We (and by we I mean rateeba, ensaf, and my-humble-self) are celebrating Nermeena’s blog third anniversary. Let me tell you I spent days and days reading my archives from the very first post till the very last one and I can’t really express how I felt. It is like documenting one’s life…I’ve watched myself growing up, achieving dreams, making foolish mistakes, stumbling and rising up as good as new. I laughed at myself sometimes and cried as well recalling harsh moments. To cut the crap wire…I really enjoyed my past 3 years of blogging.
On another note, I noticed that I no longer have the time or the will (at some points) to talk about the details I used to talk about, I guess it is part of the growing up thingie…or it might be one of the girls (R or E) is taking over and she is into the low profile side of the world. Fa eih ba2a…am I gonna surrender?? hell..no. I will try to write on daily basis about the most beautiful thing that happened to me during that day. Only one beautiful thing everyday, not a tough one I reckon !!
Current Status:I am spending a beautiful Thursday winter night at home, listening to the Phantom of the Opera sound tracks, and repeating the phantom of the opera song times and times again, I’ve been listening to it since morning and I didn’t get bored. Doesn’t sound pretty much like me, no?? however, Sarah Brightman and Michael Crowford are sorta irresistable. here goes for those who are interested…and if not just try listening to it, you are gonna love it.
from theh Glass Castle (Jeanette Walls):
When I recovered, Dad picked me up and heaved me back into the middle of the Hot Pot. “Sink or Swim!” he called out. For the Second time, I sank. The water once more filled my nose and lungs. I kicked and flailed and thrashed my way to the surface, gasping for air, and reached out to Dad. But he pulled back, and I didn’t feel his hands around me until I’d sunk one more time.
He did it again and again, until the realization that he was rescuing me only to throw me back into the water took hold, and so, rather than reaching for Dad’s hands, I tried to get away from them. I kicked at him and pushed away through the water with my arms, and finally, I was able to propel myself beyond his grasp.
“You’re doing it, baby!” Dad shouted. “You’re swimming!”
I staggered out of the water and sat on the calcified rocks, my chest heaving. Dad came out of the water, too, and tried to hug me, but I wouldn’t have anything to do with him, or with mom, who’d been floating on her back as if nothing were happening, or with Brian and Lori who gathered around and were congratulating me. Dad kept telling me that he loved me, that he never would have let me drown, but you can’t cling to the side your whole life, that one lesson every parent needs to teach a child is “If you don’t want to sink, you better figure out how to swim.” what other reason, he asked, would possibly make him do this?
Once I got my breath back, I figured he must be right. There was no other way to explain it.
Ana Masry!! A not to be missed sorta conert:
An event/concert that I’ve attended last week at the AUC, I gotta admit it was a different kind of concert. Ehaab Abdou’s beautiful lyrics and music were extraordinary, Janine Zaki took the audience breath, and when Yasser Abou Ouf Sang Aho Da elli Sar, and Emta El Zaman yesma7 ya gamil..he owned the stage. Sheikh Zein sang a part from diwan el 7alag…and there was a violinist who really got me. Cheapeau begad for the theme Ehaab chose, I loved it…anywayz, they are performing next Monday, 3 December @ Sakia. Don’t miss it
Down Town:
mmm..am in the process of getting along with downtown, still can’t make good friends with the district, as it is super crowded keda and intimidating (you can hardly cross the street, spend around 30 mins to get out of kasr el 3eini st to tahrir square, and even if you tried to walk you have to come across a heck of a painful side walk that would hurt your feet aktar 7aga that we now call this area midan el shaheed wel raseef el mo2lem), whether driving or walking I can easily get lost. However, I am doing my best to figure familiar places and relate..mesh 3arfa maybe it is still early!! for some hidden reason inside the little beautiful head of moi I thought I would make instantaneous peace with dowtown.
