2005 and what it brought me...(an excerpt)

I'm at a danger zone.... help me.



"From: AlMulhama The Inspired
To: XXX

Oct 2 2005

So here I sit and contemplate... what has transpired, evolved or even developed...? what has gone right or wrong? and Why? Has it been detrimental know me or rather beneficial? any regrets, misgivings... ? When will you read this, this afternoon, later tonight or tomorrow evening?

Many thoughts.. I tend to do that, I also tend to come too strong- though I was assured that it was acceptable!

I'm confused. There are needs. There is an immense amount of care and love and tenderness. There is also an amount of harshness.

We both need a relationship to feed the hunger within and have found each other, I hope it can be cherished and cared for, as it is fragile at times.

I miss him, XXX of the email, XXX of the Car, XXX of the Beach, XXX of the Car (again), XXX of the songs, XXX with the exquisite voice and ALL the multitude of facets of his personality. XXX who was with me wherever I went and whenever it was.

I miss you"

DIFF (a.k.a. The Dubai International Film Festival) 13-18th December 2005

Fireworks from Cloosing night



























Labiba Laith, Nayla Al Khaja (Director from U.AE.) Laurence Fishburne (U.S.A.)















Actors Ahmed Al Saqqa (Egypt) Mona Shaddad (Q8) Laurence Fishburne (U.S.A.)















Mona Shaddad at the MAC 'room' in Al Qasar



















The Egyptian Singer/Showgirl "Ruby"




















Madinat Jumeirah - Birds-eye view















Atop Burj Al Arab (Kuwaiti Actors Daoud Hussein & Mona Shaddad)

Cairo

Self Portrait



Stella, The beer of the Millions! Dinner at Abu ElSid: Molokhia, Chicken Liver, Kishk, Chicken, Stuffed Pigeon, Stuffed Vine leaves, Soup, Mumbar...

From the hotel window, 23 floors away Sweet potato seller
The Wedding of Solafa & Khaled
Cairos' Smart City (a shorter version of DIC!)
En route from Alexandria, where green is green...

Just got back from Cairo; where everything is real, except them copying Dubai Internet City!

Friday In Al Ain

Making Tea
Picture by Shammasy

Tea on Coal
Picture by Shammasy Mosque at Souk
Picture by Al Mulhama

Rooster at Shammasy's Home

Picture by Al Mulhama

Rosehip bush at Shammasy's home

Picture by Al Mulhama

Rooster with Chicken

Picture by Al Mulhama

Weekend in Sharjah

I relay the story on behalf of its parties as is:

"I have always been hesitant of going to Sharjah, from the stories one hears and the bad rap of its security forces. I have never had the need to be concerned but one always takes what they hear and archives it in the corners of ones memory bank.

One of the stories that had terrified me was of a friend of mine who is local & from Sharjah. She is married and has children. She once told me that one Thursday evening her husband invited her to go for a drive, no need to wear anything fancy as they will just stroll around in the car, so she wore her House Shaila over her house dress and they drove off. As they sat in their car by a beach, a police cruiser passed by and stopped by them. The officer asked her husband for identification and demanded to know the relationship of the woman with him. So he told him that this was his wife and mother of his children, to which the police officer requested the marriage certificate!

The husband, offended, told him that he was not in the habit of carrying it around. So (to cut this short to get to the main reason I'm saying this) they took them to the station, gave her a physical to see if she was untouched, and called her father so that he may come and bail her out. SHE WAS WITH HER HUSBAND!

Now, after hearing such a story one might feel this is an exaggeration... until one hears other stories or experiences an adventure of their own...

Thursday night I went with a friend of mine (male) for a drive on the Sharjah side of Mamzar facing Qanat Al Qasba. The place is beautiful, untouched and there are many who go there yet it still retains its privacy. After sitting outside we moved to sit in the car as the breeze was cool and were chatting when a police cruiser passed by... I thought hmmm... I hope they don't stop by us as I am worried of the whole police ordeal... They didn't.

