Thursday, March 25, 2010

i want to put my heart in the fridge


i want to put my heart in the fridge
so i could be more like you people
i want to sleep and wake up in another place
so i could be away from you people
i want to solve the traffic problem so i could
love you again my people
i want to clean your heart from the black stains
i want to flush cold water on my bruised heart
because its been beaten by you people
i get things you would not guess
i know what you people are thinking
i hate routine and corporate lives
i hate the suites and the time lines
i hate the waste and the things you stole
i hate the fact that you people hate the earth
i hate the way you look at animals
the way you think you own the world
the way you think women are lower just because they are not robots
i hate the fact that i have rage
i hate this anger when it builds up like the fire
i hate the coolness of the ice cubes
i hate the stupid when they act smart
i hate the ugly by choice
i hate the people who take up too much space
i hate it when they stomp they do not have grace
i hate bad art and the fakers
i hate big brands without taste
i hate the practical
i hate the sad and the always miserable
i hate the news today
i hate the cynical
i hate the way you popped my bubble and brought me down from lala land.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

people and diets















people keep going on these weird diets and deprive themselves from everything.
the over weight look at the skinny like they have a secret.

it is true some people are blessed with metabolisms that make them eat whatever they want and not gain as much as someone who is always careful and has trouble loosing a pound per week.

but the solution to obesity or over weight is not a mystery, it is not a secret, we all know it.

if you want to lose weight eat less quantities of food.


decrease your food intake and you will lose the weight.

do not starve, but do not finish the plate or sandwich every single time.


if you want to gain weight it is also not a mystery: eat more.

no need to wonder, no need to pay your doctor.

you can be your own doctor and as obvious as it may seem no desserts or white sugar at all!

that is my cure fore the misery of overweight.
sometimes we want to eat everything and thats gluttony
sometimes we want to starve and that is sick

i realize it is hard to apply the advice but once it is clear its easy to do.
It depends on your priorities is it tasting heaven and enjoying a full stomach or looking
great and healthy and being the size that makes you comfortable.





Tuesday, March 23, 2010

filth glorified after a few drinks













with the new technologies cheating has become at the finger tips of the unfaithful
so many stories of unfaithful messages found on blackberries.
so many stories of unfaithful emails found on husband's or wife's accounts.

with bbm, hotmail, face-book, and gmail those with unfaithful tendencies are having a blast.
harmless flirting is what they call it, keeping doors of fantasies open is what they do.

a cyber kiss, a brave word on a p.c. comes out easier than on the tongue.
the cheater is obvious, look in their eyes it sparkles with devil's dust and shines.
they usually stare and smile too much, they also ask too many questions.

i saw the movie "up in the air".

if you have not seen it i do not want to spoil it, but it was a shocker for me.
what happened to fidelity?
why has hollywood portrayed couples like animals.
and all the movies i have been seeing lately always involve a partner who says : " i had a few drinks, it meant nothing, it won't happen again"

to my surprise the women have done so much too, just as bad as the men.
although in arab countries we have been socialized that men are more prone to fall for such mistakes because of some reason that makes them half men half dogs, but apparently the women have lately gained the same right too.

the pains of infidelity are the same, women and men both feel pain when they find out. yet our culture in the middle east expects men to sleep with anyone they are in close contact with or at least fantasize about it, since they say the mans brain is made that way. so many women have to forgive and ignore until the fling passes.

lately it seems to me that they wired the woman's brain too, to be made that way. a sexual obsession spread, i do not know if it is because of the availability of porn on the internet, the connotations by the media, or the excessive openness in the world due to the new arrivals of social engines like face-book, my space, and emails.

at the airport lounge in london as i pour the orange juice in my glass i look to the right and i see a man sitting with his laptop on his lap and the screen is visible to me, and guess what he is watching? PORN!

can you believe how comfortable he is? how brave and not ashamed he was? it was a shocker to me. i ran back to my seat and felt like we were in a room with the biggest creep. if he wanted porn than he should have gotten a room, we do not all have to know about it. it is like peeing in public.

being casual has become so cool, casual, cool, breezy, open and friendly. men have always fantasized about these kind of people: the stripper, the waitress, the air hostess anyone who serves them in a uniform and does not argue much.

women too they love the uniform, the care taker, the provider. the body guard, the life guard, the teacher, the politician, the doctor who can save them, anyone who leads.

