Shame

I don't know what to say...
But I'm really ashamed of myself and of my friends.
I left my Blog unattended and didn't add any posts in more than a month.
Of course, that's because I'm busy, and like everyone else, I have other priorities.
But I guess writing something from time to time could be (as I experienced myself) a way to put away the stress and express my feelings.
Well... I'll try.
No promises..
No commitments :-)
But, I'll try.

Ok... Welcome back... and Let the Wind Blow AGAIN!

Toronto... Here I am!

Here's an update of my trip...
After living out of a suitcase for some time, I'm settled (for now) in Toronto, Canada until the end of the month. It was a nice and exciting trip in the USA. Now life is back to normal between some work, some family visits and some sight seeing.

Stay tuned...

More to come :-)
.
.

Moving with the Wind

It's been a while I didn't post any updates.
I'm not being lazy.
I'm just on the move.

After being a local improvised travel agent for my Italian friend in Lebanon, it's my turn to be the tourist.
I'm currently in the United States for 10 days, visiting relatives and enjoying some vacation time.
After that I'll be in Canada for a month. Work and family visits and relax. I guess this will define this time that I'll spend in Toronto.

It's not always easy to find the time for the blog, althoug there are some interesting things to share. Hopefully, I'll post some news regularly.

All the best.

Travel Agent

An Italian friend of mine is visiting me these days. He arrived yesterday and will stay for a week.
I had to organize his visit, trying to make it possible to visit the most of our beautiful Country.
I have to become a travel agent for a week.

Anyway...
It's fun,
It's interesting: because it helps me discover my own country again.
and... of course, it's tiring.
But overall... I'm happy.
This friend is very dear.
He was like a mentor for me.

On the other hand... This means I'll be quite busy touring these days,
I might be too busy to update my blog.

Catch you later.

Democracy, Confusion and "Blind Followers"

Yesterday there was a long and tense day of partial elections in one district of Beirut and in Metn (Lebanon). People were called to vote for 2 deputies who will fill the seats vacated by 2 assassinated members of the Parliament.

The election day was preceded by an endless and fierce propaganda, accusations from each party to the other side, rallies, TV, radio and board Ads... Wherever you go, people would be talking (rather arguing) about politics, predictions, fears, rumors...

Anyway... Despite all the confusion, the day of elections came and went. Some people chose to vote, others hesitated and abstained. At the end of the day, the votes were cast. It was up to the voters to decide.
That's what democracy is all about!

But... we're in Lebanon. So things are not always what they seem.
Even democracy in Lebanon is a relative notion.
Often people are driven more by emotions than by logical thinking.
Some leaders may be more convincing than others, and that makes some people susceptible to change their minds easily if they liked one speech over the other.
Other people follow a leader blindly, never questioning his faults, errors or failures.
And, alas, some people's votes are "bought" or influenced by promises or similar bribes.
And many Lebanese voters will tell you that they're choosing a certain candidate, because his grand-father, his father or he himself did them a favor one time or another; no matter what are his values or allegiances!

On the other hand, Lebanese people are experts in complaining about their politicians, the lack of dedication to their voters. We always have wise opinions about how they should be, how they should behave and what they should do. But we seems to forget this when we're called to chose between the candidates. When we decide to cast our vote, often we are carried away by other reasons that don't always correspond to our previous lamentations and expectations.

Talking to some friends, I see that we might be able to make some changes in the near future. People are starting to see that the way we were used to couldn't be valid anymore to build a democratic country. We should be able to base our decisions more on a conscious reflection, logical planning and clear agendas...
We can't continue to be "Blind Followers".
Sooner or later, our politicians will be obliged to truly be at the service of their voters. Because if they don't, they'll be questioned and they won't be elected again.
We will learn that we all have a responsibility to work together in order to live freely and happily in our own and common country.

Yes... One day...

Talking or Blabbering

Meeting people, listening to them, making conversations... is quite a continuing discovery, an adventure or... alas, a total waste of time.

Sometimes, you have to struggle to barely make "small talks"...
Other times, it's fun to be with someone.
Well... We can't forget those times when you have to listen for nonsense blabbering.
But fortunately, there are occasions when it's a pleasure to have an exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings with a nice person.

So, what kind of conversation do we have when we meet someone?
Will we be remembered 2 minutes after?
Will the time spent be worth it?

I found a saying that expresses what I'm talking about in a formidable way:

Great Minds… discuss ideas
Average Minds… discuss events
Small Minds… discuss people

Harry Potter - The Finale

On July 21st 2007, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last book of the Harry Potter Series was released and the story came to an end. The book finally went on sale worldwide. It broke sales records becoming the fastest-selling book ever, selling more than eleven million copies in the first twenty-four hours following its release.

I read it. I enjoyed it. I recommend it.

The Deathly Hallows is an excellent end to an extraordinary series. The book ties together most of the loose ends in a satisfying fashion. I must say that J.K. Rowling is a very talented writer. The narration is thrilling. Like the previous six books of the series, it’s not easy to put down the book once you start reading it.

Even if you’ve never read a Harry Potter book before you’ll be able to follow this last chapter of the saga. The underlying plot is a battle of good versus evil and how we fight our devils, our confusions and insecurities - both external and internal.

The story draws young Harry Potter (about to turn 17) into an unavoidable final showdown with the evil Lord Voldemort. The future of the Magical and Muggle (non-magical person) worlds hangs is at stake.

