Peaceful life..

For a disguised reason -I'm sure I don't know-, I decided all of a sudden to quit internet. I took the cable cut as an excuse and a start.
Well, life doesn't look darker without my Laptop buttons, and not that dull without chatting or empty without Greader. In fact, my inner chatting suddenly increased.
I have time to read and watch TV. And above all.. I have few extra TIME..

Amazingly, I don't feel bad! no not at all. I feel much better... as if finally sober from an addiction..

On reading and writing

I’ve been trying to write a short story since a month but, still I can’t. I already have the idea in mind, but words fail me, or I fail words, I am not sure as I talk.
I’ve read a lot, at least enough to judge good or bad books. However I don’t trust my own writings. I’ve seen those writers who wrote nothing, yet, their works are highly acknowledged worldwide; and I don’t wish to join their queue.
I’m not fond of modern Arabic literature. It’s so boring. People are willing to innovate so they went off the shore to shallow extremes. Am not fond of old literature too. I feel it more like dreams and dreams. And I’m bound to reality.
Good literature doesn’t have a time. Good is good, no matter what’s the time.

I want to write good books, but afraid. There are many good books left on shelves that I haven’t read yet. And I reckon, I should mix with people, different mentalities, different places and times.
If I need to be a writer I should confront myself now and for all..
Am I up to it?

I don’t want to be a person running after his mirage. There is an abrupt of words recently; but who will live and who will be soon forgotten. I don’t want to be forgotten. I don’t want to fill white pages with dotted black shapes. I want to write, be heard and I want to have faith in me.

On Chatting

I hate the smilie ==> :)

Its either cynical, pathetic or asking people to shut up.

Sometimes..

The past few days weren't my favorite. Tomorrow is not my favorite too.
Wished from the deep of my heart to slap life hardly at the face. So ugly to show a smiling face, and in a flip of a second -without giving a damn notice- turns its back.. Like -may be- stabbing in cold blood?

Yesterday night I felt I'm so alone. How I hate this feeling more than anything else, but thats how it goes.. From bad to worst sometimes...

Egypt and Chinese noodles*

I was making a dish of Noodles today, when I wondered for a second about the Chinese cultural invasion to our country. You can hardly find something that doesn’t have a Chinese equivalent in the market. And usually customers like to buy these, not only because of its cheap price, but also due to the different varieties offered. Nevertheless, the cultural invasion is not only to devices, plastics or things, but also to our Egyptian food trends. Chinese cuisine, Chinese beans, as well as Chinese seeds for agricultural usage.

Since many years ago, Far Eastern culture, Chinese, Korean or Japanese, has clearly invaded other countries like United States of America; and may be now, as I talk, I remember the first time I realized this fact when I heard a line from the song “The day before you came” sung by ABBA, where they said:

Must have opened my front door at eight o’clock or so
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
I’m sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
There’s not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn’t see

And ABBA are a Swedish musical band!.

On a different note, Indomie instant noodles, for example, has became a hitting brand in Egypt for the last couple of years; the matter that pushed few Egyptian Pasta factories to decide to compete in the market by producing Egyptianized noodles, like Regina and others. However, I think it’s a hard competition because just like Pepsi in our culture for soda drinks, or Chipsy for potato chips, Noodles are called Indomie.

I remember a decade ago, it was everybody’s talk about American fast food. Yum! brands and other franchised chain restaurants like KFC, Pizza hut, McDonalds, Hardee’s and Chili’s, were topping all restaurants charts. However, since a couple of years ago, it was everybody’s talk in town about the Japanese Sushi and raw fish dishes. Today, if you visited the biggest Egyptian mall, City Stars, you will find 2 Chinese restaurants standing side by side in the main food court (Panda house and Asian corner), while Wagamama is up stairs in another floor.

In reply to my previous wonders I asked few friends about their opinion concerning instant Noodles or Chinese food..

Dina, a 22 year old friend who started her talk as she Loves it a LOT [geddan] then she added:

First of all I’m a pasta fan and soup fan, and its pasts in Soup. It’s very easy to make and not so high in calories. It tastes good, but it’s addictive.

Tarek also confirmed:

Because it is east to be prepared, and not as light as soup

Eman noted:

Simply it’s cheap!

While Serage, a Libyan friend who lived in different Arab and European cities, as well as Egyptian friend Ghafari said they like it for the many flavors enclosed.

Mohamed also noted:

Ya3ny shaghal [it’s OK]. I used to like the song in Sesame Street: Noodles, I like Noodles, I like I like I like I like I like Noodles.
It is easy, not very tasty, but anyone can do it.

