May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

Hey guys, how was your May 2020? Yes, we are already six months into 2020 and it has been a difficult year, to say the least. But on the brighter side, we are surviving it and proving ourselves better? So that is good right?

No? Okay I am giving up. 2020 sucks and how was May any different? 

How has your May 2020 been? Are there any significant changes in your in the past month? Who or what annoyed you the most? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

Quick May’20 updates

  • Another round of ‘days are melting together’. We no longer care about the day of the week’ drama.
  • Due to the current situation with Corona virus, the Ramadan celebration had been kinda subdued. Read more about the holy month of Ramadan here.
  • And finally, the life in UAE has resumed it is kinda normalcy after about 2 months of restrictions of different levels.

What I read this month:

May 2020 was an average reading month and surprisingly I read quite a few non fiction titles.

What I watched this month:

So what did I watch through May 2020. Here are my top picks

  • Brooklyn nine nine – rewatched entire series 
  • How to get away with murder
  • Never have I ever
  • Dead to me S2
  • Scooby Doo – movie

On my blog

It has been a good month in terms of blogging for me. Take a look at my posts from May 2020

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme

From the Insta-world

Also I did post on Instagram during the week. Are you following me already?

Pin me!

May 2020 Pin me

Let us chat

How has your May 2020 been? Are there any significant changes in your in the past month? Who or what annoyed you the most? Let us talk.

May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

Life resumed in the UAE: Sunday Musings #77

Life resumed in the UAE after a lock down of more than a month due to the Corona virus pandemic, finally this week.

The world seems to be moving towards a recovery from the pandemic. And the countries are slowly relaxing the restrictions. I already spoke about how we were doing it in Dubai, a while ago. 

Life resumed in the UAE after a lock down of more than a month due to the Corona virus pandemic, finally this week. We are still required to practice social distancing and wear masks when we venture outside. How is your week shaping up? Click To Tweet

We are still required to practice social distancing and wear masks when we venture outside. ⁠⁠While Dubai’s own contact tracing app for CoViD has been here for a while, it has now become mandatory for every resident to download it on our phones when we are going out.

Business as usual resumed in the UAE

  • But on the whole, many restrictions have been relaxed.⁠⁠
  • We can go out for non essentials as well now.
  • Yay!⁠Airport and flights have been operating.⁠
  • All shops including luxury shopping are up for business (Gucci anyone?)⁠
  • Cinemas, beaches (in some places), fitness centers and gyms are all opened. ⁠
  • And people can go back to working from offices. (bummer?)⁠⁠

So basically, the UAE and Dubai are back to business as usual.⁠ 

And while the things are more relaxed now from the public point of view but the Government has not stopped their work. We have nation wide sterilization programs from 6 PM every day. 

⁠But I am holding off the hitting the gym and venturing out in general, for a bit longer. ⁠⁠I mean everyone is talking about the spike in numbers expected in the first few days once the restrictions are relaxed right? And also because my lazy ass is used to staying in now.

⁠⁠In conclusion, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Stay put in and safe at home as long as you can and you are ordered to, especially those that are in the USA and India where things are still gloomy.⁠

What I read this week

I am currently reading Little Flies everywhere and I am loving it. I have been promising I would read it, before watching the series. So I have to finish this one ASAP.

On other news, my stilt at reading non fiction books is going great. Despite DNF-ing two non fiction books this week, I finished reading Warren Buffett’s Management Secrets last night. 

What I watched this week

I watched Misdemeanor last week and I didn’t love it. 

I am also watching Never have I ever and Space force. What are you all watching?

On my blog

In case you missed out any of my posts through the week, here is a quick recap.

Friday – Book Summary Of Atomic Habits

Summary of Atomic Habits cover

Wednesday – Feeling Overwhelmed With Work – Things To Help You Out

Feeling overwhelmed with work cover

Monday – A book review of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

elgeewrites Life resumed in the UAE: Sunday Musings #77 The Tattooist of Auschwitz F

Sunday – Ramadan Kareem: Sunday Musings #76

elgeewrites Life resumed in the UAE: Sunday Musings #77 SM76F

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme

Around the blogosphere

Oh, I have been blog hopping kinda regularly now and here are few posts that I particularly loved and wanted to share with you all.

From the Insta-world

Here are some of the photos I posted on Instagram during the week. Are you follow me on Instagram?

Pin me!

Resumes in the UAE Pinterest

Let us chat

How is your week going on? How are your country’s/ city’s restrictions due to Corona Virus shaping up? Let us talk. 

May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

Ramadan Kareem: Sunday Musings #76

As you might know already, we have been celebrating the holy month of Ramadan in the UAE since April for about 30 days now. Due to the current situation with Corona virus, the celebration has been kinda subdued and there are restrictions towards what can be done, as well. 

Eid Mubarak! Here is a little about Ramadan that I, as a non Muslim and an UAE expat, have come to learn in the past few years, in my Sunday post! Click To Tweet

A little bit about Ramadan 2020

Here is a little about Ramadan that I, as a non Muslim and UAE expat, have come to learn in the past few years. 

Ramadan usually begins with the moon sighting to mark the beginning of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This year, Ramadan 2020 started on April 23rd. 

During this holy month, millions of Muslims will undergo fasting between dawn to dusk with family and friends. But, of course, this year due to the Corona virus lock down, breaking of the fast (iftar) ritual has been restricted to close family only.

As per practice, there are five things that Muslims are usually encouraged to during the month of Ramadan.

  • Fast between dawn to dusk
  • Pray five times at their mosques
  • Donate to charity
  • Spend time with family and strengthen their faith
  • Take a pilgrimmage to Meccah, Saudi Arabia

Non Muslims  are expected to be mindful about these rules. Usually there are no music or entertainment in the public and refrain from eating or drinking in front of those who are fasting. Usually the non fasting people eat at cordoned areas in the workplaces. 