some men like tiger woods are married to super models and still they cheat and that is beyond me to explain, others just fantasize about the woman they can not have.

i can sometimes read minds that is my problem i have seen so many men laugh in evil ways as they catch a glimpse of a beautiful woman.

and it happened to me many times that some men are too friendly and i have to remind them how it is not much fun and a bit disgusting too.

it makes me sick to my stomach the concept of the unfaithful.
the nervous laughs the arab men giggle with when beautiful women's names are mentioned.
their dreams of polygamy literally make me gag.

and the women who think they are so smooth, that they can get away with their filthiness.
in the movies i have seen lately married women cheat and sleep with strangers, and they do not apologize and they are forgiven. the western man seems more forgiving. but sleeping with strangers has presented it self in the media as the first thing to do after a few drinks.

what was a big surprise for me is the old men who remained perverts until they lost their teeth. i greet them with the respect of the elderly and i find that they are still the same inside, neurotic and disgusting. do not let them fool you, in their eyes they show it all. my first day in a class at university i thought yay! a cute old man as a teacher, like a father, like a grand father, until his perverted ways started showing and he started acting insane. i tried to write a petition but they told me he has got so many complaints and it seems like he is backed by a very important person so nothing ever happens to him.

it was a shock for me that everyone knows about him and his ways, and it is o.k.


people are not dogs is my message.
i think it is disgusting the thought of rules do not apply beyond national borders.
i think sex without love is disgusting. the media makes it seem amazing and makes every spectator dream of his chance.

i think people need a reminder of their true nature which is not filth.

people of Hollywood be careful, you are the role models of so much of the world, do not portray filth as dreamy, and stop making everything and anything o.k, because it is not.


Monday, March 22, 2010

life lost in a traffic jam


two hours and more on the ring road trying to reach my sick sister on the other side of my world.

my family's house is on the Cairo, Alex road I never understood how hard it is for people to visit us until i became the people who visit them.

with a truck on my left and a bigger truck on my right i felt like a helpless sandwich filling.

a road that does not move for two hours and more, deserves not to be taken again.

tears of anger and frustration start creeping down my face and i try to hide them so that the driver does not see how i am. worst of all you blame the driver who took the choice and did not ask you which road to take.

with a conscience that tortures me i sit back holding my words back swallowing them inside me.

i wanted to tell him why oh why? why did you not ask?

but who am i to say that, he meant well, he is not even mine, i pitied the man who took the wrong road and trapped me on the road.

shuffling in my seat in agony, in captivity, feeling like an angry lion in a cage, and a helpless kitten in someone's ride with no voice, with no choice, with no pride.

even a phone call does not help because to my luck he speaks english too, he knows all my secrets he reads me all the time. he means well, he prays for me, but he leads my ride and for my horrible driving i have been asked to always take the passenger's seat.

when you are stuck more than two hours on the road you start asking the clouds what meaning could be behind this?

if things happen for a reason, what is the wait meant to teach?
patience i guess.
endurance too?

the amazing thing is that the Egyptians do not honk anymore when the road stops for hours, they do not honk in anger anymore, they have acquired patience and no care for the world that only monks in Tibet can have, or is it the hash that keeps them going?

i wonder what is the point of losing life on the road?
a road that can be taken in 35 minutes takes two hours and a half.
you think of all the things you could have done, all the places you could have gone to.
i could have gone to Alexandria and ordered lunch.

all i wanted was to visit my sick sister but i lost layers of me on the way, in sadness, in anger, in captivity.

i lost so much of my life on the ring road

Thursday, March 18, 2010

the hidden treasure















the hidden treasure is like a secret doorway
inside you waiting to be recognized
many people come and go and they did not know about the treasure
they thought things are just things
they thought there is no more to life
they failed to see the magical possibilities

but you and me we still have the chance to dig deeper
and discover the hidden treasure
you do not need to travel
you do not need to even leave your home
you do not need to meet anyone

your hidden treasure lies in your heart
this is not corny talk
it is true and it is such a waste to ignore

another world awaits
gardens and waterfalls
so many colors and lights
wait for you every night

find the hidden treasure
close your eyes
and open your heart

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

the first mosque in africa












in cairo is a hiding gem forgotten by the faithful
we often neglect the closest people to us and the closest places too
we do not have to wait until it is time to reach mecca or medina to experience spirituality
egyptians have so many historical places worth visiting
and for the lovers thirsty for divine love and looking for a place with better energy there is old Fat-amid city of cairo.

in it are historical gems and places that witnesses so many important hearts prayed there
some places are just more blessed than others

where prayers reach faster
the heart is the best house of God but on this earth there are places holier than others
if you live in cairo make sure to visit this amazing place

this mosque i am talking about is the first mosque built in Egypt and all of Africa.
the nile used to flow in front of it, and the first man to kneel in Egypt was there.

