Spoilt Rotten

A couple of days back....I overheard....one colleague saying to another......in passing......."You're spoilt rotten!"

I thought to myself..........how wonderful it must be.....to be spoilt........and that too, spoilt rotten! I wish someone would spoil me.....just once! Being the eldest of my siblings......I have always been told...."You're Big....he's Small" referring to my brother/s. Even when I was small, I was suppose to be Big. I guess I was literally a Little Woman. I don't think my Parents spoilt any one of us....but methinks my youngest brother was mollycoddled a wee bit as a baby!

I left home......to go to to College.....and make my mark in this world....and now years later as I walked back to my work desk......I couldn't help being a wee bit....tinged with sadness.... that I know no one.....who wanted to spoil me......leave alone spoil me rotten..... even if it is..... just once!

My little adventure

I was minding my own business...........when on a dark and stormy night, Her Imperial Majesty Lauren the Purple of Praze-an-Beeble made me board my camel in search of My Very Own Peculiar Aristocratic Title. The journey took me to Greater Internetshire where Lady Fortune the Absurd presented my very own eccentric British aristocratic title!

The effort at the end of it all was pretty rewarding.........as I am mighty pleased with my Title! Yes! Ceaseless I am!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Imperial Majesty Mary the Ceaseless of Old Tonbridge Wafers

The Title Bestowing Ceremony was followed by High Tea which came with a Fortune Cookie. I snapped mine open to read the ancient wisdom of the Fortune Cookie.....Oh! How true this is!

My Fortune Cookie told me: You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.

"Karwa Chauth"

Today is "Karwa Chauth"...a day when Hindu married ladies from the North part of the country, fast from dawn till she sees the moon at night. I wouldn't have known..........unless I hadn't spoken to this colleague of mine whose hands were decorated with "mehndi"..........henna for all ye non urdu/hindi speakers!

My country is so vast.....and even though the majority are Hindus...the customs & the rituals & even the Gods & Goddesses that are worshiped are so different from one region to the other....from one state to the other. Hindus believe in one God....they believe One in many and many in One......if you know what I mean!

First the meaning of "Karwa Chauth"........chauth means the fourth day after the new moon and nine days later we will have "Diwali". Now this would be another post! So let me come back to where I digressed! Karwa is a clay pot with a spout which symbolizes peace & prosperity.

The ritual begins before sunrise and ends only after seeing the moon. No food or water is taken during this time. The ladies pray for their husbands longevity, well being and prosperity. At night after the sighting of the moon, that too through a sieve.... amidst prayers & offering of water and then seeing their husbands face, the fast is broken. Thanks to the many Bollywood movies that I have seen, I do know the elaborate arrangements which they make to make sure that it's their husband's face they see and not anyone else right after they have seen the moon......even if they have to close their eyes and walk back to the house where he would be .....waiting to be worshiped!

Post Technology............if the husband is far away...fast would be broken after seeing his photograph....or after a phone call and hearing his voice! Some unmarried girls even have started keeping this fast for their boyfriends or fiancés!

For all their effort.......prayers and all....the wives are showered with lavish gifts!

"The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind"

I happened to bump into an ex-colleague.........this afternoon. She had moved on....got a new job outside the company. We caught up on where we are now and how work & life was.....in general. It was the common complaint in our box......the non-recognition of our work....the non-existent yearly increment.... If things were to change, she said that I needed to be mentally positive and to actually believe that it was going to happen. I asked her what this was all about? Which school of thought? The Art of Living? The Art of Positive Thinking?

My ex-colleague said that she was reading, "The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind" by Dr.Murphy and she truly believes in it. She asked me to try it out. We were meeting after more than a year only now when we are staying in the same locality......there has to be a reason she believes.....maybe the reason is that she needed to pass on this power of the subconscious mind to me. I promised her I would.....I have nothing to lose. I found this free ebook on the net and I plan to read it.

Dr Murphy's principle: "if you believe in something without reservation and picture it in your mind, you remove the subconscious obstacles that prevent you from achieving that end result, and your belief becomes a reality."

Man from Mars

I am just getting to know this person from Mars. Technically speaking I have known him for a while as I was introduced 5-6 years back. Different cities....but having worked for the same company......there was the inevitable office meet.

Both of us left the Company.......went our separate ways.....and then out of the blue.....he saw me......and got in touch with me. We have been writing ever since. I am just discovering his choice of books, music....views on religion and on the world as such. He's got such a wry sense of humour and I happen to love it!

