FLAPPY GARBAGE

Twitter was buzzing about flappy bird yesterday. It seemed like every other tweet was somehow related to the bird. I saw countless memes, angry messages, and high scores posted throughout the day.

  

I finally decided to give it a try. It reminded me of the helicopter game I used to play on the computer back in the day. So, I decided to give it a try. I did not like it! First of all, why is a bird in Mario Land? If anything it should be Yoshi trying to squeeze through those tunnel gaps. Next, why are the birds different colors if each of them does the same thing? Instead of coloring the bird in, focus on making the game look like it was made in the 21st century. Also, I hate those low tunnels! My thumb always covers them up when I'm tapping the screen and I can never tell how low they are. I totally understand the angry tweets now. C'mon 3/10 times my bird does not hit the stupid tunnel. Why are you trynna cheat me Flappy Bird?! Why?!! Lastly, apparently the goal of the game is to make it across all the tunnels. Is that really even possible though? I don't think so.

I deleted the game off my phone! It was probably the best decision I made all day. Mainly because I suck at it. Also because if I kept on playing it, my phone would probably cease to exist due to me throwing it against a wall. If you're still trying to beat the game, (if you actually can) more power to you.

CURLY HAIR CURSE

I hate my curly hair. It's always frizzy, tangled, and has a mind of it's own. Growing up, I was the girl with the fro, then the fro began to look like a chia pet and it eventually transformed into a poodle. Every attempt to tame the curls always ended up backfiring. So I just gave up. That is when me and my hair straightener became best friends. Yes, this solved my problem but it created a new problem. Since I was straightening my hair almost every day, it got tremendously damaged! My split-ends had split-ends. It was terrible. This again forced me find a way to deal with the curls. I tried a plethora of gels, mousses, and sprays. It was an okay fix. My hair was no longer frizzy but it was making my hair firm and crunchy. I didn't want that either, so I just kept wearing it up. My bun game got intense. But don't worry ladies I have finally figured out the secret to combat the curly hair curse.

• It starts in the shower. Get the right shampoo. Most commercial shampoo's have chemicals that will weigh down your curls. Go for the organic shampoo! Natural ingredients are always the way to go. They provide excellent nutrients for your hair.
• Condition. Condition. Condition. Curly hair responds very well to conditioner. Of course wash your hair, but it isn't necessary to shampoo your hair every time you step into the shower. Conditioning on the other hand is a must!
• Take a hairbrush into the shower. If you have curly hair you know that once you brush it, it looks completely different. But you have to brush it because curly hair can turn into dreadlocks in no time. To solve this problem, brush your hair while you are in the shower. That way you can detangle it, and your curl will retain its spiral shape.
• Air dry is key. I NEVER use a hair dryer. It make my curls extremely frizzy! Just wrap you hair in a towel and let it air dry. It does take longer, but trust me it's worth it.
• Buy a good leave in conditioner. It's a must have item for curly hair. It will combat the fizziness, define your curls, and leave you with the natural look.

I hope the tips work. Good luck!

CHIBERIA

Chicago has been uncharacteristically cold this winter. Schools and businesses have been closing, not because of the snow, but because of the temperature. Something that I've never heard of happening in this city. Yes we are known as the Windy City, but the wind has never been this bad to us. In fact, with wind chill we've hit temperatures as low as - 40F. Which is the coldest temperature in the history of Illinois (or at least since I've been alive). Chicago was reportedly even colder than Antarctica. And it's not like the temperature dips and then picks back up gradually, I wish. It gets cold and stays cold. Around Chicago, we have seen about 60 hours of sub-zero temperatures. Not once, but twice this month we've entered into this polar vortex. At one point, a couple weeks ago, the governor of Illinois even issued a statewide disaster declaration. This apparently activated the state's emergency operations plan and the Illinois National Guard.

Okay so why is Chicago being particularly miserable this season? It's because the climate change has made the polar vortex drunk. Yes, I said drunk. The vortex that usually spins in a circle around the North Pole is no longer a circle, but a bit tipsy. This mishap is forcing extreme cold weather that is usually present near the poles to spread into regions across North America. A Huffington Post article mentioned that because of these "extreme temperature inversions- on Monday, Memphis was 20 degrees colder than Anchorage, Ala.; Atlanta was colder than Moscow, Russia; and Nashville was colder than Albany, New York. On Tuesday, Marianna, Fla. was two degrees colder than Anchorage. Yet in the week leading up to vortex, there was a 115-degree difference between Florida and Minnesota."

GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL!


**In all seriousness though. I've been complaining about the bitter cold temperatures from under the covers of my warm bed in a house filled with heat. There are hundreds of Chicagoans that cannot even dream of this privilege. If you see any of the homeless or know of anyone in need of a warm place to stay or a well-being check for an elderly relative who may be in need - city officials ask that you call 311.

