The Daily Scribbler

Le duo du desepoir

2008-07-24T21:45:00.002+03:00

O Rage, O desespoir, O vieillesse ennemie!

N'ai je donc tant vecu que pour cette infamie!

Et ne suis je grossi dans les dinner de Sushi

que pour voir en un jour, Marilyn voler mes Special from Japan!

Mon apetit qu'avec respect tout le liban admire,

Mon apetit qui tant de fois a annehentit les sushis,

Ne fais rien pour moi et trahit donc ma querelle?

Cruel souvenir de ma gloire passée !

OEuvre de tant de Maki en un jour effacée !

Nouvelle dignité fatale à mon bonheur !

Précipice élevé d'où tombe mon honneur !

Faut-il de votre éclat voir triompher Marilyn,

Et mourir sans vengeance, ou vivre dans la famine ?

Marilyn, sois de mes plats à présent gouverneur;

Ce haut rang n'admet point un homme sans honneur;

Et ta grande apetit par cette apetit insigne

Malgré le choix de mon plat , m'en a su rendre indigne.

Et toi, de mes exploits glorieux instrument,

Mais d'un corps tout de glace inutile ornement,

Baguette, jadis tant à craindre, et qui, dans cette offense,

M'as servi de parade, et non pas de défense,

Va, quitte désormais le dernier des humains,

Passe, pour me venger, en de meilleures mains.

Just a friendly reminder!

2008-06-26T10:07:00.002+03:00

Reminder for what? Well a simple friendly reminder that WE i.e. the Lebanese people, are the worst kind of people to walk this earth! I can't see how we can ever build a country with such immoral, chaotic and destructive people. I am not talking about politics; in fact, I would not dare to talk about politics, I would not dare to open this Pandora's Box for the Nth time! I am talking about simple every day life.... the environment... basic discipline and basic rights to your fellow neighbour... driver.... citizen!

We do not deserve this piece of land called Lebanon... What we deserve is a piece of SHIT! With every passing day I get more and more disappointed! and my only reconciliation is the political situation. Indeed, our fair reward for all the destruction and harm that we've caused, is the current political, economical and social crisis! Civil war would be the cherry on top! but you know what? We do deserve it as well... because at the end of the line, we will be the ones shooting at each other!

Why blame the politicians? Seriously? It is not X, Y, or Z who have crippled the country, but the idiots who follows them blindly!

I am simply ashamed to be referred to as Lebanese!!!

Summer changes

2008-06-21T14:49:00.004+03:00

We all need some changes from now and then. However I need change more frequently then others! The change I am currently talking about is work related. I think I am through with classic kind of jobs, in other terms jobs with fixed working hours, fixed working days, and most importantly fixed number of annual leaves! This is why I have decided to change jobs and become a contractual freelancer; however it is worth mentioning that I will not jump into the unknown without working out all the finances and backup strategies.

On an other note, riding has been going pretty well this week. So far I have managed to ride 4 days this week, and tomorrow is the long ride (it should be a century).
Yesterday I went for a ride with a friend who has a mountain bike. Let's say it was more of cyclo-tourism for me. I had to ride at his pace, 1 hour:41 minutes, average cadence 56. Today I have ridden the exact same "parcours" but the difference is that i was riding alone... on my own pace, and I managed to do it in 1 hour : 20 minutes, average cadence 71.

It looks like summer has come in really hard this year! Enjoy the beaches!

Cycling

2008-06-16T19:19:00.002+03:00

It has been a very long period... Indeed it was. I waited around 2 months to get my bike delivered over from the U.S. And it finally did... The Cannondale Six 13-3 (compact) reached "Wilayat Al Faqih International Airport" on Monday June 9... Here are the details.

Hi,

The shipment will be in Beirut on Monday June 9th.
It will be in the shop on Tuesday, and hopefully I will give you the bike on Wednesday with all the accessories you need.
Sorry for any delay or inconvenience

Best Regards

This time, he did not let me down, like the last 4 or 5 times. The bike was indeed in the shop on Tuesday. I couldn't believe that it has finally arrived. Just like I wanted it, just like I expected it, and just like he promised (and just like in the picture).

