Here it is:

A compilation of my learnings from school, work, life etc in an attempt to bring about choices and reduce enforcements.

http://obnoxiouse.blogspot.com/

Random ramblings...

Ok so I'm back in TO. Had an amazing welcome from Imran who spick and spanned up our place and did alot of minor changes.

Our apartment has had an overhaul. Imran put up our new curtains... bright and daringly orange along with blue. We bought the blue ones for the living room and orange for eesa's, but now love em together. He re-did the front enterance tiling and turned our store room into an office for me by allowing electrical access by pulling in wires from the washroom next door. He's added rods into our closet and made it more space efficient.

ever since i've come back, we've been in massive cleaning phase. i pulled out all the caulk in the washroom around the walls, toilet and tub and filled it with some newer and brighter white caulk. for those in pak, we've got major power struggles with mildew in our washrooms here. and over the years, all the caulk turns brownish grey coz of mildew and loooks dirty regardless of how much you scrub it. we dropped by Canadian Tire, so i picked up some caulk refill and attacked the washroom. nayma (my youngest sis) helped by painting the walls. i LOVE the new, brighter and cleaner look.

while i was in pak, someone got me these really cute spirally shower curtain hooks. i asked HB to get me two more packs fo those(gonna use those for curtains in the bedroom later on). i put those up with bright green shower curtains in our washroom. they look FABliscious. i got a pale green watering can(lota) from ikea, along with the green saxan rug and orange curvy vases and orange towels to gift the washroom a bright uplift. (can u tell im going orange crazy?)

apart from all that and the unpacking and all the other million and one things, i've started school again. totally loving it. i'll be starting a new blog about my feminism aspect of things from school... should get it roolling soon enough inshaAllah.

nehoo! me gone!
l8rz!

To do:

- Return maryam's TTC token

- Call Atiqa

- Call sharmin

- Call mama, amma and nano0o

- mail out declaration forms

- visit wallie

- visit ikea : get shower curtains, patio chairs, lota, rods and panels

- clean bedside drawers

- move chest of drawers from eesi's closet into bedroom

- catch up on reading/hwk

- paint washroom and office

- clear out eesa's closet for mum n dad

- grocery

- storage bins

- hang eesa's clothes

- bake fudge cake for naymz

soooo much to do. such little time to do it!

im at home...

yet i can hear the adhan and khutbah!

I can see men clad in crisp white shalwar qameez heading off to the masjid.

SubhanAllah!

You're no longer a tourist to Karachi when...

1. Beggars, sabzi wala, ruddi paper wala and other such hawkers become a part of the scenery
2. The stories of the beggars arent heart wrenching anymore and u stop handing out money
3. You SMS more than you talk on your cell
4. People rolling down their windows to throw out trash doesnt bother you anymore.
5. You entertain to eat and eat to entertain
6. You know the difference between aashiana and gulf - and can actually give directions to both!
7. You buy Ikea catalogues from guys at the traffic light; a book otherwise handed out free at Ikea stores abroad and a store that doesnt even exist here.
8. You don't feel guity about having domestic help do work for you
9. Sweeping and mopping means maids squatting
10. You say your T's really strong, roll ur r's, use w instead of v and sentences have a rhythm to them - with a strong emphasis on the last word.. !! (yes! imo insists i sound ultra desi when we spk over the phone!)

Trying to find me..

The last three months have been amazing. I've ventured through cities, trying to scutinize them under a microscope, trying to pick out flaws, trying to grow myself, trying to admire-love-and-hate!

As my vacation begins to end, I end many old beginnings. I cement certain beliefs in affirmation and pledge to plough away others in disgust.

