Sometimes..

The past few days weren't my favorite. Tomorrow is not my favorite too.
Wished from the deep of my heart to slap life hardly at the face. So ugly to show a smiling face, and in a flip of a second -without giving a damn notice- turns its back.. Like -may be- stabbing in cold blood?

Yesterday night I felt I'm so alone. How I hate this feeling more than anything else, but thats how it goes.. From bad to worst sometimes...

سيرحلُ إذن

ذهبتُ إلى مكان وقوفهما ساهمين فسألت: "شكلكم مش مريح؟"..
لم ألحظُ هذا الحزن الزائر فى عينيهما حتى كررت سؤالى: "وراكم حاجة؟"
فقال لى أحدهما.. "سيرحل"
صُدمت.. وللحظات تصلبتُ فى مكانى، وتبعثرت..
سيرحلُ إذن.. وبكل السهولة التى سيرحل بها باقى الأعزاء..

Egypt and Chinese noodles*

I was making a dish of Noodles today, when I wondered for a second about the Chinese cultural invasion to our country. You can hardly find something that doesn’t have a Chinese equivalent in the market. And usually customers like to buy these, not only because of its cheap price, but also due to the different varieties offered. Nevertheless, the cultural invasion is not only to devices, plastics or things, but also to our Egyptian food trends. Chinese cuisine, Chinese beans, as well as Chinese seeds for agricultural usage.

Since many years ago, Far Eastern culture, Chinese, Korean or Japanese, has clearly invaded other countries like United States of America; and may be now, as I talk, I remember the first time I realized this fact when I heard a line from the song “The day before you came” sung by ABBA, where they said:

Must have opened my front door at eight o’clock or so
And stopped along the way to buy some Chinese food to go
I’m sure I had my dinner watching something on TV
There’s not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn’t see

And ABBA are a Swedish musical band!.

On a different note, Indomie instant noodles, for example, has became a hitting brand in Egypt for the last couple of years; the matter that pushed few Egyptian Pasta factories to decide to compete in the market by producing Egyptianized noodles, like Regina and others. However, I think it’s a hard competition because just like Pepsi in our culture for soda drinks, or Chipsy for potato chips, Noodles are called Indomie.

I remember a decade ago, it was everybody’s talk about American fast food. Yum! brands and other franchised chain restaurants like KFC, Pizza hut, McDonalds, Hardee’s and Chili’s, were topping all restaurants charts. However, since a couple of years ago, it was everybody’s talk in town about the Japanese Sushi and raw fish dishes. Today, if you visited the biggest Egyptian mall, City Stars, you will find 2 Chinese restaurants standing side by side in the main food court (Panda house and Asian corner), while Wagamama is up stairs in another floor.

In reply to my previous wonders I asked few friends about their opinion concerning instant Noodles or Chinese food..

Dina, a 22 year old friend who started her talk as she Loves it a LOT [geddan] then she added:

First of all I’m a pasta fan and soup fan, and its pasts in Soup. It’s very easy to make and not so high in calories. It tastes good, but it’s addictive.

Tarek also confirmed:

Because it is east to be prepared, and not as light as soup

Eman noted:

Simply it’s cheap!

While Serage, a Libyan friend who lived in different Arab and European cities, as well as Egyptian friend Ghafari said they like it for the many flavors enclosed.

Mohamed also noted:

Ya3ny shaghal [it’s OK]. I used to like the song in Sesame Street: Noodles, I like Noodles, I like I like I like I like I like Noodles.
It is easy, not very tasty, but anyone can do it.

On the other hand, Memo mentioned:

I’ve never tried it in the first place. I don’t eat stuff I don’t know what they are. I’ve seen it, but never knew they are called noodles, and never tried it before.

Noha also told me:

Nah! I don’t like it. It has no vitamins!

Myself, I’ve tried Chinese many times. I liked very few dishes but hated the rest. I’m still not that familiar with sweet and sour taste. But apart from that, stays the question.. till when the Chinese culture will invade our tiny details of life?

Between yes and no, and between strong rumors that noodle’s flavors are not healthy and may lead to cancer; in a cold lonely lazy night.. Noodles is yet the best answer for a quick dinner.

China really found its way among us.

--------
* You can check BBC for Story of Noodles' origin.

A victory dance

I feel extremely happy tonight because of my new blog design. Aah!.. I wished to do so since a year may be.. but always and always either busy or didn’t find a good css to work on..
However, I took Friday till Monday off, and so I insisted to do it.. Enough being as lazy as I am!

It took me 2 whole days sitting in front of the laptop day by night!
Haven’t dealt with new blogger before.. and it was like a disaster to figure out what is doing who!
Till I did it today! (Dancing the victory dance)..

There are missing items still.. and few things I failed to add.. but anyways.. its better than never for the time being.

على ما هو عليه

المدخل المتبع لحالة مماثلة: طاولة وحيدة، وصف لرعد ومطر.. أو حديث عن غربة وحنين لليالى مشمسة. لكن الأمر بالنسبة لى مختلف. بالأخص مختلف هذه المرة.
أشرقت شمس هذا الصباح كعادتها، وأضاءت سماء القاهرة. إستيقظت وشربت الشاى. الحركة فى الشوارع كانت عادية. بائع اللبن والخبر. بائع الخضراوات. حتى حارس البناية كان ينظف السلم كعادته فى الشهور الأخيرة.
إذن.. الشئ الحتمى الآن أن كل شئ طبيعى جدا.. عدى شيئا واحدا يجبرك أن تستسلم للطاولة الوحيدة ومدخل الرعد والمطر.. أو الحديث عن غربة وحنين لليالى مشمسة...
شئ داخلى أكثر.. غير مرئى تماما.. ليس لهو وصف محدد.. ولا يوجد لهو دواء معروف..

كان للشاى طعم مختلف عن أى يوم آخر. مرارة ما عالقة بحلقى وفوق الكوب دخان قاتم السواد.
تطلعت مرة أخرى عبر النافذة.. الشمس لازالت هناك.. والحركة لازالت عادية.. وانا لازلت فى مكانى لم أتحرك بعديا..

ظللت واقفة فى مكانى وتناسيت المرارة وأهملت الدخان الاسود.. ظل فى آخر الأمر كوب جديد من الشاى.. آخذه كعادتى اليومية فى الصباح.. لأكمل بعدها مشوار حياتى الطبيعي.. العمل.. المنزل.. الشارع.. المواصلات.. دون تغيير
فالكرة الأرضية لن تتوقف عن الدوران..
لذلك قررت.. سيكون المدخل طبيعيا جدا.. ستكون كتابتى اليوم عادية.. فعل متمرد على تمرد التغيير.. ليس له أى كنايات ولا إسقاطات حزينة ولا ندم من نوع ما..
وسيظل الحال على ما هو عليه... أو لحين إشعار آخر..

Butterfly effect!

Few weeks ago, I suggested delivery from a certain Fast food restaurant in Cairo. I ate from there a couple of times and found it tastes good.
My colleagues in the office tried it and they liked the sandwiches too.

Today I was passing by the kitchen and found other people in the company eating from the same restaurant.

Strange how butterfly effect can do!

In the mood for Alanis Morissette

Like anyone would be
I am flattered by your fascination with me
Like any hot-blooded woman
I have simply wanted an object to crave
But you, you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

Must be strangely exciting
To watch the stoic squirm
Must be somewhat heartening
To watch shepherd need shepherd
But you you're not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

Like any uncharted territory
I must seem greatly intriguing
You speak of my love like
You have experienced love like mine before
But this is not allowed
You're uninvited
An unfortunate slight

I don't think you unworthy
I need a moment to deliberate

Alanis Morissette -- Uninvited