I'm not a spa type of girl. I wish I was. I wish I could squeal at a nice feminine pitch that it was time for my monthly facial or that my pedicure last week was better than my pedicure this week but I dont. I wish I did. I make plans to be that sorta girl. I've even marked it in my calender at particularly ambitious times but it never happens.

Now I know why.

A friend as a token of appreciation for our helping him with his wedding got me and two friends a spa day at the local fancy schmancy spa (Mind & Body Day spa)

So we go for facials that cost booko insane amount of money the sort you can't justify spending on your own (so its fitting it was a gift because aint no way that kind of money will be used for what I can do by sticking my head over boiling pasta). So buko crazy money facial which should last an hour (though for what they charged, I say it should've covered weekly facials for at least 12 years) lasts a mere 20 minutes for what seriously felt like (though my eyes remained closed) my head stuck over some boiling rotini. So just as I'm starting to relax and not giggle at the silly mood music but feel relaxed enough to, you know, really feel the silly mood music, the music shuts off, fluorescent lights come on and we're wheeled out to confront a bevy of creams and lotions staring at us as the staff looks at us like gleaming clowns. Because, as Zainab puts it politely, I'm what they say in the sales industry an easy sale or because, as I put it, I have a sign that says "SUCKER" on my forehead that I haven't managed to locate yet I buy a cream. As we drive to lunch I look at the cream and see that the "WARNING DO NOT USE PRODUCT IF SEAL IS TORN" is in fact, torn. So I go back:

Me: Excuse me, the seal, its torn off. I'd like my money back.
Buballoo: No.
Me: Pardon?
Buballo: No.
Me: *silence* why?
Buballoo: No refunds.
Me: Where does it say that?
Buballoo: On your receipt.
Me: But your no refund policy is not posted in the store....
Buballoo: Ahem. Its on your receipt.
Me: So you tell me no refunds after I already bought it and its too late?
Buballoo: Um. I guess
Me: *summoning my super teacher-lawyer powers* I want my money back... this was opened and possibly used.
Buballoo: *slightly succumbing to my powers of good but fighting back admirably with her powers of pure money grubbing evil* Ok. But only the director can do that. She's not in. I'll keep the cream. Call tomorrow to get your refund.
Me: Can you give me something that says you took the cream, something in writing that I'll get my money back?
Buballoo: Blinking. Huh?
Me: Write on a paper that you said I'll get my money back and sign it.
Buballoo: *starting to melt like a certain lady on the Wizard of OZ, starts huffing as she writes what I say down* Then as I hold out my hand to take said paper she sticks it on the cream knocking it down in an angry fashion and puts it on the shelf.
Me: Consider clarifying why I wanted her to write it down.. but seeing the meltdown about to unfold I say to myself: "If she's keeping the cream I dont think there'll be a problem, they have the cream, they have to give me my money back"

I thought wrong.

Next day, I call the director as instructed (for a visual think Angela from The Office, particularly toay when she was doing customer service) :
Bobo: NO REFUNDS.
Me: I was told yesterday I'd get a refund... the bottle was open.
Bobo: YEAH! BECAUSE YOU USED IT! YOU USED IT! DONT LIE!!!!
Me: No, I had JUST gotten a facial and had JUST left the store...
Bobo: THAT'S RIGHT! NO REFUND!!
Me: She kept the product! You're keeping the cream and not refunding me??
Bobo: YES.
Me: That's ridiculous!
Bobo: YES! GOODBYE! *click*
*I'm thoroughly convinced I heard the swish of a cape and the scraping of a broom as she hung up, but that is ofcourse, strictly conjuncture*

SERIOUSLY!?! Since this incidence I noticed everyone has bad spa experiences. Not hit or miss. Just all miss. So now I'm wondering is this just an everyone thing? Lots of you described the you dont deserve to be here expression of spa workers with relative uniformity (think Ugly Betty's co-workers). For an unscientific survey, have you experienced good spa service? Do you ever feel you've been discriminated against?

Labels: desi, gripes, humor, life, race, Review

posted by Aisha @ 12:27 AM || 32 comments

If I summed up life in 3 words they would be: Peaks and Valleys. In faith, in intellect, in motivation, in love. The highest of high as you soar above Kilimanjaro, your heart higher still- and the lowest of lows- an empty tin can upon the floor, rain dripping, trickling, pushing it to and fro though it be without life of its own. Valleys are meant to be left in pursuit of higher ground yet often seem so impossible to traverse that in the struggle of the climb we fail to see the Hands, ever present, gently offering a boost if we but ask. Ego obscures otherwise rational minds. Ego makes you take the long way home when the short cut is simply a hop across the brook.

