Category: You Asked

Sharing about friends and company

Di is our gracious host for Share Your World

Share your world 2

Here are this week’s random questions

1. Do you have a lot of friends or do you know a lot of people ?

I do know a lot of people. Sometimes I even forget their names. But I won’t call all of them my friends. I do have many sets of friends too, really good ones. One set is from my med school hostel days. That friendship is more than 40 years old and these ladies/ girls feel more like sisters than friends. The other set is the friends I made as a married, grown woman. These too are absolutely amazing people and since we live in the same city, we get to meet often and share our joys and troubles with each other.


2. If you are at a party and know very few of the guests, do you mingle and introduce yourself, sit on the sidelines and people watch, or discreetly leave?

First off, if I know beforehand that there’s won’t be people there that I know, I don’t go. If it’s an obligatory invite, like a wedding or something, I try to find a few people I’m acquainted with and chat with them. But if it gets too boring, I’ve been known to make an excuse and leave.


3. What is the best job you have ever had?

I haven’t worked in the traditional sense but have been lucky to hold the job title of a homemaker, a wife, a mom, and a grandmother! I think that the job of a grandmother is the easiest and the best!


4. Can you swim?

Nopes, never tried to learn.

Gratitude:

Roses and petunias blooming

I am grateful that the weather is very nice these days making fasting easy for everyone. My tiny granddaughter is 3 weeks old now and is starting to take note of the world she was born into.

Her tiny hand in mine.

Thanks Di, for these great questions.

#Keepitalive

#SYW

Gravatar – Its importance and purpose?

Blogging Insights

Dr. Tanya is back after her short hiatus and this week she has asked us;

TODAY’S QUESTION:

How important is your Gravatar to your blogging personna?

Your Gravatar(globally recognised avatar), that little image that accompanies your posts, likes, comments etc is like your calling card. It announces you to the virtual world

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Before reading today’s question, I thought that an Avatar is the same as a Gravatar!

Though I don’t have an official Gavatar for my blog, my display picture can be considered my Avatar/Gravatar.

I don’t think that whatever image accompanies my name on WordPress is as important as the words I write. I did put my real picture in my blog a couple of years ago ( I think) but even before that when it was a Memoji ( a customized emoji that looked a bit like me), it didn’t make much of a difference to how people interacted with me on my blog.

There are many bloggers that I interact with on a daily basis who haven’t put a picture of themselves on their blogs. I know them through their writing and thoughts. And that is enough for me! We all are here to express ourselves through our words and it doesn’t matters to most of us what the other person looks like.

Besides, it’s a bit risky these days to give out too much information about oneself in the digital world. So even if someone doesn’t display their real picture, I think it’s fine. As long as they project their true identity through their words and thoughts.

What are your views about displaying your avatar/Gravatar on your blog?

Written for Blogging Insights 3.0 # 5, hosted by Tanya

#Keepitalive

#BloggingInsights

Weekly Q and A from Rory

Rory has posed a few questions this week;

Is the WHY to everything important?

Not to everything! Some things we have to accept as they are. For the rest, we should ask why so that we gain more knowledge.


What would you list as your Top Five Fun Things?

Spending time with family and grandchildren

Blogging

Going out with friends

Catching a good movie with family or friends

Reading my favorite author


Should we care about the dreams of others or only our own?

Dreams as in ambitions and aspirations; yes we should otherwise we will develop into selfish people. One shouldn’t sacrifice one own dream for others at the same time.


How well do you deal with criticism from others?

If it’s coming from a well-wisher, I’ll listen with an open mind ( reluctantly!) and try to see its truth. The rest I pretend to listen to, but really am ignoring it.


Do you say YES or NO more often, and which is it?

I’m the one saying YES most of the time. I guess if you are born a people pleaser, you find it hard to break the habit.


What is nose hair for?

To stop the mosquitoes and flies from entering your nose and killing you.


What is the funniest comment you have ever received?

Can’t recall offhand! But grandkids are usually coming up with hilarious one-liners 😂


Novels or Netflix?

Blogs! And sometimes novels.


Do good things come to those who wait?

They do, but it’s all transient. Nothing is permanent in life and good and bad alternate till it’s time for the final curtain call.

Thank you Rory for these fun questions.

#Keepitalive

#Q&A

Comforting Tranquility

How would you define comfort?

For me, comfort is when I am at peace within myself. Comfort may be physical comfort or mental comfort. But peace is an integral element of it.

Under what circumstances do you seek and/or give comfort?