Around fifteen minutes later, a regular mercedes passes by so close by us that the side mirrors nearly touch. The guy says good evening and my friend answers, he says it again, wanting to have a look at my face... I respond... he leaves turns around and comes back blocking our cars way. He asks my friend to step out of the car and asks for his ID... I ask him for his. He shows me his ID from the Ministry of Interior, The Police Department. I show him my drivers license.

As he speaks to me bending low to the window I catch a strong wiff of alcohol. He asks me about what relation do I have with the guy I'm with. I tell him he's a friend and though I am aware that in Sharjah this is not allowed I do apologize. He asks me if he's my boyfriend and I said no. He winks and says its ok you can tell me and goes of on how many girlfriends he has and how I'm like his sister and my friend is like his brother etc... He asks me do you sit with your friend and I said well yes, he then asked me if I sleep with my friend and I told him indignantly of course not! He then says 'you know if you wanna come here just give me a call and I'll take care of you guys' (all this and he's holding both our ID's) He gives us both his mobile number etc... he tells me that he's married to two and his second wife is morrocan and how we can all go out together.

I keep wondering why the cruiser didn't stop us?

He asks us if we drink or have been drinking and I say no. He then tells us that the police cruiser that passed had concerns about us and that's why the told him to go check the situation... (So why didn't the cruiser question us?) 'Cause this is his hang out place. I told him that we were law abiding residents and visitors and were appreciating the beauty of the place but we promise not to come here again and rather go to Duba-side of Mamzar. (I even told him, that as he'd been drinking perhaps we should look at matters differently, to which he admitted wholeheartedly) He invited us to join him on the weekend and we can all hang out together. I was offended as his insinuation was felt by both me & my friend. He then had a mood flip and said he was going to call the cruiser, I kept asking about what went wrong? he went to his car (which had two of his drinking buddies) and they talked a bit then he said ok you can leave.

We left.

As we hit the main road, we noticed him tailing us and flashing his headlights. We stopped, he said he has to take us in as the station called him (as he was urinating - his words were more crass) and though he told them we left they asked him to follow us.. So now he has to take us in.I pleaded with him to tell them to tell them that he couldn't catch up with us as we went far he said indignantly no way My Mercedes can't catch up with this Japanese thing!... he took our documents again (and convened with his friends) and then he said: I spoke to the station and told them that you had to leave 'cause you have the night shift at your job. Call me tomorrow so that we'll see what happens.(...all I could think of was the station and what they would do to me as a girl...)

We drove of in silence anxiously heading for the Dubai border as if we were refugees escaping from one country to another which was a safe haven. My friend was livid. He was extremely offended as a guy because of how obvious it was that the guy wanted to hit it of with me and he actually said "I feel like a pimp, I have been totally humiliated and could do nothing to protect you... What kind of friend am I?" I told him he couldn't do much and it's not his fault, he said this reminded him of how his country was as a police state where an official would take advantage of his status.

I disagreed with the comparison as I do love and respect The UAE and have never felt uncomfortable in any of the emirates, I told him that other places were different, that its only Sharjah, and for him, as a visitor, it would be hard not to let that picture tarnish his image of the UAE. I told him, one bad apple... really they're all not like this guy, 90% of my friends are emirati and my colleagues, I've been here for the longest time... but really, can I blame him?

I was hurt, I was hurt because this guy used his Blue ID to hassle people and give the wrong impression of his department, I was hurt because he had no respect for the ID by showing it to us knowing full well that he was drunk. I was hurt because we do so much to try and put our best face forth and someone like him puts a crack in it. I was hurt because though I was in no uncompromising position, I felt shamed by his insinuations and felt that somehow what I did must have been wrong.

I was hurt."

Luckily the guy gave them back their documents the next day, he even called the guy and asked him when were they coming again so that they could have drinks on the beach together!I am hurt as I respect the Police force in this country.

I am hurt to hear of such an ordeal experienced by anyone who loves the UAE.

