Eight… off the top of my head!

Too many people tagged me, and I just can’t ignore it anymore!

My answers are random and in no specific order.

Knock yourselves out!


Things I’m looking forward to…

1- A vacation… not just from work, but also from all my responsibilities
2- A recovery from my disc… I can almost hear my physiotherapist’s laugh!
3- D’s return to Egypt… should have put that one first since it’s the soonest and most likely to happen :)
4- Re-decorating my room… I still haven’t gotten to that, ya mossahel!
5- The raise I was promised at work… R said it was expected by June; however, I am not sure if it really happened or it was one of my work-related dreams!
6- Meeting with some of the gals from my old work… they’re shaken up about my divorce!
7- More friends visiting from the states, and my friend from Canada…
8- Enrolling my Beem in sport/music classes or both!

Things I did yesterday

1- Took the kids to the pool with their dad… my mocha is such a kitten!
2- Held myself back from swearing at the x for bringing tanning oil instead of sunscreen for the boys!
3- Had to endure his singing along with Esseily’s new CD (what is that load of crap btw?)
4- Finally told him to stop having small talk that involved his girlfriends and acquaintances…
5- Talked to a friend… (or was that the day before??!)
6- Met with a friend… who actually made it early, luckily so did I!
7- Ate yoghurt with coconut… that’s actually something since I hate milk and I’m not a big fan of yoghurt!
8- Felt sleepy all of a sudden to the extent that I asked baby sis to come tuck me in, switch on the a/c, switch off the lights, and close the door because I could barely get out of bed!

Things I wish I could do

1- Feel fresh air brushing through my hair…
2- Travel to Turkey and Lebanon for a week and do things my way…
3- Have my own personal time to do what I want without ignoring my kids… perhaps when they grow up a bit
4- See those I love who are no longer there… I would settle for dreaming of them
5- Have the guts to color my hair!
6- Stop stress-eating
7- Walk on daily basis
8- (there is something I had in mind and I know it was BIG, only I can’t remember it! Barakatak yally fe baly!)

Shows I watch

1- Grey’s Anatomy… I HATED their season finale, makanetsh talbaha ghamm!
2- Private Practice… I don’t even want to comment on the last episode I’ve watched!
3- Frasier… I’m in S08 now and enjoying :)
4- Dirty Sexy Money… Anyone knows if there will be a S03 and when??
5- Everybody Loves Raymond… Just downloaded all eight seasons and plan on watching them once I’m done with Frasier
6- Sex and the City… I am contemplating downloading the seasons I never watched and catch up, just not sure if I want to!
7- Scrubs… I finished all eight seasons :)
8- I think that was too much TV already!

Things I like

1- Flowers… cliché I know, but I can’t help it
2- Jazz… nothing is as uplifting!
3- Hanging out with friends… best mood booster ever!
4- My boys when they’re quiet and cuddly… they’re just amazingly cute!
5- The scent of vanilla and that of Turkish coffee… that’s basically why I always have vanilla splash in my purse and must have Turkish coffee at least once a day!
6- Horses… I just can’t get over how beautiful those creatures are!
7- Movies about previous centuries, of course given that they are good productions and acting!
8- Profiterole… we ba7ebek aw ya rasha for getting me some akher marra!

Things I dislike (I decided to add that one instead of tagging eight people since everyone is being tagged... AND I had the urge to share the things I dislike that kept coming to mind while doing the tag)

1- Going to doctors’… I really like my physiotherapist but I still hate going
2- Yelling at my kids… I do that a lot recently!
3- The scent of pesticides… mama rashet 3ashan el naml!
4- Ignorance and lack of responsibility… I just came from the club and people are just… frustrating!
5- Police officers, and specifically the high-ranked pieces of shit who stand in the streets and terrorize people, 2al eh beynazamo el moroor! *insert sheteema*
6- Being asked to do favors… I believe I should do things because I feel like it, not because someone asks me!
7- Standing in lines… and I just hate when someone tries to stand in front of me, I become a complete b****
8- Family obligations… keyword “obligations” not “family”!

