A Butterfly Wannabe

The Community Delusion

2007-09-20T18:29:00.000+02:00

There is justice as well as bluntness in Benjamin Tucker's criticism:

"What gives value to land?" asks Rev. Hugh O. Pentecost. And he answers: "The presence of population -- the community. Then rent, or the value of land, morally belongs to the community." What gives value to Mr. Pentecost's preaching?The presence of population -- the community. Then Mr. Pentecost's salary, or the value of his preaching, morally belongs to the community.

Tucker, Instead of a Book, p. 357

An Ode to Darkness

2007-08-26T18:50:00.000+03:00

Exit Music

Wake... from your sleep
The drying of your tears
Today.. we escape
We escape.

Pack and get dressed
Before your father hears us
Before.. all hell.. breaks loose.

Breathe... keep breathing
Don’t lose.. your nerve.
Breathe... keep breathing
I can’t do this.. alone.

Sing us a song
A song to keep us warm
There’s such a chill
Such a chill.

You can laugh
A spineless laugh
We hope that your rules and wisdom choke you
Now we are one
In everlasting peace

We hope that you choke.. that you choke
We hope that you choke.. that you choke
We hope that you choke.. that you choke

I Wake Up Alone

2007-06-05T00:50:00.000+03:00

Amy Winehouse: I wake up alone

It's okay in a day, I'm staying busy
Tied up enough so I don’t have to wonder where is he
Got so sick of crying
So just lately
When I catch myself I do a 180
I stay up clean the house
At least I'm not drinking
Run around just so I don't have to think about thinking
That silent sense of content
That everyone gets
Just disappears as soon as the sun sets

His face in my dreams, seizing my guts
He floods me with dread
Soaked to the soul
He swims in my eyes by the bed
Pour myself over him
Moon spilling in
And I wake up alone
Bothers my heart
I'd rather be restless
The second I stop the sleep catches up and I'm breathless
Got this ache in my chest
Cuz my day is done now
The dark covers me and I cannot run now
My blood running cold
I stand before him
It's all I can do to assure him
When he comes to me
I drip for him tonight
Drowning in me, we bathe under blue light

His face in my dreams, seizing my guts
He floods me with dread
Soaked to the soul
He swims in my eyes by the bed
Pour myself over him
Moon spilling in
And I wake up alone

2007-06-02T00:27:00.000+03:00

Warning: This post contains some negative energy. If you are already in a bad mood, I recommend that you come back later.

Here is what I learnt recently: This country is going down the drain for so many intricate reasons, but the most direct downer of all is the family unit. Your family is very likely the first to bring you down if you try to differ from the norm, do something good for yourself— or, God forbids do something good for your country! As we all know, the norm is being a passive bystander wimp who does nothing. Your own family are in many cases the first to stab you in the back, and boy does it hurt!

I am not angry, no, anger will damage Me the most. I refuse to give anybody this satisfaction.

I will control my own destiny someday..someday soon…tomorrow will be Mine…

I always liked to talk to mama. Me and her are very different, but she is a very good listener most of the time. I realize now that I should stop that! I can’t trust mama with my future plans, because, like dad, she’ll do everything she can to stop me from doing anything she classifies as ‘not in My best interest’. So, like him, she can’t be trusted or befriended. My interest being defined–of course– as: anything She could have done without feeling bad or embarrassed about it, or criticized for.

Dad has a different definition of my best interest. But I noticed that their definitions, though they may differ, converge in the end on very similar courses of action. (and in the recurring incident of them not agreeing on doing what dad thinks, dad –being the Captain of the ship- calls the shot, with so many cursing and cussing to explain his point. And this name-calling is, of course, rightfully claimed by those on board the ship who would dare to oppose his supreme command in an audible manner!)

I don’t need to be harsh with her, though, and make her lose sleep at night.. I’ll go kiss her and tell her I didn’t mean some of what I said.

A was right, yet again. He told me to soothe them and tell them what they want to hear. Stupid me! I still had some wishful thinking regarding mama. My bad!

It’s alright though, I am learning.

Hope it’s not too late.

I give you Björk...A Wander-Lust...

2007-05-30T13:33:00.002+03:00

Björk - Volta - 02 - Wanderlust.mp3
(click to listen)

I am leaving this harbour
Giving urban a farewell
Its habitants seem too keen on God!
I cannot stomach their rights and wrongs

I have lost my origin
And I don´t want to find it again
Whether sailing into nature´s laws
And be held by ocean´s paws

Wanderlust! relentlessly craving
Wanderlust! peel off the layers
Until we get to the core

Did I imagine it would be like this?
Was it something like this I wished for?
Or will I want more?

