Like A Boy

What if I..

Had a thing on the side?

Made you cry?

Would the rules change up?

Or would they still apply?

If I played you like a toy?

Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy..

This isn’t a love post. It’s just that this song (Like a Boy by Ciara) says so much.

I get tired sometimes. It’s really tough being a girl. Especially in this part of the world. We get to worry so much. About family, friends, colleagues, even strangers. It’s not just that we’re born with it (sensitivity, I mean). We’re raised and forced to feel for others. Even if we don’t want to, we just do.

Seriously I get so jealous of guys sometimes. They don’t know how lucky they are. I don’t mean to put you down, boys. I know that you have your share of problems as well. But I wish we could reverse our roles for a while. If you think you have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders, think again.

I can’t travel with friends (but I’m allowed to study abroad).
I can’t drive a motorcycle (not even a scooter).
I can’t stay out really late at diwaniyas.
I can’t wear shorts (let’s leave religion aside this time).
I can’t have a boyfriend (yes, I mean it!)
I have to wait for a husband.
The list is endless..

All our lives, we have to live it not only for ourselves, but for others as well. We could presume a “to hell with it” attitude, but it’s easier said than done. I could care less what people think about me, but I would definitely tweak my habits just a bit if it will make my loved ones happier. I will turn down a career prospect outside of Kuwait if it makes my family happy. I will turn down a demanding job if it will make my (future) husband and kids more content. I will come home earlier than my supposedly late curfew to make my brother’s life easier. I will go to that wedding even if I’m bored to death because I have to. I will do those things. Because it’s “expected”.

Feminism aside, I don’t think it’s demeaning to me if I have to rearrange my priorities and lessen some of my habits just to make someone’s life easier. It’s just that it’s hard sometimes, when you are expected to do that, when it’s ALWAYS YOU who does that. Whereas your brother who is just as smart, just as loving, and just as kind, will not do that because its not expected of him. And I don’t blame him.

I’m sure many of you girls out there feel the same way. And as much as we hate to admit it, a lot of times, we do conform to many of society’s stupid stupid STUPID views.

Sometimes this lady wishes she could act like a boy..

Then she could get away with a lot of things.

FIFA Kicks Kuwait

FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) has officially banned Kuwait from all international football competitions until further notice. This is due to governmental interference in the affairs of the Kuwait Football Associationaction, which is an action "contrary to the road map established by FIFA and the AFC".

Fifa spokesman John Schumacher announced today that “This means that the Kuwait FA and all its members, clubs and players, are suspended from international competition beginning today and until further notice.”

To all the people who participated and contributed to this brilliant, magnificent and astounding achievement:

Congratulations and Thank You!

You’ve made us proud.

You stupid, ignorant, pathetic, hapless, sad, waste-of-oxygen, sorry excuses for human beings.

Mars Uses Animal Products

I recently received an email titled: Mars Uses Animal Substances in Products. I almost deleted the email, thinking that it was the usual unreliable type of news that so many of us receive in our Inboxes daily, especially concerning American products.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to read it. Luckily there was a link to the message, and although the link sent me to a not-so-recent article, it was still reliable (BBC NEWS) and full of facts.

The article dates to the 14th of May 2007, and it describes how Masterfoods (the company behind the ever popular Mars, Snickers, Maltesers, Bounty, Minstrels and many more) has decided to switch a key ingredient, vegetarian whey, to a non-vegetarian one, more specifically called rennet.

Rennet is a substance extracted from the inner stomach lining of young calves. This had vegetarians and animal rights activists everywhere in a dilemma. I, myself, who is not a vegetarian, am slightly apalled. In our constant efforts to promote health and environmental awareness in this day and age, Masterfoods suddenly decides to switch to a new strategy without a decent explanation.

Why did they choose to make the switch? I have no idea. Probably more cost-efficient. But definitely not a health-conscious or animal-friendly decision. Why do we need to poke around into a calve's stomach for a chemical that we can find in vegetarian form (like whey)?

This change was made in May, which means that all the above mentioned chocs have been altered since then. Noticed a change in taste? I haven't. So why change it then??

This doesn't mean that this lady will stop gobbling her Snickers on her next sugar craving binge.

But she'll probably think twice about it.

Dumbledore is Gay

I’m sure you’ve already heard or read about this. If you haven’t well here it comes:

Professor Dumbledore is gay. Yes, gay. It seems that the old dude had more than just brooms in his closet.

J.K Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter series announced that Professor Albus Dumbledore; Headmaster of Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Harry Potter’s fatherly figure; and one of the key characters in the story, is indeed gay.

I’m sure gay rights activists everywhere are cheering for Rowling’s bold move. According to BBC News, Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said "It's good that children's literature includes the reality of gay people, since we exist in every society.. But I am disappointed that she did not make Dumbledore's sexuality explicit in the Harry Potter book. Making it obvious would have sent a much more powerful message of understanding and acceptance."

Ok, now hang on a second. EXPLICIT?? This is Harry Potter for God’s sake, not Sex and the City!

I’m sure Rowling had her own reasons for announcing Dumbledore’s “gayness”. But let me tell you what I think.

I think Rowling is going political. She’s trying to increase her popularity by gaining the love and attention of all types of people. Since when did the Potter series become so sexual? The story I remember, and continue to read is the one about a group of eager students trying to make it in the world of magic and witchcraft, gaining knowledge and strength in the fight between good vs. evil.

What is the point exactly of pronouncing Dumbledore as gay? To show that even witches and wizards can be gay? So what? What importance does that have in the series?

