Tag: 5 things (+some)

Hey so this has been a good week so far. Lets see, I finally finally got a hold of a Texas alumni so my interview will be on Monday! InshaAllah it'll go well. Toronto finally has all my stuff so it'll take 4-6 weeks to process but hey, at least I know its moving forward now. The weather is warming up! I got a gift on facebook from one of my friends! My first facebook gift hehe, cool :) I got a Nintendo Wii! Anddddddd its more fun than I thought! hehe I was joking around with my housemate Anojan though. Together in my we have an xbox360, a PS3, and now a Wii...all plugged into my lil 10-15year old maybe 20inch crt tv :P hehe, oh well. can't complain too much. we still have fun playing. I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff, but other cool thing was that I was tagged by AKA. Thats the first time I've been tagged. K, so I'm suppose to list 5 things you don't know about me.....hmmm....thats kind of tough since some know me very well and others barely anything. But lets see.... 1) When I was small I use think clouds were kind of solid. Like you could walk on them and touch them. I think this came from watching the movie The Boy Who Could Fly and the Superman movies. When my family went to Pakistan one year and visited Meri(sp?) a few hours away from Islamabad and went high into the mountains surrounded by clouds when you go up the sky lifts and cable cars I was quite disappointed when I couldn't touch them :( 2) I use to have what I'd have to describe as a phobia of dogs. I would cross the road and walk on the other side if there was a dog walker coming towards me on my side. I've improved tremendously since then. I had an internship in Chennai, India and there were stray dogs lying in the streets/sidewalks fairly regularly and I'd have to walk between them with them less than a foot away on either side. But they were rather docile and I got use to it. I can now have dogs come up to me or stand in an elevator while they are beside me and stuff. I may be quite uncomfortable and stiff at the time but I can do it. And I can walk by them on the sidewalk with no problem either, I don't even think about that now. Although...don't be fool'd I still am perfectly aware that there is a dog there. :P 3) I've never been in a real fight in my life. Certainly plenty of play fights, pillow fights, water fights, etc. But never a real fight. I've always wondered how I'd do. Though lets hope I never have to find out. 4) I may have mentioned this in a pervious blog. I have always felt I am capable of absolutely anything. Of course its too late for a few things now. And somethings I have zero interest in. But I felt I could do anything. I could be a hockey player if I wanted (even though I don't know how to skate right now). I could be an astronaut. A great lawyer. A doctor. An actor. Singer, etc. Whatever I wanted. It just takes hard work, dedication, sacrifice. But I could do anything I wanted....I'm very blessed to have the life that I do so that I can grow up believing (and still believing) such things. 5) I haven't drank pop (or anything carbonated) in....I'm not sure....10-15years. I just don't like the feeling/fizzle of carbonation. I don't think I've drank the equivalent of entire can of pop in my life. I also haven't had gum in maybe 6-7 years. I just always pass on gum.....and then go get chocolate! Bonus 6) Other random stuff: I shook hands with Chretien(sp?), I was hit by a motorcyle, I slept on floor of the train station in florence infront of the newstand (only for 40mins!...we couldn't find an open hostel), chinese underground purse counterfeitors wanted me to go shopping for them, I can't swim, my friends nicknamed me Evil Guy (no idea why...doesn't make sense to me). My first name is actually Mohammed, my full name being Mohammed Ahmedullah Siddiqui. Ok, so I think just about everyone has been tagged already. But if you haven't....consider yourself tagged!

Food! 2 years and going strong.

Just as I open this up and am about to start typing....I recognize the irony of what this post will be compared to how my last post opened. haha, oh well. Roughly 2 years ago I started eating only halal food. It was about graduation time. I was studying for finals with a friend and we were talking about life after school. I mentioned how one thing I want to work on is learning more about Islam, being a better muslim, eating halal food, etc. And of course he gives me the simpliest of questions. What are you waiting for? And so I was like you're right. And then we went to lunch and from that lunch forward, I have only been eating halal food. Its been hard sometimes. I miss pho and korean bbq and some other things. But really, overall I've been lucky to find a good deal of places I can eat. And its not that hard overall. Anyways, here some pictures of food that I love. It may perhaps be a bit heavy on the chocolate and dessert side...hehe. For those of you on my facebook, there are more pics in an album I put up a couple days ago. Bruschetta - Florence, Italy Chicken Chow Mein - Chennai, India Steak & Fries - Paris, France Nachos - Weavers maybe....Waterloo, Canada Yay, chcolate cake Fresh Bread, Croissants - Paris, France BBQ - Scarborough, Canada Pineapple rice - KittiChai Restaurant, NYC I forget, but the sauce was good. KittiChai again. Um....don't recall, but it looks nice. Salmon Steak. mmm....shrimp... Panang Curry with Shrimp, are you hungry yet? Some strangers on a train in India shared their food with me. :) ok, I'm starting to get hungry myself. Cookies! I made this one. Dessert! Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity Chocolate Sundae We finished it all! Chocolate from Brussels Chocolate shells So many choices...where to start... I miss Brussels Ok, screw the diet, I'm taking some.

