Republishment: This Is For The Parents - Pt. 1

For those who didn't have the chance to read the last article in theweek, I am republishing it here, for their convenience..

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The media has always been known for it's powerful indirect force upon different generations of people in influencing opinions and bringing up momentous tantrums that are bottled within the weak at heart to courageously voice their 'one man's voice' point of view.

In the last 20 – 30 years, the multimedia so called device – the television and it's contents in terms of programmes and channels have evolved from being just a small black and white dull moving pictures box to just another luxurious and elegant widely used household device. One that holds such importance, it is often quarreled over for the remote to flick unto the desired broadcasting station and sometimes is quite frequently, more favored – nowadays – than enjoying the beautiful, outside, ever-changing nature with it's unpredictable lovely weather.

But, that's not what this is all about.

It's understandable that the youth of this generation will get influenced by TV as we were back in our youthful days. But the point here is that they have set off on the wrong foot. They have no interest in global issues that could seriously affect their own future, except when they are asked to write about them in their weekly/monthly essays. They are now more influenced by music videos and reality shows such as American Idol, Star Academy and Superstar. They've been convinced by the current media programmes that getting to their dreams is just as easy as doing the A-B-C. The youngsters now think that doing the wrong thing is 'way cool' just because the fundamental idea behind it is rebellious. Like wearing tattoos, boys wearing earrings, young girls with odd piercing habits and skimpy clothes for either gender and 'rough' fashion looks.

When instead what they should be taught is to mingle in with the right friends. Be more family-friendly so they can learn to discuss issues that shadow their heads with black clouds of doubt. This is in no way an extreme opinion about how to live one’s life but merely an example of how the youth can benefit from their time in doing something more productive and beneficent unto them.

Gone are the days that one could trust the media with the issues that parents could rest assured would not waken them through the night having to think that their children are being exposed to a bad and very distasteful audience who demand nothing but the pleasure of having to watch over someone else's lives and how they live instead of paying attention to their own family's progress and their own problems and issues.

Nowadays, parents are not only required to watch over their youngsters in terms of whom they go out with and how they behave but are also demanded by current times to watch over what their fashionable skills are according to what society accepts, and try to keep a short leash on their behavior when in public; children or not, they are the responsibility of their parents and in that concept of thinking, their actions are our responsibility, if – God forbid – anything should go wrong.

The Pink Panther

My idol.

My hero.

Apart from the part when he smokes.

Releases here in Muscat 1st March, 2006 - Shatti Plaza

I Lied

I lied today many times.

I lied to myself when I said that I will have a great day. But then again, my unconcious mind was weary and down because of all the things that were on my mind.

I lied today to myself when I said that everything will be and smiling away a fake smile just to make myself feel better. Yet, in truth, I couldn't help but feel the urge just to turn the music onto loud in my car system; shut the windows and shout out at the top of my voice - that still wouldn't help, though.

I lied to myself when I said that everything will be alright if I just look at the brighter side of things. And yet, the world I live in proves me wrong at every angle. I don't think of myself as an Angel. But I have come to think of myself of a more wiser, more deeper thinking, man. So, I would like to be treated accordingly.

I lied to myself today when I said to myself that the weather is just nice enough to the point that I wouldn't get sick again. And within that lie lay the proof of my hypocricy of myself of holding two Omol tablets - just in case.

And in the end?

I am told a thousand times that things will become better once I believe that the glass is half full and not half empty.

What does lie ahead?

Purpose. Achievement. A life without.

UNICEF - Pt. II

I got word today about the progress that was going on with the special track being recorded and promoted in the benefit of the UNICEF fund.

The proposed date for the release of the single, which features two tracks (one accoustic, and the other the original version) of a song dubbed 'I'm Innocent', is either 27 February, 2006 or 8 March, 2006.

As far the UNICEF is concerned, it's given the green light for the project. The rest is left to the local authorities.

The photo featured above in this post is exactly the photo that will be used for the cover of the CD.

More information will be passed on later..

Muscat Book Fair 2006 - Pt. II

Just a note to all you book worms out there..

There has been an advertisement about the Muscat International Book Fair 2006 event. The dates have been altered to the period in between 28 February, 2006 - 10 March, 2006 instead of February 23, 2006 - March 3, 2006 (which was disclosed on ociped's website).

This has been printed in all local papers as of today.

Thought you should know.

Cockiness will get you everywhere..

They used to say that laughter is the best medicine for an ailing heart.

I, however, don't think so.

I think if you take your frustration out on the world by rediculing the population in all forms and sizes it will really put you to rest and not only that, it will give you that undeniable sense of comfort and emotional pleasure.

It will also give you the sense of spiritual contain.

This is my opinion.

Give it a try.

I guarantee it's 100% effectiveness immediately.

Pretences of A Time, Unknown

She sees him everyday sitting on that park bench. What does he do? What does he think? What does he say?

Pretence of a time unknown. Life is all we've got to go on.

I see you there
Sitting on your own
Sitting as if you're waiting
For someone to come along

Always sitting
With a bouquet of red roses
As if you're going to meet
That someone special

Who is it you're waiting for to come by?
What is it that pushes you on?
Why is it that you sit alone every time?
When will the clouds fade away from the face of the sun?

She comes by every single sun rise
She comes by always with a smile
She swings by me with such grace

Her presence blooms the flowers and the trees
Your sweet innocence, your loving desire for life, the urge I fight not to faint after I see your smile

You swing by me with the birth of a new morning
Your sweet smile graces me by making me forget my reasons of mourning

My life was bittersweet
But now that fate has brought us together to meet
The life I live now, is brightly predefined

Taken out by your beautiful features
Great intelligence
Better even
our ambition and determinance

The fight now is the fight for the heart's throne. The one to who no one could ever own. The fight for true love, not fame. The fight to win the heart of life's better known game. Time and time again, there will be a hole to fall into. Once you get back up on your feet, you will feel all the right pieces coming into.

