urban_memories [the unfinished polaroids]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2010.

2009-12-27T12:08:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays to you my friends...

will be back shortly :)

blog help: music.

2009-12-08T10:35:00.004-05:00

Can anyone give me hints on how to upload music to blogs?
I used to upload through odeo, but for some reason it is not working anymore.
How are you guys going on about it?

L'autre bout du monde.

2009-11-30T22:43:00.002-05:00

The first white coat covered Montreal today, revealing once again how hard it is for me to say goodbye to fall. Every year, and for as much as possible, I try to extend this magical season until it gets pulverized by the first snow... which was today.

Under an eerily darkened sky, naked and cringing trees are now getting ready to host ice and raven for the next few months to come.

I think my tolerance for long periods of snow is diminishing. A big smile used to appear on my face with every first snow... but not this year.

I just am not ready yet...

But here it comes again so hold on tight, it is going to be a bumpy and very moody ride.

(this is a short film I shot with wife while driving the "wine route" through the eastern townships of Quebec - Fall'08).

the film lost a lot in resolution when uploaded here... I wish I can share the actual video so you can appreciate the beautiful and bright colors along the way.

The Real 1er Trio?

2009-11-21T22:29:00.005-05:00

Two games in two days. The Montréal Canadians brought back 3 out of 4 possible points, winning one game beautifully over the best attack in the league, and losing the other in penalty shots after battling to the last minute and coming back up from 2-0 behind...

Thank you boys! You never stopped fighting for one minute; tired and broken with the quarter of the team injured you kept on going.

The crowd gave them a standing ovation after a brave loss tonight... what a game! I am proud of the boys. For the past few games, the tired and overplayed players are giving us honest hard-work on the ice-rink, and that's all what the partisans can really ask for.

- The combination that played with Plekanec tonight twas amazing and they should all graduate to the 1st trio - Plekanec was named "best player" two weeks in a row - Arrogant, aggressive and defying, Carey Price is finally back -

urban_renewal [rejuvenation of memories].

2009-11-12T01:58:00.003-05:00

I am not to be too fond of change.

Although I may alter my mind at some point, there are some things I remain faithful to, no matter what. They are simple everyday life things really, but sometimes I just insist on sticking to initial choices.

I look for familiarity I think; some safe zones and patches of stability are essential in a transient lifestyle.

When I first started urban_memories [the unfinished polaroids] and signed on blogger in 2006, I really took my time picking from the available templates, since I don’t know how to upload a page of my own. I could work out all the graphics of course, but I wouldn’t know what to do with it afterwards. So despite many imperfections, I thought that the template I am using now, resembles me the most, and I went with it ever since.

Even after blogger presented users with new and improved pre-designed templates which you could easily customize to your liking, I still found faults and things that I did not like, and opted to remain with my “classic” template. I didn’t think the updates were worth the change.

Almost Four years later, and as written memories are piling up on the archive list, I am still hesitating and wondering whether I should be going to need some redesigning.

Even if this change could be settled by just adhering to the new template system and changing the header photograph, I am still finding myself fighting the urge for change.

Blog design and legibility are very important to me and maybe as important as the content sometimes. If I don’t like the look of the blog, or if I think that I see “bad graphics”, I tend to read less or even not at all. I would go read elsewhere.

A small change on urban_memories may destroy this blog/blogger familiarity, and make me lose some settings that I had placed and would have liked to keep...

I don’t know... What do you think?

Please look to the right (in the margin below my profile) and tell me your thoughts by placing your vote.

If I can’t make up my mind, maybe I should ask you ladies and gents to help out.

Finally, some recognition for Pleky!

2009-11-08T22:18:00.007-05:00

photography: Nadim Sioufi, a.k.a. Senseï.

So of course the Hockey season started a few months ago, and despite a rough start for our very own Montréal Canadians, the Habs are starting to shape up beautifully, as they are snatching last minute wins from some very tough teams. Unlike last year’s Diva roster when everyone played for their own glory, this year and with the absence of superstars like Kovalev, Koivu, and Tanguay, the players who happen to be a bit less talented and less “expensive”, are all on the ice rink to play for the team and to try and win it for one another (and for us of course).

What’s also very different this season, is that finally and unlike previous years, my favorite player, who in my modest opinion is the most useful player on the team, is finally getting the credit he so deserves.
For the past two weeks, the extremely hard working Tomas Plekanec is being described and talked about as being the most important player on the team. They finally recognized his true worth and gave credit to his contributions on the team; the team that is truly the pride of the city of Montréal, and every Montréaler.

I hate it when shy players, and players who don’t bitch and nag on every interview, fall into oblivion, while only superstar players are hovered over by the media. However for the past two or three weeks, every hockey related article I’ve read and every hockey related TV debate I’ve watched, did not fail to mention that the #14 Czech player with the Montréal Canadians, has been the best player on the team so far, and that since he plays as a center on the 2nd trio, he has been left alone most of the time with no one to support him and finish his smart and wicked passes... And that’s something I have been saying and repeating for the past 3 years. The experts are very late, but you know what? Better late than never; I am happy.

“Tomas Plekanec, un hero obscur” said one paper:
… il n’est certainement pas le joueur le plus populaire, le plus en vue, ou le mieux payé chez le Canadien… il est cependant l’un des plus utiles…”
translation (mine): he is certainly not the most popular player, or the one with the most media exposure, nor is he the most paid, but he is certainly one of the most useful players for the Canadians.

Even the CH’s coach Jacques Martin mentioned him more than once in the past two weeks:
“He never complains even if he plays with different trio players every game. He is an extremely versatile player and a very important one to our team – a key player dotted with unbelievable skills to adapt to each and every situation. He is even able to make his teammates look good and score goals…”

I would also like to add that lately, Plekanec has been doing almost everything on this ice rink. He has been passing the puck, scoring goals, defending fiercely and even fighting his own battles, which, because of his small posture, is really not his job to begin with…

Kudos to you Pleky, I hope you finish the season marvelously and without injuries. Keep up the good work and I will keep rooting for you… (That’s me in the photo by the way).

Here’s a beautiful tube of an amazing play he did last week. He took the puck from behind the own net and skated through 4 big players, only to deliver a beautiful calculated assist to his teammate to score, and win the game in overtime… of course that night, the credit went to Hamrlik the goal scorer… even the title of the tube is evidence of that…

Plastic Symbiosis

2009-11-01T00:39:00.003-04:00

Some people may say while admiring the result of a Holga:

- But all you do is press on that button...
Then you wait while totally relying on the vulnerability of the plastic box to do the work for you, and deliver the “art” such as you would like to call it.
You're totally dependent.

- Symbiosis.

- Pardon?

- I think it is more a symbiotic relationship, rather than total dependence.

Sure the machine deserves a lot of credit for delivering the final representation, but you also have to be there, and you have to know what you’re doing.
You have to kind of imagine and anticipate the final outcome of the photograph, in order for it to be as close to perfection as you would like it to be. If you leave it to the camera, the result would be totally random... after all it is plastic.

In order to master it, you really have to foresee it. A lot of trial and error will train you to see and read the future photograph or the photograph to be, and then mentally relay the information to your system so that the camera can "capture" your desires. Because I mean in order for you to get a satisfactory result you have to be there; you have to really be there at the right moment and at the right time, at the right angle and at the right light… and then you click!

You have to pose yourself instantaneously all the right questions:
Do you hold or do you release quickly? Do you focus or do you move?
Do you crank and shoot, or do you go for a double exposure?

These are some of the questions you have to pose and answer yourself almost immediately. And then you can “rely” on the plastic lens to execute them while adding a bit of its mysterious quirkiness, and theatrical subjectivity.

Symbiosis is the art of interaction and partnership, which to me, better describes the relationship of photographers with their Holga.

Montréal in two Minutes.

2009-10-24T19:58:00.006-04:00

After all the traveling I did this summer... it is good to be back "home"!

mission_peru.

2009-09-17T22:37:00.019-04:00

I am going to give it my best shot... If I have regular internet access I will be posting.

Updates on the Peru trip started here:

The Flâneur [A Trip with Emily] >>>>

update #:

1. mission: peru | Day -2 | Re_cyle!

2. Mission: Peru -1.

3. Down with the Incas! Go Aztecs go!

back... or not quite.

2009-09-15T01:36:00.010-04:00

This has been the longest I have been away from blogging – writing, reading and communicating with fellow bloggers. It has also been the longest I have ever been from any form of “artistic” manifestation. That is not true actually, I have been taking a lot of photographs, but as always I never get around on doing anything with them, so I disregard any importance to that issue. They just get stored with their siblings on my hard drive.

I blame it (as always) on lack of inspiration, and time (lack of), but with everything happening in this world and with the abundance of material to talk about, I should have no excuse.

Truth be told though, I have been doing a lot of traveling; inside and outside of Canada, that I just had other outlets to communicate with people. And it has been both enriching and overwhelming at some points, that self-satisfaction is attained but never shared. Which is okay I guess…

I also chose a bad time to write again as I leave to Peru in the few days to come, but I guess any time is as good as any. I leave on Saturday to be part of a humanitarian mission operating in the slums of Lima. We will be stationed there for about two weeks working with optometrists, tending to Lima’s poor and “humbler” inhabitants. I will try to blog as of there, and post on the flaneur. I know I always say that, but this time if I have Internet access, I am going to have to; I am expected to, by the mission organizers. I will let you know though. I will update here as soon as I start posting on the travel blog. Our two-week mission is supposed to be intense and draining, as we are scheduled to see about 700 patients every day, but on the other hand, I am also positive that it is going to be an unequaled enriching experience.

Wish me luck.

PS: the object photographed [la goutte d'eau] is by Michèle Lapointe | Artiste.

Notate Bene

2009-06-13T07:42:00.002-04:00

I will be leaving to Shanghai for work, and will be there for about 3 weeks. The last I checked (and heard), urban_memories was blocked by the Chinese government.
If it is still the case, this will explain my absence; otherwise, I will try to write updates whenever I can.

_z.

Originality [the unfinished design]

2009-05-25T02:00:00.007-04:00

2009 / Mont Royal, Montréal / Canon Powershot SD750

For a while now, I have been struggling with the idea of originality in the design world. Everything seems a bit banal and many times predictable. I don’t know if it is still possible to see innovative and totally original masterpieces. We may have to get used to seeing copies with transformation and mutations.

It is shame, and I am sure we are all trying hard to evade this unconscious “inspiration”, but it is almost impossible. With that many images stored in our memory, and with the Internet as vehicle, information multiplies exponentially and is put at our disposition at any time.

It is almost as if what we know is what we see; what we can create is already there.

I say almost, because I would like to keep a margin for error, and for hope that I am wrong and we still can create, design and innovate.

Here’s what Jim Jarmusch has to say about that. what do you think?

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to."

— Jim Jarmusch.

Brilliant Idea for Humanity !

2009-03-06T10:07:00.006-05:00

How cool is that!!!!

"We all know kids have boundless amounts of energy and a need to play - so why not channel some of that energy into much needed rural infrastructure? That was the brilliant idea behind the PlayPump: a humanitarian design project that consists of a water pump hooked up to a small village merry-go-round. Access to clean drinking water is a huge concern in developing regions of the world, and now the PlayPump system is bringing clean water into the hardest hit regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, where it has been installed in rural villages and primary schools, so that kids can have fun while pumping all the clean, potable water that their families need."

ref:
http://www.inhabitots.com/2009/03/05/play-pump-the-merry-go-round-water-pump/

Imagination [the unfinished projects]

2009-03-02T01:54:00.002-05:00

I wonder what use is "vivid" and "creative" imagination, if it does not materialize into realizations, and is solely kept to your low profiled, nonchalant, procrastinating mind…

Thoughts have to get out there in any shape or form, and through any media. Otherwise, they will leave you… they don’t belong to you. They are not yours to keep and will not hang around you for ever, so you might as well put them to good use once they are around.

Ideas bless you for a while, and then turn on to become muses for others.

When this intellectual promiscuity is mixed with a severe case of lack of action, it puts an end to originality, and suffocates the seed to any potential unique creation.

Thoughts fly searching for willing-to-act minds…

That's what they do, and you got to respect that. Time is short, and they have got to be fair.
In fact imagination is the only thing that is left fair in this world. It belongs to everyone. It is then up to you to materialize the images and the visions - in any modest way - otherwise they will remain dreams.

The whole world is out there, and you’ll be stuck inside your head... the smallest of worlds there is.

----
photo take during a visit to an exhibtion at the CCA - Actions: What You Can Do With the City presents 99 actions that instigate positive change in contemporary cities around the world. Canadian Centre for Architecture, 26 November 2008 - 19 April 2009

Boxing Day.

