Vacation Update n.1

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let you all know that Im doing ok.Im still trying to recover from jet lag, but other than that all is well.I haven't seen much, but this coming week we have a few things planned.Its nice to break the routine and have a vacation once in a while.I'll keep you updated about whats going on in the next few weeks.


take care

Liberation or Confinement ?

mini political analysis

Arnold Schwarzenegger told Democrats and other pessimists not to be "economic girlie-men".

I assume this statement was intended for Al Gore.The Global Warming movie and Live Earth.I'm sorry Mr.Gore

Personally, I think Mr.Gore is doing an astounding job.And I have great admiration for his concern about the economy.Regardless, of whether his movie was appealing or not.It was quite beneficial.

a new day

A new day has prevailed.Somewhat of a new beginning.After three years of visits, today is the final day.The last goodbye.The last glance.A fresh new start and the future ahead of me.The essence of adolescence: learning new things and just trying to get by, day by day.You think you know everything, but you have only yet begun to learn.The past all behind her and the future ahead of you.Even though they were only three years, every minute counted.


Finally, my sixth month long boycott has ended today.A struggle that I do not regret.I didn't get much out of it, but the one thing I learned was perseverance.I decided that the boycott didn't really affect my well being, and that I had better fish to fry.I'm not a big fan of fried fish but I always seem to use that metaphor.

Sushi a new culinary discovery that has been oh so delightful.Spider rolls, miso soup and sea weed.

Sometimes we take others for granted and we don't know how much they mean to us until we loose them.Savor every moment together.Because you never know what will come tomorow.

As I look at the full moon and I admire its brightness and radiance, I see a face.The moon has its own personality and its face seems to be.... I just cant find the word to describe it.Trying to catch the moon and put it in my pocket,wanting to save its light.

july 12

The anniversary of one of my worst nightmares.

A cup of coffee is remembered for forty years…

Coffee isn’t just a beverage; it’s an infusion of flavor that is indescribable. Some people might think Java City is just an ordinary café. But its not, it’s extraordinary. Java City isn’t just your average coffee shop. It was a place full of reminiscences and memories. It’s a very big disappointment that it has closed down. There really isn’t any other coffee shop that can suffice.

Starbucks is on every corner and every turn, its been practically dominating the whole world. There isn’t an airport or shopping mall that doesn’t have a Starbucks nearby. Sometimes there are even three Starbucks within a one mile distance. A little bit too over-rated, don’t you think? Many people take coffee shops for granted and do not know how special they are until they close down or go out of business. Sorry to say but I had to experience this type of loss. Sometimes a really good cup of coffee is just impossible to find.

Java City was the one place where you could go and just talk about your worries and try to find possibilities for them. It was a place full of hope and familiarity. Every time you went, it was almost inevitable that you would make a new friend. The most striking thing about Java City was its immense diversity. You could always find people from so many different cultures and nationalities. And proof of that, was if you listened really carefully you could hear so many different languages and sometimes try to decipher what they were saying. People would play chess, meet with friends and family, do homework, and just relax and sit back while looking at the passer byes.

You wouldn’t know what the coffee shop was like until you have actually been there. As you open the door to the coffee shop, you instantly smell the strong scent of coffee beans and freshly baked sweets. Looking around for a chaise lounge, you find a vacant seat while you are waiting for your order to finish. The atmosphere is calm, until night becomes near, and all of the night owls approach and the café is filled with people. As you look outside the window you spot someone familiar and wave. You decide to sit outside and greet that person. As you take a closer glance, you notice that you have never seen her before. You ask if you can take a seat, and she kindly says yes. Surprisingly, you both seem to have a lot in common and talk for hours. Would you like a piece of my almond croissant? You both enjoy it and keep conversing about this and that. Suddenly, you look at your watch and notice that its half past midnight. But still decide to stay just a little longer. Drifting off in a long utter of nostalgia you tell stories about your longing for a finjan qahwa ( a small cup of Arabic coffee). And how your mother used to serve you coffee with crushed cardamom, as you arose from your midsummer nap. Fresh kaak with sesame seeds was always a must with your coffee. Slowly fading away and about to close your eyes, you awake from your vision and notice that its closing time. You gather up your things and say your goodbyes, wishing everyone a pleasant night. Steadily making your way back home you think about tomorrow and your next cup of coffee.

A cup of coffee is remembered for forty years…

[Turkish Proverb]

Dear Traveler

Oh you who has traveled

You left and did not tell me

I thought you were right beside me

As I closed my eyes you were gone to a far away land

I wish I was able to take your hand



You left everlastingly and never returned

My misery will not leave until you return

I spent so many sleepless nights waiting for you

by the light of the moon



Oh you who loves the waves and loves to travel

please come back to me again

I understand you cannot go against your fate

but my heart yearns for you my dear traveler

I hope to see what becomes of you after your many journeys

Where have you gone where have you traveled?




