ThE oTHER sIDE of ME!

the other "me"
funny face @ fifty

Its been a month since i  started blogging, I am amazed that i reached more than a hundred hits! Well, I rather start with zero and up, than having a hundred and goes down to zero.. ha ha ha meaning i am too boring! I also receive emails from readers, encouraging me to write more..gathering all the questions they asked will sum up to:

Why Beauty beyond fifty?

Why not Dental blog?

Are you really fifty-two?

Having a post-graduate in Ortho (Germany) and Esthetic Dentistry (USA) plus 25 years of experience will surely an ace to talk about Dentistry in General and Esthetic (Cosmetic) in particular. Certainly, I am humble by the fact that i am successful in my career and the passion that i bring into it is unquestionable. However, talking Dentistry, day in ..day out ..then blog about it..whoaaa.. I wonder I’ll be eating my dental cake too!

Beauty is my other passion not only physically but also within. I have beautiful friends that I see seldom because of my hectic schedule. I know, you could imagine the traffic of topics that we talk about whenever we hang out.

My goal is to feature ladies beyond fifty, their principles/challenges in life, their beauty secrets and what their looking forward beyond the golden years.I like to share their stories (with their permission..of course!) as an inspiration for those who are turning fifty and beyond. Ladies from all walks of life, real beauties (in and out), real people with a  million dollar true to life stories 🙂

And yes, I am fifty-two this year, I do look young in picture but definitely i look like my age in person. How do fifty-two lady should look like anyway? aha! another topic for a blog!

the other side of “ME”??, let us find out on this journey of life fifty and beyond…

Happy Women’s Day!

A teacher and political worker from Germany, Clara Zeitkin started up the first “International Women’s Day” in Copenhagen on March 8, 1911.  It was a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world, booming population growth, and the rise of radical ideologies. The primary purposes of the Women’s Day then were equal opportunity for women and men, including universal women’s suffrage.  Pro-peace activities during World War I called to an end to indiscriminate slaughter in the trenches.

Zeitkin called on men to stay home with the children while women were going to their first Women’s Day meetings. The tradition also sees men honoring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc., with flowers and small gifts. IWD is now an official holiday in some countries, having a status equivalent to that of Mother’s Day: children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers. In 1975, the world celebrated International Women’s Year.

The Day continues to honor the early goals of equal opportunity–in all world cultures–and of putting an end to wars (only now the wars in focus are border atrocities, rape, and genocide in Africa, unrest in the Middle East, and revolution in the south Mediterranean countries).

Continue reading on Examiner.com: International Women’s Day–global and local – Chicago Women’s Health | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/women-s-health-in-chicago/international-women-s-day-global-and-local#ixzz1Fw3pSj1m

While The world celebrates IWD, I wonder if Saudi Arabia will marked its own celebration of equal opportunity for women. Would it just be a day of hope? hope that women can drive? hope that women can have equal position as that of men? hope that women will not be harassed, slaves at their own home and have its own voice and reasons to stand out among men?

Are we really looking for an equal rights ? equal opportunity? or are we just looking for an appreciation, a due respect in society of men and a freedom of one’s self?

For whatever the reason maybe, i would like to cheers to all the women of the world that stands out not only for what they believe in but for all the marked contributions and their remarkable success globally and locally.

Cheers! 

Magic remote control..anyone?

Magic wand is a thing of the past, wizard, witch, fairies..life is a reality.. but we do sometimes wished that we have a magic wand that we can just whisked and boom! life is different.

Yes, a remote control on the 21st century but i rather have both , a magic remote control that i can push rewind and fast forward the scenes in my life that i like most , the life that i like to play.:-)

Certainly, i like to rewind my teens year, how easy life has been, eat and study, sings and dance,hate and love. I like to rewind the first dance, the first kiss, the first date and everything that is “FIRST”in our life.

People remembers the” first” we always forget the “last”. When was the last time you talk to each other pleasantly without a fight? When is the last time you hold hands and spend the rest of the day just feeling complete? There are more “last” than” first” if you really think about it.

I like to rewind when my kids were still a baby, learning how to crawl, talk, walk discover simple things  that makes them smile and make your day bright! the little things the toddler do ..that you want them to “freeze” and be that way forever.

though often time you also wanted to lower the volume when they cry and whine, but increases it every time they sings  a note or recite a poem, no matter how short or wobbly it was.

