green eggs&balalee6

Hit the road, Jack

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:42:00 +0000

There's been a group of people who have been calling on H.H. the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad's resignation and I fully support their cause. (More information: HERE)

Why?
The main reason is that he hasn't been competent at his job. He has failed to lead the country anywhere and now he's failing to keep it from unraveling. Sheikh Nasser has had six (failed/failing) cabinets in a little over four years. That means almost every ministry has seen atleast three ministers in four years; not a recipe for success.

Unfortunately, Sheikh Nasser's has failed to deal with all Parliamentary crisis, think back with me:

July 2006- Parliament was dissolved because government refused to amend voting districts to five. نبيها خمس. After elections were held, government vote for the five districts.
March 2007- Sheikh Nasser's government resigns, to avoid questioning of Health Minister
March 2008- Sheikh Nasser's government resigns, 50KD
January 2009- Sheikh Nasser's government resigns following Al-Fali's dilemma.
March 2009- Sheikh Nasser's government resigns to avoid questioning regarding misuse of his Diwan's funds.

That's not really his fault, the Parliament sucks and they keep creating these crisis.
Of course we're not blaming all Kuwait's problems on him. Yes, the Parliament has a role in this. But changing the representatives of the people requires that we change the political culture. Sheikh Nasser's policies has reinforced certain political divisions in the country, be they sect-based (remember the whole Mughnia drama, and the conflicting reaction from his administration?) or tribal based.

He can't resign, there's no one to replace him.
For one, under the constitution, selecting a Prime Minister is H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad responsibility, it's not something I'm interested in meddling in, it's none of our business. Another thing is, we have no "horse in the race". I don't care who takes over as long as someone more competent does. Also, to say that there are no men in the Ruling Family that could lead better than H.H. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad is an insult.

As long as it's someone competent, qualified, with no history of corruption, I don't care who leads the country.

We're at such a low point that I'd be willing to take a chance on anyone, realistically speaking, how much worse can it get?

It's not your right (or prerogative) to call for his resignation, it's the Parliament's.
Article 36 of the Kuwaiti constitution grants individuals freedom of opinion and expression. Yes, the parliament can choose to not-cooperate with the Prime Minister (Article 102). But a government-majority parliament is not going to do that. Unfortunately, digging Kuwait out of this hole will have to be left to the Kuwaiti people.

He has a plan now, he's trying to work. Give him time.
Maybe, but how long are we willing to wait for him to get it right? and why? In his latest address to Parliament, he mentions precautions against swine flu and dealing with the Mishref sewage disaster as his government's successes. How could he say that with a straight face? He claims Warba Bank, formerly known and voted on in the Parliament as Jaber Bank, as an achievement of his. I have lost all confidence in him.

I don't hate H.H. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad, nor do I have a personal vendetta against him. I don't know who should come after him but I'm willing to take a risk.

We have a lot to gain with his resignation, a new Prime Minister, a precedent that Ruling Family members are accountable in their jobs and Hope. (Remember Hope? It's when you don't feel like hurling when you read the papers in the morning.)

I've written more about H.H. Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad here and here.

Serenity Now!

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:27:00 +0000

(via sweethomestyle)

People I find annoying

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:09:00 +0000

People who don't drink coffee/tea and preach
People who don't drink coffee/tea and make a point to preach about it have nothing going in their lives. Seriously, this is their only accomplishment. Can you imagine someone who ran a marathon or is working to end world hunger go on for 15 minutes about the dangers of coffee? Note to non-coffee drinkers: A simple "no, thank you" is more than enough.

People who work at makeup counters
People who work at makeup counters make a living off of our insecurities. "You're so pretty too bad about the under eye bags, buy this!" I especially get pissed off by Arab men who sell makeup here. Dude, you are not my gay best friend, I do not live in a sitcom as seen by my under eye bags!