I am also very dismayed. Luckily we know the existence of the majority of good people on the force, to them I say: I salut you and thank God for your existence. This was obviously a drunk bored officer looking for some late night fun and to entertain his buddies.

Qadduri Abu'l Bagellah - قدوري أبو الباقلاء (Qadduri, the broad beans place)

The breakfast place for man Iraqi's of all walks of life... (Apparently it was a great place to have breakfast in after any night out - friends and cousins have been there and they say that their beans were the best; to which no two would disagree..

Now it's not even safe to have breakfast. I want my country back...




http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3842331/ (Nov. 10-17)

Iraqi 3atab (Poetry with gentle admonition)

عتب عراقي على الأنترنت

أفتح الأيميل* أجيكه باليوم الف مرة

أنتظر رساله منك ، بيهه أخبا رك الحلوة أو المرة

دزلنة نكتة أو سالوفة لا تكطع فرد مرة

أذا صمت عن دز الرسايل ترة الصايم يفطر بعد فترة

يا ناس أسمعوا ، شيرد أدزله ، آنه تحت أمره

فدوة سوي ريبلاي* مو ساف الكلب و خلص صبره

لا تكلي وكت ماكو ، جلمتين أكتب ، هذا الآنه منتظره

دزلي رساله فارغة ، ما يخالف ، كل الكلام أختصره

ما أدري شكلك بعد ، ما أكدر أحجي ، تره لزمتني عبره

كمت أقره أي شي ، حتى أيميلات الزبل* صرت أقره

شكتبلك بعد كلي ، حتى القلم خلص حبره

بعدك تقره هال الأبيات ، أشو عندك وكت تقره

دزلي لعد بابا لا تموتني بالحصره

أدور و أنتظر ، سمعني أخبارك الحلوة أو المرة

*

E-MAIL = الأيميل

REPLY = ريبلاي

JUNK MAIL = أيميلات الزبل

Anon.

Paulo Coelho and 'The Alchemist"

“Maya Delic; my friend, was the most appropriate person to introduce me to ‘The Alchemist’ when I was 26, she embodied the serene and gentle spirituality of the story, as well as the childish playfulness of the protagonist, though mostly she reflected the hidden innocent wisdom that dawns upon one each time the book is closed shut. As the titles become more tantalizing we use to rush out to see who buys the next book first. Yet, with the fondness of a childhood memory, I cannot say that any have captured my soul more so. I have read it and re-read it as often as one flicks through their photo album of black & whites that have aged into sepia.

 

With each sentence, a smile flowers as one recalls the first time that phrase was read, or the sentiment when that sentence was completed, or even the anticipation, excitement and perhaps disappointment with the protagonist’s decision.

 

As I reach for it every now and then, a new meaning develops and it becomes more of a guide to my current journey through this age. As such, I have gifted the book to as many people as I have mentioned it to with a feeling that it is I who has to thank them for allowing me to take them on an adventure that reminds me Baghdad and the tales of 1001 nights.”

Life Explained

" On the first day God created the dog. God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone Who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I'll give you back the other ten." So God agreed.

On the second day God created the monkey. God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks, make them laugh. I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said, "How boring, monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so. Dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too, okay?" And God agreed.

On the third day God created the cow. God said, "You must go to the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer. I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. Let me have twenty and I'll give back the other forty." And God agreed again.

On the fourth day God created man. God said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. I'll give you twenty years."

Man said, "What? Only twenty years! Tell you what, I'll take my twenty, and the forty the cow gave back and the ten the monkey gave back and the ten the dog gave back, that makes eighty, okay?"

"You've got a deal" said God.

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves; for the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family; for the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren; and for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you. "

Anon.

Iraq

Now watch this

Bites & tears (Thursday 29th November 1995)

Now and beond the travels of life
there lies a hunger deep within
Gnawing, Gnashing, tearing
at moist red flesh
quite unsatisfactory
he eats, delves deeper,
teeth hitting the bone
could've sparked
with such a force
aaah!
such a timid one
lying in the night
tender, tender
soft caresses
before once again
he starts to bite.