There are some people whose writings makes you laugh.........he is one of them! I love to read what he has to say.... on anything and everything!

He writes - "fear me not earthlings coz i come in peace....to take urs away!"

Hmmmm.....my peace is beginning to disappear.......and I am not complaining!

Fatayer for Breakfast

Thursdays........the NEXT Brand Team...........have continued their old ritual of having Breakfast in the office. Most of the other Brands stopped when we moved into the new Office Area.

Today, I decided to join NEXT and they were very welcoming! Yes, I am not in NEXT. The menu was Arabic and we all ordered "Fatayer" which is an Arabic Pie.

Below are some of the most popular "Fatayers". Different people make it with additional other ingredients which makes it different from one restaurant to the other.

# Lahme Fatayer - This is a mince meat pie. Some make it with tomato, onions and exotic spices.

# Zaatar Fatayer - This pie is topped with zaatar spice from where it takes it's name with a dash of olive oil. (Zaatar is a mixture of spices popular in the Middle East. Traditionally it is a combination of dried thyme, toasted white sesame seeds and salt.)

# Sabanikh Fatayer - This is a spinach pie. Some would make it with lemon juice & spices while others would make it with tomato, onions, mint & olive oil.

# Jiben Fatayer - Cheese pie. This could be plain cheese pie or with a pinch of zaatar and topped with sesame seeds. Feta cheese is mostly used.

My favourite always has been the Cheese Fatayer. However, I tried a different Fatayer today which was strongly recommended by some of the NEXT Team. This was the Baida Jiben Tomatum Fatayer which was Eggs, Cheese & Tomato Fatayer! It was delicious and really filling! Needless to say, I skipped my lunch!

Baida Jiben Tomatum Fatayer

Enjoy the moment!

"Now, was the future, moments ago...the next moment will be the past in the blink of an eye...Drats!!"

The above, is what I got to read this evening when I opened my Personal Mail Box in the Cyber-World. A friend had written...... ending a "normal" email discussing the books read and their genres........with such philosophical words. My friend's thoughts tinges on Pessimism..........need to veer towards being an Optimistic!

My reply to the end - "Do not fret that NOW will soon be the PAST. Enjoy the moment!"

What's in a pea?

I just read an article on my favourite vegetable “Peas” and wanted to share the facts about this legume.......you’d be a pea-brain to miss out!

1. If it is an energy boost that we are looking then peas is the solution. They combat fatigue by providing nutrients that matabolise carbohydrates, proteins & lipids which produce energy.

2. Peas help in building strong bones by providing with vitamin K1, vitamin B6 & folic acid.

3. If you have to choose between canned or frozen, go for the frozen as they are lower in sodium and therefore healthier.

4. Being a rich source of soluble fibre, peas reduce the body’s blood cholesterol level. The folic acid also promotes cardiovascular health. It’s the heart’s best friend.

5. Despite it’s name the sweet pea plant (Flowers are simply gorgeous) are poisonous!

6. Peas are believed to have originated in the Middle East....5000 years ago!

7. Through the years, this legume has undergone quite a few of name change. Originally pisum in Latin, it became pise in Anglo Saxon and then pease in English. Thinking pease was the plural form, people started referring as pea and then the name stuck.

8. Think you know how to eat peas? Traditional etiquette says that the ‘correct’ way to eat peas is to spear a few on the pongs of your fork then scoop up more on the fork.

9. Want to shed some weight? Think peas! They contain twice as much protein as most vegetables but are less fatty than other protein rich foods. One cup of peas only contains 0.58g of fat, 116 calories & no cholesterol.

10. As a rich source of vitamin C, peas strengthen the body’s immune system & help ward off all types of cancer.

I love peas.......I am the undisputed “Matar Wali”! (Peas in hindi is “Matar” & “wali” a person). Below is a list of some of my favourite Indian dishes containing what else.........Peas & more peas! There are many different ways to cook these Indian dishes but the below is what yours truly with no inclination towards elaborate cooking and with no training still manages to rustle up to satisfy my taste buds! Its easy-peasy!

Matar Pulao (Rice with Peas) – Very easy to make with Basmati Rice and peas. All it takes is a bit of oil & some spices to bring out the aroma in the rice pot. Add the peas, sauté it with some onions, add the rice, water , put the lid and voila! Another variation in case the rice is cooked already. Just toss the cooked rice into the sautéed peas & onions!