We kol tag wento tayebein!

My Dirty Laundry

I’ve been tagged on FB by so many people. For obvious reasons, I think it’s safer to share it here hidden behind partial anonymity; after all, my two sisters and two cousins are the only family I have aware of this blog which does not begin to compare to my FB friends list.

So here goes nothing…

1. Barely anyone knows all there is to know about me; each person –no matter how close- knows a piece of me. Of course they have a general idea about what they don't know. Let's put it this way, it won't be a great idea if I sit all those people together and leave them alone for enough time to swap information! No, it has nothing to do with being mysterious, it's just the way it is and I have no idea why!

2. My best friend and I wanted to plan a trip to Bermuda before we got married. By Bermuda, I mean the Bermuda Triangle; we wanted to find out what it was about and we wanted to disappear. She always said I was the one who bailed out on her since I got married first, well, I am almost single now!

3. I never smoked a cigarette. My two attempts plus my shisha attempt included endless coughing and trying to spit air, not to mention a minor vomit incident!

4. I talk to myself all the time. When I was little I had a twin, an older brother, and a bunch of friends, all imaginary! I still remember most of their names. I was an only child for four years and a half; I had to keep myself entertained!

5. I hated my younger sister. I hated her less when we had our baby sister, because baby sis was too darn annoying. Then I divided the hate equally between them. Then one day I woke up to find that I am madly in love with both!!! Girl, I can still hate you back so don’t abuse the love.

6. My first crush still makes me smile when I think of him! I really think highly of him; he's about the only guy of whom I did not come to think less. The secret is I never really got to know him better, but from a distance, he still seems perfect!

7. I never dyed my hair! Ok, I once tried a really dark red, but it barely showed at all, and last time I wanted to go for a lighter shade of brown but I guess I was allergic to the dye and I jumped into the shower the moment it itched. This concludes that my hair has been the same color all my life!

8. I am open-minded to almost all sorts of food as long as it's finely cooked and that its main ingredient is not one that I completely dislike. Of course I had a long hate-list growing up, but I am over it. However, I still hate my mother's cooking and any similar cooking (too much water, barely any salt).

9. I have OCD when it comes to how my hands smell. In my cooking days, it took me too much time to finish a meal because I washed my hands between every task and kept smelling it! I always carry hands gel because I hate cream and its greasy feel; problem is it leaves my sensitive skin rather dry.

10. My defense mechanism when I am intimidated by someone is to intimidate them twice as much! You can only imagine what my defense mechanism is like when I feel disliked by someone!

11. I hate weddings, with passion! I hated my own wedding and I was literally forced to have one by my dad! The only two weddings I have on my to-attend list are my sisters', that is if they ever get married.

12. Strong fragrances give me a headache and make me too noxious. This is why I prefer light perfumes, and even better, natural fragrances. Vanilla and cinnamon make it to the top of my list.

13. I barely ever throw up! And no, it's not cool; during both pregnancies I suffered from severe nausea and had constant urges to throw up but never could, unlike all the other pregnant women. When having a food poison, I barely throw up; my stomach fights the natural reaction to nausea thinking it's doing me a favor, it's not!

14. Growing up, I had two sever head traumas. One at the age of 2 or something, and the other at the age of 13. The first one was because my youngest uncle was tossing me in the air and didn't exactly break my fall, it resulted in temporary paralysis, I think it's one of the reasons why I kinda fear heights. The second one was in a car accident and my seatbelt wasn't fastened, my face was deformed for around two weeks until the swelling went away and my face regained its natural color! Every time I look in the mirror, I feel thankful none of it was permanent.

15. Whenever I meet people for the first time, I just sit there saying the least. I just smile and agree or refrain from agreeing. I mostly concentrate on studying the people, their way of speech, their facial expression and the way they interact with one another. People usually get the wrong idea that I am rather quiet and shy; truth is I am only deciding which side of me they shall see.