Amr Ibn Al AAs mosque is the mosque i mean


Monday, March 15, 2010

if i was a lady bird




















if i was a lady bird i would sit on a leaf flowing in a river
i would relax and let the current take me
i would surrender

if i was a flower i would be beautiful
i would be a pink lotus blossoming with the sun shine
i would surrender

if i was a lion i would be the king
i would sit proud
i would lead my pride
i would have a family
i would be powerful
but i would surrender

if i was a bird i would travel miles
i would spread my wings and kiss the sky
i would make a v for victory
i would feed my baby bird and i will know
when it is time to migrate
i would surrender

if i was a star i would be so high
i would twinkle and shine
i would remind people of my lover
i would praise him day and night
i would watch over the helpless lovers
i would surrender

if i was a child i would eat right
play until i am tired
i would have an imagination that keeps me smiling and busy
i would be dreaming of being the best and biggest artist
i would have no worries about tomorrow
i would not sit and regret yesterday
i would be cheerful
i would surrender

if i was human i would do good
i would work
i would love until it hurt
i would dance
i would pray
i would be an artist
i would take people higher
i would be blissful
i would surrender

wait
i just remembered
i was the lady bird
i was the lotus flower
i am the lion
i am the bird
i am the star
i am the child
i am the human
i remember it all
i know how they all feel
i am them and they are me
i was them once and i will be
i am everything it is all in me
i have the world in my heart
i experienced it all
because i surrendered



"whispers of the beloved" by Rumi


one thing we have in common me and the great Paulo Coelho
is our love to the great Rumi.

In Paulo Coelho's blog you will find this poem called "whispers of the beloved"
by Rumi today!

I thought if i post the same one he posted maybe on some level i will share his greatness.
I love Paulo Coelho, and I love Rumi so it is a party for my spirit seeing their names together, seeing him post from my inspiration well. who am i to compare i am just an admirer of both and a lover like any other.

whispers of the beloved by Rumi

I cannot sleep in your prescence.
In your absence, tears prevent me.
You watch me My Beloved
On each sleepless night and
Only You see the difference

Looking at my life
I see that only Love
Has been my soul’s companion
From deep inside
My soul cries out:
Do not wait, surrender
For the sake of Love.

If you can’t smell the fragrance
Don’t come into the garden of Love.
If you’re unwilling to undress
Don’t enter into the stream of Truth.
Stay where you are.
Don’t come our way.

All year round the lover is mad,
Unkempt, lovesick and in disgrace.
Without love there is nothing but grief.
In love… what else matters?

Love is our Mother and
The way of our Prophet.
Yet it is in our nature
To fight with Love.
We can’t see you, mother,
Hidden behind dark veils
Woven by ourselves.

Do you want to enter paradise?
To walk the path of Truth
You need the grace of God.
We all face death in the end.
But on the way, be careful
Never to hurt a human heart!

Do you know what the music is saying?
“Come follow me and you will find the way.
Your mistakes can also lead you to the Truth.
When you ask, the answer will be given.”

The Master who’s full of sweetness
Is so drunk with love, he’s oblivious.
“Will you give me
some of your sweetness?”
“I have none,” he says,
unaware of his richness.

You know what love is?
It is all kindness, generosity.
Disharmony prevails when
You confuse lust with love, while
The distance between the two
Is endless.

This Love is a King
But his banner is hidden.
The Koran speaks the Truth
But its miracle is concealed.
Love has pierced with its arrow
The heart of every lover.
Blood flows but the wound is invisible.

giving














Buddha:
If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way

ALBERT EINSTEIN
It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.


No one has ever become poor by giving.
Mother Teresa:

Intense love does not measure, it just gives.