Boom Boom (29th November 1995)

There goes that pounding
The sheer near tangible pressure

upon my temples
renders me vulnerable

a thousand soldiers crawling
in secrecy

with anticipation like,
church bells in a naked yard

Boom Boom
their boots thud

slowly across the plains
a thick day heavey
with the sound of rain and mud

Boom Boom
their boots thud

my sight becomes hazy
through a misty window
with patterns and designs

Mountain ranges make themselves
out of water
it tickles my lower eyelids
bursting forth

I move
in a thick haze
my limbs struggling in a viscosity

everything
is too slow
too clear

The uprising inside of me
calls for a revolution
against those stubborn
soldiers in my head

I tread carefully
their weapons
in my eyes

Boom Boom
their boots thud
in my chest

the ridiculous gentleness
of an uprising
inside

Screams in silence
for a revolution.

You Learn by Veronica A. Shoffstall

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises,

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open

With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today

Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn...
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong

And you really do have worth...
And you learn and learn...

With every good-bye you learn.

Veronica A. Shoffstall

Gabriel Taylor wrote this:

"Hold my hand over my mouth
before what I say replaces the feeling"
(essen '91)

See, See, See... (Tuesday 26th September 1995)

See, See, See...
It's only my mind
playing tricks on me...!

Confession (Montreal; Monday May 9th 1994) إعترافات

"I want to go back to the London days..."

"أتجول كالتائهة بلا إتجاه. شعور غريب ينتابني. لا سعادة لا ألم لا شيء سوىالإحساس بوجود فرا داخل جسمي، داخل جوفي، داخل نفسي، في داخلي.

الصمت يقتلني، أريد ألف شيء ليملأ وقتي، أشعر بأني لم أعد أنتمي إلى المجتمع الذي عشت به أربع أعوام. وكأنني إستأصلت ولكن هذا لا يهمني، الشيء الذي يضع إبتسامة على وجهي هو إبتسامة أو وجه طفل. أريد أن أبكي وأبكي ولكن الدموع تعصاني. لا طعم لأي شيء، الطعام فقط لملأ المعدة والشراب لبل الريق، والتنفس لإستيعاب الأوكسجين ولكن كيف طعم الأكل والشرب؟ لا أعلم. وكيف رائحة الهواء؟ عادي! كل شيء أصبح عادي بإنتظار الشخص الغير عادي لتغيير كل هذا"

Once Upon A Time... (Circa 1997)

Once upon a time
is such a regular line
when all that matters
begins to end
Once upon a time
an expression so fine
before I can remember
what I started to think

Notes from my memories

I finally got back two of my notebooks from Canada, and boy was I pleasantly suprised. I will put them in gradually, my writings, but let me start with this which floored me when I first heard it as an acompaniment to a fashion show rather than the usual music.

As I saw her
Crossing the St. Germaine
She was dressed
All in White
Her body
tuned so fine
She was wrapped
Oh so Tight
I wondered
if I should assume the pose
and Kneel
Between the arch
and the heel...

tHE cONSCIENCE oF tHE aRAB mEDIA

هل سيصحى ضمير الاعلام العربي ؟؟؟

ما حدث في الاردن يوم امس وما يحدث في العراق يوميا وما حدث في نيويورك ومدريد ولندن وبالي جرائم ضد الانسانية تجسد كل معاني الارهاب والسادية والشذوذ والانحطاط ،جرائم ارهابية بدون هدف او معتقد لاتملك سوى شهوة قتل الابرياء والاستمتاع بمنظر الدماء والاشلاء المتناثرة من قبل مجموعات سادية كافرة مجرمة ارهابية لاتمت  الا الى  اخلاق ودين ومذهب الخنازير وليس البشر ،نشات ونمت وترعرعت تحت مفاهيم شريعة الغاب والاسلام المزيف والسؤال اليوم من صنع هؤلاء الاوغاد ومن نشر لهم وبشر بفكرهم وروج لهم وسخر الاعلام المرئي والمكتوب داعما وممجدا بهم وبافعالهم الشنيعة وترويجها على انها بطولات جهادية لخدمة الامة العروبية الخائبة وافكار المذهب الوهابي الاجرامي والعقلية السادية التي يحملها هؤلاء ؟؟؟؟

