29 April, 2008

2:55 am


This what the times reads now, couldn’t sleep for 2 hours been trying but still nothing. Lots of ideas are flying in my head just like the dog fights in maverick.

All are related to moving to Cairo, how much I will pay for renovation, electric equipment I will be getting, furniture and car. My parents, sister, work and study. I am not questioning the why, I am questioning the how.

Shall I start big, bring the best or just start with things that will get me started. Shall I invest heavily or not. How much savings I must end up with for marriage.
Fellow bloggers, pls dig in with me in this, share your ideas and experiences. What are the essentials, what are the luxuries and what are the things that are always forgotten. Where to buy them from and for good price.

The car thing, what to get in the range of 60-65k don’t want an Egyptian assembled car. Currently focusing on Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10

I checked my RSS feeds for new posts of my favorite blogs but nothing, all empty. Except a very sad post I couldn’t even comment on. Seems all are away. I miss reading lots of people. I tend to think happy thoughts for the ones I cant communicate with and try to believe in them.

Want to go to Omra. I want something that costs 4k for 10 days this is an urge that is killing me. I miss Ramadan awi.

Want to read a new book, want to experience new feelings want to feel the satisfaction of learning something new.


It hurts awi.

28 April, 2008

Horton and the Whos


Horton is a nice elephant who is loved by his community and can do neat tricks with his ears, one day he dared to think differently and believed in his thoughts. By others he was seen as challenging their way of life, questioning authority and if he and his thoughts were left unattended they will spread out and will lead to anarchy.

Children and the pure in heart believed him while the majority didn’t understand him and yet didn’t mind what he said. While just one kangaroo set her self as the appointed guardian and protector of the jungle way of life and what ideas must be fed into little children heads and with the help of a small group of apes who were strong and not so smart they helped the kangaroo to fight the spreading of the new evil. I quote her “That Horton is a menace. He has the kids using their imagination. It's sick”

In the other world, a daring personality just like Horton, accepting the unacceptable and keeping a mind open for change and willingness to adapt to, also was hushed cause his thoughts will bring “change” to a place where things never do change.
For all the Hortons, who believe hold to your believes and for the Whos change is inevitable.

24 April, 2008

Phone Chat

A: Hello, so what is up with the cairo apt

Askandarani: Mmmm, hopefully will settle in soon as soon as the bathroom and paint jobs are finished.

A: No no, don’t do those, leave it as it is, for your future mate to chose with,

Askandarani:No way, I want to get it done before this stage so it will be a non negotiable fact.

A: You know I once break an engagement cause the guy refused to change the bathroom.

Askandarani: Silence……………………………

A: My bro did the same thing once, but the bathroom was Italian.

Askandarani: So, if it is Italian it is ok, while lecico or Jawhara is not

A: Lol

A: It is beautiful to share such things.

Me finalizing the talk and blab la bla

It is nice to build a home together, but I wonder, how many couples had the chance to do so, from my side of the world, none.

The apt is usually ready, just minor adjustments and it is good to go, no room for “major” changes. If the bride don’t like it, it is easier to find another one rather than searching for a new apt.

if a relation is destined to materialize based on ones taste of bathrooms, eventually such relation is destined to the toilette

From Sarah With Love

“From Sarah with love” sending in the background as I update the blog.

Ok, loneliness is a killer I need to focus more on my study, work and reading. Those things really “must” take my mind off things and that feeling. Need to focus more “FOCUS” and think I need to socialize more L. The last thing is a toughy. I hate the feeling when I stop thinking loneliness hit, even if it just the few seconds before I sleep. I really wish I can skip those seconds, I would do just fine.

i am out of here now, they are playing show me the meaning of being lonely

From roastery, mehatet el raml, over and out

Sweet 33

To day I turned 33. 33 is considered the age of Ahl El Jana. Had a long lecture from my parents highlighting I am not “young” anymore and I should start taking care of my “health”, “body” and “diet”. Exercise more and to settle down. The lecture was triggered by news I told my parents about colleagues of mine who started suffering from stress related diseases and simply showing their ages. Coupled with my latest blood test which showed “VERY” high levels of bad cholesterol.

Think by now I am no longer a “young man” or fall in the category of “youth” nevertheless I am not sad or giving it too much thought, on the contrary I woke up this morning, wanting to wakeup a thing I didn’t experience for quite sometime. El hamdulelah I feel happy and content, maybe cause I feel satisfied with the past 32 years or satisfied with the decisions and plans I have for the coming years. I have no worries just hopes.

A BIG thank you goes for all people who remembered my BD and for their sweet words and wishes.

On a different thought, I never forget a friend of mine who was a heavy smoker though he hated smoking, I told him you are reducing your life expectancy, and he said it is exactly what I want.

And Bernard Show famous quote “youth is wasted on the young”

And a friend who taught me a very bad habit of asking “akhbar el taga3eed 2eh” when I know it is someone birthday.

اللهم أصلح لي ديني الذي هو عصمة أمري، وأصلح لي دنياي التي فيها معاشي، وأصلح لي آخرتي التي فيها معادي واجعل الحياة زيادة لي في كل خير واجعل الموت راحة لي من كل شر

Terminal cases, death, hopes and dreams.

Heard those two words in the last month than I ever heard in years. Young people “unexpectedly” die, babies and children pass away or in need for sophisticated surgeries that can only be performed abroad and with fees no one family can pay.

Years back a TV show adopted the case of a little baby who needed a very expensive heart surgery that the government didn’t approve financing and the program launched its own campaign for fund raising. I asked my dad, being a heart surgeon, why didn’t the government finance this operation, he simply said, the baby will die and it will be a waste of money, they can spend the money on more cases that can really provide added value to others.

