Have you ever tried a hosting or attending a cooking party? It's so much fun.

I recently hosted a cooking party for family and friends and it was a blast.

The day started with the kids belching their hi's and hello's in a decibel seriously should be illegal to humans... (I should know my boys scream like girls).

Breakfast is basically made by us, the host. Special fried rice, eggs, sausages and bacon, you name it. Then once everyone's fed and everyone's pumped up with the food they'll cook, the organized chaos started.

The guys were actually there just to have the best job of the day... eat. Sports, computer games and telly are the center of their attention. We have the dining table freed up and the rule is, as soon as it cooks, it goes on the table and it's free for the taking.

No time limit. No cuisine limit. No hassle of partnering food. No course succession. Really. I ended up serving my special Ceasar Salad at 9:30 PM... Not that it makes a difference, It got eaten so fast I almost forgot that I actually served it. 

Another rule, the kids were allowed to just be kids. If they get hungry, they know where to go to look for food. And yes, they realized that they need to check the table time and again because food served differ by the hour, if not by minutes.

And because we want to really enjoy the day. We even went swimming before sundown... the whole group... both kids and kids at hearts. We came back to the house hungry so we ate whatever was left on the table. We then resume creating more dishes until 11 PM!

I think that's what's missing in a lot of family and friends... a genuinely happy gathering. A day when you're not allowed to chat about problems. A day when the only aim is for everyone to eat and be merry. 

I say, do it after Ramadan. Choose a weekend. Inform the chefs-to-be in advance. Invite them and say that eating starts at 10 and cooking stops at 11PM. Go crazy and experiment. Pick a recipe you haven't done and just do it. Make as many desserts as you want if that's the only one you know how to. If you don't have a pool nearby, arrange for a the whole group to go to the cinema to watch a funny movie, or go to the park and play frisbee or fly a kite. Then go back to the host's house to cook some more.

Just have a blast. We did and we are definitely replacing our restaurant gathering for good.

...As a CIA officer, Evely Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor, and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her or being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using her skills and years o experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who is Salt?"

Synopsis from Sony Picures. Salt. [online] Available: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/salt/site/ [accessed 24 August 2010] 

I like Angelina Jolie in the movies, so this is hard for me... I wasn't impressed with this one and haven't been impressed with her past few ones. She shouldn't have accepted this offer as this seriously screwed her up. This is a hardcore cliche movie.

I saw lots of look-alikes if I may but mostly Jason Bourne. She's on the run from the people she used to trust and used to work with. She's highly skilled in self defense and weaponry. She has a dark past, a tragedy that made her what she is. A sleeper agent which Bourne was a bit like. Brainwashed. The movie was open ended, obviously asking for a sequel... how? Angelina jumped from the helicopter to the lake. Cliche with a capital C.

I only liked the confusion it created. Is she the antagonist or the protagonist? It was great they managed to keep the question popping at least until half the movie.

The scene where she had a one-on-one brutal fight with a pretty good villain Winter (Liev Schreiber) was also great. You can see a bit of Lara Croft in Jolie's punches and kicks... full of energy, jampacked with a lot of oomph.

The rest of the movie doesn't have the oomph though. A lot of wishful thinking. A ship with at least 15 trained KGB's were all killed by Salt. The mastermind was killed in an instant. There was no re-briefing before she's allowed to go mixers with everyone. The rest of the action scenes didn't show any Croft-like power. Guess Jolie lost a bit of her edge from motherhood.

Jolie should now stick to drama's like Changeling. Comedy perhaps,,, a glimpse of her funny side was in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Maybe a CIA that's just all brain... but I think she should hang her "killer" boots now before she gets branded as a fading action star. Wanted, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Salt are unimpressive ones.

Personality aside (I don't really like her in real life), my likeness for her movies had deminished dangerously. I think I'll be having second thoughts before paying up for her future stints.

Aaaah, don't we all want to have a vacation, every two months? Yes and some bonus money to go with it!!!

Eversince the global recession, tensions all over the world is a killer. You feel it in the supermarket, when suddenly everyone looks at the price before putting it in the costful basket. It used to be, "let me look into the calories, then maybe the price, but I really don't care". Nowadays, people are more eager to win freebies from a radio contest, coupons from magazines and newspapers. No one is shy to use that buy-2-get-1 free in a fine dining anymore. It's like, "if you think it's a blunder, then pay for my meals". Alas, we were all financially re-born.

