weekend snapshot #2

One interesting way to spend a weekend is to learn other people's customs and traditions. Yesterday, hubby and I were lucky to witness an exhibit at the Dubai festival City as part of the Ramadan Celebration. My entry for this week is Scenes from the Past -- the old times of Dubai life.

CARAVANSERAI was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey. It greatly supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of trade routes.

SOUKH is unique among Arab countries. All wares are sold, from cloth of colors and textures to gold and jewelry as well as the traditional array of spices and local produce. Bartering is expected, and indeed turns the whole experience of shopping into a challenge to see who can obtain the best price.

WATER WHEEL is a machine for extracting power from the flow of water. It's most common use of the water wheel was to mill flour, foundry work and machining, and pounding linen for use in paper.

DHOW CRUISE, the traditional Arab sailing vessel.

FALCONRY, a very popular hobby among the Arab sheikhs until today. They say that if a horse is to a king, a falcon is to a sheikh.

I like the last picture best hehe. A local TV station has touted Dubai a City of Captivating Contrast and this is one minute proof - a tradition exhibited atop a modern commercial.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

somebody loves my blog

What a great way to end September! I received my very first blog award from Miss Emmyrose and i am soo over the moon!! It is very heartwarming to know some people find interest in my posts. Thank you again, Emmyrose, for the inspiration and the encouragement. This really, really means a lot to me.

I am also sharing this award to my two other blogs, Kero's Journal and Reign Rosell. Now, it is time for me to pass on this badge to some of my favorite bloggers. They are:

Vera of The Moon Shines on Me
Maris of In My World
Genny of The Beauty of Life
Jessel of My Wonderful Life
Kate of Walks Around the Village

help to make the best choice

The water here in Dubai has been said to cause hair loss. It is desalinated and even if you have the hot and cold thing in the shower, most often during the four months of summer, the water will never be cold enough for a shower.

Most of our friends, including my husband has been very concerned with hair loss and with thousands of products claiming to help prevent hair loss, sometimes you just do not know which one to choose. The TrustSource.org put an end to this dilemma by offering us ranked and reviewed hair loss products available in the market. What's more, these reviews come from the people who have actually used these products so be assured it is satisfaction guaranteed.

Example of the products that have received thumbs up are the Provillus and Procerin. The first one, Provillus, aggressively seeds your scalp to create optimum environment for new, healthy hair. It supplies proper nutrition required to bring damaged, dead hair follicles back to life. As one testimony from a user in Georgia, with only three weeks of using Provillus, his hair has become noticeably thicker and healthier.

The Procerin on the other hand is an all-natural supplement available without prescription. It is effective in reversing hair loss in men that is caused by androgenetic alopecia, the most common cause of hair loss among men. One user said, most men should know this product because it brought back the hair he used to have when he was in his teens.

So the next time you want to know what products really works, you might want to visit TrustSource.org to help you figure out what is best for you before parting with your hard earned cash.

stay fit for free

With three more months to go before delivery date, i am now looking for a diet plan or weight loss program to help me get back in shape early next year. I am thankful there is a very helpful website called MyFitnessPal.com. The site offers calorie counter, diet, and exercise journal all for free!!

Health people always say that the easiest way to lose weight is to keep track of the food we eat and the activities we do. But with our already hectic jobs, career, or in my case a family, a baby and house chores, it is very tedious to be constantly writing down what i have eaten. But with My Fitness Pal, that will come easy with their features of a diet journal. In just a few clicks, you enter what you have eaten and you will see which food you are taking is redundant in your diet. If it's not healthy, you are conscious and reminded of having too much of it.

Then you have the calorie counter that tells you exactly how you are going on with your calorie intake. You are aware if you have too much to burn and will get the motivation to go on some calorie-burning activities like brisk walking, or a jog around the park.

Lastly, for every food that you entered in your diet journal, you are able to know the nutritional facts. It is always helpful to know what nutrients are we feeding our body. This way, we know what is lacking and have a way to make up for it.

So keep the doctor away and stay fit with MyFitnessPal.com all for free. Remember, your health is your wealth.

shopping at my finger tips

I started my seven months pregnancy over a week ago and with the nine pounds that I already gained, it is very hard for me to go out for long walks. Yeah, i have to give up my most favorite hobby that is -- shopping. Fall has started and before we know it winter will be around the corner and i still have to buy winter clothes for me and hubby.

