LIFE AS IT IS

It was a beauty to behold and remember for decades to come! BDNEWS24.com link

The clock does not stop ticking for anyone (unless you take the battery out, or if the battery dies). :)

The Daily Star link Date of publication: Sept. 9, 2015 I first came across the word, Amish, in one of the volumes of Nancy Drew mystery stories series some 20 odd years ago. At that time, I knew nothing about the Amish and who they are. As I became older I read about them on the Internet at various times; I even watched several episodes of a reality TV show called “Breaking Amish” a couple of years ago. In short, the Amish and their lifestyle had intrigued me and I always wanted to see first-hand what the life of these simple people is like.  The Lancaster County of Pennsylvania is home to some 30,000 Amish people; it’s a major tourist destination for those who want to experience the Amish way of living. Pennsylvania is also the oldest Amish settlement in America. The Amish are a group of Anabaptist Christians, who believe in the baptism of adults, not infants. Amish, who confess their faith, are baptized again as adults -- the word ‘ana’ means, again. An Amish, who transg...

It's easier to hate than to love someone different from you. #xenophobia. I am glad my heart is not as hard as that of a xenophobic person.

I first came across the word, Amish, in one of the volumes of Nancy Drew mystery stories series some 20-25 years ago. At that time, I knew nothing about the Amish and who they are. As I became older I read about them on the Internet at various times; I even watched several episodes of a reality TV show called “Breaking Amish” a couple of years ago. In short, the Amish and their lifestyle had intrigued me and I always wanted to see first-hand what the life of these simple people is like. I finally made it last Saturday - we visited The Amish Village in Lancaster county of Pennsylvania. In the Amish Village, one gets to see an authentic Amish farmhouse, a barn with animals, an Amish schoolhouse, Amish buggy, plow, etc. Pennsylvania is the first and oldest Amish settlement in the U.S. It was a fun+educational trip.   Mr. Ed, the horse, in The Amish Village barn. He was so friendly!  The Amish Village.  Buggies and automobiles share narrow country roads. ...

I requested for a ride to the mall on Uber yesterday - my driver was a middle-aged Ethiopian man, who moved to the U.S. with his wife and three kids 16 years ago. I always like to talk with other  people and know about their lives. So, while I talked with the Ethiopian gentleman yesterday I learned that he is actually a teacher, who teaches at a local medical institute! I did not know quite understand the name of the institute though, and I was kind of shy to ask again. Anyway, he said he is working for Uber as school is closed for summer - this is not his full-time job. I also found out that he spent one month, training at a hospital in Dhaka, my home city! This came as a total surprise - how many times in your life do you meet an Ethiopian-American who lived for a month in your home country? On my way back from the mall, the driver, who gave me the ride, said he was a full-time graduate student and that he was driving for Uber to earn some extra money. He works at his universi...

Growing up in Bangladesh between '80s and '90s, vegetables were part of our daily diet. It began at breakfast time with round rotis and a preparation from mixed vegetables. Then during lunch time, vegetables were a must too. Lunch began with spinach or some other kind of leafy vegetable, a single or mixed vegetable preparation, meat or fish and dal (pulses). Here in the United States, however, daily diets of adults and children rely heavily on meat and carbohydrates. Potato is probably the most common vegetable in American diet. But I never treated potato as a vegetable before moving to the U.S. - potato is considered a source of carb in the part of the world where I grew up. In the past 6 years, I met very few American kids, who said they loved veggies. Parents are not to be blamed alone for their children's distaste toward veggies - it's an acquired taste. Besides, healthy foods are more expensive in this country. Meat costs much less than vegetables. In large fami...

No one's life comes at a standstill for anyone. 

The front camera of your phone is also a good mirror. Women out there, when you don't have a mirror handy, use it to apply/check your make-up and hair. :)

Yesterday, I was at the Pawpaw Folk Festival held in Wilmington, Delaware. There were many folk artists showcasing and selling their handicrafts, which ranged from woodworking, painting, pottery to jewelry and knit & yarn products. The elderly Amish woman in the pictures below was working at her loom - she was looming 100% woolen scarves and towels, which looked and felt so good. She appeared at least 80 years old but she seemed so active and full of life. I talked with her and asked if I could take some photos of hers - she agreed. I dedicate this blog post to all those men and women, who believe that age is just a number. My daughter and I had fun at the festival. I bought a blue stoneware soap dish from a woman named Nettie Green. Her pottery ranged from pots and dishes to kettles, milk pots, mugs, etc. Each item was unique, hand-crafted and painted beautifully in shades like orange, blue, brown, yellow, golden, etc.

Yesterday, I found in the bathroom cabinet a tube of Babo Botanicals sunscreen that I once bought for my daughter. I totally forgot that I had it. Anyway, when I checked the tube I saw that it expired on 07/2015. Dang! Thinking that it might still be effective I emailed Babo's customer service and asked that if I could still use it since it's been just a month. Guess what their reply was? They req uested me to send them my shipping address so that they can send a new one!! They added that they'd be happy if I write a product review for them after receiving the new tube, which I don't mind writing at all 'cause it's a good product. I was so moved by their gesture. I mean the sunscreen expired 'cause I forgot that I bought it yet they want to send me a new tube! Talk about luck!