To Uncle Sam and His Friends

Let me state this directly: I do NOT care about your ideology. I do not care about your definitions of right and wrong (if there is such a thing as ‘wrong’ in your dictionary of behavior). I do not care about your hierarchies of first and third. I do not care about your life style, your way of thinking, your fashion, your beliefs, your liberty, etc. And if there is one thing I’m sure of, it is that I never want to be like you!

So stop acting as if you are my superior, because simply you are NOT! And you will never be. Stop telling me what to do and what not to do. Stop imposing your culture on me, and stop mocking me when I refuse it and act according to my own beliefs and traditions. Stop stereotyping me; I am no terrorist, and you know it!

And I am not your inferior, I am not even your equal! I was once your superior and I will once again be. Even in my moments of weakness I am still better than you, for I have the one thing you do not have: I have faith, I BELIVE. So I do not need your thinkers or philosophers to tell me what to do, how to behave, what to ware and eat, or how to think, because I have my own reference: My ISLAM…

Free Your Mind!

*This was originally written as a facebook note

You know what, today I discovered how much I'm really blessed...

I'm blessed because I don't have people who like things I write or links I share only because everyone else does so!

During this game of “inbox me a number and I’ll write something about you in my status”, a guy wrote this status “Dear facebook you can have this nickname… أرض النفاق!”, and I think that it’s –unfortunately- very true.

I am blessed because I don’t have people who post hearts on my wall because I am Miss Popular! And I'm blessed because I know that those who do that to me do it because they really mean it, and when they say “I miss you” they say it because my absence from their lives has affected them.

I am blessed because I don’t have 785 friends in my friends’ list, 75% of whom I hardly know!

I am blessed because I don’t find it necessary to write “happy birthday” to people who won’t really care if I wished them a happy birthday or not, and most probably they won’t even notice if I didn’t. And as for those people who would care and notice, I always find better ways to wish them a happy birthday.

I am blessed because I believe that: Actions speak louder than facebook posts!

And finally, I am blessed to have people like you in my life, so true… so not fake. So please stay always as you are.

“It’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not” ~ Andre Gide (A French writer, humanist, and moralist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature)

طريقة عمل اللا شئ - Il Dolce far Niente!

عزيزي القارئ، أهلاً ومرحباً بك في مدونتي، اليوم سنتعرف علي وصفة أهم نشاط عند كثير من الشباب، ألا وهي وصفة عمل "اللا شئ"..

المكونات:

• الكثير من الكسل والخمول (لو كنت من الشخصيات النشطة فربما تجد بعض الصعوبات في بادئ الأمر ولكنك سرعان ما ستعتاده ليصبح جزء لا يتجزأ من شخصيتك)

• القدرة على النوم لمدة أربعة عشر ساعة متواصلة أو أكثر.

• تلفاز.

• معدل استهلاك عالي.

• مقهى، سايبر للعب ال playstation وناصية شارع رئيسي.

• حاسب آلي مزود بخدمة الإنترنت.

طريقة العمل:

1. من أهم خطوات عمل اللا شئ هو النوم، فالنوم مفتاح السعادة، إذا أردت أن تحصل على لا شئ كما يجب أن يكون يجب أن يكون معدل نومك يتراوح ما بين العشر إلى الأربعة عشر ساعة في اليوم، ولا يوجد ضرر في زيادة عدد الساعات ولكن إياك والنقصان، كما يجب أن تحرص عل أن تكون أغلب ساعات النوم هذه خلال النهار فلا تستيقظ قبل الخامسة مساءً.

2. في حالة استيقاظك خلال النهار تجنب النزول إلى الشارع، فقط أجلس أمام التلفاز حتى يحل المساء، ولكن لا تنسى أن تتجنب مشاهدة أي برامج هادفة، فقط القنوات المسموح بمشاهدتها هي ميلودي (أفلام- أغاني- دراما) و mbc.