On Wednesday noon, the bike was ready; and so... after a long wait, I hit the the road and took my first pedal stroke, then the second... the third and off I was sprinting in the streets of Ashrafieh from Sassine Square to Nancy's at Sioufi!

I have never ridden a road bike before; but I have heard a lot about the phenomenal feelings and rush you get whenever you are on the saddle feeling the road's vibration beneath your handle bar... And you know what? They were right. I say it and I mean it, I have never felt such freedom in my life. Although I do have a car that can take me to virtually anywhere I want to go in Lebanon... but this one is different.

I have been riding every day since last Wednesday; my rides were almost climbing. So far I have logged around 150 km in 5 days. On Saturday morning we rode over the hills of Khenshara and Bologna it was a nice trip. Nobilis Tobilis (Fellow blogger and cyclist) and I met with a bunch of mountain bike riders, and they decided to take us for a trip around the hills of Metn to put our legs into test. Although they knew from the very beginning that they had very small chance to compete with us they still rode bravely. They have led us from Bickfaya to Deleb, however as soon as we hit the slopes leading the Zeghreen - Bteghreen and Khonshara they lost their momentum, and very rapidly we passed them without a lot of effort. The situation was pretty much like that the entire ride... However I should pay tribute to Wadih a 41 year old friend who was riding with us and who managed to stay in touch during the entire ride.

Now I need to explain a major bias and misconception about road bikes vs. mountain bikes. Almost all Mountain bikes owners claim that they can not compete with road bikes only because road bikes are 4 or 5 kilos lighter. Well this is partially true. However there is a big confounder factor for which mountain bike owners forget to control for; and that is physical fitness. Road bike owners are usually serious athletes who take cycling very seriously. Trust me on this one you would not be able to sit for 4 or 5 consecutive hours on the saddle, pedaling for hours if you do not have:

great low back muscles flexibility,
very high cardio endurance base (this is why I was running and training to become a marathoner)
And being lightweight (now this is the main reason for loosing more than 38 pounds without being a fat guy to start with)

Besides fitness, you wouldn't plunge into a VERY expensive investment if you weren't serious about the sport. Now this was for mountain bike riders who think that road bike are "faster" than mountain bikes!!!

Yesterday was the big day. We decided to hit the big mountains, now that was a real test for the heart and legs. We were 4 riders to meet in Faraya square at 8:30 am (NT, me and two other friends). According to NT not all riders can make it to the mountain top (at least without stopping for several times), not to mention those who have been riding for only 4 days; but he had rode with me on Wednesday and Saturday, and he knew that I was ready for the BIG challenge.

The road was as following: We ride 12.5km of solid climb going up around 800 m (from 1400 m to 2200m of altitude) then around 19 km of hills arriving Jerd Baalback, then 12.5 km of descent.

Results: I arrived second to the mountain top after NT.

After yesterday's experience and the pain I went through during the climb I have developed some sort of relationship with my bike, because she/it has endured as much as i did, she hasn't let me down, even on the steepest section when i was standing and putting all my weight and strength on its handle bar, she/it didn't let me down, not even on the steepest descends. I have finally came to realize the kind of bond my friends used to tell me about, it kind of become some sort of an extension to your body, you simply learn to love your bike!

The Half Marathon

2008-06-04T19:46:00.002+03:00

On Sunday June 1, 2008 I ran my first Half Marathon. As you all know by now, I have been training very hard for the past 5 months, and it was time to put myself through a test and see where I stand. Being a 21 Km race, the Half Marathon is considered a serious race, for those who take sports seriously, which is what I do. However to my bad luck, during my preparation for the race, i.e. in the last 5 weeks I had an overtraining injury "tendinite" or "inflamation du tendon" and it hurts like hell.

I went to see the physician 2 days before the race, and he said that I can run, however I should warm up for around 1 hour before racing! This came as a wonderful news, despite the fact that i wasn't able to train properly during the last 2 weeks! so I ended up logging half the distance that I should have done, and replaced running with cycling, since it is less demanding on the "tendon".

