A "Goud" idea

Dans son dernier numéro, TelQuel publie un supplément en langue arabe intitulé «Goud », synonyme de « Nichane », le titre de l’hebdomadaire interdit de publication il y a quelques jours par la justice marocaine.

Bien que je ne sois pas tout à fait d’accord avec la ligne éditoriale de TelQuel et de Nichane, je trouve que l’idée du supplément est bonne… et réussie. La preuve est que la majorité des gens (au moins ceux que je connais) ont couru lire l’annexe arabe avant même de lire le contenu français.

Allô, les pompiers!!!

... quand des choses sérieuses se discutent dans la pièce à côté... :) :)

Another phobia

I hinted many times on this blog that I have troubles crying. But today, I received an email which made me cry (not for so long though :p). The email was a goodbye one from a “virtual” friend and colleague with whom I’ve been working for over 2 years in a benevolent organisation. Reading the email just brought to the surface my phobia of goodbyes; the word I hate the most.

“We mustn't be sad,” he said. It’s always the same in similar situations. Like the day I had to part with my sister-friend Farah, and then with my sister when she left the country for studies… Always the same scenario: we try to fake smiles, hide our tears and bring up courage from every corner of our hearts to make it easier. We fight that killing pain in our throats; we make promises that we will keep in touch; we bravely shake our heads approving the idea that time flies and that we will meet again soon, although we don't believe a letter in what we're saying ...

I HATE GOODBYES!!!

Attraction

I couldn’t put my eyes off him. Sitting in that waiting room a few days ago, I found myself absorbed by his charm. He was so handsome and so self confident. We had never met before, but seeing him there sitting in front of me captured my whole attention.

I don’t know what made me feel that way, but I enjoyed contemplating his features, his composure, the way he moved, the way he talked --- words which I didn’t necessarily hear or comprehend. That pleasure of observing all his moves made me forget for a while that there were other people around in the same room. But I had to pay attention to that, because she was there, and she wanted me to feel her presence. She was looking at me, and her gaze said it all. I was like stepping on her territory.

But observing them both this time, I realised that there was no reason for her to feel threatened! The flow of love that showed in his eyes when she talked to him, the warm smiles he gave her back, and the tenderness that enveloped them both were enough to show that she was his entire world. I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful it is to have such a relationship!!! It just fills some empty spaces within you.

Time passed and I heard my name being called, which meant that I had to leave the room. I stood up and walked to the door, but it was stronger than me. I couldn’t leave just like that! So I stepped back and walked towards him, looked at him for a few seconds, and then bent and kissed his cheek… that lovely four-year-old baby :)

Happy Sleep Day 2

As I said a few days ago (in my reply to Issam), the celebrations of the Sleep Day Festival are still going on. In my previous post, I wished YOU my friends a happy Sleep Day, but there’s a group of people to whom I would like to address my best wishes today.

Being a person who really believes in the Arabic saying «li koulli maqamin maqal », and being someone who respects hierarchy and the importance of each individual, depending on personal achievements, social positions, etc, I have decided to devote a special post for them. You will see that I was right: it wouldn’t be acceptable to send the same wishes on the same occasion for nnas l3adyin (like you and me) and nnas lwa3rin in the same package!!

So here I am extending my most respectful wishes on the occasion of the Sleep Day Festival:

To every MP who imagines that the seat through which he is supposed to represent the people is an extension of his bed, so he enjoys taking naps while serious matters are discussed and crucial decisions are taken;

To every official who forgets his original mission and focuses on making maximum profit before his term ends;

To every judge who turns a deaf ear to the calls of innocent people and only listens to the beautiful sound of pens signing cheques;

To every doctor or hospital manager who turns the lives of people into business deals, giving priority to some and dismissing some according to their financial “importance”;

And last but not least, to every political and/or military leader who plans and gives the green light for massacres, and then goes to sleep and orders that no one shall disturb his respectful sleep.

Happy Sleep Day for all of them… and may they find the peace of sleep.

Nightmare!

I am disappointed and disgusted. All logics are being blown off and credibility is just a mirage. Everybody knows that institutions like the UN are no saints, but financial and administrative corruption is nothing compared to moral corruption. It all becomes chaotic when news reveal that supposed peacekeepers and social workers are establishing a sex-for-food policy in calamity-hit regions like Sudan… and the victims are 12 year old children!!

There's still an investigation to be launched by the UN. But is there smoke without fire??

It’s all getting stained and confused.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/03/wsudan03.xml

Happy... Sleep Day!!

We have been busy recently sending emails, sms, and cards wishing each other happy Eid and happy new year. But today I'd like to share my best wishes for a different event: the Festival of Sleep Day! (yes! It is celebrated on January 2 of each year, and there are special e-cards for that!)

This is a good occasion to tell you that I’m becoming a fan of laziness!! Whether the reason is just cold, I don’t know. But over the last few days, I noticed that one of the major things that motivate me to finish my work at office and not let anything to be done home is the fact that this will help me sleep early!

No, this has nothing to do with being aware of the importance of sleep for both the brain and the body. I think the reason is simpler than that. During day time I dream of that feeling of being warmly enveloped by God knows how many blankets. And over the week’s days, I’m working actively looking forward to the weekend.

My ideal plan for the weekend now wouldn’t be going out, meeting friends and having a chocolat chaud somewhere, or even watching a film in the cinema – plans which I usually like – but rather enjoying dozing in my room or in front of the TV, and enjoying that delight of seeing my cheeks become so lazily rosy!

My utopian plans don’t work most of the time because I end up planning some sort of activity for the weekend. I go to that activity with pleasure – or duty – but with one part of my mind still making resolutions that my next weekend will be free and devoted to my favourite activity of the season: laziness.

To my surprise, today I discovered that there’s a “Festival of Sleep Day”. So I thought of sharing with you my current passion (dozing warmly at home), and sending you my best wishes on this day --- be it only for change! :)

Some of you might say that I’m contradicting myself because one day I said that I like dynamism. Well I still do, but for the moment, sleeping warmly whenever I have the chance for that is for me the best reward for being active all the day!

Try it and you will see! And meanwhile, happy Sleep Day :)