Cinnamon Zone

World from a different angle

Physically Deleted Memories

9/6/2003, that was the date I officially registered to Mahjoob.com, looking back at those 3 years, I realize that it was much more than an online experience, in fact I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said it changed many things in my life, too many things. I was literally documenting a large part of my life there; I met many interesting people, many of whom became very good friends of mine. I met people the likes of whom I never met in real life, I learned many things, discovered a shady side of my personality... just too many things.

So yesterday I learned that they are deleting threads and posts from Majoob forums to make room in the server. Physically deleting them, they can't be retrieved. Do you realize how disturbing this is?

Let's put it this way: You have a blog in which you made hundreds of posts and thousands of comments. You talked about yourself, wrote your diaries, spoke about funny situations, hard experiences, you wrote stories and poems, you laughed at other people's comments... sometimes you would even go back and read those old posts, this blog repress-ents a computerized version of your life, and I dare say, yourself.

So, one day you come online to find 80% of the posts and comments deleted, how would that make you feel? Bugger.

You know this really disturbs me, partly because of the deleted dozens of thoughts, ideas and feelings poured into them, and partly because it makes me think: No matter how attached you are to things or people, you have to let go. There are people/things that come into your life, leave their footprints, but sometimes, not all the times, it's probably better that you erase them from your life, and in some cases, better yet to erase them from your memory. This-s might sound exaggerated given that I'm talking about a cyber space, but If you ask me why I'm saying this, you can refer to the first paragraph.

Anyway, it's nice to mention some bloggers who were in Mahjoob (Mahajeeb, always loved this term) met some in person, weirdoes yet alright well, no actually they are great people: Laila, Weddo, Dino, Euphoria, Shaden, Tulip, Kolita, SimSim, Ohoud, Iman, Soul Blossom, JoodNas, Theone (hay bel bold font 3ashan ismoh saqa6a sahwan the first time ), Hamzeh, Khaled, Loza, The Mo, Dima, Hareega, Bo3Bo3, Issam, Verbal Alchemy, And Algoo(3al bai3ah, 3eesh )

Happy Socks Day

                

                   

 
 
I was in a good mood this morning :D
 

Speaking of mood, I read something interesting today

 

"We are not our feelings. We are not our moods. We are not even our thoughts. The very fact that we can think about these things separates us from them and from the animal world"

 

Another interesting thing, for the first time I knew that there is a difference between liberty and freedom, summed up in these lines:
 
"They had more liberty; more options to choose from in their environment; but he had more freedom; more internal power to examine his options"
 
See, Happy Socks Day didn't turn out to be a useless futile post! Socks can put you in the mood!

حسني مبارك... صح إنك حمار

وبعدين مع هالفضايح؟ وين شعبه يضبه هاد؟ فش وراه حدا؟
 
يعني فعلا في حكام غريبين... شايفلك إياهم كل ما بكبروا عم بنهبلوا... ولك استحي على شيبتك القذافي استحى يعملها
 
القصة وما فيها إنه كتير غريب، جد غريب يعني واحد ينحبس عشان شتم/ تعدى/ سب/ عمل مش عارفة شو على حسني مبارك... خلص خلصت قضايا الأمة العربية والإسلامية وكل الشعوب ميتة في دباديب حكامها -خصوصاً الشعب المصري ولا واحد في ال80 مليون بسب على حسني مبارك، لا لا لا مستحيل- وما ضل عنا غير إنه واحد من الناس سب على حسني مبارك على الإنترنت، سامع فيها الإنترنت سيادة الرئيس؟
 
أقولك؟ طز
 
نرجع للموضوع الرئيسي، يعني شو صار لما حكموا على عبد الكريم بالحبس 4 سنوات؟ هيك بتردعوا الناس؟ شو رأيك إذا أنا حكيت عنك مثلا جبان وغبي وعار على الأمة وعلى بلد تاريخها زي تاريخ مصر؟ مين بدو يحبسني أنا؟ لو إني عايشة في سوريا ممكن، بس هون عمي في ديمقراطية، يعني بمعنى آخر أحمض ما عندك اطبخه وأعلى ما في خيلك اركبه
 
هلأ، شو اللي قاهرني في الموضوع باختصار؟ على بلاطة، المستوى اللي وصلناله في العالم العربي في التعامل مع الرأي الآخر والمعارضة...مش إشي بخزي هاد؟خايف من واحد عشان حكى عنك كلمة؟ على شو خايف؟ خلص راحت عليك يا معلم، آخر أيامك يا باتنجان...ما ضل في العمر قد اللي راح ومصيرك لمزبلة التاريخ، لسا صدام أهون، صدام مات بكرامته، إنت بتتذكر مرة شو حكيت تعليقا على الرد على أمريكا؟
 
"الله! دي أمريكا!"
 
!يا زلمة أمريكا اللي تلفحك قرفتونا في عيشتنا، قال حكم جمهوري استحي على دمك شوي
 
أحكيلك هالقصة، أظن بتعرفها...
 
هادا لما إجا رسول كسرى على عمر بن الخطاب ولقاه نايم تحت شجرة بدون حرس ولا ترس شو حكى؟
 

عدلت فأمنت فنمت

 

بالضبط زيك هيك يعني... شنعت ففقعت فانشل تاريخ عرضك فحبست من قام بذلك

 

بس معلش، آخرتك تنزاح، يا إما عالقبر عدل... مالهاش حل تاني على قول عمرو دياب

Racist inner child

So I was walking in the neighborhood today, enjoying the sun and tranquility of the place, when then stranger appeared around the corner and I was a bit intimidated... Now, why should I be intimidated? I see strangers in the hood the whole time, he didn't look like a bad guy in any way, he wore normal clothes, was carrying what appeared to be his lunch and to top it all, he wasn't even looking at me, he seemed to be drifted in his own thoughts, minding his own business. Now, I should be ashamed to say that what made me feel uneasy was that he had a dark complexion, a very dark one. He was black.