It's a great thing that I discovered Tobi.com. It is giving me my first experience of online shopping and it is a great fun! I took my own sweet time browsing through the varied well known brands of men's wear such as Helmut Lang and Diesel.When I came across a beautiful Diesel leather jacket, i just know hubby will look great in it. The dark shiny leather will surely keep him warm throughout our winter walks. There were some hoodies too and knitwears all in masculine colors and stylish designs but i think the jacket will be a winter investment as i know hubby can wear it for a long, long time to come.

As for me, i checked on some Vince sweaters and they were really gorgeous with an array of styles to choose from. There were empire cuts, baby dolls, and cardigans. I like clothes with details and clean cut lines so i picked the Vince Sophie Sweater. It is long enough to gracefully cover my baby bump and the color is neutral so i can pair it up with any of my maternity blouses and pants.

No one can resist denims so I browsed further on the site and came across Paige Premium Denim. They are designed for fuller, curvy woman and i know that after i give birth, i will retain some of the weight I gained so I will surely come back on Tobi.com. Also, some of the jeans are jazzed up with embroidery on the back pocket and they sure make you a stand out in the crowd.

So, for those who are indulgent in online shopping, you may want to check this online fashion boutique. Tobi.com also offers a personal online stylist that you can communicate with to help you choose what is best suited for you. This is online shopping at its best!

baby Maktoum's new toy

This cuddly bear is won by hubby two nights ago when i dragged him to KFC for a midnight snack. I was craving for chicken and we lost the delivery number of the fastfood chain so at 12 midnight, hubby and i walked about two blocks to eat spicy chicken. I am so spoiled!

Anyway, i am posting this because i feel really proud hubby finally got to fish a stuff toy from the machine. He has tried several times but the machine's clamp does not grip the toys properly. And every time hubby sees the machine, he wants to drop a dirham and try his luck. I guess, it finally paid off. Ooh, i hope the baby will like it. I told hubby we will call the bear Frankie (because i am currently re-reading Frank McCourt's memoir but hubby says, we'll call the bear Malachy hihihi.

Well, let the baby decide when he meets his cuddly toy.

thy hair and forehead

Happy Wednesday everyone! I've been making another blogsite that is why i have been quiet for the past two days. My new site is called Reign Rosell and it's all about me as a friend, lover, mother, sister, and grand daughter. It also includes a collection of my interests such as recipes, books, beautiful mails, articles on health, and photos i captured. I am still updating my links there so drop me sweet if you want to be linked on my new blog. Thank you very much.

We go now to the third part of our face reading --the hair and forehead.

Obviously, the healthier you are, the shinier and more lustrous and thick your hair will be. But beyond that, your hair indicates your stamina and emotional hardwiring.

Thick
You're emotionally tough and don't wear your heart on your sleeve. You keep your head high even when your heart is breaking.

Wiry
You are a very resilient person who can push yourself to work for long hours or party hard and bounce back the next day. You don't let much get you down.

Silky
You are a very sensual person who enjoys affection and flirtation and is very imaginative. You know how to relax but have the energy to party all night when the mood takes you.

Fine or brittle
You are emotionally fragile and if you feel upset it causes physical symptoms like stomach upset or headache. If people around you are stressed, you find it hard not to feel stressed too. You often feel tired and wrung out.

Widow's peak
You may go through some turbulent times in your family or love life but though your life will be full of big highs and big lows, you always manage to pull through.

Receding
You are sometimes impatient and impulsive - but you certainly live every moment to the fullest and live on your own terms.

An indicator of intelligence, the shape of your forehead can also indicate your self-discipline.

Wide
You are clever, practical and if you take tsk you like to do it well. You have high ideals and standards and prefer quality to quantity.

Narrow
You are artistic and have a good memory but sometimes go at things like a bull at a gate, which means you rub people up the wrong way or alienate you boyfriend by nagging.

Protruding
You are creative and love daydreaming and making big plans but are not always disciplined enough to follow through to ensure your ideas come to fruition.

Flat
You like facts and figures and have a very high temper - you are a good communicator and know how to diffuse conflict.

