I am not quite sure that this statement is true … or it might be true for certain behaviors but not the person … so do people really change??
Today was my birthday and I realized that people do not change as much as we would like to believe; they will still do that same things they always did and to a large extent, they become predictable to those around them, but again; isn’t that what we call characteristics of a personality??
I have come to find that jealous people will always envy you for what you have even if it was a piece of crap … selfish people will never learn how to give to others … angry people will never calm down and they will always find a way to make your life miserable because that is what they do … We will always lose friends to marriage … we will always have fights with our families … we will always feel stupid after we say something we don’t want to say … and it feels really silly that I am not able to talk about what is really bothering me …Do people change?
Life is all about surprises and mysteries. Sometimes you can actually explain some of the things that happen to you but most of the time, you just can’t.
As I sit here in the hotel lobby watching the Nile from the big French windows and enjoying the wonderful weather in Cairo, I looked around and started mentally noting down some of the not so common observations and I thought why not randomly script them down in a post?? It would be really good to remember these moments when I read this a few months or years down the line!!!
People here are smiling all the time which makes me feel a bit sad for our people in Jordan as we are frowning most of the time and we do not smile that often. So what makes these people all that smiley?? People are poor here and at home, they all talk politics just like back home, they have a far more horrific and heavy traffic than back home and Cairo is really big and overly populated than back home, so what do they have that we don’t and makes them smile? Is it the food? Water? Nature? Scenery? What makes them happy and us grumpy??? I really wonder …
Almost everyone smokes here … they smoke cigarettes, cigars, argeeleh, weed … etc.
The hold the cigarette as if they are nurturing it and they know that it is killing them but they love it. They want to have the liberty to smoke anywhere and at anytime which resembles people back home but I guess that we got used to the fact that more and more places are becoming smoke free and in my opinion; this is a blessing!!
I noticed that a lot of guys are holding man-purses here and I don’t see that in Amman. Can anyone tell me if this is a trend now???
Traveling in business class was REALLY GOOD
Traffic is a killer here … I literally preferred to have all my meetings in the hotel instead of wasting a good 2-3 hours on commuting back and forth between the hotel and the office and by that I saved almost 12 hours in my short stay … not bad, ha?
People here have a problem in showing up to meetings on time … they are always late!!! There was only the lawyer that we are dealing with; he is really punctual and professional and this is really good because it will not force me to keep dragging my appointment till after midnight and yeah, they really do not have a problem in working that late!!!
A lot of people here are constantly high on something!!!
The Nile is magical!!
They really have great shoes and handbags here … simply amazing!!
Semiramis Intercontinental Hotel is great and I have a wonderful room with a great view on the 16th floor … I wish I could take this view back home … we really need nicer views with water resources back home … wish that was possible!!
Yesterday; I passed by my friend at the Flavors Coffee Shop in Abdoun Mall where they have a small aquarium …
To tell you the truth; the last time I saw it I was really surprised at the size of the golden fish they have and I did not know that there are some golden fish of that size. There was this small lobster always at the bottom and I caught it n camera as it surfaced to the top which was another surprise because these species love staying at the bottom hidden between the rocks.
So as I was saying, when I passed by yesterday I found that they have added a huge fish from this brand that cleans the aquarium but it was sinking below and not doing anything … we thought that she was just getting used to the environment. A few minutes later; we saw the lobster attacking the new fish, it held the tail with its clamps and started biting and eating bits of that tail … I was so taken aback that I took my camera out and shot the whole scene …
The lobster would not budge no matter how hard we tried to scare it away by knocking on the glass so they had to intervene by entering a long stick to force the lobster to let go of the poor fish that could not move throughout the whole ordeal …
After all, size did not matter here … that little thing was so determined and would not be distracted at all … isn’t nature a strange magnificent thing?!!
You know that feeling when the end of the year approaches so fast that we cannot keep track of what we are doing Vs what needs to be done before the clock ticks ending the deadline? It seems that most of what we are doing these days is tied to a deadline or an expiry date and we find ourselves saying over and again: I need to do this and that before something happens; the keyword here being: BEFORE!!
Maybe that’s why we stopped enjoying life as we are supposed to, we no longer stop to smell the roses because we have to reach the destination or goal before time ticks ending our chance or before someone else reaches it and takes our catch … we have become so competitive that we do not care about how we do things as long as we win in the end … we no longer feel good because we finished a project or reached a goal … we feel good because we did that before someone else did or before the deadline …
We do not enjoy the ride, we do not pay attention to the good things around us because we are so focused on ending before it is too late as if we are being chased or pushed to do these things … we tend to forget that when we work, we do that for ourselves and no one else, we are the ones who benefit and learn … but shouldn’t we enjoy that as well??
