Carnival of the relatives for the month

Saturday, July 30, 2005
 
posted by Najma at 12:23 PM, | 0 comments

What's happening?

Friday, July 29, 2005
Last thing I talked about in this blog, before Khalid got released, is that I'm going to a friend's wedding.. Well, I went there, had a little bit of fun (Not my kind of an activity), and talked to some friends..
Two bombs (Don't know if they were close, since people seemed to have heard them everywhere) exploded during the wedding, some people got scared a little, but then the wedding kept on going.. I and the bride's 2 friends were sitting in a place next to her, whenever she felt like talking, she'd turn to us and talk.. Most of what she talked about was who got killed and who got injured..

We bought a camera few days ago, a Sony digital camera, and I love it. We also bought some accessories (A tripod, a new charger and a bag for the camera).. We already have a digital camera, but it is not that good, we gave it to my older sister and her husband after buying the new one.. They haven't taken any photos yet (BUSY doctors)..

In 2 weeks, I will finish my Arabic lessons, and will have only Physics and Chemistry.. Can't wait till I finish those too. But then, I will have school, and will have to study 4 other subjects plus the ones I already took!!
Last year, I envied those who were in the 6th class, "They are too close to going to the university" I thought.. Now, I am too lost in the 6th grade's mess I can't even feel happy about it..

The family is on diet, except for me.. And so, I am the only one who has dinner (Sometimes dad too).. I usually have to make my dinner myself, except if I am too tired like yesterday (I came back from the lessons at 8, and as usual, my legs were killing me). When I have a big meal (My big meal is 2 hamburger sandwiches, and a plate of finger-chips), I put a hard pillow on the ground (One that is made for this purpose) and put a little table in front of me and sit on the pillow.. I put the food on the table and eat while watching TV and talk with the family.. When Aya is around, she'd walk (holding stuff in her way, she can't really walk yet) and come torture me while eating.
Aya is growing and is becoming more like a lady.. We had a fight the other day, and she won (Well, she wouldn't hesitate to hit me or hurt me, while I can't..). It's just unbearable when I eat and she stands (Holding the table) next to me staring with her wide eyes at my food.. She tries to insert her hand in my mouth and take the bite out (It's very normal to her, since her mom does that to her when she puts something other than food in her mouth)..

I end up throwing a chip on a far table, she walks to it, I eat peacefully for a minute while she comes back asking for more..!!

Before I go, note that the two hands in my profile's photo are mine and Aya's.. I had to take this photo while she was a sleep since she just doesn't stop moving while awake.
 
posted by Najma at 2:40 PM, | 0 comments

THANK YOU

Sunday, July 24, 2005
Well, thank you nofrills for the best news EVER!
She told us to check Faiza's blog, but, look what's there??
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Good Evening..
khalid now is free..
he is in the way to Amman..
thanks for God, and all the people who prayed for his release..
faiza

KHALID IS FREE PEOPLE.. Thanks Faiza. And welcome back Khalid, you have no idea how much you've made us worry!

AND, Raed is celebrating too I see.. Well, CONGRATULATIONS!
 
posted by Najma at 12:05 AM, | 0 comments

Give us our Khalid back (This post is staying on top till Khalid comes back)

Wednesday, July 20, 2005


Give us our Khalid back:
"I'm going to go ahead and go public with this blog in order to possibly get a few more people to send emails, letters...and to make phone calls on behalf of Khalid. You may go here to get your specific congressional representative's number and address. Just enter your zipcode on the front page and you'll be able to find the information. You will also be able to find your senator's information there, too."

I, too, am going to ask you to do the same, e-mail whoever you can e-mail.. Take whatever step you can take. Khalid isn't a terrorist, nor has he done anything to hurt anyone, which is very obvious in his blog..
Just an ordinary man, graduating from college, arrested by the Iraqi Intelligence agency.. Why? I am praying that we will know that soon from Khalid himself.. With your help.
 
posted by Najma at 2:44 PM, | 0 comments

What's happening?

