Danderma's Blog, page 116

What are we supposed to do with these?

Whenever I buy a new bag or some certain material items I find sachets of this "Silica" powder inside. When we were children we were told to "throw it away" because "its poison". Naturally whenever I find them I immediately discard them because they are poison. As a matter of fact I think I am a little scared of them.

But then why would manufacturers go into the habit of placing two sachets of "poison" for us with every purchase? That's ridiculous! There must be a reason why these sachets are included and it is not because they want to kill us by swallowing them!

What are these bags? and how are we supposed to use them? What do you do with them when you find them?

We've Moved…

I know its been a long time since I've last posted, almost a week, but it was one of the most hectic weeks of my life. I had to change apartments so in one week's time I moved all of my belongings out of the old apartment in Jabriya and to a new one in Al-Zahraa

One week of dust, sweat, movers, sellotape, boxes, drives back and forth, mess, fluff balls, overflowing bags, thirst, sore feet, and hunger!  I didn't even know where I left my lap top let alone access the blog and post.I still can't find most of my belongings and there are still boxes to be emptied, curtains to be put up, kitchen to set up, and lots more!

Anyways as of this morning life goes on as usual, emptying one box at a time. By the way I am an expert now in finding apartments for rent, moving houses, and redecorating if you need any help :p

I no longer live in Jabriya the most crowded area in Kuwait. Al Zahraa is now my home so hello to my new neighbors who live around me *waves*.

Picture of the Week: Detox

I am not sure if you can detox with Kiwi juice or not but the color is so green it must haven some health benefits similar to detoxing. I love the color, can't stand Kiwi or its juice though.

Pledge: Help Save Baby Fahad's Life

Remember Abdul Kareem (post)?

Through a pledge we sent out from out blogs we managed to find a generous and kind sponsor to save Abdul Kareem's cancer infected leg by providing treatment for him. The amount of people who were touched by his case and wanted to help out in any way possible was overwhelming.

Unfortunately cancer patients are still being discovered everyday and not all of them can afford to have treatment. Such is the case of little baby Fahad born to a Kuwaiti mother and a Syrian father. He has lukimeia. He needs bone marrow transplant. None of his family members can be donors as they are not compatible. He can have the transplant in India but he needs 37 thousands KD. Why isn't he able to have his transplant in Kuwait when we is beyond me but his medical report is here if you know how to read the medical language (Medical Report PDF).

In Abdul Kareem's case it was a pledge to save his leg. In Baby Fahad's case its a pledge to give him a chance to grow up and living a life. To grow up, to go to school, to eat, to laugh, to play, to fast Ramadan and enjoy the ups and downs of life. To get married and have babies of his own. To have a death bed with his children and grandchildren gathered around him as he takes his last breaths. A life!

Here is how you can help: spread the word! Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,  Whatsapp, BBM, Family Gatherings, Work, School, College! Spread the word until a donor comes up to help out baby Fahad as its the last hope for him!

If you know anyone whose interested please contact my fellow blogger Q8 Rain on her blog www.q8rain.com or by emailing her at Q8Rain@gmail.com or on Twitter: @Q8Rain

Saturday Garage Sale: A Collection of English Books 2

Another Saturday, another batch of books! All of these book I've bought within last year and I've read only once and are in a very good condition. One is also new. I hope you can give them a good and loving home that ain't as crowded as my overflowing book shelves.

The books are:

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger.
I don't Know How She Does it by Allison Pearson.
The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton by Catherine Alliott *New*.
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes.
Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton.
$#*! My Dad Says by Justin Helpern.
Controversy by Hamad Alotaibi.

 

Selling Price: 10 KD.

If you are interested in this collection of books leave me a comment below or send me an email (link). Items must be picked up by the buyer (or their driver) and payment is cash upon pickup. No refunds or exchanges.

10 Things I hate About Elections Day

1- Even though the elections are held in schools there is absolutely no where to park because the school parking is sealed off! Laish y3ni? Not everyone can afford a driver you know!

2- The crowds! Especially given that elections happen inside schools. The way these women fight to enter the election room in that school vividly takes me back to maq9af fighting days. No respect for a queue whatsoever and they demand political reform. 3aib Wallah.

