Restless in Dubai

And We're Back

2008-07-16T12:09:00.001+04:00

It has been a while. Nearly a year.

I miss blogging.

A LOT has happened since the last time I sat down and started typing hysterically.

I still don't know whether I should go back in time and write about what has happened since, or just start fresh!

You tell me!

RnD

Soap Operas and Women

2007-09-21T23:39:00.000+04:00

Ramadan is here.
This is the second Ramadan for us in Dubai.
I do not intend to write about the Holy Month nor the tremendous social changes that accompany it.
One of the Ramadan syndromes is the dozens of TV soap operas which now air on more than 25 TV Channels.
Recently, the Syrian drama has proved to be one, if not, the most successful amongst the other Arabic productions.
I stayed home last night, there was nothing much to do out anyway. Mom and my two lovely sisters gathered around the TV set and were patiently waiting for a certain Syrian soap to air.
I am not a fan of such productions, but since I had nothing else to do, I made myself a hot steamy café latte and sat to see what they had been talking about for more than a week.
The title of the TV series is “Bab El Hara” (The Neighborhood Gate). Basically it is a reincarnation of the old days in a neighborhood in the Syrian Capital. Taking place in the era of the Ottoman rule of Damascus, the production is nothing but useless crap. Not only it is a waste of time, it also re-introduces some old-fashioned backwards mentalities. I, intentionally, managed to watch 3 episodes so far so I can write a neural review which is not based on only one episode.
I do not really know how to describe the show best. The show has no story to tell of whatsoever. All what you can enjoy is, the old Damascene delicate and lifestyle.
Now, what really got on my nerves is, the women in the show. The show, in a way, sheds light on the discrimination between men and women in the old Damascene society. Women get beaten by their husbands or siblings of more than ridiculous reasons. Women fear divorce because they know they will ‘disgraced” for the rest of their lives. A scene of man talking down to his wife or sister is a very repeated scene. Men threatening other female members of the family is more than normal in the show.
Women are considered to be a potential source of shame and disgrace to the family if an outsider gets to mistakenly see her face or hands. I do not understand why we need to see such acts and mentalities being brought up on TV. What even worse is, you do not get to see somebody trying to defuse it.
I’m, personally, not proud of that era. I reuse to believe that those old days represent our values best.
To remain unbiased, the TV show also sheds light on other great traits of the old society, generosity, solidarity, honesty, etc.. I just wish they had something to show the audience that women were considered a very important part of the daily life in Syria, unlike what people think now after watching the show.

The Power of She

2007-09-05T16:01:00.000+04:00

Forbes has published their annual list of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

For the second year in a row, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel ranks No 1 on the top of the list. That did not come as much of a surprise as Merkel became the first Female Chancellor in Germany last year.

China's vice premier Wu Yi came second. China is expected to replace Germany as the world's third largest economy during the next decade, and the Chinese have only one person to thank for that, Wu Yi.

Remarkable Women

Condoleezza Rice is now No 4 while she was on the top of the last year's list at No 2.

Indra K. Nooyi has managed to amaze and astonish me. The Indian American lady, who is now the CEO & Chairman of Pepsi Co is an example of the ambitious and hard-working women in the world. She is an idol to be followed.

The usual names remain on this year's list with different ranks, Sonia Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth II, Melinda Gates and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Among these powerful and sophisticated women, four Arab ladies strongly engrave their names.

Kuwaiti Businesswomen Maha Al Ghunaim is considered to be, according to Forbes, the most powerful woman in the Arab World, as she is No 1 among the four Arab ladies and No 72 Internationally. The extremely elegant lady who is only 47 years of age, is the founder and now the chairman of the Global Investment House,

The very influential Sheikha Mozah of Qatar was second. 79th internationally, she managed to achieve quite an impressive presence in the region and globally. Being the wife of the Emir of Qatar, Mozah had the privileges to engage herself in the political and social life in the Region. She has recently announced the creation of the Arab Foundation for Democracy with a $10 million endowment from the emir.

Queen Rania of Jordan came, was third regionally and 82nd internationally. With changing the image of Arabs and Muslims in the western world in here mind, Queen Rania has founded Injaz Al Arab, which is an non-governmental organization that focuses on educating children in Arabic countries. Her work has been noticed in the United States when, in May, Harvard University named two fellowships for Jordanian women in honor of the Queen.

Last but not least, and my very favorite name on the list comes Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi of the UAE. A shining star in the Emirati sky. The young minister has managed to earn a reputation of an ambitious and hard working woman in a world of men. A CEO, Co-Writer, Lecturer, Public Speaker and a royalty, she gives a great example for her fellow women in the Middle East. She is an example of a woman who gradually climbed the ladder not taking advantage of her royal family.

I turley wished there was a Syrian name on that list, but I can proudly say that Shiekh Lubna and Maha Al Ghunaim were a great source of pride for me.

Women, show the mean what you are capable of.

You can read more about the list, the names and the authos at http://www.forbes.com/women/

A Touching Ode - Harry to Diana

2007-09-05T11:28:00.000+04:00

...But we miss her. She kissed us last thing at night. Her beaming smile greeted us from school. She laughed hysterically and uncontrollably when sharing something silly she might have said or done that day. She encouraged us when we were nervous or unsure...

Very touching, read the complete text here.

Values

2007-06-29T13:23:00.000+04:00

So who sets our values?
It’s very interesting to see how people would define their values.
I wish they were as simple as “do not lie, do not cheat and do not steal”.
If values are to change in time, why are they called values in the first place? Why not call them Opinions.
Opinions do change.
Back to the question, who sets are values?
Is it God? Books probably? Maybe the wise philosophers? Prophets? Influential Politicians and Mind Makers? Teachers? Mentors? Parents?
Why is it ok for someone to cheat on their partners? Or to lie to their parents?
When I was a kid, all I wanted was to become someone who would help making the world we live in a better place for life. What happened to that naïve little kid in me? Or in us?
We strive to make more money now, we do not mind crashing someone or something in the process.
Desires complicate things.
Sex, appetite, passion, and probably survival.
Why an abused woman would abuse another woman if she had the chance to?
Is it revenge? Why do we take revenge of victims instead of offenders?
Stop for a second and think of this question, “What did I do today to make me feel proud?”.
When all you’re doing is completely wrong and unacceptable, what is it that makes you feel peace?
Whatever you are doing will be wrong according to someone’s values.
At the end, everything we do is wrong, according to someone’s values.
Why bother?

Severe Damage

2007-05-14T22:15:00.000+04:00

Image from Alexiou

I have been away for the last couple of weeks. Why? I haven’t got a clue.
Dubai seems to be capable of bringing whatever hidden inside of me.
Yesterday marked the first year of being in Dubai for me.
Messed up feelings that I have.
Love Dubai as much as I despise it.
I have a reached a level of materialism, I would never reach elsewhere. Life is just another pile of calculations. You do it this way, you win this much, you do it that way, you lose that much.
Unfortunately, I question my values everyday.
Losing contact with an old close friend does not affect me anymore.
I have been seeing someone lately; things do not seem to be working out. I am sure it’s me, or maybe both of us.
How much would you love someone if you could only see them twice a week for 4 hours?
I s it ok now if you tell someone that you love them in a chat session or via SMS?
I am starting to believe it’s just a big life, the 24 hours thing. Our day is made of only 2 hours, one you spend worrying about the other hour.
We expect too much from each other, very less from ourselves.
If you jump a red light, you are in a hurry, if somebody else does that, they are assholes.
Nothing seems to be enough anymore. You drive a car which you would never dream of taking a spin in, but still there’s always more.
You look at the mirror; you do not recognize yourself anymore. What has life done to you?
Blame it on God, on Politics, on Life, on your parents, but you never blame yourself.
Weekdays pass so fast, weekends even faster.
You rate your day depending on how many traffic tickets or phone calls you have made.
You never find time to call you mother, you always find time to call bank and stay on hold for 45 minutes.
You are suffering from a sever damage, the only cure is…

Morning Aurals: Don't Speak

2007-04-30T09:30:00.000+04:00

This song brings so many memories, it's amazing how one song can bring back a state of being.

