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Nine Thousand Feet Above Sea Level      9:30 AM A smooth take off from Dubai Airport, A serene fly over the Palm Islands, and a spectacular landing at Al-Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi 11:00 AM Waiting for the Bateen tower permission to taxi the aircraft 11:42 AM Taxi granted, Permission to maneuver between 4,000 and 6,000 feet within Abu Dhabi skies granted, Steep take off, vertical escalation, & an elevated G-roll ..I gasped my way through them repeatedly screaming "I love it! I love it! I loooove ittt!" 11:51 AM I took the reins, ..or in this case, the steering controls. "Maintain 9,000 feet altitude" the traffic-radar said Three hundred meters.. It was time to descend, as we were approaching Dubai Airport; the runway becoming more and more visible, my task was to balance and land in the center of the runway - I was lucky I had people on the aircraft taking photos (there were 8 of us!) The minute the aircraft touched down, and I heard the tower-man say "Good morning and welcome to Dubai" I felt a rush of adrenaline (an overflow? peut-être?) that came out every cell in my being. My first landing experience felt like Napoleon conquering his biggest and most precious empire just yet; I can't describe it any other way. I was high on that experience for about 5 hours, brilliant! brilliant! brilliantttt -to say the least! When I picked up the phone & told my sister, her reaction was: I want to do it all over again =D Labels: La Dolce Vita, Life Events $25 in my moola box | link | email this post Comme un Fairytale, Comme L'histoire Magique      A few months ago I I wrote about loss, and wondered what my window would bring. I was too busy anticipating rays of light, but what I didn't see coming is a Château of my own in France. Of course, the château didn't fit through the window, and despite the fact that I walked through it and around it.. walked its' multiple hectares of land on my feet and in borrowed wellies, stood under the massive wood beams of it's stables and barns, and ate apples, plums, and hazelnuts from its trees still isn't enough. It seems entirely wonderful to me, like a fairytale, only this one is not in a story book. I sat in a room with four lawyers telling me about my new possession, initialed hundreds of pages and signed a handful et voila -- My mind detached from the present personas of that room and flew back to the hallways and chambres of my little château, in my imagination changing colors and furniture, re-arranging objects and photos and soon enough, my mind crowded with visuals and smells and halted for a stop. Too soon, too soon.I would have to live in it, introduce myself to it slowly so it would introduce itself to me too and just trust the inspiration of the moment.. and for the time being just dwell on all the love I have for both my parents ♥      What I didn't know is that this little castle is located in the same region (& not too far away from) two of my favorite things: 1) The shooting location of my faaaaaaavorite movie of all time, Danse Avec Lui  , and.. 2) Château Royallieu, which was owned by Étienne Balsan, Coco Chanel's lover who bred the best horses in France ..and I only realized the this after the signature of ownership; it came to me as an amazing surprise that makes my heart tickle everytime I think of how often will I be visiting the Manoir where the movie was made.My first visit was a few days ago when I met the horse master Bernard Sachsé who trained the horses of the movie and was in complete awe (that is the understatement of the century, by the way) because seeing a disabled man mount al horse in all determination and ride it better than most people I've met is en fait the epitomy of horsemanship. Standing there before the manoir I had seen so many times watching the movie and going to sleep at night (for the past 5 years? lol) felt like I was in a dream, literally! We spent three hours on that property and his generous nature showed me just about every side of it: the arenas, the round pen, and even the photos from the making of the movie -all of it! And meeting the horse, Qalitative, the star of the movie - can you imagine how that felt? I had a near faint experience every 5 seconds lol -- & to extend the experience, I took lotsssss of pictures for you, and you can view them here I dream. I think. I do.. ..because I know dreams come true Lots of ♥ coming your way x Labels: Life Events, Pony Tales, Travel $16 in my moola box | link | email this post The Date Heart races like a squirrel in a cage, A calendar marks an all-day event, Calls of friends and family ignored.. ..they're all signs of an important occasion for that day. A myriad of scarves lined on the couch, Ample frocks lying on the bed, Fabulously shined shoes carefully placed nearby.. ..they're things we do when we look forward to that special evening, the date. Abounding with an unusual mix of fortitude, delight, & introversion; I couldn't wait for Thursday to come. Somehow, my thoughts had no room nor tolerance for anything and anyone apart from him, and I was counting the hours, till Thursday. Like every time we meet, he looked sharp, only more captivating -- For a moment there, the hardest thing was to restrain every temptation I had to embrace Him, and bury my face beneath His athletic mass. Somehow, I managed without, for acting upon my impulse, I believed, may have provoked a play of light gossip. Instead, I walked away, animated by what was to become of him. Is he anxious to be here? Does he like the place I chose for him? What does he think of the colors, the surroundings, the atmosphere? Is it too cold out here? too hot? too noisy, or too foreign? -- I looked at him