2009-02-24T09:27:00.009-05:00

After carrying the burden for years and years, I finally decided to organize a big blowout sale.

I will be selling:
- my conscience.
- my values.
- my principles.
- my scruples.

If you are interested, please drop me a line.
You should also keep in mind that they may be very expensive as they were very dear to me, and still hold a sentimental place in my heart. It really pains me to let them go, but I have to survive and go forth. And it is a lot easier to do so without ethics.

thank you.

Occupation.

2009-02-23T13:53:00.002-05:00

I received this funny joke by email today, and I thought I'd share it with you:

An Israeli arrives at London's Heathrow airport.
As he fills out the entry form, the immigration officer asks him: "Occupation? "

The Israeli replies: "No, no, just visiting!"

Guide To a Good Wife.

2009-02-12T00:15:00.004-05:00

All right ladies; let’s make some enemies!

I received this from a female co-worker today. We printed the text and read it out loud to our friends. There were mixed reactions, ranging from hysterical laughter, to indignation.
Apparently this is an AUTHENTIC abstract from an “Anglo-Saxon domestic economy” schoolbook published in 1960. The text I received was in French and this is my own translation to English… So bear with me.
Read and laugh!

1. MAKE SURE THAT DINNER IS READY. Prepare things ahead of time, the night before if you have to, so that a delicious dinner awaits your husband’s return from work. It is a very good way to let him know that you thought of him, and that you care for his needs. Most men are hungry when they come back home, and the prospect of having a good meal - especially if it is their favorite plate - is an intrinsic part of a warm welcome.

2. BE READY. Take fifteen minutes to rest, so that you are relaxed when he comes in. Touch up your make-up, tie your hair with a band, and be fresh and welcoming. He spent his day in the company of stressed and overworked people, and you have to be more interesting than the people he spent his day with. His hard day needs to be softened and it is your duty to make sure that it is.

3. TIDY UP. Tour the main rooms of the house just before your husband comes in. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, papers etc. and quickly dust the tables.

4. DURING THE COLDEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR, you have to prepare and light a fire in the chimney so that he can relax and unwind by its warmth. Your husband will then have the feeling of being in a safe haven and that will make you happy as well. His comfort will also bring you immense personal satisfaction.

5. REDUCE NOISE TO A MINIMUM. As soon as he gets home, eliminate all sounds of washing machines, hairdryer or vacuum cleaner. Encourage the children to remain calm. Be happy to see him, welcome him with a warm smile, and show sincerity in your desire to appeal to him.

6. LISTEN TO HIM. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but his arrival home is not the right moment for you to do so. Let him speak first, and remember that the subject matter of his conversations is much more important than yours. Make sure that the evening belongs to him.

7. NEVER COMPLAIN IF HE COMES BACK LATE, or if he goes to places without you. On the contrary, just make sure that your home is a haven for peace, order and tranquility, where you husband can unwind his body and soul.

8. DO NOT WELCOME HIM WITH COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS. Don’t complain if he is late coming home to dinner, or if he stays out all night. This is minor compared to what he had to endure during the day. Have him comfortably seated and prepare a hot or cold drink for him. If he chooses to rest in bed, fix his pillow and propose to remove his shoes. Speak in a soft and low voice. Don’t ask what he did and where he was, and never question his judgment and integrity. Remember that he is the master of the domain and that he should always be able to do as he pleases.

9. WHEN HE’S DONE EATING, CLEAN THE TABLE AND QUICKLY DO THE DISHES. If your husband offers to lend a helping hand, kindly decline his offer so that he won’t feel obligated to do so after a long working day. He does not need the extra work. Encourage your husband to tend to his favorite hobbies, and show your interest without giving the impression of stepping on his toes. On the other hand, if you have a hobby, make sure you don’t bore him talking about it. Most of the time, the interests of women are insignificant when compared to those of men.

10. AT THE END OF THE EVENING, clean and tidy the house up so that it is ready for the next morning, and try to prepare his breakfast in advance. Your husband’s breakfast is essential as he has to face the exterior world with a positive attitude. Once you are both retired in your bedroom, make sure you are ready and in bed as soon as possible.

11. ALTHOUGH YOUR HYGENE IS IMPORTANT, your tired husband will not appreciate forming a queue before using the washroom, as he would have to do at the train station. However, make sure you are at your best before going to bed without being alluring. If you have to apply facial cream, or bigoudis (hair curlers), wait until he falls asleep, as it may shock him to go to bed on such spectacle.

12. AS TO INTIMATE RELATIONS WITH YOUR HUSBAND. It is very important to always remember your marriage vows, and in particular your obligation to obey him. If he thinks that he needs to sleep immediately, then so be it. Always be guided by the desires of your husband, never try to pressure him and never try to stimulate an intimate relation yourself.

13. IF YOUR HUSBAND SUGGESTS MATING, accept with humility and always keep in mind that a man’s pleasure is much more important than that of a woman. When he reaches orgasm, a small and subtle moan from your end will encourage him, and will be very sufficient to show any kind of pleasure that you may have had.

14. IF YOUR HUSBAND SUGGESTS LESS COMMON POSITIONS (PRATIQUES), show your obedience and resignation, however you may show your discontent and your lack of enthusiasm by keeping silent. It is very probable that afterwards your husband will fall asleep; you can then fix your clothes, refresh, and apply your night cream or any beauty product you desire.

15. SET THE ALARM so that you wake up a few minutes before him. This will allow you to have his cup of tea ready in the morning when he wakes up.
----
Things changed… haven’t they?
Thank the stars that we live in the world we live in right now, and respect to those who dared to shout and die for change.

Got Worms?

2009-02-05T21:45:00.002-05:00

I was browsing the net last night when I landed on a very interesting article (to me at least), written by Professor Ahmad Houry PhD, and Dany Doughan.

The article was meticulously detailing the ways by which you can deal with the infestation of Thaumetopoea pityocampa, better known as Pine Processionary moth caterpillars, or what we like to call: doud jommar.

This lucky find brought back many of my childhood memories – as usual – and I immediately jumped into avid reading mode. As kids running in the forest, we knew everything we needed to know about those worms; there were rules. And we made sure to stick to the rules if we didn’t want to deal with the nasty rashes. We had heard horrible stories.

rule number one
Don’t touch them!

rule number two:
Don’t touch them!

We knew that they weren’t necessarily going to harm us, but it was just better to stay out of their way. We knew that if we saw a line formation, we should not try to kill them. We should just avoid them, jump over, and keep walking. If we saw a white foamy nest up on a tree, we should just pick another one to climb and another shade to play under.

They were just hairy that way.

When they came too close to the houses (or when we came close to their habitat), men would gather with torches made out of branches, and just burn them right there.

The authors here were very scientific and informative all through the eight pages of the article. The started out by identifying the problem and its gravity; they dismissed all common and popular beliefs, and later moved to presenting and explaining the lifecycle of these little monsters. When this was out of the way, they then proceeded by explaining the proper ways which one can use to get rid of the worms, and their nests.

(they were also wise enough to note that the aim of this campaign was not to kill annihilate the worms, but only to decrease and limit their numbers).

method one
… use a biological pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis… (and that with the specific dosage, and at a certain time of the year…etc – and they explain in detail how this should be done, what will happen to the worms, and when to follow up and spray again – very scientific and extensive details )

method two
… if nests prevail during winter time, you have to cut the branches using big cutters tied to the end of a tall stick to avoid being close to the nest… and all that has to be done in February. Again they present very precise information on how to do that.

method three
… as for the nests that are perched high up on the tree and are unreachable, use a hunting rifle and “shred the nests to pieces”… again this has to be done in February.

I'm sorry... What?

Why didn’t you say so? I could have stopped reading 7 pages ago if you had just told me that I could shoot the shit out of them! .

Why the extensive scientific report if in the end, I am going to get barbaric and shoot at the nest with a rifle? Why imply constant care and caution, when at the end there will be mayhem?

Stay right here… I am getting my gun.

----
This is by no means meant as critique of the very important and much needed work published by the authors… I really did enjoy the read… I just find that the ending is hilarious.
read full article in PDF format here
(the article is in arabic)

Space Persians.

2009-02-04T00:50:00.009-05:00

February 3, 2009 at 2:49 PM EST

“TEHRAN — Iran has successfully sent its first domestically made satellite into orbit, the country's president announced Tuesday, claiming a significant step in an ambitious space program that has worried many international observers.” – globeandmail.com

Now that the Iranians launched their first satellite carrying rocket - omid, hope - into space, do you think wars will follow, and start moving upwards?
Do you think the time for space wars with zoom zoom lasers and all, is nearing?

Or will they all play fair.

Where is Bond when you need him?

----
But you know what? I am happy for them… why not.
No really why not!
Kudos to you Iran.

… You just be nice about it now; because honestly you scare me a little.

Don’t prove them right.

----
Why did you have to align like that in front of the camera, and repeat allahou akbar all that much, while holding an old ass telephone… that was some funny shit man!

Watch video here. (youtube)

The Island of Dr. Moron.

2009-01-29T22:13:00.009-05:00

I am sure that by now, many Lebanese across the world have seen this image that has been circulating in emails. At first I thought it might be a hoax, but then I got it many times, from different sources… And this mass advertising scares me.

“Beirut - "Noor International Holding", located in Beirut, declared its determination to present to the Lebanese official authorities the development of "Lebanon's Cedar Island" project facing the Lebanese coast in order to get the approvals. The company revealed also that the project is an artificial island in the sea and it is similar to Lebanon's national symbol. It is worth mentioning that this island will be the biggest artificial tree in the history”

Now pardon my arrogance and maybe my pretense, but with my multiple architectural degrees, and in all modesty, I can sincerely say that I would tend to have thoughts regarding this.
So here’s my educated opinion:

What the FUCK do you think you’re doing!

"Dr. Saleh confirmed that the project, in its plans, takes into consideration the protection of the maritime environment without causing any damages to it due to the fact that some of the Island's parts will be the cedar's branches floating above the sea surface."

What? Does anybody buy that?
So you’re telling us, that you are going to claim 3.5 M.sq.m of marine land, and not disturb aquatic life? Or the planet? I don’t care how many environmentalists you’re going to hire, but I don’t buy into that… not one bit.

Furthermore, and to add to the insult, Dr. Saleh claims that he “invented” the idea, while flying above Lebanon on the Middle East Airlines (of course). He thought “why don’t we eternalize the emblem, by having a giant Cedar island float at sea…
Did any of you not think that this is a dumb imitation of the ultimate Dubai stupidity that is called the Palm Island, when you saw the image?
…
Thank you!
I am sorry, but you did not invent shit! A person that is capable of such projects can not possibly have a creative mind…

Why… Why would anybody dotted with the least bit of logic, and with the thinnest grain of intelligence, think that Lebanon would need this?
What is the point?
There is no argument whatsoever that I would accept to justify this endeavor, so they should just save their breath, and withdraw this delusional masterplan, as I am confident that it will not pass cabinet.

I went on their site (which I am not even going to bother giving you), and much to my surprise I actually found in their guestbook, insane people that supported this delusional project. Those who did not approve were a bit more numerous, and that is a big kudos to the Lebanese.

The fine Doctor also claims that his mega-project will grant 50.000 Lebanese new jobs. Those workers will only be the tentacles of your glory, your construction workers, and then they are gone; they may later work as servants for the elite society you are creating on your gated island, built on PUBLIC LAND.
Is it not enough that most of Lebanon’s shore is private and exploited, now you’re extending to the sea.

“Moreover, the company mentioned that it will be the main developer of the project and that it has started its calls with many Lebanese investors residing in Lebanon and abroad, with Arabs and other investment parties.”

You have to give it to him though; the man is a clever businessman. He is creating work for himself. He is the Client and the Architect at the same time, and all we have to do is bite. He created the idea, and then became the client. He won his own competition, and commissioned the job to himself, so he became the Architect. What he is doing now, is trying to sell the idea, so that he can steal public domain, and sprawl his gated community. He can finally act as the “main” developer, and will reap the profit of his own lie.

I am almost positive though that the Lebanese government will not go through with him on the project. Despite what I think of our politicians, I suspect that most of the elected officials will quickly dismiss this environmental and social disturbance.

Otherwise God help us.

Dr. Saleh, if you really care for the cedars and their symbolism, and if you really want to do something for Lebanon (and not just the filthy rich few) why don’t you spend a fraction of that money (7.4 billion) to plant actual Cedar trees up Mount Lebanon; that’s Cedrus libani for you.

