Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Fatima Krayim

Hello again world, it's me.

More than 3 months have passed since I wrote a proper blog post, and this is due to the state of mourning I have been in. More than 4000 (some say over 10,000) of my people have been massacred over the past 7 months, and I was having a hard time dealing with that fact. If you're confused as to what I'm talking about, I mean the Syrian people, who are being killed on a daily basis, while the whole world watches.

This state of mourning I'm in is preventing me from going on with my daily life. I'm finding it really hard to get back to my daily routine. Things I enjoyed doing are no longer a source of joy for me. The longer this situation lasts, the deeper I fall into this pitless hole. The more news I watch, the more I feel worthless for not being able to help or assist these people in anything.
But it's an unchangeable fact, I'm here, they're there, I cant go there, and nothing can be done to help from where I am. Except tweet about what's happening.. of course.

Thinking about this the other night, I came to a conclusion that this will only lead to depression, and I need to drag myself out of this hole. I'm doing more harm than good by allowing myself to deteriorate.

As a start, I decided I'm going to finally start working on the "365 photography project", I have been wanting to do that for a while, and I suppose now would be a good time.


The first entry of this project is a tribute to Syrian martyrs, those who are dying for the sake of truth.


Fatima Krayim - Duma, 1985-2011


So, who is Fatima Krayim? Fatima is a young woman from the city of Duma, a suburb of Damascus.
She had recently graduated from university. She was pregnant with her first child. A young woman who has got her whole life ahead of her.

On the fateful day of August 12th, 2011, Fatima was killed.

She was not killed on the streets while protesting against the regime that had killed thousands of her own people, no, a sniper's shot ended her life while she was peacefully reading Quran in the safety of her own home.

One bullet that targeted her balcony, one shooter and feelings of utter hate, bought an end to the life of Fatima and the life within her.

I will not start asking rhetorical questions as to the reasons why something like this has to happen. Nor how could a human being kill another with cold blood, etc etc. .. it will be pointless of me to do so.

Simply put, it's the eternal fight between good and evil, it never ends.. your role here is to chose which side you're on.

Fatima's story is one of thousands. Why I chose her story specifically is because I somehow connected with her. Her story touched my heart and made me realize that certain things in this life demand real sacrifices, ones that not many people are willing to give.



Fatima's home, blood marks on the floor and her husband telling the story of how she was shot

Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Story of a Man


I wrote this about three years ago, it was dedicated to a man who has been detained and tortured in Syrian prisons.. 


This is a story of a Man
A story of faith and hope
A story of struggle and survival
A story of life...

It begins with the tears of a mother
It tells of wolves in the form of humans
And a dream that never saw the light of day

It’s a story of a Man
Who witnessed his life being slaughtered
His dignity being murdered
His soul being stabbed
His faith being punished
His love blown away...
And yet... he lived

It’s a story of a Man
Accused of existence
Abused with persistence
Denied of his right be human

This is a story of cruelty and injustice
And the concealed dark side of man

I cannot tell this story
It couldn't be told in words
It’s engraved on the remains of a broken heart..
..and painted with dry tears

I am sorry to disappoint you
But this story isn't of rainbows and ponies
Nor of happy dancing elves

It’s of reality
Cold..
Cruel..
Harsh..
Unbearable reality

This Man WILL have his happy ending
But soon, this story will find another man to tell of

..and it has

-Mariam A

Thursday, August 4, 2011

ما الحرية؟









أخبرنا أستاذي يوما ...  عن شيء يدعى الحرية
فسألت الأستاذ بلطف ...  أن يتكلم بالعربية
ما هذا اللفظ وما تعنى ..  وأية شيء حرية

هل هي مصطلح يوناني ..  عن بعض الحقب الزمنية
أم أشياء نستوردها ..  أو مصنوعات وطنية
فأجاب معلمنا حزنا ..  وانساب الدمع بعفوية
قد أنسوكم كل التاريخ ..  وكل القيم العلوية
أسفي أن تخرج أجيال ..  لا تفهم معنى الحرية
لا تملك سيفا أو قلما ..  لا تحمل فكرا وهوية

وعلمت بموت مدرسنا ..  في الزنزانات الفردية
فنذرت لئن أحياني الله ..  وكانت بالعمر بقية
لأجوب الأرض بأكملها ..  بحثا عن معنى الحرية


وقصدت نوادي أمتنا ..  أسألهم أين الحرية
فتواروا عن بصري ..  هلعا وكأن قنابل ذرية
ستفجر فوق رؤوسهم  .. وتبيد جميع البشرية
وأتى رجل يسعى وجلا ..  وحكا همسا وبسرية
لا تسأل عن هذا أبدا ..  أحرف كلماتك شوكية
هذا رجس هذا شرك  .. في دين دعاة الوطنية
إرحل فتراب مدينتنا ..  يحوى أذانا مخفية
تسمع ما لا يحكى أبدا ..  وترى قصصا بوليسية
ويكون المجرم حضرتكم  .. والخائن حامي الشرعية
ويلفق حولك تدبير ..  لإطاحة نظم ثورية
وببيع روابي بلدتنا ..  يوم الحرب التحريرية
وبأشياء لا تعرفها ..  وخيانات للقومية
وتساق إلى ساحات ..  الموت عميلا للصهيونية
واختتم النصح بقولته..  وبلهجته التحذيرية
لم أسمع شيئا لم أركم  .. ما كنا نذكر حرية
هل تفهم؟ عندي أطفال ..  كفراخ الطير البرية