Time flies and never stops for anything or anyone … it is the only thing that keeps moving despite all changes and factors … it affects things and people but does not get affected … it is the material of our lives yet we are willingly sacrificing it to do things that don’t really matter … we try to convince ourselves that we are doing what we have to do but how sincere and honest are we in confronting ourselves when it comes to how we invest in our time??
I know I have been truly busy lately and things were too cluttered in my mind and around me, but the reason that I cannot complain about it is that I am truly enjoying my crazy times … I am working with people that I admire and learn from and such professional atmosphere is a dream come true for someone like me … I have been working, traveling and spending more time with family and friends … I lost some friends and gained new ones … as we grow older, our choosing criteria become different and more specific … we become more clear on what works for us and what doesn’t and what crowd to hang out with and what crowd to stay away from … we become less tolerant when it comes to our beliefs because we already established a strong base on which we build further … it is not time to put foundations because this is done already and now it is time to build and grow …
2007 is ending … as I review it; I realize that I have achieved big milestones and a lot more smaller ones … so many events took place … I met a lot of new people and befriended them … some of them became best friends … some friends magically dropped out and are no longer a part of my life; by choice or not, it does not matter really as the result is the same … some friends were estranged and I do not see them as much as I would love to but the beauty of the friendship is that no matter how we stay away; when we do meet; it is like we were never apart!!
Crazy times are ruling our lives but the way to deal with it in my opinion, is to enjoy the ride while it lasts
When I first heard the word blog, I was completely ignorant and clueless about its meaning … I did not know what to think or how to have a blog … but when I started reading more about it and discovered how easy and quick it is to create and maintain a blog … I was there in no time and here I am two years later, proud of this space and loving it as the first day I started it …
It is true that starting a blog is not that hard, but the maintenance needs a passion for writing and some spare time on your hands to keep in touch with your friends and readers … I admit that I have been under-performing lately … I just don’t know how time flies … I start my day in the morning and one thing after the other … poof … it is time to go home … how crazy is that??
I have enjoyed my two years of blogging and the most important advantage … besides speaking my mind of course … is meeting all those great people that I miss dearly and haven’t seen in a long time … I am glad that November is coming to an end because it was a crazy month by all means … so many things have happened and now it is time to cool down with December and its Eid, Christmas and holidays …
To all my friends and readers … I love you very very very much and I miss you all
Ramadan is a visitor that shows up once a year; we see a lot of actions and reactions before, during and after this month yet we receive it with the excitement and greetings year in and year out because it symbolizes a lot of things to us. It is the month when we feel closer to God, it is the month that we see people’s behaviors when they are fasting and angry about it, we see them going into consumption and buying frenzy, we see them driving like maniacs and having street fights, we see all sorts of negative attitudes and people refer it to the fact that they cannot drink, eat or smoke.
On the other hand; we see people visiting each other more, we see them praying more, we see them helping each other more, we see them supporting those who are needier or poorer and they feel happy about it because they get this satisfying feeling of doing what is right even for once a year.
In old days, Ramadan was a sacred time for the whole family … I remember when we used to invite people over for Iftar and Gatayef … I remember how my mother used to take advantage of the long fasting hours to prepare meals that take time like wara2 3enab, kobbeh, sheshbarak, and many others … I remember how my grandmother (Allah bless her soul) used to bake bread for us right before Iftar and we used to consume it as if there was no other food … I remember my grandfather (Allah bless his soul) when he used to come to our house in Ramadan and Eid with his pockets filled with candy for us … AAHHH!! Those were the days!!
I also remember that people used to be more respectful for others’ feelings in Ramadan … if for any reason someone was not able to fast or even chose not to fast, they were discreet about it because they were tactful and courteous towards others. Unfortunately; what we see these days is that not only people choose not to fast but they also make sure everyone around them knows that they are choosing not to fast and practically rubbing food, drink and cigarettes in fasters’ faces; now that’s what I call rude, disrespectful and totally vulgar.