16. Everything about blood turns my stomach. One of the things that make me cry for no reason. When I got my wisdom teeth pulled (each on a separate occasion of course) I cried. The first dentist made it clear that I was a wimp! The second panicked and thought I was in pain and took twice as much time to stop the bleeding and do the stitches which resulted in even more crying! The one who pulled the last two kissed me on my forehead; he sexually harassed me a few visits after which definitely didn't help with my whole blood phobia!

17. I hate my birthday. For some reason I always expect spectacular events and somehow I always get disappointed and left to the horrid fact that I am one year older.

18. I am very good at pronunciation, even in languages I don't know!

19. I never liked my grandpa from mom's side, and I mean we were on horrible terms.

20. Both times I was pregnant; my only wish was that my baby would be healthy and smart. Alhamdulilah my wish was granted and that makes me eternally grateful.

21. My mind connects dots in a scary way. I can receive irrelevant data on separate and far apart occasions, yet eventually I come to correct conclusions 90% of the time! Thrillers that revolve around a mystery that unfold in the end (movies and books) are not that thrilling because usually I figure it out halfway, this is why I notice and appreciate the details even more. I would like to think it's how my mind makes up for its incompetence with numbers!

22. Despite the above point, my mind blocks out information it should not store; like people's passwords that I might see them type or they give to me to do something for them.

23. I do not wear makeup. I do not completely hate wearing it; I just think I look better without it! Not to mention that I like washing my face too often and I am always putting my hand all over my face to rub my eye(s) or bite my nails (not chop them off, just bite on to them!). Bottom line, I have too much makeup for someone who wears none!

24. I have come to the realization that I generally enjoy old music rather than recent! One of my all time favorites is La Takziby sung by Abdel Wahab, I can listen to it nonstop, ask my sisters!

25. My most brilliant ideas come to me in the shower.

aaaaaand I'm done!

Favourite Colour: shades of blue, ruby red and certain shades of purple!
Favourite Perfume (Guys): Boss Bottle is a classic favorite of mine and sometimes 212, but it mostly depends on the person wearing it!
Favourite Perfume (Girls): J'adore, Curious (I know it's a Britney Spears brand, but it actually smells nice!)
Favourite PJ brand: why wear PJs when you can mix and match?!
Favourite Clothes Brand: No Consistent brand, no brand has uniquely served my taste :)
Favourite Person in the Entire World: ONE PERSON??? No, I have a few and I am not willing to shorten the list… my father, my boys, D, H, my close friends... are you kidding?!
Favourite Country: Italy (looks like a popular choice)
Favourite Car: I am not a car maniac, but I like Jaguar's elegance
Favourite Sport: none; too lazy to play any and can't see the point of watching!
Favourite Sports Player: n/a
Favourite Spot in the World: in the world?! When I check out the whole world, I'll make up my mind (and then change it)
Favourite Animal: Horses (I wish I were a horse)
Favourite Movie: too many to list, but I generally like dramas that make me reflect and I am not much for happy endings...
Favourite Singer: too many to list, TOO MANY!!!
Favourite Day of the Week: Friday... especially the mornings, you can drive all over Cairo abl el sala! AND, it's the one day of the week I can wake up late and stay up late without worrying about work, so much for an insomniac!
Favourite time of the day: night
Favourite holiday season: the time around my friends visit from NA
Favourite number: 2
Favourite food: steak
Favourite chocolate: Lindt Lindor
Favourite Cartoon: Tom & Jerry still cracks me up! I like Shrek too!
Favourite Blogger: too many to list, but basically the regular commenters :)
Favourite Icecream Flavour: anything but mango, and I like the extra stuff in my icecreamlike cookies, dough, choc chips, nuts...
Favourite Mobile Brand: Nokia
Favourite Name: Adam and Layla
Favourite Hobby: talking and learning more about people
Favourite Room in my House: my room, as messy and crowded as it is!
Favourite Fruit: Grapes, Strawberries, Melons, Peaches and Cherries
Favourite Flower: Tulips, Lilies and White Roses
Favourite Qur'an Reciter: I actually prefer my father's voice, it's soothing!
Favourite Ayah: Sooret Yaseen just warms my heart, all of it!
Favourite Website: ahem, all shopping websites make me happy!

