A New Little Baby

Finally, the day came.

Yesterday evening, Abid informed me that she'd checked into the hospital to prepare for the birth of her first child. I have just received the news that she gave birth to a healthy, bouncing baby boy early this morning. Alhamdulillah. Needless to say, I am over the moon with this news.

Obviously, you probably will never get to read this, but I'm so happy for you, Abid, Hamzah and little Baby. Happier than you will ever know. Us Turds always used to joke that it would be either Abid or Ruby who'd be the first to settle down and start a family, but the actual achievement of this reality is unprecedented and overwhelming.

In short: Congratulations to the both of you on your little miracle. I fervently pray that you are all doing well, and hopefully we'll all see you and Baby at Ruby's wedding soon. Baby already has many aunties waiting to shower love on him. :)

A Man of Words & Not of Deeds

A Man of Words & Not of Deeds

A man of words and not of deeds
Is like a garden full of weeds,
And when the weeds begin to grow,
It's like a garden full of snow;
And when the snow begins to fall,
It's like a bird upon the wall;
And when the bird away does fly,
It's like an eagle in the sky;
And when the sky begins to roar,
It's like a lion at the door;
And when the door begins to crack,
It's like a stick across your back;
And when your back begins to smart,
It's like a penknife in your heart;
And when your heart begins to bleed,
You're dead, and dead, and dead indeed.

Post-Conference

Post-Conference

After a week of intensive work, the English and Asia: 1st International Conference is finally over, and I'm proud that I had the chance to be part of it. For the most part, it ran quite smoothly considering this was its maiden voyage. I'll post more regarding the conference within the next few days. Today, my mission is simply to relax and unwind.

The Cupcake Post

The Cupcake Post

I used to watch Ren and Stimpy when I was younger. I don't remember much about the cartoon, but one episode that stands out in my mind is when Ren and Stimpy are complaining because it's Thanksgiving but they don't have the budget to cook a spectacular feast. In true sick Ren and Stimpy fashion, they compensate by looking at pictures of mouth-watering turkeys, crumpling up the papers into balls and stuffing them down their throats...

...as I feel like doing with these beautiful, sumptuous creations. Hope they make you salivate as much as I did! Now, join me in one, two, three:

Gacela of the Dark Death

Gacela of the Dark Death

I want to sleep the dream of the apples,
to withdraw from the tumult of centuries.
I want to sleep the dream of that child
who wanted to cut his heart on the high seas.

I don't want to hear again that the dead do not lose their blood,
that the putrid mouth goes on asking for water.
I don't want to learn of the tortures of the grass,
nor of the moon with a serpent's mouth
that labors before dawn.

I want to sleep awhile,
awhile, a minute, a century;
but all must know that I have not died;
that there is a stable of gold in my lips;
that I am the small friend of the West wing;
that I am the intense shadow of my tears.

Cover me at dawn with a veil,
because dawn will throw fistfuls of ants at me,
and wet with hard water my shoes
so that the pincers of the scorpion slide.

For I want to sleep the dream of the apples,
to learn a lament that will cleanse me to earth;
for I want to live with that dark child
who wanted to cut his heart on the high seas.

- Frederico Garcia Lorca

Image: In Her Silent Way by Joe Sorren

A Laughable Treasury of Turd-y Quotes

A Laughable Treasury of Turd-y Quotes

...recorded in the past 3 years, because I have foreseen the future and it involves blackmailing my friends for money when all else has failed.

'Atiqah: "Ohohohohohhh...I can feel my tongue!"

Mady: "I wanna boom...but I don't wanna boom."

Akak: "...knowledgable ignorance..."

Mady: "I love bontot!"
(For the sake of upholding Mady's reputation, she was in all innocence referring to the ends of bread loaves)

Ruby: "You can't steal my sanity. I stored it in a jar."
Mady: "Jars are breakable. I can break it and get it."
Ruby: "I'll store it in an unbreakable jar!"
Abid: "I have a tupperware."

And my personal favourite...

Mady: "I have an IQ of 200!"
Me: "Grams?"