Enjoy.

Don't Speak
No Doubt

You and me
We used to be together
Everyday together always
I really feel
That I'm losing my best friend
I can't believe
This could be the end
It looks as though you're letting go
And if it's real
Well I don't want to know

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts

Our memories
Well, they can be inviting
But some are altogether
Mighty frightening
As we die, both you and I
With my head in my hands
I sit and cry

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts

It's all ending
I gotta stop pretending who we are...
You and me I can see us dying...are we?

Don't speak
I know just what you're saying
So please stop explaining
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)
Don't speak
I know what you're thinking
I don't need your reasons
Don't tell me cause it hurts
Don't tell me cause it hurts!
I know what you're saying
So please stop explaining

Don't speak,
don't speak,
don't speak,
oh I know what you're thinking
And I don't need your reasons
I know you're good,
I know you're good,
I know you're real good
Oh, la la la la la la La la la la la la
Don't, Don't, uh-huh Hush, hush darlin'
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush
don't tell me tell me cause it hurts
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush darlin'
Hush, hush don't tell me tell me cause it hurts

Keep A Child Alive

2007-04-28T13:08:00.000+04:00

When earth becomes a shelter, life can no longer be.
I urge everybody who is visiting or reading this post to donate, save a child's life.
Every single minutes, a child is dying or becomes an orphan. We can stop this.
Just click on the below link and donate, a dollar can help.

It's never too late to help.

www.KeepAChildAlive.org

I hope this clip will help you decide.

A Quickie

2007-04-11T08:57:00.000+04:00

Friday Night, Peppermint Club

The chubby boy can dance ;)

RnD

Is Everything Gonna Be OK?

2007-03-30T18:29:00.000+04:00

So I have been away for the past couple of weeks. I was still checking some of your blogs guys, dropping a line or two and in my best condition I made a comment or two.

As my last post proclaimed things were pretty messy at work. New things to be done, old pending stuff to be done, old finished-but-boss-wanna-revise stuff to be re-done. So in a nut shell I was working my ass off and still couldn’t finish every single thing she (boss) wanted me to do. I can see that this is how it’s gonna be for the next few moths at least.

On another subject, Mom was away, actually still Is, for the past two weeks. Supposedly every single one of us (the family) was to do his/her own chores so we can make up for Mom’s being away. Well, it ended up Dad doing all he house chores including Cooking. The reason I stressed on the work Cooking is, he turned to be a good cook. Seriously, I mean he is not as good as Mom, but he is not bad, not bad at all. Super dad. Other than cooking, everything is a mess. We all now appreciate how hard mom was working. She’s was doing a three-healthy-men job while she was ill. We love you Mom, we want you back ASAP.

I have been driving for 3 weeks now and I am falling in love with Civy (Her name is Civy, I mean the ‘car’). I love the traffic now as I get to spend more time with her.
On a side note, I heard that the Arab leaders were having a summit? Is that true? I mean gosh, are not they tried to repeating the same speeches all over again? Who the fuck cares for what they say? Are they still people who actually sit and listen to them? Go and watch Shakira or Hayfa better for you people, at least there is something amusing to look at. Not all old seventy something creatures.

I missed Shakira’s concert in Dubai. I am not her biggest fan but I wanted to have something for a change. For some reasons I couldn’t get the tickets and I just missed the concert. The feedback was pretty lame and I now thank God that I did not go. On the other hand we went to the Peppermint Club. My friend worked there and he used to tell me to come and see the club but I just did not go. We went last Friday and guys, that was a hell of a night. I danced till 3 AM and I could not stop. I just lost it. The DJ was amazing, the night was smashing. I am going next Friday as well.

I have received an email a couple of days ago. It was some photos that changed the world. I could not help it but post a few. The main theme for all these photos is “Is there Justice in the world”?

A kid in Uganda about to die of hunger, and a missionaire.

A mother in Somalia holds the body of her child who died of hunger

An Afghani refugee kid's body is being prepared for the funeral in Pakistan

An Iraqi prisoner of war tries to calm down his child

Busy Week

2007-03-17T15:32:00.000+04:00

It’s been a busy week for me.

First the domain of the blog was down and I had to make three phone calls to the US to have it fixed.
I got my brand new Honda Civic (the 2007 Model) and I am falling in love with it and I am thinking of passing the idea of finding a new love as she (Civy) is replacing all the hurt.
Dima my friend is here, she came two weeks ago and now we are busy cruising around the town, shopping, clubbing, shopping again, and trying to find her a job here in Dubai so she can keep shopping.
Things at the office were going crazy as I had a new trainee to get ready to join.
I wanted to post something interesting, I am just too lazy to and also my mind is blank now.
RnD

Morning Aural: Amy Winehouse

2007-03-08T08:47:00.000+04:00

Enjoy!

Amy Winehouse - Re...

They tried to make me go to rehab but i said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when i com e back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but i won't go go go

I'd rather be at home with ray
I aint got seventeen days
Coz there's nothing
There's nothing you can teach me
That i can't learn from mr hathaway

Didn't get al lucky at class
But i know it don't come in a shot glass

They tried to make me go to rehab but i said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when i com e back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but i won't go go go

The man said 'why do you think you here'
I said 'I got no idea
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near'
He said 'I just think your depressed,
kiss me here baby and go rest'

They tried to make me go to rehab but i said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when i com e back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but i won't go go go

I don't ever wanna drink again
I just ooh i just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I'm on the mend

It's not just my pride
It's just til these tears have dried

They tried to make me go to rehab but i said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when i com e back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but i won't go go go

Amy Winehouse

Your Wife's Manual

2007-03-07T17:09:00.000+04:00

According to Mr. Preacher, there are some women you can't live with, Unless you beat the hell out of them, enjoy!

Hope and Courage

2007-03-01T09:45:00.000+04:00

I rarely sit in front of the TV set switching between channels and I haven’t been really fan of the Oprah Winfery Show.

Yesterday I came back from work very tired, had dinner and lied down on the couch trying to relax and get the stress out of the system.

I began switching channels trying to find something that might be worth watching, I landed on MBC4, specifically the Oprah Winfery Show.

As I told you before, I am not her biggest fan, especially those shows where the audience is made of middle aged women screaming and yayaying in every single occasion.

Yesterday’s show was a bit different. It featured the compelling story of Kendra and Maliyah, a conjoined twin. Sharing one single kidney, bladder, a large intestine, liver and two legs, Kendra and Maliyah survived four years of limited life.

Their parents made a decision to separate the two sisters after four years of sharing a kidney will eventually fail. The operation which was carried out by a team of 8 surgeons and 16 nurses, it was a flourishing success.

Now for the first time in their lives, Kendra and Maliyah are able to have one single bed for each. The trip is not done yet, the two girls will face more difficult medial procedures to be as healthy as survival requires.

Here is a couple of pictures of the two lovely sisters.

Now on the same show, a story of a bold courage and amazing survivor was also told.

Meet Patrick.

Patrick was born without eyes and a birth defect that won’t allow him to stretch his arms nor legs. At just 2 years old, he started playing the piano and was able to take requests.

Today Patrick attends the University of Louisville, but he's not there alone. Every evening his father works the graveyard shift at UPS, finishing at dawn. This leaves him enough time to rest a few hours before heading out to help his son at school.

These two stories shook me like a hurricane. Suddenly I realized how blessed I was. Never thought of walking, eye sight, laughing, crying, or breathing as blessings. My eyes just watered with no permission from my brain.

Hope and possibility are the main keywords for these two stories. If you could only see how Patrick Sr. (the father) was proud of his disabled son. Patrick Jr. (the son) had one statement that stroke a chord for me, he said:

“Sighted people, they can see a person's hair length or the clothes they wear or their skin color. With me, certain words like 'black' or 'white' are adjectives that have no meaning whatsoever," he says. "I just see the love within a person."

Patrick, Kendra and Maliyah; you guys really taught me something I wonder never forget for the rest of my life.

