1. Reading this article on what NOT to include in your resume. Apparently, I'm going to have to change the baby blue paper with teddy bears in the background and remove the attached letter from my mom.
2. Getting a text message from Donia telling me she's in the kitchen, staring at the cookbook, trying to figure out what to cook for the very first time. Initially, her image in the kitchen made me smile, but once I tried to picture the end result, I was giggling uncontrollably. Bless them, they are adorable:)
3. Passing the ice-cream man on the beach as I ran. He's a sweet-looking old Egyptian man, not that I noticed him before he burst out in a raspy but sweet voice "ma timshi ya binti, btorkodi laih! bil ra7ah..bil ra7ah.. tmawwiti nafsek laih??" (slow down girl, slow down, why don't you just walk?). I chuckled and continued running. For a second there, I felt I was back in Cairo. The ease in his voice as he yelled in my direction and the fact that I smiled back had a very distinct cairo-ish feel about it. I love Egyptians.
4. Running past a healthy looking young man, who was taking leisurely strides at the beach and then starting my countdown until he.... comes rushing past me! Happens every time. Apparently having a girl (said with a cringe and accompanied with a generous amount of spit for maximum disgust effect) outrun him is not to be taken lightly. Recovering from wounded egos, guys would almost ALWAYS sprint past me like one of those Kenyan Olympic medalists. This no doubt lasts for a very short interval, just long enough to reclaim his stature as the Alpha male, or at least until he's out of my sight where no doubt he'll collapse gasping for breath. There's a reason I never see them again after they rush past me you know.
Three years ago I may have impulsively burst out something like "You know it would be better for your stamina to maintain a slower pace for a longer time". But now I know better. I realise how crucial this short-lived macho show is for him. Stripping him of that ego-boost would no doubt have unspeakable and lasting damage.
This new found understanding of the knots and bolts of the male psyche, did not come to me naturally I'm afraid. I have a nice friend to thank for that. It was during a gym incident, where I unwittingly bombarded him with such a "wouldn't it be better if you" statement. He was horrified at first, but eventually realised it was really just harmless naivety from my part. He then took it upon himself to deliver a comprehensive explanation of the ins and outs of the male psyche. He even demonstrated a few muscle flexes and other show-offy stunts that guys are likely to pull in the presence of a double X carrying individual.
It was a very eye-opening and enlightening experience. And so when faced with such a situation, I resort to amused giggles. Guys are funny.
5. A sticker ad on the light pole that said that Abu Abdulla has "قراقير" for sale. Now I have absolutely no idea what "qaraqeer" are (heck I'm not even sure I remember it correctly), but if qaraqeer look half as funny as they sound, then I'd be chuckling for sure.
6. Mom: I'm making you baked cheesecake.
Me: *goofy smile followed by a Bingo Dance adaptation: The cheesecake Dance*
This is what made me smile today. What about you?
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