Archive for category personal
Renewing Passport
Posted by Bloggylife in personal on July 18, 2010
My passport expires early August. All this time I thought I can renew it here. I called up Kuwait Embassy and to my surprise I have to send it to someone back home to renew it for me! What if I have nobody back home, what is the procedure then?
You need to fill out a form and this form is not available online, you either have to go to the headquarters in London or they’ll mail it to you. Weird, you’d think it is a super form, it is a lousy un-scanable, the printed form is so badly scanned and indented, it is pathetic!
You need to provide four photos with a blue background. The official photographs in UK are with a white background. I ended up having my photo snapped in the middle of Jessop with a white background and told them back home to photoshop in the blue background.
Also, you need to write an official letter to “مسئول الشئون القنصلية” stating that you are student, where you study, your address and the person who’s going to renew your passport information.
I filled the form, popped in the photographs, the official letter and passport and sent them off to the embassy in UK. According to the embassy official, all should arrive to Kuwait by Monday.
Almost all my official identification end in 2010! My passport, my civil ID and my Kuwaiti bank card!! 3ad I do not know how I’m going to handle my bank card, I need to call KFH.
I’m coming back passport-less, bank card-less, civil ID-less! Yeah and I think my car back home isn’t working 
Actually the A/C isn’t working, but it is all the same to me, NO A/C is NO use 
Books
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, book, personal on June 27, 2010
Books, books and more books. The way of life here helps me read more:
- Many book stores available, I go in and loose myself
- Amazon UK, my basket always has items in them. It is hard to resist the click to order and have your items delivered within one week.
- Again my life style, when waiting for the bus, I can be waiting for upto 30 minutes and so I sit or lean against the wall and read. Since I’m not driving and I’m the passenger, I read while in the bus or train until I get dizzy
- Everyone around you is reading, it really helps and is an open source for book recommendations and a good conversation starter. “ohhh, I read this book, it is very interesting and a good read”.
I’ve read a lot of light books lately, when I’ve got so much going on, I need to ease and relax my mind a bit or it’ll explode. The three books were:
- His other lover by Lucy Dawson.”A crazy woman fighting for her sorry excuse of a man“. This novel proves that women are crazy when it comes to their man! They do not acknowledge common sense and they loose grip of reality.
- Getting rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon. I liked “Foursome” more, it was so much funnier.
- My best friend’s girl by Dorothy Koomson. I enjoyed this book very much, it was light and entertaining. I didn’t know how it’ll end till I finished reading the book.
And the last book was “Precious” by Sapphire, I just felt really appreciative of my life and the circumstances I live in. You’ll feel so blessed while reading this book.
On my to read list.
I picked this Stieg Larsson because of all the hype about the brilliance of his novels and I chose his first one. The second book by Kathryn Stockett, I just stumbled upon while Amazon-ing
Leqafa Thoughts
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, personal, thoughts on June 10, 2010
I know “leqafa” is not my default mode, because I am aware of myself when I am being a “malqoofa”
So one of my neighbours are a Chinese couple or that’s what I thought! I actually didn’t put things together until later, I see her with a guy that I thought was the one living next door, turns out it is a different guy. So maybe they are not a couple, maybe they’re just brother and sister
You can never understand Chinese couple they aren’t as intimate as their English counterparts! They don’t hold hands for example. My colleague has a picture of himself posing next to his girlfriend, it seems like they were forced under gunpoint!! Standing straight, looking into the camera direct, no smiles, eshda3wa
Now I can recognize my pre-couple now-siblings duo, they do not sit next to each other in class that is in the times I’ve seen them. In the cafeteria, I see her eating with a group and then as I’m heading out I see him eating with another group! They come after me in the bus, infront of me, he sits right of the aisle and she left of the aisle, why not together ???
As I’m cleaning my room, I see them walking outside, hand-in-hand, hmmmm, that doesn’t seem like a brother and sister Ohhh, well maybe they are a couple who are sick of each other, they do not have to sit together in uni, eat together, walk together … still not sure, are they a couple or not ???
Maybe they’re just living together ??? Is he gay 3ad she is a beautiful girl, he’s grumpy and always smoking outside hehehehe
Today I see her in the bus and we talk, I’m think should I ask the question, “Is that your boyfriend, friend, or brother ?” But didn’t
Later I head out again and as I was going up to the bus stop, they were coming down, his hands around her, I smile ready to say HI, as soon as she sees me, she elbows him and shrugs off his hands and they seperate, I walk by and we exchange “Hello’s”.