and he seemed indifferent to the curious eyes gazing upon the two of us, I then took a deep breath of comfort, bagged up my thoughts and took a seat on the corner bench, proud as the proudest of dignitaries. Despite the fact of it being a practice session in entirely foreign grounds, IB performed spectacularly, tense at the beginning but relaxing into it, petit-a-petit. I came back home that evening basking on the pulpit of happiness, & despite the fact that planning my day in isolation proved taxing on my relationship with friends, it was really difficult to feel anything else. I'm just very honest and upfront that way, and even though many of us tend to bend under social pressure and obligations, I'm quite selfish when it comes to my time -very selfish in fact. But then again, this kind of selfish has no negative connotation to it whatsoever, it doesn't mean that I don't care for the concerned parties or love them any less, it's just simply and realistically expressing that -in your very small windows of time- you would rather be on your own doing your own thing, or cultivating friendships you opted to commit to many years ago. The other dimension of this compelling feeling is that -in the presence of IB- all else becomes secondary. He is a priority, and the time I spend with him is twice as special in the absence of all that come in between the two of us; be it distance, conversations, people, or work. No one gets me like he does What we    Labels: Life Events, Pony Tales $8 in my moola box | link | email this post Belated Queue                   Happy Birthday(s)? Sure. However, I'll opt not to elaborate on the birthdays, and instead, tell you a little about the things that I've been up to recently. I've somehow managed to get out of my Ramadhan-Lack-of-Exercise slump, it started when I got the Wii, but that didn't quite cut it for me, and in return, I tuned it up a notch and hurt my foot in the process (I know this will come and bite me in the derriere) -- the good news is: I'm recovering well, very well.. and the bad news is: well, there's no bad news. period. Baking is another thing I've been spending time doing.. nonetheless, all of my attempts to come up with edible saffron cupcakes that don't taste like Chebaab or Khemeer have gone down the drain. It totally put me off of baking, until I decided to go back to Sprinkles Cupcakes recipe, reminiscing about LA and wishing I was there as the background scenes of The Hills teleport me mentally there.. I *heart* LA. I should be getting ready for bed now, ..but before I go, to everyone who wished me a happy birthday: the biggest THANK YOU goes your way -- a very special one goes to G for converting ideologies on birthday celebrations for my sake (MUCH appreciated my friend), to my favorite Gemini for being there, and to my cousin S for his understanding and support for my ever so escalating obsession with Hermes <3 Nevermind the eyes that may suggest otherwise lol, Tantra loves you aaalllllll *muah  Labels: Cookingfessional, La Dolce Vita, Life Events, Poochy Mamma $13 in my moola box | link | email this post Life Mergers & Acquisitions Three days into my work-routine post vacation, & I thought the weekend would never come. The mornings were spent catching up on what I've missed when I was away: building conceptual frameworks, outlining strategies, and researching potential future plans. The evenings at home were spent negotiating life M&A deals -for the most part. In the business world, when a company decides to acquire another or merge, a series of extensive analytical exercises take place, both from strategic and financial perspectives. The evaluation and due diligence could take many months, & people are often happy with that. It introduces a certain level of comfort that they're taking their time to make the right decision for their company on whether they should, or shouldn't invest. Marriage commitments in life are much like M&A's, except that the traditional mindset dictates that no due diligence nor analysis is to take place, and that one ought to be able to make a decision based on the 'Brand Strength' and the 'Market stock price' of the Nonetheless, convention can be slightly kinder to those who have formerly experienced failed commitments; this flexibility stems from the unmitigated fact that in Eastern and Mediterranean cultures, those individuals' probability for a second-chance is significantly lower than that of their peers. The accumulated effect of such prejudiced perception often creates an element of self-deficiency in some individuals -depending on the intensity and environment- and one begins to shift-focus from the true objective of building a life with another person to distorting the image of who they truly are, and how to get to the other side of the river & join their peers in the shortest time possible. Convention also likes to make the second-time-around people feel like it's doing them a favor by permitting an introduction in a socially acceptable context, even though one doesn't get much out of the introduction other than an approximation of physical appearance, voice, and a memory of two awkward individuals in a room full of their relatives sparing no effort in making dicey remarks and so-called jokes in an enormously miserable attempt to lighten the air. The Contradiction The organization I work for has a diverse portfolio of people from both genders of which I interact with on daily basis. We spend more time in the company of each other at work than home; in other words, I spend more time in the vicinity of my male 30-something manager than my mom, and that is simply a product of sharing an office with him, and many others. The social acceptability view says it is okay. However, all