I know I've said it many times, but i cant say it enough. I miss imo. I'm a firm believer in having a marriage the complements two individuals. Being married, doesnt mean we have to leave behind our lives prior to marriage - instead we build up on each other's lives. It's been tough being without Imz but its been yet another moment for both of us to step back, reasses and re-align ourselves and our marriage. I seem to miss the most meagre-ist of things abt him. Even tho I'm being thoroughly pampered by my fam, I miss the way he pampers me sooo silly - perhaps only so i'm too spoilt for anyone else! Things that bugged me before, I miss them like crazy now. I miss the way he left his clothes all over the house once he came home from work or the way his laptop wires would be stretched out across the room or that his socks would invariably end up on my side of the bed- somehow! I miss his clutter. I miss his chili dogs, his pasta and all those whack fusioned dishes! But i've learnt. I've learnt that life is tough without him . I've learnt I need to thank more often for the blessings i take for granted. I've learnt i need to appreciate him more.

My visit to Mumbai was very, very heart wrenching. I saw people sleeping on hawker carts. I saw people sleeping under them. I saw women cooking on charcoal. I saw people living such simple lives, but with so much joy that it made me realize w create problems for ourselves. Nothing is a big deal. We make it a big deal. There are sooo many other, bigger problems out there and compared to those problems, our troubles are luxuries. YET, we arent happy.

During my trip, I saw women. I met women. I saw them from a western eye. I saw them from an eastern eye. I saw them from an islamic eye. It bothers me. It bothers me soooo much. From every angle, every perspective. I'm just bubbling inside, almost screaming. I wish..! I've learnt I'm blessed and I need to work harder. I'm cringing inside to leave TO and work on women here. Compared to the rights i'm fighting for there, women here have NOTHING.

I've learnt ... and I'm learning! More updates as i realize!

Karachi Realization 256 and 257..

256. EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING, revolves around food! You'll find restaurants of everytype and they seem to be the main source of entertainment here.

257. Religion is a joke!

Random nothings - yet again!

Ok gals, so here's an update from down under!

1. i got a wisdom tooth removed. *ouch*. ok so the process was painfree... there was pressure and lots of crunchy sounds, but no pain apart from the anesthesia needle. But boy does it hurt NOW.

2. Karachi is... well, cute! Im living on main roads and the honking is endless, however, i love standing by the window every so often and just watch cars go by.. each heading towards their own destination, with a direction in mind. I wish karachi-ites were that goal oriented in general/daily life!

3. I was surprised to note that pakis in pakiland are more punctual than pakis in TO! haha! i met a few friends for coffee this morning - and they were only 15-20 mins late. I headed out for lunch and the hosts arrived only 15 min after we did! woow!

4. i find karachi-ites ever so cute. today i learnt that there is a place called botal gali and ppl go there to buy bottle!! :O:O!! AND!!! chk this out... ppl actually watch paki movies AND take field trips there!!!!!!!!!

5. I met women who were almost 7 yrs older than me and totally comfy with their marital status. What a relief! NOT all singles are insecure!

6. i went to al-habib for dinner today. worst service ever! sooo ghettoo -literally! the food rocked but the waiters were rude and the place was out of crockery. they kept stealing glasses from our tables despite being told again and again that we need them!

7. bird flu HAS scared ppz in pak. nando's was empty for dinner yest! :O:O *which reminds me i have to take back bottles of peri peri sauce!*

8. i mich imo :( i know i sound like a chipku (stuck by the hip) wife, but i miss having my routine. i miss being able to do random nothings with imo. i still have my goals for 2006 to fulfill! Eesa has started to be randomly cranky and is becoming cranky!

9. Read this article recently. It's been bothering me sooo much. Where's the islam y'all? http://hotzone.yahoo.com/b/hotzone/blogs2986

10. Been seeing alll these funky green lights all around for eid miladunnabi (birth of prophet). half the town cant afford AC's, the other 30% doesnt even have electricity and the remaining that do, live at the mercy of KESC (i think that is the electrical municipality). WHackos! all this drama in the name of religion! get me evidence that this was done in the life of the prophet pbuh (if it was imp, hed definitely have taught us), or get me evidence any of ht ecalipphs did it or that any of his immediate companions did it!

ok im getting emotional now! so better sign out!
lub y'all loadz!
shez