tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79545466399530205562024-03-13T20:34:15.325-04:00The BISS BlogBISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-48308094899726635662024-03-10T15:29:00.000-04:002024-03-10T15:29:13.755-04:00An Ode to my Wonderful TEACHERS<p>When we were kids, MOST of us hated school, we hated homework, we hated quizzes and exams... We hated our TEACHERS!!</p><div><br /></div><div>Most of us wanted to go to school to have fun with our friends, to play sports, to take part in clubs and activities, or to meet that girl/boy we liked... Some did not even want to go to school at all!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of us did not understand: What would we use Geometry for in real life!!</div><div>Most of us did not get it: Why do we need to learn about ancient history, it is history, who cares!</div><div>Most of us did not like it: This complicated Physics is irrelevant, I want to be a writer when I grow up, why waste my energy on it!</div><div>Most of us did not tolerate it: So much material to cover, so many quizzes and exams, too much pressure!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of us took it out on our TEACHERS: Disrespect, Practical Jokes, Pranks, and some really Nasty Pranks... We were creative in ways to get our frustration on our TEACHERS!</div><div><br /></div><div>MOST of us were wrong my friends...</div><div><br /></div><div>TEACHERS made us who we are today...</div><div>TEACHERS shaped a lot of our talents, strengths, and powers...</div><div>TEACHERS prepared us for real life, for the tough journey, for our future...</div><div>TEACHERS sacrificed themselves to ensure we can make it in life...</div><div>TEACHERS were generous and loving humans who gave us priceless wealth...</div><div>TEACHERS spent most of their lives dedicated to us, the mostly ungrateful students...</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is not about the science or art or talent of teaching or education or any of that!! There are professionals and experts for this!!</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is a Thank You, a genuine, heartfelt, grateful Big Thank You to all my wonderful TEACHERS...</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is an apology, a very long overdue apology, for not appreciating and acknowledging all my wonderful TEACHERS...</div><div><br /></div><div>This post is an Ode to my Wonderful TEACHERS, on the occasion of TEACHERS DAY yesterday in Lebanon...</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank Mrs. Hannoush for making me fall in love with English Writing...</div><div>Thank you Mr. Baghdadi and Mr. Ibrahim for making me adore Arabic classes...</div><div>Thank you Mr. Abou Daher and Mr. Boudaher for making our English classes more like fun lessons in life, not just English...</div><div>Thank you Mr. Qaisi and Mr. Hannoush for expanding my brain processing power to levels I never knew was possible...</div><div>Thank you Mrs. Sabbiyoun and Mr. Jba3i for making me enjoy Chemistry, a topic I never liked before...</div><div>Thank you Mr. Skafi and Mr. Harfoush and Mr. Bzee3 for making me fall in love with Science and Physics in the most creative ways...</div><div><br /></div><div>I can probably write pages and pages about my wonderful TEACHERS, even from elementary school, but I will stop with this, thanking everyone I did not mention above, and thanking the TEACHERS of today, and tomorrow... Thank you... Happy TEACHERS Day...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ0XJC-R_vJr0AUUHSZ3mScZRC31wIJDq630WpGz-Kd8_CqALEPjTmWj_XToaLqwkxJME10Y50f_WSSv4Q-StAxB6NNC7_ZhP8AYDPZtsAGVyCy67aWjVzbKL-5zNAdk-mjR8pfFB0B5CmkyG0pmsfvHET5Jrt0mV0WwaKWWs9BntPM317dvjjE9ikqE/s875/529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="875" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ0XJC-R_vJr0AUUHSZ3mScZRC31wIJDq630WpGz-Kd8_CqALEPjTmWj_XToaLqwkxJME10Y50f_WSSv4Q-StAxB6NNC7_ZhP8AYDPZtsAGVyCy67aWjVzbKL-5zNAdk-mjR8pfFB0B5CmkyG0pmsfvHET5Jrt0mV0WwaKWWs9BntPM317dvjjE9ikqE/s320/529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LoIIOIG_-VvpGhpSLSLkX3QGOAZcMUqyGOPO6RiDgOGw2wzy3LhkVuQfruH9syT7bNooYDXfOwQ0JXUe9zrWHwPUU6caWkxj3TgQwQlNby7EbrRX3abCwHFAhLo2YdXBwfZi9WQ6kek1ImJ7sEM_4IFBhIzNI_esdSrLigJctVlxyGs_wuzJypF0dtQ/s1796/468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1796" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LoIIOIG_-VvpGhpSLSLkX3QGOAZcMUqyGOPO6RiDgOGw2wzy3LhkVuQfruH9syT7bNooYDXfOwQ0JXUe9zrWHwPUU6caWkxj3TgQwQlNby7EbrRX3abCwHFAhLo2YdXBwfZi9WQ6kek1ImJ7sEM_4IFBhIzNI_esdSrLigJctVlxyGs_wuzJypF0dtQ/s320/468.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-8774963255554894542024-03-01T10:14:00.000-05:002024-03-01T10:14:15.714-05:00The Spell of LOVE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippjY2x2_8QFw2eboXY9Ud6uegqfUGRPBM2gq4Z3htqfZ3wa1isBipqW-JUQwQjV4mmay7VzrTO-dtQhDoJshGyAFouW7qLHVyduxKzsxAwxEgo9faLqXsCWR-qrO2lvMsS_kKCnNkWOezepI6E1ZprWm8uPDHNTqp8uXVDWjNdUMmDkkz_VfdX-mW0s8/s612/Holding%20Hands.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="612" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippjY2x2_8QFw2eboXY9Ud6uegqfUGRPBM2gq4Z3htqfZ3wa1isBipqW-JUQwQjV4mmay7VzrTO-dtQhDoJshGyAFouW7qLHVyduxKzsxAwxEgo9faLqXsCWR-qrO2lvMsS_kKCnNkWOezepI6E1ZprWm8uPDHNTqp8uXVDWjNdUMmDkkz_VfdX-mW0s8/s320/Holding%20Hands.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><div data-en-clipboard="true" data-pm-slice="0 0 []"><span style="font-size: medium;">She was a strong independent woman. Successful at work, loved by her friends, close to her family! She had a busy schedule, but not too stressful... She often planned outings with her friends, fun outings, fun nights, fun activities... She would visit her family often, and keep that lovely strong bond with her parents and siblings... At work, with her friends, wherever she is present, her smiles are contagious, like a positive spell that captivates anyone who witnesses her beauty... She was very well respected, adored by everyone who knew her, up close or from a distance... On top, she is a caring and loving single mother... From the look of it, you would say, she had it all, she is in a happy place...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He was a social butterfly, always out with friends, always making plans, activities, outings, hangouts, anything to bond with people... He loved his work, and was loved by his colleagues as well... Professionally he was good at what he did, highly recognized by his peers and superiors... He was the shrink of his team, with colleagues seeking him for advice, for support, venting out their issues and problems, spelling out all their daily stress... He was a good listener and a good advice giver... He was also a Joker and a Flirt, in the good sense! On top, he was a caring and loving single father... From a distance, you would think, this guy has it all worked out, he is having the time of his life...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Her crossed path with Him... Unplanned, unexpected, yet, Cupid, it seems, had his mind made up... She and Him were suddenly talking, texting, hanging out, bonding, and getting closer and closer to each other...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Her smiles became more contagious, her happiness barometer was at all times high...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">His compassion for his friends and colleagues became more controlled, with boundaries...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She kept doing all she used to do before meeting him, and those around her, who thought she had it all before, now witness a new level of having it all...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He kept doing most of what he used to do before meeting her, and those around him, who thought he got it all worked out before, now admire this improved (controlled) version of him...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">But she is human...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">And he is human...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">And humans make mistakes...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is bound to happen, to her, to him, or both...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Fast forward, and a mistake happened!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The mistake caused a fight, an argument, a misunderstanding, confusion, shock, hurt, and a breakup...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Her smiles became less contagious, her happiness level faded, a bit...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">His compassion for his friends and colleagues became a bit meh, weaker, and shallower...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She kept doing all she used to do before meeting him, and those around her, who thought she had it all before, now noticed something was off, something was wrong, the vibe was off...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He kept doing most of what he used to do before meeting her, and those around him, who thought he got it all worked out before, now they notice he was engaging less, talking less, doing less...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She did not talk to him, she had strict rules, standards, and beliefs, even if she wanted to, even if she had that burning urge, she just didn't talk to him...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He did not talk to her, but he was thinking of her, of what action to take, without hurting her, he was confused, he was hurting, but he just didn't know how to talk to her...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She was telling anyone who wondered: Anything wrong? She simply replied: All is good...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He was telling anyone who wondered: Anything wrong? He simply replied: All ok...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She was going about her normal day at work, attending meetings, working on her tasks, doing her thing...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He was listening to a romantic playlist while working... A song came up, his meh face suddenly put on a smile, he paused what he was working on, he rewinded the song, he focused on the lyrics, he smiled, smiled more, then a happy tear followed, more happy tears, now mixing with a smile, with images of her smile in his head... It was a song that expressed what he felt, what he wanted to say, what he wanted to do... Could it be?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He sent the song to her, hopeful, excited, anxious, and waited...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She saw the message, she paused what she was working on, she opened the song, focusing on the lyrics, she smiled, smiled more, then a happy tear followed, more happy tears, now mixing with a smile, with images of him in her head... It was a song that touched something deep inside of her and ignited her emotions, those she kept at bay... Could it be?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">He was waiting, anxiously, then he called her, with a big hopeful and loving smile on his face...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">She answered, anxiously, with a joyful and lovely smile on her face...</span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">They talked, for hours, they reconciled, they rekindled, her and him, melting in emotions, longing for their next encounter, with contagious smiles all around...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div color="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-size: medium;">This, my friends, is the SPELL OF LOVE...</span></div><div color="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div color="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-size: medium;">I leave you with this quote from my current lovely K-Drama show:</span></div><div color="rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"It’s nice to be single. It’s comfortable. You don’t need to worry about anyone. But the thing is, the joy of being single can just never compare to the joy of falling in love!"</span></i></div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-51686955932427155762024-02-26T02:52:00.000-05:002024-02-26T02:52:34.796-05:00Emotions, Distance, and Silence<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdUMyHXJXrfejdcxPhrlvdJYlhjALDWYNdHUmdWsdJzkDdxBDmYcfXq4iWP7k8nl3Cadr-mME_Z8-c6lmzRw-pV3JK2GD_c0zFbi-eV20lokQBdmutQqrYYg3UjSgx0PcJqcCpboG4A-17Hl26YUXG5YrXcr-Ov_O0FhTXNvksQJOkmGtqCAbNDq-Gu8/s4032/IMG_6028%20Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2754" data-original-width="4032" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdUMyHXJXrfejdcxPhrlvdJYlhjALDWYNdHUmdWsdJzkDdxBDmYcfXq4iWP7k8nl3Cadr-mME_Z8-c6lmzRw-pV3JK2GD_c0zFbi-eV20lokQBdmutQqrYYg3UjSgx0PcJqcCpboG4A-17Hl26YUXG5YrXcr-Ov_O0FhTXNvksQJOkmGtqCAbNDq-Gu8/w400-h274/IMG_6028%20Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Step back, keep a distance, stay far away...</p><p>But what is wrong with being close?! I care, and my feelings are genuine, and I love the close connection, the rekindling of emotions that are genuine and deep...</p><p>So what?! It is not about you only... What about the other person, do you know what this means to them? Do you know how they feel, how they will react, what they will expect?</p><p>I think so... I can feel the warmth, the excitement, the joy with every conversation, with every message, with every encounter... It is pure and genuine, it is undeniable...</p><p>Maybe now, at the moment, it brings momentary happiness, it is genuine, I agree... But what next? What is your plan, next steps, long term??</p><p>Well, why do I need a plan? Can't we just enjoy the moments and worry about the future later? Why sacrifice those amazing moments and spend the present thinking about the future?!</p><p>Because you are not in your 20s or 30s anymore... You have matured, you have responsibilities, you have dependents, you have a life to manage... Besides, what about them? Would they be content to live in the moment without expectations??</p><p>Hold on, I do not mean I only want to live for the moment!! Yes, I am crazy enough to do so, but I still think about the future... Did you forget, I am a Project Manager by profession, plans are my thing!! We did talk about the future, not seriously yet, but we did, and we will in the future... We even have one milestone set: 25-7-25!</p><p>It might already be too late buddy... Expectations are different, emotions are different, humans are different, period! So again, step back, and keep your distance, please...</p><p>But if the damage is done already, I need to fix it, I need to explain, I don't want to cause any harm, I don't want to be misunderstood... I care deeply and genuinely about them... I cannot lose them, I do not want to lose them!</p><p>Didn't you already try to explain? What happened? It all fired back! It made things worse! So hold your ego and walk away... Just accept the fact that you lost them, again...</p><p>I do not think I did a good job explaining what happened! It was sudden, shocking, and painful!! That can't be it! This is too profound to be gone just like that... It is not about ego, it is not about who is right or wrong! There are emotions, there are connections, so deep and true, that have great potential for the future, like you said, long term... We can't throw away all that!!</p><p>Potential for what exactly? Do you know what would that be?? Aren't you expected to define it?</p><p>I do not know yet, and it has not been long enough to define it yet!! It can evolve, it can change, it can grow, or it can fade away and go dormant, just like it did before!</p><p>Dude, before, that was decades ago!! You are not in school anymore!! You cannot think the same way you did almost 30 years ago!! Grow up...</p><p>What can I say, I am a hopeless romantic! Maybe this is my problem... No matter how true my feelings are, no matter how hard I try, no matter how caring I am, I always blow it, I always hurt those close to me! What's wrong with me!?</p><p>Maybe you need to communicate better, you need to be more clear, you need to set boundaries, you need to grow up...</p><p>Ok whatever, I know, I have to work on myself, fine... But what now? What about this pain, this wound, the constant tears in my eyes, for the loss of someone so dear and precious, this can't be it! There must be something I can do?!</p><p>You can try, but it is not only up to you, they have feelings too, they have expectations, they have a mind of their own... I admit, it is a shame to lose such a beautiful connection, but hey, life is a bitch! It does not always go the way we expect it to go... Maybe try, hard but not too hard, do not overstep, do not cause more damage in the process, and who knows, maybe it was just an explosive moment, maybe it will pass... And maybe it was so hurtful for them, that it will take time to heal... And worse come to worse, it might never heal, and that's it, buddy!! Move on...</p><p>But I don't want them to hurt, I don't want them to feel pain!</p><p>They might not be hurting at all!! They might be actually more mature than you and are consciously protecting themselves from you and any potential pain you might bring, frankly like they should!!</p><p>Seriously?! This is what I do? This is what has been going on between us? Am I the Godzilla of emotions? I just bring pain and destruction!!</p><p>Maybe you cannot see it, but it is the reality! Bottom line, go away, work on yourself, keep your distance, and observe from the other side, like you used to over the past decades, why change that now, and lose that pure and beautiful image you had of each other all this time!!</p><p>I definitely do not want to ruin that, and this is why I am feeling all this pain and hurt... If it was someone normal, you know, just a normal person in my life, maybe it would not hurt as much... This is different, this is special, this is deep and genuine, how many times do I need to explain it to you!!</p><p>All I can tell you at this stage is if it is meant to be, it will happen, today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or maybe 25-7-25, or never! You can try to mend wounds, clarify expectations, set boundaries and plans for the future, and see how and where things go. And you have lost people before that you cared about, people that meant to you, it is part of life... You cannot keep everyone you care about! Accept the fact that some people might see you differently from how you see them, some people might value your presence in their lives differently from how much they mean to you! Some people might fight you instead of fighting for you! And if you cannot fix things, and you lose them, just enjoy the scene from far away, keep your emotions to yourself, and move on...</p><p>You are mean dude, but maybe you are right... I got to try and see, otherwise I will just drown in pain and hurt... Thanks, dude...</p><p>I am not mean buddy, I am realistic and blunt, let's call it mature! Anyways, how about we stop here, and continue this conversation soon... Maybe you will have positive news for me next time... Enjoy the scenery for now, I can see you discovered a nice distant spot!</p><p>Yup, I took my emotions, to a very distant spot, and sat in silence, complete utter silence, freezing cold silence, even my phone froze to death! Anyway, dude, I am really too tired and need to rest... So, to be continued... Take care, with lots of love...</p><p><br /></p><p>A CONVERSATION BETWEEN ME, MYSELF, AND THE FROZEN SAINT LAURENT RIVER...</p>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0Parc André-J.-Côté, 116 Bd Marie-Victorin, Candiac, QC J5R 1C1, Canada45.399923 -73.52800789999999245.387871360343347 -73.5451740376953 45.411974639656655 -73.510841762304679tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-1090947952959729052018-11-14T14:40:00.001-05:002024-03-07T02:22:11.670-05:00I'll Never Love Again...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Every now and then, something comes across our lives to remind us that there is something called LOVE, and not just LOVE, True, Deep, Genuine LOVE… Yes, it exists, in so many forms, so many ways, so many places and times all around… If you do not have it, if you never felt it, if you never believed in it, well, that’s too bad!!</div>
