OPNO loves OmanTV (no, I AM being serious) and PHET coverage

Am I the ONLY person in Oman that LIKES OmanTV???? LOL:XD

In the height of being stressed about one of my closest friends risking his life in a wadi during hurricane PHET the news on OmanTV broke up the usual footage of danger and destruction with a segment on how to cook Omani Halwa (traditional desert). Sitting in a sheesha cafe with floating plastic chairs (I wasn't smoking sheesha Umm Qahtan, no worries!) while people outside floundered in their non-four wheel drives as a floodgate was opened due to its limited capacity, watching pictures of sunnny arial veiws of Omani forts and a montage of the Sultan smiling, I felt reassured that everything would be ok if the woman's batch of halwa turned out.

I am serious. I DID find it reasuring. I am one of those 'think-too much people'. Mundane and ridiculous ironies are my mental crux.

All in all, I think they did a decent job of reporting the coverage on the Arabic segments (they brought in English, Indian, Philipino, and other language presenters to warn of the danger and storm direction). BUT LONG AGO learnt not to DEPEND on one form of media, newspapers, TV, blogs, internet, youtube, facebook, gossip, ect. But if you didn't know about this, you were probably only seeing Arabic, switched the chanel before the English and other-language blurps every so often, and saw only forts and halwa and Arabic reporting. Facebook group PHET seemed easier for English audiences to access and use. While one had electricity of course. I was alarmed when one english blogger informed me they had only heard of the hurricane through my blog. I wondered if they knew how to use Oman's media sources and news/radio stations.

I like OmanTV. I may be the only one, but I found the halwa cooking session to be very soothing while the indian staff at the sheesha cafe ran out to the coffee shop dressed in black plastic garbage bag rain gear to get my dinner for me and friends lost their belongings in Qurayat. It took my mind off what we'd have to deal with in the morning, and the Omani mindset it gave to me was pretty much like the British during the blitz, get on with it. "So this is how you grow your cabbages, while the Nazis zap you" par example.

I phone Omani friend A and asked, how are you out in Qurayat?

A: oh, alhamdulilah good, salaamz to you and thanks for asking.

M later tells me A's villa was submerged and she lost everything. But "all praise be to Allah" she got on with it as if nothing had happened, and we were sending our regular friday "juma mubarak" texts.

If anyone wants to donate "decent" furniture and appliances or a TV you don't need to A, let me know via this blog.

I love you OmanTV. I wish you were better organized for other people out there who haven't figured you out yet.

***I don't depend on OmanTV for accurate news. Or on any one person or media for that matter. That is always a mistake, even in so-called free media countries. All media is owned by some commercial or political interest, or it is biased (like my blog:D).***

More Arab-Ish Text Messages

From my screened messages collection of taxi drivers I made the mistake of thinking would not phone stalk me if I called them to pick me up from Sultan Center on a grocery run:

Good evnig i mis u how ar u i want see us plz i want spik weith u plz

Translated by me: Good evening. I miss you [don't know how, I took your taxi only two times and the second time told you not to speak to me rather rudely]. How are you? I want to see you please. I want to speak with you please.

I gust wan spiek witd u ather beutifl grils meen nathing to me belive me since i see u i love u i think nathing of atherz. I whant to see u plaz.

Translated by me: I just want to speak with you---other beautiful girls mean nothing to me, believe me! Since I saw you, I have loved you and now I think nothing of others. I want to see you please.

Now, I probably COULD give this to the ROP (I've certainly shown my ROP friends) or get a new sim, but honestly, the bad spelling and grammer kinda of amuse me. So I've left if it on my screened calls.

If you liked this post you might also like

What I lost in Translation, is my ability to speak English

http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/01/dumb-things-omani-men-have-said-to-me.html

Dumb Things Omani Men Have Said pt. 2

What Brand of Skin-whitener do I use?: :O000oooooo?

I will never forget washing my hands at the City cinema in Shatti and three Omani girls came up to me and asked me (in Arabic) what brand of skin whitener I used. I got confused (not just the Arabic). I am caucasion. God made me this way. I have never used a skin lightener a day in my life but tried very hard to get a tan once with fake tanner which turned me carrot orange. Go figure.