The heart is at passion, the mind is at a theory. Both clash and obstruct until the day where there lay no dust.

Kergeen

I don't know whether any of you have ever been to a certain restaurant - if it can be called so - by the name of Kergeen. But if you have, and you know what I am talking about herein, then you would understand my point of view of this place and where my arguement is leading to..

Kergeen, by all standards, is by far, the biggest and most worst fire hazard that the Omani fire department would have to deal with, if, God forbid, it was set mistakengly into a blaze. Not to mention it is also the worst health hazard, ever, because it is set in the public area.

If you have noticed the place, it is totally made up of wood - wooden shades, wooden columns, wooden furniture and even wooden pallets. The place is also infested with roaches, rats, and food littered all over the pebbled floor.

I am curious, though..

How is it, that an organization, such as Muscat Muncipality, which looks deeply into such matters for various restaurants, cafe's and other tourism establishment, could overlook such a place as this with a very long list of the simplest violations going against them..?

Is someone being bribed somewhere, here?

Love of a lifetime..

Is it true that you only find true love once in a lifetime? If that is true; then what do you say about a person who has had several relationships thinking that each one was the real thing? And if such a thing exists; then how do we ever know it is 'the one'?

Every person goes through many life ventures in their lifetime only to learn from their mistakes, there are the other slight minority who just don't learn. And it is to those that often ask themselves where is they go from that place of misery to enjoy the happiness of life. Some of them succeed by choosing to channel their frustrations into a job of their choice and go on to further successes in their long unpredicted life. The latter, however, choose to sit and sulk on the whens, whys, whos, wheres, and whats of how they should have gone over their methods in their past, and lost in their past they will stay.

It's just annoying to think that you wasted your time in your past thinking that either this person was the one or the other and so you could have waited this whole time for the right person to come along and let emotions take you away..

But I guess that's the way everyone deals with their emotions nowadays..

The Omani Gay Parade

I'll be totally honest here.

I hate the color Pink because I think that if a male person were to wear a fabric of that origin it would look totally gay.

And what annoys me more is that these days all over Oman it is the fashion. Yes. Men are now wearing pink t-shirts, shirts and blouses from brands like Giordano.

That's my tastes. Other people will differ in opinion perhaps to the point of disagreement.

But I still think it's gay.

Oman Daily

I've had an interview with the Oman Arab Daily for my latest book Wonderous World.

I'm hoping it would be printed soon.

More details to come as soon as information is passed on to me...

Does The World Care?

Does the world loom by to see
A lonely wonderer who lives all by himself; lonely?
Does the world care?
Does the world look at a hungry child and give from it's Earth to feed?
An old man, all alone, who is in need?

Does the world pass by wars and ask people to stop?
Do the people ever lean to stop, listen instead of acting like hogs?
Does the world world hunger at poverty, oil and corruption?
Instead of asking for respect, protection and freedom?

Does the world go on by
Ask for no one to care as they pass by
If martians passed the atmosphere, they wouldn't think twice about parking here
Because of the sense of despair that's settled in their hides

Does the world care?

Do we care?

Begging for life..

There have been incidents in the past whereby some of us have been confronted by beggars in the streets in all colors asking for some kind of help in terms of money or otherwise. I for one, in my youthful years, was always the helpful kind, giving a few coins here and there to the best of my financial ability since I was still living in my parents' house.

But nowadays, one cannot help but wonder why is that there are a lot more people begging for money, from young children to the really old people. Some who claim they have walked the plains of the Earth only to have the mishappening of running broke midway. It is defenitely a sight not to be joked at.

Many are also the people who associate immediately beggars with things of evil doings and wrath and such; such as sicknesses, diseases, and criminal behavior. And it is such a shame that one looks upon their fellow human beings in such a manner just because we have a better standard of living, cleaner clothes, and money to spend on ourselves. This, however, does not justify the beggars' behavior. If they were able to walk, talk, and move freely, then howcome they are not seeking employment? Why is it that the goverment leaves them wondering around housing complexes in search for food and shelter on their own? A behavior which would only cause paranoya from the neighborhood watch.

There isn't much to be said about the role of the citizens, organizations, and most importantly from the government in such cases. Because it isn't publicized. And if it were, it wasn't attempted locally.

The root of this problem starts from us. If we face this problem with a proper approach only then will others follow suite.

Muscat Book Fair 2006

I'm due to make a debut appearance at the Muscat International Book Fair 2006 to do a signing session for my latest book Wonderous World.

Once I get the full details, I will let you know when and where..

Be seeing ya

Where Are You Now?

Where are you now?
Why are you not here with me?
Why aren't you searching for me the way I am for you?
How is it that I all alone in this
Cast with the blues when I should feel bliss
Down in my hands, my head floats
Through desire of love, my flag rises above

Where are you now?
Tired
Tainted
Help me up
I'm fainting
Where the sad shadows sleep deep
Where the soul is left all alone only to weep
The thought of you is always with me
Can't seem to find another reason to live, without you, near me

Where are you now?
When you should be here with me?
Where I can see you face everyday
And wake up to your gracious smile with each sun-rising day

Where are you now?
Where is the spirit that I am looking for?
Where are you?
Where is the better half that I am in search for?

Would my journey end here?
Is this what it is meant to be?
Or should I push on
Hold the sails a little more long
Patience is all I have
In the winds of misunderstand

The time I keep
The plough this Earth meets
And all to end a mind's endless row
Where are you now?

The Vanity of Valentine

So Valentine's Day is up ahead. And people ask themselves once again why are they alone? And those who aren't show so much affection to their loved ones their face turns into a red tomato just waiting to burst from being fed too many growth hormons.

Seriously.