I like to rewind a lot of things when everything are easily said and done, that no one dares to complain but follows.

Now, that I am fifty-two , i like to fast forward when both of my sons have stable job and a family of their own, happy , enjoying the journey of life. I like to fast forward when you can just sit back, have a cup of tea, watching little footstep at the door, running.. racing towards you and  shouting  “lola” with flowers in their hand and says “this is for you, love you lola”.

puff! swoosh! boom!I just wish life is that simple push button and play..rewind and forward, freeze and slow, enjoy!

but no, we don’t need a wand or magic remote control in our life. God created us with our brain on top so we can think above all circumstances..our feet below so we can stand firmly.., imagine if it was reverse, we walk upside down, life would be more complicated.:(

Remarkable thing, is we have a choice everyday. The attitude that we choose will determine the make or break of our day. We can not change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can is play on the one string we have and that’s attitude.

” I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it” Charles R. Swindell.

I believe its true, we are in charge of our attitude…of our choices in life… procrastination is not a choice, it is the thief of time. So, if someone is holding the remote control of your life..BREAK IT!..it is YOU who is responsible to your well-being, YOU are responsible of your failure and success..

No ONE even the magic!

to be or not to be…housewife or career woman?

As I get out from my office to clinic room, I met my old-time patient with his wife and twin daughters., already grown up and had just recently finished her medical training in USA. I started the conversation:

Me: Congratulations! so whats next? marriage?

Father/mother: oh! she gained a lot of weight, she has to lose weight first.. then find the right man.,marry and have baby then gained weight! ha ha ha ha

Me: Lol! are you gonna work after marriage?

Mother: She has to work..I am an engineer but i became a full time stay at home mom, so boring..not good, I am dependent to what my husband says.

Me: why do you regret? look at your daughter, she is now a medical doctor..the twin is a special child being at home, you took care of them.

Mother: Oh! I am tired..i dont have my own money, i have to beg for money (which the father resisted, as I see his eyes and face turned red)

Father: don’t say that, i provided everything, you have a nice house, a car, a helper and you can buy anything you want

Mother: but you have to check and ask questions a lot!

Me: If i will be given another chance, another life, i would rather be a stay at home mom than a  career woman. All eyes on me whoaaaa!

Well, let me explain..its always greener at the other end as they claimed but there’s a big difference between a PLAIN housewife (who does everything from cleaning the house, to ironing, washing and taking care of the children and the husband) to stay-at home wife (who has helper and a nanny, all she has to do is to supervise them, help the children in their studies and take care of the family) to career woman (who use her education to fulfill what she wants to become and yet still have time to take care of the children and the family) to a full-time career woman (who earns a living to survive and yet still take care of the family)

So you see what I mean? I am traditional but progressive in a way, I like to work but i also want my husband to provide for everything. If I will be given a choice once more (which is ridiculous to ask..i’m stuck and retiring) I rather have my own clinic.., work for 4 hrs and take care of the children, let the helper do the household chores and let me take care of my children, guide them in their studies, have fun  and spend time with my husband. I don’ t want to be a career woman and still comes home and take care of the household chores.

ahhh..oppps..pinch me!  i am awake..in reality..i am fifty two years old, still working, professionally successful, earning a living , house cleaner, cook, errand girl,in short a “domestic diva”!

Ladies, if you only knew, I’ll take your shoes but of course you will never understand because for sure you wanted to be on my shoes too!

To be or not to be..the answer is…..

RED LIPS…is it for everyone?

Spring time…red lips are in! Red lipstick is classy and elegant but …does it suit everyone? Young?  40…50… and beyond? Why not?

It looks good for young people especially for those who have nice shape of lips but what about us?

Well, it depends on your skin tone and the dress you’re wearing. And your mood! Remember red lips bleed…yay! not kind of bleeding per se…What I mean… it goes out of the border of your lips and it stained the teeth as well. Ha ha ha ha nice vampire smile! Red lips stands for power and sexuality…yeah you’re right…hmmm.

Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stephanie….Well, ladies.., my mom is 83 years old and still wearing red lipstick! She always looks great! (mine and in my dad’s eyes)he he he he…As far as I remember, the first time I used her red lipstick was when I went on a parade as elementary muse. I was young and kind of looking good with the red lips but as I grew up to be a teen, I didn’t like it anymore…I think it looks great with pinup girl but not on me.

I am not fun of red lipstick anyway, I think I look older with red lips, anyhow here are some tips that I gather from Google about RED lips:

Don’t give into idea that you have to own every color that is fashionable for a particular season. Some of them will work, but many are trendy and do not compliment women fifty and beyond. What nice on her might not look nice on you.

– Find the right shade and wear it properly. Don’t wear too heavy EYE makeup, if you want to draw attention on your lips…Otherwise you will look like a clown…worst…a prostitute!

But hey..if you feel good and looks good..don’t mind other people..it’s YOU that is important!

– If you’re going outdoor, choose a lighter shade..For evening, go bolder, so your features stand out.

-don’t use red lip liner; instead, choose a liner that’s closest to your natural lip color.

-prevent “bleeding.” Apply a little concealer around the border of your mouth.

-Avoid getting lipstick on your teeth. After applying, put your finger in your mouth, purse your lips around it, then slowly pull it out to remove excess color.

– the name of the game..Experiment..try different shade of red..plum red..orange red..bluish red..

Remember ladies..RED is KISS (keep it super simple) I love you mom!

©Copyrights protected

The Golden Girl

Starstudio Magazine Middle East Feb 2010

I will be forever grateful to the Stars studio Magazine (middle East edition) for making my 50th b-day a memorable one. I was featured in their Feb.2010 issue. A great way to celebrate my big 5Ó! For all the ladies who will be turning fifty this year, SMILE.. welcome the new chapter in your life, the beginning of feeling beautiful in and out:)

Who cleans the house?

If you want the job done in good taste( ie: your way) you have to do it yourself.

I am not OCD but i like to clean my own house.Did you ever try to look for your keys and can’t find it, because someone has clean up the drawers and put it in another place? Did your husband voluntarily cooked lunch and found your kitchen frenzy and ready to blow up? 

When my children were still young, I am one of those lucky moms that have helper at home.Each day I returned to a neat and straightened house, with clean clothes and an organized pantry.Though, it didn’t last long..but i did had the chance to be “Madame”. lol!

gone are the days..I mean the years! Having the comfort of stay in helper in lieu of having a comfort in terms of monetary gains!You know what i mean? heck, let alone the clutters, i want to buy a new shoes!
But is it really comforting? Let alone being a single parent like me, i needed a quality time for my sons and for myself too!

but looking at the big picture..having no helper at home..gives us more space..more learning..My youngest son is now an expert in dish washing (though he alway leaves the pots and kettle to his eldest bro, his ways of “sharing”),he cooks rice very well, rice with tuna, rice with beef and edge is an expert in pasta! They both clean (ie: their way) their own room.

One day, I got text message..”mom, my shirt turn red!” (i have smile on my lips, can’t help it) yes! never mind the shirt, i used this as a moment of learning..a moment of truth! that one day, mom will not always be there, you have to learn..

Seriously, Is it mom’s duty to clean?What about dad? If women can provide and do multi tasking, why not dad?

Who cleans the house? would it be appropriate to say? who wears the pants? Both! It’s a matter of communication, organization and coordination.

worst scenario: If nobody wants to clean..be it..Enjoy make yourself comfy!

“Housework is something you do that nobody notices, until you don’t do it.”

“Cook your own soup”

“Learning is like rowing upstream and not to advance is to drop back”. Today, is the day that I learned to laugh at my funny line or smile line. As a Cosmetic dentist, I specializes in smile –make- over…I am focused on the line angles, shape, shade, length and position of the teeth as it relates to the whole appearance of the face.