Hmmnn, hubby has a wide forehead and i do agree on the description, yay! Well that is all for today. I have to go back to my new site because i chose a three-column template and it is much harder to lay out!hihi

view our pc screen

I got tagged by my dear blogger friend Recel. It is asking for a screen shot of our pc so here it is:

As you can see, we have lots of icon on display. The pc recently hid those that are unused but we still have plenty on display. Hubby uses most of them for designing structures and for calculations so i can say his frequent clicks are the three Staad icons, the Matchcad, and Prokon. Of course, mine are the Kodak Easy Share, Dropshots and i'm trying to learn Photoshop now because i soo want to do some digital scrapping.

Hubby and i chose this picture because we both love the sea. And the sailboat is like the one we have on display on our table. We also like that you can see the sunset and the moon crescent at the same time. I guess the whole picture gives us both a calm feeling.

Note: Start Copy Here!
My Desktop Free View Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop.It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun. You can do a screen capture by:

Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key).

Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V).

If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

iRonnie - I Set No Corner ; Thess - Thesserie ; Rebecca - Skippy Heart ; Knoizkie - A Dialogue Wih K ; ... Nita @ Nita's Random Thoughts ; Recel's Unsealing My Mind ; KERO's - Celebration; you're next!

Who's next? Well, let's see if we could take a peek at what Yen's, Kate's, Ritchiela's, Rowena's and Peachy's screen preview! No pressure though!

weekend snapshot #1

My weekend snapshot is taken in Al Mamzar Park, November last year. Hubby and I frequent the park on weekends for a picnic, reading, or getting our own dose of sun. I call these our most prized possession.

book your holiday future!

Some of my friends (both personal and online bloggers) have asked about the Burj Al Arab, the Palm, and the Burj Dubai if they are indeed real projects or just a concept. Yes, they are very much real projects like i have posted in my Kero's Journal.

And if these projects have amazed you, wait till you hear these three concepts that will blow your imagination. It's one of the best things living in the Emirate. You wake up everyday to a new nature defying project hehe.

The Apeiron Island Hotel (concept/Dubai)
The seven-star hotel stands 185 meters high and boasts over 350 luxury apartments suites with its own private lagoon, beaches, restaurants, cinemas, retail shopping, art gallery, spas, and conference facility for you to. The $500million hotel will be accessible by water (yacht) and air (helicopter) only. 'Apeiron' hotel gets its name from Anaximander’s 6th century BC cosmological theory.

The Hydropolis Undersea Resort (concept/Dubai)
Dreams, however fabulous, this project remains unfulfilled since its launch four years ago. Without the cash to support this $500 million, 10 star underwater hotel, Dubai can lose the title 'first' to China. The hotel has been designed with this base that 60% of our surroundings is water. The 1.1-million-square-foot of area offers you a shopping mall, ballroom, island villas, restaurant, high-tech cinema, a missile-defense system for your security 60-feet underwater and 220 theme suites. The petal-like retracting roof is designed to organize open-sky events. Hydropolis is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Arabian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach. The land belongs to His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai,

The Diamond Ring Hotel (concept/Abu Dhabi)
Little is known The Diamond Ring hotel is to be located in Abu Dhabi. Little is known about this conceptual project, but if the picture are something to go by, then this hotel rocks!

meme superlatives

Friday Five

1. When were you the coldest you've ever been?
February this year when we went on a desert safari in Hatta, Oman. It was an overnight event and we camped in the middle of the desert. I could hardly sleep! My back was aching from the cold and i was trembling all over i could not speak.

2. When were you the hottest you've ever been?
The summer month of July here in Dubai. The temperature soared to 47.4 degrees celsius. The tap water can cook a hard boiled egg!!

3. When were you the tiredest you've ever been?
Hubby and i trekked to the peak of Mount Makiling in Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines) then morning, we drove to another region in Donsol, Sorsogon for a whale shark interaction. It was not a deep dive because the whale shark were actually used to have people touching them but my whole body were so sore i could harldy walk!! It was my first mountain climbing experience and it was not planned. We just thought we would make the most of our time in Laguna and climb the enchanted (according to the locals) mountain. From the peak to the underwater, it was crazy!

4. When were you the most stressed you've ever been?
The first three months of my pregnancy. This is our first born and nothing prepared me for the nausea, vomiting, constant tiredness, and irritability hihi. But then who does prepare for such things?

