Girls of Riyadh

Originally released in Arabic in 2005, Girls of Riyadh was immediately banned in Saudi Arabia due to controversial and inflammatory content. Black-market copies of the novel circulated and Girls of Riyadh has been a bestseller across much of the Middle East. As of January 2008, English copies of Girls of Riyadh are openly available at major bookstores in Saudi Arabia. The book, published by Penguin Books, is available in the English translation, but has some changes due to difficulties of re-creating the effect of using different dialects of Arabic.

Plot:

The novel describes the relationship between men and women in the conservative Saudi-Arabian Islamic culture. Girls of Riyadh tells the story of four college-age high class friends in Saudi Arabia, girls looking for love but stymied by a system that allows them only limited freedoms and has very specific expectations and demands. There's little contact between men and women -- especially single teens and adults -- but modern technology has changed that a bit (leading to young men trying everything to get women to take down their cellphone numbers). The Internet is also a new medium that can't contain women and their thoughts like the old system could, and the anonymous narrator of the novel takes advantage of that: she presents her stories in the form of e-mails that she sends out weekly to any Saudi address she can find. Sex is described in this novel, and how men ignore women if they give themselves up before marriage.

Source: Wikipedia

I couldn't leave Dubai then without this book.  Apparently, the copies were sold out in the city bookstores or...  So when hub and I found a copy at the airport's Duty Free, I had one for myself like an excited little girl.  And when it comes to reading a book I knew I wanted, there's just no time to waste. 

You're invited to my party and please pick up your awards

It is my birthday today. Balloons fly up the sky, firecrackers pop, confetti falls from the sky.

Although not exactly in my list but this shiny, squeaky, crisp lappy certainly made my birthday.  I'm letting the shoes go in the meantime. It's so timely to rescue the ailing old one I use. Thanks to my brother.  He is the best and  I love him so much.  So if there's a wish I have today on my birthday, it's that he may find strength and still, love.  His long-time gf and him aren't okay.. Loong story..

Anyway, it's my birthday, so this post will be all colorful and happy vibes.  And I thought this is the best time to give out awards too. So if you are reading this now, grab one or two, or all!:)  You deserve by being here at my party.

My thank yous go first to the blog friends who gave me these awards.  This set is special because they all came after I've been absent for sometime, and I am honoring these memes this way.

Thanks Tasha at random musings

And Felicia at Living Just Like Grandma

Thanks The Daring Domesticate

Thanks Tasha at random musings

Thanks Mitch at Upside Down!

Ooops! The links to their blogs are shiny blue.  Feel free to visit any, or all of them.

Happy day!

As I promised, I'm sharing these.

Humbly, amateurly..my hands sewed these..

I use recycle papers for tracing/guide.

Mister Baby's pillows and their brand new cases by mommy :)

 

Halter Top

 

Cut the sleeves and a bit portion at the bottom for the ribbon.

Back

I got the tutorial for the halter top here.

 

And the antique workstation..

 

Semi-electric because of that little black pedal

Bits of notes by me..

Written in my cellphone.


10.22 AM

I have never been as brokenhearted as I am now.  I feel totally defenseless. But for you my angel, I will never have my hands held up, not until I lose my last breath..

(When mister baby won't take any milk because he had allergies with them..He was 6months old..I barely had eaten and slept too..It lasted for almost a month..)




10.20 AM

Today is another recognition day.  I recognize that there's no better place than where your love is.  That today, tomorrow, I'd always be grateful I have you..

(Well, when hub reminds me by his ways why I love him..Cheesy..Alright.)




3.12 AM

I watch your breathing.  Both of you. 

I'm marvelled.

I am awed..

I am home.

(Watching my 1month old son and his daddy sleeping)




10.24 PM

I lulled you to sleep.  And now as I'm watching you, I thought..
Can I wake you up and kiss you, and touch you, talk to you, play with you, nurse you, comfort you, lull you to sleep?..

(After I got mister baby to sleep, which was relatively wearying during those times, I must admit..He was 2 months old)




10.23 PM

I feel that I'd like to be a superwoman.  If I could just fast forward time and be at the moment where I want to be, to savor it finally.  Be fulfilled, to an empowering discovery unique to every woman.  I feel and I believe I am made for it.

(Alone in my bed, anticipating for the birth of my baby..He was 8 months old in my belly..)

Can I do a somersault?

This morning mister baby came home with his daddy from the grannies.  They've been out for like 2 nights and 3 days.  So I was home alone, only with my books and lappy around.  That explains why I've been a little active in the blogosphere.

I thought I was okay.  And so I was.  Until last night, hubby insisted on having a chat over on Skype.  Said mister baby wants to see me. Know that my baby is barely 2 years old and I wondered how he could have communicated that to him.. So I told him Nah.  I would just wait for the morning since they'd be home already then anyway.

He was insistent.

I was insistent. No, I did not want to.

While we were exchanging with the to chat or not to chat coversation over FB, I realized how I missed my son.

Damn.

I felt my throat aching with tears.  It felt like the size of a fist.

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

Who wouldn't not miss this angel?

I didn't want to see him on Skype because I knew I would ruin the fun that's there's suppose to be in it.

I didn't want to see him on Skype because I didn't want him to feel weird that his mom was crying so oddly, while smiling and all.

I didn't want to see him on Skype because I would want to hold him, cuddle, kiss him and I knew I couldn't.

So I didn't.






I woke up today as early as the sun. Excited.

When they arrived, I took him from his dad and held him.
And then, he held me too like he would normally do.
But I was wrong.

It was already a good 5 minutes, and he was still clinging tightly to me.  His little arms wrapped around my neck.  And his face burrowed on my shoulders. 
Tightly.


This was the part when I said Can I do a somersault?

Hub asked me why I had my eyes swollen.
I just smiled at him.  He knew from the way I held mister baby the answer.

And it was teasing time, big time!



P.S. No, I cannot do a somersault..:)