OK guys!!!

We are wrapping the year with a blast, and since the last couple of months have witnessed some activity in adding new blood to the planet; we are planning to celebrate and enjoy them by making the last meeting of 2006 a memorable one

Revise your general information, get these encyclopedia out and read, because you might need the knowledge for our QUIZ NIGHT … YAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

Jordan Planet is holding a Quiz Night next Saturday Dec 23rd, so read the following lines very carefully

Day: Saturday
Date: 23/12/2006
Time: 6:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M.
Venue: Belle View Hotel
Ticket Price: JD 5 per person

Everyone is welcome to join; the more … the merrier

Please note that this is an RSVP event; this means if you do not confirm your attendance, you will not be allowed in … unfortunately of course, so make sure you confirm by leaving a comment here or contacting me (Khalidah) or Roba by email or phone

So yallah guys … get excited and prepare yourselves for a night of fun and laughter, and one more thing, dress for the occasion 3ashan fi tasweer (i.e. press coverage)

Remember that we are celebrating you … so what is a party without its star guests?

Do come and don’t be late … your friends, significant others and spouses are all welcome to join as long as they pay their JD 5 … LOL

Looking forward to seeing you all there

So today was the day!
Rebecca has kindly invited us to her house to share the joy of decorating cookies which I found to be quite amusing and therapeutic.

At the end of a long working day; there isn’t anything better than meeting with people you like and share some nice time and have lots of fun.

I was the first to arrive, so I got a chance to take a few pictures of the preparations that Rebecca has made for us; she has made us cookies to decorate and others to eat; there were several munchies including different kinds of cheese and meat balls in a very hot cranberry chili sauce. She also made coffee, tea and a beverage of hot apple juice with cinnamon, and how can I forget the nachos with the hot sauce? That alone was a party kicker

So after Kinzi and her sweet daughter Lindsay arrived, Shaden almost lost her way to Rebecca’s house and then Wedad came, so we headed towards the tables and started decorating. Salam brought her sweet kids Raya and Zeid who really had fun playing with the colors. Mommabean came alone after she tucked the kids for the evening and Roba was the last to arrive.

I took so many pictures and I will let them tell you the story of this great evening. Wedad and Shaden made a cookie to represent 7ala and wanted to let her know that she was missed in this event which is really true,

So here you go … enjoy!!

I haven’t blogged for over a week now and I really miss that. The past couple of weeks were absolutely crazy; it was like I was running from one place to another in small bits of time that I could not really cope with everything. My mood swings drove me over the edge a couple of times, maybe because of being too tired or too stressed.

So let me see; what happened in these two weeks? Where did I go and what did I do?

I got really caught up with work; I am really enjoying it and learning a lot and these are the most important things in a job, to learn and enjoy as you do your job. If you are not enjoying, you will feel like it is a heavy duty and passion will not be a part of your performance no matter how hard you try, and if you are not learning, it means there is no personal reward and this is not satisfying to someone who works hard and wants to move up.

The only downfall for this equation is that it consumes most of one’s time and you end up with less and less time for you to do the things you enjoy the most or meet with people you love the most. Your days start and end so quickly and sometimes you feel that days are all the same because they all start and end the same.

Some days are harder than others, but every few days, a day comes holding some nice surprises or unexpected bad news that break the routine and force you to change some routes. I have had some of these days lately and some were good and others were not.

Just trying to remember what happened a couple of weeks ago seems like ages and I almost forgot about a few details. Let me start by my young cousin’s engagement party. I am not so crazy about parties especially engagements or weddings; not my favorite, but eh! Sometimes you are forced to go and smile like you mean it because your mom or dad will be upset, so I decided to go. The party was full of little girls trying so hard to look like models we see in video clips on TV, and my God aren’t they really good dancers or what?! They danced till they dropped and were so colorful in their clothes and makeup. Music was so loud that we had to shout to hear each other; I was relieved when it was finally over

Moving on to something nicer, last Saturday; we met with very nice people who are friends of Lina. We met them downtown at a coffee shop named “Jafra”. It was really hard to find the place and we drove up Basman Street to find a parking spot and then walked back to the place. I really had fun and enjoyed meeting new people from different parts of the Arab World.