I’ll even write to the government and push them to name a whole forest after you…

Secrets of Survival.

2009-01-26T22:52:00.009-05:00

Jan 09 / Arenal, Costa Rica / Canon PowerShot SD750

I was watching “the secrets of survival” on the Discovery Channel tonight, as they were featuring an interview with a young couple that had set out for a three hour hike in the Amazon rain forest, but because of one wrong turn, their short exploration turned into a six day nightmare.
In order to teach us the secrets of survival in the hostile jungle, “the dude” was going to reenact the couples' ordeal and try his luck in the same jungle, at the same spot, and see if he can find his way out of the thick jungle.

Instead of just jumping in - grabbing a handy cam to document his trip - and showing us first hand how to tackle the dangers of the rain forest, the moron shows up with a two-man camera crew, and a local guide carrying a rifle and a machete, to make sure he doesn’t do anything “wrong” (as he so eloquently puts it).

After atrocious minutes of documentary-gone-wrong-tv-torture, and trying to clumsily tackle dense vegetation - while at the same time being slick, funny, and real - he makes it out of the jungle in two days, bragging, boosting, and all happy.
….

As the program ended, and the credits started scrolling, the dude poses the ultimate question:
“Why was I able to make it out in 2 days, when it took the couple 6? Is my sense of orientation better than theirs? ...”
....

No you stupid arse!

You came out in two days, only because you were never really worried about your safety, or your life; there was nothing threatening your existence... You could at least think straight, and not panic, although you did at some points... oh wait, that was to make it look credible.
You weren’t "really" worried about getting lost in this dense emptiness. You weren’t the least ticked about being attacked by a jaguar since Eduardo behind you, walks with a finger on the trigger of his riffle. You weren’t either under the same amount of pressure for fast and critical decision making, and most of all, you weren’t subject to the terrifying feeling of loneliness that they were in, since you had your goofy buddies walking beside you, filming your pretty face make dumb grimaces every time a mosquito flew over.
You couldn't even possibly begin to feel the terror of never being able to be found that they had, since a plane was hovering above, trying to see if they could spot you... They did not have the luxury of having the information you had meticulously gathered before you went on this "journey".
They were at some point, even contemplating suicide, while your ass was clowning back and forth in front of the camera... making jokes.
In fact, and now that I think about it, the only moral and physical suffering you sustained was a few nasty mosquito bites, and loosing your integrity.

So flick off!!!

Landscape Architecure.

2009-01-25T21:59:00.004-05:00

I got news last week. I was so waiting for this to happen.
After Architecture, and Urban Design, I decided to go for my third degree, and try to widen my spectrum of design disciplines, in this architectural world.
I am now a Landscape Architect.

To me, this step is not only an academic and professional accreditation, but also a personal reward of accomplishment, for past years’, sometimes painful, sacrifices.
And I know that this will sound tacky, but I truly couldn’t have done it without your support and your actual physical help during the final weeks.

So thank you love.
□ □ □ □

The H. Word [Barack H. Obama].

2009-01-20T17:30:00.005-05:00

While at work today, I was intermittently listening to the "legendary" inauguration ceremony of president Barack Obama. I was streaming it live, while the master of ceremony was naming past presidents, and other "venerable" political figures, present at this historical event.

Surely enough, the M.C. was very careful, and systematic in naming every political figure by their complete name: James Earl Carter... William Jefferson Clinton... Georges Walker Bush... etc.
But when it came to calling for the newly elected president, the dude just went:
Barack H. Obama...

I guess Hussein is very hard for him to pronounce.
Hussein is very heavy for the tongue...

The United States, is apparently ready for a black president, but not yet so for a president with the H. word in his name.

photo ref:
http://hugemagazine.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/shepard-fairey-barack-obama.jpg

Beirut: Number ONE Destination.

2009-01-19T11:36:00.006-05:00

I have been meaning to write about this for quite some time now, but since I have been nothing but a lazy blogger these days, I am glad that my resident writer on urban_memories, hooked me up with her weekly newsletters...
If you follow the tag at the end of the article - letter from Lebanon - you can read the many letters, Rosie contributed on here.
As some of the older and faithful readers know, Rosie is an American (from California) living in Lebanon, and is the author of "Letter from Lebanon", an almost weekly newsletter that she emails to her family and friends...

Here's a caption of what she wrote this week:
----

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, I guess the United States is all geared up and focused on the inauguration. Once again, the rest of the world will join the United States to watch and listen carefully to Obama’s speech. The Americans voted for Barack Obama, but he will be shared by the world. Everyone seems to want a piece of him, domestically and internationally. He will not be able to make everyone happy, that’s for sure, but let us hope that he will be able to lead the States and the world in a better direction.

Wishing all Americans a great inauguration day, and a successful and peaceful future for all.

Rosie.

Letter from Lebanon--#58 Beirut, the No.1 destination site!

I think just about everyone in Lebanon has heard, read or forwarded messages about the N.Y. Times Travel review of January 11, 2009, stating that Beirut is not only in top 44 destinations to visit in 2009, but it is in the number ONE spot. It is also the number one destination selected by readers, as well. Check out the site, if you are interested, or you don’t believe me!

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/11/travel/20090111_DESTINATIONS.html?hp

Over the years, I have been trying my best to describe to you the wonderful life not just in Beirut, but in Lebanon. You can imagine how proud and happy this review makes the Lebanese and the expatriates who love Lebanon. This is truly an honor bestowed upon Lebanon considering all the magnificent places one could visit in the world, and considering its, unfortunate, violent past. Lebanon is a blend of the old and the new. It has amazing ancient sites, great restaurants, top hotels, wonderful beach resorts, a hopping nightlife, and beautiful nature reserves.

As Paris (one of my favorite cities) is better without the Parisians, Lebanon would be better without its politicians. The only difference is that a visitor is not affected by the politicians. In fact, it is the Lebanese people themselves who are warm and welcoming that make this country so great.

So, I welcome you and only wait to hear when you will come to visit!

Ecotourism [the unfinished 08]

2008-12-30T23:32:00.005-05:00

It has really been a very crappy blogging year. I have to admit. Maybe next year’s resolution should be about blogging a bit more… writing, drawing, posting photography, reading others; you know, just more participation on blogland.
I apologize to the faithful few friends who email and keep asking for my whereabouts, and I apologize to myself for this promise of fragile commitment.

This is a crop from an email I sent to one of my best friends…
(usually I don’t re-read my emails, and I didn’t edit before I pasted on here… so pardon the mistakes)

“Dec.15.08 @ 1:51 a.m.

Finally, and after a lot of debate and calculation, we decided that we are going to Costa Rica. N. and me, J. is also coming along. A. and M. will head there a couple of days before us, and will meet us in San Jose on the day of our arrival.
We're going to be camping in the jungle and on the beach most of the time. With the monkeys, the parrots, the red eyed frogs, the snakes and the rest of them crawlers; it should be a beautiful adventure.
We're very excited.
I am sure I'll have the opportunity to bring back beautiful photography for your eyes to feast on.
Between N and me, we have 4 cameras…

Did you know that Costa Rica is a country that has no army? Can’t find those anymore man! It is something.
35% of its territory is protected reserves, and it is one of the first "environmental" countries… definitely recommended for backpacking and ecotourism…
By 2010 it will become zero carbon emitting. Not too bad for a "poor" country is it? Define poorness after this; it takes a whole new meaning.
How did we end up needing so much stuff I don't know. How could we do it, and how could we not see it? We're now at the mercy of things... of commodities.
Yeah yeah, I know... an old theory, but still... very valid.
We shouldn't forget it; and take its bait.

Oh by the way, I need to buy so many things to prepare for the trip!
How about that? ;-)

The above, was just tourist mumbo jumbo, and National Geographic shit… I will give you more interesting, and more intelligent feedback once I set foot there.
Take care,
z.”

There you go… hope you have a “happier” 2009… keep safe, keep healthy, and most of all, be happy.
See you soon.

Education [the unfinished degrees].

2008-12-30T23:28:00.002-05:00

I presented last week... wish me luck!

Dreams of Poetry.

2008-11-30T21:59:00.001-05:00

For years I have been urging my sister to start working towards putting her poems in a book, and publishing it. I honestly think that she has an instinctive talent for placing words together, and deserves a shot out there with the rest of the spontaneous poets.

She finally succumbed to my incessant nagging, and prepared a draft, that she intends to send to a couple of editors she contacted. She got her copyrights all sorted out, printed out a few copies, and is now getting ready to confide it to the red metallic mailbox, on the corner of a random street in Montreal... the city she mostly loves.

Before she does that however, she entrusted me the monumental responsibility to proof read and edit the draft copy, before she sends it out to "strangers".
This a most difficult task for me, not only because I have never written poetry, but also because I haven't been able to write anything substantial or remotely smart for the past few months; I am absolutely lacking any kind of inspiration these days.
(I am only playing with Holga, but this will come in another post).

I think it is working out pretty well though. I am taking my time, working on only about three poems a day (a bus ride), while trying to be efficient, and non-judgmental.
Since I have no proper training in doing what I am asked to do, I am mostly relying on common sense and musicality, to modify, suggest and critique, whatever doesn't sound or ring so well.
Of course she thinks that the progress is too slow, as she was ready to send it last week, but I think I convinced her to be patient, and to give it, and me, some time.

I hope I do a good job, and give the manuscript its worth, and I wish her all the luck in the world for her ambitious endeavor.

Life Throught a Plastic Lens [The Holga Experience].

2008-10-30T00:31:00.006-04:00

“ A Holga is a study in imperfection, and to use it is an exercise in breaking free from dependence on technology, precision, and über-sharpness. The slight softness of images, uncontrollable vignetting, and peculiar light leaks create a partnership between you and the Holga. The “flaws” accompanied by your creative choices result in a quasi-serendipitous art.” – Michelle Bates.

How could I have said no to such an invitation? How could I refuse this innovative playful experience, and turn away from this trip into a new, vast, and untamed world of artistic challenges and uncontrolled visual perceptions?

I got my first Holga two days ago as an early birthday gift, from a good friend of mine. Another amateur of photography: sensei. (He got himself the Fisheye II).

For a couple of weeks now, I have been preparing mentally for the new and “improved” version of the Diana (as they say): The Holga 120CFN.
I have been going through websites, articles and video clips, that teach how to tape the camera, how to load films, as well as creative features and modifications.
Because the Holga is a camera in its primary state, you have to actually “modify” it, in order to have it work properly. The actual starter kit comes with a roll of black tape. How insane is that?
(watch here a youtube clip, showing explainig how to tape and modify your Holga)
The lens is made of plastic, it has a built-in psychedelic multi-colored flash, and it produces vignetted medium format prints.

The only condition for using a Holga, is that “you have to let go of the controls”. And I think this is the main reason of attraction between a control freak like me, and this unpredictable, compulsive, hidden artist in a box.
I fell in love with its simplicity, but was intrigued by its personality; it possesses the power to make its own decisions. You have to learn how to remain flexible, and “roll with the punches”.
So much character, and so much fussiness coming from a clumsy-looking plastic toy, but who ever said that real beauty and unforgettable art have to be attached to so much pretense and perfection.

Every Holga is unique; there is nothing generic, or industrial about it. “Some produce brighter images, some more colorful ones. Some leak light through the back, some through the side, and some don’t leak at all”. Like human beings, each box carries a special signature of its own, and it leaves it up to you to discover its inner quirkiness, figure out what makes you tick, and experiment while manually modifying the camera.

The 5 fundamentals for a good partnership with the Holga are:
1. Free yourself from rules.
2. Embrace random results.
3. Disarm your subjects.
4. Engage individuality.
5. Get Your Hands Dirty.

The first rule for using the Holga:
1. There are no rules.

“The Holga summons up Dadaist traditions of chance, surprise and willingness to see what can happen.” – Robert Hirsch.

And tonight, I load my first film.

Ref:
www.lomography.com
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/

Farewell to the Fall.

2008-10-28T01:00:00.001-04:00

La Route des Vins' 08 / Dunham, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

It snowed today.
My favorite season is officially over with this first white coat.

For the past few days now, wind has been picking up, and the rain came down washing away the last stubborn yellow/red/orange leaves. Naked and deserted, deciduous trees are emerging rapidly and abruptly throughout the desolate landscape.

The color scheme will now change for the few months to come… awaiting the next green.

Can’t complain much though. We have had a magnificent and sublime Fall season this year. Despite long inhumane working hours, I have managed to squeeze in a few unplanned and spontaneous road trips and hikes, which generated beautiful frames and surreal colors to be carried away in memory… in the form of photographs.