Aloo Matar ( Potatoes & Peas) – In a wok heat some oil & stir in chopped onions, ginger garlic paste & bay leaves. When onions turn brown, mix the potatoes & peas. After a while stir in tomato puree, garam masala (Indian spices), salt to taste & chilli powder if you like it hot! Cook till done.

Matar Gobi ( Peas with cauliflower) - Heat oil & sauté onions till brown. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilli, red chilli & sauté for a while. Add chopped tomato & coriander leaves. Cool this and puree all adding some yoghurt. Put it back on the wok, add water, peas & the cauliflower and cook till done. Garnish with chopped coriander and enjoy!

Matar Mushroom – In a wok take some oil, throw in a bit of cumin seeds, add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste and sauté. Then stir in the peas. When half cooked add the chopped or sliced mushrooms, salt to taste, black pepper & a bit to lemon juice for that zing. Cover the pot for few minutes & cook till water evaporates.

Matar Paratha ( Indian Bread stuffed with peas) – Knead the dough with salt & chiili powder. Roll it to whatever shape you want it to be...usually it would be round...and place some cooked peas (Toss ginger & green chillies in a wok with little oil and add in the peas) in the middle. Bring the outer edges together as to close the filling and then roll it again flat so that the stuffing is now in between. On a pre-heated tawa (flat pan), smear a bit of butter, put the paratha and shallow fry over low heat. Turn the other side, put more butter and cook till golden brown. It’s simply divine! Eat it with yogurt (curd) or with pickle!

My favourite......OK.... one of my favourite snack that I love is....? Make a wild guess!

My friendly "Bakala" Guy

For my daily needs.....aha.....I'm lying.....my weekly needs.....like eggs and bread ( remember Me Single?.....takes me a week to finish it!)......occasionally, I go to one "Bakala" (small grocery shop in Arabic) which is run by 2 Egyptians. I like going there even though there are other "Bakalas" nearer my house (run by sour Indians!) Reason being, they are friendly....always helpful and I get to practice my Arabic!

As I enter the "Bakala", I say "Salaam walekum" and I am greeted back "Walekam salaam". He asks me how I am, "Keif haalak?" I reply "Zein" good. I in turn asks him how he is doing and I say it the Egyptian way, "Zeiyak?". Yes, from one country to another apart from the accent there is a slight difference in the spoken Arabic.

I pick up the eggs, milk, bread, juice.....he helps me with the tin of beans high up on the shelf. I like the personal service that I get. Prices in the "Bakalas" are a little higher than the Supermarket but then I am not doing any major shopping here. The total amounts to Kd 5.150 but he says I can give him Kd 5.000 only! I return home... happy with my discount!

Internet....a boon or a bane of our Lives?!

Internet is encroaching on our lives so much that ..........it's pretty scary when you actually think about it.

Growing up, our lives were filled with real friends, reading books, playing games with real friends in real time and loads of other activities...like stamp or coin collecting, etc.

Today, how many kids do we find indulging in such activities? For the majority, the only books they ever opened or will open are their school books........but talk about any PC, Laptop, TCP/IP network protocols, chats, downloads.......and they would be quite knowledgeable and up to date. Yes, they have loads of friends...quite a few of them would have more than 100!...but it would be all on the internet world. Open Facebook and you will know what I am talking. Barely do I see them writing anything of their own........its the various applications which they have got which is doing all the communication & they are quite proficient in the various computer games!

I too am spending quite a bit of my time on the internet world........reading, writing, making contacts/friends, searching......So, is Internet a boon or a bane of our lives? I guess an excess of anything is always bad. I am glad that at least my formative years were spared of this technology! Seriously, I mean it!

Back to the Grind

After the lonnnng weekend - 4 whole days!.......it was back to 8.00am to 5.00pm grind!! My body had nicely adjusted verrrry quickly I must say, to the Ramadan Timing.........start an hour late and finish two hours early! To re-adjust again.....it's simply cruel.....to my body!

First, to get out of the house by 7.00am was a little painful. I had to literally drag myself out of my bed to switch off the incessant ringing of my alarm clock which (knowing myself!) I had purposely kept far away so as not to succumb to the continuous snooze mode that I would put to, by just stretching out my hand if it was on my bedside table!

