The Great Middle East Obsession

So it's proved now, I am officially besotted, smitten and fanatical about everything having even a minute ting of anything Middle East about it. It started off with Thousand Splendid Suns, an enchanting book by Mr Khalid Hossieni. I loved this book so much so that I have re-read it numerous times over the years and publicized it verbally and on blog here and here

Soon after finishing this book, I was suddenly smitten by the Afghan people, Afghanistan and its culture. I yearned to know more about the Pashtuns, Taziks and Hazaras (the main tribes in Afghanistan). It was nearly at this time that I came across this blog. Apart from now being friends with this friendly Pashtun girl, I do get my periodic updates about the ethics and culture of Pashtun people and of her cute niece Kashmala.

Meanwhile I also read The Kite Runner, which further strengthened my resolve to visit the unfortunate land of Afghanistan. By the way I have this dream of visiting Afghanistan at least once in my lifetime, I don’t know how this dream of mine will be fulfilled but I just hope I get to visit Afghanistan at least once.

After reading this book I was suddenly googling a lot about Afghanistan, its culture and also simultaneously broadening my horizons over the Middle East  in large. Then I laid my hands on Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody (which again  is a must read by the way). This book explores Iran and Iranian culture, which again was loved my me.

Soon after I read Princess by Jean P. Sasson, which explored the Saudi Arabian culture, something I was dying to know about since a long time. I devoured this emotional trauma of a book in a single day and I can’t say that I slept peacefully for days after reading this book. Now the scenario is such that I pick up pretty much any book which has even a slight inkling of anything remotely Middle East combined with subject of subjugation of women on its cover page. The very recent being For the Love of a Son, again by Jean P Sasson. This book too explores the life of Afghan women, there miserable lives and pathetic conditions. I have been reading this book in huge junks even though I am home for a vacation. I hope to be able to read all books written by Jean P Sasson (which are a lot, by the way!)

Once I am done reading these books, I always yearn for more. I am like, “No way, Am I on the last page already? So soon? I wanted more.” I make myself feel better by googling as much as I can about the culture, cuisines and people of the Middle East. The books have such heartbreaking stories and instances that they never fail to bring tears in my eyes even when I am just thinking about them. I intend to do a post which has all the lines and stories from all these books which are special to me very soon.
Stay Tuned!


Love
Sepo!

The All about ME Post

Copied this from Purvi’s blog! I have been excited to write this ever since I saw this on her blog. Finally today I got the energy and time to post it today! Read on to know more tit-bits about me!

·                     Age: 23 on 9^th Feb

·                     Bed Size: 6*3 in which I struggle to keep myself and snowy the bear.

·                     Chores that you hate: Washing Clothes, Cleaning my wardrobe (overflowing with clothes) and packing (gosh, I hate packing, never able to make up my mind for anything and always forgetting something or the other)

·                      Dogs: Nope. Not for me.

·                     Essential start to your day: Funny as it may sound I usually wake up with an urgent need to attend the call of the nature, so that pretty much starts my day!

·                     Favourite Colour: I love bright colours. Reds, Hot pinks, Purples, Electric Blues. Oh yes, bring them on!

·                     Gold or Silver: Diamonds!!

·                     Height: 5 feet 4 inches

·                     Instruments that you play: None. And not liking it but doing nothing about it.

·                     Job Title: Assistant System Engineer

·                     Kids: None

·                     Live: Born in Kashmir, Live in Jammu, Current location is Mumbai.

·                     Music: Love it. Either listening or singing!

·                     Nicknames: Chunu, Sepo, Snehu and many more!

·                     Obsessive Compulsion: Sigh. Check this out!

·                     Pet peeves: These days there are a list of things that annoy me. So I will pass this one.

·                     Quote: "I will not exist, I will live" I often say this and I believe it :)

·                     Right or left Handed: Right Handed

·                     Siblings: A sister who is 7 years older to me and blessed with a 6 month old daughter.

·                     Travel Destinations: Current wish list includes- Goa, Kerala, Sikkim and Rajasthan. Long term plans are for places like – Ireland, Germany, France, and Spain, Mauritius and lots and lots of other places!

·                     Unacceptable: Injustice, Lies and backbiting

·                     Vegetable(s) you hate: After staying away from home, I eat more or less everything

·                     What makes you run late: The extra 5 minutes of sleep with somehow turns into hours

·                     X-Rays you have had: Chest, Spine and Shoulder

·                     Yummy food that you make: I am at a learning stage, but yes I will brag and say that whatever I make comes up tasty and good. Beginners’’ luck maybe?

·                     Zodiac: Aquarius.

The NO-Blackhead Syndrome

There is this feeling inside me, which sprouts up whenever I feel that something is not right. This feeling is usually followed by a deep restlessness and an itch to make that thing right and correct. This "thing" can be brought about due to a lot of reasons varying from cleanliness (a la Monica Geller from friends) to split-ends in my hair! Yes, I am that weird.

Now I can talk at lengths about split-ends, they just freak me out, whenever I spot one in my hair, I am immediately transformed into that state I mentioned above. I just have to get rid of it somehow, believe it or not when I was a student, while studying I had this very annoying habit of fiddling with my hair, the moment I spotted any split-ends, I would immediately get rid of it with the help of a scissor I always kept by my side. In case of absence of scissor in situations wherein say I am travelling etc, I have successfully used other instruments, namely my teeth! Yes, the condition is that serious.

This is actually nothing compared to what I experience when I spot a blackhead! I have forgotten the count of how many articles and books I have read which highlight  the fact that uprooting blackheads by squeezing them with nails is a practice that should be shunned. It is something that even the cave men and women never indulged in. I have also lost the count of how many times I promised myself that I will not torture my skin anymore. But Alas, all this is forgotten the moment I spot a black nasty blackhead. What's more embarrassingly serious about this blackhead thingy is that, it's not just about me. The restlessness to uproot the blackhead props up from any blackhead, by any I mean even those which are on someone else's body. Over the years I have brutally assaulted by sister's nose and also left a staring mark on it by regularly "cleansing" it. I have shamelessly offered this service to few friends, some colleagues and random acquaintances.

Recently while in a meeting in office, there was a client who was speaking at length about, well something! The reason I cannot remember anything from that meeting is that all my attention was on his neck which has a huge blackhead smirking directly at me. Taunting me. Making it hell difficult to concentrate on anything else. Trust me it took all of my will power and strength to sit still through the meeting and stay as far as possible from that client when the meeting was over.

It was then that I realized that just how serious it has become. It feels like I am a mad mad women on a outrage to change the world into a No-Blackhead world!