Yesterday was supposed to be a religious holiday that we are used to and we always got a day off for it, only this year, it was decided that we have to work unlike other countries who took the day off. And this morning while I was driving to work, I was listening to the radio where they were talking about postponing schools till after Eid, but the spokesman from the education ministry announced that school year will start in its scheduled time and that there would be no consideration that it starts at the same time as Ramadan and arguing that we should not be a lazy nation!!

But what about the consideration for the simplest rights one should have and enjoy?? If you want to cut all public holidays and turn the whole year to working days, why don’t you consider increasing vacation days the Jordanian worker is allowed to take????

A Jordanian worker has only 14 days a year for a vacation; when exactly is this going to change?

Most countries have 21 working days or one calendar month a year and I cannot think of a good reason why we are still stuck at the 14 days?

People working in Jordan have to accumulate their vacations for a couple of years to be able to take one decent vacation and they look forward to these public holidays that are scattered around the year so that they can enjoy a random day out with the family or just resting at home and now they are taking that away from us!!

It pisses me off when I see the country flooded with tourists and expats during the summer for a month or so while we are stuck in our long working days and not even able to take a few days off to see relatives and enjoy the summer like the rest of the world because all what we have is 14 days, and we try to keep them for major issues during the year or to add them to the balance of last year to have a good long needed vacation. These expats and tourists coming from other countries have jobs too, but they are not enslaved by these jobs and they have good vacation balance every year which allows them to travel and refresh and they go back to work energized and willing, which makes them more tolerable to difficult working conditions, while their peers in Jordan have piled up fatigue and frustration because they cannot afford to take unpaid leaves and the labor law does not give them better options … and the world wonders why Jordanians frown and have a big “kashrah” and do not smile …

In France, they reduced working hours to 7 instead of 8, which allowed them to introduce shifting systems that provided more work opportunities for the jobless, and they also increased the annual vacation days to 35, and did you know that in France, universities do not have summer semesters because people should rest and have fun in the summer which is a concept that does not exist here!!

In Cyprus, donkeys have lunch breaks because they have the right to relax and take some time off work as this is the simplest right any creature needs, but in Jordan; we are canceling public holidays because we should not be a lazy nation … give me a break!!!

This guy from the education ministry argued that they do not want to reschedule the school year because we should not be a lazy nation, but did they even spend one minute to consider the huge traffic problems that schools create? add that to Ramadan traffic problems and the excessive heat along with an angry populace, well; these are the ingredients of a disaster waiting to happen if you ask me …

With all the problems that we have in Jordan, we need 100 human rights organizations because one will not be able to cover them all …

In this time and age, we still strive for miracles to take us by surprise and somehow change our lives for the better, we still have high hopes to witness a great shift in our environment and surrounding; one that is unlikely and maybe even impossible, yet hope is a human nature that one cannot stop willingly … even those who are pessimistic or depressed, it is a myth that lost all hope because they still hope for something to give … an ending … a closure … anything!!!

I am sitting here and thinking about how this human characteristic is actually controlling us … at least subconsciously, otherwise; why do we keep doing the things that we do???

They say that if you want to change something, begin with yourself, but here is the thing, what if you did? what if you changed and tried to affect others and induce this change but it wasn’t enough? and it never is??? What now? Keep on going with the change or just go back to the old way that seems the norm where everyone else is concerned? What now?

For example; I really hate it when drivers cut in front of you at a traffic light, blocking the left lane altogether just to make it to the beginning of the line, and then maneuver to cut in front of you so that they don’t hit the island in the middle and you have to get out of the way … he is more important than you, his time is more valuable, he is more skillful than you and you have to live with that … it does not really matter if you are following every rule and law and going by the book, because those who don’t get to do that to you and piss you off and just drive away .. and if you don’t like it … that is your problem!!

You might argue that this has been the case for ever and that I should be used to it by now, but you see, I keep asking myself, why should I accept this? what changed that I cannot even tolerate these things any more? is this a part of growing older? or am I just becoming intolerant? maybe it is me!! or maybe I need a major change in my life to make it worth while because right now, I don’t really see the point of it!!

WHO CARES????

It is not a surprise nor is it a shock to expect violations from valet parking personnel such as taking something from your car (which the valet company is NOT responsible for) or they can take a ride in your car (unless you know the reading on your gas meter and your mileage meter … seriously, how would you know??)

We have seen this happen in movies all too many times, but it is happening right at home dear folks … yes; you heard that right: valet parking is the newest way for car theft in Amman!!

It happened to my sister’s friend … she was going to this store in Sweifieh where they have valet parking service and as usual; she handed her car to this gentlemen dressed in a uniform and he even gave her a number for her car. Not suspecting anything; she went in the store and continued her trip as she planned it; what she did not plan or anticipate was that she would not find her very expensive car when she went out because the guy simply took it and run!!!

Seriously now; do you remember the face of the guy who takes your car to park it for you? Would you be able to describe him to the police if needed? Do you even look at the guy’s face to begin with?

Come to think of it; we have become victims to our own convictions that this is a safe service just because it is provided by reputable institutions and we never question the possibility that something bad might happen … we do not double check if the person taking our car is actually a part of the crew hired for that specific job … I mean when we go to crowded places like Mecca Mall for example; more often than not, you are required to wait till one of the valet personnel is available to take your car because they are busy running around to park or bring other cars, so hypothetically speaking; anyone can come to you and pretend he is one of the crew and take your car and run away!!!

The VIP service is turning out to be not so VIP after all and that we should not feel so privileged as we willingly hand over our cars to some stranger to park it right next to where we can park it ourselves!!!

On another note; if and when a car is stolen by impersonating a valet personnel, what is the liability of the valet company or the institution providing the service?? Should they be legally liable? Do they even check the backgrounds of the personnel doing this job before hiring them? What precautions can we take into consideration as we go for this service?

I say we park our cars on our own even if takes more time and more distance to do so because I bet it does not feel good to lose your car in such a humiliating manner.

I quote Greg Gagliardi in his article: Valet Parking: Theft with Consent

“That’s right — valet parking is the one time when we are basically telling a stranger, “Go ahead, steal my car. I trust that it’ll be here later.” And sure, virtually 100% of the time it is. But what about that 0% of the time when your car just isn’t there and that valet parker turns out to be a person who knows how to find the appropriate attire online? Furthermore, what is the guarantee that your stuff inside the car will still be there? This is a time period when the valet can do anything he wants with your car — change the radio station, eat your food, kill your friend still sitting in the passenger seat — so we need to think more carefully about why we continue to utilize this system…” [Source…]

So, valet parking anyone???

Or is it that Gaza is now drowning in darkness, cold, hunger and despair???

Sometimes there aren’t enough words to describe what we are witnessing and what the news keep shoving down our throats every morning till we reached a point that nothing surprises us anymore, but what is happening in Gaza comes as a shock that leaves the majority of us speechless and helpless …

In a time and life that human rights are becoming a major factor in how societies are governed … in a world that the international community is judging the backward Middle East because of honor crimes, poverty, violence against women and primitive culture … the same community is standing still to watch as Gaza is being crucified and executed … it is cold and they don’t have heat … they are cut out from the rest of the world … and as well as they are dying by bullets and military attacks; they are also being killed by hunger and cold …

I choose to raise my voice to say STOP … ENOUGH … Life is not a game and just because they reside in Gaza … it does not make their lives of any less value than any other human in any part of the world …

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???