Anyway back to the race, it started at:

Biel ==> Corniche (manara)==> Tal3it el rawsheh (that one was a bitch)==> Ramlit al bayda ==> Tunel that leads to corniche al Mazra3a (another uphill killer) ==> Cola ==> Tayyouneh ==> 7eresh Beirut ==> Velodrome ==> Mat7af ==> Badaro ==> Furn el Cheback==> Abraj ==> Corniche al naher ==> Burj Hammoud ==> Gemayzeh ==> Downtown ==>Biel

Time: 2 h 12 minutes. As a first race, I am satisfied given the fact that up till Kilometer 16 I was aiming for 2 hours, but arriving to Gemayzeh my legs have betrayed me!

Lessons Learned:

Buy a foot pod.
Pace yourself!
Marathon runners are Champions, real heroes! (probably the toughest physical achievement someone can do)!

Do it again? Definitely.

Next races on the list:

1) The 10 km race, held at the end of 2008 summer (I believe that between cycling and running I would not be able to be well prepared for the marathon, which requires at least 3 months of serious training).
2) The next Half Marathon, in 2009
3) Marathon 2009.

In my attempt to recover faster, i had a small 8 km run yesterday, however I realized that i still need some additional time for recovery, this is why I am spending my afternoon with Amy in Bickfaya!

Amy's Picture of the Day

2008-05-18T13:44:00.002+03:00

CIVIL WAR 2: The coup that did and will not work

2008-05-10T08:19:00.002+03:00

The thugs of HA are still capturing the heart and the west side of Beirut. News reports are talking about impossibility to lift the siege of Beirut before reaching a "Package deal" that includes but is not restricted to:

An affirmation of the divinity (divinity, yes just like the Bible, Qoran, etc,...) of HA missiles, telecom, multimedia, etc...
An new gvt in which they get to have their favorate and strategic ministries.
An electoral law that guarantees that the useless growing number of their partisans secures a bigger percentage of MPs.

Meanwhile people (and mainly the citizens of west Beirut) have grown to hate them. I have never knew that hate might grow so fast in people's heart; but obviously I was wrong. The dark lord is capable of anything. He and his orcs did not leave a space for reconciliation with at least two thirds of the Lebanese population.

What the fuck was he thinking? A coup d'etat in Beirut? Didn't he realize by now that Lebanon is not Palestine, and that Beirut is not Gaza?? How dumb can a person get? The Lebanese people are the worst, they cannot (or barely can) be governed by law and order, and certainly not by force! nor a military coup d'etat!

Did you really think that those zombies can turn the situation upside down?

Did you think that Fouad Seniora and his ministers are standing alone in the dark? Wlek ya habibi, ya 3youneh, Worst case scenario i.e bi anyak el a7wel they represent 50% of the people! and you can not win your fight that easy over an entire half. This is the law of physics or the physics of wars, or call it what ever you want.

There is no need to dwell on this, I have to recap and say that this act of idiocy has only multiplied the hate-club of HA, Amal, and what is left of the FPM. Yesterday Michel Aoun held a press conference and wished the Lebanese happy coming days! Is he for real??

Anyway I will leave you with the very touching words of Sahar Al Khatib, just to get a feel of what I was trying to describe.

CIVIL WAR 1

2008-05-09T09:21:00.003+03:00

The thugs of HA have taken control of West Beirut, and shut down 2 TV stations, a news paper, and a radio station (all belonging to Hariri) but what do we know that's the freedom of speech in Mordore. Will these orcs continue their way towards Ashrafieh? I hope not! why not? well first because I want all this shit to be over. Second because Ashrafieh is not Hamra, nor West Beirut! and I think that the LF militias have well earned their reputations!

The Army is still totally useless. No matter what happens I think the things will never ever be again the same between Sunnis and Shiaas! That is never a good indicator, since Hizb Tizeh does not represent all the Shiaa, and even if he did, Shiaa represent only 20% of the Muslims in the entire world; i.e: they will be drowning in Sunni sperms soon!

Anyway a reminder for the future: I think that the majority of Lebanese will be dancing and partying once Hassan Nassrallah is killed or assassinated.

CIVIL WAR

2008-05-08T19:19:00.002+03:00

There is nothing much to say except that civil war has started. This time it's for real, the orcs/zombies of HA has started invading the streets of Beirut, which has ignited a huge sunny response (I am not saying that is justified) but as response to HA closing the different entries of West Beirut (pardon the term) the sunnys who have studied well the demographic distribution of HA partisans have cut all the road to and from the Bekaa hence making it impossible for them to commute to the South, Beirut or Mount Lebanon... Oh they also cut the road of masna3 leading to syria. Kello anyak min ba3do!! w kello jehiz lal 7arb!! I wonder where the fuck is the Lebanese army!

