The Most Memorable Movies' scenes.

And that's according to myself...

The Most Uplifting Scene:

The blind man scene from Amelie'



This scene shows how small details in life can make you feel happy. The music plays a major part in making this the happiest scene in movies...

The Most Romantic Scene:

The proposal scene from Forrest Gump



The way Forrest express his love to Jenny, with no pretentiousness... knowing she doesn't feel the same way... how he is heart broken and go to stand outside... is just so romantic for me...

The Most Heart-Breaking Scene:

Loosing Wilson from Cast Away



Needless to say that Tom Hanks is one of my top favorite actors of all times. In this scene he cries after loosing his imaginary friend embodied in the ball "Wilson".... This scene depicts the fragility of the human heart and how we always need to make emotional connections to survive even if with a ball... 
I cry every time I see this scene....

The Most Horrific Scene:

Accident scene from One Day



Though I read the Novel and I knew the ending... when I saw this I was horrified like never in my life... I think the scene is very graphical and very very disturbing.

The Most Terrifiying Scene:

The ending scene from The Blair Witch Project

Watch Clip on YouTube
"embedding is disabled for all the clips I found"

The whole movie is so scary simply because we don't know what we are scared of. The rawness of the fear of these boys is what makes you scared. And I remember when I saw the last scene I just wanted to cry out of fear... especially when we see that other guy standing facing the wall.... and till now I don't know why is it so scary. I just know it is the most terrifying scene ever!!!

What about you? What's your most memorable scenes? 

Rest in Peace Steve Jobs

[[Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.]] Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford Commencement Address.

TASmania! Ch.2: The Tasman Peninsula

Picking up from where I stopped the other time...
After spending some time in Hobart... we headed further south to the Tasman Peninsula...

We had the keys to a friend's shack at Eaglehawck Neck...  by the time we reached there it was late in the evening... and for the first time in my life I had spotted wallabies which ended up hopping towards me and freaking me out...



The morning after we started exploring the area around... we drove to the Tasman Arch which has a stunning view to the Ocean...



And the ever steep Devil's Kitchen... I wonder what was he cooking down there...



Trying to find some fossils at the Fossil Bay...





And looking at the blowhole... though it had no sound, only a bad breathe...



We kept driving to Port Arthur and though we made it to the site... we decided not to venture going inside. Port Arthur has a major role in the History of Australia. This was a convict settlement in the 1800s where British and Irish convicts were brought here. The site is heavy with memories as another tragedy took place in 1996 when 35 people were killed in what is know known as Port Arthur Massacre.




* Image by the Hubby

Along our drives... we came by a nice white beach... simply beautiful... a beach no famous but for those lucky enough to live nearby...





We drove by many small towns... and had fish and chips at a local place in Nubeena where instantly we felt we were the strangers and the new faces of the day for the locals eating and working there...



We visited Maingon Bay...





where you can see the special rock formation on the outside wall of Remarkable Cave



before you actually go inside the cave to take an insider look at how the ocean can deeply kiss the earth...



We reached further down to the Coal Mines Historic Site and walked there until the sunset. This site is full of memories too where convicts were used as cheap labors to dig out coals. Many lives had vanished on that site.



After that we drove back to Eaglehawk Neck finishing up the whole road circuit in the Peninsula.



Next day we managed an early visit to the Tessellated Pavements... a marvelous work of time and pressure... nature being sculpted in the most precise geometrical forms I've seen in nature.







And then we headed back up to Hobart....  before our next drive up North along the east coast....

Chapter III: The East Coast

to be continued...

Happy Eid

From super devoika to all the Muslims around the globe... with love... Enjoy your sweets... =)

TASmania! Ch.1: Hobart for the first time

Awhile ago I went backpacking to Tasmania with my husband.. I found myself stepping back to a time and a place of utter childhood happiness and serenity...
It was a journey of exploration... experiencing new things and living in a fairy land...
While there you become oblivious, just like the land is, of what is happening out in the ugly rest of the world...
Without a mobile coverage or Internet access... My only connection was with the beauty... that has been always there... waiting to be seen... and yearning to be admired...

During the short time we stayed there... we spend a couple of days in Hobart with our friends... then we head down south to the Tasman Peninsula... and afterwards we explored the east coast reaching to St. Helens... then we went back to Hobart but this time we drove inland...
I'll try to share my experience with you... hoping that one day... you can experience it too...

