100happydays

I love weddings – (100happydays -day 4)

Posted on by Selectively Curious

I drove home for the weekend (Abu Dhabi, from Dubai) and when I approached my compound I saw the house decorated and it immediately brought a smile to my face. I love the way houses light up when there is a wedding in the family. It’s such a happy moment, even though some may say it’s a waste of energy/electricity, well haters go on hate. 🙂

Weddings really are such happy moments, even though I’m sure it is quite stressful. It’s fascinating how there are so many different traditions for weddings all over the world. In the arab world, much like the western world, the bride wears white, whereas in the eastern world the brides wear red. I didn’t much understand the distinction until I read that in the east eastern, red symbolises celebration, luck and auspiciousness and I can’t think of a better celebration than your wedding day.

The tradition of wearing white on your wedding day is actually more recent than I thought and apparently it does not symbolise “purity” as I was lead to believe. In 1840, queen Victoria of England wore white on her wedding day and since then people have been more prone to wearing white than any other colour. Before then, people did wear more rich colours and exclusive fabrics. In fact, in Scandinavia, they wore black on their wedding day, how curious. It does amaze me how traditions come about.

Additionally, I learnt that the colour of purity is actually considered to be blue, as you will see Virgin Mary in many depictions wearing a blue veil on her head. It could maybe even explain  one of the reasons for the tradition of blue in the rhyme “Something old, something new,  something borrowed, something blue and silver sixpence in her shoe.” 🙂

Selectively Curious©

The force is strong with this one (100happydays – day 2)

Posted on by Selectively Curious

The most powerful force in the universe is known as…(wait for it)… Strong force! Apparently it’s what holds us all together, literally. To think that the scientists would come up with a better word than just “Strong force.” I will not go into the physics of it (which I did read, as my blog stipulates and also because I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a hoax.) 

It’s a little bit ironic, how such a powerful force has an equally weak name. There is no depth to the word used to describe the force, it’s only two syllables, not that syllables are relevant here. I think a better word for this force would be: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and the scientists will be happy to see that the word does contain “super”. It also makes me curious as to if the main scientist who came up with the terminology for this force was a Star Wars fan. I do not mean to generalise and also I do not think that Star Wars is strictly geeky ( I love Star Wars, however I am also a bit of a geek) because I know many people who aren’t geeks that also really enjoy it. It’s a nice story and a nice concept and I think even the people who think Star Wars is “lame” secretly want to be Jedis… just saying.

If this “strong force” is actually scientifically accurate, then my logic tells me that Star Wars is scientifically accurate in some ways, in theory and makes me wonder if George Lucas knew of the Strong Force when he wrote Star Wars. For example, the famous line of the movie is “May the Force be with you” if you think about it, they say “the force” not “a force” and without the force we will all fall apart because we won’t have anything to hold us together, figuratively (and literally, I suppose). That’s quite a eureka moment (even though quite a useless one).

Sidenote, it’s also nice that Star Wars has become quite mainstream. I went to an art exhibition a few years ago, which showed the work of Mr Brainwash, a famous spray painter (see featured image.)

That’s all I got tonight, may the force be with us all. 🙂

Selectively Curious©

Today I got nominated (100happydays – Day 1)

Posted on by Selectively Curious

I got nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award! What an honour, please click here to see the blogger’s page who nominated me.

A big thank you to PurpleOrangeSite, I am so very honoured and flattered to be number 1 on your list of nominees. 😀 Great way to start my 100 day happiness challenge.

A part of being nominated, one of the rules are to say at least 7 facts about me, so here goes:

  1. I love naps, I would probably call it my most favourite hobby, if sleeping can be qualified as a hobby
  2. I am curious about the most random things, for example have you ever thought about why the chocolate company is called Godiva? Did you know that the name Godiva has history behind it? (please see below as I tell the story)
  3. I love cats, I feel one can never have enough cats. At the same time I feel the same way about dogs. I would like to have a farm one day with lots of animals.
  4. I am naturally like my father but due to being close to my mother I have moulded to be more like her
  5. I am a law graduate, working as a paralegal and hoping to find the right opportunity to qualify as an English Lawyer as academically I have passed my qualifications, I just need training (or do the nybar to become a US Attorney and then do the conversion exams to also be an English Solicitor)
  6. I love being by the beach, it’s the ultimate way for me to relax
  7. sometimes I like to sit… yes just that, just sit and do nothing but sit, with no tv on or phone near me but just sit.

Now for the story of Godiva. Legend has it, Lady Godiva was the wife of a landlord who was imposing an oppressive tax on his tenants. Lady Godiva took pity on the tenants and requested her husband countless times to reduce the tax. After various attempts and refusing his wife’s request countless times he says that he would do so only on the condition that she ride the streets of Coventry completely naked. She called him out on his word and rode the streets on a horse, her long red hair being her only cover on her body. Everyone in the town was instructed to remain indoors, close their doors and their windows as they were not allowed to see that she was riding naked. One, so called Tom had disobeyed this order and that his how the term “peeping Tom” came to be. The lord had lifted the heavy taxation and they all lived happily ever after (maybe, I actually don’t know if they did or not but hey at least they didn’t have to pay high taxes anymore).

If you look at the logo of Godiva chocolates, you will notice a lady on a horse with only her hair covering her. 🙂

Featured photo: google image search

Selectively Curious©

100 happy days challenge – Day 0

Posted on by Selectively Curious

As I was driving home from work today I decided to attempt the 100 day challenge (again). I attempted it a few years ago but I don’t think I did it whole heartedly so for me it doesn’t count. The 100 day challenge is a happiness challenge where everyday I will share a photo of something that makes me happy and write about it. Apparently 70% of the people who have tried this challenge have failed due to lack of time. I really hope I am not a part of that 70%…

If you want to take part in this challenge please visit http://www.100happydays.com

Good luck 🙂

Selectively Curious©