500 Days of Writing

Starting from Day 14, I will write everyday for 500 days. This is a pact I made with myself. Bit by bit, I want my writing to speak for itself. I won't tell you my name, I won't tell you my identity. All I have for you, is my story. So here it...

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It’s been such a tough couple of days.

I just want things to get better, and to feel well again.

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Day 22: Why

There are days when I question why I write, or why I have a blog.

Some days I have an answer, some days I don’t.

Today, the answer presented itself to me during the finale of Daredevil, and it was: I have a voice, and I want to be heard. I want to do something I’m passionate about, and I want to be so successful at it that it encourages others, countless many, to pursue their passions and to not be afraid. To believe in themselves, and to realize that their dreams can become realities.

I want people to read my words and feel encouraged, and to actually have a ray of hope in the darkness that too often swallows up dreams, wishes, and hopes, leaving nothing a faint trail of ashes behind. I want people to realize that they can be studying something entirely different, and be pursuing an entirely unrelated dream of theirs.

I want my words to leave a mark in the world, through actions of those I don’t know.

Not everyone’s born a prodigy, but you’ve got every second of the time you’ve got left in this world to change your life and to turn your future around. You don’t need to be born with brilliance in your head to excel. What you do need is determination, and passion, and persistence. And, you need these 3 most of all when things seem the hardest, and when it seems like your way is probably heading to a dead end.

Because, it won’t be a dead end. It’ll be success waiting at the very tip of the tunnel.

It won’t come easy, it won’t be in a few days or hours. It will take time, but, surely and definitely, success will be on your doorstep soon enough.

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Sharks – the apex predators of the oceans – have survived 400 million years of evolution, yet many species may face extinction within our lifetime. Up to 100 million sharks are being killed every year, most often their bodies are discarded and only their fins are kept to be used in Shark Fin Soup – a delicacy in some Chinese restaurants. Over hunting of the world’s largest fish has caused severe declines among many shark species, including the iconic Great White. Currently a third of shark species are threatened with extinction, and some populations have plummeted by over 90%. The situation has become so dire that China has decided to ban Shark Fin Soup at official state banquets. In the U.S. several states to date (including California, Oregon, Hawaii and New York), have introduced state-wide bans on shark fins, with more states in the process of introducing bans. Sharks are essential to the health of our oceans. As apex predators, sharks maintain a critical balance in the ocean. When sharks are eliminated, disastrous effects have been documented further down the food chain, including the collapse of commercial fisheries and the degradation of coral reefs. If sharks were to become extinct, this would have massive unintended consequences for our ocean ecosystems worldwide. Time is running out for the world’s shark populations. 

Sign the Fin Free petition here: http://fin-free.com/petitions/

Take the Fin Free Pledge: http://fin-free.com/take-action/fin-free-pledge/

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Day 21

I went to the doctor for my recurring backaches and stomach aches, and he wants to do an endoscopy. :x

It’s scary, even more so because I’m not with my family right now, but I guess this is what adult life’s about. Sigh.

On the other hand, I did finally get the mask of magnamity, which EVERYONE around me was super recommending, I’mma try it out and post my personal experience with it. I also got a concealer from Sephora, which I think is finally FINALLY my shade. I’ve always had a problem with picking one that’s the perfect shade for me, but, I think this time I managed it!

But here’s the cool thing, I also signed up with for their white member card? I think that’s what it’s called, and I got this really cute nail color as a gift.

I also signed to:a Fin Free pledge at Lush yesterday, and I have pledged to go by:

Never consuming or purchasing shark products  

Avoiding restaurants that have shark fin soup or other shark dishes on the menu, and raising the issue with them in a positive and encouraging manner

Refusing to support businesses that sell shark products including meat, fins, jaws, teeth, cartilage, gill rakers, and squalene oil and make the reasons for my lack of support known to the managers, again addressing the issues from a positive, balanced perspective

Developing a voice on the issue in my community. I will spread awareness, online and/or offline, sharing knowledge on shark conservation, their true behaviours, their importance to the environment, and their looming extinction

Not targeting any specific culture, ethnicity or race, but rather, how we can work together on the conservation issue itself. I understand that shark finning is a global issue with global consequences

Encouraging my friends and family to take this pledge, and supporting them in upholding it

You can take the Fin Free Pledge at http://fin-free.com/take-action/fin-free-pledge/

I also got Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, it’s an intriguing series, and I couldn’t believe Virgin had it. Also, considering my procrastination levels, I decided, no more. I got it, and I’m SO SUPER EXCITED ASHDFSDRJHFAFR AAHHH

Confession: I love collecting paper bags.

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Day 20

I just started watching Daredevil, and it has such a darker theme and outlook, as compared to most other Marvel stuff. It’s way more gory, and realistic.

Not sure if I enjoy it too much, but, I can’t stop watching it either.

Ah well, here’s to binge-watching another TV series.

Also, Silicon Valley’s back with season 2! WOOP WOOP

Any Daredevil blogs I can follow?