We see our Christian colleagues and friends supportive of us practicing our beliefs and there is no limit to our appreciation of what they do (or don’t do) but it is our Muslim brothers and sisters who are showing this much of disrespect to us and to our belief. It saddens me when I see such behaviors from educated adults who are well aware of what they are doing. I know that some of you will say: if you don’t like or approve, just look the other way and I can always do that but when people challenge and dare others, laugh in their faces as if they are not doing anything wrong … now that truly pisses me off … imagine when you have to wake up in the morning and go to work only to find someone who is drinking coffee with the smell climbing up to your brain through your nose and you cannot taste it … imagine if you were a smoker and craved a cigarette while someone is blowing the smoke in your face … or if in the middle of the day when you are hungry and cannot focus on your work, someone walks in with a sandwich and eats it while you are smelling and looking … that’s truly a sad thing to witness and believe me I did see it and was speechless as people who are that rude, can come up with any sort of answer if you even point out that if what they are doing is wrong or shameful …
I am really sorry and disappointed when I see such things and I reach a stage where I feel disgusted that we reached such a phase in our lives that people have and show no consideration or respect to others’ feelings and it makes me really scared of what is yet to come and what role model are we setting for the coming generations …
كلنا بنعرف انه هاي السياسة من أكثر السياسات المستخدمة في حياتنا العملية والخاصة على حد سواء … كم مرة بنسمعها والناس بتحكيها إما بصيغة التخطيط لاستراتيجية معينة أو بصيغة الشكوى من مقلب شربوه؟ سياسة اتغدى فيه قبل ما يتعشى فيك صارت عملة مستخدمة ومتداولة … حتى بين الأطفال بنشوفها؛ واحد بياخد لعبة التاني وبعدين عشان ما حد يحكي معاه، بيصير يبكي … قديش بيتكرر هالمنظر في كل بيت … فهل من الممكن إنه الإنسان مفطور على هيك خلق؟؟؟
في ناس بتعتبرها شطارة لما تستبيح حق الغير وبعدين تروح تبكي وتعيّط وتصرخ إنها مظلومة وانها مسكينة … منظر بنشوفه في المسلسلات العربية بين الضراير أو السلايف أو الحماة والكنة … يعني لو ما كانت هاي سياسة ناجحة، ما كانت عاشت وتناقلتها الأجيال لحد اليوم … صح؟
وفي ناس بتخاف من نتائج أفعالها فبتسبّق بالهجوم عشان تفلت من العقاب … يعني ما بيتحمّلوا مسؤولية أفعالهم بدرجة تكفي لأنهم يواجهوا الآخرين فيها ولذلك بيلجأوا للتغطية عليها عن طريق إظهار أخطاء الآخرين من خلال لفت انتباه الناس الها بطريقة تصرف النظر عن خطأهم هم وبالتالي بيتهمّش وممكن إنه ينتسى بالمرة …
وفي ناس مستحيل إنهم يعترفوا إنهم أخطأوا من الأساس ومهما كان حجم الخطأ، ما بيشوفوا إلا أخطاء العالم اللي قدامهم وبيبرّئوا أنفسهم … وبيصرّوا على الخطأ وبيزعلوا وبيتصرفوا كأنهم هم أصحاب الحق وانه الناس لازم تقدملهم فروض الولاء والطاعة …
وفي ناس بتفهم الأمور غلط وبتخلط الشامي بالعامي وبيبنوا فرضيات كلها غلط في غلط وبيبنوا نتائج وخيمة على هاي الفرضيات وبيزعلوا وبيحردوا وهم كان كتير بيوفروا على حالهم لو بس سألوا اللي قبالهم ليش تصرفوا أو قالوا أو عادوا … لكن احنا شعب دايماً بنهرب من المواجهة وبنفضل انه نعيش دور الضحية بس أبدا ما بناخد خطوة لتصليح الأمور خوفاً من إنه يطلع علينا حق أو غلط …
هلأ أصعب شي لما تحصل هيك أمور بين الأصحاب، معناه في شي كتير غلط ويمكن العلاقة نفسها مش متينة … خصوصاً لما تكون هاي العلاقات متشابكة ومتشعبة لدرجة بتخلي كل المحيطين يصيروا طرف في الموضوع … واللي بيزيد الطين بلة إنه احنا ما بنعرف نحط حدود واضحة لعلاقاتنا، يعني إذا احنا اصدقاء وبنشتغل مع بعض، بيصير من الصعب الفصل بين تعاملنا مع بعض كزملاء عمل وتعاملنا مع بعض كأصدقاء … يعني انت بتتصرف مع زميلك من منطلق مصلحة العمل واللوائح والقوانين لكن هو بيروح بياخدها شخصي وبيحرد وبيزعل وبيبطّل بده صحبتك من الأساس … ولما صاحبك يغلط بحقك قدام الناس وبعدين هو اللي يزعل ويبطل يحكي معاك على أساس انه منتظر منك انك انت تعتذر … اكيد في شي غلط …
اللي بفهمه إنه أحلى شي بالصداقة، انك تلتمس لصديقك عذر لما ما بتعرف عذره وجزء من هالموضوع عشان انت تريح حالك من الظنون والشكوك والافتراضات اللي لا بتودّي ولا بتجيب … واكثر ناس لازم يكونوا في صفك هم اصدقاءك … حتى قبل أهلك لأنك انت اللي بتختار انهم يكونوا قريبين منك … الصراحة كتير شي بيزعج لما اصحابك بيعاملوك متل الأغراب … شعور مو حلو ابداً لما حتى ما بيعطوك فرصة انك تحكي وتوضح أي سوء تفاهم …
برجع لـ “ضربني وبكى … وسبقني واشتكى” … لما تفكروا بمعنى العبارة مزبوط، عمركوا شفتوا ظلم أكثر من هيك؟؟؟؟
