Arabic Weddings

*WARNING If you are pregnant, or have heart conditions then I suggest you skip the last part of this post. Some of the images you may witness will mentally haunt you*

Some of the weddings here can easily be mistaken for a Rio De Janeiro carnival or a drag queen party. People walking around in their implausible dresses, almost costume like, strutting like a cluster of male peacocks trying to outdo each other... The way most people dress up and do their hair is extravagant! I attended a wedding last night and before I went I was a bit self conscious because I thought my makeup and hair was overboard... boy was I wrong! 

<- The dress I wore ->

<- my makeup (red lipstick, eyeliner, and I used eyeshadow except it barely showed) 

The hair (sleek bun with a braid) -->

 I walk into the ballroom, have a mini panic attack. Look around to find anyone I know and see people looking like this... All I could think was 'wtf'. And on the way I saw something that resembled one of the images below on a billboard which practically made me pass out because it was scary. I don't get it, how the hell could someone possibly think looking like that is pretty? If you ever want to go to a wedding and stand out, then try looking normal for a change. I've been to decent weddings where people looked normal but yesterday was like something outta the Wasee6 news paper :P

Did You Know...

Human beings actually have 9 senses, not 5. The first 5 we all know about: Sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch, were first proposed by Aristotle, but there are now four more which are agreed among scientists to be official senses, these are:

1. Thermoception – the sense of heat (or it’s absence) on our skin,
2. Equilibrioception – our sense of balance, which is determined by the fluid filled cavities in our inner ear.
3. Nociception – Pain.
4. Proprioception – or ‘body awareness’. This is the conscious knowledge of where our body parts are without having to look, for example, close your eyes and waggle your big toe, you still know where it is in relation to the rest of you.

Some neurologists also argue that there are even more than 9. What about hunger? Or thirst? It’s certainly a grey area.

Discovering that basically rocked my world today! Just when you think theres nothing left to learn :D

Daily Inspiration

Different terms and conditions apply :P So today I went to Kuwait University to register (doesn't mean i'm going there for sure). It was the first time I do something that important alone. I felt like an adult for the first time ever! (Ok I wasn't completely alone both my parents work at KU but they didn't come with me). Anyways moving along... So when I went at 7:30, I hadn't slept the night before and I was pretty perky! :D Then I go to the desk and I'm all excited to register and my face is like xD and the lady was like -_- . This may sound a bit weird but I am absolutely fascinated by people! Even mean ones. I find it impossible not to smile at someone who's smiling but that woman managed. Anyways so she stayed -_- for a long time until the end when I started randomly talking to her about stuff like phones and then *gasp* she smiled! I later learned that she was tired because she had to see a lot of people and sit behind a desk for the entire day. Point of the story? Even if someone seems mean or malee8een, you have to consider the forces behind how they act. They don't necessarily hate you, they might be having a bad day. So kill them with kindness till they have no option but to be nice back! :D

Crowne Plaza Summer Offer

So Crowne Plaza have these summer offers that sound pretty good. I'm thinking of trying it out and having a sleep over with my friends :P Not sure yet. I don't usually post things about places but since I did this time because it sounds like a great offer! 

Soothing summer specials.

Chill out this summer with our refreshing packages.

• Stay 2 nights at 58.5 KD per room per night and get the third night free Stay 2 nights at 49 KD per room per night and treat yourself with breakfast, lunch and
• dinner for two at Al Ahmadi restaurant Stay 2 nights at 39 KD per room per night and get a free Privilege Club membership
• Private beach access included
• *Terms & conditions apply
• عطلة الصيف أحلى
  دلل نفسك مع عروض الصيف المنعشة، وإختر الباقات
  احجز اقامة لمدة ليلتين مقابل 58.5 د.ك للغرفة الواحدة الواحد لليلة الواحدة واحصل على الليلة الثالثة مجاناً
  احجز اقامة لمدة ليلتين مقابل 49 د.ك للغرفة الواحد لليلة الواحدة ودلل نفسك بإفطار وغداء وعشاء لشخصين مجاناً في
  مطعم الأحمدي
  احجز اقامة لمدة ليلتين مقابل 39 د.ك للغرفة الواحد لليلة الواحدة واحصل على عضوية نادي الامتيازات مجاناً
  دخول مجاني للشاطئ
  *تطبق الشروط و الأحكام

Rules Of A Lady

I always randomly stumble on awesome sites. And I thought this one was worth sharing. It's a Tumblr page with slides on 'The Rules Of A Lady' that I think should be read and shared with every woman. I'll leave you with a couple of my favorite slides. Enjoy! :D

                                (Someone should make a poster and put this up in the Avenues )

       (lol, I think I want to make this a poster too and take with me every time we have a girls night in)

Book Review: The Kite Runner

I know I haven't posted any book reviews lately (sorry about that) but since it's summer and I don't really have anything better to do then expect a lot! The last book I read was The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I've been thinking of how to describe it and the best word I could come up with degrades it... it was PHENOMENAL!