3. الخطوة الأساسية في عمل اللا شئ هو أن يكون معدل استهلاكك أكثر بكثير من معدل إنتاجك (ويفضل أن لا يوجد معدل إنتاج على الإطلاق)، فمثلاً عندما تستيقظ يجب أن يصنع أحدهم الفطور لك، وبعد أن تأكل إياك أن تغسل الأواني التي أكلت فيها، وعندما تشرب من زجاجة لا تعيد ملئها، كما يُستحب أن تستبدل ملابسك من ثلاث إلى خمس مرات في اليوم الواحد وبالطبع لا تغسل ملابسك المتسخة.

4. عندما يحل المساء إياك والمكوث بالمنزل، انزل إلى الشارع حتى وأن كنت لا تعرف أين ستذهب، فهناك دائماً أماكن عديدة يمكنك الذهاب إليها لتستمتع بفعل اللا شئ. يمكنك مثلاً الذهاب إلي ذلك المقهى الشهير ومشاهدة الفتيات وهن يدخن الشيشة، أو يمكنك الذهاب للعب playstation، وأخيراً يمكنك التسكع مع أصدقائك على أحد النواصي بشارع رئيسي ومعاكسة الفتيات والتدخين حتى الساعات الأولى من فجر اليوم التالي.

5. عند العودة للمنزل أستكمل عمل اللا شئ بالدخول على الإنترنت والاشتراك بأحد غرف الدردشة لتتعرف على فتيات أو الدخول على أحد المنتدبات الرياضية وكتابة تعليقات تهين فيها كل الفرق عدا الفريق الذي تشجعه، يمكنك أيضاً فتح لعبة من ألعاب ال Facebook الشهيرة مثل Farm Ville أو Pet Society ولعبها لعدة ساعات.

6. بعد الانتهاء من الإنترنت يمكنك الاستلقاء في فراشك والتحديق في سقف الغرفة (ويجب في هذه الحالة عدم التفكير في أي شئ على الإطلاق) إلي أن يغلبك النعاس وتنام لمدة أربعة عشر ساعة ثم تستيقظ اليوم التالي لتعيد نفس ما فعلته في اليوم السابق.

في حالة نجاحك في عمل كل ما سبق والحصول على لا شئ جيد فأسمح لي أن أهنئك بالحصول على لقب "الشاب التافه" كما أريد أن أبشرك بمستقبل ملئ بالفراغ و "اللا شئ"!

A Message to the Universe 2: Healing Phase

Dear Universe,

Being extraordinary is not about people who surround me, it is just who I am. I do not need anyone to make me feel good about myself, or that I have the ability to do whatever I want, because simply I believe in ME.

I will not let anything bring me down. No one shall make me feel inferior. Hard times are there so that I grow stronger and wiser. For me, the lesson behind any problem is more important than the problem itself; that is how I can turn obstacles to opportunities.

I may not be able to change the world, but I sure can change myself. I do not want to be part of the problem but rather be the solution. I will not complain about how bad and rude people have become or how unjust this country is; I will simply take the first steps to change everything I hate by being the change I want to see in this world.

I have learnt that happiness is never in the huge but rather in these everyday little blessings. Happiness is in the smile of an innocent child, in the satisfaction of an old grandmother. Happiness is about counting the great blessings I have, not about focusing on what I missed. It is about building the perfect future rather than regretting a painful past. Happiness is in giving not in gaing. It is in the smile I draw in someone's face. Happiness is a way of life, not a destination.

Dear Universe, I have to be myself because life is too short to be anyone else. I cannot waste my life regretting what had happened or feeling sorry about what could have been. I cannot let others control my life or wait for a hero to make it better for me. I have one life to live, so I better make the best of.

Yours sincerely,

Alaa Essam El-Feqi

الرجولة جدعنه مش هز كتاف

عزيزي سي السيد،

          تحية طيبة وبعد..

