Bluetooth Mania

So let me get this straight. Its either the guys who are after you mistaking you for a woman or a woman trying to have some fun with another person when you're there.

What am I talking about? Bluetooth; that's what.

It's the new craze in town. And its so annoying to the point that I just wanna shut off my phone, but I keep my bluetooth on for a reason, when I want to transfer files from my laptop to the phone and vice versa when I am outside. Or possibly one day, use the phone to dial up an internet connection.

Why would a woman try to hook up with a person through bluetooth? I mean what does it really say? And say if a man or woman was making the 'connection' - what then? It's pointless, really.

And that's the reality of the situation.

In Kuwait, they have their own bluetooth usage law. In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, there used to be a big riot about this such an issue.

And in Oman are having a wack at it as if it was a PSP (PlayStation Portable).

It's a clear case of invasion of privacy, that's what I say..

And here's one I made earlier..

Guys.. whatever you do, don't watch the skeleton key. It's not even scary. Make a toddler watch it and he/she would laugh. Ok; maybe an infant. Ok, ok, fine; a girl. But that's it. What was the use of suspence music during the whole movie if there are always these cut scenes with hip hop songs? It just takes away the mood. I mean; me and my friends ended up making silly jokes the whole time about the actors and laughing our eyeballs out. It was even funnier than Scream 3.

Well, at least I had a really good day today.

And I found another opportunity for a part time job at some other place.

Thing is though; I am a bit frustrated as what to do exactly. Do I do my MBA now and get a job later or do I go for the job and wait later on till next year maybe to do my MBA? I can't do both because it's draws out all your energy.

I also heard from a friend that the TRA (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority) in Oman wouldn't let either Oman Mobile nor Nawras lower their per minute rates for local and international calls. If that's true; then what's the use of the competition if not for the benefit of the subscribers of either service companies; right? When will these people ever learn? The establishment of such a body even in western countries is only to monitor how each competitor deals with the competition in a legal manner - not to interfere with how each other offers better products at better rates.

The ESO (Enivormental Society of Oman) is holding a presentation on the Conservation of the Houbara Bustard this Saturday. I will be attending it amongst other people who are willing to emphasise the environmental habitat and it's needs from the local communities in Oman. If you're interested in it, please click here.

What could only be will be
The stars, the rivers, the seas
Deliver her the happiness she deserves
The desire for eternal bliss, for her
The red rose upon her window petal
Her eyes; the moon, I drown into the sea

Remember the smile you will always have
Remember the laugh of whom, people, you please
Remember the heart, you hold in your chest
Remember your soul, yours to keep

Bound by the will, that I am
Bound by your presence where-ever you may be
Bound by your smile when you are always glad
Bound by the force of happiness, of which, you glee

Red rose upon your window petal
The day I die, is your entrance to eternity

Stay the course

Although things are pretty messed up for me at the moment I am not going to give in.

I have plans for my future that I will see through no matter what or how long it may take.

The succession of these plans don't depend on the factor of time or finance, although, they would help. But my determenation will get me through this small obstacle course.

Inshallah, I will be able to carry them out sooner than later.

Its such a shame though, that this is happening .. and now.

Oh, well.

Can't have everything you want in life.

And this is what you get when you turn yourself into a feelingless person, I guess.

Everything that has a beginning has an end

This was bound to happen some day. Today officially sucked. I knew it was coming. But didn't know when. After all, all good things must come to an end whereby we leave the primrosey dreams in our sleep and wake up to what's going on around us in reality world.

And its no pizza, I tell ya.

Its like someone saw how much fun I was having with my spare time and decided to mallot me down into the Earth. Yikes. I mean. Double yikes. Triple even.

I wish winter would hurry up and come here because I so miss all that rain, cold winds and being so damn lonesome all over again.

What happened? What happened? You ask..?

Maybe nothing and maybe I am blowing things up out of proportion. But I have learnt a lesson and that is that no matter whoever asks you so many times to reveal what you're thinking about; just don't. They won't like it - and neither would you. So it's better staying where it is; in your mind.

Blathering blabberskites. Holy shamolian shanopies.

Where's a batcave when you need one?

