Chocolate Mints In a Jar

Fat Head, the movie

jessyz — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:10:22 +0000

Two nights ago I managed to watch Fat Head after my sister recommended it. It is an indie documentary which is sort of a rebuttal to SuperSize Me. In Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock eats nothing but McDonalds for 30 days and gains weight (duh!) and tries to prove that McDonalds is the evil mastermind behind the weight gain ‘epidemic’ in the United States. Tom Naughton, the man behind Fat Head, thinks that Super Size Me is a load of bologna and goes out to prove it. He also decides to eat fast food for 30 days but instead of eating anything and everything, he skips the fries and soda. He doesn’t eat salads or tries to order ‘healthy’ stuff from the menu, he just eats smarter.

I enjoyed the movie, it was smart, clear and quite funny. I have been thinking about what I eat and what I feed my family (yes I do cook and feed them) ever since I watched Food Inc. I sometimes fall off the bandwagon and sometimes I don’t. I need to find a style of eating that tastes good, healthy and is easy to cook too.

I am currently liking the idea of Paleo (AKA the paleolithic diet). High in protein, low in carbs and fat basically while consciously eating cave man style, i.e. hunter/gatherer. It makes sense. I have only managed to lose weight when I cut down the carbs and sugar. I have been doing it for a couple of weeks and I also feel that my energy levels are better than usual, and trust me I don’t get nearly enough sleep.

Having a daughter also makes me want to put her on the right eating habits track instead of creating a problem now and having to deal with it later. I want her to be fit and healthy not just weigh a healthy weight. I want her to be able to make the right decisions and understand why she is making them. And trust me children do learn more than you think you are teaching them. She now very firmly tells the cashier in supermarkets that she does not want our groceries to be bagged because we carry our own reusable bags. I never talked to her about it, but after seeing me do the same thing a couple of times, she just mirrors what I do.

A couple of weeks ago they had a ‘healthy food’ theme and now asks if this food or that food is healthy, so I guess if I drill it into her she will eventually intrinsically know what food is healthy and what is not.

I also loved the part where he explains LDL and HDL, what I always thought was cholesterol, but really turned out to be cholesterol carrying proteins and how they affect our bodies. A simple animation cleared my whole misconception of the issue.

With so much information available which is so readily and easily accessible, we sometimes get so overwhelmed with it and making the right decision becomes harder.

So seriously, go watch this movie now.

You can also follow Tom Naughton’s blog for more info.

Historical Vintage and Classical Cars Museum [Things to do in Kuwait]

jessyz — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:46:03 +0000

I have been meaning to write this post for quite a while now and decided to just bite the bullet and get on with it. I have been away, I am sorry, yada yada yada. If you have been following for a while (a very very long while) you will know that I sometimes just need time off. I also blog on my craft blog more regularly because it is more about the crafting and not the living (get the hint?)

A couple of weeks ago my husband took a few days off (that is a very very rare thing) and we pretended we were tourists and did a bit of going out.

We visited the Historical Vintage and Classical Cars Museum. I was in Shuweikh and found this museum by chance and made a mental note to go visit as soon as my husband had some time off. I knew he would enjoy it.

It was a beautiful sunny day with a nice cool breeze.

When you walk in you are greeted by two rows of vintage cars.

Walk inside and you will be greeted by some lovely model cars like this one.

I am not a car buff, but I do know that this is a Minerva and that it is ancient and that the leather detailing is amazing.

But by far my favorite car was the BMW Isetta

My daughter was absolutely fascinated by this car. She still talks about it and says she wants a car like the little yellow car with the door in the front that she saw before.

My husband truly had fun and so did my almost 4 year old little girl (who said that only boys like cars). It is definitely worth a visit.

Here is their contact info if you are interested in visiting.
Historical, Vintage & Classic Cars Museum Shuwaikh Industrial Area, Block 1, Street 49
Facebook Page
Tel: 24819186 – 24847143 Ext: 102
Fax: 24824037

E-Mail: info@KuwaitCarMuseum.com.kw

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 18: Gifts}

jessyz — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:51:14 +0000

عن أبي هريرة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : ( تهادوا تحابوا ) . رواه البخاري في الأدب المفرد ، وأبو يعلى بإسناد حسن .

Translation: “Give gifts and you shall love one another” Bukhari

Who doesn’t like receiving gifts? It doesn’t have to be something expensive or elaborate, something simple and inexpensive but unexpected could really brighten someone’s day.

I like to ask my daughter to paint and draw pictures to give to her father as a gift. She stands at the door until he comes home and squeals with delight to tell him Daddy Daddy I have a gift for you. My sister (mashalla) is a wonderful gift giver. She buys little gifts for everyone whenever she sees something someone she knows might like. My mother too is wonderful at gift giving, although she usually gifts me the really expensive stuff I lust after for months on end. She also spoils my daughter with gifts, I know that she spends time, energy and money looking for the perfect things for Lulu. She buys books and little toys, that my daughter always proudly claims that they were a gift from tattou (she calls my mom that). My husband too, sometimes gets me the weirdest gifts when I don’t expect it, like the hand held vacuum cleaner, he came home one day with it but it is probably one of the most useful things ever. Or, the kitchen scale, I had been wanting one forever and one day he just got it for me.