It has been a bit over 10 years since I graduated university. Although I still remember it as if it was yesterday, I have to acknowledge the years’ effect on me … what 10 years can do to a person is tremendous if you come to think of it.
I was going through Layalina Magazine the other day and I came across a page where they featured the American School Reunion for the class of 1991. If I had been in that school, I would have attended that reunion, but some of my college colleagues were there and I could recognize a lot of the photos.
When you look at yourself in the mirror every day, you will not notice the age lines that form on your face with the passing years and you will not see the big difference until someone points it out to you. When I looked at these familiar faces in the magazine, I was shocked as they looked really older, they were not necessarily old and senile, but they looked so mature, tired and older. So I started saying to myself: WOW! If they have changed that much, I must have changed as well and if they were to see me now, they would be as surprised as I am!!!
I remember these guys when we were attending lectures and labs together, how they used to chase each other in the faculty corridors and halls, how we went together on picnics and played ball and sang together. I remember how we studied together and revised our answers after each exam and how we teased each other when we got the results and some had really high grades … it all seems like yesterday when I remember these things and now when I look at their images … I see my own reflection only 10 years later
It is really funny what a year can do to us, how about 10!!
It seems to me that time is flying and sometimes I even feel that I lost some stages in my life in my memory, as if I cannot locate a face or an event. During these 10 years, I met thousands of people, I traveled many places, worked in many companies and in many fields, fell in and out of love, formed many friendships, matured in my emotions and feelings … all that and as much as I feel that I have changed inside, when I go back 10 years, I am that young girl who did not know what the future was hiding for her …
Strange feelings of nice memories and even stranger feelings of realizing that I am no longer that young girl … I realized that I am a different person altogether and if I were to attend such a reunion, I probably would not get along with my old colleagues and friends especially that each went his/her own way after graduation. We met randomly along the years, but it was awkward and brief.
10 years would change us both physically and mentally … I wonder what things would be like 10 years from now … would I look at my current friends and get that distant feeling of nice times we had together? Or would I still have them on my side where we can look back together and capture those distant moments and smile about it? I guess only another 10 years would tell!!!
Yesterday, I went out with a friend of mine to one of the prominent coffee shops in Mecca Mall. You see, we like going there because it has large windows and we can sit inside while breathing fresh air and they make great coffee, so there we were on one of our favorite tables and peacefully munching our dinner when a guy and two girls came in and sat right in front of us.
Now, there isn’t anything strange about this scene as many people go out in groups and eat or drink; this is really not the issue. What was really obvious is that the guy formed a couple with one of the girls and the other girl was there like a third wheel, but that also is normal … I mean you can go out with your girlfriend and her friend might/can tag along, so we are still OK …
Some time went by and then we noticed that the girl was all touchy feely with the guy; she would put her hand over his, or just makes sure that she touches all the skin on his arm when she extends her hand to get a tissue or whatever … it was too obvious that we could not NOT notice, but we brushed it off …
After a while, the guy started touching back, by pinching a cheek here or holding a hand there … then she would sneak her hand under his arm in an attempt to hold his other hand or just touch it lightly … but we said to ourselves, well; maybe we are just too old fashioned or maybe this is the new trend in dating in Amman … who knows?