At the office, mailbox was over flowing. Queries from here, there & everywhere needed to be answered. Moreover, being the first working day for the week......numerous weekly analysis had to be done ASAP as UK (Host Brand) needed it yesterday! Attend the emergency Brainstorming Meeting as sales have been a disaster! A Training Session to quickly familiarize in the new Software for Sales/Stock/Forecasting Tracker. The day seemed to just go on and on and on!! The only relief being the cups of tea/coffee that I was downing on my desk at regular interval!

Returning home.......when the sun had already set and darkness was creeping in......my body needing the quick shower to sooth my tired muscles.....and the instant dinner (the luxury of being Single! Eat, when & where I like, not to mention what I like!).....where else did I find comfort....but here in Bloggersphere!!

"A Haircut?"

I have been meaning to, for sometime.......to go down to the Friendly Neighborhood Beauty Salon. Finally I got down there today.

I just wanted a couple of things to be done. To tell you the truth, I'm quite low maintenance when it comes to the "Beauty Salon" routine! Really! Perhaps, my growing up years had something to do with it?

I've always had short hair while growing up. Being an Air Force Girl, the length of my hair just stopped at the point of me having a "crew cut"! Dad's diktat - a student should not spend time on combing & preening in front of the mirror....wash & go it should be! Each trip to the salon was taken with a heavy heart and after every hair cut, I would have my tears rolling down my cheeks. I hated to have my hair cut!

Going to College.........to another city, away from my Parents constituted the freedom to do what I wanted/liked. I let my hair grow.......the length, ever since has been fluctuating. The texture of my hair is silky, hence it tends to fall flat and at times looks a bit lanky. To give it a bit of body, I have it cut in steps to give the bounce.....but then when I tie into a pony tail, it looks too thin! Hence, I have it cut straight....one length! Then, when I see girls with step cut hair, I again succumb to the temptation and head for my Hairdresser to have it styled.

My dream has been to have long, long hair cascading down my back...reaching my waist and perhaps even below. I nearly came quite close to realizing this dream......but reaching the Middle East, I headed straight to a Salon to give my hair a new style!

I now sat in the Beauty Salon.......the Lady asks me, "A haircut?" "No, not a haircut....I am growing it.........(again!) I will have it cut straight.........but not today!"

Eid Mubarak!

The month long Ramadan fasting is now finally over. Yes! last night the local "Moon Sighting Committee" officially declared the fasting period to be over. Today is Eid ul Fitr (Eid, meaning festivity and Fitr, breaking of fast).

I went for a stroll this morning to the mall.....where else?! It's nice and cool and I can check out the latest in fashion! I also needed to pay my phone bill! The cafes were all open........people were enjoying their coffee & croissants or whatever they were eating. The choice to sit in Starbucks with a latte after browsing around is indeed such a wonderful feeling!

We have 2 Days Off for Eid ul Fitr, unlike in my country where we would lose out on an extra holiday if a festival fell on a weekend.... but then, there we have so many festivals, being a secular country! So this weekend is going to be a real lonnng one! Friday & Saturday being our official weekend.........Sunday & Monday are our 2 days off for Eid!

To all my Muslim Friends......Eid Mubarak!

My Beautiful Crocs!

In the Footwear World, when one mentions "Crocs", the general consensus would be "Ugly!"

Even though it's been just a few years since it came out, these very same ugly shoes have really grown in popularity and there are some who practically live in them. They are really comfortable and the holes at the sides allows the air to flow in....which prevents one's feet from sweating! You just have to try them on to fall in love with them....it's lightweight, waterproof & bacteria resistant!

The market is flooded with these Crocs and the ones for lil kids are soooooo adorable! I am sure you will agree with me when I boldly state that.... My Crocs are Beautiful! Check it out for yourself! Run-of-the-mill Crocs are not for me!

PS:- I have not in any way altered or added anything to them..........they are Naturally Beautiful! I picked them up in Jo'burg!

The Wait

I am so restless.........my mind wanders every now and then to what it might be........is it "Yes" or is it "No"? Will my prayers be answered or will it go ignored? Yes, at such times I do resort to constant mumbling under my breath which constitutes my only conversation with the Higher Being.....if He exists......and is hearing me........"Oh God, please please pleeeasssse.........let it be a Yes".

However, depression sets in, when finally I get to know that it is not to be........not to be as I wanted......desired.....wished. Why me? Why? Am I not a good Human Being?..........I try to be as far as I can, really.... "When I'm good I'm very good, but when I'm bad I'm better."

Life goes on...with or without.......I resign to the fact that maybe it was not meant to be. Another opportunity presents.........my hopes rises..........and once again I wait.........I wait for the outcome.

