Not on the same wavelength...

I've been away from my blog for a few days, having been occupied with some pressing personal matters. I have missed the comfort of rambling and venting in my own lil corner.

Anyhow, here I am and I'll cut to the chase. I am thoroughly annoyed with all this hooplahoo about this former secretary general of SAARC being taken into police custody 'in a humiliating and degrading manner'. If  she can not tolerate being escorted by police, or being ordered to climb in and out of police jeeps or walk into the police station, she shouldn't have gone there in the first place. She was not having a picnic at the republic square, she was sitting in silent protest, and she admitted that. The police had a right to remove her. If she was that concerned about law and order, she would have quietly followed orders and shown the respect she so persistently talks about to the media. Now its an issue that she was carried out of the jeep forcibly. Apparently its demeaning and reflects the deteriorating status of women in this society, according to opposition political parties. As a woman myself, I am not insulted or horrified or even mildly disappointed about what happened. I have always admired the lady, I find her to be smart, bold and capable. But in this case, she was obstructing the officers from performing their duty, and I believe she succeeded in creating a drama as she had obviously intended.

Women protesters had been forcibly removed by police even previously. They had been carried in the same manner, and some had experienced physical assault and emotional trauma. These can be verified from the reports compiled by various NGOs such as the Maldivian Detainee Network during 2003 - 2008. Where were these feminists? Where were these concerned people, especially prominent figures in the opposition today? Nobody said a word. Nobody raised a finger. Nobody thought it was humiliating and degrading and all that offensive. Take the case of Shehenaz Abdulla. The image of her being carried off by the authorities, and not even by lady officers, became famous and was circulated widely. Did anyone of these people protesting today raise their voice because they were so concerned of force being used against women, or their status in society? Makes one wonder of their sincerity and their real intentions. Hang on a minute. These are politicians, or atleast a bunch of nitwits who think they are -and we know that sincerity and politicians are like heavily lined smokey eyes and old-hollywood-style bright red lips. In makeup speak, you dont do the two together. [At this point, makeup tip - either emphasize the eyes or the lips, never the two in one look. I find myself focusing more on eyes, so I'm an eyemakeup kinda girl. For longlasting glam for your peepers, dab a lil primer on the lids as well, just as you'd apply primer all over the face before putting on makeup. My favourite primer is L'Oreal's Studio Secrets anti-shine mattifying primer. Fill in sparse eyebrows with eyebrow powder or soft pencil - dont draw them on in a single line, just do feathery light upward strokes and for extra grooming brush with a small eyebrow brush. Dust lightly shimmery eyeshadow on the lids, I prefer light shades of pink, purple and gold - right now I'm obsessed with an Elizabeth Arden makeup box gifted by my very thoughtful (and observant I must admit) sweetheart. To highlight the eyes dust a lil bit of gold or white shimmery powder under the arch of the brows. To frame your face perfectly the brows should arch highest at the point of your pupil. Line your upper lids with a smooth liquid eyeliner to notch up the glam quotient. From all the brands I tried, expensive and cheap, I noted the ease and longwear of Gosh liquid liners. I prefer to start from the centre rather than line the whole eye. Last year the dramatic 'winged' line curved upwards from the outer corners of the eye was popular with celebs and on runways. I feel I look too feline with this look, and not in a foxy way. I line the bottom line with a pencil, an Indian kajol pencil does the trick very nicely. Again Elizabeth Arden's soft liner pencils are wonderful but a bit pricey. Cheaper ones that work really well are Lakme Kajol thick pencil liners and this new one I found - Joves. Small tube like a lipstick, very convenient. Its been a popular trend in recent years to use brighter colors like turqouise, jade, charcoal, aubergine in place of the standard black liners [Bare Escentauls has a juicy variety of colors]. To make the eyes look wider dot white eyeshadow on the inner corners of the eyes.Then curl the lashes by pressing down with a curler as close to the lash line as possible for a few seconds. Apply two fresh coats of mascara - choose from lengthening or voluminizing based on your preference. For thick lashes, DiorShow is a great product. I also love L'Oreal's Voluminous mascaras. Mascaras should be changed frequently and eyemakeup should be kept very clean. To remove them well, a good makeup remover like the eyemakeup remover from Sephora works nicely dabbed on cotton buds...or even olive oil will do. There you go- beautiful wide eyed peepers!!].