A dear friend of mine sent me this song and he literally made my day, fa I thought I should pay it forward :D
A setting sun that paints a tie-dyed sky
A feather bed, an ancient lullaby
A kiss good night from one whose love is true
That’s the kind of day i wish for youA field of flowers dancing in the spring
A little creek, a tree, an old rope swing
Cotton candy clouds against the blue
That’s the kind of day i wish for you
First love with all its storm
Raging like fire within
Tossing your heart to chance
You swear the dance will never end
But then it does and someone says goodbye
And after all those empty nights you cried
The morning that you wake up good as new
That’s the kind of day i wish for you
The faith of knowing deep inside your heart
That heaven holds more than just some stars
Someone’s up there watching over you
That’s the kind of day i wish for you
What a beautiful start for the day, Mounir’s voice along with Salah Jahin’s stupendous words. I had one of those (consciously) long enjoyable rides to work, I went out 5 minutes earlier than I should so I can enjoy a peaceful ride…My play list was set on Monir’s songs..and they were actually the ones that I haven’t listened to for a long time…fa I was singing along enjoying the music and celebrating a brand new day/era until un….un…….uuuuuuuuuuuun, I noticed that someone in a white Honda Civic is following me.
At the beginning I thought eno 3adi…this is the Auto-Strad come on…people have to go this way…mafish options ya3ni…then I noticed that my stalker (usually you don’t call people stalkers unless theyreally stalk you J, bas let’s call him a stalker 3ashan el bo3d el drami wel suspense) is keeping his distance keda and he is really following me, tab eih ba2a?? I tricked him and gave a right signal keda as if am gonna turn right fa he was about to turn right then he realized 3ala akher la7za that I won’t turn right.Anywayz, I reached my work (the area I work in is quite mazy keda), fa I thought he will probably get lost or something..bardo ma7asalsh.
I had to park @ the company’s parking lot which means that I lost all my chances of having lunch outside the bldg, coz usually when we park there it is more of “forget about your car khales till 17:10”…it is practically “3elbet sardine ya m3allem” as D puts it.I noticed my stalker parked in front of the parking lot and was getting out of the car bas I pretended that he is not there aslan and got to the bldg.
I hate my stalker for a) he screwed up the last 15 minutes in my pleasant ride, b) I will never ever forgive him for this..am stuck here for lunch L.
And the winner is:
Needles to say that I didn’t miss the Oscar extravaganza or any related show with all the gossip and saucy details, (oh my..I gotta cut off on this) I wonder if I ever mentioned that am a reality TV freak!! Mmmm…this is a totally different subject and needs a post on its own.I personally found Ellen DeGeneres HILLARIOUS, Helen Mirren’s – The Queen- award is well deserved.The 61 years old actress looked extremely vivid and more stunning than Nicole Kidman in her TOO red dress. In an interview keda Mark Antony mentioned that he came to the party as J.Lo’s Purse!!! If I ever had a husband and discovered that he plays a purse in his leisure time..I will shoot myslef in the head. Would have loved to see the girl from “little miss sunshine” going home with an award bardo..
In a totally separate Note:
Next Saturday isa, I will interview one of my very favourite Egyptian writers, I love reading this guy, however, I disagree with him in a few things.I am so excited about this meeting and so looking forward to it.
Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
Is easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
I like this part of Jewel’s song.
Well, for someone like me who is quite on the romantic side of the house and not sensible enough (believe it or not I am, it only takes a couple of sweet words and I start talking wedding china), I decided long while ago to stop following my heart (there were times of relapse though), but I tend to trust my intuition…mmm..well, not really, coz I’ve been told that am too skeptic by nature, fa my intuition won’t do me any good.
But don’t you think that there is a big difference between following your heart and following your intuition…ya3ni you might love something/someone, and your heart kinda gets stuck there, but you feel like mmmmmm…”there is something fishy, a2ta3 dera3i law makansh maba7es”, “there is something wrong about this…mesh mesteraya7/a”..however, you still can’t detach yourself from that thing/one. It happens, no?!!
Mesh 3arfa…but personally speaking, my heart has failed me several times, however, my intuition never did. Wa da 3ashan am a very insightful person who is always intouch with her inner self ;p, mashi!! Bottom line: I don’t need meditation courses :D
You’re just too good to be true.
Can’t take my eyes off you.
You’d be like Heaven to touch.
I wanna hold you so much.
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I’m alive.
You’re just too good to be true.
Can’t take my eyes off you.
Pardon the way that I stare.
There’s nothing else to compare.
The sight of you leaves me weak.
There are no words left to speak,
But if you feel like I feel,
Please let me know that it’s real.
You’re just too good to be true.
Can’t take my eyes off you.
I love you, baby,
And if it’s quite alright,
I need you, baby,
To warm a lonely night.
I love you, baby.
Trust in me when I say:
Oh, pretty baby,
Don’t bring me down, I pray.
Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay
And let me love you, baby.
Let me love you.
One of my favourite songs ever, kind of a song that makes me dance right away :), since am “office” alone this morning, I had my chance of listening it to it properly “as in loud”, u know, it is not like any other song.
Oh my…It is a beautiful winter morning, we had a blast doing the christmas tree, seeing the red cool poinsettias all over the place is a heck of a mood booster, no!!
- This is sort of an energy(less) post, again…one of those severe mood swings…I don’t know, I mean, I can’t really complain about ANYTHING, life is practically perfect in every possible way..which doesn’t really give me enough chance to whine about things…which things?? I don’t exactly know!!
- Appraisal: for the second year in a row, am an outstanding employee (yaaaaaaaaay), what made it more special to me this year is that the criteria has changed. However, am the only employee who acquired a 5o in my department.
- Boss is leaving, and his replacement will arrive mid February.Don’t know what is the real reason behind his unexpected resignation “it all came over the weekend”.His replacement is a nice guy though.
- It hit me the other day while attending the IGWS forum, that I never had a cool professor not a single one during my journey throughout the Egyptian educational system.
P.S: Cool here could be interpreted as either hot or interesting.A.K.A a professor to have a crush on…What on earth has triggered the thought!! A cool professor ;).
- Please, please, pretttttttty please always remember that thank you and please work wonders.
-The Neil Gaiman over doze: am almost half way thru Anansi Boys, to be followed by Fragile things, and the pre-release order for The Facts in The Case of The Departure of Miss Finch has been successfully placed.Currently listening to “Cinnamon” from this audio collection.
- My song for the week: I love you more, from Marcel Khalife’s album Peace Be With you, a beautiful song, originally a Darwish’s poem…I just love it.Speaking of Marcel, the New CD “Takasim” is supposedly out everywhere except in Egypt!!!
- Am not sure if I ever mentioned this here…but since I like to the idea of rubbing it off anyways, fa here…I had my signed copy of Bahaa Taher’s new novel, lalalala ;p
- Note to you: I am giving a presentation tomorrow about the recent Sexual Harassment events @ the AUC, Greek Campus @ 18:30, just in case you would like to drop by wala 7aga.
- I really like the new “Tararam” song, nothing deep bas I think its beauty lies in its extreme plainness. Nousha has the lyrics.
- Mizo my dearest friend ever ;) told me a couple of days ago that he is kinda za3lan meni, fa we talked it and things were cool.Yesterday, I was going to Wagih Aziz concert with friends @ the Culture Wheel, fa I text him to check if he can join w keda….then he replies eno he is going out with KS.He gave me the name but a) I don’t know if he would like or not to disclose the identity.b) for once ya3ni I would have a fraction of a mysterious point in my over divulged blog.KS is a celebrity, and no he is not KS my EX-CRUSH.This KS is younger, handsom(er), and way more sophisticated and elegant keda. Where am I going here?? I really don’t know, I just like the idea that he knows KS, my very fertile imagination can use use this space P_R_E_T_T_Y easily ;)
- SMS:
M: “Lunch @ 12:15? Eurodeli?
N: Boss will kill me, I just came back from the Green Mill
M: VERY DIFFICULT TO GET HOLD OF. I GIVE UP L
- I forgot a very important point: a nice, easy, inspirational and must read Taranim Fi Zel Tamara by Mohamed Afifi…seriously..it is a masterpiece.
It sure is, a wonderful morning in Cairo, a little breezy, but me wants more, greedy ba2a :). I have the energy of 2 very healthy horses who are looking forward to run in the desert…endlessly. Seriously, I slept around 8 consecutive hours last night, which is great, didn’t happen in the last 45 days….fa I feel so energized this morning, feels like me awi, at a point keda, I thought I lost the energetic vivid me, bas apparently I was too drained and exhausted. Anywayz, glad am back :D
Cookies, cookies, cookies “as in ka7k”, cookies talk everywhere, it is the focus of attention these days…madame khashab, la2 Sedra, forget it Les Dames w khalas, can’t say i don’t like the talk, as it is a bit mouth watering”am starving and it is still 10″, bas it is too much, kaman the funny thing ba2a, eno inorder to buy the cookies aslan you have to spend hours and hours in queues to get what u want, mmmm we can exclude Mme Khashab from the queues thing, bas still it is too “much ado about a little thing” can’t say nothing though ;).
