Celebrating Eid Non Traditionally

Today is Eid for us. My MIL has been cooking since early morning. I've been  hiding out. I never was much for holidays so I try to be as invisible as possible. It helps that I work nights and sleep during the day so for the most part I can get away with not making an appearance. 

My husband and I don't partake in any of the celebrations. We prefer the less commercialized non traditional way of doing things, but he and I are a minority of two. While his family doesn't do as much as others, they still have their own traditions of food, gift giving (eidi), and visiting each other. However since my husband is the head of the household, we do give gifts to my two sister in laws and provide the food for the day as it is traditionally the head of household's responsibility, but he and I try to be as scarce as possible for the actual festivities.

In the bigger cities, they have major celebrations with lots of sweets, fireworks, camel and horse rides for kids, kite flying, and music. We don't attend those, but for the majority it is the way they celebrate Eid. New clothes, shoes, and jewelry are bought. They were showing how busy the markets were last night on the news and all I could do was shake my head and be thankful I was not amongst them. 

Almost all of the women have mehndi/henna applied to their hands and arms. They are usually done by professionals who apply intricate designs and details. My SIL's both apply mehndi but they do it themselves instead of going to have it professionally done. The first two years I was here they tried and tried to get me to wear it, but I don't wear mehndi. Never. I didn't even wear it for my wedding which is like UNHEARD of. Now though they have pretty much given up trying to get me to put it on. Although every now and then my oldest SIL still asks me to and I still say no. 

The only thing I think I truly enjoy about today is a guilt free reason to eat biscuits (aka cookies) lol

Sab ko Eid Mubarak ho!! (Happy Eid to all)


Two days left to enter my giveaway! Enter now!

Escape

Time for Indie Ink writing challenge again. This week I was challenged by Diane and I have to admit when I first read her challenge I drew a total blank. It was way outside my writing style and I had no clue what to do with it so hopefully I did a little justice to it. I challenged Tara. You'll be able to read her reply on her blog. Prompt will be at the end.

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talking to one's self:

Oh God, she's singing. AGAIN! Doesn't she ever get tired of hearing her voice? I know I do. I just want to sleep and she insists upon screeching. I can't wait to get out of here. Just a few more days, and I'm free. I have no idea what's going to happen when I finally leave this dark, damp, musty ol' rat hole, but I don't really care as long as it means I'm far away from that incessant screeching of hers. 

Chinese takeout again? That's the third night this week she's had Chinese takeout. It wouldn't be so bad if she got it from that place down the block, but noooo she has to be all snooty and order in from that place on the other side of town. Just because she likes their fortune cookies better. How did I end up with these people? 

It has to get better though, right? What the?! Will you please stop poking me? Every time I get comfortable HE has to come along and start poking. One of these days he's gonna poke me and I'm gonna poke back so hard he'll never poke anyone again. Please someone make them shut up. 

Oh! What's that? That's new. I have never seen that before. I wonder what it is. Whoa! Why do I suddenly feel all floaty? What the hell did you people do to me? I have to get out of here before they kill me. I'm certain they're trying to kill me. Wha-? What was that? I thought I saw something down there. What's that noise? 

Who? Who are all of you people? Where did you come from? Hey hey put me down! Who the hell are you? Let go of me. Stop it. Don't do that. I don't want to. Please let me go. Please. I'll do whatever you want. Just please don't stick me with that thing again. Please. Ok. Ok. I'll be quiet now. I promise I'll be quiet just please don't stick that thing in me again. Where are you taking me? What's happening? Will someone please tell me what is going on? Please?

********

"What is it?", I heard him say. The nurse smiled as she laid the tightly wrapped bundle on her chest. 

"It's a boy". 

Prompt: Pickles and Ice cream?! Also don't forget to check out my giveaway. There's still time to enter!

Big News Reveal & Giveaway

I know this past week must have been torture for you. Having to wait, wondering what the news was. I'm sure it was all you could think about. Well I FINALLY got things sorted and am so excited to announce that what started out as a little side endeavor is officially a DOT COM. 

That's right Indie Designz (http://www.indiedesignz.com/), my cover design business has become official with its own little home on the web. Have a look. Let me know what you think. I'm an avid lover of constructive feedback. I've been doing my happy idiot dance all week. I can't believe I actually kept this a secret all this time.

