[[BEING TWENTY - SOMETHING]]
They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.
You look at your job... and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure.
You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person.
One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot don't seem as fun. You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!
What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
being twenty something....
though am not great fond of forwarding emails... but this one is actually good... I truely can relate to it... being... at excatly my mid twenties... =|
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Art and Culture in Jordan
As a fresh person to the arty world, I’ve always heard criticism related to the art and culture movement in Jordan. I thought it to be severely true… but as I got introduced to more Jordanian artists I began to feel that the picture wasn’t gloomy as people portrait it…
To start up with literature… one of the types that Jordanians are known for are the art of writing short stories…
No one can argue about the beauty of novels where a person leave her/his place and go to another world… where she/he become part of a story that somehow must’ve happened once upon a time… but… short stories has another charm related to it… it is highly conceptual… using less words to convey much more… condensed images… strong poetical phrases… quickly you read it and you are transformed… I believe that less is more… but more is more as well… so the difference is what is it more of?! And in that answer lays the magic of words in a short story… one of my favorite short stories Jordanian writers is Khalil Qandeel...
As for Architecture… though Amman is under massive changes which mostly are “junk architecture”, there is a couple of good architects who really respect their work and manage to stop the outside chaos from effecting their inside serenity… and still we can spot some masterpieces every once and awhile… among my favorite architects in Jordan are Sahel Hiari and Ammar Khammash...
Now moving into the visual arts… this is so hard for me to be impartial since working for a whole year in the faculty of Art and Design in the University of Jordan has introduced me to some of the good artists who became my work partners… however I must say that there is something in their lines, colors and compositions that struck me deeply… among my favorites are: HRH Princess Wijdan Ali, Dr. Ali Al-Goul whom I was privileged to be his student in my second year in Architecture Dep., and Hakim Jamain whom I was privileged to work closely with, he even tried to teach me some graphic art techniques. The list of visual artists goes on and on…
Finally coming to the audio art… and that’s where we hear the most of criticism, some would say that we don’t have [Arabically] recognized singers and performers. This for me is praise rather than censure. In the turbulence of commercially driven musical arts, Jordanians pause and give out the best. I should say that I’m not yet well exposed to what is going in this field in Jordan but I still have two favorites whom I always listen to their soul touching music with the originality of the melodies, the softness of the instruments and vocals and the conceptual realization of music as a universal language. These are: Rum, and Nawzen Elia Khoury.
So… the art and culture movement in Jordan is very promising… there is something different about it… Jordan was the stage for many events that took place and still is. And though Amman is relatively a new city it has inspired many to produce art objects that can only be described as masterpieces.
At a time where everything is driven by mass production… some Jordanian artists stand out and give us a single light that can last for a while…
To start up with literature… one of the types that Jordanians are known for are the art of writing short stories…
No one can argue about the beauty of novels where a person leave her/his place and go to another world… where she/he become part of a story that somehow must’ve happened once upon a time… but… short stories has another charm related to it… it is highly conceptual… using less words to convey much more… condensed images… strong poetical phrases… quickly you read it and you are transformed… I believe that less is more… but more is more as well… so the difference is what is it more of?! And in that answer lays the magic of words in a short story… one of my favorite short stories Jordanian writers is Khalil Qandeel...
As for Architecture… though Amman is under massive changes which mostly are “junk architecture”, there is a couple of good architects who really respect their work and manage to stop the outside chaos from effecting their inside serenity… and still we can spot some masterpieces every once and awhile… among my favorite architects in Jordan are Sahel Hiari and Ammar Khammash...
Now moving into the visual arts… this is so hard for me to be impartial since working for a whole year in the faculty of Art and Design in the University of Jordan has introduced me to some of the good artists who became my work partners… however I must say that there is something in their lines, colors and compositions that struck me deeply… among my favorites are: HRH Princess Wijdan Ali, Dr. Ali Al-Goul whom I was privileged to be his student in my second year in Architecture Dep., and Hakim Jamain whom I was privileged to work closely with, he even tried to teach me some graphic art techniques. The list of visual artists goes on and on…
Finally coming to the audio art… and that’s where we hear the most of criticism, some would say that we don’t have [Arabically] recognized singers and performers. This for me is praise rather than censure. In the turbulence of commercially driven musical arts, Jordanians pause and give out the best. I should say that I’m not yet well exposed to what is going in this field in Jordan but I still have two favorites whom I always listen to their soul touching music with the originality of the melodies, the softness of the instruments and vocals and the conceptual realization of music as a universal language. These are: Rum, and Nawzen Elia Khoury.