Prophet Muhammad :

“Do not consider any act of kindness insignificant, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.”



i will never succeed in describing the importance of giving.

no amount of light can be shed to make it crystal clear.

giving cleans your soul like a good prayer

when you give, you have credit and you can receive!

giving is the true reason for living!

only in serving others will you find true joy!

happiness is found in service.

start with your family become your parent's loving servant.

start with God become his hands and messenger on earth.

become his eyes and see who needs, your help.

pick one thing you think you know how to help with.

make it your thing that people find you when they need it.

we all are good at at least one thing, find it and use it.

to give and to spread delight is the best way to give

you can take people higher with showing them something

something you found out, spread the information, shed the light.

sleeping becomes better after giving.

when you give from your money that is great.

when you give from your time that is greater.

when you give from your heart that is truly powerful.

when you give from your soul that is love.

it is great when you give, it is magical!

never will you run out, so keep giving!

give smiles, give if even pats on vulnerable backs.

give even if it is words of good.

if you can not do any of that, then give with just a wish in your heart.

a silent wish, like a prayer can be worth more than dollar signs.

pray for them that is giving.

when you give his people,

he will give you more because now you became a door

a pathway for his treasures to be shared.

we are here to serve, to live to make, to build, to kneel and to love.

give from the good in you and God will inspire you.

more chances will manifest.

you will be purified

give and you will receive

more than you got before.

give, yes give, just give!

open the gates of love and the river flows.

give to strangers secretly.

give love to your own family.

give to the helpless orphans.

give those who need it.

when u give the beggar know that it only cleans your soul.

you do not care if he is a thief, all you need to know is that it is always

always good to give.

living in Cairo is the givers heaven , so many people waiting to be given

give them, see them they are everywhere.

waiting for the extra pound, the smile or the appreciation

give because it is good for you.

it is better for you to give than to hold back.

its not good for your soul to keep it all.

your core wants to share.

so give and spread your arms wide open.

give and maybe you will be freed from so many complexities in you

it will fix your karma and bring better things your way.

and so many doors will open.

because the way of the world is like that.

you give and you will get dozens more.

start by giving the closest ones in your home.

if only one person feels the difference it is better than

scattered giving that makes no effect.

focus when giving, the closest ones need the most giving.

in taking care of another is a heaven waiting to uncover.

do not worry at all because when it comes to giving,

there is no running out.

break the code.

give and miracles will happen.



Sunday, March 14, 2010

tears of joy














when your heart was split and they took parts of it away,
countries away, for years you have been separated and it was painful.
when God brings you back together, you can not help but hold on to the moment.
before things change again because things keep changing in this world.
things change and people move all the time.
people you love are so far away.
and you yourself could be taken somewhere.
it is the painful nature of separation.

in our part of the world family bonds are so much stronger and separation hurts more than anywhere else.

our emotions are more important than our careers and our parents we would carry on our heads
or hide between our eye lashes if we could.

although we dress like the west and drive the same cars, as Egyptians we are so fundamentally different than the westerners. most of us call our parents on a daily bases, we never hear the answering machine and roll our eyes.

we do not need support groups because our moms and grandparents are there for us, our cousins and second cousins are all in our lives willing to help.

when our sister gives birth we take shifts and the new mom moves in with her mom, the whole family is there to help. the whole world stops.

we usually do not live in different towns and our mothers have given us all they have to give, and we live under their feet in happiness without a feeling of duty.

family is everything and we breathe this love and bond, it makes us stronger.
if one of us has a problem all the family will pray for them every night.
we visit the houses of God together and in a group we pray until dawn that our loved one's problem is solved.

for all of these reasons we do not mind our business, because we do not care more about business than family. we are a connected chain if one of us falls we all cry and pray until they rise.

if one of us is sick we all gather and with our hands place our palms on the part that hurts them and we read passages from the Quran. Our hearts are one, our souls are connected.

