This post was supposed to be out 2 weeks ago but I never got to do that … so here it is and I even forgot what I wrote …

Our life is full of events that subject us to situations we never anticipated or expected at any point of our lives. How would you predict that when you turn around that corner, you will meet the man/woman of your le poker a t�l�charger gratuitementjeu de poker gratuites francaistournoi poker internetjeu carte pokerlogiciel texas holdemjouer au poker virtuelle jeu poker gratuites fran�aispoker gratuites sans inscriptionjouer wam pokeronline poker oddspoker online flashjeux poker a telechargerpoker hold hem gratuitesjeux comjeux poker onlinepoker avec argent virtuella r�gle poker texas holdemjouer au poker texas holdempoker en ligne bonusbest online poker,achat poker chips online,poker onlinetexas holdem rulesmultiplayer poker gamecaribbean poker portaljuegos poker sharewaredescargar juego poker gratispoly poquerpoker en linea gratistorneo poker gratispoker portal webcaribbean poker pagina webbajar juego pokerpai gow poker internetjuegos de polly pokerjugar poker,jugar a poker,aprender a jugar pokerreglas de poquerencuentros pokerjuegos cartas pokerjuego cartasjuego de poker en espa�olpoquer com esdescargas de juegos de pokerpoker texas holdem,jugar poker texas holdem,poker texas holdem gratisdescargar gratis juego de pokerplay 7 card studpai gow poker portales internetreglamentos pokerjuego al instante portal internetpoker texas holdem online,texas holdem estrategia,texas holdempoker caribe portal5 card stud dreams? How can you anticipate that around that same corner, you might be staring death in the eyes just a few minutes from now? How is it possible to tell that you will not fall or fall in love for that matter when you walk one way leaving the other behind?

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!!

My dear friend Salam sent me this link and I really enjoyed it and sent it to all my friends who would actually relate to it, i.e. moms who are juggling a hundred things per minute …

Tribute to all moms … enjoy it and learn to appreciate your moms and wives … and to all the moms out there; you should be really proud of yourselves … bless you

Great, ha???

:D

This is super cute and I keep watching it over and over …

Watching these otters holding hands and showing this kind of affection makes me wonder … do we give animals enough credit? I think I am developing a new respect to these creatures … look how cute they are!!!

Simply Amazing!!!

رمضان كريم … وكل عام وأنتم بخير

أعاده الله على الجميع باليمن والبركة

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!!!

In a world where women are labeled as bad drivers and ignorant about cars and their mechanics; I came across a piece of information that shows that we are not that far off the road. Women actually have a very interesting history with cars as an invention and they participated successfully to making this invention a better more convenient one.

It goes like this:

In 1903, Mary Anderson invented the windshield wipers.
Cleaning Up With Automobile Patents

In an era when women were not even acknowledged in some countries as “persons” and still didn’t have the vote, they managed to get their foot in the door of what is now considered a male domain - that of the automobile.

Way back in 1903, Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers, before Henry Ford ever put a Model T on the road. That’s because Mary had been on a streetcar in New York, and noticed how the driver had to lean out to clean the windows when it was raining. So she created a lever-operated arm that would scrape back and forth across the glass on the outside, while the operator remained dry inside the car. It was a success, and by 1916, all cars would be using the new fangled things to sweep aside the showers. The first automatic windshield wipers were the brainchild of Charlotte Bridgewood, president of her own manufacturing company. Unfortunately, the roller-based gear was not a success but it opened the door for other inventors.

Women took the automobile industry for quite a ride, including Helen Blair Bartlett, a geologist who invented new insulations for spark plugs. Marion Donovan, better known for inventing plastic baby pants to cover cloth diapers, was the first one to install a gimbaled boat ring in her car to hold cups.

And they were just the Jill-Come-Latelys. Because in 1871, Augusta M. Rodgers received a patent for a car heater. [Source]

Now isn’t that refreshing? Can you imagine your car without windshield wipers? or without a heater for that matter? I would confidently say that these were two great additions to an already wonderful creation of human creativity and innovation …

However; this brings something to mind; why don’t we see such great inventions these days? or are we now so used to technology that we don’t notice anymore? Are we lost among all those microchips, computers, software, car brands and blenders that a new comer does not make a bang as its ancestors used to? OR are we just out of good ideas?

What do you think?

Sometimes it makes you feel better to laugh for the sake of laughter and if I know right; laughter is a good exercise for the heart, so laugh away people …

Isn’t that so cool? I want me one of those
I am putting this as a ring tone

I guess that it is not a secret that I am a super fan of VIVA Magazine for so many reasons, but I am not going to talk about this now

VIVA has published an article of mine in their March issue and I cannot begin to describe, how excited, happy, proud and did I mention excited?

Since I am so happy about this and everything, well I thought that I should at least share it with my dear friends and readers by posting it on my blog, so here it is and I hope you like it

The title of the Article is “All Alone”

Nice Introduction … thank you for that

I really liked this image …

And this is the article …

Click on the images to get a clearer view

Here is the article …

No trains to Marrigeville? See why Khalidah El Mufleh says Singletown is just fine …

Hello, my name is Khalidah, and I am a 34-year-old single woman, which in our society, I suppose, makes me a spinster.

