The Balancing Act - A Blog by A Canadian Muslim Mom

2008: These are a few of my Favourite Things

Amreen Omar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:45:13 -0500

Favourite book: Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Unbelievable how Lahiri entered my brain with this novel. There were lines of prose that so physically moved me that I had to put down the book to catch my breath. Her simple yet powerful words so clearly capture the experience of Indian immigrants and their children.

Favourite movie: Slumdog Millionaire

A masterpiece by Danny Boyle, this film haunted me for days after. The first time in a long time that I felt euphoric and satisfied after watching a movie. A must-see if you haven't yet.

Favourite TV show: The Wire, all 5 seasons

With a new baby in the house this past summer, my Husband and I had a lot of TV time. The Wire is by far, the best television show I have ever watched. A dramatic story that evokes Shakespeare and Dickens, The Wire not only completely engaged me, but intellectually stimulated me in a way that I didn't know TV could.

Ahhh, the holidays!

Amreen Omar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:41:09 -0500

It's been 7 days, and we are all finally on Calgary time. No more getting up at 4am for my kids, or going to bed at 7pm for me. It's been really cold - minus 25 most days - but Saturday was really warm. We embraced the plus one temperature and took a big walk down 4th street and then down 17th avenue, Calgary's funky street of hip cafes, shops and restos. New places that I made note of to check out (without kids) were a new restaurant called Farm (focusing on local cuisine, farm-raised meats and artisan cheeses and breads), and neat store called Worth, think high-end denim etc.

Our bodies have also acclimatized to the dryness, so no more nosebleeds, cracked lips and feet. The mountains look spectacular on a sunny day, and the Boy has been doing lots of outdoor skating with his hockey gear. The Baby still won't go to anyone, really, except for her parents and siblings. That's been tough, as it's hard for my Husband and I to get out together for more than an hour.

Our fun visit is going by fast. I'm trying to savour the family moments and gorgeous scenery.

Live from Calgary

Amreen Omar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:43:54 -0500

I'm in Calgary, our usual spot for the holidays. It was a challenge getting out of Toronto on Saturday due to the big snowstorm on the 19th. But we made it with only a few hours delay.

At the airport, a grandfatherly man kept talking to the Girl, first at check-in, then in the corridor on the way to security, and then again he approached her at Swiss Chalet. At first, it seemed sweet, then quickly I got creeped out by his attention to her. In the restaurant, he came and started drawing cartoon characters on her napkin. Am I too cynical (with my fears of pedophiles lurking behind every corner) or is that not weird?

Our first day here, the Boy developed Pink Eye and got a fever. Luckily, no one else has got it - yet. I'm compulsively washing my hands to a point where they're now bleeding.

It's been really cold since we got here, but tomorrow is supposed to be a whopping 1 degree Celsius, so I'm psyched to head outside. It's beautiful here, and the mountains are sparkling in the distance.