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My recent encounter with the Movie “A Star Is Born” pushed me to write again about LOVE, its beauty, its amazing power, its strength and effect on those who love, truly… Some might think I stopped writing about love because I lost it, or had enough of it, or got tired from it, or any other reason that would take love away from me… On the contrary, I never stopped loving, I never stopped believing in true love, my feelings of love never seized to exist… My LOVE keeps growing every second of my life… With the happiness and the sorrow, with the beautiful and the ugly, with the joy and the pain, with the ups and the downs… This is LOVE, and you have to accept every face of it, if you do believe in it…</div>
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Those who have seen the movie probably had mixed feelings about it… Not to spoil the movie for those who still want to see it, and I do recommend you to watch it, the movie shows how love can be born in the most unexpected ways, it can grow in the most unimaginable ways… It shows the power of true love, with everything that might go wrong along the way, with all the faults in us, with all the mistakes that we do… When we find true love, we change, we evolve, in so many ways…</div>
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We accept the differences, we forgive the mistakes, we seek solutions for the problems, we aim for happiness and joy and unity and romance at all times…</div>
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We devote our lives for the ones we love… We fight for the ones we love… We sacrifice for the ones we love…</div>
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It is true that love can hurt, love can scar, love can break us, and bring us to pieces… Nothing is perfect… But Love can also bring so much beauty and joy to our lives… It is not an easy ride, it is not a smooth sail, it can be hard and harsh, but if you are in love, true love, you will be fueled with the strong and powerful energy to rise up and fight, to be happy, to enjoy love, together, as one, fighting the odds, the disbelievers, and the cruelties of life… Yes you can… Never give up, because LOVE is worth it...</div>
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I have been blessed to be in LOVE, so deeply and genuinely, with my Big LOVE and my Little LOVE, my Neemo and my Kouka… They are different kinds of love, but both bring the best in me, and I would give up everything for them… And I’ll Never Love Again, like I LOVE them…</div>
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I leave you with the song “I’ll Never Love Again” by Lady Gaga from the movie “A Star Is Born”</div>
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<b>I'll Never Love Again - Film Version</b></div>
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<b>Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper</b></div>
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Wish I could, I could've said goodbye</div>
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I would've said what I wanted to</div>
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Maybe even cried for you</div>
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If I knew it would be the last time</div>
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I would've broke my heart in two</div>
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Tryin' to save a part of you</div>
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Don't wanna feel another touch</div>
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Don't wanna start another fire</div>
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Don't wanna know another kiss</div>
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No other name falling off my lips</div>
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Don't wanna give my heart away</div>
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To another stranger</div>
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Or let another day begin</div>
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Won't even let the sunlight in</div>
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No, I'll never love again</div>
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I'll never love again, oh, oh, oh, oh</div>
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When we first met</div>
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I never thought that I would fall</div>
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I never thought that I'd find myself</div>
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Lying in your arms</div>
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And I want to pretend that it's not true</div>
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Oh baby, that you're gone</div>
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'Cause my world keeps turning, and turning, and turning</div>
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And I'm not moving on</div>
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Don't wanna feel another touch</div>
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Don't wanna start another fire</div>
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Don't wanna know another kiss</div>
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No other name falling off my lips</div>
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Don't wanna give my heart away</div>
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To another stranger</div>
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Or let another day begin</div>
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Won't even let the sunlight in</div>
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No, I'll never love</div>
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I don't wanna know this feeling</div>
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Unless it's you and me</div>
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I don't wanna waste a moment, ooh</div>
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And I don't wanna give somebody else the better part of me</div>
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I would rather wait for you, ooh</div>
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Don't wanna feel another touch</div>
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Don't wanna start another fire</div>
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Don't wanna know another kiss</div>
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Baby, unless they are your lips</div>
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Don't wanna give my heart away</div>
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To another stranger</div>
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Don't let another day begin</div>
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Won't let the sunlight in</div>
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Oh, I'll never love again</div>
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Never love again</div>
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Never love again</div>
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Oh, I'll never love again</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Songwriters: Aaron Ratiere / Hillary Lindsey / Natalie Hemby / Stefani Germanotta</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">I'll Never Love Again - Film Version lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management</span></div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-4958479722559637172017-07-06T10:18:00.000-04:002017-07-07T16:16:36.974-04:00Saving My Saviour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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She saved me, from me, from myself, from my lost self, from my evil self, from my fake self...</div>
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All it took was a few smiles, a few laughs, a few transparent and open and sincere conversations... and she saved me...</div>
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It was quick, deep, profound, and real... Destiny in the making, as if she was sent for me... and I was meant for her...</div>
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She saved me, and I gave her back everything... so fast... that it was too good to be true!!!</div>
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My troubled self did not go away completely though... I struggled, up and down, back and forth, strong then weak, determined then lost, and more lost, and deeper lost…</div>
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She stayed the course, she stayed there for me, to support me and empower me, receive me after every failure and every mistake and every disappointment and every hurt... She was my loving and forgiving Saviour... Always...</div>
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But I kept on dragging my Saviour down, letting her down, hurting her, slapping her in the face, times and times again... not intentionally!!! But does it matter, intentional or not?!?!</div>
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How can you hurt someone who saved you, brought you to life, again and again... how can you fail to appreciate and cherish someone who gave you every good and every beautiful thing in your life…</div>
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But I kept doing it... Until my Saviour started falling apart!!! Yes, I failed her to that extent... Neither I, nor anyone around could believe it, or accept, or forgive me for it... I did not forgive myself either, and will never ask for forgiveness...</div>
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Instead, I changed course, I stood strong, determined to learn from my mistakes, and save myself, and her... Yes, I went on a mission to Save my Saviour back!!!</div>
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And I succeeded, for a while, then failed, back and forth... Because no one is perfect, no one can avoid mistakes and failures... To Err Is Human... But... Success after failure, I kept reminding myself of my true Saviour at the days when it all started, I kept getting strength and power and passion from the days when my Saviour was relentless, never giving up on me... I gained inspiration from her, to be strong, and make her strong again…</div>
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I saw things and felt things no one could ever see or feel… I lived it, touched it, loved it… Some around us never believed that either of us can be saved!! Some around us never believed any of this is real and genuine… And they intervened, they destroyed, they interrupted, they damaged, they harmed, intentionally or not, they did… Still, we believed in saving each other, in turns, together, one after another… And we kept doing it… Even at the closest moments to utter failure, when the evil company and the doubters predicted the end, even when one of us gave up, one of us always saved the other... and US...</div>
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Now it's my turn... I made it my undeniable purpose and priority, to save her, and me, and US... and nothing will ever stop me, whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes... For I always see it, the power of my true Saviour, in every song, every picture, every feeling, every memory, every emotion... It is there, and will always be there...</div>
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It is the power of True Love... That never ceases to exist...</div>
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And against all odds, Love Always Prevails...</div>
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To Genuine, Deep, and True Love...</div>
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Cheers everyone...<br />
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-27569840385336164352016-10-22T06:37:00.001-04:002016-10-22T06:40:36.546-04:00LOVE is beautiful...<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSaWISyYLWJW_RMlslOqZFDeziFG6yBLG1VxGFf-OnW2qd9GgCb7vXqkpZvOdiIq2ITPy461RnzZBr4jXY-JMOaebsuwjmLLoWgQSN7G89rAJCA9MvzUpnRlvMPNX5N0C8k-naUvM7EQ/s640/blogger-image-1692083580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSaWISyYLWJW_RMlslOqZFDeziFG6yBLG1VxGFf-OnW2qd9GgCb7vXqkpZvOdiIq2ITPy461RnzZBr4jXY-JMOaebsuwjmLLoWgQSN7G89rAJCA9MvzUpnRlvMPNX5N0C8k-naUvM7EQ/s640/blogger-image-1692083580.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div>Look deep into your lives, dig up your memories, try to relive those happiest moments of your life... And you will find that it all involved one common feeling and sensation: It is without a doubt LOVE...</div>
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<div>And by LOVE, I don't mean only the love between couples!! It is every kind of love that we may experience: LOVE of your work, LOVE of your favourite movie, LOVE of your sports teams, LOVE of your car or hobby, LOVE of your country, LOVE of your city, neighbourhood, restaurant, cafe, spot, LOVE of your pet, LOVE of your family, LOVE of your children, LOVE of your partner, spouse, or soulmate...<br></div>
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<div>LOVE in all its forms brings the Beauty in us... LOVE takes us to levels of happiness we can never imagine possible... LOVE shakes up every norm in our lives... LOVE breaks all the rules that we live by... LOVE changes every logic and every belief that stood against every other force in our lives... LOVE is so powerful in ways I can never describe... And most probably neither can anyone of you, right??</div>
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<div>You can try to claim the opposite, refuse the whole notion that LOVE is so powerful, or even argue that LOVE doesn't truly exist!! Normally I would say that I respect your point of view... But in this one, I would actually say politely that you are a fool if you believe so... Apologies, but you are!!!</div>
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<div>Somehow, somewhere, and sometime in your life you for sure experienced the beauty of LOVE!! You felt butterflies in your tummy... You imagined you could fly... You wished time would freeze at that special moment... You relive this beautiful memory over and over and smile... I am pretty sure you all lived this!!</div>
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<div>LOVE not only gives us those beautiful feelings and memories, when I say it brings the Beauty in us, I mean it makes us beautiful humans!! When we are truly and deeply in LOVE we become positive, we become passionate and romantic, we become considerate, understanding, generous, forgiving... When we are in LOVE, we become devoted, faithful, strong, we become genuinely Beautiful...</div>
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<div>One sad truth in all of this, and this is probably where the fools I described come into play, is that with all this beauty we might witness our worst feelings or moments ever in life!! Simply put, in the unfortunate circumstances where LOVE is taken away, lost, or gone, we lose the most beautiful moments, the most powerful feeling we can ever have, and that can turn into deep hurt, disappointment, agony, and every ugly feeling we can imagine!! It's like living in heaven then being thrown into hell!!</div>
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<div>But that's life, unfortunately, and we have to deal with it... LOVE is beautiful, amazing, wonderful, and powerful... Live it and enjoy it to the fullest, hoping it will last forever... If it doesn't, that cannot take away the beauty it brought to our lives!!</div>
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<div>My own reflection on this, I have lived 3 great LOVE stories in my life that I never imagined they would affect my whole being, my whole existence, my entire life: My LOVE to my DAD, my LOVE to my daughter KINDA, and my LOVE to my wife & soulmate NEEMO. Although no love story is perfect, each one changed so much in me, brought the best of me, the beauty in me, and that I will never ever forget, on the contrary, I will cherish them, protect them, live them, appreciate their beauty and power, forever and ever...</div>
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<div>You as well, you have for sure your own LOVE stories to cherish and enjoy...</div>
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<div>LOVE is a beautiful thing, and it will always bring the beauty in us...</div>
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<div>To Happiness, Beauty, and LOVE...</div>
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<div>Genuinely,</div>
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<div>BISS</div></div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-12937286529284471662015-12-31T14:30:00.000-05:002015-12-31T14:35:15.136-05:00Love, Responsibility, and New Year Resolutions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here we are at the end of 2015, another year gone by, another year spent... We close another chapter of our lives, a chapter full of memories and stories we can never erase or rewrite... Another chapter filled with joy, happiness, sadness, hurt, fun, adventures, success, failures, death, or love... Whatever happened this year, we have to accept it, learn from it, and look forward for a better year ahead... a better 2016...