وذهبت إلى شيخ الإفتاء ..  لأسأله ما الحرية
فتنحنح يصلح جبته..  وأدار أداة مخفية
وتأمل في نظارته ..  ورمى بلحاظ نارية
واعتدل الشيخ بجلسته ..  وهذى باللغة الغجرية
اسمع يا ولدي معناها ..  وافهم أشكال الحرية
ما يمنح مولانا يوما ..  بقرارات جمهورية
أو تأتي مكرمة عليا في ..  خطب العرش الملكية
والسير بضوء فتاوانا ..  والأحكام القانونية
ليست حقا ليست ملكا ..  فأصول الأمر عبودية
وكلامك فيه مغالطة ..  وبه رائحة كفرية
هل تحمل فكر أزارقة؟ ..  أم تنحو نحو حرورية
يبدو لي أنك موتور ..   لا تفهم معنى الشرعية
واحذر من أن تعمل عقلا ..  بالأفكار الشيطانية
واسمع إذ يلقي مولانا ..  خطبا كبرى تاريخية
هي نور الدرب ومنهجه ..  وهي الأهداف الشعبية
ما عرف الباطل في القول ..  أو في فعل أو نظرية
من خالف مولانا سفها ..  فنهايته مأساوية
لو يأخذ مالك أجمعه ..  أو يسبي كل الذرية
أو يجلد ظهرك تسلية ..  وهوايات ترفيهية
أو يصلبنا ويقدمنا ..  قربانا للماسونية
فله ما أبقى أو أعطى ..  لا يسأل عن أي قضية
ذات السلطان مقدسة ..  فيها نفحات علوية
قد قرر هذا يا ولدي ..  في فقرات دستورية
لا تصغي يوما يا ولدي ..  لجماعات إرهابية
لا علم لديهم لا فهما ..  لقضايا العصر الفقهية
يفتون كما أفتى قوم ..  من سبع قرون زمنية
تبعوا أقوال أئمتهم  .. من أحمد لابن الجوزية
أغرى فيهم بل ضللهم ..  سيدهم وابن التيمية
ونسوا أن الدنيا تجري ..  لا تبقى فيها الرجعية
والفقه يدور مع الأزمان ..  كمجموعتنا الشمسية
وزمان القوم مليكهم ..  فله منا ألف تحية
وكلامك معنا يا ولدي ..  أسمى درجات الحرية
فخرجت وعندي غثيان ..  وصداع الحمى التيفية
وسألت النفس أشيخ هو؟ ..  أم من أتباع البوذية؟
أو سيخي أو وثني  .. من بعض الملل الهندية
أو قس يلبس صلبانا ..  أم من أبناء يهودية
ونظرت ورائي كي أقرأ ..  لافتة الدار المحمية
كتبت بحروف بارزة ..  وبألوان فسفورية
هيئات الفتوى والعلما ..  وشيوخ النظم الأرضية
من مملكة ودويلات ..  وحكومات جمهورية

هل نحن نعيش زمان ..  التيه وذل نكوص ودنية
تهنا لما ما جاهدنا ..  ونسينا طعم الحرية
وتركنا طريق رسول الله ..  لسنن الأمم السبأية
قلنا لما أن نادونا ..  لجهاد النظم الكفرية
روحوا أنتم سنظل هنا ..  مع كل المتع الأرضية
فأتانا عقاب تخلفنا ..  وفقا للسنن الكونية

ووصلت إلى بلاد السكسون ..  لأسألهم عن حرية
فأجابوني: “سوري سوري ..  نو حرية نو حرية”
من أدراهم أني سوري ..  ألأني أطلب حرية؟!
وسألت المغتربين وقد ..  أفزعني فقد الحرية
هل منكم أحد يعرفها ..  أو يعرف وصفا ومزية
فأجاب القوم بآهات ..  أيقظت هموما منسية
لو رزقناها ما هاجرنا ..  وتركنا الشمس الشرقية
بل طالعنا معلومات ..  في المخطوطات الأثرية
أن الحرية أزهار  .. ولها رائحة عطرية
كانت تنمو بمدينتنا ..  وتفوح على الإنسانية
ترك الحراس رعايتها ..  فرعتها الحمر الوحشية
وسألت أديبا من بلدي ..  هل تعرف معنى الحرية
فأجاب بآهات حرى ..  لا تسألنا نحن رعية

وذهبت إلى صناع الرأي ..  وأهل الصحف الدورية
ووكالات وإذاعات ..  ومحطات تلفازية
وظننت بأني لن أعدم  .. من يفهم معنى الحرية
فإذا بالهرج قد استعلى ..  وأقيمت سوق الحرية
وخطيب طالب في شمم  .. أن تلغى القيم الدينية
وبمنع تداول أسماء ..  ومفاهيم إسلامية
وإباحة فجر وقمار ..  وفعال الأمم اللوطية
وتلاه امرأة مفزعة ..  كسنام الإبل البختية
وبصوت يقصف هدار ..  بقنابلها العنقودية
إن الحرية أن تشبع ..  نار الرغبات الجنسية
الحرية فعل سحاق ..  ترعاه النظم الدولية
هي حق الإجهاض عموما ..  وإبادة قيم خلقية
كي لا ينمو الإسلام ولا..  تأتي قنبلة بشرية
هي خمر يجري وسفاح ..  ونواد الرقص الليلية

وأتى سيدهم مختتما ..  نادي أبطال الحرية
وتلى ما جاء الأمر به  .. من دار الحكم المحمية
أمر السلطان ومجلسه ..  بقرارات تشريعية
تقضي أن يقتل مليون ..  وإبادة مدن الرجعية
فليحفظ ربي مولانا ..  ويديم ظلال الحرية
فبمولانا وبحكمته ..  ستصان حياض الحرية
وهنالك أمر ملكي ..  وبضوء الفتوى الشرعية
يحمي الحرية من قوم  .. راموا قتلا للحرية
ويوجه أن تبنى سجون ..  في الصحراء الإقليمية
وبأن يستورد خبراء ..  في ضبط خصوم الحرية
يلغى في الدين سياسته ..  وسياستنا لا دينية
وليسجن من كان يعادي ..  قيم الدنيا العلمانية
أو قتلا يقطع دابرهم  .. ويبيد الزمر السلفية
حتى لا تبقى أطياف ..  لجماعات إسلامية
وكلام السيد راعينا ..  هو عمدتنا الدستورية
فوق القانون وفوق الحكم ..  وفوق الفتوى الشرعية
لا حرية لا حرية ..  لجميع دعاة الرجعية
لا حرية لا حرية أبدا لعدو الحرية

