My take on Palin

Those who say they are going to vote for McCain because they like Palin, scare the shit out of me. Come on people! Do you not realize that, God forbid, if something happens to McCain, it will be her running the country!?! Didn't we learn anything from EIGHT embarrassing years under Bush?! Come to think of it, compared to her, Bush seems intelligent! She is just too bubbly, too pageant like! I don't want my VP to be an intellectual featherweight! I don’t think I've ever disliked any woman this much without really knowing her! Every time I hear the expression that Palin is "only a heartbeat away from the presidency", my heart skips a beat! God forbid, if they make it to the White House, I’ll have to start praying for McCain’s good health!

BTW, Tina Fey was just ridiculously awesome as Palin! :-P

Holy Guacamole!!!!!!

It just rained over here. Well, there really wasn't any raindrops! It was all hail. This was picked up after another five minutes of rain and still look at the size!

Mosquitoes

I got a chuckle out of this piece as I was listening to it on the radio on my way to work this morning. You could read the article here but I'd say listen to it. It was kinda funny! Or maybe its just my weird sense of humor :-P

Look what I found at the library!!!

I went to get some books for the kids from the library yesterday and the first book caught my eye! How cool! Needless to say, I brought it home, but we were not able to read it cause a little girl was intent on reading "Run, mouse, run". Most of the words were simple enough that she could read them on her own and I think this new found achievement made her want to read it over and over and over again. Raffae patiently waited, and waited and waited for his turn, but I was not allowed to put "Run, mouse, run" down. I'll have to make sure we read Raffae's pick first tonight.

Space junk

I was driving the other day and wasn’t really paying attention to the radio. Something must have caught my ears and I started listening to the interviewer talking to some Hillary supporters, asking them if they are ready to support Obama. This one guys says something like “I don’t trust Osama, I mean Obama. I’m sorry. Their names are very similar. His middle name is Hussain. He used to live in a Muslim country. I am just not sure if I can trust someone like that.” I swear I wanted to hurt this guy violently. I mean seriously! How can you be this close minded?! As far as I am concerned, you are occupying valuable space on this earth. Could I please hurl you out of this earth into the vast space where you can be just space junk?!

Weekend Frolickings

Our local shopping center opened a Coffee shop and we have been meaning to take the kids there to see how they behave! So on Saturday morning, put some coloring books, crayons, books etc in a bag and took the kids there! They LOVED it and were content to sit there on the couch/rug and color! At one point, Zoya was laying on the couch with her feet propped on the back of the couch, eating her apple! Looked very comfy! :-)

Then we went back home, filled up the small backyard pool/slide combo my sister sent for the kids and let them play in there for a while. We have had trouble with getting Zoya into the pool in the past, cause she thinks the pool is just an extension of the bathtub and wants to take off ALL her clothes when she gets to the pool! So when we saw that she was happily playing in the small pool, we decided to take the kids to the community pool. She just jumped right into the pool and never came out! She was in 2.5 feet of water, floating holding one of those foam noodle thingy! Raffae has been going to the pool for the past two years and still can't float! She is just such an daredevil! I should also mention that she was wearing a mickey mouse swimming trunk and nothing else. So a lot of people thought she was a boy! :-P I couldn't get her to wear any of the pink/yellow girls swim suits!!!!!! So I got her the trunk thinking she would probably wear this since she loves Mickey Mouse. Now she refuses to wear anything else, even a top! LOL

I then went to a co-worker's wedding reception which was fun, cause I got to dress up and all my non-desi co-workers were completely at awe at my saree!!!!!!!! I am such an attention hogger!

On Sunday, we got up late and went to a birthday lunch party. Within two minutes of arriving there, Zoya got hit on her nose by a frisbee! It was ugly! There was blood everywhere and I had to spend the rest of the time there, trying to placate her! I was just glad her nose was ok!

So didn't do anything this weekend as far as laundry, cooking etc is concerned but did have loads of fun and the weekend just ended way too quickly!

This I believe

This piece made me cry. Seriously.