I hope that the rest of the idiots in the country stay calm!

I just received an sms from my boss, saying that tomorrow we should operate from home!

Enjoy!

Updates

2008-05-06T17:07:00.002+03:00

It has been a while since I last wrote... I am ashamed of myself. I really am. Last day I was listening to "L'atelier des medias" on RFI, they were talking about "Le Web Participatif" and the importance of bloggers in enriching the web; so i decided to re-take blogging seriously (at least try to do it). OK enough with the pre-contemplation stage... Let us move to the updates.

I HATE THE LEBANESE PEOPLE; or at least most of it. We are among the most chaotic and the most unethical people walking this planet. We don't respect our land, our neighbourhood, our community, this is why we don't deserve to be respected. Damn it we don't even respect ourselves. Seriously I have been studying the behavior of the Lebanese people for the past 6 years, and my opinion is that we deserve all what it's happening to us... We even deserve much worse than that. SERIOUSLY. I am ashamed of calling myself Lebanese. Politics aside (honik 7adiss bila 7araj)! Every time i become desperate of the situation, I think that the Lebanese people deserves much worse than this, and everything starts to make sense to me.

On another note, I have been training a lot, on daily basis. I am preparing myself for the upcoming Half-Marathon. Today I ran 17 km, besides the daily 10 km. Bike updates to come later on.

Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome my new bike

2008-04-22T23:37:00.005+03:00

People it has finally come to this. All this training, all this hard work, all this sacrifice, countless hours spent running and cycling (indoor), more than 22 pounds lost and the road towards endurance is still at its very beginning - endurance was not built in one day!!

When I first started exercising 4 months ago, I had one thing in mind! Become fit in order to cycle... and by cycling I don't mean 1 or 2 hours of cycling every now and then; by cycling I certainly do not mean mountain bikes... By cycling I mean serious cycling. daily mountain climbs, daily rides (50 km+) and on Sundays we go for 5 or 6 straight hours! Covering great distances at a fast pace... We Like to call it Tour Du Liban!

So what do you think about my Cannondale Six13 3 (compact)??

Reality

2008-04-12T19:01:00.002+03:00

Every time I come back home after several days of absence, I realize how blessed I am to have what I have. In a time where misery is everything that Lebanese are thinking about, I take a look around me and see that I can't but be happy and grateful for the following reasons:

1) I have the strongest bond with my father, who is also my closest friend.
2) My family values and respect the Eco-system and all living creatures... we try to live in harmony with nature
3) Our house is located on a hill, no people around us, no sounds of car horns, and most importantly no pollution
4) Dad, Mom, Sister and I, are very conscious of the importance of prevention regarding our health... we learned the hard way but at least we're there.
5) The 4 of us are working.
6) We have a small farm (20 Chickens, Pigeons, Ducks with a small pool, a golden retriever, and one Persian chinchilla).
7) Besides our nuclear family, we're on a very good terms with the first degree family extension (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc,...)
8) I can't think of anything that I wanted and didn't get or achieve (however everything I own - besides the roof on top of my head- I earned it myself)

Don't get me wrong, but I just needed to count my blessings to realize that I shouldn't take anything for granted and to realize how blessed we are as compared to many other families who are living in deprivation and misery.

Jeux Olympiques a Pekin 2008

2008-04-06T13:35:00.004+03:00

Reporters Sans Frontieres

Persepolis

2008-03-27T19:07:00.002+02:00

I guess you all heard of the famous B.D Persepolis, for those who did not, this is a brief and very informative summary taken from Wikepedia:

"Persepolis is a 2007 award-winning animated film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Satrapi with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution, and shows how her family's hopes for change were slowly dashed as the Islamic fundamentalists took power, drastically curtailing personal liberties, forcing head coverings on women and imprisoning thousands; the story ends with Marjane as a 21-year-old expatriate. The title is a reference to the historic city of Persepolis.The film won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and was released in France and Belgium on June 27. In her acceptance speech, Satrapi said "Although this film is universal, I wish to dedicate the prize to all Iranians." The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2007 and is confirmed to be released in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2008."