So in order to celebrate the launching of Indie Designz, Lizzy Ford has been kind enough to allow me to GIVEAWAY an autographed paperback copy of her latest release, Kiera's Moon. It's very easy to enter and there are multiple chances to win. You can do as many as you wish. All you have to do is:

1. Follow my blog (1 entry)

2. Like Indie Designz on facebook (1 entry)

3. Like Lizzy Ford Books on facebook (1 entry)

4. Follow @DafeenaJameel on twitter (1 entry)

5. Follow @LizzyFord2010 on twitter (1 entry)

(If you are already a friend or follower, then leave me a comment on my blog letting me know you want to be entered. If you don't let me know, then you'll not be automatically entered)

Winner will be chosen by random.org. Giveaway will remain open until next Friday (Sept 2nd). Make sure you message me or leave me a comment here on my blog letting me know which of the above you have done. If you don't message/comment letting me know, then it won't be counted as an official entry. It's my first ever giveaway so I just want to be sure I don't miss anyone. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Good luck!!

 Fantasy romance novel Kiera’s Moon is available for free ebook download.

When starving artist Kiera wakes up on board a spaceship, she panics. Her best friend has dragged her across the universe to help her find a man and a life, only the man she ends up unwittingly hooking up with is a battle-hardened warrior prince living in exile.

Calculating, cautious A’Ran wants nothing more than to reclaim his planet. He needs Kiera as his lifemate to heal his planet and his war weary people. He’s not prepared to be a lifemate himself, and discovers almost too late what he risks losing if he can’t learn to be more than a warrior.

That's Why

A little late this week, but here's my weekly Indie Ink writing challenge post. This week I was challenged by Transplantedx3 and my challenge went to Allison. You'll be able to read her reply HERE. This week's reply is slightly different. It's all non-fiction; a first for me. Prompt will be at the end.

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When I first read the prompt for this week, a million and one possibilities ran through my mind, but none of them truly captured me. I was going to tell you about how every day during my first marriage my house would be filled with exotic aromas and spices as I prepared dinner. Or how the smell of bread baking in the oven was the first thing that hit you when you walked in my door. I thought about telling you how the shoes sat beside the front door in a perfectly straight line like soldiers awaiting their orders. I thought about all of the different ways I could give you a glimpse of my life, but none of it appealed to me. 

For it was all done because he said so not because I said so.

So I let the prompt float through my brain for awhile. Then finally I knew exactly what I would write about. I would tell you about how the world no longer stomps all over me. Pushing and grinding me into the ground. Then I would tell you about how much I have grown these last few months, how my confidence has improved, and how I have slowly begun to change my outlook on life. I would tell you about how for the first time in my life I have friends. Real friends who care about me, who want me to be happy, who worry if I start to get quiet. Friends who don't let me wallow and call me out when I'm pouting and feeling sorry for myself. As I thought about the reasons why my life and the people around me suddenly seem so very different I realized:

It was all because I said so.

Prompt: Because I Said So

Spark(le) Fest

Today I'm doing a post for SparkFest. There's still time to join and there are prizes!! Make sure to stop back by on Friday for my big news reveal.

As writers, we're always striving to get out a message of inspiration to others. This blogfest is a celebration for those who have done this for us. Join the Spark Blogfest, aka Sparkfest, by posting your answer to any of the three prompts above (or make one up as long as it fits the theme).

 

So here's my answers to her questions. I did all 3 because I'm geeky like that:

What book made you realize you were doomed to be a writer? 

 

It wasn't a book so much as blogging. I have written my whole life but never ever considered I had talent, potential, or ability until I began blogging. Now I am addicted and have become one of the masses of insecure aspiring writers. However I think my writing style is definitely Stephen King inspired. I love how he writes about the dark side of things but in a not so dark way. Needful Things is one of my all time favorite books.

 

 

 

What author set off that spark of inspiration for your current Work in Progress?

 

There are 3 actually for me. I know I haven't mentioned it on my blog but I do have a WIP. Although I am not forcing it and am just taking it slow. The writers who influenced me and gave me the courage to begin are Lizzy Ford,  Karen Walker, and Dues Ex Machina. Each inspired me in different ways and gave me the support to begin my WIP.

Or, Is there a book or author that changed your world view?

 

I don't  know if this counts or not but as a child I read National Geographic books constantly. I was fascinated by the exotic places and locations. I came from a very secluded backwoods redneck town smack in the middle of the Bible Belt and those books were my first glimpse into what lay beyond the county line.