Abha and Jeddah Get Away

It is Eid here in Saudi, something like our New Year, everyone's going on vacation, and my housemates and I were heading for Abha and Jeddah for some joyride, fun and new experiences.

I really love to travel, and it seemed to be so therapeutic to me, feeling the gush of wind on my face while riding the car, the sights that pass by, new faces, new places, exciting things to do.

It doesn't matter that the looong drive (10 hours to Abha and 7 hours to Jeddah)hurts my bottom and my back from sitting, but it will never, ever replace the experience of being in another place.

Here are some pictures:

Waiting For You - Yehonathan Gatro

The Bathtub and Me

I love soaking in bathtubs, it eases away the day's or a week load of stress. Here are some pictures of me in one, just playing around with my camera.

True Faith - New Order

I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold on me
I get this feeling I'm in motion
A sudden sense of liberty
I don't care 'cause I'm not there
And I don't care if I'm here tomorrow
Again and again I've taken too much
Of the things that cost you too much
I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

When I was a very small boy
Very small boys talked to me
Now that we've grown up together
They're afraid of what they see
That's the price that we all pay
Our valued destiny comes to nothing
I can't tell you where we're going
I guess there was just no way of knowing
I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

I feel so extraordinary
Something's got a hold on me
I get this feeling I'm in motion
A sudden sense of liberty
The chances are we've gone too far
You took my time and you took my money
Now I fear you've left me standing
In a world that's so demanding
I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

Must Write, Must Write, Must Write, Alright?!

Yeah, I've been meaning to write, a short story, a novel or something in general, I think I already mentioned here in my blog, sometime ago, that I would like to write.

But whenever I start with a paragraph or two or a whole page, I stop.

Just stop and lose the itch.

I have lots of ideas in my head, even actual experiences that I really would like to share with you in book form, I wish!

But how to get motivated? How to be consistent? I read the basics, the know-how's,
creating characters, plotting story lines, but I always find myself just starting.

I have a feeling that I can be a good writer (yeah, that's the spirit!) maybe I just need to be pushed and pushed and pushed.

Or needs to get inspired, really inspired.

But will still try, try and try, until I see a finished story.

New Diet - Smoothies

I started taking smoothies for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two weeks already, no, I have not stopped eating meat and rice totally, but I am cutting back of my intake of carbs and meat slowly.

I woke up one day and passed by a mirror, and shirtless and in my underwear, I stopped and noticed that my stomach is starting to bulge, and there was a love handle starting to form on my sides. I got conscious and thought of losing them.

I am never, chubby, never in my life I tipped the scale more than what I weight. Thanks to my active metabolism it was never a problem eating anything I like. But also, time and age catches up, I am not that young anymore, so I guess things are slowing down.

At the same time, starting to live a healthy life, should start with what we eat, right? I am not becoming a diet-maniac, I am just trying to balance what I eat.

So I am hooked into making smoothies.

My regular recipe includes: 1 Banana, 1 Apple, 1 Cucumber, 1 Carrot, Yogurt, 1 Tomato and Mango Juice for the liquid part, and I blend them away. The taste is yummy, fruity with tinge of tomato, as I find tomato very tasty in the mixture.

I also got back into working out, so an after work out smoothie includes: 1 tbsp peanut butter, a glass of non-fat milk, 1 Banana, and 2 tbsps of oatmeal.

I try to experiment by mixing fruits and vegetables, sometimes the blend is superb, sometimes I can't explain the taste.

Once I added a handful of Spinach and a shocking taste came out, I thought I drank a smoothie with a handful of soil, for it tastes like soil!!!

But I drank a glass and a half of it anyway, while pinching my nose that is!

Anyway, I hope doing this and my regular workout would result to a better me, physically. Wish me luck and hope to really lose 'em belly!

My New Toy - Iphone 3G

I think I found the best phone I could ever own, I was cajoled by an office mate and a good friend Peter that if ever he would buy a phone, it will be an Iphone. Being an expert to electronics and gadgetry, I took his advice and bought one.

It is a second hand unit, mind you, but nevertheless still in the best working order, as Peter accompanied me that time. He really took the time to check it out, as I took my time bargaining and huggling for the price.

It is a 16GB White-Backed unit, which I really like.

Very easy to use and my, the applications you can download and play with.
Also an Ipod in itself, I uploaded some of my favorite songs and videos into it.

Truly a magnificent phone, and maybe this time, it will last for a long, long time, before something come up with a better one (like there's an Iphone 3S already, but according to Peter, it's mostly the same in terms of functionality and everything) so I better stick with what I am using now.