Well my dear friends without over analyzing the situation, I think it is only fair for you to know that the only two countries who have banned this movie from hitting the theatres are Lebanon and Iran. Ironically the pirated DVD version of Persepolis can be bought for 2,000 L.L (apx: 1.33 U.S $) from the Southern Suburbs of Beirut aka Dahieh.

Rejoice my aching heart!

Change

2008-03-26T09:50:00.003+02:00

Have you ever had the feeling that a certain major change in your life is gonna happen? And you felt that this feeling is so strong, that it almost made this change imminent? Well yesterday I had this feeling, I was almost convinced that my life was about to change... I don't know how, I don't why! It is as if the wind of change was blowing in my face!

However today after arriving at work (which I hate like hell) and after checking my e-mails, I realized that this was only a fantasy... the wall was too high as you can see... and no matter how I try I could not break free... and the worms ate into my brain!

Fitness and financial updates

2008-03-16T23:55:00.004+02:00

Relating to my previous post, this is an update about my fitness and financial status:

I am in a middle of two bets, with two of my close friends... ok, I guess one of them is a close friend and the other one is a good friend but not that close... anywho, one of the bets (which I am pretty confident that I will easily win) is to loose 10 Kg of fat (not fat+lean... simply fat) in a 2 months period. The bet started last Sunday, and so far I have lost 3.2 Kg. The main reason behind this weight loss is a lot of sports activity (running, cycling and aerobic classes). My polar watch estimates my average energy consumption per training day to be around 1000 Kcal. If we combine that with a light diet, we get a lot of fat loss! Given that everything is going smoothly I have decided to raise the bar and attain my optimal weight (75 Kg, i.e 5 more kilos than what we initially agreed on).

My second bet is about a running challenge; needless to say that my first bet has made this one a lot easier... Running without a 15 Kg backpack on my back is much easier. I even began to feel the difference with only 3 Kg lost (no low back pain while running!) So the plan would be to beat the guy in a 10K run (I am not sure he would agree on the distance) sometimes during May or June.

My estimations: Smashing victory for MMMMMMMMM.

Financial updates: Broke! However after an important discussion with the family, they agreed on sparing the monthly 20% quota that is "chuncked" from my salary until income rises again! So after spending a shitty Sunday thinking "how am I suppose to convey this to the family council", things went on pretty smooth with the council being very flexible.

My visit to the Nike Store

2008-03-10T17:52:00.003+02:00

In my mind I always hated big brands and the entire "mass consumerism" (I am not sure that the word exists) concept! I always thought of myself as a fighter committed to fight "mass consumerism", this is why I have breakfast at "The bread republic" a small and innovative bakery in ashrafieh instead of eating at Chez Paul; the same logic applies for "Tante Jeanette" and Charcutier Aoun (both considered locals) as opposed to Spinneys or whatever...

However Lately I have begun to give in. I am still very conscious of this landslide but it is swallowing me very slowly. Three months ago, I have subscribed in one of those new age fancy Gyms! Although I am having endless fights with the administration (I guess the reason of having these fights is because deep down I hate this whole trendy idea), but I have to say the concept is really working for me. Anywho... back to our main point.... the Nike store...

Well the same logic should have applied to Nike with their entire clothing lines especially designed for athletes: cross training, running, cycling, (I swear they have a brand line for every sports)... it should have, but it did not.

After resisting for several weeks, I took "my better half" for shopping without any intention to spend a penny (You all remember my previous post and the being broke issue)... Well while walking in Kaslik jumping from one shop to another (FYI "my better half" did not buy a single piece) I pass in front of the Nike store, and for a certain reason I decided to venture and enter the store. I really really hate to say it, but all my decisiveness just disappeared, I gave in to the whole "specially designed for... whatever" and I ended up buying two amazing "cross training" sets, a running shoe, and promised them to pass by the end of the month to check the new collection...

Bored?

2008-03-06T20:04:00.002+02:00

Today was a typical spring day, very nice day (weather wise) indeed!! a boring one though. How boring? I am bored to death (I have just used the mute button... Na3im kassem my ass was saying something like: there is no wonder that Seniora did not know about the coming of the destroyer U.S.S Cole, because the U.S do not tell their small agents (al 3oumala2 al sighar) about their plans) anno are you for real?

yup this is pure politics, this is a typical argument used by a H.A supporter!! Damn it why am I talking politics!!