ناديت أيا أهل الإعلام ..  أهذا معنى الحرية؟
فأجابوني بإستهزاء ..  وبصيحات هيستيرية
الظن بأنك رجعي ..  أو من أعداء الحرية
وانشق الباب وداهمني ..  رهط بثياب الجندية
هذا لكما هذا ركلا  .. ذياك بأخمص روسية
اخرج خبر من تعرفهم ..  من أعداء للحرية
وذهبت بحالة إسعاف ..  للمستشفى التنصيرية
وأتت نحوي تمشي دلعا ..  كطير الحجل البرية
تسأل في صوت مغناج ..  هل أنت جريح الحرية
أن تطلبها فالبس هذا ..  واسعد بنعيم الحرية
الويل لك ما تعطيني ..  أصليب يمنح حرية
يا وكر الشرك ومصنعه ..  في أمتنا الإسلامية

فخرجت وجرحي مفتوح ..  لأتابع أمر الحرية
وقصدت منظمة الأمم  .. ولجان العمل الدولية
وسألت مجالس أمتهم ..  والهيئات الإنسانية
ميثاقكم يعني شيئا .. بحقوق البشر الفطرية
أو أن هناك قرارات ..  عن حد وشكل الحرية
قالوا الحرية أشكال ..  ولها أسس تفصيلية
حسب البلدان وحسب الدين ..  وحسب أساس الجنسية
والتعديلات بأكملها .. والمعتقدات الحالية
ديني الإسلام وكذا وطني ..  وولدت بأرض عربية
حريتكم حددناها ..  بثلاث بنود أصلية
فوق الخازوق لكم علم  .. والحفل بيوم الحرية
ونشيد يظهر أنكم  .. أنهيتم شكل التبعية

ووقفت بمحراب التاريخ لأسأله ما الحرية
فأجاب بصوت مهدود ..  يشكو أشكال الهمجية
إن الحرية أن تحيا ..  عبدا لله بكلية
وفق القرآن ووفق الشرع ..  ووفق السنن النبوية
لا حسب قوانين طغاة ..  أو تشريعات أرضية
وضعت كي تحمي ظلاما ..  وتعيد القيم الوثنية
الحرية ليست وثنا .. يغسل في الذكرى المئوية
ليست فحشا ليست فجرا أو أزياء باريسية
والحرية لا تعطيه ..  هيئات الكفر الأممية
ومحافل شرك وخداع ..  من تصميم الماسونية
هم سرقوها أفيعطوها؟ ..  هذا جهل بالحرية
الحرية لا تستجدي .. من سوق النقد الدولية
والحرية لا تمنحها ..  هيئات البر الخيرية
الحرية نبت ينمو  .. بدماء حرة وزكية
تؤخذ قسرا تبنى صرحا ..  يرعى بجهاد وحمية
يعلو بسهام ورماح .. ورجال عشقوا الحرية

اسمع ما أملي يا ولدي ..  وارويه لكل البشرية
إن تغفل عن سيفك .. يوما فانس موضوع الحرية
فغيابك عن يوم لقاء ..  هو نصر للطاغوتية
والخوف لضيعة أموال ..  أو أملاك أو ذرية
طعن يفري كبدا حرة ..  ويمزق قلب الحرية
إلا إن خانوا أو لانوا ..  وأحبوا المتع الأرضية
يرضون بمكس الذل  .. ولم يعطوا مهرا للحرية
لن يرفع فرعون رأسا ..  إن كانت بالشعب بقية
فجيوش الطاغوت الكبرى ..  في وأد وقتل الحرية
من صنع شعوب غافلة ..  سمحت ببروز الهمجية
حادت عن منهج خالقها ..  لمناهج حكم وضعية
واتبعت شرعة إبليس ..  فكساها ذلا ودنية
فقوى الطاغوت يساويها ..  وجل تحيا فيه رعية
لن يجمع في قلب أبدا ..  إيمان مع جبن طوية

أحمد مطر --


Monday, August 1, 2011

A Cry of Freedom

It's 6:30 am, I'm sitting alone in the living room while the residents of the household are all asleep. Early morning rays are shyly peeking in from between the closed curtains, it is very peaceful at the moment. Today is the second day of Ramadan..

But somewhere else on this earth, somewhere not far from here, a massacre is taking place.
This place is called Syria. My home. It's my home, yet my feet never walked on its dirt.
Here I am, hundreds of miles away, sitting on my couch in my Cairo home, witnessing the worst of crimes being committed against my people, my family, against humanity..(!) while the only thing I could do is cry, tweet, and pray to the All Mighty..

I am crying, yet I envy those who have been martyred and their families. They have showed the world what the true definition of freedom is. They are being killed, tortured, their women being raped, their houses torched down, yet their courage is one of a kind.

I have read books, of warriors of old, their courage, their determination and bravery, their epic battles.. and sometimes I'd feel as if I'm reading about a different race of humans. Were they angels sent by God from heaven? No, they weren't.
I would sometimes ask myself, would there come a day when we'd witness such bravery in our modern day?
The answer would sometimes come as "yes, we might", but with that answer would come the image of me, all old and grey, probably with half of my memories erased from my mind due to old age, hearing about a group of young people in a distant land who are no longer willing to tolerate oppression, lies, deceit, hypocrisy and conspiracies.
A group of young people who will only bow before their creator, and therefore are free. Free of all the chains our modern world oppress us with, in the name of liberty and human rights.
I would shed a tear or two, whisper a prayer or two, and die in peace, knowing that finally, the walls of fear are crumbling.

I am still in my twenties, I am still young. My memories are still intact, and I'm hearing of a group of people.
A group of young people, and old people, fighting oppression.
They're not from a distant land, they're from MY land.
They will only bow before their creator, and for that they are being massacred while the whole world watches in silence.

سوريا .. الله حاميكي

Have a nice day.

Friday, July 29, 2011

What About?

This post was intended to be politics-related, but after typing in the first sentence, hitting the backspace button, writing another sentence, hitting the backspace button again, I decided that I do, indeed, want to keep this blog politics-free. I have done a great job keeping it that way.

P.S is it still too early for me to start yelling "Doom is upon us! Heed the warning!" at young people while waving a walking stick in their faces? Mind you.. I'm still in my twenties.. no? Yea, I thought so too.. 