YUMMY WEEKEND

This weekend was all  about food!!! I swear I spend all of my money on food, but at least it's money well spent! I stuck Schaumburg this weekend, if you live in the Chicagoland area, I would definitely recommended all of these places.

Friday: Sushi Ya in Schaumburg

Restaurant: B+

Staff: A+

Food: A

This is my second time coming to this restaurant, and I can't wait till I go back again. This Japanese restaurant is a bit small, so we got stuck by a table near the door and felt the cool air every time the door opened. However, don't let this stop you from going to the restaurant. The sushi is beyond delicious. Although, they have a vast array of food options to order from, I have only ordered the sushi. And it has never let me down. Best sushi I've had in the suburbs by far! :) The Fire Crunch Sushi is a must try (far right). I also got the Tiger Sushi (middle) and for an appetizer- along with the miso soup and edamame they give with every meal - I ordered a Spider Spider (far left). On top of that, the staff is very helpful and kind. They help you decide on what to order and their recommendations are great!

Saturday: Udupi Palace in Schaumburg

Restaurant: A

Staff: B-

Food: B+

This is a restaurant with South Indian cuisine. I went for dosa's. I don't really like potatoes, so it was kind of difficult to find a meal option without any. However, I was able to find one dosa without potatoes! :) Usually that doesn't happen. The Cheese Dosa (right) was great, but I wish they had different dipping sauces to along with it instead of the regular coconut and sambar dips. I also had the Udupi Chaat (left) which also doesn't have potatoes for an appetizer. It was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy! I would definitely order that again. Both of these items had very generous portions. The staff was a little overbearing. They were just standing a couple inches from our table, from the moment we walked in until we ordered. It kind of rushed us to make the order. Even after we ordered, it seemed like someone was popping in every 5 minutes or so to make sure "everything was okay" or we had enough water. I found it a bit annoying. On the other hand, the restaurant is quite spacious, so we were able to have a seat at a table far away from the door!

 

Sunday: My Sweet Kake in Schaumbrg

Restaurant: A-

Staff: B-

Food: B+





This cute little shop is family owned, and their cupcakes are all advertised with pictures of their kids eating cupcakes. They were adorable. The restaurant itself is spacious and very colorful. However there was only one worker at the store, so service was a bit slow. The cupcakes are ready to order, but the drinks took her some time to make. The cupcakes speak for themselves! I got the Red Velvet Cupcake. Not only do they look mouth watering, but they taste equally as good. I also ordered a Mango Peach Smoothie. I was a little hesitant because I thought the cupcake taste would ruin the smoothie taste. I was wrong. The smoothie was very fruity! I could definitely taste the mango and the peach. It was a little icey, but it hit the spot!
 

 

 

 



LACK OF ROLE MODELS

Who is your role model?

When people ask me this, a bunch of names fall out of my mouth. Prophet Mohammed (obvious reasons), Obama (only a little bit), Michael Jordan (never gives up), Rob Dyrdek (does whatever he wants), Mohammed Ali (legend), Bill Gates (donates a lot of $) so on and so forth.

But then I got to thinking. Those are all men. What women do I look up to? This was harder to think of. A couple names eventually crossed my mind. Prophet's wives, yes definitely. Mother Theresa, sure. But those women have all passed. What about women who are still alive, the 21st century women. After lots of pondering the only name I could come up with was Donna from Suits, but even then she's a fictional TV character.

It seems like the only women being talked about these days are entertainers. Women who are entering rehab, getting talked about for what they wore (or lack there of) or who they are sleeping with. What about the women who look out for the good of the nation? People who give everything they have to help those in need. The Eleanor Roosevelt’s of this world. Why aren't they being talked about in the media?

IF LOOKS COULD KILL

I was watching a video of a tarantula the other day, and couldn't understand why people would want to go near such a scary looking creature. I was then informed that tarantula's may look dangerous, they are actually not very harmful to humans. I for sure thought that was a lie, so I looked it up and sure enough - it's true. I also found some other interesting animals that I thought would be harmful, but are actually the opposite.

Sharks- obviously not all sharks are harmless, as seen on Shark Week, but some have no interest inBasking shark. "Seeing this shark's wide-open mouth bearing down on you might seem like a diving nightmare — until you realize it's just a basking shark. Unlike their carnivorous brethren, basking sharks are filter feeders. They prefer the taste of zooplankton and couldn't chomp down on you if they wanted to. A diver lucky enough to encounter one of these elegant beasts may entice its playful curiosity; they are known to be tolerant of nearby boats and people."
humans. One example of this is a

Bats - we've all heard the horrors of what happens when a bat bites you. You turn into a vampire. lol. Vampire bats "suck blood, have ghoulish faces, live in dark caves and hollow trees, only come out at night ... and never transform into mysterious, seductive, well-dressed strangers with Transylvanian accents. But if you can look past all that, vampire bats have a certain charm. Their diet is mostly blood, but they typically prefer to feed on cattle, goats or even birds. Human bites are rare — and entirely harmless. You'll hardly feel a thing."Okay I know that's not true, but I did think that vampire bat bites were deadly. Turns out I was wrong.

