a pinkathon!

last friday i was fortunate enough to have good friends wake me up and share a very special occasion with me. the burjuman safe & sound pinkathon was taking place and even though it was just a 2k walk at a lousy 8:30am, it was full of energy and love for the cause. having very dear ones of mine lose their life to the disease has made it a very sentimental experience and is something i want to be a part of forever.

despite the exuberant event, something was brought to my attention - the rise of the general angst towards breast cancer awareness initiatives. the documentary pink ribbons was dedicated to highlighting the faults that society undeniably has regardless of the act of kindness it's attempting to promote. if you think about it, breast cancer awareness has become somewhat of a business - any corporation that happens to associate itself with it manages to have their marketing approach down and attain the desired reach. is it strictly philanthropic and for the good of the cause? do all the profits really go to awareness and research, or is it just a small portion. is it helping?

i like to believe that while yes, corporations might be abusing the ribbon, people are becoming more aware and interested in taking their own initiatives, be it raising money or promoting check-ups. corporations might be "stealing" the proceeds, but as long as they are still donating to the cause, i'd rather that over nothing. i haven't done as much research as i should have to make judgements and my perspective might alter greatly after watching the documentary, but it's something to think about.

xx

WATCH THIS & SHARE: Kony 2012

just for 10 seconds put yourself in the shoes of a person living in Uganda. the fear, the pain, the suffering, the loss, the devastation, the grief, the longing, the dreams, the wishes, the tears, the numbness, the will to die. how would we ever understand the magnitude of those feelings? we can't. the brevity of human life is at an extreme here.

with only the small percentage we are fully aware of, it will never be enough to understand their true suffering. their lives take "life's not fair" to an absurd level that no one should ever have to endure.

it's impossible not to cry, smile, get goosebumps and cry some more if you watch the entirety of this video. i see how despite what i thought i knew, of the abuse and destruction in Uganda, i knew absolutely nothing. it pains me to think i wake up in a comfy bed, contemplate which new place to eat at and what new sights to see, when someone somewhere else is worrying if he'll live another day. do my inner struggles even involve anything more than what to wear to suit the weather, or if i'm in the mood to work out or not? i'm so grateful that i was able to learn more through this. it makes you really put your life into perspective. something we need to do daily.

no sane person will ever be able to watch this and not be touched by its power.

i really wish we all make that difference.

xx penguina

Christmas Time Means Paying it Forward

I was excited to come across what seemed like a never ending row of loaves of bread at the Mall of Emirates. If I remember correctly, the type of bread is a German recipe, and is baked with dried fruit and dusted with powdered sugar. Tasty, but not really my cup of tea. Anyway, the point isn't to have a tasting station, it's for you to buy either a half or a full loaf, with the proceeds given to people with special needs. I'm not sure if it will be up every weekend, but keep an eye out. 

The photo above cracks me up a little cuz I have NO clue who that little girl is, she's even got the bent leg pose I'm doing going on too.

I only noticed all these happy bread givers because they'd suddenly start clapping and cheering every once in a while. I believe cheesiness can be accepted very rarely during the year. Christmas is undoubtedly one of those rarities.

*My Very Special 25th Birthday*

hi.

For my 25th birthday I was very lucky to be able to share it with good company, and to finally organize something I’ve had in mind for a while.

Unfortunately, I’ve been coming across more and more people with cancer. Has it always been this common? Maybe I’m just growing up, but I think that it’s definitely something to watch out for. Do not exempt yourself if you don’t have cancer in your family, because it can hit the people who least expect it. Another thing to keep in mind is that it isn’t age sensitive; I just heard about someone who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 25 years of age. There’s nothing we can do to control if we get it or not, but by actively being aware of it and getting checked, we can catch anything early, if God forbid it comes our way.

So this year on my birthday, I spent the whole day doing exactly what I wanted. At 8am I took part in the Burjuman Pink Walkathon for Breast Cancer, and at night had a gathering where people could donate to a local organization. 