Although this was a fruitful and a personally satisfying season of photography, I was very unfortunate to lose two very important team members along the way:
My old and reliable Nikon FG, and my Polaroid camera; may they rest in peace. They both added magic and pleasure to my photographic journey, and it is really a shame to see them retire, and bite the dust…

A new member joined the clan though…
But that's the topic of the next entry.

A Swing in a Heart.

2008-10-20T21:55:00.003-04:00

"Happiness is only real if shared"
Christopher McCandless
----

Happy Birthday my love.

In a Manner od Speaking.

2008-10-05T13:24:00.024-04:00

Sept.08 / Morin Heights, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

"In a manner of speaking
In a manner of speaking I just want to say
That I could never forget the way
You told me everything
By saying nothing
In a manner of speaking I don’t understand
How love in silence becomes reprimand
But the may I feel about you is beyond words
Oh give me the words
Give me the words
That tell me nothing
Oh give me the words
Give me the words
That tell me everything

In a manner of speaking Semantiks won't do
In this life that we live we only make do
And the way that we feel might have to be sacrificed

So in a manner of speaking
I just want to say
That like you I should find a way
To tell you everything
By saying nothing
Oh give me the words
Give me the words
That tell me nothing
Oh give me the words
Give me the words
Give me the words
Give me the words
Give me the words"

Humming Girls [Women Throw Curves].

2008-09-23T22:19:00.008-04:00

June 07 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Tuesday night…
Cold outside… warm inside…
Every day life…

Wife and sister were sitting in the living room.
Like humming of bees, they were talking and conversing while doing their “girly” things. The T.V was on, but they were not watching anything in particular. Every once in a while, they would glance, find something interesting… pause… and then continue with their business.

Dude was there… in the room… hovering around and about... dropping a sentence from time to time.
He was quietly enjoying those rare moment of tranquility, when his brains are not processing multiple images and sequences, in front of a computer screen.

Suddenly, dude felt he wanted to be in on the private chat, the laughter, and the giggling.
In his ~~boyish~~ awkward, way of seeking attention, he stands up… heads towards the girls… lifts his hands up in the air… does ~~weird~~ stupid dance… shouts out loud… pauses… and heads back to the couch…
...
Girls never stopped humming…
…

He just shouted the silliest childhood cliché… something that would have caused any sane head to turn with surprise…

They did not see, or hear him…
…

Dude gets ignored…

Dude decides to blog.

A Blink of Memory [Butterflies & Demons].

2008-09-09T10:47:00.005-04:00

Butterflies & Demons / Nov.07 / Montréal, Québec / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

He had a dream about her last night...
They were together, in their usual little hideaway.
That old vernacular, yellow stone house hidden deep in the heart of the mountain they loved so much.

With only the occasional mist as their accomplice, for years they were able to meet there… clandestinely.

They were happy, enjoying their intimacy, and their isolation.
The world revolved only around them, and the rest fell into oblivion.
Suddenly, a life threatening incident occurs, and without thinking for even a second, he did something that ended him dead to save her life.

He instinctively sacrificed his being, for her.
…
He always asked himself that question.
You know.
That question he always thought he surely knew the answer for.
If he would really die for her.

People love, and say I love you all the time... but would they really die for someone?

In this intense, unrehearsed, and unconscious phenomenon of dreaming, he got his natural and unconditioned answer...

He would do it faster than the flick of the wings of a butterfly.
He would do it in a blink of a memory.

[the unfinished posts].

2008-09-02T03:48:00.013-04:00

Daydreamin' / Aug.08 / Monte Bello, Québec / Canon PowerShot SD750

I haven’t been able to write for quite some time now.
A terrible lack of concentration due to overworking, numbness and loss of interest in anything remotely intellectual due to the difficulty my brain is having processing the constant browsing my eyes are performing, and being such a fake perfectionist, all contributed to the many reasons I haven’t been able to finish a decent post for the past few months.

Chaotic thoughts, and unorganized images, result in corrupted instances of time, and loss of memory.

Funny coming from a wannabe blogger trying to maintain a blog with “memory” as title. I have more posts “saved as draft”, than I have as “published”.

For a while now, I couldn’t finish one thought. I either lose interest a few sentences away, or just finish the post, and decide to publish it the next day and never do.
Both come to the same fatal end; I am not writing.

I started reading a lot again. I had even boycotted reading on the bus… something that was very relaxing and dear to me. I just didn’t feel like thinking... plain and simple.
Not that I didn’t want to, just that I “preferred” not to.

It must have been that I had to devoid my head... even if for a little while.
….

Sometimes I thought I could just post photography, to help with the block, but then resolved not to... but that is another big ~~issue~~ story I am going to have to tell you about some other time.
One drama at a time.
….

It was an amazing Labor Day weekend we had in Quebec. The weather was beautiful, and Montrealers have been waiting the whole summer for such a long weekend.

The sky was blue, the sun was up, and people were OUT.

We rented a car for the holiday, and were able to “go away” for the weekend. We took the ferry to Burlington, and drove the way back passing by beautiful scenery and cute little towns. Then drove to the Outaouais region in Quebec, and tended to “wild” and farm animals in a wild life reserve…

We had excellent company; we walked under the sun, rested our eyes across sublime landscapes, and recharged them with raw, natural, non-Photoshoped colors.

Thanks to good friends, to reconnection with nature and its rightful inhabitants, to a given day of simple and pure happiness, and of course to photography... I now have a new set of beautiful and vivid memories that will hopefully help me get to my next momentary failure.

Yalla, bonne semaine my friends.

Pinus Pinea [01].

2008-08-05T23:50:00.007-04:00

July 08 / Rass el Harf, Lebanon / Canon PowerShot SD 750

social_disturbance [a matter of time].

2008-08-03T23:50:00.004-04:00

The Lachenaie Series: Time / April 08 / Lachenaie, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

- Uuuuft!
- What is it Emily?
- I don’t want to study History anymore; it is boring.
- But what is history Em? It is this. What you and I are doing.
- What do you mean?
- Everything. Everything we do, and every move we make is history. It is social disturbance. Our behaviors determine a situation, which with scale, magnifies to a social perturbation, and defines a society that makes History.
- So it is us? We are History?
- Hehe, yes in a way we are. Picture us years and years away, being scrutinized by others like us but far, far away from us. A trip in time. I know I’ve previously said, that everything is a matter of scale, but with history, it is a mater of time.

Do you understand?

- What?
- No, nevermind. I was just… pfffft.
- Hihihi,,,
- Get back to your books.
- I am on the Internet dude... Much faster.
- Oh yeah how could I forget… the Internet…

A matter of time I tell you.

- Shhhhhht.

Congratulations.

2008-07-11T10:36:00.007-04:00

So it looks like we have a new formed Government... Let's hope this baby survives!

Official 30-member national unity government announced.

----

I leave to Beirut this Sunday... I know I always say that I am going to blog from there, but I never do because of ridiculously slow Internet connections; and I am very impatient as a dude. I hope this time I will be able to post a few things... maybe even some photos...
Looking at the way I have been blogging for the past two months I am not very optimistic, but I promise I will try... if nothing substantial with text to post on urban-memories, maybe just a few photos on the flaneur!
check there from time to time!
_z.

Bonne St Jean à tous!!!

2008-06-24T13:19:00.006-04:00

Québec Libre / July 07 / Ville de Québec, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Related: previous St.Jean

back... I hope

2008-06-19T23:14:00.004-04:00

The Longer you go, the harder it is to come back.

Thank you all for your concern, your comments, and your emails... all is relatively well here.
Nothing but too much work, procrastination, and bad time management... everything I do best.

Divine Mutiny. [Lacrimosa]

2008-05-11T16:50:00.012-04:00

Evanescence - Lacrymosa

ref images: http://www.fotosearch.com/clip-art

A Window to the Past.

2008-04-24T23:26:00.008-04:00

Unvisited Leftovers / June 06 / Montréal, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Are you able to, like me, dig through your past anytime you like to?

Anytime you have a moment, you go looking for a past moment from your lifeline, and project it into your present; into that moment you were having.

Or had actually, since you are constantly living in your past.

It’s a bitch isn’t it?

I always thought that it was a blessing… no it isn’t.
Believe me, looks are deceiving.
I was deceived. I deceived myself. Don’t worry, I am so good with that. I am used to lie to myself. I am used to trick myself into believing, that everything I do, is what is supposed to happen.

No… no. Believe me it is tiring. Living the past over and over and over. You tell yourself, that the past isn’t so bad, since you’re still enjoying it in the present. But that’s part of your delusion... part of the hypnosis. The cycle is viscous, and memories can sting.
Without prior notice, and just when you thought that the ~~image~~ memory summoned is pleasant, safe, and smile-drawing, a ~~virus~~ parasite thought interrupts your ~~process~~ recollection, and your lovely window to the past turns into a film noir.
Thrilling and interesting to go through for sure, but that wasn’t the ride you paid for.

You got fooled again. You got fooled by your own creation, and by your own being.

Here’s to memories… We live for them, from them, and through them.
Here’s to two years of urban_memories [the unfinished polaroids].

It’s been a thrill.

Spring!

2008-04-21T12:55:00.004-04:00

And in your honor, here's Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah. [listen]

Spring Mood Swings.

2008-04-10T01:53:00.007-04:00

Snow is starting to melt away leaving a big black mess behind. Dirt, garbage, gravel, and brown grass are dominating the streetscapes. The city is getting ready for its big Spring clean up, and Homo Urbanis is getting impatient waiting for hot sun and open terraces. Slowly but surely, Metropolis is coming to life again; already moods are shifting.

We had a big scare last week with a snowstorm in April, and we may get another white coat this week, but spring is definitely stepping in.
You can smell excitement in the air.

I am going to start taking my camera out again. For the past few weeks I opted to leave out my faithful daily companion, as I was not in the mood for capturing moments. My eyes were not capable of seeing anything beautiful. I relied on the mobile phone camera when brief appetite appeared, but never felt like holding my camera… I should give it a name by the way…

I have been waiting to post this for a long time now, but if you remember this, then you’ll probably be expecting me to post the sequel and final results.

Yes! Again… She won!

Busy Schedule_the end / Dec. 07 / Mtl, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Zero Tolerance.

2008-04-03T12:42:00.008-04:00

December 07 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Alanis Morissette - One

Empty seats…

This is how I feel these days; an empty seat. A hollow shell devoid of any substance. No content.

I have been finding it extremely hard to write these days. I look at my dashboard, only to find that I have more texts “saved as draft” than “published”. I start on something, and then a few minutes through I lose interest, or deem the subject as not pertinent anymore, so I stop. I sometimes wait for the right words to come, but they never do. Words do fail you sometimes.

I haven’t been too lucky I have to say. Two weeks ago, I severely injured my ankle playing soccer; it still is in pain, and I am still limping (I used a cane for a while, and my female colleagues thought it was sexy… Is it really sexy for a young man to use a cane?). Anyway, I don’t know if one of the little bones is broken, or if it is just a strong ligament sprain, but it is still swollen. I refuse to have it looked at because with the excellent health care system we have here in Canada, I may have to wait 7 or 8 hours in the ER before having an x-ray done… So thank you I’ll skip… for now.

I also developed wrist tendonitis… how can I not! I live in front of the computer screen one hand on the keyboard and the other on the mouse. It was only a matter of time. So now my right wrist is also in bandage and it aches like hell…

I think this time winter took its toll on me. My crappy mood still persists, and I have lost all tolerance.It has become evident for everyone recently that I lost patience with stupidity, with ignorance, with pretense, with ridicule, with hypocrisy; and I am letting them all have it.

I walk and people step aside now. Like Moses and the Red Sea.
I don't like myself when I am like that.

It's just that nice doesn't fly anymore. Bear my stings.
Vengeance is truly the worst of human manifestations.

----
"One" - Alanis Morissette.
I am the biggest hypocrite, I've been undeniably jealous
I have been loud and pretentious, I have been utterly threatened
I've gotten candy for my self-interest, the sexy treadmill capitalist
heaven forbid I be criticized, heaven forbid I be ignored

I have abused my power forgive me, you mean we actually are all one
one one one one one one one
I've been out of reach and separatist, heaven forbid average (whatever average means)
I have compensated for my days, of powerlessness

I have abused my so-called power forgive me, you mean we actually are all one
one one one one one one one

did you just call her amazing? surely we both can't be amazing!
and give up my hard earned status, as fabulous freak of nature?

I have abused my power forgive me, you mean we actually are all one
one one one one one one one, always looked good on paper
sounded good in theory,

and ON again.