So… the art and culture movement in Jordan is very promising… there is something different about it… Jordan was the stage for many events that took place and still is. And though Amman is relatively a new city it has inspired many to produce art objects that can only be described as masterpieces.
At a time where everything is driven by mass production… some Jordanian artists stand out and give us a single light that can last for a while…
Thursday, April 27, 2006
me... and mona's camera!
My high school friend Mona came to visit me all the way from Amman to Edinburgh for a couple of weeks… it was the time of our lives… we had so much fun… and well... For a change I was myself an object to the camera lens… here are some pictures that Mona took of me without me knowing…
Mona dear… you are already missed here…
Mona dear… you are already missed here…
Monday, April 24, 2006
24/4.... when memories collide...
trnaslation:
"In the cold days / in winter / when the sidewalk is a lake / and the street is drowned / this girl has come / from her old house to await him.
He who had told her to wait / but he has gone away / and forgotten / and she withers away / in winter."
lyrics and translation courtesy of the lavent
more about the picture here...
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Evening of Inspiration
Last night was the evening of Inspiration 2006/ Glasgow… a charitable event held by the great people in Islamic Relief…
The evening featured some good nasheed singers… like Native Deen from USA, Zain Bhikha from South Africa and Sami Yusuf from UK… with other performances by someone from Pakistan and “Tanoora” from Egypt…
The Evening was great… masha Allah… the idea of all these people gathering to celebrate and enjoy in a way they believe is [halal]…
Without going into so many details about this [for now]…
But there is some strength in the way… we all chant… “Allahu Allahu Allahu”… and “He was Mohammed… mercy to mankind…”
I’ve seen those young children… with their enthusiasm and love for fun… all chanting and singing… and I do believe that this a good alternative…
Native Deen… the rappers… their rap style… gets to the youth… and their lyrics are impressive with the same notion of how rappers sing about the street life… but those are discussing issues related to Muslim youth… who are living out there… trying to understand their identity… anyways… they are really good… masha Allah…
Zain Bhikha… well known for his sweet voice… his calm tone… and his spiritual lyrics… his style is more simple… and pure… but he never fails to uplift my spirits… masha Allah…
Sami yusuf… the new Muslim celeb… his voice and songs range between the spiritual and the pop… amazing lyrics… very up beats… I kindda like his style though sometimes I think it might be over-done…
But seeing his influence on the youth… insha Allah it is good…
Anyways… to feel the ceiling above you shaking from the sounds of the audience singing along is certainly empowering… masha Allah…
May Allah help those and the rest to make their intention pure and sincere for His sake… and may Allah bless those who try to make a good difference…
p.s. I have some videos but for the sake of helping people at Islamic Relief I’m not going to share it… but know that there is a coming DVD of this event so make sure to put your hands on it once out…
p.s. the tour is still on… make sure to check out the rest of the evenings in UK… Bradford… London… Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff…
The evening featured some good nasheed singers… like Native Deen from USA, Zain Bhikha from South Africa and Sami Yusuf from UK… with other performances by someone from Pakistan and “Tanoora” from Egypt…
The Evening was great… masha Allah… the idea of all these people gathering to celebrate and enjoy in a way they believe is [halal]…
Without going into so many details about this [for now]…
But there is some strength in the way… we all chant… “Allahu Allahu Allahu”… and “He was Mohammed… mercy to mankind…”
I’ve seen those young children… with their enthusiasm and love for fun… all chanting and singing… and I do believe that this a good alternative…
Native Deen… the rappers… their rap style… gets to the youth… and their lyrics are impressive with the same notion of how rappers sing about the street life… but those are discussing issues related to Muslim youth… who are living out there… trying to understand their identity… anyways… they are really good… masha Allah…
Zain Bhikha… well known for his sweet voice… his calm tone… and his spiritual lyrics… his style is more simple… and pure… but he never fails to uplift my spirits… masha Allah…
Sami yusuf… the new Muslim celeb… his voice and songs range between the spiritual and the pop… amazing lyrics… very up beats… I kindda like his style though sometimes I think it might be over-done…
But seeing his influence on the youth… insha Allah it is good…
Anyways… to feel the ceiling above you shaking from the sounds of the audience singing along is certainly empowering… masha Allah…
May Allah help those and the rest to make their intention pure and sincere for His sake… and may Allah bless those who try to make a good difference…
p.s. I have some videos but for the sake of helping people at Islamic Relief I’m not going to share it… but know that there is a coming DVD of this event so make sure to put your hands on it once out…
p.s. the tour is still on… make sure to check out the rest of the evenings in UK… Bradford… London… Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff…
Monday, April 10, 2006
[upon islamic culture] 786!!
