From 18 April 2004 to 30 July 2006!!!
NO COMMENT
Update: “The Lebanese Red Cross said the airstrike in Qana, in which at least 34 children were killed, pushed the overall Lebanese death toll to more than 500″
Starving
Discovered that I missed documenting lots of things here the past few days…let me see if I can catch up with everything. I won’t I know…but will do my best.
First…due thanks…..everyone who dropped a line and offered help re. the firewall issue…I really appreciate it..I asked the guys here to open a few sites for me..and they promised to work it out…if not…Mo will take good care of me.
Khaled “beta3 kollo”: one of the very few positive things I experienced lately…Khaled is the owner of a meduim size store @ one of the North Coast Villages…you can always call him for Water, fol and ta3meya, Kabab&kofta, pizzas and pastries…and above all “lo2met el 2adi bel sokar”…I have never had such tasty ones..they were awesome. Not only he provides everything one might need…but being the only one serving several units…you would expect him to be such a greedy freak…who would typically rip you off and give you @#$#$#..but no…his prices were reasonable…and the quality of service and goods were exceptional.
Outing: Wonderer, Juka, Nesrina, and myself…met last Sunday for lunch and movies…..Nesrina and Wonderer decided to eat the so called “guiltless” kind of stuff…”for whatever reason they had in mind”…thought Juka would order real food..but she ended up eating caeser salad!! that was odd…in comparsion to my platter.
Then we started thinking movies….ehm…ehm..I will spare myself going thru the embarrassing details of getting the tickets “ya wonderora ;D”…the movie “wa7ed men el nas” was cool and different yet too much blood…that was my only concern.
Work: Before my vacation had a long talk with boss…and to conclude ya3ni..he asked me to sit and revise my job description to reflect the current duties…then he will start working on the promotion….he mentioned something that I won’t be able to mention here…that stopped me from updating the JD…zat iz no cool :(((
Books: I am that type of person who would live in the atmosphere of whatever she reads…fa yesterday I realized that what am suffering from now might be the effect of “the good earth” on me…the novel is good but leaves you with a strange feeling of depression…the same effect of Steinbeck’s “of mice and men”.
Productivity: BIG FAT ZERO….and I will blame it on summer…I don’t like summer…Winter ba2a….tab 3 months summer…w 3 months winter…”Autumn and spring are no longer valid options”.
Happy thought: tomorrow is THURSDAY 😀
LOL..I caught myself moving my finger around the edge of the keyboard to click on something “as if in a laptop”.
Uneasy
– In Egypt: it is sorta impossible to find a one piece swim suit…balash one piece…tankini!!! noway jose…..they just go bikinis!!!!
– I am so in need to talk…endlessly!! weird enough…when I had the chance…I didn’t utter a single word.
– Flat: this is kind of my current mental, physical, and emotional state. I am pretty comfortable with it…am not even pushing myself out of it.
– If you need a favor…you really don’t have to suck up…if I can help you…I sure will go ahead and help you…but such blablaba is really nauseating and worthless.
– Sometimes I think I can get as crazy as Josie Geller in never been kissed…but my aspirations would reach as high as a chitchat over coffee…
Firewall…how do I hate thee!!
Godddd….this new firewall thingie…..is driving me crazy….super annoying..but I really didn’t have enough time to whine yesterday…I can’t use the g-chat…I can’t read the comments section on blogger neither reply…I can’t read Alif’s blog…I can’t log in to my Arabic blog :(((…..grrrrrrrrrr.
And….Action
Just received the below e-mail from the Sandmonkey….
“Hey all,
Given our discussion yesterday, I figured I should put my money where my mouth is, and I contacted the Lebanese embassy and asked them how we can help. They informed me that they are open for donations, and sent me a Fax of the supplies that they need for the time being. The list is attached in arabic, and I did an english translation just in case. I already guilted my whole company into helping, and will be taking the stuff to the embassy on Thursday. I don’t know if you guys intend on having one big campaign or doing it individually, and it doesn’t either way. It doesn’t matter how you help, as long as you help.Here is the list:– Milk, Diaper
– Food for children
– Anti diarrhea antibiotics
– Anti fever medication, Pain killer (Analgesic)
– Fire fighting trucks
– Tents, Blankets, Sheets
– Canned beef
– Mortadella, Jam
– Adult medicine: Chronic diseases (Heart, Diabetics, Hyper Pensive, and others)
– Fire extinguisher different sizes
– Electric power generators # 220 Volts (5-10-20-30 KVA)
– Rice, Sugar
– Various grains
– Skin coetaneous coetaneous coetaneous diseases
– Anxiolytic
– Foam liquid to extinguish Fire
– Bulldozers
– Cranes
– Cooking tools (Kitchen tools).