Thinking about the future, reluctantly!

So Frustrated and Jessyz tagged me to do the Bucket List for my next 10 years. I am not the kind of person who usually thinks more than two weeks ahead; if anything, two weeks ahead is such an accomplishment! Surprisingly enough, I managed to come up with 13 things I wanted to do; who knew?!!

Oh, and my tagees are: Deeeeeee, Will E., Rasha, Eventuality, Kovs; only if they feel like it, and of course whoever stops by and feels like doing it is most welcomed to...

People, my Bucket List…*

• 
  - Get my divorce finalized, and perhaps settle things in a more civil way (one could only hope)
• 
  - Get the boys in the French school of my preference
• 
  - Work a lot more on my French (really counting the above point would be a motivation for me)
• 
  - Manage by some miracle to become more organized and tidy up my stuff and my kids’
• 
  - Give the boys their private space
• 
  - Manage to establish two-way communication with my boys, so that I can teach them all the good things I think they should learn, and prepare them for achieving their full potential, and I really don’t want them to be momma’s boys, but neither do I want them to be insensitive jerks! (hhhhhaaard job)
• 
  - Have a short trip on my own or with a couple of friends, a euro-tour perhaps… it has to be less than a week because I’d be missing my boys like crazy…
• 
  - Find my passion… I still don’t know what my passion is, and I decided I should take it easy on the looking and wait for it to find me… I have a few things in mind that I would like to try out…
• 
  - Read more
• 
  - Be a better person, as strange as it sounds for someone who does not care much about how people think of her, I would like to know that I have touched the lives of those I care about, in a good way of course; it means a lot to know that I make a difference to those I love
• 
  - Work on my faith practices and do my pilgrimage with the optimum spirituality with which I think it should be done (it’s hard to explain, but it makes sense in my head)
• 
  - Take better care of my health and manage to reduce my bad habits or at least put them under control
• 
  - Meet some, or one of the people whom I respect and have a meaningful discussion (don’t ask about names, none come to mind right now, but I am sure I have a few people in mind, I can’t be that vain!)

* Of course there is an order to that list, only it was hard to come up with one; so this is not the order I think I should go by. Just needed to be clear on that...

I think there is nothing left to say...

Tagged by Deeeeeee

RULES:
1. Put your iTunes/music player on Shuffle,
2. For each question, press the next button to get you answer,
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT!!

After you’ve answered all of the questions, tag 5 other people and then let them know they’ve been tagged to do them themselves.

[if D couldn't help not commenting, I doubt I could!!]

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
Non, Je ne Regret – Edit Piaf
[hehe, I like the sound of that]

2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Lose Yourself - Eminem
[I didn’t even know I had that!! Ooo my kids are dancing to it!!]

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The End of a Love Affair – Billie Holiday
[does this mean I like it when it’s over?!]

4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
People Aint No Good – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds [Shrek 2 OST]
[itunes is telepathic!]

5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Blue Moon – Frank Sinatra
[I love the moon]

6. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Moon Over Burbon Street - Sting
[mmmm]

7. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Unforgettable – Frank Sinatra
[like they would give me the space to forget them!! I say it with luf]

8. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Mishet Khalas – Wael Gassar
[I knew I’d regret having D send me this song]

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Save Me – Bird York [Crash OST]
[only natural!]

10.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
La Vie En Rose – Patricia Kaas
[;)]

11.WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Leave Right Now – Will Young
[thank you very much]

12.WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Sorry – Tracy Chapman (Acoustic)
[now why would I like someone who makes me think that!!]

13.WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Kohl – Kamilya Jubran
[really!!]

14. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
In the Arms of an Angel – Sarah McLachlan [City of Angels OST]
[I actually had to make sure I deleted the songs that played at my wedding!!]

15. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Ode to My Family – The Cranberries
[ok, I’m fine with that]

16.WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Swinging on a Star – Frank Sinatra
[mmm… the mule, the pig, or the fish??? perhaps the monkeys!]

17. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
I’m a Long Way from Home – Shooter Jennings [Walk the Line OST]
[it’s not secret at all :s! first time I ever listened to that song though, I download OSTs a lot but barely spend time to listen]

18.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
I’m no Angel - Dido
[if that’s what I’m telling them, they know…]

19. WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Tangled – Maroon 5
[7ader]

20. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF?
Impossible – Whitney Houston & Brandy [Cinderella OST]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… serves me right for being obsessed with OSTs]


Now, I tag The Caller, Eventuality, Will E, Shimaa, Frustrated

As if I wasn’t quirky enough!

I know it’s a bit late, and I know Kov probably forgot, but here… I won’t write the rules, everyone knows them by now…

• 
  1- I don’t “aghammes”; I eat whatever with a fork/spoon, then take bites of bread! My x used to be embarrassed that his faffy wife eats fool with fork… before anyone makes any related jokes, my dad was the one who taught me that, and he was pretty strict about touching food with our fingers (only thumb and index). Oh, and when I do, I keep sniffing my hands and washing them over and over until I can no longer smell food. No wonder I hated cooking.
  
  2- I am not good with any kind of social protocols we Egyptians seem to excel. I don’t insist that visitors drink something when they visit, I offer sincerely, they say no, I don’t push!! I don’t throw food in their plates during lunch or dinner. I don’t feel comfortable fighting over who gets the bill at a café. And most of all, I am lousy at giving tips; I don’t know how much to give or how to give it, I turn red and I completely avoid eye contact!!
  
  3- I have too vivid an imagination, and not always in a good way, so if I happen to be worked out about something and I am feeling too negative about it, trust me, I live the worst-case scenario in my head, sometimes I cry! I have relived my divorce in my head in so many scenarios so far!
  
  4- I don’t ask people for favors, I don’t know how! And I feel extremely uncomfortable when someone does me a favor or any nice gesture, and it keeps haunting me until I return it.
  
  5- I barely lose touch with my surroundings even in my sleep. It’s not just about insomnia, I am a light sleeper; my mind barely shuts down! If I’m lucky, things that happen around me find their way into my dreams without disturbing me. It’s worth saying I am not always that lucky!
  
  6- I have an extraordinary ability of blocking painful things away from my memory and not reacting to them at the moment; this is how I survived the past two years! Problem is, sometimes my mind stops performing that task when I am exhausted and it’s like you pulled the plug on your freezer; a serious meltdown of unpleasant thoughts!
  

There Kov, you can’t say I don’t keep my word, the tag is done :)

Oh, and if you feel like doing this tag, be my guest, just leave me a comment so that I can check it out.

Shaking things up…

Everyone is having a rather longer weekend… some people with lives traveled and enjoyed some change of scenery, while some others are too lazy to make plans… I am one of the lazy ones; so I had the time to sit and think of the 10 random things Arima asked for…

But first...


The Rules

• - Post 10 random things about yourself
• - Choose 5 people to tag and a reason you chose each person
• - Leave them each a comment directing them to your blog so they know they are it
• - You can’t tag the person who tagged you (you’ll have to make new friends)
• - As a courtesy to the person who tagged you, please let them know when you have posted so they can have the sheer delight and extra work load of reading your answers)
  
  

My 10 Random Facts

1. I am a Pepsi addict; seriously, I tried quitting, I tried substituting for all other kinds of drinks, nothing worked… I don’t think my bones will age gracefully, do I hear hip replacement at the age of 50!!

2. I am lucky/unlucky for being able to lose/gain weight so easily… either way I suffer financially with the continuous wardrobe changes!!

3. Up until I was 18 or something, I never listened to Arabic songs (except the oldies my dad played in the car during long road trips, when my walkman was busted or simply ran out of battery)… and when I finally did, it was strictly nothing but Fayrouz until a couple of years ago!!

4. I do not pay much attention to most of my properties; one look at my car, laptop and my cell phone, you’d see I am guilty of abuse!! I watch out for other people’s properties thought, I promise!