I am reminded of Beckett's "Waiting for Godot", a play which I read in my College (part of my Honours syllabus). Like Vladimir and Estragon, I too am waiting for Godot to come. Will Godot come tomorrow?

Air Force Day - for Dad

My eye falls on the calendar.........it is the 8th of Oct! Wham! It hits me......today is the Indian Air Force Day! How could I forget this day? So, I dedicate this Post.....To Dad.

Dad served in the Indian Air Force, for more than 20 years. He took voluntary retirement as I was finishing my College. He started out his career here as a Fighter Pilot but ended up being a Navigator........I guess he got on the wrong foot of the Instructor! He was never the "Yes Sir" which would cost him many choice postings & promotions.

Dad participated in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and did his part in the liberation of Bangladesh. He has also been fortunate to have remained as the Commanding Officer in quite a few places....as a young Officer. I still remember some incidents while he was the Station C O. The Driver would come to pick my Dad for work in the official jeep and at times Dad would have my brother & myself dropped off to school. Everyone in school would stop to look........Dad in his uniform made a handsome picture. Yes, Dad was a handsome man...........I'm not just saying because he is my Dad.......he was.....in his younger days....believe me.

Before joining the Air Force, Dad had been Assam (a State in India) Badminton Champion - Triple times...........now he continued playing as a recreation....and the Air Chief Marshal would especially ask Dad for a game in the evening....many a time. Dad's speciality, a backhand shot which many tried but difficult to give. He was also quite popular with the men in his Squadron........especially the Non-Officers...the Airmen.

Dad navigated the last flight of Fairchild C-119 Packet (Flying Boxcar)......from Agra to Delhi. The Packet was a Transport Aircraft but sometime in the 80's it was decided to put her away in the museum to make way for newer Aircraft - AN-32. Yes, Dad was stationed in Agra and from here he took his pre-mature retirement to pursue other avenues.

I remember, to celebrate the Air Force Day occasion, on a Sunday obviously (convenient for all!)....there would be a "Pagal Gymkhana" (Pagal meaning Mad in Hindi) or "Barakhana" (Feast) organized for all Air Force Personnel along with their families............a day where all ranks would come and mix together. Venue would be in one of the Hangars...lots of space! There would be games galore & lovely prizes to take home.........not to mention the sumptuous lunch! This was also the day when we could take a tour of the aircrafts parked in the vicinity! It was exciting!

I am glad that I am my Father's daughter....an Officer's daughter. Life in the Forces has taught me amongst other things....to live in harmony with people of all caste, color or religion (India being a land of diversity, the AF Camp had people representing nearly all the States)....the discipline one needs to maintain in life.... punctuality ........to be ready/prepared for any eventuality....... to fight for the honour........for the country....

Thank you Dad. I couldn't have asked for a better upbringing.

So Spoilt...we are

So spoilt of choice we are today, that there are times when I feel it was better those earlier days when you went to the market and bought whatever it is that you want to buy........without racking your brains so much.

Let's take our phones for instance. Earlier, we only had the land line. There were a couple of models/styles and we bought these as per our pocket. Once bought...installed...it remained with us for a lifetime. After the mobile phone came into existence...this is not the case.

We have so many brands vying for their piece of the pie in the market...not to mention the different models these brands churns out. We are inundated through media, the features of these models and having celebrities endorsing the product makes it more desirable to us. Since we carry our mobile phones with us everywhere........the model that we are carrying has become some sort of a status symbol. After all, every Tom, Dick & Harry or Jane, Ann & Betty all have a mobile phone these days. We have to keep up with the Jones or Jills or whoever that's got the latest handset.

I know what they say..."Thou shalt not be tempted"..........but I can't help NOT being tempted! This is just my 6th mobile phone that I have owned. Just yesterday, my Lil Bro spoke about a new phone which can hold 2 SIM cards.....says good for me as I do use 2 SIM cards.......... convenient it would be...........hmmmm......I need to check it out!

Re-birth?

I was IMing with a friend just yesterday when she told me about an article in one of the regional newspaper - Rebirth of the Pilot of the Scindia plane crash.

The Pilot was known to her family as he was the Boyfriend of her cousin. The kid who claims to be the Pilot is 5 years old and is afraid of aeroplanes and even describes where he was flying to. The Pilot's family is having the story investigated as it is obvious that they would like to get down to the bottom of it and find the truth......else to put a stop to such stories for cheap publicity.

