Religious Leaders Call for Interfaith Fast

As per the website ; religious leaders in the United States called for an interfaith fast to end the War in Iraq.

“We call on all Americans to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence.Just as Isaiah called the People Israel to hear the Yom Kippur fast as God’s call to feed the hungry, just as Jesus fasted in the wilderness, just as Christians through Lenten fasting and Muslims through Ramadan fasting have focused on spiritual transformation, just as Mohandas Gandhi, Cesar Chavez and others drew on fasting to change the course of history, so we call on all our communities of faith to draw now on fasting as a path toward inner spiritual transformation and outward social transformation.Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world”

My before_I_die list

1-     Build a family

2-     Ride a bike

3-     Buy 3arooset Mouled “never had one”

4-     Perform Hajj

5-     Write a book; one that depicts different women from my family throughout different eras  from the 30s till now,

6-     At the age of 35 if I wasn’t married or dead, I would raise and support and orphan

7-     Find my peace

8-     Start a book club for kids

9-     Fly across Egypt in a  hot-air balloon

10- Meet Safinaz Kazem, Maya Angelou, or 3afreet Louisa May Alcott

11- Sleep (as in deep sleep)  in a hammock

12- Eat proper frito misto in Venice

13- Dance in a boat under moonlight

14- Read the Mathnawi in Arabic

15- See the northern lights

16- Learn to cook delicious food like my mom and grandma

17- Swim with baby dolphins

Will probably update this list every now and then :D

Ramadan Observations

- The “cultural” meal is quite heavy this year, isn’t it!!  I am not against it, however, I think it is too much for only one month, provided that away from Ramadan you would hanker any of those good events!!! I guess am a tad prejudiced against the long anticipated stuffed agenda.

- Note: I am not trying to be judgmental or anything but I noticed eno people are celebrating ramadan in a peculiar way!!

- Happens daily probably 5 minutes before iftar: it is quite common delwa2ti to see people stepping out of their cars with colemans, dates, cans, sweets, etc  to distribute them to passerbys. Ramadan KAREEM :D

A piece of my mind

- A few days ago I was checking my notifications on the infamous Face Book and I found that Nag tagged me as someone who would most likely be able to love as if she’s never been hurt before.  That being said, I wondered!! (not  that am taking it seriously awi, however, people really have the impression that I can effortlessly budge from one relation to another)  

But for me it is quite different, I just dig deep and find my dark box of secrets, we all have our boxes, no?

In case you do not have one or never heard of, It is a hypothetical box where I tend to burry all my bitter experiences, sore memories, awkward moments, tears, infinite number of hate emails and SMSes, etc.  I tend to keep the good moments alive, I don’t burry them, I keep them around me..close to both my heart and mind.  And I  just MOVE ON.

 

- I have been through many relations…and when I say relations, I do mean every single one, even the ones I had to go through without the blessings of the other party.  However, the question here is; have I ever (truly) loved someone?  To be perfectly honest, there is only one I know of (someone who wasn’t much of a morning person, it took him an hour to become himself’) but anywayz, he is that one that I went on without his blessings, I broke up with him although we were never together, and all I wanted to do is hold a grudge. Couldn’t though.  Now after 2 years I can claim we are friends, we’re not good friends but we’re friends… friendly… Friendish!!!

 

  * Swans look prettier in cartoons, they are a tad freaky in reality

 

- Lately engaging myself in discussions became more of a burden.  People are becoming more intolerant and less receptive of  the other opinions. 

Whenever I start a conversation among any group of  people about a movie, incident, play, book, or a song, etc. the first thing you know it is a heated debate not a friendly discussion. However, debates have rules and all, but this kind of conversations usually get personal.  For a reason people tend to be rude and obscene to prove effective enthusiasm.  In any conversation  there always have to be affirmatives and negatives, that’s expected, but what I observe in such conversation is the lack of respect and understanding of the opposing opinion. I for one in favor of  any idea…which doesn’t mean that I would agree with it, but I respect it, I don’t ridicule it as I truly believe that  behind every single thought, idea, or opinion there is a very complicated process, and the outcome of this process differs according to the multiple and diverse ways of thinking.

 “There are many ways to categorize human beings,” she said.  “I separate them into those who become wrinkled up and those who wrinkle down, and I want to belong to the first group.  When I am old I want my face not to be sad.  I want to have laugh lines and take them with me to the other world. Because who knows what we’ll have to face there?” 
                                                                      From ”  from Women with Big Eyes by Angeles Mastretta

I go and you have a sun kissed day :D

p.s: I love when someone tells me have a sun-kissed day or morning, the mental image of being kissed by the sun-metaphorically not literally- makes me meza2tata..quite fascinating (me thinks)! :D

On Beauty and Supposedly Proud Horses

This morning I woke up with the mood of cruising around Heliopolis like the good old days. I asked mama if she wants something, fa she asked for 3eish baladi “awi” as I always like to put it (not that it is baladi awi or anything, it is actually yummi, I just like saying it that way) , I went to the “forn” at Game3 el Fat7, bought the bread and back to the car.

As I started the engine I noticed the garden facing Decorama “those who are familiar with the vicinity would know what am talking about exactly”, but for those who are not, Decorama is a big furniture store in Game3 El Fat7. The garden has been there forever, but apparently now the old –almost- green patch has undergone a face-lift, all fenced-up in a pretty nice way, and obviously well taken care of.

Fascinated at seeing this, I joyously stopped the engine, walked out of the car and started walking around the garden. At this point I came to find that the owner(s) of Decomara decided to take the responsibility of turning the common garden in front of their premises into a beautiful garden, a pleasant view for passerby’s and residents. I was really moved by the endeavor and notion. I personally think there is a message behind this attempt, not only promoting beauty but also to direct people’s attention and let them realize that common areas are not Government’s only responsibility; it is our responsibility as well. How beautiful our streets could be if each building, store, company or organization took the responsibility of revamping their neighborhood. I know this sound ancient and kinda repetitive, but believe it or not seeing it happening would get you all up and running, excited at the thought of waking up the next morning having breakfast on your balcony. Seriously, we are in dire need for some beauty in our streets and neighbors.

 

 

Back to my car high and euphoric, I decided to go pay a little visit to the Shams Club Horses track, been a while since I’ve been there; couldn’t think of a better mood for such a visit ya3ni!! And let me tell you, I wish I didn’t go.

I was on the verge of the ugly crying seeing the horses all wounded-up, un-nutritiously thin, sad and frowning keda (I know horses are not happy animals by nature, you never see a horse with a happy face) bas they are always proud and full of life…those are really lifeless and monkasereen (I couldn’t find a proper English word to this)…the look in their eyes is totally beyond description, it killed me.

One of the guys working there noticed my disappointment fa he offered to show me “The Stallion”, a heck of an Arabian horse as per her description…I’ll keep my mouth shut and you judge!!

Book Recommendation fel saree3

I so highly, exteremly, obdurately recommend Sara Gruen’s page-turner “Water for Elephants”.  Here is an excerpt.

Urgent: Volunteers needed for the Egyptian Food Bank

Volunteers are desperately needed for packaging in the Egyptian food bank.. please come and join. The packaging is being done at Olympic Group Warehouse right beside Olympic Group (Nasr City).

Their target for this year is 60,000 bags, and up till now only 8,000 bags have been packed. Bags contain food stuff such as rice, macaroni, beans, lentils, sugar, salt, tea, Dates, karkadeh and 2amar eldin.  They are available from 9 am, till “they drop” as per the coordinator I talked to.