الجواب هو الاعلام العروبي الخائب لاغير ذلك الاعلام الاصفر المسموم المليء بالحقد الطائفي والنفاق الضميري والتناقض المهني والمبدئي،ذلك الاعلام الذي يكتب لمن يدفع ويروج لمن يكفر ويمجد بالطغاة ويخشى ويرتعب من سطوة الجلاد والطغاة والحرية والديمقراطية .

ذلك الاعلام الخائب الذي يسمي الخنزير شهيد والمجرم مقاوم والارهابي مناضل والطاغي بطل والباغي شيخ والمفتري سيد والمنافق مرجع والدجال داعية والعاهرة سيدة والخنزير الانتحاري عريس زف الى عروسه والشهيد العراقي قتيل والقتيل السعودي شهيد ،ذلك الاعلام الذي يسمي القتلة في العراق مقاومة وفي خارج العراق بالفئة الارهابية الضالة ،نعم ذلك هو الاعلام الذي قتل الاردنين يوم امس ويقتل العراقيين كل يوم ،ذلك الاعلام العروبي الذي يكحل عيون القراء والمشاهدين بصور اشلاء الضحايا والشهداء العراقيين كل يوم وعلى صدر صفحاته الاولى ويسمي العراقي الشهيد قتيل لقى حتفه !!!!

ذلك الاعلام الذي جعل من اسامة بن لادين والزرقاوي ونضال عربيات وغيرهم من المجرمين ابطال ورموز شجاعة وفعل وجهاد  لهذه الامة الخائبة التي تعشق الهزائم وتسميها دوما انتصارات ،هذه الامة التي سمت طغاة العصر بالقادة وابطال التحرير والقائد الضررورة واطلقت على مجانين الامة اصحاب الكتاب الاخضر والاحمر والبمبي لقب حكيم الامة وعميد الزعماء العرب ،ذلك الاعلام الذي يسمي احتلال الجولان انتصارا سوف يذكره التاريخ ومقتل الحريري بانه من فعل الموساد والارهاب في العراق مقاومة شريفة ،ذلك الاعلام الذي يتغنى بحفرة القائد البعرورة جرذ العوجة ويجعلها غار حراء لجأ اليه نبي الكوبونات صديم عندما طارده الكفار ونعال ابو تحسين.

انه نفس الاعلام الذي بكى لموت محمد الدرة ولم يذكر او يشير الى اسماء الاف اطفال وشهداء العراق الذين ذهبوا ضحية ارهاب المسلمين واعلام الخائبين ،انه نفس الاعلام الذي مجد بالسادات ولعن السادات ،نفس الاعلام الذي طعن بالانتخابات وشرعية الحكومة العراقية وصفق لانتخابات مصر الشرعية !!!!!!

انه نفس الاعلام الذي قال عن فندق Days Inn بالرابية يوم امس انه يقع قرب السفارة الاسرائيلية والذي اقسم لكم انه يبعد 2 كم عنها ،وانه نفس الاعلام الذي قال يوم امس بان فندق الراديسون ساس كان قد اخلى السواح الاسرائيلين قبل الحادث وضحى بالعرب وانه نفس الاعلام الذي قال ان فندق غراند حياة عمان كان يستضيف مسؤولين عراقيين كبار وهم  3اطباء بسطاء كانوا يحضرون مؤتمر طبي في عمان بعد ان حرموا من المؤتمرات والمجلات الطبية طوال عهد البعث البائد  واثنان من موظفي وزارة النفط العراقية !!!!