5. My hands tend to get all hot and sweaty, especially when I am nervous, until they sweat off all the heat and I am left with freezing palms.

6. For someone who has that much perfumes, I am not big on them; I am more of a natural fragrance girl… vanilla is on the top of my list along with berries, country apple, lime and coconut, and light jasmine fragrance… Bath and Body Works stuff are simply the best and The Body Shop is overrated!

7. As articulate as I can be at times, I find it extremely hard to say the words I mean the most; words that reflect sincere authentic emotions just make me stutter… I think I have emotional paralysis… it got a lot worse thanks to my x.

8. As much as I don’t seem to react properly to advice, I actually listen! When it’s good advice from people whom I value their opinion, it usually keeps haunting me until I do by it!!

9.I have authentic phobia from insects and spiders, I MEAN IT. Idiots who thought it was funny to wave a dead insect in front of me or throw an ant under my shirt scarred me for life that now I see a cockroach and I can start crying hysterically! I am way beyond fixing, so don’t try; it will only scar me some more.

10. Up until I had my kids, I always wanted to die young, I never wanted to turn 50… now that I have them, I wanna wait around until they’re all grown up and not needing me, and then I wanna die before I start getting helpless and sick… I have seen how people can age; it scares the shit out of me to be in that place one day.

The people I tag (in alphabetical order)

• 1. Deeeeeee; A sweet girl who knows how to speak her mind, and has an opinion about almost everything :o)
• 2. Embee; Love the sense of humor and the sarcasm; I just never get a chance to comment enough!
• 3. Gun Barrel Klashnikov; He’s bound to say something that is good arguing material; I just love that (hehe)… Everyone here knows about your Godfather obsession though, so different facts please :p
• 4. Nora; One of the sweetest most kind hearted people I have ever dealt with, God bless her :o)
• 5. Ragin Raven; His blog is always a good read, and he likes Edgar Allan Poe; does it get any darker!!
  

Come on people, don’t be shy!

Outsmarted and Tagged!

I was gonna pretend I didn’t read fad’s blog and ignore the tag, but he tracked me and sent the tag to my blog (very smart!)

And so, I am tagging all those who read my answer, if they feel like it since I try to not be pushy or anything… (yeah right)…

So here it goes…

1- What is your blog name?

My Oblivia--- a made up word from Oblivion

My screen name however is Insomniac

2- Why did you chose that name?

Oblivia-- Because I keep my thoughts here to get them out of my system where no one in real life has access to them (except for a few people whom I don’t mind them reading my blog). Before I started talking about my personal life, the definition was more exact, but now, it’s a crazy mix and thoughts don’t come here to be forgotten, rather recorded or something.

AND, I am a sucker for words that both describe my mood and have the letter “L”… it could be some suppressed memory from childhood or something. Oblivious was one; hence, Oblivia…

Insomniac-- Yes, I am an insomniac in real life! I have a messed up sleeping pattern as well, and I am a light sleeper when I finally get some sleep!!! I’ve come to choose it because when I first started blogging I’d write and publish my posts during my insomnia hours after midnight.

3- What does your blog photo represent to you? (Please post blog Photo)

Two white Tulips not facing one another…

Tulips are my favorite!! I kept thinking of things that I like and that would represent me in a way and I came up with a long list, but among them tulips had this very sweet memory.

Why two of them? I like having more than one item of everything, I am weird that way, or perhaps it’s my geminian nature or something!!

Not facing one another because I am two different personalities when it comes to strangers, here I am the real me, and in real life, strangers see a sweet quiet person who doesn’t share much of her opinions, until she gets comfortable and then they regret making her feel comfortable enough, like the rest of my friends do :)
As for white, I have nothing against the color, just couldn’t relate to other pictures of tulips the way I did with that one, and they only had it in white. Never gave it a though what my color of preference would be though!!


I feel like I have no real life (which my younger sister would gladly agree to) for putting that much thought in my blogging identity and actually take that much time to explain it.