 Spiders - they give me the creeps. However, it turns out that most of the big and hairy ones aren't very dangerous. For example, the Goliath Birdeater - This gigantic, hairy spider is a tarantula native to the rain forests of South America. It is one of the largest species of spider in the world. It earned its name when it was first discovered devouring a hummingbird, though this spider prefers to dine on insects. Despite the goliath birdeater's appearance, the size of its fangs and its reputation, this spider is entirely harmless and passive toward humans — as are the vast majority of tarantulas around the world. The spiders do have venom, but their bite would hardly compare to the sting of a wasp. In fact, spider enthusiasts around the world keep these creepy-crawlies as pets."

 

Bugs - crawly things are not my favorite. Bugs look scary enough on their own, so why add a million legs to one. The Giant African Millipede, although it looks monstrous, is completely human friendly. "It's hard to imagine anyone cuddling up to this nocturnal monster, one of the largest millipedes in the world. In fact, the giant African millipede is kept as a family pet in many parts of the world. These millipedes can grow to as long as 15 inches, can be nearly 4 inches thick and have 253 legs. (For people who love them, these characteristics are described as "cute".) These millipedes can live as long as 10 years, and despite their goosebump-inducing appearance, they are harmless."

 

Snakes - they slither, are scaley, and have those beady eyes. However not all snakes are dangerous. Python Regius, "also known as ball python or a royal python is a non-venomous snake found in Africa. A fully grown species can be up to 5-6 feet long and this is why it may look dangerous but they are so harmless that there is a common trend of keeping them as pets."

 

I still wouldn't go near any of these animals and would never keeps these things as pets, but it's good to know that if I accidently come across one I might still be safe.

TEAM BIEBER

Yesterday's breaking news seemed to be all about Justin Bieber and how he got arrested. That too, only a week after JB's neighbors pressed charges against him for apparently egging their house. I haven't read up on the egg incident, but I've heard the neighbors are seeking $20,000 dollars in damages. Whaaaat? How can an egg possibly do that much damage? Regardless, if that is the case, Justin please come egg my house, that's a whole years worth of college I can pay off! Anyways, back to his arrest. Justin Bieber was charged with a DUI, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license after police saw him street racing. Yes, what he did may have been wrong, but it's being blown way out of proportion.

Let's look at each of these offenses separately.

1. Expired License. This one is actually completely understandable. Go ahead and give him a ticket for this one. Come on Justin, don't you have people for this? Just send one of them to a DMV and get it renewed.

2. Resisting arrest. From the police report, it doesn't seem like he was resisting the arrest. "Bieber was defiant from the get-go, yelling at the cops, 'Why the f**k are you doing this?'  He also yelled, 'What the f**k did I do.  Why did you stop me?'" To me, this just sounds like he was asking why he was being arrested. Which he has the right to know. Yes, he was using profanity while asking, but last time I checked - swearing at a cop was perfectly legal. Bieber got out of his car and even admitted to drinking and smoking before he got into the car. Seems pretty compliant to me.

3. Street Racing. He was in a Lamborghini. C'mon who goes the speed limit when driving a Lambo? Also, I don't even think you can call that racing, he was barely going 55mph.You can drive faster than that on highways, or all those cars "street racing" as well?

4. DUI. I completely agree that no one who is drunk should drive. That being said, was Justin drunk? His blood alcohol level was .04. If he was 2 years older that reading would have been okay, as .08 is the limit for those 21 years and over. Also, JB is Canadian. The legal age to drink there is 19. So he has experience drinking. He knows how much his body can handle before he becomes drunk and unfit to drive. Furthermore, it was reported that the musician's entourage had used their cars (big SUVs) to block traffic. So the only person he could have hurt while driving "drunk" would have been himself.

I don't support underage drinking. I just think this "news" story was blown way out of proportion. So, keep smiling Justin.

 

SKINNY GIRL PROBS

I have a fast metabolism, and so my weight doesn't change too drastically. I know I shouldn't complain because I've been around people who've tried to lose weight,  and have seen all the struggles they go through. However, believe me, being skinny is not all that it's glamorized to be.

I get judged at restaurants and gyms too. Since I have a fast metabolism, at restaurants my plate is always full. No one really notices that part. But come time for dessert, if I opt to eat honeydew instead of a chocolate cake - people suddenly care. It's not because I'm trying to watch my weight. Maybe, I just don't like cake. Please, remove that scowl off your face now. At the gym, I can feel those "why is she even here" stares from miles away. I'm super weak, excuse me for trying to change that. 

I get self-concious about the way I look too. Yes, I may be as skinny as some of the Victoria Secret models, but I have no curves. In fact, squares have more curves than me. Trust me, it's not appealing. If you have curves please flaunt them, do not try and fit into someone else's idea of what your body should look like. I will forever be jealous of curvy women.

aaand finally, because I have no curves, clothes don't fit properly. Skinny jeans are too baggy, belts always have a long strap hanging, and let's just forget about wearing those cute tube top dresses. Let's hope that long shirts/sweaters stay in fashion for a while, because otherwise I cannot wear leggings. It just goes straight back to legs. No booty what so ever. lol.

