June 9 2004

Happy Wedding Anniversary To Our Lovely Sister

Yesterday was my sister’s wedding anniversary. It’s already been 5 years 🙂 Yes, and they have now two wonderful little boys. I miss them all.
Just like today, 5 years ago, my sister and her husband were still on their way to Spain for their honeymoon. They left some hours after their wedding, had to stop at Paris, got their stuff lost, therefore they’ve missed their flight to Paris, which resulted in them reaching Paris late, finding out that the travel agency believed they’ve changed their plans and so lost hope in having them that day. They tried to contact the agency only to know that they’ve lost the papers on which they have the contacts and the address, so they called us instead and then they went on for their honeymoon which from what they’ve told us turned out to be amazing.
I remember how 5 years ago, my brother came all the way from UAE (or was it Canada? I got mixed up, no he was coming from UAE and leaving to Canada) anyway he came all the way to attend the wedding, he got off the plane to home, got changed for the wedding so fast and there he was among the rest of us dancing and singing for our beautiful sister and her husband. Next day he had to leave few hours after the fresh married couple left for their honeymoon.
Ah, only now I understand how hard it should’ve been for our parents back then to realize the day has come when each one of us will go on to live their own life in their own new home…
Anyway, the wedding was terrific, everyone was so happy for them, and talking specifically about my sis, we were over the clouds to watch her in her beautiful white dress dancing, cutting the cake, taking pics with her friends and us, she was so damn beautiful, simply like a queen in a fairy tail… no one new back then that she’ll be in Canada 5 years later!! And I never thought that I’d be in Tunisia writing this about her instead of recalling those sweet memories with her face to face, reminding her of the tiny details of that day and how great it felt to watch her in her wedding day shining like a star.
After my sis, her husband and my bro left, the house felt so empty, so calm and so still. We were all dead tired after the wedding, and we just talked about how beautiful and warm the wedding was and how we wished they’d have a great honeymoon and how we were worried about our brother as he left.
We thought: now, a new member was added to our family, yet at the same time two most loved members have somehow left us.
Thinking of it, thinking of all those tiny little details about our family, I can’t help but feel like being with them right now at this very moment to tell them how much I love them, how much I miss them and how great it feels to belong to them. And remembering all this, along with the hard times and the difficulties that we’ve been through, are going through, and might go through in future, I know very well that nothing will tear us apart no matter what, and that whatever bad circumstances we might ever be put in, we’ll be nothing but the great special family that will stand by the one in need, support each member that belongs to it and be there for every single member in every single way.
A great family grows with its added members and becomes stronger with every problem it faces and every experience it goes through… I love them all, and I’m proud of being a part of them.

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June 8 2004

Your Reputation!

Our reputation is important, but it’s not too important to let it take over our lives, neither it is so insignificant to go on do whatever we desire wherever we wish giving no damn about our surrounding.
The other day I came across this quote, and I wish I knew who said these words, but I didn’t, anyway, it says: “Reputation is what people think you are. Character is who you really are. Take care of your character and your reputation will take care of itself”.
And I agree, reputation is what people think you are, and what people think is based upon what you really do, OR it could be based on what others say you do. And what others say you do could be true (stemming from what you really do), or could be false (in that case would be more of a rumor than a reputation).
In other words: the key to reputation is one’s self. All you should do to get a good reputation is be natural, never cross others’ red lines, be kind, stand up for your rights, be honest and show respect. Now if you do this and you hear others warn you of your “bad reputation” then don’t care, don’t be sad, because in this case -like I said before- it’s rumors that are trying to give you a bad reputation. Rumors come from people who hate you, envy you, or those who misunderstand you. You shouldn’t worry at all, why? Because whoever believes those rumors in the first place, and ignores his/ her personal knowledge of you and who you truly are, doesn’t deserve your sadness nor your trust. And whoever really loves you and cares for your friendship will never ever let others affect his/her opinion of you. It’s only in hard times and through difficulties that a person could really test the friendship, loyalty and love of others around him/her. Therefore, don’t care that much about what others think of you, others will never be pleased with you no matter what you do, better please yourself by doing things right and going to bed with a guilt-free mind and a smiley face. And let me end this post with a quote of Mr. Herbert Bayard Swope: “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure- which is: try to please everybody“.