Right, so where was I, before going off on a makeup tangent? Political dramas. Well now I'm not in the mood for any more rantings and ventings. I'd rather go give myself a good hot oil head massage. I guess my barbie instints kicked in. But before I go, just one thought. When one goes to protest, loudly or silently or however, one should be ready to face the consequences. If they are going to go on media the next day covered in bandages and whining about injurues, I for one am not going to feel any sympathy. One of these loud sheikhs was on tv saying people who criticize these nightly protests claim that people only get harmed when they go to these things and attack police, and wouldn't be in any danger if they stayed at home. He said these people were wrong to think they'd be safe, because anybody can be taken from their homes to dhoonidhoo or girifushi. What utter rubbish! Nobody is taken out of their homes, or arrested, or intentionally or accidentally harmed while they are sitting at home minding their own business. When you decide to go and become a participant, have the courage to bear the repercussions. If you suddenly freak out at the last minute and start thrashing about like a fish out of water, well, thats nobody else's fault. At this moment I dont even want to get started on the guy who I saw on tv reaching out to his 'dhombe'. Cmon, this is soap operaish enough already without making it a family drama. No wonder your dhombe is not listening to you. I'd be ashamed if I was him. Sheesh. Will some people ever grow up... or get a brain!??

I got to run off. Have a fabulous day people - with peace of mind from the mind numbing chaos of this society today. Toodles!

What are words

What are words
but silky caresses
sweet soft kisses
echoes of desire
sounds of passion and longing
What are words
but my air,
my strength, my joy

What are words
but the hurtful slash
of the sharpest knife
the stinging slap
the throes of agony and heartache
What are words
but my wounds,
my weakness, my despair

Words kill me,
And bring me to life again
From abyssmal depths
to freedom, to nirvana

Bo halaaku!

Thihineh nubuneveyne

Hama bunaanan


Nikan bunebala


Bunaanan, adhives bunaanan, keeh kuraanee


Unhun nubuneveyne, alhe bunebala


Ohkayyy, I just want to bang my head on the wall and scream! Seriously this is madness! I am so fed up with this nubuneveyne-buneveyne-nubuneveyne-buneveyne business. I think I am so stressed that my hair is falling out now... I am even thinking of replacing my beloved L'Oreal Total Repair 5 with ilsha shampoo (oh goddd what terrible ads... and who makes a shampoo just for Maldives, a country of 300,000 people?? oh well...). If I keep losing anymore hair I am going to sue Ablo Gaazee, Dr Jameel, Sandhaanu Didi, the Police, MNDF, PG/AG (like AC/DC), those bunch of lawyers on tv, the Home Minister... aaaargh!!! What is wrong with you people!?? If I hear the phrases dhusthooree, muassasaa, tha'aaruzu, gaanoon asaasee negehettun, laadheenee, askaree verikan, gaanoonee haisiyyathu....I will have to get anger management therapy.

ok deep breath, deep breath.... regain my zen....sigghhhh

Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives

[Oscar Wilde]

Where are the youth?

I watched last night's protests with dismay. So much unrest and turmoil and anger. The whole city of Male is gripped by talons of negative vibes, frustration, resentment. Hardcore supporters of every party claiming they are in the right. 

I consider myself a normal young person. I do not care for creating chaos and political upheaval and getting involved in these power plays. I wear normal clothes, eat normal food and do normal things. I mean normal to be what is common in this society. Normal clothes - shirt and pants, kurtas, tshirts, jeans. Normal food - the usual staples roshi, bread, rice and curries, and veggies and fruits. Normal things - spend time with my man and my family, go to work, go to gym, occassionally go out with friends, do shopping, sing in the shower, watch movies, listen to music, read, do household chores, surf the net, fix a meal, go for a drive around Male. All in all,  it might sound mundane, but I guess this is what's normal for many people. It's our lives, day in day out.

