Underneath a Silver Sky...

Fatima Krayim

2011-10-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

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

The Story of a Man

2011-09-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

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

ما الحرية؟

2011-08-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

أخبرنا أستاذي يوما ... عن شيء يدعى الحريةفسألت الأستاذ بلطف ... أن يتكلم بالعربيةما هذا اللفظ وما تعنى .. وأية شيء حرية هل هي مصطلح يوناني .. عن بعض الحقب الزمنيةأم أشياء نستوردها .. أو مصنوعات وطنية فأجاب معلمنا حزنا .. وانساب الدمع بعفويةقد أنسوكم كل التاريخ .. وكل القيم العلويةأسفي أن تخرج أجيال .. لا تفهم معنى الحريةلا تملك سيفا أو قلما .. لا تحمل فكرا وهوية

A Cry of Freedom

2011-08-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

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

What About?

2011-07-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

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

Enslaved to "Their" Freedom

2011-07-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 17

2011-07-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 16

2011-06-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

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.

30 Cups of Love - Day 15

2011-06-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

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.

30 Cups of Love - Day 14

2011-06-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Sixteen more photos to go.. Craving a good, hearty novel (preferably a classic), any suggestions?

30 Cups of Love - Day 13

2011-06-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 12

2011-06-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

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

Last Night I Shot the Moon

2011-06-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

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

Tweet!

2011-06-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

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..

The Hidden Beauty of Pollination

2011-06-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Amazing video I came upon today.. ..make sure you watch the whole video!

30 Cups of Love - Day 11

2011-06-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 10

2011-06-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

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

Butterfly Award!

2011-05-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 9

2011-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

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?

30 Cups of Love - Day 8

2011-05-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 7

2011-05-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 6

2011-05-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

"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 -

30 Cups of Love - Day 5

2011-05-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

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

30 Cups of Love - Day 4

2011-05-21T11:32:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Day 3's entry, shot yesterday. Special thanks to Yara, you're the best :)

30 Cups of Love - Day 2

2011-05-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

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

What in the world....?!

2011-05-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

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

Shoot Them!

2011-05-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Misconception

2011-03-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

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

Strawberries and Blue Buckets

2011-03-10T16:21:00.000-08:00

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

Hello Blogger!

2011-03-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

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

25th of January.. and What Happened After That

2011-02-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

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

Simon Says..

2011-01-25T07:29:00.000-08:00

..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

The Versatile Blogger

2011-01-23T05:27:00.000-08:00

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

She's Here!

2011-01-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

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..

Maru the Cat

2011-01-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

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!

Tales of a Homeschooling Graduate

2011-01-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

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

Take Me There..

2011-01-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

..where the sun shineswhere worries vanishwhere the only sound you hear is the wind..

To Celebrate or to Lament?

2011-01-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Cuddled in my warm fleece blanket on the sofa, reading of Catherine Morland's terrifying thoughts as she prepared herself for bed, stealing glances through her window in search of something that may confirm her doubts. The glimmer of General Tileny's lamp through the window opposite her's, perhaps. I was too deeply engrossed in Jane Austin's classic, that I failed to notice the lights glimmering

My Photos in an Exhibition

2010-12-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

This post is about what I have been up to the past two weeks, and that is preparing for my very first photography exhibition. How exciting, right?! I got inspired by an article I read online a while ago. The idea was to exhibit your photos in a public place instead of a rented exhibition hall. I really liked this idea, since it's my very first exhibition. So all I need to do was print the

...

2010-12-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

She was a young successful silver jewelry designer, married with two kids. She was the friend of a friend. I didn't know her personally, but I got in touch with her a while ago via facebook, offering my services as a photographer to catalog her jewelry pieces. A month ago, she was diagnosed with leukemia, three weeks later, she passed away. It was a case of being here one moment, and gone the

This...

2010-12-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

.. is how the world looked like from my window last night.