RnD

Been Tagged

2007-02-26T11:12:00.000+04:00

image courtesy of Gwydion22

I have been tagged by Mystique, here is my response.

-After you die, what will happen to your email address?
I will donate it to the charity.

-Have you ever given your email password to anyone?
Yup, I have.

-Nature or relation to that someone?
Used to be a lover.

-Your Name?
Ramy

-Your age?
Old enough to be allowed in a bar, young enough to do a jungj jump.

-Horoscope?
Libra

-Field of Education?

E-Business

-Type of Personality
Sensitive, dreamy, moody, rebellious, practical, very emotional and fun loving.

-What does travel mean to you?
A new chapter in the book.

-Your Mood?
As I said, very moody. I am easiest approached at night.

-What do you do in your spare time?
Well, when I used to have spare time, I used to watch movies, design some graphics, chat with old friends, keep a diary, grow plants and make my bed.

-Favorite dish?
Well I have got many. Mlookhya, Kanyarek (Aleppian dish original Turkish), Fajitas, Sushi, Chicken Teriyaki, Gratin (All ingredients), gosh I am hungry..

-Characteristics inherited from father?
Appreciating family, generosity, his nose and hazel eyes, always smiling, creative, sense of humor and temper.

-Characteristics inherited from mother?
Sensitivity, her looks, her skin, selflessness, social ant, her emotional persona and her cooking skills.

-Things you dislike
Bigots, backwards, I can’t stand stupid people. I hate weak women. Criers. Superstitions. Myths. Traditions (especially in Aleppo). Bad sense of fashion. Odorless person. Big Cars.

-Things you like
My family and friends. Computers and gadgets. Fashion. Home Décor. Africa. Hand crafts. Syria.

-What does work mean to you?
Something I can’t live without yet keeps burning me out.

-What do computers and internet mean to you?
A Necessity.

Coming Soon

2007-02-25T13:14:00.000+04:00

Coming Soon

Tribute to Zahra

2007-02-21T09:45:00.000+04:00

I can’t really describe the feeling..

Is it anger? Or Sadness?

Is it pity? Or Shame?

I have read this quite a long ago… Yesterday, I came across the article one again…

I have written something…

It’s in Arabic.. Was the first thing the came to my mind..

My very first Arabic post is dedicated to the soul of Zahra… a victim of the so-called honor killing…

I want you to know that the names are not real, she might seem younger than she was when she was murdered… but this what I was thinking of when I wrote it.. it is a letter written by Zahra and sent to her parents...

A Tribute to Zahra

ماما

اشتقتلك...

ما بعرف شو صار...

كل اللي بتذكرو هو انو اخي كان كتير معصب و مزعوج مني...

ماما...

كنت عم احلم انك تشوفيني بتياب المدرسة و بالمريولة...

كنت عم انطر يصير عمري 12 حتى جدّل شعري و روح على المدرسة...

ماما...

انا ليش هون؟...

معقول تكون هي الجنة؟..

انا كنت خاف اني ما روح على الجنة...

ماما... الجنة حلوة كتير...

احلى من الجنينة اللي كنتي تخاديني عليا حتى العب مع بنات الجيران...

ماما...

ايمتى بدك تجي لعندي؟...

ماما... اسئلي لأخي أحمد ليش هيك عمل؟..

قليلولي خلص بطلت شغل الراديو و علي الصوت لما هو نايم...بس ما يزعل مني...

اشتقتلو لبابا كمان... بتذكر انو كان عم يبكي لما أحمد كان شايل السكين و عم يركض لعندي...

طيب اسئلي بابا ليش ما وقفو لأحمد؟... هو بابا كان دايما يقلي "بفديكي بروحي يا زهرة عمري"...

بس انا مو زعلانة منو... يمكن كان تعبان من الشغل كتير...

ماما...

انا كتير محتارة... وبدي اسأل سؤال واحد بس... جوابو ايه او لا...

بدي قلو لبابا... اذا انت ما بتحبني... ليش كنت تشتريلي غزل البنات من عند عمو السمان..؟..

ليش كنت تاخدني معك كل يوم جمعة على ساحة الجامع تألعب مع الحمامات و العصافير..؟,,

ليش كنت كل ما بيجي العيد تاخدني سيران حد النهر و نلعب انا و ياك شرطي و حرامي..؟..

كنت كل ما اخسر ابكي.. اخ شو ابكي.. و تجي انت تشيلي على كتفك و تدورني بالهوى حت صير اضحك...

بابا... انا أسفة اذا عملت شي خلاكون تزعلو مني...

بابا...كان بدي صير دكتورة اطفال حتى اعالج حمودة ابن الجيران.. حرام كل يوم بيسعل كتير و امو ما معها مصاري تشتريلو دوا...

بابا... ماما...

انا بحبكون كتير...

يالله انا لازم روح... في ملائكة عم تنطرني.. بدون ياخدوني على حد النهر تنلعب سوا..

زهرة...

H

2007-02-14T22:21:00.000+04:00

Image Courtesy of lolliepop-gurl

I am tired
I have the worst headache ever.
I wanted to vent and let the steam out.

It’s Valentine’s Day. I do not want to talk about it.
Our boss’s sister (and the angel of the office) brought us red roses, one for each.

I didn’t know what to do with mine.
I left the office wondering what I would do with the rose since I had no one to give it to.

As usual I took my lift back home.
On the road, she just came to my mind. We hadn’t talked for 6 months then.

She was my best friend. Someone I would literally die for. She was my secret keeper. A shoulder I could lean on.

Suddenly, she started not to return my calls, messages, emails, or text messages.

She just cut me out of her life.

I was too proud to admit it.
Today I found myself asking the driver to drop me next to her house.

I walked for 10 minutes holding the red rose in a hand and my briefcase in the other.
I had forgotten her flat number since I hadn’t visited her for more than 6 months.
I went up to the 17th floor, 1707 to be exact. I knocked the door, rang the bell. It took them 3 minutes to open the door.
A lady opened the door. And that was the shock of my life.
She was a bald lady. The type of bald only patients on Chemo therapy would have.
She opened the door, looked at me and shut the door again, all in three seconds.

I stood there. Time had stopped. I was speechless. My heart beats reached 200, I was sweating. I felt the symptoms of a heart attack. I felt dizzy. I dropped my briefcase and my red rose. I can’t even describe what I felt. It was something I have never felt before. Something spiritually odd.

Suddenly, I heard people talking from inside.
“Wait a second, that’s Hindi” I said to myself.

Thank god.

My hearts started to pump blood again, it was the wrong flat.
I took my things and rushed to the lift. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

I went down to the 16th floor. Now it’s the right flat. I knocked and nobody answered.

I stood there for more than 20 minutes waiting for someone to open the door for me.
Nobody did.

I went down to the supermarket, bought a pen and wrote this note:

“H, it’s me.
“This red rose is the last thing I want you to remember of me, if you decide not to speak to me again”

I left the rose at the doorstep along with the note.

I just realized that I love her. Not the boy-girl kind of love. It was something spiritual. Can’t describe it.

I just got home; I smoked 6 cigarettes a row. I have never done that before.

H, if you ever to read this, please don’t let us waste more time away from each other.

RnD

Perfect or Fake

2007-02-06T23:29:00.000+04:00

Part of my new collection about things I wish to change.

Beauty Standards

The above image is basically what trigged this post. Apparently Dove started this new campaign calling for “real beauty” standards. Regardless of the reason or purpose behind its new campaign, but Dove certainly pushed the right button and the campaign is spreading vastly now.
Why every woman should have Catherine Zeta Jones’ face? Or Jessica Alba’s body?

Why every guy should be as fit as Brad Pitt or Matthew McConaughey?

Who is beautiful and who is not? Who says who is beautiful and who's not?

For some reason, every one wants to date a 3-sized girl. Beauty standards were never biased like today.

I took a look at granny’s face yesterday, she is 65. In my eyes there is no prettier woman on earth. She is a symbol of growing beauty. Well, ok she is not as sexy as Haifa in a vulgar point of view, but at least she’s the nature’s fruit of years and years of aging.

