In life we deal with a lot of weird things, we experience the ups and the downs and sometimes we get tested to see how strong we really are. For me I have recently started adapting to the concept of:
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
And thus whenever I am faced with a dilemma or obstacle I always keep a positive outlook (to the best of my ability) and try to weather through the storm. No matter how small or how big your obstacle the light at the end of that tunnel will shine through and light your way to a brighter and greater future.
I guess what I’m trying to say is in the words of Joseph P. Kennedy “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” So stay strong and stay true!
Last week was filled with election hoop-la and stress but what most of you have probably heard about a lovely thing happened on Friday afternoon at the Avenues Mall. A group of Kuwaiti youth (I think they all would classify as that) men and boys and with the inclusion of a girl who lip-synced a part of the song were seen performing a “Flash Mob”.
Most of you probably know about Flash Mob’s from YouTube and certain movies (read: Friends with Benefits) and thus this wasn’t a new phenomena to see. The new thing about it is how it was beautifully put together. My colleague and friend at the (Onilda Fernandez) [] wrote a lovely piece about how it all came out to be. Did you know that it took 2 months to put together and that the young men were all too stressed out from rehearsing but the day of the Flash Mob they felt happy because of the interaction that happened with the audience?
I for one am proud of what they did; the only thing I missed out on was some of the Kuwaiti Songs that I loved while growing up and having a bit more of a musical ooomph (you know ranging from slow to fast to slow to fast again :D) But nonetheless I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any different.
As usual it has come down to that time of the year where you review your year and see whether it was worthwhile or not really worth it. And looking back at my previous posts (I really did write some amazing stuff back in the day) I noticed a quote I once said back in 2006 and well I am very proud of it. So before I review my year, I’d like to share with you that this is and will forever be my mantra in life.
I am a better person, I am a wiser person, I am who I am and I am proud of it. I will love myself first and foremost, I will find the silver lining in everything that happens to me, and I am stronger than any darkness that will ensue itself around me. I am me!
[Mentioned in "The Review of 2007"]
I never thought I was that wise to say words that are as inspiring as those but it appears to be that I am.
The Good:
- The year started off calmly, nothing special happen in my life. Although all around the world the protests began to happen as early as the 3rd week in January.
- I began to purchase a lot of gadgets/accessories/etc all because of the launch of they are the reason for my endless spending.
- I purchased many Apple goodies! iPad 2 (the dilemma I went through to get it), MacBook Pro 17″ (since I sold my iMac 27″ for some issues), iPhone 4S (because I’m a freak like that), I think it was the same year I got a second iPad 2 (which I gave Lujain), iPod Touch 4th generation, iPod Classic, and iPod Shuffle. I ended this year with a surprise birthday gift from mother the latest MacBook Air 13″ (pimped out!)
- I got the Kindle Fire as my birthday present from myself, Polaroid Z340, FujiFilm Instax 210, and many more awesome items which made me a happy camper!
- I went to the US twice this year, once in April – May where I did an ‘audit’ visit at my sisters I hit Omaha, Nebraska where I had my adventure of purchasing a sold out iPad 2; Columbus, Ohio where I enjoyed shopping until dropping; and last but not least New York City, New York where I attended 2 Broadway shows [Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Avenue Q] and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!” My next visit was in June – July where I spent my time in New York City, I saw 2 more shows and shopped until I dropped and just had so much fun!
- I quit the banking industry!
- I started a job which became something that I loved to do! Telling people what to read and when to read it! (teehehehe)
- My got married and my other close friend got married too!
- I got a brand new cousin on August 3rd, Baby Salman!
- My favorite online author published her book and I attended her book signing!
- I met amazing new friends in the blogging world most of which I knew ages ago but saw them for the first time at events.
- Attended a bunch of Social Media Events: Danderma’s Book Signing, Exclusive Zain Visit, Zain Ghabga, VIVA Ghabga, Zain Q&A, Bloggers Union, Gulf Bank Draw featuring Abdullah Ruwaished, Crush It!, BEST Al Yousifi Al Rai Re-opening & Girls Night Out. These are among the ones I remember at the moment.
- I got braces, something I’ve been postponing since I was 11 years old! Well actually since I started working since dad was busy working and didn’t have time for his favorite one.
- Mada Internet!
The Bad:
- The death of Steve Jobs in October :(
- The death of Steve Jobs in October :(
- The death of Steve Jobs in October :(
- I joined a gym earlier in the year but ended up going there for only 4 months. Stopped going afterwards because I was too lazy.
- My sisters were all abroad except for Lujain which meant a quiet home for a full year except during holidays.
- I got the failing Blackberry Playbook and it’s gathering dust somewhere in my room, not to mention the HP Touchpad which is somewhere around the house.
