Archive for the 'memories' category

That’s Me?

Oct 05 2009 Published by Moos under Thinking out loud, YouTube, daily stuff, memories

This is something really weird that happened to me… a very strange coincidence, if I may call it.

3 years ago, and after graduating from KU I went to the Shuwaikh campus to get my certificate. A few days before that I got Paul Simon’s latest CD titled “Surprise” from Virgin Megastore. I was very excited to get the CD because I’ve been waiting for it to be released here, I didn’t think it was worth it to order it from Amazon.com. Anyway, I played the CD a few times… so I wasn’t into it much yet… But, and I remember this very clear, as I went inside to the campus and was looking for a parking spot track 10 played, and I wasn’t familiar with the song’s name yet, and here’s what I heard Paul Simon sing:

Well I’ll just skip the boring parts chapters one, two, three and get to the place where you can read my face and my biography.

Here I am, I’m eleven months old, dangling from my daddy’s knee. There I go, it’s my graduation, I’m picking up a bogus degree.

It’s my graduation! I’m picking up a bogus degree! Really?

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. It was what exactly what I was thinking! The song title was “That’s Me.”

I was thinking what to do with this BA? Everyone was telling me to either go into teaching, or work for a bank. I was thinking what did I learn during these 5 years at KU? mind you I spent 2 of them studying computer science, then switched my major to my minor back then which was English Literature. You know I didn’t finish reading any novel at KU? the only novel I read was The Dead Zone by Stephen King, and it wasn’t for any of the classes. I did read the short stories, the plays and all the poetry… but back then reading a novel was too much for me. I depended, alongside a lot of guys, on sparknotes.com and such websites. I never had to read any novel in class… which somehow I’m regretting now… maybe not regret, for it is a strong word!

That’s why after graduation, I started reading as much as I can. Before getting a job, I spent the 3 months after graduation living in Starbucks Mishref reading. And oh boy what a pleasure it was… and still is, I always carry in my backpack at least 2 books, ranging from short fiction, to novels to non-fiction books. Reading became a part of my life… and that’s not why I’m growing my beard! ok? : – p

I was overwhelmed by reading books such as The Complete Short Stories by Franz Kafka, The Complete Prose by Woody Allen and 1984 by George Orwell which started my obsession with dystopia, which I guess began with watching one of my favorite cartoons “3adnan wa Leena”, known outside as Future Boy Conan. There were other books and short stories collections that I didn’t like, not hate, just didn’t like. Well, let’s not offend any fans of Paulo Coelho or Judi Picoult out there.

These years I spent in college were the years that shaped the way I think today. How I see things. How I talk? How I I I I I I I I? It’s very interesting what college does to you. I cannot stop talking about these years and what happened and how? Though I’m not sure how, because some things just slipped into my subconscious and stayed there…

Another chunk from that Paul Simon song that I liked went like this

Well I never cared much for the money, and money never cared for me. I was more like a land-locked sailor, searching for the emerald sea. Just searching for the emerald sea, boys, searching for the sea.
Oh my God. First love opens like a flower. A black bear running through the forest light holds me in her sight and her power. But tricky skies, your eyes are true, the future is beauty and sorrow. Still, I wish that we could run away and live the life we used to. If just for tonight and tomorrow.

I’m sure I did change a lot through these years, but hey! I know what I know, I’ll sing what I said, we come and we go. That’s a thing that I keep in the back of my head ; – )


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Memory lanes, The 3 of them.

Aug 09 2009 Published by Moos under Thinking out loud, family, memories, music

Looking at them made me feel really old…

I was driving with a friend… We just left Sultan Center, the one in Fahaheel. On the way back I decided to pass by Al-Mangaf, where I used to live from 1994 till 1997. I passed by the 3amara, I don’t like saying 3emara which shows Al-Mangaf’s influence. Anyway, I was really surprised by the amount of buildings that surrounded the building I used to live in. The area really grew… I didn’t go there in a long long time… They have new schools, and some new malls on a different block… I remember when there was only el 3azeezeya mall. Now you can’t see el 3azeezeya mall… they built so many things there… gee, I feel so old… I used to live there 13 years ago… and the building I used to live in was renovated, like it got one of those really expensive makeovers… and they added 4 more floors to it… So many memories… where I turned from a kid to a man, though people still argue about that!

Then before dropping my friend to Al Qosour, I decided to drive to Al Qurain, where I used to live from summer 1997 till 2000. The house didn’t change much… it just has better cars! jk. most of my memories there were in the dewanyya, either watching KTV2 or playing super nintendo, then PlayStation.

After dropping my friend to his house I thought maybe I should pay one more visit. So I drove to Sabah Al-Salem Area where I was born… not literally! but we stayed there till my dad sold the house and bought the land that is our house now in Al-Salam Area. Memories of the street, el bara7a, el far3, the mosque and neighbours… and running away from our house to my grandparents house, which was maybe 25 mnts away, with shortcuts of course! cuz I knew them… memories of my grandma walking me back from kindergarten… the Pepsi trucks… I always thought that our neighbour’s name was Omrashid as a one name, but of course it was Om Rashid… memories…

writing this, I decided to create a new category called “memories” in which I talk about the old days… *puts on a very deep wise voice* if we talk about the present and the future, why not talk about the past… *back to regular voice and not happy with the joke and thinks it’s very lame but gonna post it anyway*

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A few days ago I stumbled upon this old Iraqi song, it reminds me of 1990. We were in Ajman in UAE. My mom and grandma used to listen to this song, remember their beloved ones here in Kuwait and sometimes cry… it is a sad song… and me being 7 years old and not  fully understanding what was going on, I started crying with them… and that was the last time I ever cried in my life… ok, it wasn’t! but nevertheless, it’s a good song… though I’m not into Arabic stuff, but this brought back memories… the kind of memories that would make you feel safe… oh how innocent childhood was…

The song is titled “Me7tajkom” (I Need You) by Ma7mood Anwar, to download click here

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Do you think anyone reads an sms msg before reading the sender’s name? just to be surprised? hmm…

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