Random Thoughts of the Week #2

2010-11-25T10:54:00.000-08:00

*My muscles surprised me by how cool they were after a two hour workout at the gym last night! Considering it was my first time ever..!! I thought I'd be in bed for two days due to muscle cramp! *Dear Mr. fly, You have made a really powerful enemy this morning when you woke me up at 7am with your buzzing. If you were a mosquito, your behavior could have been justified, but what on God's green

New Cover for SISTERS

2010-11-22T08:31:00.000-08:00

This is the new cover of SISTERS magazine. Some voice inside me goes all "Oh! Look!! This is my photo!!!" every time I look at this! Yes, I know, I should get over it.

Commercials and Ads Are Evil

2010-11-19T12:38:00.000-08:00

I don't really watch TV. Especially Arabic TV, and on the rare occasions that I do, it would either be National Geographic Channel, Jamie Oliver, or BBC's Top Gear (yes.. top gear). But.. you don't have to be a TV-aholic to notice the evil commercials and ads on there. One ad that seriously gets under my skins is the Fair&Lovely ad. More than one actually, they keep making new ones every season.

A Draft

2010-11-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

I found this unpublished post in my drafts folder. I can't remember where exactly I wanted to go with this.. but I thought I'd share."Ever heard of the slogan "live the moment"? I'm sure you all have. Some of you might even use it. But have you ever felt it? Or lived by it? I hardly think so.We live as if the present does not exist, as if we are living for the future, waiting for moments to pass

Random Thoughts of the Week

2010-11-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

*Why is it that the best ideas only come to me when I'm about to fall asleep? And for some odd reason, they don't sound as good as they did the night before?*I just don't understand for the life of me why people here don't celebrate Eid the way they celebrate christmas, or even valentine, even though this is supposedly an islamic country!! No decorations in malls or hotels, no gift giving, no

I knew it!! I just knew it!

2010-11-14T07:58:00.000-08:00

So.. my theory proved to be correct. Even if you decided you want to live in a cat-free environment, the decision is not yours to take!! It is not up to you to decide, it just simply isn't. The little rascals would know you have a soft spot, and they sure do know how to take advantage of that!!!! Those illegal immigrants have settled right in front of the kitchen door, and now they live

About

2010-10-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

I've been adding new pages to this blog, and I thought it's about time I made an About Me page, so here it is.. the new page :)

Babysitting With a Fun Twist

2010-10-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

Babysitting isn't really my thing. I'm not really good with kids, I don't know why! I can't tell stories, sing songs, or play games.. it just isn't my thing, and to be honest I dread the idea of me having to do these things with my children one day. But maybe one would react differently with one's own children.. I like to believe that. A friend wanted me to babysit for her the other day, and I

Gone Baby Gone

2010-10-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

They're gone.. just like that.They moved out this morning. I drove them to my friend's house, which is about an hour away.It was an extremely stressful ride, for both them and me.They were meowing non-stop and trying to open the metal doors of the cages. If you have (or had) cats, you would know how stressful a car ride is to them, especially if it lasted for about an hour!I won't get into the

A Week to Say Goodbye

2010-10-13T03:48:00.000-07:00

Less than a week, five days to be exact. I knew this day would come, it was almost inevitable. The day when I would have to give my cats away. I made a promise a while ago that I would not allow myself to get so attached to a cat again (ever again!), because I know we (as a family) could not have a cat (or a fur ball to be more specific) roaming around the house shedding hair in an environment

Just Another Random Post..

2010-10-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ever since my camera suddenly decided to rebel and go on strike about two weeks ago (although I've been very good to her!) I've been lacking motivation. My grandmother will be leaving for Toronto this Tuesday (insha'allah) and she's taking the camera with her to get fixed, I just hope I can find a way to get it back here as soon as possible. It has become a part of my life now, and dealing with

I'm walking on.. errr.. fluffy pink frosting??