Why do people act so luvvy duvvy on just one day of the year to show that they truly love a person? In my personal opinion, I think if you're going to show a person you love them, truly and affectionately then that's not by showering them with gifts, kisses and a year's supply of chocolate cases (granted the latter is a bit worthwhile), but by understanding more of the person you are with; by showing them more and more reasons every single day of your life why you chose her/him over anyone else in this whole wide world. And most importantly, always saying those special words (whatever you choose them to be and not neccessarily the famous I love you) every single day of the life you will live together.

Nowadays Valentine's Day is just another commercial marketing gimmick that stores worldwide (except places like Saudi Arabia) use to their advantage to boos their sales or make a small profit or turnover on their products.

And who was it that thought of the cockamanic idea in the first place? I bet you it was one mean sucker who didn't have luck much like the very folk of the 21st century that we see here and there and got to the insanity point and decided to take it out on the world by commerating a day for love where broken hearted fellows tragically fall again into a whirlpool of intangible dreams that are impossible to achieve because his daydream sweetheart is a heartthrob that the whole nation is after, much like Nancy Ajram or Haifa Wahbi.

God.

It's hard enough to deal with the melodramas of life that we have to deal with every single damn day then someone elsewhere conjures up an evil plan to make the whole world drive itself into a turmoil over something so unquenchible like love.

Well you won't find me dwelling on whys, hows, whos, whats and wheres on that day.

I'll be out of sight.

Hell, yeah..

Do3aa2 Qanoot

Our house is filled up with so many calendars like you wouldn't believe. And it would be in the weirdest places, I swear.

The oddest places.

But one place we often keep usually for a calendar is in the kitchen.

Sometimes to tell everyone who comes into the house (or rather who lives there) of what important dates there are for the family and such.

So, anyhow. Getting more to the point.

Our latest 2006 calendar had been 'over-cloaked' with a Do3aa2..

It's called Do3aa2 Qanoot.

Anyone care to enlighten what this Do3aa2 is all about? And what's it's significance from the other Do3aa2's? And why is it named so?

Appreciate the help and thanks..

Time's Portrait

For those of you who haven't had the chance to grab a copy of SQU's Horizon newsletter, I am posting the story that was used in it for your convenience..
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I just thought I should tell you how I feel. Time is no longer a moment but a place, in our hearts, we conceal.

He looks upon her body with no wounds. She lays there. Breathless. It is the silence that looms.

She lay there in a corner with her head titled down. She lay there without a sound. Tears to the eyes. Astonishment not surprise. Such a beauty for one soul to hide. A depth of pride to recover. Passion: the revolver. Until this day, he will never know another.

Kneeling down as if to pray. Kneeling down to her face. Kneeling and reaching out to her delight. The face he was blessed every morning, noon and night. The split second moment of happiness. Moments shared within couple's hearts and trust. The love; undeniable – the luck.

A moment of anger from within. Reaching out from his brain through his face in his arm to begin.

Shadow of doubt, of fear, of pain
Light of anger, of craze, of shame

Hold the sword down until the truth is known
Hold the fight now to the bare bone

Fire will be fire
The dance in the end will retire

Catch the culprit
Throw them into the flames
Fight fire with fire
Desire is bliss, not an eternal pain

A broken window nearby. Smash the glass in an attempt to forget the past. Blood on the hand. Feelings slowly fade away. Yet, do you understand?

Founded religion of anger and pain
Of anger is fed
And desire is built from scratch
And in the end; nothing is in gain

"First you"
"Now they hurt me"
"I will get them"
"You will see…"

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Time's elusive portrait
Pinned to the cement floor
Where ends meet
Where the soul meets its creator

"I seem to see you everywhere"
"In my dreams"
"The places I go to see"
"Even when I stare away"

"Are you real?"
"Or are you a dream?"
"Are we meant for a fling?"
"Or is it our destiny?"

They saw each other thought the hot and cold. The warm atmosphere of his hotel. The cold of the streets she crept.
There was a fire. There was a flame. A sigh reduced to hot air. The breath they took evaporates, each, into a cold cloud that goes away.

I saw you
Through the window glass
I wanted to say something to you
But thought that you would just smirk and laugh

Your sight was the one I was looking for
The keys, you hold in your hand, to my door
Life is pitiful without you and sore
Rescue me from my plundering, won’t you? I have nowhere else to go

I feel you as you feel me
I feel your desire to be with me
But I am in too deep
Far too deep for you to rescue me

I have mastered the elements that life has to give
And if I have to keep going on like this

Then I might as well die
Then live this sorry excuse for a life

The lie I live
The passive sense of wonder not bliss
Descent from legend to myth
Beneath the prowling claws of the world


Where one wonders why the live in the first place
Delivered to this earth to feel grace
Or just punishment for what you have done in a past life with such disgrace

Suddenly a quick exit by the girl. Flee the scene before you are seen. Cheating and disgracing your kind is often a sickness that can always be easily achieved. Run. Run as fast as you can. Run faster than the wind. Run quicker till you run out of breath. Keep going on. Keep pushing on. Keep going further. Into the alleys. Into unknown streets.

In an old abandoned house. Up the stairway. Into a corner now. Taking out the container hidden in her pocket.

A handful of pills in the hand. One last look of where this world stands. Remembrance is notstalgic. She feels nausy.

One last look at this world
I see
One last look at the pity that I had to be found with
Goodbye, nightmare of my dreams

SORRY..

Following the controversial story about what went on between me and Kazablanka, I have decided to stay off the blogs until I make a decision on whether to come back or not.

For those who have had opinions that clashed with mine in the last ..err..2 or 3 days....hope this is what you wanted.

And for those who don't opt for this option...all I can say is...what can I say?

Sorry

Sorry all..

Moving on..