Somebody just shoot me

200th Post - the secret to desire

Not much. But it says something; that I have a lot of time on my hands and I am not using it quite the right way - he he he.
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She looked beyond the river of blood on the floor
She stared on and on and on
She looked flash-eyed, startled, out of words
Her life just froze

Beyond the cut, beyond the wound
Beyond the life that lay there bone upon bone
The knife in her hands
The day her heartbeat rang
Stop, look and listen
She lay there upon the floor without a breath
The murder weapon in her hands
Service? Or just plain desire?
The passion that ignited the fire

Breathless from a soul's walk in the clouds
Blood from the neck dripping like a fountain
Too weak to utter a word
His guilt - the words he spoke

'I don't love you anymore'
Like a screwdriver through your guts, too sore
Head spinning through the atmosphere
His life - Heaven or Hell?

She lay there beyond the river of blood
Passers by looking in disbelief
Police - guns out. Good grief.
Shots in the air. Lives are scarce.
Swim through the puddle of blood
Eye to eye, this your soul's half
This your love; understand

Turned in
This is the way it went
__________________________

As I was walking up the stairs one day
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he would just go away
(identity, copyright 2003, columbia pictures industries, inc. - all rights reserved)

I want this - Not that

Right now, even though I am having a great time with the way my mood's being all these few days and how I am dealing with other things in such a positive manner. I do get the occassional blues about being confused on what I really should be looking for in a woman. Even though the fact still stays that that it is not amongst my list of priorities at this time or place; but I still find it hard to distinguish between the two big L's - love & lust.

For many, they will find that they can easily differentiate between the two. But for someone such as I looking for the right one, or as many would like to call her; the one, it would seem too daunting a task.

After all, a fruit is only as good as it tastes, right?

I mean, what if a woman is really a nice woman from the outside but totally wrong for you from the inside. She'll probably treat you right in the beginning and then later on in the relationship, should it continue, she'll create some problems for you and maybe all of a sudden dump you.

Don't get me wrong here. I'm not taking sides. I'm not generalizing this natural evolvement of emotions and bodily feel with the gentle sex. We, as men, are also prone to such things.

What I am trying to ask is, in either cases, how would you know?

For example, different people have different opinions. And such is their way of interpreting the way they percieve the surroundings and what often happens to them. So to them, their way of translating their loving emotions to us would sound like it is lust and vice versa. Get me?

So the question, again, is: How do you distinguish between love & lust?

I would love to hear your answers on this..

Salam Namaste

Hey hey hey people..

What's up?

Not much, huh? Is that pretty much why I am here to make your lives even better? I wonder...perhaps I am the 9th or 10th wonder of the world (the 8th wonder of the world is the woman, if you didn't know)..

Well, in case you're wondering. Everything was even better today. The only thing that was bad about it was that I woke up really late because a friend of mine had called me up and woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep after that. But all in all I had a good one.

I remembered that today is my relative's birthday; she's 23 and she had already celebrated her birthday by the time I got online to send her a wish. And even though I had already sent her a few greetings before hand; I wanted to post an online birthday wish but this damn internet connection wouldn't let me. So here's to you, my relative, a happy happy happy 23rd birthday.

Moving on; I watched an Indian movie today which had recently opened up at Ruwi Cinema, called Salam Namaste featuring Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan. It's close to the concept of Kal Ho Na Ho which also featured the Indian star Sharukh Khan, and the theme is the romantuic comedy which outlines specific Indian movies nowadays. I recommend it to anyone whose a movie buff like me and loves romantic comedies.

My plan is working well, because I got an email today that my debut article would appear in the theweek in the first week of October - which is not more than 2 weeks away. So I am excited about that and what response it may carry.

Another thing is that my new book - Wonderous World - would be available at stores in no more than 2 weeks time. Great timing, I know. It could even be 10 days. So that's got me even more excited.

My interview for the company is coming up on the 3rd of October, which is making me somewhat nervous because it's been 7 months since I was last employed at some investment firm. But I hope everything will be ok.

And last but not least, I will be signing up next month to a certain gym to get my body shape well - physically. Because if you look good, you'll feel good, too. And I am really excited about that, too. I remember the last time we were enrolled into a gym - our family, that is, was when I was less than 5 years old. And that I remember very vaguely.