The Islamic nasheed is getting more and more popular... and alot of the youth finds it as a good alternative for harmful music...
and some people are actually making good business out of it...
personally I like it... I really do feel that it is a good thing... and can help youth to form a sense of identity to something they are proud of...
one of the lovely new [bands] is 786... and this is one of thier videos...
good videoclip... soul touching lyrics... and a good melody... enjoy... and don't forget to make dua'a....
if you like to know more about other nasheed artists go to meem...
and some people are actually making good business out of it...
personally I like it... I really do feel that it is a good thing... and can help youth to form a sense of identity to something they are proud of...
one of the lovely new [bands] is 786... and this is one of thier videos...
good videoclip... soul touching lyrics... and a good melody... enjoy... and don't forget to make dua'a....
if you like to know more about other nasheed artists go to meem...
Sunday, April 09, 2006
not a memoir!
it seems that I'm still under the sad mood of death... and I don't feel like writing... so I searced in my old files... to find this email that I sent once to my friends... here you go... it was sent in 28-02-05...
[[I really admire him!!! I listen to him... he is saying something.... but what I hear is... find a notebook... not a memoir of your day... but of your life.... I know there is a difference.... I didn't tell him I had done that once upon a 5th year.... but... running to my home!!! To the place I once owned... and wiping dust of that small notebook... oh God... did I write this? Did that someone tell me that? My memory is foggy...
I went to that place…. And I knew reading… "Each eye has a tear… Each lip has a smile…. Each heart has a sigh…. Each face has a story… can't we read anymore??.......... downtown- Shabsoog str. – 29th / Nov. /2003" …
I used to talk with me… "–Say!! - What..? – Remember!! – Who..? – That day!! – When..? – That place!! – Where…? – I….!!! – What..? – Forget it!! - Why?!! - …… - ??!! ….. 103 hall arch. Dep. 29th / Nov. /2003"…
Sometimes… I met wisdom… "You don't loose patience if you always have something else to do!! … Internet lab, main library, 2nd / Dec. /2003"…
I was so strong at sometimes… "Why minding the jury when your concept is
"و قل اعملوا فسيرى الله عملكم و رسوله و المؤمنون" My studio, 17th /Dec. / 2003
Even when I was silent to others… "Oh Silence… my best friend why do you keep on hanging around me!! Always accompanying me!!................ Dr. Yasir office, 17th /Dec. /2003"
And I felt ecstasy at other times……" Glimpse at a place and a memory revive… no matter of the old feelings…. Ecstasy is reborn……….. Passing in front Dar al Omran, 21st /Dec. /2003"
Sometimes despite all the people around me… I chose talking to my old good friend… again… "-Today I buried a friend… -what friend?!....- just a bee… I met yesterday… I was crying and it lay dead on the window sill… I thought how merry it life would've been and how miserable my life was… I sank in my thoughts and forgot the bee… today… I was looking through the window when I glimpsed the bee… remembered yesterday and buried the bee!!... – how heartless you must be!................ during Ms. Leen lecture 21st /Dec. /2003
And wow… I was a good fighter… and a sarcastic too… "Get the Vibration on again!!....... home, 23rd /Dec. /2003
And never did I forget him… how can I??? "The moon is always there…. Lonesome and full… it is us that don't know how to see………….. Dakhlia circle, 28th /Dec. /2003"
How good it feels to know that… "Gotta do what you wanna do!.................. 5th year studio, 15th /Jan./2004"
Did I know it was the last time…. I don't think so…. But…. "Keep it hidden… keep it secret… ENCLOSE… then head to the end… successfully =>………………… Amman Arena, Amr khaled's lecture, 3rd /Mar. /2004"……….
Was I always holding into that notebook???? Why did I start??? Why did I end??? Maybe… it felt the right thing to do once… but… somehow… the right… seemed wrong… when the balance was disturbed…
I… I… made the choice… no… the two choices…
I… think am gonna make a new choice… now…]]
It's really weird to read my thoughts and feelings back then... shows how much we change... how much we grow... and how different we are from what we were... subhan Allah....
[[I really admire him!!! I listen to him... he is saying something.... but what I hear is... find a notebook... not a memoir of your day... but of your life.... I know there is a difference.... I didn't tell him I had done that once upon a 5th year.... but... running to my home!!! To the place I once owned... and wiping dust of that small notebook... oh God... did I write this? Did that someone tell me that? My memory is foggy...
