A Rose For You

Oh, I just can't believe it! Almost a year! I don't want this blog to die. Not the idea of losing readers but the idea of keeping track of the stages of my life. This blog has been a really nice place where I was able to convey my thoughts and communicate with others.

Anyways, I hated the look of the shoes so I decided to post the first flower from our garden. We are so happy that we MOVED. It's been ten months now. We left the fourth floor and the beautiful view where you can see all of Amman and moved to a ground floor where we have a backyard and it worths it. We ate apricot, lemon and green cherries. We are waiting for grapes. I started gardening and I have plenty of plants. still trying and doing my best and experimenting the type of soil and what atmosphere certain plants prefer.

So, Karam graduated last week from his class. Ironically he will have to redo the class next year because officially he should be three years old to be in kindergarten. And he will in 20 days inshallah. My big baby boy is almost three now and my second baby boy is jumping inside of my belly as I am writing these words.

Oh, and a major change happened during the previous month. I rented a ceramic studio and started working and held a winter art camp for young girls. It went really nicely but closed it last week be prepared for the next baby. During this period I met people who can help me to go on with my ceramic career and I gallery owner visited my and loved my work and she wants me to display them at her gallery. Still working on that. and I also made over 30 ceramic artworks to prepare for a coming exhibition inshaAllah.

This is just an update, hopefully I will try to write at least monthly
That's all for now, see later

Still Tuned to Iraq News

I wonder why would the demonstration in north of Iraq is in the news and the rest of Iraq is not. Could it be that Maliki's hands could not reach to the reporters in the North?


Here's the piece of news about Sulaimanaiya

Photo: AFP – Iraqi Kurdish anti-government protesters march in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah on February

Update on Iraq's Situation These Days

Since the news are raining over our head from alBaghdadia news channel with no other source of news in Arabic OR English, I decided to spread their words and do further broadcasting to reach more people.

Two Fridays came and people in the Arab world and the rest of the world are clueless regarding what's going on. I don't know what happened to the media regarding Iraq. I know what's going on in Libya is something big but that doesn't mean to overlook other parts of the world.

Therefore, here's the link of al Baghdadia translated by Google Translate. And here are some of the headings:

• Thousands of demonstrators protest in Tahrir Square, and the security forces usedforce to disperse them
• Thousands demonstrate in Basra and Dhi Qar, and  security forces attacking protesters by beating journalists in Basra
• The people of Hillah, Diwaniyah, Maysan and Muthanna are demonstrating to demand the dismissal of the government and improve services
• The people of Diyala, Anbar, Dujail, Salah al-Din and Ninewa demonstrating against corruption and unemployment

You can find more on albaghdadia facebook page and the youtube chanel for videos uploaded by them and by eyewitnesses.

That's all for now but...
There's much going on in Iraq

Just Married :D

Or three month back!

No Thanks, I'm not listening to news for now

To study, to focus, to forget the world and sit down and write my thesis is not an easy thing to do. At time I forget myself reading, rereading and writing and editing. Then for a moment I feel I'm looking at a blank white board with a sound of silence that's too good if it lasts another 30 seconds without the AC noise coming back or a neighbor child's scream coming from the window, OR Aasi voice on TV. (don't get me started about this Turkish series my sister is watching).

Today, that sound of silence and meditating and focusing on a certain phrase I was trying to sculpture was broken by the news on the TV for a moment, then my sister voice, obviously calling Baghdad. I went out of my room and asked "what is it? where now?" only to hear my sister's choking voice telling me the update of the news in Baghdad.

"That's why" I said to myself "I've been blocking all news, tv and online, so I won't face the reality and look at my life in exile, just a trivial thing. So I won't think of my thesis a silly thing compared to real life events and stop studying"

 

Handmade Iraq maps by attawie

That's all for now
Let's pray for Iraq

Something Fishy is going on :D

I loved this piece of news when I read and and I missed looking at the design so I cam to see it on my blog but I discovered this post was never published! so here it is in case you missed it :)




I really admire the artist who designed this beautiful Jellyfish

Heal The World

Everybody was crazy about Michel Jackson and how he was phenomenally talented in whatever he did. I wasn't to know him if it's not for the big fuzz they made about his music and dancing.