Then we noticed that there was a whole other scene under the table … they were seriously all over each other … she would but her feet over his, or he would touch her leg, or she would cross her legs only to touch him on the knee with her foot … and I was “this” close to shouting: get a room, will ya?!!!
Not only is this action tasteless and shameless, but it is also strange to happen in a public place in a mall … I am not that naive and I know that there are places where such things happen but certainly not in a coffee shop in a mall with very clear sharp lights and while you are seated very close to the next table … I mean come on! When did we lose all manners and morals … will someone tell me: is this normal???
What is happening to this generation? Even if they were engaged or married, does this justify such behavior? Is flirtation a part of dating these days? Have we become like western countries where the date should end with a kiss at the door? If this girl was seen by her father, brother or even her cousin while she was all over that guy, would she continue what she was doing without even blinking or would she worry that there would be severe consequences? If that guy saw his sister or even cousin in the position of the girl who was with him, I wonder how he would react!!
In a community that is drowning in double standards and culture of shame, it comes as a shock that we see such behaviors in public places which makes me wonder, did people stop caring suddenly? Or did the standards change? Or are we getting into a new era that has no limits or boundaries???? :S
What is it about a sleepless night that turns us into grumpy upset people? Is it that our bodies and brains did not get enough rest or is it that we are lazy creatures that cannot function unless we take off periods that make at least one third of our lives??
You can tell that I had a really lousy night and that I did not get enough sleep, add that to a hectic day full of meetings, covering for absent employees (my staff), complaints and requests flying all over the place and your friends ditching you at lunch time … if that is not a fatal combination for a grumpy lousy bad crappy mood and attitude; I seriously don’t know what is!!!
I had a meeting after work last night and it was a bit past 10 when I headed home. I wanted to pass by the supermarket to buy something and withdraw some cash, so I stopped by Safeway on my way home. Not only was it full and the people were lined up in tens waiting for their turn to reach the cash register, but the place was so full of kids :S
Wherever I looked, there were kids … they were shouting, playing race with the shopping carts and screaming at their parents that they want to buy this or that; I guess that they must have mistaken the superstore to be the park, playground or even wonderland … My God!!! What is wrong with these people?? It is a school night and kids are still shopping at 11 in the night? Is this normal? Am I being too picky here? When we were young kids, we used to be in bed by 8 or 9 max, so what are these kids still doing or more importantly, what are the parents thinking???
I just left the place without buying anything because getting anything would have meant standing in line for 15 – 20 minutes and I was dead tired by then with a bad mood that wouldn’t have been able to handle the noise so I decided to head home for everyone’s benefit including mine.
When I reached home, it was almost 11:15 and what is that? More kids in the street!!! :S :S
How are they going to be disciplined? How are they going to respect time and commitments if they cannot be trained to sleep early in school nights? Call me nuts, but I really believe that these are related and teaching these behaviors to children (positive or negative) will alter and affect the outcome of their futures.
No wonder we have so many inconsiderate people, no wonder we suffer from lack or morals wherever we go, it is not shocking then that we see rudeness as the norm, not surprising at all that we look at the polite with an exclamation point written all over our faces. It is the upbringing and the way one was raised that determines what type of a person he/she might become in the future, so if the mother was careless enough and the father was absent minded enough to leave their kids without so much to train them how to be committed serious people, then the coming generation would be a lot worse and more lost than the ones we currently have!!
Maybe this is my sleep deprived brain talking, or my deeper subconscious trying to break free, but I do believe that with each passing day, the crisis is growing bigger and a lot of people are becoming parents without being prepared for the role so they learn as they go, but I wonder where they are getting their knowledge because what we are witnessing is not a nice result by a far shot.
Having children might be the biggest responsibility one can claim by choice because you will be bringing human beings into this world, and since they did not choose to come in the first place or choose you yourself as their parent, you are obliged to do your utmost best to make sure you prepare them for life and give them a good future that allows them to move on and create more generations. Parenthood is not a journey in the park nor is it a fairy tale; it is a lot of hard work, commitment and dedication with a mix of tender loving care (TLC), parenting means that you will give up your life willingly for 20 something years until your kids are well on their way in life and even then you will still give them a big part of your life because that’s what it is all about … it is for this purpose that God demands respect and care for the parents but parents have to earn that by doing their job properly!!
I think that having children is very beautiful yet very scary, it is miraculous but risky, it is something that must not be taken lightly and I never seize to be amazed how a lot of people do just that!!!