- Not blogging as much as I wanted to last year.
- Kuwait Cap when the internet was capped at 2GB per day!
I believe that’s pretty much it for now but all in all it was an “okay” year nothing too special and nothing to harmful happened! I hope that 2012 is an awesome year once that is insanely amazing that kicks every other years ass! Seriously I loved 2006 so maybe since 6 x 2 = 12 then 12 will be an awesome year! Nonetheless I wish you all a happy last few days of 2011 and a very Happy New YEAR!
Previous “Years in Reflection” 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
I miss reading the historical romances that I seem to be collecting like candy! Every trip to the US I purchase 6 or more books of novels I love and I keep them on the back burner until I find time to read but it’s been a while, I don’t recall reading in the past 2 years or more.. I remember last year I read 2 novels but that was it. Back in the day I used to be able to read at least 50 novels a year or more depending on how much I loved the story.
I remember during my college days I read all of Julie Garwood’s historical romance novels in a month or so, it was something I loved to do hehe but in a way reading from the same author back to back is the worst thing ever because you notice that a novel is written based on a calculation hehe I always predicted when the marriage would take place or when they would realize they fell in love with each other.
2 days ago I picked up a novel, “How to Marry a Duke” by Vicky Dreiling, it was her debut novel and ever since I haven’t been able to keep the novel away. The first few pages had me smiling the whole way throughout the book until I got to the parts that made me cry but then it was back to laughter and happy thoughts. I finished the novel today and miss it already but luckily I am starting now on the sequel to the novel “How to Seduce a Scoundrel” in which I get to revisit the main characters of the first part. I can’t wait!
I blame reading blogs and watching TV Shows as well as work for this neglect.
[Reflections] My 2010 In Review
In writing the title of this post I actually typed 2011 and then thought wait what’s that! I actually jumped a year LOL! Man I think I want a good year to come already! Anyways I thought I’d mention some cool points that happened in 2010 and see how the good and bad weighed themselves this year.
The Good:
- The year started off nicely by just being calm and drama free!
- I’ve been watching more movies than ever this year and going to the cinema to enjoy them!
- Earlier this March my best friend got engaged and later married in November (I love her and wish her all the best!)
- It’s been a gadget year for me starting off with the purchase of the hp mini 210 netbook, and moving onto the iPad 64GB wifi (later got the 3G+Wifi model), Nokia X6, iPhone4, Blackberry Bold 9700, iPod Nano 6th generation, MacBook Air 13″, MacBook Air 11″, Apple TV, Sony WX5, Amazon Kindle 3, Blackberry Torch 9800, and many external hard drives. (Looking at this list I now understand why I didn’t save much this year)
- I was interviewed by Qortuba Valley.
- I celebrated the 6th year of this blog and it was awesome!
- I travelled to Dubai with my Aunt and Sister and it was a fun few days saw a lot of movies there.
- I resigned from my previous job and joined a new company, new department.
- My godchildren Ali (Swair’s Son) and Juliette (Lily’s Daughter) were born in June which is now my favorite month!
- I organized my physical library and my media library!
- I started TV @ Couchavenue a new TV-centric blog!
- I joined a gym “Curves” and I’m looking forward to the workout!
The Bad:
- I became lazier this year which led to point #2.
- I was at my heaviest weight ever in late September.
- I experienced some health hiccups along the way.
- I started a new job which promised a brighter future but was the same shit but different location.
- I am now living with only Lujain and my parents as all my other sisters are continuing their studies abroad and I miss them.
- Insanely stressed throughout the year and none of my wishes came true except for the gadgety ones.
I think having 6 bad points in comparison to the other 12 good ones defines that 2010 wasn’t that bad of a year, not to mention I didn’t shed that many tears this year so I believe I am stronger. Here is hoping that 2011 brings forth my wishes and makes them into reality! Wishing you all a Happy New YEAR!
So we are less than 24 hours away and I am really excited to seeing the latest thing introduced from Apple whether it’s a new OSX or the rumored new Macbook Air everyone is talking about. So I thought to give a really fast glimpse at the rumor round-up. Based on many of my favorite Mac sites out there they have agreed to the following information and who knows if it’s true or not most likely tomorrow around 8-ish PM our time we’ll find out.
What we can expect based on the details provided from :
- The new model is also apparently much snappier than its underpowered predecessor. ”It boots so fast, it’s unbelievable,” our source says. ”It’s amazing how fast it boots up.”
- A faster 13-inch model with upgradeable options should appeal to pro users, while a cheaper 11-inch MacBook Air might be more attractive to students and casual users.