My mind just wandered.............is there a thing called SOUL? A Hindu believes in re-incarnation, depending on one's action after death.......hence a Sadhu (in Hinduism, is an ascetic holy man) strives to attain moksa that is release from the cycle of rebirth. Other religions that I know of, all believe in having a Soul....and again depending on your deeds while living, either go to heaven or hell or just wander around??

Personally, I know we all have a heart.........that's what's beating inside us and keeping us alive. As for a Soul, I really don't know. Whatever it is that happens to us after we are living no more...I don't want to dwell on it. For now, I am just glad to be Alive!

Sentimental Fool

I have been crying away.........this weekend......all by myself. I just couldn't help.......the tears came rolling down my cheeks. No, nothing happened to me...........I'm perfectly fine and nobody said anything to me. Then what brought on the tears? Well, it was the two Bollywood Movies that I saw, starring Shahrukh Khan.

Chak De India - The film is about Kabir Khan played by Shahrukh, Captain of the Indian Hockey Team who misses the penalty shootout in the Finals against Pakistan & thus lost the match. I guess being a Muslim & the winning Team being Pakistan (India & Pakistan Rivalry which everyone knows), Kabir was labeled a Traitor. Then after 7 years (the magic number!), he comes back as a Coach of the Women's Hockey Team....a team assembled from different parts of India. There's loads of conflicts........different States so different class, caste, ethnicity but Kabir inculcates to think of the country first & to have the Team Spirit. They go to Australia where the World Cup Tournament was being played being the defending Champions. After a humiliating defeat in the first match against Australia, the Indian Team goes on to win the others settling their differences along the way...with each game.. and reach the Final. Once again the Indian Team faces the Australian and it's in the penalty shootout that India wins the match. The victorious team returns home to a rousing welcome and Kabir is lauded as a Hero.

Chalte Chalte -This is a story about Raj (Shahrukh) & Priya (Rani Mukherji) who meets & falls in love. However Priya is to get engaged and now had to decide which way to go. Love triumphs & Raj & Priya gets married then struggle against adversity. They quarrel, separate, then reconcile. Hmmm the difficuties of marriage....but all's well that ends well!

Call me a Sentimental Fool........but then that's me.

Out of the Blue

Just the day before I get a request.....someone added my name as a friend in one of the sites and I needed to confirm. The name didn't ring a bell.........I pondered.....where could I have met the person?........there was no photo on the profile to jog my memory.....not to remember a friend?....I was embarrassed! Then again, I thought........maybe it's someone who wants to be friends with me or we may have some common friends????

I resorted to writing....
Have we met? I can't seem to recall knowing you. Forgive me if I am wrong.
I got my reply today! Yes!! The person is a friend using a Pseudonym! No wonder the name wasn't familiar!

Just Out of the Blue, a friend comes along after more than 5 years!
Life's sure is full of surprises!!
Thank you Friend for touching base!!!
Thank you Technology for making it possible!!!!

Trip to the Holy Land

There's a Package Tour to the Holy Land - Jerusalem, planned to coincide with the EID Holidays.....but I will not be going. I am so tempted but I have other plans........and I cannot afford to take leave now.

This Tour is being planned secretly. Why? Here in Kuwait, ISRAEL is a Big No-No. Why again? Kuwait is showing her support to Palestine by banning everything that's to do with Israel. If one has been to Israel, then you will not be allowed to enter the country. Therefore, one travels to Israel via another country. For instance, this Tour Group will first go to Jordan. There, they will collect a Permit in exchange for their Passport which will allow them to enter Israel and then back the same way. This way their Passport will not have an Israeli Stamp.

The Passport may not be stamped........but one could have been to Israel. Personally, I feel the whole thing quite absurd!

My Clock is Ticking

I know I am getting older....my clock is ticking........though I don't feel so at all. Memories from the past are all so crystal clear............as if it just happened yesterday. If I were to live my Life all over again........there would be so many things that I would do it differently..........now that Life's perspective is much clearer........When you climb a mountain, the higher you go up, the clearer is the view.........and it's beautiful!

There is so much to do and so much to see. I don't have my 50 Things To Do before I get really old, List.......maybe I should make one........maybe it will keep me focused.........but then Life doesn't happen the way you plan........then why plan? Even if I do decide to put it down in writing.........I am sure it would be more than 50 and the list would grow each day.

For now,.........I need to change my Job..........get a Life......see more of the World.......I think my List is starting already!