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June 8 2004

Plastic Surgeries In Sireh Wenfatahit

Sireh Wenfatahit is a very powerful show that I personally like so much because of the subjects discussed. It’s not a show that focuses on entertainment, although it’s entertaining for what it offers the audience, but the ideas of the show are not those shallow ones that aim at gathering as much people as they could, but it aims at creating a healthy debate to spread awareness and try give a helping hand for those who have been forgotten or neglected. It gives the chance to speak up loud for the purpose of improvement.
Yesterday for example, it was another very good episode, it discussed plastic surgeries from so many sides: their reasons, their average cost, their side-effects, their good and bad sides, the risk of going through a plastic surgery, the emotional involvement, the addiction to becoming perfect as well as liposuction surgeries.
The guest was Dr. Paul Audeh, a plastic surgeon, who discussed the experiences he goes through in plastic surgeries and the cases he came across, not to forget his consultation and his answers to the audience and those who called for help.
Now the very powerful part of the episode was the live- video recording of some plastic surgeries (nose adjustment, lip enlargement, and liposuction). To be honest, I only watched a tiny little part of the lip adjustment surgery, couldn’t watch it all, but for the others, I couldn’t even tolerate the idea of watching, can’t believe how could people watch this, and don’t know how Zaven (the show presenter) was able to watch and record all this live himself!
I was just checking his site ZavenOnline and saw the comments posted on yesterday’s episode PlasticSurgery . They’re about the do’s and don’ts concerning plastic surgeries.
I thought I’d have them here in English for those interested:
Do’s:
1. Choose a good doctor with a good reputation, and be sure of his credibility.
2. You have to feel comfortable with your doctor, this feeling is more important than the operation itself.
3. You should know very well what you want and what annoys you in your look.
4. Don’t lie to yourself.
5. Your expectations of the results of the surgery should be realistic.
6. Ask the doctor about the risks of the surgery, and all possible effects.
7. You should respect and apply all directions given to you before and after the surgery.
8. Preserve your look through exercising and diet.
9. Know the limits of the surgery, so you wont cross the red lines.
10. Ask for references or pictures for people before and after they had the same or similar surgery and try to contact them in person.
11. Consultation should include asking, listening and trusting.
12. Be patient and follow your own instincts.
13. Ask about the anesthetist that will be responsible in your surgery.
14. Choose the most appropriate time for you in the year for the operation taking into consideration the relax-period after the operation.
15. Compare the results of the operation with your condition before it, and do not compare the results to others.
16. Be optimistic on your way to the operation, you should be ready both physically and psychologically.
17. Be responsible for your choices and keep in mind that all possibilities may occur.
18. Be aware that pain will go and the result will last.
Don’ts:
1. Don’t be crazy about perfection in looks.
2. Don’t go through a plastic surgery to please others or to win someone you lost.
3. Don’t let others scare you, and don’t care if they didn’t encourage you, they might do this because they envy you.
4. Don’t go for a surgery if you’re not emotionally stable, and don’t go for it as an attempt to escape pressure and problems.
5. Don’t provide your doctor with wrong information.
6. Don’t expect your doctor to take the decision instead of you.
7. Don’t consider that the technical effects shown on computer are realistic.
8. Don’t expect immediate nor total change in your look.
9. Don’t let the cost take control of your decision in having or not having a surgery.
10. Plastic surgeries aren’t only for the rich and famous.
11. Don’t go for a surgery just to look like someone. And keep in mind that having a specific feature of a celebrity wont give you his/her life.
12. Don’t panic when experiencing pain after the surgery and simply contact your doctor.
13. Beauty products, crèmes and massage are not an alternative for surgery in many cases.
14. Don’t be affected by others’ comments on your look after the surgery.
15. Don’t think that surgery is a matter of fun, or a matter of following the latest trends.
My personal opinion concerning plastic surgery is that it’s only necessary in some cases like when someone has been through an accident and got the face or body burnt, cut or affected in any negative way; or when someone is born with a birth defect or unbearable ugliness. Otherwise, going through a plastic surgery just to look sexier, or to improve the looks is nothing but surrendering to low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence. We should be aware of the fact that a person consists of inner beauty and outer beauty, both complete each other, yet if we lack the good looks is no problem as long as we have the beauty of the soul and heart with the control of a good mind. But having the most beautiful looks when lacking the inner beauty means nothing on the long run, it will only give temporary pride and some admirers who look for quick pleasure. Be yourself, believe in your natural beauty, and leave plastic surgeries for those who really need them. Because I’m really fed up with women looking all the same with these small pointy noses, filled lips and rounded cheek, all with same physical measurements and same outside looks. This is just pathetic and it’s such a shame to see people nowadays so dependent of sex-appeals and artificial perfectionism in looks… Get a life for God’s sake!