Suddenly all the women look the same to me.

Why a chubby girl or guy should live a life full of misery because the society put a standard of waist size which he or she does not measure up to?

Stupidity. Plain Stupidity.

I want to conclude my post with a part of lyrics I dearly love:

“Unforgettable
That’s what you are.
Unforgettable is every way.
And forever more, that’s how you will stay,”

Unforgettable by Nat King Cole

Guys Can, Girls Can Not

2007-02-03T20:49:00.000+04:00

I have promised you before that I’d be posting about things I wanna change in the world.
My very first one ought to be:

Image is courtesy of Claudia Fernety

Guys Can Play Around, Girls Can Not

It’s really deep within our society that men are allowed and most of the time forgiven for playing around before or after marriage.

I am not suggesting that also women should be allowed to cheat or to become ‘prostitutes’.
Why is it ok for a 17-years-old boy to have a girlfriend, have sex and fool around? While a girl is not even allowed to have a male friend?

Well this is of course is handled differently within the layers of society. A villagers’ daughter would be killed if she ever was seen talking to a stranger, of course in the name of honor.
I have never heard that a boy was killed because his father had seen him in a girl’s company.
When a man proposes to marry a young lady, if he has a bad reputation; “it’s ok, every ‘man’ has his own past”. But if the woman is the one to be in the spot light; “I won’t marry a woman I had sex with before marriage” This is what a typical Arab man would say.

In an ideal world:

A man or a woman should be judged the same way, if the society does not allow her, so it should not allow him.

RnD

She Remains

2007-02-03T18:58:00.000+04:00

She, Aleppo.

Someday I will return.. and When I do...

I will kiss every wall and smell every tree..

Aleppo... my wine..

God knows how I miss you,

All the hell that I've been through

Just no city, no world would take your place..

photo taken by www.worldviewbeder.com
design courtesy of www.restlessindubai.com

Five Things You Didn't Know About RnD

2007-02-01T11:49:00.001+04:00

Thanks to Razan, this is my very first I-have-been-tagged post ever. This tag's idea is to reveal five things you do not know about me. Well, since I haven't been in the blogsphere for a long time, and haven't generated that much of an audience, I will pretend that you know nothing about me and reveal things you might have known before. So here we go:

1. I am Claustrophobic and Acrophobic. Yeppie, I fear heights and confined spaces. My worst nightmare is being trapped in an elevator of a skyscraper in the 50^th floor. What might seem silly and absurd has almost got me killed once. I was in a lift and it broke down and I had to remain trapped there for an hour and a half ALONE. I was nearly suffocating and sweating like a dog. Now, I've been in Dubai for about a year now, and thanks to Dubai's real estate boom, an average person will have to use the crowded elevators four or five times a day, so my phobias are actually being slowly cured.

2. I love pets. Cats, dogs and turtles. All kind of birds. I wanted to have a chick and a duck at home (just like the ones in Friends) but my next "thing to reveal" kept me from doing that.

3. I am allergic. Basically, to everything that any one can be allergic to. Oyster kills me. Sand, perfume, dust, carpets, cats, dogs, birds, fur, fabrics, and the list goes on. This leads me to my next thing to reveal,

4. My nose, well guys, it's really picky. Smells basically are on the top of my list. Whenever, whoever and wherever. Smells turn me on and certainly they turn me off. Believe it or not, if I am on a date and whoever I am dating didn't choose the right perfume which matches the season, the attire, the place and the occasion, if it does not, I turn them down. Picky, picky picky.

5. I love belling dancing. And no I don't mean watching belly dancer. I mean belly dance. I do not care what other people think, but it frees me and I feel more balanced. For some reason, I enjoy belling dancing in public. I guess I am revealing a little bit more than I should. Lol : J

So Razan, here are my five things you never knew about me, and I hope you are happy and grinning now after I exposed my belly dancing extravaganza. And I forgot one thing, it scares the shit out of me to be in the same room with a roach.

RnD *Shy*

Random Feelings

2007-01-27T00:11:00.000+04:00

I have not written a valid post for a while now. I have been up and down for the last few weeks.

I do not even know where to start.

I’ve been ill for 6 days now; I have a really bad flu and fever. My nose was so congested for the past 4 days and I’ve not been able to breathe normally. Of course the office (the manger in fact) required a sick leave note from the doctor. Although I knew what was wrong with me, but I had no choice but to go to the doctor. I didn’t who are the good doctors here to go to, and to be honest I did not care; I knew what to take and already had started taking the pills. My colleague at work had told me about this new center in Crystal Plaza where you can register for them for 200 DHS only and have as many consultation and check ups you need. I went there, paid the money and ‘consulted’ the physician. Had to pay another 150 DHS for a sinus X-Ray, about 200 DHS for some more pills, in total that note cost around 550 DHS, for only two days leave. Anyway, I paid the money and moved on.

Those two days granted me a chance to realize how lucky I am to have my two moms around. And NO I don’t have lesbian parents, the other mom is actually granny, she’s been a really mother to all of us. She’s been here for almost 10 days now, for a visit. I realized that every moment you spend with a loved one is a blessing and a treasure you should hold on to. I feel repentant that I hadn’t cherished my loved ones before as one should do.

Change of subject. Relationship.
Another major event happened during the last week. I’ve ended up a relationship with someone I loved. I will have to be discreet about the reasons behind this for the sake of the other party.

Change of subject. Work.

At work, things have been really chaotic lately. We had another major operation to launch, I was in charge of a big part of it, let aside the continuous process of hunting, screening, selecting, interviewing, second-interviewing, recruiting and training new staff. No doubt the two days leave I took put a hell lot of pressure on my neck for the rest of the week to catch up with and sort things out. We were lucky enough and now have a new agent coming next week to join

Change of subject. Fayrouz.

I don’t know why, but I have never liked Fayrouz when I was back home in Syria. Out of the sudden now, whenever I hear a song of hers, tears rush into my eyes and start going out in public. Maybe it’s not Fayrous herself, maybe what she represents. I guess it represent Syria for me, in a way. Whenever I listen to her, I start recalling these images in my head which had nothing to do with Fayrouz, none of these images included Fayrouz singing in the background. I know Fayrouz is not ‘Syrian’ though I bet she’s got more fans in Syria that she does in Lebanon or any other country. Suddenly Fayrouz is my new favorite getaways nowadays.

Change of subject. Lebanon.

Most probably most of you guys have heard about what’s going on in Lebanon. I don’t want to take sides now and tell who’s wrong and who’s not, but what’s happening now is shameful and sad. I can’t believe that civil war would actually get ignited again; I hope not, Lebanon and Lebanese people deserve to live in peace now after what they had to go through. Love and peace for Lebanon.

Change of subject. A new diet?

I am sick of myself. When I went to the clinic for a check up, the nurse did some routine check ups for blood pressure, temperature, weight and height, pulse and some other stuff. I was stunned to know that I gained 3 kilos than the last time I had weighed myself, which was not long back. The overweight thing is really starting to be a serious issue now, I can’t climb the stares comfortably, my back and knees always hurt, I started to build a second chin under my chin, let aside all the embarrassing shopping trips which now are really a hassle. I am looking now for a new diet I could actually start up without giving in after three days.

Big sigh now… I am sorry for my unfortunate readers who had to read all of this.

Forgive my grammar and spelling mistakes if any.

Peace out.

RnD.

Ten Million Things I Want to Change – the start up

2007-01-27T00:06:00.000+04:00

Well as the title suggest, there are millions of things I wanna change in this world.
It’s something I came up with and hope I could keep up. From now on, I am starting a new theme in my blog, in which I will be creating posts about every thing I want or hope to change in the world, one thing at a time.

These things I am planning to write about may not seem as important or serious as global warming or international terrorism, but at least they matter to me.

Now, when I am saying “things I wanna change” I am not implying that I will certainly be changing or taking actions toward changing these particular issues. I may be able to do something about them and I may not. Therefore, I ask of all of you guys out there not to give me hard time for not doing anything to change anything I would write about, after all I am just a guy in a big world.

