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...

Happy New Year!

This year has been different... That's all I can say...
And since I don't celebrate New Year... I'll just leave you with a great comment I received last year from one of the very few people I admire, Maverick... Hoping he won't object to that..

[[[ Mr Maverick Returns said...

Come on do not be party popper Tonight is New Year's Eve so it's going to be FUN you will be HAPPY. Maybe this year local councils will provide FUN POLICE, who have the authority to enter any premises where they suspect there's not enough fun and order everyone to wave their arms and take photos of each other's arses. This is what our society expect from us. They have stolen all our real celebration and given us some commercial surrogates to make their coffers richer and richer. But that is not enough they want to control our minds, we cannot think. That is so not permitted. They must rule on us. They have stolen our dreams but given us the green $1 bill. (f*** them) Just look at the average European country. We used to have a real Christmas with traditions rooted in pagan Rome (or earlier) then Byzantine Anatolia and in Catholic western culture....Father Christmas was basically a green man that brings gifts to the homes of the good children. We have lost it for the sake of Coca Cola. I do not give a toss if his dress green or red...but is the principle and the fact that slowly slowly Christmas has lost any kind of importance. Now is just important to buy useless stuff that will re thrown away or placed on eBay in less than 24 h. and the next day lets' all rush to he sale to buy more more and more! Where is the principle of Christmas gone??? Or what about Halloween ?? It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints, one of the most important Catholic day when live and death come very close. Again it has been stolen by some stupid american corporation as their national too stupid too think with their only brain cell dying of loneliness in an empty head but for sure fat with McDonald belly! now for hallowen we buy spiders, bat, masks, sweets, pumpkins, etc etc for a multi billions trade every year that has nothing to do with the real meaning of the traditional festivity. No matter what we celebrate Christmas at 50C in Australia with fake snow, in communist Bejing they must have found a similarity between the fake Father Christmas red jacket and the Communist flag and, Christmas trees are in the street of Cairo because obviously is the traditional Egyptian tree and I have been told that some fat Saudi is renting out next year the Kabba that he will cover it in red with reindeer and sledges for the two weeks ultimate Christmas grotto for the sake on some green dollars and possibly some new army contract. The very same for New years eve we must be happy becasue next year is going to be better this is the rule and we should buy buy and buy! We have all welcomed these changes because now we are glad to live in a secular society but when you have emptied a celebration of its meaning you have lost that celebration. Full stop. Now we can go on pretend to be happy, next year is going to be better, they told me on the TV and on the papers (it must be true) with our new shoes and my new leather jacket. Last year I was told my 2009 would have been great instead was crap...where should I go to get a refund?? Let’s drink more and more tonight is the night when you're not only allowed but encouraged to get drunk, even the Archbishop of Canterbury is saying so. This annual weirdness is supplemented by the fact that it comes so soon after our crazy Christmas. In every other culture from the Iron Age onwards, festivals involved the community going outwards and celebrating communally, but we do the opposite and turn everything towards isolation, we shut absolutely everything and sit indoors getting stuffed of food and brainless TV They created an expectation of perfect dinners and presents, that makes people feel a Christmas Police inspector will be round in the afternoon, to sit in the corner with a clipboard making notes about unsatisfactory mince pies. It is getting late...I must rush get changed wear my HAPPY mask and fill by glass ...now empty...before the Police inspectors come and knock at my door! Thanks God next year is going to be better.]]

Wishing you all who celebrate this a Happy New Year... Maverick where ever you are... Hope this year was good and the next will be better... =)

And lastly to My Mohammad...May this be the last New Year Eve where you are 9 hours ahead of me...

The Narratives* | 25

25

The palantír showed her the image...
The Future turned out to be something else...

Did the palantír lie? or didn't she know how to see...
Where did the girl inside the palantír disappear?


* The Narratives: stories, events, and scenes that happen[ed] inside and around my head…

Let me tell you something about the education system!