forms of reason are often relinquished for non-colleague males no matter how upright and decent their intentions may be. That is to say, it's okay for a lady to spend many hours in the vicinity of a men in the professional environment for the purpose of doing work, regardless how noble or ill their minds may be, but it is absolutely not admissible for her to be in the vicinity of a man and her family for the purpose of analyzing and discussing a potential partnership deal. Why do we find it easier to accept our girls spending time in a mixed-professional environment -especially in organizations with a diverse nationality mix- and yet, are not able to tolerate them spending time getting to know and assess a lifetime partner? The Lucky Few.. You're lucky if you're in an environment that promotes a healthy and rational way to build a lifetime deal. You are also lucky if you have fallen in love, and know who you want to spend the rest of your life with and have the opportunity to do that. And, you're daaaamn lucky if you've had a traditional arranged marriage and it worked out beautifully for you. On this side of the equation, I'm lucky to have a family open to negotiations, that is to say; despite the fact that their über Bedouin backgrounds have seeded weighty and irrational sets of beliefs; they're still able to see past the fog and look straight into the core of what constitutes all humans: Feelings & Thoughts. Comparing my future's decision-making mental framework with M&A's put my mum at loss for words , & the thought of creating a Mergers After many long conversations of reasons why time-spent assessing the compatibility of two people is in fact an investment in happiness, and a good way to hedge one's risk exposure to misery; she is now able to see with my eyes, to a certain extent. My dad, on the other hand, has always been the sharp straight to the point/cut through the crap kind of a man, so logic always scores with him, & it has from round 1 of negotiations. What Makes Compatible Partners? I'd like to think that age, intellect, and educational backgrounds rank on the very top, but the truth is: It doesn't matter. I've seen couples with educational backgrounds so far apart from one another, yet, they're able to mentally connect and remain at par with each other for a lifetime, & that is not easy. I have also come across couples with an age gap big enough to accommodate a whole generation of difference -think Demi & Ashton, Heather & Derek- who look like they were made for each other. The way I see it, the first indicator and measure of compatibility is acceptance. In other words, being with a person who does not expect you to change who you are for them -- they accept you the way you are, capitalize on the good times, & overlook -to a certain extent- the bad ones. A woman cannot wish for an enormously successful man with an established career and power if she cannot tolerate his working hours or frequent travels, & if she accepts to be part of his life, she must take him with his career baggage & not walk into the commitment with the 'He will eventually change' mindset, ..and even more importantly, never with the 'Having a child will solve all problems' idea. The same is true for the other side of the spectrum; a man cannot ask for an intelligent and educated woman and stipulate a condition that she should ship from factory on 'Silent-mode'.. Education, reading, and travel broadens the horizons of any individual, they stimulate the development of opinions, & it's a natural consequence of knowing -- how could anyone wish to live life that is so void of stimulating conversation, so monotonous, and so mind-numbing? The Different Measures of Equality We often see mothers ask their sons to sketch a mental silhouette of their ideal wives; in this part of the world, the image is uniform for the most: - Beautiful - Well-rounded with all that is relevant to home-keeping - Beautiful - Well-bread and born into a reputable family - Beautiful (again!) - Religious - Cheerful and always in a good mood - Limited social sphere - Does not frequent the marketplace yet knows how to dress better than her potential competition in the outside world. - And one more time, beautiful. The question is: How does the other party intend to offset these requirements of beauty, status, and grace? What does he have to offer that would put him at par with this? What gives him the right to tailor-make an ideal woman, if he is not an ideal man himself? Nor did he spend the time and energy to attempt to become one? For the most part, we don't have much say in our physical appearance nor what families we're born into. We do, however, have the ability to refine our physical forms and personalities by doing things like exercising, eating right, & constantly developing ourselves to become better people. It would be comforting to know that the universe has a mysterious way to guarantee that beauty & femininity are offset by masculinity, dashing looks & rock-like abs, and cheerfulness with tolerance, understanding & responsibility; that spirituality and manners constitute the core of their individual beings more than it being a show-display as a means to social acceptance. And finally, it would be really comforting to know that it's okay not to be charmingly stunning and all that, because someone out there will see past the 'shell' and recognize the beauty within, the kind of beauty that does not degenerate when our bodies do.. and that they will love us however way we are, without attempting to lift a finger for change. Labels: Life Events, Personal Philosophy $32 in my moola box | link | email this post Commitment Issues     an addiction to jasmine green tea in the afternoons <3    macaroons & tarts <3  Outfit du jour  My very own first pair of spurs, before the makeover  after the makeover ;p  Finallyyyyy got my SRS gloves, which are bulkier than what I'm used to, but I love them nonetheless!  