5. When were you the dirtiest you've ever been?
December last year when i went to a diving trip with hubby in Dibba, Sultanate of Oman. Again, it was an overnight event and there was no water anywhere near the dive site. Hubby and i did not rinsed off the saltwater that we were all hot and sticky on our way home from another country!!

baby Maktoum

Now on my six months, everybody's been asking what shall we call our baby boy. When i first found out that i was pregnant, i wanted to give the child an Arabic name. But hubby and i feared the disadvantages of having an Arab name for the baby's future so we had to let go the idea.

As my pregnancy progressed, i decided it will be hubby's assignment to think of the baby's name. After all, he will be the baby's greatest influence so let it start the day he will be born. Besides, i will probably be too drowsy from the epidural so it will be Ceasar whom the nurses will be asking the information on what to write on the birth certificate.

However, these days, hubby cannot seem to decide what to call the baby. Every time i ask him, it is either from the latest movie we watched (yes, he even considered calling the baby Atilla) or from the book we are currently reading hahaha. Now i seem to give up asking him. I trust he will be able to decide when the time comes.

The funny thing is, i dreamed that we are calling our newborn Baby Maktoum -- after the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Wow, i think Sheikh Maktoum is a really great model for young people but to call my son Maktoum here in Dubai, i'm afraid other people will find it funny. I mean, it is soo obvious.

Hubby and I are a great fan of the Sheikh. We have the utmost admiration for his leadership and visions. I think it is an honor to be named after a great ruler. Maybe if we are going home to raise the child in the Philippines, i shall definitely call him Maktoum. And people will be curious about the unique name and will start asking all about it. It will always be a great conversation to talk about a great Sheikh and a great city. But for now, our life here is in Dubai. The baby will be born and spend his early years here. I cannot scream Maktoum(!!!) in the shopping malls or in the supermarket in case he becomes unruly and inherits my stubborness. It won'tt be long before the Dubai Police send us packing home to the Philippines hihi.

But to nickname our newborn Baby Maktoum, i think it will be fun -- just between hubby and i and our closest friends. After all, two of our baby's future godmothers have a huge crush with Hamdan, (Sheikh Maktoum's son and rumored to be the next ruler of Dubai). They can turn their affection to the baby hehe.

When the baby gets to read this, I know he will be smiling.

me me a-li-cious

I snagged this from Melissa.

• Hi, my name is: Rosell
  


• But you can call me: Kero
  


• Never in my life have I: sky dive
  


• When I’m nervous I: stammer and my hands get sweaty yiikes!
  


• The last song I listened to was: Last Night by P. Diddy
  


• If I were to get married right now it would be to: The same person. i think hubby is the best in the world.
  


• My hair is: In need of deep conditioning.
  


• When I was 4: I still had my dad, mom, and little brother.
  


• Last Christmas: We had a house party and it was a blast!
  


• I should be: sewing and mending some clothes but i am sooo addicted to blogging right now.
  


• When I look down I see: A couple of magazines, DVDs, and a printer
  


• The happiest recent event was: realizing everything inside our house is paid off.
  


• If I were a character on ‘Friends’: I'd be Phoebe. Weird and dumb and funny.
  


• By this time next year: I hope to be learning how to be a good parent.
  


• My current distress is: i'm growing bigger and bigger everyday.
  


• I have a hard time understanding: economics
  


• There’s these girls: that hubby and i shared friendship with and they come over often
  


• If I won an award, the first person I would tell: hubby
  


• I want to buy: an electric sewing machine with some embroidery features
  


• I plan on visiting: Queen Elizabeth II when it finally docks here in Dubai
  


• If I could spend the night at anyone’s house it would it be at: My grandmother's.
  


• The world could do without: haute couture
  


• Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: maternity blouses
  


• Most recent thing someone else bought me: hubby bought me mid-calf booties
  


• My middle name is: Salendab
  


• In the morning I: have to pee urrrgh..
  


• Last night I was: reading Winter Blessings
  


• There’s this guy I know who: borrowed four of our DVDs three months ago and he has yet to return
  


• If I were an animal I’d be a: white furry cat.
  


• A better name for me would be: Lady Pinkihan
  


• Tomorrow I am: staying home and do laundry and update my blog and force myself to sew
  


• Tonight I am: reading the paper.

cheeks, ears, and careers

My dear readers, i shall continue today the face reading we started earlier this week. We will take a closer look at our cheeks and followed by the ears.