So where are all these people? People who do these normal things. Where are all the every day average youth? Where are the people like me who just want to lead normal lives in peace and quietly go about their business? Where are the youth who go to work, have coffees with their buddies, enjoy a game of soccer or basketball or something couple of times a week, download a couple of episodes or movies for the weekend, share videos on facebook...? Are all of them protesting? Are all of them committing crimes, on drugs, vandalizing property and victimizing innocent people? Are all of them asleep? I have begun to wonder where all these people are, where all these people have gone, why we never hear from them. Where is their voice, who represents them? It is not the media who are biased one way or the other, it is not the lethargic civil society who only seem to come to life after some foreign aid agency pumps them some money and then they go and publish a report on something thats blaringly obvious, it is not the parliament which has become a three ring circus and I dont think even half the parliamentarians wake up sure of what they shall stand for that day. So where is their engagement in decisionmaking, their forum for dialogue, their platform to voice their concerns, and who cares?

I live in the world, a world of forgotten people
Who've loved and lost their hearts so many times
I'm here in the world, a world of forgotten people
Where every heart is aching just like mine.

 [George Jones, A World of Forgotten People]

The normal everyday youth is sidelined today. People past their 50s are making important decisions that affect their everyday lives, their way of living, and their future. And yet they sit idle, watching on helplessly and perhaps now with nonchalance and indifference, since they have been pushed down again and again, and ignored for so long.

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

[Mother Teresa]

I saw these photos and was hit by a wave, no a flood, of nostalgia and raw emotion. It made me cry. Do not forget these people. They are the ones who got you here...and all they are asking for is some peace in their lives.

http://ahmedzahid.blogspot.com/2008/10/dawn-7am-speeches-by-visiting-vips.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xefrox/3025112667/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/enwiie/2983067155/
                      

*photos from http://www.voteanni.com/

Free speech, disrespect, hypocrisy....thoughts for the day...

My honey's just left for a few days and I'm feeling listless, restless, blue. So I thought I'll just muse about this and that until my eyes feel heavy and my heart feels lighter.

So anyway, I heard that MBC has finally issued a warning of sorts against certain programs on dhitv and dhifm. Well considering the rude language and profanities, I'd say its about time. I know every time someone says its irresponsible and in the wrong to say certain things or make unfounded accusations, those engaging in such acts will defend it as exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression safeguarded in the constitution. But is it enshrined in the constitution that freedom of speech is acceptable even if it violates somebody else's rights? Freedom of speech exists within parameters and borders, I believe, and it is not ok to say anything you feel like about anybody anywhere, just for the sake of a popular sound bite or to promote some selfish political agenda. Freedom of speech does not give anyone permission to slander and defame and pull out  outrageous rumors out of thin air. And this goes to all the parties of all colors.

I feel that we can not solely blame the producers or presenters of these ridiculous programs, even if they are being rather irresponsible by allowing such expletive-ridden dialogue to be aired, and for certain 'liberties' they take in their quite 'creative reporting'. I believe the real root of evil here is the lack of respect. And not just the respect of the people to their leaders, and vice versa, but respect in every spectrum, in every walk of life. It is a sad sad thing. There is no respect, no courtesy, no etiquette whatsoever anywhere, and it shames me to say this. There is no respect for parents, among families and neighbors, for teachers, among colleagues and peers, for strangers or friends, for property or feelings or even life itself. You see it everywhere, this blatant and dismaying lack of respect - from tender aged school kids to professionals in suits, from pedestrians who push past the elderly and pregnant women, to the restless youth zooming on their bikes without a care for traffic rules or the safety of anybody else on the roads or their own (though I've always struggled to grasp the reason for their haste - where could they all be going in such a hurry in this tiny island where you can go anywhere in 15 mins max?). Coming back to the point, I think many of the vices in this society could be attributed to this lack of respect. There is no respect for, or amidst, the law enforcement, the judiciary, the government, the civil society, the media, the general public, just individual to individual. Not to mention the parliament is a zoo, and its broadcast is unfit to be viewed by kids, or anybody of sound mind for that matter... and these are the people we entrust with upholding the constitution and formulating our laws. Right.