- A 50-percent bigger battery, delivering 8-10 hours of battery life. The current MacBook Air has a 5-hour battery.
- The new machine is thinner and lighter, weighing less than the current model’s 3lbs, our source says.
- The new enclosure is also an aluminum unibody design, like the current model – but not as curvy.
- Same black keyboard as current MBA, same single-button Multi-Touch trackpad. [wha? Current MacBook trackpad has separate button, unlike the rendering]
- Upgradable RAM (base 2GB [-boo!], SSD. Also NVidia GeForce 320M integrated graphics
- TWo configs: 2.1 Ghz (with 2GB of RAM) and 2.4 Ghz (with 4GB of RAM).
In regards to it’s pricing they say the following:
The new MBA is rumored to be considerably cheapear than the current MBA’s 1,500$ starting price. Our source suggests the 13-inch machine may be priced as low as 1,100$, and the 11-inch MBA at 999$. The source points out that the 64GB iPad starts at 700$, and the MBA doesn’t have many more components. We’re skeptical, however. We’re not sure that Apple would price a premium machine like the MBA as low as the entry-level white plastic MacBook, which also starts at 999$. More likely, price points will be at 1,100$ for the 11-inchMBA and 1,400$ for the 13-inch machine.
So there you have it, I for one am excited and wish that it was priced more at the 999$ price-mark and not above but let’s see what is there and we’ll probably go from there. Mac Geeks get your Credit Cards ready!
[]
Does it bother you when you find that you’ve got a thousand emails in your inbox, some you’ve read, some you haven’t, some you need to work and some you don’t?
Well it bothers me, that is one of my biggest peeves finding a cluttered space and earlier this evening I had about 80 emails that were not filed or organized in one way or another, I am currently working on it but it really gets to be hectic sometimes I just give up and go. Because in the end it’ll go back to being the same way it was.
Same thing happens at work sometimes, in a week I get almost 300 emails if not more and well I have to organize everything in folders and under categories and subcategories or else I will not be able to function but you know what the sad thing is though? All that hard work will be going out the window because of one thing and one thing only!
I left my job woohooooo! But wait next Wednesday is my last working day, let’s hope nothing jeapordizes that!
You tell me one of your pet peeves, oh and please note this is not the only one out there but while I was cleaning out my email and checking what emails I should reply to I thought I should write this up.
Here I am in the last 2 hours of 2009 well it’s now less than 2 hours but let’s say for argument’s sake that it is 2 hours, so here I am thinking back to this year. This year in comparison to last year was so much better yet in different aspects was a bit worse. Well in a way I can say that this year was a neutrally bad year for me because again I did not see any of my wishes come true. Nothing that great happened but there were some ups in this year so let’s highlight some:
Ups
- The year started with an ode to chocolate, well if you didn’t understand what I meant, it meant that the first day of the year I went to Chocolate Bar with my sisters and their friends and had amazing chocolate and what better way is it to start a year than with chocolate. The previous year I had started it off by crying and hating myself. So this beginning was so much better.
- I am in the process of getting a promotion that I did not want and continuing in a career that I do not care about at all. This point can be both good and bad but I think I’ll label it good because I am in the process of getting a promotion. Next year it’s supposed to become official.
- I travelled to the US and instead of visiting 1 State this year I got the chance to visit 2 (Omaha, Nebraska and New York, New York!) And of the two I fell in love with New Yooooooooooooooork! Concrete streets where dreams are made of……. la la la :P But no seriously I got a chance to check out the Apple Store on 5th Avenue and fall so madly and deeply in love! It was an expensive trip, one where I had no urge to shop for myself and was a bit tired in but in the end it was awesome walking down the streets of downtown New York and enjoying the scenary.
- I welcomed a new baby girl cousin in late September (Sept 28) baby Lulu and she is the most adorable little thing. She’s my new favorite thing of the year! And my new spoiled cousin. I spoil my cousins silly, hell where have you heard that a 4 year old gets an ipod touch for his birthday! Seriously where? But I love them so much so it’s not the sacrifice that matters to me
- Most of my friends got what they wished for and others are still on the waiting list, to me that waiting list makes me feel as if we’re at a handbag shop and waiting to get our paws on one of those limited edition bags such as the Hermes bag (wait is it that or something else I am getting old seriously)
- I bought my iMac 27″ Quadcore bad boy and fell in love with Apple even more! And spoiled myself silly on my birthday!
Downs:
- I experienced a manager change where the place I was at became sucky and therefore was moved to a new place where I was tricked into believing that it was a good place in the end. Same shit different location.
- I tried moving out of retail but was unsuccessful (read point #2 in Ups)
- I experienced a couple of depressing months where I just was not able to stand anything at work or any other place.