Your cheekbones can indicate whether you're a leader or a follower in life.

High
You are a born leader. You have lots of drive and ambition and want to make you mark in the world. You take risks in work and your finances, but often they pay off.

Wide
You have the capacity to be very successful in your career, but only through sheer hard work and dedication. You sometimes hold back a little for fear of making a mistake when you should just take the initiative, be less cautious and reap the benefits.

Flat
You are happy for others to take positions in the limelight while you work behind the scenes. You are liable and dedicated, but sometimes need to push yourself forward a bit more so that you get noticed and rewarded for your efforts.

Full
You sometimes are a little tactless and are not the most reliable colleague at work. But you are a good people person and well liked so what you lack in motivation you make up for by being a great co-worker.

Are you a creature of habit or someone who challenges the system. Your ears reveal all.

Large
You're wise beyond your years so people often look to you for advice.

Protruding
You don't like conforming, and like to push the envelope a little by acting in an unexpected ways or shaking up your life by big changes such as a new job or trip overseas. Yeah, i sometimes wish i can pull back my ears.

Red Ears
You're easily excited but can also get a little flustered and tend to worry about things that are really not that important.

Close-set
You're very pragmatic and like routine to your life - you don't like surprised.

Thin
If the veins on your ears are very obvious, you have a tendency to be sensitive emotionally and sometimes find it hard to trust in love.


And that is all for today. If you are interested to check out what your moles tell about you, i shared it to my other blogger friends on Kero's Journal. Till next entry!!

highest in the world

Every morning, i see the top of the city's soon to be landmark rising higher and higher. So it was hardly a surprise that Dubai owned the tallest self-supporting structure in the world last week. The building is called Burj Dubai. In Arabic, "Burj" means tower.

About a month ago, this project also hit the local newspapers for being the tallest high-rise building in the world. Of course, some countries like Bahrain and China are up to the competition so that the official height remains secret. The total height of 880 meters is subject to change for Dubai to be ahead of the game. However we have been given picture of how the building will look like when it is finished. Like this:

Nice to know facts about the Burj Dubai:

• Burj Dubai will become the world's tallest building, along with the world's tallest man-made structure when it is completed.

• The triple-lobed footprint of the building is based on an abstracted desert flower native to the region.

• The tower will be situated on a man-made lake which is designed to wrap around the tower and to provide dramatic views of it.

• Engineers working on the design considered installing triple-decker elevators, which would have been the first in the world. The realized building will use double-decker elevators.

• The top of the building will contain a public observation deck and a private club above that.

• The highest residential floor will be level 109.

• An observation deck will occupy the 124th floor

• This is the first world's tallest building since prehistoric times to include residential space.

we're going country

In between nursery ryhmes, i tune in to Yahoo Music and recently i heard the duet version of Kelly Clarkson's Because of You. She sang it with an equally powerful voice from the country classic singer Reba McEntire. See the beautiful video below and feel the heart wrenching ballad turn into a country classic.

Oh by the way, Kelly Clarkson wrote the song when she was 16 -- growing up in a dysfunctional family thus the rawness of the emotions involved. I included the lyrics below. I guess we have a lot to learn from other people's mistakes.

"Because Of You"

I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did,
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid

Because of you
Because of you

eyes reveal

I am fascinated by anything Chinese -- food, cheongsam, feng shui to name a few. So when i came across this article of ancient Chinese art of face-reading last month, i saved the clipping and now i want to share it with you over the next few entries so be sure to come back again.

Today's face part is the eyes: its shape and color. They are not only a window to your soul but they speak volumes about your social life and tendencies in romance.

• Large
You are a party girl, have no problem meeting new people and are confident in expressing your opinions openly.


• Small (like mine)
You're a little shy or retiring and prefer to sit back and watch others rather than get right into the thick of the scene. hmmnnn...


• Brown
You tend to be passionate about causes, love and work tasks and love meeting new people and getting friends together. Sometimes though, you think about or are affcetde by things too deeply and could learn to lighten up a little. You are very loyal and and generous friend and lover.


• Blue
You are strong-willed and can be very determined and focused if you have your mind set on getting something, so you're good at motivating others and getting things done. You are intelligent but prone to outbursts of temper and you're a die-hard flirt --you adore the company of men and the feeling of sexual charge in the air hehe.