I went to that place…. And I knew reading… "Each eye has a tear… Each lip has a smile…. Each heart has a sigh…. Each face has a story… can't we read anymore??.......... downtown- Shabsoog str. – 29th / Nov. /2003" …
I used to talk with me… "–Say!! - What..? – Remember!! – Who..? – That day!! – When..? – That place!! – Where…? – I….!!! – What..? – Forget it!! - Why?!! - …… - ??!! ….. 103 hall arch. Dep. 29th / Nov. /2003"…
Sometimes… I met wisdom… "You don't loose patience if you always have something else to do!! … Internet lab, main library, 2nd / Dec. /2003"…
I was so strong at sometimes… "Why minding the jury when your concept is
"و قل اعملوا فسيرى الله عملكم و رسوله و المؤمنون" My studio, 17th /Dec. / 2003
Even when I was silent to others… "Oh Silence… my best friend why do you keep on hanging around me!! Always accompanying me!!................ Dr. Yasir office, 17th /Dec. /2003"
And I felt ecstasy at other times……" Glimpse at a place and a memory revive… no matter of the old feelings…. Ecstasy is reborn……….. Passing in front Dar al Omran, 21st /Dec. /2003"
Sometimes despite all the people around me… I chose talking to my old good friend… again… "-Today I buried a friend… -what friend?!....- just a bee… I met yesterday… I was crying and it lay dead on the window sill… I thought how merry it life would've been and how miserable my life was… I sank in my thoughts and forgot the bee… today… I was looking through the window when I glimpsed the bee… remembered yesterday and buried the bee!!... – how heartless you must be!................ during Ms. Leen lecture 21st /Dec. /2003
And wow… I was a good fighter… and a sarcastic too… "Get the Vibration on again!!....... home, 23rd /Dec. /2003
And never did I forget him… how can I??? "The moon is always there…. Lonesome and full… it is us that don't know how to see………….. Dakhlia circle, 28th /Dec. /2003"
How good it feels to know that… "Gotta do what you wanna do!.................. 5th year studio, 15th /Jan./2004"
Did I know it was the last time…. I don't think so…. But…. "Keep it hidden… keep it secret… ENCLOSE… then head to the end… successfully =>………………… Amman Arena, Amr khaled's lecture, 3rd /Mar. /2004"……….
Was I always holding into that notebook???? Why did I start??? Why did I end??? Maybe… it felt the right thing to do once… but… somehow… the right… seemed wrong… when the balance was disturbed…
I… I… made the choice… no… the two choices…
I… think am gonna make a new choice… now…]]
It's really weird to read my thoughts and feelings back then... shows how much we change... how much we grow... and how different we are from what we were... subhan Allah....
Thursday, April 06, 2006
prayer...
We are always caught up in our own bubbles… we live as if we’ll live for ever… we plan and plan… and pursue our plans…
Sometimes we forget!... but those whom Allah love… He’ll remind them…
So death struck us… struck a family… struck a friend…
Now… we are forced… to stop… to pause this fast tempo… and reflect upon our lives…
Ya Allah… in front of You we stand humble… May You forgive us for our sins… for our arrogance… May You forgive us all dead and alive…
May Your Peace sweep our hearts cleaning us from within… May Your Noor [Light] brighten our days… and show us the beauty of life…
May You take our souls with You pleased from them… May you grant us Your mercy and forgiveness…
May You teach us more the value of life… May You guide us more to Your love…
To You we belong and to You we shall return…
In memory of: Farah [my far cousin, 14], Kamal [my family friend, 40s], Ahamd AbdAllah [my friend's father, 50s].
Sometimes we forget!... but those whom Allah love… He’ll remind them…
So death struck us… struck a family… struck a friend…
Now… we are forced… to stop… to pause this fast tempo… and reflect upon our lives…
Ya Allah… in front of You we stand humble… May You forgive us for our sins… for our arrogance… May You forgive us all dead and alive…
May Your Peace sweep our hearts cleaning us from within… May Your Noor [Light] brighten our days… and show us the beauty of life…
May You take our souls with You pleased from them… May you grant us Your mercy and forgiveness…
May You teach us more the value of life… May You guide us more to Your love…
To You we belong and to You we shall return…
In memory of: Farah [my far cousin, 14], Kamal [my family friend, 40s], Ahamd AbdAllah [my friend's father, 50s].
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Dundee... a city of discovery!
Yesterday I went on a trip to Dundee… a Scottish city up to the north… and it was amazing…
I went there to attend a Fair about the Games industry in Scotland… the fair was good… but I spent more time wandering about the city than attending the fair…
Anyways…
The city is relatively small… not very dense nor diverse compared to Edinburgh… but still it has its own charm… for a starter it is quieter… and you have fewer cars… which allows more pedestrian movement… and in the city center… there is actually no cars… but people walking… and I loved that!!