Read and listen here

She might never know it, but I am so very proud of this young lady.

Ramblings on a Tuesday

I've been going through mood swings a lot lately. I get annoyed at the kids easily, I am stressed at work, I keep telling myself I'll start going to the gym this week and "this week" never materializes. I often think I will not be materialistic, I won't be vain, I won't be judgmental; yet I find myself in knots from worries that are truly vain in nature, I judge people when I don't take the time to get them to know better. I am nearing 40 and I feel like I should be able to do/say what I want to do and say, yet find myself stifled by my own inhibitions. I am letting myself down, I am letting my family and friends down and I have no one but myself to blame.

The Ogre in me

I have been in a nasty mood this past weekend. I took out my frustration and anger on people around me. In an effort to stay away from everyone, I tried cleaning out closets and drawers; threw away whole bunch of stuff, but I still bristled. I cleaned bathrooms, yet the raging bull inside me was dying to get out. I need to get a handle on my emotions. I need to say what’s on my mind even if it would mean confrontations that I try to avoid. By avoiding confrontations, I am creating conflicts. Not a win-win situation.

Am I too paranoid?

I heard this story on the radio this morning. Came to work and looked it up online. It really scared me even though the news article is saying they have ruled out terrorism! The fact that this happened in a small town makes me even more uncomfortable. The person they interviewed on the radio said the town never used Chlorine for their water system before and visitors used to praise how the water tasted there. Now they have to use Chlorine to flush out the Salmonella. Made me sad.

Link to the article

Let’s start with what’s on my mind. Shall we?

Raffae is scheduled to attend Kindergarten orientation in May!! I can’t believe he will be going to school, making friends, going to the cafeteria, making lunch choices, reading, writing – all by himself?! I hope he loves school. He is such a happy child that I know he will. I hope no one picks on him or bullies him!

I am ready for summer, ready for a new job with shorter commute. Need to start applying…….

Blog Hiatus

I have been soooooooooo busy at work these past couple of months that I didn't even think about blogging. Now I don't know if I want to come back! I don't know if I have anything to write about. Did anyone miss me?

Such a waste

My kids scare me sometimes!

I was watching Amazing Race last night. This morning, as I was driving the kids to school, Raffae gave me a scene-by-scene description, along with the exact lines spoken by the different people on the show. He remembered everyone’s names, which team got to the finishing line in what order, everything! I’ve been watching the show diligently as usual, but I still don’t know everyone’s names!

Yesterday, I was sorting out the Baby Einstein DVDs that Zoya loves to watch. We have 10 -12 DVDs. So I had all the DVD boxes and all the DVDs in front of me. Zoya would pick up a cover, look at the animal picture on the cover and tell me “Mommy, can you find green?” - meaning that specific DVD has a green border!!!!!!!!!!! She was correct every single time! Good God!

I wish I had memory like that!

2007 in pictures

I meant to put this post up on December 31st. Raffae got sick and we also planned a last minute New Years Eve party, so I never got to finish this post ontime. Nonetheless, here are highlights of the clan from 2007.

• Raffae and Zoya made new friends






• I met up with friends: old and new.





• Zoya grew an insatiable appetite for apples!





• Raffae's accomplishments:




• Did loads of stuff with the kids




• We traveled to visit family and new places




• Had good food!!!




• It was GREAT to have my mom here with us!

To all the important people in my life, wishing you a wonderful year ahead.

Bye 2007!! Hello 2008!!

Wow. Another year gone! I was thinking about the past year and surprisingly, I kept coming back to Zoya. 2007 was definitely Zoya's year! She has made sooooooooooo much progress that it is almost mind boggling! She has flowered from a shy little girl to a bubbly, music-loving, school-going, cute-as-ever chatter-box!!!!!!!! We are all eagerly waiting to see what she accomplishes in 2008.

Raffae also amazes me everyday with his wit, his mischiviousness, his keen observations, his intelligence, his kindness. In his own words: "He is incredible!" He will start kindergarten in 2008. I can't believe my baby is all grown up!

