Monday, September 17, 2007

Ramadan Greeting from Hong Kong

Hello again everyone. Ramadan Mubarak to all!

I can't believe it is already the close of the fifth fast here. I've been checking in here since a few days before the month started, but was always pressed for time. Today, sitting at work, with an hour to go till iftaar, I'm hungry, slightly cranky, and really don't feel like working... seems like the perfect opportunity to blog :)

First of all, kudos to "Shasha" for all the work she's done in revamping this space. All the pictures of pakoras and mentions of lassi and dates is the perfect way for me to think of Ramadan back home in Pakistan.

However, since I am not at home and don't have a chance of having right-off-the-stove pakoras (or, more appropriately still-dripping-in-oil pakoras), I have decided that this month I will attempt to drop that last 10 that has been hanging out around my mid-section for some time now. Yes, that's 10lbs. So no pakoras for me, no samosas... I'm living on protein bars and nuts this Ramadan and hoping I'll be blessed with a flat tummy, among other things like forgiveness and redemption from hell etc.

I do think that given the whole month is actually about forgiveness et. al., I should work more towards that; but it is soooo very difficult. So far, I am managing my prayers and taravihs (although not in mosque), but that is really it. If you ask me if I'm doing anything extra during this month (other than giving up food an drink during the day), I don't think I'll have much of an answer for you... "No" I guess. I am just hoping to manage the obligatory bits this time round... pillars 2 - 4 of Islam (salat , zakat, fasting). The festivities and celebrations come with having people around you, friends, family, and some time to enjoy their presence. I look forward to the time I can be back among family and friends and celebrate Ramadan the way it is meant to be celebrated.

However, that time is far away. At this point, the most I'm looking forward to is iftaar... half-an-hour more.... to this:



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

As salamu aleykum , brother Boo! I just want to say or(write) one thing...: Don't be hard on yourself!

I wish you wouldn't live on the bars, all the time, i think you'll get bored very soon, and start eating like a horse after iftar, and we don't want that right??+

So if you want to get rid of the ibs, fine, but get rid of them with healthy food, like vegetable soup, cereals and dates now and then, almonds and other kinds of nuts. This is so much better than pakoura, and yet you get the ramadan spirit on the table! That is something you don't want to miss ;-)
My "lesson" is over now, so keep it up!

Boo! said...

Hey sister w/ flip flops - my wife is of the same opinion and if my mum found out I was doing this, she'd have a fit! However, the thing with these bars is that they are very convenient to carry around... come iftaar time, take out of the bag and consume.

I wouldn't mind vegetable soup now and then, but who has the time to make that? ;) This is the jet-setting 21st century Honky lifestyle...

I do get your point though, and I'll try =D

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Hey Boo :)

well what can I say, you have your own online dietitian here to give you advice, Go sis with flip flops! lol

Seriously though, I feel you on the whole who has time to cook thing but...granola bars only? come on...atleast have bananas and stuff like that with u as well...

Meanwhile, I am dying...and i mean..DYING, to see pics from the mosque in Hong Kong and anything else related to "living as a muslim" in Hong Kong. :)