سعدتُ كثيراً لرؤيتك بالأمس، فقد ظننت أنك أنقرض في هذا الزمن السعيد ولكن يبدو أني كنت مخطئة. فعلي رغم اعتزازك المبالغ فيه برجولتك فلقد طرأت عليك الكثير من التغيرات؛ فلقد ارتقيت في المكانة العلمية وأصبحت أستاذاً في اللغة العربية بجامعة القاهرة ولكن مستواك الأخلاقي مازال في انحدار مستمر، فمازلت أذكر نظرة الكراهية في عينيك: تلك النظرة التي ميزتها من أول لحظة رأيتك فيها وحاولت إنكارها بشدة، فلا يعقل أن يكره أستاذ جامعي مجموعة من الطلبة لمجرد أنهم في قسم اللغة الإنجليزية بينما تخرج هو من قسم اللغة العربية، لا يعقل أن يمتلك أستاذ جامعي ذلك الكم من الحقد الطبقي داخله مؤمناً بأن هؤلاء الطلبة مجرد حفنة من الأوغاد الذين أفسدهم تدليل أمهاتهم.

كل هذا لا ينقص من رجولتك شئ على أي حال، فما تفكر فيه وما تعتقده هي أشياء شخصية لا تهمني في شئ، ولكن ما لا أستطيع تقبله هي تصرفاتك المريضة المبنية علي تلك الأفكار. فلا يحق لرجل شرقي في مثل مكانتك العلمية يا سيدي أن يدخل غرفة محاضرات بها فتاة تصلي ويجلس لمشاهدتها، حتى وأن كان هناك مكان للصلاة وحتى أن كان موعد محاضرتك قد حان، فأنت يا سيدي كرجل - مسلم شرقي أولاً وكمعلم ثانياً- يجب أن تكون قدوة يتعلم منها الجميع، وألا تترك بعض أفكارك السوداء عن التفرقة الطبقية تمنعك من التصرف الصحيح. فقد كان بإمكانك يا سيدي أن تنتظر خارج الغرفة إلي أن تنتهي الفتاة من صلاتها ثم تعطيها محاضرة عن كل تلك الأشياء الجميلة كاحترام مواعيد الآخرين وأن هناك أماكن محددة للصلاة وما إلي ذلك.

كل ما أرجوه منك يا سيدي هو أن تتنازل عن يغض غرورك وأن تتصرف بطريقة تليق بكونك رجل مسلم شرقي وأستاذ جامعي، وألا تصبح نموذج أخر للاستخدام السيئ للسلطة –ذلك النموذج الذي أمتلئ به مجتمعنا في الآونة الأخيرة..

مع خالص تحياتي

...

A Pen & A Paper

Words! I just love this word "words". I love to see words next to each other. And what I love more is creating these words: holding an empty white paper and filling it with words, words that carry meanings, meanings that can change people's lives.

As a child, reading was my favorite activity. I dreamt that one day I would write a book that people would enjoy reading and it might even improve their lives. I wanted to imitate those people who helped in shaping my identity.

And I did imitate them.. I started writing when I was in preparatory school, but till today I can say that only two or three pieces of what I wrote are worth reading from my own point of view. Maybe because I started as an imitator that now I cannot create my own ideas?! It didn't seem to matter to me, as long as I write and create, as long as I put my ideas and the ideas of people smarter than me on paper .

But lately, it seems like my mind has gone blank. Every time I open my blog to write about a topic that had been occupying my mind, I don't find any words to express my thoughts; some other times I write a phrase or two then save the post as a draft. This made me really sad, because writing was one of the few hobbies I had.

Today, however, I decided to go back to the old writing methods; I decided to use my real pen, instead of the key-board, to fill an empty paper with words, even if they are meaningless, and it did work.

My dear blog, forgive me, but I love my notebook much more than you...

For Future Family Reunions

For any coming family reunion please do the following:

• 
  
  Unless you are asked for advice, stop telling people what they should do in their lives, because honestly no one wants to take the advice of a person he sees only twice a year!!
• 
  
  Stop commenting on everyone's outfit, makeup, etc!
• 
  
  Don't you ever tell a girl that she has gained a lot of wight since the last time you saw her and start preaching about how she should lose weight before getting married or else she would never be able to return to how she was before!!!
• 
  
  Never ask a newly married couple if there are any expected babies!
• 
  
  Don't tell the unmarried how important marriage is and how they should put it before their career or college!
• 
  
  STOP saying how much the younger generation is spoiled and the older one used to be more responsible, ethical, hardworking, etc.
• 
  
  Don't talk about people behind their backs thenin order to appear honest you start saying what you said behind their back in a better, friendly laughing manner!
• 
  
  And finally, if you don't have something new to say, shut up and stop repeating the same boring conversations you repeat every single reunion. (You might as well record a tape and play it every reunion instead!)