On the other hand, Memo mentioned:

I’ve never tried it in the first place. I don’t eat stuff I don’t know what they are. I’ve seen it, but never knew they are called noodles, and never tried it before.

Noha also told me:

Nah! I don’t like it. It has no vitamins!

Myself, I’ve tried Chinese many times. I liked very few dishes but hated the rest. I’m still not that familiar with sweet and sour taste. But apart from that, stays the question.. till when the Chinese culture will invade our tiny details of life?

Between yes and no, and between strong rumors that noodle’s flavors are not healthy and may lead to cancer; in a cold lonely lazy night.. Noodles is yet the best answer for a quick dinner.

China really found its way among us.

--------
* You can check BBC for Story of Noodles' origin.

A victory dance

I feel extremely happy tonight because of my new blog design. Aah!.. I wished to do so since a year may be.. but always and always either busy or didn’t find a good css to work on..
However, I took Friday till Monday off, and so I insisted to do it.. Enough being as lazy as I am!

It took me 2 whole days sitting in front of the laptop day by night!
Haven’t dealt with new blogger before.. and it was like a disaster to figure out what is doing who!
Till I did it today! (Dancing the victory dance)..

There are missing items still.. and few things I failed to add.. but anyways.. its better than never for the time being.

Butterfly effect!

Few weeks ago, I suggested delivery from a certain Fast food restaurant in Cairo. I ate from there a couple of times and found it tastes good.
My colleagues in the office tried it and they liked the sandwiches too.

Today I was passing by the kitchen and found other people in the company eating from the same restaurant.

Strange how butterfly effect can do!

In the mood for Alanis Morissette

Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you, you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepherd need shepherd
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

I don't think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate

Alanis Morissette -- Uninvited

Sepia reflection

Sepia reflection
Originally uploaded by Philippe Sainte-Laudy

My life has been revolving around 3 songs:
1. Top of the world by The carpenters
2. Windmills of your mind by Jose Feliciano
3. Blue cafe by Chris Rea

Now and then I have a mix of one or two songs. My life is like a Sin wave with a 30 mins time period. One hour I'm up, another hour I'm totally down.
I lost the ability to use words properly..
Words do kill, harm or murder..
A single word can keep you feeling guilty for life long! A word you can not capture or record.. something said and went in thin air .. but it can leave marks in the heart more than million hammers or nails can do.

These days my life is one and two. I'm on top of the world fighting all the windmills..
I feel like a peasant? a peasant who went suddenly to New York..
Lost? cold and hungry?.. but over joyed.. impressed by the whole new world..

I know this is not my place.. and everything will soon be gone..
But sometimes I can not help it.. I dream and dream and dream.. and dream.. then talk words.. and words ask for more words..
God!..
Why were we created with desires and needs?!
What if we were humans with hearts, but no craving for warmth?
or minds, with no urgency to think?!
What if we were souls that doesn't need to be fed?

Yesterday I had a nagging thought that I will die. I was so captured by the thought that I was afraid to go out.. was going to cancel everything at a second..
but one more second and I closed the door behind me..
instead of sitting down to write my will, I went to chase the sun.. and it was one "heaven" of a day..

it's fear my friend..
fear is the reason behind us losing faith in ourselves.. losing faith in our abilities and will..
Losing eagerness to go on..
Losing the love of charming lights within..
We lose the passion.. and then everything else losses its meaning..
Even words.. it will be hard..


I can hear "Top of the world" playing in my background now..
I'll forget about said words and my windmills.. and I'll think of the enjoyment I might once live :)

Reflections..

There is something about walking after rain, returning back home after a long working day. More like a new adventure. With a refreshing breeze, I expect new horizon in front of me.
Tomorrow hasn’t come yet.. and I still feel the sun is waiting for me with open arms..
Wait for me!..
I’ll run till there… for who really knows what or when..

Epitaph lost her blog!

Dear Google again,

We are a group of Egyptian bloggers really bothered by the blockage of the two-year-old blog "Epitaph_87" ( http://www.epitaph-87.blogspot.com/) along her gmail account (epitaph87@gmail.com), since October, 4th , 2008. She has sent you her problem and requests on Google Help Center and Blogger Support, but in vain. We wish that you'd help us retrieve that blog and account and answer the requests of our fellow blogress, sending you from (epitaph_1987@hotmail.com), and hopefully ASAP!
Just for notice, we have published this problem on our blogs!!

Thank you!