– Serums
– Anti septic solutions, Surgical gloves
– Fire hose for fire trucks
– Kidney dialysis
– Cooling medical equipments
For monetary donations:
Bank account # 156156002 Bank MasrCheers,SM
—
http://www.sandmonkeyblog.com/
http://www.sandmonkey.org/”
Ha….ready…will probably deliver my stuff to him Wednesday…so, if anyone is willing to help but don’t have the time to deliver their donations…you can just e-mail me…and I can pick the stuff from Maadi, Nasr City, and Heliopolis.
Nerro is almost out-o-here…yaaaaaaaaay
This week is finally coming to an end…..and it is just about time to have some rest!!
Was more excited about this post yesterday…but kinda lost it this morning…I mean ..come on..we don’t need more of this…..at all…am I the only one who feels that this wasn’t a pretty smart move from Hizballah?? I know the motive and everything…yet..civilians “including children” are dying…there should be another way!!! I am sure there is…or maybe there isn’t..and am a hell of a dreamy freak who just arrived from Lala Land. If this is the case…I gotta pack and go back to where I just came from.
Aaaaanywayz…gotta go
Lots of lovexxx
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye” Miss Piggy
Countdown Started:
5, 4, 3 ….we r getting close.
Only 2 days to go!!
“Maybe the absence of signs is a sign”
“Serendipity”
The Texan Saba3 3omarat
I came to work yesterday to find boss in the office…was like..morning, happy ID “not as in beta2a sa3ida…I mean independence day”, what are you doing here? that didn’t sound really cute…spontaneous though ;). He replied eno he prefers to work as long as he won’t go anywhere and have it as a floater w keda. Eshta…but that wasn’t pretty much the same scenario I had in my pretty little head in the morning while putting on my jean and a light shirt “dress code violation happy thought”. mm…now what…gotta make the day..won’t let this little incident screw up my already intened to be a super cool day. Asked R & M if they are into breafkast out…they liked the idea. Then headed to J’s “boss” office and suggested a team building breakfast ;D…lol…see…I am being professional aho..he didn’t buy it though..weird..ha!!
Anywayz…in less than 10 minutes the 4 of us were sitting around a table in the open area of the ED….was cool…lots of interesting topics. Until we reached the funniest one…Texans in our company…it is true…most of our ANs are Texans…R told J “boss”..eno there is a common joke that used to go around the company eno there must me a “saba3 3omarat” square fi Texas where NG send their pick-up vehicle whenever there is an opening fel ME 😀
– I am so disappointed…although I’ve singed a self pact mo7taram keda…few months ago..that I wont’ let people disappoint me. Whatever they are up to..am ready to take it..swallow it…hit them back in the face…but never gonna let it get into me. But wooooow…what “K” did was beyond my understanding. She really got me. But hey..what doesn’t kill them..makes them strong…no?!!
Gooooooooood….Why am so wired today??
I am less agitated now…”his” sloppiness gets into me awi. I love bees…and hate turtles.
Ok…let’s talk crushes…since the bad day I got to know that Tamer Hagras is married w ya3ool and am like…khalas…I can’t find an eligible bachelor to have a crush on…seriously..mafish 7ad. For instance, Khaled Abul Naga…mm..nuh..won’t even take my chances..with the “g” rumor and everything. Ayman Kaysouni…well, I like the guy..yet he befriended the lady from the comic show I used to like…but I don’t like her. Ezz…lame shwaya!! My favouirte guy on Earth GC…too old, Brad Pitt…he lost me for Ms. Jolie. Matthew McNaughty though a real cool dude and broke up with Penelope Cruz..yet I find him bizzare. Any suggestions?