Harry learns that to win over evil will require the ultimate sacrifice. His death. He learns that he will have to lay down his life so he could destroy the enemy. And he does of course. Through his sacrifice he comes back to life and he wins the final victory.

And... for those who are more into the seventh art, they could get a taste of "Harry Potter World" through the movie adaptations of the first 5 books. I liked them all. I watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix last week. Very well done and quite entertaining. I can’t wait when the remaining two books become a major motion picture, and especially the Deathly Hallows. At the same time, I always recommend to read the books even if you have seen the movies. The books are richer and full with much more details, hence more satisfying.

Thanks J.K. Rowling.

You made us dream, laugh and sometimes cry with those beautifully written seven books.

It was an exciting broomstick ride!

Take Time

Take Time to THINK
It is the source of power

Take time to PLAY
It is the secret of perpetual youth

Take time to READ
It is the fountain of wisdom

Take time to PRAY
It is the greatest power on earth

Take time to LOVE & be LOVED
It is the God-given privilege

Take time to be FRIENDLY
It is the road to happiness

Take time to LAUGH
It is the music of the soul

Take time to GIVE
It is too short a day to be selfish

Take time to WORK
It is the price of success.

N.B.: I didn't write this, a friend emailed it to me, I liked it and I wanted to share it. I hope you like it.

Away

I was away for a week with no access to the Internet. Therefore, my blog was left unattended ;-) Hopefully I'll start adding some posts soon.

Integrity Despite Hostility

Some bad experiences become obstacles in our journey in life.

Of course, when we notice that some people read us wrongfully, it hurts and it makes us sad.
For a sensitive person, offence, misjudgment, prejudice, deceit, hostile attitudes, intolerance, unkindness… represent a heavy burden to bear, and sometimes that leads to depression.

We just have to put the bad stuff behind us.
Get a grip
Get on with our life.

We’ve got to learn to distinguish between reputation and character.
Reputation is just other people’s opinion based on gossip and interpretation (rather mis-interpretations!).
None of us has any control over that.
But character and integrity, that’s something we can make a conscious effort to improve on throughout our lives.

We can’t let oursleves be distracted by what we can’t control.
Better concentrate on what we can accomplish.

We still have a lot to do.
A lot to give.

Grow Up... but Don't Grow Old!

"Grow up! You should be ashamed of yourself... you're still into this at your age?!"
I've heard this many times over the past years.
I've heard it again these past 2 days.

The reason?
I love cartoons and I still read and enjoy comics...
So yes, I'm guilty as charged, and I don't regret it.

Saturday evening, I watched Shrek the Third, the 3rd installment of this successful computer-animated series. I laughed a lot watching it. I loved the way it was animated. I admired the technology behind it. I enjoyed the humor and the performance of the actors lending their voices to the animated characters.

When I mentioned it,
some friends laughed;
others made fun of me, telling me that this is kids' stuff.
Some were joking;
others meant it.

This doesn't bother me anymore.
I like it and I don't hide it.

It's a way to relax, to have fun... away from the violence that invades our world.
It's a window to new worlds, new horizons, new fantasies...
It's a reminder that simple things could be fun.
It's for me a way to stay anchored to the innocence of my childhood.

Does this contradict being a grown-up?!

I can assure you:
I grew up... but I didn't grow old!

And I'm Happy about it.

Misfortunes Predicted

Poor Lebanon!

How long do you still have to suffer?!

We only aspire to peace.
While our politicians predict wars, civil disorder and large-scale misery, if the other factions don’t agree with them or accept their conditions!

We only dream of life, stability and prosperity.
Whereas rumors foresee trenches, underground tunnels, concealed weapons!

One year already since the war of July-August 2006.
And since then, Lebanon is undergoing a terrible crisis and is sinking in uncertainty.

The rulers of our Country, each barricading stubbornly in a corner, are in a constant need of Arabic and International mediations;
Because they can’t reach some common grounds for the good of good of their own people!

The Land of the Cedars became a beggar, relying on Arabic and International charities;
Because of the daily dose of fear, people are barely struggling to survive, instead of working hard to make Lebanon thrive again.

How long do we still need to wait?

We’ll continue to descend in the obscurity if we only harbor dark ideas.
If we keep talking about troubles, we’ll get them!

One day or the other, - hopefully sooner rather than later -, we will realize that we imperatively have to sit around a table and start a dialogue with an open heart and stretched hands.

When we agree to rebuild Lebanon…

Together…

With an open mind…

Then, we can all live in peace and understanding.

Then, we can prove wrong all the misfortunes predicted!

Friday the 13th... Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr........

Here we go again. Another day with numerical implications has arrived.

I debated with myself much this morning to decide whether to write anything about this day or not. Personally this whole phobia makes me laugh. But my curiosity got the best of me and I researched the subject a little.

Media frenzy is transforming some local and limited superstitions in a global phenomenon that attracts more attention and sometimes causes a hysteria!

One of these these superstitions concerns Friday the13th. A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck for some people. This phobia was mostly spread is English and German speaking cultures. But with the globalization, this belief is - alas - reaching many more persons around the globe.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia or Friggatriskaidekaphobia or simply Triskaidekaphobia (a term originating from Greek words).

This Friday some people will be so paralyzed with fear they simply won't get out of bed. Others will firmly refuse to fly on an airplane, buy a house, or make an important decision.

This fear seriously affects today's world. In USA, Canada any many European countries, people are constantly reminded of this phobia which is substantiated in some civic realities: In those places, more than 80 percent of high buildings lack a 13th floor. Many airports skip the 13th gate. Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13. I've seen this personally during some of my trips and I laughed when I noticed these habits. Does changing the number of the 13th floor to 14 really change anything? Go figure!