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Day 19: Don‘ts of a Conference

So today was the first day of an android conference that I’ll be attending for the next three days. After a few hours of being surrounded by complete nitwits, I made up a list of things you most certainly should NOT do at a presentation, especially at a conference.

1) Have your phone on normal mode. Turn it to SILENT. I cannot stress on this enough. No matter how busy you are, or how late you’re running, don’t forget to switch your cell phone to silent, because when it rings, everyone will be staring at you. That’s right. Don’t be that annoying idiot whose phone rings in the midst of an interesting session.

2) Don’t sleep. For Pete’s sake it’s a conference, not your bedroom. Even if it’s a boring presentation, just grab a cup of coffee, and keep yourself alert. It’s disrespectful, and it defeats the purpose of you being there. If you’re so uninterested, why even attend in the first place?

3) Don’t snore. This refers back to #3, but, still. Just putting it out there. The guy sitting next to me dozed off and actually snored a bit. Somebody next to him  had to wake him up. #embarassing

4) Don’t talk loudly or even normally. Unless it’s a discussion session, don’t be the person creating noise in the background. Don’t be that annoying disrespectful idiot who won’t shut up while a team/person is presenting something. Also, if it’s so necessary, whispering does the job too. You don’t need to speak with a loud voice and act like you don’t give a shit, because, clearly you give enough shits to attend. Might as well be a bit polite while you’re at it.

5) Don’t talk DURING the discussion session if another person is asking a question on a mic. It’s distracting, it’s disgusting, it’s annoying.

Your unnecessary comments and interruptions can wait.

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Day 18

So I’m tired beyond belief, and my laptop’s battery is on 4% remaining, so I’m going to make this quick. I met my paternal uncle after a year, and it felt so incredibly great, catching up with him and everything. His flight back home is tomorrow evening.

Anyway, so I’ve a choice between going to an Android conference and participating in a singing contest. They’re both great events, but I really don’t know which one I should go for. The problem is they’re on the same day. Ugh. I wish they weren’t. But, while I’ve been writing, I just decided. I will go to the conference.

Why?

Because, I like singing, yes, but I know deep in my heart that going to this event won’t be the best of decisions I’ve made. I’ll go to the conference instead. Gosh, I feel so at ease now. Wow. So incredibly relieved.

The person reading this probably thinks wow what even is this completely pointless banter, in which case, well I can’t do nothing dawg.

So anyway, also OHEMGEEZIE, FOUR GAME OF THRONES EPISODES INSTEAD OF ONE!!!

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Day 17

Fujairah is such a different city, it has the feel of a more liberal Al-Khobar, but a more conservative UAE emirate. Also, boomboxes make BBQs way WAY more fun! Seriously.

Here’s a list of essentials for BBQs:

1) Meat (you can buy marinated boneless chicken, and beef, from hypermarkets. Lulu is a great option for the Middle East, Carrefour is another one)

2) Grills and skewers

3) Tissue boxes

4) Gloves (so your hands won’t get dirty when you get the meat on skewers)

5) Trays for the skewers so you can add in those while the stuff is grilling

6) More trays for the now-ready-grilled-meat

7) Ice boxes

8) Drinks (Especially lots and LOTS of water bottles. Also, keep a variety of softdrinks and ice-tea, so people have more options to choose from)

9) Ketchups/Mayo/BBQ Sauce/Ranch/Houmus

10) Ice (for iceboxes)

11) Coal (for grill)

12) Lighter

13) White Coal (Fuel infuser)

14) Disposable plates

15) Disposable glasses

16) Disposable spoons/forks

17) 1-2 Knives

18) Chips/Biscuits/Snacks for the trip and back

19) 1-2 Plastic Containers (To pack extra meat that’s left over. Don’t waste food folks!)

20) Kettle (Make tea on the grills, it tastes amazing!)

21) Teabags, Tea Milk

22) Sugar sachets

23) Large Mats (and tiny blankets for everybody to sit on)

24) A few chairs for the BBQ-ers

25) Boombox (FOR THE MUSIC WOOP WOOP)

26) Aux cable (for the boom box)

27) Corn/Onions/Mushrooms (as sides, or for vegetarians)

28) Butter (for grilling vegetables

29) Bread

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Day 16

Today was just a really bad day. I had a nervous breakdown. My mind forced me to believe that I’m a failure, in every way. I don’t know, it’s like everything is messing up. Everything.

And, to top that, everything’s just been so meh lately.

I watched Fast & Furious 7. The end was so touching. It was only fitting that they ended it with a tribute to Paul Walker. I still can’t believe he’s gone.

:(

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Day 15

So I found something I wrote back round new year’s eve

So it wasn’t supposed to be the most eventful of years, but it sure was a disgustingly stupid year. 2014 gave me a new point of lowness with the many lows that it struck me with, and it had its fair share of tears and misery. But, it wasn’t 101% bad either, I guess. It had its amount of good times and moments too.