Jihad did not want me to take a photo of him; I am glad I did

Last week was a busy one. I had to travel to London for a three days work trip. We flew aboard one of the new planes in RJ and a neat one it was. Being an RJ employee; I was given the seat beside the emergency exit which means I had plenty of space in front of me to stretch my legs during the trip. Seated next to me and across on the other side were three pilots who were traveling to attend a one day course. I really had a nice conversation with the captains; they were sophisticated we killed the flight time discussing many issues.

I took this picture from the small window

My trip to London was shorter than what I hoped and it was extremely busy. I did not have time to go around or even take a tour around the legendary city, but I promised myself that next time I am there; I will do my best to explore the city more. English people are warm and friendly; they smile a lot and they love life. All the people I met in the event I attended had a fair idea about our country and its history but they seemed to know a lot about the royal family.

We went for a small shopping trip in the nearest shopping complex and the most precious things I got was a couple of books. After that; we headed off to the airport where I briefly saw my wonderful friend Omar. It was so short and I was disappointed that I did not have more time to sit an talk, but the consolation is that Omar is coming to Amman soon and then I will make sure that we see each other and go out for a cup of coffee and a nice talk.

On the flight back home; I had a great time because the Captain invited me to the cockpit; that was a nice experience although it was full of buttons and it was on autopilot mode which means I did not see a lot. Flight attendants were quite friendly and smiling most of the time although they worked nonstop; I saw this as a positive sign for the future of RJ. We landed at 12 midnight and I had to drive home, wash up, unpack and sleep which means it was past 3 A.M. when I was finally tucked in and asleep.

Yesterday was one of the busiest days since I started my job; and for the first time since I joined Jordan Planet; I was late for the meeting instead of being there before everyone else. Needless to say; when I was finally there; the place was like a beehive; so vibrant and loud. Happy smiley faces were all over and people were getting to know each other in a way that made it impossible for anyone to say anything and be heard. Wedad and Dar had planned some nice games to get everyone involved, but the chaotic atmosphere did not allow us to indulge this pleasure but I would like to thank both of them for the effort; maybe next time we will have a more organized event; I will make sure of that

We tried to quiet the group to no avail, so I had to stand up and shout at everyone by crying out loud to everyone: “SHUT UP”
I hope that it was taken as lightly as it was meant because the aim was not to offend any one but to get them to listen to others as they introduced themselves. After introductions were made; people were coming and leaving without us knowing who came and who left, so when there was a few of us left at the end, we went for a walk in Jebal Amman streets and ended up at Wild Jordan for a nice warm quiet evening that was the most enjoyable that evening.

I especially enjoyed the company of the beautiful amazing character, Oula Farawati; we had a great conversation and I am looking forward to meeting her again on Tuesday for another promising event.

Last but not least; my dad wanted to do a BBQ for us today and we really had a nice meal and some nice good fun; thank you daddy

Even my 7 month old niece enjoyed the BBQ

After all these things; I guess I am allowed to say that I am really exhausted, but I missed all of you and missed my blog enough to take the time to write this post

The Jordan Planet November meet-up will be held on Thursday the 30th of November, 2006, at 6:00 o’clock, in Old View Cafe in Jabal Amman.

Like usual, anyone is more than welcome to come.

Old View Cafe Directions:

Keep going down Rainbow Street after the First Circle, and take the right turn right before the last. Old View cafe is on the same street as Books@Cafe, a little before it on the other side.

If you want other directions, give them a call at 06-5310380.

I think that everyone who attended this meeting would agree that it was far from typical and that it was a lot of fun. Ramadan spirit was surrounding us and we shared a nice Iftar in this holy month with people we like, admire and respect. Not only it was a gathering of friends, but it was also a meeting for great minds who think and act differently.

We started the meeting at the Belle View Hotel, where we were greeted and met with great respect and a high level of professionalism and hospitality. I went a little earlier before Iftar time to make sure that all was arranged, and when I reached the room that was arranged for our meeting, I found the General Manager and the Food and Beverage Manager supervising the arrangement themselves and that they took care of all details.

I really like this hotel a lot; their service is highly personalized and they do care about their clients; they are keen on getting feedback regarding everything they do which is something that I admire in any organization.

The food was very good; they have provided us with a good variety to meet different tastes. We had soups, salads, main dishes, sweets and beverages; just check the pictures below and you will know what I am talking about.

We had some new comers this time and missed other regulars, we wished that everyone could have made it to the meeting but it is expected that some were previously engaged especially on a Thursday evening.