Like many human beliefs, the fear of Friday the 13th isn't exactly rooted in scientific logic. But the really strange thing is that most of the people who believe the day is unlucky offer no explanation at all, logical or illogical. As with most superstitions, people fear Friday the 13th for its own sake, without any need for background information. Likewise, no historical date has been identified as the origin of the superstition. If you're interested, I found some explanations that have been provided by the National Geographic, Wikipedia and a site called How Stuff Works.

Luckily, Lebanon has not succumbed yet to this hype, although some superstitious Lebanese are attracted to any idea that could justify and give meaning to certain dates.

I approached a similar topic on July 7th 2007.
I'm convinced that no day is different from others.
It's all inside our mind.
What we think about, we begin to feel.
What we feel affects what we do.
And what we do causes how we will become.

Let's think positive, let's do our best and things will get better, on Friday the 13th... or on any other day.

Traffic Lights Lebanese Style

I'm not sure how things were more than 30 years ago, before the war in Lebanon. But we never saw a working traffic light in Beirut until around 1997, when they started reinstalling them. As a result, many drivers often burn red lights, not because they don't want to respect them, but because they don't notice them! they were never accustomed to them and so somehow, their brain doesn't react to them.

Personally I pay attention to the lights, and I try to respect them as much as I can. Well... unless I have to avoid an accident!

Very few Lebanese drivers respect them dutifully. Other drivers don't even want to acknowledge them. Red or green, they just go forth without bothering to check the light. They even sound their horn angrily if you happen to stop at a red light and you're blocking their way.

It happened to me many times! In these cases, either I go on to avoid being insulted, or I try to leave enough space to pass for those in a rush or those not willing to be delayed by a "stupid" red light.

There is another "funny" thing about these road signs in Lebanon. Usually, traffic lights are installed so the traffic is regulated automatically and seamlessly. But, in Lebanon, we often see a policeman stationed at a crossroad where there are working traffic lights! The policeman directs the cars himself, while the lights change independently, like some fancy Christmas-tree decoration lights!

I've been in many European and north American cities, and I've witnessed how Lebanese abroad respect the traffic lights and all other road signs.

Why do we have to drive differently in our own country?

Is it only the fear of getting a ticket that will force us to follow the rules?

Isn't the respect for others' safety - and ours of course - a valid reason and enough motivation?

Don't we learn from the many and often deadly traffic accidents?

Who knows?!

We'll have to wait and see...

Paradoxes of Our Times

Nowadays…
We have bigger houses and smaller families;
We have more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less common sense;
We have more knowledge, but less judgment;
We have more experts, but more problems;
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too little and lie too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.
We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
.......but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait;
We have higher incomes, but lower morals.
We spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
.......drive too fast, get angry too quickly,
.......stay up too late, get up too tired,
.......read too little, watch TV too often,
.......and pray too seldom.

The picture might seem dark!
But…
While running around through life,
let’s open our eyes, let’s open our heart.

There is a new perspective…
It’s never too late to start Being, Loving, Living!

Friendship

It's amazing how friendship works!

It defies logic

It eludes explanations

It flies across the distance

It rebels against the time

It resists the problems

It surpasses the differences

It goes beyond the limits

It overcomes the obstacles

It wipes away tears

It recharges the drained spirits

It transforms the mood

Friendship works Miracles...

When it's true!

777

777 or 07/07/07 or July 7th 2007.
Yes... that's tomorrow.

Last year, on June 6th 2006, we witnessed hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia! (I'm sure you have guessed that this term comes from Greek. It means literally, "fear of the number six-hundred and sixty-six"). Those superstitious types freaked out last year when the calendar read 06/06/06.

On that "fateful" day, hexakosioihexekontahexaphobes panicked, avoided going out or doing something risky. 666, the "number of the beast", was threatening... Some fanatics even prophesied Armageddon and the End of the World!

Lucky for all of us, that day went on peacefully. We're still around!

This year, tomorrow to be exact, some people will have something to smile about on the 7th day of the 7th month, 2007.

Seven is a highly symbolic number in religious and popular traditions. It is the number of perfection in the Bible. Some even say it's a divine number. In Hebrew, seven (שִׁבעָה, Sheb3ah) is from a root word meaning to be complete, full, plenty or satiate. Number three was an equally revered number. So we can understand why the combination of the two most "loved" numbers are causing so much hype: Three times Seven.

Thinking and hoping that the triple appearance of the number 7 will bring luck, many people are planning important events for this first Saturday in July. Many brides and grooms will get married tomorrow, looking for a little extra dose of marital fortune.

Some women are planning to induce labor or have cesarean sections on Saturday, wishing to give their children a special birth date that will last a lifetime.
Triple Seven (or Triple 7, Three Sevens, Three 7s, T7, 777 or 7-7-7) is a common winning line in simple slot machines. Many are hoping to be lucky on the day bearing this triple seven number.

Hmmmmmm...
I wonder if I should buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.
Who knows... I might be the next millionaire.... Hopefully even a billionaire ;-)

And what about next year? August 8th 2008 (888, 08/08/08)?
And the year after, September 9th 2009 (999, 09/09/09)?
And the following year on October 10th 2010 (10/10/10)?
Or the six number ones occurring on November 11th 2011 (11/11/11)? ;-)
We'll have to wait and see!