Another thing that's bugging me has been all this fuss about not slandering 'dhanna beykalun' or 'ilmuverin'. I've been hearing about it for a week now and it's just gotten sillier and sillier. I dont condone the slander of anyone, but some of the arguments have just made me skeptical. There was one person on a radio program today who said that it was wrong to defame and slander 'ilmuverin' but it was alright to slander politicians. Apparently slandering politicians or other public figures was not such a big issue, but if an 'ilmuveriyeh' was concerned its a big sin. My question is, if some of these 'ilmuverin' also have high political ambitions with political agendas and are leaders of political parties, arent they as much politicians as the next fist-thumping finger-wagging self-righteous and self-promoting politician? And if so should they be given any preferential treatment? Is this like what happens in George Orwell's Animal Farm, "All animals are equal...but some animals are more equal than others"?

There are many respected religious scholars in the country about whom there are no rumors or videos (ahem). So I'm more prone to believe there's no smoke without a fire, and if these scholars want to be active politicians they should not be exempt from any treatment of any other politician who will most likely be up to no good themselves. They are not just scholars anymore, they are politicians. If politicians can be srutinized so can they. If they can't take it, they shouldn't be all over the media making political statements or leading political parties. Besides if they practised what they preached they wouldn't be in this hot mess in the first place would they? Nothing gets more on my nerves than holier than thou hypocrites on moral high horses who go and get exposed for the leches they are and then try to cover up and hide behind the shield of religion. It is a disrespect to religion, and to me, that is the most despicable form of disrespect possible.

*Photo from www.sodahead.com

Well now that I've had my warm milk, I'll go lather up the olive oil on my body, and put on my night cream and eye cream and lip balm (moisturize, moisturize, moisturize people - seal it in, all over – and top it off by hydrating the inside as well with lots and lots of water) and go to bed with a smile.

Bubble wrap, gym happenings, the Kardashians, the usual stuff...

I came across some bubblewrap today, and it got me all excited. Now this might sound silly but I love bubblewrap. Oh how I love bubblewrap! And not just lightly; bubblewrap fills me with childish glee and each burst gives me so much satisfaction that I can't stop until I've finished squeezing out the whole thing...and once I'm done I go over it all over again to see if I'd missed a single one. Its like Owen of 'Less Than Perfect' says, they are 'wonderful pillows of air' :) Life's simple pleasures eh?

Last week I started a new weights class at gym, in addition to the cardio. So there I am, getting pumped for my first class with my baby weights ready, while everyone around me are adding more and more weights to their bars, feeling every bit the newbie that I was. In the packed class I spot one of my cousins. To my amazement she's loading on these heavy weights like a pro and flexing her muscles and lifting and pumping and what not. At home she's this fragile, delicate flower, ever so proper and dainty and everything feminine, and here she's like iron woman or something. A lot of puzzled head scratching ensued on my part. Sheepish grins on her part. I guess lifting around 3 kids must have helped. People are full of surprises.

So anyway last week after gym I was of the mind to have a quiet night in, just watching tv and reading. I usually tune into CSI and Law and Order shows and Dexter on foxcrime, documentaries on natgeo, comedies like the bing bang theory (I think Sheldon's adorable, and I'm still hooked on the show so it MUST be good), better with you, $#!t my dad says, Happy endings and so on. WB still runs old episodes of FRIENDS which is awesome. I did start watching How i met your mother, but got so fed up since we seem to come so close but never get to know who this woman is. Just tell us who she is and how you met her already! Sheesh! And occassionally I watch Gossip Girl and some random movie. But one thing I cant stand, that just makes me throw up in my mouth, are these reality shows. Real Housewives of Atlanta and New York and Jersey and what not. Goddd just seeing the ads make me want to tear my hair out. Who watches this stuff?? Anyhow, not being a big fan of reality tv, I dont 'keep up' with the Kardashians either. Now before I say anything, I must admit I think Kim K is a gorgeous woman. Having said that, I think the world needs a break from her and the whole family. They're just all over the place! I've come aross so many comments on forums where people just whinge about the family being in their faces all the time, and its so true. I just see ads and that's more than enough for me. But something that piqued my curiosity was this season's ad that showed the guy Kim married proposing to her. I'd read that Kim Kardashian had gotten divorced after just 72 days following her predictably over the top 'fairytale' wedding that supposedly cost millions. So I was thinking, this is just so weird. We all know they're divorced, and now we'reexpected to watch them be mushy mushy and talking about spending their whole lives together even though we know they split ways hardly before the honeymoom was over?? I guess the whole rumor about it all being a publicity stunt might have some grain of truth, since it did get viewers attention, yours truly included. I decided to watch the proposing episode. In one scene they are driving to a restaurant where the whole family are gathered and where he had planned to propose, and they got to talking about where they'd live. Kim's adamant that he has to buy a new place since she cant get used to a 'lower..or lesser...lifestyle' than she was used to. She said it wasn't worth it, and he asked her if she meant if he wasnt worth it. He was troubled by it enough to postpone asking her that night. Warning bells, my friend. If this was all genuine stuff, that should've given you clue enough. But then he decides she's the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with, have kids with, blah blah and ends up marrying her. It just boggles my mind that these people make millions from fame they got through scandalous tapes and airing all their family drama and dirty laundry for millions to see. It boggles my mind more that they can spend so much money on a wedding, and just toss the marriage away in two months. To say that they have their priorities mixed up is an understatement. I am determined not to waste another half hour of my life 'keeping up' with attention seekers on reality tv, and I'm hoping less and less people choose to get dumbed down by tuning into the shallow bickering and cat fights of the very unreal 'real housewives' and the like.