Moving on from the last controversial topic last posted on this blog, I have some good news for those who are studying in the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman..

The Horizon newsletter is out tomorrow (Saturday), and there will be a full page dedicated for a short story of mine that I had recently written.

It's under the name 'Time's Portrait'..

I hope you will all get the opportunity to enjoy reading it and giving feedback on it..

Cheers!

IN REPLY: ...

In response to the post that I posted on A Secret Arabian Journal on Blogging Around The Gulf SPECIAL that I had advertised for on my blog I was sent a bogus email from an anonymous that read something about Kazablanka's attempt to diss me on her own blog.

Curious as I was to see the truth of this attempt, I was astonished that Kaza had actually did what I had been told!

I was surprised. Astonished. Wacked out, even. Trying to put the pieces together to see what the jumble makes of, it turns out that we were both foulplayed by someone anonymous only to introduce hate between two bloggers who knew each other for a while and had their differences and decided to seperate (in rehetoric terms, that is) peacefully.

If you're curious to see what she claims I had done you can visit that exact post by clicking THE DISS.

You be the judge in this case besides the topics laid out in either blogs.

Court is hereby, adjourned..

Thank God, the joke is finally OVER

It's been a tedious month here in Muscat for the year 2006. And all because of Muscat Festival 2006.

The worst organizing, the worst performance, and the worst time ever to bring on such a festival with so many media lies about who, what, where and why as to what is going on in the festival.

350,000 people visit the festival during 2 days of the festival on a weekend? Gimme a break! Where do they get their numbers from? There's no transperency as to where or what their sources are.

First it was a few classy dance acts to perform on the Muscat Amphitheatre during the festival period; then there was the mourning of several rulers and other royal families of the GCC region that led to cancellation of all the other festivals in the same region. But what does Muscat Muncipality do? Send out 500,000 SMS messages to the over one million subscribers telling them that Oman Mobile that although there have been all these big drastic tragedies in the area, Muscat Festival 2006 still goes on.

I am just glad for two things; one of which is that during this period I never entered any of the areas that the festival was running on so I wasn't jammed up with so many people who don't know whether they're coming or going and second; that tomorrow (Friday) is the last day of the worst ever festival to hit the face of this planet (if there's any worse, do let me know I just might end up making a list).

Good riddens, Muscat Festival 2006.

Public Announcement

Just in case if you've been wondering why there's nothing much to be talked about on this blog, well, you know that I have been sick and all.

And I have also been busy with other things such as blogging on other blogs.

The lastest of these posts you can find a special Blogging Around The Gulf on your favorite Kazablanka on A Secret Arabian Journal.

You'll find the permanent link to that site on the right hand sidebar.

The wierdest thing happened to me the other day..

- I was going to a pharmacy to get this ointment for my eyes. So I ask for some eye drops. The guy's like, ok. What for? :os ??? For my eyes..

- I have never known another society that is so hospitable and sensible in their driving; Omanis actually stop for other people to cross the road (which explains the many accidents that happen to pedestrians inside their own alleys); they stop for animals to cross the road (notice any dead cats on the road?); and finally - my favorite - they stop for fireworks in Muscat's sky to stop lighting up like temporary chandeliers on a public highway and in the middle of the road. I'm stopping here, damnit! Can't you see there are fireworks crossing?

- Then there's the occasional slowdown on the highway that is of two sources, either a) the police have blocked passage to a certain road because VIPs are using the roads that they helped build with their bare hands; or b) some shmuck has had an accident on the other side of the road and the entire Sultanate of Oman wants to know how it happened and if they assist. Phoowee.

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I love my country to death. To death, you hear?

Damn Rotten Luck

I was going to post something today really good but then I totally forgot what it was that I wanted to post here. And then I became very sick first thing in the morning that's developed into a slight fever now not to mention that I have very blurry vision because of an eye infection after trying out a new pair of contact lens.

So I guess I'll just forget about blogging today.

I'll try blogging tomorrow (Wednesday) if I'm feeling any better.

Sorry..

Cornered

So what do you call the situation whereby you can only do so little and yet whatever you do and whenever you want to attempt to it fate drops by and takes it away taking away the only chance that you could have probably attempted at.

Thereby, setting a case of reactions from the world that surrounds you where your least actions are not appreciated, and when what you're secretly planning is still not into momentum that illudes that audience into thinking that you are doing everything wrong.

What exactly do you do then?

What do you have to say?

Me?

..Silence..

Rage Against The Machine

Don't stop me
Don't tell me what to do
You think you know me
But that's not the truth

Truth to be told
You don't know me at all
The plans you make
The thoughts your mind rakes
Are for you and for you alone

You hold your ideas
Your beliefs against me
You think I am some puppet
Look again; there are no strings on me

You break me down
In front of the crowd
And you think you've done yourself a favor

But what you don't know
Is the passion that I hold
Is the one that needs growing

You're sinking the ship
You're lashing the hip
I don't understand
But all I do
Is that you don't want to get this through
All you want
All you ever want
Is total control in your hands

How to know when to slow down..

So I guess the Big Guy Upstairs had sent me a very strong signal these past few days..

I was working on sending out my CVs these last two days.
I did a radio interview last Friday morning on Oman Arab FM.
I have been been working frantically on marketing my latest book Wonderous World.
I was posting on four blogs; Sleepless In Muscat; Rapidly Blue; A Secret Arabian Journal and; Arab UAE Community Blog.
I was still sending out my fornightly articles to theweek.
I had done a small interview with a local reporter about my book.
Plus, I have been trying to help out someone in their remarkable talent.

... and then suddenly..

.. I fall sick..really sick..

.. guess, I'll just take it easy for a few days now..

Mdaad Forums

There's been mention about me and my new book Wonderous World on the Arabic Mdaad Forums.

The person to initiate the topic is Mr. Hassan Al-Lawati.