The word spinster conjures up a mental image of a childless, frumpy woman who is somewhat depressed, longing to be like other “normal” women. Indeed, in books and in movies, this very issue is portrayed as a young woman’s – and probably her whole family’s – worst nightmare. The spinster is always the desperate, unhappy woman willing to compromise anything just to be rid of the dreadful fate of being a singleton for life; she might even accept being a second wife or marrying a much older man to run away from the “Spinsterhood Ghost” as it is known in Arabic.
Interestingly enough, the stereotype of spinster has been universally understood to be feminine in nature. ‘Bachelor’ typically implies that a man is young, virile, and available. It doesn’t have the same negative connotations as that of ‘spinster.’ A bachelor could have numerous partners, but it would be immoral for a spinster to do the same. Unlike the spinster, the fact that a man is not married does not necessarily imply a deficiency in his character. Many times, I’ve heard it said to single women: “If you were good enough and worthy, you would have gotten married by now.”
I see things from a completely different perspective. While it’s true that married women tend to have a better societal status, being more respected and acknowledged, I will not think less of myself just because I’m not someone’s wife.

True, it’s human nature to seek companionship… someone to share your life with. We often hear that “there’s someone for everyone”, but what if there isn’t? What if no matter how hard we try, or how long we look, we still don’t find our ‘Mr Right’? What if, one day, we pass the conventional age of marriage and everyone starts referring to us as spinsters?

A few years ago, I was brought face-to-face with the fact that, in the eye of my community, I have become a spinster. I was attending the wedding of a slightly younger cousin, and as I shook her hand in a warm, loving way, she gave me the “I-feel-sorry-for-you” look and said, “May God have mercy on you and send you a husband soon.”

I didn’t know whether or not to be offended, or if I should laugh it off, but then I thought, at least she had the guts to say it to my face. I was sure by then that everyone was thinking the same thing. What annoyed me most was the way that people looked at me: as an incomplete woman, neither acknowledged nor respected unless she was someone’s wife. To them, it doesn’t matter if you’re educated or not, working or not, well established or not. They don’t really care about all your life achievements, because in their opinion, getting married is the only one that counts. Anything short of this role is considered abnormal, unfulfilling, and suspect.

Some people rather see me compromise and accept any man who proposes, even if he was already married or has children from a previous marriage. Single women are expected to lower their standards to meet those of their pursuer, if there was any, and even then they are not supposed to expect what other young brides would since they should be thankful to be getting married in the first place!

A single woman in her 30s or over needs to be strong and have a high level of self confidence in order to overcome stereotypes and not buy into what others try to label her. Working women are at an advantage because we don’t have to depend on anyone for financial stability; we can afford to stay single until we meet the right person. On the other hand, women who depend on their fathers and/or brothers face a bigger problem, leading them to make the only choice they feel they have: get married, no matter what.

I think highly of myself, and I’m not about to let society make me feel different simply because I’m not someone’s – anyone’s – wife. Being a spinster is by no means a terrible fate; it is simply another lifestyle that will be socially accepted when we embrace it for what it is: a normal existence.

If and when I do get married, I insist on taking the step for the right reason, which is to be with the man I choose to live with, not because of societal pressure or out of fear. Being with someone I respect and love is far more important to me than ending up with just anyone simply because I had to run away from my fate.

When I imagine my future husband, I think of someone who could share the details of my life, laugh and cry with me, is there for me, understands, loves and appreciates who I am, someone who becomes my home and shelter, someone who talks to my mind and speaks to my heart, a man who respects the woman in me and sees me in my true colours. Until that person comes along, I will remain single. And if that person never comes, well, I’d rather live in Singletown than be miserable-ever-after in Marriageville.

What’s a spinster?
A spinster (or old maid) is a woman who has never been married, though it is usually applied only to women who are regarded as beyond the normal age for marriage, which varies between cultures. The word spinster came into common use in the West during the early 19th century when the thankless task of spinning cloth had been pushed off to unmarried women as a way to earn their keep in the home.

Happy International Women’s Day …

It is really nice that we have an international day to celebrate womanhood and all the women around the world. The question is though; how do we do that?

Do we send cards to the women we know and call it a day?
Do we brush it off as one of these meaningless internationals days?
Do we do nothing?
Do we celebrate the women in our lives?
Do we go out ourselves and party in celebration of our womanhood?

To me, this day is a symbol of a wonderful creature; a woman who can be a wife, mother, sister, daughter or friend … God gave us uniqueness in the way we look, the way we feel, the way we fight, the way we think, the way we laugh, the way we live … yet; we are still figuring out our way through all these things and through life itself.

We need help and we know how to seek it, we realize that we are only a part of life and not all of it, we know that we have a holy role in the lives of the people that touch those lives in so many ways and we learn as we go how to become women through experience, because we are born females and we turn into women as we ripe and mature.

On this day; I have a wish to make …

I wish that …

No woman is ever beaten
No woman is ever raped
No woman is ever enslaved
No woman is humiliated
No woman is ever forced to sell herself to live
No woman is ever deprived of her rights

I wish all women of the world …

Food on their tables and roofs over their heads
Means to become educated
To be able to love
To be loved by those around them
To have wisdom to lead
To have someone to share life with
And most importantly; a happy healthy long life
Happy International Women’s Day everyone!!

On the same level … I received a wonderful note from the one and only; Lama Hourani. I really admire this creative woman and respect her talent and initiative … I would like to share her wonderful note and magnificent art with all of you …

This body of work is not only a celebration of life and times in Jordan, but also
the testimony of one woman’s odyssey into the metaphysical realm of the East.

From Jordan to the women of the world.. Happy International Woman’s day

*A necklace from the cave animal’s collection, Silver, Yellow Gold, Mother of Pearl, Citrine & Baroque Pearls.

LAMA HOURANI Creations
Foresight Art Center
Tel: 962 6 5560080
Fax: 962 6 5560090
P.O.Box 940631
Amman 11194
Jordan
www.lamahourani.com