Labels: reflections

posted by Aisha @ 12:20 AM || 4 comments

As the names come out, and you see the faces of the victims... it hits you more and makes your heart break in two... like the professor who placed his body against the door to prevent the killer from entering and therefore died as bullets fired through the door. He was a leading researcher in the quest to find a cure for cerebal palsy.

And it frightens you because what happened there can happen anywhere. It could have been any campus, and it could have been anyone. When I was teaching we had a lock down due to an intruder twice. I remember locking the doors, closing the blinds, turning off the lights and huddling with the little ones on the floor. I remember the confused and scared expressions of my students and feeling amazed that I was in charge. I couldnt be afraid, they are in my care. Thank God nothing happened... but it could have. I guess that never hit me until now...

I sent an e-mail to my Dean today, hoping that they will take the mistakes made at Va. Tech (like not informing anyone until over 2 hours after the shooting through email that a first attack had occurred!) and learn a lesson. I can count on both hands incidents of muggings, and one of armed robbery on campus, and yet all is heard through the news and word of mouth rather than through the authorities on campus whose job it is to keep us safe.

Needless to say its horrifying and its depressing. I pray such a thing never happens again. I pray that we can figure out what it is that makes such incidents not "one time only events" as Columbine, and this has now proved is not the case. I hope this will make people who say that people kill people not guns... think twice because just as many things require the concert of two to create a result.... it took both a person and a gun to be able to cause 32+ deaths as he did and cause 32+ mothers to grieve last night and for the nights to come.

** I guess I should have maintained my blog hiatus. I say things and they seem to cause controversy when none was intended. I agree that if I make a statement I should be willing to address it. I have up to this point addressed it. But- I have a raging fever and upcoming exams and dont have time to deal with the stress of people making assumptions of what I feel or don't. For the record: 1) I dont think this is the school's fault. I said V-Tech made some mistakes. I did not say V-tech could have prevetned this. What I meant was that I wish that schools IN GENERAL had better procedures to handle such situations like police patrolling after one violent instance is reported. In August at Va. Tech there was one shooting by an escaped inmate at a school employee. From what I read, they put the school in lock down and patrolled the campus. In this instance would that have stopped the massacre? Probably not. But its good practice in my opinion. 2) I dont think its fine to make racist jokes againt your own race. I used to always put disclaimers on everything I wrote in the past but now figured that those who read know what I mean since most are regular readers. I thought people knew I dont enjoy racist jokes.. even about our own.. I wrote about it in discriminating from within. My intention with that post was that when that convo was interpreted by an outside party listening to the conversation what felt okay suddenly felt NOT OKAY. I apologize if that was not clear but thought that people knew my intent by now. Henceforth for any such posting I'll always have a disclaimer explaining exactly what I mean and dont mean by what I say. I will not be addressing any more attacks regarding whether I think V-Tech is at fault or why I am such a racist. I apologize for being grumpy at the momen but its probably the stress combined with the fever. But I will say what I always say... respect is desired... if you make statements that indicate otherwise, it will be deleted.

Labels: current events

posted by Aisha @ 10:41 PM || 19 comments

Okay

Hispanic friend: When I see other fellow Hispanics coming to the beach with loud boom boxes I think "oh no, here come the Spanish people!"

Desi friend: When I drive through my neighborhood and see my desi neighbor sitting in the driveway making chapattis I think "oh man... those obnoxious desis!!"

Not Okay

White friend listening in on the conversation: "How funny! You know, when we see hispanics at the beach or see Pakistani/Indians in our neighborhoods, WE SAY THE SAME THING TOO!"

Labels: desi, race

posted by Aisha @ 12:00 AM || 18 comments

A dear friend of ours got married this past weekend. It was a full out traditional three day desi wedding and we, his friends, helped organize and plan it. Though I helped with weddings in the past including my own, I never realized how much work was involved when you are one of the "go to" people. At the valima I sat listening to my growling stomach wondering when food would be served and realized, we are hosting, and ran to remind someone to make an announcement for dinner. I never craved the direction of an auntie telling me what to do more. Holding the reigns is a lot harder than it looks from the outside. Desi weddings are an interesting situation for they highlight the most beautiful part of our culture yet underscore the lowest points as well. For me, the mehndi began with such hope and promise as I admired our mehndi trays and looked at the sea of orange, yellow and reds in the crowds but ended at the end of the three day marathon feeling a sense of pure exhaustion tinged with a bit of disappointment at the shortcomings that desis seem to universally maintain. But I must say that within my group of friends, I think the ups and downs served to only bring us closer together giving me a sense of family, and memories I know will last a lifetime.