Ah now I'm off to do some Downward Dog, Upward Dog, Cat, Cow, Plank, Boat, Stork and Tree and more yoga poses to give me a good relaxing stretch before I hit the sack. I put down the names of these basic ones so anyone who's not into yoga can look them up and see how easy and relaxing they are! I sweated buckets, seriously buckets, at gym today and my body is longing for the comfort of my bed and pillows. Sigh, sweet sound slumber. Buona notte!

Ps - People protesting again tonight, why not just go home and get some shut eye. Maybe sleep deprivation is prompting you to run around getting angry over everything and nothing. Give it a rest, for our peace of mind and sanity's sake.

I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it. - Ernest Hemingway

To warm up the day - Lamb and Date Tagine

This week's been a rather bleak and depressing one, with the death of the young boy in the TMA incident and the brutal murder of the elderly man in Kudahuvadhoo. May their souls rest in peace, and may the grieving families find solace and strength in these difficult times. 

The weather is equally gloomy, as if the sun too couldn't bother to shine as brightly amidst all the sad things happening in this country. Sunny side of life indeed. What with the dirty politics and name calling and finger pointing and endless blame games that lead to nothing at the end of the day, except more conflict and strife within families, between neighbors, amongst friends, I can't blame anyone for pulling a long face this week. Sigh.

So anyway, I thought I'd try to warm up your hearts (and more importantly your bellies) by sharing a wonderful recipe to chase the blues away. I say wonderful because it seems to be the one I make best [judging from the repeated requests, especially from my lil brother and my man who are both fussy about curries, and the fact that plates, pots and fingers are licked clean of every morsel]...and trust me I am no culinary genius by any means, as my many M-A-N-Y disastrous experiments could prove over the years. However I love cooking, or rather experimenting with ingredients, and a good meal always make the day so much better.

I initially found this on BBC food, and then looked up similar recipes but I made my own changes to suit my tastebuds and jotted this one down. This serves about 5 to 6 hearty eaters :)

Lamb and date tagine

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, diced small
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground black pepper (I am a pepper freak, so I tend to put even more at times)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (I tend to add more cinnamon too, heightens the spicy-sweetness but might not be for everyone)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin (which I normally forget)
• handful curry leaves
• 1/3 cup parsley or coriander sprigs (for me it depends on what's available)
• 1kg lamb, chopped into cubes
• 250g dried dates, stones removed and each date sliced into bout 3 pieces
• handful of cashews or almonds, chopped
• 250ml pomegranate juice (I guess the packaged juice will work as well, but I love the fruit and prefer to squeeze the juice out of seeds)
• 250ml water
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp honey

