#1 the Ice Breaker Speech- A trek through my island

A month ago, I decided to take myself to a Toastmasters meeting. For all of those not in the know, Toastmasters is an organization that helps people become better speakers. Now I'm not a "bad" public speaker, I can and have delivered speeches during college, but still -when i have to memorize a presentation, I get nervous (Nervous enough to forget ). I think Toastmaster's will help me conquer that pesky nervousness and develop the poise and confidence of a brilliant public speaker ..at least that's the goal; I'll settle for fantastic public speaker .

After attending the first meeting as a guest ( non-member), I decided to join, July 11th, 2011 was my first meeting as a Toastmaster  member. As I'm anxious to become a better speaker faster, I decided there was no better time to give my speech than at my second meeting as a member. So i settled down to prepare it .

First off, the first for any Toastmaster is called the Ice Breaker speech. Simply put, it's 4-6 minute speech in which the new member must talk about oneself.  The official Toastmaster manual (there 's a book that tells the member all the speeches he must do to become a "Competent Communicator ", the first rank on the ladder to speech brilliance) says , "For your first speech project, you will introduce yourself to your fellow club members and give them some information about your background, interests and ambitions" there's more , but no matter. I had to do this, but contrary to what another might feel, I was no scared. Not in the least. I was excited ! but what to write, what to write ??

My mind ran into the composing process and two days before the meeting I was up in the middle of night jotting down notes for the speech. I decided to start off with a lifequote from Gebran khalil Gebran :

"You , yourself & your life are an island , separated from all other islands and continents by its own pain , secluded in its happiness "

It really helped me to imagine myself taking the audience in a trip discovering my island through my best moments i had .

Three hours before, i had to give my speech, I started to feel a growing pang. My stomachwas tightening up like butterflies with sewing needles. At the meeting, everyone was friendly and my dearest friend Mai (who was the toastmaster of the evening which  means she is the one running the meeting) encouraged me and made it so simple and ispiring for everybody.

Before I knew it, I was called for my first speech. I thought for a moment, a torpedo hit my brain. My introduction was read by Mai, the Vice president for Education and the Toastmaster of the meeting.

I stepped up the makeshift podium and began. I was the robot, delivering my introduction memorized rote .

I won't post my prepared speech as I didn't respect it effectively, I missed some parts and added some others. The moral thing is that i felt comfy with myself, confident and managed to improvise without getting lost.

When i gotto the final thank you, I was pleased to greeted by applause!! I love applause. Of course, they didn't know that i didnt say my speech exactly as written .

Actually, the speech and delivery of it was commonly praised; I got a very nice note from a couple of members (posted below) and Riana , who evaluated me - this is something very cool in Toastmasters, after every speech, someone has to evaluate your speech by answering special questions in the member booklet and giving their own analysis, immediate feedback...very nice- gave me props for having qualities (eye contact, stage presence, confidence, solid voice) most beginned speakers don't have. Fortunately, she did give me two things to improve on :

1) To develop the speech in sequence ( i thought i did, anyway i make sure next time to make it clear).

2) To work mor on the closing part.

Returning to the members comments, they were so encouraging some were verbal and other were written such as :

-Manal : well done , Excellent speech as ice breaker, all the best for future project (Jessy Fernandez)

-Manal: Congrats, well done , well prepared & well practises. All the best (Riana)

-Dear Manal , Good Job . You seemed quite confident &well-prepared. with time you will only get better! I am sure , keep up the godd work & practise  practise practise ! regards (Jonathan )

-Manal: Ice was broken infact melted. The talk was simple and sweet ( Sanjeev)

So tha's that. I broke the ice with good style and am currebtly working on the next speeh, to be given after Ramadan. will keep you posted :)

Our Trip to Paris

Let me start this post by stating that before I left, I had some preconceived notions on what Paris and the trip overall would be like. I was wrong. It was far better that anything I could’ve ever imagined! 

Somehow, I still can’t believe I wasn’t dreaming and that I have actually visited the city I’ve dreamed of visiting ever since, as a child, I could pronounce the name “Tour Eiffel”.

We arrived at” Charles de Gaulle airport” at about 12 pm and the weather was not all that great. It was not raining but it was only about 9 to 11 degrees Celsius. But hey, it was much better than the hot weather we had left behind in Doha. I have to say it right away…my impression of the Charles de Gaulle airport was very positive. We  directly got our suitcases but I think it was getting out of the airport and to Paris that were our main “concern”. 