Monday, July 25, 2011

Enslaved to "Their" Freedom

I wrote this piece about two years ago, and since everyone is talking about "freedom" these days, and seeing how disgusted I am with the Western definition of freedom, I thought I'd share my take on this misused word.

"Today, I am grateful for being a free person. For being able to think with a clear mind and to see, not just look. I am grateful for not being controlled by the media and hypnotized by music, mind-controlling song lyrics and subliminal messages in commercials, movies and even children's cartoons.


To have a vision is something rare these days. It amazes me how the general public allow certain groups of people to take over their lives. To dictate what we should and should not do. What we should wear, how we should think, what actions we should take, and present us with disposable, ready-made personalities and characteristics. Use them, achieve their goals, dispose of them, and present us with brand new glittery ones. "Change", they call it.


Lies are becoming the new facts, and facts are being ridiculed. Simply because they sound absurd, simply because "they" said so.
Talking about this subject is never ending, and probably some of you might disagree and find the whole idea preposterous.


But I am grateful.. grateful for not being a part of this evil cycle, and not being enslaved to "their" freedom. Freedom is not just having the right to chose something over the other, blue over green, or pink over red. It's having the right to KNOW what blue is, and what red is."


Final whisper..


Syrians.. you have proved to the whole world that you are, indeed, free..  the years and years of  mindless abuse could not oppress your free spirits! It only made you stronger.. so stay strong! 

Friday, July 1, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 17

Every family has a certain theme in which their daily conversations revolve around. Ours is politics.

When I created this blog, I promised myself I will keep it "politics-free", and will only share my thoughts on photography, cats, baking, and random trivial things. This is the main reason why I chose not to speak. 



I will not speak, I will only whisper..

For you cannot keep your silence while your eyes are welling up with tears as you're watching young men defy bullets with their bare chests, young women being arrested and subjected to physical abuse.

You cannot keep your silence while you watch with an aching heart, children, barely 10 years old, being tortured, most brutally, then killed and returned to their family while the whole world watches. 
Or rather, while the whole world ignores..

But what else can one do but whisper..? ..Syria, may Allah be with you..

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 16


 The sail could have been done in a more professional way, I have nothing else to say about this.

Or actually, I do have a lot to say. Not about the making of the photo, but the photo itself. My mind is blocked though. Too much emotions clogging the flow of words.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 15


A lovely tree just blossomed in our front yard. I'm not sure what kind of tree it is, but it's divine!! It looks very similar to cherry blossom trees.

Monday, June 27, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 14

Sixteen more photos to go..

Craving a good, hearty novel (preferably a classic), any suggestions?

Sunday, June 26, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 13

You know that feeling? When you imagine something, but in reality it turns out even better than what you had imagined? The feeling of utter, joyful surprise? This is how I'm feeling at the moment.


I had no idea what I wanted to do while creating the setting this shot. The silver plate was sitting there, the cups, the tea bag.. and then I saw the light. It flooded in the room through the window and hit the silver plate, and instantly the whole atmosphere was bathed in a shimmering golden glow. The first thing that came into my mind was "I need frills, and a model (aka my sister) to pour hot water!" and this is how this shot came to be.

It's over exposed, I know. But who cares! I loved it.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 12

A few years back I attended an Arabic calligraphy course in our local library. It was very interesting and I did very good, but for some reason I stopped going.
The other day I was looking through some of my old things, and found a bunch of calligraphy pens that I don't remember owning. I felt an instant urge to use them the minute I saw them, although it has been more than four years since I wrote anything with a calligraphy pen. My skills got rusty over the past four years (of not practicing) but I thought I'd give it a try.

Turned out I wasn't that bad, at least my lines weren't that crooked, and the shapes of the letters resembled the likeness of real letters. In other words, they were good. Not great, but good, a little less than good.. fine, yes they were fine..

AND, ladies and gents, I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I have fallen in love with Arabic calligraphy, and this can be proved by the stains of ink all over my right hand (does this thing come off with soap, I wonder..? meh..)

After having spent about three hours trying to perfect a word in a design I was copying off of google images a few nights ago, it struck me how much of an idiot I was to quit the course I was attending, so much I could have learned.. so much..

 
This word here means "mīlestība" (or "love", for you non-Latvian speakers out there), I thought it would be very fitting for the Cups of Love theme, how lame, eh?
I'm proud of it, although I'm sure a professional calligrapher would count a thousand faults in it, but hey! It's mine, and I like it. 

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Last Night I Shot the Moon

Technically, it wasn't last night..

I'm sure most of you heard about last Wednesday's lunar eclipse. Well, here is the astronomical event, captured by my lens.


Such lovely evening it was! I took to the roof with my camera, tripod, and my brother's spotting scope and sat on the edge of the rail (my grandmother would have panicked at such an arrangement! Not to worry though.. the rail was pretty wide) and there I was, enjoying the best view in town, all that was missing was a cup of steaming hot cocoa.. (we were out of milk, it wasn't laziness that was preventing me from making one.. in case you were wondering)

The photo turned out a little less glamorous than I had expected, in fact, those are 12 photos layered into one on photoshop. Not bad though, eh? Considering it's a first time, and probably the last..

Friday, June 17, 2011

Tweet!

So, I have finally joined the dark side and created a twitter account! Took me a while to get used to the idea, for some reason I found it very odd, but I thought I'd give it a try and see how it works out..

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

Amazing video I came upon today.. 



 ..make sure you watch the whole video!

Monday, June 13, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 11

Coming up with daily original ideas for my "30 Cups of Love" challenge is exhausting, therefore I have decided not to rush this project just for the sake of proving to myself that I am capable of committing to a challenge. I'm not totally giving up, I'm simply giving myself more time. The challenge is still up, but the entries are not going to be published daily.. or maybe they will be, depending on my mood.



Don't you just love that gorgeous green color?! It makes me think of Victorian England, satin frocks and afternoon tea..

Monday, June 6, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 10


I have not given up, I was just taking a break.. and I probably still am..

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Butterfly Award!

A big THANK YOU to the lovely Marie of the "To Make a Rhyme" blog for awarding me with this..!



I should share something about myself, and give this award in return to another "cool" blog, and that cool blog is.. "Strange World Journey" .. Stranger, you're COOL!