Did they do that because they’ve seen me “Basich leqafa” But life is putting them in my way, I’m not seeking it, it just happens infront of me and then I think “OK, where did we last left off, YUP them sitting apart”, or as my latest update, them springing away from of each other when they saw me, or maybe it’s just my imagination hehehehe I feel wicked when I’m piecing and noticing things that are not of my god damn business
Prayer Times
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, personal on May 19, 2010
The prayer times these days are somehow better than in winter. You have enough time to pray and not worry about whether you are going to pray on time or not. Dhuhur is around 1 PM and 3asir is after 5 PM, so there is plenty of time if you head out in the morning, you’ll be back in time before 3asir prayer. Magrib is around 9 PM! Don’t mind this either, sometimes when the skies cool down outside, I got out for a jog and by the time I get back, take a shower, it’s Magrib time.
The dilemma is not Isha prayer, it is Isha + Fajer! Ishar is after 11 PM and Fajer around 2:30 AM.
It is physically difficult for me to pray at 11:15 PM and by the time I get around to sleep, wake up for the Fajer! Sometimes I turn off the alarm without even having a recollection of that action!
I put the alarm at the far end, far beyond my hand reach, I have to get out of bed to turn the alarm off, I used to do that sometimes back home, when I’m exhausted and know there is a high chance of me unconsciously turning the alarm off. I set it to 3:30 AM, for realistic terms, by the time I sleep around 12 midnight, 3:30 AM sounds doable.
You experience the extremes here from Fajer being after 6 AM, Dhuhur at 12 PM, 3asir after 1 PM, Magrib around 4 PM and Isha around 6 PM to summer prayer times. Interesting experience
Manchester Adventure
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, personal on May 18, 2010
This trip to Manchester was hilarious from the beginning I’m learning more about myself, if everybody around me is panicking I become calmer and don’t seem to see what the big fuss is about If everyone is calm then I start to panic
Anyway so the train was 9:28 AM and 3alama we walked to the bus station ella tawa mashee el em3afan so we waited for the next bus and we barely arrived at the train station and got our pre-booked tickets from the machine and ran to the platform. All the way the girls with me were afraid we won’t make it on time, so what ?? We’ll take the next one … no biggie … there is another train in the same off-peak time slot, our tickets cover that. What they didn’t know is that I wasn’t sure hehehehe but I assumed who in the right mind schedules a single train in a weekend.
We roamed Manchester, sightseeing, went in Manchester cathedral, did some minor shopping, girls are packing stuff to take back home, there is an Omani girl maskeeena she has to buy for the whole fereeej too, are you kidding me! laa oo fereejhom 3ooood!!!
We decided to head to Trafford Centre, qilna yamdeee, secretly knowing NOT It is humoungous, there are many activities to do, skiing, lego-land, movies, and it is filled with Halal restaurants. We ended up having lunch/dinner at a place called “RICE”, it was very tasty but my order was a thai dish and it was HOT! My eyes teared up and nose started running and my face flushed, I had to get ice-cream afterwards.
For the trip back we took the same bus, number 100, to the city and were planning to take one of the free buses, 1, 2 or 3, to Piccadilly station only to discover they aren’t running after 7 PM It was pass 7 PM and we already missed our train. We decided to walk we have a map and we did, it took us a while and some were complaining that we are lost, we aren’t going to make, we won’t find a train … so what … kilish kilish we’ll stay the night oo catch a morning train. As soon as we found the train station we congratulated each other and headed to the board to see the departures schedule, one girl took off to buy coffee, I saw it, the next train departs in a few minutes and of course platform 13 is at the other end. I called her, wait get coffee on the train and I ran and the rest followed LOL, we stopped mid run because they were screaming we aren’t going to make it, I can see platform 13 and the big clock and it says we can, YES WE CAN … RUN and we did, one minute ahead of time ba3ad. While running a girl’s mobile flew and some of her things and she just picked up her mobile because the empty bottle of water didn’t matter. We made fun and laughed the whole journey back
While on board, drunk people we all over, one couple actually started a slow dance and then another started singing. It was a sad scene really, they were hopping from one town to another, getting drunk and then heading to the next one! I was glad they didn’t come near us. Ma kan lee khilqhom.