Until then, let's enjoy each day and share this joy with others.

Learning the Art of Missed Calls

Talking about cell-phone etiquette reminded me of another mobile related topic: The world of Missed Calls!

The Lebanese mobile users seem to have mastered the art of missed calls - and actually to communicate without talking or answering the calls! (It’ll be interesting to know from the cell-phone service providers how many missed calls are made during a normal day in Lebanon).
Why spend on calling friends and dear ones when a ‘missed call’ can say it all? The prices of mobile calls in our country are among the most expensive in the world. That’s why missed calls are very popular in Land of the Cedars. Does anyone make a “missed call” in any other countries? After doing a quick research on the Internet and I found out that India is also famous for this way of communicating. Therefore, missed calls shouldn’t be considered a Lebanese exclusive! (we love to be different and unique… But it doesn’t always work) ;-)

Anyhow, Missed calls have become for most Lebanese a way of life. They have become an effective way of communication. They have found the way of using missed calls so innovatively that it has almost turned into a “culture”. Through this means, communication carries on effectively and at no cost at all. They assign meaning to the number of missed calls and then use them accordingly, like a pre-arranged set of special Codes to get the message across.

A missed call can usually mean: “call me back”. But not always! It could be a way to say, “I’m thinking about you” or just a simple “hello”!
Very often, a couple or a group of friends who are supposed to meet at a particular place, choose to signal that they have reached by giving a missed call, rather than talk or send an SMS saving on the units that it could cost.
Any other pre-arranged meanings are often used as well:
One missed call = ‘I’m free’ ; two missed calls = ‘I feel like going out… Care to join?’; One missed call = ‘yes’; two missed calls = ‘no’ (or vice-versa); One missed call = ‘ I’ve arrived, where r u?’ ; etc…

The system in vogue is used for all occasions and for all reasons. Only one must have a prior understanding about what the ‘missed call’ means or else it can be confusing.

Developing and using this way of communicating is a proof of how creative people can be when they have to survive the challenge of high prices. Like the old saying goes: “Need is the mother of invention”.

Until our dear cell-phone service providers decide to cut the exorbitant call prices, Lebanese people will continue to find new ways to save some money, while continuing to communicate.

Ok, my friends, when I miss-call you, know that I miss you and I'm thinking of you!

Two missed calls mean that I'm feeling lonely... so feel free to call me... if you still have some precious units ;-)

Mind Your Cell Phones Manners

Cell phones are becoming an ever-present accessory. It all started with business persons who wanted to continue to conduct their businesses anywhere. Soon after, most people caught up with the trend. Nowadays, it’s common to see children and even elder people with their own phones.

Lebanese people have always been keen to being among the first to get their hands on new technologies. Most Lebanese change their cell-phone devices as soon as a new model comes out. God forbid we can be seen with an “old ancient mobile phone”! :-)

Anyway, now most people have cell-phones. This means we could be reached anytime and anywhere. That can be a blessing or - oh yeah – sometimes, a curse!

And with the democratization of cell-phones, people tried to adapt and developed a sort of etiquette for their proper use. Whenever a new communications technology becomes popular, it changes the way society is organized. Society has to invent rules for the polite way to use the new devices. Our social etiquette, our rules of politeness for cell phones, is really just common courtesy based on common sense.

In fact, many people rightfully complain about cell phone users talking loudly on their phone and discussing personal matters in public places.
They complain when cell phones ring in churches or any other worship places, in concert halls, in movie theaters and in restaurants; even worse, it’s so annoying when the owners actually answer the call in such places!
They complain about people driving recklessly or very slowly, and not paying attention to where they are going because they are talking on a cell phone.

Cell-phone etiquette should apply to most public places. So we might want to choose an appropriate ring tone according to the setting. We have to try and keep our phone ringer as low as possible or put our mobile phone on vibrate, so it does not distract the people around us. When we have to answer calls, no need to shout! We must keep our voice to a low, conversational tone; we will be heard by the caller, and not others in the room. When we get a call and we're with friends, better to keep the call short.

It’s a good idea to leave our phone at home, or at least in the car, when we’re at a funeral, wedding or some event along those lines.
When we need to communicate with someone and it’s inappropriate to place a call, such as during a business meeting or a formal visit, text messaging could be a good alternative to deliver important messages.

There are no fines for bad cell-phone manners, although there are contraventions for talking while driving. So watch out! But like all good manners, they are a sign of respect for ourselves and for others. They are an integral part of building successful relationships!

*** Ring, Ring *** Ring, Ring *** Ring, Ring ***
Oops…

Sorry guys, I must take this call ;-)

iPhone Frenzy

On June 29th, Apple started selling the famous iPhone, a combination of a widescreen iPod, a cellphone, a pocket Internet device and a PDA. Some much expectations, so much buzz about what it's called by many reviewers "the prototype of the future of mobile phones".

For the moment, iPhone is only available in the United States. Customers eager to be among the first to buy the long-awaited cellphone waited in long lines in front of Apple stores in New York and other cities. According to the news, some had literally camped out there for several days. It seems that Apple may have sold 200,000 IPhones over the weekend! Steve Jobs has done it again. iPhone seems to be a winner.

The most powerful companies spend great amounts of money in an absurd and manipulating publicity, in order to have people consume what they really do not need nor wish.

But does iPhone or any other piece of technology worth all the hype? Does it justify waiting for days just to get it first? Some people bribed others customers waiting in line to swap places.

Does this qualify the "lucky" buyer of a special title?
An exclusive place in our society?
Does is boost self-esteem?