People who send forwards and then ask if you've read them
I'm pretty sure I've let my feelings about forwards be known on this blog. Yup, right here. Like mutating bacteria that only becomes stronger, there's a new breed of people, those who send ridiculous forwards and then ask you if you've read them. Now why would anyone want to put others in that situation? 99.997% of the time I haven't, but to say that would mean that I don't appreciate them--which I don't--but I still don't want to admit it.

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:05:00 +0000

image from here

A few of my friends are getting engaged and married in the upcoming months. And as deliriously happy as I am for ~~all~~ most of them, I'm also ridiculously sad. They're moving on. The nature of our relationship is no doubt going to change.

The worst part is this, because it's marriage I'm almost not allowed to acknowledge how sad I am to lose them. It's selfish to think "well, I'd really rather you not get married because I enjoy your presence in my life", and it's even more selfish to say anything about it especially when this friend is emotional to begin with.

Yes, friends come and go, and as long as they're healthy and happy, I am or should be as well. But at least with a friend who moves away I get to throw a farewell party and talk about how sad life's going to be without them. "I'm happy you're going to grad school," I'd say through tears, "but it sucks that I'm not going to be a part of your everyday life for six years."

But because they're getting married (and mostly to people I don't know), there's no time frame for when they're going to be "back", or any clue into how their lives will change, or what I'm losing.

This whole post seems juvenile, selfish, and ranty to me. I'm sad, really, that is all.

Death, thou shalt die!

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:02:00 +0000

For years when I lived around my grandmother, I'd read the daily "funeral notices" to my her first thing in the morning--although most mornings the 9 a.m. newscast had gotten to her before I had. Three years after my grandmother passed away, the first thing I click on in the paper is the وفيات tab at the top of the website.

Every morning, I'd look it over to see if the list includes someone I know, then I count people who are my age or younger and keep their information in mind as I skim the pages trying to find an article that could possibly explain their deaths. Maybe there was a bad car crash, an alleged drug overdose, or perhaps a suicide?

It would seem like this morbid habit would be disturbing in the morning but it's strangely comforting. Every morning the list confirms what I already know. Death is indiscriminate, irrational. No one's exempt. We're all just waiting for our back page mention, right? This is a fact of life. A fact that's neither pleasant nor surprising.

I have never really thought anything of this ritual till this morning, when I grabbed the paper from a stand at a coffeeshop flipped it over and started reading to my friend.

She freaked.
Why would I want to know this? she asked.
I stopped reading.

It only then dawned on me that my ritual might be a little peculiar. I guess I like my morning coffee with an extra shot of mortality.

Why were they born indeed?

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:21:00 +0000

A friend sent me this image via email.

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:13:00 +0000

The Beginning.

I met a man who smells like pickles. It wasn't a bad smell, it wasn't good either. It just was...pickles. Now I wonder if I smell like a food item.
I'm traveling again tomorrow. I think I've been out of town almost every month this year. It's a good thing.
I'm in awe of people who are perky all the time.
I am convinced that I'd make an excellent cleaning lady despite not having made my bed in over two weeks.
I've been in a funk for a few weeks now (see above).
When I'm in a funk, I'm either reading all the newpapers in the world or none at all for weeks.
I'm looking forward to Ramadan, although I'm not excited about the nocturnal lifestyle that will follow.
I have no work projects lined up for Ramadan. I hate not working in Ramadan.
I don't really have a firm plan for post Ramadan either.
Two of my friends have vanished into thin air recently, One can be accounted for on facebook. Two can't. I worry about Two.
Another friend's wedding was a few days ago. In another country. I wanted to go. Now I wait for pictures. But the Bride's too busy to send.
I've been saying I need to go in for a checkup at the dentist for over four months. I have not gone yet.
I have a whole bunch of government related paperwork that I must complete. Soon. Hopefully, I'll get started before Ramadan.
My friend just had a baby. Strangely, he has a grown man's face (not as freaky as Benjamin Button). He also has a funny nose. And smells of spit-up.
A friend's wedding to the Best Boy in the World's happening soon. I'm sooo excited but this funk's getting in the way. (Also, anticipating soul-sucking drama.)
~~I think I lost my cell phone.~~ FOUND!
I can't find a picture I like for my blog's header. I also hated the stupid template I had used earlier. I want to find one that is not frilly and not "theme-y"...is that even possible considering most people designing these things are like 14?
I've deactivated my facebook account over three times in the past two weeks. Funk made me do it.
I haven't updated my blog because I dont't seem to have many original thoughts, as you can see.
I've watched both versions of Pride and Prejudice in the past week (BBC and Keira Knightly) and am ridiculously annoyed by Jane's facial expressions. Both actresses gave an annoying performance.
And what's with the stupid sad smile? NO ONE'S THAT NICE. No wonder Mr. Bingley dumped you, you're flippin' INSUFFERABLE!
Speaking of insufferable, Keira Knightly needs to learn to open her mouth and speak. This talking through the teeth thing is not so cute.