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil and add onions, fry on low heat until lightly browned.
2. Add the diced garlic, ground cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger and black pepper, as well as the curry leaves and mix well. The aroma is mouthwatering hehe, I love the smell of spices cooking.
3. Turn up the heat and add the lamb cubes, coat well with the spice mixture.
4. Add the handful of chopped cashews or almonds.
5. Once the lamb turns lights brown, add pomegranate juice. I normally prepare it beforehand. I don't recommend putting the seeds in a blender as it might bring out the bitter taste of the seeds. Instead I squueze the seeds well on a strainer over a measuring cup. Usually the juice of a good sized pomegranate is enough.
6. Add the sliced dates, water and salt and bring to the boil.
7. Cover with the lid, and cook on very low heat for two hours. (Yes this takes patience - all worth it mind you, and is not a meal you decide to whip up at the last minute)
8. As a finishing sprinkle in the sprigs of parsley or coriander.
9. I add the spoonful of honey after I taste the dish. Sometimes with the dates and cinnamon its very sweet. Sometimes, if I've put more pepper I reckon, its a bit spicy and can do with some honey to make it just the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

I'll remember to take a pic and post next time I prepare this dish. It goes down equally well with bread, rice, roshi, wraps or couscous.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”J.R.R. Tolkien

Happy cooking people!

Inside and Out

I’m the morning bird’s song

And the sunrays kissing your face

I’m the white clouds in the bluest sky

And the raindrops slithering down your cheek

I’m the wind rustling through your hair

And the smell of grass after rain

I’m the warmth of the noon sun

And the salt of the sea breeze

I’m the sand between your toes

And the waves lapping at your feet

I’m the diamond stars in the velvet sky

And the radiance of the full moon

I’m the tinkling sound of joyous laughter

And the peace of utter silence

I’m the chaos of rush hour traffic

And the calmness of the open sea

I’m the arms that envelope you

And the hands that comfort

I’m the dirt beneath your nails

And the sweat on your brows

I’m the legs that support you

And the senses that give you pleasure

I’m the beat of your heart

And the pulse in your wrist

I am around you, beside you, inside you
And even if I am not to be seen
Know that I am with you, always

*photo from s147.photobucket.com

My Soft Place to Fall

I have made funny faces,

Angry faces, sad faces,

Smiley faces, confused faces

I have made a million faces

In front of you

Without fear of being judged

I have laughed hysterically

And giggled till my belly ached

I have cried till my makeup streaked

And my nose was full of snot

I have been ridiculous

And I have been smart

I have said things that made no sense to you

And things that you found very wise

But the fact is,

I have been able to be just me

Because you are my soft place to fall

When I am blue with sorrow

When I am yellow with hope

When I am red with anger

When I am white with serenity

When I am gold with delight

When I am pink with love

You have always been my soft place to fall

Whether I’m dancing to silly songs

Or singing out of tune

Whether I’m blabbering in my sleep

Or fussing about everything and nothing

Whether I’m high or low

Whether I’m flying or sinking

I wish you remain as you are

When my bones ache and my eyes are droopy

When my feet get cold and my skin is crinkly

I hope I can come back home

And still find haven in the safety of your arms,

The soothing of your eyes,

The warmth in your voice,

I hope you will always be

My soft place to fall.

*Photo from www.favim.com

*Oprah always talks about every person needing a soft place to fall, and that inspired the poem. I like to watch the Oprah show occassionally, and it was sad to see the show end, since it had become sort of a bonding thing with my mom. But one thing that really got on my nerves was the show's audience. They just shriek and gasp and go into some sort of collective orgasm, constantly! Catch your breath, calm down, sheesh. Hang on, I think I should get paid for doing so much Oprah promo already. I await a goodie bag any day now :) Oh please add in one of those juicers that Dr. Oz promotes, I'd like on of those!

A glance at the first week of 2012

Aloha fabulous people! Although a little late in coming, I wish you all a joyful, prosperous year ahead. May 2012 be one to remember for all the wonderful reasons.

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, lets get down to more serious stuff. As always, with the beginning of the new year I have made more resolutions that I hope I wouldn't forget about halfway through the year, as has been happening in recent years. The year has started colorfully I must admit, with such drama and political excitement. Following the 23 December protest last year, and the consequent closing and reopening of spas, and the yellow people frothing at the mouth and dragging their then-minister out of the car of their arch nemesis (GASP, this is the equivalent of catching Hagrid on the back of Voldemort's broomstick I assume), parliamentarians letting loose their restrained fetishes and tearing off each other's shirts, and the ridiculous spectacle of the pink people with the photos of their dear leader on their shirts and ties and foreheads (I mean seriously people, that's just creepy), and the even more ridiculous talk of a certain sheikh engaging in very unsheikhly 'acts' (personally I believe no one's in any position - missionary or otherwise - to point any fingers, kettle calling pot black and all). And we just finished the first week. Sigh. Man this year is going to be one to remember all right, most possibly for wonderfully scandalous and utterly stupid reasons.