The question that haunts me is whether what gives people a respectable social status is "possessing things" and having what others don't have. People often compare themselves to others based on how much they earn, how big is their house, how expensive is their cars...

Unfortunately, the consumerism mentality is spreading and becoming rooted everywhere.
We forget that basic human values are more important in life. We neglect to work on acquiring and developing what makes us really human and we often sacrifice our relationships for a beautiful (and sometimes fake) "facade"...

We look better
We have more
But is this what will make the world a better place?

I've never been against technology. At the contrary, I love it, and I have many electronic "gadgets" ;-)
But, still, I believe that we need to look more inside our hearts, seek more our deeper needs and pay attention to the others' as well.

If we do this, being part of the social and technological evolution becomes an asset.
All of what we possess should be at the service of what we are!
(hopefully, never vice-versa)

Il y a des jours comme ça!

There are times when we're so tired... drained.
Not enough energy to do much, not in the mood to go out or be around people...

This weekend I was in this situation.
What made it even worse is that I was out of novels. So, even reading was out of the question.

Well, since I had a long meeting in the morning of Saturday, my weekend didn't start until late afternoon.
I turned the TV on and scanned some channels, without stopping long enough to discover what was playing. I think that too much choice is not very different from not having enough choices. With over a 100 channels, we're so overwhelmed by all the material offered that we can't decide on which show to settle.
I gave up the browsing quite soon.
Then I remembered that I bought a DVD a few days ago and didn't have the time to watch: The Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer. So I dived into this mixture of comic book heroes' adventure, science-fiction, action and... some humour. I should say that it was entertaining. For more than an hour and a half I was in a different world: Fantasy world!
I like the movies where I can see the results of some nice sophisticated visual effects. I'm always in awe in front of the miracles of the technology, that try to visualise the rich imagination of the artists.

on Sunday, I wasn't only tired, I was even dizzy a little bit since early morning. I slept for 2 hours in the afternoon. I guess my poor body was asking for some much needed rest, and I gladly obliged.
I was saved in the evening when some friends came by and we went out and had a quick sandwich for dinner then went for a stroll. This helped me relax and recharge and get ready for a new week.

Ok, Il y a des jours comme ça... But Life goes on.
Tomorrow is a new day!

Sea of Sweat

Oasis, the English rock band, has a song titled "Gas Panic", in which they sing: "Sailing on a sea of sweat on a stormy night..." The expression, "sea of sweat", is really interesting and is used in the song to express the exertion, the effort and the stress that the author was facing!

In a completely different context, a friend of mine used the same expression today to express much more happy feelings.

It seems also appropriate in this heat and humidity to talk about sweating, which is a daily nuisance in summer (yes, I know... I already wrote several times about the hot weather, and I still suffer from it.... So please bear with me).

All this made me so curious about this natural phenomenon and I went looking for some information about it on the Internet. Wikipedia, as usual, was my first stop. That's what it says: “In humans, sweating is primarily a means of temperature regulation... Evaporation of sweat from the skin surface has a cooling effect due to the latent heat of evaporation of water. Hence, in hot weather, or when the individual's muscles heat up due to exertion, more sweat is produced.”

Cool... so, it seems that swimming in a sea of sweat in beneficial to us after all. Mother nature is doing us a favor here. People go to the gym and to saunas and pay money in order to sweat and spend those extra grams they accumulated. Summer in Beirut is offering us this for free.

All we need is to drink a lot of liquids and... yes, of course... shower the sweat away.

So don't sweat it guys! Life is cool.

Ice Cream Saves the Evening

The temperatures are still very high.

Hot and humid weather.

Personally when it's like this, I feel drained and lazy.

Going out is a struggle and staying in (especially when the AC is not working) is like being in an oven.

I'm not complaining, really. I'm just stating the facts.

I gathered some energy this evening and went out to buy some ice cream.

It's amazing how a simple thing like Ice cream can refresh the body and the mood

and make it easier to bear the heat and go back to be productive.

After eating a generous and healthy cup, I feel energized and here I am writing about it.

Ok everybody... Have a scoop and enjoy the chill.

Cheers

To Correct or Not To Correct...

With the omnipresence of the communication tools, widespread and used by the majority of people, arises the question of how we're communicating. Very often, we just want to make ourselves understood, but because of the rush in which we all live, we're using more and more shorthand writings or acronyms, so we can say what we want quick, without losing much time. We're more and more familiar now with terms like: lol (laughing out loud) or brb (be right back) or gtg (got to go) and similar Internet and SMS acronyms.

A problem arising here is the grammatical errors found in our messages. I'm not talking about typos caused by the speed, but about real spelling errors and weak style and incorrect grammar...

Ok! my question is:
While chatting, is it wrong to correct someone's grammar? will it look like we're patronizing our conversational partner(s)? Will that offend them?
There are some clear situations where it's all right to correct someone's grammar without hesitation:
(1) when you're a teacher correcting a student,
(2) when you're coaching a non-native speaker who's asked for help,
(3) when someone has specifically asked for assistance...
But very often, the situation is not as clear of these mentioned above. Chatting is usually an informal conversation, but, at the same time, sometimes errors can be a source of misunderstandings.