Ok ok back to the boring afternoon! I guess you now know how bored I am! There is nothing I feel like doing, not even studying GRE!! Well I guess that this is what happens when you're broke! or to be more accurate whenever you decide to exponentially increase your savings and you realize that your expenses are sky rocketing! You stay home! Amy's surgery cost me 350$, which is not easy my friends!

Besides this, work is boring but easy as the same time. How boring? well boring as in using 5% of my capacity and soon we'll enter a reduction period, I am planning to go to a solid 2% capacity! but don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, using my office as an operation base for my other work projects! Anno usually people pay to have an office with Internet, free telephone, coffee, microwave... well I get paid! perhaps underpaid but the main idea is that i cash in!

ok enough....

This is MMMMMMMMM out!

Thank you

2008-03-05T11:33:00.004+02:00

I am thankful for new cars' smell
I am thankful for the remote's mute button when watching the evening news
I am thankful for wooden porches under oak trees
I am thankful for April showers
I am thankful for red convertibles
I am thankful for having the stupidest work supervisor ever
I am thankful for Martini Rosso
I am thankful for Nancy
I am thankful for Sunday's F1 grand prix
I am thankful for omelettes
I am thankful for the 4 seasons
I am thankful for annual leaves
I am thankful for ready made noodles
I am thankful for Wafa2's cooking
I am thankful for sushi
I am thankful for Amy
I am thankful for renewable energy sources
I am thankful for blogger
I am thankful for Polar watches
I am thankful for Nokia phones
I am thankful for Radio Liban/RFI (Radio France International)
I am thankful for advanced medicine
I am thankful for funded PhD programs

You may say I'm a dreamer... but I'm not the only one!

2008-02-24T17:48:00.003+02:00

I was always amazed by the significant change my life goes through, whenever I decide to focus on one "very well defined" and "smart" goal. Suddenly and somehow I manage to find internal peace, my entire universe becomes calmer, and somehow, I manage to be the person I really want to be. I also become more independent professionally and socially; in other terms I re-become a dreamer who is not afraid to pursue his dreams.

3ayb ya tante walaww

2008-02-21T14:25:00.003+02:00

Tante Jeanette owns a little grocery store in Sioufi Street in Ashrafieh. She has been there for ages, she knows everyone and everyone knows her. She is the person who still maintains the family values and the integrity of all those living in Sioufi street. She knows what's right, and what's wrong. What's socially acceptable and socially unacceptable! To her, family values come before anything, even the environment...

Last week, on my to have lunch at Nancy's place (located 30 meters away from tante Jeanette's kingdom) I was asked to bring "Satel Laban":

Me: Bonjour

TJ: Ahla ... (4 seconds later) Yiihhhh ma twekhezneh, Ma 3reftak ya Tante.

Me: Hmmm

TJ: Eleh ya tante shou bi trid?

Me: Tante Mona wassetneh 3ala satel laban...

After helping myself to a nice Taanayel Laban within her 3 M2 shop, and of course after paying her 2500 L.L I made the unforgivable mistake...

I picked the satel el Laban which already had a handle integrated into its design so it could be easily carried around...

TJ: 3a mahlak ya tante, la7za

Me: (thinking in my head) Ma32ool Nseet edfa3la? I looked at my hand and i saw the change, it must be something else...

TJ: Rou2 ta a3tik Kees Naylon

Me: non, ma fi lzoum, ma houweh elo maskeh, w ba3dena el beit fashkha (knowing that she wouldn't understand the environmental issue at stake, I still tried hopelessly to...), w ba3dena mishen el Tabi3...

TJ: 3AYB YA TANTE WALAWWW!!!

Indeed and a 3ayb ya tante walaww it was.

In order to bring peace to my heart, I used the same bag later this week, to pick up Amy's stools...

Life, work!