I think I should start praying. My life is becoming really good to me that I have everything I ever wished for at the current time and that, too, will probably only last for some time. I should start thanking God for all the wonderful times I am having now so He would remember me when I get sick next time (which I hopefully won't) and He would help me also to find the perfect woman for me, inshallah.

Salam, Namaste..

the truth will set you free

Al Futoon, a recently launched gazette, in response to the theweek's growing popularity had only today published a very important issue with clear-cut evidence of a epidamic that's rapidly growing in our society; the 'working women' title.

Now, I am not much into this gazette since I find that most of the issues that it discusses are not taken seriously and are subjective to the power of press authorities here in Oman plus the fact that it does not carry out professional investagations in the literal sense.

But this subject at hand, had caught my eye because this week's issue had a cover picture of some being nabbed actually picking up a 'working women' from somewhere. I won't say where, but I am sure that when you do pick up the issue (unfortunately, Al Futoon is unavailable online), you will know where the picture has been taken.

It has taken a whole new idea of tackling the problem into the core. But then again, it has also intruded on the privacy on the idividuals that the investigation was carried on, anonymously, may I add.

Nevertheless, this is indeed an issue that must be tackled and corrected immediately and professionally.

Baldie Alert!

If you see a bald man with a white complexion and stuffing his face with a large pizza and Coca Cola report it here..

he he he

I have actually scraped the last hair off my head in order to increase awareness of Cancer in the community and to also get rid of those silly itches!

You'd think taking a shower twice a day would do something...sheesh

Go bald guys...believe me you'll feel great about it. Plus it would seriously increase awareness to this illness which shouldn't be fought alone.

...it was a lovely day

oh yes it was..

wow. I mean. Wow. Seriously.

Today was seriously the best day I have had in a really long time. I mean it.

I woke up today fresh. And in the top of my moods. I think it was due to me watching Truimph, The Insult Comic Dog on DVD. That was hilarious.

Anyhow.

So, I woke up because I needed to go to the printers to write a letter addressed to the Ministry of Information Minister authorizing the printer's delegate to follow up on my book, which I did.

And all along the way, I was really happy. And I have absolutely no idea why. I even began to make jokes about people all along the way about the way they drove and simple folk who were crossing the street or the guy who was looking through the rear-view mirror to see who I was talking to. Even the police guy at the roundabout. Lol.

After that, I was driving back to my favorite hang house in MQ, and just sat there having a great time making jokes and laughing the hell out of my soul. It was completely unbelievable. I hadn't laughed so much in decades..

You might all think that this is too weird or too lame to be spoken of, but boy, if there was a micorophone next to that coffeehouse you would have seen me making jokes all day long about anything. And I mean anything.

It was indeed, a lovely day

men and women: the draft before the masterpiece

It's said that although woman was created after man was in the beginning of time; that there's always a need for draft before the masterpiece. Talk about complexity. I find it so hard to understand women in general and not anyone in specific.

Because to each, they have their own characteristics of their soul's beauty. Forget about how they come; tall, short, skinny, obese, pimpled, or clear. Women are beautiful in all the ways that God has come to create them. But that beauty requires the understanding of a man capable to stop, look and listen to what they have to say and to appreciate their inner needs and desires in life, career and perhaps in the long-run; motherhood.

Women set the ultimate challenge for any man alive on the face of this Earth. They are the never-ending quest for a male's answer to dominate the first place which has already been taken. Although in Islam it is quoted that man over-rules the woman. It doesn't necessarily mean that they don't have the right to express their opinions and join in towards the community drive of the nation. It also means that she owns also her right to pursue her career as long as it does not defy what Islam has taught her; to respect thyself.

It is only natural that in the modern world that we live in now, that the male should feel threatened because women have proven, worldwide, that they can take any hit that comes their way and top it, too. Women have gone to the top of Mt. Everest without Oxygen. They have reached the Antartich circle in one piece and back. Women have also conquered the world of sports; tennis, ice-skating, weight-lifting and even soccer.

It is inevitable that man must surrender the throne or perhaps even share it with the female gender since it has been proved that it is quite impossible to beat someone as determined as a woman herself.

But this only means that women and men are equal in both capaibilities and strength amongst which agility is a fine factor to be handled.