It took me a while to be happy with the way I look, but I have finally semi-mastered the art of picking out clothes that flatter by body type and I definately continue to eat like nobody's watching. Don't misconstrue this post. I'm not trying to look like a victim or say that skinny girls have it harder than other body types. I'm just trying to say that being "skinny" should not not be a person's ultimate goal. But instead you should strive to be healthy and happy with the way you look. Don't over exert yourself in hopes of becoming what the media deems as desirable. All body types are beautiful.

A HINT OF IK

Don't get me wrong, Imran Khan is irreplaceable, but here are some artists that remind me of him.

Chris Brown - Don't Wake Me Up

Chris Brown, who hasn't heard of him. I don't think he really needs a description. So I'm just going to go straight into why I think he's similar to Imran Khan. They both are not squeaky clean. People have a lot of negative things to say about both of them. But no matter what people say they don't let it get to them. At the end of the day it's all about the music, which Chris Brown and Imran Khan are both extremely dedicated to. Ok I can't think of why else they are similar. I just really want them to make a song together. And if some of Chris's dance moves rub off on Imran, I wouldn't mind. lol.

Stromae - Alors On Danse

Stromae is a French singer from Belgium. (So him and Imran already have the whole European thing in common) I recently got introduced to this guy's music, even though he has been putting out music for a couple years now. I regret not knowing about him sooner, his music is so catchy. Even though, I literally don't understand 99% of what he is saying, I can't stop listening! Imran Khan was the same way. I didn't understand a word of Punajbi before, but those beats had me hooked! They are both taking a styles of music that already exist, but putting a twist on them to make it uniquely their own. *thumbs up emoji* People are loving it! I definitely wouldn't mind a French Punjabi collaboration soon!

                                                   

Mickey Singh - Bad Girl

Mickey Singh is a fellow Punjabi singer born in India, but raised in America. He is fairly new to the Punjabi scene, I believe. However, if anyone else is going to be as big as Imran Khan in the Punjabi music industry, I would put my money on him. Just like Imran Khan, he mixes both the east and west together into one song. Just like Imran Khan, the music and lyrics stick in your head for days. They are both proud of their cultures and represent it very well. love, love, love. Keep up the great music!




Are there any other artists that remind you of Imran Khan? I might add them to the list.

HOOKAH

One of my new year's resolutions was to stop smoking hookah so much. I was kind of a hookah fiend. Ever since I first got introduced to it in high school, I couldn't get enough of it. I knew that smoking cigarettes were bad for you and smoking weed was out of the question, so smoking hookah was the best of options. Or so it seemed. Hookah was still kind of a new thing to me in college. But being desi, everyone I knew was doing it so it caught on really quickly. Every now and then someone would tell me that it's bad for you, probably worse than cigarettes, but I never believed them. Then the hookah pens came out, and I was like great. I don't even need to pack tobacco in a bowl, and there's no smoke involved - it's just water vapor, so it can't possibly be harmful for you. Wrong.

Hookah is so much worse than I thought. Here are the top 5 reason why my new year's resolution was made.

1. Although most hookah pens claim to be tobacco free, they are packed with the same stuff found in cigarettes. Which, FYI, are also the same stuff that kill mice and insects. Gross! This fact alone makes me never want to touch a hookah pen ever again.
   
2. Sticking with hookah pens, reason number two to stop smoking hookah is that both sheesha and hookah pens contain nicotine. Granted they have slightly less nicotine than a cigarette, apparently even the smallest amount of nicotine can be highly addictive and fatal. Is smoking for an hour or so really worth wasting your entire life for?
   
3. Honestly though, how bad could one hour really be? I would always argue that people who smoke, do it on a daily basis and I only smoke a couple times month. However, research shows that "the amount of smoke inhaled during a typical hookah session is about 90,000 milliliters (ml), compared with 500–600 ml inhaled when smoking a cigarette" also "an hour-long hookah smoking session involves 200 puffs, while smoking an average cigarette involves only 20 puffs." That's like smoking 10 cigarettes within an hour. I've heard of people smoking a pack a day, but 10 within an hour - makes me want to puke just thinking about it.
4. Hookah is bad for you, it's actually worse than smoking cigarettes. I know you don't believe me, I didn't even believe this at first either. But, research doesn't lie. "Compared to a single cigarette, hookah smoke is known to contain higher levels of arsenic, lead, and nickel." I don't know what that technically means, but isn't arsenic poison? Also, hookah has "20-30 times more tar than a single cigarette and 15 time more carbon dioxide." So hookah pretty much contains all the same drawbacks as cigarettes and more.
5. Most important reason to stop. Hookah causes cancer! According to the CDC (Center of Disease Control) the tobacco used while smoking hookah has high levels of carbon monoxide, metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. Even after it has passed through water, the smoke from a hookah has high levels of these toxic agents. These can ultimately lead to cause lung, bladder, and oral cancers.