In my country whiteness is a sign of the working class. It means, you don't exactly get to vacation in St. Barths.

In Oman, it is supposedly a sign of beauty, but many of the girls I've seen cause terrible acne to themselves (plus look trashy) painting on fake white skin cake, or make themselves look like Morticia Adams from the Adams family with greying skin whitener. Yes, Morticia Adams is apparently the paramount of beauty in Oman.

TO ME: Arab and African women look more beautiful with their natural skin tone. I've learned to deal with the fact that I will always look like an English rose and not an exotic Cleopatra with gleaming gold skin. I admire Imaan cosmetics for creating a line for women of colour to learn how to showcase their natural beauty, rather than trying to whiten themselves wear the same American make-up lines as me. All of the women below are a 100x more beautiful than Morticia Adams in their natural tones. So Omani girls, think twice before you grab that white white porceline that is meant for someone as fish white as me. Try to get something within 2 shades of your natural skin tone for flawless finish. And I know Phantom, to you whiter is better, but it is because society brainwashed you lol;p. Beauty has no colour, but is a rainbow. Much love to ya'll. Forgive me for my solid opinion on the matter.

More Omani Make-up and Hijab Wrap styles with trad. Jewlery for ya'll

Wowza, I LOVE THESE. Of course, I am girl that wears waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less lol. But pretty.
I forget the name of the model for most of the make-up looks but she's some well-known Omani TV presenter isn't she?

This skintone good with you PhantomX?:p

This is for the Omani Readers: the ban on marrying foreigners, your thoughts, and mine

So, if all the Oman blogs could put this out, simply because I am curious for both female and male Omani opinions on the matter, what do Omanis think about lifting the ban on marrying foreigners? I have a poll on the sidebar and wish you’d vote, if you are Omani, because this issue has long affecteded me and my friends (both foreign and Omani).

Right now, as is, unless you have some wasta, marriage to a foreigner requires a few things under Omani law. For an Omani man to marry a non-Omani woman it isn't allowed unless he is has been divorced a few times with children, he is mentally or physically disabled, or he’s over forty. For an Omani woman, if she’s divorced or widowed with children they make exceptions, same if she is mentally or physically disabled.

While one friend TRIED to tempt me with their handsome Omani friend who is quite disturbed and pocessed by an evil Jinn [I think Oman law would totally allow the marriage based on the insanity clause] I kinda held out. I don’t like evil Jinn. It’s kinda a personal thing. Just NOT attracted to creepy scary things that talk to me in demon voices. Yeah. LOL.

Anyways, here are my thoughts. I am a Muslim. In Islam, making something unlawful that Allah made lawful for mankind is ACTUALLY a form of shirk (disbelief in Allah), the kind of shirk the Qu’ran says committed by Jewish and Christian priests in different periods of history. So I don’t think there should be a law saying which country an Omani man or woman can marry from. Kinda because it is shirk, though I DO know the merits of why such a ban was proposed in Oman.

I think the ban should be lifted. But with conditions to preserve the unique culture of Oman:

Conditions being, to preserve the moral culture of Oman, Omani women should only be able to marry Muslim men. This is also in Islamic law. The men should be able to prove they can provide for the woman and be able to fit into her family if they are going to stay and live in Oman.

For Omani men, they should be able to marry Muslim, Christian, or Jewish foreign women, as this is what the Qu'ran says. But it is says ****PRACTICING**** Jewish and Christian women [of which, few will agree to marry a Muslim, because I HAVE practicing Christian and Jewish friends and most don't their kids to be raised Muslims]. So that stripper from Thailand? She doesn't COUNT as a practicing Christian my darling Omani boys. You don't want a bunch of immoral European, Asian, and Western women married to Omani men (as fun as that sounds boys LOL) but it'll totally ruin the culture of your children. In addition to that, Christian or Jewish women would have to sign a clause saying they would allow their children to be raised as Muslims and that their holidays would be celebrated outside of the home without the involvement of their children. [I added this for you PhantomX, cuz that is a valid point, as a Muslim with non-Muslim relatives this is something I will have to enforce when I have children].

These are my rather simple thoughts on the matter. I love Oman, I love the Sultan, and generally love how Islam is practiced here by the Gov.. This is one exeption to that love. I wonder what you all think. If on other blogs, please repost my poll for your Omani readers so they can participate. Thanks!

