Pixels For Four

My job requires that I complement the fonts to the layout of the printed materials that I design. My daily acquaintance with typography has led me to appreciate the Arabic fonts. It has many variations, just like its English counterpart, and I especially like the distortion and the arrangement that can be done with the letters. You can stretch the letters for as far as you like, and they never lose their form and meaning. I don’t read nor write Arabic. I just copy and paste what my Arab officemates give to me. But if I were to choose, I would’ve learned to read, write and speak Arabic. It is clearly an asset to my profession. But since we came here late, I couldn’t learn it anymore. Below are some stores with beautiful Arabic fonts. I will share with you more on my next posts as I stroll along the streets of this beautiful city. And speaking of language, I came across this newspaper ad last week, got curious about it, and asked my officemate what it meant. The ad said Saudis ...

I didn't realize that my last entry here was already fifteen days ago. Time passed by so quickly because I was (and I always am) busy accomplishing my work and domestic duties. But I am not complaining. I am the kind of person who always look at the brighter side of things. I always try to justify things that come my way.

There's a quote I read about traveling and taking photos. And it goes something like this:   " A journey without pictures is a journey half traveled. " I remembered that quote because I wanted to explain why I post many pictures of our trips or experiences here. That quote is my ground for doing so. I also wanted to show how far or how wide I have explored a certain place or how little I know about it. Sometimes, when people ask where I went, I just open the gallery on my phone and show them my pictures. I always let the photos do the talking. I searched for the source and complete version of the quote above but I couldn't find it anymore and chanced upon this very interesting travel quote from Albert Einstein. "To get to know a country, you must have direct contact with the earth. It's futile to gaze at the world through a car window." I searched for the source and complete version of the quote above but I couldn't find it anymore a...

One of the things that I like here in Saudi Arabia is the long vacations. My leave from work and the kids’ leave from school last Ramadan was one week but we used that up to move to our new house. This Eid, it’s eight days for me and the kids again. Fred was given 6 days. Even though it was already our second Eid here in Riyadh, we didn’t go somewhere far. One primary reason, as usual, is the budget constraints. And two, I don’t know the options yet. I don’t know where the bus stations are if we choose to commute, or how far the nearest province or region is, the activities and scenery that await us there, and the procedures on how to get visas should we decide to cross-country. But I am learning. And when I learn, especially about travel and adventures, I learn fast. For the meantime, we decided to join some friends in exploring Riyadh first. Red Sand was our main destination last Monday but the sights along the way were almost enough to satisfy my visual sense. I was awed b...

A working mom like me usually doesn't have enough time in her hands to teach her kids and help them in their assignments after coming home from work. Unless she hires a nanny to help her in household chores or a tutor to teach and help the kids in their homework. I don't have these sanity-saving helps because we can't afford them. I come home at past 6 pm and more often, I had to cook dinner for us. So before I knew it, precious minutes have passed and it's time for the kids to go to bed after their dinner. While I said here that life is full of sweet surprises, God on the other hand, is full of blessings to shower to His children. And two of those blessings came in the form of an ordinal number. Gabby won first place on the two academic quizzes he joined, the Spelling Bee and the Social Studies Quiz Bee. And for a treat, we decided to eat somewhere we haven't been to. Fred and I were craving for authentic Arab cuisine for weeks. So we went to Assaraya Turk...

I spoke too soon when I said that I almost mastered the art of moving. There’s no art in moving unless we sort our belongings according to colors or sizes, which no one, not even I in my OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) state, will ever do anyway. And we usually pack our stuff according to function, purpose, or area where they would be used, right? And I thought I know a lot about moving. I was so wrong. No one is ever prepared for packing, loading, moving, unloading, and organizing things again. It is very stressful given the fact that we also had to transfer to the new house the other stuff from the garage, living room, dining room and the kitchen which we share with other occupants. Fatigue and exposure to dust got the better of Fred and me. After the transfer, I had severe cough and body pains and had to phone in sick from work for a day. Although moving, like most forms of change, can bring out the best and worst in people, I’m glad I’ve seen moments and gestures wo...

I'm beginning to believe that I have mastered the art of moving. Since we came here in KSA last year, we've moved to two houses already and now, we're moving again. Our search for a new house ended when God provided one that's near to grocery stores, remittance centers, and my kids' school. It isn't too far from my workplace and its proximity to two hospitals will give me the chance to walk and flex those leg muscles again.

Did you ever feel an itch to do something you've always wanted but didn't have the resources for it? That's exactly what I feel right now. I've always wanted to bake because I have a love-hate relationship with brownies and anything sweetly baked. I love them so much that I could eat a panful but I hate what it does to my body afterward. I really wanted to try baking but sadly, I don't have an oven yet. We're planning to buy one, just the table top kind, next month or when we're kinda settled in our new house here. I just hope there won't be unexpected expenditures that will dent our already tight budget.

I've been wanting to post Bible verses for ages but didn't have any idea on how to present them. Because I love taking pictures of nature and other beautiful things, and I'm into graphics, I thought why not tap into these resources? So here's my first ever Bible verse using one of the pictures I've taken before. Please come back to check on God's words and feel free to copy/save these verses (which will be posted every other Saturday) and share with others. And now that I've finally posted one verse, I'm happy that I've used again the talent and resources God has given me to spread His word. Thank you, Lord.

I've said in my Instagram pic shower that we're leaving the villa which we learned to love and enjoy. Having moved here last July, my family has just acclimatized to the freedom (read: wide spaces!) that this villa offers. Watching my kids play basketball, steer a scooter, run around, or just roam outside the house make Fred and I happy knowing that we made the best decision of moving out of our former flat which was small. Because of the ongoing civil war in Syria, the owner of the villa had to leave his home country and occupy his house here again. We've been looking for other villas for weeks now but haven't found any that fits our specifications and budget. I just hope and pray that we will find one this week. For the meantime, I've been posting at least three images on Instagram almost everyday for three days now. Forgive my shameless plug but if you have an Instagram account, please add up bethp26 (that's me!) to view on your phone most of the picture...