Between my graduate studies, work, and what few minute left of spare time, I have not been able to blog...
However nothing new happened. I am searching for a new car to buy, so I would appreciate any advice on that. I am looking for a 15000$ new car.
I just enrolled in with Aramex for what they call a Shop & Ship program. In short I pay a one time fee for a Po Box in the States and the UK. And they handle the shipping from there to here. Compared to Amazon fees it is a lot cheaper, specially on paperback books.
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
A lebanese Highway Adventure
I live in a strange but charming country (Lebanon) My home is built in a quiet suburb of Sidon (a city 45 Km to the south of Beirut, the capital)I study and work in Beirut, so everyday I get into my car, a red Nissan Sunny, and I drive out of our apartment's parking down to the main highway that links the main southern cities (like Sarafand and Tyre) to Beirut.
It is quiet a nice drive; the highway runs parallel to the sea shore. It is a very nice highway, from one side you have the azure blue Mediterranean Sea and on the other side the once-green hills of Lebanon. Nowadays these verdant hills have become a concrete jungle.
Before getting on the highway, I have to stop at a Lebanese army road block. It is really just a hindrance , compared to 10 years ago when any traveler to Beirut had to stop at 10 or more roadblocks, manned by 3 or 4 foreign armies ( from Syrian, to Palestinian…)
The highway looks quite modern, but for the stalls of fruit and vegetable vendors that litter the emergency lane (on average there is around 10 or more throughout that stretch of the highway) They are quite harmless -usually illegal Syrian workers- unless you had an emergency and need to pull over, or when the vendors try to cross the highway to say hello to their friends and relatives on the other side.
Add to that, the different bumps and missing parts of the security rails that divide the two opposed lanes of the highway; even though the highway was built by international contractors with modern standards, no one cares to maintain it. So day after day, with each accident (we Lebanese are quiet famous for our crazy driving) the gap widen, till the point where the security rails is completely missing for over a mile…
Well believe it or not but this daily ordeal is far from over, I still have to tell you about the dogs, the cyclist, the hookers, and the infamous “Service” drivers… but all that will need to wait till my next post.
It is quiet a nice drive; the highway runs parallel to the sea shore. It is a very nice highway, from one side you have the azure blue Mediterranean Sea and on the other side the once-green hills of Lebanon. Nowadays these verdant hills have become a concrete jungle.
Before getting on the highway, I have to stop at a Lebanese army road block. It is really just a hindrance , compared to 10 years ago when any traveler to Beirut had to stop at 10 or more roadblocks, manned by 3 or 4 foreign armies ( from Syrian, to Palestinian…)
The highway looks quite modern, but for the stalls of fruit and vegetable vendors that litter the emergency lane (on average there is around 10 or more throughout that stretch of the highway) They are quite harmless -usually illegal Syrian workers- unless you had an emergency and need to pull over, or when the vendors try to cross the highway to say hello to their friends and relatives on the other side.
Add to that, the different bumps and missing parts of the security rails that divide the two opposed lanes of the highway; even though the highway was built by international contractors with modern standards, no one cares to maintain it. So day after day, with each accident (we Lebanese are quiet famous for our crazy driving) the gap widen, till the point where the security rails is completely missing for over a mile…
Well believe it or not but this daily ordeal is far from over, I still have to tell you about the dogs, the cyclist, the hookers, and the infamous “Service” drivers… but all that will need to wait till my next post.
Monday, September 20, 2004
Back to university
I am still reading Peter Hamilton’s Pandora star, and it is still great. Other than that, it is getting quiet calm, nothing much to report. However, in a week or so I will begin my master studies in political studies at AUB (American University of Beirut).
I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or insight on that major. I am fairly excited about going back to the university.
It has been a while since I wrote anything; even my critiquing is drying up. I should start transforming my script into a short story.
I would appreciate it if anyone has any advice or insight on that major. I am fairly excited about going back to the university.
It has been a while since I wrote anything; even my critiquing is drying up. I should start transforming my script into a short story.
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
iTRIP
My sister just came from her vacation in France and she got me an iTRIP and it rocks!
Very easy and simple to use, i do not know how anyone who has an iPOD can live without it. Because believe me entangling the earphones while driving is not a fun matter!
Its range is quiet good, but i fear it consumes a lot of power, however i am still not sure i will need to experiment more with it.
Now all what i need is to change my car's speakers. It is a good thing that i was planning to change my car soon.
On another subject i am still reading Hamilton Pandora's Star, and it is getting really good.
I am planning to start writing articles in my blog, we will see...
Very easy and simple to use, i do not know how anyone who has an iPOD can live without it. Because believe me entangling the earphones while driving is not a fun matter!
Its range is quiet good, but i fear it consumes a lot of power, however i am still not sure i will need to experiment more with it.
Now all what i need is to change my car's speakers. It is a good thing that i was planning to change my car soon.
On another subject i am still reading Hamilton Pandora's Star, and it is getting really good.
I am planning to start writing articles in my blog, we will see...
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Waking Dreams
Sometimes I have waking dreams. The ones in which you know that you are dreaming.
It is pretty weird, specially when you are fully aware that this is a dream, and then you can - to a certain degree- control or affect what is happening.
However at times my control fails or something stops it , and I feel trapped in my dreams, not knowing if it is a dream or reality.
anybody else has those kind of dreams ?
It is pretty weird, specially when you are fully aware that this is a dream, and then you can - to a certain degree- control or affect what is happening.
However at times my control fails or something stops it , and I feel trapped in my dreams, not knowing if it is a dream or reality.
anybody else has those kind of dreams ?
Friday, September 10, 2004
More book rating
Here is some more book ratings
1984 (George Orwell): 9
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card) : 9
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen Donaldson): 8
The Seconde Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen Donaldson): 7
The wheel of time-the whole series-(Robert Jordan): 7
The song of ice and fire-the whole series-(George Martin): 9
1984 (George Orwell): 9
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card) : 9
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen Donaldson): 8
The Seconde Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Stephen Donaldson): 7
The wheel of time-the whole series-(Robert Jordan): 7
The song of ice and fire-the whole series-(George Martin): 9
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