2008-03-21T02:08:00.006-04:00

March 08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

I missed blogging.

I missed this virtual connection I have with fellow readers and writers. Fellow artists, who each in their own way, are more inspiring than anything.

Ice and snow are starting to thaw, making way to gray rain and annoying slush. Montréal witnessed record snowfalls this year, and man it was long. Apparently, the Island of Montréal spends 1million dollars every day on cleaning snow. This year, this costly process was lengthy and slow.
Spring is here now. It was announced on the 19th here in Montreal, while it only starts on the 21st in Lebanon...
It coincides with Mother’s Day (where I come from).
Happy Mother’s Day mom!

The past few weeks were pretty rough. The weather was not helping, I had a major deadline for a mega project I am in charge of at work, and dad gave us a big big scare.
During my last visit to Beirut, dad had to undergo brain surgery. He had been battling benign brain tumors for quite a while now, and last Christmas he had to go under the knife for the second time in a year. He recovered well, however his memory and mobility were slightly hampered.
While having his routine scan last month, his doctor recommended immediate surgery for the third time. Recovery was not fast this time, and the poor weary man spent two weeks completely asleep (almost comatose) in the Intensive Care.
He is doing much better now. He is waking up, and was moved to recovery room. He ate Jello and Mhallabié. He should be out of the hospital by next week.

Medicine is funny; I thought we were on our way to find answers for everything and anything, but still there are always new things that emerge to keep us baffled and clueless. His tests were sent across continents to Germany, the U.S, and here in Canada.
They say his case is unique… well it is true, he is unique, and he is a wonderful man.
I am lucky to still have him smiling.

Thank you my friends for all your comments and emails. Your support was comforting and very helpful.
Happy Mother’s Day to YOUR dear mothers, to YOU mothers, and to my wonderful mom; the strong and caring woman, toughing it up with dad. She never left his side... Not for a second.
I miss you both.

PS: Superdude, there are a lot more where this picture came from. contact me if still interested.

OFF for a while.

2008-03-11T23:34:00.007-04:00

I apologize for not writing or posting as often as I would have liked to... I apologize for not being able to read you as well and as often as I would have liked to...

dad is very sick.
weather is very bad.
can't think straight.
and I am in a very very crappy mood...

I am taking a break.
....

come on dad... fight!

Sock it to me.

2008-03-07T16:17:00.000-05:00

Hers...

From the "SockParty" Series / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

His...

From the "SockParty" Series / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

A Royal Gift [part two].

2008-02-24T20:12:00.008-05:00

She was a girl who rarely asked for anything. She never really wanted or needed anything; when and if she did, she would never ask it of you. She would get it herself, which at times, drove him mad.

This time, not only did she know what she wanted, it seemed that she had researched it too.
She did say “Royal Python”…

He smiles, runs his fingers through her hair, and looks back at his white screen…

- What? I am serious!
- Habibi… we’re not getting a python.
- It’s pretty cool. My classmate has one and she was walking around with the python on her arm. I held it and it crawled on my arms and shoulder… it is so beautiful.
- Babe!… we’re not getting a python.

She stands, disappointed, and sits on the other blue couch that is perpendicular to his, and that she too, hates so much.
She picks up her black laptop, places it on her lap, and raises her legs up on the same coffee table, perpendicular to his… toes almost touching.

- I didn’t think you were going to say NO to this.

He did not answer.
But for the next few hours or so, all he did was research that thing...

Royal Pythons, or Ball Pythons as they are often called, are beautiful motherfuckers that don’t grow too much. They hang around in aquariums or tupperwares even, and require little maintenance. Apparently, they make excellent pets, they could hang around for years, they come in many colors and patterns, and they are bloody expensive!!! [argument 1]

They also eat mice!!! [argument 2]

- I was looking at that Python thing yesterday. They also call it Ball Python.
- I know. I researched it yesterday too.
- Hehe... so did I.
- You can leave them in tupperwares and don’t require much you know!
- They are very expensive.
- How much?
- They vary with colors. The albino is the most expensive, and goes around 2.400$

She frowns.

- The cheapest one I was able to find online was for 700$. But it’s not as beautiful.

She shows sadness…

- There was this one pet store, I passed by today that was selling it for 100$. They didn’t have it on display, but said that they could get me one. But I didn’t like the sales person there.
- Okay… 100 is good. We can look elsewhere…
- Hold on.
- What?
- Who is going to feed it?
- She smiles.
- No way! I will never, ever, kill a mouse and feed it to a python.
- We don’t have to kill it. We just give it to him.
- Well first of all, some say that you have to kill it because the mouse may pluck the python’s eyes out, or even scratch its skin. Add to that, the fact that throwing a living mouse in the aquarium with the python is the cruelest thing; in the wild, the mouse at least has a chance to escape.
- Well… okay. Let me think about it. We'll talk later...

She goes, assumes laptop position again, and starts typing.

He thinks that he won the battle. There is no way she will be able to feed the python with the due cruelty that the procedure requires. She is too sweet for that…
He can finally regain peace.
…

- Hey! We can get frozen mice. It says here that they are sold in packets. Pet stores carry them.

Baffled, unprepared, and taken by surprise with this counter argument, he shudders:

- The day I defrost frozen mice in my microwave, I will dance naked in -20C weather!

[end of part two]

A Royal Gift [part one].

2008-02-21T02:22:00.007-05:00

A Scene From our Living Room / May 07 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

She comes in the house, locks the door, and stands at the doorway. She takes off her coat, hangs it neatly, and then tends to her snowy shoes. She lays them tidily in their allocated space.

She removes her hat, lifts both arms back up, and arches her back as she fixes her hair with a brisk brush.

She takes a deep breath, and lets out a long sigh as she glances across the room. She picks up her bag, removes her black laptop, places it on the coffee table in the living room, opens the lid, and turns it on. Then with a big smile, beautiful as ever, she comes and sits quietly next to him, hands cutely placed on her knees joined close together.

He was sitting quietly on the blue couch he hates so much, and from across the room, he could watch her as she elegantly unfolds. He was contemplating every sway of her unrehearsed ritual.

He was writing, his white laptop placed on his knees joined close together, and his legs were raised and resting on the coffee table in the living room.

He loved watching her. Everything she did seemed meticulous, special, and effortless. He lifts his head, looks her straight in the eyes, and smiles back at her.

- What? He starts.
- Habibi! I know what I would like to have for Valentine’s!

He smiles.

- This is a first. Since when do we celebrate Valentine’s?
- I know, I know, but I really know what I want for this Valentine’s.
- What?
- A Royal Python!

She smiles.
Her eyes glitter.

[end of part one]

What a Family eats in One Week.

2008-02-18T21:05:00.007-05:00

Here's an interesting email I got from my boss today. It is a worldwide comparison of how much an average family consumes per week, in terms of food [quantity and cost].
I have always been bothered by this selective injustice, and how unfair the world is, when one part is deprived and dying of famine, while the other is obese, and sinking into over nutrition and multivitamins...
I don't know about you, but I sure am counting my blessings... Here it is...

----

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily

Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca

Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo

Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Home Made [two]

2008-02-14T00:59:00.004-05:00

They were three...
Sunburst, pointillisme, and smiley.
One survived the night.

Guess which one!

From the "PizzaParty" Series / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XT

Home Made [one]

2008-02-14T00:57:00.002-05:00

From the "PizzaParty" Series / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Addictions.

2008-02-13T15:36:00.001-05:00

note to self:

If you really want to stop smoking you have to first, remove the pleasure.

asshole!

Her Sacred Feet [two].

2008-02-09T16:17:00.000-05:00

From the "SockParty" Series / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Mobius House [Villa NM] burnt down.

2008-02-09T14:40:00.001-05:00

"Times Herald-Record
February 07, 2008
BETHEL - Fire investigators yesterday sifted through the remains of a modern mansion off Burr Road that was recently featured in The New York Times and burned to the ground Tuesday night.The cause of the fire is still unknown, according to George Slater, the Kenoza Lake assistant fire chief.
In October, the Times ran an architectural feature about the building, which was a second home owned by Leo Tsimmer.
Designed by Dutch architects, the house had tinted glass for many of its outside walls and LED-lit polycarbonate panels in the kitchen.
It was perched atop a Bethel hill with a commanding view of the surrounding area.
Tsimmer was in New York City at the time of the fire; a passer-by called in to report the blaze.
Crews from Kenoza Lake, Jeffersonville, Lake Huntington and White Lake battled the fire for three hours."
----

I used to get angry when some lives were given more value than others. It drives me nuts when a big shot gets blown up, and her/his bodyguards are left to rare mention.

Today we commemorate the death of this-big-dude! grieve with us oh-you-brainwashed-masses.

Who do you think the families of their fallen companions will be remembering on that same day? What about the families of those innocents who just happened to be there? For them D-days don't mean shit no more. Fate taught them a lesson, and they now know, that "Days" are overrated, and for the chosen ones only.
It is moments we should seek.

moments and memories.

remember your dead...

This moment of delirium today, was triggered by the death of an architectural monument.
Following up on the previous thought, one also should not value a building over the other. In the end, all buildings are homes. And one should never underestimate the pain, when your home is no more...

But this one was a masterpiece.
On Feb 6, 2008 remember The Mobius House, by Architect Ben Van Berkel - UN Studio.

Architecture is not dead.

more links:
a daily dose of architecture (Here)
noticias architectura (Here)
the herald record (Here)
architectural record (Here)
the new york times slide show (Here)

When the Fridge simply doesn't cut it anymore.

2008-02-05T15:39:00.000-05:00

Ice Cold / Feb.08 / Montréal, Qc. / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

In her eyes.

2008-01-28T23:12:00.000-05:00

I would like it if for a day, I could see life through her eyes. Inhabit her soul, and through her eyes grasp how she perceives the world we live in, as we share days in days out; colors, landscapes, depth, dimension, scale, perspective... and me.

My wish unfortunately will remain a wish. And I can only capture and use the reflections "in her eyes" and hope that one day my blue sky will shy in their pure yet sophisticated blackness.
----

Mushaboom - Feist

«Le cadrage, la beauté des couleurs et l'originalité de l'image quant à la représentation d'un des jardins de Flora ont fait en sorte que «in her eyes» est la photo gagnante de cette édition 2007 du concours».

Translation:
The framing, the beauty of the colors, as well as the originality of the image and the portrayal of one of Flora's gardens have all contributed to make "in her eyes" the winning photo of this 2007 edition of the competition.

This above picture was my first ever submission to a photography competition...
And guess what?
I won!
I had submitted more than one photo, and to be perfectly honest, the photograph that ended up winning the competition wasn't my favorite of the bunch. But what the hell, why am I even arguing and nagging when I actually won the thing!

Every year, Montreal organizes a showcase of experimental, "avant-garde" gardens, and ephemeral installations as part of the "International Flora Exhibition". In 2006 I had designed an installation that remained showcased for 2 years. This year's edition of Flora held a competition for the best picture in the show. "In her eyes" is not a photograph of our garden unfortunately, but it features "La Cathédrale de Bamboo" by Fabien Dreuil, Florian Fiebig, and Boris Pintado.
----
Lyric: Mushaboom, by Feist

Helping the kids out of their coats, But wait the babies haven't been born oh
Unpacking the bags and setting up, And planting lilacs and buttercups oh
But in the meantime we've got it hard, Second floor living without a yard
It may be years until the day, My dreams will match up with my pay

Old dirt road, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
knee deep snow (mushaboom, mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow (mushaboom, mushaboom)
o-o-o-o-old

I got a man to stick it out, And make a home from a rented house oh
And we'll collect the moments one by one, I guess that's how the future's done oh
How many acres, how much light, Tucked in the woods and out of sight
Talk to the neighbours and tip my cap, On a little road barely on the map

Old dirt road, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
knee deep snow, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
o-o-o-o-old (mushaboom, mushaboom)
Old dirt road rambling rose, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow, (mushaboom, mushaboom)
Well I'm Sold...

Black Coffee.

2008-01-19T19:16:00.000-05:00

I don't usually indulge or go to "those" generic coffee places. I always feel like I am in a mall or something, and by principle, and for the sake of good urban design, I am against all malls in general, and big box department stores. As much as possible, I support the neighborhood café and/or grocer... and you should do the same whenever you can.

I was working today; I woke up in a hurry, and didn't get the chance to grab a "good" coffee at home. When I got to the office, I found out that we did not have "good" coffee anymore. (By "good" coffee, I mean fair trade).

Drinking a Coke at 9 a.m. did not seem to be such a great idea right, so what the hell, I'll go down to the corner, and grab a fast generic coffee from one of those big-chain-cafés.