I hope this makes all of us smoke a little less hookah this year.

KIDS THESE DAYS

I was watching football yesterday and while I was watching, a commercial caught my eye. Watch it below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aKYZFcmAmU

Whaaaat? We have to promote playing outside now?! When did this become a thing? I know technology is taking over the world, but I assumed children still played outside. Do they not?? I find this insane! You couldn't pay me to stay inside when I was a kid. We had a park next to the apartment building I lived in when I was younger, so my mom would take me and my brother there all the time. I remember trying to swing higher than the kid next to me, splashing in every puddle I could, and running after the ice cream truck. Those were memories! Then I got older, and we moved into a house with a basketball hoop attached to the garage. My driveway instantly became the place to be. Practicing trick shots, playing knockout, and seeing who can make a shot from the farthest distance became my new memories. It wasn't until after it got dark, and I was forced to come back inside, that I logged on to my computer, turned on the television, etc. Technology only crossed my mind, when I had nothing else to do.

I started google-ing this whole promote kids to be more active outdoors thing. Did you know that
"the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who are obese increased from 7%  to 18%. Today, about one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese." That's crazy! But now that I think about it, it makes sense. I never see kids playing out on my block anymore and playgrounds are always empty. The only people I see outside are people walking their dogs. Why, because they're stuck in front of a screen. Apparently, US youths spent more than seven and a half hours a day using a smartphone, computer, television or other electronic device. "More small children can play a computer game than ride a bike. 58% of children aged 2-5 know how to play a ‘basic’ computer game. For the UK and France that jumps to 70%." Don't get me wrong, technology has done a lot of good in the world. But if it's stopping kids from playing outside and being healthy - are we really using it the right way? It has become an addition, and this only after 20 years-ish of having the internet. I don't even want to think about the world 100 years post the internet.



Okay, I'm done. Please play outside people. I swear you'll have fun.

WANT CLEAR SKIN?

I feel like that's a dumb question, who doesn't want clear skin. But anyways, my skin is extra sensitive and acne has become a part of my life ever since I stopped being so tomboy-ish and started applying makeup on a daily basis. It's not horrible acne, but enough to make me self-conscious. I've tried a bunch of products to try and help get rid of the problem, but none of them seemed to be working. They all left my skin feeling very dry, or would only be a temporary fix followed by a massive breakout session. Recently, I have found two products that immensely help clear my skin. I got both of them at Ulta, but I'm sure they can be found elsewhere. The best thing about these products though, is that they are under $5 each! And Ulta is always putting those if you spend $10 you get $3.50 off coupons up on their website. So, I get both of these products for $6.50. Personally, I think that's a steal.


Okay, so the first product is a makeup remover. I think part of my problem is that I'm extremely lazy. By the end of the night I am too lazy to take my makeup off. So nine times out of ten I was sleeping with my makeup on, a HUGE no no! Then, a friend told me about makeup wipes. They're so convenient, a true gift to lazy girls everywhere. I'm literally already in bed when I'm using them. I've gone through a couple makeup removers that claim to be for people with sensitive skin (I've even used the one Faryal Makhdoom put up on Instagram a couple days ago). Although they did leave my skin makeup free, it seemed as if they aggravated my acne even more. Then I tried the Radiance Cleansing Wipes by Simple Goodness, and my life changed for the better. They come in a pack of 25 but  I usually tear the wipe in half, that way one wipe is good for two days. I've never heard anything about it, but it said it was made my "sensitive skin experts" so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, even after using it for a couple days, I saw results. It is great! I would definitely recommend it!


The other product is a peel off face mask. It's Queene Helene's Grape Seed Extract. This was also a reluctant purchase. I really needed a face wash, and the one I used to use wasn't at Ulta at the time. I've heard great things about the brand, but I was hesitant because I read the ingredients. Ingredients are practically in a foreign language, but from I could understand it had fragrance and alcohol in it. Didn't sound very sensitive skin friendly to me. Buuut I eventually bought it because the peel off bit appealed to my lazy side. lol. Again, really glad that I bought it. It works wonders for my acne scars. The dark marks and the redness left my acne fade away like magic. It's amazing. I usually do this in the morning when I've just gotten up and am makeup free. I apply the mask on my face. Leave it on for ten minutes, and then peel it off. Simple and effective!


My skin still isn't perfect, I get a stress pimple every now and then, but it is a drastic improvement from what it used to be! Good luck! Hope it works for you guys as well!

