So, I believe not only me but even my friends have been waiting for so long for this post... even though it's just an update but it's a promising one.

I bought my Nokia 5310 yesterday
I got my ADSL this morning
I'm going to the Jazz Fst. tonight

All my pending photo post will be posted soon, insha Allah

That's all for now
Should've done some editing to the pic. but no time :D

Those Were Our Days

It has been so long since I attended a symphony orchestra concert. I’m not sure if it was late 2004 or early 2005 in Amman by the Jordanian symphony orchestra, which was Noor al Hussain Institute orchestra. Yesterday we were invited to a concert by the Emirates Youth Symphony orchestra at the Cultural & Scientific Association Auditorium (CSAA). At the same place, Dubai International Exhibition of the Arabic Calligraphy Art was held (21-30 February 2008/ the 5th session). My mentor recommended me to see the exhibition so I seized the opportunity and went with my dad and his friend, a well know Iraqi art critic.

The exhibition was great. Calligraphers from the Arab and Islam world were there but what made me proud, there was a showroom only for Iraqi calligraphy artists. There were so many exquisite works. I’m looking at the catalogue to mention a couple of names but it’s too hard, there’re many worth mentioning. But I have to say I saw a remarkable, modern red work by Mohammed alNoori, my mentor’s friend. It is simple but very catchy.

Another great Iraqi calligrapher is Wissam Shawkat who designed the calligraphy (mashq) in the “Jali Thuluth Atyle” on the front of the (CSAA) and he did a great job on that. I was surprised to know he’s only in his early 30s.
After the the Calligraphy exhibition we went to the concert hall. It was still early, therefore, we went to see Jana Kudsiova’s exhibition at the same building. She’s an artist from the Czech Republic, who moved to UAE in 1986 and is involved in many charitable activities. And currently she’s the Art Coordinator of Emirates Youth Symphony orchestra and the organiser of the Art exhibition. She’s created beautiful art pieces with wooden, back body of violins, on canvas.

When I saw the children with kind of UAE traditional uniform, the joy on their faces and their tiny violins in their hands, they reminded me of myself when I was their age. The first singing participation, I was only 3nd grad student. And my first orchestra participation I was 5th grader. It was only early 1990s and the country was going under dire circumstances but yet we were able to held concerts and do our best but more important we were able to enjoy it.

They played many Pieces but I enjoyed some better because I played those pieces when I was a member of Music and Ballet Symphony orchestra. They are: Radetzky March by J. Strauss, Hungarian Dance No 5 by J. Brahms, Sabres Dance by A. Khachaturian. While they were playing my fingers in my left hand kept dancing the tune and my right hand was moving the bow. I had tears in my eyes, missing those days when it was easy to enjoy music. Now the school, Music and Ballet, in Baghdad is suffering not only the lack of students and teachers but also the savagery of extremists who threatened both teachers and students. Many times the school was attacked in the name of Islam and that it represents evil by music and ballet. They burnt parts of it and destroyed the instruments’ store. I’m not sure what’s going on right now but I don’t believe its situation got better.

Many artists, musicians and ballet dancers graduated from this school, which was founded 1968. Most of the students are now playing and teaching music all over the world, to name a few:
Mohammed Othman: Pianist, composer, the conductor of the Jordanian Symphony orchestra
Abdullah Hassan: Violinist, composer who won many awards
Sultan al Khatib: Pianist & the Director of Research and Development at EVCTV
Kareem Kan’an Wasfi: Cellist

Let’s hope that we’ll witness the day when the school will be vibrant again and to provide Iraq with excellent artists and spread the joy by the sound of the music and bringing back the nights when we enjoyed the Nutcracker and the swan lake ballet.

..................................
PS: I wrote this post three days back but I didn’t post it. My colleague's father died and I just didn’t feel to post this. She is our youngest colleague at the institute, only 14 years old. They buried him in Sulaimania/ Iraq and came two days ago.May he rest in peace.

Paralyzed ... by a song :D

So, where have we been? Nowhere. It’s just the same old same old. This week is my last in the institute of Arts; I have to carry on with my study and finish my MBA. I’m practicing on the wheel for the time being and once I master it I’ll start to design my own potteries.

My grandpa left to Jordan but I’m staying in my small new room. It’s very cozy and closy (winking at my sister who used to mix the latter word with the former). But you know what it is really “closy” because I don’t have to walk through the room to get stuff from the bedside or the closet. I just sit on my chair and wander here and here (no there in the small room).

It’s Valentines again. I was wearing pink today but wasn’t celebrating. Just a coincident. But it reminded me of my teen time. At high school, my friends and I wearing our uniforms, we would wear red socks, red hairpins, and red scarf around our necks and we would hang small red ribbons on our jackets like badges. Exchanging cards and white stuffed bears carrying red hears with tons of I love yous and singing during the breaks some love songs. I guess Valentive form me then was just having fun and hanging out with my gang. Since I finished my high school I never took Valentine seriously. Doing my MBA, today I’m certain that these events serve only marketing strategies.

This year’s valentine’s song for me is “Paralyzed - by Finger Eleven”. Such a rocky song!!! It just makes me want to jump. I haven’t heard such a song for a while now, I guess since KT Tunstall’s “Hold on” and "Good Charlotte - I Don't Wanna Be In Love ”. Lately, I mean the three past days, I’ve been addicted to this song. I keep my radio on most of the times just waiting for it. They play it at least three times a day. I heard it during the morning show, the request lunch show (which is a request line mid-day show), and post-midnight rock. Actually I’m waiting for it right now.

My dad’s birthday was on the 7th this month. I baked him a cake which was too sweet but he likes it that way. I remember last year we had dinner at the “freedom to pay” restaurant, with our friends. This year we didn’t do anything special. The day next was my eldest sister’s birthday. We called her and I enjoyed chatting with her. That day I realized that one more month and I’ll be 25 years old. It seemed yesterday when I was posting about my 23rd birthday. I was almost shocked then to know I was turning 23 and I haven’t felt that I was a grown up.

I’m rambling about many stuff in here and I don’t think I have more to say for. That’s it for now and let’s call it a post.
OMG, the song is on. I'm gone *jumping*