I, therefore, kneel down before the whole female population of the planet in respect to this proven fact.

theinterview

I am posting what was typed in the theweek's interview dated 21/9/2005 for those who didn't have the chance to pick up this week's issue. It's a word-by-word copy;

the young poet

Meet Ali Mehdi, the romantic young poet who aims to bring out the creative side of people

SANGEETA SUNDARESAN

When you read the poems of Ali Mehdi Ahmed al Lawati, you feel he has been brought up on a staple diet of books and journals. Suprisingly, what he reveals is quite the contrary. "Well, I am not much of a reader. I've never really read a lot of books. However, there are some I grew up on, like Roald Dahl's Danny The Champion Of The World. I was more of a comic book geek and read comics like Beano & Dandy. But I've never really been a bookworm."

Ali finished high school in a government school in Oman and went on to pursue a degree in management from Majan Private College. With no formal training in writing, it was during this period that he started writing poems. "It started out when I was in a relationship with someone. It, however, went sour. All those thoughts, feelings, emotions, everything - I wrote them down." Although Ali wrote them in what he calls 'random words', when he went back to them he realised that some of the words rhymed and he started to develop on them. Timely encouragment from family and friends only saw his talent bloom.

Ali has to his credit a book of poems published titled Rapidly Blue. It's titled so since, "it focuses on a lonely period of my life, I gathered all the poems I had written during this period and put them together in this book."

Ali seeks inspiration for his poems from everything around him, be it people, music, thoughts, words, jokes, and even situations he has been in during the course of a day, and turns his emotions into words. "When I write, the thoughts just flow. I don't particularly care about the rhyme and meter at that time. But when I go back to it, I make it a point to give it some sort of a body and scheme."

When queried as to why he does not feel the need to read unlike other writers who are abreast with the current literary scenario, he stated, "I don't feel the need to read so much. If anything is going to influence me it is the situation that I am going to put myself into to write a poem. It's not what I read that is going to unfluence me. Maybe, I will get an idea or two but that's it. It's not the style that I would want to focus on." Ali has travelled extensively and feels that it is this exposure that reflects in his work.

Although not much of a reader, Ali has read the works of a few Arabic poets and claims that he is captivated by their style. He is also influenced by some of their work. "The late Nizar Qabbani is a very famous poet. He was a romantic and his works try to demystify the Arabian woman. I find that intriguing in itself. My works are also romantic in nature and I sort of identify with Qabbani's quest. There is so much in a woman that we men don't know of. People tend to focus on the superficial side of a woman, but to me what really matters is what's inside. The other poets that I like are Al Mutanabi and Ibn Al Roomi because their description and style is very nice."

From the beginning, Ali has also written about Omani landscapes, be it the rolling hills or the wadis. He hopes to shake people in the Sultanate out of their everyday routine of paying bills and watching television, and give more time to creativity and reflection.

Selvador: A Battle In Your Name

Shattered pieces of broken glass
The images portrayed by my heart, is not at mass

Deliver thy name, that is on my tongue
Fortune, is man made, not by luck

Forgiven
Forsaked
This the hunger
I taste

I close my eyes
All I see is her
Within my soul, lies
The spirit of a warrior

To war, to war, my friends
To war, to war, my enemies will be hung

In war, I would die
So I can see my Princess' hazel brown eyes

Brown eyes
Soft white cheeks
The passion of love
Our hearts speak

'tis with this tongue, I speak your name
'tis with this heart, I am honored to die for your grace

'tis to this life, I pave the way for your presence
'tis to the world, I lend you my soul's vengeance

Petal of a flower
Looming beyond the greens
'tis to this day, this hour
I hear your name in the winter's cool breeze

My heart will never bend
My soul is indeed in your debt
And it is this day I have kept
Your flower of love in my heart

Ball's in your court

So.. Ramadhan is just around the bend, huh?

At last the time where we can all just gather round and stuff our faces like we've never seen food in our entire lives?

What do you mean what am I talking about? That's what most of the Omani population does.

I swear to God. We buy, buy, and yes; buy even more til our pockets are empty, our tummies are bigger than a Camel's hump, and the Holy month isn't half over.

