Explosion in Beirut Today

This happens way too often that I can't think back to a time when there was no bombing and no problems in Lebanon. Imagine walking or driving your car casually on the road and then, all of sudden:

BOOM.

I was in Beirut with mom and dad today. Imagine my shock when I learned that a car exploded not far from where we were!
When I think about it, I think about the innocent people that were killed. How can someone live on, normally, knowing that he was the reason behind the deaths of innocent poeple?
We continue on with our lives as if nothing is wrong. I am not saying that that is a bad thing; because if we cannot move on than we cannot accomplish anything in life. Not moving on would keep us living in fear; we would be too scared to go to our jobs or take a walk or drive the car...
But the truth is that everything is not okay at all. Just because those events are way too familiar doesn't mean that everything is fine.
I guess, well.. Happy Holidays.

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*Pictures not mine.

Thoughts on the Day of the SAT

Before the Exam:

• Woah, there are so many kids here. I'm not the only one taking the SATs then.
• Oh, God. Look at all those beautiful girls in their nice clothes.
• I wish I left my hobo-looking-jacket in the car.
• Why did I wear this jacket?
• Look at that girl's scarf. Love it.
• Now compare that girl's scarf to my own bulky scarf.
• ...
• Those chairs are so small!
• I can't believe I'm taking the SAT on such a small chair.
• I'm thirsty.
• I'm so desperate for water, I might just ask the girl in front of me for her bottle.

During the Exam:

• WHERE ARE ALL THE VOCABS I MEMORIZED?
• WHY CAN'T I SPOT THE VOCABULARY WORDS I MEMORIZED?
• This Math is easy queasy.
• This question is not easy queasy. I think I just jinxed myself.
• Why does the Critical Reading have to be so... so ugh?
• Thank God it's a writing section now.
• TWO CONSECUTIVE CRITICAL READING SECTIONS?
• Too many instructions.
• Really? So I can't tell my mother about the essay topic? (-When the proctor told us that we shouldn't discuss the essay topic by any means, "including, but not limited to, e-mail, text message," etc, etc..)

After the Exam:

• What. Just. Happened.
• My head.
• My back.
• My legs.
• My stomach.
• I'm hungry.
• Where's dad?
• Did I just spend 5 hours in this place?
• I'm hungry.

RANT.

Ughhh the people who think they know everything!
That is probably one of the most annoying and irritating things. Ever.
You, do not, know everything. Guess what? It's not even a shame that you don't!
I don't know everything, nobody knows everything, and you certainly don't know everything either.
You don't have to prove yourself, because nobody is trying to pinpoint your mistakes.
Assuming you have any.
Since, you know everything, doh
(!?)
There are only so many things a person can be thoroughly knowledgeable about.

Planet earth revolves around the sun, didn't ya know(!)
...
Obviously I had a sort of frustrating day today.
And, and, I didn't do well on my Chemistry exam. Grr.
I couldn't be happier that tomorrow is Sunday. Omg.
Ah I feel better now though lol.
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How was your day? Was is good? Frustrating?

Blessed, Educated.

Today, I'm merging two different link-ups in one post:
 "The Thankful Project" link-up by Kenzie from Chasing Happy + "Quote Me Thursday" link-up by Brenda from Daily Mayo.

Today's Thankful Project topic is to write about a blessing we're thankful for, and I chose a quote to go with this topic too.

I have so many blessings, which I cannot count. I can read and write and draw; I can see and hear and smell... I'm blessed because of the people I love, the food in the fridge, the couch I'm sitting on; the clothes I own, the perfume I wear, the friends I have...
But what I want to talk about today, is the blessing of education.
I sometimes complain about all the studying we have to do, and all the tests we have to take- especially this year in grade 12. But when I really come to think of it, my mind wanders to the people who cannot afford school expenses. To the children who spend their days, going from car to car, trying to sell cheap packs of gum. To those who have chosen majors they don't like in college, to the people who go to jobs they despise everyday, because that's what the circumstances imposed on them.
While on the other hand, I can go to school; I have the opportunity to learn, to choose what I want to be in this world. I'm exposed to so many different ideas and people, I have books and pens and paper... And I am grateful.
Sometimes the assignments are too much and the books too big... Sometimes there's pressure and homework, and hard problems, and useless lessons, and mean teachers, and uncomfortable chairs, and headaches, and sleepless nights... But I am thankful for all that and for this life, and I am thankful for the opportunity that not everyone was given.
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What are your thoughts on education? Do you agree? :]

Late Night Thoughts...

