BOOM!

BOOM.............My microwave actually blew up the other day! I was being lazy and did not want to put the tea kettle on the stove. So, I filled a micro-safe mug with water..something I always do...and put it in my microwave. After a few seconds I heard a buzzing sound and then it just blew up. It actually jumped..and hit the top shelf above it. Luckily. the shelf was there or it might of catapulted across the room! Lol. It's funny now, but at the time I was really scared. I thought it would burst into flames.

It was about 9 years old so no wonder it blew up. It served me well. I went to Al-Ghanim Electronics and all the micros were +45KD. They had a couple for about 35 KD but they were small and ugly. Ugh!

A friend of mine is constantly telling me that Al-Ghanim is overpriced. She always recommends City Centre fr buying electronics. So, I took a chance and went. My friend was right. I got a big 25litre, silver microwave for 29 KD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is awesome!

And hopefully I will have this one for another 9 years! Insha'Allah!

Thursday Three

Answer these:

What is your favourite movie line?

What sound or noise do you love?

What colour dominates your wardrobe?

Me:

Jerry Maguire: "You had me at Hello."
The sound of rain hitting the roof (or in Kuwait the A/C!!)
Green- all shades

My 'Etsy' Addiction

This is NOT even funny! Lol..actually it is! A couple months ago I posted about Gummi Bear soaps being sold online. So, a couple weeks ago I had a chance to explore www.Etsy.com . Oh my gosh...it is the coolest site! Everything is handmade or home crafted. I already placed my first TWO orders. I bought like 4 cool soaps (yes gummi bears too!) and 1 lip gloss from "Naiad's Shop"..sorry I have no idea how to embed links. Here link is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5008693

And I bought some oil-based fruity perfumes and chocolate incense here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=61594

This is my ALL time favorite site! Most sellers will ship to Kuwait and for most the shipping rate is not astronomical. BUT keep an eye on the shipping. I saw one seller that was selling wax tarts for $2.50 each but shipping was almost $8!!! And if you see a seller that only ships to the US all you have to do is e-mail them and they will more than likely agree to ship to Kuwait!!

Exploring Etsy is so FUN! I saw some adorable, handmade kids toys. I am planning on buying a toy for each of my 3 kids before Eid. Insha'Allah!

I will post pics and a review once I get my loot! Insha'Allah!

Meow and your DEAD!

This is the strangest and creepiest story I have seen lately! It's about a cat that senses when nursing home patients will die just a few hours before they actually do.

I wonder how?

I use to visit a nursing home when I was in college. A friend and I did it once a week just to cheer up these poor people. Their families literally lock them up and they stay in these 'homes' until they die.

Anyway, the thing I remember most is the scent. It was this sickly sweet scent. And it was not spray or perfume. I always felt it was emanating from the patients. I even remember telling my friend it was the 'scent of death'. So, I wonder if the cat can detect the stronger sweet smell?????

Here's the article:

(from www.cnn.com )

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours.

Oscar the cat doesn't like to be put out in the hall when a patient is dying.

His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," Dr. David Dosa said in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
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Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room, though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advance warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."

Anyone bought the last Harry Potter book??

Has anyone read the last Harry Potter book? I am curious to find out how it ends and am thinking about buying it. I just learned that Star Books is selling it online for about 11KD and they deliver it right to your door! Is that the same price they are charging if you go into the store?

I think the cover is UGLY...wonder why they changed it for Int'l sales?

www.onlinestarbooks.com

My New Monitor!

I bought a new HP monitor last night at Al-Ghanim. And it is SO much better than my old , tiny monitor. I actually can SEE what I am typing a lot clearer than my old monitor. Although, I have had to adjust the brightness like 10 times already. I am so pysched!

Long time no POST!

I cannot believe it has been so long since I blogged. I have been busy with several deadlines. I finally finished the last article I had pending this morning. I get a whopping 2 days off before I have to start my next article. But no complaining. I love my work and am very thankful to have it!!

Thursday Three !

Answer These:

1. Where do you buy groceries from in Kuwait?
2. What is the LAST movie you saw?
3. What's your favorite 'Search Engine' ?


Me:
1. City Centre
2. Shrek: The Third
3. www.DogPile.com

Say You Care With..........SOLAR PANELS !!

The 'Tarsheed' plight goes on in the local newspapers and via SMS. There is even a hotline where you can report violaters of overconsumption. Yesterday I received an SMS that the power supply was overburdened and there was only 4% of electricity left. Of course, it's scary given the exceptionally hot weather and I have small kids at home. But how come the government isn't taking additional measures to ensure the power supply in Kuwait?

All you have to do is look into the sky to see the biggest source of power that we could possibly utilize...the SUN! We have loads and loads of sunlight in Kuwait for at least 7 months of the year. Solar panels would be so beneficial to Kuwait and take the burden of overconsumption away.

