2014 ! The Year of Survival

2014 !

Where should I start from ? I think I should address the elephant in the room. I got married. YIKES ! That still sounds shocking to me. Every time someone mentions me being married, I turn around and try to take it in. I have not succeeded in that. Yet.

A friend of mine told me to enjoy every part of my wedding process. And I did.

Damn, man ! I freaking loved every single bit of it. It was awesome.

2014 started with us changing houses. I finally got my own room but got to reside in it only for two months.

Because our next venture was the trip to Pakistan. My dad tried to convince us to order everything online and get it done with it. But I wanted to go there and do everything myself. So I went. It was two awesome months including a lot of trips, adventures, things that deserve their own writing.

2014 taught me that things do not go the way we want them to. That doesn't mean that we don't get what we want. Its just that the path leading us to them can be slightly different, sometimes longer, sometimes twisted, sometimes even straight. So do not freak out if something out of the ordinary happens to you. Just be patient and trust in Allah.

People are mean. And this is coming from the person who has been the victim of our society many times. But when you get married, this meanness is up to a whole other level.

It has taken me a lot of time to get my head wrapped around everything that has been going on and trying my best to not take everything personally.

It was the year of personal growth. I have become more patient, more accepting and tolerant. Living in a joint family teaches you a lot. You don't always get to do things the way you want. And it takes a bit of strength to not go mad. The hardest thing I have learnt is to keep my MOUTH SHUT. Oh God ! Don't even get me started on this one. I have always been the person who says whatever she wants, without thinking about it first. I do not take crap from anyone. And its so hard to keep those instincts down. To smile and keep my mouth shut when all I want to say is, what a LOAD OF CRAP ! Okay, I admit. I get it out on Abdullah. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep sane.

Also, you cannot really be sarcastic. But that's fine. I balance it out with my siblings.

The reason I did not blog about my wedding has been procrastination. Simply, because I ended up watching a lot of youtube instead of writing whenever I got the chance. Also I just did not want to write. And I am a firm believer in doing things when you want to. And yeah, I was afraid of what people would say. I got my share of sarcastic remarks, you would say, on me getting married. The ironic part is I know that I have had the same thoughts on someone getting married at 19.

Every few weeks, Abdullah asks me if my views have changed on getting married young. My answer, NO !

Why make your life hard when you have it easy ?

But that is not to say that I do not enjoy it. I have had my share of awesomeness in the past year. I have traveled a lot. I have gotten to know Abdullah better. I say this to him a lot that if you had not made it worthwhile, I would have run away a long time ago. I have made another best friend.

2014 was basically the year of survival. While I didn't reach the winning stream, I didn't drown as well. I did things on my own pace.

Basically, I survived.

....SAP....

Removal Of Assets

I am studying to be an Accountant.

This semester, I am studying topics like Fraud and Internal Control in an organisation, in one of the papers. There are two types of fraud. One is "Removal of Assets or Funds From the Business". Something that comes under this category is "Misappropriation of assets from the organisation", which basically means that as an employee, you are taking an advantage of your position. You may be taking something home that belongs to the organisation. It can be a small thing like a Stapler. Or you might be stealing high end perfumes from the shop.

When I was a kid, my dad always said that stealing is stealing. Whether it is a pencil or a laptop. Its the act that is the same, the thing is of no value. He used to bite the end of his pencils in his office so if he took them home, he knew which one was the company's. And to this day, not one of us kid is allowed to write with any of the pens that my dad uses because they are not ours.

None of us give any importance to little matters like this. But the truth is that it is fraud. You are committing a felony.

Another type of fraud that is included in this category is "Misusing of Organisation's Assets". The most common instance is that we are given a car for office use. But instead it is in your son's hands being used to hang out with his friends. Or for sight seeing Kangaroos with your daughters best friend and your wife's sister's family.

After working in the same company for more than 25 years, now my dad uses his office car for personal use as well. And its only after being granted the official permission. According to him, I do not want my kids being dishonest. It starts with stealing a pencil and than leads to cars, drugs, money etc in the future.

