Thursday 19 September 2013

I can't make this stuff up

Today was something else entirely.
We powered through, I think, six? Lectures in three hours. Because our lecturer was hell-bent on having an extra, super long weekend. If we finished, which she made sure we did, we get tomorrow off. Also, she’s got Monday off, and with Tuesday being a public holiday, well, like I said, extra super long.
Right off the bat, before she could even start, a student asks an alcohol-related question. At first, we thought this typical behavior- he’s prone to do such things. But the he started get really animated- atypical behavior. It was only later that we discovered that he was still drunk from the night before. Stuff suddenly made sense…
Then came the apple incident. Because I really should be atoning for my behaviour, and it would be in the best interest of my health, I cannot tell you exactly what went down. Except to say that, after much goading from Mo Bray [cracks me up every time!], one Miz Panjri [aka Jizz, the Infamous- thanks for that, Mohammed Yusuf Parker] launched his apple core across the lecture hall- twice! Well, the unmentionable thing happened, and, of course, I land up on the floor. I was laughing so hard I cried like a baby! I could hardly stop, and I could barely breathe.
Technology is a fantastic thing. I didn’t want to walk all the way to my friends’ res, so we completed our tutorial over the phone. Whatsapp didn’t work out so well. >.< It was… crazy. My hands were full, I was on the phone and I didn’t have my card out. It was a mission vacating Gergs!
And then, to top the day off, Miz made me use the elevator. I detest the things. It makes my head all screwy. And the guy actually had the audacity to laugh at me. “Sooo… if you get stuck in one… will you die?” The grin on his face shouldn’t have been there. Shows you the kind of friends I have.
I swear, these are not lies. I really cannot make this stuff up- and I'm a writer!

19 September 2013 

High-tailing it

Casually strolling out of Gergs (our unofficially nicknamed computer room), totally unsuspecting, I nearly get bowled over. No, seriously. I'd just pushed through the swinging doors, when I hear this urgent pounding from behind me. Naturally, I take a look. I see no one. And I'm like, what the hell? Not even 2 seconds after the thought passes through my mind, the door flies open, and some guy shoots out, feet pounding. And I mean he's really hauling ass as he tears passed me. Muttering, "'scuse me, sorry."
For some reason, his sense of urgency really got me going too. He'd just descended the first flight of stairs. And I felt myself needing to run too. I didn’t mean to follow him, honestly. We just happened to be head the same way, at the same time.
So there we are, high-tailing it down three flights of stairs. Yeah. Three. And again I'm wondering, what in the actual hell is going on here?
By the time I get to the K floor (took me 6 months to figure out K stood for Kelder- basement), he's gone. As in, just disappeared. But then I see the turnstile gate shaking. Almost as though someone has pushed through it with excessive force.
And that's when I realized it. Some guy in a white coat nearly runs me over, and then disappears through those gates? Medical emergancy.
Staring at that gate, instead of a what-the-hell, I thought, "Run, Speedy, run. Go save someone's life." Smiling, I turn away, "That's going to be me someday. Someday soon."

18 September 2013

Momma dearest

As if it wasn’t bad enough having one Leo [Speedy] and one Virgo [Daddy-oh] in the house, Momma’s birthday is two weeks after Dad’s. Seriously. That means we’ve got a sum total of 2 Virgos living together- TWO!
Classically, Virgos are rather stubborn, head-strong people, and for two of them to be in a relationship together is… shall we say, risky? I mean, you’re bound to butt heads. Often. But somehow they make it work. I’ve always thought that they’re a pretty good example for me to follow; you know, of what relationships should be like. They get along so well. But I digress.
Happy birthday, Momma. You’re seriously awesome. I mean, no one else would have let me cut up a kidney and a liver in their kitchen. =D

10 September 2013

What a day

Phew. I am positively exhausted. Or perhaps I should say negatively? Today we had a not-so-little family get-together. All the peeps from my dad’s side got together and had breakers. Aaand made our own lunch. =) It was… insane, to say the least. And not everybody rocked up anyway.
I don’t even know why I’m so done for; it’s not like I did very much to begin with. But I got chased outta bed super early. And I didn’t sleep very well either. Not that I’m complaining or anything; I’m just saying.
Anyway, this is just a mini photo diary of what went down.
A few of the... older generations

A mini hall, for breakfast and lunch

The breakfast buffet table

Cousinish person, Fuad, looking really intense. I don't think you have a career in modelling, dude... Just saying.

Doing what we do best- chowing

Two sisters and a... niece? I'm not even sure how we're all related...