I will try as hard as I could to be neutral and objective when writing, though I will be writing out of my own perspective, not representing any religion, race, nationality, party or any sort of group. They only represent what I think and believe in at the time I write them.

I will create a tag or a category for these posts under the word “Changes”.

Certainly, any opinion, feedback or suggestion is highly welcomed; you can always place your comment here or write to me at my email address:

resltessindubai@gmail.com

Expect the first post very soon.

Peace out.
RnD

Mini Monster

2007-01-24T15:47:00.001+04:00

Most of you guys, who know me or got the chance to chat with me for 5 minutes or more, are aware of how infatuated and obsessed I am with Mini.

Now, imagine this. my favorite Mini Cooper Checkmate Supercharged comes as a 4x4 Off Road.!! Impossible huh? Well that's not what the guys at AutoBlog say.

I can't wait to test drive that little monster.

Read more about it here.

RnD

A Dream

2007-01-21T09:31:00.000+04:00

"You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period." Chris Gardner

From the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness "

come clean

2007-01-20T00:17:00.001+04:00

Yesterday I was chatting with a new friend of mine, it was really late and I was half asleep, I had had a terrible busy day. Out of the sudden I insulted her and said something really stupid. I just wanna tell her that I could be a real jerk sometimes and I hope she forgives me cuz I really think she’s a bright girl and I was just stupid to treat the way I did.

Update: I have been forgiven, so no more comments. lol

Tribute to Stuart & Kimberley

2007-01-14T11:27:00.000+04:00

Maybe most of Dubains have heard about the tragic accident that took place in Jumiera. Two young people were burned alive inside the car they were traveling in after the car was hit by another vehicle. The Peugeot 206 was hit while the driver was making a u-turn which is now closed and people used to call "the u-turn of death".

I can't imagine how the parents must have felt. Stuarts Vowels 22 and Kimberly Stoles 20 were killed. I feel a strange pain in my stomach, for some reason I feel that I've known the victims for a long time, although I have never met them.

You can read more about the story here in 7days.ae

May God rest their souls in peace and help their parents get through this tragedy.

Here is a song that would best describe the pain.

Syrian Women

2007-01-06T13:59:00.000+04:00

Few days ago I came across an article which addressed Syrian women and their contribution in both social and political lives. For my surprise I've found out some really interesting facts which I hadn't known before. Here are some:

Najjah Al Attar is the 1st Arabic woman to occupy a high position as Vice President.
The Republic's General Prosecutor is a woman which is the highest in the judicial system.
Syria witnessed the 1st lady minister in the whole region in 19796, since women have been misters for culture, expatriates, social affairs, labors and higher education.
The number of women deputy ministers has doubles sine 1990.
On the diplomatic front, women first entered the corps in 1953, moreover the number is always in rise to make up 15% of the whole corps.
The first lady ambassador was appointed in 1998 in Syria's mission to Belgium. Mrs. Seba Nasser.
Currently Syria has four women ambassadors in Athens, Paris, Kuala Lumpur and Bragh.
The percentage of women in the Syrian parliament is 14% which is the highest among the whole region, 3.4% in other Arab states.
98% of girls pass the basic education and 51% of the university graduates are females.
Syria has 170 women judges, 250 assistant judges.
Women labor ratio is 22% in 2005; the Labour Code has been equal to women in all its provision working men in rights and duties.
Syria has already ratified all international human rights convection pertinent to violence against women including the international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

I really am proud of Syrian women, wish they could do even better.

Unfortunately I could not find a soft copy of the article.

My Celebrity Look Alikes

2007-01-05T23:55:00.000+04:00

Innocence

2007-01-02T17:24:00.000+04:00

Nastya, from Belarus was only three years old when she was diagnosed with cancer
of the uterus and lungs. According to local doctors the region has seen a huge
increase in childhood cancer cases since the Chernobyl disaster.

Source : Greenpeace

Hate you 2007

2007-01-02T15:35:00.000+04:00

2007 here it comes, with an awful start. Feels like 2006 couldn’t just end in peace. Looking back at 2005 & 2006, survival seems very hard to understand.

First it was Mom’s diagnosis with breast cancer.
Relocating to Dubai.
Losing a Job.
Losing two grandparents.
Financial crisis.
Brother’s diagnosis with hormonal disorder.
Same brother was hit by a car.
Dad being unemployed.
Family members fighting all the time over small issues.
Etc…

Finally, on 31st of December when everything seemed to be going well, year’s last day, Eid’s first day, we were about to leave home to go out, Dad received a call from Syria, we all thought it was another Eid congratulations calls, but it wasn’t. It was my uncle; he was the bad news bearer. Apparently my other uncle had had a massive heart attack and was admitted to the ICU. It was pretty devastating to Dad; especially that he had lost his Mom a month ago and was hardly recovering.

Till the moment, uncle still at the ICU between life and death. He is only 48. None of us saw this coming. He is a doctor, a physician in fact. Has 4 children, the older son is studying in Spain and does not have a clue about the whole thing.

I already hate you 2007, wish you had never come.

The Squeaky Wheel

2006-12-25T09:39:00.000+04:00

Whether it works or not, a lot of customers are now adopting this concept everyday on a daily basis. The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease.

Apparently the concept is working here in the UAE. If you shout enough you will probably be heard and even served better.

Those are any service business’s nightmare, are not they? Well actually they are not.

What business people should be really afraid of, are the quite ones, if you serve them bad, they would stay quite, keep walking and never look back.

I, myself behave that way, unlike my father (you should’ve seen him at Chilis the other day, the poor waitress had to reheat the plate three times).

Two weeks ago, we wanted to open a back account for our new employees, we deal with the BEST international bank in the CITI *hint*. Of course after calling, scheduling, calling back, rescheduling, the guys came to the office to give us the application and get the signatures.

All was done in 20 minutes and we were promised that the ATM cards and the free credit cards would be mailed to us in a maximum of 5 working days. After two weeks of chasing the salesman who opened the account for us, we discovered that he hadn’t submitted the ATM cards applications and it would take at least 4 working days to submit the new applications.

I was really pissed off and I called their contact center. After spending half of my one-hour lunch break waiting and being transferred, I finally got to speak with someone who was able to speak English. She apologized for what the salesman had done, applied for the ATM cards on the phone and all was ok. But the bliss does not last; we were supposed to go to the bank to collect the cards since they wouldn’t be delivered till after the holidays and the new year, and that was a disaster because the Card Delivery Department could give you the card only between 3 and 5 PM. We work from 9 AM to 6 PM and the break is at 1 PM, can anyone tell me how I am supposed to collect the card?

Anyway, I called again and asked if someone could collect the card on behalf of me, they said it was possible but I needed to write an authorization letter which I had.

The salary had been transferred since 23rd of December, I needed money so I can go Christmas gifts shopping for my friends. I called the bank and they said I need to come to the branch and manually withdraws money, first it sounded ok, but the tellers remains open from 8 AM till 4 PM. Again.

I was still quite, I didn’t shout, didn’t yell, didn’t curse, didn’t do anything but recommending every person I know to stop dealing with that bank.

Pick of the Day

2006-12-24T17:10:00.000+04:00

My new enjoyment. Bjork "Army Of Me"

Ravi and Rashmi

2006-12-21T11:27:00.000+04:00

Ravi & Rashmi

Three months ago, Ravi joined our car lift service. He works in Trade Center and lives in Sharjah. Ravi is just another average Joe trying to survive Dubai. Ravi is in his early thirties. He is tall, semi-handsome and somehow fit. He used to wear thick glasses, always unshaved, wrinkled suit, unmatched colors and dirty shoes. Ravi used to sleep all the way to the office, an average of 1 hour and 45 minutes drive. He had a stinky breath and wore no cologne of whatsoever, not even an after shave. In a nutshell, Ravi was emotionally miserable.

Rashmi on the other hand was another story herself. She started with us one month ago. She’s pretty, hot, stylish and most importantly smelled really good. She was never late, always on time, in her elegant suit and colorful scarves. She was always smiling and shining and also, she was single and in her twenties.