2010-09-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

I came upon these photos while searching the blogger world for inspiration for an art project I'm working on. Not exactly sure how to describe them.. simply magical would do for now! Source:{Amy Atlas Events} On a side note, my DSLR camera is not working, and for that I'm feeling really frustrated. I've had it for almost a year, and I have no idea what went wrong! The shutter button is

Spiderthoughts

2010-09-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

I found this not-so-little spider by chance in my backyard this afternoon, and immediately ran back inside to get my camera! I tried getting closer as to capture all of the details on her legs and body, but I was extremely scared! She could be poisonous for all I know! My hands weren't stable as well, hence the shaky, unfocused photos bellow. While snapping away I started wondering how

Now here's a great ad!

2010-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love this!? I know I do! ♥

Afternoon Naps and Watermelon Juice

2010-09-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

Watermelon juice? It sounded a bit odd when I first heard of it a few years ago, but I like trying new things so I tried it.. it was ok, but it lacked flavor.So, I woke up from an afternoon nap yesterday, my throat was parched, and I was in desperate need of anything refreshing. I ignored my thirst, and pushed the thoughts of a cold glass of water away. But then I remembered that I was not

Color My World: White

2010-09-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration to do a color themed photography project from the "Little Brown Pen" blog, her photos are really inspirational! I'm thinking maybe.. a weekly project? Next up.. yellow!! P.S. is it just me.. or is this blog slowly (but surely) turning into a photo blog? P.SS I cheated this time, used some of my old photos (sue me!)

Eid is All About Baked Goodies!

2010-09-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

I know this is a bit late.. but Happy Eid everyone! Hope you had a great time! This year Eid was a bit different, since my grandmother is here visiting. We spent about four days before Eid baking. She usually makes traditional Syrian Eid pastries every year. They're known as Ma'amoul. They're cookie-like, with pistachio filling. If you haven't tried them before.. I'm telling you, you're missing

Let it snow, let it snow, let it.. huh?

2010-09-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

We passed by a nice steep hill that overlooks the city of Sheik Zayed while driving to the grocery store this afternoon, and for a split of a second I thought to myself OOOooohh this would be great for tobogganing, I'm so coming here in the winter!!! But then I remembered, I'm in Egypt..

"Cats?! .. EWW!!!"

2010-09-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Is it normal for me to feel offended when someone tells me they don't like cats? Or better yet, they HATE them? (while putting so much emphasis on the H)!It's just that I'm really sick of people responding with "Uh.. cats?! I hate 'em!" and "Seriously? You have 6 of them?! I can't STAND them!" when they find out I have 6 cats!You wouldn't go up to a parent and bluntly tell them that you don't

The Ramadan Journal- Day 4-19

2010-08-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Keeping a Ramadan journal seemed like a very good idea at first, but apparently, it isn't. I'm finding it really hard to squeeze "posting an entry a day, AND a photo" into my schedule. So I guess I'll see you in 11 days! In the meantime, check out Unique-Muslimah's photo journal, and Umm Travis' (from the Tea Break Thoughts blog) Ramadan journal :)

Cover Girl!

2010-08-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by Na'ima B. Robert, editor-in-chief of SISTERS, a magazine for muslim women, a few months ago, they wanted to use one of my photographs for the cover of their Summer issue! I was thrilled really, for someone to show interest in my photography means a great deal, but to have one of my photographs on the cover of a glossy magazine, well.. it's a great achievement! (at least for me.

The Ramadan Journal- Day 2 and 3

2010-08-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

Due to lack of sleep, and some other thing I'm sure you won't be interested in reading about, I missed yesterday's post. The past two days taught me that things don't always go according to plan. Actually, they always NEVER do. I have been planning to do certain things this Ramadan, starting from day one. I set a schedule for myself, I'm going to do this and do that, I never came around to doing

The Ramadan Journal- Day 1

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was in the middle of writing this post last night when the electricity blacked out, and the post wasn't saved. So I called it a night and went to bed, in the hope of retrieving some of the words I wrote from my memory in the morning. It was an extremely hectic day yesterday. The kitchen was such a mess, there were piles and piles of dishes from the day before heaped on the counters. Grocery

هلا رمضان!