...
I love sitting near the fire...
The room is so calm, and warm, and relaxing...
I still have Math homework to do... This is not good.
I wish I could spend the night writing...
I don't want to go to school tomorrow.
I just want to grab my novel and cuddle and read.
The internet is so slow!
I really need to check this email.
If only our TV was working.
My leg hurts, I think I need to sleep.
The flavor of my gum faded.. I need new gum.
I think I'd really enjoy a career in Graphic Design.
I need to use the washroom.
I miss grade 11.
I can't wait till English class tomorrow!
I hope our Biology teacher corrected our exams.
We have Math first thing in the morning. What a joy.
I feel like having oranges.
We don't have oranges.
Can I be a graphic designer and an architect at the same time?
I can't believer I made that silly mistake in Physics today.
My glasses need cleaning.
A cup of tea would be nice now.
I finished writing the post and the picture didn't upload yet!
It's almost 11 and I'm still blogging rather than studying.
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How do you usually spend your nights? :]
Good Night!

A Million Bucks...

This blog post is written by me and Leen; the question discussed is pretty simple:

Each one of us wrote 10 things she'd do with the money. (And it's good to note that each wrote her part on her own)

First, Leen's 10 Things:

1. I would buy books, lots of books
2. Buy a Canon camera
3. Visit "The Making of Harry Potter"
4. Visit the "Dahl Museum"
5. Visit Disney Land
6. Meet J.K Rowling
7. Build an 'ADT' place
8. Go to Antarctica 
9. Buy many glasses, each one a different color and style
10. And put the rest in my Gringgotts vault :)

Make sure to like Leen's Facebook page ADT

And my Facebook page too, of course (Snapshots). Because one does not promote his sister's Facebook page without promoting his own lol.

Then... My 10 Things:

1. I would buy a MacBook Pro and an iPhone 5s
2. I would buy a book. Or two. Or a hundred. Or more.
3. I would give money to charity, and I'd like to help build a new school somewhere in Africa
4. I would treat my family to dinner and cocktail
5. I would buy a good camera
6. I would buy lots of art supplies
7. I would go to Paris
8. I would not worry about paying for my university fees
9. I would buy a customized blogger design (Because, no, I am not currently willing to spend $300 bucks on one)
10. I would put the rest in the bank because I won't spend all the money and because this list only contains 10 things I'd do with the money so I can't go on forever

What is something you would do if you had a million dollars? :]

(& Leen too, in this case!)

10 Reasons Why School Sucks

Okay, so maybe 'sucks'  is a very strong word (because I personally don't think school sucks all that much except for the obvious things) but I can't really find a word with a similar meaning that is not as strong. Anyways, you get my point and so.. to the 10 reasons.

1. Having to wake up so early in the morning: Especially in the winter when it's cold; it's a struggle. Have you ever tried to leave your warm and cozy bed only to wash up with cold water? If you've been through that, than you know what I mean. (I feel ya!)
2. Delusional people: I can talk about this forever; I mean it. It pisses me off, so damn much. From the boys who laugh and stupidly say stuff like have you ever seen a man do the dishes? No way! *ha-ha-ha* Let the women stay at home and clean if men have to start doing chores!" (I do not tolerate any form of sexism, or sexists) to the girls who have nothing to talk about but the girl with the stain on her shirt or the girl with the weird hijab on. 
3. Cold classes. You CANNOT get comfortable while writing when your hands are freezing (it really becomes hard to hold the pen), and it gets harder to move well because of the 4 shirts, 3 sweaters, and jacket you're wearing.
4. Exams. It's not really the examination part which 'sucks', it's the studying for the exam part.
5. People who don't smile/ say hi back. I thought "a smile is a universal language everyone can understand?". I guess not everyone does...
6. People who don't appreciate the beauty of philosophy, writing, science... Really, imagine life without those stuff. (I tend to get nerdy sometimes). I often get comments like "What are you doing [reading this novel]?" or "You actually watch/ read abut such things?". Not cool.
7. Chairs that make your butt go stiff; so you finish the year with a flat bottom and an ache in your back.
8. Teaching methods. The teachers practically stand in front of the class and talk. The lazier ones just sit on a chair.
9. The schedule. Our schedule for Saturday goes like this: Physics- Physics- Physics- Philosophy- Chemistry- Chemistry- Chemistry. Retarded, I know. Can you imagine fitting that much chemistry and physics in one day? I bet your head hurts already. 
10. Teachers who expect you to remember the answer to part c, question 4, page 64 from your fourth grade book. Hon, I don't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, so bear with me.