The walk was spectacular. Between the young, old, families, schools, puppies etc there was so much positive energy around. It was truly uplifting to see so many people walking for one cause in all their pink caps and white shirts. This walk made me love Dubai so much more. I loved seeing so many children there, I think it’s a wonderful thing to raise your children with the awareness. Here are some photos:

There was a live band, and the DJ even gave me a shout out for my birthday.

We got stuck in the midst of a really bad fart, which sucked because we couldn't move. Then we noticed this fella right next to us shivering in his owner's arms... definitely guilty.

 ...yes I got a ribbon painted on my cheek. You know how it is... when you're in the midst of so much hype you're just like "I want that and that and that" and by the end you're like, what's on me?

So after that great experience I was able to complete any final touches to the gathering I’d be hosting at night. I was grateful to have Stoli supply the alcohol and NAB Drinks supply my favorite non-alcoholic drink, bai5. As for the food, last year on my birthday, I had some people over and no one touched the Magnolia cupcakes. Actually maybe one was eaten. So I decided to offer a variety of my favorite treats that aren't all dipped in saturated fat because clearly a lot of people are not always into wasting their workout on a single cupcake.

I really love the carrot cake at Health Quest in Abu Dhabi, it's made much lighter but just as addictively yummy, so I definitely had that on the menu. They were so sweet to send it over as a gift, and also sent over some of their lazy cake, which was all gone by the end of the night. There was also vegan banana loaf and vanilla and chocolate cupcakes frosted with vanilla icing and this stunning chocolate hazelnut spread (which beats Nutella for me), all of which are gluten-free. For even smaller bites, our homemade orange-cinnamon biscotti, Pop chips, Daim, Chocodates, vegan/ gluten free Ovenly Baked Cookies, and crackers with peanut butter and the choco-hazelnut spread for scooping. mmmm!

On to the highlight of my birthday. I filled my apartment with pink helium balloons and had people slip AED 50 per balloon into my bonanza box and write a wish on a note that they would tie to the bottom of the balloon’s string. They then enjoyed taking photos with the balloons, and by the end of the night we let all the balloons go into the night sky, setting all our wishes free.

This is my breast cancer bonanza box, which I owe to the creative mind of Theresa Tsui, co-founder of SolidariTea Arabia.

Even little Benoît made a wish.

cancer, vas-t-en, s'il te plait... tu est tres mechant. 

merci.

70 wishes all tangled up..

.. and set free.

Spot the lone wolf making his own way.

I experienced this balloon idea at a random event I happened to go to in NYC a couple years back and thought it was so creative. I never saw them set the balloons free but I can imagine that's what they did. I was so excited to use it for this cause. It's nice to physically see your wishes going somewhere :)

All together we were able to raise AED 4,000, which made me really happy and appreciative, because with just 50 guests a lot of people put in much more. The proceeds all went to Safe & Sound’s Breast Cancer Awareness organization to offer people the opportunity to get free check-ups, mammograms, patient care and further education for the community. All of their fund raising and usage is monitored by the Red Crescent. 

I’ve learnt that one of the best cures for any problem is a positive mind. I wish us all the strength and power to stay positive during the hardest times.

xx

Can penguin sweaters lower their population?

Photos: ABC News

I can easily say I've loved penguins for years now (some people think it's an unhealthy obsession, meh). The thought of these little penguinos running around in different colored knit sweaters makes me just want two so badly! I'm jealous of whoever got to dress them. Yes these photos are real. My main concern though is if these sweaters are healthy for their love lives. As you probably know, penguins are notorious for being picky with their intense soulmate search. Adding fashion to their lives could just really complicate the process.   


Why have they started wearing sweaters? It all started after the recent oil spill off the coast of New Zealand when some of these pingus got coated in the oil. Luckily, a lot of them were saved because so many generous people sent over knitted sweaters just in time. There were even guidelines on how to knit them! [skeinz]

However, what people didn't take into consideration is that penguins have different figures. Evidently, some are fatter than others! The one above in green clearly loves her food and looks like she has a double chin (I highly doubt it's a thyroid problem) so her sweater needs to be looser. It's a shame for her, because her dude's eye is probably already wondering.