The only album I had was HIStory. It wasn't really mine but my sister was a big fan that time. It was around 1996, I guess. I don't remember much of the songs and even though he made a good material for news, magazines and gossips but when I hear the name Michel Jackson I only remember the good things about him; Heal the world, We are the children, and the Earth song.

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me


Maybe the world would stop talking about if he was white or black, good or bad, Muslim or not.

That's all for now
and... Let's heal the world

Increased Training Realisim!

"The cards will identify several rare archaeological sites and artifacts reminding troops that these areas are not only a part of Iraqi and Afghan cultural history, but also their own. "

Never heard of that before!

That's all for now...
Let's hope we won't end up playing cards.. in the wrong hands

Cute Friends

How cute is that!




That's all for now
Maybe we'll learn something!

Hide and Seek

All violence consists in some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do.
Leo Tolstoy
(1828-1910)

JUST FOR YOUR INFO
WATCH THIS!
That's what's going on in Jursalem


He that gives good advice builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example builds with both.
Francis Bacon
(1561-1626)

So who's working against truce now?

There would be no agreement until a captured soldier is freed.

That's all for now..
Let's pray for peace

Another Stolen Memory

A photo of one of the high schools I went to

Checking news here and there, following different reporter to see how the story being told by someone else; I came across photos about Iraq. Viewing one photo after another and something caught my sight. "I know these words" I thought. I must have read it at least a thousand times. Very familiar in shape… and its meaning! It meaning was the high school I went to for three years. The school I used to hate. I considered it a black page in my history. But recalling my memory, for moments, a very short time, I look at things differently right now.

It said:

"Nidhal high school for girls"

"Founded on the year 1972"

That's the high school I hated. But what I hate now is the hideous pale colour of its paint. The silly posters hanged on the wall. The two silly signs saying: "Welcome Security Forces and Army" and "Carrying arms are forbidden inside election center".
The place seems dirty, stained walls and trash on the floor. I can't believe this is the same school I went to. The schoolmistress used to be a very firm lady. She used to reign with an iron fist and this is not an exaggeration. Mrs. Hinoof was one of the best principles in Baghdad. We never really liked her but she knew how to run the school. Throwing trash on the floor was never an option back then.


Schools are closed, no work and time is wasted. I heard the electricity is on 24/7 as a bribe for people to vote! It's all silly and a mockery play.

That's all for now

Let's wait and see.

Let's Help Gaza

What can we do for Gaza? Pray. Yes, they truly need our prayers but let's move on to the next level. We've been watching the new, talking about it, maybe more than a bit depressed, angry, yes, but that's not enough. let's proceed into action.

It's the 9th day and there's 507 people killed and 2400 injured. Last time I checked the news I saw videos of empty shelves in markets. they are suffering from shortage of food, hospitals ran out of medical supplies, no electricity, no water, and I as a result of bombing the sewage is not working and flooding in certain areas. Every single donation counts.


UNRWA is a reliable and legal organization that you can help Gaza through. See their homepage:

Stop the Killing in Gaza

The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Karen AbuZayd, expressed her horror to the extensive destruction visited upon Gaza Strip today and her deep sadness to the terrible loss in human life. UNRWA, the United Nation’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, strongly urges the Israeli Government to heed calls for ceasing its bombardment on Gaza. Israel is a signatory to international conventions that protect non-combatants in times of conflict. These conventions are worthless if they are not upheld. ...more

Donate to UNRWA Special Gaza Appeal تبرعوا لنداء الاستغاثة الخاص بغزة

1. Arab Bank PLC
UNRWA USD Current account100191-4-510
SWIFT Code: ARABPS22600
El-Rimal Branch Omar El-Mukhtar St, Gaza

2. HSBC Bank
UNRWA USD Current account 002/057511-185
Swift Code: BBMEJOAX
Amman, Jordan

Or you may choose Aramex to deliver hope to Gaza.

Aramex is organizing an emergency donation campaign, with support from Majid Al Futtaim Group in the UAE, to collect and deliver aid supplies to the afflicted people in Gaza.

Needed materials: First Aid kits, medical emergency supplies, chronic illness medication, personal hygiene products, non-perishable foods, new clothes, tents and blankets.