The night we attended the concert, the guys were playing a piece keda that touched me awi in a very strange way, I opened my purse to check the tilte of the piece on the CD, and it hit me when I read it “Zafet el Shahid”…it is so beautiful. Just a little thought while listening to it.
“The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Kundera is my Eid book, the title tab3an caught me, not only that but while googling it, I found the following lines in the Wikipedia:
“According to Kundera, “being” is full of “unbearable lightness” because each of us has only one life to live: “Einmal ist Keinmal” (”once is never”, i.e., “what happened once might as well have never happened at all”). Therefore, each life is ultimately insignificant; every decision ultimately does not matter. Since decisions do not matter, they are “light”: they do not tie us down. But at the same time, the insignificance of our decisions - our lives, or being - is unbearable. Hence, “the unbearable lightness of being.”
She’s a girl
Rising from a shell
Running to spring
It is her time it is her time
Watch her run with ribbons undone
She’s a rose in a lily’s cloak
She can hide her charms
It is her right there will be time
To chase the sun with ribbons undone
She runs like a fire does
Just picking up daises
Comes in for a landing
A pure flash of lightening
Past alice blue blossoms
You follow her laughter
And then she’ll surprise you
Arms filled with lavender
“Tori Amos’s Ribbons Undone”:
Life:
Oh my…..am extremely exhausted, both physically and mentally. I barely sleep. Am involved in an important project keda…fa am literally losing my mind. The good news is..am off next Sunday, which means eno I only have 4 working days before the 3eed vacation…I have a whole week off….don’t have any plans yet…but one thing I know for sure…my phone will be off and am gonna relaaaaaaaaaaaaaax.
Books:
Re-read Bahaa Taher’s “Noqtet el Nour”…God, I refer to this novel whenever I feel a bit down keda or not in the mood….it says a lot.
Now almost half way thru 7anan El Sheikh’s “7ekayti Shar7 Ytool”….Berry recommended it, and here I am recommending it….it is such a beautiful read…too warm, sincere, and full of details.
Well, a lot of things, yet can’t keep track of everything….I am planning to take a break sometime around Sept, 20 till the beginning of Oct….well, actually I will be out and about…fa thought it is a good time to recharge and dump some of my regular “to do” stuff.
Boss presented my new PD to his boss..and supposedly something good will happen in the next few days!!! Am trying to be optimistic as much as I can, I mean…come on…. given my history with the HR Manager, don’t think he will let it go…it is a huge step…and will probably piss off a lot of people, so I think he is gonna use this point.I guess he never got over my transfer request when I first worked with him.Mmmmmmm…I shouldn’t mention a lot of things about this one anywayz…
Writing workshop started yesterday, it is in Arabic and should last for like six months…the outcome of this workshop will be published ba2a w 7arakat.How do I feel about it!!!! I am not sure…have my concerns yet it is still too early to judge…
Pizza & Frapuccino, odd/unusual!!!!what about Koshari & Frapuccino!!
We had so much fun yesterday….my pizza and Frapuccino dream was totally demolished, however, for a nicer one.We didn’t sit on one of the regular corniche benches….we actually have been introduced to a heavenly place -due thanks to Hossam- “mashtal” directly on the Nile…where you can sit on the grass contemplate, enjoy the sunset, see the little tiny fish beyba2lelo in the water…I don’t know exactly what they were doing…but being surrounded with nothing but pure nature and an amazing company was spectacular.As for the food ba2a..fa the pizza has been replaced with Koshari, but the Frapuccino was there, not in its regular form tab3an, coz by the time I started drinking it was something else that I won’t be able to define even if I spent my next life time thinking about it.
I borrowed Hossam Fakhr’s book “Wogouh New York” from Berry last night, and finished it last night bardo, it is an easy and swift read… anyone who can relate to the place…will enjoy reading the book.Emotional and heart warming especially the last part which talks about NY after 9/11. I also loved the part in which he described the delivery of his first baby.I cried my eyes out….but loved it.
It is 3:15 am CLT, and am listening to Lisa Loeb’s stay, I love the song, it is my favorite from the 1st year @ the faculty of arts collection…I can relate to Lisa’s songs awi…there is something about her and Norah Jones…I still can’t forget her voice urging me to go “the long way back home”….do I want to remember that!!! Now!!!!