What's the right thing to do here?
I guess that if you point out a language errors in the right way, no one has to get hurt or humiliated. It's important to make sure you don't talk down to someone while you're correcting their grammar or spelling. Besides, if one wants to correct "correctly," then one must do it in private.
Personally, I correct my friends much more easily than persons I barely know. Often I do it with a wink, or act like I misunderstood, so it'll be a hint to review what was written. I admit that some friends find this "habit" a little annoying, and they make so much fun of me when then find mistakes in my messages (yes, they do find mistakes, quite often I must say!)... They laugh and say "Mister know-it-all needs help!"

Yes, of course I need help... and all contributions are very much appreciated.

What would you do?

Black And White

Since yesterday, I have this nagging thought about "black and white".
I'm not sure what triggered it, maybe because, while driving to visit some friends, I turned the radio on and heard Michael Jackson's famous song: Black Or White. A sentence he repeats many times is "I said if you're thinkin' of being my brother it don't matter if you're Black Or White". Then he concludes: "I'm not going to spend my life being a Color!". Although it's kind of funny to know that Jacko went to many troubles to change his skin color!
Whoever Jackson is and no matter how he behaves, I like the song because it expresses in a way how we should accept each other even if we're different. No matter the color of our skin, our religion, our nationality, our language, our political affiliations... We should find a way to live peacefully together.

Still... There is something else that I wanted to write about in this blog.
"Black and White" is also a funny expression that I heard from a friend while he talked about anyone or anything old. He would say something like "this guy is quite old; he's from the black and white era...", referring to TV screens a few years back. We use it a lot since! Not in a derogatory way, just for fun. After all, I'm not a kid anymore ;-)

Of course the term is used to describe a number of forms of visual arts. And personally I like black and white photography very much. Maybe because the lack of colors make me able to concentrate more on the subjects in picture, on their expressions and the feelings they're trying to convey.
But, in this case, "Black and white" as a description is not very accurate, for in addition to black and white most of these media included varying shades of grey. This is for me the link with the first topic with which I started this post.

How can anyone just categorize people under one label or another. We forget that there are so many shades in life. Much more than the shades of grey. Even more than the millions of color existing in the nature. Each person is unique. Relating to people can't start with prefabricated thoughts.
Discovering a person is an exciting adventure that help widening my horizons, only if I begin this journey with an open mind and a wide spirit.

Social Networking

Recently, many sites started to populate the Internet, trying to create social ties between people. They're called "Social Networking Sites". Sites where you can have a profile, where you can add your pictures, some infos, your interests, your news... and where, of course, you can add a list of friends. Then soon later your friends' list grows exponentially. Because, very often, you'll connect to other people through your friends, or even you reunite with old friends that you lost contact with a longtime ago. I'm talking about sites like http://www.myspace.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/ or similar sites.

On the other hand, we can't forget Blog sites. These also can be tools to reach out for other people. A way to express ourselves. A way to meet people who have similar interests.
I must say that Blogger made me discover that I have a common friend with my long time best friend! After introducing my best friend to the world of blogs, and after illustrating my explanations with a visit to my blog and my friend's blog, we discovered that the latter is a common friend! The world is so small.
Maybe I should thank Blogger (or should I thank Google who's the owner??!!).

Most of all, I should be grateful to my friends for making my virtual visits much more beautiful because of what they post on their recently founded blogs.

Keep up the good work guys.
Long live our friendship!
.

Heat Wave

The weather forecast told us that the temperature will reach 40 degrees!
Well, it sure did. And what makes it worse is the humidity.
After a long but lovely lunch, I wanted to take a nap, the traditional siesta. But who was I kidding? I couldn't close my eyes. It's so hot out there that no air condition is good enough to make us feel better. A fan added to the equation still failed to do the job. After trying to stay in bed for half an hour, I gave up. Better do something more productive. So here I am writing about my discomfort in this major heat wave. Realistically, we'll have many more hot days like this. The summer is still young. I think I should think that we're still better than some places where the temperatures are even hotter.
Maybe... Just maybe...
If I try hard to imagine myself on a tropical island, under a coconut tree, a gentle breeze caressing my body, the sound of the sea soothing me, an ice cold drink in my hand...
Maybe... Just maybe... I'll feel better!

Keeping Promises

I finished reading "Promise Me", by Harlan Coben late this afternoon. I enjoyed this action-packed thriller book. Like the title suggests, it's about a promise made and the consequences of keeping it. Of course, it's developed in a form of high suspense and fast paced action.
The story is about a guy who promised 2 teen-aged girls to call him whenever then need him, anytime, 24/7, and the call for help came soon after in the middle of the night. To keep his promise, the hero becomes, first a suspect, then he does everything he can to rescue the girl who vanished almost before his own eyes... I won't reveal the ending, because it'll spoil your reading. I'll let you discover it by yourselves.

But I wanted to say a few things about making and keeping promises.
I think it's important to be aware of our limits when we make a promise. Never make a promise if we're not sure that we can keep it. Never make a promise that's above our capabilities. Never make a promise that's more a challenge than a rational commitment.
Of course, a promise shouldn't be made only for show-off. If we make a promise, we have to keep it.
Some promises are made to ourselves. We tend to neglect these easily, thinking: "who's going to care or notice?". But, we should be more attentive in keeping these self-promises, because they make us more prepared to deal with commitments made towards others.
I think the best promise we need to make, all of us, is to do our best to be decent human beings, to work honestly for the good of everyone. I don't want to sound like a Miss World contestant, who invariably promise to work for World Peace. Nevertheless, we should work tirelessly for inner peace. This way we can radiate peace around us. World peace becomes a real possibility!
That's my promise... What's yours?

Bride Wanted!