To be honest, though recession is sad because a lot of people lost their jobs, it also has it's good side. The ones who were not made redundant are now conscious in what are essentials from luxuries. And if it's the latter, some asks "why should I pay full for it?" Establishments understood the psychology behind consumers which then affects their promotions, so overall, it's still good.

For days now I've been hearing lunch promotion from TGIF... AED 35... now, who would have thought we'll reach this point where TGIF will try to be at par with the more affordable food chains.

Hotels all over the world is pushing for stay for 2 nights and get 1 night free, a big change from stay for 3 then only will you get your 1 free night. Now I've noticed that hotel breakfast is now an option because some guests are not actually up for it,,, especially if they had a fun night... who wants to wake up early to make it to breakfast that was already charged to you along with your room?!

Airlines are also coming up with cool deals, it's amazing!

Nowadays, when I get really stress out, I search for fun stuff to do for a vacation. Because I really have one coming up. Though I already have a fixed itinerary,,, it's so refreshing if not exciting to dream of the holidays right in the smack middle of the UAE's rising temperature. 

Why don't you try and come up with one. Might be frustrating for some who are forced to stay during Summer but you'll be surprised of what you can come up with, with little time and little money.

Just don't tell your boss I goad you into wasting office hours!

Yes, alter ego, second personality, what an interesting concept.
 
Like everything weird and now acceptable, thanks to Hollywood, the heeby jeebies that was entagled with alter ego is now a thing of the past. It is even accepted and promoted if you are to take Beyonce and Sasha as an example.

Just remember that we are not talking out psychotic related multiple personality, no, no. We will stick to the hollywood packaged Alter Ego and have fun with it.

This alter ego is the commercialized type. It's the pretend play for adults, don't you think? Suddenly, we are entitled to nurture a second personality, one that we can always count on when times of need come. Sounds more like the adult version of imaginary friends when kids are young. These imaginary friends exist because a child needs a constant fixture in his/her fast paced life. Something to hold on to, someone to be there, as and when needed. Something now adults are encourage to nurture. That is what in Psychology we call, "regression".

Regression is not that bad. Better to regress and be a well adjusted adult than be confused for a long time. However, pitfalls of this maybe be "fixation". That's the time when you get stuck and won't let go.
 
Don't get me wrong, commercialized alter ego is cool. At least for the next 20 years for me but hopefully I get to deal with reality later on,,, do the expected whine and moan about being old.

Second persona seems like a great way to balance things. You get a license to be an extrovert if you are an introvert and vice versa. You get to be meek as a lamb when you are that blunt biatch that everyone knows. You get to be the other side of the coin, irrespective of how rare. What a breath of fresh air to actually be in someone else's shoes!

So think for a second and think of your alter ego, what kind of personality is it and if you feel like, what is the best name for him/her?

I met a patient last week, she had an operation. I asked her what was the operation about, she said, it's with her colon. Seems like a wrong diagnosis from another hospital and she had gone unchecked.

Yesterday, I saw her again and found out that the doctor had spoken to her. She has colorectal cancer. She was asked to go home, see her love ones, as soon as possible. The good Doctor said, "if your sponsor will not provide a ticket for you, I will". Her sponsor doesn't know the real situation yet.

I found out about the cancer through someone else. When I saw her yesterday, she was still smiling, as if she's not terminally ill. I even gave her money, silly me, thinking when she finally go home, she can use it to buy some stuff. Not realizing that going home healthy is not in the picture.

I've heard that she's accepted dying. Thinking of her daughter who recently got married, saying, "at least I know someone is there for her."

I only met her a week ago and all I know is her name. Finding out that she's dying pains me to the point that I cried yesterday and I'm teary eyed just writing this now. It's not that she's given up on life but what other options are there for her to be hopeful of? Unless some rich person pays for her treatment, she most likely will pass away this year. She will fly to her home country, see her family and that's it.

She doesn't have money for Chemotherapy, Radiation or further surgery so she will just die. I don't know her but she touched me and possibly made a difference in my life in a way that I'll never be able to describe.

She might stay for another week in the hospital and I'm planning to visit her with some soft food. Maybe bring her magazines she can read, or Chicken Soup for the Soul book. I heard she can't sleep at night, maybe because of the pain or because of her wound, she can use reading to divert her attention. 

I thought yesterday was the last time I'll see her. I bid her goodbye, told her to get well, regain strength, gave her some money and I felt okay with how I left her. Little did I know that I'll be coming back.