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Whether we like it or not, setting goals and plans is a proven way for success in professional as well as in our personal lives. So setting our New Year Resolutions is actually something really important to do, as long as we do it right. And when I say right, I mean, it has to be meaningful, genuinely meaningful to us. So depends on you, look for those big things you want to change in your life, big things you want to accomplish, big things you want to get rid of, big things that will make 2016 a better year than 2015... There are plenty of articles out there flooding social media channels which gives a lot of advice about setting those New Year Resolutions. I would say invest time and effort in actually setting those Resolutions, carefully, write them down, and keep them in front of you all year long to remind yourself of your goals, crossing out the ones you accomplish, and motivating yourself to seek the ones remaining on your list... It is so worth it, believe me...</div>
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For me personally, 2015 witnessed big accomplishments, that unfortunately did not stick, and turned into big disasters, disappointments, and hurt... How, why, what happened? I have been trying to figure it out before we close 2015, in order to learn from it, and plan for a better 2016, hoping I can fix, redeem, and regain a lot of what I have lost in 2015. So what did I find out, that is worth sharing with you, in order not to do a similar disaster?</div>
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I am by nature a very Loving and passionate person. I love madly, genuinely, deeply, with all my senses. Love of all kinds, love to my country, my city, my friends, my family, and of course above everything, my love to my soulmate, my Goddess, my love to my wife NEEMO... And although everyone knows this, with every action I have taken throughout 2015 and before, it was not good enough to close my 2015 on a happy note. Because something was missing, and I had to learn it the hard way: Love is not enough if it is not coupled with Responsibility!!</div>
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Love is an amazing thing. Those who know me, and who read my previous piece (<i><u><a href="http://biss76.blogspot.com/2015/12/religion-love-and-isis.html" target="_blank">Religion, Love, and ISIS</a></u></i>), would understand what Love means to me... But as I said, I was missing the Responsibility ingredient... And so, my love became intoxicating, suffocating, damaging, even destructive!!</div>
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If you over do it in Love, you choke your loved ones... If you cover up lies for your loved ones, you are actually causing them more harm than good!! If you spoil your children, you are actually raising them wrong!! If you make your loved ones completely dependent on you out of love and care, you are ruining their individuality and independence!! All these examples and many more are examples of love with no responsibility... I come to realize this is a Careless kind of Love!! Eventually, even though all this is done under the flag of LOVE, it backfires completely, and would steer you away from a life full of love!!</div>
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For 2016, I have set a single huge Resolution: To Become a Responsible Lover. This is my deep, genuine, and meaningful Resolution. For 2016, I seek new ways, new paths, new adventures, and new actions, aimed to redeem myself to the ones I hurt, to the ones I damaged, to the ones I lost... I seek redemption in every single step I take, in every single action I do... I am a good learner, although I do many mistakes, which I admit, endorse, take responsibility, and try to work around them... But sometimes the damage is so deep, and so I am obliged to take extraordinary measures to really redeem my mistakes... I have done it before, and I will continue to do it, over and over again, hoping I can avoid repeating those mistakes, and doing good in 2016 and beyond...</div>
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Look into 2015, reflect on your actions, on your accomplishments, on your mistakes, learn from them, and set a new plan for 2016, a meaningful plan... A Responsible plan... Set Resolutions that mean to you, that mean to others, that will do good to yourself and others... Everyone has the capability of doing this, everyone is obliged to do this, for your sake, and for the sake of your loved ones...</div>
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To my family, friends, and to the love of my life: I am sorry for my Careless Love, I promise to work harder, I promise to learn and improve, I promise to change, I promise to become a Responsible Lover...</div>
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One quote I saw and loved goes like this: "2014 was practice, 2015 was the warm up, 2016 is game time". </div>
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I close 2015 with some sadness... But at the same time, I am grateful, for all the happiness, health, joy, adventures, accomplishments, successes, and lessons... I am grateful for having amazing friends, family, a precious daughter, and the most amazing and loving soulmate... I am grateful for the LOVE I have in my life...<br />
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Goodbye 2015, and hello 2016, with everything you will bring... I am ready and so excited and looking forward to starting this new chapter. What about you my friends, are you ready??</div>
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To Happiness, Responsibility, Hope, and LOVE...</div>
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Happy New Year Everyone...</div>
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-66372349326975217222015-12-18T00:00:00.000-05:002015-12-18T00:06:43.506-05:00Religion, Love, and ISIS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yes you are reading it right, I put LOVE and ISIS in the same title with RELIGION. And I know this piece might sting!! But it's coming from the heart, explaining my philosophy Love, and its relation to Religion... So here it goes...</div>
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Most of us are born with some form of religion, whether Judiasm, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc... And our religions shape up a lot of our lives, what we can and we cannot do, what is acceptable and what is not, what is the norm and what is the exception, what is good and what is bad... Religion shapes up our traditions, our rules in society, our family ties, education systems, marriage and divorce, inheritance, sex life, politics, business, etc. Religion has endless powers and controls on us...</div>
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Some people used religion to control the politics and the people of their territories. You can almost certainly find incidents in all religions where religion was not used as a genuine faith, but rather twisted and abused to seek certain benefits by those who controlled that religion. Some used religion to wage wars, others used religion to divorce and remarry, and others used it to brainwash its followers and gain territorial control... You get the idea...</div>
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And the fundamental component in all this is something called FAITH, without which, religions shatter... It is faith that we have in our religions and Gods that puts us under full control, in a sense, to those religions we believe in. We just believe, some of us question, but in the end we are pushed back to just believe, believe in a higher power, a creator, in a God, and trust that this higher power is the source of everything, this power holds the secret to everything, controls everything, etc... Some religions won't allow you to question or doubt this higher power. Some will request continuous sacrifices from its believers, to please that higher power, or to prove the unconditional loyalty and faith. Some religions are submissive. Some religions are passive and general... But the common thing among most religions is that we believe in it, have faith, and that's why we stay with our religions, or at least the majority of people...</div>
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In some rare situations, relatively speaking, people do change their religions, or even lose this faith in religion completely and become atheists. If they change, most probably it's because they lost faith in their higher power or religious group and teachings, and found a stronger faith in another religion or group. They still have faith, they still believe in something, it just changed... As for atheists, well most probably they lost this faith in the higher power completely, maybe shifting their belief to science or logic or certain rules and laws, whatever the case is... But again, I say relatively speaking, this is not widespread, and the majority of our world today is ruled by religions, and with the majority of those followers of religion being faithful to the religions they were born with (inherited basically).</div>
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So this is my unscientific view of religions, which is just to make my next point. I want to stress though that I do not mean to offend any religion or any kind of believers or followers by what I mentioned or will mention next, whatever religion you follow. I am not criticizing religions, rather I am trying to explain my point about Religions, and how it relates to my next section: LOVE...</div>
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For me, LOVE is religion, just like any other religion any of you follow. How? LOVE is my higher power, it is the source of everything, it controls everything, it is this supernatural force that affects every single aspect of my life... And like you, I have faith in LOVE, uncontested faith, strong and deep faith, that no matter what, LOVE is my religion, what I believe in, what I adopt in my life, what I follow, what dictates how I live and act and decide and function. And just like you, I will never abandon my religion when I feel down, I will not give up on my religion if I do not get what I want. Just like you, I choose to have faith and believe that good will come, if I am patient, if I work harder, if I sacrifice, if I connect... Just like you, I worship a higher power, a God, or let me say, a Goddess in my case. Just like you, my religion, faith, and Goddess are sacred...</div>
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One difference though, is that we get to earn this religion. We are not born with it, we are born with the ability to get there, to LOVE, but we grow up nurturing this ability in us, loving our parents, loving our family, loving our society, loving our traditions, etc... We nurture LOVE as we grow up, strengthening this faith, looking for our God or Goddess, or maybe just faith in LOVE without God/Goddess...</div>
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When we find our God/Goddess in Love, for those of the religion of Love, we make this leap of faith, we believe, we commit, in good and in bad, no matter what the circumstances are, it is our religion, and nothing can shake this strong faith and belief... And just like other religions, this faith is tested the most in times of crisis, in times of despair... In those times, you got to search inside your faith, in your heart and soul, find the strength to protect your believes and your commitments, your faith, your religion, your LOVE... You might need to sacrifice, you might go through pain, you might suffer... Just like other religions, you got to prove your faith...</div>
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I remember in school we took the story of one of the Islamic figures called "Bilal Ben Rabah" who was extremely tortured, almost to death, because he became a Muslim, but he resisted and tolerated the pain, defending his faith, and refusing to give up on his new religion and belief... And we can find examples like this in so many other religions...</div>
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And so, for those who believe in the religion of Love, why is enduring pain not acceptable? Why are those defending Love looked at as being weak or delusional? Why is sacrifice for Love considered stupidity? </div>
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Which brings me to ISIS!! This group is the hot name of terrorism these days. How is it related to my philosophy? Well, just like ISIS are distorting the religion of Islam, acting in the name of Islam in their own twisted view, for their own benefits and gains, in the same manner, those who claim to know much about Love, and yet, would boldly come to me in moments of crisis, and convince me to let go, to give up, to move on, to abandon my religion and Goddess, those are ISIS of Love!! Not because they are giving advice or trying to help, of course that part is the noble part. But to help by convincing me to abandon my religion and faith is terrorism!! It is choosing the easy way out!! </div>
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Look at it this way: If you are a Muslim, or a Christian, or a Jew, and you lost your house, lost a loved one, lost a fortune, or going through any other form of crisis, would you listen to me and consider changing your religion to something else? If I try to convince you that your solution is to change your belief, change your God/Goddess, to something better, something more beneficial, would you consider it?? I guess not... So why should a believer in Love consider changing believes so easy??</div>
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In some circumstances, abandoning this religion might be the only way, but that is only after depleting all options, after giving it all you can, after fighting for your faith and believes to the end... What might break this faith, make you reach the point where everything you believe in is shaky?? It has to be something extremely profound or traumatic. The examples and scenarios can be so different and unique, so I am not going to get into details, only stick to the point that it has to be so strong to demolish your foundation of religion, of Love... And only genuine Lovers would know when they have reached that point...</div>
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You might disagree with all my philosophy, just like you would disagree with the other religions, and strongly claim that your religion is the best religion on earth... Well I would respect your view and your opinion and your faith, but would ask you to do the same to me: Respect my Religion, Respect my Faith, Respect my Belief in the Power of Love...</div>
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I'm not weak, I am strong in my faith... I'm not delusional, I am a genuine and true believer in my Love...</div>
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Right now, I'm fighting for my religion, my Goddess, my Love, with everything I got... And unless I lose faith and belief, until I reach that breaking point, nothing can stop me!!</div>
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I end this with a quote by the German Psychologist Eric Fromm: "<i>Love isn't something natural. Rather it requires discipline, concentration, patience, faith, and the overcoming of narcissism. It isn't a feeling, it is a practice.</i>"</div>
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Now let me go practice :)</div>
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Cheers To Hope and Love...</div>
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-30271558528193166402015-12-01T14:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T14:09:07.157-05:00My Journey of Redemption and Weight Loss<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A lot of you who know me in person, or through social media, have been following my journey of weight loss of the past few years. Basically I lost between July 2013 and January 2015, 22 kilos, and I am till today maintaining this weight I achieved... Amazing? Indeed! Easy? Nope! Doable by others? Absolutely, if I did it, anyone can. But how, what's the secret? There is no secret. And here is my experience for you to learn about, get motivated from, and replicate with modifications to suite your specific needs and goals...</div>
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First of all, this is not a scientific method or an accredited weight loss technique, nor am I a dietitian or nutritionist or even a personal fitness trainer!! I am simply a guy like you, for reasons which I explain below, went on this weight loss journey, using techniques and methods that worked for me. If you have any medical conditions, seek professional advice before embarking on this journey. If you are skeptical about certain steps I did, do your own research and modify the steps as you deem appropriate. If you tried my steps and did not work for you, apologies for not being of any help!! Overall, this is my personal experience that worked for me, and hopefully it will give you some kind of benefit :)</div>
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My most important component of this whole journey was the MOTIVE: The reason for doing this. For me it was REDEMPTION, which is not really related to weight loss. But it was so profound and strong. What do I mean though? In 2013, I lost the love of my life, we were no longer together, which devastated me, and left me empty from the inside. It was my fault, my weakness, my confused state of mind that cost me losing my soulmate. When she left, I wanted to discipline myself, teach myself a lesson, reform and rehabilitate myself, with the hope that one day, somehow, I can win her back. I needed a REDEMPTION plan. Of course weight loss has nothing to do with regaining the love of my life, but it was one of those things I lacked back then: DISCIPLINE. So through imposing this tough exercise and diet discipline, I was testing myself if I can stick to a plan, and be disciplined. It was just one part of a bigger redemption plan I put to myself. But it was so profoundly important to me, redeeming myself and regaining my love, that I took it so serious, with complete DEDICATION.</div>
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So for you, it might be much simpler (my life tends to be complicated, and so my motive is probably complicated in the same sense!!). Whatever your motive is, it has to be strong, profound, and genuine to keep pushing you and reminding you to stay dedicated through out the journey... So look inside you, look for your personal strong motive, write it down somewhere visible and keep reminding yourself of this motive... Looking good might be after all a strong motive for you!! So that's the first foundation of the weight loss journey...</div>
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Next, which is very important, is your GOAL: what is your desired outcome? For me, it was to reach my ideal weight and body fat percentage, which you can look up from different sources, and decide on a final target. For you it might be a certain weight, a certain shape, like building certain muscles or a six pack or flat tummy, or maybe just losing a few clothes sizes. Whatever it is, you need to set a goal. Preferably a certain weight figure should be set, because you will need that for the next components of the journey. So again, figure out your goals and write them down. Check... Moving on...</div>