When I am upset because of something that happened, something that someone said, or a remark that I made that was taken the wrong way, I get a feeling of letting people down. At times like that I need to discuss my point of view with someone close to me who understands me and can give good advice.

The sound of my father’s voice always brought me comfort. Is there a voice that beings you comfort?

Being able to share my thoughts with my late father always was comforting. Now that he is no more, I turn to my husband and close friends to share my feelings. But most of all, I turn to Allah ( God) and share the reason for my disquiet. Never have I been disappointed when I asked God for help and guidance.

Do you have a favorite comfort food?

Usually a cup of hot coffee would do the trick.

What person, animal, place, or thing makes you feel comforted?

I grew up in a time when there were no huggable stuffies, no comforting blankies, or any special toy that held comfort for me. So it was the comforting presence of my father that gave me solace.

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Written in response to Tranquil Thursday # 8- Comfort, hosted by Maggie

#Keepitalive

#TranquilThursday

Sharing about fragrances and odors

Di is our gracious host for Share Your World

Here are your questions for this week:

1. Do you use an ‘air freshener’ in your home/car/office? (solid, gel, spray, pot pourri, etc)

I have the battery-operated spray air freshener in my bathrooms. If I am cooking at home for guests, I use an air freshener spray to kill the food odor.

2. How often do you clean the oven or microwave?

The oven gets cleaned up if something spills in there, and the microwave gets periodically as some people using it don’t use the plastic cap over their plates/ dishes. The best way to clean it is to microwave a cup of water in it to boiling. That will generate steam to soften the old food splatters in it.

3. Do you use a fabric conditioner in your laundry and/or fragranced tumble drier sheets?

Sometimes I use it while washing baby clothes. Otherwise, I just use the detergent. We don’t get dryer sheets in Pakistan so we use dryer balls. A much cheaper alternative.

4. If you have the choice, do you prefer to get your laundry dry outside on a line or use a tumble drier?

Electricity has become very expensive here so unless it’s raining or I’ve washed towels or woolies, I put the laundry out on the clothesline to dry.

Gratitude:

Each day has a fresh start, so don’t dwell on bad yesterdays.

I make many mistakes in my day and try to make amends for them by learning from them. I also apologize instantly to the person concerned. But sometimes it takes longer to turn the page and find a clean slate.

Spring is in the air!

Thanks Di for giving us interesting and new questions every week.

#Keepitalive

#SYW

living our best life – three/two wishes

Di hosts Truthful Tuesday and she asks ;

My question this week is

By some weird twist of fate, you are given 2 wishes. What would you wish for?

I am re-sharing this post that I wrote this post 3 years ago in response to Wendi’s prompt;

Living our best lives.

SIMPLYWENDI host the series, Living our best lives.

She asks;

Just like in a fairytale, a genie pops out of a bottle and you are instantly granted three wishes………..what would they be?

  • The rules: you can’t ask for more wishes, and you can’t ask anything for yourself.

~*~

This is a great question Wendi, the stipulation that we cannot ask anything for ourselves is the difference which will separate the selfish desires from the ones which we actually should be wishing for!

Three wishes;

• I would ask that the people of this world finally realize that we all are equal in every respect. So that we can learn to live in harmony and peace with each other.

• I would ask for kindness to be a part of every human being’s personality. So that they are kind to themselves and each other too. And kind to the planet they are living on.

• Health and well-being for all, including that of my family, children, and friends.

If these wishes were granted, I am sure that the world would become a totally different place to live in. In fact, it would become as close to heaven as could be on earth.

#Keepitalive

#LivingOurBestLives

Sharing my favorites

Di is our gracious host for Share Your World

What kind of music do you like?

I like every kind of music, that’s pleasing to my ears. Heavy rock or metal bands don’t really make me happy, but I do have a few of them on my playlist. I listen to songs in Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and English! Some of the lyrics I don’t understand but I still like them because the music is rejuvenating.

What is your favourite food?

I used to love carbs. Now I find them tempting but can’t eat them more than a bite. Basically, my love of food has been tempered by the fact that I can’t eat much. And if you’re restricted to just 2 tablespoons of food the fact that it’s good you can ingest is enough.

What is your favourite tipple?
For those who don’t drink, what do you order when out with friends?

With meal it’s only water. If we go at tea time, then obviously I’ll ask for a cappuccino or hazelnut latte!

What relaxes you (music, reading, walking, meditation, yoga etc)

It depends on my mood. Sometimes meditation, reading Quran, or praying helps me relax. At other times I need to go for a walk and think deep thoughts. During my walks, I usually talk on the phone with a friend or listen to music.

