Smiling From Within

I think that often when we smile and are happy it is merely on the surface. Our smiles may be true, but the energy comes from our faces. Truth be told, I spend most of my days with this type of smile parked firmly on my face. Now, this is not to say that I am not happy or I fake happiness all the time…but it is more of a realization that only every so often I am blessed with the other kind of smile, the one that comes from deep inside.
Yesterday, I caught up on g-chat with an old friend who I haven’t “talked” to in awhile. I was so happy to hear from her that as I sat at my computer, alone in my living room, I began to smile.

And it was such a special smile.

I felt it literally radiated from my soul, onto my face, and out into the world for all to share. At that moment my inner happiness was practically tangible and it generated a warmth that I could feel within my bones. I thought to myself, “Man, it has been awhile since I smiled this genuinely. Why is that?”

And then it hit me:

I hardly ever let myself just be happy. I don’t let myself live in the now.

Constantly, I find myself fixating on things in the past or focusing on what may happen in the future. I get so caught up in my job, to-do lists, life’s stresses, etc. that I don’t ever let myself relax enough to enjoy the little things that make everyday special and worth it. Like the good morning kisses from my sweet soon-to-be husband, the colleagues who make me laugh at work, a nice facebook message from a friend, or just how good that piece of dove chocolate tastes.

If I let go a little and live in the moment, then perhaps I will have more genuine smiles. So when I spill my lunch on the floor, instead of getting mad or upset about it, I can just laugh at my clumsiness. Or when the future hubs leaves the toilet seat up (yet again), I can just sigh, “oh, Men!” and put the seat down without getting mad (and politely remind the future hubs about putting it down later on).  I know this is probably true because today I still feel the residual warmth and happiness of yesterday's smile.

So here goes nothing - let us live in the moment! (she says with a smile)

True Blood, True Life

From: Durban Galpal
Sent: Wednesday, August 18 2010 2:28 PM
To: KP
Subject: TB

Here's a nice picture of Eric for you :-)

From: KP

Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 2:40 PM

To: Durban Galpal

Subject: RE: TB

Holy sh*t.

From: Durban Galpal
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 2:58 PM
To: KP
Subject: RE: TB
my thoughts exactly!

Oxymoron

I apologize in advance for over-sharing, but...

I just had the BEST EVER bikini wax.

Seriously, it was life-changing and I am compelled to share.

For those who have ever had the treatment done, you are probably thinking "best ever" & "bikini wax" is an improbable combo, an oxymoron even (especially when you opt for the Brazilian).  I can't speak for anyone else, but I have had more than my fair share of super unpleasant waxing experiences in my life.  My recent experience was not as awesome as say getting a back massage; but it was super quick, clean, and hardly hurt at all.  I was amazed.  Seriously, I called my girlfriend who recommended the spa to me immediately afterwards to thank her for changing my life. I know I am a dork.

So where did I get this "best ever" bikini wax done?  Bliss Spa at the W Hotel in Doha.  Yes, I know none of you live in the Middle East; but it is a NY based company with locations in most major US cities.  If you get the chance, go.  Your hoo-ha will thank me.

No Shame

I have been feeling a bit bogged down recently, so I think it might be therapeutic to get just a few things off of my chest...

• I hereby consider Diet Pepsi and potato chips an acceptable morning snack
• It normally takes me a few iterations to figure out what I want to wear and even though it bothers future hubs that I do this, I am probably not going to change that habit anytime soon.
• No matter how hard I try, my hair will never grow as long or be as fabulous as Hollywood Hair Barbie's and I hate her for it.

(yeah, keep smiling b*tch...)
• I cannot wait to be rid of this demon, hell-kitty we have been babysitting for the past 2 weeks

Careful! Don't look evil straight in the eyes.

• But secretly sometimes I find the kitty to be more cute and funny than annoying. (Shhh! Don't tell the future hubs)
• Having a daily makeup regimen is overrated. Just rocking tinted minty lip gloss is underrated.

• My cupcake frosting skills are sub par at best and I am insanely jealous of all bakers that can get their frosting to look like a sweet fluffy cloud of heaven resting ontop of a moist cakey hill.

• Blog stalking is the highlight of my pre-work morning
• When I check myself out in the mirror, I totally "suck it in and stick'em out"
• I am super nervous about my upcoming wedding...not about the whole life-long commitment thing, but all the other crap about the day.  Like everything going smoothly, family getting along, and everyone having a good time.
• I spent time googling to find Eric from True Blood in his blue sweater, but was completely disappointed by the results.

It looked way hotter in my head.

• 
  
  We've had an Arabic pop song stuck in our heads for months.  Future Hubs asked one of our Qatari friends if he recognized the song and literally sang to him: "something, something, HABIIIIIBI".  Our friend looks at him in disbelief and goes, "Seriously?? You realize that pretty much EVERY Arabic pop song has the word 'habibi' in it.  It's equivalent to me asking you about an American song with the word 'Baby' or 'Shortie' in it."  I almost peed my pants laughing.  With the help of google, we found it: Ella Habibi and have been playing it on repeat ever since.
• 
  
  Bullet points rock my socks off.  If I could only talk in bullet points in real life I would.  Top ten lists; however, are totally lame.
• The end.

Nope, still not a Grown Up

FACT:  I am at an age where it is socially acceptable to get married & have children.
FACT:  It is debatable whether or not I am actually mature enough to do either of those things.  Same goes for future hubs.