Hosseini is by far one of the best writers to let out a book in this decade. You can't help but get sucked into his descriptions of Kabul and the settings in his novel. He uses kites as a form of symbolic  imagery, how one moment they're floating peacefully in the sky and the next they're fighting each other like battleships. You can't help but grimace at the descriptions in the story and cry with Amir (the main character) when he faces trouble. It was labelled one of the most controversial books of 2008 by The American Library Association and was repeatedly attempted to be removed from libraries. I'm not going to reveal the plot but this is definitely worth the read! Yes I say this about every book I read, but this is one of my new favorites! I really need to stock up on my book collection because I'm running out of things to read. Anyone have any recommendations? 

Product Review: L'Oreal Renewal Lash Serum

Every time I travel, I have to have a mini shopping spree at the airport. I like looking for products that aren't usually available where I live. On one of my trips, my Mom was at the make up section at Duty Free and I wasn't into make up at the time (yes I just started using make up stop gasping). Then I saw this product sitting there in the corner. It had no box, or instructions. I read lash renewal so I decided to try it out! My eyelashes never were bad, il7amdillah I was blessed with long lashes but at the time they weren't thick and mascara freaks me out because when you use it, it makes your lashes hard and taking it off is gross and I just reallyreallyreally don't like mascara (or foundation but that's another story).

 

(That's the serum, and my summer mani 8a9ib a6al3a :P)

The website says that L'Oreals scientists have been testing this product over a period of 3 years. You're eyelashes fall out over the course of 3 months so this basically keeps them set and allows them to grow. 

I've been using this for about 7 months and it honestly works! My bottom lashes are now equivalent to what my top lashes were like before I started using the product. I decided to share with you guys cause sharing is caring! :D Ditch the mascara and work with what you have! You can find it in the United States (just about any drugstore), Or in the Duty Free in Dubai/England/US airports. 

I Won! The Thailand Bangok Draw :D

So there was this draw on AMA's blog and I won! The best part was seeing my name on that teeny tiny piece of paper! I got the package yesterday morning and the wrapping was really pretty, my happy dance lasted a good 10 minutes! :D Thank you AMA you really made my day!

Dear Salwa Al Mutairy

What the hell is wrong with you? Did your mother drop you on your head when you were born? You're done with the whole marriage issue and now you're making up new Islamic rules?

Salwa Al Mutairy was featured on FOX news to discuss legalizing sex slavery in Kuwait so that instead of having men cheat on their wives.. they could do it legally. She wants to import woman from undeveloped countries and sell them to men.

a) who are you to determine how much a persons life costs

b) cheating is cheating whether it's legal or not

c) she states that a 'slaves' 3awra is from her belly button down.. who the hell are you to preach? 

Remember when she dressed like this

(I can't tell what scares me more.. this or Freddie Krueger) 

d) this is disgusting

e) I can't believe people are taking her seriously

f) the FOX host was rude with the whole 'Allah' thing. He should have substituted Allah with Salwa because that's who's being interviewed with the whack idea.

Facts About Sleeping

Summer hasn't been that great but the best part of it is that I've been getting almost 4-5 hours of sleep a day! :D (that's really good). For some reason, I sleep better in the sun! So I try tan/sleeping, except my skin is kind of impossible and I haven't gotten that much darker but at least i'm getting some rest! So I found this chart about what happens when you sleep and I thought it was really interesting so I decided to share! The last *1 in 50 teenagers wet their bed* Is hilarious! 

Daily Inspiration

So lately I've been obsessing with names. What if your parents gave you a different name. Would you have a different personality? Would you look different? Do our names have anything to do with how things work out for us? I can't stop thinking about names! I was really bored and everyone was sleeping so I started going through my Dads office. And I found a poem in my name.

 'To My Granddaughter Rawan' 

It was really cool finding it because I didn't even know it existed! It almost decayed when I held it from how old it was. I really hope I can live up to all it says.