I should be studying for my math exam anyways; I don't know how I'll solve the problems now. My eyes hurt and I need sleep :(. Wish me luck (I really mean it, I'm not just trying to conclude this post by saying that. So wish me luck if you haven't done that by now!)

What are the major things that suck about your school/ work?

(btw, picture is not mine; I only did the writing on it. So credit to whoever took the picture!)

Happy (?) Eid

Eid, at least for me, usually lasts no longer than a few hours in which we visit our relatives. But that’s not how it should be. That’s not how Eid should be.

The most exciting thing about Eid shouldn’t be comparing the number of Eid greetings you receive on WhatsApp or Facebook, or what relative has the most delicious chocolate..

I think a family dinner to gather all the members of the extended family would be a good idea, or even a small family dinner would be nice. We could even arrange for a family movie night, or a trip to the mountains. There should be some sort of family ritual to decorate the house, at least to make the little kids be engaged in the holiday spirit. The town should be decorated and cleaned (they do that in Zahle on Christmas, and people volunteer to decorate the streets and trees). Those things can even be done in addition to the regular visits we usually do on Eid. 

Eid is slowly becoming less and less exciting that it was before. Maybe it’s because I’m growing up; but I sure used to get more excited for Eid at my sister’s age than she does now.

There isn’t a person that told me they had a good Eid when I asked. Eid should be the day in which we celebrate, have fun, enjoy ourselves… What really drove me to write this post was an innocent comment from my sister, when she told me that Christmas seems like a nice holiday [because families have dinner together and decorate pine trees, I suppose].

Don't get me wrong; I, and a lot of people, look forward to Eid. But what is it we really look forward to? New clothes and good chocolate and a break from our work/ school. Not that we shouldn't look forward to those things, but there should be more meaning and depth in our Eids and holidays..

Happy Eid to everyone who celebrated, hopefully your Eid was more exciting than mine was!

TGIF (?)

From Mondays till Thursdays, I anticipate the arrival of Friday. Fridays mean I don't have school, I don't have to wake up at 6:30, and struggle to keep up with teachers while I'm half asleep. Fridays mean I can have a proper breakfast (instead of the apple I have every other morning, or the single piece of gum I chew when there are no apples and I'm late), I can sit and read or draw or watch TV... But to what extent is that true?

Being in grade 12, I'm supposed to study each and every single lesson the day I take it, not stack them all up until the exams. What I do is that I postpone the studying till Friday. I postpone homework till Friday. I postpone copying notes till Friday. I postpone cleaning my room till Friday. I postpone blogging till Friday. And then....

Friday arrives. With so many things to do.

I do have a relatively healthier breakfast. I do wake up a little late. I don't struggle to keep up with boring teachers. But then, I get my school bag (which probably weighs more than 10 kg with my books in it), and spread my notebooks and pens and graph paper and calculator on my desk. (It's not a nice thing to look at).

That's Friday for me.

TGIF, I mean it. Thank God it's Friday, even though I have so much homework to do on Fridays.

The bright side is that, even though I have to study, I can do it in the warmth of my own house (not too far away from our fridge. I can still text my friends and sing and scribble and doodle..
    

Thank God it's Friday.

Arabs Got Talent- Where You Might Just Lose Your Dignity

     Arabs Got Talent, the infamous talent show almost everyone I know watches. I won't lie, I love the show, and every Saturday at 9 o'clock, I turn the TV on to MBC4 and watch it.