I’m not a homophobe. I’m not against gay rights. It’s too complicated for me. I’m just against turning a story which provided us with a break from our “earthly” world - and threw us into a magical, imaginary land - into a social/political type of movie.

This lady thinks that the move was totally unnecessary.

What do you think?

Public Display of Affection

I was taking a walk in one of the streets in London, munching on a chocolate bar, when I came across a teenage couple standing in a doorway, their heads pressed together, arms stroking each others limbs (and more), and making these horrifying sounds! I actually blushed! All of a sudden I felt quite sick, like it was ME doing that!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a prude. I’m not against the occasional hug, squeeze or smooch in public. I’m not even against making out in public – though DISCREETLY. If this couple was doing their thing in a quiet alleyway with no passersby, then that would be a completely different story. I mean, it’s just not classy!

There are certain times for everything, I always say. And there are times when discretion is much more appreciated than public displays.

I noticed something these past few years, and that is that PDA is much more common in Europe than it is in the U.S. The whole world criticizes the U.S as an unabashedly open-minded culture, when they fail to notice that most European countries put America to shame. I’ll bet anyone 100KD if they could go through a whole day in London, Geneva, Frankfurt or Paris without seeing a make out session at least once.

And how can we forget the nudity! In France, the beaches are home to topless females wandering around with their partners and kids without a care in the world. Whereas in the U.S, most states prohibit public nudity except in certain parts that allow it (such as Strip Clubs, Nude Beaches, etc).

The question here is, what do you think about it? I don’t want to be a party pooper, but really, is PDA as exciting and fun as it seems? I’ve never tried it, but I’d like to find out one day! I’ve always believed that the secrecy and/or privacy that is included in a relationship makes it that much more appealing.. I mean, it seems giddily exciting if my partner will try to touch or kiss me in public, but we can’t do that. It adds to the allure and thrill of a relationship. Not to mention the adrenaline rush because you’re afraid someone might see you!

Amplifying the excitement factor is that we’re both enticed by the fact that what goes around behind closed doors actually stays there (one hopes!).

I’d like to hear what you think.

Because right now, this lady thinks that PDA ain’t worth all the hype.

Niseeb! Part 2

I’ve been “traditionally” proposed to a number of times. And in all those times, there was no one I felt any chemistry with. I don’t mind the traditional marriages, but I must admit I’m inclined to the possibility of love more than anything. I’ve never been in love, so I really want it to be something big, you know? Something special. I tried telling myself that if I got to know the “kha6eeb” for a while, I might fall in love with him, but I don’t know, it never felt right. He was either too old, too thin, too ugly, too strict, etc, etc. Maybe I was making up reasons too.

There was only one person who came close, but it wasn’t going to happen. Somewhere in between our mutual families, there was a kind of misunderstanding, and it was highly inappropriate that I should marry that man.

I believe in the positive energy of life. I believe that the right man is out there, waiting for me, just as I’m waiting for him. Sooner or later, we’re going to meet. If not today, then tomorrow. And if not, then the day after.. or the day after..or.. you get the picture right?

Then maybe we’ll get married, maybe not. Maybe we’ll live together forever, maybe not. I don’t want to sound pessimistic. However, life is a series of written chronicles, starting from the day we were born. I’m not going to chase after something that wasn’t written in my fate. I’m not going to dwell on the “what-ifs”.

I believe in fate, destiny, niseeb. If something is not meant to be, then it’s not meant to be.

But if it was meant to be, then that would be really lovely.

This lady is a strong believer in niseeb.

How about you?

Niseeb! Part 1

I decided to write this post after I read a recent Shosho’s Corner post titled Women & Age. She described women in the Arab World as if they are born with an expiry date. When I came to comment about the post, my comment was too long and so I decided to rant about it. This topic is so important to me, even though I don’t want it to be!

I wrote:“Why is it that we have an expiry date, whereas men have the longest shelf life ever?”
Women who approach their 30’s and the ones who pass the big 3-0 are categorized as “3anis” or the English version “spinster”. And of course once you pass 35, its like your world is doomed, and you will never find happiness ever! How tragic.

What the hell? Isn’t it better to be single and happy than married and miserable? I’m not saying that marriage is Dooms-Ville, but it’s also not always the best idea. Tradition dictates that girls should be rushed into marriage so that they are protected by a man, and saved from doing “wrong things”. Men, however, can marry whenever they want; even when they’re old, saggy and toothless.

I don’t want to be trapped in a loveless marriage just because it is more socially acceptable than being single and living with my parents.

I’m in my early 20’s, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked “Why aren’t you married yet??” by the elder women in my family.

Case 1:
Auntie F: Oooh Lady, You beautiful girl! You look lovely! Where are the men, ha?? Why cant they see such a darling girl?? I don’t know why you are still unmarried (in her words: “lail7een ga3da”)!
“Umm.. hello?? Do I look like a guy? Am I the one who proposes? No! So don’t ask!”

Case 2:
Auntie M: God bless you, my dear. And may He give you a good man to take care of you. I hope you don’t turn out to have the “bad-luck” of your mother’s great aunties. Oh, such bad luck with husbands!
*Blink. Blink.* “How encouraging”


Sometimes, I wish I was in India. I would have been married a loooooooong time ago. I would have proposed to every freakin’ guy I wanted! (Because the woman proposes in most Indian customs)

But I’m here, in Kuwait, where I must wait until I get the “best” offer from the “best” guy.

This lady’s guy is lucky if he even gets this lady!

(To be continued..)