The Reincarnation of Baron Empain Palace*
The Baron palace always seemed to be an intriguing place. For some reason it has been associated by many with the Beast’s palace in my favourite Beauty and the Beast the Cartoon. Childish..Superstitious..could be! But a palace like this is bound to have a captivating story behind it. Many questions are begging to be answered!
The story goes like this: A month or less before the Heliopolis Centennial Celebration, a festival that took place in May 2005, the national newspapers announced that the Palace is now state-owned property and would be opened soon to visitors. Fifty-five days later the palace was closed.
Considering its history and the interesting story behind it, I decided to pay it a visit….the minute I stepped inside the large garden I felt a sense of royalty… the palace itself is literally a massive architectural extravaganza.
In 1904, Belgian Baron Edward Louis Joseph Empain first arrived to Egypt with only one intention: rescuing his company’s project to construct a railway line connecting Matariya to Port Said. Although the mission failed and he lost the contract to the British, he made up his mind to stay in Egypt. It is said that the Baron had fallen in love. But no one knew whether it was with the desert or one of the Egypt’s most beautiful elites.
In 1907, Baron Empain decided to build a home from which to overlook the rise of the promising City of Heliopolis. He commissioned two French artists to design his castle; Alexander Marcel was responsible for the exterior, and the interior was assigned to Georges-Louis Claude. The palace architecture is of a cross-cultural nature with an extraordinary mixture of Hindu and Renaissance architecture along Marcel’s own adaptation of the Cambodian temples in Angkor Wat. Located in Heliopolis, the palace was apparently built on an artificial elevation in order to allow the Baron to continue his ongoing work in the new project back then “Heliopolis”.
While passing through the small yet immeasurably artistic details, one wonders how on earth they completed it in just three years! Floral designs and other images are carved in the stone walls surrounding the terrace. Dragons, Krishnas, and Shivas engraved in leaf-shaped formations mark the four edges of the terrace to make for a Stunning huge ornamented façade. The rooftop especially stands out with its 3 or 4 shaded benches and a concrete stage in the middle. One can presume that Baron Empain probably used it as an entertainment facility, yet there are no references to this.
Although exploring the palace is a great pleasure, it was like seeing a beautiful bride in her coffin. The walls are totally covered with such lines as “for the memory of…” which made me wonder with horror if they were painted during the restoration process! The parquet floor is stripped off and thin marble cracks spread out like spider webs behind the huge stylish fireplace. Frames are only left with no mirrors, doorknobs are missing and kitchens and bathrooms are lacking their most distinctive characteristics like sinks, bathtubs, and toilet seats. Even the elevators the Elevators! The torn out belts gives the only clue that they even existed. The Baron Empain Palace had been abandoned in every sense of the word.
Only three generations occupied the mansion before it was deserted: the Baron Empain himself, followed by his Son Baron Jean Empain, and finally Edward Emapin’s grandchildren Janine and Huguette; after which the huge mansion has became a rich source for legends and fables.
Superstitions usually arise with the unknown, and the Baron Palace was no exception. One myth affirms that the palace is built on a rotating base to allow the Baron to manage the entire area while sitting in one place.
Another one says that there is a secret tunnel that connects the palace with the Basilique church. Moreover, there have been countless accounts and tales of lights mysteriously turning on and music emerging from the house.
No matter what happened, the place is so peaceful inside; one can easily imagine what it was like during its days of glory. Its spirit of royalty becomes apparent as soon as you step onto the outside stairs that lead to the main entrance; it is there mingling with the air, bringing the past to life and giving its visitors an opportunity to hear its stories. Unfortunately, it has been vigorously neglected, as the case with many of our unobserved national treasures.
The palace has closed its doors again and is under restoration, with the ” intention of turning it into a museum”. One must visit the palace to find the truth. We are looking forward to seeing those doors open again announcing the reincarnation of the Baron Palace.
* My article for the Art Review, June issue.
Superman Mania
Now what?? what is the deal with the superman movie…seriously ya3ni…what’s so appealing about it….
Ok..here…give me one reason that would make me go watch a movie about a guy roaming around allegedly helping people in a blue tight suit and red pants.
From the heart
?: .u know I …………………but……..can u…….try to….though…….sounds like……………I wish I…..dadadadadadaaddadaadda
? : Now who’s the sexy genius?!!
