Bout of Books 20!!

I've decided to revive this blog by participating in Bout of Book 20, an annual read-a-thon!
Here is a short summary of the event:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 21st and runs through Sunday, August 27th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 20 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I'm really excited about doing this! I think it'll bring me some joy during these crossroads that I find myself in, life-wise?

Do you enjoy reading? Will you consider participating?

Here is my to-be-read (TBR) list:

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

All the best to me (!!)

My two favorite things, kitties and dubstep

Watch "FLYING KITTIES" on YouTube

everything

ramadan/eid

arabic/swedish

perfume obsession

tumblr addiction

islam/reconnection

internship

doctor

people/talking- true ones :D

gratitude/productivity

istikhara/hopes for the new year if i live through it inshaAllah/birthday 19

So the above is a list I made, last week I think. Outlining the various things I wanted to make sure I included in the next blog post I wrote. Take it as a contents list, if you will. 

So it’s been a while. 

I have discovered this summer that the longer the break from work/productivity the lazier I become. I honestly thought to myself: "Damn, 3 months off from uni, I am SOOO doing EVERYTHING!"

But sadly laziness and tumblr took over. I have never in my life spent soo much time on a single website. Its scary. But I guess good. Because now (thank God) im kinda over the obsession. I guess it was just a phase like most things in my life. That’s not to say I dont visit tumblr every now and then...

I'll mention some of my favorite tumblrs at the end of this post.

Oh maybe I should mention where I am, like, right now. I am sitting at a desk, in an office, within a lab..! I am currently on a research internship. Thought I'd get a taste of the academic life, working in scientific research. So far, amongst many things, ive learnt that research requires patience. For example, its 2.47 pm now and until just before i started writing this post I had been on my feet carrying out various experiments since 9.30am. But... now I have to wait for the various results and that takes time. Also it could go wrong which I've learnt happens quite often. So yeah, patience.

If anything though its made me realise that I think I would prefer working directly with people and doing science instead of just doing science. To be sure though I'll probs try and get some work with a hospital doctor. Anyways enough about my current situation.

So it was Ramadan last month! I am not going to lie, usually Ramadan always excites me but it didn’t that much this year. Maybe because I didn’t feel like I had made the most of this amazing month, even though I felt like I walked away from it with much stronger faith. I dont know, I dont really like spending ramadan in the UK. (I wish I had gone away somewhere this summer :( )

Eid on the other hand was great. The weather was lovely here in the UK (surprisingly) and we all prayed in the park. I have pictures so will upload soon!!! and I got to chill and hang out with my one of my favorite cousins :D we also watched Brave: very good/funny film!

I really want to learn arabic by the way. Like, really. And also regain my fluency in swedish (did I mention thats where i grew up?). I love languages. I love to travel and I wish I could communicate with people in whatever country in their own tongue.

I have this very strange obsession with scents. I think its nice to be clean or whatever and just smell normal but personally i always want to smell of something (good) so I basically own way too many fragrances :/ Also (creep alert) I pay attention to people’s smells and I may make a comment if you smell nice. (and that is why i spend most of my time on the internet, folks)

so I just referred back to my little contents list and I cant really remember what I meant by: people/talking- true ones :D I guess you can make of it as you will. Though I like to mention talking. I dont think much good comes out of talking a lot. Personally I prefer just listening but I often find myself talking a lot when I feel uncomfortable, which is pretty much every time I'm in a large group of people.

On that note, I was speaking to a friend yesterday who told me she doesnt like hanging out with herself, her own company. It made me think about how important it is that one is able to live with him/herself and their thoughts. other people should not give you value or worth; we are all cool people and sometimes its good to be away from things to reflect methinks. I dont know, personally I prefer doing my own thing but knowing I am not alone, in the sense that If I feel the need for company I wont have to look far for it.

Also the phrase 'true one' reminds me that I dont think I always appreciate the people I have around me. Let alone all the things I and you (yes you, reading this) have been blessed with.

Oh, I turned 19 in august (am aging). Some of my hopes for this year: better work ethic, exercising, learning languages and to talk less.  Also have various aims which I wont go into hear, just uni related ones and shtuff. Istikhara is a prayer muslims can offer when looking for guidance about making a decision.

Anyway, I realise this post is all over the place. Some more coherent ones (that involve less words and more pictures) soon, hopefully.

Take care lovelies and enjoy the remainder of your summers :D

Flowers

Flowers

I’m not a skilful writer. I probably won’t impart profound/moral messages to you from the blog posts i write, like some of the bloggers I follow.

But I can tell you about my day.

I finished exams on Monday but have been equally as busy since. Most recently I attended a large gathering of friends aka garden party (!) It was really cool. It’s just so nice to see people without the worry of exams or deadlines.  I realise I really like people at this time! People seem they’re best when there are few stresses around.

As the youngest at the event (18) it didn’t stop any of the other sisters from organising fun games to play, like tag. Now, of course, I joined in...

