Blog Awards!

Sara, a lucky lady who lives in one of the most beautiful places in the world, has presented me with this fabulous award!   I can’t explain how happy and proud I feel when a reader (who then becomes a friend) appreciate my blog and thinks of me when giving out a blog award.  Thank you so much, dear sis *hugs*

Check this out!

Rules of the Award:

• List five current obsessions.
• Pass the award on to five more fabulous blogs.
• On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.
• When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well.
• Don’t forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by leaving a comment on their blog.

My 5 Current Obsessions (in no particular order):

1.  Photography

This is an all-time obsession.  Though I often forget my cellphone at home, I always remember to bring my camera.  Whenever I go somewhere, specially for the first time, I feel – sometimes – as if I’m taking so many photographs that I am not enjoying the place myself.  It’s like I’m behind the lens ALL the time!  I truly appreciate my husband for his patience; he can wait forever while I take pictures.

2.  Sightseeing

I pretend being a tourist everywhere I go – even on my way to work each day.  I love looking at my surroundings, absorbing each and every detail, and committing them to memory.  And before going some place new, I like reading about it first.  Before we went to visit the Agra Fort, for example, I spent hours reading about the place so when I was actually there, I felt history come alive.

3.  Falooda

I can’t have enough of Falooda!  Back in Karachi, whenever an aunt or cousin takes me shopping, they know I must have my falooda.  Unfortunately, faloodas here in the UAE don’t taste as good as those available back home, but I still have them nevertheless, just not as frequently as I would in Karachi.

4.  Saris

A sari is something I thought I’d never wear because … well … it’s not easy to manage 6-7 meters of fabric!  But things changed when I visited India for the first time and saw all these women looking so beautiful and graceful in saris.  I started obsessing about saris!  When we visited Hyderabad three months ago, all I wanted to do was shop for saris -  and that’s what I did.  And I’ve worn only saris to all the parties I have attended since returning back to the UAE.  My mother in law will be coming to Dubai during the first week of September, inshaAllah, and she’s bringing more saris for me.  I’m so excited!

5.  United Arab Emirates

I’ve come to love this country so much that I can’t imagine living anywhere else right now.  Just the thought of leaving this country some day breaks my heart.  I love so many things about this country:  the masjids, people, parks, malls, buildings, roads, internet speed, grocery shopping, driving, lights, abayas, desert safaris, restaurants, cleanliness, and safety.  But most importantly, my family is here.  For me this is home.

I’m giving this award to the following fabulous blogs (in no particular order):

Uneekmuslimah

Shahrazad

Digital Niqabi (blog written by two fabulous sisters)

Alisha

Umm Travis

I wanted to share this award with so many more fabulous bloggers who I look forward to reading every day.  But the rule said “five” and I’ll stick to that (reluctantly).

UPDATE (Aug 28)

Hajar has just given me with this awesome “Adorable Blog” Award!  Thank you, girl!

The 10 Honest Things About Me

Here’s the deal to do the Honest Tag:  tell your readers 10 things about you that they may or may not know, but are true. Tag ten people and be sure to let them know they’ve been tagged (a quick comment on their blog will do). Don’t forget to link back to the blogger who tagged you.

Ten Honest Things About Me (in no particular order):

1. I trust people very easily.
2. Every time I look into my husband’s eyes, I fall in love – head over heels – all over again.
3. Whenever my driving instructor gives me abrupt orders while I’m behind the wheel, I end up turning the wiper on instead of the indicator lamps.
4. I never refuse pasta or seafood.
5. I’ve recently overheard the most beautiful remark from my mother in law:  “Not every girl is like our Nadia.”  (We’re looking for a bride for my brother in law actually).
6. Whenever I try to save money to buy an SLR, something always comes up.
7. I am already planning for our annual vacation – for next year – somewhere quiet and romantic.
8. Having me as a wife has – based on my careful observation – immensely increased my husband’s level of patience.
9. I cry at least once a month, mostly on trivial matters.  But I believe it’s healthy because it helps cleanse my eyes.
10. As I type this, I feel immensely blessed (alhumdulillah).

Umm Travis, thank you for this fun tag;  I had a great time coming up with this list.

I’m going to tag (in no particular order):

1. Sabiha
2. Sara
3. Shahrazad
4. Masood
5. Haris
6. Humaira
7. Behbood
8. Falakk
9. Frozeefa
10. Nisa

Reflection

Winter in Boston – taken by Masood in December ‘07

I regularly take time out to reflect, to renew the promises I make to myself and to remind myself of my goals.  So I am actually glad that Mubi has tagged me in this meme that has allowed me to reflect once again.  So here it goes:

As long as I hold onto my faith in Allah as my creator, Ar Rahmaan (the most Compassionate) and Ar Raheem (the Merciful) , I will always live life with a note of hope that I am on the right path and that my prayers are being answered.  With Him as my Al Waliyy (the Protecting Friend), I know that I am never alone.