We are slaves to the little people called children in our families and we would give up our everything for them.


let us do good that we do not need tests, always in remembrance and gratitude that we do not need to taste grief to hold on to the divine rope.

let us be us , as warm as we were created, we can not help but be lovers.

my name is mennah and i am not a terroroist



i saw the movie my name is khan last night
it is an art work
it is a great story
it is powerful but i suffered so much
they should have put a warning sign in front of the movie theatre saying
there will be children dying, so sensitive viewers are not allowed
my eyes are still puffy!
i cried so much that my heart was exhausted from all the misery
my whole body was tired!
i came in like a blossoming flower and out like an old lady carrying the weight of the world!
of course the people watching it with me were all fine, taking it lightly
gasps of my loud breath could be heard by everyone and my seat was shaking
a little kid dying in a movie is a recipe for unlimited tears at least to me.

if only i knew i would not have watched it
i realize life can be harsh but i want to take my own tests and i pray God not give me such hard ones

you see when i watch a movie i am not watching it, i am the characters
i feel their pains like they were mine
i am them for a while!
i can not differentiate between me and them!
in a good movie i lose my self
and my husband suffers watching me deteriorate.
but why do they torture us with such a heart breaking story line?
i figured the message was for the west not me.

the movie speaks about how different things became after 9/11 for muslims.
it speaks of tensions and discriminations against muslims.
it speaks of the muslim phobia that spread and the struggles of an indian man in California.

it is a powerful story but if you are a sensitive viewer like me: do not watch it.
i blame my friend who did not warn me, who saw the movie and told me to see it knowing what happens to me.

something i need to make clear is that the actor in the leading role is a genius and i have never seen better acting from a very long time.

i wish more people from the muslim phobics would see the movie.
hollywood is a powerful tool, anything on the screen affects people and influences them.
so many movies made about racial tragedies "my name is khan" is the first one to show how many hardships muslims go through for their beliefs.

the real terrorists ruined it for the whole population of muslims.
so many good muslims were labeled terrorists.
only a small group always ruins it for everyone.
it takes one person to taint a crowd.
but it also takes one person to show
the world a different perspective like the movie makers.
like khan in my name is khan.

a prophet like story, with a weak man becoming a hero, a story worth telling.
however it is heart breaking and so harsh for the sensitive viewer.

the main character khan says: "my name is khan and i am not a terrorist" so many times along the movie. it feels good to say this to the people who judge us for our religion.

Islam is a peaceful religion, some lunatics will not change that.
God is Love
according to islamic teachings the death of one innocent man is equal to the death of humanity.
so those who twist the words and mistake jihad for a terrorist act are wrong.
jihad is the struggle within us to take the right path and tame our egos.
to be good and go against our some what animal needs.
jihad is self mastery and control, jihad is the fight within your soul to be the best that you can.
it does not involve killing, in fact even cutting a tree is prohibited in Islam.

as middle eastern muslims or arabs it scares us to discuss such matters, we do not want to open western wounds but here is my chance to advocate a movie like my name is Khan. a movie that speaks for true Islam.

The good hearts will shine no matter how much darkness surrounds them.
the truth will always show it self even if the media distorts and the news always shed lights on bearded men killing innocents.

One man ruined it for us but i believe another one can come along and make it perfect again
it could be a woman, it could be soon.

God is peace, God is love, God is light.


El Salam Alekom
May peace be upon you

Saturday, March 13, 2010

cleopatra in the abaya


The abaya "cloak" (Arabic: عبايةʿabāyah or عباءة ʿabā'ah, plural عبايات ʿabāyāh) is an overgarment worn by some women in parts of the Islamic world. It could be described as a long-sleeve robe-like dress. It is the traditional form of hijab, or Islamic dress, for many countries of the Arabian peninsula such as Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates, where it is the national dress.

Traditional abayat are black and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head or a long caftan. The abaya covers the whole body except the face, feet, and hands. It can be worn with the niqāb, a face veil covering all but the eyes. Some women choose to wear long black gloves, so their hands are covered as well.

Saudi Arabia requires women to cover in public.[1] Covering is enforced by the religious police, the muṭṭawwi‘īn (also known as the muttawwa). In Iran the cover is often referred to as a chador. In South Asia, it is known as a burqa.

Abayat are known by various names but serve the same purpose, which is to cover. Contemporary models are usually caftans, cut from light, flowing fabrics like crepe,georgette, and chiffon. Styles differ from region to region: some abayat have embroidery on black material while others are brightly coloured and have different forms of artwork across them.[2]


in saudi i walk in the abaya and after sometime i found comfort in it.

coming from cairo where what we where takes sometimes hours to figure out i felt the easiness and beauty of the abaya. Throwing the black light abaya on over leggings and a wife beater you can not help but appreciate the comfort.


In parts of Saudi you can show your hair and your head scarf can slip and fall and people do not mind, although you must always be in the Abaya.