    On yesterday's episode, a Syrian dude, named Ayman, went on stage to sing and... let's just say that singing is not his thing. That's not what I want to blog about though- the boy's lack of talent- but the judges reaction towards this gutsy guy.

    They laughed, they teased him, and humiliated him on TV. One of the judges, Nasser, told him that he (Ayman) is the first person he sees that sings horribly but with so much passion. And he said it sarcastically. They even gave him another chance to come up again and sing, and then act.

   They do not get people on this show to humiliate them. Or do they? It's not the first time, either. I remember the first or second episode, where they similarly made fun/ laughed at other people. It is not professional, not humane, and it's disrespectful.

   Although, this time, Najwa (another judge) whispered something in Ayman's ear when the other two judges told him to sing again, and it was later revealed that she told him not to sing because if he does they will only laugh at him. It was, at least, a kind attempt to save him the humiliation.

   I respect Ayman's courage, the guy has got some serious guts to go on stage, over and over again. I laughed, and I think everyone/ almost everyone who watched that episode laughed, too. But this is not the purpose of the show. The purpose is not to make people laugh at other people, it is to give talented people a chance to reveal their talent, and this should be done in a professional, polite manner, not a rude, vulgar one.
   Did you watch yesterday's episode? You can check Ayman on Arabs Got Talent in the video below (in Arabic).
   What do you think of what the judges did? Is it justified? Are they qualified to do that? 

Dear My Facebook Friends (some of you)

I'm so glad I got over the phase when I was obsessed with Facebook. I do occasionally open it, but it feels like "Wooh, I'm not obsessed. Good Lord."

Anyways, the Blogtember topic for the 27th of September was to write a letter to your Facebook friends without using any names:

Friday, September 27: An anonymous letter to your Facebook friends. Be as snarky as you'd like.

Dear My Facebook Friends,

Below are some of the things I wanted to scream out at some of you...

• Please, I beg you, stop sending me Farmville requests. No, I will not send you a goat (or a log of wood, either) so please, just don't.

• Don't writing pathetically sad quotes about your broken heart and miserable life. It gets nauseating after the 100th post.

• And really? You think you're cool because you "smoke all day" and know how to make 'smoke circles' (or whatever they call them) with your hookah? Get a life.

• You know, you can say hi to me in real life. I don't bite (except if you try to physically harm me. In that case, I can't guarantee you won't get a flesh-deep bite plus a permanent scar).

• And, a piece of advice, you don't have to post 33547 pictures of the time you went to the local park with your hubby. Or another 9001 pictures of your child's 'adorable little blue shoes'. It's cute when you post one or two pictures, and very far from cute when you practically spam the world with photos.

• Don't post a pic I'm in if I look weird. Please don't.

• You can post on my wall and like my pictures and Facebook page, I really don't mind. I might just return the favor someday. (Ever heard of the Bank of Favors? When you do a favor to someone, he/ she has to return it back to you someday. So yeah.)

• There's a reason why I'm offline 99% of the time on Facebook, and it sure as hell isn't because I want to open a conversation with you that basically goes like "Hi" "Hi" "How are you?" "Good. You?" "Good." (+ just keep repeating those questions in various ways over and over again).

• Do you really think I'm interested in "I Will Love You Forever", "Cute Grade __ Students", "Tears of Love" pages? Just don't invite me. (Except if it's a page about John Green or The Hunger Games, then I won't mind being invited).

• Don't, just don't, send me a message to ask me why I read so much when I don't have school. It's an insult, even if you don't realize it. 

That's pretty much it. I love all my Facebook friends (almost all of them). And some of them are pretty cute actually.

What would you want to say to some of your Facebook friends if you could? :]

Comfort

Topic: 

Friday, September 20: React to this term: comfort

What is comfort to me? Comfort is...

...Time spent with family,

TV with my dad,

Cracking jokes with my mom,

Nights on the balcony with Leen,

Taking silly pictures with Amin,

Drawing with Rafah,

Singing with Yaman,

Friends I can trust,

And people I can discuss ideas with..

Comfort is...

....Books, books, books,

Sitting near the fire in winter,

Hoodies and pajama bottoms,

Autumn and rain and red tree leaves.

Doing what I like,

Coloring, Reading, Writing, Drawing..

Knowing that there are people there for me.