Not for me... ;-) Just to make things clear from the beginning.
Still, the annoucement stands.
I'm sure, especially in our middle-eastern traditions, many of you have heard some people, especially a mother, asking around to find a bride for her beloved son.
That's what happened with me this morning. A distant relative, a mother, was telling me about her son, 40 years old, smart, handsome, very well educated, working in France, very nice position... etc. etc...
That's great for now... Then, out of the blue, she asks me if I know any nice girl that could make her son happy and become his future bride.
I didn't know how to respond without offending her.
Here she was all serious and eager to arrange her son's marriage, and she's expecting me to find her future daughter-in-law. I couldn't tell her that if that was that easy I would have found a wife for me :-)
I couldn't tell her bluntly that this is a strictly personal question, and that only her son could find his other half.
I can't blame a mother for trying to think of the best for her son.
But at the same time, I think it's time we learn that each person needs to build his/her future with their hands, even if this will be at the cost of making mistakes or doing things differently from what we expect.
Anyway... If anyone of you knows a nice girl looking for a nice husband... Let me know :-)

Summer is Here

June 21st.
Officially summer starts today.
And to mark this day I went to the beach with 3 other friends and spent the time swimming, tanning, relaxing and walking. Well, of course we had lunch also ;-)
This is the first time for me this summer. I'm all red now. Hopefully I won't stay up all night trying to ease the burning. But hey... the sun was only doing its job.
Ah... And there was another first for me!
I did another thing I never did before:
I got a TATTOO...
Ok... Ok... I cheated! Because it's not a permanent tattoo, but one made with Henna. it's a Dolphin jumping and dripping water. I got it on my right shoulder. Very cute.
I did it for fun, and it'll last a couple weeks.
I can say now that I tried a tattoo on.
I think all this was enough excitement for one day to celebrate the beginning of summer.
ok... now when's the next visit to the beach???
I want to continue my tanning :-)

A Nightmarish Real Story

I was so shocked and enraged this morning when reading in today's newspaper this story:

Young Iraqi boys, some tied to their cribs, lie on the floor at a Baghdad orphanage on June 10, 2007, after they were discovered by U.S. and Iraqi soldiers. A total of 24 naked and abused boys, ages 3 to 15 years old, were found in a darkened room without any windows. Many of the children were too weak to stand once released. A locked room full of food and clothing was found nearby. It appears the orphanage director may have been selling the facility's supplies to local markets.

Wow... It's so horrible. War zone or not, don’t people have the slightest decency? I don’t even know what to say… No human and especially NO CHILD should ever go through this!

What's even more upsetting about this event depicted in these horrific photos is the fact that it is being used as propaganda: American soldiers rescued them... Hail the US... They're the good guys... Well.... thanks for doing the least any decent human being should do... But I believe you could do better than insisting on policing the whole world. Give the world a chance to evolve the way the citizens of every country want to do it... Not the American way!!!

I hope we open our eyes and try to look around us and do whatever in our power to help our brothers in need.

A Flag Dripping Blood

When I first saw this pic on the front page of a local newspaper I was so touched. seeing this brave soldier running to place the Lebanese flag on a destroyed building, liberated from those who were terrorizing the region.



After almost a month of fierce fighting in Nahr el Bared camp, after so many young lives sacrificed, it's a spectacle of destruction and apocalyptic scenery. So much blood to let the Lebanese flag fly high again in this place. Did we learn something from all this? Could our leaders find a way to end al this?

May those who gave their lives for our country be an example to us to let aside our differences and our egoistic thoughts and try to do what we can to make a difference in our daily lives, and make our country a better place.
Together we can.

Mabrook

Life is good.
Life is funny.

The day before yesterday I was presenting my condolences to a friend who lost her dad.
Today I went to congratulate a friend for his marriage.
And, another friend that I didn't see for about 6 months called today and announced that he got married also a month ago! I must say that this was a surprise but I was so glad for him.
It's true that love conquers everything. It's nice to know that many young people continue to date, to get married and to start new families. Everyone complain about the bad situation, but the yearning to "complete the circle" is stronger than all the obstacles.
Congratulations my friends. God bless you and give you a happy and prosperous life.

I guess it's normal for friends to share the good and the bad moments. Our experiences, happy or troubled, make us what we are now. All those that share those moments with us contribute to our growth.

Life is good.
Life is funny.

Let's Laugh Our Problems Away!

Lionel Richie used to sing "We'll dance the night away".
I say, let's "Laugh our problems away" ;-)
We wake up every morning and we try to figure out what new developments are waiting for us. Security issues, political crisis, economic difficulties, stress and so on...
We wonder what we can do to lighten the weight so we don't despair.
I think the best remedy is to smile and to laugh in order to brighten our lives. The laughter is contagious. Very soon, people will be looking at the future with more optimism.
I'm not naive and I know very well that this will not change the situation. But the positive attitude will change me. The "more relaxed me" will be living through the problems, acknowledging them, but still capable of leading my life where I want, not where it takes me.
So.... Let's laugh our problems away.

Life Goes On...

Today I went to pay my respects to a friend who recently lost her father. I feel always awkward when I'm offering my condolences to someone. I never know what to say, and when I do say a few words, they just sound inadequate.
But today was different. My friend was serene. Very sad of course but at peace. We had a chance to talk a little bit before other friends and family members came over. She told me she just feels at peace because her father passed away very peacefully, always with a smile, always reassuring. She felt confident that he'll be in a better place.
For once I wasn't searching for things to say in such an occasion. I was blessed to be there and learn from this friend. Thanks T. and God rest your dad's soul.