I used to run a lot, back in the day, and I like to think I’m pretty fast. We’ll I’m fast when I have to run for a competition or away from danger. Regardless, thank God I’ve completed my first year in uni, but I haven’t really done any exercise since I started :S  (does cycling count?)

So even though I was successful in evading the skilled sisters who were quick considering their flowy, long garments, I really suffered in the sense that I always ran out of breath super quickly and am now sitting with strange muscle aches o.O

Anywhooo, after this memorable gathering we and some other sisters went to a real party (!) to celebrate the engagement of a friend. This was an all-girls party so there was a lot of dancing. One thing about me, I DO NOT shy away from dancing (thought I was going to say something else, right?)

A lot of vulgarity ensued (lol joke), and several muscles were pulled.

After a very nice day/night/early morning I returned back to my temporary home (i.e. student housing) and began prepping for my slumber (why am I writing like a weirdo you ask?)

Before I went to sleep I checked my email because I’m under the permanent impression that I’m very important and must check my emails at least 5 times a day. A friend of mine who did not attend the post-garden party shenanigans was on gmail chat (it’s cooler than msn) so I decided to talk to her for a bit, before bed time.

To summarise the conversation I asked her why she hadn’t come to the crazy dance thing and she said that lately she had been thinking of how she chooses to spend her time. My conversation with her got me thinking too.

I like to think I’m religious, but that very much depends on my definition of religiosity which may not agree with yours. Regardless my faith very much stresses on the importance of being aware that one day we will die and this life is fleeting so do good.

To put things simply, if I were to die, I don’t know if I would have wanted to be in the place I were last night (really, nothing bad took place, it was mostly halal, but not completely I suppose)

She told me of how an other lady who also got engaged had a similar gathering organised to celebrate her engagement by her friends, although it only involved prayer and dhikr (remembrance of God).

I guess I’d like something like that.

Anyway I went to sleep and I woke up super stiff this morning. I began to browse the net then headed out in search for food. There was none so I took a walk instead, did some 5 minute yoga in the fields then took a mini nap. The sun was out briefly which was nice considering the weather we’ve been having. On my way back to my room I noticed the flowers outside my block.

I don’t know what it is about flowers, and I don’t know anything about botany. But I love them so much!

HONY

So I've been semi-obsesssed with this blog lately, and the wonderful stranger who's in charge of it.

http://humansofnewyork.tumblr.com/

people are amazing.




check out the webbie too, if you want more background info (which I obviously did because im stalker-ish)

Study study study... Knowledge

just re-read this post and bored myself, so beware. hope the video at the end will at least cheer one of you up :) 

I'm a science student so inevitable I love science and I feel that this subject is the way forward in many ways; the way to truly improve the human condition.
However I started to realise thats quite a narrow-minded view.
I think that an understanding, albeit basic, of the social sciences is necessary especially since changes in the economy and politics are affecting us on a daily basis.
This also led me onto realising where my hostility towards watching the news came from; I dont really understand alot of the market figures and the cuts that are being made in the budgets of different sectors, or why they are being made (here in the UK).
So I've decided that, God willing, this summer I will inform myself. I shall try and acquire a basic knowledge of economics and politics. my attempt could be futile but at least i made an effort..!
Oh, and I say in the summer because I have exams coming up...

Tag: A-->Z of meeeeeee

Age:18

Bed Size: Double, one pillow and a thermo duvet from Ikea: keeps me cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Chore you hate: emptying the hoover (we have one of those bagless hoovers..1)

Dogs: are not my fav animal

Essential start of your day: Prayer and a lil' bit of browsing/reading.

Favourite Colour: Red

Gold or Silver: Gold.

Height: 5 foot 6 inches (168cm).

Instruments I play: None.

Job Title: Student... its a tough job

Kids: one day God willing :).

Live: West London *representing*

Mum's name: Hooyo (somali for mum..!)

Nickname: too many. most commonly used: halz (dont ask!!)

Pet Peeve: when people take ages to reply to emails (is that even a pet peeve?). I dont like it when peeps do not cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. oh and also gramatically incorrect emails (only emails because I'm sure you can tell this blog post isnt gramatically correct). reason being i always re-read the emails i send and for some silly reason expect others to do the same... *sigh* first world problems...

Quote from a movie:cant think of any (lame, I know). random: I recommend 'Tangled' to anyone who hasnt watched that movie yet :)

Right or left handed: right

Siblings: one brother, one sister

Time you wake up: Other than to pray at dawn, around 7 ish...

Underwear: lol jk (as in I'm not sharing that, not that i dont wear any...)

Vegetables you dislike: courgette

What makes you run late: Me? public transport and overestimating how fast I can cycle.

X-rays you've had done: Teeth.

Yummy food you make: I'm surprisingly not a bad cook. Peeps tend to prefer the sweeter things I make though (still need to learn how to make baklavas though..!)

Zoo animal:any felines (love the big cats!!!) and the penguins (they seems as awkward as me)