OH, THE PLACES YOU WILL GO

I've attended my first baseball game in St. Louis;
I've encountered southern hospitality in Dallas.
I've circled the Ka'bah in Mecca;
I've had white sand between my toes in Bahrain;
I've climbed mountains in Denver;
I've driven through the rain in Cleveland;
I've sailed to Lady Liberty in New York;
I've strolled into a coffee shop in Amsterdam;
I've sat on the Underground in London.
I've met a prince at Disney World;
I've walked among the stars in Hollywood;
I've snuck away to Detroit;
I've slept on rooftops in Hyderabad,
I've heard music in the streets in Cabo San Lucas.
I've been spoiled in Toronto;
&I've seen home reflected back to me in Chicago.

 

I've known people who have stayed in the city they were raised in for their entire lives. I've met people who've never sat on an airplane. I've talked to people whose only wish is to leave their town in search for something better &because of this I've realized that I am blessed.

I have been fortunate enough to see the world from so many different perspectives. But I have so much more to see. Here are destinations I've yet to visit, but plan to see one day. Hopefully.

Dubai
Morocco
Singapore
Brazil
Switzerland
France
Austrailia
Alaska
Houston
Vegas
San Fransisco


What other destinations should I add to my list?

SOUTH ASIANS ON TELEVESION

I was watching Community today, (great show btw - all of you should go watch it) and viewing Abed made me think about how negatively South Asians are represented in the media. Although Abed is Middle Eastern in the show, it seems as if the Middle Eastern and South Asian community is horribly misrepresented. Here are some of the flaws present in American Television.

 
Name: Apu aka voiced by Hank Azaria
Show: The Simpsons
Character Rant: I have only watched a handful of episodes, but even through those few episodes it is evident that Apu is the worst representation of a South Asian out there. They turned that stereotype dial all the way up when they thought of this character. Not only does he talk with a heavy accent, he works at a convenient store, has like 6 kids, and has made the phrase "thank you come again" hell for South Asians. To top it all off he isn't even voiced by someone who is South Asian. wtf?!


Name: Ravi Ross aka Karan Brar
Show: Jessie
Character Rant: I've watched this show with my younger cousins and was excited that they had a South Asian character on the Disney Channel. Growing up, there was no one who looked like me on TV. However, that enthusiasm went away as soon as I heard him speak. The "typical" South Asian accent was heard loud and clear. I Googled him and learned that he was born and brought up in America. In fact, for his first role a dialect coach was hired to help "perfect" his Indian accent. Again, wtf?! The kid doesn't have an Indian accent because he's American. As much American as all those viewers you are trying to please. Why isn't it enough for it to be written into the script that he's of South Asian decent. Why is the accent needed to prove to the audience that he's Indian. Makes me mad.

Name: Ranjit Singh aka Marshall Manesh
Show: How I Met Your Mother
Character Rant: I'm always confused when he comes on the show because I'm pretty sure he is meant to be South Asian, but is constantly yelling in Farsi. India may have been conquered by the Perisans way back when, but there aren't too many South Asians who speak Farsi nowadays. It's sad that the show thinks this can be passed off as okay because they assume the American audience won't be able to tell the difference. Also, not so surprisingly, the character is a taxi driver on the show. But don't worry the show isn't racist because he moves his way on up to being a limo driver. Ugh, please.

Name: Rajesh Koothrappali aka Kunal Nayyer
Show: The Big Bang Theory
Character Rant: Yes Raj does talk with an accent, but I can't be mad at the show for that because Kunal does actually speak with a slight accent -being that he was raised in India. However, I can blame the show for constantly labeling him as "the foreigner." Everyone in America is a foreigner, that's what makes the country so great. We're meant to be a melting pot, so why does this label never disappear from his character traits? In fact, this character is constantly speaking about how much he hates it back home in India. He has made America his home, so why can't viewers accept him.

Name: Kelly Kapoor aka Mindy Kaling
Show: The Office
Character Rant: I know she has a new show now, the Mindy Project, but I haven't watched it. I only know her from The Office. She is the only South Asian character I applaud in the media. Yes, it is evident that she is Indian, several mentions are made towards her ethnicity in the show and they do it without giving her the typical stereotypes. Yes, she was portrayed as being little bit crazy on the show, but almost everyone on the show had some character flaw. Also, it is worth mentioning that The Mindy Project makes her the first South Asian to be the headliner of her own network television show. So, way to go Mindy Kaling!!

I have nothing against any of these actors, or the roles that they play, they are all tremendously talented I'm just saying that South Asians are not ALL accented taxi drivers or convenient shop owners. It's 2014, if you're going to complain about how South Asians are taking over your
jobs, how about you show some of them portraying those jobs on tv. Yes, our parents may have came here from the Motherland but that was years ago. Their offspring are way passed the assimilation phase. We came, we saw, we conquered! There are plenty of well educated doctors, lawyers, businessmen, teachers, etc. out in America today. Yet, that side of the South Asian Community is never portrayed by a character on screen.

IMRAN KHAN - THE DREAM GUY

If you knew me, you would know this post was coming.