He is quite the journalist and writer of his own literature. As he has already published one book by the translated name of White Grounds in the Arabic language.

You can check out what I am talking about through the link provided below.

(NB: The post in which you follow the link through to, is in Arabic)

Mdaad Forums

The Heart .. The Pen .. The Pad..

He locks himself up at night
He closes the curtains, he wants no light
He sits down at a corner trying to stop the shedding of tears from his eyes
He holds his face in the palm of his hands for fear of his blight

He cries in shame
He has no one else but himself to blame

He takes a pad
He takes a pen
He writes down
What he thinks shouldn't be said

'I have long favored the summer'
'In the winter's breeze'
'The bliss of seeing thee'
'When I am about to die; when I try to plead'

God. Help me in my vain. The power I ask for. To guide me through the way. I plead to you. I implore. I ask that you show me. The road to go.

God will look down
And cover with His gracious hands
The circumstances to, which, I should understand

Lover's might
Sweet folklore
A tunnel ends with a light
But who is there with you to go down that lonely road?

Fumbled up

Things are a bit too confusing for me right now..

So if I don't post anything you'll just have to excuse me

Sorry

September's Girl

She loves the rain
The sadness it takes away
The love it shades
And the memories she gains

She loves red roses
And violets, too
A potfull of promises
Sends her into her solitude

She smiles wide
With glee twinkling in her eyes
And happy tears fall down her cheek lines
She wants to whisper those words that eat her inside
But she's afraid
She holds away
She says she no longer trusts the world today

Her last chapter
Was a disaster
She'd rather not look back
She aims for the future
She works on her present
And everyday misgivings she tries to understand
She no longer holds the passion in her heart
She no longer believes in that first spark
But one thing is certain to break her down
The simplicity of a man who will make her anything but frown

She seeks her power
In her relief
She seeks to be lifted
Off her feet

She denies herself the pleasure
Because she's seen the pain
The dying wager
Between her work and the flame

She has the laugh of an Angel
And a true heart
She tries to do
What, in her eyes, is right

She seeks to focus on the good
And put aside the bad
Yet, with all this going on
When she's not busy and no one's at home
She sits down and thinks
She tries to comprehend on the happenings
Sometimes she wallows in grief
Other times, she just puts her head to sleep

But there are rare times
When she just cries her eyes out
Wishing that someone would rescue her from her doubts

The next day, she awakes
She's the same person, just a different face..

LIVE

I know this is a very late entry..

But I have been requested to do an interview about poetry in general on the local Arabic radio channel tomorrow morning (Friday) at around 8am.

The programme is called A7la 9aba7..

If you feel like getting up that early to listen to someone talking about boring old poetry then you're in for a treat..

Hope you can join me by then..

1st Year Anniversary

Well..

It has been a year since I started regurlaly posting on this blog.

And boy oh boy has it been one intense year, from grub, to grudge, to a life-and-death situation and many emotional metl-downs.

Let's just say, it is an accomplishment that one can look back onto with pride and say to themselves "I've gotten away with it"..

lol

;op

Fighting The Fight - Together

The wage of war
The distruction, sought
Time is an inevitable disease
The sight of light, is what I seek
To the land of doom, I shall be buried
And to deal with the Devil that holds me, by the shackles, by my knees

Time to die
For who, I don't know - I wouldn't lie
Reversing time in it's space
The laughter is it? Or mere disgrace?
Change of life and what has become
Change of friends to enemies and the lies they sung
The fort I hold
Choose, or chosen, that is to you, to hold
The story - your future - to be told

Live a lie
Or live truly with dignity
Live with honor
Or bend down as the inferiority you misplease
Fight the fight
Choose the day and not night
What will become
Is your rise, is your sun
And one day, the truth will be told
That nothing lasts forever
Nothing will ever change unless we change ourselves - together

Al Shabiba & Al Watan

There will be a small article about my latest book in Al Shabiba in next week's Wednesday issue which can be found in the Cultural Supplementary.

There will be another similar one in Al Watan, however, it is unknown whether it will be printed tomorrow (Wednesday) or some other day of the next week. I will provide more information as it comes my way..

Hope you all enjoy the excitement as much as I do.

in(theweek)twice

Yes, people.

The day of reckoning has come! lol ;oP

theweek has published two articles about me. One written by me and another about my book Wonderous World penned by Patricia Groves.

You can find these both in the downloadable version of the gazette in the below link:

(NB: The section you are looking to download is Section 2. You will find the articles in pages 14 and 17, respectively).

theweek


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I will place, for your convinience, a permanent link to theweek in the sidebar on the right.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, in theweek, you will find not three. Not one. But two - yes, two articles about me.

Well, in a matter of speaking anyhow..

The first article will involve a critique (as I have mentioned before) about my latest book Wonderous World by someone who has recently joined the vast list of article writers.

And the second, will be my article which is about a crucial topic that is arising in Oman. And for once, it not been edited once. Not even the title.

I hope you all enjoy this week's issue.

Happy New Arab Year

Tomorrow has been announced as the dawn of the new Hijri (Arab) year..

May we all be blessed with a year that we grow closer to God and farther from the sins that call to us..

Happy New Arab Year to all the Muslims around the world..

Offers..Offers..Offers..

I had a slight interview with a reporter last night (29/1/2006) about my latest book Wonderous World, who will issue a small news article in either one of the Omani newspaper's cultural supplement (i.e.: Oman; Al Shabiba; or Al Watan).

I was also approached at the same time to work as a full-time translater/article editor. Yet, I turned down the offer.

I realize that you would have to start at the bottom of the staircase, but that isn't the staircase I am exactly looking for.

There will be other opportunities...

Horizon Newsletter

If any of you are studying or working at the Sultan Qaboos University then here's some good news for you.