Maybe I'll cry with her, hold her hand while she tells me her story. Everything happens for a reason and I certainly believe that I met her for a reason.

It's life's way of showing me how transient but precious life is.

If you only have a three months to live, what will you do to take advantage of the time left? Will you finally take time to see the people you've neglected for a long time? Will you finally go skydiving and confront your fear since it is already staring at you? Will you finally visit a vacation spot you've been dreaming about even for a week? Will you finally admit to yourself that there is really more to life than money? It's the people you care the most, its the values you maintain, it's the heart that we all have. Who knows, you might finally celebrate your existence even briefly.

How about we work on our legacy now, while we still have time. Then we'll be busy living instead of be busy worrying about dying.

"Shutter Island" is the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane. Synopsis from Rottentomatoes. TomatoMeter. [online] Available: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1198124-shutter_island/ [accessed 31 March 2010] 

I gotta say, this is one sick movie. You actually feel like a sitting duck. Your blood just raising the whole time. Your heart rate was way through the roof as if you've been running miles after miles. The movie just keeps on scaring you scene after scene. Even on silent ones, your brain will just keep on asking, "What's next? What the hell is next? I should keep my eyes shut (that's probably why it's called Shutter Island), but then again, the background music will most probably make you jump on scenes you should be seeing though your eyes are close. Sick! Sick! Sick!

Guess if you're the type who wants to scare the shit out of your skin, then this is the movie for you.

Forget about finding a point, this movie doesn't make a point at all. No cohesive sense in the scenes that Leo's character sees in his head. As what my critic friend said while we're trying to avoid peeing our pants, there is at least 60 storylines in the movie. I wouldn't disagree.

We left disappointed. It started like a guessing game where you're thinking something is wrong. Who's the real antagonist, who's the real protagonist. Leo's character in the movie is insane and you'll be able to predict that within the first half hour. It just feels all wrong.

I think the Departed was an amazing work by Leo and Martin Scorcese but this one? Seems like Scorcese's gone senile, lost touch or something. We can't even begin to understand how Leo agreed to do this. There were scenes which were played right but together it was a very odd movie.

Don't get me started with Mark Ruffalo! He talked like the alien in the first Men in Black, the one who's wreaking of roaches? Yes. The one who's looking for the galaxy. Please tell me I'm wrong.

The weird part however, because I was trying to make sense out of pointless movie, I kept on thinking about how deep this movie really wanted to be. It might have been disjointed because of the arrangement, but it was made with all the right means and purposes.

Your mind does play tricks on you if it needs to protect you from remembering something so painful and traumatic. It does think of ways to cope so you can survive the day. In the end, I get to reflect on my own life and fortunately enough, I did have an epiphypany on my way home.

I wouldn't probably even think better of it if the ending was redeeming. But it wasn't, so my mind tried to cope to this hopeless case and I end up realizing how fortunate I am for having my family.

Though the movie doesn't seem to be impressive at all. People will actually have an after-the-fact appreciation. At least that's how I feel.

Leo's character made an interesting remark in the end, "is it better to die an innocent man or live as a murderer". The question remains, do you want to live or die?

This movie depicts the remarkable true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. - Synopsis from Rottentomatoes. TomatoMeter. [online] Available: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1212694-blind_side/# [accessed 24 March 2010] 

The movie was disappointing.

Characters didn't have chemistry, you can feel the wall between them. The story was supposedly great but the way it was written, scripted and directed almost seems cliche'. Even corny for some.

I think it's particularly hard to disappoint me in movies because I like feel-good movies. I normally don't have anything wrong to say in most movies, because I know what I'm expecting. If I want to just sit there and laugh, I'll go to a movie that I know is funny and does not require high level of thinking. Or even if I have some harsh comments about a movie, I tend to always refocus on the good stuff.

The Blind Side is different. Sandra received an Oscar for her performance in this movie! My expectation was way above average and I wasn't ready to be disappointed. I wanted to be moved by the gravity of what Sandra's character did. I wasn't moved at all.

The minute you sat in a movie and you feel you want to be forgiving. You search and search for highlights and found none. You start laughing at silly lines and hope there'll be more but then there was none. That's the time you know, the movie wasn't worth it.

I love Sandra Bullock and Kathy Bates, I think they're one of the few ladies in Hollywood who were born to act. This movie fail to show that. It just fell short in numerous areas.

