What is important in life!

My friend’s father died this back home this past Thursday. It got me thinking!
Holly crap, what if, God forbids, this happened to me! My dad is getting old.. he has his health issues, and as we say in Arabic “lives are in the hand of God”. You never know what will happen! At least my friend who is an Arab-American, at least he is a US citizen which grants him the freedom to travel and he was lucky enough to be home few weeks ago and he saw his dad just then, but me…. Since I am waiting for the freaking green card I can’t leave!

I have not seen my parents since 2004 when they came to the states for one month visit. Have not seen my brother and sister since 1998! 2 of my uncles died, my favorite aunt died and I could not go to say good bye! Is this fair? And for what? For a dream that is evaporating in front of my eyes? For a dream of becoming an American? For what? Is this the price I have to pay on top of working hard in the states and paying my taxes and obeying the law?

This is ridiculous…it scared the hell out of me, what if my dad or mom get sick? What would I do? Do I go home and be with them, and risk losing all of what I worked hard for in these 13 years of being here? I have done everything right, and still to do everything right you have to follow some outdated and stringent rules.

I thought about it on my way back from my friend’s place.
I have decided, that to hell with the American dream if it comes down to be with my parents in the time they need me the most. Neither America nor any place in the world is worth the satisfaction and the smile of one of my parents.

I hope that those idiots who put these stupid rules, I hope they one day somehow get to feel what people like me go through and make these choices!

A Social Experiment

A Social Experiment

I have been working on a small social experiment around here.
I selected 3 places that I usually go to with some friends, and over a period of time I introduced my self using a fictional character called Mike who is from Germany. I used this Mike name for about 2 weeks then I flipped back to my real Arabic name (Mohamad) and of course my real identity. During that time, I did an EXTRA effort to go and meet new people, while my friends acting as a cover to me. Now you have to understand that I used that on different people, randomly. The results were AMAZING.

In the case of Mohamad from Jordan:
I managed to break the ice sometimes, start a somewhat good conversation but could not keep the pace going that way for long and out of 7 or 8 people I randomly met I think I actually made a good connection with one who was genuinely interested about talking to me and interested about me: Mohamad from Jordan.

In case of Mike from Germany:
OH MY GOD. I think I could have befriended half of the town with this name. Immediately people were interested to meet a European, asking questions about why am I here, how long etc. Tons of questions about beer of course!! (which, I lied my way through of course). The interest was enormous, people asking to meet up later to go play Football, one guy even invited me over for dinner with his wife! I got 3 girls to volunteer their phone numbers!!!! All because they thought I was Mike from Germany!

I have to say, Germans are not more fun than us Arabs, but it appears people have there own prejudices that kick in right away once they hear a name that in there mind associate with things they either hate or fear.

I thought it was an interesting experiment, and wanted to share it with you my friends.

For the record, I have a great group of American friends around here who I would not trade for the world!

Frustration

Frustration according to Merriam-Webster as: a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs.

Wow, who ever wrote that definition was right on the mark. Granted I don’t think I am suffering from CHRONIC sense, but by God I do have unresolved problems, one after the other. The worst feeling is when you fight through a problem, and just when you are about to break through, just then…. Things come down tumbling down.
God I hate that.

Anger and Caring

I have been approached by several friends on different occasions who told me, Mo.. you need to slow down. You need to calm down and stop being angry.
I was kind of shocked that my friends thought I was an angry guy most of the time, but then they started recounting occasions in which I was easily angered by some actions wither by other friends or by just random people.

After thinking about it, I came to this conclusion: My friends are right. BUT, don’t I have the right to be upset at the stupidity of others toward me and the rest of the world? Hmmm

Then last night came, me and my best friend are at his place late at night and we started talking about this again! Apparently my impatience with moronic actions is the topic of the hour! We talked and talked and talked….and he said something that I never considered! He said, ”Mo the reason you get angry is you treat people with respect, and when they don’t show the same consideration and respect you get pissed, you know why? Because you care, you SHOULD STOP CARING”

I jus thought about it this morning again, and he is absolutely right, I care too much about people in my life despite the fact they might not care the same way. I am considerate to there opinions and feelings because this is what I think a good brother, friend, co-worker and fellow human being should do but in the same time they just DON”T care.

So from now on, I will try my best to not give a fuck and not care and see what new development can happen!!!

Life's troubles

Life’s troubles


It’s 5:15 AM, and I have just sipped my first sip of coffee for the day. It’s quite and my mind literally empty. I know I have a busy day at the office.. a site meeting at 8, 2 proposals need to be out.. a report due this Wednesday that we have not even touched! And more and more….