Wherever The Wind Blows... The Song

When I started my blog, I chose the title "Wherever the Wind Blows" because it inspired me freedom and flexibility. I didn't research it on the internet at the time, but curiosity made me look it up this morning and I found out that there is a song with the same title by a christian rock band called "Pillar".
I must say that I really like the lyrics, and I'd love to share them with my friends, so I'm posting the song on my blog.
Thanks Pillar... You express my feelings very well.

Wherever The Wind Blows

A song performed by "Pillar"

I hear a voice in the autumn breeze

Telling me that I need to leave

But I can't fly with these broken wings

The leaves they move like poetry

Its all still such a mystery

But I can finally hear the melody

I've been here for so long

I think its time I moved on

So tell me where it is that I need to be

Wherever the wind blows

You will find me there

Standing exactly where I wanna be

Wasting time here is killing me

Waiting here for the remedy

So I can hear the sound of angels sing

I need something to carry me

To a place that I've never seen

'Cause right here I've seen all there is to see

I've been waiting, waiting for the day

So can you carry me away

You elevate me

How far can you take me carry me away

Ghost Town

After a long working week, it feels good to do nothing.

Relax and get some much needed rest.

That's what I did today, read, slept, ate and napped...

Then in the evening I went out with some friends and ended up in Jounieh.

We parked the car and walked in the Old Souk.

We found a snack and had dinner quietly, enjoying the cool night.

But what shocked us was the unusual calm,

the deserted streets and the empty snacks or cafes...

After dinner we strolled along the streets,

remembering the loud laughter of patrons in pubs and restaurants,

imagining the kids running and playing,

expecting to see feisty guys and gals in bumper-to-bumper cars...

Then flashing back to reality,

looking all around us and feeling like we're walking in a ghost town.

A very weird sensation for a Saturday night.

But of course, the lack of security everywhere in Lebanon is scaring everybody,

so people prefer to stay in the relative security inside their homes.

Hopefully, happiness will refill these empty streets,
the Sun will chase away the threatening darkness.
Our people will live again!

The Forgotten Man

"The Forgotten Man" is the title of a novel I'm reading now, by Robert Crais. This story made me think of so many wonderful things we take for granted and we forget to be thankful for.
The story is quite interesting and well written. The plot can be summarized like this: One morning at four, a private detective, Elvis Cole, gets a call from the LAPD informing him that a murdered man has claimed, with his dying breath, to be Cole's father, a man Cole has never met. The detective had tried many times before to find his unknown father and failed. Now he tries harder to find his father's murderer, and at the same time, find his roots and others answers he searched for all his life.
How difficult it must be for someone to grow up without one or both parents. Missing so much love and care. I feel so blessed that I was raised by a loving family at the cost of so many sacrifices. I can't begin to fathom the emptiness that a lonely person can go through. I imagine that if someone has never felt the warmth of being loved, could never love truly.
I just hope that I can share some of the love I received with all those around me.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Another bomb in Beirut...
More Victims... More Martyrs... More Blood!
More Threats... More Accusations... More Anger...
And... Desperation grows stronger in our hearts..

Evil strikes again, and tries to destroy what's left of our determination to live.
In spite of all this darkness, I refuse to give up hope.
I don't want to be a victim.

I want to enjoy the gift of life that God has given me.
I want to share this joy with everybody I meet.
I want to be part of the Light that still shines in this world.

The darkness won't prevail, it won't win.

Say NO to despair.
Say YES to Hope!

Can We...?!

Can we smell a rose and describe its perfume?
Can we listen to the music and let others vibrate to its rythm?
Can we taste honey and share its sweetness?
Can we see the light and invite a wanderer to follow it?
Can we touch a mystery and still not be lost?
... At least we can try!

The Gift

Yesterday night, the wind blew,
the way the wind blows in calm peaceful nights.
It blew softly, caressing me gently and whispering in my ears.

The wind blew again, and in a swift motion,
it deposited in my open hand a gift!
I looked at it. I stared. I smiled.

I was looking at a picture.
I knew right away that the wind just delivered it.
It just did a favor to a friend who was sent me this gift.

I looked at that serene face. I tried to read it.

It brought me happiness, seeing in the eyes so much hope.
It gave me courage, discovering in them so much determination.
I shivered, sensing that behind those dreamy eyes, there's a burden.
It made me sad, reminiscing how many times they cried.
The lips hesitate between a smile and an unwavering firmness.
But, in spite of all, this face still radiated joy.

THANK YOU J.
You made my night!
It's a thank you very different from what I say to the guy who brings me the newspaper in the morning ;-)
It's a THANK YOU from the heart.

God bless.

Where Are We Going?

It's so sad to follow the news. Every single minute there is a new development in the situation.
It's been a few day that fightings are going on in hte North of Lebanon in Nahr el Bared, and now it seems that more fights started near Saida in Ain El Helweh camp.
We're so fed up with all this. It's about time we lived in peace and harmony.
It can't go on like this. It's so frustrating.
Hopefully, our leaders will eventually come to their senses and do all they can to settle the situation.
Hope... hope... hope....

A Special Encounter

Let me tell you about a person I met on the internet. I won't tell his name though... Maybe later ;-) but he's really special. Really really special. A poet, an artist, a friend...

Ready... Set... Go!

Ok... now what????
I have a blog, but I have no idea yet what to write in it. I'll have to wait and see where the wind blows and what it brings with it.
Cheers, and Safe Sailing.