Opening up the saddle box <3  SRS gorgeous 110cm whip <3  ta-daaaaaaaaaaa  jumping girth, bridles, & breastplates <3  ..in both black & tan  Oiling my brand new saddle <3 <3 <3  handy saddle hanger..  I.B. getting curious with the new 'object' -- he's SO cute! sooooo cute! before we put the saddle on, he would lean forward & remove the saddle hanger from the hook, ..& everytime I'd put it back on he would play with me by removing it & waiting for me to hang it again. Do I love him for that? YES! GOD YES! My heart experiences a near-outburst feeling every single time I talk about him, or squeeeeeze his neck with my hugs <3  Ouch ;(  his meds ;*(  Pour le artri  For the blood, an iron/power liquid + multi vitamins  electrolytes with vitamin C + clay for the tendons "I've never met anyone with a will so strong like yours, ..I didn't think that kind of wanting something existed - no, not this much"Although I probably shouldn't admit it, but it pleases me -so much- to hear my trainer say that. Day in-day out I learn more things about myself as an equestrian that I didn't know before. In my books, the subject of my liking -be it an object, or a subject- casts a sense of commitment that makes me do the things I do, willingly and wholeheartedly. I never perceived commitments as Optional, it's simple: If you like it, if you really like it, do it the best way you can, & learn along the way. I do the things I do, and the way I do them because I genuinely enjoy doing so, & never questioned nor attempted to estimate the how much do I want those things, that is not important; what's important is the way you feel in the process. I find SO much pleasure in attending to my horses, showering them, brushing their coat, braiding the mane & even more: shopping for them -and even though I probably shouldn't confess this to myself much too less the world out there, but the truth is: I enjoyyyyy doing these things to I.B. more than any other pony. He's just very special to me that way, & I think much like the grooms at the stable; my trainer knows it too: That was the perfect example of a delightful commitment, but what about the things we don't like? Oh don't fret, I've had my share of unpleasant commitments too, but sticking by your ethical contract pays off in the end. Pursuing my higher education and keeping a demanding job at the same time is an example. I cannot begin to list the number of times I found myself in a stinky little pot of stress that drove me mad with frustration, the thought of dropping out was always the easier way out, but that too was simply not.an.option. Instead, the commitment-mindset was activated involuntarily, perhaps because I knew how it would please daddy, or perhaps it's a higher level of self-actualization that I was after -I don't really know- all I know is: This is what I want. This is what I'll get. Period. Being awarded the Shk. Rashid Award was swell, but I'm done. I have no will for more academic accomplishments; right now, I have a beautiful life to live, real life, & I intend to make it every bit colorful =D The colorful aspect rubbed off on my shopping - had we been in a cooler part of the world, I would've said "it's summer! Yay!" but, ..even though it's near-burning-hell hot here, it's really summer, & bright colors feel more appropriate <3 So, my friend & I spent the day shopping & searching for the perrrrrrrrfect pair of purple superrrrrr skinnies. On our first round, I found a pair of indigo Antik skinnies! GORGEOUS if you ask, after trying them on in the dressing room, there was no way I'd take them off for anything {had I been broke? I would've pulled off a Winona lol} I walked out of the dressing room & went straight to the cashiers asking them to de-magnet those jeans because I was NOT going to part with them, I just simply loved them waaaaaay too much to carry them around.. & much to my pleasure, the salespeople were uber cute & helpful that way <3 ..and Ohhhhhhh my Goddddd! just two hours after that: SPOTTED! A perrrrfect shade of purple - skinnies - 1 piece left - size 27 - WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? I found myself leaning forth on the table at Forever-21 huggggging a pair of purple skinnies and stoooooormed into the fitting room to try them on, PERFECT FIT! I was so excited hugging my friend {it was her idea to check Forever-21 in the first place} & of course, I was NOT going to take that pair off. I walked out of the fitting room after explaining 60 times to the fitting-room lady why I walked in with 5 articles of clothing, and now i'm walking out with 4 -- I couldn't care less about anything at that very moment, I had just found the perfect pair, in the perfect shade of purple I've been craving for the past 4 months.. I bagged my AED.136 bargain and left. That purchase made me feel slightly better about the lack of riding last week, both I.B. and I were not able to train due to foot/leg injuries {yes, both of us, ..the same time, cute or what?} -- my trainer put the two of us off of training, & on Friday the two of us went supplement-shopping for I.B. & Sultan and packed a bunch of things that ought to compensate I.B. for all the extra hard work he's been doing.. and in the meantime, I.B. gets lots of lovie dovie hugs, & I get lots of reflexology massages {good for the foot} & shopping {good for the heart} -- don't you agree? ;p Labels: Fashion, La Dolce Vita, Life Events, Photo speech, Pony Tales $20 in my moola box | link | email this post |
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