Comfort is living healthily and positively,

Comfort is envisioning a bright future,

Comfort is dreaming..

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What is comfort for you? What comes up to your mind when you hear the word comfort? :]

Blogtember Day 4 | The Unknown

Topic:

Friday, September 6: A story about a time you were very afraid.

So, I skipped a day (only because I was sleeping over at my grandparent's) . Below is what I wrote yesterday, although it's not exactly a 'story':

I'm afraid- no, terrified- of choosing my major in university one year from now. It may seem ridiculous (especially because a lot of people my age still haven't even thought about it. Or that's what they say.). Why does it scare me?

It scares me because it is such a huge choice that will highly affect my future life. I want to do something I like, I want to go to work because I want to go to work, not because I have to. I don't want to be like all those people that are so caught up in making money to pay the rent/ run errands/ buy food, clothes etc.. that they forget to live. Oscar Wilde says that "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist", and that is why I'm scared: because I don't want to simply exist, I want to do something, be someone, I want to leave a print doing what I like. The choice may seem easy, picking something you like. But the world now is so different than what it used to be years ago. Whether you like it or not, you will have responsibilities to take care of, and a job as a graffiti artists might not cover those responsibilities up for you.

I know deep down that I won't settle for something that does not make me happy, but I can't help but fear the unknown.. It is scary, but exciting at the same time; & I just want to dive into this life and do so many things and go so many places and see so many people.

What about you? Does the unknown scare you? Does it excite you? :]

Blogtember Day 3 | Follow Your Dreams

Topic:

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered.

Last week, I was writing on my laptop in the living room, at 12:00 AM, when mom and dad came in. Then we started discussing publishing the novel I’m working on, and dad mentioned the name of a Lebanese publisher. I made a face, and told him I want to go big. I told him I wasn't so sure I could actually do it (because, let’s face it, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter was turned down by 12 publishers before it was accepted!), but I still want to try, anyways.

And then he told me about dreams.

He told me that what people don’t know about dreams, and which drives a lot of them to quit on theirs, is that they actually come true. He said, that in order for a dream to come true, you need

• Faith: You have to have faith in your dream, faith in yourself, faith that you will make your dream come true despite the obstacles you may face.
• Devotion: You should be devoted to making your dream come true, because devotion keeps you going.
• Enthusiasm: You have to be enthusiastic about your dream. You have to enjoy the process of getting there, in order to enjoy it when it comes true.
• Sacrifice: You should be willing to sacrifice some things in pursue of the bigger picture, of your dream.

Those four traits, he told me, are found in the youth more than anyone else. And he made me believe it. Just listening to him would make you want to have a dream to follow.

It might not be easy. In fact, I doubt it would be easy. But the beauty lays in overcoming all the problems you face, in winning, and reaching what you want.

Follow your dreams. Be the person that can proudly say: I followed my dream, and worked hard for it, and I made it come true. Or at least be the person that can proudly say he followed his dream.

Paulo Coelho says: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Having a dream is a beautiful thing. Following your dream is even more beautiful. How beautiful would it be if your dream came true someday?

What is your dream? Do you have a dream that came true? Share in the comments below :]

Blogtember Day 2 | Getting Away

Topic:

Wednesday, September 4: If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do?

I wish, more than anything, that I could take a few months off and go to a place so far from here, to get away. I love city-life, and if it weren't now, I would challenge myself to go skydiving, I would go all over the world: to Australia, France, Brazil, UAE, Italy, Switzerland... But right now, if I could leave, I'd go to a secluded place, a tree house somewhere far maybe, near a lake and trees, because I just feel like I need it. It would give me so much time to read and write and draw, to do things I love, things that make me happy, and to stop thinking about anything else.

I'd take long walks, and pray, and sing. It would be so peaceful and relaxing and serene and calm...

But in reality, I have school in two weeks.

Where would you go if you could take some time off from your current life? 

Pray for Syria

More than two years, and yet the Syrian war continues. What is happening is simply unacceptable. Thousands of people are being killed: men, kids, women... Every single day. Every single hour. And for what, power? Authority? Is there really a leader that is so selfish to the point that he would kill his own people? Destroy his own country? Take a moment and let those words sink in. Could you imagine being in their shoes? It takes one look at the pictures that appear on Google Images when you search for War in Syria to realize the large amount of destruction and the vast blood loss there.