Like I always say, I say it like I see it. I dont feel the need to take sides, I dont have interest in winning favor. So objectively speaking, I feel we must all admit that 23 December did get quite a turnout, as I thought it would. It is denial to say that they were just a handful of extremists. Sure, some may have been there for political reasons, arms outstretched and ready to come and swoop in like vultures in case the government happened to topple over and fall that very day. You could pratically see them salivating and drooling at the thought. I felt sorry for the people, the people deserve better than to be used as pawns to fulfil the political ambitions and selfish agendas of holier than thou finger wagging self proclaimed 'ilmuverin' and rich merchants and corrupt thugs standing on the backs of the common man and basking in the wealth created by a toxic network of corruption and narcotics. I believe many of them were there with good intentions, with strong beliefs, but their passion and faith were being manipulated and that was sick to watch! It gave me heartburn...or it could have been the spicy dinner I had.

Anyway, I felt the yellow people were equally ridiculous. Having a counter protest? That was a good idea, really? These protests come and go, its a free country, just let them be. I would have thought the better idea was to sit back and watch the show. Let them vent and let them go home. What did the 'medhumin' achieve, except a kinda lukewarm waving of yellow flags? For once why cant they organize something that represented a national united front? Are only yellow people the medhumin people, and everyone else extremists? I know many liberal minded people who refused to support the protest because it was 'just another party thing'. All liberal, tolerant people are not yellow head to toe, please get that. They just want their peace of mind. They would have gone happily to defend 'medhumin' if there was no 'gulzaarugaa nayaa magey' and yellow flags and yellow posters and yellow fliers. Smarter strategy wouldn't have excluded the rest of the country. Oh well, maybe the yellows can't think beyond their yellow boundaries, despite the 'rashu bandhu filun'. I felt sorry for the people there too. Pawns, all of them. Pawns protecting religion (who attacked religion in the first place? *eyebrow highly arched in suspicion*), and pawns calling for medhumin. The ones at the top  don't give a hoot whether these pawns were able to have dinner that night, whether they had a bed to sleep, whether a family of 7 lived in a single room, whether their sons and daughters got jobs. No. This is reality, and people should wisen up and refuse to be used as puppets in the sick and twisted political theatre, be it the blues or the yellows or the pinks or the various reds and greens pulling the strings. They're just means to an end, and they"ll be discarded as they are always. 

I, being the highly opinionated person I am, also felt that the President should have just taken the provocative monuments down when the masses started bubbling. Was there a need for controversy? I felt a bit disappointed, having been such a huge fan. I would have, being totally airyfairy and repulsed by conflict, just issued a statement following the protest that yes, the government would shut down 'brothels' or whatever, and that it was even being done now. After all the drama and hooplahoo of closing and opening spas, he ended up saying that to the press, and came back full circle. It could have all been avoided, but what to do. Maybe some people just thrive on controversy. Fires up the engines, I suppose. I can never understand that, being so into seeking and staying in bliss. *Shakes head in confusion*

Ok that recaps the more exciting trailer of 2012, and thats enough negative emotions for a day. I shall now counter with a rush of good feeling by looking up some My Little Pony videos and some Brian Atwood shoes. If you are a shoe person and dont know of Brian Atwood, I will just gape at you. There, done. Seriously, those shoes are divine! 

Oh and before I sign off, just a reminder people to load up on the sunscreen. Its a blaring hot day. SPF 30 at least! And invest in a good foot pumice and scrub, these roads are getting dustier and dirtier by the day!  

And to ensure a month of healthy living, I'll recommend the link below. Great stuff. Its got green tea and dark chocolate mmmmmm, how can it go wrong? :)
http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Oz-on-How-to-Renew-Your-Body-Mind-and-Soul/1

Toodles.......