Little cousinish people hanging out

Geotag much? =)

The guys from STOP: Service To Other People

Cousinish person, Uthmaan, looking saccharine sweet 

FOOD!!! Need I say more? Well, except that we cooked it ourselves

Of course, nobody can leave without a barakat

Uncle-ish person, Ishmaeel. Clean-up was hard work.

I sincerely hope I've embarrassed some of you! =)

1 September 2013

My culinary exploits

Exactly one week after my brother’s birthday, my dad celebrates his. Or rather, perhaps I should say that exactly one week before my dad turned 36, baby bro was born. Either way, 28 August marks Daddy-oh’s birthday. [HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!]
I thought, seeing as I couldn’t do anything for Speedy’s, I’d do something nice for him.  And I was feeling daring.
Those of you who know me will know that I basically suck in the kitchen. Seriously, I can’t cook for jack- not very domesticated at all. Buuut, I don’t do too badly at following a recipe.
So I baked him some cinnamon [because he likes such things] pull- apart bread. Or something. Here are the results:
 
Before taking a trip to the oven...

The end result, all frosted and laid out to eat. Yummo. =)

You can find the recipe [along with many other sinful delights] at this awesome blog: 
Happy baking! And, perhaps more importantly, happy eating!

29 August 2013

Thursday 12 September 2013

Insanity- Writing vs. Not writing

It has been almost three weeks since I last wrote anything.

My head is always buzzing. I never stop. But it has been that long since I churned out anything useful.

A wise man once told me to never hold it inside, to always let it out. “Don’t keep it in your head,” he’d said, “You write first for yourself, then for others."
                                                                          – Bill Temple

Actually, those words helped me more than I can even tell you. In a way, it encouraged me, allowed me to risk it all to get my stuff out there. I was nervous, anxious, about posting my stuff online. I just didn’t know how well it would be received. I didn’t think I could take negative feedback.

Now, I find myself yearning for critique. I want to know, not only what I’m doing wrong, but also what I’m doing right. How else does one become a better anything?

I’m always writing. Every situation, every experience; I never stop. My head is constantly whirling around; relating, describing, comparing, and even picking out words that would fit best.

But none of that helps if it stays right there, inside. It actually hurts, to the point where I feel like I’m going crazy. I have to get it out. Writing is my release.

People are addicted to many things. I suppose this may be one of mine. And no, I’m absolutely not ashamed about this one.


26 August 2013

Protea Hotel: Fire and Ice

My very first review J
I’m not exactly an expert. At anything- yet. But I do know what tastes good. And honestly, they make the best damned milkshake I’ve tasted yet.

The Protea Hotel: Fire and Ice is situated on New Church Street in the Cape Town CBD, just a five minute walk from my home. The in-house restaurant can be found on the ground floor; the décor a stunning blend of vintage and contemporary.





Even the bathrooms are decked out like nowhere else I’ve seen before. Seriously, you have to check the bathrooms out when you go. It’s like a thing; you have to go on the bathroom ‘tour’. No, I kid you not. [Nope, no pics- you have to see it for yourself.]
The seating areas are cozy; great for hanging out with friends and family, or even for a more casual business meeting. The deck that runs along the outside is great for a summer evening, especially in Cape Town. With the warm breeze gently tugging at you. *sigh…*
At the far end of the room, there is a dedicated smoking area- dubbed the ‘Coughin Room’. Inside, there is a beige-coloured headstone, behind which lies 3 coffin-styled sofas. Again, I kid you not.
But back to the milkshakes though. My absolute favourite would have to be their Ferrero Roche milkshake. Yeah, it’s my fave choccie too. J
Next on the list is the brownie pieces, hot chocolate, banana and peanut butter, Lindt, and last but not least, the chili chocolate. And no, I haven’t tried them all yet, but I fully intend to! And you should definitely try it out too. J