Sparks in the air. Ravi was astonished by Rashmi’s charm. Who wouldn’t? But unfortunately he wouldn’t qualify to even approach Rashmi.

A while ago, Rashmi could not find a seat in the front where the ladies usually sat. Therefore, she had to search for a seat in the back, and since I wasn’t actually interested, I didn’t show any interest in giving her a seat next to me.

“It’s your chance Ravi, step up and be a man” I said to myself.

That’s what actually happened. Ravi spared no moment to ask Ramshi to sit next to him. Apparently Ramshi had no choice but to sit next to Ravi since the nose-picking man was the only other choice.

“Yes, you finally did it” I cheered.

Ravi and Ramshi did not talk for about 30 minutes. I had to intervene. I turned back and asked Ravi to open the window for me. Of course he opened it, but that wasn’t enough.

“Would you guys please help me? I have an Indian friend and we are throwing him a surprise party for his birthday, can you please write down some words we can use?” I told Ravi and Rashmi.

Ravi and Rashmi got busy writing down some words I can’t even read, but I was glad they had something to begin with. After finishing writing the words, they started talking about other few stuff, unfortunately I do not speak Hindi, but I felt that they were not talking about the crisis in Iraq.

Three days later, Ravi, well I gotta admit it guys, women change men, completely. Ravi was shaved, clothes were pressed, smelled really good, contact lenses instead of the thick glasses, a new haircut. Long story short, Miserable Ravi had been changed into Glowing Ravi. And I was impressed, so was Rashmi.

Now, everyday the seat is taken for Rashmi, he even walks to her house so they can get on the mini-bus together.

Today they did not get on, both of them; I heard that they got engaged.

I think I am cupid.

(Ravi and Rashmi are not real names)

Real Age

2006-12-19T16:21:00.000+04:00

I have recently read about the difference between real age and calendar age.

Real Age is the age of one's body physically and psychologically.

I also ran into this website which provides you with a detailed test to calculate exactly how old you are, really.

I was shocked to know that my Real Age was 28.2 years old, while I am only 21.2 years old, which makes me 7 years older.

I already started working on my plan.

Hope you do the same.

I am a Medic

2006-12-18T09:58:00.000+04:00

See, I was kind of jealous of Moryarti and wanted to take the test as well and apparently.. I am not into fights so I scored a Medic.. lol... I am that kind of soldier...sorry guys I gotta run I have a wounded lieutenant calling for help and I gotta save lives... *Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

You scored as Medic. You're a medic. Not really into fighting people, but prefer to help and heal. Your a caring person who generally wants to help, but not fight. But instead you heal the injured. Your a brave person, but most people generally regard you as foolish because of the risks you take to help others. But you don't care because your a battlefield medic, and saving lives is your business.

Depressing

2006-12-14T10:05:00.000+04:00

The weather is so depressing; I do not feel like doing anything. I hate the rain. I hate the muddy streets. Uffffffffffffffff…I just wanna sleep...

Loss

2006-12-13T11:10:00.000+04:00

I have lost someone dear to me.

Kenny Chesney's Who You'd Be Today

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
I feel you everywhere I go
I see your smile, I see your face
I hear your laugh' in the rain
I still can't believe you're gone

It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I've been through
Just knowing, no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder, who you'd be today

Would you see the world
Would you chase your dreams
Settle down with a family
I wonder what would you name your babies
Somedays the sky's so blue
I feel like I can talk to you
And I know it might sound crazy

It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that
had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss
you
All the hell that I've been through
Just knowing, no one could take
your place
Sometimes I wonder, who you'd be today
Sunny days seem to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
The only thing that gives me hope
Is I know, I'll see you again someday

Someday, Someday...

Homesick

2006-12-07T23:42:00.000+04:00

I miss Syria.

I am homesick.

Very.

At this time of the year, Aleppo would be cold, cozy, wet, brown, blue skies, rain...

I miss the winter in Aleppo.

I miss my rain coats and scarves, my gloves and woolen sweaters.

I miss the morning smell after a rainy night.

I miss the coffee smell that Mom used to make to get Dad to get out of bed.

I miss my bed and the heavy woolen bed covers

I miss my room.

I miss my strayed cats.

I miss our yard, the Apricot, olive, apple and cactuses trees.

I miss the roses I used to water.

I miss the sight of falling tree leaves.

I miss the rain, the real rain.

I miss the cold water in the morning.

I miss…

… everything I used to have.

I will leave with some photos of Syria, my beloved.

Hands Off

2006-12-06T09:30:00.000+04:00

As most of you now already know, I live in Sharjah and work in Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road to be specific. To commute from Sharjah to Dubai, I have used every single known –and sometimes innovative- method. Since I do not have my driver’s license yet – thanks to Dubai’s regulations once again- now I use the shared min-bus transportation, yeah it proved to be reliable and punctual, I finally had to give up comfort for arriving on time.

On the 14 seater, I used to have my single seat available every time I got on. Today morning this luxury just vanished. As soon as I opened the sliding door, this was my first innocent reaction:

“Who the f*** is she?”

She was a young lady, Indian my guess, elegant, probably her first time, I mean on the bus, she had her sunglasses on – C’mon It is 7 Am there is no Sunlight yet - , She wore a heck a lot of make up and sprayed the whole bottle of perfume which her boyfriend got her for DeWali (I hope I spelled this one correct)

In a second, my eyes were rolling searching for another convenient seat, YEAH, I spotted one in the back, no one was sitting there and I had the wide seat all for myself. NOT FOR SO LONG, my dreams of personal space and comfort had just dissolved in the air when HE got in.

He was a middle-aged man, around 35 I guess, from the Sub-Continent, I could not tell whether Indian or Pakistani. A fashion disaster, unshaved, and had a HUGE briefcase with him, for my bad fortune, he decided to share the sear with me. Well I was fine with that, after all I decided to use the shared transportation, I should keep up with the consequences.

Your guess was correct 100%, it was not only the briefcase and the bad looks, it was the SMELL, this guy had not showered in a year, and to top it all, he for some reason decided to sit next to me and put his briefcase of his right, so the picture was like this:

Window > ME > HIM > His Briefcase. Please try to imagine the three of us (including the briefcase) sitting on a 80 CMs wide seat.

The nightmare was not over yet, after about 45 minutes, he seemed to have gotten more comfortable and took a nap. I was trying to get myself busy with my iPod and concentrate of other stuff so I do not vent. As I was trying to find the most suitable song for the situation, HE DID THE UNFORGIVEN, he touched me, touched my tummy for about 2 seconds. I turned red and looked at him, he was sleeping.

“It’s ok I guess, he is sleeping, everyone might do that while they are asleep”

I calmed down, I focused on something else. But he would not let it go, he did it again and this time for 5 seconds. Well that was it, I used my elbow this time and I can tell you guys that it hurt him. He woke up with this stupid look on his face; I said “Can you please exchange seats with your briefcase?” Well it was either he did not speak English, or I was using JARGONS; he turned a deaf ear. Again I stated that shall exchange seats. He didn’t. Ok time was for plan B, I stood up, half bending, one hand holding my iPod, using my other hand, I hold his briefcase, my right thigh pushed him to the edge, and I forced the briefcase between us.

The other passengers had no clue what was going on, I even remember the new girl laughing at this. Poor she, tomorrow I will have my party with her, let’s see who will be laughing at the end.

Restless *Evil Grin*

The Story

2006-11-25T17:34:00.000+04:00

It all began in the late summer of 2005.

I almost had everything I wanted, a loving family, a great house, marvelous friends, a well-paid job, lovely vacations, great college, dad’s car, my new i-mate Jam cell phone, in a nut shell I had a great life.

In August 2005, it was Thursday, can’t remember the date, I had just started my shift at work. It was around 05:30 in the evening. As per every day’s routine, I started with checking my e-mailbox, at 06:00 PM I started answering calls, (I used to work in a Call Center).

Going back a week before and as she used to do every 6 months, Mom had an appointment for breasts mammogram; she had been doing this for the past 3 years. She was 45 years old then. We were a bit concerned about the results as usual, but nothing seemed to be going unexpectedly.