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June 8 2004

My Result For Finals!

I went after work as fast as I could to the nearest bus stop, and fortunately the bus arrived just on time, and more than that, a woman gave me the place of her son 🙂 wish all would do like her.
Anyway, these were all really good signs, BUT then I reached the institute, found no one from my class (most probably they saw the results earlier) and then started searching for my name. I found 10 lists stuck on the wall, each had the name of the teacher and the level of the course and the number of the classroom. I found our classroom and our teacher as well as our level, BUT I DID NOT FIND MY NAME ON THE LIST :(((((( and when the name is not on the list it means the person did not pass the test. But something inside me told me I passed, so I looked closer on the list (which had VERY SMALL WRITING on it) and I found out that it wasn’t our class because there is this little TINY note in the corner that shows the class time, which wasn’t ours. Anyway, while looking for the result I heard someone calling my name, I turned around and it was a colleague in my class 🙂 He was upstairs looking for our list as he couldn’t find it and it turns out it has fallen on the ground (must be some really angry fellow) and they had to replace it, and hang it some other place, we went there, and there was my name shining like a star, lol 😛 Yep, I DID IT!!! I Passed the final 🙂 I couldn’t know the marks though, but who cares, I passed, yippieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. But well some other colleagues didn’t make it and I was sad for them 🙁 I wish them a better luck next year.
Now passing the test means I will be able to go for the oral exam on Thursday, lol, that will be one hell of a disaster. I understand a lot better than before, and I write so much better than before, and I have a lot of vocabulary entered in my brain 😛 but for a whole conversation with many questions from 3 professors, that would be a bit hard.
Hope I’ll make it and pass the oral exam as well 🙂

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June 7 2004

Stressed & Tired?… Breaaaaaaathe :)

Yep, just like you’ve read, if you’re tired, stressed out or suffering from pain and illnesses, then it might so possibly be your way of breathing. A lot of us don’t breathe correctly, they might not know that breathing incorrectly can produce tension, exhaustion and vocal strain, interfere with athletic activity and encourage aches and illnesses. Whereas breathing correctly can melt away tension and stress, improve energy or simply relax and unwind. This is because breathing oxygenates every cell of your body, from your brain to your vital organs. Without sufficient oxygen, your body becomes more susceptible to health problems. Deep breathing raises levels of blood oxygen, promoting health in many ways: from stimulating the digestive process to improving fitness and mental performance.
An important fact that so many might not be aware of is that most of us are “shallow breathers”, as we use only the narrow top portion of the lung surface for oxygen exchange.
To know if you belong to the group of “shallow breathers” then put your palms against your lower abdomen and blow out all the air. Now, take a big breath. If your abdomen expands when you inhale and air seems to flow in deeply to the pit of your stomach, you’re on the right track.
One of the reasons why people become shallow breathers is the psychological factor. Going to bed when you’re afraid, angry, sad or tensed, we hold your breath.
We lose that innate ability of pumping with the stomach. The lungs should just be a container and when we use them as a pump, they become overburdened and the muscles get tight, and with time asthma can develop as a result of such constriction. We can also lose the capacity for deep core breathing from a traumatic emotional experience, or physical pain. When we are in pain we want as little movement as possible. This again restricts breathing; later, when you are well, your breath may remain shallow.
Therefore, reconsider your way of breathing, make it deep, try to be in places where you can get as much fresh air as possible, wear comfortable clothes, eat moderately and healthy, and most important of all, be happy, solve your problems, and think like: nothing’s impossible, and I’ll figure it out somehow.
Happy breathing…
Source

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June 4 2004

Turns out I’m A-R-R-O-G-A-N-T!

