2006 ACN - Live!

Dear,

I arranged with my friends everything concerning next day’s football game on Friday. We decided to meet at 4 and then use one car to make things easier.

We talked the next day and we decided to make it 4:30. So, we finally met on Saturday at 5:15 that was a big mistake!

I thought that we are not allowed to enter the stadium after 5:30, I was preparing myself that we won’t be able to attend the game as the traffic has been unbelievable, the good thing was that all these people were not nervous or irritated on the contrary they were painting their faces, wearing these hats and having fun.

No one seemed to be upset or even worried, finally we went and parked at 6:20.
We literally ran to find where we will be seated. I took a look at the stadium and believe me it was spectacular. I had my camera with me, managed to take some pictures.

We enjoyed the game very much, there were thousands of people all happy and enthusiastic, the females participation was very remarkable :).

The only problem for us was the extremely cold weather but it didn’t hinder anything.

I headed home after that, it took me TWO hours as some people were blocking Nozha st. and again no one complained, just the horn Peep Peep PeepPeePeep!

The whole experience has been wonderful, I want to attend the next game, even my sister wants to go :).

But we weren’t prepared enough, we didn’t even had a flag while the other people were branded :).

I have never seen that before and I believe people were never been that passionate and enthusiastic.

Yours,

Trapped ...

The girls (dear blogger friends and my sister) are having launch now and I am trapped here in the office, working on a presentation :( .
It's a very busy day, there is no way on earth that I could ask my boss to go out for even two hours. although they won't be enough.
But the good thing is that I talked to ME , as I called Nermeena and she gave the phone to me and we talked. I was sooooo pleased by that ... but I want to JOIN them.
Hopefully, we can arrange for another meeting some other time isA.

Nesreen

Egypt 2006 – ACN

Dear,

As I am in this hyper mood. Yesterday , I asked my sister if she can go with me to the stadium and watch today’s match.
She was stunned and told me … we can’t go there, I said “why not, it’s gonna be so much fun “ I will get you the first class ticket … she totally refused.

So I decided to arrange with my friends. But, I was afraid they might not be interested since it’s football and we girls don’t really understand what is going on and why do people yell and swear… it’s a mystery for us.
So to my surprise, Engy and Soha were very enthusiastic and said Alright … Soha likes football, but Engy and myself … are interested in the experience itself.
So what I am trying to do now ..is, get the tickets for the three of us, I thought it’s a piece of cake but… it’s really sooooooo hard.

There are two people who can help but … I don’t want to ask them. the first one will ask if he can come with us, so it’s going to be embarrassing to say no, and the second one is my boss.

The thing is I am not willing to purchase them, since the company is sponsoring the event … so it goes without saying that they should provide us with the tickets.

I asked a colleague today about the opening event last Friday. how was is LIVE … as she has been in the stadium… for me it was an agony watching it on the TV. Before she started talking …the whole department came and shared their frustration and sarcasm from what they have seen. Starting from the pharaohs show, , the scary masks , the seven exact words said by the president written on a paper, the thirty minutes fire works and then suddenly the song …. It turned out that it was hilarious for all of us.

Hopefully I can get the ticket and live the adventure with the girls next Saturday … as for now, I have appointed a friend of mine at work to teach us some of the things that they say so we won’t look odd at the stadium.

Yours,

Memories

Dear ...

A week ago, I was having dinner with my friends in blue nile, It was Thursday, a bit cold but I couldn't stay all the time indoors, I went outside and enjoyed the nile view without barriers ...
It felt really great. everything was beautiful that night and very peaceful... they played this wonderful song "Love Is", I used to love this song and haven't listened to it since soooooo long.
I wanted to listen to it again and by coincedence, Nermeen brought a CD with her and I found the song, it brings back beautiful and precious memories ...
Here is the song's lyrics...

They say it's a river
That circles the earth
A beam of light shining
To the edge of the universe
It conquers all It changes everything

They say it's a blessing
They say it's a gift
They say it's a miracle
And I believe that it is
It conquers all
But it's a mystery

Love breaks your heart
Love takes no less than everything
Love makes it hard
And it fades away so easily

In this world we've created
Inthis place that we live
From the blink of an eye, babe
The darkness sets in
Love lights the world
And lights the lovers for eternity

Love breaks the chains
Love aches for everyone of us
Love takes the tears and pain
And it turns it into the beauty that remains

Look at this place
It was paradise,
but now it's dying
I'll pray for love
I'll take my chances that it's not too late

Love breaks your heart
Love takes no less than everything
Love makes it hard
And it fades away so easily

I know I am a moody person, but I guess the song and the good memories are lifting my mood.

