatever, but it somehow gives me a little relief each time.

Project 365 - Gum Allergies (February 6, 2012)

Ever heard of anyone being allergic to gum?  (If you have, then you are an exception my friend)

Fate just has it that I only experience the weirdest of things in life, then again I am a little package of weirdness myself (you guys better not be laughing :p).  Anywho, I noticed I would get an itchy nose while chewing gum; in the beginning it only started as a little random itch, which later became pretty intense.  I was not sure if it is something I am eating or if it was just seasonal allergies.  After noticing it a few times, I realized it always happened when I would chew a piece of gum.  Just like anyone else would, I thought this is pretty ridiculous, it cannot be the gum.

There I was with my thinking cap on and my handy dandy laptop by my side, searching through the net.  After an intense session of research, along with the usual Facebook stalks, I was able to get my answer.  It is actually more common than one would consider it to be and the whole cause are the fumes produced while chewing the gum.  As we are chewing the gum, it forces the gum to release its flavors (which are artificially produced using different sorts of chemicals - not the toxic ones).

When we exhale, we send out the fumes through our nose; which causes an allergic reaction on the skin and makes it itch.

Long story short: I had to sacrifice being able to chew gum; but there are other alternatives, such as these mint strips.

Project 365 - SuperBowl (February 5, 2012)

Superbowl is all about food and having fun!  With friends and family everything becomes double the joy!

Since our home team was in the finals, it made it that more exciting.  While, my sister and I argued with our brothers on "our" team vs. theirs (Of-course their teams did not make the finals!); we were all anxious to see the game together.

Yes! Our team won; and yes! we heard the whole neighborhood scream out of joy!

-With some great food that is; hence, the home made pizza! :)

Project 365 - A Sad tale (February 4, 2012)

No matter how many times I try to become a friend with my contact lenses; they always deceive me towards the end.  

Every month I open up a new pack of contacts, in hopes that this one would be a better one; yet, I always end up getting an eye infection.  Why must the contacts treat me this way? :(

With utter sadness; I must say today, the monthly history repeated itself again.  

Project 365 - Life is Full of Coincidences (February 3, 2012)

You know the feeling of finding something you weren't expecting to find? [give it a thought] 

Yep! That one! :)

Let me give you the back story: Earlier in the day, I was getting pretty warmed up about not realizing that the Body Wash bottle was nearly empty; and was dreading it being on the list of "things to buy."  I remember just a month earlier, I had forgotten to make the purchase and I didn't want to repeat the same mistake again.  While going through the cabinet, there it was! I had the hugest smile on my face, you know the type kids have when they see candy.  But in my case, it was a bottle of Body Wash.  [Yes, My sister gave me the weirdest look upon my exclamation as well]

As silly as it might seem in my case, it truly made me appreciate the beauty of such a coincidence :)  

Project 365 - Anger Management (February 2, 2012)

Anger, frustration, depression - we all go through these at one point in life, might not be that serious at all; but all of us feel somewhat discomfort on situations around us.  There have been many tactics, studies and researches held; to help ease the brain when it comes to these compromising situations.

Well, I have a solution of my own; something I find very useful.  I just compile all of my junk mail on the side and then the days when I feel really frustrated, I sit down and rip the pages one by one.  Yes, sometimes it tires my hands out; but it certainly makes you relieve your frustration for the moment.

Don't believe me? well have a try for yourself! :)

Project 365 - Memories (February 1, 2012)

Memories, a word in which we compile all the past moments in.  One word, that holds so much within.

While cleaning up my drawers, I came across my notes from one of the Management Classes I had taken in University.  The notes also reminded me of the fun times I had in the class.

College/University Days are the most amazing days of your lives, and we only realize this once we graduate.  All that effort in completing the race, to become a graduate; only leads to wanting it all back, that much more afterwards!

Project 365 - Can Water Kill You? (January 31, 2012)

I remember I used to stress water a lot back in the day.  There were days when I would drink 12-14 glasses of water, just because I had heard that water is supposed to be really good for your body.  Rambling through random videos on YouTube, I came across this story where a girl had died because of drinking too much water.

I was shocked and scared at the same time.  Of-course, the girl probably drank it way more than my daily consumption; nonetheless, I was scared.  Later, upon researching the issue a bit more I learned that our bodies need electrolytes in an efficient manner to handle our water consumption.  Although I had discovered the reason of the poor girl's fatal death, I made sure every now and then I do intake electrolytes.

Hence, the Gatorade bottle - It also reminds me of the story every time I see these energy drinks in the market.