Same old story, people just enjoy accusing you of being stubborn, arrogant or similar things that you’re not. Hmm, to be honest I feel I’m stubborn in a way, but no way I feel that I’m even close to arrogant. Well maybe no one feels they’re what they don’t want to be, but from people around me I am so positive that I’m not arrogant. Actually a lot of friends and people we know wonder why they expect me and my family to be arrogant, and then when knowing us they realize we’re anything but arrogant.
Being arrogant is to me so much easier than being modest these days. People are fooled by their looks, talents, achievements, success or their financial status. They forget that looks are not what they made, it’s what God has given them, and so is talent. As for other things, then it’s ok express pleasure possessing certain things or being blessed with certain gifts, or being happy with the results of your hard work, but all this should be in form of happiness, appreciation and pride, and there is a very thin line between pride and arrogance. First is a right, an award to one’s self in return of hard work and good planning, whereas the second (arrogance) is an ugly mask to hide a weak complex personality that loves to show off what it happens to lack.
And it’s sometimes the fault of the person himself that people misunderstand his pride as arrogance, on the other hand, it could so possibly be others who have poor backgrounds of judging, or leave it up to what others say to build their judgments.
One thing I know, is that I am proud of who I am, where I come from and what I do. That doesn’t mean I’m best in the eyes of all, neither does it say that I’m the worst. There’ll always be ones who’ll just love me the way I am, others who’ll envy me for who I am, and some who’ll hate me also for who I am. But as long as I know I’m doing nothing wrong to be ashamed of, nor hurting anyone’s feelings, and never interfering in others’ private matters, then I’m satisfied and feel proud of who I am.
And just like there are some who think I’m arrogant, there are more than those people who just love the person I am, but well some always want to think I am arrogant to please their ego, lol, like guys back in university who started spreading rumors about me being a snob just because I never dated any of them 😛 or like those girls who work next door and say I’m arrogant just because I don’t join them for their afternoon gossip, lol, or those pharmacy workers who think I just want to show off my English skills when I ask for something in English and not in French after terrible failing attempts of explaining in Arabic ,lol, God! I must sound really arrogant, huh!! Anyway today the alarm of the Embassy next to us went off because of a technical error, and for security reasons –which I still don’t understand- employees in our building were asked to gather downstairs to answer some questions concerning safety and alarm systems and stuff like that. And there I ran into the ladies next door, they were like: here comes the arrogant employee next door.
I: what about a nice “good morning”? and may I know why I’m arrogant?
They: you say hi to the security man and you talk to the maid and you treat those “lower class” people such as the postman normally, but you never sit with the guys next door while all other girls do, we never see you flirting, all this and then you ask why we say you’re arrogant.
I: … lol, did it ever cross your mind that maybe I don’t simply “flirt” with guys because it’s just something I don’t do, neither before nor after marriage.
They: Oh, so you’re different huh!
I: call it whatever you like, I don’t flirt that’s all.
They: Ok why don’t you ever ask us for a ride home?
I: What makes you think I have a car in the first place?!
They: You look like you have a car! Why would we call you arrogant then?
I: So you call me arrogant coz I don’t flirt, coz I talk to other “lower class” and coz I never ask you if you need a lift in a car which you assume I have! And now that everything’s clear, do you still think I’m arrogant?
They: maybe if you stop using this different dialect that you’re using just to draw attention and show off then you wont sound that arrogant!
I: You know what!, maybe you’re right! Maybe I’m just arrogant… best thing to do is just greet each other in the morning and on our way out nothing more, you don’t want to be called arrogant, do you!
They: see, she confesses that she’s arrogant!! Didn’t I tell you!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!! Some people just get on my nerves!!!!!! Anyway, it’s about time for me to go home now, so I better stop here.
Oh, I almost forgot: need a ride home? I have one hell of a Ferrari waiting for me down there 😉

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June 3 2004

No Time At All…

Today I have my final test for French, I didn’t prepare well for it since I had no time at all. I have plenty of things to do at work and home. I revised a couple of pages yesterday in my lunch break, and that was it. And although my husband did his best to help me focus and study, but I had neither the power nor the mood to do so.
Actually I don’t care about the result that much, I’m not planning to go on for the next level, I just wanted to learn more about the language and improve my knowledge, which I believe is accomplished 🙂 Now if the timing of the course was different from now, then I might have considered registering myself for the coming semester, but this timing is so tiring and leaves me no time to do what I have and what I want to do. Add to this that I never study what I learn in the Institute -because of lack of time- and a language needs practice and hard work in order to be learned very well. Anyway, after today, I still have an oral test on Monday with 3 professors to test my skills, so I just hope I’ll pass today and on Monday, if I didn’t, then it’s no big deal, I made new friends, learned more French, and had some good time.
As for now, I should get back to work. Wish me luck guys…

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June 1 2004

Kinderhandel

Die Zahl von verkauften und versklavten Kindern steigt immer an. Die Kinder sind schlimm behandelt, nicht nur in Entwicklungsländer sondern auch in Europa. Denn auch in den Ländern der Europäischen Union nimmt der Kinderhandel in den vergangenen Jahren immer stärker zu.
Nach der Schätzungen des UN-Kinderhilfswerk UNICEF werden 1,2 Millionen Kinder jährlich verkauft und versklavt. Sie werden zu Arbeit und Prostitution gezwungen und sexuell missbraucht. Meist werden weit entfernt von ihrem Heimatort.
Viele Kinder werden vielfach sexuell ausgebeutet und zu kriminellen Aktivitäten gezwungen: zum Verkauf von Drogen oder zum Stehlen. Minderjährige arbeiten als Bettler auch. Ein weiteres Arbeitsfeld der Menschenhändler ist die illegale Adoption. Wie in einem Versandkatalog werden Kinder im Internet angeboten. Besonders gefragt sind weiße, gesunde, neugeborene Kinder.
Das ist doch schrecklich!!! Man soll was machen! Man soll die armen Kinder retten!