And as if being forced to leave your house and belongings and city is not hard enough, but I hear people  (not everyone, a lot are very considerate) judging the Syrian refugees in my village. 'They're all over the place', they say. 'You can barely see a Lebanese person now, they're all Syrians! There are no more jobs for the Lebanese people because the Syrians are taking them all! There's is no place for us to sit in restaurants because they're full of Syrians! They're going to the stores! They're on the streets! They're in the schools! They're everywhere! They're not grateful for what we are offering them!''

How would you feel if you were required to depart your country against your will? How would you know they're not grateful? What are they supposed to do? Lock themselves up and never come out?

The scenes they show on Al Jazeera Channel from Syria are so bizarre you can't even look: Lifeless bodies between the ruins, mothers crying, kids with a missing arm or leg... And yet, the official Syrian channel still shows men praising the president and the government.

Who are the real terrorists here?... It's a rhetorical question, because the answer couldn't be more clear: the terrorists are definitely not the ones fighting for their freedom. And it's ironic, that someone can cause so much damage to a country, but the rest of the world cannot stop him.

Pray for the kids, the men, the elderly, the women, the dead, the living, the country, the cities, the villages... Pray for Syria.

Throwing Up= Realization

I went out with my Rafah, Yaman, & my mom today. I was feeling dizzy and queasy, and eventually I threw up at a store. It was embarrassing, tiring, and not fun- at all. I was silently complaining to myself: headache+throwing up+stomachache? That sucks. And then it occurred to me that there are little kids, women, old people, dads and moms with much more serious problems. People with incurable diseases like cancers and HIV. People in Africa that die because of hunger or simple diseases. Teenagers and kids that are barely living due to wars in Palestine and Syria. And suddenly, my situation seemed a little stupid. There I was, feeling horrible because of a stomachache.

I felt so thankful then.  Thankful because we have a car to go shopping in, because we have a house, & I have a room, a family, food to eat and water to drink. Because I have friends and books and colors and clothes and a laptop and because I'm healthy.

There are always people who are in worse situations than we are. I think it's not wrong to complain sometimes; we all have bad days. But what is wrong is not to be grateful for what we have.

Beauty

Based on what is a person called beautiful?

The features of beauty differ from age to age. Beauty was associated with being plus-sized or big during the Renaissance period, since it reflected wealth. Looking pale was attractive during another era, since only the workers and farmers were tanned. Males felt ashamed if they had blonde hair or blue eyes at a time, since those features were considered "feminine"; unlike today when those exact two characteristics are considered eye-catching and charming.

What is beautiful today may not be beautiful in the future, because the world and people and thinking methods are constantly developing. People, however, feel the urge to live up to the beauty-standards of the century, and always will. It's even harder to fight this due to globalization and peer-pressure.

You don't have to be a size zero to be successful, and you don't have to have eyes as blue as the sky to be beautiful. Because beauty is being healthy. Beauty is living up to your morals, accomplishing something that would make you proud, and loving life. When we finally let go of the so-called beauty standards and focus on our personalities, on being healthy rather than looking like those Victoria's Secret models (what do those girls eat anyways?), that is when beauty will surround us. Ladybugs are beautiful, a little kids laugh is beautiful, books are beautiful. Because everything is beautiful. (Okay, maybe not everything. I'm not sure spiders were or will ever be considered beautiful).

The point is, it's all in our heads. And hearts. And maybe even our blogs! *hint hint*

And I just reached the end of this musing.

Speaking of beauty, I just learned that today is "National Tell A Girl She's Beautiful Day"! ♥

 J

Trust

What is trust? Is it solely the ability to tell a secret to someone else; knowing that this person will keep this secret?
What makes a person trustworthy? 
What is trust between two people based on?
We trust our friend because it's our friend. Because we subconsciously feel that this person is trustworthy. We might even assume that someone we have just met is trustworthy. What generates those feelings? Actions? Thoughts? Appearance?
Trust, according to the dictionary, is assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. But trust is also love. Trust is hope, friendship, happiness.
Trust is so many things.
So many things.