If I met stupid people, I also partially learnt how to not gag every time fate enforced more meetings with them. If I met amazing people, I also learnt that you can’t hold on to people, because life is moving forward, and you have to move forward with it, even if you don’t want to. I realized that distance is not he most relevant factor in terms of friendship because this past year has taught me that you could literally go on for days without seeing a friend who’s studying at your university, and yet be having conversations with other friends who are countless miles away. This year was...well I don’t know even know what it was. Half of it literally flew by, and I’m mostly glad about it. Nasty experiences and people taught me invaluable things, and falling face first on the ground obviously had more of an impact than reading about it, both metaphorically, and literally.

I gained more followers on Tumblr and I lost a lot more people that I had no intention of surrounding myself with in real life whatsoever. Being let down by people I counted on forced me to rely on myself, and seeing the results of my efforts taught me to believe in myself and to be content with my work.

All-nighters made me value sleep, especially on weekends.

I learnt to be okay with a  “no” even if it was after loathing and cursing and considering how it’s the one word I despise, I think I did surprisingly well with that. I put myself first in countless situations because I realized that there are very few people who will do that for you and more often than not, you’ll be surrounded with people who won’t.

I spent a year with the most unhealthy eating heabits, and yet, managed not to gain a 100 pounds. That, my friend, is an achievement in itself.

I stopped bothering with things I didn’t want to and my own life so much more easier.

My mindset went through significant changes that even I don’t remember happening, and yet they did, and I know for a fact that I’m way more open-minded than what I was a year ago.

In the past one year, I’ve had to say goodbye to some of my closest friends. Now like a you’re-dead goodbye, but more of a oh-you’re-transferring-elsewhere-you-dumb-twit goodbye. But, I realized that when the year begins, and university life resumes, it won’t matter because everyone will become so busy that that there won’t be time to dwell upon sad realizations. Unless they hit you face-first of course. And, more importantly, the friends you’ll want to stay in touch with, you will.

Sometimes, distance makes you realize more than anything, the friends you truly need in your life.

This of course is just a statement I’ve written from the little experience I have, so I should not be held responsible for the understanding you get out of my words. I learnt so many more things, but it’s like 2:52 am and I really need to save my energy to finish the TV series I’ve been binge watching.

That about sums it up.

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Assembly language. Dear Lord, save me!

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Chunky Mash Recipe

So I don’t know if you’ve ever tried this, but, Nando’s has the best chunky mashed potatoes ever. During my spring break holidays, I was at home, and I was really really craving chunky mash, and because there isn’t a Nando’s in my city, I decided to venture into unchartered territory.

I decided to actually MAKE chunky mash at home. And, let me tell you, it was by far the best decision I could’ve taken that day, because I made the best chunky mash ever, and I couldn’t stop eating it, like for 2 days straight. NO JOKE.

I googled and youtube like dozens of recipes, and then, made my own version.

Here’s what you need:

 Potatoes (duh)

Onions (1 should work, but I use like 2-3 so it’s chunkier)

4 tablespoons butter (margarine works too if you’re a health freak)

1/3 cup Milk 

Salt (your choice, I used like 2 teaspoons, but sparingly and at different timings throughout the making)

Water

Mozzarella Cheese

So first, wash the potatoes thoroughly, and then boil water.

Add salt to the boiling water (1 good heaped teaspoon should be fine, but you can add more)

Cut potatoes into small pieces, the more similar their size, the more evenly they’ll be after boiling

Add in the potatoes to boiling water.

Let them boil.

Now, chop the onions into tiny pieces, and small chunks. 

Now here’s the thing, you boil the potatoes till they’re all soft and check them by testing how easily a fork goes inside a potato piece. If they’re all nice and soft, take them out of the water and peel the skin off.

Now, drain the water out of the pan, and add the potatoes back in.

Mash the potatoes inside the warm pan

Add in the butter, milk, and cheese.

Keep mashing and mixing.

Add in the onions, and mix and mash some more. 

Add salt depending on how you want the flavor to be.

Serve.

That’s it. That’s the GLORIOUS RECIPE to the BEST DARN CHUNKY MASH EVER

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Day 14

Some people just have it so easy. I’m not complaining, because I’m sure some people have it a lot worse too. But, I don’t know, when people with betterment in their lives are all around you, it can be difficult to not compare yourself to them, be it voluntarily, or involuntarily. 

I’ve never wanted to let my parents down, and that’s why I’ve always worked so hard, to achieve the grades that will make them proud. But, is it any good? I mean, it was all fine till freshman year, when everything was so easy. But, now every day is bringing increasing difficulties. The courses are getting tougher, the testing more advanced, and the workload more rigorous. The only thing that’s getting easier is dealing with every day bullshit. 

I don’t know if I’ve just become immune to nonsense, or if I’ve just become better at dealing with the shit that comes my way from people I can’t stand. Not really sure, but, at this point, I couldn’t care less.

On a bright side, I’m going to write a post about the most AMAZING chunky mash that I made.