No Sacré Cœur for Mona

Is it too melodramatic to say I'm devastated?

No Sacré Cœur for my toddler. For the last two years all I've done is research schools until I was completely satisfied that the best possible education system in Egypt -- according to my standards -- is the Sacré Cœur schools. I was overjoyed to discover one very close to my place. My only concern was that they don't accept kids as young as three, but I pushed that to the back of my mind.

So I call them with a trembling heart, and I learn that I missed the registration deadline! Other schools are only just beginning registration and the Sacré Cœur is done! They actually started June 1 and were done before the beginning of July.

Now what? I wanted a French-medium school for Mona because over the years I noticed that every single French-medium graduate I've met is more fluent in English than their English-medium counterpart is in French, and to me bilingualism is the bare minimum to carry you through life; multilingualism is my long-term goal for Mona. I consider myself handicapped for being fluent in English only.

But I didn't want any French-medium school. I wanted a school closest to my first school back in the UAE, a school that was back then in a league of its own, just like the Sacré Cœur is in a league of its own now. I went to Rosary School, and my school, along with the devoted efforts my parents put in me, shaped every good side there ever was to me.

There was discipline, quite strict discipline actually: Nuns ran the school. Yet we weren't a herd where teachers would yell or threaten us with physical punishment. We were individuals, each and every one of us, even at age 6 or 7, and they maintained our sense of self-respect. Most of the time punishment was in fact non-physical; their aim was to shame you if you misbehaved, and because of your sense of self punishment of that sort really hurt and -- unless it was a particularly rebellious or antisocial student -- did the trick.

There was creativity, and we were strongly encouraged to find out who we were and explore our personalities. There was emphasis on the importance of a solid future career hand in hand with sound ethics and firm family values. There were a great many things I can never do justice in an entry I'm typing while upset and extremely sleep-deprived, unfortunately.

This is what I want for my daughter, and after asking and researching for two years I reached the conclusion only the Sacré Cœur can provide my daughter with this. Now what?

Funny Quote

"Remember the waterfront shack with the sign FRESH FISH SOLD HERE. Of course it's fresh, we're on the ocean. Of course it's for sale, we're not giving it away. Of course it's here, otherwise the sign would be someplace else. The final sign: FISH." Peggy Noonan

One of my all-time favorite editing quotes. Possible my all-time favorite.

Although personally I'd keep the sign as it originally was. I think the redundancy is...justified, if you will, and beneficial to the unsure and the hesitant who will assume what they've understood from the sign is wrong. There are those who need instructions repeated, elaborated on, and language should cater to them as well, as long as it doesn't stoop to sloppy redundancy.

RIP Michael Jackson

I was among the millions that grew up die-hard Michael Jackson fans. I still am a huge fan of his. I enjoyed and loved his music. His music was more or less a regular soundtrack to a big part of my life. I remember staring at Debbie Rowe's pic enviously after they got married and thinking, I had a chance; I'm prettier.

Why is it that in most cases the more extraordinarily gifted the person, the more turmoil in his life? Maybe talented people, especially artists, can't live without turmoil. Maybe turmoil is the catalyst for their brilliant creations. Maybe talent burns them whereas regular folk like myself are safe.

I'm not surprised he passed away. We're human, so we die. But I am very, very sad. I was waiting patiently for his comeback... I hope the media miraculously has some mercy on his children instead of pouncing on them like I expect it will.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.

Milestone for Me!

I just finished cleaning my kitchen floor, all by myself, for the first time ever in my life, and I am ridiculously proud of myself. I didn't even visit Flylady.com! I improvised. I actually used a regular towel. I have no idea where the rags are: The cleaning woman keeps them out of sight and only comes every other week (she's mysteriously sick every other week but I like to always give people the benefit of the doubt).

Yay for me! Such a ridiculously insignificant milestone for most people -- probably even shameful that it's a milestone for me at 29, but I am so proud of me!

Hilarious Music Video Parody

This video cracked me up. I don't think I've laughed this hard since a long time ago. I literally almost fell off my chair laughing.If the crazy shots in music videos ever stumped you you are going to love this.