2010-08-11T13:54:00.000-07:00

So, today was the first day of Ramadan!! I was looking forward to this day for sometime. I know.. who doesn't? But somehow this time feels different. For some odd reason I feel more mature this Ramadan. I feel more aware of how much of a blessing this month really is. More grateful for this opportunity to cleanse my soul and strengthen my relationship with my creator. So I've decided to create

DIY Room Makeover..

2010-08-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

I've been going through a very "unproductive" phase lately, a "stuck in a rut" sort of situation. So.. what better way to remedy this than a room makeover? Change always leaves me feeling fresh and productive. All I needed was a visit to the local hardware store, a few buckets of paint, and some creativity! No.. I didn't repaint the walls, just the bookcase, and dressing table/shoe closet thingy.

"Document your Day" Project

2010-06-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

It has been more than.. what, a month? Since I posted anything here. I've been very busy this last month. And during this time, I've had what a dear friend of mine calls, a "photo block"! I can't work under pressure, I can't write, I can't think, I can't do anything. But.. I've discovered recently that photography and I do very well under pressure!! Which is weird, considering what I've stated

I ♥ Alex!!

2010-04-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

I love Alexandria!! It's such a beautiful city! The weather there is almost always nice, the buildings are lovely, the sea is calming and very peaceful, and there is something vintage in the Alexandrian air that I just love! Here are some of the photos I took on my last trip there.. The lighthouse at Montazah Park (my favorite place!) The Library of Alexandria Qaitbay Citadel Taken

I have a weird imagination...

2010-04-05T03:46:00.000-07:00

It was a surreal moment. I was about to fall asleep, when I heard absolute silence, and everything went blank. It was dark, but suddenly it became darker. I usually open the curtains and windows when I sleep, as to let in a little breeze, and some light coming from the streetlights. I got out of bed, it was quite chilly as I looked out of the window, and all I could see was blue darkness, and not

Spring in pink and green

2010-04-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

The other day I bought flowers from the local grocery store. Carnations, Gerbera daisies (my favorites!), and chrysanthemums. I had so much fun shooting them yesterday. It was sunny, the sun was shining through the window, so I had plenty of light. Here are some of the photos from that photo shoot.

No matter how old a girl gets, pink and hearts will forever remain her weakness!!

2010-04-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

[52/52] Last Entry!!

2010-04-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

Week 52!!! I should have posted this entry on the 14th of march. That was the date on which I started this project, a year ago.A year has gone by, and it seems like it was only yesterday! I thought it would be a good idea to start a project like this to document my progress in photography.A lot has happened over that year. I have learned lots of new techniques, and my skills improved. Over that

[52/51] Where I've Been Last Week

2010-03-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

I've been in Ain Sokhna shooting the 8th African archery championship! My siblings were competing in the tournament. Yes I know.. you're wondering "where does Canada fit in an African championship?" Well, commonwealth countries were invited as well. In addition to Canada, there was New Zealand, Samoa Island, Trinidad and Tobago and Norfolk Island.I had so much fun! It was the first event I shoot,

Restoration

2010-03-04T14:16:00.000-08:00

The ground is still wet from the previous night's thunderstorm. You lay awake on the grass, beams of sun rays shine on your face. You look up, sleepy clouds trail the sky like herds of elephants through the African Savanna. A single bird lands on a leafless tree branch right above your head. It starts humming a gentle tune, welcoming the new day. A song of hope and optimism. The whole world

Helpless

2010-03-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

You're surrounded by dark clouds. They circle you , almost suffocating you. You can feel darkness inside of you. You try to run, only to realize, you are running underneath the same sky, the same clouds, the same darkness.Stones start falling from the sky. Cold white stones. Like sharp bullets they rip through the misty air, hitting you hard on your head, your shoulders, your back, even your

[50/52]

2010-03-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

This is week 50's entry.My cat is really sick, he's been ill for almost a week now, since he is not eating anything, nor drinking water.I had to take him the vet yesterday, the "journey" to the clinic took us four hours! It is not really easy to find a reliable vet here, the only one I trust is at the far end of Cairo, plus, it was rush hour, so you can imagine.Poor Babyface!! He lost half his

[49/52] Sunny Side Up!