Let's see, something about myself, eh?

Well, here's something, my earliest memory was of my first visit to Egypt in 1990. I was about 13 months old.

30 Cups of Love - Day 9

This was intended to be black and white, but after shooting it, I loved the atmosphere as it is, B&W would totally ruin it.



How far do you think I'll go with this? I'm betting... 16 days?

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 8


Love does not grow on trees.. or does it?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 7

Day 7!! 

The bokeh in this photo was supposed to be heart shaped, but unfortunately, I couldn't find the heart lens cap that I made a while ago, and I wasn't really in the mood for making a new one.

23 photos to go!

*A note about last night's photo*
The link between the reflection of the moon in the cup and what is written on the page was totally not planned for. I opened the book randomly, and took the shot.
While editing the reflection, and after having zoomed in to fix a few details, I noticed that the beginning of the chapter was actually about the moon! What a lovely coincidence!!

Monday, May 23, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 6


 "I had forgotten to draw my curtian, which I usually did, and also to let down my window-blind. The consequence was, that when the moon, which was full and bright (for the night was fine), came in her course to that space in the sky opposite my casement, and looked in at me through the unveiled panes, her glorious gaze roused me. Awaking in the dead of night, I opened my eyes on her disk -silver white and crystal clear. It was beautiful, but too solemn.. "
                                                                             Jane Eyre

Sunday, May 22, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 5

Day 5!

What you see bellow is exactly how I'd describe as "leaving my comfort zone". I always tend choose very bright light settings and fresh themes for my photos, but today I thought I'd try something very different, and I LOVED the result!! Initially, the shape I wanted to draw was a heart, but controlling the light trail is very difficult, so we (my friend and I) ended up scribbling random shapes in the hopes of creating a fair resemblance of a heart.. and I think we did a good job!


This photo is dedicated to her, for having to put up with me bossing her around today ♥

Saturday, May 21, 2011

30 Cups of Love - Day 4

Today's entry..


Using a tripod makes a BIG difference! Even if you don't really need it.. especially if you're shooting indoors and in dim lighting.

30 Cups of Love - Day 3

Day 3's entry, shot yesterday.


Special thanks to Yara, you're the best :)

30 Cups of Love - Day 2

Day 2's entry, shot last Thursday.


The challenge here was trying to prevent bugs from jumping into the teacup!!

30 Cups of Love - Day 1

I've been ignoring photography for far too long (yes, three months to me is 'far too long'!) and when that happens, I usually get myself to commit to a weekly or monthly project, which can be very challenging. 

A friend is working on such project over at her "Strange World Journey" blog, which has been very inspirational. 

This photo was taken four days ago, and, as you can see, it's of my favorite photography prop.




It wasn't my intention to start off the 30 days challenge with this photo, but, since I love challenges, I thought, why not take this up a notch! 30 photos of the same teacup.. uhu! Now that's challenging!

I started this four days ago, and I'm already worried about coming up with a good shot for tomorrow! I wonder what will happen when I'm out of ideas!

Don't expect all the photos to turn out perfectly, after all, it's a challenge!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What in the world....?!

According to Dictionary.com, art is:
"the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance."
  
Now, can anyone please point out to me where the "of more than ordinary significance" element in this picture is? Well, you probably cannot, because, let's be honest, it's nothing more than a piece of crap (excuse my french)

  
BUT! Ladies and gentlemen, apparently the folks at Christie's have a rather, strikingly, different opinion. 
This.. thing, you see before you, was sold at a Christie's auction last Wednesday for (I kid you not!) 30 million dollars...!!!! 
If you click on the photo, it will take you to the Christie's website, posted there is a video of the sale (in case you don't believe me..)
Maybe I'm missing the point here? Maybe I do not have what people call "an artistic eye"? But really! A four year old can smudge paint on a piece of canvas! You don't need to be an "artist" to do that!!

Mark Rothko, the creator of this masterpiece (yes, it was actually described as a masterpiece..!) was a Russian-born, Jewish American painter. I thought that mentioning a bit about the talented artist who smudged this exquisite pathetic excuse of an art piece on a 93 x 76 in. sheet of canvas, is very important. Why is that? Because I have come to a very strong conviction, that art is NOT measured by the qualities of the piece, the meaning behind it, the emotions it captured.. etc. but rather WHO the artist is...  
..and money laundering..

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Shoot Them!

I once read somewhere that some famous photographers tend to avoid shooting flowers. Their argument is that flowers are beautiful by themselves, it does not take much talent to create a beautiful flower photograph.

I do not agree.

While it is somewhat true, I believe that a flower shot by a talented and creative photographer can be a piece of art. You cannot create art without talent.




Speaking of flowers and photographs, I will be participating in a joint photography exhibition this Friday (inshallah). The theme is flowers (of course.. why else would I have mentioned flowers?). I submitted 6 photographs and only two will be chosen and printed on canvas. (this photo is not one of them, by the way). I really liked the idea, since I won't have to deal with any of the printing and organizing, such headache it gave me last time!

The exhibition will be held at an art gallery in the Zamalek district.
So if you find yourself free on Friday night at 7pm, stop by! It is on 26A Baghat Ali Street, Zamalek, the place is called Art House. And please, do me a favor, if you do come, don't just stand there watching, introduce yourself! Trust me, I won't bite.

In case you were wondering what happened to me this past month, and why I suddenly disappeared from blogger world, I will tell you that Asya happened. She's my three months old baby sister. Only three months and she's already a spoilt brat! It has been a while since we had a baby in this house, so we're making a big deal out of it.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Misconception

Or is it underestimation?

It has always been a conviction of mine that drawing and I are the worst of enemies. Not because I hated it, but because I've never managed to draw anything that was considered the least bit recognizable! And that was probably because I had my mind set on "no, don't even try, you can't draw".

A week ago I started attending a course in jewelry making. The course is divided into three parts, designing (ie drawing), silversmithing and wax carving. Naturally, we started with designing.