Here it goes, the top 10 reasons why Imran Khan is the dream guy for me. Actually, let me address the so called negatives first. Yes, I understand the man may smoke things every now and then, but he lives like 10 minutes away from Amsterdam. When in Amsterdam, do as the Amsterdam-ians? lol. Also, I hear a lot of people calling him arrogant because of the whole Honey Singh thing. Again, he lives in Holland. I don't think desi/punjabi music is too popular there. It is entirely possible that he's never heard of him. I live in America, and Honey Singh is not that popular here either. Yes, people may know who he is, but he had a concert in my city last month and no one talked about it. I only knew about it because there was a little poster with him hanging at the desi grocery store. haha. Aaand finally, the whole auto-tune thing. Hate on how he sings all you want, the man's making a successful career out of it, and his voice is constantly being listened to all over the world. Okay, now that I got that out of the way, let's really start this list.

 

1. Holland. Since I've already talked about it, let start with that. Have any of you been there? The country is beautiful! People get to sit on canoes across little rivers like you see in Italy. There are sweet shops everywhere! And little kids ride bikes with actual flower baskets. Wouldn't mind visiting there again.

2. Cars. I want to drive a gaddi Lamborghini. That is all.

3. Patience. I have very little patience, so anyone who has plenty of it - I adore. He's got the whole "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything" down. It's obvious that Imran Khan has plenty of haters out there, and yet he doesn't say a thing. I get when fans say something negative, the singer is supposed to take the high road and not say anything back. But, when someone who is equally famous says something negative, I would want to lash out and defend myself. Yet, even in this case, he stays silent. In the end, the silence always makes him look like the better man.

4. Kids. Have you seen those cute pictures of him with kids on stage while he's performing?? Swoon. A man who's good with kids is adorable.

5. Clothes. There's definitely a certain appeal when a man has that suit and tie on, but if you can make sweatpants and a hoodie look equally as good you have skill. Also, if he doesn't dress up that often, it means that I won't have to dress up that often either. Which works out because I swear by jeans and a t-shirt.

6. Dubai. I guess this technically doesn't count as a reason to why he's my dream guy, but it had to be mentioned. I feel like he goes there like every other month. I've never been, but it seems heavenly. Nobody has been there, and said they hated it. So, I just really want to go. lol.

7. Privacy. The man keeps secrets like his life depends on them. For being in the public eye as much as he has, very little is known about him. So what's between you and him, will stay between you and him.

8. He sings. Those nights where you're just tossing and turning because you can't fall asleep will cease to exist. He can conveniently sing you a lullaby. It always did the trick when you were a baby, I'm sure it still works. haha.

9. Religion. Every Friday, without fail he tweets Jummah Mubarak. Actutally, if you look through his tweets, that's practically all he tweets. I'm not trying to make it seem like he's the most religious man out there, I know he's not. But the fact that he doesn't shy away from his religion, is good enough for me.

10. That smile. Enough said.

I know he gets a bad rep, but being perfect is boring. I'd take a man with flaws over the perfect man anyday.

Who is your celebrity dream guy?

HOW TO GET VOLUMINOUS LASHES

Growing up, I was a complete tomboy. So if I find any easy makeup tips now, I take 'em! I saw this lash trick on Saleha Abbasi's blog (http://www.salehablogs.com/) and decided to try it out since it seemed quick and easy. The results were amazing! So I'm spreading the love.

 

How to get Long Voluminous Lashes in 5 Easy Steps

Step One: Gather supplies
- eye lash curler
- mascara
- baby powder

Step Two: Curl Eye Lashes
     Take your eyelash curler and curl lashes for five seconds. I have a shitty dollar store curler, so it takes me a little while longer to get them actually curled.

Step Three: Apply Mascara
     I use Too Faced's "Better Than Sex" Mascara because I went to Sephora and asked them what's the best Mascara for making my eyelashes look thicker, they handed me that. I read  the name and was sold. It is a little pricey - around $25, but any mascara will do for this trick. Apply mascara to both eyes. I only do the top lashes, but if you want the bottom lashes to look longer and fuller do the same to the bottom lashes as well.

Step Four: Apply Powder
     I use an old mascara brush that I had, you can do the same or just use your fingers I suppose. I take the brush and dip it into the power bottle, tap the brush on the sides of the bottle to get rid of the excess powder and comb it through my lashes like I would with my mascara. You should see a very faint layer of white on your lashes.

Step Five: Re-apply Mascara
     Take your mascara and re-apply it over the powder you just put on your lashes, and watch as your lashes begin to look extra thick!

Enjoy! I hope it works for you! I also heard that if you want longer lashes, to put vasaline on your lashes overnight. I tried that also, I think it worked. But I could just be seeing things. lol.

MORTAL INSTRUMENTS

I'm a sucker for series books. When The Mortal Instruments movie was coming out, I thought I should start reading the books by Cassandra Clare. The first book really had me hooked! The second also had some great moments, but now I'm on the 4th book and it is dragging!