انه نفس الاعلام الخائب الذي حاول امس بكل الطرق ان يلصق تهمة العمالة والخيانة العظمى والكفر والزندقة والالحاد وهدر دم كل من حضر حفل الزفاف في فندق الراديسون لان الاعراس حرام والغناء عمالة والاختلاط مفسدة والسفور كفر والصوت عورة وبوفية العشاء بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة وكل ضلالة ترمي بصاحبها في النار.......

الا لعنة الله عليكم وعلى دينكم وفكركم ومذهبكم الى يوم الدين مثلما كفرتم العراقي السني والشيعي والكردي والعلماني والليبرالي في اعلامكم وصحافتكم الصفراء وفضائياتكم القبيحة .

انه نفس الاعلام الذي يحرم زواج المتعة ويحلل الزواج العرفي والمسيار والمصياف والمسياح والزواج فريند،انه نفس الاعلام الذي لايشاهد اعلام اسرائيل ترفرف في سماء العربان وقصور الحكام وقال انها موجودة في كردستان العراق،انه نفس الاعلام الذي اطلق على جرائم نيويورك ولندن ومدريد وشرم الشيخ وبالي وكارثة جسر الأئمة بالغزوة المباركة ،انه نفس الاعلام الذي قال ان احمد الجلبي سارق وايهم السامرائي وحازم الشعلان حماة العراق ضد الغزو الايراني،انه نفس الاعلام الذي احتفل برائد البنا جزار الحلة،انه نفس الاعلام الذي دعى الى مليون دعاء لطلب الشفاء الى الشاذ السادي الزرقاوي عندما فطس بنيران العراقيين الغيارى والامريكان المحرريين.

انه نفس الاعلام الذي لايعلم اين تقع قاعدة السيلية والمكتب التجاري الصهيوني في قطر ولكنه يقول عن كراج النهضة بانه تابع لوزارة الداخلية العراقية ،انه نفس الاعلام الذي سمى رعاع وقطاع الطرق والخاطفين من ابناء الرمادي بالليوث الصابرة المرابطة ،انه نفس الاعلام الذي قال عن جيش مقتدى بانه جيش الامام المهدي الحجة الغائب؟؟؟

انه نفس الاعلام الذي شاهد صورة صدام على وجه القمر ولم يشاهد صورة جيش صدام المهزوم بالملابس الداخلية في التاسع من نيسان ،انه نفس الاعلام الخائب الذي شاهد النبي محمد (ص) يغطي بعباءته الفلوجة ليحميها من القصف ولم يشاهد او يعترف بالمقابر الجماعية ،انه نفس الاعلام الذي يقول ان الزرقاوي اسطورة امريكية وان صدام بريء وابو الثلج اكبر مفكر اسلامي عروبي عرفه التاريخ !!!!!

 

وختاما اقول للاردن حكومة وشعبا خالص العزاء وعظيم المواساة بالمصاب الجلل وان اردتم القضاء على الارهاب فعليكم بالاعلام المسموم والمدسوس وبمراسل الجزيرة الخنزيرة ياسر ابو هلالة الذي كان يبث تقارير السم يوم امس على الهواء وعليكم بكتاب الكوبونات وضرب اوكار الاصولية المتربصة شرا بالاردن الغالي وبعمان واحة الامن والامان .

ولشعب العراق الابي اقول لك الله يا شعب الذرى فما اصاب العالم كله لايمثل الا واحد بالمليون مما اصابك على يد البعث والزرقاوي واتباع القرضاوي واختلاسات وزراء علاوي وعصابات  جذام العمائم البيضاء والسوداء.

 

لك المجد دوما يا شعبي الصابر المرابط ولاتجزع فالحرية لا تاتي ولا تولد الا بعد عسير مخاض وعظيم تضحيات.

 

(تلك هي اخلاقنا دوما تسمو فوق القمم )

 

ابن العـــــــــــــــــــــراق

He knows some more...

"Love, like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets an obstacle…….."

Dubai 22/10/2005