The End.

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:02:00 +0000

I've been a bad blogger. This space is beginning to intimidate me. Thanks for sticking around while I figure out what exactly should be happening here.

I want to go to there

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:12:00 +0000

from here

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:05:00 +0000

So, what do you think?

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I can't sleep.

My brain's moving so fast that I feel like I'd like to escape my body for a day just to get a little rest.

I guess I slept for less than 2 hours but I woke up feeling like I want to hit the treadmill just to mellow out. Quite literally, run away from myself. But it'll wake the whole house.

Funny thing is, nothing's really bothering me.

This restlessness has been pretty much a constant in my life.

The only way to describe it is feeling like your home is being burned down and you're calmly standing outside watching as it goes up in flames. My brain's reaction to everything is run! do something! try to salvage your life! pictures! parents! passports! now! now! now!

Imagine that feeling when you're trying to watch television or even worse trying to go to sleep. Nothing requires immediate attention, all tasks have been taken care of, but my body won't recognize that.

I feel like I'm jumping out of my skin. Fortunately, I get a miraculous sunrise view from my window.

Things I learned over the past four years...

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:19:00 +0000

graduation cap cupcake originally uploaded by clevercupcakes

It hit me last night that I've been out of college for four years this May. I decided to channel all my freak out emotions into an advice piece for recent grads:

1) Being a lifeless drone is a choice most people around you will make. You don't have to do it.

2) Your friend's lives will diverge, some will get very demanding jobs, others will have families, others will leave to go to grad school. Friendships will require more energy and time if you want to keep them.

3) Networking with men (for women) is much more difficult but necessary. Do too much of it and you're easy and too eager, do too little and you limit your access to opportunities. Find yourself a comfortable balance.

4) Most people don't know what they're doing, you're not the only one. Make it up as you go along, be confident in your ability to learn.

5) If you don't get married, it's okay. People are going to treat you like your dying but you're really not.

6) Be happy for other people's successes, life isn't a race, you're heading to different destinations anyway.

7) Find something you'd like to get involved in, (especially if you have a soul-sucking job) do something for other people.

8) Ask for what you want (I'm still working on this one) if you don't know what you want ask for what you think you want. If it turns out you don't want it, thank people for their help and move on.

9) Don't put yourself/undermine yourself especially not in front of people. They will believe what you say about yourself. (Don't be cocky either, no one likes that.)

10) Take a deep breath, it'll all be okay. (I think.)

إهداء إلى سمو رئيس مجلس الوزراء الشيخ ناصر المحمد الصباح

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Annnnd we're in

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:56:00 +0000

.i am change.
Originally uploaded by skye.gazer

Four Kuwaiti women won last night's parliamentary elections. Aseel Al-Awadhi, Rola Dashti, Ma'asouma Mubarak and Salwa Al-Jassar. Congratulations Kuwait, we can almost hear the wheel of cultural change turning slowly.

Even Thikra Al-Rashidi, a woman MP candidate running in conservative tribal district, had extremely good results and was in at 15th place. That is progress.