Moreover, despite the fact that the penguins to the right would be ideal on the cover of a Nicholas Sparks novel at a glance, the penguin in blue looks like he's destroyed by the sweater. They're clearly on a date that she's dressed sharply for, while he's probably sweating buckets under there. She looks pretty pallid and constipated about it. You can tell she's doubting his fashion sense.. and in turn him. Then you have the poor guy who is so naive; comfortably certain that he found the mother of his children.

You see, penguins can be rather shallow pricks; just like us, YAY! The beauty of their romance is that they meet their loves in their own natural skin, and love them for who they are unconditionally. This whole sweater business will make courting much more challenging. As if the men don't have it hard enough to please their woman, they'll all start to judge each other more, and it will take it's toll on reproduction. It'll only be after a lot of trial and error that they'll begin to "look within" blah, blah, blah.

So while I'm so happy they got saved from the harsh winter and nasty oil, I'm not sure I like the idea of the different colored sweaters that don't flatter some of them. That my friends is how introducing sweaters to penguins can potentially destroy their romance, and in turn affect their population.

BROADCAST: Help someone go to Hajj!

Anyone who knows someone who is in their 60s or 70s who cannot afford to go to Hajj but wants to please have him/her call the number below to make a reservation to attend Hajj for free.

Please forward this message to everyone you know in case someone needs to go to Hajj.

+96626919999

Mohammed Ali
Sr. Academic Officer



Mobile: +9660501915227
Tel: 6563199
Ext: 4900
Fax: +966026900672
Email: ali@cba.edu.sa
Web: www.cba.edu.sa

College of Business Administration

Please keep broadcasting this because you might help someone!

JOIN ME: Pink Walkathon - October 28th, 2011

It makes me so happy to announce that on my BIRTHDAY, October 28th, there will be a walkathon for breast cancer! If you visit Safe & Sound you can get all the details, but I'll add them below to save you the hassle :)

About The Walk

Location: start and finish at BurJuman

Distance: 3.6 km

How to register You have two ways to do so:

Pre-Walk Day Registration 

At all information counters at BurJuman. Daily from 10:00 am – 10:00 pm.

Walk day registration

Between 7 am and 8 am at the Walk registration  area, Level 1, opposite Virgin Megastore.

Registration fee

Dhs. 50 for adults and Dhs. 30 for children aged 8-12 years. Children below 8 years of age do not require registration and walk for free.

All registered participants will receive a free Safe and Sound T-shirt.

Group Registration: 

For corporate or group registrations of 10 people and above, our Pink Team will come to your premises to collect the completed registration forms, registration amount and provide you with the walk T-shirts as per the sizes requested. This service is complimentary. Please contact marketing@burjuman.com.

All proceeds from the walkathon go towards providing free mammograms, patient care and spreading breast cancer awareness.

Fantastic events, non-stop fun for all !

• Rob Idol – UK’s biggest tribute act to Robbie Williams

• Fabulous live band

• Dancers & entertainers

• Pink Bazaar 

• Free drumming  

• Free face painting

• Free arts & crafts for kids

• Super breakfast offers

• Plus many exciting prizes…

You are guaranteed a fun morning out with the family !

I know, it's REALLY early for a Friday morning, but it's only around an hour or two maximum. Gives you enough time to go back home, shower, and get some more sleep. It's only difficult getting up. Once you're there in the midst of the crowd, all walking for the same cause, the energy is just spectacular and you won't even remember that tired grouchy feeling. 

Anyway, I can't wait for it! I'd love to see some familiar faces too, so if anyone wants to join, just hit me up :) 

xx

Help Someone Out! #RamadanFleamarket

I was directed to Voice4Charity today, which is a non-profit organization that helps bring awareness to charities and other NPOs in the UAE. A lot of times these charities don't get marketed as well as they should and with the myriad of people looking for ways to help out, it's a shame. Charity work  should never go by unnoticed so Voice4Charity is doing a great thing for everyone.