Took the bus back to my dorm and called it a day
Amazing Women
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, personal on May 15, 2010
I’m always fascinated by people, meeting from different backgrounds and cultures, listening and sharing different views and aspects about life.
From Oman, India, Pakistan, UAE, UK, Libya …
Young chemist extracting substances from palm trees.
English students studying methods to enhance how English is taught back home in their schools.
Computer scientists congratulaing and hugging each other because they just submitted their 6 months long project.
A computer scientist who’s married to a network engineer. That just cracked me up!!!
A 40 year old woman with two kids searching a cure to a disease that I can not even remember its name, it affects malnourished poor parts of the world, India, Iraq, Egypt, it enlarges internal organs leading to death. Not only does she have a PhD but also is supervising 5 PhD students in HER lab. That’s what she calls it, “My Lab”.
One just gave birth … Another looking for a job … Just failed a job interview …
A colourful bunch, talking about Africa, cannibals, food, guessing ages, shoes, badminton, volleyball, football, insects, progress, past …
All that over a barbecue on a sunny/windy day
Nostalgia Thoughts
Posted by Bloggylife in personal, thoughts on May 9, 2010
Nostalgia … everyone supposedly will end up feeling … I’m still waiting!
This feeling is so idolised that any other feeling but … is outrageous.
Maybe it is blocked behind thick walls of stubbornness, emotional strength or control! Or maybe it needs more time to get through! Maybe it is chained down by logical thinking, why release it when I know I’ll be back! Can it be denial?
I don’t think that matters, we all don’t have the same emotional map.
I don’t associate yearning with love … well not always …
See when you end up in a living standards that is less than what you are used to, you miss the clean air, the nice weather, the running water, the safe house, the comfy bed, you miss what you are familiar with, what you are used to …
Or maybe whatever you miss is associated with happy memories, childhood, motherly love, innocence …
There is a big difference when you long out of love or familiarisation.
I wonder how I’ll feel if I were put on an island alone, see I don’t think loneliness, I think peace! I guess because in my mind eventually we’ll all die. Another positive outlook, this way I don’t do wrong by anybody so that will hopefully bring my sins down.
At the end of the day, I know if it were up to me, I’d die alone and it’ll take days for someone to discover my stinking body. That’s how I came up with an idea (pinglivingbeings.com, areyoudeadyet.com), a simple web service, subscribers need to check-in daily via SMS, email, ping, twitter, with all the apps, devices and platforms out there, it’s very difficult to stay offline for a day unless you want to or you don’t have a choice, if a day passes without a person checking in, a warning is flagged and depending on your subscription, cops and/or ambulance is sent to your place!
This selfish life style I can not let go of, but I know myself, I’m kidding myself … this isn’t me. Only a small part of my life is solely mine but the rest is for those I love around me, and I’m not only talking about my family, but friends too, in fact a friend long gone, still has a part that I gave away.
Me: You are going to drive soon, be careful, wear your seat belt and no speeding and if I hear otherwise, I’ll take the next plane to just kick your ass and be back, you hear me!
Bro: What! You’re miles away and still lecturing me!!
Me: Don’t make me come!!!
Bro: OK OK
Me:
Life is easier when you only have to take care and worry about yourself. It is harder as your circle gets bigger.
I can go on living in which ever form it is, I’m not sure if this is a scary or comforting thought … nevertheless …
The people in my life, make the quality of my life better, they bring colour to my standalone grey existence. I always knew people around me will move on and they do, that is why I did not think I’ll be missed
Some keep my suicidal dark tendencies at bay others drive me over the edge. In this life you can not be selective or I’d be the first in line eliminating those blocking the warm sunshine
It is a choice for me, I know where I want to be “بحلوها و مرها” and not just for my own sake
My baby sister, my crazy big brother, my carefree living for the moment lil bro, my two kiddie bros that I can tease about seeing their butts as babies My cute adorable nieces.
It feels I broke from my daily soap opera and got my own show and now they are airing commercials, she’ll be back to the original series, so be ready
I’m loving her.
Just Thoughts
Posted by Bloggylife in personal, thoughts on April 25, 2010
April is ending already! It is almost mid of the year and by the time I get my head around this another new year is just around the corner!!!
How time flies by, no matter how often I say this and believe in it, I’m still amazed of how fast time goes by.