On my first day at the center, I was shown a few photos and was asked to copy whichever I felt like copying, as to determine my level. But my first class began with me warning the instructor that what she was about to see was something beyond dreadful. I told her that if there was a level zero, I think we should start there. Maybe start with drawing square shapes and circles. She ignored what I said and asked me to start working.

I chose a picture of a floor lamp and started copying. While drawing, I was mentally preparing myself for the comments I would receive upon showing the instructor the final result. Remove this hideous "thing" from my face immediately! this is a disgrace! You have shamed yourself and your family forever!!.. forever *echo echo*

I was almost finished when my friend popped her head over the desk I was sitting on and smiled, telling me that I'm really good with details.

*huh?*



The final result of the floor lamp sketch I was drawing was quite shocking to me! The wall I built between myself and drawing came tumbling down, and I found myself face to face with a sketch -of my own making- that was.. nice!! Of course, I'm no Picasso, and I still have a long way to go, but at least what I drew was not dreadful!!

I have only attended three classes since I've started last week, and I could feel the improvement already. Yesterday I was asked to design my own piece of jewelry, and I designed four. I actually drew something from my own imagination. *yay me!*

I feel like I owe someone an apology, but I'm not sure who. I have been guilty of making wrong assumptions several times on many occasions, but does that fall under the same category?
I doubted my abilities, and I think this is the worst crime one can commit towards oneself.

Just do it. You can.

Starting this course opened a door to a whole new universe for me, and I'm LUVIN' every minute I spend at the jewelry center!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Strawberries and Blue Buckets

I was having tea with my mother in our backyard the other day, and for some reason I had my camera with me. I haven't been taking any photos lately, I guess I'm stuck in one of 'em "photo blocks". So probably, unconsciously, I bought my camera outside, hoping that the wonders of the outdoor would cure this disease.

It was a lovely afternoon, the birds were chirping, the sun was warm and the clouds.. lovely as ever. It was one of those moments where you inhale freshness, and enjoy the scent of invisible strawberries in the air.

Cammy (..yes, I gave my camera a name, and no, I have not completely lost it) was just sitting there on the table being ignored, while I was too busy smiling at the invisible strawberries. (alright.. maybe I have..)
 My mother interrupted my strawberry thoughts and pointed out to a blue bucket sitting on the edge of the porch. She challenged me in a "show me what you've got" manner.

But the strawberries..!

It's a really old, very dusty, cheap bucket. Just to give you an idea of what I was dealing with here.
Not something that you'd be thrilled to photograph, or even look at for that matter.
So, after changing the setting, placing the bucket near a tree branch, lying on my stomach as to get a different angle and getting bitten by a few bugs, changing the setting again, placing the bucket near a cracked wall, placing some tree branches and leaves inside the bucket, changing the setting again, and again, and again.. I came up with this..


 

So, mom, is this good enough for ya?


..maybe it isn't??

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Hello Blogger!

A lot has changed since I last posted here on this blog, which was about two weeks ago (or was it three?)
Egypt has changed. On so many levels. Hosni Mubarak isn't the president anymore, that's for one.

I won't be commenting on what happened, because this blog isn't where I share my political opinion and discuss it (although trust me, I do have one!) this is so, simply because no one really wants to hear what I have to say..

So, I will skip all this, and return to my usual "blogging".

One thing I've learned from the experience of the past month though is, how fragile our world is! Our systems, our lifestyle! Everything could change with the push of a button. We always hear about turmoil and unrest in other countries like Iraq, Palestine, Somalia etc. but to live through it? Even if it was for a couple of days?!
We had the internet and cellphone lines cut off for about three days when this all started, the electricity even blacked out for a day (thankfully it was during the day) and we were this close to running out of drinking water. People were lining up in long queues at bakeries just to get a few loaves of bread. Big supermarkets closed down and gas stations were running out of gasoline. Not to mention the lack of security, and how people had to defend themselves against thugs and bad guys with broomsticks and homemade bombs. We even thought about leaving, going back to Toronto, but by the time the embassy contacted us, things were already calmed down and on the track to normal.

I tried to imagine this going on for a month, and it was not a pretty image. Better yet, try to imagine this happening in a country like Canada or the US! And we've all seen how easy it could.

I have no idea why, but I feel that the world has changed. The life that we knew and the future that we are planning and preparing for is not going to be at all how we'd expect.. (this has nothing to do with what happened recently.. or maybe it does, but I've had this feeling for quite some time)
I'm not predicting anything, but the "flying cars" and "beam-me-up" future hardly fits in the picture we are seeing now. Anyway, this is just my very own personal view. Feel free to see it otherwise, but don't call me a pessimist. 

So much for not sharing my political opinion, eh? But technically, I didn't, since it wasn't really political, was it?

Have a nice evening :)

P.S Excuse the lame title, I'm not in my creative mood today

Friday, February 11, 2011

25th of January.. and What Happened After That

Ah.. where do I start..

Most of you lovely readers already know that I live in Egypt, and, unless you are living in a cave somewhere, or in a tree house deep inside a rain forest with no internet connection, you must have heard about what is happening here in Egypt (which is highly unlikely, since you're reading this and therefore are connected to the www)

But, in case you haven't heard, I'll leave it to Nina to update you on this matter.






Little Nina did a great job explaining the situation, but she failed to mention the things that happened as a result of "the normal angry persons asking the president to leave".

The riots. People dying. The curfews. The absence of the police that resulted in the looting of the Egyptian museum.. the looting of shops, malls and people's houses. The sleepless nights. The sounds of gunfire piercing the night sky. The demonstrators in Tahrir Square. The thugs. The anger. The fear of what is yet to come..

I am not going to talk about the political side of this story, because I am sure most of you have heard enough.

The past two weeks were an experience I never thought I'd go through, at least not here in this country.

The first few days were a terrible nightmare. I couldn't sleep for almost two days in a row, staying up for at least 50 hours, consuming one "pot" of coffee after another.

What happened was, on the 28th of January, the police suddenly disappeared from the streets, making way for looters and "bad guys" to take over the streets of Cairo, doing what they do best, looting and vandalizing.
Criminals broke out of prisons, and some of those prisons were only a couple of hours away from where we live. The best part was, we live in the suburbs of Cairo, a compound that is surrounded by large patches of dessert. The sort of place where, if you scream, no one would hear you. Good news is, most of the houses in our compound are inhabited, which made us feel a bit safe.