2008-02-10T01:18:00.000+02:00

I am really mad at myself for not blogging as much as I should. The reason is not that I am too busy to write, because I know that no matter how busy I am, I can still find time to practice one of my oldest hobbies: writing down my logs (which recently has been known as blogging). Ok well enough with the subtle apologies, let’s get to the serious stuff. Recently I am being very irritated by people who do not understand the fact that you have work which needs to be done. They just don’t understand why you should be working on Sundays (not every Sundays, and certainly not all day). The reason is very clear: I have committed myself to a project ergo I work on week-ends. I mean finally this is what we/I do, and this is my nature (I am unable to say no to any project).

Topic number 2: all those who know me (although many of you don’t) know that I am still in love with AUB and academia, and that no matter how far I try to go in my career I am bound to go back to academia. The reason that I am saying this is that, I have decided to find a full time job back at AUB. This way I can stay within the PhD orbit, and this can keep me focused on “what has always been my professional career objective”.

Topic number 3: I wish I could talk politics on this blog L

AMY

2008-01-29T22:36:00.000+02:00

Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Amy aka Aymoumeh (click on the pic to enlarge it). Amy is my sunshine, perhaps the dearest creature to my heart (among all living creatures, including human beings).

Seriously she ranks among the top 3 most valuable creatures to me!
As you can see she is a golden Golden Retriever! The most beautiful Golden Retriever in Lebanon, and perhaps on the planet... My aunt swears that in all Paris she couldn't find a prettier one! So far she got more than 12 proposals, some people (the classy type of people) invited me to take Amy to Fakra (Fakgha is pronounced in this kaslik-like voice) , so she can play with his dog. She has also dazzled "Kel Tantett el Ashrafieh". She is a real treasure!

Today's event in a nutshell

2008-01-27T22:37:00.000+02:00

J says:
inta wein man?

MMMMMMMMM says:
3ayn el remmeneh

MMMMMMMMM says:
inta?

MMMMMMMMM says:
shiyye7?

J says:
yep, coffee break?

MMMMMMMMM says:
man ayreh fik

MMMMMMMMM says:
kenet 3awartne bi hel inebeleh

J says:
man inta bta3rif inno mish asdak 2ilak

MMMMMMMMM says:
fadek khayyeh jad

J says:
bas ayyarit ma3i inno kint sobitni

MMMMMMMMM says:
sorry man, but that was the soldier, and his baroudeh sarit 3ati2a

MMMMMMMMM says:
sar lezema tesh7eem

J says:
basita
J says:
u hav some time halla2

MMMMMMMMM says:
yes, sure

MMMMMMMMM says:
wanna have a coffee break?

J says:
yalla man...coz sha7ra2et 3a kitrit l dikhan

MMMMMMMMM says:
ok, let's meet in Hamra

MMMMMMMMM says:
neutral zone

J says:
yalla, bas give me no2tit wa2et ta ghayyer at least l tshirt

J says:
3laya shwayit dam

J says:
halla2 bisiro yfakro osas ma mni7a ta7et

MMMMMMMMM says:
khod wa2tak

*Jad: is my colleague at the Office, a charming guy, however...

Updates, News & Co

2008-01-10T15:45:00.000+02:00

It has been a while, since my last post. I really don't know why I haven't written anything new. Although many interesting things did actually happen, but I kinda thought that they are still considered not worth posting... but after endless debates with countless voices in my head, and a reminder by Posh, I realized the purpose of my blog, and that is to write useless everyday stuff!

Ok well where should I start. I had a very long vacation: 21 days! Yes a 21 days vacation, and the best part of it, is that i didn't work at ALL; no freelance, no part times, no favors... Nothing, Nada, Niente!!!
Ok! so long vacation... but no travel, and yet I enjoyed it a lot. Spent around 2,000$... don't ask me how or when!

Most importantly is that one of the major moments in my Life passed while I was stuck in the bathrooms @ Le Grey!!!

Another major change in my life might occur in the coming two weeks! How am i holding?? don't ask me, I've been day dreaming about it for the past 2 weeks! Sometimes I wonder if big things can happen to me too (Besides the PhD, and the Florida thingy)! I am afraid of even thinking about it, and how my life would change after that!

Oh, Oh, I also joined a Gym :-)

hmmmmmm what else? oh ok the bank increased my credit card limit by 30%!

FYI: My New year's resolutions are:

1) Get a New Job
2) Stop Fried Food (perhaps the toughest one)
3) Join a Gym