Come on, grab a mirror and let’s examine your aging teeth. Ouch! You will notice that your teeth are now darker than you were in High School. Next, grab a ruler and measure your upper lips from the tip of your nose to the edges of your lip, longer than 22mm? The upper lip gets longer concealing the upper teeth. Normally, when you talk, 2mm of the upper front teeth should show. It’s either your teeth becomes shorter (functional wear and tear or traumatic as you grind your teeth when your under stress) or your lip gets longer. Your bite might also get deeper than usual; the corner of your mouth droop downs and creates a line from the corner of your lips down to the jaw line (marionette line). Now, give me a good smile, wide smile, please! Yes! The edges of your upper teeth should follow the vermillion border of the lower lips (line between the edges of the lips (red lips) and the adjacent normal skin).Your two front teeth should touch lightly on the wet lip. Probably, you have missing teeth, gum problem, chipped or crack tooth. Oh dear! Don’t panic…take a deep breath… 

As technology advances, the field of dentistry advances to a more wider, refined art and science. We can restore your teeth even better than how it was before and still looks natural. It will give you more youthful smile and better speech but we cannot control the natural aging process of your mouth. Your lips will continue to grow longer, marionette line will be more visible, and nasolabial fold (lines from the corner of the mouth to corner of the nose) will be deeper as you have more candles to blow.
Again, take a deep breath… Don’t worry; we have solution for that “Dermal Filler and Botox”. Using dermal fillers in conjunction with Botox can provide the best results when it comes to age reversal. You might be asking yourself…in a Dental Clinic? Why not? I have seen a lot of my patients who did Botox and filler at beauty salon. They have pouty lips but if it’s not complemented with a good set of teeth, it flouts the art of smile. Complete smile is the centerpiece of facial esthetics. Dentist has much expertise in the Oral- maxilla facial areas. We are trained in the muscles of mastication and muscles of facial expression and we routinely give anesthesia intra-orally. There’s no doubt that in the right pair of hands and with an eye for esthetics/artistry and the proper training, it will significantly expands the treatment choices that we can offer to our patients.

Making your own soup…is better than buying an instant soup…You can definitely enhance the flavor according to your taste…I will discuss the procedures, indication and contraindication on my next journal…

For the meantime…Single ladies…Continue to have well balanced diet and exercise… SMILE!

Hello world!

Hello Philippines! Hello Jeddah! Hello World! jamilamimi here updating you the life after 50. i just turned fifty last year and kind of wondering what life will be when all suddenly i  look at the mirror whoah! wrinkles ha ha ha:-) crow’s-feet, marionette lines etc but you know what? this is life..fifty yrs has been a combo of struggles and triumphs..life is so fleeting to continue to worry, this is the time to reflect and enjoy whatever you have and whatever you will have. Yes, my ladies, let us enjoy the journey of jamilamimi on 50’s and beyond.

the art of doing nothing

“The trouble with doing nothing is that you never know when you are finished” For sure, a day in your life, you swear ahhhh what a day!, I just wished I’m doin nothing! time is too short for all the things you wanted to do. to accomplished for that matter.

I, for one had complained i am working 24/7. I wake up early in the morning, prepare breakfast while the laundry machine is working, drinking coffee, talking to the phone asking who are my patients for the day..after cleaning the dishes and some part of the house, checking what to cook for lunch..then hit the shower, clean the BT then off to work.check the staff, see the patients then go back to home, cook lunch back to work check staff ( stress-stressssss) smile-smile see patients then back home, hang the clothes, see the kids, check groceries etc hit the bed think ..think..think..OFF? nahhh that’s not in my vocab! got to see friends, try sports for my kids to have fun, do cleaning again, read dental update, do groceries.. check budget ..think..think…see what i mean 24/7. 

Now that I am alone, I got plenty of things in my mind..SHOPPING ( i did it..but got bored at the end..no sizes, no styles,no colors,too expensive) GYM ( still enjoying for an hour thrice a week) SALON ( still can’t decide, what i gonna do ,my hair? my eyebrow?) COOKING ( yippeee! anything will do, i am on diet! ) READ ( i just flip some pages of “iron cage”..not in the mood yet) CLEAN ( whattt? i thought i decided doin nothing..well i did kevins room..di makatiis) OFF ( oh yahh! i’m in bed, trying to sleep but can’t, waiting for the time, i will see my friends this afternoon, for the meantime, watching movie..drinking juice,hmmm what else? play music? read? close my eyes? open my eyes? look up the ceiling..read e-mail.FB..

What else to do in JEDDAH ?????it’s so hot! this is the real place to do nothing..nothing..ohhh nothing..
so be careful to what you wished for!
When its granted..you never know what to do next lol!

note: this is one of the days that i was alone( no kids,no husband).