Daily Inspiration

So a reader emailed me and pointed out that I haven't been posting any 'Daily Inspirations' in a while and sent me this which just about made my day! :D 

It's not that I haven't been inspired lately, I've just been lazy :P

I'm sorry! If anyone else has any requests or anything email me! I won't bite!

Now for today's inspiration...

Out Of Time

Today was crazy hectic! I went to a bunch of random places and discovered some cool things. First thing in the morning I went to get my transcript from school (joy -_-). Then I went to the Avenues with a friend and had breakfast at Carribou after getting my sandwich from Au Bon Pain http://sunshinekuwait.blogspot.com/2010/11/went-shopping-today.html . I'm basically obsessed with it and lucky for me when I go I don't even have to place an order, I love how they automatically know what I want! After I went home I stopped by the jam3eeya (co-op) to buy random things (I tend to do go a lot, I like buying my own things). So I decided to buy the ingredients and try to make my own panini! :D 

Barbeque Sauce

Onions (carmelize them or else they'll be gross)

Shredded chicken

Cheese (whatever you like)

The actual Panini! (I got the ma6a7in ones)

To carmalize the onions:

*cut them up into slices/shreds

*Take a pan and add olive oil (wait for it to heat up)

* Add the onions and add a tsp of sugar (hence why they call em carmalized)

*Stir fry till they turn darker and slightly see through

Then when your done. Stack the chicken,cheese and onions on a plate and stick them in the microwave. You shouldn't microwave the entire sandwich or else the bread gets soggy. Then add mayo and barbecue sauce.

The result:

My family really liked it and said it was good. I personally thought the onions were under cooked but that's just me being picky :P

Anyways moving on! I decided I needed more books to read but I didn't want to go to Jarir or Thaat ilSalasil so I went to Al Muthana complex because I heard there was a bookstore there. It was my first visit to Muthana, I thought it was kinda ghetto :P I got lost inside and I saw...

A random shoe store where that was their phone! I just burst out laughing because the guy that worked in the store was a middle aged bald man and he was using that to talk! It was hilarious!

Then out of pure curiosity I went in here...

Every teachers paradise and every students hell. I found some of the tacky posters they had up at school.

But this made up for it :

I spent a good 5 minutes laughing like an idiot. lol I know it's not that funny I was sleep deprived and at the time I would have laughed at my own reflection.

Then I found the bookstore! :D

It wasn't that bad but it was extremely unorganized. They didn't have books by the authors I read and I saw this funny stand with the cheeziest books ever!

I guess I'll just stick to ordering from Amazon. But I decided today that there's a lot of uncovered ground in Kuwait that I need to explore so... when I get my license i'm taking a road trip across Kuwait! :D

Keep Calm And..

A friend of mine made this and it cracked me up! Reminds me of when you see Arabs traveling with their coffee kit. Thought I'd share. To all my foreign readers, It just says Keep Calm And Drink Your Coffee. The thing on the top is the 'Dala' which is what Arabs use to pour their coffee from. 

June 1. 2011

Today's date is one that I will nevereverneverEver forget! I finally graduated! Right now I kinda feel intoxicated from all the bright lights and flashes. I still can't really see clearly!
At first, I admit I wasn't really feeling it. It didn't really sink in until I carpooled with my friends! I can proudly say that no one fell.fainted.threwup.passedout.or.messedup! :D
Even though we all kept imagining scenarios where we would :P


The speeches were touching, everyone looked beautiful, the ballroom was stunning, the cat walk was magazine worthy, and the crowd was amazing! 
I have never been this happy in my life! It feels like I actually accomplished something! The look on my Dad's face, my Mothers tears; all meant the world to me. For the first time ever... I cried happy tears! lol
I'm the first female to graduate from my Moms side so this was a really big thing for her side of the family. I had some family members fly in from the UAE! :D
Fahad Al Kubaisy (the guy that sings il7ub asrar) sang our song and it was ok (i'm not going to lie and say it was awesome because I honestly couldn't hear most of it). I'm still dizzy from everything that happened so I'm going to keep this brief. It was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! :D

The stage

Taytay smiling when she saw me up there. This made me cry like a baby :P

The stage again

I don't know what that is but I thought it was cute!

The gown (I know I look like a nurse :P )

The best part was when I got home. The presents :P  I got a new laptop and they gave me money just in case I didn't like the laptop and wanted to buy something else! Il7amdillah this has been a great week for my family. I graduate from high school. My brother graduates from middle school. And my baby sister graduates from kindergarten!