- Aaaand, what would you like this morning sir?
- One large coffee please.
- What would you like in it?
- Nothing thanks. Just the coffee?
- No Milk?
- No.
- No Cream?
- No thank you.
- Would like some whipped cream on top?
- Whipped cream on my coffee? No, no thank you.
- That'll be 1.58, aaaaand just give me a minute sir.

.... (less than a minute goes by)

- Aaaaand, here you go sir.
- Thank you.
- Euh sir! This is just a black coffee... Nothing in it. (Before she hands it to me).

.... (me sighing)

- Ma'am! What did I ask you for?
- Black Coffee!
- And what is this?
- Black Coffee!
- Then give me the fucking cup Bitch!

Can't a guy get a normal cup of coffee anymore!!!

Crystalscape.

2008-01-16T00:08:00.001-05:00

And just like that, and when you thought snow has melted, winter in Montreal has just begun. I took this picture while waiting for the bus. It was pretty cold, but fantastically beautiful. The landscape was serene and calm. It was the first time I actually see snow crystals; I always thought they existed only in drawings and in cartoons. They are exactly the way they draw them on greeting cards. They were stuck frozen on the glass of the bus shelter. I took out my camera and started shooting away. I didn’t have gloves, so my fingers were freezing; a painful pleasure I was ready to endure. I missed the bus I was planning to take, and rode on the next one to work. Walking in the morning when Metropolis is still silent and white is beyond compare. Sometimes, people smile in the morning have you noticed? It is so peaceful. I miss peace. Do I know peace? I never knew peace; I never met it. I wouldn't recognize it even if it falls in my lap.

I love snow, but I hate the resulting slush. You can't have one without the other. What do you do?

more crystals

There and Back.

2008-01-14T00:53:00.000-05:00

Him: How was Lebanon?
Me: slow. Everything runs on slow-motion.
Him: Yeah I heard.
Me: it’s ridiculous. You couldn’t get anything done if you didn’t calculate at least two to three hours of your day.
Him: A lot of traffic?
Me: A lot of everything… and mostly, of nothing.

----
I used to think that the malaise that overtook me, every time I came back home was related to change. I, by default, did not like anything that has to do with change, and I hated the natural fact that nothing remained as I once knew it; hence my everlasting nostalgia.

I think I was missing the point. It actually appears that no matter how long you stayed away, everything in Beirut remains the way you left it.

This city freezes time.

It is impossible how time stands still in this country.
My world, as I know it, comes to a total and sudden halt every time I fly back home.
I flatline...
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
And when I wake up, it is already time to go.

I have been in Beirut since the 21st of December. I haven’t been blogging and I haven’t been reading other blogs. I didn’t check my emails, didn’t log on facebook and didn’t send Christmas greetings.

I left Montreal in a hurry since my preparations were left to last minute (as always), and I didn’t even have the chance to leave a word out on urban_memories that I was leaving.

Beirut looks smaller and much denser than I remembered it to be. Despite the good weather we had most of the days; Beirut seemed to be sad and gloomy.

A lot of Green has been sprouting nonchalantly here and there all over the city, which is something I really appreciated.

more details will come...

Another Storm Hits Montreal.

2007-12-16T22:24:00.001-05:00

Pièce de résistance.

2007-12-13T16:12:00.000-05:00

- Hey!
- Heyyyyy Emily! Long time.
- Hihihihi Yeah. I have a question.
- Shoot.
- Who were those people who burnt rubber tires and closed off roads because the electricity was cut off?
- Well they are... I would like to say they are Lebanese.
- Then how come not all Lebanese reacted the same to the same situation. I mean the power is cut all the same in pretty much all regions of your country right?
- Right.
- And economically it affects everyone the same right?
- Right.
- So why?
- I don't know. I can't say.
- You also told me once that this part of the population does not pay their electrical bills to begin with. Correct?
- Yes that's correct. They don't pay bills.
- So how can you NOT pay your electrical bill, and then go on a demonstration condemning power surge and power failure. What do you call that?
- Hypocrisy.
- What does that mean?
- Resistance.
- What!!! But you told me that "resistance" was a good thing, and that the opposition is always better than the loyalists.
- Not anymore Emily. Not anymore.
- So you're telling me I should like the loyalists better now?
- No no wait. Not just yet. I might change my mind, as they all change their minds daily.
- I don't get it.
- I don't either.
- You know, I don't like your country anymore. It is tiring me.
- It is tiring me too Em. It is tiring me too. But I still like it.
- Hihihihihi.

----
For those of you who don't know Emily yet, here are other once posted conversations I have had with her:
Political Chocolate
BABY TALK.
Emily is imperfect, different, always eager to learn. and constantly asking difficult questions. She's extremely innocent, sweet, cute, and most importantly... she dwells in my head most of the time.

Communication_S_kills.

2007-12-12T00:42:00.000-05:00

Busy Schedule / Dec. 07 / Mtl, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

She's over studying.
He's overworking.
Not enough hours in one day.
Messages left for one another are coded with Xs and Os.

Communication is key.
----

Two more grids to go... The score is a tie...

Place your bets ladies and gentlemen... place your bets.

Hibernating.

2007-12-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Dec. 07 / Mtl, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi
[before] pictures of the same view.

----
Think of how we studied past civilizations. We dug through their ruins.

We dug through their ruins, and we figured them out. From their traces, and from their marks, we were able to reconstruct and then deconstruct their cities, their architecture, their philosophies, and infiltrated into the deepest secrets of their societies.

We studied their complexities.

Their memory is our history.

Think of the traces we are leaving.

What will be our imprints? How will our traces be read? Every detail and all important manifestations of our society, and the phenomenon of modern Homo Urbanis, are digitally archived; and online.
Our memory was commodified, and invested in a dot.com long time ago.

The memory we will be leaving will be a digital memory card.

These will be our digital ruins.

Our being is metamorphosing into Digital Ruins!

We're coded, saved and archived on some sort of an advanced hard drive, for the scrutiny of higher beings of the future.
In the scheme of life, all in all we're just another USB stick in the wall.

----
A snowstorm has been hitting Montréal for the past three days. It just started to clear.

Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernation conserves energy, especially during winter. Hibernation may last several days or weeks depending on species, ambient temperature, and time of year. The typical winter season for a hibernator is characterized by periods of hibernation interrupted by sporadic euthermic arousals wherein body temperature is restored to typical values. Hibernation allows animals to conserve energy during the winter when food is short. During hibernation, animals drastically lower their metabolism so as to tap energy reserves stored as body fat at a slower rate. [wiki]

Old School_part one.

2007-11-28T00:05:00.001-05:00

"Bathroom walls, the old school chat rooms" - Cold Case, Nov. 25.2007

Novemberfest.

2007-11-26T23:21:00.001-05:00

Novemberfest 07 / Mtl, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Trainspotting.

2007-11-26T20:45:00.001-05:00

"limaza la youmkinouni an a3ref, maza yajri men 7awli?" - Mamnou3, Ghassan Rahbani.
Why can I not know what is going on around me?

El Generalissimo Michel Aoun, calls for all Christian Minds to show up at his house in Rabieh for a "train wagon" of talk, negotiations, and mental masturbation.
Many decided to show up and many didn't. But amongst those who did make an appearance, were Gassan, and his father, Elias el Rahbani.

WTF!
You guys aren't even mentioned on wickipedia!

They are maybe on research duty, writing for another play. They mingle with the big boys, see how they talk it out, and then go take the material onto the stage, and sing it out to us, the poor commoners.

f. morons.

Rejoice people of Lebanon, for we do not write history, we sing it!

Ref: tayyar.org

Dreams of Water.

2007-11-19T21:33:00.000-05:00

Home / Dec.2006 / Beirut, Lebanon / Nikon FG

"... You know, sometimes I think these are the very things that give me comfort, Salah says, gesturing at the places and people around them. The thought that everything will continue to change no matter how hard I try to stop it from doing so. That I will grow steadily older, through different and better defines, and that because of this there will always be newness in me too. He pauses. Coming to this city has made me understand many things that I had not been aware of before. It's made me think of myself in a different way.

Aneesa nods.
That's happened to me too. But what about all the things we left behind when we left home?

They're still here. He stops and looks at her. You must feel the same way too?

I can't forget everything that's happened, she replies. Bassam, my father and what's happened to our country. I can never put those things behind me.

That's not what I meant, Salah says, shaking his head. It's not a question of forgetting.

What is it then, Salah? What do you think I am meant to do?

He runs a trembling hand over his hair and smiles.
Just be happy my dear. Do just that."

Jarrar, Nada Awar. Dreams of Water (p:44-45). HarperCollinsPublishers, London, 2007.

Faithful [In her Hair].

2007-11-12T00:12:00.000-05:00

So I got wife this barrette (hair clip) that I found in an antique Chinese shop. There were but a handful of those clips, and they looked really nice and fancy; they were handmade. I found the one I like and as I was reaching to grab it, the old lady that keeps the shop said:

- each one have meaning... which you want?
- I like this one, I said. What does it mean?
- Oooh, this one good. This one mean good! You take!
- What does it mean?
- Faithful! she shouted... Means faithful.
Fidelité in french hahahahah. She laughed at her French tentative.

And I thought PERFECT! It will look beautiful holding baby's beautiful night colored hair, and the interpretation is every man's desire and wish of course.

I ran back home ecstatic and exited, and played with wife the "guess-what-did-I-get-you-game". After 15mns of torment and playfulness, I offered the clip to her, holding it in my two straightened arms. Stretched like that in front of my chest.
It means faithful... I whispered softly.
She smiled, habibi she said, took it, gave me a kiss, and lifted it up to her hair.

As soon as the clip touched her hair, it broke in two.

----
The barrette you see in the picture above, is the second one I got. I had to go back and get her another one!
Faithful means Faithful!

Tow-Away Zone.

2007-11-09T23:46:00.000-05:00

photo by her / march 2005 / Beirut, Lebanon

Last week, our Capital City was supposed to get its first Parking Meters, since the civil war. Did it happen? Did anybody see anything? I don’t know.

How cool is that? Our first Parking Meters since the 1975-1990 civil war! Does that mean all our troubles are now so far away?

It would only be fair to inform those who don't know, that in contemporary Beirut, you can park your car almost anywhere you can fit it, except in areas where the military decided you couldn't for security reasons. Not your security, but the security of the big shot asshole that lives nearby. Parking is usually done on streets, on sidewalks (yes ON sidewalks), and in empty lots (terrains vagues) where you would be charged a mere 1$ or 2$ for a full day. Give the guy 5$, and you may even come back to find your car washed and cleaned. But that's irrelevant now.

Beirut was a cool and clean city before the war as the world must know by now, all with adequate street furniture, and traffic control signage worthy of any rising intermediate city; we had a lot of attention to detail. When chaos reigned over the streets, signage became the least of the inhabitants’ worries; which is rather normal. In fact those who abided by rules and regulations of traffic, became a joke to others, and chaos became the rule. In times of an absurd war, speed limits were just a number, double parking was a trend, and traffic jams were resolved with an emptying of an AK47 magazine in the air.

Although Beirut rose again, as beautiful as ever, still traffic signs lagged behind. In Downtown Beirut, everything is in mint condition except that our generation (the war generation) is just not used to seeing a no parking sign (or any sign for that matter). What is a stop sign, why are those speed limits everywhere? Are you kidding me?

I was once in my car stopped still at a red light. Cars were honking behind me angrily. For once, I decided not to move and educate those bastards. A cop rode beside me on his Harley Davidson and said: “Move out you stupid ass, can’t you see the chaos behind you?” (2arrib ya 7mar, ma cheyif el 3aj2a warak?)
- But the light is red! I said stupidly.
- Move, move, move, before I give you a ticket!

The dude, threatened to give me a ticket for stopping at a red light!

As Colonel Joseph Doueihy, in charge of the traffic department at the interior ministry, mentioned to AFP, gradually more units will be installed throughout the capital as part of a major effort to regulate circulation.
Funding for this project will come from World Bank, which will make our debt even bigger. Yeah the World Bank, why did you think Iran, Syria, or Saudi Arabia were going to cater for that? Or were you counting on the West? No no, these guys will only help you go to war... mind you, the Kingdom funded many infrastructure projects during the Hariri Sr. reign. It was of course to achieve political powers, but let's spare them this discourse for the time being.