So I really appreciated that freedom of showing my hair, if you think about it it is fun walking in a loose garment and ballerinas, it is not so bad.


being here for awhile although not for the pilgrimage, can be a great break from the hectic life in Cairo.


God knows how much I wished to be in mecca now but sometimes life can be funny that waybringing you so close to your dreams but testing your patience and will to accept your circumstance.


Do not come to Saudi and complain about the way things are regarding the norms, rules and traditions.Go anywhere else if you can not handle the rules.


i learned to respect any place i visit and with pleasure follow the rules.

segregation between men and women succeeded only to create a great deal of curiosity and tension.


in my opinion i think it is fantastic how things are here, it is exciting to experience the segregation, although man and wife share a table for dinner like anywhere else. for the married couples life is just more peaceful and women are more private.



in the abaya you feel mysterious, safe and comfortable, in order to fit in you must be able to apply the famous kohl.


i do not think women are not given rights here, i think they are being treated like goddesses.


actually the way the bachelors are treated is somewhat degrading.


they are secluded from society, in every restaurant they have their own place where they are segregated from the families and the girls who go out to dine together. girls smoke and go out alone, they have fun here, it is the men who are treated like second class citizens when they are single.


they are treated like they are dangerous and disgusting they need to be caged alone it is kind of funny actually. the married man in saudi suffers less for he is welcomed everywhere and nobody fears his presence.


in saudi the man's ticket to heaven and a normal life is marriage if he is single he has more chances of joy in any other country, bahrain is a better option for him.


at-least the saudi woman will not be harassed by a truck driver while she is driving alone on the high way, because she is not allowed to drive in the first place. every woman has her driver here, which is in many cases a dream for most girls not a compromise. it is really fun toexperience the pampering the saudi women are granted.


i realize i am not being feminist at all. i realize if i paint here my paintings would be prohibitedfrom shows because they involve many figures, however it is extremely charming living the saudi

life.


there is nothing much here, mostly desert and a few new hotels,and malls but knowing there is nothing much to do is so relaxing and there is no pressure.


No one can blame you for laying around all day as a visitor, sleeping in is also one of the rewards of life here as a visitor.


there are a few great hotels here with amazing dining and pampering that is similar to service in the far east.


at the indian restaurant in the new moven pick of Khobar i tasted indian heaven.

indian food that takes your soul to food heaven and gives your taste buds joy they did not know existed.


walking around all covered up i felt like i oozed a sort of divine vibe, like i am strong and powerful and i did not have to be annoyed by men's eyes drifting in the wrong places making me sick.


If you think women are treated badly in Saudi, you are wrong, the staff in the hotel treat me with respect and fear, when i ordered the room service i could feel the man's fear of bringing the tray in the room.


he respected my privacy and he asked can i come in madam. i really like it when people keep

their space and when they only look at my face when i speak.


no people on earth are as hospitable as the Saudis, since the beginning of time they hosted the pilgrims who came from everywhere,. in the art of hosting they are the masters. when you are hosted by a saudi you feel like you found your long lost father or mother, you feel like a baby,safe in the arms of your mother they will be so kind and generous like the kings and queens of ancient arabia and nothing you might dream of will be kept from you.


for a few days you will feel like royalty, it is a deep part of their belief, being good hosts, and you

feel like you are in great hands, that you do not have to worry about anything.


with dates and arabic coffee at every corner, what could possibly go wrong?

it is a blessed life where food always tastes good and sining is a hassle to go through.


you can find malls in Khobar and just a bridge away is Bahrain which is a smaller version of Dubai,. Saudis go there to breathe freedom where no abaya is supposed to be worn and even alcohol is an option.


the first time i came here it was hard for me to follow the rules i felt choked and bored but now

that it is my second time in Khobar I am actually loving it.


my dream will always be mecca and medina but i can appreciate life here and i can adjust to the rhythm of it. i even found freedom and peace in the abaya.


My art history professor at A.U.C told the class once that he thinks there is nothing more

mysterious and sexy like the abaya and now i understand and agree. although the main reason

behind it is the opposite it often serves the opposite purpose and creates so much mystery and curiosity that it becomes sexier than a backless dress. less is more.


in the abaya i found happiness and joy. here in the desert i found peace of mind, the smells of

the in-scents, the taste of the spiced foods and the way the guests are treated takes you back to

the times of legends like Aladdin and Shahrazad,it gives you a feel of the luxuries of the nomads

life, the life of the prophets we love so much .