An offer has been made to me to include one of my short stories in the English Language's Department newsletter Horizon which is due some time by the end of this week or the next week.

If you find this of interest, then look me up there.

I do hope that you will all like the piece that I will choose for printing, inshallah..

Painful Dismissal of the Heart..

I write to you
After night and day
After I have given up hope on my heart
And set my trail

I write to you
In this season of Winter
In a cold, cold, breeze
Where the warmth whimpers

I write to you
After much dismay
Where hope was once hope
And agony prevails

I write this down
I write to you with my pen about to fall to the ground
And only my sense of survival will be my save

I write to you
With a tear in my eye
Where I have lost friends
And the world just goes by and smiles

I write to you
After giving up hope
On whether I'll get married, stay single, or become some street dope

I write to you
With no fear
Of what the future
Has to conceal

I write to you
From fear of pain
Of suffering the worst
Instead of the happiness that I should gain

I write to you
In this dark corner
Where the shadows of the trees
Have been altered
Where pride used to live
Where agony moves on with bliss
And the attention we both seek is faltered

I write to you
From the darkness of my room
Where the horizon is met by a large un-glowing moon
The visit to fantasy
Is an escape from reality
I hear nothing
Because there is nothing
And at the end of this
I find the one thing that I truly miss
The one thing that has always mattered the most to me
Where life is life is the hope in my dreams
And the flower, the petal will fall into it's pleads

In the end, I write this for you
All for you
Only for you
And I await your reply
Will it come; is it near?

Imperfect Life

I just don't get it. Do bad incidents wait for me to be around so they can roll into action?

Man..

It's like you have your whole day planned out and then suddenly nothing is going right like it should. I wish for one day, you know, I could just have something go my way. Nothing to upset it. Nothing to make it look bad. And certainly nothing to have it go bad.

What would it take?

First I wake up and my printer's being funny; printing when it wants to and when it doesn't want it goes haywire. Then I couldn't find my stuff until like more than 45 minutes of a search. Oh, I found them, but it was like - "you were there?" Couldn't have a proper breakfast when I am supposed to when I take my medication over it. Plus you get out of the house with a really bad mood when you were hoping to have a nice shiny day without that single intangible raindrop.

After all this, I go to Starbucks (yes, like it or not, I still hang out there) to relax and work on a few stuff and at the same time waiting for my friend to come by who has a copy of my CV with him. So, enter the friend. Tired, though. 'What goes friend?' "I feel really bad and I need to go the hosptial". Not a moment to lose. Left my tea there without drinking it towards his house to get his card and off to the clinic he attends. There we find out that his pulse was racing, his blood pressure is high plus his sugar level was a sky rocketing 20! Stayed with him enough to talk to him to get him to relax, after giving him two shots of insolin and stablizing his mood. And then off to his house to drop him off.

Come back to Starbucks.

And what else do I find out?

One of the guys' Grandfather's had just passed away.

It just doesn't pay to get out of bed at all sometimes. But like someone said to me; we're all merely human beings and the imperfect life that we lead is just the fact to state that piece of evidence.

Stay well all.

Not My Day

This isn't my day
It isn't my day at all

Feel like crying
Feel like dying
The pain just won't go away

My friend was at the hospital
Another had his Grandfather die
Or as we would more appropriately say, pass away

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get out of bed at all

Registrada

I'm sorry everyone..

I've had to take up the last resort option due to circumstances beyond me since an anonymous individual is testing my patience by leaving very rude comments on this blog.

Therefore; I hereby announce that only registered users of blogger.com will be able to post their comments.

I hear your cries, really. And as much I feel its unjustified because of one's childish behavior I've threatened again and again and it's high time to take a stance on this annoying situation.

I hope you all do understand and continue to blog your comments as if nothing has happened..

Thanks again..

Plain Wreckless

Yesterday I almost had an accident because someone thought he owned the roads his 4x4 was rolling over on whilst he cut me without an indicator and with such wrecklessness that not an even a plea to stop by on the highway and reason with him over his behavior.

Knowingly so, he waved off the incident as if it wasn't his fault and sped off over 140 kmph where the speed limit was 120 and this was just after leaving a turning at a large roundabout at Seeb International Airport onwards to the City Centre.

Obviously, my blood was boiling the whole day from that moment on because I wanted to do something about but didn't know what to do. Family said to leave it at that and to thank God that nothing had happened. But my question is this: what if something HAD happened to me and I wasn't able to make it to the centre to see my family for a nice gathering and lunch? What if something had happened to me and no one knew about it? Whose fault is it by then?

I met my friend later on at my hang out spot and told him about the incident asking him what was the number to call about such disturbances on the road and highways. It was the same you called for emergencies. 9999.

So I called it in. And made sure they knew the license plate number and what the 'gentleman' did and how his was behavior was that of idolistic nature.

The police officer behind the phone on the other end said they would send an APB (All Points Bulletin) to all the police cars for that number plate and have him pulled over to be given a few tickets for wreckless driving & overspeeding.

Next time someone like that pisses you off on the highway, don't get mad - get even. Call 9999.

I did..

UNICEF

Someone I know very well is going to launch a CD single in Oman that the money raised behind it will go towards the UNICEF Programme Against Child Abuse.

This person has approached me to write a few lyrics that will go on the front of the CD single that would be launched later this February.

I'll let you know more details about this as I get more information..

3rd invitation

I have been invited for administrating - along with running two other blogs and participating in another and writing in another website's corner - to help run the newly established UAE Community Blog (Arabic).

If you would like to become a member of the blog in order to participate in it, send me an email on: pennedthoughts@gmail.com.

Or you can get in touch with Abdu Yahya of A Secret Arabian Journal.

The Truth Will Set Her Free..