3- Elsha66a elzayda in the women or girls who come up to you as you are going to the elections room and they scream "Flan Al-Flany remember haa" or "3lanata el3lantany mo tensain!" EXCUSE ME!? Do you think that I came to the elections center without thinking about who to elect? Do you think that because you, a complete stranger, reminded me of the existence of someone in the elections that I will vote for him or her? Leave me alone! For the love of god leave me alone and go harass someone else! Wj3!

4- El emkhozar. I don't get why I need to get dressed up to vote especially given I will be waiting a long time on my feet. I know khezny o akhezik is Kuwaiti's favorite activity but can't you for one day in your life control yourselves and realize elections doesn't really need to be accessorized with loubies and berkins?5-

5- Searching for raqam elqaid! I dont remember what that is, I got so nervous at the thought of having to memorize it I almost forgot it!

6- The hushy hush feeling inside the elections room. I always get nervous and scared whenever I am inside. I always feel like I will do something terribly wrong. Madry laish?

7- When you are handed the paper, the names are all printed out closely together and you suddenly lose the gifts of sight and memory. Last time I had trouble finding the people I was voting for

8- This year they had chipped wooden chairs for us to sit on while waiting our turn. Whenever someone goes inside we all had to slide down musical chairs style. If you are not careful your beautiful knit cos blouse will catch on the shards of the chair and bye bye blouse!!!

9- When you are done and while you are walking out no one talks to you, no one looks at you and no one even offers you a cup of water! Masra3 ma nesaytona!

10- In the next few months when you read the newspapers and realize that you did nothing at all to change our politics and therefore our future. That you've been fed long and wide dreams and that nothing is going to change.That is the worst thing about the elections ever

Book Review: Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton

When I finished Rosamund Lupton's debut novel Sister a few weeks back I was mesmerized (post). The book was so-amazing-don't-put-me-down-till-am-finished kind of novel. The narrative and the ending were also very different. So you can understand why I reached for Lupton's second novel "Afterwards" right away and started reading.

In a hot summer's day Grace was waiting for her kids in the school grounds when she realized the school was on fire and that her daughter Jenny is inside, so she decides to run inside and try to rescue her girl. Then the story starts.

I had trouble finishing Afterwards but I finally did. For one thing it is very similar in narration style to Sister with the same no nonsense reality decoration. However after the first few chapters you see the same words and same conversations repeating again and again and again. The fact made worse by reading the police's investigation of every suspect again and again, recounting the same story of the same day. Believe it or not I figured out the arsonist from the start of the novel and the fate of the family too which made it even more boring.

By the time I reached the final 3 chapters the story moved on a bit then suddenly BAM it was running to finish. I had to read the page where everything unravels twice to make sure I didn't miss a step or two!

As highly I recommend Sister I do not recommend Afterwards. Especially if you are reading it right after Sister. Did not like it but then its just me and different people have different tastes. You can find the book on Amazon (link).

Childhood in Q8 Means: Masra7 Keifan

Yesterday I was in Keifan passing by to grab some lunch on my way to my apartment when I looked up and saw Masra7 Keifan, or now as its know as Masra7 elta7rer. Through the sheets of pouring rain I felt a warm wave of my childhood gliding past me and encapsulating me in beautiful days gone by.

I remember what this place meant for us when we were kids back in the 80′s. Whenever there was a new Huda 7sain play we used to come here to see it. So happy for the prospect of watching a "masra7iya". I can tell you tales from each and every masra7iya I've been to. I remember how we would scramble to buy "Sharee6 el Masra7iya" after the show which is the cassette tape containing the show's music. That tape would play in my parents cars in every ride until we could get the masra7iya on tape. That's how I memorized most of the songs.

I remember how we would all go backstage after the show to meet the cast and take pictures with them. Oooh the excitement of getting to meet the cast. They were always sweet and kissed and hugged us even though there must have been over 200 kids in the theatre every night!

Afterwards we would go to Hungry Bunny Keifan where we would play with the plastic balls and have dinner we never finish. I once lost a ring of mine in the balls. I don't recall if I ever found it?