He also said, “people who fail to feed the meters or who overstay the two-hour limit risk a ticket of 20,000 pounds (about 13 dollars) or even being towed”. Correct me if I am wrong here, but I didn’t think we paid our tickets in Lebanon. I just thought they went straight to the recycle bin, or even removed off the windshield and thrown right away on the asphalt beneath our feet. Did you ever have to pay for a ticket you got? I remember once getting a ticket; I was ecstatic that I got my first ticket ever – it was yellow and all. I was proud. I asked where to pay for it, and I was told that I shouldn’t. “You just throw it away”.

A survey done with citizens and posh shop owners proved that some were happy about the new parking meters, while others thought that it was going to be just pointless and useless. "I don't think people will respect the rules because they are used to chaos," one woman said. "I think they will try and find a way to beat the system. And even if they get tickets, do you really think they will pay them?"
And this is exactly what I think will happen.
Can you explain to me, why is it that, in general, the Lebanese are the first to follow rules and regulations when abroad, but in their own country, they just don’t give a damn, and choose to be oblivious.
Weird species we are!

I was talking jokingly with my friends about those new parking meters we were getting, and they, with all seriousness, thought that it was no time for Parking Meters while we still can pick our own president. Well my friends, civility has to start at some point, and we can’t keep on waiting for others to wake up. In Lebanon, a group wants to push the country forward, and another group wants to drag it back. I say to hell with that, we have to start at some point. Those who do not pay their phone bills or electricity bills will not worry about parking tickets anyway, others… well you just have to take one for the team.

I think it is a great idea to install those parking meters, and while they are at it, they might as well install NO CAMPING signs in downtown Beirut. Actually, what they should be doing, is inventing or creating a “no-camping-in-central-districts-you-fuck-or-you-will-get-shot” sign!

I am going to invent it!

On another front, Doueihy said: "Our aim is to institute order and to ease the city's traffic chaos." No Mr. Doueihy (or should I say colonel)! You got it all wrong; this will not ease traffic chaos.
What the Lebanese Government don’t seem to understand, is that budgeting for more infrastructure, building more roads, and installing traffic signs will not ease traffic jams and traffic chaos. Only an elaborate public transportation will… and of course public awareness, but I dare you to do that.

There you go.
I have been in a terrible mood this week!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. [Moon Over Scorpio]

2007-11-04T23:41:00.000-05:00

Confused / Nov.4.2007 / Montréal, Qc / Canon Eos Digital Rebel XTi

Why do we, Scorpios, always get depressed on our birthdays?
I am 30 years old today.

I had a bad dream last night. I rarely have nightmares, because I usually control my dreams. I have been told many times by my friends, that this was almost impossible to do, and that it is freaky that I can do so. But I promise you I can.
I can just imagine a scene, sleep, dream about it, and wake up the next day in full content mode. I remember every detail of the scene, and I remember that I dreamed it. I dream in color and sound also.

Last night I had a bad dream. I was running and I was hiding. I woke up, looked at wife's angelic face seeking help... she was sleeping. I closed my eyes again, and I continued running. I was all alone.
After hours of running and ducking all around the city, I ended up hiding in the attic, in my old parents' house in Beirut. My aggressors were looking for me in the house. Thank God the house was empty, and they were not able to harm my parents. I was defending the fort on my own.
I waited until my attackers went into my old room, and from the attic, I closed my eyes and threw in a grenade. Right into my old room. Right into my memories. It fucking tore me apart, but I had to do it. I had to do it you see, they were talking and threatening that they were going to kill everySOUL I loved. So instead, I preferred to destroy them along with everyTHING I loved, and I had once owned. Every memory, and everything that has ever made me smile.

The fatality of the story is that it was all for nothing. In my dream, I was being accused of something I had not done. I was innocent. The system was so corrupt and absurd, that there was no use explaining to them that I had nothing to do with what they were accusing me of. There was nowhere for me to plead my case. I was a criminal by designation, and I had to run. I was forced to fight for my life.
To save my life, I had to destroy my past. I blew it all up with a fucking grenade.

I miss my parents. I miss my old house. I miss my Beirut.
I decided that I should go back home for Christmas. Back to the old memories I blew up when I left.
I am 30 years old today.

Architecture of Dreams.

2007-10-30T00:44:00.000-04:00

Museum of Modern Art / Feb.05 / New York City, NY / Nikon Coolpix 5700

Architects can be so arrogant. Including my so-called self. I mean you can say all you want about Disney and its Architecture.

- Oh this is so Disney Land you say whenever you want to critique, and reference to an eclectic object of Design bordering the cliché – or beyond.

Who are you?
Give the guy a break; you practically grew up watching what he did and created for you. All he cared about was to build an empire for you; a palette of dreams and hopes for you to dip your brush of being in.

I am not asking you to accept his architectural taste, and to promote it; far from that.
All I’m saying is that you could shut up about it already.

Come your children, what do you think they are going to watch?
You didn’t even bring yourself to go see “my architect”. And this is a movie about Louis Kahn, one the Great Ones you highly respect.

What do you think they are going to like?
Do you think they’re going to ask you to take them to the MoMA, or to Disneyland?

Shut up already!

Get your ass off the couch and do something useful for humanity. Let your work be criticized.

Bitch Please!

2007-10-26T00:05:00.000-04:00

There is a woman that rides the same bus I take to and from work everyday, that drives me nuts. If you knew me in person, you would know that I usually have high tolerance for breathing life around me, especially human beings, but she just hits me on THAT nerve.

As much as possible, and whenever I can, I always try to circulate towards the back of the bus, where it is always more spacious, and where there is a better chance at finding seats. Many of you do the same I presume. And when the bus is fully crowded, you just find a decent spot in which you stand and hang on to something, and wait for the bus to halt so you can try to proceed towards the back.

She, on the other hand, needs to find a seat no matter what. No matter how crowded the bus is, she straddles, shoves, and crams, trying to find her way towards the back, sniffing for an empty seat, while uttering her uber annoying trademark: excusez, excusez (excuse me, in French), which when she pronounces it, comes out as sssscussez, sssscussez.
AAAAH, she just kills me!

I even had an altercation with her once: the bus was so full on that day, that it seemed that it was going to spit passengers out on every corner. I hardly had one inch to move, and unmistakably, in she comes – ssscussez, ssscussez – forcing her way in, and pushing people out of her way, and you could tell that passengers were annoyed. When she got to my spot, I refused to move. In fact I held on as tight as I could in order not to let her through…
She looks at me… ssscussez…

- There is nowhere I can go ma’am, and there is nowhere you could go. Look at the bus! Stay here and we’ll move on the next station.
- Ssscusssez…
- Ma’am, there is nowhere to go. I am not moving, if you want to move to the back, you have to climb on me.

And I promise you, climb on me she did!!! Ssscusssez.

Today, it happened that she was at the same stop I was waiting at. She was late, and I saw her running from afar as the bus came to a stop in front of me. I swear to you she tried to come in before me despite the fact that I was waiting there long before her. I walked in to the middle of the cart, and she made her way in ssscussez towards me. There was nowhere to sit. She pushed me out of her way, and went towards the back only to find that there was no seating. You could read disappointment in her eyes as she exhaled. Her eyes met mine… she remembered me… I gave her the look.
Then suddenly, and as if to prove that there is a God, the seat right in front of me emptied, I looked at her, she was ready to move in. I calmly looked at her, rotated 180 degrees, looked at her again, smiled, and sat. I opened my book, crossed my legs, gave her another look, and let out the biggest exhale ever registered on this planet.

She looked at me furiously, and ssscusssez ssscusssez, she left the bus.

O Sweet and Divine Vengeance!!!!

Recycle your Gum.

2007-10-24T23:05:00.000-04:00

Here's a superb invention to be added to our library of ideas, in our ongoing struggle to save our fragile blue planet.
From now on, and thanks to designer Anna Bullus, we will not have chewing gum stick to our shoes anymore. She created a new biodegradable material she developed made from sterilized used chewing gum and bio resin.
The Gumnetic: Bubble Gum Bin, in the shape of a bubble, can plug to any urban furniture and will hopefully keep chewing gum litter from our sidewalks and shoes.
When the bin is full, the entire container is recycled to make even more bins.

So next time your gum looses its sugary taste and pop, don’t just throw it away! Recycle it!

Happy Birthday.

2007-10-20T23:59:00.000-04:00

His birthday occurs three weeks after hers.

Before they had even celebrated her birthday, she was planning his.
Is there bigger love?

She doesn’t give a flying f. about the day she was born on; she cares only for his existence.
There is no bigger love.

And he loves every breath she takes.

les poupées russes_

2007-10-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

"poutine québecoise" / June 2007/ Montréal, Québec / Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Katyusha - Russian Folk

on shopping.

2007-10-17T14:33:00.000-04:00

For me, shopping is like masturbating in public. There is a feeling of exposure and, at the same time, depersonalization: you watch yourself finger a polo shirt, or inspect a cuff with the sort of creeping existential dread normally reserved for the characters in a Sartre play.

-- Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Žižek (1998).

I think it's a little bit of an uncomfortable space, which I like. It's probably a good thing that the store makes you self-aware and self-conscious - a clothing store, a shoe store - because in part you're scrutinizing your identity.

-- Store designer, Rafael de Cárdenas.

Building Memories.

2007-10-14T13:17:00.000-04:00

If you were convinced, and surely you were going to go... to depart, what would be your last words to your love?
Would they be “I love you” or “don’t forget me’?

Selfishly I think, I would choose the later.

She knows that I love her, she can read it in my eyes, but I want to make sure that she will never forget us.

All we have left are memories.

Promises yes, and hopes sure! But the only element that remained true, constant, and kept on building throughout the years, is memory.

You don’t want to lose that.

my sky.

2007-10-14T03:19:00.000-04:00

_
_
__________________________________the flâneur [a trip with emily]
_
+

Destabilizing Nature

2007-10-10T01:19:00.000-04:00

Sept.2007 / Mont Ste Hilaire, Qc / Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

Wake up Call.

2007-10-02T20:07:00.001-04:00

The following picture deals with mature subject matter and contains scenes of nudity and coarse language. Viewer discretion is advised.
----

Ladies and Gentlemen... Maroon 5!

Justified Paranoia?

2007-10-01T00:27:00.000-04:00

I live in one of the many colorful neighborhoods of Montreal. From on my tiny balcony overlooking the street, I can witness a whole palette of ethnicities meander by the lenses of my camera.
Despite the fact that every Sunday the neighborhood transforms into little Manila, I think that the Jewish community is still predominant in the area.

Every year the JCC (Jewish Community Center) undergoes some sort of renovation or innovation even; and this year is no different; they will be working on adding an extra building to their school. They will remove parking space and relocate kid’s playground, to make way for new architecture.

It just so happens that the firm I work for, got the commission to work on this ambitious project. Out of convenience (since I live close to the site), my boss approached me and asked if I could pass by the JCC and take photos of the existing condition; a normal and habitual procedure before embarking on the design, so we know our way around the site.

- _z, would you be able to pass by the JCC tomorrow to take some pictures?
[a moment of silence]
- I would… except you don’t want that; I am Lebanese. (I said with a smile)
- So What?
- You don’t seem to understand. The JCC is under surveillance most of the time, and there are police cars patrolling the area around the clock.
- It’s true I didn’t think that way.
- It’s just that they are going to ask so many questions, and being Lebanese will most probably complicate things.
- Give them your business card, and you’ll be fine!
- Hahahaha, you think?
- Okay! I’ll ask M-E to go.

A few minutes after this conversation was over, I felt like shit. This wasn’t like me. I never thought this way before. I have always tried to evade prejudice and classification, and more so, I never was afraid of anyone. Something stung me that day, and made me decide to see race and religion.

Nothing will ever be right, as long as humanity is still plunged in this mechanism of hypnotic paranoia. I also fell in her trap. I am stupid.

A day goes by, M-E comes back from photo day, her face black with anger. A. had gone with her. He is going to be working on the project also, and might as well visit the grounds; his tagging along had proven to be an excellent move. Upon arrival, the guard intercepted their work. He forbade them to take further pictures.
He never addressed a single glance at M-E.
She spoke; he pretended she is not in his realm.

When they told the story, we all laughed, and started picturing what would have happened, if I had accepted the task.

----
The first layer of the story details, how my Paranoia was justified, and how I had the right to have been skeptical and hesitant.

The second layer tells a different story: Any “center” or institution, would have asked questions if approached with a camera lens.
It is even imperative in times like this.
So why am I telling the story to begin with. Why am I writing this?
Forget about the part of the guard not looking at M-E… that’s fanaticism. I despise fanaticism in any shape and form, so that’s not the issue.

Why am I telling the story this way? Why am I presenting it like that?