Please ensure the validity date is at least 6 months for food and at least 1 year for medicine.

Aramex collection bins are located at the following locations:

In the UAE*: Mall of Emirates, Deira City Centre, Sharjah City Centre, and Ajman City Centre.

In Jordan, at Aramex offices at the following locations:
- Khalil El Salem Street, Khalda - Amman
- Bader Shaker Al-Sayyab, Near Social Security Building - Amman
- Ameer Mohammad Street, Zarqa
- Malik Faisal Street, Irbid
- Royal Jordanian Building, Haya Roundabout, Aqaba
Aramex Media Bookshops in:
- Thaqafa Street, Shmeisani
- Cozmo, 7th Circle
- Marhaba, Intercontinental Hotel
- Shop & Ship, 4th circle

Act now, every donation counts.

* Donations in the UAE are accepted starting January 1st until January 11th 2009.

Hijri New Year/ My Sisters' Blogs

May this year bring

Happiness and less grief
Hope and not despair
World peace and less conflicts
Better health
Useful new technology
less death tolls because of wars, hunger and disease

Happy New Hijri Year

............
For Arabic-readers

on another note, I would like to congratulate my sisters for joining the blogsphere.
Here's my eldest sister blog "My Homelands", and here is sosa lola's blog "Words I wished I could have said", both in Arabic.

Good luck to you both :)

Pray for Gaza

I was writing about how I enjoyed the previous week with my uncle's family visit and I did finish writing and was about to publish it but the weather is so gloomy for that excitement. It felt silly to be happy about it. The news about Gaza is very frustrating. Seeing the black smoke arise in the sky of Gaza reminds me of videos of Baghdad that we saw only after the war was "over".

News about Iraq are not promising at all but I still have hope. I just have to.

The flu caught me again and maybe that's what's frustrating me the most.

I feel tragic. so here's what's going on my mind.

Grandma said: bring them after schools
I wish to see the sweet little ones.
Assured her once and twice she would
But somehow promises were never kept.

Black clouds arising in the air
As bombs invades the village
Gaza was never the same
Watching news is how we spent the day

Innocent kids horrified at schools,
Mother panicking looking for the children
Father never made it home
That's how they spent their day

Lunch turning to coals on the stove
Broken china shattered on the ground
Meals never served on tables
And that's how they spent their day

That's all for now
And pray for Gaza

What's the News?

Is it possible that next press conference for Bush would be behind shoe-proof glass or they would just force journalists to take off their shoes!

Why am I thinking of that? Because of this. In case you still can't believe it! Here it is.

That's all for now but i'm sure there's gonna be much much more somewhere else.

Earthquake.. Yet another One!

this time it was longer than the previous time. I hope it there won't be a disaster where it really hit.

check it here or here

really good links. and really updated!

Winter Hallucination

"Yesterday experiment went great" I said after greeting my dad good morning.
"So, you agree on that?" he replied.
"It was useless to have the AC on during the night and we're all covered with blankets and quilts. I used only a sheet instead and even had to pull my quilt early morning. It's winter in UAE, after all". I assured him.
"Yes, no need for electricity these days" he replied.

I jumped correcting him "You mean AC! oh please dad, electricity is a bliss"

The conversation happened shortly after I read this:

"One of the regular questions people ask is (why) the most powerful nation on earth has been here for five years, but the lights can't stay on," said Brigadier Hamish McNinch, a senior British military engineer working on electricity in Iraq.

The question is: Why the greenzoon was able to be provided with power 24/7 since the invasion?

The U.S.-backed government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hopes to end regular power shortages by 2012 and triple effective power generation capacity from 5,500 megawatts today.

2012! sure! If the "U.S.-baked" (ironically that's how I read it) Iraqi government wishes to say that. Yeah, why not!

"If people reduce power consumption by switching off heaters and water-heaters this winter, they will have a steady supply," said Aziz Sultan, spokesman for the Electricity Ministry.

If people reduce power consumption by switching off heaters and water-heaters this winter, they will have a steady supply! Supply of what? Light?. I bet people prefer to have candle-lit romantic warm evening rather than shower in cold water during winter.