I wonder if the government is exploring solar technology as a viable energy source or are they too busy warning us to switch the AC off before we leave home???????

Why aren't there lifeguards in Kuwait?

(This is actually a pic of Jennings Beach in Fairfield, CT - USA - I use to swim here every weekend with my family! Ahhh...the good ol' days!)

With all the beaches In Kuwait, you would think the government would employ lifeguards. Every other week there is a new case of someone drowning. I mean, it's common sense right?

We went to the beach near Ray's One last night and the beach there was full of swimmers...at night! There were little kids jumping into the water while their parents smoked the hubbly bubbly and chatted. Any one of those kids could have drowned in an instant.

In the US, the beaches are closed at night. And violaters are fined. I doubt Kuwait has the manpower to enforce its' beaches but they should at least have lifeguards on them. Ugh!

Hmmmmmmmm...........maybe they could get some poor expatriates and train them how to swim for like 2 KD a month! Ugh!

The Lazy Days of Summer!

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged! Time really does fly. I cannot believe that summer vacation is HALF over. That is just so wrong. There are even "Back to School" signs in some of the shops on Salem Mubarak Street. Oh the horror!!!!!!
I have gotten nothing accomplished this summer in terms of creating fun stuff with my kids or even starting on their summer homework. Just being in the AC all day takes away every ounce of energy I have. But starting today, I really am going to be proactive in getting some things done with my kiddies.

I really want to take them shelling for oysters. But I have no idea if the pearl season has even started in Kuwait yet. And when is the best time of day to go? I have often seen people with flashlights coming the beaches when the tide is low at night. I can't imagine doing that with little kids. But I think it would be a really great hands-on learning opportunity. And they would FREAK if they found a pearl! I am going to have to explore this idea further!

Homesick - 4th of July - USA

I woke up feeling soooooooooo homesick today that I am physically ill. Today is the US Independance Day or thr 4th of July. Families in the US, mine included, spend the day together at the beach or barbecuing at home. And then once the night rolls in there are huge firework displays that light up the whole sky!! Ugh! I think I will call my family today and just check in. Although, it will make me more depressed I am sure!

I cannot even remember the last time I saw fireworks?? They never have them in Kuwait. I think for every new mall opening there should be one fireworks display! We need to sign a petition! Lol!

Really Strange Ad from Brazil!!

I am just LOST when looking at this ad from Brazil! Why on Earth would they include the #1 terrorist in the World's image on an ad for the Cannes film festival? It's sick!

Creepy form of child abuse..

I first saw this story about a "Kumari" or supposed "living godess" from Nepal on Inside Edition (MBC4). It is really disgusting. Apparently, they choose a girl when she is between the age of 2 or 4 years. She must have perfect features, teeth and skin tone. And then they worship her until she reaches puberty and toss her aside in favor of a new Kumari. Meanwhile, the retired Kumaris rarely marry because people believe if they do marry then the husband will face an early death.

Enter Sajani Shakya, she participated in a documentary about Kumaris and travelled to the US to promote it. She is only 10 years old and because she left Nepal she is now considered to be impure. So, they "fired" her.

So, now this little girl goes from being adored to basically being insignificant in the eyes of her community.

Reminds me of something I read about in the Holy Quran about how men create their own statues and such to worship instead of God. One group of people would construct statues out of dates. They would worship them, wash them and give it offerings etc. But once they began to feel hungry they would EAT it!!! Ugh!

The Sultan Center - Summer Quiz Contest

The Sultan Center has a NEW activity! Play to win, baby!

Kids, come and join the fun with The Sultan Center Summer Quiz contest.To answer the following questions, you will need to visit TSC and Safeway websites:www.sultan-center.com and www.safeway.com.jo

1. Where can you buy StudioKids clothes showing Disney characters?

2. What is the specialty of the house at Jeans Grill Restaurant?

3. Name the 2 softwares you need for Canyon Glider.

4. Name 2 of the 4 rewards you can choose with 100 TSC Rewards Points.

5. What do you get when you celebrate your birthday at Jeans Grill?

6. Name the Safeway store that has a Sushi Bar.

7. Fill in the missing 2 words: "Mango Fools with ________ - ________ straws"

8. Fill in the 1 missing word: "How's this for a great brainwave- ________________ made of egg cartons..."

Return your Summer Quiz Entries to any TSC service desk by Thursday, July 26th.Correct answers will enter a draw for prizes.Rules: Contest is open to kids ages 8-14. Only one entry per child.
For more information, please call 4343155 ext. 514.

He's finally free!

I woke up this morning to hear some very excellent news! Alan Johnston is finally free! I really thought this story would have an awful ending. Alan was kidnapped and held for 4 months in Gaza.