In der arabischen Länder arbeiten die Kinder in Beschäftigungen in der Bauindustrie und in Autowerkstätten. Sie arbeiten auch als Bettler und als Haushaltshilfen in privaten Haushalten, einige arbeiten auch im Landwirtschaft und traditionellem Handwerk, d.h in kleine Geschäte, wo sie zum Beispiel Teppiche knüpfen.
Einige Familien shicken ihre Kinder zur Arbeit in viele arabischen Länder, wofür machen sie das?
Armut ist eine der Gründe. Gesetze können ja helfen, die sind aber nicht alles, solange das Land in Armut lebt, wird es schwer sein Kinderarbeit zu verhindern. “Jeden Tag kommen arme Familien mit ihren Töchtern zu mir, damit ich sie beschäftigen kann. Da ich auf billige Arbeitskräfte angewiesen bin, bin ich bereit sie aufzunehmen”, sagt Frau Saadiya, die eine Teppichweberei besitzt. Natürlich sei es nicht in Ordnung, die Mädchen auszunutzen. Aber immerhin lernten sie etwas Nützliches. “Es ist eine bessere Alternative als auf den Strassen herum zu hängen, oder auf dem Strich zu landen, da sie eben nicht lesen und schreiben können.”
Quelle: DeutscheWelle

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May 31 2004

My Sister’s Graduation Project…

Today my younger sister discussed her graduation project and research. Her field is Industrial Engineering, a tough one, and I can still remember how hard she used to work on her studies when I was still living with my family in Jordan. I can’t believe how fast time flies by! Now she’s about to graduate.
I really hate it to be here while she’s going through this important experience. I wished I could be there with her, help her out with her preparations and be present to listen to her discussion and support her. Now everyone there could share her this but me 🙁 well, not only me, but my mom, older sis & her family and my big bro, as they’re in Canada
now 🙁 but that doesn’t make me feel any better, it only makes me feel worse :((((
Once again, I’m missing a very important occasion of a very dear person…
I wish she did great as she always does!

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May 31 2004

Attempt To Implant A Whole Face!

A medical team in an American university has proposed to make the first whole-face implant operation to a patient using the face of a dead person. The team includes Dr. John Barker, Dr.Serges Martinez and Dr. Joe Banis. Inspired by the procedure done on Sandeep Kaur 10 years ago (whose face and scalp were torn off by a grass cutter and then reattached), their goal is to transform the lives of the seriously disfigured like Jacqui Saburido whose life changed completely after being hit by a drunk driver.
This whole face implanting operation is the first of its kind in human history. 2 operations took place in USA and Australia have succeeded in implanting around 50% of facial skin. This time it’s different, a whole face, with its features, with its muscles and all of its skin will be placed instead of the old face, which has been burnt or cut for example.
According to the team, the duration of the operation may be 24 continuous hours.
The proposal of this operation has caused a huge discussion in terms of physical as well as psychological side-effects.
The operation requires taking certain kind of medicine that will lower the bodies resistance in order to guarantee the least rejection for the implanted face. Such treatments might so possibly have bad side-effects that will endanger the patient’s health. Therefore there is a big risk in making this operation. On the other hand, implanting the face of a dead person will result in the patient losing his/her original face and looking exactly like the dead person. This will also have its dangerous side-effects on both the mental and psychological health of the patient as well as their families and friends. Because this will mean bringing back life to the dead, and taking away the life of the living. This isn’t easy at all.
The team has been experimenting the operation of total face implanting on dead bodies, and according to them, they seem to have solved all the problems and defeated all difficulties that may occur in such an operation. Arabic
To watch a slide showing the accidents of Sandeep Kaur and Jacqui Saburido ClickHere BUT PLZ MAKE SURE U R NOT TOO SENSITIVE & THAT NO CHILDREN R AROUND U WHILE WATCHING!
Source: HealthDiscovery

Category: General, Media, International | LEAVE A COMMENT