She looks in through the window
Think of what the world would bring in
Telling herself that everything would be better
Once she is in the 'in'

She turns around to look at her doorknob
She returns to her past
She could never ever
Get past that

A tear
A cry
A deep breath
A little sigh

How the world has come by
And taunted her in the night
Fishing her out from one pond
Into a waterfall, for her alone, to fight

She gathers her belongings
She walks to the door
She reaches out to grab the knob
And pulls it inwards to go to another world

This time
She's going to make her own opportunties
No tidal waves, no hidden agenda, no unwritten phase

She is the opportunity waiting to be taken
She is the light of Heaven
She is the first stair in the staircase of success

No more crying
No more lying
No more dying inside
No more lonely nights

Just her and her passion
The future is hers to grasp
The love in ignition
Is just out there, for someone to understand

Good things happen to those who wait..

So, I'm back..

Some good stuff has happened while I was away.

There's been news that a crtitique in theweek about my latest book Wonderous World the coming week's issue along with my new article..


I suppose good things do happen to those who wait..

Life at a stand-still

I found out today, in a hospital visit, that:
- A very good friend of who was diagnosed with Cancer and was being treated with chemotherapy had died a week ago.
- My HgB level has dropped to 11.5 from 12.
- My blood pressure was at a high 134/86.
- And that I had an alarmingly high pulse rate at 133.

I hereby declare mourning for 3 whole days..

Things you just don't see everyday..

1. A woman in full cover veil and probably the most colorfull color ever, hiding away from the public eye to have a smoke of a cigarette.

2. Eight cars crashing on one lane into each other on a public highway.

3. Two cars only fifty metres away from that sight crashing into each other on the other side of the road.

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"..And that concludes our daily broadcast..!"

Eid Al Ghadeer

Ok.

Don't laugh.

I know I am a shi3a and all. But like I explained before, I don't know much about my 'group' of people. Hence this question - if anyone can answer it for me; What is Eid Al Ghadeer all about?

Circumstances Vs. Me: 2 - 0

So I just got back from the hospital only to have found out that my appointment was not today but rather tomorrow. I tried to implore the staff to get them to do a quick blood sample and give me the meds I needed but to no avail. Not because they didn't want to, though. But more because there were no doctors around - everyone was busy for some reason; rounds; conference, stuff like that.

So I told them I would come back the next day - Sunday.

This means I lose on two days of the week I could have worked on sending out my new job applications to those 29 companies I have listed.

What can I say?

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"To light a candle in the dark is better than to curse the dark a thousand times" - Chinese proverb

The Definition of Cheepskates

How idiotic do you have to be in order to realize that there is an unfair advantage between rivals in the same indistry? My personal opinion: you'd have to be really dumb.

Oman Mobile is a subsiadary of OmanTel no matter how many people try to explain to me that the first is a private-owned company while the latter isn't. How is it that Oman Mobile was formed? It was the mobile devision of OmanTel for all those dimwits that don't understand. No matter how much you may have invested into the company during the IPO, it still doesn't mean that it's a company that the government has a bigger say in, because that's just how it is.

Oman Mobile's unfair advantage in the telecom industry is as such because it has the backing of the government and in most cases the TRA against Nawras. While Nawras is a joint international venture between private investors, Oman Mobile has the backing of it's investors and the government.

Oman Mobile's homepage boasts "Being a dynamic and agile market player we deepen and personalize relationship with our 1 million customers by delivering maximum network coverage, more value-for-money, and a wide range of cutting-edge wireless voice and data services with immersive and interactive promotional offers.".
Yeah, right.

Most Oman Mobile users complain more often than less about how their unable to get through the network because of that one reason. In addition to the lousy service they get through their service hotline.

Even though the fact still states that Nawras has only about 300,000 subscibers in it's network, its still far more advanced than Oman Mobile's in terms that it introduced prepaid cards use internationaly two weeks before Oman Mobile did. Nawras also introduced sending prepaid credit through SMS' a feature that Oman Mobile only got close to by presenting its newest feature SMS Parking - half their customers hardly know the number it should be sent to so they can get their ticket. Nawras introduced EDGE technology which enables you to use your data line upto ADSL speed to go through the internet whilst using your mobile as the modem. Another first to come into phase is the 3G network although there may be speculations of how successful it would be in Oman let alone in the GCC region.

Those are just facts.

I just wonder how much time is it until people realize that Oman Mobile clearly imitates every single campaign Nawras gets into? From advertisements, special offers and now: Muscat Festival sprees.

Oman Mobile wasn't going to enter into sponsoring the Festival because it thought to itself that 100,00 was just too much until it changed its mind for two reasons. First; Nawras took the chance first. Secondly, the government gave them the 'red eye'.

If you're still an Oman Mobile subscriber by the time you read this article - you're a sucker.

Saturday

I wanted to start on Saturday (tomorrow) my new job search method with all the new stuff I have recompiled like the new CV, new photos and all the other stuff required for a proper potential job interview but then I totally forgot that I have a hospital check up due on the same day and I won't be able to make it because it'll take far too long and I might now be finished before 1pm.

Oh well, I guess it'll have to be for another day - there's always Sunday.

But at least I am making the best of things that are coming my way. I mean, I am still going to my favorite 'hang out' place, but I still think of things to be done. Which reminds me; you might see me doing a book-signing session at the Muscat International Book Fair 2006 this February/March.

There'll be more details to that very soon, inshallah..

The(next)article

I have submitted my newest article on a very disturbing issue that is growing at a frantic rate in Oman to the folks at theweek.

I was informed that it would be published and that the date of printing it would be that of February, 1st, 2006.

Looking forward to your opinions on the subject in discussion by then.

I do believe it is a crucial topic to young and older people alike because it concerns relationships in terms of family ties and the effects of the media and wrong friendships on our children and the generations to come..