Random Tuesday Blogging

I think I'll start a diet soon. Sort of. I'll eat whatever junk I have at home right now. But after that, no more bad stuff for 1 month. Unless its free or I go out with friends somewhere and everyone is having dessert. I did manage to make myself go to the gym on both Saturday and Sunday so that was good. For cardio I did some jump rope! Its been ages since I did that. It was fun! Though I got winded very quickly. Why is it so much easier to do weights than cardio? Cardio just takes so much more work. But anyhow, jump rope was fun, I'm still able to do the double jump and forward cross (where you cross your arms and hence the rope while you jump and then uncross your arms later). Haven't pulled off the backwards version of the alternating of feet yet....but in due time. I actually did a lot this weekend. Aside from the gym, I did the grocery shopping, regular household item shopping, got a haircut, did some cleaning, and I cooked. A ton! Like 4 lbls of keema (ground beef) and pasta for the week. I actually have cooked in ages but it turned out well and its so much easier to cook for a few days than everyday....theres really just no time to cook everyday. I also finished The Penelopaid by Margaret Atwood. I picked it up b/c it was Atwood and the story (the story of Penelope while her husband Odessey...sp?....was away sounded interesting). But I actually found it quite meh. I think I'll start the namesake now. I just watched the movie last night. I liked it! A bit slow at times....seemingly not really having a focus or direction...but overall I enjoyed it. I'm still waiting to hear for the 2nd Texas alumni I contacted....nothing so far...sigh....I wonder if I'll be forced to go to Texas for the interview....that could be fun...I have a friend in Austin....but it would still be a hassle...and not cheap.... TMNT comes out this Friday! I'm not sure how good it will be.....but its the Ninja Turtles! I have to go see it. I think my favourite turtle is now Raphael. When I was younger it alternated between Leonardo and Michaelangelo. My friends are doing the CN Tower Stair Climb again this year and have told me I should do it too. I've done it before. Twice. Its fun and for a good cause. Though each time I do it I'm like oh man, I'm never doing this again. And yet here I am, tempted to subject myself to the pain again. I don't know if I want to pay for the trip home in order to to climb stairs though...we'll see.

Les Miserables

For those that have been following, 2 days have past since my last post. I should have some information. I do not!!!!! Argh!!!!!!! Apparently, due to a technicality I was 1 day late for the early decision deadline and as such I have to wait. And not only that but they (I'm talking about University of Toronto btw) have not received my transcripts! I sent that back in December....grrr....They said they sent me an email, but trust me I would have noticed. I look in my junk mail folder too! sigh.....So I told them to double check and in the meantime I contacted Waterloo (my undergrad university) and told them to courier over another copy of my transcripts. Now Toronto said they'll try to expediate the processing but also that it takes 4-6 weeks usually to process an application. Ok so does that mean from when I sent my stuff in (like a month ago) or 4-6 more weeks from when they get my transcripts? Man....this processing is killing me.......its like co-op ranking days x1000 (ok, only waterloo ppl will understand.....oh well). Its nerve racking nevertheless! On the plus side, Austin-Texas contacted me telling me to arrange an interview either on or off campus. I think thats a good sign. They gave me a list of alumni in New York. I contacted 1 guy.....so far no response....I'm suppose to give 3 business days for a response before trying someone else.....but I have 2 weeks to book the interview (interview itself can be later)....so far no response....I have to wait til monday to try someone else.....man....please just let all this stuff work out. Inshaallah. Another plus, I'm going to go see Les Mis in April. I have some friends visiting and we bought our tickets for the show today! I've heard great things about it so I'm excited! And I think I'm going to go see another show next weekend with some friends too. And tonight I'm going to go catch The Namesake. I hope its as good as the trailers make it seem. Um........what else.......I don't feel like blogging more.....I feel like cake.......anyone have some cake? Want to share?........fine. Oh yes, whats with this weather? It was so nice for a few days and now? Now we're back to snow and slush? blah....