If people could live without switching on heaters and waterheaters this winter they won't be complaining of power issue at all from now until 2012. And thus al-Maliki can live happily ever after.

The point of having electricity is to be able to use all the luxurious advantages of the "technology"; having warm place to live during winter, having warm water to stay clean, let alone ironed shirts for the sake of universal acceptable appearance.

That's all for now.

A Swing in the 13th Floor

I woke up today with an unusual pain in my legs. Nothing came to my mind other than yesterday's mischief of being lost in space after. Me and my team were facing some problems with the spaceship. We had to land in a strange planet where we fought half-robot-half-human army. They were huger than us and were armed with gadgets we haven't seen before.

But that was a dream! then it must be the steps I take to my classes three times a week. After a while it all came back to me.

I was checking my email yesterday around 3 PM when I felt really dizzy. For someone fasting during Ramadan this is not a good news. It means you're not having the right portion of food to keep you healthy. But I remember very well that I had biryanee (rice with biryanee spices and vegetables), roasted piece of chicken, salad and a piece of cake with dried figs for desert. I can't be hungry this soon!

With closed eyes I was still feeling dizzy. Not a good idea to stand up, I looked right and there it was. The stuffed tiger with long dangling hands and legs was swinging right and left. It can't be the AC that made it move because if it was so then the shelves he was hanging on should not move too! Oh my God! An earthquake.

I ran to the next room where my father was helping my sister to hang her new shelves. I told them that there's an earth quake and I'm feeling dizzy. So they'd better change. We have to leave the building. A moment of silence there was and I said it's true look at the chandlers, they are swinging.

The earthquake was still there, the chandlers were still going left right and left, I put some important stuff in my handbag and told dad to bring the case of our important documents. We could hear screams of people in panic but still there was nothing to panic about. I can't remember if my mother was the one who called or I called her but we made sure that she was doing fine and we told her we're leaving the building.

When my sister and I went to the lift we found a women I've never seen before. From her features I can say I've seen her before. She must be the mother of the kids who play in the hallway. She greeted us and said it's good that you're leaving, and not to worry it's an earthquake. Dad joined us after a moment. The lift came but it was full of scared people and I think I saw a teen crying.

The women said let's take the stairs. She opened the door leading to the stairs and we went in. I've never seen what's behind that door. I've always thought it was an unpleasant dark damp place like we see in thrillers. Surprisingly, the place was very clean and well lit. I took my sister's hand and followed the lady. Dad was few steps behind us very calmly going down. Then it hit me! We live in the 13th floor! As long as it's not going up then it should be alright. Many people joined us from other floors.

When we reached the 6th floor, my mother was still on the phone, we remembered that we forgot a really important thing upstairs. But we decided to go down anyway. I called three of my friends to make sure they left their building and my sister called a relative. I toled her not to scare them and to give them the news calmly so she did in a very weird calm way buy asking the woman to put her 4 years old son on the phone. I was looking at her and telling her to ask him to give the phone back to his mum. Yet she asks him if he wanted an airplane or a car!

While spending more than half an hour downstairs, under the burning sun, I tried to fine something on the radio to tell us anything about what's going on but it was all in vain. My mother said that in Dubai the earthquake was stronger. After a while she updated us and said that real earthquake happened in Iran 6.1 on Richter scale!

After that people started to go back home since we were almost sure that everything was fine. As long as those were the aftershock then no need to worry anymore. It was nice to meet the thirteen floors from a different point of view.

Here's the news that we got afterwards.
Oh and the boy my sister talked to wanted a fast car :)

That's all for now.

Attawie from Sharjah al '3ariqa

So, some news updates! UAE has been praying for God to have rain since December 2007, Thursday was first day in Hijri calendar, Bush decided to come to UAE, what else, nothing except Attawie’s first personal exhibition is on the 16th.

With that Thursday off which makes it a three-day weekend, and Bush’s visit to Dubai which made Dubai give a day off, and the praying for rain has finally paid off, attawie’s invitation prints were delayed for a couple of days. It’s ok, no need to panic. Everyone has been informed by phone, e-mail or face to face conversation and by WOM (word of mouth). Still 300 card of invitation need to be distributed. Relatives and friends and some colleagues received their invitation. With a super ride with dad, attawie was able to spread the invitations in Ajman, the university, and Sharjah Lady Club. As for Dubai, it was so hectic and I couldn’t reach there because of the rain, only phone calls and emails were made.
Some people were able to reach my home and get the invitation themselves and they would help to distribute them.