I'm sick of this Jace&Clary "you're too good for me" "no YOU'RE too good for me" garbage. Simon definitely needs a psychiatrist. He is chalk full of problems: high school dropout, mommy issues, substances abuse (blood), commitment issues both with dealing with being a vampire and his love life. Poor Simon has got them all. Jocelyn is clearly doing a horrible job raising children. The whole Lillith, hellhounds, and vampires with retractable fangs thing was totally done by Supernatural first. Basically, the only part I'm enjoying right now is the awkward Alec & Magnus bit. There should be more of that.

But, no matter how much I don't want to read on, I can't stop. The cliff hangers get me every single time! I have to read them all to see how the series ends. Ugh, it's a terrible problem. lol. I'm personally hoping one of the main characters die soon, simply because I want the book to become interesting again. I believe there are 5 books in the series so far, but a 6th one is set to release this year. Aaaaand, there is a spin--off prequel series which also consists of three more books. So basically, this series will be taking over my life for the next couple months. I hope it ends well!

PS: Don't judge the books based on the movie. The first book was worth the read and I would recommend it to others, the movie on the other hand - not so much. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't all that I built it up to be. I've read that it was a major let down at the box office as well, so much so that they stopped the production of the second film. However, if they do continue to make the movies, I hope they choose new actors for Jace and Clary. Not that I think the current actors did a bad job, it's just that they weren't in ANY way how I imagined the characters to look.

Agree or Disagree?

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH)

You may have heard the saying before, but it applies to my life completely. I do things that contradict my religion probably on a daily basis. I mean, my last post was all about Zayn Malik. But, I fully agree that my religion is perfect. Although I am faaaar away from being the perfect Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was not.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. Not only do people of Islam think he is a great role model, but he is known as one of the greatest leaders of all time. His character, determination & love can be matched by no man. On this day, the 12th of Rabbi al-Awwal, it is easy to be reminded of him and his teachings. My memory of his habits gets refreshed. I recall his sincerity towards those he loved and those that were complete strangers. I remember the great lengths he went to so that he would not harm even the littlest ant. Most importantly, I remember his complete devotion to Islam. It is then that I fully begin to realize how poorly I represent my religion.

I have seen people talk about the #sunnahchallenge on Twitter. I think it is a great idea to get that spreading. We may already do some of what the Prophet did without realizing. For example, smiling when you greet somebody, and being thankful for certain things in your life. Great, but what if we took it one step further. Try and incorporate one new sunnah in your life a day, a week, a month, or even a year. I want to see how acting, even the smallest fraction of a bit, like the Prophet will change life for the better. If God wills, there will be a day when you can look at me and I will be a better example of a Muslim. Change happens slowly.

ZAYN MALIK

What better way to start out my blog than with Zayn Malik.

A billion people have probably already wished him a Happy Birthday, but here goes a billion and one. I'm no fanatic directioner or anything, but what girl doesn't have a crush on Zayn. Whether you're 5 or 25, the feelings are there. Let's be honest, the man can do no wrong. Just look at him. Okay amazingly good looks aside, since he's turning 21, here are twenty-one reasons why I love Zayn Malik.

1. His voice. Let's get the obvious one out of the way. Those high-notes make me swoon.

2. His smile. It's not perfect, but the way his tongue always tries to sneak in.

3. His accent. Being American, us girls 'fancy' boys with British accents.  

4.He's a little shy. Quiet and mysterious, always leaves you wanting more.

5. His Goals. Apparently, if he wasn't in 1D, he said he wanted to be an English Teacher. English Teachers are the best.

6. He's goofy. Which means he knows how to make you smile.

7. His jawline. It's great, and then add the scruff. Perfection.

8. He's great with kids. So he'll be great with our future ones.

9. Those eyes. Dark hair and colored eyes are my weakness.


10. He loves animals. If you can make a lizard look good, you win.

11. He loves to sleep. I love to sleep. We're soul mates.

12. His hair. It can be pointy, look like ice cream, or surf-able, it always looks good.

13. Easy to get along with. If the band isn't tired of him. I'll never be either.

14. His name. It literally means beautiful.

15. He has tattoo's. Tattoo's make you a bad boy. Girls like bad boys.

16. Donates to charity. Enough said.

17.  Extremely photogenic. I dare you to find a picture that makes him look bad.

18. His fashion. British boys generally dress well, but the boy even makes sweatpants look good.

19. He loves his family. Zayn and his sister in The Story of my Life video. How sweet is that?

20. His culture. I know he's only half, but he is representing Pakistani Muslims and I'm all for South Asian Muslims being mentioned in mass media for doing positive things.

21. He's Zayn Malik. C'mon the other reasons weren't even needed.


The little boy from Bradford was meant to do big things. Too bad he's engaged. lol. Enjoy your day Zayn! And yes, I was listening to One Direction the entire time I was writing this.

What is your favorite thing about Zayn Malik?

Hello,

I've never had a blog before.
Let's see how this goes.
(: