25 Random Things About Me

I saw this on someone’s face book page and thought I would try it to see if I could come up with enough things about me. Fingers crossed


1. I like good food and I’m willing to travel far and pay a lot (and if that’s the only option, cook it) to get it.

2. I love to read. Everything but science fiction.

3. Coke and I have said our vows – till death do us part.

4. I like to spend money – will probably go round begging cap in hand, if I live till retirement.

5. I used to be so into politics - when I was 9, I went round my mum’s workplace campaigning for Shagari and stayed up all night for election results. Interesting that now that I’m old enough to vote, I’ve never even registered.

6. As I grow older, my tolerance level for lies diminishes. We all have those friends that tell lies all the time, and we simply discard what they say and move on. Now I find that I don’t want to be friends anymore.

7. I’m running a race against time, to visit everywhere in the world that interests me.

8. During the first half of my life I was very friendly and outgoing. Now I’m an introvert tending towards reclusion. I wonder why.

9. I can’t understand the American way of socializing - standing/walking around the room, drinking alcohol and talking. Give me a good meal (yes food again) anytime, and please, a chair to sit on even if there’s no food.

10. Choosing to come to MIT is the best decision I’ve made, ever. It’s an amazing experience.

11. If I got cancer, I wouldn’t go through chemotherapy.

12. I need a lot of ‘me’ time.

13. In University, I baked cakes to raise pocket money (with help from the amazing friends I had then, most of whom I still have today – thank God).

14. I miss my mum a lot more now than I did when I lost her 20 years ago – didn’t think it could get any worse.

15. I’m an internet junkie and don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed of.

16. Lance Armstrong is amazing. So is Barack Obama.

17. I’m a Grey’s Anatomy fan.

18. Friendship isn’t about talking or seeing each other all the time. It’s about being there for each other in times of need.

19. I hope I’ll figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life, before my life is over.

20. I’m nocturnal and don’t need a lot of sleep, unfortunately. I’m so envious of all those people that can sleep for 12 hours, straight.

21. I’d like to get a PhD, in-between the 200 other things I want to do.

22. Amazingly, I’m starting to like exercise. Maybe I will lose weight after all.

23. I hate being given unsolicited advice. If I want it, I’ll ask, thank you.

24. I try to see the ‘log in my eye’ before I see the speck in others. I wish everybody else would too.

25. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be but I got to the end ….Yay.

History is made

I think it is very fitting that my first post is the day after history was made - Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States of America, in sha Allah.

A month ago, I became convinced that he would win the election and I just wanted November 4th to come and go so that the formalities would be over, and Obama could get some sleep (I could almost track the progress of his grey hair, and wrinkles, over the past year). And so when CNN announced that he had won, I wasn't really surprised. I was very happy though, and celebrated his win for all of one hour, and then he came out to make his speech - a very sober speech. And I got very emotional. Suddenly the reality sunk in - the 47 year old Barack Obama would actually be the African American President of the United States. He is definitely not going to get the sleep I had been hoping he would.

I wonder how he feels. I felt yesterday that the reality of the situation had also hit him i.e. the amount of work he has ahead, and I wondered if he was thinking 'have I bitten off more than I can chew? Can I really do this?'. I also felt the absence of his mother and grandmother - I can totally understand how much he would have wanted them to be here to see him achieve this ultimate position. I was also raised single-handed by my mother and I lost her when I was still in college. Twenty years on, whenever something significant happens in my life - graduation, promotion etc she's always the first person, in fact the only person I want to tell. What wouldn't I give to be able to say to her 'Look what I have become, because of you'.

Obama winning the elections is God's will, that is why everything came right at the same time - a nation that was ready to embrace change, an amazing candidate and a phenomenal campaign (run by the most incredible managers). I remember watching him when he gave his speech at the Democratic Convention four years ago, and thinking he would go far. I had no idea how far and how soon.

I pray that the Almighty God protects and guides him as he carries out the very difficult duties that lie ahead, and I pray that in 2017, after he has served his 2 4-year terms, we will all look back at his long list of achievements and wish that we could elect him for a third term.