Lust for comfort
Suffocates the soul
Relentless restlessness
Liberates me (sets me free)

I feel at home
Whenever the unknown surrounds me
I receive its embrace
Aboard my floating house

Wanderlust! relentlessly craving
Wanderlust! peel off the layers
Until we get to the core

Did I imagine it would be like this?
Was it something like this I wished for?
Or will I want more?

Wanderlust! from island to island
Wanderlust! united in movement
Wonderful! I´m joined with you

Wanderlust!

Can you spot a pattern?

(relentlessly restless)

Take a Child With You خد معاك طفل

2007-05-21T14:29:00.000+03:00

As you grow older,
take a child with you
That you may learn anew
The magic of a lightning bug
and the warmth of a sudden hug.

And please,
join her eye to eye and see
How frightful this great big world can be
...

And should she want to know
What happens when one dies
Talk of caterpillars and butterflies.

Jack Stovall

Hi Everybody!

I'm blogging again. This poem I had hung up on a wall in my room when I was 15, along with another poem by an e-friend of mine - whom i was crazy about :D- and some of my favorite quotes back then. I'll put the quotes later.

I hope you don't infer from this poem that I believe in an afterlife. I believe that it is both unlikely and undesirable. Unlikely because there is no 'solid' evidence of otherwise. Undesirable-or at least should be so- because,- like all the pain we have in life- though we try hard at avoiding death, it's the expectation of such a termination of life that makes living all the more meaningful and interesting.

So, like everybody else, I fear death and decay... and pain, and failure, and gaining weight when I binge on my favorite 'comfort food'. But that's precisely why I care about my friends, and live to the utmost and exercise! And I'm Glaaaad i do all these things. If taking away death takes away life from me as well-which it does- then no thanks!( Not that I ever would face that choice :P)

We all are butterfly wannabes! We want to shed this mortal skin of ours and fly, troubleless, unbounded by the commitments and the obligations. Alright then, keep yearning, look up, aim at the horizon, but do Not get disappointed when you meet some vicious wind, this is the same wind that will carry you higher later.

Hopefully at some point along the way, you will realize you Are the butterfly. And you can fly in ways you never thought possible.

ترجمتى الكحيانه للقصيده

و انت بتكبر
خد معاك طفل(ه)
عشان تتعلم حاجه جديده
سحر الحباحب
و دفء الحضن المفاجىء

و أرجوك،
بص لها فى عينيها عشان تشوف
أد ايه الدنيا دى ممكن نبقى مخيفه
و لو هى حبيت تعرف
بيحصل ايه لما الواحد يموت
قولها على اليرقات و الفراشات.

هاى يا جماعه!
رجعت ادون تانى. القصيده دى كانت متعلقه فى الأوضه بتاعتى و انا عندى 15 سنه، معاها قصيده تانيه كتبها ولد اعرفه من على النت-كنت باحبه اوى ايامها – و شوية جمل مقتبساها. هابقى انشرها بعدين.

أرجو إن ماحدش يستنتج من القصيده ى أنى باعتقد فى حياه بعد الموت. انا شايفه إن حاجه زى كده غير محتمله و غير مرغوب فيها. غير محتمله لإنه مافيش دليل حقيقى على العكس. مش مرغوب فيها – او على الاقل ده المفروض- لإن، –زى كل الم تانى فى حياتنا-على الرغم من إننا بنحاول نتفاداه، توقعاتنا إن حياتنا دى هتنتهى هو الى بيخلى الحياه ليها معنى و تستاهل.

يعنى، انا –زيى زى اى حد- بخاف من الموت و التحلل... و من الالم و من الفشل و من إن لما باكّتّر حبيتين فى الأكل لمابابقى باكل حاجه بحبها اوى باتخن. بس مالخوف ده هو الى بيخلينى اهتم باصحابى، اعيش حياتى أد ماقدر، و العب رياضه! و انا مبسسسسسسسسوطه اوى إنى باعمل كل ده. يعنى لو الى هياخد منى الموت هياخد معاه الحياه، يبقى لا، شكرا! (قال يعنى انا عندى الاختيار ده اصلا!)
احنا كلنا عايزين نبقى فراشات. عايزين نتخلص من القشره دى و نطير: من غير مشاكل، من غير التزامات او واجبات. كلام جميل، خليك عايز، خليك باصص لفوق، خلي الافق هدفك. بس بشرط واحد: ماتحبطش لو قابلتك رياح جامده، لإن هى دى نفس الرياح الى هتخدك بعد كده لفوق.
و اتمنى إنك عند نقطه معينه، هتعرف(ى) إنك انت دلوقتى فعلا فراشه. و إنك بتعرف تطير بطرق ماكنتش تعرف إنها موجوده اصلا.