Dundee has a waterfront riverside… the Tay River… and as I arrived a domed building struck my eyes… [I have to]… which turned out to be “discovery point” an exhibition to commemorate the famous expedition ship to Antarctica “Discovery” which was built in Dundee…
I went to there… and it is a worth-going place… the funniest time was when you are aboard the ship and you are free to wander about… I really felt like Captain Jack Sparrow… =) [courtesy of Pirates of the Caribbean]…
Beside that… I walked and walked… and further walked…
The city is great… it was a good time for me… Alhamdullilah rab ala’ameen…
I went there to attend a Fair about the Games industry in Scotland… the fair was good… but I spent more time wandering about the city than attending the fair…
Anyways…
The city is relatively small… not very dense nor diverse compared to Edinburgh… but still it has its own charm… for a starter it is quieter… and you have fewer cars… which allows more pedestrian movement… and in the city center… there is actually no cars… but people walking… and I loved that!!
Dundee has a waterfront riverside… the Tay River… and as I arrived a domed building struck my eyes… [I have to]… which turned out to be “discovery point” an exhibition to commemorate the famous expedition ship to Antarctica “Discovery” which was built in Dundee…
I went to there… and it is a worth-going place… the funniest time was when you are aboard the ship and you are free to wander about… I really felt like Captain Jack Sparrow… =) [courtesy of Pirates of the Caribbean]…
Beside that… I walked and walked… and further walked…
The city is great… it was a good time for me… Alhamdullilah rab ala’ameen…
Thursday, March 30, 2006
dosta mi je Allah moj...
Once a upon a time
A friend adviced me that whenever I feel sad or confused to read surat Yusuf [12] from the Holy Quran…
This surat tells the story of the young Prophet Yusuf [Joseph]… and his story rings a bell to a lot of young people… he went through so much of troubles… he was offered an easy way out [through the tempetations]… but he refused… he chose the hardest way… as long as it for Allah’s sake…
Each day we face a new challenge… a new test… [dosta mi je Allah moj] we are to stand up… to say no to compromising our own values… even if the cost is to loose everything we might had at a time… [dosta mi je Allah moj]….
And as we go more and more to that road… it might get darker… lonelier… but… [dosta mi je Allah moj]…
Prophet yusuf… never lost his hope… His father Jacob also didn’t loose his hope…
We all should never loose hope… even if the chances according to our limited minds are none… we shall not loose hope… because… Allah is our hope… and [dosta mi je Allah moj]…
there is a famouse nasheed by Zain bhikha named "Allah is enough for me" telling the story of Prophet Yusuf PBUH... to read the lyrics click here... to listen to it click here...
the same nasheed was sang in Bosnian... "dosta mi je Allah moj"... to read the lyrics click here... to listen to it click here...
A friend adviced me that whenever I feel sad or confused to read surat Yusuf [12] from the Holy Quran…
This surat tells the story of the young Prophet Yusuf [Joseph]… and his story rings a bell to a lot of young people… he went through so much of troubles… he was offered an easy way out [through the tempetations]… but he refused… he chose the hardest way… as long as it for Allah’s sake…
Each day we face a new challenge… a new test… [dosta mi je Allah moj] we are to stand up… to say no to compromising our own values… even if the cost is to loose everything we might had at a time… [dosta mi je Allah moj]….
And as we go more and more to that road… it might get darker… lonelier… but… [dosta mi je Allah moj]…
Prophet yusuf… never lost his hope… His father Jacob also didn’t loose his hope…
We all should never loose hope… even if the chances according to our limited minds are none… we shall not loose hope… because… Allah is our hope… and [dosta mi je Allah moj]…
there is a famouse nasheed by Zain bhikha named "Allah is enough for me" telling the story of Prophet Yusuf PBUH... to read the lyrics click here... to listen to it click here...
the same nasheed was sang in Bosnian... "dosta mi je Allah moj"... to read the lyrics click here... to listen to it click here...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
No Smoking!
Smoking is one of the worst habits I've ever known… because unlike other habits not only it affects the smokers but none smokers as well…
I think that it is a very selfish act… the smoker joyfully puffs off the smoke while the person next to him/her coughs his/her soul out!!!
So…
In Scotland [viva la Scotland]… they’ve put forward a law that would affect the life of the whole society by banning smoking in ALL public spaces and the law was put into action starting last Sunday 26th/March/2006…
I think it is a brilliant idea and I hope it will work out and give the people a chance to breathe the lovely fresh air of Scotland…
And I hope that this would set a good example to the rest of the world… to move forward to put an end to smoking once and for all…
To read more about the law click here…
To read more about it from NHS click here...