And to please Him, I want to be a better Muslimah.  It is only then that I can become a better person, daughter, sister, and wife.   It has often become habitual for me to notice the shortcomings more than the blessings.   I want to change that perspective and express my gratitude to Him in every manner possible, InshaAllah.

One of the several ways to show my gratitude to Allah, Ar Razzaq (the Ever Providing), is to love myself, for I am nothing but His creation.  And I will only be able to do so if I learn to appreciate the qualities that I have been blessed with.  I fill my heart with love and only then can I spread this love to the people I care about.

My husband and I are best friends.  He knows me very well and I trust him with my life.  I have few very good friends, but I’m just not comfortable sharing the details my personal life with them.  With friends, there’s a limit on what I share and what I don’t, but with Masood, I’m sure that my secret’s safe.

I make resolutions throughout the year, mostly mental notes.  I don’t believe in creating a long list of resolutions at the start of a year;  that doesn’t seem to work for a lot of us anyway.  If I want a change in myself, to improve myself or to achieve something in life, why wait for a new year?

Worldly achievements are temporary, regardless of how great they may be.  There is an end to everything in this dunya.

To make a difference, it is necessary that I set good examples myself.

With that, I’d love to tag, in no particular order:

Masood, because I think today, January 3,  is a good day for him to reflect.

Umm Travis, because I love her insights on life and Islam.

Sabiha, who is going to post her resolution list soon.  So why not start with this meme?

Aadil, my brother who’s a brilliant wordsmith, MashaAllah.

Nisa, who I hopefully try to pull out of hibernation again.

Please use the emboldened words as a guide to continue this tag post.

Scattergories Fun

Mubi, with Scarlet Wings and Golden Pages, has tagged me to play this very interesting game.

RULES:   IT’S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS!
TAG 10 (I’m doing five, sorry) PEOPLE INCLUDING THE ONE THAT SENT THIS TO YOU.

- USE THE 1ST LETTER OF YOUR NAME TO ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
- THEY HAVE TO BE REAL PLACES, NAMES,THINGS. NOTHING MADE UP!
- TRY TO USE DIFFERENT ANSWERS IF THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU HAD THE SAME 1ST INITIAL.
- YOU CAN’T USE YOUR NAME FOR THE BOY/GIRL NAME QUESTION.

1. What is your name:  Nadia

2. A 4 Letter word:  Nice

3. A Boys Name:   Nadeem

4. A Girls Name:  Nisa

5. An Occupation:  Neurosurgeon

6. A Color:   Navy blue

7. Something you wear:   Necklace, a delicate gold chain gifted by Masood.

8. A Beverage:  Nestea

9. A Food:   Nihari

10. Something found in the bathroom:   Nivea lotion

11. A place:   Naples

12. A Reason for being late:  Need more sleep.

13. Something you shout:   Not again!

I’M GOING TO TAG:

Jussaemon

Masood

Mubi – the lovely lady who tagged me.

Nisa

Niyaz

Sabiha

My Bucket List and A Cool Award

Who would have thought that a simple, innocent-looking bucket could be associated with death?  Well, not that my bucket list literally translates into my death list!  My bucket list would then be, more appropriately, a list of things that I would like to accomplish before I kick the bucket. Funny phrase.  Since when did someone die as a result of kicking a bucket?

I actually Googled this up and found that the link between buckets and death was made by at least 1785, when the phrase was defined in Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue:  “To kick the bucket, to die.”

One theory as to why, albeit with little evidence to support it, is that the phrase originates from the notion that people hanged themselves by standing on a bucket with a noose around their neck and then kicking the bucket away.

Why such a fuss over a bucket list?  Well, that’s because my lovely sister, Umm Travis, has tagged me into this game.  Here’s the rule:

“Simply state any number of goals you want to achieve in the next 8-10 years. Let them be small goals, big goals, silly goals. It is always nice to think about a bucket list, write it down, and share it. But most importantly, tag others to do the same when you are done.”

Okay, now back to my bucket list.  I have, Alhumdulillah, covered most of the items on my bucket list, which I had mentally prepared several years ago.  Henceforth, my list would include:

1.  Perform hajj

2.  Have and raise well-mannered and God-fearing children.

3.  See all the seven wonders of the world with my husband.

4.  Take my parents abroad with my own money.

5.  Own a home with a beautiful garden.

The list is actually quite long, but I’d rather stop here least I bore you all.  Also, this tag is open to all my delightful readers.  Just link back and let me know that you’ve posted your bucket list, so I remember to stop by and take a look.

And now, for the award.

See that cool award?  Oh yes, I just received that!  When I started blogging, I had never thought that people would actually spend time reading what I am posting, let alone think my blog is cool.  So this award really means a lot to me.  Thank you so much, Umm Travis for this beautiful award.

I would love to pass on this Butterfly Award to the coolest blogs that I read regularly.  Honestly, all the blogs that are listed in my Friends page are equally cool for me, that’s why they’re there in the first place.  So guys, this award is for you!  Feel free to paste this cool award in your blog and pass the coolness around!