The wedding took a lot out of all involved and resulted in my falling very behind in my studies. The semester is traveling at roller coaster speed and I must race to catch up. For this reason my postings until my last exam will be.. less.. and perhaps not at all. (Though its unlikely I'd quit all together in the month remaining since I find myself with most to say when there are more things than ever to do). If you think of me please keep me in your prayers. Its a race to the finish and I feel like I'm in last place.
posted by Aisha @ 12:15 AM || 18 comments

Bird company. Upon our crepe myrtle right at eye level to my dining room window a robin has laid eggs. She's keeps me company perched atop her nest as I sit at the dining table studying. Like me, she remains focused to her task, though we often catch each others eye as we peek over curiously at the other. When I look at her I think how boring it must be to sit hours on end in silence doing nothing. I wonder if she's peeking at me wondering how boring it must be to sit in a large cage all day staring at a screen. I wonder if she is as perplexed by me as I am by her. Yet nevertheless, her quiet companionship is beautiful to me.

Being National Champions in basketball- again. Zainab called saying "Y'all won!" to which I responded with a slight yawn "I know, thanks" To which she starting laughing, "You say it like you had something to do with it" She's right. I didnt even know it was final four time. Kashif managed to get tickets and I had no idea what he was talking about or that UF was even playing. So sue me, I dont follow sports, but I sure as heck will be proud when my alma mater REPRESENTS! In the interest of full disclosure, I lost my contacts watching the final two teams play off Monday and actually mentioned in a group of avid fans that I was surprised a larki (girl) was playing mens basketball after seeing the player on the left. I then stated that I was thrilled UF beat the Oakland Raiders. It was a momentary lapse and just because I'm not knowledable on college basketball (or basketball in general for that matter) does not mean I can't be proud of my team!!

Y'all. Living in the South has its many disadvantages but being able to say y'all without anyone raising an eyebrow or looking at you funny almost balances the scale. Almost.


Scra*p*booking. I havent done it in four years and recently began doing it again. Its a way to be artistic while watching Ugly Betty. Art, whether it be writing poetry, or stories, or doodling henna patterns helps me forget my worries and center myself. Scrapbooking is a wonderful relaxation tool because you can be creative and relive wonderful, beautiful memories as you preserve them for the future.

The trial is OVER and for the record, I didnt recite the contents of the veggie burger to the jury. When I first started law school I thought I cant continue with law school if one day Ill have to do THAT. To have actually done it and done it in a manner that didnt result in the judge bursting into laughter or my co-counsel turning bright red with embarassment or the jurors feeling an inexplicable desire to eat a veggie burger at Mimi's, well, it felt good.

Mehndi trays. Ive been kinda anti-desi on my blog lately but desi culture is undeniably beautiful. One of the three wedding days is the Mehndi (henna). The bride gets henna put on her hands in intricate patterns, and we dance, sing, and eat yummy food. Its the funnest of the three wedding days. A dear friend of ours is getting married this weekend, because he has no family here we're filling in helping and doing the stuff a family would do such as tease him incessantly. One of the other ways we're helping is making trays to hold the henna for the Mehndi. The trays will be filled with henna and a long candle in the tray's center. The mehndi trays pictured are beautiful for because they were made in the company of friends, and being with good friends is always beautiful, they were made for a dear friend whose wedding I'm over the moon about, and well, they're pretty! Two points re pic: 1) the bottle is ROOT BEER! 2) Please note the abstract mehndi tray to the bottom left corner of the picture. Is it not lovely and inspiring!? ;) If y'all dont like it then make sure to not leave me with random stuff and a glue gun. I can't help it!

**allright, allright, so its tecknickally not Thursday yet... but oh well :0)

Labels: 3bt, desi, life, Meme, school, thoughts

posted by Aisha @ 12:13 AM || 11 comments

I admit it, I grumble about school quite a bit more than is absolutely necessary but today it hit me: no more summer, spring, winter vacations. I've been a student or teacher most of my life.. so such holidays are a given to me. Its strange to know I'll soon be entering a world where my summers won't be mine to scrapbook, discover new recipes, dust daily, and read oodles of books to my hearts content. Two weeks vacation?? How do y'all do it!?! For real, how do you do it? I've heard the US is one of the least vacation friendly countries in the Western hemisphere. My English friends say they'd take 4-6 week vacations without anyone batting an eye. Two weeks doesnt seem like nearly enough time. After a lifetime of a healthy vacation schedule I can't help but wonder how I can possibly get used to such a schedule? Is the transition to having only two weeks of vacation hard to get used to? Do you ever get used to it?
posted by Aisha @ 1:07 AM || 22 comments