Sunday, March 26, 2006
About Architecture...
I love being an architect! It is one of the best things in me and I feel that when I studied architecture my whole personality changed!
There is some kind of charm in Architecture… a noble sense… I just love it…
A couple of weeks ago I saw a movie [My Architect] which was done by the illegitimate son of the famous Louis Kahn in his own pursue to know more about his father…
And I was astonished by how good architecture can change the shape of a society! One of Kahn’s projects is in the Capital of Bangladesh and hearing people’s opinion about the spaces created made me realize how architecture can transform life…
Unfortunately most of the architecture now especially in Jordan and the Gulf countries relies on the concept of building architecture to look at! And here where I think architecture cease to be architecture.
For me architecture is the mystical interaction between oneself and the space around! It is the light… the sound… the appreciation of existence…
Architecture is the stage where events aren’t imposed but spontaneously performed…
Architecture is the good sense of the built environment enveloping environment…
Anyways…
Here are some quotes about Architecture:
There is some kind of charm in Architecture… a noble sense… I just love it…
A couple of weeks ago I saw a movie [My Architect] which was done by the illegitimate son of the famous Louis Kahn in his own pursue to know more about his father…
And I was astonished by how good architecture can change the shape of a society! One of Kahn’s projects is in the Capital of Bangladesh and hearing people’s opinion about the spaces created made me realize how architecture can transform life…
Unfortunately most of the architecture now especially in Jordan and the Gulf countries relies on the concept of building architecture to look at! And here where I think architecture cease to be architecture.
For me architecture is the mystical interaction between oneself and the space around! It is the light… the sound… the appreciation of existence…
Architecture is the stage where events aren’t imposed but spontaneously performed…
Architecture is the good sense of the built environment enveloping environment…
Anyways…
Here are some quotes about Architecture:
[[ARCHITECTURE is an act of design, which creates space and structure for human activity and establishes a poetic dialogue between the built domain and its inhabitants. Architecture serves as a durable contextual symbol of the lives of a people, their spirit and aspirations, and their history]] anonymous to me
[[Maybe, architecture doesn’t have to be stupid after all. Liberated from the obligation to construct, it can become a way of thinking about anything – a discipline that represents relationships, proportions, connections, effects, the diagram of everything]] Rem Koolhaas
[[I call architecture frozen music]] Goethe
Monday, March 20, 2006
It's Women's Week!
here is a quick reminder of Muslim Women Week which is this week! click on the posters for more details...
Sunday, March 19, 2006
strolling in a graveyard
A couple of weeks ago… I had a friend coming over for the weekend… and once she realized that I have a graveyard just across the street… she decided that we should take a stroll there…
I’ve been into many graveyards in Edinburgh… they are ancient… they are quite… they seemed like a poem written ages ago…
There is this serenity that befalls the heart once you are in there… a kind of respect for those lying underneath… a frighten shiver down one’s spine… one day… sooner or later… I’ll be the one under and some one else would be above [The ground]…
And in there… in that busy full place where only stones and trees meet the eyes… words of reflection come to the mind… teaching us yet another lesson…
I’ve been into many graveyards in Edinburgh… they are ancient… they are quite… they seemed like a poem written ages ago…
There is this serenity that befalls the heart once you are in there… a kind of respect for those lying underneath… a frighten shiver down one’s spine… one day… sooner or later… I’ll be the one under and some one else would be above [The ground]…
And in there… in that busy full place where only stones and trees meet the eyes… words of reflection come to the mind… teaching us yet another lesson…
[[The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you, Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die). Nay! You shall come to know! Again nay! You shall come to know! Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have been occupied yourselves in worldly things). Verily, you shall see the blazing Fire (Hell)! And again, you shall see it with certainty of sight! Then on that Day you shall be asked about the delights (you indulged in, in this world)!]] 102:1-8 Holy Quran
[[REQUIEM
Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me;
"Here he lies where he longed to be,
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill."
Robert Louis Stevenson]]
Thursday, March 16, 2006
[upon a book] The Kite Runner...
Around a year ago I read one of the great novels I ever read… it is called “The Kite Runner” whose author is an Afghani Writer named Khaled Hosseini… this novel wasn’t translated it was originally written in English…
I wrote to my friends reflecting upon the story…
[[
Yesterday... I cried from my heart at this little incident that took place in the story... a story that can be happening to many people... a story not that far from me... or you... subhan Allah... how you can relate to someone totally stranger... I guess it is words' magic.... ya Allah...