His comment came as a shock, a concept my mind accepts but can never comprehend. Dad was talking about the greater picture, he also added, at time of wars or crisis critical cases aren’t a high priority as they consume too much resources that will make less critical cases critical if not attended to.

I can never emotionally accept such a notion. A human being is as unique as a thought or an idea. How can a mother or a father here such cruel words and accept them. Being in such situation isn’t cruel, the real cruelty comes from denying hope and sometimes killing it.

A new mother, with a little baby girl, born with a weak heart muscle, as she grows in size the heart wont be able to support the body, the mom talked about how she is worried that when she gets married the heart wont support pregnancy and birth. Who can answer back and say, lady she wont live past this year, save your money and effort and let go.

(وَلا تَيْئَسُوا مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لا يَيْئَسُ مِنْ رَوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمُ الكَافِرُونَ) [يوسف:87].

19 April, 2008

كيف تبدا الفتن

Was in the underground going to Maadi, someone was reciting quran in a loud voice I found it strange. Then a group of teens came aboard using they mobile phones as jukebox the guy reciting quran stoped for a couple of minutes then started again in a higher voice.
This is how fetan starts. This is how we get alienated from our true identity

عن عمرو بن سلمة : كنا نجلس على باب عبد الله بن مسعود قبل الغداة ، فإذا خرج مشينا معه إلى المسجد ، فجاءنا أبو موسى الأشعري، فقال أَخَرَجَ إليكم أبو عبد الرحمن بعد ؟ قلنا : لا . فجلس معنا حتى خرج ، فلما خرج قمنا إليه جميعًا ، فقال له أبو موسى : يا أبا عبد الرحمن ، إني رأيت في المسجد آنفًا أمرًا أنكرته ، ولم أر - والحمد لله - إلا خيرًا. قال : فما هو ؟ فقال : إن عشت فستراه. قال : رأيت في المسجد قومًا حِلَقًا جلوسًا ينتظرون الصلاة ، في كل حلقة رجل ، وفي أيديهم حَصَى ، فيقول : كبروا مائة ، فيكبرون مائة ، فيقول : هللوا مائة ، فيهللون مائة ، ويقول : سبحوا مائة ، فيسبحون مائة .قال : فماذا قلت لهم ؟ قال : ما قلت لهم شيئًا انتظار رأيك وانتظار أمرك .قال : أفلا أمرتهم أن يعدوا سيئاتهم ، وضمنت لهم أن لا يضيع من حسناتهم شيء ؟ثم مضى ومضينا معه ، حتى أتى حلقة من تلك الحلق ، فوقف عليهم ، فقال : ما هذا الذي أراكم تصنعون ؟ قالوا : يا أبا عبد الرحمن ، حَصَى نعد به التكبير والتهليل والتسبيح .قال : فعدّوا سيئاتكم ، فأنا ضامن أن لا يضيع من حسناتكم شيء . ويحكم يا أمة محمد، ما أسرع هلكتكم ! هؤلاء صحابة نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم متوافرون ، وهذه ثيابه لم تبل ، وآنيته لم تكسر ، والذي نفسي بيده، إنكم لعلى ملَّة أهدى من ملَّة محمد ، أو مفتتحوا باب ضلالة. قالوا : والله يا أبا عبد الرحمن ، ما أردنا إلا الخير . قال : وكم من مريد للخير لن يصيبه .إن رسول اللَّه صلى الله عليه وسلم حدثنا أن قومًا يقرؤون القرآن لا يجاوز تراقيهم. وأيم الله ما أدري ، لعل أكثرهم منكم ، ثم تولى عنهم . فقال عمرو بن سلمة : رأينا عامة أولئك الحلق يطاعنونا يوم النهروان مع الخوارج. ( أخرجه الدارمي وصححه الألباني )

Quick notes

My laptop hard disk crashed. Babbizz for the C:/ partition. All my college work is gone, all my documents and pictures are gone. I should start the agony of recovery process, but I am too lazy, tiered and demotivated.

speaking of which, the strange state of mind that had been haunting the dept had finally been diagnosed “ professional depression” and we are waiting for the magic bill to cure us. But think we will be healed using the old fashioned way electric shocks.

Speaking of which bardo, think we are living in the medieval times when it comes to psychology and treating mental illnesses.

Interesting phrases

Interesting phrases I heared this time

Basha, is it allowed transferring pigons in the underground, or I will end up paying a 10 pound fee? ( a mid age man in the underground)

Your name contains Mohamed, why do you have an attorney named Girguis ( a lady in el shahr el akari)

A friend asked if he could link his laptop to the TV and use it to watch encrypted satellite channels through obtaining codes from a server via his mobile phone.

Midan el mesaha have the highest number of beggars in one place

In one of my calls, the man had a big German shepherded dog, who was waiting to jump me as soon as his owner wasn’t looking, speaking of stress interviews)

Been a real chocoholic in the last week, thanks for the support of my friends who kept chocolate flowing to me from the four corners of earth. And NO I wont talk about my weight.

Taxiiiiiiiii

Another trip in the train, this time from cairo, though their were several spree of posts on the blog but they were all stale may be dating 2 months back. Yes almost 2 months away from blogging and all the previous posts were on my laptop for several weeks waiting to be sent.

This backlog should give you a peak on my mental state of mind. Anyways, a tiring trip, lots of going betweens and no car.

Seems I am carrying a sign indicating that I am from planet Alex and I should be charged extra for commuting when possible started using the tube and if not the yellow cap (aka cairo cap) and I end up paying less and a thankful driver for the extra tip, a refreshing ending rather than “mesh kefaya ya basha”