After we finished our Iftar, Jad suggested that we go to the Old View Café to sit together and get a chance to get to know each other especially for the new comers; I really have to thank Jad for this suggestion because we had so much fun and discussed many issues like the censorship over Skype website from TRC in Jordan and what we can do to make a difference; Isam was leading this very important discussion and our thanks go to him.

We also had a chance to remember some of our childhood cartoon and even sang a few of their songs.

I have to say that we talked about Qwaider a lot and it seemed that there were many among us who had confrontations and/or arguments with him; he even wrote dedicated posts about some and it was finally suggested that we should have a Qwaider Victims Club; Be careful Qwaider, the members are increasing

I will leave you with some of the pictures taken tonight … enjoy!

:D

Jordan Planet will be having an Iftar meet-up this THURSDAY the 12th at Belle Vue Hotel, which is on the corner of the Second Circle, Jabal Amman. The cost will be 11.5 JD inclusive per person for an open buffet.
Belle Vue’s number is 4616144, and the restaurant is on the Mezanine floor, take the
stairs and not the elevator. We booked a private hall for the meet-up, so just say Jordan Planet and you should be all good.

If you want to come, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you confirm by Tuesday morning at max, because we have to confirm the number of people coming.

Like usual, invitation extends to everyone. Please drop a comment here if you want to come.

This was certainly an extraordinary meeting by all means; there were new faces and guests and it was a gathering that will be remembered for some time ahead, not only it was held in this extraordinary place (Old View Café), but it was the atmosphere and ambiance that took us back in a journey to the time Amman was a newborn and was just taking its first steps into the world.

We arrived a bit early and decided to take some pictures of the great view of older Amman and upon the recommendation of the owner; we climbed the stairs to the roof and took some more pictures; I will share these at the end of this post, but now back to the JP meeting.

Like every time, I did not get to talk to everyone there but that is only normal with 28 bloggers sitting there and discussing so many different things. When everyone was there, we just started the introduction cycle and tried to make it brief and at the same time informative. Some bloggers were asked questions about the names of their blogs and what they meant.

One of the most important things in this meeting is the presence of the couple Ziad and Hana who happen to be among the most prominent bloggers in the Arab World; it was really special and great to have you with us guys.

We shared great talks and great laughs; the bloggers who showed up are (not in particular order):

Rebecca (Jordan Journey)
Ibrahim Owais (Ocean Creep)
Jad Madi (Jad Madi)
Roba (And Far Away)
Dana (A friend of Roba’s and not yet a blogger)
Samer (Jazarah)
Ibrahim Yakti (Opirah)
Husam (7usam)
Alaa Ibrahim (Alaa Ibrahim)
Hana (Waleg)
Ziad (Waleg)
Laith Zraikat (Laith Zraikat)
Ammar Ibrahim (Ammar Ibrahim)
Isam Bayazidi (Isam Bayazidi.net)
Omar Zo’bi (Omernos)
Amino (Chronicles of a Utopian Writer)
Kloude (Dragonsvamp and Lordess of Chaos)
Wedad (Better Life)
Rana Habahbeh (She has a blog but I am not sure of the URL, HELP?)
Shaden (Sugar Cubes)
Abeer Bayazidi (Abeer Bayazidi)
Abdelaziz (Exzombiesm)
Darwish Naji (My Crazy Life)
Adel (3adoola)
Rasha (Another World)
7ala (Ro2a)
Mira (Mirachka)
Nader (Nader)

And now for the pictures … enjoy! (You can click on the images to enlarge)

And now to the pictures of the great views seen from the Old View Cafe

The last time we had a meet-up, it was in May and it was a small meeting if I recall well. In June and July; we got caught up with the World Cup and the days flew by without us noticing that. Right after the WC, we have been watching, observing and experiencing the war on Lebanon and Palestine and it just seemed every one was caught up in something and we just could not make it.

Last week; I had a discussion about this with my dear friend Roba and we suggested today for the August JP meet-up and so it was.

We met at the Paris Library again because we liked it in April. This was a big meeting and we met some new bloggers; this was their first meet-up like Moey, Samer, Adel, Ziyad and Rana.

We discussed lots of things and we tried to make it light to take our minds off of the current situation even if for a couple of hours, but in the middle of the meeting; a small political debate broke among me, Dar, Adel, Roba, 7ala and Moey and later on Ahmad joined at the end of it but by then the conversation had shifted to something else but somewhat related; it ended smoothly exactly as it started although I was accused of not listening although I really was :(

A very interesting chat started among us and it was about all our childhood cartoon shows and we even sang some of their start songs; it really felt like we were that young and that innocent again.