Back to that same Thursday, I had my cell phone on the silent mode like everybody else. Suddenly, it started ringing; I guess I must have forgotten to put it on the silent mode after all. It was my brother, I was a bit surprised because he never called while I was on duty, if there’s anything he wanted to speak about, he’s text me and I’d call back whenever I was available. Something told me that I was supposed to answer, I did.

“Hello?”
“Hi Ramy, how are you? Are you at work”?
“Yeah, tell me what do you want? I gotta get back to work”
“I have bad news; your mother was diagnosed with two tumors in her right breast. Cancer.”

I had the shock of my life, I struggled to get words out of my moth, but I could not. I hung up and remained paralyzed in my chair. I still don’t know how long it took me to realize the facts; I guess it was more than 10 minutes. Then, out of a sudden, I logged off and headed to the roof of the building. I burst out in tears, I had never wept some much, part of me wanted to jump off the roof. For 15 minutes, I recalled each and every memory of mom in my head, for 22 years. After that I dried up my face and went down to the manger’s office, everybody had noticed that there was something wrong. I had blood-red eyes, I asked the manger to give me the rest of the day off, he agreed at instance and asked me what was wrong, I told him.

I walked, for a 15 minutes driving distance, it took me only 20 minutes by feet to reach home. I was crying all the way back home, I could not get the images of mom dying out of my head. It was devastating and I was overwhelmed.

I reached home, I dared not to open the door, I stood there for 5 minutes trying to get myself together. I knocked, I wanted to skip anyone who might open the door and throw myself under mom’s feet. For my surprise, my aunt (Mom’s sister) opened the door; it was so obvious that she had been crying. She also wept when she saw me. She guided me out and said:
“Your grandma does not know, we all know, your mom knows, we have 15 guests inside, they are all relatives, they all know, they are trying not to show it so your grandma does feel it. By the way your sister do not know as well, I want you to get yourself together, not to crack down in front of your mother.”

Somehow for the first time on that Thursday, I was able to act normal. I went inside looking for mom, I expected to see her shocked, crying, weeping, moaning, weak, helpless, hopeless, but instead I was shocked for the second time. She was just standing there in her finest outfit, her best hair-do, he full dazzling make-up, she was shining. She looked at me and said:

“You are home early honey, are you feeling ill?”
“Am I the one who should be feeling sick?” I said to myself, I stood there, I did not dare to say a word, and I just turned and went to my room. I saw my brother and cousin chatting; apparently they were talking about the disease. I desperately wanted someone to talk to. I had dozens and dozens of questions; how bad is it? What stage she is in? What kind of cancer it is? Is she going to live? What are you going to do? Chemotherapy? Is she going to lose her hair? Will she have mastectomy? I saw dad and my uncle talking, when dad saw me he rushed and hugged me and said that everything was going to be ok.

Till this moment, grandma does not know. My two sisters knew after one of them accidentally saw the scar where mom had her breast removed.

The main question was “What’s next?”

I have an uncle who lives in London, England. He lived there for the past 25 years, he had the British citizenship. He suggested we take her to England to get the treatment. Dad suggested Dubai. And Dubai it was. The British embassy did not grant mom and dad any visas.

At the beginning Mom and Dad traveled to Dubai, of course they had to make something up to cover their continuous traveling in front of my two sisters and grandma. They said that my brother had been offered a new job in Dubai, and they wanted to make sure he settles down appropriately before coming back. That was when mom had her first surgery, the breast mastectomy. Then they all came back home, mom, dad, bro and aunt. I still remember the first time I saw mom after the surgery. She looked weak, but yet so strong. Her morale was so high. She believed in God and always considered this as a test for faith and patience.

I can’t tell the story very well without mentioning Dad. I always knew that Dad and Mom loved each other. They got married after a long love story. But after years of marriage, love changes into a different form of appreciation and gracefulness. During this crisis, Dad had resigned to be fully devoted for mom’s treatment. I remember one day after the diagnosis, he was talking to me when he bursts out in tears. I had never seemed dad crying, he was crying in pain. He said “I can’t imagine this life without her”. I stood motionless; I had no idea what to say. Another proof of his love was when he shaved his head the very same day mom lost her hair for chemotherapy. He wanted her to know that she was not the only one going through this crisis.

During the following six months, I and my two sisters were moving from our house to grandma’s house and backward. I had troubles eating, studying and working.

In June 2006, Dad insisted that I move to Dubai. He thought it was better for the whole family to be together to show all the support we can for mom. I kind of hesitated, I had a good job, I had just got promoted and life seems to be back to normal for me, career wise. Yet I decided to move to Dubai. Mom’s health was my number 1 priority.

Mom is now getting her treatment in Al Ain, which is a small city between Dubai and Abu Dhabi; she is being taken care of by the best cancer treatment hospital in the Middle East (Twam hospital). Thanks to HH Sheikh Zayed Al Nehyan, (God bless his soul), mom had been granted a semi-free treatment for two years.

Now we live in Sharjah, in a three bedrooms apartment on the Bouhaira (Lake) Corniche which is a good place to live in. The reason why we live in Sharjah is simple, it is cheaper that living in Dubai. When you have someone in the family who is getting treatment for cancer, every penny you save matters.

To be continued...

Déjà Vu

2006-11-24T00:31:00.000+04:00

"Gosh! I swear to God I have lived this moment before"

I am sure each one of you has experienced this before, somehow. I always thought of it as a form of reorganizing memory, our brain reorganizes its own memory every while and so, something similar to the computer's Disk De-fragmentation. Today, I decided to dig into it and see what the net had to say about it.

"Déjà Vu"

The term déjà vu is French and means, literally, "already seen." Those who have
experienced the feeling describe it as an overwhelming sense of familiarity with
something that shouldn't be familiar at all. Say, for example, you are traveling
to England for the first time. You are touring a cathedral, and suddenly it
seems as if you have been in that very spot before. Or maybe you are having
dinner with a group of friends, discussing some current political topic, and you
have the feeling that you've already experienced this very thing -- same
friends, same dinner, and same topic.

This is how HowStuffWork.com defined the word Déjà vu.

Some interesting links:

http://skepdic.com/dejavu.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deja_vu

See ya in my Deja Vu ;)

New Design

2006-11-23T12:27:00.000+04:00

I did not post anything lately, I was a bit busy with modifying and digging for a new design, so Voila..! Hope you like it...

Thanks to Gecko & Fly for the template.

Restless

Kids and Fast Food

2006-11-18T09:16:00.000+04:00

I have recently read the Burger King will stop advertising to kids. The fast food chain will stop creating and showing TV adverts for children from 22 December in the UK. It will also stop broadcasting any adverts during children’s TV programming from that date.

Well, of course this will happen only in the UK. Not in the UAE or any other country. I am wondering if this should also be applied here in Dubai. Recently I was in the car with dad driving, we passed through a school in Bur Dubai, I do not remember the name because I did not pay attention to it, what caught my eye was a big McDonald billboard facing the school’s playground.

If the kids are to observer the big billboard (which I suppose changes every a while and then) all day long and five days a week, I wonder if any desperate parental advises would be able to beat the big delicious tasty burger next to the funny clown on the billboard.

I think someone should do something about this, all the fast food chains targeting kids and teenagers. With children obesity on the rise, if you take a walk to any fast food outlet here (KFC, McDonald, Burger King, Hardees’, etc…) you will notice immediately that almost 50% of the visitors are children and teenager and 50% of them are obese. This is really endangering the health of the youth. Someone should pay attention to this.

Bad News in the Morning

2006-11-14T09:04:00.000+04:00

Just like every working day, today I woke up in the morning at around 06:15, all kind of alarms were ringing, my mobile, my brother’s mobile, my sister’s school wake-up call, but suddenly, there wan an unfamiliar ringing tone, my father’s mobile. Usually he does not wake up till 9, and this was not an alarm ringing tone, somebody was calling.