 

Since I felt ashamed with myself, I tried to justify this feeling by thinking: Well, maybe it's because he is a stranger not because he's black. If I saw an Albino for example, or someone extraordinarily blonde I would wonder..." Then I stopped here, I knew it wouldn't be the same, I would probably not feel threatened...

 

It's funny how we defy social stereotypes, cry out against racism, get bugged when someone makes a racist remark; nonetheless, racism still find sits way into our subconscious. You can't help it, because you can't detach from the society you live in, from all the media pitched at you... depicting black people as pimps, hitmen, highwaymen, serial killers, drug dealers, you name it.
 
I don't really know why I'm writing this, maybe out of frustration with myself, maybe I'm looking for the reasons behind my awkward reaction, I don't know, but I know something is wrong... seriously!

 

 

أفراح الروح

Updated
كتاب من أجمل ما قرأت... يقدم فهماً مختلفاً لمعاني الحياة والموت والإنسانية، ودليل رائع يمكن
الاسترشاد به في بناء العلاقات مع الآخرين... أفراح الروح للسيد قطب، كتاب صغير لا يتعدى الثمان صفحات لكن فيه من الفائدة ما يفوق حجمه بكثير
 
Upload the electronic version of the book here:
 

A strange talent!

This is quite amusing :D I mean if you know that actors he's imitating...
 

The hunger to be understood

Few needs of the human heart are greater than the need to be understood- to have a voice that is heard, respected, and valued- to have influence. Most believe that the key to influence is communication- getting your point across clearly and speaking persuasively. In fact, if you think about it, don't you find that, while others are speaking to you, instead of really listening to understand, you are often busy preparing your response? The real beginning of influence comes as others sense you are being influenced by them- when they feel understood by you- that you have listened deeply and sincerely, and that you are open. But most people are too vulnerable emotionally to listen deeply- to suspended their agenda long enough to focus on understanding before they communicate their own ideas. Our culture cries out for, even demands, understanding and influence. However, the principle of influence is governed by mutual understanding born of the commitment of at least one person to deep listening first.

 
From: the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

ثم عاش حنظلة

Few days ago I saw a documentary about Naji Al-Ali, and I don't think I need make an intoduction here, it suffices to say Handala, and the famous Palestinian cartoonist comes to mind immediatly.
 
Naji Al-ALi made a revolution in Arab journalism and more specifically in the way political cartoons dealt with the ongoing events in the Arab world. Naji Al-Ali dealt with criticism from another angle, by criticising the Arab stance on the Palestinian cause and putting the blame on them for what was going on in Palestine.
 

Meet Handala. Handala was born at the age of 10, and he will always be 10. If you are wondering why he's always giving you his back, he's not. He's just looking back at Palestine in his way out, forced.
 

Handala represents the new generation that inherited the agonies, suffering, failures and isappointments of the previous generation. He represents the human conscience that aches for the suffering of others, the heart that bleeds for the agonies of his brothers, the rebel that defends the right, and stands up to the wrong. Handala represents whatever good that is left in us, that will always be there, and the hope that never dies.

 
 كاتم الصوت or "The Muffler" was the symbol Naji Al-Ali created to represent those who try to suppress the voices that rise against tyranny. The same muffler by which Naji Al- Ali was assassinated on the 22nd of July, 1987, on his way to deliver the daily cartoon to Al-Qabas newspaper in London. He was admitted to hospital, where he passed away 40 days later.
 
In the documentary, they showed some cartoons done by Arab cartoonist in the memory of the assassination of Naji Al-Ali. One cartoon in particular moved me incredibly; in fact it was the reason that prompted me to write this post. I looked it up on the net and I was not surprised as much as impressed when I found out that it was done by Imad Hajjaj. Makes it clear how courage triumphs over cowardice, and the real meaning of "to live". The cartoon speaks for itself:
 
 
"Here rests the muffler, and Handala lives on"
 
 
 
To know more about Naji Al-Ali and  Hadala, check out Naji Al-Ali's official website
 
 
 
 

 

5 things you don't know about me... Or do you?

Well,  Abed tagged me, and guess what? I'm not killing him, not for this one... Actually I kind of like this tag, I haven't written something so blatantly egoistic in a while *a stagy smile* So as you may have seen, I got driven away, so this will be the +5 things you don't know about me...
 
Anyway, here we go,
 
1- I LOVE to pamper myself, in every possible way, relaxing, exercising, good food, you name it. You know those personal-care products? I actually believe what's written on them (Or force myself to). Even the simplest things can feel luxurious, like watching TV with a cup of milk after a tiresome day, can make me feel like a queen!
 
2- I like colorful socks, the more colorful the better.
 
3- I'm a commitment phobe. I mean in everything, work, relations, etc. It just freaks me out... I'm not doing much about it though  because I don't think the time has come for me yet to get involved in a relation or get a decent job gbiggrin
 
4- I like to miss my friends, that's why I sometimes spend 1 or 2 weeks and sometimes more  without seeing them
 
5- I have a very wild imagination, for example I was thinking about mentioning  one of my worst phobias here but I thought I'd better not because I might get arrested by the intelligence and they could torture me by my worst nightmares (Ok that's partly Ohoud's
fault, she recommended Orwell's 1984 gbiggrin)
 
6- I have a crush on this guy , and I haven't come over it yet. (I don't know why I used to see him handsome :s)
 
 
gbiggrin
 
Now I'm tagging  Layla &  Kolita


<<Home