A Star from Mosul

Eid started on the 23rd and lasted for 3 days. We had all my uncles' families at our house on the first day- about 50 people, and every family brought a dish of a meal different than the others (That's our family's custom on occasion like this so the host wouldn't be very tired). That was messy, but fun.

The rest of Eid we visited dad and mom's cousins and other relatives.. and we and my uncles' families met again on the last day at my aunt's house (Not at lunch this time).

I am waiting for the university to start, soon I guess. I will buy stationary and a good professional calculator and rulers and stuff.. I will finally be an engineer!

I saw a big sign at the door of a church today, saying: "We, the Christians of Ninevah, congratulate our Muslim brothers on Eid Al-Fitr, ensuring our unity and support towards a free, independant Iraq" which was a very nice gesture :D

It's raining these days.. and winter is knocking on the doors. We put rugs in all the rooms of the house today, maybe a bit early.. but we didn't want Aya to get sick because of walking without slippers around the house..

PS: That's Ayman in the photo.. :)

Mosul is a mess today.. I woke up late today to know that a fuel tanker exploded near the university: A place full of people and shops and cars waiting in the long gas station line, with a police station nearby.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A suicide bomber driving a fuel tanker struck a major police station in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday, killing 12 people and wounding 25, many of them motorists waiting to buy gas at a nearby station, police said.

In the meanwhile, two big explosion happened in my neighborhood today. Many explosions and shooting in several other areas. A total of six car bombs as reported in the news..

In the most sacred month, most sacred day, some people have the heart to kill and orphan and widow.

At least 12 families in Mosul will have sorrow and sadness in Eid, instead of happiness, because someone decided to kill himself in a way many won't forget..


I have been unable to write any post that relates to the situation for a long time now.. I think I am in denial. I am not watching the news, and when I happen to watch: at least 50 people are reported to be killed.. and I do not really seem to care.

I only shed a tear when I hear of security, of safety.. or of the many Iraqis who have left Iraq.. I do not know why.

Now to another subject that makes me angry.

Some people think that: "We believe in what we’re struggling for and we are proud of our sacrifices."

Do you think that the families of the people who died today are proud because they died for a good cause?

665,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. invasion and its ensuing chaos..
I and most Iraqi bloggers think it's true, Bush and ITM think it's not!

The Iraq the Model blog makes me angry so much! A blog that has gained so much publicity and fame, yet presents the opinions of none of the Iraqis I know...
I haven't read them for ages, because I've had enough of their lies, of their gratitude for the liberation, of their being proud for the sacrifices we've made.

"To me their motives are clear, all they want is to prove that our struggle for freedom was the wrong thing to do. And they shamelessly use lies to do this…".

We're all struggling, we're all suffering.. but it is NOT for freedom. I have no idea how he could write such a sentence! I am trying but I can find no words to reply..

The situation in Iraq now can not be put in words.. we can not go on with our lives without denying how bad the situation is.. yet not to this extent!!

Maybe accusing Iraq the Model of obsequiously pandering to their American readers is not the best thing right now.. but many of their readers take their words as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.. and it's NOT!
Read the Kid's post for details on the bloggers replies to the post..

(Update: We're in a curfew now... it started yesterday and is supposed to end at 4 PM today).

On the sick girl:
I have been in contact with PCRF and it was going well till the girl's family's relatives in the US refused to give their address because they're afraid! It seemed to be really working till this happened!
PCRF needs the address to help with housing and appointments and there seems no way to convince the family.. I'm disappointed to see this happening!

On the family book:
We found out that we need either a publisher who has his own editors or an agent, but the first is better.. Because we might find an editor and get all things done and then the editor we've found doesn't like it!

I really don't know! Mosul became so tense yesterday and today we had a curfew till 3 PM. We watched the police on TV searching houses after dawn, they said they stopped a terrorist trial to spread fear and tension in Mosul! Hmm.. after putting it this way, it seems clear.. but I feel there's something else behind it..

I invited two girls I got to know in a forum to my house yesterday.. they both are about 6 years older than I am but we got along well. Mom says the reason why I enjoyed their company more than I did with my friends for example is that I only chose them because we have shared interests.
I really hope that I will find reeeally good friends this year at the university.. I am hoping tooo much all the time.
My cousin talks about bad teachers in the university, old books and the bad situation.. I end up being depressed after every chat we make.. He says he does that because he thinks I'm too optimistic and that I will be shocked when I get to university at last..!

I will go with mom to the university the day after tomorrow and bring my old laptop to try to get internet access through modem for her. I love going to the university, I'm starting to remember the faces and connect them to their names which is really hard for me to do.. I still haven't learned to go to my department from mom's since I only went their twice, with friends, and we took very twisted roads and always ended up walking up a hill or something!! Yes, the campus is THAT big!

Hello, how are you all? :) I am doing fine.. Not making real progress in speed reading, which makes me angry and frustrated but I'm Okay.

We had a sandstorm today and I spent 3 hours mopping the floor afterwards.. Surprisingly, I feel really really happy :) Mopping the floor doesn't usually make me happy, especially if the floor isn't looking clean at all now (I HATE SAND).

I finished reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" few days ago, and started reading "The Two Towers" yesterday..

Aunt Rose had a baby yesterday.. I'll leave the details for her :D

Now to the part that I love and hate at the same time; hate because I'm asking you for help, and love because it's really going to help people..

You see there's this 7-month-old girl, with a congenital heart disease, from a poor family.. She needs surgery that can not be done here in Iraq which is why they'll need to take her to Syria. She's going to need about 10 thousand dollars. I wrote the Unicef, the Red Cross, Spirit of America, Operation Give, Operation Blessing yesterday (UPDATE: Gift of life international, Hospital for sick children in Tornoto, and Healing heart campaign PCRF today).

Do you know who else I can contact for help in such case? I can provide you with more details like the X-Rays and the doctors' reports.

Your help is appreciated.

(Update: Waiiiiit, I think I did it.. I think I did it.. Pray this is true)

We're trying to gather all the family blogs in a book. This idea was proposed to my uncle by a reader, and we're now trying to make it a reality.

Uncle Ahmed already found a publisher, what we do not have (yet really need) is an editor, someone who can put everything together, who can choose the posts that are suitable to be put in a book.. Is there anyone among you who can do that? Or who knows someone who can do that?
If yes, please e-mail me.