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Now you need to decide on the METHOD: what technique are you going to use to reach your goals? I used something called the CALORIE DIET, and it is what I will definitely recommend to you. Simply put, this is a method where you are counting what you eat, counting how much energy you burn, and through a simple arithmetic formula, subtract the 2 figures to get a CALORIE BUDGET, your daily food allowance. For example, if you burn 2000 calories per day, and you want to lose weight, depending on how fast you want that, you will budget yourself 1750 or 1500 calories to consume per day. How do you get these numbers though? I answer that in the next component. The main thing here, to lose weight using the calorie diet, you have to eat less than what you burn on each specific day. Note that you will burn different amounts every day, and so your set budget will be a specific number below your burn figure, like -250 calories, or -500 calories. I will only talk about the calorie diet of course, because this is what I adopted, and I genuinely believe it is the most effective for the simple fact that you are not depriving yourself from a lot of foods, rather, you will become more conscious and more careful and more selective about what you eat.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> I will elaborate on this later on to understand more how it works...</span></div>
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Then comes the TOOLS: What do you need to help you achieve your set goals? To start with, you need to track how much you burn per day. I use <a href="https://www.fitbit.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fitbit</a> products. I am not an employee of Fitbit, and i do not own Fitbit stocks (although I think I should!!), and I am not getting paid to promote them. I am simply a happy client, who bought a Fitbit wristband in 2013, and used it to track my statistics, and it has been an amazing and successful experience till today. Fitbit has wristbands as well as other products that help you track so many vital stats that you need in your weight loss journey. Based on your movement, as well as the exercises that you perform and log into the Fitbit app, you will get your final calorie burn figure, which is the base to determine your allowance of food consumption. If you like or have other products that can count your calorie burn as well as exercise stats, then use it. Your call...</div>
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Next to tracking your calorie burn, you need to track your food consumption. For that you need 3 things. First of all you need a small scale to weight and measure your food portions that you eat at home. You might say this is too much, but believe, at least in the beginning of your weight loss quest, this is very helpful. I measure the grilled chicken portions I consume, I measure the yogurt or hummus I consume next to my chicken portion, etc. Measure everything you can measure.</div>
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To compliment this, and to be able to measure your food or calories consumption, all the food you eat should be measurable. Meaning, I only consumed foods that had a nutrition table that tells me the calories count, plus other measures like fat and protein and carbohydrates, etc. And once you become more used to reading those nutrition tables, you will become more picky about the foods you buy. I used to spend considerable time in the food isles of the supermarkets reading and comparing the different products and choosing the lightest among them.</div>
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Here are quick examples of how I changed my food consumption in a way that reduced my calories consumption significantly. Example 1, I switched from using regular sugars into sweeteners, like Splenda or Sweet & Low. This saved me a lot of calories. How? I am a heavy coffee drinker, and I put 6 sugars in my coffee. If I drink 8 coffees per day (my average) with 6 sugars in each, assuming 6 sugars amount to 300 calories, so by moving from regular sugar to sweeteners (which have ZERO calories), I saved myself and average of 2400 calories per day, which is massive!!</div>
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Another example, I switched from consuming normal breads into Weight Watchers breads (toast, bagels, English Muffin). Normal toasts would have on average 100 calories per slice. While Weight Watchers toast is 50 calories per slice. So if I eat 2 sandwiches per day using Weight Watchers bread instead of the normal bread, assuming each sandwich requires 2 slices, I am basically saving myself 200 calories (400 calories for normal bread vs 200 calories for Weight Watchers bread).</div>
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My last example is a practical one: We are all on the go these days, eating out most of the time. So to be able to stick to this weight loss journey, you have to plan for emergency foods. I used to eat Subway (the sandwiches franchise) whenever I find one close by. If I have to eat in a certain restaurant, I make sure to to take my time looking for light options, like grilled chicken or seafood, with less toppings or sauces, etc. Don't fall into the trap of surrendering to the place you are eating in. Every place would have light stuff. And by light I mean low on calories and fat. I used to stick most of the time, and still do, to eating in places that have their nutrition information available, like the calorie count for their items, and so I would pick what to eat based on this. As a last resort, I used to pack with me light snacks, like Special K products or Fibre1 products, and munch on these snacks until I can find a convenient place to eat in. Places like McDonald's or Pizza Hut or KFC became history for me, for the simple reason, most of their products have high calories and high fats (their info is available to the public). It is not easy as I said at the beginning. But if you that strong MOTIVE and you have the WILL to pursue your GOALS, you can do it, just like I did.</div>
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Now the last thing you need for the process of counting your calorie consumption is a Food Log tool. There are so many apps for our smartphones that we can use, like MyFitnessPal, Lose It, etc. Personally, and to be consistent with my previous tools, I use the Food Logging tool in the Fitbit app. So basically I am using Fitbit to measure my calorie consumption and calorie burn. Fitbit has a huge food database to use for logging your food, in addition to the ability to add custom foods based on the nutrition tables of those specific foods. It is something new to all of us, but once you start logging your food, getting used to measuring your food portions, and adjusting the frequency and size of your meals, you will become a pro in doing this. So, now you have in one place, in my example the Fitbit app, you have your goal set for losing how much weight in how much time, based on that you have your calorie budget. With the Fitbit app tracking your movement and recording your calorie burn, and you logging your exercises and workouts plus your food consumption, the Fitbit app will tell you how much food you can eat. That simple. So your job in this is to stick to that budget, and plan your meals accordingly.</div>
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I have to stress one important point here, and you can dig more about it to be more scientific if you wish: To be effective during this weight loss journey, you have to work on your METABOLISM. There are so many ways to do that, but I will share my experience, and feel free to work around that, or follow your own thing. So basically, the more you move, the more active metabolism you get. And the more frequent you eat, the more active metabolism you get.</div>
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Moving does not necessarily mean joining a gym, although that would be a good idea if you actually use your gym membership, and don't end up paying without going. But again, moving means simply moving. Small examples: whenever you are talking on the phone, make it a habit to walk around. When you are going up or down a building, use the stairs instead of the elevator (escalators do not count as stairs!!). When you want to buy something from the close by grocery store, go walking instead of taking the car. Any small movement counts towards increasing your metabolism. Of course, exercise is the best choice, but that does not mean that you can skip the previous tips I mentioned. For me, at the beginning of my quest, I used to exercise frequently, I used to take long walks around the city, I used to keep myself moving whenever I had the chance. No slacks!!</div>
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As for the part of eating frequently, well it is based on some scientific research which proves that point. I usually eat my 3 major meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), plus small snacks throughout the day. This of course entails that my main meals are smaller than what I used to have before, in addition to being more light and lean. The snacks can be fruits, snack bars (like Special K or Fibre1 snacks), or anything which is basically light. Remember it's all about your calorie budget. So the more active you are during your day, the more food you can consume. If you are having a slow lazy day, then your food consumption will be lower than the norm. That's why, make sure you keep yourself active in order to be able to eat more quantity, more frequently...</div>
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The last thing I will mention in this blog post, is that you need to create some kind of SELF MOTIVATION for yourself. Find out what will keep you going, pushing you to continue relentlessly, no slacking, no quitting. Going back to my case, I had a few things that kept motivating me. One, I became more disciplined, which was my biggest motive in the first place. So the more I felt I am disciplined, the better I felt about myself, and the more I was motivated to keep going. Second, I became an inspiration to a lot of my friends and family, following my progress and getting motivated to follow my steps. A lot started buying the Fitbit products, at which point I realized I should have worked for the company's marketing or sales divisions!! Just kidding of course. But seriously, the more people that I was able to motivate into getting into a weight loss quest, the more I was motivated myself. And the last thing that kept me going was me liking the new slim me!! I was going from Large size clothes, to Medium, to Small, all within a year. I went down from a Jeans size 34 to a size 29, within a year. I was not confident I will be able to go this far, but the more progress I saw, the more weight I lost, it motivated me to keep going further and further. Originally, to be frank, I set my goal to go down from 88 kgs to 72 kgs. I surpassed my expectations and crossed the below 70 kgs after 10 months. The rest of my journey, till reaching where I am today (65 kgs) was slower because I stopped being so accurate about logging my food. It kind of became easy for me to estimate the amounts of food I can consume, without the need to accurately log the quantities. It becomes part of your life style!!</div>
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So, to wrap up, here is my weight loss journey takeaways in a nutshell:</div>
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1. Find a strong MOTIVE to push you into doing this and committing to it.</div>
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2. Set clear GOALS in order to measure your progress.</div>
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3. Choose your method, and if you want to follow mine, it is the CALORIE DIET.</div>
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4. Get the TOOLS to help you in this journey. A food scale, a Fitbit product and app, a collection of foods that have clear nutrition tables, and log all your food consumption.</div>
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5. Stay ACTIVE, by exercising, walking, moving, or any other form that will make you consume energy.</div>
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6. Build SELF-MOTIVATION techniques to keep you going during the journey.</div>
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I hope I was able to share much of the useful information and tips to help you build your own weight loss journey. I will probably follow up this blog post with smaller ones, focusing specifically on certain steps or phases and examples and practical advice. Feel free to send me any questions you have, and I will try to address it the soonest I can...</div>
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Good luck to all of you who are serious about getting into a journey of your own. Hope you can achieve your goals, and I hope my tips would be of help.</div>
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Cheers to Fitness, Health, Discipline, Redemption, and LOVE...</div>
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The New Slim BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-40048612092316527822014-02-20T23:59:00.000-05:002014-02-21T01:38:13.871-05:00Thank you for being My Princess<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For the past 6 years, my life has been in constant change, drastic changes, ups and downs, happiness and sadness, joy and drama, beyond the normal variance of life... Divorce, marriage, moving countries and homes, shifting careers, and more... But throughout those 6 years, there has been one amazing constant, my source of unconditional joy and happiness, my source of deep genuine love, my inspiration and hope, my Princess: KOUKA, my sweet little daughter...<br />
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No matter what my life brought me, my little princess was always there, smiling, laughing, playing, growing up, learning, and with every step she took, with every new adventure she lived, with every game, I also grew up, and learned, and realized that no matter what, my princess is always there for me, giving me strength and happiness, when we are together, or apart, when playing together, or when looking at her lovely pictures...<br />
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For 6 years, my love for being a DAD has grown more and more... For a person who did not value family ties before, for a person who never played with children before, for a person who could not commit to living in once place for more than a few years, KOUKA has transformed me completely, enjoying being a DAD, loving commitment, seeking stability, and planning for a future that is beyond a few years, planning for a future for my little princess, with me in it...<br />
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For 6 years, I have been unable to explain or express what KOUKA has taught me, or what she means to me... Because with every day that passes, I realize that there is nothing more precious or genuine like this love of a DAD to his daughter... It is simply priceless and indescribable...<br />
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No matter what I say or write or do, nothing can fully describe the joy and happiness my little princess brings me... And I hope that I can do the same to her, over and over again for the rest of my life...<br />
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I might be repeating a lot of my words, because for the past week, as we come to celebrate her 6th birthday, I have been trying to write this blog, but every time I fail to find the right words, or the right expressions...<br />
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And so, simply, to my little Princess KOUKA, thank you for being my PRINCESS...<br />
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I vow to continue to learn and strive to become a better DAD with every moment...<br />
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Happy Birthday KOUKA, Happy 6th Birthday my precious, Happy Birthday my love...<br />
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Thank you for everyone who sent lovely birthday wishes, wishing you all the same for you and your lovely families...<br />
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Love and Peace to all...<br />
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BISS (Abu Kouka)<br />
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-6115958462537646802014-02-16T00:27:00.000-05:002014-02-16T01:49:24.219-05:00When there is a WILL, there is always a WAY...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's amazing how each of us is different, the way we think, the way we react, the way we understand, the way we feel... Really, each one of us is so unique in all those sets of actions that we may do when put in the exact same situations!!!</div>
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One important overall action that is one of my favorites, is BEING POSITIVE... Facing problems and hurdles with positivity, trying to learn from situations and gain a positive lesson... Refusing to hate, keeping calm, and hoping for the best always... Persevering and not quitting till the end... Facing obstacles with solutions and alternatives... Handling obstacles and changes in a positive manner, trying to resolve and overcome all issues in a positive way...</div>
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In my life I have been through a lot of instances where without my positive attitude I could have lost a lot, my life even... And I have seen a lot of my friends do the same, embracing hope and positive attitude and keep going forward towards the best there is... It doesn't always work, but it's more fun and exciting going on this journey of change, of resolution, of triumph, of winning, of overcoming, it's more fun doing that while being positive...</div>
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You got fired from your job, look at it as an opportunity for change, to look for new ones, a better one maybe, a more exciting job, a job you always dreamed of... But you have to work to get it, search and apply, improve your skills, network and make contact with key people who can help. It's not your positive attitude alone that will get you your dream job while sitting playing with your PlayStation 24/7 and expecting the employer to look eagerly for you!!!</div>
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You discovered you have an illness, well, besides getting the right treatment, you need the positive attitude to help you overcome whatever disease you got. Think about changing things in your life if it helps your case... Join groups who can help you deal with the illness... Volunteer with associations who work on your illness, maybe try to help others who are in the same boat, but they unfortunately fell in despair and negativity...</div>