Paris is a big city and it is of course great to walk around the entire city looking at famous monuments, museums, gardens, churches etc. But eventually you’ll get worn out from all the walking and then you need a good and fast way to get around. In Paris the best option is the metro, in most of the parisien opinions. Yet , the bus was very useful also. I tried the metro once during my whole stay and didn’t repeat it again ;)) . There are stations everywhere and it is easy to figure out how to use it ( for sure with my sister’s help )

Talking about the Sightseeing , Paris is big, there is so much to see and do and I’m not really sure where to start. Once again I have to recommend getting a guidebook so that you can plan ahead if you don't have a good local company. Remember that you can’t cover all of Paris in a couple of days so you have to make sacrifices I’m afraid, if you are there on a short stay. Here is some few stuff we did while we were in Paris.

The symbol of Paris – the Eiffel Tower

I don’t think there are many monuments that are as famous as the Eiffel Tower. You can see it on postcards, T-shirts, souvenirs keychains ,etc…and in every movie where the action takes place in Paris it always seems like the flat has a view to the Tower :-). The Tower must be one of the most visited tourist attractions in Paris ! it didn’t take us long after we had arrived before my sister took us to it and to the park in front of the Tower (Parc du Champs de Mars)  where we stood admiring this “aging” beauty. At night it is illuminated and every hour the Tower comes alive when it is illuminated by sparkling lights for 10 minutes. The Eiffel Tower is a must see in Paris but be prepared for long lines to get in.

Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Elysées

The Arc de Triomphe is another Parisian symbol that most people are familiar with. If you stand in the Jardin des Tuileries outside the Louvre you can see the monument behind the obelisk at Place de la Concorde. We think it is a great place as you get a very good view from the 50 meter rooftop terrace but I haven’t been there because of the kids and trolleys ;)). We walked down the avenue of Champs-Elysées as we left the arch. There are lots to see as you walk down the street by the way. Major car brands like Peugeot, Renault, Mercedes etc have their show case stores here where they display current models, Formula1 cars, future cars etc. But there are also brand name clothing stores like Gucci , Elie Saab, Burberry, Valentino.. and lots of restaurants and cinemas.

The White church on the hill - Sacré-Coeur

The Sacré-Coeur basilica is located in the Montmartre area and it is a great place to visit on a nice clear day. The church is located on a hill and the view from this point is spectacular.

It is a short walk up to the church itself but there is even a short “train service” there. The white church is beautiful against the blue sky and it is nice to sit down in the stairs and relax and look at the view of Paris. We wanted to get a bit higher but we couldn’t  again because of the baby’s trolleys .

We also walked the short distance to the Montmartre area. We didn’t get very far from the church before we were surrounded by artists that draw tourists portrait. the streets in the area are quite nice…narrow and laid with cobblestone, full of cafeshops where you can taste the best choco-crepe in the world .

We didn’t really do that much shopping in Paris…well,we did stop by Galeries Lafayette which it is a huge department store that has a lot of stuff. But a lot of it is up marked stuff so I guess it depends on how much you are willing to cough up for certain items :-).  As well, we went to some malls as place d’italie and others where you can find shops like Mango, Zara, KOOKAÏ , C&A etc..

So was it magical being Paris ? I couldn’t have wished for better trip and I have to say that Paris still has a special place in my heart knowning that my sister family are living there.

6 months already !!!

Dear Leana,

Yesterday you turned six months old. It completely blows my mind that you have been in our lives for half a year already. It feels both like you just arrived, and have been here forever.

I have loved you since the moment we learned of your existence, but Leana, I’m really starting to like you now. You’re so much fun! You start every morning with smiles and laughter. Your face lights up when you see me or Daddy and that’s enough to make our hearts runneth over with love.

I love watching you discover new things -rooms,toys , a piece of hair wrapped around your finger. Yesterday morning you spent 10 minutes intently inspecting a tag on your play mat like it was the most important thing in the world.

You sleep a consistent 8-10 hours every night before waking and that has been a huge milestone. You also take two solid naps, but usually hold me or wessen hostage next to your crib in order to do so.

We went to the pediatrician for your six-month vaccination appointment yesterday, officially you weigh 8.462 kg and 66cm long. You didn't like the nurse who gave you the injections , it was really bad this time . Seeing you crying this way broke my heart :(

I love you, Leana. From the tips of my toes to the top of my head. You are the best thing to happen to us.

I can’t wait to see what the next six months brings us.

Love you forever,

Mama

My New Challenge

Recently I’ve been reading and learning about the primal/paleo “diets.” I use the quotation marks because if you follow these eating plans, you can’t really call them diets. You have to call them life-style changes.

Over at Mark’s Daily Apple, Mark Sisson has started a 30-day Primal Health Challenge. Since I’ve been following his eating suggestions for three weeks now, I decided to try the Health Fitness Challenge.