Tuesday, July 19, 2005
I came back at 2PM from lessons today, Raghda was home, she came with her dad who has some business here and is going to spend two days here.. I had the opportunity to take a look at her new mobile, and she had a look at my laptop.. I think we're both ready to kill each other to get what we want. Maybe at night :)

I also had a phone call from a friend today, tomorrow is her wedding, and I'm invited.. My aunt is her neighbor and she's invited too, and so I called my aunt and told her that mom is dropping me at her house to go to the wedding with them. My close friend might come as well (She's invited too), she's coming late though.. Although I'm not much into social visits of that kind, but I think I'll have fun with friends.

Okay, gotta post this now.. I have the Internet for myself NOW!
 
posted by Najma at 10:41 PM, | 0 comments

A little thingy to brighten your day

Monday, July 18, 2005

I was so upset today, but this little princess came and brightened my day a little bit.. Wanted to share it so she would brighten yours!

For updates on Khalid visit:

Raed in the middle
Iraq Blog Count
Give us our Khalid back
Olive Branch optimism
Mad Canuck
 
posted by Najma at 6:32 PM, | 0 comments

Sign the petition

Sunday, July 17, 2005
"The time is always right to do what is right" - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sign the petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/820522461?ltl=1121603411
 
posted by Najma at 4:34 PM, | 0 comments

Iraqis march against terror, Iraqis march against coalition

Friday, July 15, 2005
I love it when I find such mistake..
There was a protest march of Iraqis against terror on July 5th. You probably haven't heard about it from Peter Jennings or Dan Rather.
But, you've missed something.. When I was taking a look at the photos, there was something wrong.. Not in one picture only, but in six of the 8 photos..

Check this:


This says: "The juboor's tribe and its allies ask the coalition forces to release the highly-ranked officer Farhan Muthallak who was imprisoned by the coalition forces.."

You can also see this sign translated at the left upper corner of this picture:

While this photo has 3 signs (The upper ones) out of 5 asking the same thing (Release him), while the other two ask to stop shedding blood and standing against terror:

The taxi driver who drives me to the lessons was too angry and depressed yesterday.. His relative was killed by American soldiers. He was just upset about the occupation and what the terrorists are doing (Like other Moslawis).. I was this close to telling him that some people do like it after all (At least, that's what I've seen on Iraqi blogs). But then, come' on, he wouldn't have believed me..

He said: "Believe it, we're way worse than any other country.. I mean, we have occupation soldiers killing us, and terrorists killing us.. Now, where else have you heard such a thing?". As always, I keep silent whenever someone starts talking politics, it always comes out of me the wrong way when talking..

Did this ever occur to you.. People against terror are against coalition too..
 
posted by Najma at 2:11 PM, | 0 comments

Raed in the Middle

Thursday, July 14, 2005
Raed in the Middle: "My mom called me today at 7 in the morning, shouting with happiness: 'Khalid is okay!'. Niki and I were the last members of the family to know the 'happy news'. Khalid called my dad from the Iraqi mokhabarat's jail to inform us he was alive; he said he was abducted by the mukhabarat men from his university. My dad called my mom and Majed, and they informed us then."

I came back from lessons at 8PM today, I was so tired.. My legs were hurting very much and I was starving. The whole family was busy with the sixth grade's marks (Which is a subject for later on this blog).. After about an hour, I was still too tired but had layed on the sofa in the living room.. HNK came and asked me this weird question: "Have you e-mailed either Khalid or Raed anytime soon?".. I said: "Yes, why?".. She answered:"Well, I'm not that good in English, but from what I understood from Raed, Khalid is in jail, he was caught by the Mukhabarat"..

Since then... I am just too worried. What if the robbers who robbed his house were not robbers from the first place? What if they were the Mukhabarat themselves and knew about his blog from his computer?

Khalid, I will pray for you.. Our hearts are with you. Come back!
 
posted by Najma at 10:31 PM, | 0 comments

Not there

Monday, July 11, 2005
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I think you noticed that when you read this post, it's that I forget.. Or is it that I am not there?

When we went to the family meeting last week, there was a little baby.. I saw her, I didn't know who she was, I just let it go.. Then, the big surprise, she was my cousin's daughter.. An even bigger surprise, my cousin was pregnant and I didn't remember!!

