Eid

Eid Mubarak to Powa, who reads this when she's taking a break from being a super-genius-research-scientist-person. And to all my imaginary readers too! (Apart from Father Dougal, who is currently tending to his flock aka 'the barbarian...horde!' Bunch of rowdy pre-schoolers.)

We woke up to rain and saturated greenery & purdiness outside--the pond in particular, a marvel to behold.

I got (myself) a Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette! Huzzah!
And littlest got a book about a lion who likes to chirp along with 'perky parrots.'
Ole Man Jiggy Wiggy got some LUSH.

And these pictures of Palestinians celebrating Eid made my morning. Uncrushed spirit.

They were pounded with 40 airstrikes (and counting) from The Unfettered Goons BUT WHATEVS YO, EID!

Pics courtesy of Rina Andolini who wrote:

We managed to hand out 20 food parcels courtesy of an Al-Fatiha Global brother. Many families displaced from Shaji'ya, living in Gaza city with no food, no clothes, no mattresses to sleep on, no nothing. They evacuated their homes and their lives and left with nothing. They have nowhere to go back to as their homes are destroyed. Shaja'iya is destroyed.

Of course, whatever we do, it is not enough. But we will do all we can to help as much as we can in shaa Allah.

Many families do not feel comfortable with having pictures taken, and this is something I respect highly. I am here to help and not make a circus out of things.

Those who felt comfortable with it, I did take pictures with their permission.

The parcels consisted of rice, oil, olive oil, cheese, macarona, tomato paste, luncheon, fool, tea, fortified with minerals milk powder, mixed lentils, chicken stock, tuna, jam, dilute mix drink, sugar, and cleaning products.

As Maya Angelou wrote:

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise 

I rise. 

The Epidemic of Frightening Eid Makeup aka Step Away from the Kohl

Eid Mubarak in advance, to those who chose, over a night of sensible sleep, to devour beauty tips from that most qualified (have you SEEN her? -whistles-)  of beauties, and bonniest of lasses, also known as...well my modesty prevents me from saying but mayhaps your keen eye hath detected she whom my humble tongue doth flail at mentioning? 

Blah. Anyway- Mubarak and a hearty raising of the cup (Rooh Afza, ma)! Now, onto a matter of the greatest urgency!

What-quoi-will you wear to your Eid bonanza? Makeup-wise, of course. Because everything else is non-negotiable.

Look- le dress, will be ostentatious as a conman's mansion, non?

 Le jewels, yours and your cousin's, they shall be winking lasvicsiously at each other from across the table, sensing an impending entanglement when you two sally forth to do the Eid Embrace.

Le hair, it shall be DONE-a-roo, as they say in Australia. (Crocodile Done-dee.)

Le heels-they shall be kindly lending you an extra 5 inches so as to compound the discomfort that glamour requires.

So why-why-why-nande- tread the territory of Overdone Aunt on the Prowl, and INSIST on heavy makeup too?

Do you really want a tri-coloured smokey, poorly applied falsies, to top off the towering, dangerously swaying, off-centered wedding cake, that will be your Eid Look? Enough to put your loved ones through the strain of suppressing their grimaces, as the Look deteriorates over the course of a meal? 

"Wabi sabi, dear. It's all the rage. Do pass the wasabi," she smiled brightly. It would be a rather fetching smile too, if it hadn't revealed the blood-red lipstick coating her front two teeth.

 If you spray on perfume like an Arab sheikha would, about to head out to a club with her doting but unsuspecting dad's credit card, well then-the effect will be deadly. Repulsive as pest spray, but without the benefit of warding off mosquitoes. And no-tis not always desirable to be a knockout. 

(My point, which I shall get to, as I most certainly plan on it, and it shall ensue, and come forth, within a moment if not sooner, the point that is, what else but.)

Look- a friendly suggestion. For your makeup at least, do something mild, not major. 

A soft bronze or taupe eye, perhaps, or just a winged liner instead of KOHL EVERYWHERE. A subtle wash of interesting colour as opposed to a muddied rainbow. One product for lips instead of a gruesome monstrosity of dark liner/pale lipstick/thick gloss.

 Don't worry about the bright festive colours and Rooh Afzah stains detracting from a pared back face. They won't drown it out and you still have room for fun. 

Sans three sets of crusty false lashes, cakey foundation, glittery cheekbones, smeared fuchsia lips. The children will thank you.

I'm going for Lush Sophisticated cream shadow with Pupa Luminys 401 for the crease. Soft taupes.
 Tight lining and mascara, sheer cream blush, and soft pink lips. Still unsure as to what attire to don, but this refined palette will most definitely go with anything.

P.S.

If desi, plz keep this in mind as a rough guide to life: DON'T. DO. PAINDOO.

The only paindoos I'm cool with are the genuine ones. You know, with DON'T JALLUS painted in chilling Goosebumps font, on the back of their taxis/rickshaws/automotive transportation device.
They tend to see life in technicolor through holographic red/lime green goggles, and all is forgiven and even...appreciated.