My goal for the challenge is simple: to start applying the Level 1 of the PBF* (Primal Blue Fitness) for 2 weeks.

*PBF plan consists of :

1- to simply move your body at a low-to mid-range heart rate( that means 3-5hrs / week of walking , hiking, swimming or cycling ...)

2- to lift heavy things : replaced by pushups , pull ups and Squat

3- to Sprint ( in advanced stages )

So, I will try my best to stick to the plan level 1  in order to win my challenge .

1- I will make time to walk around Aspire Park at least 3 times per week for one hour each .

2- I will do wall push-ups (40times/day ), chair-assisted pull-ups (20 times/day) & wall squat (50 times/day).

Wish me luck ;)

My "bad" habits

I’ve  been thinking of this “weight loss journey” (I must admit I find that term so corny) as less about losing weight and more about improving habits.
Everyone does many things by habit. Maybe when you were a kid, you learned to eat all the food in your plate which means "clean your plate". Maybe you always have some chips and mix nuts or popcorn while you’re watching a movie. Maybe you grab a dozen of chocolates and arabic sweets in every occasion or event. Some habits are harmless, some are beneficial and some are harmful.

I thought it would be helpful to clearly acknowledge my bad habits and then eliminate them and replace them with better habits. This is an ongoing process, of course. It takes some time to discover these habits. Often they seem so natural, you just don’t even think about it.

These are some of the big bad habits I decided to eliminated during my journey:

• eating when not hungry
• soda( standard, diet or even zero)
• fast food
• empty calories
• chocolate before bed
• eating larger than necessary portions
• skipping breakfast
• looking in the mirror and criticizing
• adding salt to everything
• snacking in the evening
• eating out for lunch most work days

 I’m sure there are more, but I am taking care of the biggest ones. Line them up and knock them down.
You must be saying now that surely I will face time in which i would feel deprived by not having these "luxuries. But i will try to always remember the aims of my journey hopefully it would work for me.

Weight Loss Journey

I already admitted in a previous list that one of my goals to be achieved this year is "loosing weight' ( the grams i gained during my pregnancy and the ones gained through 3 years of marriage ).

Since I came back from my maternity leave which I spent the most of it in Lebanon craving delicious foods  and putting more weight, I decided that it is the time to start my ' weight loss journey ' , NO EXCUSES this time !

First , I went to a specialist who customized a diet program to follow . It worked the first 3 weeks , dropping around 4 kilos , then it stopped . Nothing happended . I went back to her and she only reduced 100 kcal of my daily calorie intake . Again , my body refused to respond.

One day , i was discussing this issue with a friend of mine who recommended me to try the Atkins Diet. At that time, i had never heared about it .So i googled it. The researches led me to the website of " Marc's apple daily " and  " The three new leaves" blog  which their main aim was to spread the " Primal / Paleo" lifeStyle.

After a lots of reading about the primal  way and seeing alots of proofs,I have to confess that it really touched me and i am really convinced this time, i can feel it already. I am feeling happy, relaxed and the most important i stopped being hungry all the time, and that's really awesome !!!

I will let you know more about this journey in the further posts .

I Wish ...

Today, like every morning,  i was stucked in traffic while driving to work. I was already late because earlier i had  an appointment at the French embassy to submit  the visa application for my trip to Paris. I waited and waited for the signal to turn green but nothing happened . All the other directions were suequently working except the direction i am coming from !!!! deep inside me i saw it happens , really i did . When i took the begining of the road , the scene crossed my mind. And when the signal stopped working, i remembered that i saw it happens from few minutes ago !!

It was a weird feeling , i felt like with a little bit effort and concentration , in 2 years, I would be on national television announcing my own list of predictions .LoOoL.

Anyway back on track , while waiting the policemen to come and manage the situation , i wished i have  a hidden power that allows me  by a finger click to bypass the cars , the signals and all roundabouts .That made me thing of all the thing i wish i had , but can't have . For example :

I wish i had my sister & her family live a couple minutes away compared to 7 hours and thousands of miles away . I live in Qatar and they live in France, if the distance didn't seperate us , it would be awesome to hang out with them and be part of my nieces' lives as they grow .

As well , I wish i could go back in time and relive my life . I would correct the many errors o have made and make better decisions throughout my life. (of course I would not have been able to find them errors until they were made ).