[[[
Scott: Let me tell you something about the education system.
Poppy: Oh, go on, then.
Scott: It produces left brain prisoners.
Scott: Do you know what that means?
Poppy: I do.

Scott: Well, I'll tell you. Our brain has two sides. The left brain and the right brain. The left brain... Keep going, keep going. The left brain is information, data.
It's dead. The right brain is individuality.
It's where the soul lies.
And the education system, it works like this -
"I will give you a world view. And if you repeat my world view, if you reconfirm my world view, you will pass your exams and you will go higher and higher and higher and you will become a policeman, a magistrate, a lawyer, a general, a politician, and you will be happy and you will succeed. But if you think for yourself, if you think outside of the box, then you will be unhappy and you will fail. "

That's how the education system works.
]]]]]


From Happy Go Luck movie...

To err is.... =)

Thought of You!

Once upon a pond...

I am who I am... because I was given iced blue glasses to look at ducks with love... and to understand what it means to be free...

For that... I will always be thankful...

100 Days of Solitude and Gratitude...

100 days are almost left before one of the biggest steps I'll ever take in my life..
A step that will make me leave my family, my friends, my job and my city... and for the rest of my life... leave my solitude....

My plan for these coming days is to [try to] cherish every moment of my solitary life and to be grateful for all the wonders and miracles my family, my friends, my job and my city had brought to my life..

Change is always good. And when you have a great [for-ever] companion waiting for you then the good becomes the best...

Happy Eid...

Tomorrow Most Muslims around the world will be celebrating their Eid... and for all of those who managed to live Ramadan truly... I say Happy Eid... and May you be showered with more of God's grace, love, peace and blessings...




And yeah... Enjoy the ma3mool season... =)

Ramadan 2010

More of these stunning photos here at the Boston Globe

hat tip to Shabana...

Eat, Pray, Love

Yesterday I finished reading in one of New York Times bestsellers novel! [Eat, Pray, Love]... Was I blown away by it? No. Is it a good book? Yes.
The novel is an autobiography of a woman who is searching for inner peace after going through an ugly divorce, a broken heart and so on... in her quest she goes to Italy to eat... to India to pray and to Indonesia to find balance [and fall in love]... The novel is based on the novelist [Elizabeth Gilbert] own true story.
There is a sense of humor in Gilbert's style which brings you closer to the characters and the story feels more true. Her depiction of the feelings that go inside her is authentic and you can feel her pain especially at the beginning of the novel [the part in Italy]...
But as we move to India and the stories about spirituality come flying in... her words feels exaggerated and at some points pretentious. I'm not a pure spiritual person yet I do believe in spirituality. Still the experiences she wrote about is hard for me to fathom as real. Also at this point she started to contradict herself I think because she was trying to exaggerate!!! So at some point she would say she had never understood how meditation is and how hard and impossible for her to feel anything but then she would tell you that once before she had an out-of-this-world experience with the Divine while mediating!! For me this was a bit confusing and unbelievable.
In the last part where she moves to Indonesia... she starts with a positive attitude toward the place and all of people and customs but then her American attitude creeps in and you start feeling that she is becoming a wee bit condensing... but this is how I felt and not necessarily true for all.
And of course the part where she falls in love is not very strong or convincing. 

This novel is going to be a movie soon... with Julia Roberts playing Gilbert. I wonder how the movie will be? Since the director will only choose what he thinks will appeal to the masses!

On a final note... today marks the beginning of the month of Ramadan for Muslims. So for those who fast during it... I wish you will eat, pray and love.... and may Peace and Blessings of the Divine sweep through your hearts and bring you more love and serenity.

تفاحة مكزوزة

قبل قليل كانت ابنت اختي مريم و البالغة من العمر سنتان و نصف تخبرنا بالتالي:
ماما راح تشتريلي كمبيوطل عليه تفاحة مكزوزة زي تاع اوسيله

=)