People took to the streets in an attempt to try and protect their homes and families from the thugs and looters, and so did we.
Occasionally, some thugs and prison escapees would try to break in the compound. Luckily, some of the neighbors here had guns and rifles. A few gunshots were sure enough to scare them away.
We made molotov bombs (yes! I made one as well!! although it was useless, since the bottle of "paint thinner" was half empty, and the bomb requires that it be full.. but I made one!!!)
We tapped kitchen knives to broomsticks with duct tape to use as weapons. My brothers (since they're pro archers) assembled their bows and got their arrows out. There was something whimsical about the bows and arrows though, they looked like Robin Hood come to life!

This went on for a couple of days. Thankfully, this episode is over.(at least I hope it is!!)

Despite the looting and the vandalism, shops and banks have reopened, people went back to work. The police are back (kind of) and life was somehow slowly going back to normal, until last night, that is.

Demonstrators in Tahrir Square want the president to leave, but the president made it quite clear in his speech last night that he is not going anywhere, and so did the protesters. So apparently, it is not over. The fat lady has not sung yet, and it does not look like she is going to sing any time soon.

People are regathering in larger numbers. Some still in Tahrir Square, and some are marching towards the presidential palace.

I just hope that this night would pass by without more people having to die..

I am still trying to wrap my head around this, but I thought an "update" post is long due.


Pray for the future of this country, your prayer could make a difference.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Simon Says..

..jump. Simon says pat your head. Simon says stand on one leg. Simon says wear silly bandz. Simon says skinny jeans are in. Simon says vampires are attractive. Simon says cartoonize your facebook profile picture. Simon says housewives are lame, and stay-at-home moms have no life. Simon says buy an iphone. Simon says unless you have a university degree, you're nothing. Simon says if you're older than 20 and you still respect your parents' wishes, you're a loser. Simon says, say mooo! Simon says gladiator sandals are in. Simon says gladiator sandals are so last yeaar..

Simon says, do what I say, because that is how it should be.

Is there no room for individuality in our modern world!?
It is naively believed that freedom of choice exists. Look around you, open your wardrobe, look at your ipod playlist, the contents of your fridge, what you do in life, your beliefs and moral values.. were all those based on your choice? Are they different from your neighbor's? Friend's and relatives'? Or are we all leading identical lives? Our likes and dislikes? Our perspectives?

No one dares to be different or think outside the box. No one dares to be free.
Why? Because Simon said we shouldn't be, and honestly, who are we to defy Simon?! He is wiser and much cooler than we are. We're just a flock of sheep.

*To those who might get offended.. give me a break, will ya?!*

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Versatile Blogger

I've been awarded "The Versatile Blog" award by the lovely Sara from Sweet Serenity! 
How very sweet of her! This is my first award ever.. so THANK YOU Sara!





  The rule requires that I state seven random facts about moi..

1. Besides coffee, spicy assam tea is my favorite warm drink

2. As odd as it may sound, I feel warmer in Canada during winter than here in Cairo

3. Sometimes I prefer the company of animals to humans

4. I dream of traveling the world in a trailer home

5. I think weddings are a waste of money

6. I've been on a helicopter once

7. I'm not a morning person

I should award 7 blogs in return, but really, there are so many great blogs out there, it's really tough to chose!
So, to all my blogger friends, you're awarded! You're all so wonderful, I'd hate to exclude anyone :)

Friday, January 21, 2011

She's Here!

My baby sister was born last week, on the 14th of January! A tiny, healthy baby!
We decided to call her Asya. She's the sweetest little thing! I found myself unconsciously calling her "hey little kitty!!!"
I guess after 20-something years, I forgot how it's like to have a baby around!

I feel so old..

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Maru the Cat

Meet Maru, the funny, playful cat, who's got a weird passion for cardboard boxes!



*The last part of this video is the funniest thing I've seen in ages!! Epic!!*




More boxes!!!

 


I hope you've enjoyed these videos as much as I have. This cat really made my day!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Tales of a Homeschooling Graduate

 The article I wrote on homeschooling that was published in SISTERS magazine last summer.

I was introduced to Mariam A. by a sister on Facebook. She had sent a link to a young photographer’s Facebook page and was urging us to support this new Muslimah talent. But one look at the gorgeous photographs on the sister’s Flickr site and it was clear that no such exhortations were necessary. It was clear that the sister had real talent, masha Allah.
But I was even more intrigued after speaking to her: a 21 year old Canadian of Syrian, Egyptian, Bedouin, Turkish and Chechnyan origin, currently living in Egypt, totally homeschooled. This sister sounded bright, intelligent, confident - and her photographic skills were self taught: a true homeschooling poster girl.
We often hear of sisters making the decision to homeschool their children. Support groups, advice and resources abound for the wannabe homeschooler but it is rare to hear about the experiences of the homeschooled children themselves. I decided to ask Mariam about her own experiences, in the hope of adding a new, fresh voice to the ongoing debate about our children’s education.

A momentous decision

When I turned three, when it was time for me to start my first year of school, both my parents came to the conclusion that life was too short to miss out on any moment of their children’s precious lives. They wanted to be involved in every step of our education and development; to watch us grow in front of them, teach us things and share their life experiences with us. They thought homeschooling would combine both the academic and social aspect of a child’s development. My mother, being a statistics major, knew she would be responsible of covering the academic part while my father, with his wealth of business, social and life experiences thought he would enhance our mental and social growth tremendously.
In addition, a home’s healthy environment - away from bullying, peer pressure and negative influences - would positively shape our character while encouraging us to learn and be independent thinkers.
But most importantly, my parents believed that the responsibility of raising and educating a child is a God given right to each parent that should not be waived to the school system.

Lone pioneers

After announcing that they wished to homeschool us, my parents found that they were not supported at all by relatives and friends. Instead, they were accused of using us as guinea pigs in an experiment that was bound to fail. We were pitied by everyone around us, including kids of our own age. At that time, homeschooling was barely even heard of: people thought my parents were crazy.