Case in point:

After a minor "you never take me on dates anymore, folded arms across the chest, bottom lip pout" incident (seriously, I am like 5), the future hubs graciously planned to take me on a movie date this weekend.  Backstory - the future hubs is not a fan of movies or even TV for that matter (unless it invovles bicycles, cars, or Neil Patrick Harris) so I was pretty stoked that he was willing endure 2 hours of filmwatching just for me sans complaints; especially since the last time we went to a movie I made him suffer through Twillight Saga: New Moon (wow, now that I say it, we have not been to the movies in awhile) and I still have not heard the end of it.  So while I have been dying to see Eclipse, I decided to spare future hubs from having to watch me DROOL over the age-inappropriate for me to have sexual fantasies about Taylor Lautner and picked another movie. Sadface for TL being so young and for me not getting to see him in all his shirtless glory amplified on the big screen, but I digress.  So there we were; a twenty-something engaged couple, who just finished a very nice lunch at a trendy French Bistro, with Starbucks coffees in hand, standing outside the ticket office deciding on a movie to watch.  Of all the great choices of movies out now like Salt and Inception, what did we decide to see?

in IMAX 3D.

See, I told you I am not a grown up.

And even worse, we LOVED it. Especially because we got to wear these super awesome glasses:

We dedicated about 10 whole minutes to making fun of how each other looked in them before the movie started.  Speaking of Harry Potter. Oh wait, I wasn't speaknig about HP?  Anyway, the preview for HP7 came onto the screen (in all its HD, 3D triumph) and I about lost my shit.  I was hyperventilating, jumping up and down in my seat, and squealing like a little girl. I WAS SO EXCITED.  Heck, I AM still so excited and you better believe I will be getting in line to see a midnight premiere.

Ok, so back to me not being a grown up.  I have now during the course of writing this post changed my position on the subject and have developed the following theory:

Maybe people have children so that they can make excuses for indulging in pleasures like Disney movies, building forts, jumping in bouncy houses, playing with rad remote controlled toys, eating grilled cheese sandwiches, and going to bed early on the weekends withough feeling ashamed or like creepy creepsters.

Am I the only one who totally just had an "Ah-Hah" moment right now?!

No? That is not why people have children??  Ok then.

FACT:  My maturity is still questionable.

I blame the heat

I have seriously got honeymoon on the brain this week.

I cannot be held responsible for my actions; I blame the heat.

It has caused me to do things like buy this little number from Anthropologie:

(I envision me and the future hubs reenacting the picture above.)

And I am on the hunt for a few more cute and fun honeymoon outfits.  I know it is probably silly to buy new clothes just for my honeymoon, but I can't help myself!

I see pictures like this on the internet and I just go crazy.  Oh, the whimsy and romance; I am dying!

I may or may not have already purchased this Victoria's Secret convertable dress in cobalt blue as well...

I figure the ability to wear one dress many ways is perfect and very practical for travelling.  So purchasing this dress may actually be consider economical, perhaps?

I guess a wedding/honeymoon is as good of an excuse as any to spruce up my wardrobe.

(Heck, I'll take whatever excuse I can get. ha)

So let's go for broke:

 Does anyone out there have any good "honeymoon style" suggestions?

Daydreams

I've been daydreaming about escaping from the heat and stressful workdays to my future honeymoon destination...

The French island of Corsica.

:::Le Sigh:::

images from here.

UPDATE: Also found out that the future hubs and I are very in vogue, since our choice of honeymoon destination is the same the lovely newlywed Alicia Keys.  Although I am quite sure our honeymoons will be VERY different since we will mostly be cycling and hiking and I am sure she is doing more of the beach, booze, and boating I am a really rich celebrity thing.

Survival

It made its foreboding presence known by upping the humidity index to the "unbearable" level. The experience of stepping outside is equivalent to walking into a very hot steam bath...especially since your sunnies fog up immediately.

Ramadan is quickly approaching which means all the restaurants and shops will be closed until sundown, the entire country will be DRY (alcohol-free), and you cannot eat or drink in public (during the daytime) for an ENTIRE month (approximately August 10th-September 10th).

We made our last-minute-stockup run to the Qatar Distribution Center (the only place to buy alcohol in the entire country) this past weekend and basically panic purchased an excessive amount of booze for fear that we may run out. Which is funny because the future hubs and I hardly drink. We are typically 1-2 beers or glasses of wine a week type people. But with the prospect of it being unavailable and restricted, all of a sudden we figured ourselves to be a 1-2 beers/glasses of wine twice a day type couple!

With the onset of Ramadan we have also gone into panic mode with our social calendar.  Suddenly, it seems imperative to have every weekend overbooked with events and gatherings. In our normal life, we plan in advance occasionally and mostly play it by ear. We like to keep our options open and let our moods dictate what we do. It works for us. But not this month. This month we have gone out of our way to book brunches, dinner parties, villa parties, possible boating adventures, cycling rides, etc. I am getting exhausted just thinking about it, but heaven forbid we have a free moment and wind up with nothing to do because everything is closed.

We have been eating out in excess, too; trying to fill our meals with food from all of our favorite places before they close up.  It feels like we are acting as if these places are closing FOREVER.  The hardships experienced during Ramadan have been so hyped up and drilled into our heads since we arrived last October that we seem to be preparing for Armageddon rather than a holy month!

But hey, it's all a matter of survival, folks.