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You got a divorce, maybe it was not working out and you are better off on your own, or with someone else... Or maybe you need to really work hard on yourself to win your spouse back, and prove you can make it with the new YOU... However nasty and devastating and sad your divorce is, there is always something positive to take from it, there is always a positive way to deal with it and handle it...</div>
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And this is my special one, which everyone have been asking me about recently: WEIGHT GAIN & LOSS!! A lot of us get depressed when we gain weight, when you start trying on those clothes that you like and discovering that it doesn't fit you anymore!! And I'm talking here about those of us who gained weight because of eating or because of laziness!! The medical conditions of obesity are beyond my expertise... But as far as dealing with normal weight gain, well, deal with it, positively... Don't sit and whine, or sit depressed, eating more depression food, like finishing a Nutella jar every night, because you are depressed and you can't control it!!!</div>
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Of course you can deal with it positively. Like I did... I gained a lot of weight over the past few years... And although it never bothered me, this Fall, I decided that getting fit and losing those extra kilos is an area I wanted to tackle... And for those who were following my updates on Facebook or Instagram, yes I lost 13 kilos in just 4 months!! It did not come easy, and I did not take a magic potion or eat those weird foods that taste awful!! I ate chocolates, I ate hotdogs, I ate bread, I ate chips, I ate whatever I wanted, yet differently. And above all, I have to give the biggest credit to this gadget that helped me achieve my goal, the FITBIT FLEX fitness bracelet. Again, the bracelet doesn't have magical powers, nor will it do the work for you while you keep doing exactly what you used to do to gain those extra kilos... First of all, I handled this positively, meaning I did not let my over weight depress me. I just handled it as a target that I need to reach. And along the way, if I am not progressing according to plan, I'll change something or do something different or do more work to get on track... Always staying positive, and believing that I can do it... As for how exactly I did that, that's a different blog, or actually might be a series of blogs that I will need to write and discuss with others who are interested in this topic...</div>
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To end this blog, I want to thank all of you who stood by my side in my low moments, in my problems, in my desperate moments and reminded me to put on my positive attitude and face life with a smile on my face... Thank you for being part of my life, my positive happy life :)</div>
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Now off you go, think about your life, your issues, and how you can face it all in a positive manner, and achieve something... I am myself have been dealing with all the accumulated issues I gathered over the years in a positive manner, and it has been going well, being resolved one after the other, hoping to achieve all my goals very very soon...</div>
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Good luck folks...</div>
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-23653637673294724882014-02-06T22:10:00.001-05:002014-02-08T22:50:47.332-05:00Politics is a Game!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em; text-align: justify;">For everyone who still thinks and believes that his/her political party is THE ONE which is fighting for what is RIGHT and GOOD, I have two descriptions for you: NAIVE or BLIND!!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Politics is a GAME, and not any game, it's one the dirtiest games ever to exist on earth!! In politics it's never about what is good or what is right for the country or the people, it's always about what's good and what's best for the party, the party members, or mostly for the party leaders!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Parties try to control and influence every aspect of our lives as much as possible, with whatever cost, as long as it keeps them in power. They interfere in the financial sector, social matters, laws and regulations across the board, taxes, health care services, even religion!!! Yes, RELIGION!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">You see, through out history, even before Islam and Christianity and Judaism, religion was always, and will always be controlled by the strong politicians. Kings controlled religion, even modified it, to suite their interests!! Rulers fought over power, with wars and assassinations and divisions, all in the sake of controlling empires... At some point, religious leaders, influenced by politics, had citizens fight in the name of God to capture territories, and rewarded soldiers with deeds in heaven!! It was all to serve the politics, not GOD!! And the examples never stop till today...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Now here is the trick: It is OK to be a member of a party and join their dirty political game. This is becoming part of our social life, part of our democratic life!! What is not acceptable to think that you are actually in the RIGHT or IDEAL party, and that everyone else in ten other parties is wrong!! They are actually doing exactly what you are doing. Each member is defending their own party, in this huge dirty game. As long as you admit this and is aware of this, you are being realistic and open.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">The issue here is where this line between promoting and defending your party, and attacking and destroying the other, where this line stops!! It is a very blurry line unfortunately!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">Some use wars, crime, killings and assassinations... Some use money and bribery... Some use </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">prostitution</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"> and sexual seduction and scandals!! Some use religion and traditions to command you and control you!! And so many other ways that we can't even detect or account for...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">All those secrets, scandals, spy files, assassinations, conspiracy theories, they would amaze you with the amount of deception and lies and crimes that underlying a lot of those big democracies as well dictatorships. And we are all part of it, we vote for those people, we work for those people, we obey and listen to those people... And that makes us part of whatever dirty game is going on....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">And the interesting part is that no matter how good or bad a person is, once they get into politics, they are transformed gradually into beasts, serving their interests and their party and their leaders... They are brainwashed, controlled, lied on, but they choose to believe the lies, until another party does a better job in brainwashing them... It's part of the game...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">In addition, there is one important thing to know here: Politicians are Excellent Speakers and Slick Liars... They utilize these skills to control the masses, to make you believe what they want you to believe, to make you act based on their strategy, to make you defend them blindly, sometimes costing lives and blood and destruction!! And if they ever lose any of these two skills, you know that their political career is coming to an end...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">There is no absolute GOOD in politics, there is the good for the party, for its members and leaders. Any initiative which is bad for the country, the people, or other parties, can be GOOD to a party if it serves its needs and benefits!! And this same initiative, if circumstances change, it can become bad, and politicians can masterfully explain why they reconsidered their position, without losing grounds. That's a skill of smart politicians!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">You, as a member of any specific party, you are willingly joining that party in its dirty game... You are accepting the lies, you are accepting to be brainwashed and controlled by that party!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;">And so, for everyone out there, please note that you are NO BETTER than anyone else who opposes your views or politics. You simply lie on different sides of the dirty game, each playing for their own team, using different strategies and techniques than your opponents!! At the same time, when choosing a party to defend and join, please check which one suits you more than others, don't waste your time looking for the ideal or the clean or the open party. Those descriptions do not exist in politics, PERIOD. Don't even try convincing others or arguing about this point!!</span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="-ms-word-wrap: break-word;" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.428571em;"><span style="line-height: 1.428571em;">Finally, learn about politics, learn the techniques, learn how to analyze and campaign and calculate gains and losses in politics. Educate yourself. Don't be a blind follower. Socialize and talk about politics with an open mind. Try to explore and learn about your party as well as about others. Be open to change, switching, and evolution... We are all part of politics, we have to be, more or less... So let's do it in the best possible way, and history will judge us...</span></span></div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-71340842584916002292013-07-19T23:50:00.001-04:002013-07-19T23:50:16.084-04:00Goodbyes, Letting Go, and Moving On...<div>Kinda, my daughter, is only 5 years old, a little princess, still in Daycare, where she spent the last 3 years. She made lots of friends, children and teachers, some very close, seeing each other beyond the proximity of the Daycare...
</div><div><br></div><div>Today was her last day, last day to attend, last day to see her friends, last day in Daycare before she goes to Kindergarten next month. And although she is only 5 years old, today was very emotional to her!! She didn't want to leave, she didn't like the fact that it's her last day, she kept telling me I don't want it to be my last day. She kept saying that she loves her friends, she doesn't want to go away. She had this sad face, which is heart breaking. Her friends started to notice that she is sad. They started to come and talk to her, comfort her, tell her that they love her, give her affection and support. Those are all 5 years old children!!
</div><div><br></div><div>It was such an emotional scene, and inspiring as well. It makes you think, that no matter how old we are, goodbyes are never easy, they are hard, emotional, heart breaking. We suffer and feel the pain of going away, letting go of those we love. It makes you think that human emotion is profound, genuine, and deep...
</div><div><br></div><div>For us adults, we can rationalize those situations, and try to convince ourselves that this is something that has to happen, and hope for a better tomorrow, hope this is for the best, for everyone... We try to control our emotions, not to break up in tears and despair, although we often fail. We try to believe that letting go is the natural course of life, and that letting go is a sign of strength, and that letting go is a positive thing... We read inspirational quotes, we listen to our friends and loved ones, trying to gain that strength to let go... And move on, towards the next step, next chapter, next book...
</div><div><br></div><div>I believe in letting go and moving on, although I mostly fail in actually doing it... Maybe I act as if I moved on, while in fact, deep inside, that pain of letting go eats me alive, hurts every part of me, dramatizes my life, inside... I control my outer looks and reactions and interactions. It's so painful, but I believe we all have to do it, and eventually can do it ... When it's time, when all has been said and done, when it's time for change, we have to be strong, let go and move on, with hope and a smile on our face...
</div><div><br></div><div>As for Kinda, my little princess, I know it hurts a bit, but I'm sure with a few toys, and some play time and ice cream, the fun will make her happy, and make her move on, for now at least :-)
</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0VdLkCtZPtmn1JlMuMt-iDxfnFpZix3O1KbWi2uMyEurdqJ7fPl82m-Ian9O8EVyIuGpFpNdBzYPO67ivGUm_-W0SpxXVrF0yi9PtLsr_nX_22elpNlRdxLXpHTqI_XJ07Ga9gvNGYM/s640/blogger-image-517247802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0VdLkCtZPtmn1JlMuMt-iDxfnFpZix3O1KbWi2uMyEurdqJ7fPl82m-Ian9O8EVyIuGpFpNdBzYPO67ivGUm_-W0SpxXVrF0yi9PtLsr_nX_22elpNlRdxLXpHTqI_XJ07Ga9gvNGYM/s640/blogger-image-517247802.jpg"></a></div></div><br></div><div>Wish it was that easy for us adults, but it's not!!
</div><div><br></div><div>Here is to a happy joyful life filled with excitement, adventures, success, and good health...
</div><div><br></div><div>To New Beginnings...
</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers my friends...
</div><div><br></div><div>BISS </div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-83228648720198416292013-02-20T00:12:00.000-05:002013-02-20T00:12:19.214-05:00Love at First Sight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK18Q9nPEuOenbpGbJQ1RHaO-co09kQmGc0SrUIGkDFZRBt7HGO77A-Gj31xQDiu811E_sGmsYO6xmm3aTSwPMRVuPeiCG8fAGL-WzOZawZB8EvsgYulG6d7fCvXonCwz9ZZf4TOscSU/s1600/love_at_first_sight_quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtK18Q9nPEuOenbpGbJQ1RHaO-co09kQmGc0SrUIGkDFZRBt7HGO77A-Gj31xQDiu811E_sGmsYO6xmm3aTSwPMRVuPeiCG8fAGL-WzOZawZB8EvsgYulG6d7fCvXonCwz9ZZf4TOscSU/s200/love_at_first_sight_quotes.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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It was love at first sight... It was magic... It was something else... It was unearthly!! She captivated my heart and soul... She captivated all my senses... It's like she made me her slave for eternity from the moment I laid my eyes on her... It was love at first sight...<br />
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5 years ago, in 2008, I met her for the first time... She was so adorable, so tender, cute, gorgeous, soft... She was a beautiful princess that dazzled my eyes from the very first moment I saw her...<br />
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From that moment on, I could not leave her sight, I wanted to stay with her day and night, night and day... No matter what she did, I wanted to be around her... Happy or angry, in good or bad moods, quite or noisy, sleep or awake, I could not leave her alone... I was totally in love...<br />
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My close friends and family did not imagine me like that!! They did not think I would be so madly in love, so obsessed, so caring, so gentle and warm... Even I did not imagine myself like this!! It was magic as I said, something you cannot imagine until you live it... And I did, and I loved it...<br />
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But despite this magical love and passion, life had other plans for me!! I did a mistake, a series of mistakes, some big and some small, and that was enough to cause the first break up, the first time I leave my love, the first time we live apart!!<br />
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No matter what life gave me on the other end, it was never the same!! It did not feel right, never did... She was always inside me, inside my heart and soul and mind... No pleasures or joys could really take me away... Her strong love was always drawing me back to her... She was my north pole, that no matter what other magnets drew me in different directions, I was naturally drawn back to my north pole... To her... <br />
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And it did happen, she gave me another chance, she took me back, and I was flying with joy and happiness, feeling home, where I belong... But not for long...<br />
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You see, despite the strong and magical love, it was not enough!! I was still dragging in my mistakes, I was still the same person, I did not learn from my mistakes yet!! Love alone could not heal all wounds, could not fix all what was broken, could not bring us back together for good!!<br />
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And so we went on a swinging cycle, back and forth, together and then apart, over and over again!! Each time the scars grow deeper and deeper, each time it hurts more and more, each time it breaks something inside me... And I would try to stand up, move on, carry my wounds and live...<br />
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But I couldn't!! Every time I laid eyes on her I would feel weak, feel the guilt, feel the agony and hurt for living away from my love, my true and genuine love...<br />
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Call me stupid, call me a coward, call me naive, call me childish, whatever you like, but I did learn the hard way, that my life is nothing without her, my life is worthless without her!! No matter what I try or what others tried with me, whatever theories or plans or efforts or justifications, nothing worked to take me away from her!! She is where I belong, she is who I want to be with... She is my destiny...<br />
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During the past 5 years, I had a rough trip, a journey filled with sadness, hurt, agony, and tragedy... But it was also filled with joy, happiness, laughter, fun, and love... I did good and bad, I built and destroyed, I caused harm and joy... I was hated and loved, ignored and cherished, cursed and praised...<br />
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But today, 5 years since I first laid my eyes on the love of my life, today I reached the stage where it is time for me to say ENOUGH, enough doing mistakes, enough hurting others, enough confusing others, enough harming others... It is time to follow my heart, follow my destiny, and seek my north pole...<br />
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Today, I apologize to everyone for everything I did, and above all I apologize to you my love, for being away, for hurting you, for confusing you, for not being there for you every time you needed me...<br />
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Today we close the page on 5 years of memories, good and bad, and we start writing a new chapter, hopefully filled with more and more joy and happiness and love, for everyone, and for us, my love, my soul, my beautiful princess, my precious little daughter KINDA...<br />
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Happy 5th Birthday my love...<br />
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I love you, truly madly deeply...<br />
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Your loving DAD...<br />