Richness in diversity

We are a large family and as a family we have lived in many places and discovered many cultures, and I believe this adds a lot to who I am today.
My experience as a homeschooler has been a very rich one, not necessarily education wise, but as a life experience in itself. For us, education was not restricted to a classroom setting with desks and textbooks, but rather it was a real life experience. We never actually had a daily schedule to run by. I guess I would describe our learning experience as easy going and relaxed. When we were young, the Canadian outdoors was our classroom. We used to wait eagerly for each distinctive Canadian season, for each held special gifts for us.
Summer brought its warm eveings, barbeques, picnics and bicycle rides. Fall meant collecting leaves, and enjoying the sweet scent of apples and pumpkins, while winter brought all the fun of snowball fights, hot chocolate after shovelling the driveway, and quiet afternoons of reading in the library. Spring was our favourite, an opportunity to combine learning about nature with the fun of walking in the rain, running barefoot on the grass, and watching life emerge from dead tree branches.
The vivid Canadian seasons were a great educational tool that opened our little minds and drove us to ask questions and seek answers from our parents, the Internet and the library.
Our learning style was a very unique one. As we grew older, our learning experiences became more creative. My siblings and I would work on projects together. One such project was a home bakery that we opened. It was a great learning opportunity that came with many rewards. For example, I was always interested in arts and crafts. I loved creating beautiful things from ordinary objects. At age seven, I made a little doll house out of a chocolate box and making things like this made me so proud, and it helped boost my self confidence.
Growing up, I always had a soft spot for animals. I raised an orphaned pigeon who was found on our doorstep, almost a week old. I have also nursed an orphaned kitten, as well as having a semi cat shelter with 36 cats in our backyard!

Academic philosophy

As for academical education, my parents didn’t want to restrict us to a certain curiculum; my mother always tried to choose books about subjects we were interested in. My parent’s philosophy with regards academic education was to concentrate on skills - basic mathematical skills, reading, writing and comprehending in both the Arabic and English languages - as this would enable us to learn and discover on our own.
As for Science , Geography and History these were regarded in our home as general knowledge and this was obtained through borrowing documentaries from the library, the National Geographic and History television channels, while encyclopedias, books about the animal kingdom etc, were scattered all over the house.
Our parents used to take advantage of current events and turn them into lively discussions through which we’d learn more about the political climate, events that were taking place and how they would affect the rest of the world. For instance, the American Presidential elections of 2000 presented a great opportunity for us to learn about the history of American presidents, different political parties, how the election system in America worked, among other things.

Challenges and accomplishments

To me, my biggest accomplishment was learning to read and write on my own after having been tutored in the basics by my mother until the age of 7. This made me realise that with persistence and motivation, I can achieve almost anything I want. However, from my experience, and as I have mentioned earlier, the pressure from close relatives and friends was the biggest challenge my parents faced. Homeschooling was not easy in the beginning, and lack of support from people around us made it harder. As for us children, I don’t think we faced any major challenges alhamdulilah.

Little boxes

The way I see the school system is like a big mold that shapes all its students into one model. It allows very little room for a student to develop his/her very unique personality and character. Schools adopt a one-size-fits-all scheme of learning and shaping their students. Therefore, you are more likely to have a generation of children thinking, eating, dressing and buying the exact same things. Because of the ‘one mold’ policy that is followed by a lot of schools, there is less room for individuality, uniqueness and creativity. On the other hand because learning at home is tailored to a child’s needs, it allows his or her talents to be discovered at an early age, while being nurtured and encouraged. This, in my opinion, is a recipe for success.
Another problem with today’s educational system is the matter of labelling. If a student is a slow learner, he/she becomes labelled as a “special needs” student when, in fact, that child could prove to be a genius if given the time and space to prove him/her self. For example, I began learning at the age of three, while one of my siblings started his learning at the age of nine! He was a hyper-active child, and in my opinion, if he was a school student he would have been labelled. Eventually, he grew and developed at his own pace and turned out to be the cleverest of my siblings.

The learning journey

While most people think that success is measured by the grades a child achieves on tests, true success is measured by how developed a child’s character is, and how dedicated, independent, and aware of the world around her she is. I have met many high school students who are considered very smart and clever but when I actually talked to them, I found that, despite all the learning they received, their interests were quite superficial. They had no real interests, hobbies, or opinions, which is quite sad. For a generation to have no interests in life is a true social crisis.
Homeschooling made me an independent person. It made me think outside the box, with a clear mind, one that is not being controlled by the system. I can form my own opinions freely, based on my own judgments. It also made me open and sociable. Most people think that homeschoolers are unsociable but, on the contrary, while growing up, I had the privilege of making friends from all age groups and backgrounds. I remember when I was about 7, I used to spend hours on the phone with my mother’s aunt, who was 60 at that time. It never was a problem for me to come up with things to talk about and discuss. Many (if not all) of my friends are more than 5 years older than I am.
I find the company of older friends more interesting, as I have gained a lot from being with people who are more experienced than I am. One of the most important thing that I have gained from homeschooling, is having a strong relationship with my family. Being together all day long made us appreciate each other, and depend on each other in many things.
Many people find it hard to go against the flow, for fear of rejection or ridicule. Alhamdulillah, as a homeschooler, I never had to face that problem. I grew up to be a practical person. I run my life by what I believe to be the right course, not by how people expect me to. I also had enough space to discover who I am, not being told who I should be. I discovered who I am by discovering where my talents lie. From a very young age, I was fascinated by beauty in all its forms. I looked for ways to express myself, hence my passion for photography and writing emerged. I wanted people to see this beauty the way I saw it, either by a very expressive poem, or a captivating photograph.

Ultimate goals

My parents instilled in me that my main ambition should be to to strive to be a good Muslim, to always seek the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah in everything I do in life. Because this is, after all, our ultimate goal.
Everything else in life is merely a tool for achieving this goal. As to my professional ambitions,
my dream is to become a published writer and photographer. Also I’m planning on studying the art of glass-bead making and hopefully integrating with my professional goals.

I came away from my discussion with Mariam A. most impressed by this confident and self-assured young lady. May Allah reward her parents and bless her with success in all her affairs, ameen.