Here’s what I think about differences:
At first level, there is no fear.
We have personal friendships.
When it groups to a big number, it gets a bit weird.
At the level of communities, the “malaise” occurs.

So it’s all a matter of scale really.
And maybe, just maybe… my paranoia was justified after all.

The Mighty Falls.

2007-09-26T00:44:00.001-04:00

TheFalls Series / Sept.2007/ Niagara Falls, Ontario/ Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi

more photographs of the falls on the flaneur

The Monarch; A Butterfly's Odyssey.

2007-09-11T00:38:00.001-04:00

all photos: September 2007 / Montreal, Qc / Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi.

Last week, we were lucky enough to have witnessed the release of the second generation of Monarchs, at the Botanical Garden of Montreal. These fascinating North American Butterflies are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration; they make massive southward migrations starting in August until the first frost, and then a northward migration starting spring - an incredible yet perilous journey of more than 4.000km in total [from Canada to Mexico].

Female Monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations. It takes several generations to complete one journey, and scientists are still trying to figure out how a Monarch Butterfly can find its way along the migration route, if it had never been there in the first place. The normal lifespan of a Monarch is less than 2 months for butterflies born in early summer. The Last generation of Monarchs born towards the end of the summer, enters in a non-reproductive phase (diapause) and can live longer, up to 7 months. During diapause, these butterflies "overwinter" and usually do not reach sexual maturity until it gets warm, and only then, they can reproduce (a butterfly that can have sex, lives a lot less than a non-sexual butterfly). The generation that "overwinters" can reach as far north as Texas or Oklahoma during spring migration; only the second, third and even fourth generation of Monarchs reaches Northern USA, and Canada sometime in spring.

Monarch Butterflies can also make transatlantic voyages to Bermuda, and southwest of Great Britain. They have also been noted in New Zealand during warm seasons.

These orange & black butterflies are one of the few insects that allow themselves to chill and fly carefree in our skies. They are able to do so, because as beautiful and colorful as they are, they taste very bad. Predators (birds), after having a tasting of one Monarch will have cramps, stomachaches, and will most likely vomit. They will remember this bad taste and associate it with the color of the butterfly. They will never attempt to attack it again.

Monarch Butterflies nest in one special plant called Asclepiade (or milkweed). Unfortunately this plant is considered a "bad herb" and is, most of the time, removed from our gardens and lawns. I urge you my friends, if you happen to identify the Asclepiade in your garden, do not remove it for it will most likely become a substation for these gorgeous butterflies; an oasis where they can rest... and get busy!

You can also buy a kit for breeding Monarchs, with tags and all. You breed it, tag it, release it, and contribute in better understanding the behavior of this fascinating Butterfly.

yaaaaaaay [ma a7lekeh]

2007-09-06T19:53:00.000-04:00

I am sure you got this by now

Divine Victory.

2007-09-05T00:49:00.000-04:00

And a moment of silence for our fallen heroes.

Ref: http://albaladonline.com/
http://www.lebarmy.gov.lb

Her Sacred Feet.

2007-09-04T00:54:00.000-04:00

First Nations Garden / September 2007/ Montreal, Quebec/ Canon EOS 400D

Caramel [Sekkar Banet!]

2007-09-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

Lebanese language pic eyes French record

By Charles Masters
Aug 24, 2007 PARIS -- "Caramel" is the flavor of the month in France. The female-skewing Lebanese comedy last week drew 160,000 admissions in its first week of release and could be on course to become the biggest Arabic-language hit ever in Gaul.

"It's absolutely incredible. Especially given that it's a first film with no stars," says Jean Labadie, head of French distributor Bac Films.

Directed and co-written by Nadine Labaki, who also stars, "Caramel" centers on a Beirut beauty salon where women of different ages and religions discuss their lives and loves. The intimate exchanges cover the problems of having a married lover, coming to terms with same-sex attraction and deciding whether to have surgery to restore "virginity" ahead of marriage.

"We promoted it as a film about women and one that doesn't talk about war. It evokes the situation in Beirut today with a lot more subtlety than a lot of other recent Lebanese films," Labadie says. "It talks about women in a manner that women find very funny but that men do too. It's what you call a date movie."

"Caramel" was produced by Anne-Dominique Toussaint through her Paris-based banner Les Films des Tournelles. The $1.5 million film screened in the Directors' Fortnight sidebar at May's Festival de Cannes (during film projection in Cannes), which Toussaint says was a "huge" boost for its profile. Sales company Roissy Films closed about 30 deals in the space of a week.

In an audacious release strategy by Bac, "Caramel" came out on 182 prints in France, an approach Toussaint praised. "(Labadie) saw that he had to bring the film out of the world cinema ghetto," she says.

Last year, Bac enjoyed considerable success with another Arabic-language film, "The Yacoubian Building." It sold 150,000 theatrical tickets and racked up strong numbers on DVD. With favorable press and good word-of-mouth, Labadie says he is hopeful that "Caramel" can top the record for the biggest-selling Arabic film in France, held by Youssef Chahine's "Destiny," which sold about 600,000 tickets in 1997.

"Caramel" was released Aug. 8 in Lebanon, where it looks set to break the 100,000-admissions barrier, a major hit on home turf. But will France be the only Western market with a taste for "Caramel"? Toussaint thinks not.

"It's a comedy, but it also has a strong emotional base," she says. "The film is very anchored in its specific culture, but at the same time it's universal."

"Caramel" begins its North American career with a slot next month at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of a planned U.S. release through Roadside Attractions. Those involved with the film hope it will be Lebanon's contender for a foreign-language Oscar nomination, which already looks to be a good bet.

official site for Caramel

My Latest "coup de coeur".

2007-08-28T00:32:00.000-04:00

Here's my latest infatuation, unbelievably cute:
SOKO - I'll kill her.

[stick around until the end]

Here's another version - live on stage

Click here for the lyrics.

Les Nuits du Liban.

2007-08-25T21:42:00.001-04:00

If you happen to read here regularly, you should know by now that I am an everlasting nostalgic; nothing deters my mind away from my home country.

But you know... if you must leave… and of all places/cities/countries one can be in, I have to confess and shout it out loud:
"THANK GOD FOR MONTREAL".

Small things like that make me feel right at home sometimes.

Place: Intabli [3intableh], Montréal.
Subject: Nuits du Liban, a fruit cocktail a la libanaise [wa7ad Nuits du Liban lal shabb 3al sari3!]

Nuits du Liban / August 2007/ Montreal, Quebec/ Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi.

This Blogger is Gone... and Back!

2007-08-23T23:24:00.000-04:00

It took a message from Krys to wake, and remind me that vacation time is over, and that I have to get back to my blogging addiction and duties.

The thing is - and it happens a lot, being a perfectionist - I was waiting for the perfect post before I tended to my "normal/regular" everyday life stories. I was trying to write a super nice and complex post about the big changes that stormed my life this summer, but never found the time to give it its worth.

I realize now, that a simple post would have done the job. Then, I could move on much easier, and start talking about the many events that are occurring in other people's life (so as in mine). After all, my voyeur nature asserts and confirms that others' lives are much more interesting than mine.

... so here it goes...

It was uncertain, fast, unplanned and unrehearsed, but it was something we both have been waiting for... for a long long time.
The situation in Lebanon, my father's shaky health, and the fact that 80% of my friends could not make it to Beirut this summer, were considerations to annul, or report our official union.
It was also a last minute decision, but in the end we prevailed, and together we were able to omit the word "Long distance" that used to precede the word "relationship", whenever we had to explain that "thing" we had.

In the end, and on 20.07.2007 @ 07:07 p.m., this beautiful union, marked our lives, our history and forever, our memories....

Flying back home on Firday the 13th.

2007-07-13T14:53:00.001-04:00

Remember this? well... see you in August!

Connecting the Dots_ [is war imminent?]

2007-07-08T13:05:00.001-04:00

A Day with a born-to-be Princess.

2007-07-01T11:47:00.000-04:00

[...]

Her:
hey do you mind if I walked on this side and you on that one?
Him:
what do you mean?
Her:
Can I walk on your left side?
Him:
... sure... but why?
Her:
that way you can fight off dragons with your right arm and protect me with your left...
Him:
... okay!

[...]

Her:
You know... I am tiny inside...
Him:
(choking on his food) WHAT?
Her:
I am so tiny, but I can eat big!

.... silence

Her:
I mean when it comes to food, I can eat like a monster.
Him:
oh!
yeah yeah!
Her:
What's wrong?
Him:
no no, I agree. You're small and you have a big appetite, you can eat a lot.
Her:
hihihihi... yeah!

[...]

Her:
Hey, can you come with me to check out the "Human Body and Organ exhibition"?
Him:
Yeah it should be interesting, I was planning to go too.
Her:
Oh my God! I so want to go, but I am afraid to go there on my own...
Him:
Why is that?
Her:
I would be afraid... You know, it is weird that I am afraid to see something that is already inside me.
Him:
But fear too is inside you...

... silence

Her:
Wait I know you said something very smart here, I am just trying to figure it out...
Him:
Take your time.

[...]

Montréal 28ºC à l'ombre_ [Feminine_01]

2007-06-29T14:09:00.000-04:00

Je me souviens!

2007-06-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

Whether you would like it separate and independent, or part of big Canada, no one can ever deny the beauty of this rich province (la belle province), or the friendliness and joie-de-vivre of its inhabitants.

Today every good Québécois will drink, laugh, and sing, while brandishing the "fleur de lys". We will all be gathered to celebrate the national holiday of Quebec: "La Saint Jean Batiste". Streets, houses and people all dressed in blue will be celebrating till the early hours of Monday... All you have to do is stroll throughout the city, find your fiesta, and party all night.

I leave you for the night with a bit of folklore québécois, and actually one of my personal favorites. Obviously, Dégénérations, is a double-entendre meaning Generations and Degeneration, and the lyrics portray just that; very nicely might I add.
I am pasting the lyrics because I realize the accent québécois can be very hard for some to understand, and I think they are worth the read.
I have been here two years now, I have been training with the best (Antoine), and sometimes when talking to a pure-laine, I still find it hard to decrypt everything they say…
I apologize for not adding English translation.

----

Dégénérations - Mes Aieux
Ton arrière-arrière-grand-père, il a défriché la terre
Ton arrière-grand-père, il a labouré la terre
Et pi ton grand-père a rentabilisé la terre
pis ton père, il l'a vendu pour devenir fonctionnaire

Et pi toé mon p'tit gars, tu sais pu c'que tu vas faire
Dans ton p'tit trois et d'mi ben trop cher, frète en hiver
Il te vient des envies de dev'nir propriétaire
Et tu rêves la nuit d'avoir ton petit lopin d'terre

Ton arrière-arrière-grand-mère, elle a eu quatorze enfants
Ton arrière-grand-mère en a eu quasiment autant
Et pi ta grand-mère en a eu trois c'tait suffisant
pis ta mère en voulait pas, toé t'étais un accident

Et pi toé ma p'tite fille, tu changes de partenaires tout l'temps
Quand tu fais des conn'ries, tu t'en sauves en avortant
Mais y'a des matins, tu te réveilles en pleurant
Quand tu rêves la nuit d'une grande table entourée d'enfants

Ton arrière-arrière-grand-père, a vécu la grosse misère
Ton arrière-grand-père, il ramassait les cents noires
Et pi ton grand-père, miracle, y'est devenu millionnaire
Ton père en a hérité, il l'a tout mit dans ses réers

Et pi toé p'tite jeunesse tu doé ton cul au ministère
Pas moyen d'avoir un prêt dans une institution bancaire
Pour calmer tes envies de hold-uper la caissière
tu lis des livres qui parlent de simplicité volontaire

Tes arrières-arrières-grands-parents ils savaient comment fêter
Tes arrières-grands-parents ça swingait fort dans les veillées
Pis tes grands-parents ont connu l'époque yé-yé
Tes parents c’tait les discos c'est là qu'ils se sont rencontrés

Et pi toé mon ami qu'est-ce que tu fais de ta soirée
Éteins donc ta T.V. faut pas rester encabané
Heureusement que dans vie certaines choses refusent de changer
Enfiles tes plus beaux habits car nous allons ce soir danser...

BONNE ST. JEAN A TOUS!

Montréal 28ºC à l'ombre_ [Blue_01]

2007-06-17T13:11:00.001-04:00

Montréal 28ºC à l'ombre_ [Refreshing]

2007-06-16T22:44:00.001-04:00

Smoking Red_Shanghai Style.

2007-06-13T01:47:00.000-04:00

Chunghwa Lights

Montréal 28ºC à l'ombre_ [Take On The Streets]

2007-06-11T01:52:00.001-04:00