❤️❤️❤️

Gratitude:


How often do you have some ‘Me Tine’?

“Me time” is an essential part of my day. Reading and writing blogs, answering the comments, or making comments on the blogs I follow are my favorite things to do when alone.

A bright waning moon from last night

#Keepitalive

#SYW

Achieving tranquility

This week Maggie has asked us a few Questions about how we achieve tranquility in life;

1 • Can you recall a particularly chaotic or stressful time in your life? How did you manage the stress?

There have been a few times in my life when I was feeling the stress of life tremendously. The first time was when I was a teenager. Life without a mother, and no sister to talk to, left me vulnerable to circumstances. At that age, I found that faith was my anchor. It helped me tremendously to strengthen my faith in Almighty Allah. This was what then always came to my rescue whenever I was under stress in life.

2 • Where is the one place in the world where all your troubles disappear – even if only for a moment?

On my prayer mat. As Muslims we pray 5 times a day, and during these prayers we ask Allah for guidance and forgiveness. This is such a invigorating experience that erases my stress at least for the time I’m praying.

3 • Do you like for other people to try and raise your spirits or do you prefer to deal with things on your own?

Usually, I deal with my issues myself. But if I need to vent or get advice on how to deal with certain situations, I ask my family or close friends for advice.

4 • What quote, song, book, or movie serves as an inspiration to you when things get tough?

“Things can always be worse”

This quote teaches me to be mindful and grateful for all that I have.

5 • Does solitude quiet your mind or do you need to pump up the volume?

Mostly meditation in solitude helps me navigate my issues. But there are times when a walk in nature with music helps too!

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Written in response to Tranquil Thursday # 6, hosted by Maggie

#Keepitalive

#TranquilThursday

Pausing for recuperation

Maggie is our host for Tranquil Thursday

Her questions today are:

How often do you pause to rest or simply take in your surroundings?

I have a set schedule for my day that includes resting and sitting quietly with my blog. It helps me relax and at the same time catch up with my pending comments.

Is this pause a scheduled part of your day?

It is very much a part of my day but it’s not scheduled as not set for a fixed time. It happens when I’m done with my morning routine of walk, breakfast etc.

Do you think taking time for ourselves is a matter of self-worth?

Yes I do feel that as we grow older, we need to take out time for ourselves not as a way of increasing our self worth but as a part of our self care. A tired, frustrated or overwhelmed person is no good to themselves or others in the family.

What type of activity feeds your soul?

Walking, reading Quran, listening to music and having meaningful conversations with my family are all activities that give me peace. I engage in each of these activities as and when my mood demands it. Reading Quran is one essential morning ritual and so is walking.

And lastly, what have you done for yourself today?

Today I spent time with my family, had breakfast with them and then I went out to buy a nice plant for my front yard.

#Keepitalive

#TranquilThursday

What has changed in the last 20 years?

A repost from 2021, in response to Weekly Prompts- Change, hosted by Sue W and GC

Fandango Provocatively asks;

Think back to the year 2001 when you were twenty years younger than you are today. Are you a very different person today than you were back then? That’s what this week’s provocative question is about.

How much have you and your priorities changed over the past twenty years? If you’re on the younger side, answer from the perspective of the past ten years or even five years.

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Was 2001 twenty years ago! Unbelievable, but true.

Twenty years ago I was 40, now I’m going to be 60 in a couple of weeks. ( I am 61 now)

At 40, I was just realizing my independence. But I didn’t know it then. This secret was revealed to me a few years later that after 40, you don’t have to bother about the opinion of others about you. I took this advice to heart.

At 40, I was giving my three kids my whole attention. They were in various stages of their schooling and needed me to be there for them. My health wasn’t very good either as I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and was learning to live with it. My thinking was mostly all over the place with my hyper-sensitivity. It wasn’t a very calming phase of my life.

Now at 60 ( almost), I’d say that things are much better. My three children are now fully qualified professionals, married with families of their own. I am a mother so I still worry a bit about them but mostly they are managing on their own. My health is much better as I have gotten rid of the two bad knees that were making walking and doing daily chores difficult for me. I can walk 3-4 miles a day, do anything I want regarding housework, and I am eating healthy ( mostly)!

My priorities have changed too. Instead of trying to change the world around me, I have started accepting things as they are. The family will always be my priority but I don’t obsess over it. There is just that much one can do for the family and the rest is up to them.

I think the older I am getting, I’m more relaxed about life!

#Keepitalive

#FPQ