Things most people don't know about me ( Part 2 )

• I hate drinking soda from a straw .
• I 've never threw up during my whole pregnancy period not even once .
• I've never seen a Star Wars movie.
• Most of the clothing in my closet is 1) black, 2) purple or  3) gray .
• I sometimes sleep to avoid things .
• I keep listening to my favorite songs and repeat them untill i get sick of it .
• I am too lazy to even change the CD player in my car ( nancy ajram CD still running since last August ).
• I am obssessed with MBC group channel and especially MBC4 .
• I  watched " Friends" episodes over than 50 times..just can't help myself .

(to be continued...)

I really miss Photo Albums

It seems like only yesterday my Mom would put together a new photo album. We would all get really excited about it, taking turns flipping through the glossy pages of memories. This experience was often the first time we got to see the pictures.

Back then you had to wait for the roll of film to be completely used up (often times spanning months, it was not unusual for a roll of film to contain a birthday, a school performance, and 1/3 of a new year evening). Once the roll was finally used, it had to be driven to a studio store where they would take at least one week to develop it. Then, you finally got to see all the pictures that didn't come out. How I miss those :( 

It is amazing how photos have become the complete oppposite of what they used to be. You can now immediately see your picture and judge whether you need to take another one. Now you don't even buy or develop film EVER. You have hundreds if not thousands of available pictures as opposed to 36. And in place of photo albums, we now have the slideshow. 

Times are changing, and to be honest, I don't know how I feel about it. I miss having a physical picture and a photo album that won't change for decades. I can still see my parents photo albums if I want. What are our grandkids going to do? Plug in a USB drive? !!!.

Having all my photos on Facebook and saved on my computer makes me feel kind of vulnerable. For instance, what if hypothetically Facebook crashed and everyone lost years of memories? Ever think about that? Or what if my computer and hard drive are stolen? .

There is no use fighting the digital wave. We must ride it or be left behind, and it pains me to say that I must continue without my old friend the photograph. But we are the last generation to know what it was like. Savor it my friends.

Things most people don't know about me (Part 1)

• I'm terrified of sneezing while driving, because I'm convinced that split-second of having my eyes closed will get me wrecked somehow.
• I am not shy just prefer not to talk most of the time.
• When I say "I don't remember " or " I forgot " it is most likely I'm lying .
• I hate wearing rings or any kind of hand accessories .
• I am aweful when it comes to the feeling expression .
• It is hard for me to make friends .
• I have never smoked a cigarette or shisha.
• I hate the taste of water (sometimes i add to it some drops of  rosewater)
• I hate all "Harry Porter" parts .
• I prefer staying home alone for ages instead of  hanging out with people i don't like.

(to be continued...)

Saving accounts for your little Ones

Lately, my husband and I have decided starting this year and every year from now on to add a little amount monthly in term of saving for our daughter. We also plan on depositing most money our daughter receives for birthdays/holidays into that account too when she gets a little older but doesn't "need" her own money.

In other hand, I believe kids should do their own savings too. Start with a piggy bank when they are small and move up as they get older. In this way, this might help them understand the value of money.

From few days , I read an article for a financial planner highlighting some ways to how you teach your kids to learn saving-starting from when they are really little. One of these ways is to give them half of their age in dollars/ (currency of country) every week. Then to have three cans for each of them: 1 for spending, 1 for savings, and 1 for charity. So you would decide how to help them split it up. I believe it is a good math lesson for them too. Anyway , each one of us might have his own way to apply it ... and for me , i feel it is a good start ...

~~~Still Missed ~~~

1 ans déjà!

Un père comme toi ça n'existe plus.. Un homme si aimant on en voit plus.. Pour toujours tu as disparu..

Il ne reste que des photos à admirer.. Et des souvenirs je dois me contenter… Dans mon coeur tu resteras… Jusqu'au jour où l'on se retrouvera... Je t'aime papa !!

Bye, bye ...2010 !!

What i can say about 2010 !!! well , I spent half of it or even more " pregnant",  preparing for parenthood and for the little life we were going to bring into the world. I was thrown beautiful gifts by people I love. I celebrated my husband’s 28th birthday and three years of marriage.

Leana’s birth in August topped anything I could have ever imagined. At 10:48 a.m. on August 11th I became a mother. A mommy. Lulu’s mama. That moment redefined my entire life because suddenly, someone’s life depended on me. It gave me purpose like I had never felt before.

August through December has brought me joy, tears, happiness. I have learned patience, acceptance, hell, I learned to change  a lot of poopy diapers. diapers and give someone a bath . That’s a pretty big deal. I got peed on a few times. More than a few times ;)

I shared holidays with people I love and watched my squishy little newborn turn into a real live girl who is so much fun. I also learned I could survive and function on very little sleep. Very little.

The events of the past year have shaped my life permanently, and I say goodbye to 2010 and my 24th year with a smile.

Happy New Year, everyone!