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BISS<br />
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-30392288324408752942013-01-29T08:30:00.000-05:002013-01-29T08:30:03.182-05:00Why Am I a Palestinian Refugee?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian Children playing in their Refugee Camp</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">Last night I had an interesting session with a group of Canadian/Israeli/Jewish friends. We met as part of an initiative to have conversations between people who are involved or related or have an interest in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Among the interesting talks that we had was the question "Why Am I still a Refugee till today?!?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">The interesting thing is that really, most Israelis and Jews don't really understand it, and they rarely try to dig into answers or facts about it, because the prevailing assumption among them is that it is a political thing, a political issue, maybe even a bit fabricated or so on!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">One from the group last night said: "I believe the problem is that Arab countries are keeping the Palestinians as refugees to keep the fire burning under Israel". This is probably a very common belief among Israelis and Jews. And I have been faced with this question so many times, and had to explain it in so many different contexts. So today I decided to actually explain it here, and keep it as a reference for those who want to understand "Why am I still a Palestinian Refugees?!?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">As always, I remind you my friends, this is my explanation, my interpretation, and my analysis, being a Palestinian Refugee, and having lived and read and researched and interacted with so any elements in this regards :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">First, the basic stuff: Just like Israel does not grant citizenship to anyone born in Israel, the same applies to the majority, if not all, the Arab countries!! So if an American is working in Israel or in Lebanon, and she gives birth to a child there, this child does not get neither the Israeli nor the Lebanese passport. And so, all Palestinian Refugees living in any Arabic country go under this same process!! No citizenship is granted, and the refugee status and documents are passed on to the children. Thus, the refugees keep growing generation after generation... Clear?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">The other thing, Palestinians are proud of being Palestinians, and we are so attached to our culture and heritage and land, just like so many others around the world, including the indigenous Jews who lived in Palestine/Israel!! And so, it is only natural to keep the faith, the hope, the resistance, and the fight to go back to Palestine, our Homeland. Why would anyone just give up on Palestine and agree to become a citizen of another country. It has been 65 years, and Palestinians still hold on to this right to return to their homes, and no one can force them to let go. Again, generation after generation, Palestinian refugees continue to grow...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">The next point is a bit harsh and complicated!! You see, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and all the remaining Arab countries, are indeed Arab countries, sharing the Arabic language, and the Islamic Arabic history. But, and this is a big BUT, every Arab country is different!! The Arabic language differs in each country, the traditions differ, the clothes, the demographics, the religions & sects, the economy, and the list goes on and on. The sad reality in fact is that there is no real harmony or unity among these Arab countries. And there are so many sensitivities specific to each country. All that adds more to the complex problem of the Palestinian Refugees!! So it is not as simple as you might think for any Arab country to take all those big numbers of refugees, and risk the stability or structure of their own country, for the sake of their Arab neighbors!! Unfortunately this is the reality on the ground, and you have to understand that, and respect this for each country!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">In fact, it is easier for a Palestinian refugee to travel to Western countries than traveling to Arab countries!! Weird right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">And so, for those who think that just because Palestine is an Arabic country and all neighboring countries are Arabic as well, this means those neighbors should solve the Palestinian problem, you are absolutely mistaken!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">Without a doubt, there are so many more reasons and layers and explanations that outsiders, Israelis, Jews, Westerners, all of you won't understand about the hard, sad, and difficult situation that Palestinian Refugees go through on a daily basis in those host countries, as a consequence of the events of 1948. And because of that we, the descendants of the Palestinians who fled their homes 1948, still live as refugees, and still pass on our refugee status to our children, who knows till when!?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">My final comment, based on an article I read this morning, and based on the conversations last night: Palestinians did not kill Jews before 1948, Palestinians did not hate Jews before 1948, Palestinians are not invented people, and Palestine was not a land with no people!! Don't ask us, but ask the indigenous Jewish population of Palestine in the late 1890s and early 1900s till 1948!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">1948 changed the lives of millions of Palestinians, and created the longest ever Refugees problem in modern history. We have rights as Human Beings, the same way Jews and Israelis have rights as Human Beings. We are both attached to this land, we both have rights to this land... The way to solve this is by treating each other equally, feeling for each other, respecting each other, understanding each other... You survived the Holocaust and came to this land to build a new home, do it, but build next to us, not on top of us!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.984375px;">Peace & Love...</span><br />
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The Palestinian Refugee<br />
BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-66140206008462428532013-01-18T09:12:00.001-05:002013-01-18T10:35:13.907-05:00Palestine is Our Choice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night, I was reading a few articles here and there about Palestine and Israel, I also watched a few videos about the history of Palestine, the history of Israel, and so on...</div>
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The interesting point that you get, is that everyone is deciding on behalf of the Palestinians what their fate and future should be!! In none of those articles or videos did I see any consultation or opinion of the people, the Palestinians, the main stakeholders of all of this!! Can't we have a say in what we really want?!?! Weird right?? No it's not weird, it's actually cruel, unjust, tyrannical, savage, ignorant, and inhuman... </div>
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Palestinians are supposed to watch others decide their own destiny, get the support of the world, by diplomacy or force, while we,the Palestinians, wait for the mercy of others, wait for the verdict of others on whether we are real or not, whether we deserve a country or not, whether we will live or die!!! What world is that?!? </div>
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The world supported Southern Sudan to create a country, because they are different from the rest of Sudan. The world supported the division of Czechoslovakia into different smaller countries that guarantees a secure, safe, and prosperous future for the different ethnic groups of that country. The world supports Taiwan, Armenia, Pakistan, and so many more examples from history and the future... All under the mission of protecting the people, defending human rights, and the right to decide their destiny... </div>
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The irony is that it all stops at the doorsteps of Palestine!!! Suddenly the world is silent, tight handed, speechless, unable to move and defend and take action. For 65 years, no one seemed to care much to really solve the issue of the Palestinian People. Instead, we were left to figure it out on our own, facing the only DEMOCRACY of the Middle East!! </div>
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In fact, to be fair, there are so many out there who defend the Palestinians and they support the Palestinian struggle and cause. And it was apparent in the recent vote in the UN, when the majority of the world voted in favor of recognizing the State of Palestine. It was a fierce political battle that involved so much lobbying and negotiations and debate. And at the end Palestine prevailed and won it's recognition... </div>
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But in that vote, many were driven by a tremendous feeling of guilt!! Because they abandoned Palestinians all those years, because they let generations of Palestinians live as refugees, because they did not stand up to the basic rights of the people of Palestine!!! Nonetheless, thank you for everyone who voted in favor of Palestine. And for those who abstained, well, it's ok this time, maybe next time you should be more bold ;-)</div>
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As for the countries who voted against the recognition of the State of Palestine, mainly Israel, Canada, and the United States, it's a shame, a disgrace, and a disappointment for democracy, for human rights, for justice, for humanity... Not because they voted against, nope, it's their right of course, but for the way, the method, the approach, the speeches, the rhetoric, and the aggression they used against Palestinians!! For real, did these guys watch themselves again?? Were they stripped from their human soul? Were they talking about Palestinians or about insects!? Or maybe all of us are stupid, and those elite Trio know it all!!! </div>
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As a supporter of Human Rights, I do recognize and acknowledge the right of Israel to exist, and so many Palestinians around the world, and in Palestine, do recognize this, and on top of them is President Mahmoud Abbas. But it cannot be at the expense of the Human Rights, the dignity, and the future of the Palestinian People!! You cannot build and establish Israel by destroying and erasing Palestine!!! And of course, not Israel, not the US, and not anyone else has the right to decide our existence and future... </div>
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If the politicians are corrupt, looking for their interests and ignoring those of their people, then it is the duty of every citizen of humanity to seek the truth, seek justice, seek equality, defend the existence of Israel,while defending the existence of Palestine, equally, without prejudice!! </div>
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In a recent lecture by an Israeli professor that I attended lately, he was talking about how Israel cannot trust Palestinians to give them their own state, fearing for its security!! Well, what about Palestinians?!?! They can trust Israel, or should I say, they are supposed to trust Israel?!? Will Palestinians be safe at the end?!? Seriously, who should be afraid of who?!?! It's a funny scene, just like that of the elephant (Israel) and the mouse (Palestine)!!! And I only mean this in the military aspect of course :-) </div>
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In the end it doesn't matter. We deserve a country of our own, we have the right for a country of our own!! Israel can have its fear or phobia or paranoia or whatever sentimental feelings from its own borders!! We are not in a marriage counseling here!! We are discussing the future of the People of Palestine... </div>
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Stop calling us Arabs instead of Palestinians. Stop calling it the Territories or Judea & Samaria instead of Palestine. Stop claiming we are fake people because we are as real as it gets. Stop calling it terrorism instead of activism (referring to non-violent resistance). Stop calling it AntiSemitism instead of Freedom of Speech or Expression of Opinion (referring to pure, valid, logical criticism of Israel or Jews). Stop claiming Palestine was a land with no people because it was a land full of Palestinians before all this conflict (Muslims, Christians, and Jews)! Stop defending Israel by attacking Palestine. Start defending Israel by defending Palestine! Stop building Israel on the ruins of Palestine. Stop war and begin Peace. Stop Hate and spread Love... </div>
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There is no easy path for all of us. But with a strong will everything can be achieved. Palestinians have resisted and struggled and stood proud in front of all tragedies, and we will continue doing so till Palestine is back, a beautiful independent and peaceful place for all Palestinians and everyone who loves Palestine. Israel will exist in peace and prosperity only when Palestine exists in peace and prosperity...</div>
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Always keep in mind, Palestine is not anybody's call or decision, Palestine is Our Choice... </div>
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To Peace and Love... </div>
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-1628236422923206322013-01-10T23:56:00.001-05:002013-01-11T21:53:36.447-05:00Homeland<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBx1Y830IsVbLdT2VUDEzzffnP2mpnhx8x6pPTqSt4XhjXGuVr6JUWJWkRO1HJC0l2nHovRTjHZofy_Z3IwGMGjZedr8tJ1OJtc6Cimk2BBNZPjNXQTnW65lhA5wogdbQ_c7QCqc1-Yk/s1600/freedom-home-land-life-palestine.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBx1Y830IsVbLdT2VUDEzzffnP2mpnhx8x6pPTqSt4XhjXGuVr6JUWJWkRO1HJC0l2nHovRTjHZofy_Z3IwGMGjZedr8tJ1OJtc6Cimk2BBNZPjNXQTnW65lhA5wogdbQ_c7QCqc1-Yk/s640/freedom-home-land-life-palestine.jpg' /> </a> </div>
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Homeland, as per wikipedia, means: the concept of the place (cultural geography) to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with, the country in which a particular national identity began...</p>
<p>It is pretty simple, unless you are still a child, or you are a fanatic stubborn ignorant person who refuses to understand it, right??</p>
<p>So when it comes to my Homeland, Palestine, I don't understand how the definition of HOMELAND above won't apply to Palestinians and Palestine?!? Yet, there seems to be a lot, and a lot, of research and theories and studies, marvelous discoveries, astonishing findings, lengthy papers and publications, just to say that Palestine, the geographical area we know at least since the 20th century, is the homeland for others, not for Palestinians!!!</p>
<p>As in every post I write, I have to clarify that I am no historian or politician or academic with extensive background and information about the Palestine/Israel conflict... Yet, I am an educated Palestinian, a son of two Palestinian refugees, an open-minded peace activist, a supporter of justice, human rights, and equality for all... And this qualifies me, as it qualifies so many people from around the globe, to comment and share their opinion about this issue...</p>
<p>So, going back, there is this simple question of "Who has the right to call this piece of land their HOMELAND?". Well, the answer is not that simple!! I know thousands, even millions, will say "The answer is simple, this is our HOMELAND!!". You will hear this from both sides, and everyone else. Israelis will say this is our historical homeland, Palestinians will say this is our homeland, period!! Others will choose a side, supporting and defending whoever suits their interests or way of thinking or whatever criteria...</p>
<p>Hmmmmm, so what's the answer? If we want to sit and dig and dissect history, and come up with theories and so on, we will wait another century maybe, or even more, if ever, before we reach an answer...</p>
<p>In fact, I believe this question and its answer is irrelevant!! Who cares after decades of war and deaths and inhumanity and terrorism, who cares about this answer!! Yes there are those who only care about scoring points, demonizing the other, insulting the other, demolishing the other!!! Those my friends are the inhumane group who value nothing but war, death, and destruction, and they care the least for the fate of humanity!! We, the Humane folks, should focus on another question: "How do we make this geographical area the HOMELAND for everyone living there?!?"</p>
<p>Palestinians have been living there, at least since the past century, they grew up there, they developed a culture, a national identity, which is different than the neighboring Arab countries. This is the part, the info, the fact that others do not want to understand, or is difficult to grasp!! We did not come from outer space, we did not come from Fiji, we did not come from Jordan or Lebanon or Syria or Egypt, we did not come from anywhere but Palestine!! We are Palestinians, we speak different, we eat different, we dress different, we think different, even our Kuffiyeh is different!! We are unique, like every other country or ethnic group around the world. So I don't understand, how any person who is not from the region, would come and judge a nation, Palestine, create theories, and act upon it, without understanding who those people are, without asking them or trying to know anything about them even, except for digging books and info from the Internet?!!? Hello, we are here, come talk to us!!!</p>
<p>Moving on, it is also a fact that Israelis lived in this area thousands of years ago. And for some reason, not because of Palestinians, they had to flee their HOMELAND. But this is the same with so many other nations throughout history. Unfortunately, we as Palestinians, have been a victim of this historical claim!!</p>
<p>Imagine this scenario: Mexico comes today to claim back all the southern states from the US, based on the historical tie to the land!! Would that be feasible?</p>
<p>But again, we are beyond history, we are in 2013, where this land has become the HOMELAND for all those Israelis who created the Jewish State 65 years ago. Regardless of how, regardless of the wars, regardless of all the details of the past 65 years, there are generations born and raised in Israel, and so it is their HOMELAND...</p>
<p>Hence we are in a dilemma today, where we have two nations who have every right to name this land their HOMELAND... So what's the solution? How to make both groups live in their HOMELAND??</p>
<p>Although it is so complicated to answer the detailed solution, there is a very simple broad answer: LIVE TOGETHER, acknowledge the other, respect the other, feel for the other, understand the other, work with the other to make this land the HOMELAND for everyone who has a tie to this land...</p>