We portray to the outside world that, yes; we are a society of harmony, and yes; we are also a society of who enforce Islam in every possible way. But boy, when Ramadhan looms over, we find people outside til late at night smoking sheesha, or guys taking an extra look with their bluetooth enabled phones at chics, or parents buying half the supermarket that's near to them, and car companies selling vehicles like hotcakes fresh from an oven.

What is it with people, anyhow?

Ramadhan, is supposed to be a time whereby we remember how to hold ourselves from doing anything that might cause our fasting to be broken during the day and night. It's not just about having no food during the day and holding our tongues til sundown. Nor is it about craving all day for a cigarrette and when its night-time we consume half a pack.

Its about remembering those who are unfortunate enough not to have enough food to share for their loved ones. Its also about taking our sight away from things we should even try to look at. It's also about reading the Qura'n and praying to God to forgive our sins; big and small.

I realize what I am trying to say here is probably the worst solution that anyone could come with since it would probably bring the whole economy down if a quarter of the population were to carry it out. But think of it this way; would you rather have a nice life and have God mad at you? Or would you rather forsake this life and gather eternal happiness when God calls upon your name on Judgement Day?

Ball's in your court.

The Ultimate Goal

Ok.

So most of the people I know have come by me these few days (since Tuesday, actually) and congratulated me on the article and how I look in my picture in the theweek. And to be honest it feels quite nice to be just a tad famous. What can I say? LoL.

And as things are getting better because people have now began to realize my passion about writing and poetry, I plan to go further into that with my new regular columns in the same publication (yes; I know, this is the zillionth time I have mentioned it) and furthermore, my third - and possibly my final - book would not be about a collection of poems as its predecessors are/were. But rather would be a poetic story from beginning to end. Still haven't figured out when it would come out, and what it's about. What I do know is that is now my ultimate goal right now in the writing business: to be distingueshed as a truly professional writer. Because poetry can only take you so far. But in the world of your imagination: you are boundless. That's where the writing comes in.

My new book Wonderous World will hit the shelves very very soon. So keep this blog in your favorites if you plan to know about the date when it does..

(mis)fortune

What's the cost to having a simple happy moment?

Have you ever thought about it?

Ok, let me ease your wondering and tell you what I mean. For every life on God's Earth, there is a sense of happiness because of the joy it brings. But for every life that also comes to existing there is also a disaster happeing elsewhere - be it death; accidental or otherwise. And with that death there is also an overwhelming sense of sadness, solitude, and sincere loneliness of the lost soul.

So if I am having such a wonderful time right now, to what cost? Someone elsewhere is dying; near to their timed death or perhaps already passed on to the 'other side'.

It makes you think and appreciate the many wonders this world that God has brought us into. Before this I used to always think that if I was God I wouldn't have created life in the first place because I really don't see the point of doing the whole deal. I still partially believe in that. But I also now believe that whatever is planned out for me or anyone on this lonely planet of the solar system is already written for us in God's book of (mis)fortune.

That pessmistic side of me will always lie deep within my soul. Always. And there always be an emotional tide wave of the battle between the two. Maybe one day one side it will all be over. And then the side that does win will maybe take me over.

Maybe I would turn into some evil monstrasity of a person.

Then again; I could turn out to be an Angel.

Heck; if it was up to me, I'd rather be the pizza delivery guy. But, wait, that's not a good choice either. I'd be eating them all.

Besides that; what do you think?

A Tale to Tell

Don't make fun of this post please.
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Today I had a met a person whom I know who has been having a rough time. She was having pains in her abdominal area and such; and I had asked about her every now and then because me and her are quite close in a limited way.

Anyhow, she was still in pain when I asked about her last week and I had advised her to see the doctor because I suspected that she could have something such as mine although not as complicated.

As it turns out, when I saw her today, she wasn't her cheerful self. I felt that there was something wrong but she was reluctant to say but I pushed on for the answer because I wanted to get whatever it was off her mind.

She went to the hospital as advised; talked to the doctor. The doctor said that there was nothing wrong with her. But the Omani nurse working there had an idea of what could have been paining this young woman.

And her hunch was right. She was 2 months pregnant without knowing in addition to using anti-pregnancy pills. And as she had already been taking injections for her pain earlier on in this period, plus other medication, she had to abort it.