Thursday, March 11, 2010

traffic decoded


have you ever tried to apply the street signs to your life?
in cairo it could be an inspiring thing
i thought about it, it works
a sign says "slow down"
and i thought shouldn't we all?
shouldn't we all slow down?
shouldn't we pause and breathe?
we should quit the merry go round every once in awhile and think broader
think bigger
examine our whole situation
to see why we came and what are we doing here?
our being useful or stupid
are we going to the wrong places?
are we full-filling our life purpose? or are we just speeding with no aim? are we
cruising through life like morons?

and there is the sign that says "one way"
have you thought of the one way
the way towards the one
the only way
the right path
do we act and talk and live in a way that all agrees to the same way
are the things we do and say in harmony with who we are?
are we going the right way?

and in driving before we take a right or left we should give a signal to the poor clueless people behind us, just like in life we should warn the people who love us and depend on us before we take a turn.

we have signs saying the road goes up, and thats just where we will all end up.
we have signs showing us that we can always take u-turns anytime
even if we missed the exit we can always find a way to go back further along the way, but we must take the decision
even if its the wrong one we can not be hesitant forever and we must know where we are going on the ride
in cairo the no parking sign is translated to waiting is prohibited, and that always makes me smile, because waiting should be prohibited.
i am all for patience but waiting for things to happen is torture sometimes, sometimes you want to happen to things instead. sometimes waiting is too much to do when the person or thing you are waiting for shows no signs of happening or coming.
waiting is prohibited we all wish for things but waiting for them is the road to misery, we would rather move on and leave the flow of the world to take care of the details.
on the backs of the trucks are reminders of remembrance saying "remember God!"
on the backs of the trucks i have learned a language and a lot about the people who are faithful and thankful, who are called egyptians.
the jokes too remind you that laughter is the best medicine.
the traffic jams remind you that in life there is suffering.
the walking sign shows you that walking is of importance.
the stop sign tells you that you have to stop sometimes and tames your ego, because with traffic you must obey.
we must always keep our lights on high in the dark, that is the only way we can see the way.
study the traffic, in it is a story worth telling and reading
keep your light on so you can see the way and remember the ride is not forever because you should reach your destination, make sure you want to reach it. be safe, be aware, pay attention and enjoy the ride while it lasts but do not get to comfortable, and do not fall asleep, because you are destined to leave anyway.

running away




















its so great to run away
when home is your refuge
sometimes all you want to do is run away and retreat home
you want to put a white flag on your window
saying you give up
you surrender
let them do whatever they want let them honk until we lose our sense of hearing
until our ears start ringing or falling

at 2 pm in zamalek, the students fill the streets like ants looking for food
all these people, what are they doing?
where are they going?
coming back from schools
are they really learning?

the trees are flourishing with vibrant colors
the sun is shining with an anger or revenge
it is really too hot to bare
hotter than any march before
and a wave of hot air colors us sleepy and tired

less clothes we wear but we take care so we do not offend our people
we try to survive the heat and avoid the pedestrian's stare
the women of Egypt are skilled and witty
the women of Egypt have to develop skills that no women in the world can learn

being tough
being respectful
understanding what to wear and realizing the scenarios of all the places you will go
you have to play a plot in your head knowing exactly what is acceptable where

to weddings we need to cover on our way with big wraps and coats
in the wedding revealing dresses are acceptable for non conservative families
before going to a wedding you must understand exactly where and who will be there.
you have to pick up on so many cues.

so many subliminal messages to grasp

there are those opposing religion so don't you dare mention in
there are the complainers: all they do is complain about everything in this city all you have to do is agree
the poor: they have acquired faith and happiness yet lost a lot of their brains.
they will postpone any work and they would rather sit and relax enjoy their cigarette and funky ring tones
they also have big dreams but they will happen after death

we are a lot like the ancient egyptians death is a big dream for us
being good here and patient, over there we will party

we are mostly tired
exhausted
mothers running around taking kids to practice
nannies becoming the survival guide to parents
fathers working their days to exhausted sleep
and so many people leaving their jobs

every one dreams of travel but most people can not live away from the city they love to hate
we are running in circles
sometimes we want to run away
and close the curtains
turn off the lights
and lose our selves in God's greatest gift: sleep