??: Russell Crowe!!
It hit me this morning while walking to a nearby store….I haven’t seen my car for more than a week now?? What?? The last time I drove was to the bus station last Thursday!!! Wow…that means eno I didn’t go out last week at all. That’s pretty much true…I didn’t!!! Now that’s weird…for someone like myself it is almost impossible. But what happened is since I came back from Hurghada…the routine was like go to work….come back home…family chat…read myself to sleep.
More surprisingly…I don’t want to go out….am enjoying this routine…weird?? I can pretty much categorize this under a really hot June syndrome…or that’s the way I like to perceive it. Here is the weekend….and I wanted to go watch movies…but I am like reading…watching tv…and don’t want to go out. But since I missed my little red ka3boora car..”I love my car”…fa decided to drive to a not very nearby store and get whatever I was looking for. Dancing queen…u can dance…u can jive…?!!!!! That’s what came out of my cassette after starting the engine…tell me it wasn’t a jolly drive :D…it really was. Due prayers here for God who created science and scientists whom subsequently invented ACs.
Been debating the idea of going back to school for a while now…and I will ISA…aiming for a degree in Mass-communication…will start doing the paper work….and start this fall ISA….wish me luck :D…
Sister reminded me this morning of my old hobby of playing with cards…yeah..not playing cards….I mean what am saying. Usually people play cards…but as a kid I liked playing with them…build homes…more like compounds that would accommodate lots of families and imagine who would live there…sounds silly…but I used to build nice compounds…they were really something ya3ni :D…that was way before I had my Lego…I would spend hours constructing different things…and never get bored. The one who taught me how to build these units was Auntie Amal “back then”…now I believe she would kill herself if I called her Auntie…she was an Iraqi Eng. student…I used to like her….I loved the fancy stationary she used to buy for me and my sister…I loved when she used to let me do her make-up 😀 “don’t try to visualize that…catastrophe”….I loved staying with her and her Moroccan, Saudi, and Palestinian friends. They were fun…although way older than me…but I used to have fun around them. Can’t forget Linda “the Palestinian bride”…God…I ‘ve never seen such a happy bride in my whole life…everyone was willingly helping her with the dress…veil, invitations…and all the wedding details. Her mother was doing the dress…and I remember that she asked everyone to come and sew a piece of it…or do some beads in the bride’s dress “for good luck”. How would I ever forget these days!!!
I remember the first time I got introduced to the difference between Shiite and Sunni muslims…as I had to deal with that….now I can tell how much I really admire the way my mom did it.
I remember the curfew…remember the one after the “Amn Markazi” demos back in the 80’s…..I remember every single incident that happened as if it was yesterday…I remember sitting in front of Amal’s ground floor big window watching soldiers moving and waving…..tanks in our Midan. Grandpa was in the hospital…and I was crying as I was afraid… mom was supposed to come before the curfew…but it happened that she didn’t manage to….I was afraid that she might be taken in one of those huge blue cages…that I saw people overstuffed in from the window. Dad was serving in Saloum or Sinai…can’t remember exactly…but I remember I wished he wasn’t serving in the military…as a child I thought my papa’s job was keeping him away from me.
Our next door neighbor is a nice Syrian lady, ground floor is a big Saudi Family, they come as a family during vacations…otherwise…the apartment is for any of the kids who wants to resume his/her studies in “Om El Donia” as Aunti Baheya “the Saudi mother” would put it. The deserted apartment above us if for a Qatari family..2 sisters and a brother “that was”…now the few times they come to visit…it is more like an invasion.
Right above them….was the beautiful Egyptian cheerful lady from Mansoura….Auntie Nana”Allah yer7amha”….she died a few months after the October earthquake….not of the earthquake…but of some tumor..don’t know the details as I never asked. She used to call me Riri…now if someone called me Riri…I would bite him/her…but she was to say anything or everything. I would take whatever she is saying/doing. Witty, sharp, kind “fala7a” as she used to proudly describe herself, I used to love her “roz belaban”…although am an not a huge fan of any dairy related food….and I literally don’t eat roz belaban….AT ALL…but I ate hers….it was different…she was different.
I’ve been mumbling for quite sometime now…apparently some wires are coming loose in my head.
Nermeena 