Some of those rules are changing for the current year, like the pilgrimage or praying at the mosques, which have been shut down for now. 

A committee meets to officially mark the beginning of the tenth month based on the moon. This year, the moon sighting committee met virtually on Saturday to announce that the new month begins today!

We are on extended holidays for the Eid Al Fitr (end of Ramadan 2020/ end of breaking the fast) which started from Friday till Monday

Whoa that went longer than I expected it to be. Let me know if it were too much!

What I read this week

This has been an average reading week for me.

I finished reading two books this week. But I had started reading them weeks ago. Hence no so great actually 

  • Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
  • Flateshare, The by Beth O’Leary

What I watched this week

I watched Scooby Doo and it was nostalgic. We had a namesake dog when I was young and I kept sending pictures of Scooby to my mom, who was overjoyed. 

On my blog

In case you missed any of the posts this week, here is a recap!

On Friday I recommended Eight Books That Will Make You Smarter

books that will make you smarter cover

On Wednesday I posted How To Write Book Reviews – A Guide

How to write book reviews - featured

I reviewed the book Mrs, Everything, on Monday.

Mrs Everything book review Cover

How To Get Away With Murder & Other Things From This Week: Sunday Musings #75

how to get away with murder feature

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme

Around the blogosphere

From the Insta-world

And here are my shots on Instagram this week

Pin me!

Ramadan kareem Pin me!

Let us chat

Did you learn anything new about Ramadan here? Do you know anyone who celebrates the month of Ramadan? What are you watching/reading these days? Let us talk.

May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

How to get away with murder & other things from this week: Sunday Musings #75

Did anyone see that twist coming on How to get away with murder?

Are you happy with the ending? I can’t believe that happened to them both. TBH I didn’t want anything to happen to that guy but it had to, right? 

I hate it when my head tries to reason out my feels, like I know it had to happen but can I have a heart break for a fictional character, for a minute in here?

How has your week been? Do you watch How to get away with murder? Who was your favorite character and did you like their ending? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

Not spoiler-ing How to get away with murder

Sigh. Also talking about How to get away with murder without spoiling it for the rest of the world is difficult!

Oh by the way, my laptop stopped making that weird noise out of nowhere in the last two days. I still do not know what I did right, but I would like to think I solved it somehow. I tried most of your suggestions, as soon as I got them last Sunday (because I was desperate for a solution).

Thank you so much, guys especially Michelle @ Because Reading for your elaborate explanation about the issue. 

What I read this week

I am reading two books currently. And I will finish both of them probably today.

  • Atomic Habits by James Clear
  • The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

What I watched this week

I am currently watching Dead to me S2. I am watching 3 or 4th episode and I am enjoying it at all.

On the other hand, I am rewatching Brooklyn Nine Nine from season 1. And it is freaking fabulous, as we know it to be.⁠

As I was saying I watched the last two episodes of How to get away with murder, yesterday and I dunno how people waited for one whole week to see the next part. 

I am not able to do that for even Masterchef Australia or other reality shows. Also whom are you rooting for?

On my blog

In case you missed this week’s posts on my blog, here is a brief recap.

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed – a book review

YES NO MAYBE so Feature

Mother’s Day And Computer Issues: Sunday Musings #74

elgeewrites How to get away with murder & other things from this week: Sunday Musings #75 SM74F

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme

Around the blogosphere

Here are some posts that I found around the blogosphere, and wanted to share it with y’all

From the Insta-world

If you are not following me on Instagram, please consider doing that!

Pin me!

how to get away with murder pin me

Let us chat

How has your week been? Do you watch How to get away with murder? Who was your favorite character and did you like their ending? Let us talk.

May 2020 updates: Sunday Musings #78

Mother’s day and computer issues: Sunday Musings #74

Happy Mother’s day to everyone out there! Show your mom extra love from my behalf. I am gonna call her, just after posting this one!

It is another Sunday and it doesn’t mean anything anymore. Everyday has been similar to the previous and the lock down period is going to be a valid example for people who say that time is just a social construct. 

A few weeks before the lock down started (oh seems to far away now) I got a HP laptop and it seemed to be working so well, until now. Since last week, it has been making a loud whirring noise every time I moved it, so loud that it startles everyone in the house without fail. 

So currently I am using the laptop like a desktop, and I don’t think I can find the customer team to help me out. And that is totally bugging me out. 

Happy mother's day! What is the plan today and what's happening with you? How has your week been? And what are you reading? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

What I read this week

Oh so my reading finally improved and I finished Yes no maybe by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed eventually last week. 

I finished reading Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller too and it has been a really long time since I read a non fiction. So that is a yay!

I am currently reading

  • Atomic Habits by James Clear
  • The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

What I watched this week

I have been so excited to mention about Broadchurch. 

It has been a while since I liked a thriller as much as I did Broadchurch and it was so perfect, especially the 3rd season. I loved that I couldn’t guess the culprit until the end (trust me, usually I can find them a mile away – fictional ones obviously). And David Tennant was so perfect for the grumpy detective!

Broadchruch cover mother's day

I am rewatching BROOKLYN NINE NINE. I love the series and am loving it even more the third time.

B99 Noice
Credits: Tenor

On my blog

I have not been so active last on my blog, due to the irritable laptop noise syndrome. 

But hey I published a quiz for mother’s day. So that is not all lost.

Mother's day Quiz cover

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme

From the Insta-world

Pin me!

elgeewrites Mother's day and computer issues: Sunday Musings #74 SM74P

Let us chat

So what is happening with you? How has your week been? And what are you reading? Let us talk.