------------------------
Chapter I: Hobart for the first time...

After having our flight cancelled due to the ash cloud... we found ourselves on another plane three days later... and in two hours... I saw Tasmania for the first time... and yes it was love from the first sight...
We got picked up by a friend from the airport... who took us on a drive around the city before reaching his house and resting for a while...
We arrived in Hobart on a Saturday... Saturday in Hobart for a newcomer means one thing; Salamanca Market... 
You can find many things in the market... fresh fruits... leatherwood honey... Crafts of every sort... alternative clothing... live performances... hand made stuff... homemade food... and the famous man calling out [Applllllles]...













I didn't walk around that much because the plan was to pay another visit to the market on the following Saturday...

After that, we walked around the city... the houses there are different than in Sydney... you feel that you are in the countryside... the settings are much relaxed...



The city is hilly... and in that way... most of the houses face the Derwent River...



First day finished with me well pleased with Hobart...




First sunrise in Hobart was amazing..



On Sunday you have another market... the farmers' market... we went there just to look at the fresh veggies and fruits...


image by the Hubby....

Apples are very famous in Tasmania... in one of the stalls... a man was selling appleccino... a yummy spicy hot fresh apple juice...





And then we were recommended to try the sushi stall... with the Tasman wasabi...





After that we explored different parts of the city...



We visited some friends... before heading off to our first stop at Eaglehawk Neck...

I have to say... I was pleased with Hobart... and its different air and feeling...

Chapter II:  The Tasman Peninsula...

......... to be continued

Dancing in Public!

I love when people claim back their public spaces. People should be able to do things collectively and on an urban scale!!

That's why when I first saw the video of Lebanese dancing Dabkeh at the Airport I got so excited...



But then I saw various videos of Jordanians dancing whatever styles in the mall... and I thought [Seriously...!?]. For many reasons it just looked meaningless and shallow to me...



Don't get me wrong! There is nothing wrong in wanting to dance! But in a country or in an area where we have so many causes to take... so many issues to address... why would we choose to dance on Lady Gaga's songs!!!?

Of a late, there has been many flash mobs and flash dances organized by BDS Movement... I saw videos of that happening in the US and in Australia....



You look at these people who have a strong stand about something they think is wrong and here they are standing by the Palestinians and against injustice... while we dance on Lady Gaga!!



I wish there will be a day when all the injustice in this world will be gone! When we have no problems at all... and we can rejoice and dance...
But until then... I have to sing along with these people if I ever feel the urge to dance in public...

Dear Muslims!

Dear Muslims... STOP defending yourselves...

You don't have to eat in McDonald's...
You don't have to wear Gucci sunglasses with your hijab...
You don't have to keep telling others that Islam comes from the word Salam meaning peace...
You don't have to brag about reading the whole Harry Potter collection... In English!!
You don't have to makes jokes about the wahabiees, the talibanees, the salfiees or whateverees...

You don't have to pretend being moderate to anyone's taste...

STOP trying so hard to impress... And please stop trying so hard to show that Islam and Modern lifestyle can come together...

You owe no one any explanations!!! If people are ignorant it's their problem not yours!!

Someone lives here | أحدهم يعيش هنا

قصاصة فيديو تجريبية... لا تبحث عن مكنونات المكان او وحي الزمان او اي من المفاهيم المفتعلة عن هواجس الانسان... هذا العمل تجريبي بحت...

An experimental video scarp... which don't deal with the metaphysics of place or the inspirations of time... not even any imposed concept about the layers of the human soul's concerns... this piece is purely experimental...

Fear and Advertising

Fear and Desire are the two essential incentives to make a person do or not do anything! Through playing around these two emotions you can sell whatever you want, whether it is a product, a behavior or a belief.
Of course in the entertainment business it is much more enjoyable to use the desire feeling. That's why when fear is used you tend to get goosebumps at least.
Fear is a very strong emotion and when deployed right it can create a big incentive. But, fear of what?

Fear about health is probably the most important one. Humans tend to get very cautious when it comes to their health or their lives for that matter.
One really good example is this Australian anti-tan campaign which made me write this post to begin with.