I think the last time I've been there was in 1990 before the invasion with my grandmother, aunt, and aunt's husband watching lawlaki. or was it elkora emdawera? The one with 3beer el jendi as their maid before her 7ejab? I cannot recall wallah. I remember it was cold and me buying a snickers bar from the concession to eat and never getting to eat it.

Now the theater stands there. Empty, sad, and void of the happy children's laughter. Do they use it anymore? I don't know. Even if they do use it, for what? Are there any plays anymore? Good plays that I can watch without gagging that is? What happened exactly? How can I be in 2012 feeling sad about the current state of our culture in comparison to the eighties!

Tomorrow is the elections. I am going to elect four although I truly doubt any of them would feel the need to restore Kuwait back to its glorious days of culture, art, and theater. But then again who knows? Maybe if we manage to choose right we would get the best there is to the Parliament and somehow they will make a difference? Or pass some long awaited law and do something for a change? We will see.

Allah yr7am ayamik ya masra7 Keifan. Good days they were, good days :')

Event: Abracadabra's International Illusions Show

I received to VIP tickets to attend the first Abracadabra International Illusions Show organized by my blog sponsor's Event Mania. Since I've never ever been to a life Illusions show I wanted to go and lose myself in another world. So at 4:00 PM we were at the doors of the Skating Rink waiting to be admitted inside for the show.

The thing is as we went inside they asked me to go and be searched. The lady in the search room grabbed my bag, opened it bela e7em wala destor, rummaged inside and took away my water bottles! I go no where without my water bottles, I get very thirsty and cranky if I don't have my water supply readily at hand. She just took them away!

I grabbed them back and took them back to the car. Pissed off and very angry. Its jut an illusion's show! Why were they searching every man, child, and women is beyond me! I didn't like that AT ALL. Moving on we were at the doors of the small ice rink at precisely 4:10 PM only to be told that the doors will open in 15 minutes and we will have to wait. So we went to Mcdonald's to grab some quick lunch.

The guys at Mcdonad's did not like my Mac Royal without burger order :p By the way I could have entered the skating rink through Mcdonald's entrance directly and saved myself the humiliation of being searched even if I was carrying a buffet's worth of food in my arms.

Anyways by 4:32 PM we were back at the doors of the small ice rink and we went inside. Our seats were good and the stage was very clear. Though it was freezing cold which means you must wear a jacket inside. The show, though scheduled for 4:30 PM didn't start until 5 PM. As it started we were asked to switch off our mobile phones and refrain from taking photography.

We happily obliged and despite the hiccup of the bottled water we had a BLAST! The show was really really good. I remember somewhere someone saying that magicians must have big sleeves where they hide the stuff they conjur up but they didn't! All of them wore rolled up 3/4 sleeves! Where did they get the things from?!

My favorite duo was Keelan and Charlotte which were amazing and changed their clothes in a blink. Wish I could learn that trick! Plus Master illusionist Michael Grasso which received several screams from teenage fans in the audience By the way why ask the audience to switch off their mobiles when you are selling a noisy toy at the door that children are playing with and it produces noise and light? Beats me!

All in all I did enjoy the show very much! Thank you Event Mania and Mr. Fadi Al-Rayes for inviting us. We had a blast and we wish to see more similar events in the future. There are still more shows to come for today and tomorrow at 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM so its not too late to go and enjoy it.

When Baby Girls Carry Celine Bags

Poor Pheobe Philo. Had she known that her Celine Boston Tote would end up as a toddlers bag for Kuwaiti babies she wouldn't have bothered creating it. What goes through your head when you see a little baby barely past the age of two holding the micro size of one of the latest it bags in one hand while holding her stuffed toy in the other hand?

The first though is intended to be wow this girl's parents have money. The actual thought that goes through my mind is how vulgar this is. For a little child to be stripped off her innocence and to carry a bag when she has absolutely no idea that its a designers bag sold for $1800. If its meant to be cute then all it induces is how sad. If she is wearing that bag at age 2 what is she supposed to wear at age 10? A Berkin? At 18? At 21? At 30? At 40?

Would you buy your baby girl a designers bag? If I had a girl the only bag she would be carrying is a Barbie bag at age two. What do you think when you see a baby girl with an expensive designers bag that is taller than her?