This problem is not new.. I have always been absent-minded. It just increased as the war started as I have many other things to worry about, and because I can't see my relatives anymore. It grew worse because of the computer and the Internet.. So, it's either that I'm not there, or that my brain is somehwere else..

Now, it's even worse, that in addition to the war and the Internet, there are my studies.. So, I have more to be concerned about, and much more that keeps me away from events.

I'm only writing this so people who get an e-mail that seems unreasonable would know that it's not the first time, I've done this before, I'm sending replies to the wrong e-mails :(

I'm not bothered with the whole problem, if this is what I am, then no problem.. But it doesn't stop at that extent.. Although my school is only few minutes away from home, I still don't know how to get there or to any other place; which makes dad so angry sometimes..
 
posted by Najma at 2:44 PM, | 0 comments

Rambling..

Monday, July 04, 2005
I am bored.. It's been a long time since I said I'm bored in this blog, although I am most of the time.. Bored.

We woke up at 8 AM today, just as the police were declaring that they (NGs and American soldiers) will search the neighborhood.. Thus, dad didn't go to the hospital, and Aya and her mom cancelled their visit to our house.. Two hours later, the street was open again and everything returned to normal. Aya came, but dad didn't go to the hospital in case the police decided to show up (He didn't want us to be alone like last time).. However, the declaration made me clean and arrange my room (It was messed up after a new maid came and cleaned it)..

Way before Saddam came to rule Iraq, people (Including my parents families) used to have maids working full time at the house, although women didn't have jobs at that time and had time to clean their own house.. Till now, some people are still used to that. We had a maid who came a couple of times a week to clean the house and do what we can't do. This maid (Who is also the maid of all the family; uncles and aunts) grew old and is now incapable of doing what she used to do.. It was time to change the maid, especially that the old one had come through a lot just to reach our house.

Just the idea of a new maid scared the hell out of us, but mom was determined that we can't do without one, especially when school starts.

People recommended a woman who works only with her daughter.. Although all the cousins seemed not to like it at all, we gave her a chance. She cleaned, though not well, but she cleaned.. But, nothing comes back to its real place after she cleans it.. Everything is messed up, including the book-case in my room.. It took me a week to notice that she's cleaned it and re-arranged it, but I was stunned by the ugly arrangement..

Anyway, I was saying that when the police said they're going to search the houses, I cleaned my room in case they got in. I also cleaned up my laptop (I deleted all the blog related stuff).. Who knows, maybe the soldiers would search the computer and find about my blogging, I don't think they'd like my blog, although none of the e-mails from the soldiers showed so.

Then I checked the SMSs in my mobile and removed all jokes about the government!

Last week, on Friday, we went out to my uncle's house.. All my uncles and aunts (From dad's side) gathered there (5, excluding an uncle in Australia, an aunt in Baghdad, and a dead uncle but the latter's family was there). Since last time, the number of babies on the ground increased a lot!

HNK took videos. My uncle gave her a lecture about keeping good memories. Most of the video was of babies..

One of the things I learned from war is that I shouldn't and would never wait for the Eid to come to hug my uncles.. I should never miss an opportunity to do so, to cherish every minute with them. I've lost an uncle once, and I'd do anything to get another minute with him.

Looking at the garden in which we were sitting made me think of the day in which my uncles were kids.. They'd still fill the garden ;)
Have they thought that 40 years to come, they'd be sitting in the garden with children and grandchildren talking about life..? Have they ever thought what life might bring to them? Have they ever thought of war..? Hearing dad telling me his memories, makes me feel like dumping all I have and going back 40 years to have a pleasant life. Everyone remembers the past, dad, mom, grandpa and grandma, the Arabic teacher, the Chemistry teacher.. Everyone liked it!

After my sister and her husband finished their dinner, they took Aya and left the house reminding us that they'll bring her back to us in about 12 hours.. They said "This time, you won't have time to miss her", I told them it never happened, an hour after Aya leaves, the family starts remembering every cute move she did.. And this is exactly what happened :)

PS: This is another "What's happening?" post, but for a change, I changed the title!
 
posted by Najma at 10:24 PM, | 0 comments