Pussycat Dolls - I Don't Need A Man

2006-12-18T09:11:00.001+02:00

talk about guuuuuuuuuurl power! :)

Women...Change...You think it could happen?...Here?

2006-12-12T02:03:00.000+02:00

Ciara-Like a Boy!.mp3 (click to listen)

[VERSE 1]
Pull up your pants, just like him
Take out the trash, just like him
getting your cash like him, fast like him
girl u wanna act like he did
I’m talking bout, security codes on everything
on vibrate so your phone don’t ever ring
a foreign account and another one he don’t know about
[Hook]
Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that
Tell you I love you, but when you call, I never get back
Would you ask them questions like me, like where you be at
Cuz I’m out, 4 in the morning on the corner rolling doing my own thing

[Chorus]

What If I Had A Thing On The Side?
Made You Cry?
Would The Rules Change Up Or Would They Still Apply?
If I, Played You Like A Toy?

Sometimes I wish I could act Like A Boy!

Can’t be getting mad, but u mad, can’t handle that (x4)

[Verse 2]
Girl go ahead and be just like him
Go run the streets like him
Go home missin sleep like em, Creep like em
Front wit ur friends, Act hard when u with them like him
Keep a straight face when you tell a lie
Always keep an air tight alibi
Keep it hid in the dark
What he don’t know won’t break his heart
[Hook]
Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that
Tell you I love you, but when you call, I never get back
Would you ask them questions like me, like where you be at
Cuz I’m out, 4 in the morning on the corner rolling doing my own thing

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]
If I was always gone
Hit the sun getting home (Would you like that?)
I told u I was with my crew when I knew it wasn’t true
If I act like u
Walked a mile off in ur shoes (Would you like that?)
Messing with ur head again
Dose of your own medicine

[Chorus]

R-A go, here’s the clutch…

If I paged u (would you like that?)
Had friends (would you like that?)
With a car (would you like that?)
Hell Nah, You wouldn’t like that, No!

What If I? If I, played You Like A Toy,
Sometimes I wish I would act Like A Boy

Can’t handle that…

Ciara's new Album is great. It got me thinking. Just listen to the song and think, is this the kinda world you want to live in? a World were men and women are in struggle over who dominates, who can do more abuse, who can be more promiscuous, or simply who can do without love longer!

You know this social arrangement we have in Egypt can't last. It might take some societies a little longer for problems to ferment before they come to the surface. But rest assured, this day Is coming and Egypt Will change. You can choose to be a pioneer in that evolution, a follower, or a traditionalist resistor whose influence and appeal to the public opinion is slowly dieing ooooout.

I say you give yourself a chance, be open to experiences, always be a "modest recipient". Because this Universe will never lose its power to baffle you, to sweep you of your feet. Learn! Especially from those who strike you as your 'opposites', they are the ones who can teach you the most.

Or, that's what I think!

البوم سييره الجديد رائع. خلاني أفكر. اسمعوا الأغنية و اسألوا نفسكم: هل ده هو العالم اللى عايزين تعيشوا فيه؟ عالم بيتصارع الرجالة و الستات فيه على مين هيسيطر، مين هيسيء معاملة التانى اكتر، مين هيمارس الجنس-هيتعامل يعنى- مع عدد اكتر، أو ببساطه يعنى مين هيقدر يعيش أطول من غير حب!

إنتوا عارفين طبعا إن "الترتيب الاجتماعي" اللى حاصل فى مصر مش هيطوّل. ممكن في بعض المجتمعات المشاكل تاخد وقت اكتر عشان تختمر قبل ما تظهر على السطح. لكن ماتقلقوش، اليوم ده جاى جاى، و مصر هاتتغير.
أنت ممكن يا تبقى رائد في التطور ده، تبقى تابع، أو المقاوم التقليدى اللى تأثيره و انبهار الناس بيه هيموت ببطء.

أنا بقول إدى نفسك فرصه، خليك مفتوح على الخبرات المختلفه، و حاول تكون "مستقبل متواضع"-بكسر الباء. لإن الكون عمره ما هيفقد قدرته على تحييرك و مفاجئتك. إتعلم! بالذات من الناس اللى اول ما بتشوفهم بتعتبرهم "النقيض" بتاعك. دول اكتر ناس ممكن يعلموك حاجه.