But I find my self just, over relaxed I think! Listening to the noises of insects outside my window, the occasional cars passing by….and it’s so relaxing and peaceful. In 2 hours all of this will be gone, lost between the hustle and bustle of our modern daily life..

I have a cousin back in Suba (Hebron), his name is Ziad, smart as hell, but he chose to not continue schooling and decided to become a Sheppard!!! Why? I asked?, He said, weather I am rich or poor I will find some food to keep me surviving, but at least as a Sheppard I don’t have to deal with a lot of life’s problems.. I am with my herd in the mountain, what ever God gives me from theire milk, wool and meat is what I will be making that year and done. I thought he was crazy, but the more I get older the more I am thinking…. God damn it.. Ziad was right.

Abd Al Rahman

A Hero

Few months ago, I stated that I will start telling everybody about some of my heroes. Today I will tell you about one extraordinary hero of mine… his story sounds like it came out of an adventure book.

Yes, he was prince ladies. He was the grandson of one of the greatest Caliphs (Kings) of the Umayyad dynasty. From their capital in Damascus, they ruled the earth. They founded the first Islamic empire. There domain stretched from the wall of China to southern Spain.

Years passed and our young prince grew up in the palaces of Damascus, having the time of his life. Until one day, the “Black Banners of the East” showed up on his door steps. A revolution broke out in the east and spread toward the west… to Damascus.

The Caliph of that time sent the first and second army to defeat the rebels, but to no avail. They were lead by a terrifying Persian commander… (Abu Muslim AL Khurasani), he left no one, and had mercy on no now who had any sympathy to the Umayyad dynasty.

Soon our prince had to leave; the rebels were targeting the royal family and killing all of its members. He ran o Egypt. He took his wife, his children, his sisters … and his twelve years old step brother. They hid in a small village by the Nile…. One day the enemy found out there location…. And our prince took his younger brother and told him to run…. He left his family and children with his faithful and loyal servant, and ran.

They jumped into the Nile and swam…. By the middle of the river…. His younger brother got tired and decided to go back to the other side…. Where the enemies were waiting…. Our prince shouted no no… come back…. But the young boy won’t listen….he made it back to the beach…and without a delay… the enemy put the young boy to the sword.

Our prince was left alone in this world. He walked and walked… to the west he kept walking. One year later….he landed in Spain. Within 10 years, the young prince took over Spain and re-continued the Umayyad dynasty in the west, while his enemies in the east established the Abbasid dynasty in Baghdad.

Our prince led the Muslims of Spain in a long and epic struggle to unite… and then, to defeat the European enemies in the north and reassure Islam’s control over this part of Spain. If it was not for this man, the Islamic civilization would have not blossomed in Spain.




But all these glories came at a heavy price, by the end of his life he said:” People envy me because I am a man with a mighty army and beautiful palaces, who controls a vast domain. They don’t know that since the fall and murder of my people in Damascus I have had only 4 days of happiness. The rest of the days of the past 30 years, I lived in anguish, fear, and wars. Tell those who envy me to be thankful to God, for at least they can sleep without a fear of being killed while they are sleeping”

But the Prince, missed his old home and palaces back and in the east… he brought the first palm tree into Spain and planted it in his palace in Cordoba. So my friend if you ever make it to Spain and you see these amazing palm trees in the south of Spain, remember the young prince who was running from Damascus more than 1300 years ago and thank him.

May God have mercy on this Prince: Abdu Al-Rahman Al Dakhil
Abdu Al Rahman The Conqueror

A Happy Eulogy

Let the trees weep and the sky darken… let the world know that another good man has fallen a prisoner to Eve’s daughters ….

Today I inform you that my dearest friend… best cheese cake maker ever, hands down…. is… engaged…

We met twelve of years ago at the computer lab at UMKC, and ever since we became good friends. We bitched at the world together… we planned the demise of our enemies together… we were EDIT’s… (Evil Guys In Training). Me, Him, and others… we were few… an evil happy few (this excludes Mhamoud Khan, Javed, and Nitin because they thought they were evil but they were not, we had them there because of affirmative action, just for the record)

Then my lad moved to Chicago to attend the Academy of Evil Philosophy and Sciences. The move to Chicago did not change things at all… we still met on regular bases, smoked cigars, drank coffee, smoked more cigars. talked politics, smoked argeeleh (Hookah)… bitched at this and that…. But then he met her…. And sadly my fellow readers.. he became civil… he changed.. I thought I could save him… but the dark side of the force was strong with her….. and thus he fell in love.. and got engaged…

Dear Dr. Cookies…. I shall never forget you my dearest friend… and when you guys argue about the color of the paint you are planning for the living room and she kicks you out… let it be known… there shall be a spot for you on my sofa… (bring your own pillow though… seriously)


Congratulations!