• Green
You have a warm and giving nature but tend to shut down or withdraw when you feel upset rather than communicating and resolving the problem. You are practical and a very good problem solver with a keen sharp wit.


• Hazel
You have a wide social circle and you're well liked by your colleagues, friends and strangers alike. You can be sympathetic if someone close to you is in need, but trying to keep everyone happy sometimes frustrates you and you wish people would look after you as well. You can be disciplined if you need to be, but also love to break the rules every now and then.

Now tell me if any of these is true. Would love to hear from you, visitors. Ciao!

artsy weekend

Hubby and I went to Art and Craft Soukh at Al Ghazal Mall yesterday afternoon . The exhibit is from ARTE or Artisans of the Emirates. The group is made up of diverse cultural artists (yes, including Filipinos) and they hold soukhs/exhibits in different locations across the UAE.

This is our third visit to the ARTE Soukh. We are lucky we live near Al Ghazal Mall so every time there is an exhibit, we always check out the group. I took some pictures for you to see samples of their beautiful crafts. Check this out...

Framed Embossed Etching

Personalized Handcrafted Greeting Cards

Paper Tole (from a Filipino couple)

Ceramic and Porcelain Painting

Glass Mosaic

Pencil on Cartridge Paper

Framed Deep Etching



Acrylic on Canvas



Mixed Media

Ramadan celebration: what we can do

So what exactly does an newbie expatriate do during Ramadan? We are all expected to give respect to the local custom like what everybody is saying but exactly how?

I found these list of expatriate expectations from Xpress. And i find it a very good reminder for new residents like me. Allow me to share these etiquettes that will serve as a guide for the next 29 days and maybe for many, many more Ramadan celebrations to come:

• Be patient with people who are fasting.

• Do not eat in front of them.

• Try fasting. You will get a sense of what the month is about and how it feels.

• Go for Iftar (the meal to break the fast eaten after sunset). Even if you are not fasting, you can break tha fast with your Muslim friends and join the daily mini-celebration.
  

• Avoid being on the road around Iftar as people who are fasting will be trying toget home.
  

• If you live near a mosque then be aware that evening prayers will take place everyday of Ramadan staring from the night before the fast starts. Also, during the last 10 days, there are further prayers late into the night.
  

• Avoid having loud music blaring from your car stereo. This is the month of piety so many will not appreciate this and may find insulting.

• If you smoke, try avoiding or lessening it this month. It would be a good start to improve your health
  

Peace be with you on Ramadan and always!!!

Happy Ramadan!

The special month of Ramadan starts today here in Dubai. The celebration continues for the next 30 days.

I found this beautiful greeting card and this is my tribute to our Muslim brothers all over the world.

The Muslim Emiratis (yes, there are also Christian Emiratis) here will be fasting everyday from dawn to dusk. This tradition also calls for them to refrain from thinking bad thoughts, gossiping, getting angry, becoming greedy and behaving in a lustful manner. On the other hand, us expatriates, are expected to give respect to the tradition by not eating in public, not wearing sleeveless and shorts, and no playing of loud music. This is my first time to experience Ramadan so i am very excited witnessing the event.

I think the expatriates are also very happy with the directive that office time will be shortened for the whole month in all private and government departments. Now hubby and i can spend longer evenings together. Yipeee!!!

jargon buster

Are you are planning to but a new digital cam or a new television? or simply want to change the model of your phone? Please take a quick glance on these technical terms. These will immensely help in knowing what you are getting before parting with your cash. Hubby and i came across these terms during the GITEX Shopper Show and Electronics Expo two days ago. It is one of the most awaited event here in Dubai.

>>BLUETOOTH
It works like a short range wireless radio technology, ranging from 30 ft to 100 ft. It allows electronic devices within the vicinity to connect to another. It has been made to a universal standard, so that globally, any laptop, mobile phone, or any number of devices will wirelessly connect.

>>BLU-RAY
This is the next generation of optical disk format and has been developed in order to record, rewrite and playback high definition videos. It uses a short-wave blue laser, hence the name and offers five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs, holding up to 25GB, that's roughly 12 hours, worth of material.

>> DITIGAL ZOOM
This is not really a zoom in a technical sense. How it works is that it crops a portion of your image and enlarges back to the original size, therefore reducing the quality of your finally picture. When buying your camera, you should opt for one that either doesn't have a digital zoom or one that gives you the option to turn it off as a function.