I had to hold myself from within so as not to cry in front of this brave woman who although losing an unborn child, had the courage to stand up and surrender whatever happened to God.

I was deeply sympathetic to this young woman. I felt like actually giving her a hug of support so I could probably to reassure her that she wasn't alone in on this.

I told her to gather her reports around the case and write a letter to the Ministry of Health quoting what had happened. It was totally irresponsible of that doctor to let her go like that.

Thank God for that Omani nurse.

At the speed of life

Why is there a picture of a person snowboarding on the top of this post?

Easy.

Things to me these days, although not complicated, are flying by me at the speed of life. And I'm sorta having a grand time at it like a small child aboard a fast train watching the secnery go by and hearing the train tracks clickity-clack.

I'm in the theweek this week, and coming up fortnightly as a regular columnist in it, too. Plus I have the upcoming job interview, which, if God permits, I will get. My sister has a new baby girl, and other beautiful things are coming along the way - I can feel it.

It just makes you - smile.

Right?

"The Story of Me" (Inspired by Noors)

This story was written some time ago - so, no funny thoughts, ok?

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"I wish it was me you could see what I could when I look at you"
"I wish it was you who I see when I look away into the darkness of the streets"
"At a time I wish I could be where you are"
"Loving you, freely"

Wishing wasn't going to do a thing. Nor was it going to change what has happened that night. Wishing was just that: wishful thinking. Destiny had brought everything to a halt. Everything had been what it had been when you thought you had just grabbed success from the jaws of defeat. But there still exists the chance of getting what you want if you try to go further beyond the humiliation that you had set for yourself here. And that is by knowing what you want when you want it.

Everyone in this world wants to have some sort of relationship with someone around the four corners of the Earth. And you're already vulnerable as you feel you are. There are only a few things that you need to get over of. That feeling of insecurity.

"How can I trust myself with this feeling especially when I don't get any help?"
"I need to do things from now on my own; to learn and fiddle around with the tides of time and the life that surrounds it"
"But whatever is there I must not feel bound by it; I should not cast a limit"
"Time will choose its location and the moment it belongs to and a moment's plain emptiness will hit me; I am sure it will"

My life has changed profoundly. It has really. Sickness do I feel. Precious moments come and go as they will. The turn for change – so what's the deal?

Sometime ago I kept thinking. And yes I think.

I found myself thinking of many things – planning out my life ahead of me. After the significant changes in my status. Thereby arises the priorities of which I have set for myself. Just forgetting about who says 'if you can't beat them, join them'. And I am in that process. But by not surrendering but by accommodating myself to the changes needed herein.

Broadband: How much do you really need it? And is it really all that affordable?

OmanTel has launched a new campaign to market it's high speed 'broadband' connection in the Sultanate.

One of the captions on one of its advertisements was "There are 100,000,000 songs that can be downloaded with a high-speed internet connection". Anyone else reading that caption would have gone 'wowsers'. But if you were someone who has been reading the news lately on the 'net and different media sources available otherwise, you would know that more than half of that number of songs is shared through peer-to-peer programs such as Kazaa, Edonkey, and imesh. And just sharing that music on the 'net is a clear violation of international copyright laws. So you ask yourself this; do you really want to get involved with an organization that encourages you to act unlawfully?

The broadband connection was intitially brought in to Oman because there was a tremendous surge in the number of users on the dial-up program that OmanTel had started off with, plus the fact that it enabled users to be connected on a 24/7 basis proving to become more popular with businesses that needed such a connection.

But at a price of 39 Omani Rials per month as a maximum charge and 12 Rials monthly fee (wonder why we pay for it?) and an installation fee of 25 Rials; not to mention that the consumer will have to buy the special modem from the service company at unspeakable prices, it will be a long way away from making it popular amongst the folks who are drooling just over the speed they only can dream of but that too is a current unachievable task with a top download speed of only 384 Kbps.

Most people in Oman have different opinions about obtaining connections, among them is this writer. To what degree would someone such as a normal citizen would anyone need such a fast and unaffordable service not forgetting the fact putting their own privacy, security and personal data bank at a risk with the all day connection?

How much does anyone of us really need it?