Right now Voice4Charity is preparing a flea market during Ramadan. It's a great way to give away anything you don't need/use because there's always someone out there who will gain from anything you give. Of course someone benefiting from your old pair of socks with holes is a long shot, so I'd say be a tad bit realistic with your give-aways.

If you are interested in being involved with volunteer and charity work regularly, email dina@voice4charity.org or call her on +971 56 785 9814.

Please be Grateful

for the constant food you have at your fingertips. The people of Somalia have been experiencing the worst drought for decades and that's just one country.  

This makes me feel selfish on so many levels. 

There are countless ways you can help, even just by making the smallest donation locally wherever you live. It's no coincidence that I bring this up a week before Ramadan, it just so happened I was struck with the above photo now. It definitely is an eye opener, and if anyone can guide me where to make local donations I'd really appreciate that. 

Otherwise, there are many websites we can donate to. We can start at the UN World Food Programme.

[via BBC News]

making recycling worth your time

So maybe saving the environment from all those nasty emissions isn't enough motivation to recycle, but what if your efforts help raise money for local charities? Maybe it's been going on for a while and I haven't been attentive, but I just stumbled upon Recycle for Charity - a "community based volunteer driven project that depends on individual voluntary effort to collect recyclable materials and pass it on to recycling companies in exchange for a financial donation for the benefit of well deserved local charities such as Al Manzil and Dubai Autism Center." 

Everyone can participate, just make a deal with people at your office or favorite cafe to start dividing the recyclable materials and set a time during the week to drop them off at one of the collection points. Not only will you be doing something for yourself, but you will be making a difference in someone else's life.

I know I'm not the only one who's not bothered to put in the effort needed to get involved, and yeah Dubai's amazing weather doesn't help... but this is one of those things that just smiling about how good it would be if it was actually done isn't enough and if one person gets involved I'm sure the domino effect would be great. 

Help Heal Haiti

Everyone should get the chance to give a little (or a lot) of support to those in Haiti. Switch Restaurant and house of glaMO have made this possible here in Dubai by holding a fundraiser event from Sunday Feb. 28^th to Monday March 1^st from 6pm – 12 am at the Dubai Mall. There will be some good food, music and most importantly an auction with some great items! Book your table by calling 04-339-9131, your support and money will help so many it’s truly worth it. 

I’m glad I got to promote house of glaMO’s “help heal Haiti” t-shirts, you can buy one for AED 200 by emailing: info@houseofglamo.com. If you can’t make it out to the events at least order a t-shirt! 

It's really great to see how many people are showing their support worldwide :)

*Moment of Silence for All Haiti Victims*

Sending prayers for all those who have been affected near and far...

time to give our nature some love

World Aids Day!

"by respecting and protecting ourselves and others we can stop the spread of HIV and end HIV prejudice.


5 things you can do to respect and protect:

1. find out the facts about HIV and talk to your friends, family and colleagues about HIV- make sure they know the reality, not the myths.

2. know your HIV status: get tested if you have put yourself at risk.

3. always use protection.

4. if someone tells you they are HIV positive, treat them with respect and don't tell others without their agreement.

5. wear a red ribbon as a symbol of your support for everyone affected by HIV, and to raise awareness."

world aids day 

The Uniform Project

Growing up wearing a uniform to school until the 7th grade made me hate the concept and want to burn all my old uniforms.... come to think of it I might have done just that. Even though I see the benefits of a uniform, I wouldn't have minded mine if it didn't look like an outfit worn by the cleaning staff of a hotel. Yes there were always those girls who knew how to shorten their skirts and make their uniform mirror fashion trends... I was never that girl.

However, a friend of mine brought this really cool and inspiring concept to my attention recently that makes wearing a uniform not look like such a bad idea. The Uniform Project is a fundraiser to raise money towards uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums. Sheena Matheiken, who executed the project had a friend design 7 identical dresses for each day of the week. This dress was designed to be worn in many ways and during all seasons. She also plans on accessorizing it with hats, belts, brooches and many more.

Anyone can donate with either money or old or newly designed accessories. Check out the site: http://www.theuniformproject.com