Rain!

For the past 4-5 days the weather’s been crazy in the UAE, with thunderstorms, heavy rains and even hail (that NEVER happens, not even in winter except for in the mountainous areas). This happened 2-3 weeks after Spring officially hit, with temperatures and humidity hitting high.

It’s a big mess when it rains heavily, and when it rains during the day it smells like a jungle, because it’s hot, humid and the only nature you smell is sand as there are no Spring-blossoming-flowers of any kind here. At night it’s great because there’s a November-like breeze and it’s even getting very windy as well!

Regardless, I’m loving the spontaneity of the sudden heavy showers every few hours, getting to use my umbrella (which I bought in the winter but didn’t get to use), mixing my Winter and Spring wardrobe, the drop in temperature and just the chaos out there in the streets!

“Barack” Al Mutawa

On New Year’s Day I was blessed with the birth of my fifth son. I called my parents to tell them the good news that Rakan Al-Mutawa had been born. But my father told me he had another name picked out for his newest grandson.

My heart stopped. Rakan was the name my wife and I had chosen. What to do? Ten years ago, I asked my father to name my firstborn. Continue Reading article.

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I came across this article written by Naif Al Mutawa, creator of The 99 – the arabic superhero comic strip,  about him refusing to name his new-born Barack as requested by his father. To name his son after a leader; he will do that based on seeing results not based on hope.

Entertaining and nicely written with an important message as well.

Life’s not a spectator sport, but I’m not even watching

“Life’s not a spectator sport. If watchin’ is all you’re gonna do, then you’re gonna watch your life go by without ya.” – The Hunchback of Notre Dam, Victor Hugo.

And that is exactly what I’m feeling nowadays, unfortunately – I’m watching my life go by, and actually, it’s going by too fast, I am not even watching!

Mainly it’s because I have been so busy at work, working CRAZY hours along with dealing with deadlines, pressure and worst of all dealing with crap from clients. I spend al my time at work that it is impossible to do anything on weekdays – and that includes basic things like having a decent lunch at typical lunch hours, or drinking my tea which the office boy brings right to my desk, but I cannot spare a minute to gulp it down, to other things like being able to answer a personal phone call, having a moment to look at myself in the mirror and other things which I know consider a luxury: catching up with a friend over coffee, watching a movie, reading a magazine, getting a manicure/pedicure,  or trying to go to a doctor’s appointment which I’ve been pushing back for the last 3 weeks!

What’s worse, living this military camp life 5 days a week, come the weekend and I just want to sleep and do nothing as I am totally drained of physical and mental energy! I’ve been doing almost nothing for the past 4 weekends because I just want to stay at home all day and relax. I’m hating this laziness, but I can’t help it; my body – brain included – really needs to shut down and rest and simply not interact with anyone, and the weekends seem to be the only time to do so.

I really need to do something about all of this; I do not even remeber living the past 2-3 months of my life

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2009

Its a terrible feeling to not remember what the last book i read was. I do read a lot online and I read a lot of magazines (no, not just fashion magazines) but I don’t like that I’m not reading real books anymore…I’m so uninspired nowadays to do anything, and well never have the time anyway, and I hate this lazy feeling! And that’s why this year I’m making sure I visit the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair happening between 17th and 22nd of March, in hope of finding a few good books to buy and of course to find the inspiration to actually read them, and not just stack them on a shelf for another year.

The Fair will host a number of famous authors including Rajaa Al Sanea, author of the controversial  “Banat Al Riyadh/Girls of Riyadh” which my Saudi friends have been asking me to read for the past 3 years! The book talks about relationships in Saudi Arabia between young men and women in the form of email exchanges between the two. The book was banned in KSA when it was first published but was sneaked to the black market in the Middle East and became a best-seller.

The book fair has other events and festivities in it’s programme, visit its website if you’re interested in knowing more.

Middle Eastern Inspired Jewelery

I love jewelery which is inspired by the  Middle Eastern and Islamic cultures; combining traditional symbols with Arabic calligraphy and little details all well-crafted into unique pieces.

Symbols include the evil eye, hand of Fatima, Islamic architecture designs, blue stones, among other small details.

I think if I end up in Egypt, I would spend the whole trip in Khan Al Khalili, going from one jewelery shop to the next, buying unique hand-crafted pieces!

I own some hand-crafted copper rings and earrings, which I picked up from a stall in a mall selling Egyptian antiques from Khan Al Khalili. This style of jewelery looks great in the copper-antique-vintage finish, however, this style looks great in finer pieces made of gold and silver.

I love drooling over Azza Fahmy’s (a world-famous Egyptian jewelery designer) collections, and also love Nadine Kanso’s “Bil Arabi” line and Hana Elawadi’s designs.

All three on the black background are Azza Fahmy pieces and the remaining ones below are Hana Elawadi pieces, except for the last one which I do not remeber the source of.

I’d love to take a jewelery-making course one day (I love accessories); or start experimenting with bits and pieces on my own..that’s when I have the time for anything but my job

365 days…

…and I should stop counting.