As for the posters it was the institute’s and the department of art job. I only took some to place in the university, the lady club and our building. But it’s raining. They will be indoors ads.

I went to the institute today to hand the works on the walls. I know it’s late and the exhibition is tomorrow but yesterday I went and the administration hasn’t decided whether to put it in the first floor or the second. The second is better because the place is nicer. As for the first floor, there are some new huge machines which are impossible to move, are sitting in the middle of the hall. I’ll post photos to explain later. But I really don’t mind. I don’t want anything to bother me.

The woman in the administration, who was supposed to do the phone call invitations didn’t do her job, and with all the rain she couldn’t make it to the institute. I end up calling people to invite them. And since I’m very well known in the institute, didn’t just take the message, no no, they wanted to chitchat. I hardly made 7 phone calls and land line died as a result from the rain.

oh, and I heard that there will be two tv channels to cover the exhibition. Sharjah tv must be one of them and i'm worndering who's the second.

I hated Bush for coming and I hated the day off, and I really don’t give a damn about his visit or what he came to say. All that he says is just empty words within empty promises.

The rain is pouring down since yesterday and the streets are blocked. There’s no Sharjah anymore, there’s only Sharjah al ‘3ariqa (sinking sharjah)

I just wanted to clear my mind before the exhibition and write something in here and ask you all to pray for me and wish me luck.

Cholera!!!

It so hard to believe that the disease I read about only in history and Biology books is still alive and where? In Iraq! As if Iraqis don’t have enough rproblems.
When I hear the word cholera, the only thing that comes to my mind is “Love in The Time of Cholera” . But Cholera here is not about Love symptoms; it’s the real fatal disease. The one we studied in Biology class, with simple diarrhea that causes 50% death. The Cholera that we read about in history books, when cities are falling down and they are troubled and plagued with poverty.
There were days when I thought that everything will be fine very soon and I’ll go back to Iraq and move on with my life. But those optimistic days are rear now. Every now and then something shocking comes up and washes away all hopes and innocent dreams of mine. It gives me an imagery where problems are seaweed and every now and then they come to the surface.
To stop following the news was the only solution I found few months back. But still, bad news flies so fast and everywhere that you cannot avoid. At the same time I feel guilty I’m not aware of what’s going on in Iraq and the hard times that my country is undergoing.

WHO has announced “10 Sep” and updated “14 Sep” the news about Cholera in Iraq and declared that “In controlling the spread of cholera WHO does not recommend any special restrictions to travel or trade to or from affected areas.” So it’s all about traveling and trading and as long as you can do both then life is still going on. How ironic!

I happen to read a post on a blog I never heard about before where readers were commenting and having an interesting discussion.

“In a chilling reminder of how difficult it may be to maintain those levels, Dr. Mohsin said that chlorine imports had been severely curtailed as a result of recent insurgent bombs that had been laced with chlorine, which in concentrated form can be deadly.”!!!

One of the comments there was
“Donald,
I guess ethnic cleansing was a bad choice of words.
Ramamdi had a population of 435,000 before our invasion, now it looks deserted.
Considering Jordan and Syria now have more Iraqi citizens living there than al Anbar province, why is "peace" there such a "success."
We can't depopulate all of Iraq.” Posted by: alphie | September 12, 2007 at 08:09 PM”

So the US administration or whoever that may be, imposes hypotheses and made their nation believe that Iraq is such a threat, and now Iraqis need democracy. We have this Iraqi proverb that means “they lie and believe their lies”. Peace among Iraqis was never a problem.

What will be the result of “Divide & Rule” thing over the years? The longer it takes the harder it gets. What will be of a country that bled through ages and still bleeding until this moment? Those I guess are questions only history will answer. And still we don’t know who will write this history to know if it was true or just glorified mistakes.

Away from history and questions we are uncertain about their answers; what about the innocents? Those poor people who suffered and still suffering; those who carry pain as much as they carry pride. May God help them.