Henna time
Category: Henna/Tattoos, Walk of life
My cousins were here visiting after some, 14 years I think. And like most visits, there’s always a henna “session” where all the girls (mostly) just gather at someone’s place and have henna applied on their hands. Except, this time it was after a party. I did it for my cousin and her daughter. My other cousin did it for my baby sister and my baby sister did it for my niece (a flower + sun on one hand, and a super cute car on the other). Unfortunately, I don’t have the photos for the henna designs that day right now.
But since then, I’ve been applying it on my mom, my sister (albeit forcibly) and myself.
I really do love this nameless henna brand. It’s a shame I can’t get it anywhere else other than this boutique that’s about 30 mins away. It dyes the deepest red and has a really nice fragrance. The best part is that the color gets darker as the hours and days go by until you’re plain scared by the near-black design that’s dyed into your skin.
And I have photos (have you noticed how I love posting photos?). All of them redirect to my flickr account.
… And apparently, this is all the time I can spare on *this* break. I must escape the death glare.
Eid Mubarak
Category: Islam, Walk of life
Its Bakrid again. I remember blogging about it last year, here. To quote:
“Eid ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, or “Feast of Sacrifice”. It marks the end of Hajj or holy pilgrimage to Mecca (for those who don’t know). Usually on this day, muslims offer the Eid prayer and then make a ‘Qurban’ or sacrifice. It could be either a goat, a lamb or a camel and then give the meat to charity, family, friends and relatives (each having their own specific requirements).
I know some people would find it cruel sacrificing an animal. But we do it to show our obedience and love to Allah. The day also remembers an event in the past when Prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham, alaihi wassalaam) was commanded by Allah to sacrifice his son to show his love for Him. There are similar stories, as such, in Christianity or Jewish literature, but the versions vary.”
.. he never sacrificed his son, and instead a goat. I’m sure you’ll find the story familiar.
And it’s new years.. so Eid Mubarak to all my muslim friends and a Happy New Year!
Eid recapped
Category: Islam, Walk of life
Day before yesterday was Eid. It was really really fun dressing up. Must have been the highlight of the day because we wouldn’t stop joking around and making fun. My sisters and my brother and I were up the night before doing some last minute cleaning, putting on henna and getting everything ready for Eid. On Eid we have this special Eid prayer after which we wish everyone Eid Mubarak.
My mom made sheer kurma which I absolutely love. It’s an Indian/Pakistani delicacy made out of milk and samiya/bambinos. It’s tradition to make it especially on Eid. But when you go house to house meeting people, you tend to get sick of eating the same thing..
After my brother came back from Eid prayer at the masjid with his friends, people started coming over to meet us. In the mean time, everyone was getting ready to go out and meet relatives. I think we did that until 1-ish, meeting relatives from my dad’s side of the family. And then we came back home, and got ready to leave to meet my mom’s side of the family. They live an hour or so away, my mom wanted to spend the rest of the day there (since my dad wasn’t here).
There, my uncle kept cracking jokes and throwing hilarious questions at us .. making us laugh for God so long. Lunch wasn’t ready yet so him and some of my other cousins went out to get some samose, egg puffs, chips.. loads of junk food. We sat down to watch a movie, Angrez ..something (indian movie, but in English)… that’s when I dozed off along with my sisters and some of my cousins (the movie was actually hilarious but the stress got to us). We woke up in time to eat some awesome biryani and chicken <33.
I didn’t get to talk to my dad. I talked to him when it was Eid for him but not for us (Eid was on Monday for most of the middle east and the US, but on wednessday for India/Pakistan). I didn’t get alot of Eidi either (it’s a tradition to give money on Eid as presents), but then again, my dad hasn’t said anything about it yet, so there’s something to look forward to.
All in all this Eid was okay, prolly better than last Eid because my cousins and their family are here visiting, so it was fun.
We live in a messed up world..
Category: Conversations, Walk of life
I was happily studying when my friend IMs me with something I just couldn’t ignore..
Shalu just sent you a Nudge!
Shalu: asma have u dissected cats
<[[ælyи]]>: WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
<[[ælyи]]>: are you insane!
<[[ælyи]]>: you can’t do that its not legal!
Shalu: you have never disected cats?
<[[ælyи]]>: or ETHICAL
<[[ælyи]]>: NO
<[[ælyи]]>: i dont want to either
Shalu: wierd
<[[ælyи]]>: did you?
Shalu: we do in highschoolfor biology
<[[ælyи]]>: your highschool needs to be sent to court
Shalu: pregnant cats actually
<[[ælyи]]>: WHATT
Shalu: even in college
<[[ælyи]]>: how can youuu
Shalu: u dissect cats
<[[ælyи]]>: nooo you dont girl
<[[ælyи]]>: its rabbits and frogs and cockroaches and earthworms
<[[ælyи]]>: NOT CATS
<[[ælyи]]>: it’s so inhuman to dissect ANY animal
Shalu: we dissected frogs and worms to
<[[ælyи]]>: a pregnant cat? WTH.. she carries her babies around for what? months only to end up on the dissection table with her guts spilled out and her babies dead?
<[[ælyи]]>: that’s messed up
Shalu: i didnt take bio II, but if i did, u have to dissect a cat
Shalu: im suprised u didnt know
Shalu: you can keep the dissected cats too
<[[ælyи]]>: dissecting rabbits is so hard to accept, and I’ve had cats around for ages, I WOULD NEVERRR ACCEPT THAT
<[[ælyи]]>: really? and what are we gonna do w/them? stuff them up and put them on display?
Shalu: i dont know
Shalu: i never did itttttt
Shalu: you have a partner and u share a cat between the two
Shalu: i remember ppl getting all anxious on those days
<[[ælyи]]>: stopppp
Shalu: and the hallway would smell like formaldhyde
She’s currently being ignored. Back when I had to do something like that to do, it was frogs or cockroaches or earthworms.. but dear Lord, CATS?!?! It’s so CRUEL!!! and STUPID and alsayoifysgslrtywioetu
I should stop here or else I’ll go ranting. 21 days to the exam! Thanks for all those encouraging comments. -hugs-