Being the Pencil

Ever since I read this Story of the Pencil by Paulo Coelho years ago, I couldn't forget it. I was so impressed by the pencil's fifth quality: "it always leaves a mark".

I, too, want to leave a mark. Not any mark, but a great one. I want people I know v say, after I die, "She was my friend, she left a mark in my life".

Lots of people pass by our lives and we never get to notice them. This doesn't mean that these people are so ordinary or that there's nothing especial about them; it just means that, for us, there's nothing especial about them. And that's what makes us remember colleagues and teachers from our primary schools while we forget about colleagues and professors from college. While the first affected our lives by a way or another, the second meant absolutely nothing to us. They may have changed the lives of other people or to the whole world the were great people, but simply to us they didn't mean anything.

Also I don't want to be any pencil, I want to be a coloring one. Not just because I hate these gray lead pencils ever since I was in kindergarten, but also because they are so ordinary and gloomy. Instead, I would rather be one of these cool coloring pencils. I won't choose a certain color, I just want it to be a bright, warm and cheerful one.

I want to make people round my happy, successful, and secure. Not only my family and friends, but also those people I see everyday, people I know very well and people I hardly know. Many people say that they want to change the world, but I only want to change my world and people in it.

I do believe that to leave a great memorable mark, I don't have to go preach or give long speeches about change and success. The mark is created by those very ordinary everyday acts: a simple smile, a warm hug,  a friendly advice, etc. And years ago, Manhattan Gandhi said it best, "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Panic Attack: How to Deal with Exams

Definition of ‘Exams’ Period’:

• No TV
• No  talking in the phone for hours
• No play station, wee or xbox
• No time for daydreams
• No time for friends
• No time for family
• No time for sleeping
• And finally…No time for STUDYING!!!!

Welcome to the Panic Attack!

Panicking before exams is usually due to the fear of failing to adequately prepare for the exam or the fear of failure in general. Also having negative thoughts, like “I can’t do it” or “I’m useless”, leads to the inability to do the required work.
Here are some tips that will help avoiding exams anxiety:

• Try to plan your work in order to have extra time to finish studying and revise before exams. Establish a pattern of revision that gives you time to relax, especially last thing at night.
• Prioritize your work ( The most important first, then the less important).
• Avoid procrastination. Do what you have to do the same day you have to do it.
• Put yourself into a positive frame of mind by imagining how you would like things to go. Imagine yourself turning up for the exam feeling confident and relaxed. This can replace negative thoughts with more positive ones.
• Do not work till the last minute; last minute revision may leave you with an anxious feeling.
• Do not allow negative thoughts to stop you. Have high self-confidence and believe that you can do whatever you wanna do no matter what the circumstances are.
• In the exam, decide on the order in which you'll answer the questions. It is usually best to begin with the one you feel most confident about. Think about how you will plan your time, and stick to your plan.

A Message to the Universe (1): Uncertainty

Dear Universe,

I’m in an endless journey towards maturity. I do lots of foolish things. I see things from my own perspective, which is very limited, and act according to it. I make mistakes no one makes but me. Sometimes I act like a three-year-old girl, thinking that I’m the wisest ever.

Dear Universe, I hate my stupidity. I hate my limited perspective and my childish mind. I’m not even sure that, when I grow older, I’ll grow any wiser.

Dear Universe, I’m not talented. I have no special abilities; I cannot draw, write, sing, compose, dance, create, understand others’ feelings or even express myself. I also don’t have any super natural powers; I can’t fly, read people’s mind, move things without touching them, or control minds. I’m just like any other human with nothing distinguishable.

Dear Universe, I just wish that someday, with my limited mind and abilities, I would do something of significance.

Yours Sincerely,

Alaa Essam El-Feqi