The hero of the novel was reflecting upon something in his life that didn't happen as much as he wanted it to...
it is just amazing what faith do to you... one moment... you are so down... hating everything and everyone… but suddenly... the word of Allah comes to your heart and makes you feel peace... because when you are with Him... He is with you... Alhamdullilah...
Maybe we are all kite runners... we all run toward our destiny... and when we are there... our lives are changed for ever...
]]
[[
In the beginning like anyone starting to run... you put this pre-conceived notion of your last destination... but not a clear one... because in your course of running no one can tell what might happen....
]]
[[
It seems to me that I had in my subconscious known that it might hold no clear ending at all...
The author leaves the rest of his life to your imagination... and that is so right... because no one can point out a single event where his life turns to be good for ever more like in the old good fairy tales... but he gave you this hope!!! Hope that things can be good again... that life can offer you more and more goodness by each day... as we run to catch our kites...
]]
Apparently this novel is in the process of being adapted into a movie… umm… nothing can defeat the written words for me!!... anyways… I’m excited to see it…
I wrote to my friends reflecting upon the story…
[[
Yesterday... I cried from my heart at this little incident that took place in the story... a story that can be happening to many people... a story not that far from me... or you... subhan Allah... how you can relate to someone totally stranger... I guess it is words' magic.... ya Allah...
The hero of the novel was reflecting upon something in his life that didn't happen as much as he wanted it to...
“it wasn't meant to be... or maybe it was meant not to be"... simple twist... in a simple fact.... imagine if you can apply this to the so many things that you wished for but didn't get... ya Allah... of all these things... I can point out one thing... I wanted the most... but ... it was meant not to be... suddenly I feel more goodness sweeping into my life... Alhamdullilah...
it is just amazing what faith do to you... one moment... you are so down... hating everything and everyone… but suddenly... the word of Allah comes to your heart and makes you feel peace... because when you are with Him... He is with you... Alhamdullilah...
Maybe we are all kite runners... we all run toward our destiny... and when we are there... our lives are changed for ever...
]]
[[
In the beginning like anyone starting to run... you put this pre-conceived notion of your last destination... but not a clear one... because in your course of running no one can tell what might happen....
“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it, because the past claws its way our. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years."
]]
[[
It seems to me that I had in my subconscious known that it might hold no clear ending at all...
"Life is not a Hindi movie... life goes on..."
The author leaves the rest of his life to your imagination... and that is so right... because no one can point out a single event where his life turns to be good for ever more like in the old good fairy tales... but he gave you this hope!!! Hope that things can be good again... that life can offer you more and more goodness by each day... as we run to catch our kites...
]]
Apparently this novel is in the process of being adapted into a movie… umm… nothing can defeat the written words for me!!... anyways… I’m excited to see it…
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The Glorious Recital [video]!
so this is the video I promised about the Glorious Recital...
please don't mind the low quality of the video... that's the best my humble cam can do!...
enjoy...
please don't mind the low quality of the video... that's the best my humble cam can do!...
enjoy...
Monday, March 13, 2006
The Spring Wind...
Last Saturday I went to a haiku reading and writing workshop!
What I love most about haiku is the minimalist touch… you have to use less and less words to describe a concrete image… not like other kind of poetry… haiku don’t rely much on metaphors and poetical words… rather it describes a scene or draw an image… with less words as possible… yet somehow it puts you in a totally different poetical mood…
I guess the concept of less is more [Sandy my girl] is quite charming in itself… I totally loved it…
And guess what… I had to write my first haiku! =) well we were asked to write a haiku about the spring! And we had a nice walk around the botanic gardens… a rich place for inspiration… of course I couldn’t resist the temptation of using my cam to [haiku] a new type of poetry!
So here it goes… my first haiku…
[[
The silent grey sky
Showers soft rain
Glossy buds
]]
And to get you more in the mood here is other haikus
This workshop is part of the Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace Festival… and took place in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
What I love most about haiku is the minimalist touch… you have to use less and less words to describe a concrete image… not like other kind of poetry… haiku don’t rely much on metaphors and poetical words… rather it describes a scene or draw an image… with less words as possible… yet somehow it puts you in a totally different poetical mood…
I guess the concept of less is more [Sandy my girl] is quite charming in itself… I totally loved it…
And guess what… I had to write my first haiku! =) well we were asked to write a haiku about the spring! And we had a nice walk around the botanic gardens… a rich place for inspiration… of course I couldn’t resist the temptation of using my cam to [haiku] a new type of poetry!
So here it goes… my first haiku…
[[
The silent grey sky
Showers soft rain
Glossy buds
]]
And to get you more in the mood here is other haikus
[[working at it
and working at it
and still the tall grass grows]] Santoka translated by Cid Corman
[[Outside the station,
tree dense with green oranges.