2010-02-24T14:27:00.000-08:00

Ever felt like your battery is dying? Or rather dead? You have no energy to do anything, even something as simple as making your bed after you wake up. You miss the sunshine, you miss the days when you would be full of enthusiasm, energy and creativeness. You lose your motivation, your sense of time, and your interest in anything useful, and you stop enjoying the things you usually enjoy doing,

Bambinos!

2010-02-20T14:44:00.000-08:00

Lula gave birth!! Finally!! Four healthy babies! Three girls and one boy.We called them Mushu (the boy) Bambina, Cami, and Narinj.Poor Lula! She was in so much pain!! She is still a baby herself!

It's a Matter of Existence!!!

2010-02-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

I took Babyface to the vet today for a check up. This clinic is supposed to be the best in Cairo.While I was waiting for my tun in the waiting room, the phone rang. When the nurse at the counter answered the phone, he began the conversation in Arabic, but is seems that the caller was a foreigner.Nurse: Good morning sir! (it was afternoon, but nevertheless) yes we are open today. No I'm sorry the

[48/52] Mid-winter's summer sunshine!

2010-02-17T14:07:00.000-08:00

I have been away for about two weeks. Things have been hectic around here, I barely had time to check my emails and facebook (I hate it how facebook has become a part of everyday life!!)I totally forgot about last week's entry, and the week before too! I am finding it really hard to keep up with this project, although it's only one photo per week, but I guess it has nothing to do with the photo,

Sparkle and Shine!

2010-02-05T13:59:00.000-08:00

I was looking through my old files, and I found this! I took these photos about a year ago, when I first started to show a little interest in photography. I had just learned a new trick to make "bokeh" (unfocused light) and I was thrilled!! It was also the first triptych I make.

What Happened Last Night

2010-02-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

It was really cold last night. I was lying on the couch in the living room smothered in warm blankets watching TV. She came to me curled herself in my lap and started purring loudly. How I love it when she does that!! I placed my hand on her big belly, I'm sure they're sleeping soundly now, I thought to myself. But I was wrong!!! I felt a bump! Oh the babies are moving!! Another bump.. now I can

Inspired by a Blogger Template!!!

2010-02-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

This is really weird, but I've been inspired by a blogger template!I was helping my good friend Unique-Muslimah look for a new template for her blog, when I found a really cute cupcake template!!! And since both me and Unique love baking, I thought why not start a new blog about our baking adventures? She loved the idea! And "Baking with Mariam and Unique" was born!! I really hope that this blog

A Little Blue Bird

2010-02-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

A little blue birdTrapped in its golden cageLooking through the windowEnvying every fluttering butterflyEvery swirling leafEnvying the wind that carries dew on its wingsThe bird too has wingsBeautiful feather wingsLooking through the windowThe bird would cryHow can he be a birdBut still he cannot fly?-A Poem by Mariam A.Photo by: Unique-Muslimah

[47/52] ".. A person is a person, no matter how small!" - Horton Hears a Who

2010-01-31T14:54:00.000-08:00

This photo really describes how I've been feeling lately. Small, vulnerable, and invisible.In real life, this droplet, lying perfectly still on that little flower petal is extremely small. It's not worth anything. Compared to everything around it, it's insignificant. You might pass by it and not even notice it. A very light breeze might knock it over, and send it flying everywhere. It has no

Day Thirty

2010-01-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

Dated Dec/13/09It was challenging, but fun!!

30 Days of Gratitude!

2010-01-29T10:56:00.000-08:00

Day twenty nine... dated Dec/12/09A month ago, my friend suggested that I start the 30 days of gratitude project with her, and I am so glad that I did! I've enjoyed every minute of working on this project, every click on my camera, every word I typed on my keyboard, and every comment I've received so far!Now that the 30 days are over, I can look back at every gift I have been blessed with, and

umm.. is that like, in India??