It does not matter what's the value of the thing you misused or stole.

We as human beings have a tendency to dismiss such things as "Being small matters and not that big of a deal".

It will become a big deal, once you develop the thinking that you can utilise anything that comes your way regardless to who it belongs to.

In school, everyone used to open each others bags to take out a notebook or a pen without asking or telling. Obviously, I did not mind my friends opening my school bag. But than everyone who wanted something would just waltz in and open my bag like its their property. I hated that. And I made sure that everyone knew that.

I mean, didn't your mom ever teach you to ask before taking something ?

If you have forgotten. Than start learning.

If you don't. Its called "STEALING". Which is a "FELONY".

Yes, you might not go to jail for taking a rubber out of my pencil box. But when that rubber converts to an Omega watch, you will find yourself in a 7 by 8 foot room.

...SAP...

Inside Jokes

Its the little snippets that you share with a loved one, locked in a bathroom or a hello every morning with that cute stranger in the coffee line on your way to work. 

Its that stupid cup cake bra of Katy Perry's that you made fun off. And the month after that which consisted of your conversations, starting with or including cupcakes and Katy Perry. And now everytime someone mentions those Sugary Delights, you search for your friend in the crowd and burst out laughing. Or your remember her with her incredibly loud cheerful laugh. And smile longingly at that memory. 

Its that moment when you see a pretty looking building in the middle of a restaurant hub and you ask whether that's a restaurant as well. You are looked at incredulously and are told that its some rich Sheikhs grave. Apparently the Souq is named after him. And you believe him. And than point out his stupidity when in fact you were the fool all along. 

Its those moments that no one else except that one person will understand. Someone other than them will never find cupcakes as hilarious or get the meaning of your hello. 

Because its not for them. 

You are lucky if you have those. 

Moments. Inside jokes. Not the friends. 

It doesn't matter who the person is. 

Stranger or foe. A memory has been made for life. A joke formed. 

And that person all of a sudden has been embedded in your mind. 

Every time you pass that restaurant, those expressions will be on your mind. His crooked nose, him doubling over in laughter while crossing the intersection will play in front of you. 

That time you walked home all the way from Villagio and was nearly killed at the traffic lights. The "I told you so" plus the death glares you got from that family friend will be remembered.

Or the time you and your brother made an elaborate story of your other sibling stealing Raisins from your Grandma's cupboard to give to his five year old girlfriend. No one else other than the three of you will find it funny. 

These cannot be made. 

Or talked. 

They are spontaneous. 

Instant. 

You cannot force them. 

It happens when it happens. 

Or it doesn't happen at all. 

You are in luck if it does. 

...SAP...

Top Ten Books I Read in 2013

I haven't done Top Ten Tuesday in a while, mainly because I have been slacking at reading books. But as the year comes to an end, their last topic is Top Ten Books I read in 2013. So I decided to write down mine. Here they are:

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak:

This books is just amazing. I had no idea what the book was about but it ended up becoming one of my all time favourites. Its narrated by death, set in Nazi Germany and it includes books as the title suggests. This book made me truly appreciate good writing and my love for words grew. Its just so beautiful that one had to read it oneself.

2. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak:

When I read an awesome book, I tend to read all the books by the same author. So I picked this one with not much hope. I don't even know what to say. Its equally beautiful. The story is worlds apart. The concept of the book is so simple and that is where its beauty lies. The love one feels after doing simple tasks for someone else and becoming selfless for a single second.

3. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult:

I had to include a Jodi Picoult in the top ten. Its one of JP's best works that I have read. I read it just after finishing high school. So the impact was far more intense on me. Because the story is based on bullying and I had seen it firsthand in my school. I love how JP makes a victim into a hero and a hero into a victim. At the end, there is no one hero or one victim. Everyone is half half in their life. And I cannot express enough love for the way she writes and her similes.

4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green:

Yes. I am sure that this book is on everyone's top ten list. I loved it to bits. It was just one of those heart breaking books that you don't forget as time passes by. The story was so well written. The characters were perfect. I started crying from the part where Augustus tells Hazel about his cancer. And I didn't stop till the end.

5. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn:

This was one of the most different books I have ever read. But because I love thrillers and suspense, I loved it. It was creepy, horrifying, completely different from what you would expect from a story revolving around a married couple. I loved how intricate the story was with all the tiny details tied together with threads. It reminded me of how J.K.Rowling has linked everything together in HP.

6. Arabian Nights:

It was one of the very few classics I read this year. And it was really good. The book jumps from one story to another than goes into another like Inception. Its pretty cool. I literally had to go back a couple of time to make sure that I am not losing track of the story. I have read a lot about that Arab era and I myself live in an Arab country.

7. The Running Man by Stephen King:

Its no secret that I am not a horror fan meaning a Stephen King fan. But I read this book on the insisting of a friend. And its brilliant. Its a dystopian novel. King wrote in 1982 when the term "dystopian" didn't even exist. It just shows how brilliant of a mind he has. The story is simple with not a lot of complicating characters. Its raw and you realize that today, society is not much different than the one told in the book.

8. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay: 

This was again a recommendation by a friend. I loved all of the characters in it. I was so happy to read about their different hobbies because I grew up with a lot of hobbies. But sadly, the idea is dead these days where people mention watching movies as their hobby. She has written a brilliant book on teenage struggles and the life that we lead.

9. The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger:

Whenever I mention this book, I am reminded of the story associated with it. Lets just say that a friend of mine was caught reading it in class. The book was taken away from her. And we stole it back from the Vice Principal's office. It was a hysterical drama which lasted a week or so. But it came my favourite the minute I read it. Its the perfect love story I have ever read. I am amazed at Niffenegger, at how she took such a difficult concept and executed it perfectly.

10. Against Medical Advice:

I had read so many heart breaking books the past summer that I opened this book with the intention of a light murder read. Because that is what James Patterson does. Instead I found myself reading about the struggles of a young boy who has no control over his mind and thus his body. I found myself feeling helpless and crying for him. And the fact that its a true story made me see the strength that we as youngsters have in ourselves. I loved how he made sure to emerge as a winner.

So this is my top ten books I read in 2013 list. I hope that you had an amazing year. And that your list is great.

Adieu !

S

......

Bookish Resolutions 2014 !

I have never had bookish resolutions but I thought to myself and realized that the time has come to do so. Because when i have certain objectives in mind, than its easier to comply with them. So here are my bookish resolutions for 2014 :

1. Read more classics. 

I have a love hate relationship with classics. I take forever to read a classic because it requires patience. And I suck on that account. But the few classics I have read, I have loved them, like Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo, Little Women (one of my favourite childhood books), Arabian Nights, Jane Eyre etc. So this year I hope to read the classics already in my possession.

2. Buy more books:

I was packing my books for moving and I saw that I have bought only 16 books in 2013 which is such a shame. And a lot of books I read as ebooks. So this year, I am going to buy all the books I read. I tend to spend my money on other things and than I have nothing left for books. So buy books first. Than anything else.

3. Blog more about books:

I am a slacker when it comes to blogging. I am not consistent at all. I keep putting off blogging like the rest of the things. And then I forget about it. When I open blogger, I have an empty mind which makes me sad. So blog as soon as the idea pops in my head. Thus blogging more about books. Whether its books reviews, author reviews etc.

4. Be a consistent reader:

Normally, when people finish a book, they start another one. I do not do that. I might read 10 books in a week. Than don't read any in the next three. I have no idea why that happens. But that is the way it is and its not good. I love reading and this just wastes time which I end up doing something not productive. I will try to pick up another book as soon as I finish the one I have finished reading.

5. Write the review as soon as possible:

I read a book. Than the opinions I have about it are just churning inside my head. And I take my time thinking about it. But I don't pen it down immediately. I take a day or two. What happens than is, that I have either started a new book, forgetting a little about the previous one. Or the opinion is not as strong as it was before. And the review is not as good as I would want it to be.

So these are my bookish resolutions. I am not setting myself a challenge this year because I want to see how much I read without the pressure of completing a challenge. Lets see how I do.

......