Fear about your life or other people's lives is another one. And there is no better example that the whole Think! UK driving campaign. The Ads are very real and believable. You instantly put yourself in the people's shoes and you just think how can you avoid that in reality. Here is one of my favorite...




Another type of fear which works better if you are religious that is fear of God and of the End. Best example is MBC "Aqim Salatak" pro-praying campaign. The first ad was so intense they had to pull it off air quickly. The campaign started with [Pray before you die] slogan which later on changed to [Pray to have a better life]. So fear was substituted with desire.
This is an ad with fear...


And that's another ad with desire...



So what do you think? Is using fear in advertising a good call? or should we stick with desire and keep people happy in their little worlds?

Gooday Sydney! Good Day Change...

It has been a very long time since I blogged... so I feel like starting with [Asslam Alikum] to all the brave people in the Arab World... who have made me believe again in the power of the people... and the possibility of a change... my words fall short in front of the greatness of your efforts... may they be blessed... and may more change come your way... for the best from now on... Bless your souls you Arabs and Muslims there...

As for me... Australia has become my new home... and oh Boy! Sydney!!!! 
What better way of expressing how I feel than these photos that I will share with you... Hope you'll like them...

Much love and salam from super devoika from the down under... =)

Time for new keys

Now that I own nothing in Amman... I have given out all my keys... Nothing is left expect one thing...
Embrace my new future and start my new adventure...

This is the last post from super devoika in Amman... very soon I'll be leaving Amman to live in Sydney... and there I shall start a totally new life... New keys will reside in my old dear keys-chain...

Soon reflect upon will have a new flavor....

Till then... I bid all my faithful readers a warm goodbye...
Until we meet again... I wish you well ;-)

Fi Aman Allah

Where will our Higher Education System take us?

A question I have to ask after seeing a video of University students not knowing basic answers to basic questions... One girl thought Hungary is a planet in the space while another thought Berlusconi is a brand for modern cars tires!!! But when asked about Nancy Ajram... they just all knew the answer!!! And then I saw one of the many videos about the recent fight that took place at Jordan University... The University I graduated from and worked at for 3 years....
These two videos and my own experience after teaching at University level for almost 6 years I have to wonder about the efficiency of our Higher Education System...
I think that the problem has many dimensions playing at it and causing it...
One of the most important dimensions is our High School Education... as I quoted before in one of my posts... it seems that our Education system is based on established facts and information and to be a good student is to confine your thinking to these establishments... most of the information there are dull, old and irrelevant... Yet these information are what will take students to the next level of their education, their "Higher Education"...
Besides these textbooks, students are not encouraged to read... Reading is one of the greatest habits that most Arab countries lack... How can we solve this problem? I honestly don't know... I don't understand how can people live without reading? for me I was brought up to read and was encouraged by my dad's collection of books and my parents habits of reading.... and thus reading became a natural act..
But it is not reading that can only open up people's minds... getting into serious or dare I say intellectual talks with peers,  family and  friends is as influential... this has to lead me back to the educational institutions... how much are we allowed to question? Are there red lines that we shouldn't question? Shouldn't everything be tested to stand against reason? When we start thinking about everything around us and discussing these issues with others, our minds will start to expand... we will realize what intrigue us and try to find out more about that and here the books and reading enter...
Even better, now we have the Internet... sometimes I literally hold back my tears when I think about the magnitude of the Human Intellect that is laid before me... just a click away..  however this click seems to be a curse to most universities than a bless... 
Anyways back to my post...
So now... we have one dimensional students pursuing their higher education... most of these students didn't choose what they want to study but were forced by the way the system functions to study whatever major... How can they excel in what they are doing? Why would they be compelled to read and expand their minds?

What is to fill their minds? for no matter what... the mind has to be filled? Hence enter Nancy Ajram, et al...

Aside from that you have people who are given chances to enter into Universities based on other considerations which we all know about... some of these students would have extreme loyalty to their tribes and clans...

So... to sum things up...
You have one dimensional thinkers... non-readers... pop culture worshipers... forced paths followers... clans and tribes supporters... all forming the largest portion of our future generation... How can we then be surprised of the  videos above?

So what is the solution? What do you think ought to be done?
How can you recreate a whole generation?
I know that we have some bright people here and there... but these are not enough... there must be a way out of this... and I'm talking about massive change before our Higher Education System takes us any LOWER than now...