Yours,

Here comes the truth!

Dear,

I used to believe, it takes a big deal of courage to be able to say the truth in certain situations. But on the other hand it does require much bigger share of guts to face it and accept it.

Sometimes you are just not sure what you want this truth to be, but as human beings are egoistic creatures, the anticipated truth has to be on their favor and for their best interest even though they are not certain about its relevance for them.

Ironically, things were clear but I didn't see it because it was sugar coated and I only seized the sweet part and discarded the content.

I am not mad or anything, on the contrary I am relieved. But my concerns and inquiries were interpreted in a wrong way, that's what bothers me the most.

It's all wrong, I am confused and irritated. The whole issue has been magnified and I think I am the one responsible of making it that hard and complicated, it's much more simple and yet it's filled with air… I think it's hollow!

The thing is as far as commitments are concerned, I am the most indecisive person EVER, I wasn't even sure I will be able to pursue, and carry on …

Plus it was way too soon to think about it this way, but the circumstances and misunderstandings have conspired to bring up the subject to both of us.

I always hate irrational reactions, and I usually avoid reacting without thinking about any matter to avoid any emotional intervention; if I am mad at anyone I just take a break… till I cool down, think then .. talk. And that's the right thing to do.

So I just want to know what went wrong this time, I really don't know what I want and totally clueless.

Yours,

Back to work!

Dear,

It's the last night of my vacation, the past week literally flew.
I had a very nice time, enjoyed all of it, things were not pretty much as they were planned to be, but still satisfactory.

Two strange things happened, first: I wasn't that responsive to what was going on, I felt like I was watching rather than living and participating but that was comforting.
Secondly, I was having a lot of plans and I just cancelled two of them, honestly I didn't have good reasons to call them off.
I enjoyed the prayer very much, I love the eid prayer … it makes me happy.

The big problem is … I have to go to work tomorrow; it's not that I don't like my job but I feel I am still not ready. We have a business review on the 29th and I have a LOT to do, plus the regular tasks and the monthly reports.

Remember when we were young and we used to pretend that we are sick if there is an exam or something that we are afraid of … I won't need to pretend and yet still I will have to go to work even though I am really sick.

Yes just today I woke up and wasn't feeling well, there is something wrong with my throat but just ignored the feeling, I don't catch cold very frequently so I thought I will get better, but actually things got worse, my temperature has risen… It's flu!

Normally, after a long vacation I used to be excited to go to work, think of something nice to wear. Then go the next day and enjoy the first half an hour, sometimes an hour of socialization, fun and coffee, then back to work.

Just hope to have a good and motivating start tomorrow.

Yours,

Why … because we are free to choose.

Dear ...

If you know me in person, I mean really know me. you would have known that I am a different person here … when I am writing. To elaborate on "different"… I write about the things that I can't say to the people I know, express how I feel, it just gives me more freedom. Writing liberates me.

I received a comment before about my blog from someone I know telling me I am sheltered and living in a shell. And I still think about what he said… and here is the answer although I don't think he is going to read it.

The shell I am living in has been my choice, meaning … I went to school and college , wasn't a nerd or a geek , knew a lot of people with different backgrounds and cultures, saw the good and the bad. And I chose to be friends with the good.

After I graduated I began to work, things seemed different for me but I knew I had to adapt and learned the rules to survive in the new environment without having to change who I am.

I am working in the marketing department of one of the well known multinational companies and I am doing fine, I deal with Egyptians, foreigners, artists and football players who promote for our brands and I am doing a good job.

What I want to say is… as long as there is an area in my life that I have to accept it and learn to deal with it efficiently to make a living, learn or whatever the reason is.
The other area (personal) has to be of my choice.

I don't choose my manager, my peers, the people I deal with while shopping, the people in the street who deliberately give me a hard time in traffic, the relatives that never ask and don't stop blaming whenever there is a chance while they don't really care and eventually I am the one who asks about them, also the things beyond my control as love, illness, aging, death, wars,… the list is very long.

So actually I have chosen to make a shell that I go to when I am in need to find a comfort zone with the ones that I was very selective while choosing them to share with me this special place. And that doesn't make me in denial of the bad things happening around me.

There are two kinds of people, the first one walks into a room and notices a vase of flowers and approach to smell them and the other kind sees that there is a very tiny stain on the table cloth that has to be removed.

So I guess it's ok to have this place that I can charge myself, get the support I need, think and analyze as long as that will make me the person that I am. I couldn't have been this strong, stubborn, patient and a believer without it. So I am not imprisoned I CHOSE to have it. It's all about your choice, don't be judgmental and learn to see the hidden reasons.

Yours,