A gift doesn’t have to have a reason, except to say I love you, I appreciate you and I want to say thank you.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 14 and 15: Keep trying}

jessyz — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:04:34 +0000

Sometimes it is hard and all you have to do is keep trying and ask Allah to help you.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 9 and 10: Say a little prayer}

jessyz — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:04:29 +0000

قال رسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم:”دُعَاءُ المَرْءِ المسلِمِ مُستَجَابٌ لأخيهِ بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ عندَ رأسِهِ مَلَكٌ مُوَكَّلٌ بِهِ كُلَّمَا دَعَا لأخِيهِ بِخَير قَالَ المَلَكُ ءامِينَ ولَكَ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ ”
رواهُ مُسْلِم.
ومَعْنَى الدُّعَاءِ لأخيهِ بِظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ أنْ يَدْعُوَ لَهُ في غَيْبَتِهِ أَيْ لَيْسَ في حُضُورِه.

قال (صلى الله عليه وسلم) ينقطع عمل ابن أدم إلا من ثلاث ( صدقه جاريه ، أو علم ينتفع به أو ولد صالح يدعو له )

So when you pray, remember to pray for others and remember to pray for the loved ones who are no longer with us.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 8: Silence}

jessyz — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 21:23:29 +0000

Be silent for 30 minutes. Sit down and make your mind go blank then let it wander and ponder the greatness in this world. Sub7an Allah.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 7: When the going gets tough}

jessyz — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:20:52 +0000

When the going gets tough the good Muslim remembers these du’aas

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illa huwa AAalayhi tawakkaltu wahuwa rabbu alAAarshi alAAatheem
Translation: Allah sufficeth me: there is no god but He: On Him is my trust, He is the Lord of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme!

لاإله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين
La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen
Translation: None has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)), Glorified (and Exalted) are You (above all that (evil) they associate with You). Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.

30 Days of Ramadan {Day 6: Better Driving}

jessyz — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:15:40 +0000

What does better driving have to do with Ramadan? A lot, people tend to drive like monkeys on crack when they are fasting. Get in your car, say the duaa and relax. Inhale, exhale and start your car. Be considerate of others. Causing an accident is not being a good Muslim. Double parking is not being a good Muslim. Driving in the wrong direction and generally ignoring traffic laws is just being a bad Muslim and a bad person.

There are other people in the world besides yourself. They all have places they would like to get to in a hurry, so relax and let go. Being a couple of minutes late is not the end of the world. Listen to quran while you drive or download interesting lectures or audio books to make your drive more entertaining or offer to drive a friend or relative somewhere so you can focus on having a good time instead of fighting traffic.

Drive safe and always wear your seat belt.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Days 4 and 5: Giving}

jessyz — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:36:56 +0000

I spaced out yesterday but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten about my own challenge.
So I am grouping two together and it is a about giving. We all know how important Sadaqa and Zakat are. But I am not talking about that kind of giving. I am talking about giving time and giving off a happy vibe. It is so easy and doesn’t cost you a thing. Sometimes giving advice is important but somethings just giving a shoulder to cry on is even more important. Think of all the things the people around you give you all the time. Think of how much time your mother has spent raising you and making you who you are today. Give your child an hour of uninterrupted play time. Get down on the floor and make a mess and don’t care about it. Give yourself permission to take a couple of hours off today to reflect and think about all of Allah’s blessings. Give yourself permission to take a longer bath or shower so that when you get out of it you are happier and more relaxed and ready to give happiness to everyone else around you. Stop thinking of what you get from people and comparing it to what you give to them, instead be grateful that you can give a lot, and I am sure if you look closer you will realize you actually get more than you think or assume.

30 Days of Ramadan Challenge {Day 3: Feel Sad}

jessyz — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:00:22 +0000

Kind of weird after smiling right?
Not really, or at least, I don’t think it is weird.

I came across this by chance today on Shrouk‘s blog:

“إن الإستسلام للحزن احيانًا أشجع من مقاومته، بعض الأحزان لم تأتِ لتقاتلنا ، بل لتعتصم حول جراحنا أمام الأقدار .”
— محمد حسن علوان

Which translates into :
“Surrendering to sadness is sometimes braver than fighting it, some sorrows did not come to fight us but to surround (in protest?) our wounds in the face of out fate” by Mohamed Hassan Olwan

It is beautiful isn’t it?
We fight the sadness, we oppose the unhappiness, we resist anything that we think might make us feel sorrowful or upset. It is exactly what I was looking for because I was thinking ( I do a lot of thinking on my own ) about how sometimes our sad mood seem like they do not want to leave us. We fight them, we go out, meet with friends, eat French Fries, buy expensive shoes, and the list goes on but nothing seems to help. We fight the unhappiness instead of embracing it and accepting that it is here as part of the journey. Really, there is nothing wrong with being sad, unhappy or just plain down in the dumps. It is a phase and it will pass. If it doesn’t go see a therapist you might be depressed. In the depths of our souls we need sadness, because without sadness we would not be able to understand happiness. Ramadan is also a good time to sit down and accept the sadness and be grateful for it, as well as being grateful for the good things. That is the basic difference between 7amd and Shukr [الحمد و الشكر] you can only be thankful for good things, but 7amd is for both good and bad.
Hindsight is always 20/20 and if you sit down and look back you will easily find that many things that you considered catastrophes in your life were just speed bumps or road blocks that either slowed you down or made you reroute so you were kept you on the right track.

Give yourself permission to feel sad, accept that being sad is not always a bad thing. Concentrate on things that make you sad, and for each thing I am sure you can find 10 things that make you happy.

What happened with yesterday’s challenge?
It went ok, although I was grumpy for an hour before noon, then thankfully it all went away and now I am back to being cheerful bubbly smiling self.

On a side note, here’s a wonderfully scientific article (with references and sources, because I hate scientific articles without them) about the health benefits of fasting. It mentions health benefits that are rarely mentioned or attributed to fasting so be sure to read it.