Story # 1 that inspired this post: http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-opnos-list-of-how-to-marry-omani.html

For Omani Guys: How NOT to PROPOSE to a girl part 1

Dear Guys,

While your attentions have been flattering (generally not, I am being nice), you SUCK at proposing to a modern (but still traditional girl). I am writing this post because I FINALLY RECIEVED A FEW DECENT proposals, lol, but that is for the daily diary not, here. This post will be about the hilariously BAD marriage lines I have been given over the years, me and my friends.

I have recieved MANY proposals of marriage since I moved to Oman, and these are combined with my friends' experiences. They often begin the same way. Here is how NOT to propose to a girl, from most common, to least common:

Beginning of BAD marriage proposal #1: "I have a house."

'Uh, ok, so do I.'

Stating that you have a house is great and all, we women love a man who lives on his own and can take care of himself and isn't living off his parents. But this is marriage AND OUR futures you are talking about. This is a detail we'll want to know about later, sure, but stating it first is like saying all we women care about when we are marrying you is getting out of our father's houses and having a roof over our heads. Generally speaking, most girls don't like to be thought of as that miskeen. LOL, and I have BEEN the definition of independent 'miskeen' for a long time now. We want to know why you want to marry us, and THEN what you can do for us. If a girl is only interested in what you can do for her, um, she's GENERALLY marrying you for the wrong reasons.

BAD marriage proposal #2: The marriage proposal so far has gone great. You like the guy, he has what you are looking for. Then he reveals what a backwards tool he is by finishing arrogantly, "You should consider it soon. You are not that young anymore.... Men don't like to marry women after 25."

'Uh! So if I was a little bit older (you would be too, you jerk!) you wouldn't consider me? women expire like milk! Oh so KIND of your offer now, tool.'

Too bad when I FIRST heard this line I was SIXTEEN years old! And many years have past and I am still getting offers.' LOL:XD

We women certainly do not like for you to imply that our inherent value to you is embued with our age which is something that will CHANGE. We went to be seen as having PERSONALITIES, ideas, and then after you appreciate that, individual physical features. We are looking for someone to enoy spending our lives with. Not someone who makes himself seem small-minded and incompatible with these basic emotional needs a woman HAS.

Bad marriage proposal #3: similiar to bad proposal #2, saying your reason for marrying is because we are "beautiful" and "fair" or because our "family is important" makes us feel you are marrying us to USE us for your own upping of social status, not because you ACTUALLY value us. And maybe you do, but just can't communicate it???????In my case, bad marriage proposal #4: Guy really doesn't try to list any of his merits. He just opens with "I will give you an Omani passport." I look at him like, what an idiot.

I came here on my own. Arab guys from non-Gulf countries are ALWAYS trying to marry me for MY passport. I love Oman and don't need an Omani passport to feel like I can do something for this country, that I am part of the landscape and culture, LOL. I love Oman. And the culture. Doesn't mean AT ALL that I will marry ANY OMANI MALE that asks me LOL:XD ;p

Ahhhhhhh, hehehehe.

Funny/really DUMB reasons Omani guys have given the women of OPNO for their proposals:

"Your nose is nice."

"I like way yu talk."

"The maher for baby girls in my family will be good because you are so white."

"I cannot afford to marry Omani girl."

"You wear abaya." And MUST thus be a good Muslim right???? Uh, ASK ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS opinions of the woman, don't just assum her religion is spot on cuz she has a scarf on her head. Makes you look like the FACADE of religion is all you care about, not the real core of the person's values.

That's about it for now.

OPNO is all for the luggage strike at Muscat/Seeb Int. Airport

M, you were totally lucky your flight for Thailand left at 5:00 cuz at 9:00 A reported to us everything went crazy with the baggage handlers being on strike LOL.

Well, you know what? I support them. They get paid 200-250 rials which isn't enough to have a family on and we all know that. Glad the suits from upstairs had to chuck a bag or two. Oh yeah, they couldn't even do that:p. UTTER chaos A reports to Y who reported it to me but it slipped my mind to mention it.

C'mon, pay fair wages. 500 rials is decent for a hard-worker. Give the crummy no good lazy ones 250.