Samer was sitting across from me and I kept teasing him and he kept laughing and smiling; such a lighthearted fellow and I would like to thank him for his good sports.

This was one of the longest meetings I have attended and many people showed up; I was particularly glad that Wael came to this meeting as this was the first time he comes to a meeting I attended. Also; there was Ahmad and Zeid who added a special flavor to the whole thing; thank you for showing up guys; it really has been long.

I will leave you with some of the pictures I took and as you can see; everyone is blending and having fun.

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I just came back from Jordan Planet’s meet-up for the month of May and I really had so much fun today. It was not a large number, and every one got engaged in different discussions and shared some good laughs.

We had the meeting at Salad House in Abdoun; I really like this place as it is quiet, food is great and the service is above average, so we chose it to host our meeting for this month and it was a good choice after all.

I was in a social mood tonight and I enjoyed the chats I had with all fellow bloggers; it is amazing how you always find something to talk about with people who have so much to say and share with others, so when you are a part of s bloggers’ meeting, silence is just not invited.

Some of the bloggers who attended do not belong to Jordan Planet yet; however; they applied and awaiting approval such as my friend and colleague 7ala and my other friend Fadi K.

It was a small meeting and it was lively especially with Laith Majali as a part of the group; this guy really knows how to stir an audience and I am glad we had the meeting with him in town.

A lot of the regular attendees were a no-show this time but it is quite understandable with the long weekend and the special occasion. Speaking of which; Amman was buzzing with activity tonight, and like every year; Fastlink held its fireworks fiesta in Abdound, Al Hussein Gardens, Jabal Al Qal3a and Al Qwaismeh. Cars were decorated with the Jordanian Flag. Even some of the bloggers like Jad and Laith Majali left early to go to Al Hussein Gardens to attend the musical celebration and fireworks, and I asked them to take a lot of pictures but not to use flickr when they post them on their blogs so that fellow Jordanian bloggers in KSA and UAE can see them because of banning flickr in these countries; they promised they would do that!

A funny thing happened; all through the meeting, Roba repeatedly declared her desire to get a flag, and as we were going out, my sister’s friend gave her a ride so that she can go home with me, and he had 2 flags; a big one that he spread on the back seat of his car and a small one that was posted on the rear of his car, so I snatched the latter (after his permission of course) and made Roba’s wish come true!

Roba, that felt so cool!!

Here are some pictures from tonight, and Happy Independence Day Jordan!

I really loved loved loved this picture

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Today was great! We had our Jordan Planet Meet-Up!

New bloggers showed up, and old ones were also there, and here is a list of their names in no particular order, total number of 31, and forgive me for not linking to the blogs at this time!

- Isam Bayazidi
- Nasim Tamimi
- Darwish Naji
- Abeer Bayazidi
- Jad Madi
- Laith Zraikat
- Anan Al Wanneh
- Yazan Jaber
- Ibrahim Yaqit Yakti
- Abdelaziz
- Muhannad Malkawi
- Wedad Fallas
- Kinzi
- Salam Najjar
- Roba Al Asi
- Amin Malhas
- Sarah Mbeideen
- Marcy Newman
- Lina Ejeilat
- Amin Matalqa
- Natasha Twal
- Batir Wardam
- Sasha Abzagh
- Manar Abed
- Mira Shnoudi
- Nader Shnoudi
- Ibrahim Oweis
- Ammar Ibrahim
- Dima
- Ala’a Ibrahim
- Khalidah

Here are some pictures of the nice meeting:

Roba, Amin Malhas & Sarah

Marcy & Lina

Amin Matalqa & Natasha

Natasha & Isam

Abeer, Jad & Darwish

Isam, Nasim & Abeer

Muhannad & Wedad

Lovely Kinzi

Jad, Laith, Abdelaziz, Muhannad & Wedad

Salam, Roba, Amin Malhas & Sarah

Jad, Laith, Manar, Ibrahim, Yazan, Abdelaziz, Muhannad & Wedad

Abeer, Ibrahim Oweis & Ala’a

Ibrahim, Yazan, Nader & Mira

Marcy, Amin Malhas & Amin Matalqa

Part of the Café

The Cafe from outside

Indeed! A Picture does speak a thousand words! … Enjoy!!!

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