26 August 2013

End of block party

No, no, no. It’s not what you think. Not an actual block party. I dare say my parents would probably kill me. Rather, the word ‘block’ refers to a section of work. And it wasn’t an actual party either.
On Thursday and Friday past, Med I wrote the end-of-block test for pathology. Boy am I glad that’s over with. I think I studied myself half-blind over the days leading up to it. Path was great, so much fun, but studying for it was a real bastard. I tried very hard to study diligently from day one, buuut you know how things go. You get distracted, you just don’t feel like it, you’ve got better things to do… In the end, I crammed for days, I even ended up spotting. [Shameful admission #3]
Looking at my daunting lever arch file of notes, I realized something that is pretty insane. Six months of Life Forms last semester, equates to just six weeks of Pathology! I know, right?!
I’m so glad to finally be able to breathe again, honestly.
This weekend was great. We kicked it off on Friday, with a little picnic-type thing on the rugby field. Saturday, my family and I ran around doing very normal things- I even went on a mini shopping spree! [Oh yeah!J] As for Sunday, lunch at home with the fam, and then we went out for milkshake. But my end of block checklist looks way more hectic:
©      Watch some series [check]
©      Watch a few movies [check]
©      Sleep [check-ish]
©      Do nothing [double check J]
©      Go on a baking craze [uncheck- I’m postponing this to Wednesday]
©      Play guitar [unchecked as yet- boo!L]
©      WRITE [Check, check, check!J]
Ah hell, I suppose that all’s well that ends well. And tomorrow the rat race begins all over again.

25 August 2013

Speedy

Taken years ago, by yours truly =)
21 August 2013.

Muhammad A’feef Omar, my little brother, turns 16. Oh yeah, that’s a big one.

Okay, fine, I’ll admit that he is bigger than me [he’s adamant, therefore, that I can’t call him my ‘little’ brother], but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m the older sibling. *clears throat and squares shoulders by way of showing off authority*

Anyway, I seem to have veered off on a tangent there. What I’m really driving at here is a major shout-out to my favouritest brother, albeit my only brother. J

Happy birthday, Speedy! I wish you all the best, may all your dreams and wishes come true, and may you be granted may more happy, healthy years with us, InshaAllah. Oh, and congratulations on making the Marching Band! J Stay awesome! I love you lots, like Rascals!

25 August 2013 

Boyce Avenue



I’m not an intense YouTuber, by any stretch of the imagination, but, recently, I’ve made a rather delicious discovery. Wholly and completely by accident, I stumbled upon an amazing band who goes by the name of Boyce Avenue. Curious, I tell you, but who am I to judge?
I rather detest research, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you much about them. Except what I found on Wiki [told you I’m lazy]: Boyce Avenue is an American rock band formed in Sarasota, Florida, by the brothers Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian Manzano. The band is named after a combination of two streets the brothers lived on as children.  Also, [not from Wiki] they have an upcoming Euro Tour.
And I’m not a music expert either. But I do know what I like, and I do know when something sounds good. Thus far, I’ve listened to/ watched a few covers that they’ve done. And I gotta tell ya, they’re bloody good. I quite like their sound, and the lead’s voice is just so… different.














Their cover of Imagine Dragons’ Radioactive is phenomenal:







But my favorite, hands down, is their cover of Three Doors Down’s Here without you:





Go check them out- you won’t be sorry.
Hope you like it… because me likey; me definitely likey. Hehe J

25 August 2013

Humans

Some people just bring out the worst in you.
It’s true.
And when you already struggle with your temper, as I do [once again, a shameful admission], it’s really, definitely, one hundred percent a bad idea to be around them.
See them, hear them, be anywhere near them… You’re only doing yourself an injustice. You become the person you dislike, become what you’ve tried so damned hard not to be. And that’s really not fair. To yourself.
Yes, absolutely, self-sacrifice is widely accepted as an honorable act. But there comes a time when all the sacrifice in the world will mean nothing if you can’t even do right by yourself- sometimes you just need to be selfish.
I’ll never forget doing that day in English class, more than 2 years ago, when we were analyzing the poem or another. “So, off the top of your head, what is the poet trying to say?” Mrs. Parker asks. I couldn’t keep the disgust from my voice when I yelled out, “People suck.” I then sat back in my desk and cocked my head to the side, nonverbally daring anyone to oppose me. Silence reigned briefly, before Mrs. Parker stuck her finger out at me and emphatically declared, “Exactly! People suck.” I shrugged. She was only confirmed what I’d already known for years.
Don’t get me wrong; this is by no means a jab at any one person in particular. It’s just that sometimes you come across people who remind you of that fact. And they’re the ones who truly do bring out the worst in you.
In the epic words of Dean Winchester, “Humans, dude. Humans.”

25 August 2013

OhLah =)

Wow. It certainly has been a long time since my last post. It feels like forever ago...
It wasn't totally my fault though. I've been writing [I have to], but I haven't had the time to post anything. And then I took two weeks of to study for my end-of-block test. Then the internet was down for another two weeks. It's just been one thing after the other. But I'm finally back online, and boy am I glad about that one. =) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the next few blogs.

Stay awesome. Peace y'all. <3