أو، ده اللى انا شايفاه يعنى

Only 'Me' is Irreplaceable. بس "أنا" ماليش بديل

2006-11-29T17:45:00.001+02:00

This is the kind of attitude women in Egypt need to have. Way to go Beyonce!
To every lady in my country I'd like to say: you're equally if not more amazing than anybody else.
You can not only survive but even thrive on your own.
There isn't a limit to what you can do, or think of.
Freedom and Equality are qualities that nobody can force upon you. Freedom starts from within.
هى دى الشخصيه الى الستات محتاجنها فى مصر دلوقتى. برافو يا بيونسه!
و لكل واحده ست فى بلدى احب اقول:
أنتي بنفس الروعه-لو ماكانش اكتر شويه- من أى حد.
أنتي مش تقدري بس تستمري لوحدك، لا و تزدهري كمان.
مافيش حدود للى تقدري تعمليه أو تفكري فيه.
الحريه و المساواه حاجات ماحدش يقدر يفرضها عليكي. الحريه بتبدأ من جواكي.

The lyrics you asked for Ensana:
To the left
Everything you own in the box to the left
In the closet that's my stuff - Yes
If I bought it nigga please don't touch
And keep talking that mess, that's fine
But could you walk and talk at the same time
And It's my mine name that is on that Jag
So remove your bags let me call you a cab

Standing in the front yard telling me
How I'm such a fool - Talking about
How I'll never ever find a man like you
You got me twisted

You must not know about me
You must not know about me
I could have another you in a minute
matter fact he'll be here in a minute - baby

You must not know about me
You must not know about me
I can have another you by tomorrow
So don't you ever for a second get to thinking you're irreplaceable

So go ahead and get gone
And call up on that chick and see if she is home
Oops, I bet ya thought that I didn't know
What did you think I was putting you out for?
Cause you was untrue
Rolling her around in the car that I bought you
Baby you dropped them keys hurry up before your taxi leaves

(Chorus)

So since I’m not your everything
How about I'll be nothing
Nothing at all to you
Baby I wont shead a tear for you
I won't lose a wink of sleep
Cause the truth of the matter is
Replacing you is so easy

(Chorus)
You can pack all ur bags
we're finished
you made ur bed; now lay in it

!هل ستحارب مصر كل من صمم أن يعيش حياته بأمانه؟ ثم نتساءل أين ذهب الأمناء

2006-11-06T23:58:00.000+02:00

Woe to people who obey the times, instead of commanding the times! The times will devour them. And they will be forgotten like an insect that lives today and dies tomorrow!

ملعون هو الشعب الذى يخضع للوقت، عوضا عن أن يحكم هو الوقت. سيلتهمه الوقت. و سيذهب هو فى طى النسيان، مثل حشره عاشت اليوم لتموت غدا

Can't Hold Us Down - Christina Aguilera

2006-11-04T03:10:00.001+02:00

(Chorus)
This is for my girls all around the world
Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth
Thinking all women should be seen, not heard
So what do we do girls?
Shout louder!
Letting them know we're gonna stand our ground
Lift your hands high and wave them proud
Take a deep breath and say it loud
Never can, never will, can't hold us down.

This song is for you girls...

Pink - You and Your hand! (you know what that means, right?)

2006-11-03T22:49:00.001+02:00

(Chorus)

I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

In remembrance of the horrific incidents that took place- just more vividly-in the Eid, I’d like to dedicate this song to every sexist self-righteous Egyptian male who thinks he’s smarter or simply better than us!

I would like to say to all of you: I pity you! living in your small world of testosterone, thinking that you look bigger by making us look smaller and less significant. Well, think again! Because a world where women are marginalized is a marginalized world. And the more your ridicule us, the more ridiculous you get!

Sorry, I had to bring you the bad news… But don’t worry, I won’t hate you. I’m just plain smarter and more mature than to hate you for abusing me.

A good laugh...and something to think about.

2006-11-03T09:52:00.000+02:00

I found those pretty smart excerpts from novels by a man called Douglas Adams. They are also funny. Check them out.

...Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much... the wheel, New York, wars, and so on, whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely the dolphins believed themselves to be more intelligent than man for precisely the same reasons.

- Douglas Adams, In Evil

Arthur Dent hoped and prayed there wasn't an afterlife. Then, realizing the contradiction, he merely hoped there wasn't an afterlife.