Journalists risk their lives to bring us news from around the World as it happens. And news from Gaza, and by extension Palestine, is really critical to highlight the plight of the Palestinian people. But with the danger and kidnappings its' no wonder that there are only a handful of Western journalists reporting from Palestine.

I think journalists and news camera men and women should be left out of the fight and not used as political pawns. It's just wrong.

Bubble Gum Alley - Walls of Germs!

This is an actual alley in California called "Bubble Gum Alley". Back in the 1960's people just started sticking their used gum to the walls. Over the past 40+ years people have just kept adding to this disgusting site which is now a popular tourist attraction. Locals say that when it gets hot outside the alley and adjacent street smells like Bazooka bubble gum. Gross!

My New Phone: Nokia E61i

A few weeks ago my 2 year od got her hands on my cute little pink Nokia N70 which was a gift from my husband last year. Anyway, she threw it onto the floor and it just went dead. The repair guy could not fix it. So, my husband surprised me with a navy blue Motorola. I hated it but did not know how to tell him.

I did mention that I was having trouble figuring out how to use it. I am a Nokia-junkie. He took the hint and got me the Nokia E61i. I love it!! The guy who sold it to us says it is better than Blackberry. Here's hoping!

My only problem is figuring out how to use the e-mail and internet programs.

Anyone else have this phone?????????

Slowing down.............

Almost all the publications I write for are taking a 1 month break. So, there was a fever pitch doubling up on articles to cover the month off. But now for the first time in like forever I find I have free time on my hands!! WooooooHoo!

No deadline. No hunting down interviewees and spending hours doing research.

It's nice. I actually took a nap today. The first in a long time. I crashed for almost 5 hours!!! I went to sleep at 3pm and woke up just in time for Desperate Housewives at 8pm...yawn...sleep feels good!

Rex is DEAD!

I can't believe that Rex died in today's episode of Desperate Housewives!! Oh my gosh...I actually started crying while watching Bree's reaction. And Rex was not one of my favorite characters anyway! Other news is that Susan is being held at gunpoint by the disturbing..ugh...what's his name?? Paul Young's son. Funny I can't remember his name now. He is super creepy. And there is a new neighbor in Alfrie Woodard. I can't wait to see what happens next!! Even though I could go out and buy the DVD, I prefer just watching every day!

Oh and I guess Bree might be arrested for murder??? The pharmicist is extra creepy!

Amusement Park Safety in Q8?

It's really scary that there have been so many accidents at amusement parks in the USA this summer. I am sure it is going on in other countries as well but so far I have only seen reports coming out of the US. There was one incident where a roller coaster stopped mid-loop for 30 minutes. All the riders came off OK but had blood-red faces. Another girl got on a rollercoaster at Walt Disney World and by the time the ride ended she was dead. Most recently, a girl was riding a superman ride that basically goes up and shoots down leaving the legs exposed. The same ride is at Al-Shaab. Anyway, both her feet were severed from her legs. And then today I read on CNN.com that an amusement park worker was killed at Playland in Rye, New York which is an amusement park I use to go to when I was a kid living in Connecticut.

All of these tragedies have made me wonder just how safe amusement parks are in Kuwait. And I am guessing they are not very safe. We went to Entertainment City a few weeks ago. I saw a ride operater allowing a 2 year old child go on the mid-size roller coaster with her parents. She was so small that there was no way to buckle her into the seat. Her idiot father simply held onto her as the ride progressed. And there was a height chart right at the gate and of course the little girl was too small to go on the ride.

So, if you go to an amusement park in Kuwait, use your best judgement and be safe because I doubt anyone is watching to make sure the rides are safe. They are too busy counting their dinars.

Friday Night Fire in my Building!

We went out this past Friday and did some shopping at Sharq Market. The kids were cranky and it was so hot out. So, we stopped to rent a couple movies and came home early. We were just drained. The volume on the TV was so loud. I kept thinking my home phone was ringing but my husband kept saying it was the movie. I finally got up to check and it was ringing but it stopped before I could answer it. I glanced at the clock and it was almost 11:30pm. I went to the kitchen to get water and I smelled smoke. I stuck my nose up against the seam of my front door and the scent was stronger. I yelled for my husband and he looked out the window and the street was full of people. Ugh! Our building was on fire and we had no idea. The phone rang again and it was my neighbors from the 4th floor. They told me to get out of the building because a 5th floor apartment was on fire. We raced out as fast as we could. The fire brigade came like 2 minutes later. I was impressed.

We were stuck outside for a full 30 minutes. Luckily, there were no injuries or death. And now I am going to buy another smoke detector for the hallway beside the front door. Ugh!

Oh and the cause of the fire was an overheated plug for an air conditioner.