you can eat chicken!

I noticed lately, that due to the bird flu scare, that alot of people have quit eating poultry and eggs all together. Was gonna do that myself, but we eat chicken so much!

Also, I noticed that this is an opportunity for butchers to increase the price of meat. Of course on the other hand, the price of chicken is going down, but people are too scared to eat it. No one wants to get sick. Of course this is a very valid concern, but when in place. A lot of people do not know exactly what this bird flu is, and how it gets transmitted to man.

Wanting to eat chicken again, I looked it up in different places. I had already read that the virus dies at 70 degree Celsuis. So cooking them properly would put you on the safe side. The main method of infection seems to be among those who actually raise infected chicken, or handle them during slaughter and stuff. I also found a useful link on the net discussing it in detail. And now I know I can eat chicken, I just have to make sure it is well cooked. That, we already do. One point well taken: with eggs, we usually like them with runny yolks, and that seems to be a risk, as the yolks do not get well cooked. so now I cook my eggs properly :).

The sad thing is... it is easy for people who are well educated and well off to find this information out, and thus are aware of all the facts. They can eat the poultry, while they are the ones who can afford to eat meat everyday instead of chicken. Ironically, On the other hand, most of the population, is on the poorer, less educated and less cultured side. So they would probably just act on rumours, or on what they see on TV at best. So most of them are just too scared to eat chicken. And these people are unfortunately the poorest, and the least able to buy meat.

Wish Butchers would not take advantage of something like this like that. Also I wish that the media would increase the awareness topics, informing the public of the risks. May God preserve us all in good health ISA.

Gift package at Pasqua!

"God sometimes gives you gifts in these small hidden packages."

I remember this statement, said to me by my friend O. a couple of years back. She was going through a hard time then (as was I) and she was telling me about how sometimes God gives you small gifts here and there, besides some very big ones of course, but the small gifts, are sometimes given in hidden packages. When you get them, you feel really happy, because small as they may be, you know they are Gifts form God, and in that you feel they are worth the world; because they may mean that God loves you, and wants to put a smile on your face. That is the biggest gift of all. and Indeed we all get these gifts, every day, we smile when we get them , and then, being what we are, we simply forget about them. One of these i got yesterday, and I thought, I should rememeber it. I have thought about it before, when these things happen, that i should note them. SO when not feeling Good I can reflect on them, and remember God's generosity and kindness to us. This one I share with you.

I had planned to go pass by Dalulla at Pasqua ( a coffee shop in lebanon street) after work. Going down the street, I remembered that swiza is down that road. I really love their mint chocolate. actually I love all mint chocolate, but i do not find them very often. After Eight has become rediculously expensive for everyday candy. So i thought: ok, I will stop by and get some, even if it is just a 100 grams. I just want the taste. Well, as it was, the street was very crowded and I could not find a parking place, so i just thought, " ah well.. another time then".

I got to Pasqua, and sat with Dalulla. I was not planning to get anything much except lemonade or something, then i decided to get a latte instead. The latte came,and next to it sat this small little package. tiny square flat package. I asked what is this? a chocolate? alot of coffee shops give you a small piece of brownie or biscuit with coffee. I opened it and voila: A mint chocolate!

That made me so happy. I had wanted exactly that. And that is exactly what I got, without even asking for it. It may seem trivial to many, just a piece of chocolate, but for me, it was so much more. It was a gift from God. Here is what you wanted. :)

God is so kind to us. And more, He knows each and every one of your heart's desires. God is the one that is able to give you that and no one else. All of us get these gifts all the time, and we smile when they happen, and think.. oh we are lucky. I think it is not luck. It is God. Al hamdulillah Rabb El3alamein.

I would like to think that I would record more of these. I am sure everyone gets these gift packages, wish everyone would remember them.

ok it is official... roora and I are very very lazy bloggers, and our blogs are as stagnant as can be. every day i think i should write something, then go to bed instead!

i hardly have time to check on other blogs to attamen 3ala how everything is going. roora has reason to be busy i guess, her new job sends her other cities for days and everyday she comes home to sleep!

last few days i have been on a mission: saving sara! maybe i will talk about it later, fe post lewa7daha. she is a really sweet girl.

it is almost 1 am and i am sitting at the keyboard, knowing that the minute i go to bed, i am a goner. i should really go to bed now, i have work in the morning, and i have been going late quite often recently.

roora just came back from the club, and my coz. got her these cute cute slippers! and he told her not to tell anyone, lest we would all tell him to get us slippers! i think i will tell him to get me one. they are soooo cute.

since i just got a new digital camera and my new hobby is taking photos of silly things, i guess i will publish them! or some at least. the picture you see here is of the slippers i was talking about. they are very comfy.

As i write this, i get this feeling that i probably do not come across as very coherent. whatever brain cells are still awake are typing this, but not enough are up to actually grasp what i am saying. will read it tomorrow ISA and ashoof what i was doing :)

just thought to write anything, even blah blah blah, because i do miss blogging.

Can you teach ambition?

One of the hardest things to do is to teach someone something that he does not want to learn. Teaching someone to change from the inside. How does one do it? and can you teach someone to be ambitious? to be inquisitive? to be active? and all other traits and charactersitics that are usually either there or not in the first place?

It would be easy to blame one's habits and attitudes on genetics. Yes some kids are naturally funny, quiet, naughty, bad tempered, cautious, etc etc. And I do admit, that genes are a big part of how we are. But from what I know, our basic personality comes from three things: genes, environment, and personal effect: either your own, or family. The point is: We can change. we are not mould in stone. "Innama al 7ilmo be alta7allom, wa al 3elm be al ta3allo", means being patient, comes by practicing being patient, and being knowledgable comes by learning. (I think that is the correct translation).

And teaching ambition, and the will to learn, is one of the hardest for me. Yesterday I was talking to my nephew. Ahamd is 11 and a half years, I know it is a tough wierd age, but he has to get through. Ahamad is really smart, I get that clearly when we are playing a game, thinking of something (that is not school related), or when he catches on very quickly. but when it comes to school, he just would turn it off.

He just told me: "I do not really like school, I do not like science either". this in response to a note from his teacher that his attitude and work are dropping, and his grades are slipping miserably. His answer just indicated that he does not really care. that scared me, because how is he going to succeed in life with an attitude like that? without the will to get better?

I talked to him about the future, how to have a good job, and be successful in life, how you need to work hard. you can not not care. he seemed to listen, but then when we were studying, his mind wanders off. His mother was monhara, she was the Type A student, she can not undrstand this attitude. And Trying to teach him to want to be the best! sure he wants to be the best in alot of other things, ex. in games and stuff, but not the serious stuff. I remember I used to like it that my teachers loved me. It was important for me. I wonder if when he tries it once, excelling at something, that he would cling to it.

Same in the university; some kids want to learn and are very eager, and others just could not be bothered. a colleague of mine was told by her student: "matet3ebeesh nafsek ya doctora, ehna hanetgawwez we no3od fe elbeit. el scaling (teeth cleaning) hayfeed al awlad fe eih?"

So why are you here? with an attitude like that? don't you want to learn well what ever you learn?

do you just want a college education to hang on the wall? some how that doesn't encourage teachers to put their best effort. We do it for the few who care, but it saddens me...why waste your life like this? when you have the ability to get better? Is it motivation that is needed? more competition? what? somehow I think this attitude of not caring to excel, is what is wrong with the whole nation. The mafeesh fayda attitude (like the universtiy students), or the "i am too cofortable to try" attitude (by my nephew). what ever it is, i really want to know, how to get to push their buttons!