Be grateful and do not be ungrateful

Sometimes I, like everyone else, feel the need to complain. I have my days where I am a rockstar, I feel brilliant and look at my reflection and see an incredibly handsom me man. And of couse there are the days where I should have stayed in bed. I feel like I make 1 stupid mistake after another and that I look like an ugly slob....hmm...where am I going with this.....I don't really like to edit these much.....just type away....so I ramble at times. Ok, so I have my worries. And my problems. I was having coffee with a friend last week and we touched on the subject and I thought to myself you know, I'm not perfect. But I definitely like who I am and I don't feel like I have any issues or that I'm on bad terms with anyone. Which is great. :) So while I have worries and problems (I'll touch on that later as I like to talk about them even if they aren't important) you need to keep perspective on what really matters. And truly I have been blessed with so much. I talk to others or see things (tv, movies, news, in person, etc) and there are real problems. People that are dealing with disease, and murder, rape, abuse, true financial difficulties, depression, and so many real issues. That really matter. Basically, there was a good speech by an Imam awhile back that I heard and I like to keep it mind, which I do. But once in awhile you really have to think about it. About what really matters in life. Be Grateful AND do not be Ungrateful. Ok, so on to my petty problems now. Well actually its more of an annoyance and worry. 2 DAYS!!! Well thats when I'm suppose to hear from Toronto. USC and Texas I think I'll hear by the end of the month but they don't say percisely when. And then UCLA and Michigan I won't hear til nearly the end of May!!! So far.....argh. What if I get into Toronto and I need to respond before I hear from the others? Right now I think the others are higher on my list. I could put a deposit.......but I hear that could be 2-5k? Thats not chump change....... :S And what if I don't get in at all? Interviews are not required. My friend got requested an interview by Toronto. What does that mean? Well.....basically they aren't in for sure, but they haven't been rejected. So basically.....not that much. I've heard nothing. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing.......waiting sucks. Ok, there was something else...but I just went for lunch and now I cant remember...goes to show how important that must have been. On an entirely other note, did anyone see the last episode of Little Mosque on the Prarie? Ep 8 that is. Its on youtube if you care to search. I thought it was hilarious! Babar is too funny A scene from little mosque on the prarie. Theres a strict muslim single father babar, with a young teenage daughter we shall call L Scene: L is studying at home with a boy Babar comes home Babar: Salaam! L turns to boy: packup! L: Salaam dad, you're home early Babar: Is that a boy? Astagfurallah, alone with a boy! L: Well if I'm with a boy then technically I'm not alone.... Babar: Boy (with the paki not black accent), go home. And never speak to my daughter again (in the whiny oh god voice) L: Dad, he's my study partner, we're studying biology Babar: Not until you're married

2 more weeks

So as may have been gathered from my previous post, I was feeling quite down. And while I'm not 100% up, I'm heading in that direction and thats good. On the plus side, I am finally done my applications! Yes, to know freedom again feels great! Well technically, I still have my last application to do, Western Ontario. But Western is lower on my list (no offense to anyone who went there). Its a 1 year program, and I feel like I want to do a 2 year program. There are definitely some disadvantages of 2yrs. 1 it takes twice as long :P and it'll cost more. But, I think I'll get more out of 2years. Learn more. And I'll be able to do a summer internship and inshaallah an exchange term. I want to go somewhere. hehe, I'll have to move somewhere for school too, but still I want more. Maybe London or HK or something. That would be cool. Just for a term. For some reason, I'm feeling confident about getting into Toronto. I shouldn't. I really have no idea what will happen. I want to just get in anywhere hopefully....well. I hope I get in anywhere. Would I be happy if I just got in at 1 place, no I'd be disappointed. But meh, hope for the best. Take what life gives you. So yeah, I'm starting to feel confident about Toronto, despite nothing having changed to make me feel that way. I'll find out about Toronto in like 2 weeks. 2 Weeks! InshaAllah. So with my new found free time, I figure I want to do something. What is it I want to do? I'm not sure. For sure I'll make myself go to the gym more. But what else? I thought about this before and never did anything but hopefully I will now. So what to do? I thought about fencing, or cooking, dance (hiphop or tap), or an instrument, or some art thing, but I haven't quite decided. Money is still a factor since I need to save for school. Speaking of money. I find when I'm not in a good mood I tend to spend more. I'm lazy and I'll buy food. And I want to cheer myself so I buy nice food and chocolate of course. hehe, nothing wrong with that. I probably don't eat enough regularly anyways. I only had 1 meal today actually. But then, I spend money on other stuff too. Not too big on cloth shopping...though thats fun once in awhile. I like toys :P . I want a new tv. A nice big flat screen tv. BUT yeah....that would not be good. But I did buy a nba2k7 for my xbox360 =) ....and after playing it...I want a bigger tv even more! haha....one day. I found a lot of ppl on facebook lately. Stewart, Masashi, Dina, Jane, Victor, etc. Someone posted an old grade 4 class picture. I'm such a geek in it. What I find cool though is, I can remember so many people in it! And talking to many of them, albeit short exchangs, is quite nice. Some of them remembered EVERY single person in the pic. Thats very impressive. I think I got about 60% of them which I thought was fairly good. Anyhow, I have some pictures I want to put up. Actually lots of pictures. Food, visiting alia, silly things, and amazing things, oh and various things. So wow, 5 picture posts coming up. I'll decide which one first later unless someone actually requests something in particular. laters.