I hurried up to answer, thinking to myself “It must be one of those wrong number calls”, I took a look at the mobile's screen; it was my uncle calling from Syria. 06:30 Am here means 04:30 Am in Syria. “There must be something wrong”, I answered with a bit of hesitance:

Me: “Hello?”
Uncle: “Hi Ramy, your grandma passed away, please tell your father.”

He hung up.

I told all the family members who happened to be awake at that time, except for Dad. He still does not know. He and his mother were so close, three days ago, he promised he would come and visit in the mid-term schools holidays.

May god rest her soul in peace!

Amen!

Restless

Murder in the Elevator

2006-11-13T11:54:00.000+04:00

I overslept today and woke up at 06:30 AM; I had to rush to catch the 06:40 AM bus. Dressed in only 5 minutes, I left home at 06:35 AM and was waiting for the elevator. I live on the 13th floor which means when I am lucky, 2 minutes waiting for the elevator. Fortunately the elevator was only 1 floor away. I got myself inside and pressed the G button. 13, 12, 11, the door opened and a Filipina lady got in with her 10 months old son. I love kids, I love to play with them, but not this particular morning.

Trying to avoid the game, I turned the other way and got busy with my iPod.

Here comes the worst part, the lady was trying to teach her son "counting in English"

“Press 10” She said, he pressed, elevator stopped, door opened, door closed.
“Press 9” She said and so on.

Well, apparently the approximately 1 year old boy did not understand English so well, so he had to press each button five times, every time he failed to press the right one, she’d scream “No no, press 8”

I was freaking out, if she was going to do this all the way down, this means 15 stops at least. No I would not allow it.

“I am sorry Ma’am, I am trying to catch my bus and I am bit late, can you do this later?”

“Yes I am sorry” She answered with a frown face.

But this did not stop my suffering, the kiddo, kept spitting on me, and unfortunately one of his missiles landed on my iPod screen. Yeah I knew the day was doomed.

I killed the lady and her son with my bare hands. No, I wish I had.

No More Cigarettes

2006-11-12T12:49:00.000+04:00

Ok, No More cigarettes. I give up.
Thanks to the smell. You know what, if the cigarette did not have an awful smell, I would smoke ten packs a day, becasue guys admit it, it is amazing, anyway, however, no more. For me.

Chicken Breast with Broccoli and Mushroom

2006-11-11T15:44:00.000+04:00

So I decided to eat healthier. And I love Chinese cuisine; therefore instead of today’s Tex Mex from Hardee’s I enjoyed The Chicken Breast with Broccoli and Mushroom with the Veggie Noodles. Life could not be any yummier. :)

Ok, I have had it

2006-11-11T10:41:00.000+04:00

Ok I have had it with this French look-a-like crap, at first it was amusing and somehow flattering but now it started to piss my off. It started the day I arrived in Dubai, I am at the airport handling my papers to check out. A lady standing behind me started speaking French, I thought she’s talking on the phone, then there’s no phone, oops she’s talking to me.

“I am sorry Ma’am I do not speak French”
“Ooh, but it seems that you look like a French man”
“Do I? Thanks anyway”

I thought “well I guess it is cool to be a French look-a-like, French men are in nowadays”

Another incident, I was at Carrefour the other day, checking the new fresh bakery, I chose a fresh pack of white French bread. A Belgium guy approached and started talking “ je ma blue bbalbalb lblab balb asormaobo kn” ( I have no idea what he said).

Me: “ mmmm I am sorry I do not speak French”
He: “Pardon, I thought you did”
Me: “it’s ok”

Now on last Thursday, I was waiting for a cab at the Fairmont hotel, waiting in the queue like everyone else, a lady approached and:

Lady: “Is this the Taxi queue”
Me: “Well yeah I guess it is, unfortunately” Smiled
Lady: “Oh” and again Bla Bla Bla in Frenchl
Me: “Pardon Madam, I do not speak French, I wish I did”
Lady: “But your accent is French”

Now C’mon I know some French vocabulary like every one living in a pre-occupied French colony, aka Syria. I also took a class or two in French, but that does not make my English accent any French.

I guess it must be the very white pale face I have got, and the French big nose, and the semi-green semi-brown eyes. I have had it, Je ne suis pas Francais.

Friday's Night @ Home

2006-11-10T20:01:00.000+04:00

Today I stayed at home (just like yesterday's night).
I have downloaded a movie two weeks ago but thanks to life in Dubai, I have not had time to watch the move since.
I have heard a lot about the movie and how Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet gave the performance of their lives.

If you haven't already guessed (the photo), the movie is "Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind". I just finished watching it and I have a bad urge to use the bathroom, however I decided that I should write about the wonderful masterpiece first.

I have been told that it is a romance film and I don't tend to like romance movies a lot, yet the idea of watching Jim Carrey in a un-comedy movie brought the memory of "The Truman Show" to my mind and I was tempted to downloading it. I did.

I do not regret any effort. The movie is superb. Jim and Kate were amazing. The whole idea of the film was fascinating. I liked how Kate was not portrayed as a "sugar pie" or a pretty cookie. I started admiring the actress after the great movie of "The Life of David Gale" with Kevin Spacey. No need to talk about how creative, dazzling, jaw-dangling Jim's performance was.

Add to that, Elijah Wood & Kirsten Dust who also deserves a lot of respect for the performance she did.

I also loved the soundtrack, already downloading a few tracks.

Guys, you should give the movie a shot, download it, buy it, rent it, just do something to watch it.

Restless.

Who Moved My Cheese?

2006-11-10T14:07:00.000+04:00

It's Friday, I just woke up, I have a very bad headache, feels like someone if banging my head to the wall, I hate the AC. I stayed at home yesterday, did not have a lot to do, did not feel like going out, it was freaking humid outside, I stayed and read a book. It turned out to be a marvelous idea after all. I had the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" a while ago, I had read a few pages before. Yesterday, I read the whole book, it was an amazing catch, the whole idea of the book, is CHANGE, which I am going through since I reached Dubai 6 Months ago. I recommend it to everyone who feels change might be bad for him/ her.

Introducing The Logo

2006-11-09T16:44:00.000+04:00

Well, the logo in ready,
Voila...

I love the purple color, and if you wonder what the weird lines are, well I was trying to give "dubai" a restless face, not a happy neither a frowny face.

Here is my display pic as well,

Hope you like em, tell me what do you think guy...

Restless

3 Cigarettes

2006-11-09T11:54:00.000+04:00

Do 3 cigarettes a day make me a smoker?

Today I bought my first pack of cigarettes, Marlboro Ultra Lights, 6 DHS from Spinney's, I do not smoke, well that's what I used to know. But recently I am having this urge for a buff, I thought no harm could be done since I will be keeping the pack in the office, and I only have three virtual cigarette brakes. So I am kind of constrained to it.
Anyway.. What do you people think?
Do I have to quit? or no harm with 3 a day?

Kirstie Alley

2006-11-09T11:20:00.000+04:00

Ok, I am sure you are all have heard of Kirstie Alley, Movies such as "Cheers", "Guess Who's Talking". Well after a weigh loss battle, she appeared in the Oprah Winfery Show and dazzled the audience with he new bikini look... Check this out...

What I really liked, is how she describes the battle of weigh loss:

Change our lives not only our
dress size

Today's Shot

2006-11-09T09:53:00.000+04:00

Credit: Dubai Daily Photo

All The I Am

2006-11-09T09:37:00.000+04:00

I love the song.

Rob Thomas, All That I Am

Ok, here we go...

2006-11-09T09:00:00.000+04:00

"is Dubai what all people think of it?"

Ok, This is my 1st official post,

Now official you can use www.restlessindubai.com to access the blog.

When I first started the blog, all I had in mind was "I am Restless" and since Dubai is the center of everything we do here, I called the blog Restless in Dubai, well if you think I was influenced by "Sleepless in Seattle", well I did not realize that till I registered the domain, err...

Anyway the name explains it all, we are all restless here, in a way or another... So feel like there is something that made / makes you feel restless, just post here, nobody's reading anyway,, lol,

Cheers

Restless in Dubai

Whatever...

2006-11-08T11:19:00.000+04:00

I just had to write sth, that's all