It's still watchable. You don't have to pay big bucks to the Theater to see this, though. Lower your expectation and just remind yourself the whole time, this is a true story, not some average fiction movie, and you'll be fine.

Verdict: 3.

1 - Not worth watching
2 - Unless you are really bored
3 - It's okay. Nothing special
4 - Has great parts, some could have been better
5 - Tons of great parts, average ones seems irrelevant

Well I'm no expert, what's your verdict? I'm interested to know your opinion.

Ahhhh, the magic box. It's like a pair of Manolos in front of Carrie, a total hunk in front of Samantha, a cute baby in front of Carlotte and ..... hmmmm, a sure-win court case in front of Miranda (sorry Miranda, you are the most boring of 'em all, can't think much on your behalf). If you still didn't get the picture, change the channel, I mean, move on to the next website.

During draught of active living, television is supposed to entertain us. Give us ideas on what to do next. Hopefully change our moods for the better. Inspire us when we need it most. But, it seems like it no longer serve its original purpose. It has now taken over our lives!
 
People are glued to the box like they are hanging on to dear life. And the necessities over the box before have now become inconveniences.

Someone rang your bell and you don't seem to be willing to get up and open the door. If you do manage to meet the-not-so-important-person, you're cursing under your breath, "why the heck do you have to come now!"

Your bladder is about to explode any second and somehow your willing to give your bladder, your arm and that heavy legs of yours just so you don't miss Ugly Betty's poncho scene.

The solution of innovation to this devastating situation? TiVo, Showbox, Youtube, and the list can go on. These inventions are supposed to help us go back to the living part, but no Siree! What it does is actually bury our bums deeper into that soft cushioned sofa, if you don't have one, then chipped into that wooden chair. Going back to the topic, what happens to the most of us is, whatever is in those back-up boxes becomes sweet reserves, not pickles but file after file of our favourite series. Yup. We are all doomed!

Don't look at me! I got no solutions for any of you. I'm typing this while I'm watching TV. Kids are in bed now, I have a long day at work tomorrow so yes, that means more eye bags for me. Darn it!

I wonder when will I be able to watch through BB... :)

Thanks for reading! Until the next musing!

Psychobabbler is writing again and it is great that it is re-launched on Mother's Day. This blog is obviously devoted to motherhood. Mother's joy, pains, sacrifices, pride and all conflicting words you can fit in one sentence that oddly enough, compliments each other's existence.

Without being self-indulgent, I have to say, Motherhood is an amazing experience. What a great stage in anyone's life! For the ones who aren't yet in it, it is worth looking forward to. We have all witnessed it, first hand, our mothers are the best example.

I'm sure, some are curious of Single-town and from time to time, the unavoidable reminscing of late nights and adventures with friends. The days when the only thing to think about is "you". An equally amazing time, sitting on the fence between real and Alice in Wonderland (Avatar for some?).

Do I want to go back to those years? Obviously it depends on the time of the month. Ha-ha! Kidding aside, I will not lie, I do want some chunks of those years back, physically, from my head to my toe. Will I be willing to give up my kids for those? Definitely not.

Priorities do change when you become a mother. It's not that we don't take care of ourselves anymore, we still do. But, because we had our fair share of younger years, there's nothing to regret, no reason to regress, just an aim to look ahead and think of our young ones' future. What about ours? Our future, is here and now. Whatever we do from here onwards are all for our kids.

It is exactly what our parents had in mind when they raised us, only they didn't have the time to sit down and actually think of the great things they've been doing. The epitome of true altruism. (Whether you agree that there is such a thing as an unselfish act? It'll be for another time. Let's not spoil this blog with a hardcore psychobabble, shall we?) 

Motherhood is an arena like no other. Without an instruction manual, you get to do things for the first time and survive, day, after day, after day, after day. You pretty much pick up the ball and ran, across the field, to the end of the field, outside the field, and guess what? You are still running.

We must applaud the wise ones before us because of lessons we have learned from them, however, we should be equally proud of the ones we have learned on our own that the wise ones before us did not know. And at some point, we will pass our guru-ness to newbies. That would be an accomplishment.

It is indeed a never ending knowledge management. Corporations? Watch and learn!

I love motherhood. I never thought I will ever be a mother. I have always questioned my capabilities and whether I am ready to be one. Then came motherhood and I somehow wonder how I have lived without my kids before. 

I guess you don't know what you are missing until you get to have one.

Kudos to all Mother's out there!!!