For that and more, I am ecstatic.

الثالثة ثابتة

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:15:00 +0000

6:30 a.m. : Alarm goes off; first time I wake up this early in easily 9 years.

7:30 a.m.: Leave house, head to a school in Kaifan to monitor elections as a KTS volunteer.

7:45 a.m.: Get kicked out of first classroom by unaccommodating judge.

7:46 a.m.: Get kicked out of second classroom. Decide to stop asking about checking polling stations, walk around to check signage around school.

8:05 a.m.: All five polling stations are open, old ladies begin filing in.

9:30 a.m.: Leave polling center to get food. Drive to Starbuck's in Adailiya where apparently everyone who's working for any candidate in District III is there.

10:00 a.m.: Back to school, asking judges for permission to monitor from inside the classroom.

11:ish a.m.: Notice traffic slowing at polling station. People are sitting around waiting for voters to show up.

12:00 p.m.: Head to my own polling center to vote.

12:ish: Parking far to avoid being double parked. As I'm walking into the building, I try to choose four from the six candidates I had in mind.

12-ishish: I'm getting dizzy from the sun, walk into the empty polling station (good timing on my part) check four names. Fold paper. Hand ballot over to the judge. Watch as he puts it in the clear box.

1-ish: Drive to KTS. Watch Dr. Salah Al-Ghazalli's interview on Alrai. Realize that most volunteers were rudely kicked out at the school's gates.

1-ishish: Meet friend at McDonald's (we're a classy bunch); where I find my thirteen year old sister who's helping a friend's uncle's campaign. Tell sister to stay off the streets. (Which I think is great advice at any age.)

2:00 p.m.: Still dizzy. Probably dehydrated.

5:30 p.m.: Drive back home. Too dizzy and tired to do anything anymore. Call KTS supervisor, tell her I can't show up at poll closing.

How'd your day go?

Hibernating

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Passengers originally uploaded by naughton321

“You live like this, sheltered, in a delicate world, & you believe you are living. Then you read a book, or you take a trip, & you discover that you are not living, that you are hibernating. The symptoms of hibernating are easily detectable: first, restlessness. The second symptom (when hibernating becomes dangerous & might degenerate into death): absence of pleasure. That is all. It appears like an innocuous illness. Monotony, boredom, death. Millions live like this (or die like this) without knowing it. They work in offices. They drive a car. They picnic with their families. They raise children. & then some shock treatment takes place, a person, a book, a song, & it awakens them & saves them from death.”
-Anais Nin

Who wants to be a millionaire?

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:54:00 +0000

At a young entrepreneur meeting earlier today, several men talked about wanting to be millionaires; one of the attendees even mentioned wanting to have 6 billion dinars (1 Kuwaiti dinar = 3.4 US dollars).

It threw me off, I've never thought of wanting money. Financial freedom, absolutely, and I've learned to quantify it too. Enough to travel, buy gifts for loved ones and afford the best health-care if anyone around me ever needs it.

Money's nice don't get me wrong, you'll never hear me complaining of "excess money", but to want to work towards a number is a foreign concept.

So, who wants to be a millionaire?

And now we know your caliber

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:25:00 +0000

It's true, Dr. Aseel is suing whoever did the video of her recording. Although she's completely within her right to do so, it just reeks of hypocrisy.

Politics isn't always good clean fun, there's always mudslinging involved. I had hoped Dr. Aseel's freedom of expression ideals could have stood the test of this campaign. I guess it's all lip service.

Dr. Aseel, former MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun's had worse things said about him. Personal attacks against him and his family > Recording of something he said in a public forum taken out of context. Al-Saadoun has never filed a complaint against anyone during the span of his political career.

But I guess it's unfair to compare you to a real politician.