>>HDTV
If you are the type who's easily bowled over by impact, then converting to 'high definition' television is for you. With the ability to to display 10 times as many pixels as the old analogue television, high definition is becoming synonymous with cinema-style quality. Movies can be watched in their wide screen format, the quality of detail and depth of image is excellent and because it uses more colors, images are rich and vibrant. Sound is also of theater quality, and all HDTV programs have Dolby Digital surround sound.

>>LCD
A liquid crystal display makes a flat screen TV possible, working on the basis that liquid crystal acts like shutters, allowing the light to pass through it or block it. It is the most expensive choice of television, but is unrivaled in its four inch thick screen. LCDs are lightweight have excellent sharpness, reproduce crisp images and create true colors.

>>MEGAPIXEL
Even though digital cameras have been on the market for awhile now, some people still get confused by megapixels and how many they should have. It's simple, one megapixel amounts to one million pixels and indicates the resolution capability of a digital camera. The more pixels, the clearer the resolution is, and the better the representation of your image.

>>MP3
This is a compression technology that produces high quality audio files by removing certain parts of the sound that are unrecognizable to the human ear. To creat an MP3 file, you will need a ripper, a device which copies music from a CD to your hard drive and an encoder to convert the file to MP3 format.

>>PDA
Stands for Personal Digital Assistant, one of these little devices does exactly what it says on the tin. A handheld device that functions as a mobile phone, fax sender, web browser,a nd personal organiser. it is designed to work along with your PC and synchronise any work tasks you have. PDAs use a pen-based stylus, which either taps the letters on the on-screen keyboard or some even come with natural hand writing recognition.

>>PLASMA
The basic principle of plasma is to illuminate tiny colored flourescent lights to create an image. To do this, each pixel is made up of three chemical compunds known as phospors, a red, a blue, and a green. These phospors then create light, and eventually an image when they are struck by beams of electrons.

>>SUBWOOFER
You know when you're in cinema and you start to feel that deep rumbling sound pulse through your body? Well, that sound is made by a subwoofer. Another device to bring cinematic theater experience to your living room, a subwoofer is a speaker which is specially designed to pick up low bass frequencies that other speakers can't.

And that's all folks. I hope you learned a thing or two. Now you can be more specific to hubby what you want for Christmas. Ho Ho Ho!!!

what about this

I thought about last night how will i make this web blog different from Kero's Journal. That is one perfect east scramble. A perpetual flow of my thoughts and musings on just about anything that i feel like writing and sharing. Recently, i decided to make the journal as informative as possible so i had some tidbits on health, fashion, and home improvements that i read, practice, and that my hubby, friends, and i found some truth in them.

Aside from the obvious header that this is a blog of joyful approval and warm expression of my life, i also want to give my readers and visitors some of what i shared on my other blog. But this time, i will focus more on wellness and personality. Once a week, i will feature some tips on just about everything that confronts our day to day life. Maybe at times, i can share some quiz that analyses our hidden personality. All these of course come from my readings and the source shall be given due credit.

Ooh and if i thought that some of the tips on my Journal might interest you, i will also tick here my updates so you can simply click and read. That way, i hope i added some nice and need to know things in your life.

I would also like to take this chance to thank my Bravenet blogger friends who were able to catch up on my new baby blog. Ladies, I am having more and more fun with you everyday. Cheers!!!

my disclosure policy

This policy is valid from 11 September 2007


This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact kero_mavid@yahoo.com


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This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

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i forgot the time

Whew!

My back is starting to complain and that means i have to get my ass out of the pc. 'Tis almost 5 p.m. now and i still have to take my shower!hihi I sat here for hours customizing my new blog baby, familiarizing myself with the buttons, and chatting with my friends in between. Boy, i got so engrossed.

I have to go now. I hope to make more entries tomorrow now that i am beginning to get the hang of this.

Bye everyone and have a good rest!

...wow. YM is playing Sheryl Crow's version of The First Cut Is The Deepest. It sounds great!!

finally, my new web blog

Hi there! i have been receiving tags from friends here in blogspot so here i am making my own journal too.

I hope to meet more new blogger friends because it is just so much fun sharing your thoughts and finding similar experiences to your own.

Meanwhile, check out my other web blog at Kero's Journal while i customize my new blog.

Do come back and i will add you to my links. See yah!