- Lost touch for the most part of the year with friends and family and when I do get a chance to hang out it’s a bit tense for me.
- My dreams and wishes did not come true and the year is ending and they are still not even close :(
- I turned 26 and started to lose my memory and what little I had of common sense.
And I believe that’s it for now, ever since I turned older I started to forget more, I started to feel tired more and well it’s just going downhill after being 25. I hope that 2010 brings me better aspects of my life. I wish and hope to quit my current job and join another one. One where I am better appreciated and not mistreated. I hope that I do get married sometime next year and that I end up with my own little kid sometime later because well I love 2 and 3 year olds :P I want to have a 2 year old and return the child back when it becomes 6 years old because then they become a little too annoying :P I wish to be more in touch with my friends and family and make more ME time for myself. I really wish I have a better year and wish that you guys have a better one too.
So good bye 2009 it was not great knowing you let’s hope 2010 doesn’t really give us that finger and screw us over. 2010 I want you to be a good year please!
So, as you get older I believe your birthday parties seem to lose all their glamour that is if you have any or if anyone remembers you. I’ve been shocked this birthday because at midnight I had nothing not even one SMS, Phone Call, Tweet, Email, Anything at all from anyone, well anyone except Daddy because I am Daddy’s favorite (yes Dee and Nee I am dad’s favorite and you better believe it!) Seriously I love my Daddy and Mommy and sisters (yes Shwaish I said Mommy, it’s weird sometimes but maybe as we get older things might just might look a little brighter sometimes?)
Anywho, so no calls no nothing at all I slept feeling sad and woke up even sadder since even Grams forgot me :( Uncles too! But the best thing though is that I ended up getting a Kindle from Dee and a RED iPod Nano from Nee (it’s the 8GB because she’s a cheap art student but then again aren’t we all?) The iMac 27″ is currently on its way to the States and come next weekend I hope to have it in my arms, no okay not arms because then I’d just kill myself and collapse maybe on my desk. I spoiled myself a bit during the Black Friday weekend since I ended up getting Friends The Complete Collection DVD Set and I am currently watching the first season. I got How I Met Your Mother Season 3 and (looks around her desk) oh yeah and some cute PJs and clothes from Victoria’s Secret (Shhhh! I won’t tell you her secret!)
On my actual birthday I went out with my friend Lilo and I loved it so much seriously she means the world to me. We had lunch at Rice and walked around in the Avenues going into the Electronics store in which she witnessed my real sense of gadget insanity, seriously she was shocked but mildly surprised :P I saw the new Sony Vaio X which is awesomely designed, freakin’ light as a feather and I just can’t imagine it.
Afterwards, headed to grandma’s and had some birthday cake which I bought and had written on it “Happy Birthday to Me” because I love “ME” so much hehe :) But yeah it was awesome. Got mostly cash from the rest of the relatives and I liked it. Still depressed a bit but in the end I guess we all have to outgrow birthdays? Next year I should just forget it shouldn’t I?
Anyways, here’s hoping that this year will bring 99% of my wishes to reality, oh heck I want 100% and I won’t settle for anything less!
P.S. Did I forget to mention that slightly after my birthday I fell insanely ill, with a mild case of the flu but with a major infection or something or another in my ears, nose, and throat? Yeah I currently have no voice :( I cough like a woman who smokes 10 packs of cigarettes a day, although I don’t smoke, really I don’t I promise!
I love you Daddy
Hello December, the month filled with more than one exciting event but also the month where you realize that the year has ended and you are no where near to achieving what you started out to in the beginning of this year. December marks the AIDS awareness month which is awesome it needs some awareness just like October is the Breast Cancer Awareness month. December is where we get to celebrate more than one holiday and for me I get to celebrate a birthday one where I literally turn older. Like ages old, not really but seriously.
This past weekend or long holiday as I like to call it was awesome but had on my wallet I spent like a ton of cash, Amazon deals were awesome, Apple deals were awesome, and then the actual shopping was what broke me down I think I still have my phone bill that I have to pay off now.
What do you think of this year? Did you like it or hate it? For me, one thing is awesome, that there wasn’t much drama happening, maybe some work drama but otherwise nothing major in terms of life-threatening and such but overall I still achieved nothing from my dreams, and the longer it takes the more I lose hope it seems that I just can’t get a break but oh well :/
Now it’s your turn tell me do you love December? 2009? Or not?
a 28 year old Kuwaiti Gadget Freak who is obsessively in love with Apple Products so much that she probably has everything made by Apple. Currently she's being a lazy bum and putting off writing and everything else but when she does this is her space where she likes to vent and release everything, so welcome to it.
A blogger for the past 8 years and still loving it.