Thanks Dr. Aseel now we know.

via Dr. Aseel's website:
د. أسيل تطلب التحقيق في الإشاعات المفبركة

تقدمت د. أسيل العوضي بشكوى إلى النائب العام تطلب التحقيق في موضوع الإشاعات المفبركة والتعدي على الخصوصية ومحاسبة المتسبب حسب قانون الجزاء، نافية ما تردد عن دعوتها لحجب مواقع إلكترونية لأنه لا يتماشى مع مبادئ الحرية الديمقراطية التي تؤمن بها، مشيرة إلى أنها تؤيد حرية الرأي والتعبير في إطار القانون الذي ارتضيناه جميعاً، ومن حق الشعب الكويتي أن يعرف من وراء هذه الحملة، ومن يحاول اختطاف العرس الديمقراطي لأمور جانبية بدلاً من التركيز على القضايا التي تهم المواطنين.

ونفت د. أسيل العوضي إستهدافها أي من المدونات الكويتية، وأكدت أنها تولي المدونات الكويتية كل إعجاب واحترام على دورها الفاعل والوطني في مراقبة السلطات والتعبير عن هموم الشارع الكويتي، لا سيما وقد كانت لها بصمات لا ينازعهم عليها أحد في قضايا الديمقراطية كحق المرأة السياسي وتعديل الدوائر الإنتخابية.

ونبهت د. أسيل العوضي الشعب الكويتي إلى الحذر من الإشاعات، ودعت كل مواطن حريص على تقصي الحقيقة ودقة المعلومة إلى استقصائها من موقعها الرسمي الإلكتروني

!@#$$$#@@$%^^&%$#

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:57:00 +0000

No more free, easy The Daily Show. International Licenses! MY TOES!
Hello proxies, torrents.

Jon, why must you do turn me onto a life of crime?

10 worst countries to be a blogger

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:24:00 +0000

The CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists) issued The 10 Worst Countries to be a Blogger. Muslim-majority countries make up half, four of which are Arab countries.

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:20:00 +0000

Dear candidate,
If your website doesn't work on firefox or safari, I'm not voting for you.
XOXO,
G

Tis the season: Aseel vs. hijab

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sun, 03 May 2009 11:33:00 +0000

Aseel's alleged words about hijab have caused an uproar in my social circles. Personally, I believe it was her in the recording because it's hard to mimic the way someone speaks in both English and Arabic. I'd love to be wrong.

Regardless, her statements aren't shocking to me as I'm familiar with her extreme liberal views.

Her personal beliefs do not concern me, but what does is the lack of respect in the language she used and her extreme naivete. At the very least, have the decency to write the ayah down if you're going to be preaching about it.

Although I'm not convinced she'd make a great politician, I still think she'd be good for women in general.

Reblogged from May 21, 2008:

"Aseel: the anti-Haleema

Although, I'm wasn't in a position to vote for Aseel Al-Awadhi, third
constituency candidate, nor do I agree with her ideology completely, I think
she's great for Kuwait.From Nouriya Al-Sadani to Rola Dashti*, never before have
we had a young(-ish) feminine soft-spoken candidate running for elections.
Kuwaiti women seeking powerful positions, whether real or fictitious (as in TV
soaps), are always older, more androgynous and generally deemed
"undesirable". (Sweeping generalizations, shame on me). Aseel in a way, is the
anti-Haleema Boland.

This elections' lesson: You don't have to be a ditz to make it;
politics isn't for butch girls."

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:57:00 +0000

Why are the liberals reliving the 70's?

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Sat, 02 May 2009 08:39:00 +0000

Why are the liberals so insistent on fighting the battles of the 70's and 80's again? With all due respect to Dr. Ahmad Al-Khateeb his affinity to history and old battles has deemed him irrelevant to the political conversation.

I think it's imperative that Kuwait's young are familiar with its history in order to have a nuanced understanding of today's attitudes. But our issues at this point are much more important than left-right struggles at the Co-op level.

Watch Dr. Ahmad's AlKhateeb here, here and here.

Death by Internet

greeneggsandbalalee6@gmail.com (G) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:35:00 +0000