Tanveer managed to get a job 15 minutes from home. He is lot happier about his commute, though his office mate might drive him to look for another job! (She is growing a garlic plant in the office!!!!!) He plans to go back to school in 2008 to finish his masters.

Ammu has adjusted well to US (I think!). She doesn't miss Bangladesh as much as before. Since the kids are going to school now, she finds herself home with lot of free time on her hands. So she decided to go visit her family in Bangladesh for Eid. Once she is back, she plans to get involved in some sort of work which will keep her busy.

As for myself, I've done a tremendous amount of work this year! Managed to keep the house clean enough that I didn't have to call the Clean House crew in! Did some travelling, read some good books, made loads of friends! Didn't lose any weight! That's what I definitely need to work on in 08. I also want to start looking into MBA programs :-) Wish me luck.

Happy New Year everyone!!! Now lets get the party started!!!!!!!!!!

I don't understand

I don't understand how someone can feel so strongly about something that they don't mind killing themselves to injure others to illustrate their point of view. In a way, I am envious that they have found their passion in life. I know I am not that passionate about anything! Then I start thinking did they really know the true consequenses of the situation they were about to create? Did they make this final decision on their own or did someone influence them? How do you influence someone to that extent? How do you make someone believe in your own beliefs? I was talking to my sister and she said she watched a documentary where someone was about to blow themselves up and that person was in constant contact with the so called leaders of the group. The leaders kept up a constant vigil, telling the suicide bomber how he will be going to Allah, how he will be granted heaven and all its heavenly goodies, how what he is doing is what Allah calls for him to do etc. Its as if they don't want to give him time to think something else. No chance of getting cold feet when someone is constantly telling you something other than what your conscious might try to prevent you from doing. I hate all the violence in the world.

I'm Spanish

We went to an indian restaurant for dinner the other day. Below is a conversation that happend in there:
Raffae: Look mommy, indian people! (He was pointing to a painting on the wall)
Me: Yes Raffae. You are indian too! Actually you are Bangladeshi.
Raffae: No!!!!! I am English!
Me: No Raffae. You are from Bangladesh too just like mommy and daddy.
Raffae: You are not from Bangladesh!
Me: I am!
Raffae: No you are not!
Me: What do you think I am, Raffae?
Raffae: You are spanish.

If my own son thinks I am Spanish, I must be. I am also worried about my parenting skills! Is he too young to understand all these (He is 4) or am I not teaching him enough about his ethnicity?

Phanatics and Phools

Well "Phools" just looked good with "Phanatics". I meant "Fools". Anyway, what is the world coming to? Here are two stories that caught my eye this morning.

• Muslim Teddy Bear
  
• Just plain dumb
  

I don't think 7-8 year olds really know a lot of names beside their friends' names and I am going to bet anything that a lot of kids in that classroom has the name "Mohammed". I would have thought it was cute that they wanted to call the Teddy Bear Mohammed! But obviously some people are just way too sensitive about religion.

And that stupid guy. I really don't want to think about the offsprings he is going to produce/have produced and their intelligence levels.

Done with my bitching for the day. How are you all doing?

Random Observations

I have been travelling quite a bit recently for work, vacation. Here are some random observations from airports and planes.

• I saw an older gentleman at the airport the other day with a big Charlie Chaplin face on his socks!!!!!! How cute! I wanted to take a picture of it!



• I can't quite my finger on it but I really liked the Detroit airport. I was also intrigued to see all the signs at the airport displayed in multiple languages, including one that looked like Korean?!



• I like watching the shadow of the plane during landing. The shadow gets bigger and bigger and then all of a sudden it just thinks "enough already!" and hurries up and catches up with the plane. With a jolt (literally), you realize the plane has touched down!



• I found out you can buy a book at a chain store at the airport, read it and return it (with the original receipt) within the next six months for 50% money back. How cool is that?!



• I like the restroom stall doors at Chicago O'Hare and Midway which start from the floor.