Once I've heard the 'Heartless', Kris Allen's version in my sister's mp3, I fell head over heels in love with it... ( read : I don't really watch much tv so didn't catch american idol except from the papers ) His version is sooo soul, pretty reminds me of Jason Mraz... another soul legend I adore....
I used to think Adam Lambert deserved the American Idol title, but I guess I just changed my mind.... I'm on romantic mode...
Ask me how's my weekend... & I'll tell you it rocks big time... celebrated my birthday with family, friends and loved ones... but I'm feeling fat, fat, fat....
Went to Fish & Co for a sumptuous dinner with some of my colleagues after work on Friday evening, went to Han's River for lunch with my family to enjoy a joyous buffet spread on Saturday & a friend's wedding lunch today before enjoying an animation movie in 3-D called ' Monsters vs Aliens'... a show I've been waiting to watch for some time....
Me & Salsa... ( she took some nicer pics wif her digicam I'm gonna grab soon.... )
Seafood Platter for two that I shared with Salsa... but ended up still unfinished
So much eating took place for the past few days... so I need to remind myself to slot in some running & gym time within my busy schedule what comes may.... My bf said my butt is obviously bigger now... yucks... I hate yet glad with the fact that guys can be so frank with their opinions most of the time...
Will share more pics and updates about myself when I can spare more time.... back to the main purpose of this blog entry... it's regarding a book I've recently read, called 'Honour Killing' by Ayse Onal... a brave female journalist who actively and boldly reports explicitly on controversial Turkish politics, organised crime and conflicts in the Middle East.
Reading this book is truely heart-wrenching for me yet serves as an important eye-opener for me.... giving me a greater sense of purpose in life & truly appreciating the freedom that comes with being a Muslim woman born in Singapore.... unlike most of my female counterparts in the Middle East, I am given the opportunity to go to school to gain knowledge, mingle with people of all ages and sex to gain useful insights on life, given equal opportunity as the men to go to work & hold a professional role in society....
I can never imagine how my life will be if I'm born into the Middle East... having a personality like mine bursting @ the seams with energy and spirit, I feel I would have done what most of the Muslim women in the book have done - slain in the name of honour killing and religion by my own family members, during my relentless pursuits of freedom....
Muslim women are fully submerged and oppressed in the Middle East... what entails is an excuse that everything is done in the name of Islam.... which actually does not condone killing yet encourage mercy towards animals, let alone human beings... yet young Muslim women were mercilessly slain even @ the slightest hints of possible bad intentions... unexpectingly increasing the suicide(an unpardonable sin) rates amongst them, which is depressing....
An excerpt taken from the book, pg 176 :
'...a girl in Urfa had requested a song on the radio and dedicated it to all who love and are loved. To set an example, she was killed in front of her entire family. When it was disconvered that a girl in Mardin had secretly gone to the ladies' matinee at the movie theatre, she was dragged from the theatre and beaten to death...'
What I found sad and hard to swallow is the fact that most of these Muslims carries Islamic teachings in their lives to the extremes.... declaring full bidding of what is written in the Qur'an... yet live their lives decades behind the current modern world....
Double standards towards the different sex groups are obviously portrayed.... women are betrothed to a close family member as soon as they were born, regardless of their rights or wishes... and married off as soon as they are physiologically ready to produce offsprings despite being years younger than the minimum age required to register in a civil marriage...
Most women are physically abused by their husbands, strongly not allowed to go to school, work or even watch the television... they are not allowed to talk much as their voices are considered haram, or go out without fully covering their bodies...
Wives who bear daughters are insulted as daughters are seen to bring bad luck to the household and thus, much dreaded... any women who ventured out of their house alone are regarded as prostitutes and will be raped or even killed with much disregard...
Despite not having much power to help these women who are constantly subjected to much physical and emotional abuse in their everyday lives, women who became desensitized by the amount of violence displayed in their society... I will always pray for justice to prevail & for God to show the Muslim people in the Middle East the true path of life... & save the innocent from unimaginable sufferings....
Watched the movie 'Taken' but hadn't had the time nor energy to blog nowadays after work...most of the time I'm too weary to do anything else but go to sleep on my cozy bed...
It was a fast-action movie, with non-stop intense sequence of violence, drug use and disturbing contents surrounding the issue of women trafficking.... I love the fact that the director Pierre Morel focused on the important aspects of the movie... He tried to outline all the different angles revolving around the sensitive issue of women trafficking... from how they perform the dirty deeds of kidnapping to how they 'auctioned' off the women to rich sheikhs...
What I found disturbing was the fact that the kidnappers involved in the dark syndicate targeted on young female tourists, at their most vulnerable state... Forcing them into the prostitution ring against human rights, by drugging and physically abusing them... some even died due to drug overdose... those surviving looking wasted in make-shift brothels....
The message to all women is clear... Be careful when planning to go on a holiday...no matter where it is, because you're alone if anything shall happen to you... As shown in the movie, corruption even within the highest government officials is possible, when money and status is at stake.... So never go alone...always go with a group of friends, especially those who know their way around the country well...
A great movie definitely... with a powerful message underlining the storyline....
rating = 4 stars