I found the link to this in one of Larry Sullivan's tweets. Whenever I check out Larry Sullivan's tweets I always walk away with something interesting and often educational. And he will actually talk to his fans! Best of luck to the sunniest, most lovable actor ever for taking the time to reply to my fan tweet and for making my day twice!

He's Accomplished, Wise, And He Oozes Sex Appeal

I happened to be in the living room during a show where Adel Imam appeared, and I invite you to share, and learn, with me.

He was invited back to the Faculty of Agriculture after all those years since he graduated there, and he was "surprised" to find that it was flooded with hijabis interspersed with a few non-hijabis who he at once "realized" were Christians, a situation which he stated was, because of the Mulsim identity the many hijabis obviously displayed, "certainly not right".

Enlightening. Let's break this down, shall we?

First, the non-hijabis, his victims of implied discrimination, were decidedly Christian. I'd like to know why Adel Imam hasn't corrected the countless references in various media to his wife, a non-hijabi herself, as a Muslim. Oh, she is in fact a Muslim? Then Adel Imam obviously possesses supernatural abilities to tell your religion just by the presence or absence of a hijab. So we are blessed with not only an acting genius (nah, naturally I don't mean the movies that obviously target the straight men and those of us who swing both ways; ditch those; I assure you all, his filmography screams "genius"; go check it; where there is a will there is a way guys!) but also a magical phenomenon, all in a package his movies very subtly remind us is very "hot". Lucky us.

Second, since we're on the issue of discrimination: It was news to me that exhibiting a symbol of your faith upon your person is discriminatory and "certainly not right". It certainly never bothers me when my non-Muslim friends proudly wear a gold cross or Buddhist pendant. But hey, who am I to talk? I'm just an ignorant hijabi. What about the rest of the Muslims I know who socialize, nah, are best friends with non-Muslims, and all parties wear symbols of their respective faiths? Sheesh, here I go again. Who are they to talk? They are after all miserable hijabis like myself. Except they're not. Nor are many people in industrialized countries, where the cosmopolitan heartthrob who never ages would find himself messing with the sacred freedom of expression if he so much as hinted at the inappropriateness of displaying your faith.

Newsflash to our never-aging connoisseur of the arts and everything else under the sun: Your faithful publicists remind us nonstop, just in case we dare forget, of your perpetual youth. About time they added your unfailing wisdom. Just in case you started dropping similar jewels more often. Trust me.

Firsts

Here's a very interesting list from my friend Cynthia. A sweet walk down memory lane!

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Never went to a prom

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
Nope

3. What was your 1st alcoholic drink?
Ginger Ale (And by mistake! I was so overjoyed to find a Canada Dry in Egypt that I just grabbed it off the shelf and after checking out and tasting it I felt something was off -- it wasn't the same Canada Dry I drank for years growing up in the UAE. I look at the can more closely and it blares "Ginger Ale"!)

4. What was your FIRST job?
Telemarketer

5. What was your FIRST car?
Fiat Nasr 127

6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
Nobody's texted me yet!

7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan from A Walk To Remember

8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs Romana

9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
UAE

10. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk to them?
Dahlia. Unfortunately we lost touch

11. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
Dareen's

12. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
My daughter

13. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
Mine! I'd studiously avoided all weddings and then mine happened. Just an aqd qiran though albeit in a white gown

14. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
Started work

15. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Never been to a concert

16. FIRST tattoo?
Only a temporary one when I was 17. On the inside of my left thigh

17. First piercing?
Regular ear piercing when I was maybe 9 months

18. First foreign country you've been to?
UAE

19. FIRST movie you remember seeing?
Bambi

20. When was your FIRST detention?
Grade 7. I was a geek, teacher's pet, a rebel inside, only started rebelling outside in Grade 7. The boys were much too hot for me not to rebel. :) I think I remained a geek though.

21. What was the first state you lived in?
Never been in a US state

22. Who was your FIRST roommate?
Never left home to study

23. If you had one wish. What would it be?
For more wishes. Brilliant wish Cynthia

24. What is something you would learn if you had the chance?
Me too! Different languages. Tons of languages

25. Who do you think will be the next person to post this?
Dunno