I put down my case.]] Tobias Hill
This workshop is part of the Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace Festival… and took place in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Paradise now…
A brave attempt to portrait the true face of what goes in Palestine…
Last night I watched the movie “Paradise Now” which is a Palestinian movie telling a story about two brave ordinary guys who couldn’t take [it] any more…
The movie is beautifully done… the storyline is interesting… and the ending is very clever…
What amazes me is that this movie actually was nominated for this year Oscar for best foreign movie… but it didn’t win… anyways… it is great that such a movie is nominated…
The actors and the setting revived a sense of belonging I thought I don’t have… their accents… their houses… their cloths… it was all somehow like a forgotten grandma’s story she must’ve once told us…
It really brought tears to my eyes…
Well done to all those who made this movie a reality…
I loved it…
more about the movie... the nomination... contraversies... click here...
Last night I watched the movie “Paradise Now” which is a Palestinian movie telling a story about two brave ordinary guys who couldn’t take [it] any more…
The movie is beautifully done… the storyline is interesting… and the ending is very clever…
What amazes me is that this movie actually was nominated for this year Oscar for best foreign movie… but it didn’t win… anyways… it is great that such a movie is nominated…
The actors and the setting revived a sense of belonging I thought I don’t have… their accents… their houses… their cloths… it was all somehow like a forgotten grandma’s story she must’ve once told us…
It really brought tears to my eyes…
Well done to all those who made this movie a reality…
I loved it…
more about the movie... the nomination... contraversies... click here...
Saturday, March 11, 2006
The Glorious Recital [done]!
Alhamdullilah rab al3alameen
Yesterday was the Glorious Recital event in Edinburgh…
A night to remember… were pure hearts had gathered to feel the beauty of the art of reciting Quran…
It was a very enriching empowering experience for me… the voices of the reciters were beautiful and the idea of having English translations of the meanings is smart and helps a lot to get people in the right mode of understanding and interaction…
The Quran is the word of Allah… and you can feel His words coming straight through to your heart… helping you to know yourself better… to love your Lord more and to appreciate and respect the whole of creation.
The theme of the night was “God and Creation”… the reciters read in various chapters of the Quran like 3 [Aal Imran], 6 [Al-Anaam], 24 [An-Noor], 42 Ash-Shura’a], 50 [Qaf], and 103 [Al-Asr]. The verses were well selected to tell us more about God and His attributes as well as His creation of the world and humans… the verses also spoke of the art of reflecting upon the world around us… thinking about the magnificence of God… the Signs of the One hand that created everything…
Subhan Allah… praise be to Him who created us from nothing… and honored us by knowing Him and worshipping Him as He pleases… May He guide on the Straight Path and abide us by the word of taqwa… Ameen…
It was a well organized event! I applaud to the guys and girls of ISOC-Ed. A great respect to the reciters; Sh. Syed Hasan Bokhari, Sh. Muhammad Rif'at, Jamil Rahman, and Suhaib Saeed , also many thanks to the people in Quranica and MESP.
a short video of the event will be uploaded soon....
Yesterday was the Glorious Recital event in Edinburgh…
A night to remember… were pure hearts had gathered to feel the beauty of the art of reciting Quran…
It was a very enriching empowering experience for me… the voices of the reciters were beautiful and the idea of having English translations of the meanings is smart and helps a lot to get people in the right mode of understanding and interaction…
The Quran is the word of Allah… and you can feel His words coming straight through to your heart… helping you to know yourself better… to love your Lord more and to appreciate and respect the whole of creation.
The theme of the night was “God and Creation”… the reciters read in various chapters of the Quran like 3 [Aal Imran], 6 [Al-Anaam], 24 [An-Noor], 42 Ash-Shura’a], 50 [Qaf], and 103 [Al-Asr]. The verses were well selected to tell us more about God and His attributes as well as His creation of the world and humans… the verses also spoke of the art of reflecting upon the world around us… thinking about the magnificence of God… the Signs of the One hand that created everything…
Subhan Allah… praise be to Him who created us from nothing… and honored us by knowing Him and worshipping Him as He pleases… May He guide on the Straight Path and abide us by the word of taqwa… Ameen…
It was a well organized event! I applaud to the guys and girls of ISOC-Ed. A great respect to the reciters; Sh. Syed Hasan Bokhari, Sh. Muhammad Rif'at, Jamil Rahman, and Suhaib Saeed , also many thanks to the people in Quranica and MESP.
a short video of the event will be uploaded soon....
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