You left and did not tell me…



I traveled to the land of seven seas

A land where the waves caress your cheek

A land where the sun is ever shining

A land where the blazing deserts whisper in your ear

A land of beauty that fools the eye

A land of youth and prosperity

I traveled many countries but have never saw countries like these



The lands of North Africa and the Middle East

Oh you unfortunate man he who has not seen these

May you pray to God that you see them before it is your time



I told you my secrets now you tell me yours

I loved the land that you loved now you love mine

fade into you

Grieving

Inconsolable

Unbelievable

Denial

Memories

Content

Fading...

May His Soul Rest In Peace

Allah yirhamu.3atak 3omro il youm.I still can't believe it.Is this really happening?He was 16.We laughed and argued together.Fought and got along with each other.We always talked about the most random things and we would make fun of each others taste in music.Walked to Save Mart and bought otter pops.Told jokes about old Hubert.Practically terrorized Roberts car.We didn't have much in common but we were close in age and just liked to have fun and tell jokes.Jealousy sometimes got the best of us and we both had our reasons.But no matter what, we would always have a good time just being ourselves.I didn't mean to embarrass you at your graduation.Thank you for all of the little gifts you got me.I'm going to miss your Olivia noises and your weird meat and jelly sandwiches.I think we were both unique and had very odd personalities, but never intimidated to be different from others.I had alot of fun at that fishing derby and I'm semi-glad to have been introduced to Mardale by you.And Abraham Lincoln as well.Scrabble will never be the same again without you.We will try our best to take good care of Juan for you.


We all had good times together and we miss you very much.

Iza za3latak bi shi anjad Im sorry.

Rachida

"Rachida" is a pretty, young school teacher.The title character, as the centerpiece of this story which spends most of its time looking at the problems which beset Algeria in the 1990s when the country was struggling with civil war. This testament by its female Algerian director digs into life as a woman in the Sunni Muslim patriarchal culture and the day to day living with anxiety and fear as bands of guerrilla thugs roam the streets.A dramatic movie about terrorism,romance, betrayal of traditions,and living in a country where the uncertain may happen at any time.It is a film definitely worth watching.

harb

new invention

new invention... Check out this hooka.

I wonder if this could be a possible patent.

quote by Mone

Once you reach your inner it is always unique...anyone has the capacity to reach that, it is not only for chosen people. And once u connect, it will always show as a different color and different taste..No one is the same and each one has a unique message...

Stop Sectarianism Before It Stops Us

peace

"There are no military solutions.There are no political solutions.There are no cultural solutions. There never have been. There never will be. There are only personal choices. Today, I choose not to kill; I choose not to hate; I choose not to steal. Today, I choose life over death; I choose love over anger; I choose charity over greed. That is our true struggle - the struggle within - the struggle to subjugate our own Evil Impulse."


As a wise man once said "give peace a chance" ....

quote

A fool with a sense of his foolishness
is at least to that extent wise.
But a fool who thinks himself wise
really deserves to be called a fool.

quote

Do not dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind
on the present moment.

Stop the Clash of Civilizations

look at your right hand

Amazing facts from Quran

Check this out, very interesting findings of Dr. Tariq Al Swaidan might
grasp your attention:

Dr.Tarig Al Swaidan discovered some verses in the Holy Qur'an
that mention one thing is equal to another,i.e. men are equal to women.

Although this makes sense grammatically, the astonishing fact is that the
number of times the word man appears in the Qur'an is 24 and number of times the word woman appears is also 24,therefore not only is this phrase correct in the grammatical sense but also true mathematically, i.e. 24 = 24.

Upon further analysis of various verses, he discovered that this is
consistent throughout the whole Qur'an, where it says one thing is like
another. See below for astonishing result of the words mentioned number of
times in Arabic Qur'an:


Dunia (one name for life) 115. Aakhirat (one name for the life after this
world) 115
Malaika (Angels) 88 . Shayteen (Satan) 88
Life 145 .... Death 145
Benefit 50 . Corrupt 50
People 50 .. Messengers 50
Eblees (king of devils) 11 . Seek refuge from Eblees 11
Museebah (calamity) 75 . Thanks 75
Spending (Sadaqah) 73 . Satisfaction 73
People who are mislead 17 . Dead people 17
Muslimeen 41 . Jihad 41
Gold 8 . Easy life 8
Magic 60 . Fitnah (dissuasion, misleading) 60
Zakat (Taxes Muslims pay to the poor) 32 . Barakah (Increasing or blessings
of wealth) 32
Mind 49 . Noor 49
Tongue 25 . Sermon 25
Desite 8 . Fear 8
Speaking publicly 18 . Publicising 18
Hardship 114 .... Patience 114
Muhammed 4 . Sharee'ah (Muhammed's teachings) 4
Man 24. Woman 24

And amazingly enough have a look how many times the following words appear:

Salah 5, Month 12, Day 365,
Sea 32, Land 13

Sea + land = 32+13= 45

Sea = 32/45*100=71.11111111%
Land = 13/45*100 = 28.88888889%
Sea + land =100.00%


Modern science has only recently proven that the water covers 71.111% of the earth while the land covers 28.889%.