2010-01-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine bought new contact lenses at Sears the other day, and she was asking the girl at the counter when the lenses would be ready...The girl: about four weeks My friend: four weeks? But I'm traveling in two weeks! Can't you do something about this?The girl: oh cool!! Where are you going?My friend: I'm going to visit some friends in CairoThe girl: oh that's the capital of India.. right?

[46/52] Expecting!

2010-01-25T07:04:00.001-08:00

Yes.. we're expecting new babies!!Naturally, this photo should have been of Lula, the mommy-to-be, but even now, when her tummy is the size of a football, she is always jumping around and doing all sorts of crazy things, and she won't stay till, even for a moment for me to photograph her. She hates posing, and if she is not sleeping, she's running around like the little monkey that she is! What a

I Do Believe!

2010-01-25T03:07:00.000-08:00

Day twenty eight... dated Dec/11/09One cannot be truly grateful for any blessing without having faith.Faith is the essence of life. It makes people endure suffering, love unconditionally, forgive and be merciful. It refines our personalities and gives us reasons to live. Our goals become clearer with faith. Our daily rituals become meaningful, and our days happier."Those who have faith and do

How hard can it be??

2010-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

... to stop thinking?Last night I was trying to sleep, my mind was not ready to sleep though, going in all directions, thinking here and there. My head felt really heavy, but the thoughts kept storming in. I tried imagining a blank piece of paper, just white emptiness. Maybe that would work? It worked for a few seconds. Then images started popping on the blank paper, words writing themselves,

The Making of Tiramisu

2010-01-22T04:00:00.001-08:00

I made tiramisu yesterday, and it was amazing! Well.. it wasn't the first time, I made it before, but last time I added too much coffee, and it was kind of mushy.I was in a really good mood while making it, it had rained the night before, the clouds were fluffy and the sky was crystal clear. I opened the kitchen door and let the sunshine in, and decided I'll document each step by taking photos! (

A Rose by any other name...

2010-01-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Day twenty seven... dated Dec/10/09It's strange how some people wish to be in someone else's place, and how they're not content with who they are. I'm grateful for being me, and I would not give being who I am right now to anything. Not even to being a very wealthy heiress, and I thank God for making me who I am, for being born to this particular family, at this particular time.

The Greatest Treasure

2010-01-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

Day twenty six... dated Dec/10/09I'm grateful for having the greatest treasure of all, a healthy body.I know I wrote about health earlier, but today I saw a person with a disability, and I thought how fortunate I am to be healthy, and not having to struggle with a deformed body for the rest of my life. I know this could all go away one day, and that I might lose this blessing, therefore I should

Life is... not just a blur

2010-01-17T03:30:00.001-08:00

Day twenty five... dated Dec/09/09To some people, life is just a blur. They don't know who they are, what they are doing on plant earth, and where they are heading after that.I'm grateful for knowing the purpose of my existence, and not being a lost soul wandering around, not belonging to anything, or anywhere.

When the Light Goes Out

2010-01-16T06:52:00.001-08:00

There was complete darkness. Her eyes widen, like a curious child listening to the tales of a daring adventurer. In a sea of black emptiness, she felt that she existed no longer.She could see colorful stars blinking everywhere. She tries to touch them, only to realize they are an illusion of that darkness. She could swim in that darkness, float, on its never ending waves. Dive into its deep

I am not an item! I have rights too!

2010-01-15T13:18:00.000-08:00

Day twenty four... dated Dec/07/09I was out running some errands today, and I passed by a pet shop. I saw two white cats in a small cage, I went over to have a closer look, and I was shocked!A poor little white kitten, infested with ringworm (for those of you who don't know what ringworm is, its a very serious skin disease. Well its not that serious, but it could be if is left untreated, which it

Books, Words and Bad Moods

2010-01-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Day twenty three... dated Dec/06/09When I took this photo, I was thinking about what I am going to write about. It was words. And how grateful I am for words, that make our life meaningful, and the words of God, that are the center of our lives. But now, I am in a really bad mood, and I thought if I write about this, I won't be able to express myself in the way I want to, because of my bad mood.I