<p>We all know this quote: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...</p>
<p>It is going to take a lot of effort and hard work and transformation, it needs courage and honesty, it needs positivity and determination, it will require compromise and trust... but it is possible. Both sides need to open their minds and hearts, treat each other as humans who want to live happily and peacefully... Remove the hatred and the prejudice, be patient and understanding of the other... Hear the other, compassionately...</p>
<p>No one alone can win this land, BOTH of us can win it, together, with peace and justice and equality, and love...</p>
<p>For starters, if you are an Israeli or a Jew, go make friends with some Palestinians, talk to them, understand the HUMAN Palestinian, not the textbook Palestinian. Know their story, discover their agony, feel their pain, and correct their perceptions about Israel and the Jews as well...</p>
<p>Palestinians, do the same, cross that bridge, break the taboos, and seek a peaceful future in our HOMELAND, for all of us...</p>
<p>If you live in Montreal, I will be more than happy to connect you to some groups that can help you make this connection... Anything for Peace my friends :)</p>
<p>Let's overcome the PAST, let's solve TODAY, and live for a better TOMORROW...</p>
<p>I know I'm being too idealistic, but then again, that's what we all wish for, right?!! I leave the practical details for you to think about & share...</p>
<p>And for those who did not like what I wrote, or got mad because of my opinion, apologies for being ME!!</p>
<p>To Peace and Love...</p>
<p>BISS</p>
BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-56317879883915415132013-01-07T14:13:00.001-05:002013-01-08T21:15:31.200-05:00It's That Time of the Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Goodbye 2012, and welcome 2013... Thankfully the world didn't end with the end of the Mayan Calendar, and so we have another year to live, and Plan ;)<br />
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Among those plans, there is the ritual of the New Year Resolutions... Of course, the hot word during December and January... Everyone will be asking you "What are your 2013 Resolutions?", "Am I in it?", "Did you finish all your 2012 ones?", and on and on with questions about those Resolutions...<br />
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Go to the Internet, and you will find millions of articles and blogs about the Resolutions: How to make the best of your Resolutions, The best Strategy to write them, what not to include... Add to that the other millions of articles about weight loss, yoga, diets, meditation, and many of the other cliche items that most of us include every year in our Resolutions...<br />
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I am a big fan of planning, making To-Do lists and reminders is an obsession of mine. And so I support having a New Year Resolution list, as part of our yearly planning. But what I find is that this process has been distorted... In what sense you might ask, well here is how...<br />
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To start off, I have to mention that I'm not a psychologist or sociologist or any of that sort. I'm just BISS, your average human friend with some observations to share... So keep this in mind ;-)<br />
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So when it comes to Resolutions, again, in principle this is a good thing to have. Although some people would argue, why do it on this New Year, not on the Chinese New Year or Islamic New Year or whatever other main occasion in your culture or religion or society? It's your call. Do it whenever you want, as long as you know this is a good thing to have: a yearly plan for major things to accomplish in your life... Agreed?<br />
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Next is what those Resolutions talk about and include, and that's where a lot of us might disagree... For me, New Year Resolutions should be all about Genuine things that matter to you and your loved ones. It should be from within your heart, and soul... Deep right? Well let me explain more...<br />
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Losing weight because I want to look sexier or because I want to get more action!! This is not a New Year resolution that is genuine from within your heart and soul... Modify it a bit: I want to lose some weight and become more fit, because my children are becoming more physically demanding, and I want to be able to keep up. This is genuine, that touches something deep inside a parent...<br />
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Another example: I want to stop smoking this year, because my partner says I smell bad in smoke!! Or I read an article that says non-smokers are becoming more cool and popular than smokers, and so I want to stop smoking this year!! Well... I am not that sure this is a major item to be in your Resolutions!! Maybe it is that important to you!! But let me try to tweak it a bit: I want to stop smoking this year because it is affecting my health, and I want to take better care of my health, for my own sake and for the sake of the ones I love... This is more rooted and strong, isn't it??<br />
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I'll pause for a minute to explain something: Losing weight or quitting smoking are important to a lot of people, but unless it is a priority, more important than a lot of other things in your life, it should be part of your day to day decisions, not a New Year Resolution!! Don’t add every small and big, major and minor decision or goal you want to do this year in those Resolutions!! Keep it for the elite ones, the special ones, the Genuine ones... Put the rest on other To-Do lists and planners...<br />
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Buying a new car, getting that beautiful watch you always wanted, going on a trip to Venice, or even getting a college degree, they may or may not be good fits for your Resolutions. The measure should be how much they matter to your heart and soul... Not only how much ego or fun or excitement they give you... Keep those others for your fun time planning maybe!!<br />
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Another thing to add: Resolutions are not designed to simply challenge yourself. It does not help putting 30 items that you know you may not achieve half of them!! Yes setting goals is challenging. You have to focus and commit and be strong and determined to achieve goals you set in your Resolutions. And that's why I stick to my description of "GENUINE" to be your strong tool and motive to keep you determined to accomplish those Resolutions. Challenge yourself to accomplish a few GENUINE Resolutions that matter to you, and hopefully you will...<br />
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I'll tell you about my New Year Resolutions, they mostly surf around One topic: My little angel, my princess, my daughter, KINDA... That's where my heart and soul are, that's the most genuine thing in my life, and that's what keeps me so ALIVE...<br />
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So dig deep into your heart and soul, think about what matters to you, deeply and genuinely, what are those big challenges that you really really want to achieve this year... Write them down on a piece of paper (it should not exceed one regular page)... Make it fancy maybe, eye catching, to you, not to anyone else... And keep it where you can always see it, to remind yourself, to keep the challenge on... And good luck my friends...<br />
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Happy New Year to you all... Wishing you all the happiness, success, and joy in 2013 and all the years to come...<br />
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To PEACE and LOVE...<br />
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BISS</div>
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BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-40484427309494550122012-12-29T15:02:00.000-05:002012-12-29T15:05:17.581-05:00She is GOOD... Relatively Speaking!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yesterday I went to refill some ink cartridges for the office printer. I go to the usual shop, but the usual guy is not there. Instead there is a nice lady, who seemed not too knowledgeable of the printers world! At least this is what I assumed! And so, I gave her the ink cartridges, she checked them out, and it turned out she is more knowledgeable than I thought! Some of the cartridges were expired, meaning they cannot be even refilled (that's a new info for me!). So I have to buy new ones. Only one cartridge can be refilled. And so after checking the pricing and so on, the bill would come out to $110! As I stood there thinking for a few moments, she jumps to my ear and says: "Listen, why pay this much to refill your printer, while actually today you can buy a brand new one for this price, with all the Christmas offers you know!" I looked at her with amazement!! "Of course, I will probably do that". She even told me who has the best offers for printers, and which brands are cheaper when it comes to refilling ink and so on. At the end she said: "Don't tell my boss though", with a nice smile, waving goodbye and wishing me a good day...<br />
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"She is GOOD"... This is what I said to myself, as I left the store, happy that I did not find the usual guy, who would have probably given me a bit of discount but let me pay for refilling those cartridges!! Maybe or maybe not!! But this is when I thought to myself, she is GOOD because she did a good deed, she gave me the advice that will save me money, and help me make the right decision, she said what is GOOD for the customer. But was she GOOD as an employee? as a sales person? Her last statement, asking me not to tell her boss, makes you think that she assumed this was a BAD advice, losing a transaction for her boss!! Indeed, probably her boss would get mad and tell her how lousy she is, and how BAD for the business she was!! On the other hand, at least from my stand, I know I would be more loyal to this shop, and when I buy the new printer and I am out of ink, I will not refill anywhere else except there, hopefully with that lady :)<br />
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This keeps us thinking, is GOOD so relative?? It cannot be just GOOD?! Is it always subjective? Well, the reality is, GOOD is relative, in every aspect of our lives...<br />
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When my daughter cries in front of me asking for chocolate instead of having lunch, I do sometimes give her chocolates (being a chocolate lover myself!), thinking that I did something GOOD, giving her the happiness and joy of eating chocolate. But in fact, this is bad, health wise and behavior wise!<br />
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When you give money to a young man begging at the metro entrance, you do so thinking you did a GOOD act, you helped the guy buy food or something. But some will argue that this is bad, because you encourage this young man not to work, and to beg for more! Even he might just buy bear with this money! That's BAD!<br />
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When you answer a late night call from a friend, who is in a crisis and needs to talk and let things out, you do so with GOOD intentions, genuinely trying to comfort your friend... But in the head of your partner, sleeping next to you maybe, this is BAD, and it can bring bad consequences and scenarios!!<br />
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When you break up with someone, or divorce even, you are looking for the GOOD side of it, moving on, starting over, new chances, new beginnings, but that's for you positive person... On the other side, what you did might look BAD, selfish, childish, stupid, irresponsible, crazy, etc... And they will remind you for the rest of your life how BAD you are!!<br />
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If we criticize our leaders about the bad things they are doing, or just voicing concerns and opinions that do not match their views, we want them to learn and know, hoping that they will do something GOOD... Yet some might look at it as something bad, and will accuse us with treason or stupidity!!<br />
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When you defend a cause so strongly and so genuinely, like I do defending the Palestinian cause, you genuinely believe you are doing GOOD... But again, for other Palestinians who believe in different ways or different philosophies, you are bad, you are harming the cause...<br />
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My best example of all, as Palestinians, if we talk to Jewish or Israeli groups who seek dialogue and peace and equality and justice, we are seeking something GOOD, we are connecting the GOOD aspects of humans together, trying to make a difference, a GOOD difference... Yet, some will just label it as "Speaking with the Enemy", no matter what context or what conditions, and will tell you straight to your face: You are BAD to the Palestinian cause!! This always humors me!! Yet, I remind myself, this is subjective, my GOOD, their BAD... Their GOOD might be my BAD!!<br />
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A last example, for the Pro-Israel Anti-Palestinians, we as Palestinians, no more matter who or where, we are BAD, we are the enemy!! Even if we try to make peace, or anything GOOD, you are still BAD because you are Palestinian!! Even if you were an Israeli, who supports Human Rights, something GOOD, and so you defend the Palestinians' rights to live in equality and justice, for the Pro-Israel Anti-Palestinians you are doing BAD things to the state of Israel, you are a BAD traitor to the Jewish religion!!<br />
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The list does not end... And if there is anything to learn from this life is that everything these days is RELATIVE and SUBJECTIVE, including the GOOD and the BAD!! Which makes you wonder all the time which GOOD should I do?!?<br />
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Will I be judged all the time?? Indeed you will... Should I stop doing GOOD things because it might be BAD for others? Nope... Do what you think is GOOD always...<br />
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It's a tough life with tough choices... Yet we are here to enjoy it and live it to the MAX...<br />
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Be GOOD folks... Relatively speaking ;)<br />
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BISS</div>
BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-75989785620254834442012-12-22T17:45:00.000-05:002012-12-22T18:19:05.639-05:00Doomsday, The Mayan Calendar, and Palestinians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you read this, it means that you survived one of the biggest pranks of our days, The Mayan Doomsday Prank!! So congratulations for continuing to live on this beautiful planet, Earth...<br />
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Now, I'm not hinting that all those who believed the world would end on the 21st of December 2012 according to the Mayan calendar, are stupid or anything. Everyone has the right to believe in whatever they want to believe. I myself didn't believe the world would end today, simply because the Mayans didn't say that!!! According to all the research done on the Mayans and their famous calendar, there is no mentioning that the Mayans believed the world will end at the end of their calendar. WE assumed it, WE speculated, WE interpreted, and WE decided on behalf of the Mayans that this is what they believed, that Doomsday is at the end of their calendar...<br />
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The problem is that the Mayans are not here, and there is no way to ask them directly, "what do you guys believe will happen?", if anything, or whether it was just the end of the their calendar, and it should restart after this date... Come to think of it, even at our days, we run out of numbers in so many things (the car odometer for example), and we do restart numbering. So don't assume a civilization thousands of years ago couldn't get into similar situations :)<br />
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Next, what do Palestinians have to do with the Mayans?? Well, it seems a lot of scholars, historians, and politicians these days, deal with the Palestinians as if they existed thousands of years ago, or didn't even exist ever in other extreme views. And in believing so, they are making theories and assumptions and speculations about this group of ancient people!!!<br />
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Palestinians, they were X, they come from Y, they looked like Z, their leaders were A, B, C, etc… All those assumptions about the Palestinians can be verified and checked if you ask the Palestinians, it is not that hard. No need to speculate and guess!! We are here all around the globe, just make the effort to connect with a Palestinian, and get all the information that you need…<br />
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Recently, here in Montreal, I have been heavily involved in dialogue events and initiatives, where Palestinians sit with Jews and Israelis and talk to each other openly and respectfully... It's no surprise that Palestinians know a lot about the Jews and Israelis in general, while the opposite is not true. I had to explain for instance thousands of times, how come I am Palestinian but have never been and cannot be in Palestine!! I had to explain thousands of times why I am classified as a refugee!!! I had to explain thousands of times that Palestinians are against the Occupation, not against Jews!!! I had to explain thousands of times that we are simply human beings seeking the right to live in dignity and equality and respect...<br />
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Unlike the Mayans who do not exist anymore, Palestinians exist today in almost every country around the globe. Go ask Palestinians, and I strongly encourage you to do so, in order to know, to learn, to understand, and feel with this group of people, the Palestinians... You will be surprised what you will discover...<br />
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We live on beyond the Mayan calendar, and we as Humans, including Palestinians, we should always strive for Peace, Equality, Respect, and Love...<br />
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PEACE folks...<br />
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BISS</div>
BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-7473738331515095472012-11-30T01:51:00.000-05:002012-11-30T10:14:01.443-05:00Today Palestine Won... And Lost...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5jlhyYGDDds-I0zOQyfgHRcTQI_aMg8ZUR5v6EknTzeZcghux-Dz3TdFQEBheGMizwEqAqyHjHjYOL_7sOes-TMrOfoJbJcZT_C_Jqh3snIkG0IVWWMpN53_QzbqwG8xUZ8lSfAVg4c/s1600/palestinian-demonstrators-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5jlhyYGDDds-I0zOQyfgHRcTQI_aMg8ZUR5v6EknTzeZcghux-Dz3TdFQEBheGMizwEqAqyHjHjYOL_7sOes-TMrOfoJbJcZT_C_Jqh3snIkG0IVWWMpN53_QzbqwG8xUZ8lSfAVg4c/s320/palestinian-demonstrators-007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today, a big part of Palestinians, as well as Palestinian supporters, were celebrating, celebrating something, celebrating a political win, a moral win, against world powers and the will of Israel and the USA... It was the first time that Palestinians accomplished such a win on the international arena... So people celebrated, applauded, cheered, went crazy on social media, fireworks, you name it... It was a victory for Palestinians and THE STATE OF PALESTINE...<br />
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But we live in a partisan world, we live in opposites, differences, disagreements... And that is natural for humans, and so it is natural and expected that this victory was not for everyone, specially for Israel and the US, who actually lost a great deal in this bid, and were cornered in front of the international world...<br />
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But besides Israel and the US, there are Palestinians who do not recognize this as a win, and some will go further to consider this defeat... And again, I can understand that and respect this view...<br />
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What I do not understand, and do not respect, is for those who consider this VICTORY to be false or defeat or even STUPID, specially the Palestinians, to go attack the other Palestinians, in whatever form...<br />
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We are a People who suffered so much for 65 years, and we rarely ever gained anything during those decades... And so we are always looking for this hope, for this feeling of joy and happiness and stability and security, and peace, peace at home... A lot of Palestinians are away from home, in exile, but some are still there, in Palestine, in their homes, but not in their STATE, till today... After today, they officially celebrate being in the STATE OF PALESTINE... and so they celebrate happily and joyfully... Congratulations for all Palestinians who have the privilege and honor to be in THE STATE PALESTINE right now...<br />
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As for me, I am one of those men with no land, living in exile, in the diaspora... and yet I celebrated today, I celebrated for those in THE STATE OF PALESTINE, and for everyone who supports them and us, and also for me... I know that I may never go back to my home town Al-Bassa to live there as a Palestinian. To be realistic, there is no town called Al-Bassa anymore, and although I love the memory of it, the name, the feeling of belonging to that town, the stories I hear all the time about it, still, I know me and a lot others who have their feet on the ground, like President Mahmoud Abbas, we know we will never go back to start from scratch, that is if there was a chance for it to happen... And so for us, it is a loss that we accept with sorrow, forced to accept the reality of the world we live in today, 2012...<br />
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But there is a bigger loser here: those Palestinians who still refuse to recognize the State of Israel, who refuse to accept that the world changed, who refuse to move on and plan ahead, who think if they wait 500 more years and wait for the next World War that maybe they will have the chance to get all of Palestine back... Or maybe they have other reasoning or strategy... Who knows... Human minds are capable of the impossible, right?<br />
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So those fellow Palestinians are one of the biggest losers maybe, although technically, the right of return and the borders are still not final... But I will also be realistic and assume that those Palestinians in the diaspora from villages that are now or were inside the State of Israel, I'll assume that they will eventually lose this right of return, and so they will lose their place of origin... I feel for you, I understand how it feels, and every other Palestinian in this world and every other Palestinian supporter understands that, and it is something to be discussed and addressed in the near future... Remember today was only about recognizing the State of Palestine as a Non Member Observer STATE, without solving or closing all those issues of the borders and right of return and so on... This is just the beginning of something new, the start of a diplomatic chapter in the Palestinian history, where we gained for the first time on the international level, the title and status of being a STATE. That's all...<br />
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Now, for this last group of fellow Palestinians, please, for heaven's sake, do not attack the other Palestinians, do not call them names, do not make fun of their joy, do not wipe off this joy and happiness they feel... We are all Palestinians... Hamas and Fatah, though opposed to each other until a few weeks ago, they were mostly united in celebrating this win, because we need this hope, we need this joy, we need this moral and symbolic victory... and so Palestine was ecstatic today, from Gaza to the West Bank, to Palestinians everywhere in the world, and to their supporters... Share this joy, understand that all those people are not stupid, understand that in this real life we live in today, this was a victory... Even if you do not consider it a victory, it was a victory for all your fellow Palestinians who celebrated it... Even if you do not want to share this joy and celebration, don't spoil it for them, don't call them names... It's a shame... It's a shame to call the Palestinians in Gaza, who were under attack and the treat of death a couple of weeks ago, and now they are celebrating joyfully, it's a shame to call them stupid... Really you should be ashamed of yourselves...<br />
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At the end, I say it again, I respect everyone's different stand and opinion, I understand and realize that we can have differences and disagreements, but please keep it civil, specially among us, PALESTINIANS... We need all the unity we can get folks... So make the effort, make your best... United we can change the world, one step at a time... Keep the faith, keep the hope...<br />
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From my side, I say congratulations to THE STATE OF PALESTINE and to the Palestinians who celebrated this world VICTORY... It is the start, the beginning of a new phase in this long hard road toward FULL STATEHOOD and PEACE and prosperity... Congrats Congrats Congrats...<br />
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</div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7xlwf4bj-TZlRiyqcrY9pduqxiXJXlLZsp3ZYVfQs3i1e4Fysfh3Gr4Q29bQfOd2PYeOzEzu36gckQV0aeSklh918oZttrx-Arue44J9Y92wy4JFRMtCwEn5i8eKZ1CJTZGQlJ14gK0/s640/blogger-image-2030817827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7xlwf4bj-TZlRiyqcrY9pduqxiXJXlLZsp3ZYVfQs3i1e4Fysfh3Gr4Q29bQfOd2PYeOzEzu36gckQV0aeSklh918oZttrx-Arue44J9Y92wy4JFRMtCwEn5i8eKZ1CJTZGQlJ14gK0/s640/blogger-image-2030817827.jpg" /></a></div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-76982459518934904502011-05-28T22:02:00.004-04:002012-12-01T17:14:00.403-05:00Palestine: Peace at Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It has been a packed couple of weeks for Palestinians across the globe, from the 63rd Nakba Anniversary and the launch of the 3rd Intifada, to the Obama Middle East speech and then the AIPAC speech, followed by Natenyahu's visit to the White House and then the AIPAC and Congress Speech, following with all the world reactions to all those events...</div>
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When it came to the Nakba and 3rd Intifada, it was Palestinians and friends taking the lead in deciding to go to the streets, PEACEFULLY, to tell the world that we are still here, REFUGEES, after 63 years, still waiting to go back home... Palestinians planned, coordinated, promoted, organized, and took action in PEACEFUL events around the globe... Sadly on May 15th 2011, those PEACEFUL UNARMED protests and demonstrations were met by gunfire, death, and blood... And the world watched silently, no condemnations, no remarks, no words at all... Even the media chose to ignore covering those PEACEFUL events around the world, and instead chose to highlight that Palestinians attacked the Israeli borders, and attacked the Israeli soldiers inside Palestine!! Why? Because when it comes to Israel, maybe every non-Israeli or non-Jewish human has no value, totally and cheaply dispensable... What a shame to see the world reach to this level of humanity...<br />
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Moving on, the world was waiting for another major event that concerns Palestinians: The Obama Middle East Speech. It was an event to respond to the Palestinian political movement towards gaining Palestinian Statehood in September when a UN vote will take place. It was also a preparation and an outline for the Peace process that President Obama was laying down ahead of Natenyahu’s visit to the US...<br />
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To be fair and square, President Obama did cross the normal lines that a US president would stay behind when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He boldly told Israel what the Palestinian borders should be, which is the 1967 lines “with agreed swappable land” to compensate for the illegal Israeli settlements inside the 1967 lines... Of course there in the speech was emphasis about the unshakable relationship between Israel and the US, as well as a soft wanring about the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, and above all, sidelining the major two points of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: the future of Jerusalem, and the Right of Return for the Palestinian Refugees to their homes... Oh and let’s not forget his answer to the Palestinian move to declare a Palestinian State in September: NO WAY...<br />
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Although for most Palestinians, this was totally disappointing, it was even a more disappointing and outrageous for the Israeli’s that are not used to being told what to do!! All the attacks on President Obama after his speech, never mind those from Palestinians and Arabs, but those coming from Israeli’s and Jews were so fierce, that eventually Obama had to change and tweak a few words when he gave the AIPAC 2011 speech, gaining a few ovations and applauds here and there in his speech. Politically, as a US President running for re-election, this is what exactly had to be done... But as a Peace moderator, as an advocate for Justice and Equal Human Rights, this was far far from being right!!!<br />
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Non the less, the Israeli PM stood firm by his non-compromising attitude, bluntly rejecting Obama’s speech, sticking to his points: No Return to 1967 lines, no partitioning of Jerusalem, no Right of Return for Palestinians, no negotiations with Hamas... He was arrogantly slamming the door infront of any possible Peace negotiations, in a way, telling Palestinians to DROP DEAD as per one article recently published (MJ Rosenberg: Congress to Palestinians: Drop Dead <a href="http://huff.to/lgEp0g">http://huff.to/lgEp0g</a>). And yet, the amount of ovations and support and and cheering that he received from the US Congress surpassed that given to a US figure!!! It was like a political showdown between the US President and the Israeli PM, pure politics and tactics...<br />
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It was pathetic, at least for me as a Palestinian, to see this reaction to a guy bluntly killing an hope for relaunching PeaceNegotiations. More pathetic was also the media coverage, which mostly headlined the only few positive yet tricky sentences of Natenyahu about his willingness to give up GENEROUSLY some land to Palestinians in return for Peace!!!<br />
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True these days it’s all about politics and money and power and connections, it’s all about playing it right, it’s all about allies and lobbies, it’s about winning your way and not about doing the RIGHT and JUST thing...<br />
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But for me as a Palestinian, a simple human being, I don’t care about Politics, I don’t care about Obama’s re-election, I don’t care about speeches and ovations and applauds, I don’t care about a UN recognition of Palestine... As a Palestinian, all I want is a place to call HOME, a place to live PEACEFULLY, a place to have my basic human rights, to live equal to others, to have the same rights as others, to be free to do what the law tells everyone to do...<br />
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All we are asking for is for the world to look at the Palestinian people as Humans, as people who are suffering, deprived of their dignity and human rights, deprived of their home...<br />
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Look at those people, read the laws, the international laws, the Human Rights laws, read history, and then take a stand, not a side, a stand to defend Israelis and Palestinians alike, to protect the right to exist for both Palestinians and Israelis, to secure PEACE and prosperity to both Israelis and Palestinians, to let both people live in a place they call HOME...<br />
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May we all find PEACE at HOME soon, always, and forever...</div>
BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954546639953020556.post-26863855366944646672010-03-19T20:18:00.000-04:002012-06-20T20:19:40.543-04:00Love Hurts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are so many kinds of love in this world, and lately I have been to the movie "Valentine's Day", and it really portrayed so many of them.<br /><br />There is the romantic kind man, the genuine lover, who loves with no limits, no grudges, a love so pure... but he has fallen inlove with the wrong person...<br /><br />There is the married man, happily married, a sexy wife, lovely kids, a nice family, but he wants more, so he fakes and lives another life with a mistress...<br /><br />There is the little child, 5 grader, who is in love with his lovely teacher, the first pure childish crush... an impossible match...<br /><br />There is this amazingly sexy sportsman, who dazzles all women just by his looks... but he is gay, and never had the courage to declare it... so he is living in the shadows, hiding his love to his partner...<br /><br />And then there is this gorgeous lady who hates Valentine because she has been always unlucky in relationships, so she celebrates the I hate Valentine every year, only to fall in love just like that, unexpectedly, on Valentine's day...<br /><br />And more, there is the mom, the US army soldier, who is flying more than 24hrs, just to spend one day with her love, with her son... one of the purest and strongest kinds of love, the motherly love...<br /><br />There are more examples of love, only to prove that the list goes on and on, and it is all different, all unique, and it has the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the joy and the hurt... It's all love...<br /><br />One thing you will notice in this movie, and in all the other love movies, all the love stories, that love will always contain HURT, little hurt, a lot of hurt, devastating hurt, suicidal hurt, all sorts... Some is intentional, some is totally unintentional, some is hidden, some is accidental, some is sacrifice, and some is goodwill hurt... Just to mention a few...<br /><br />So why can't we have a love that is hurt free?? Why can't love be like those amazing love stories we read or see or hear about?? Why can't we have this ideal romance?? My simple answer is because life has become so complicated and imperfect... Just like our foods, our air, our health, our education, our social systems, our health system, our politics, our laws, as well as our ethics, it is all imperfect, all polluted all stained by our mistakes and faults and defects... Love is imperfect, because our lives are imperfect... Why do we expect love to stay immune against all this... It just can't...<br /><br />I am not giving you a negative look on love, and that all love hurts, and so it's better to stay away from love, and not to love at all... Absolutely not...<br /><br />Love is great, love is amazing... Love is life... It's one of the most amazing things in life, it's so powerful, it's so big, it's almost the root of everything in life... We all need to love... Love our parents, love our family, love our country, love our religion, loveour hobbies, love our partners, love our work, love our kids, love love love... Love is all around us...<br /><br />All I want you to consider is that love will always hurt... and we have to accept it that way, we have to love, knowing that some day we might get hurt, we must love, knowing it might not last forever, we will always love, knowing that the oddes are against us, we shall always love, knowing that love hurts...<br /><br />Some forms of this hurt is called SWEET HURT or SWEET PAIN... it is part of the package... even the perfect love will contain hurt in the form of sweet hurt... those small little hurts... which are sweet :)<br /><br />Have you ever noticed that the most successful romantic movies or novels always contain element of hurt, in one way or another?!?! The usual plot, boy meet girl, boy loves girl, girl loves boy, then drama, problems, complications, hurt and agony, and some miracle happens, and the couple are back together, and they live happily ever after... but it passed through a HURT phase, and probably will continue to contain hurt in the future...<br /><br />Look around you, look at the mirror, look at your life, did you ever hurt someone you love?? Did you ever hurt someone but you did not mean to?? Did you ever hurt yourself, though for sure you love yourself?? Were you ever hurt because of love??<br /><br />Our life is imperfect my dears... Yet we survive, we live, we are happy, we are joyful, we embrace life's pleasures, we joke and laugh, we eat and drink and dance and sing and go wild, we get married and raise families, we study, we work, we succeed, we grow, we socialize, we love and love and love... And we are happy, we are the happiest species on earth... And will continue to be this way... So little hurt will never stop us... Life goes on... Love goes on...<br /><br />I have loved so much, so deeply, so devotedly, so strong, so crazy, so mad, I have loved in all sorts and kinds, but I managed to hurt almost everyone and everything I loved, and above all I have deeply hurt myself and my soul... Some say I was wrong, I was the guilty one, I was the sinner, and yes I was, I am, and maybe will always be... But I loved from the bottom of my heart, and I never ever meant any hurt... But I did, my love did hurt my beloved ones...<br /><br />Sorry if I ever hurt you because of my love… I never meant to… I am truly sorry...<br /><br />I love you all...<br /><br />BISS</div>BISShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04442786375934596589noreply@blogger.com0