I’m almost done here, half the way crossed, it seems like yesterday I got on that plane, sometimes I feel I’m just on vacation off of my old job!
I’m already planning the end of something I yet need to begin!!!
I wonder and ask myself, how do people know they are satisfied? How do people know they have found what they are looking for? How do people make the decision to settle down ?
And this debating and arguing about this life and the afterlife begins within me with the same conclusion, I need to find a freaking balance!
I discussed this with my friend: Do you think one lifetime is enough?
What if GOD gave us several lifetimes, that was my argument.
Then my friend added, What if GOD gave us several lifetimes with the knowledge of the previous life when going into the second!
How many times has this crossed your mind, if only what I know NOW I knew back THEN.
Some may argue well that’s the beauty of life and I agree, I’m totally with the “most valuable lessons you learn are from LIFE”, by living it out. It’d be rather boring and pointless to come into this life with preloaded data about it.
But imagine if we had three life times, I’d live the first one way, the second another way and on the third, I’d either live it out different or choose from the first two!
Life is funny, it is not yours alone to bend and twist and guide as you please. Many factors come into it, the lives of those around you! So sometimes you delay a decision or don’t carry it out, because of those around you. And sometimes you make a decision because of those around you.
Life would be simpler with a manual, each child born with a manual or a script for their perfect role and place, they do not have to search and wonder, it is a funny thought, but I guess that way life will be utterly boring and unchallenging and life expectancy will dramatically drop and humans will seize to exist shortly after they are created!!
I wonder what my future older self -اذا الله أحياني-, will think of my now self.
UK Summer
Posted by Bloggylife in UK, personal on April 18, 2010
Having lived most of my life in one of the hottest places on earth, you’d think I’m used to the heat! NOT! I guess I have the A/C to blame And experiencing the cold here hasn’t helped much, my body got used to it, it has become more addicted to cold, I’m going to have a hard time when I get back to Kuwait “heat exhaustion”.
What I’m missing here is my A/C. There is cool wind outside but there is a problem opening the windows, weird insects will fly in and HUGE mosquitoes!! Weirdly huge, I’ll try to snap a shot of them. But what can I do to fight off the heat, I have to leave the windows open!
Sun sets late, and I am enjoying it, I like how the sun is still up at 7 PM, the only problem is prayer time, especially Al-Esha, I sometimes stay in bed waiting for the athan.
I checked the prayer’s time in the future just to see how far late it will get, the below is in July and then it’ll pick up again.
So when it is Ramadan time in August, breaking the fast will be starting from 9 PM and inching towards 8 PM, that’ll be interesting
Summer sun is hot especially if it is direct “3ala el-ras”, so if you are in the bus, nausea is guaranteed! I’d given up trying to get used to the bus, it takes more than months to get used to be cramped in an airless, heated, full of breathing people, rotating and stopping often, as a way of transportation But I’m not giving up, hehehehehe
People are now out more often, like we need that! More festivals in town, singing competition this weekend, that was fun to watch. Flowers blossoming everywhere. There other day, I woke up to cheesy music and in the haze of my sleep trying to decipher the sounds, it was actually of birds singing outside my window, how lame and cliché is that!! I smiled and tried to go back to sleep … summer is kicking in …
Morning Person
Posted by Bloggylife in Kuwait, UK, personal on April 15, 2010
I am a morning person, I get up even if I don’t plan it! I was not sure why? What was the motive of getting up early? I thought I’m a morning person by default, it is in me. I didn’t realise I liked waking up in the morning because of what it had to offer! Until …
I was in bed, it is 7 AM and I’m wide awake. I think what a perfect opportunity to head to town, grab coffee and take a walk, read a novel, enjoy the sunrise and the cool weather, enjoy some peace and quiet … wait …
You know nothing opens till 9 AM …
You know EVERYONE will be out in the street by 8 AM !!!
There is no pleasure in being a morning person, when everybody else in the country is!!!
Back home, I enjoyed my morning trips to pick up coffee, I love that coffee shops are open at 7 AM. Walk in malls before the shops are open. Have breakfast where only a handful of people are present. Early grocery shopping. Enjoy peace and quiet. I do not like crowded places, I plan around those.
Here, everybody is everywhere, it is a jungle out there, a jungle of humans … I got used to it I might add, but instead of waking up and going out, I’d stay put, make my own green tea, walk close by, where for at least a while wherever my eyes land … I see no one
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