A Secret Arabian Journal

Effective from this post, I am now a member of the Secret Arabian Journal

You're all welcome to come along and see what both Nomaadic and me have to offer in terms of personal opinions about various issues in both the UAE and Sultanate of Oman.

We are both hoping that you would come to appreciate the quality posts that most bloggers such as us are both heading off towards..

Be seeing you there, inshallah..

Sins of the Outcast

...Set amongst his own as an outcast
The past was what was, the present; the future, is here to last

Do what you will but not unto others
Do what you will but unto me
Free them, for I am the slave - beyond thy knees

As long as I shall live
There will be no doubt
As long as I will live
I will always have the will to fight
And as long as I am alive
I will always, always, try..

Joining The Team - II

I have also been asked to develop a corner on a website that is being re-developed as we speak for creative writing and to also use I see fit.

More details on this piece of news as information is passed on, inshallah..

This will not only allow me to develop my writing skills but will also open up the horizon for me into newer audiences in addition to publishing fortnightly in theweek, posting on a secret blog from arabia.

Thank you, God.

a secret blog from arabia...: Tabula Rasa... umm again

If you would like to read on about the progress in the previous topic on me 'joining the team' you can all read it here:
a secret blog from arabia...: Tabula Rasa... umm again

Joining the Team

I have been invited to join the team of a secret blog from arabia.

This is a great honor for me to be recognized as a good writer plus the fab trio have split up somehow to each go in their own way because of their individual 'businesses' to take care of..

I would start posting on the blog by next week, inshallah.

So, you're all welcome to join us there with your constructive comments on the topics.

Rude Comments

I consider myself an open minded person to a certain limit.

But I draw the line at rude comments relevant or otherwise when posting especially on my blog(s). This is your warning: rude comments will be deleted - no questions asked nor entertained.

# 400

Wow.

Like: wow.

I must be dreaming.

Have I really gotten to that much a number of posts?

400 posts?

I think I need a pizza to celebrate. And maybe a Coca Cola, too.

...Cool

Omani Literature Society

I have a great idea to set up an Omani Literature Society one that would dedicate it's work on poets and writers who live and/or are citizens in the Sultanate of Oman.

It would allow the poets and writers of Oman to have a more broader audience in parellel to the famous saying 'in together ...we have power'. Or so it is meant to be understood - please don't quote me. he he he

I think it's an original idea that no one has thought of before (unless someone has beaten me to it) and it solves so many problems in terms of opening up horizons for helping poets and writers alike to popularize their literature's work in Oman and if possible, in the GCC.

It's still an idea, therfore the idea's still in the blueprint stage.

But if you're a writer or a poet and you find this idea of interest, please send me an email on: pennedthoughts@gmail.com and if you happen to know anyone who would be interested to pursue such an activity please pass on the message. The more people I get interested into the idea, the more the idea will have of a positive impact with the authorities - or at least, I am hoping it will, inshallah.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Wrong Wrong Wrong

I am sorry but I do not agree with the government going on with the fiasco of the obviously sorry state of Muscat Festival 2006 - not financially nor ethically.

Why?

Because for one, MF '06 has become such a joke to have to repeat the same various actitivites and mistakes again and again and again. I mean, have they no brain (the officials behind the whole festival)?

They're repeating the same thing from singers, activities and for God sake's, who in his right mind wants to go for a lecture in a time of 'celebration' (i.e.: the festival) ? (!!!)

Plus not to mention the fact that all the numbers are faked. Would you believe in less than three days of launching the festival that we have over 100,000 visitors to the festival grounds? A friend of mine was joking that they must have also counted in all the officials and organizers, too. I bet you that he's not that far from the truth.

Abdullah Abbas may have introduced Oman in general, and Muscat in particular to the idea of having a seasonal festival to increase tourism and financial flow into the country when he first launched Muscat Festival 1998, but the whole concept is becoming repetitive because there is nothing new.

And I have a question here for the government officials whom announce public holidays. When the former Ruler of Dubai had passed away (God rest his soul), the government officials in the country postponed Dubai Shopping Festival 2006 until further notice. When the Prince of Bahrain passed away in a tragic car accident, all the nations announced mourning for a three day period. And now that the Former Kuwaiti Prince had passed away, Kuwait announces forty days of mourning and the State of Qatar decides to cancel their 4th Qatar Singing Festival in respect of the tragedy. What are you guys waiting for to cancel your festival? Or is your respect worth all the money that you paid to Haifa Wahbi, Roubi, Miami; and Abdullah BalKhair?

You people should get your act together - pronto.

not in theweek - on purpose

For anyone who is following my fortnightly articles in theweek, I am sorry to say that I won't be in this week's issue because I am terribly busy with all my plans and other things which will be announced when the time is right, plus the fact that the new article that I am working on is a big issue in Oman and I want to give it the importance it needs to come out in an articulate way..

I do apologize for the dissapointment, but I assure you it's all for the best..

The Smile of An Angel

The key to a sad heart is the smile of an Angel
The truth that lies in the dark and is often considered a fable

For what lies beyond life
Is ever-after
The long journey begins
With sadness, not laughter

You can choose to stay
You can choose to go
Your choice, though
Will determine which way your future should flow

Prove everyone wrong
And you'll live a champion
To yourself, to everyone
A hero, not a minion

Don't deny yourself the chance
To live life as you so please
For if you do, you'll never understand
And always fall down - depressingly - onto your knees

The tie of life
Is as easy as a smile
It's not forceable
It has to come from within - inside

Religious Relics?

I have decided within the line of decisions that I am making in this period of time and in preperation for the following Arab month of Muharram that I will go to the Great Prophet's (PBUH) Mosque to follow recitals of the events of 3ashoora2 and what happened before.

I am hoping that this decision will help me into clearing what doubts I have in mind or more pleasantly put knowing what I do not know already and understanding what had happened and why.