JibJab Year in Review 2012: The End is Here!

"Hurricanes! The fiscal cliff! Honey Boo Boo Child! The bizarre events of 2012 look a lot like omens of the apocalypse! JibJab takes inspiration from the Mayan calendar in an animated musical extravaganza looking back at possibly the last year we'll ever have to review. It's 2012, the end is here!"

WISHING YOU A 2013! :-P

MEDMILES

PART I:



PART II:

Beirut International Marathon '12

Today is one of the first days of the storm, or the downpour, or whatever term you want to use to describe the rain and the official change in the weather from summer to winter...

Today is also the day of the Beirut International Marathon. I registered for it last month, with a couple of friends from work and I'd been looking forward to it ever since… But after hearing the weather forecast, all of my colleagues backed out of it and so I didn't get to put my sportive kit on :-|

Nevertheless, I want to take this opportunity to support the spirit:

This year, I was supposed to be "running for Autism" ...

"Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills."

So despite the rain that washed a good portion of the competitors out of the race, I want to put an umbrella over the cause, and sincerely apologize for not participating… Hope to run it in 2013!

October's 30-Day Photo Challenge

The month of October is officially over. I obviously have a special place for it in my heart, it being my birth month & the month of my star sign: Libra. I wanted to challenge myself this moth so I started a “30-Day Photo Challenge” on Facebook. I promised to post a picture every day (and as a double challenge, I promised to only post pictures that I’ve personally taken with my NK registered trademark…) Surprisingly, I followed through! Here’s a compilation of the 30 pictures I took everyday throughout the month:

Photo Challenge – Day 1: A Photo of Yourself

Here we are, in the rains of October! I’m high on this month, at least until the 11th ;-) … C’EST MOI

Photo Challenge – Day 2: A photo of what you wore today

For today’s fashion segment… I wore my crisp Bank Uniform! :-P Assorted with MK shoes and Nine West handbag which has a convenient front pocket for my Blackberry… of course topped off with a 2nd of October Smile! :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 3: A photo of your favorite place to be

Anywhere near the water, the beach, the sea, the ocean, anything water related… that’s what floats my boat! ;-) I hadn’t been to El Mina in a while and so after work this afternoon, I drove to the Cornish for a quiet few minutes of this… :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 4: A photo from a high angle

One of the reasons I love photography is because with my lens, I get to see the world from a different perspective. However, the photographer seldom gets to be in the picture. That’s why I decided to play with this idea a little bit. What if I could distance myself from me, how would I appear from afar? I set up my cam on a tripod which I likewise set up on this table… HELLO! :-)

Photo Challenge – Day 5: A photo of whatever you please

It all started a couple years ago when I was visiting a friend and I noticed she had a couple of magnets on her fridge. She told me that she liked to collect magnets from every country she's been to. The thought stuck in my head except I decided to expand it from "countries" to "cities" as well…
What I especially like about the collection on my fridge is the sense of happiness I get from looking at it, as each magnet reminds me of the country or city I've been to, and all the good memories I've had there. And if I haven't been there, the magnet would remind me of the person. And so, having a combination of all these magnets is like having a combination of all these memories in one place, that remind me on a daily basis of all the good places and people I've been blessed to go to and meet in life. And I can only hope that they all keep growing… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 6: A photo from a low angle
It's been a full week, full of blessings, Alhamdulillah… but before I sleep, I'll leave you with the night sky, with a little light and a little quote that I get from this little anchor I keep by my windowsill… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 7: A silhouette photo
First of all, I apologize for not uploading a picture yesterday but by the time I got home it was dark and I obviously needed a little light to make a silhouette… Also, I think I'm having a little too much fun using the self-timer on myself ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 8: A photo of something close-up
My sleeping turtles, Franklin and Angie...

Photo Challenge - DAY 9: A photo of something from a distance

Photo Challenge - DAY 10: A photo of whatever you please
I KNOW THE SUN MUST SET TO RISE...

Photo Challenge - DAY 11: A black and white photo
It rained on my birthday this morning, it cleared up during the day, and then it rained again at night. But here's the thing, I LOVE the rain! I love October rain because when I can't go to the beach, the rain brings the water to me...
This is a picture of a jeep swimming over the puddles of rain outside. Safe Travels, driver! We've got a LOT of places to go this year! AND I CAN'T WAIT! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 12: A photo experimenting with bokeh
The concept of bokeh has always fascinated me. I've seen some of the most brilliant bokeh effects in pictures but I could never seem to figure out the camera settings. But since today's challenge forced me to learn it, this is my first attempt. The source with enough different coloured lights was from the city streets outside…
It's not as good as I had hoped, but I'm dying to try this out on the Christmas tree in two months time, inshallah! :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 13: A photo edit that you like
The pigeons outside seem have taken a liking to our 9th floor balcony. And though mum hates them for eating her plants all day, for me, they make excellent shooting models! :-P This is Sam, with a little photoshop for extra drama ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 14: A photo focusing on eyes
Sometimes I wish my eyes were camera lenses, so I could zoom in and out and focus and capture all the beautiful bits of this world… :-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 15: A photo of whatever you please
I'll always love shooting candid street spirit the most! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 16: A photo experimenting with light trails
I took a light trail of this car's headlights just as it was turning the corner of the street...
The magic you can work by just tweaking a few camera settings is incredible! Here's my camera formula for this shot: ISO100, f/5.6, 3.2s

Photo Challenge - DAY 17: A photo with street lights
How beautiful today's challenge would have been had I lived in a country where street lights shone brighter than a car's headlights… Nonetheless, I love contrast in light in this picture (100% taken by camera, no photoshop whatsoever… damn, I'm getting good at night photography! :-P)

Photo Challenge - DAY 18: A photo depicting emotion
Of all the emotions in the world, from sadness, to anger, to fear, to happiness, or love, there is nothing I want right now more than freedom…
Standing at the top of the world, all possibilities in front of you, knowing you can fly to wherever you please. That's the emotion I want to express today...

 Photo Challenge - DAY 19: A photo that involves landscapes

Photo Challenge - DAY 20: A photo of whatever you please
Aaand, we're back on track! :-D
THIS, darlings, is my waterproof lens... Tried and Tested ;-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 21: A photo of the sunset

Well, since I've been under house arrest since Friday night (wouldn't want to accidentally get shot by a stray bullet from the crazies outside :-P), I couldn't get to the sunset today...
But since I don't want to postpone any more days of this challenge, how about I draw it on paint?

Photo Challenge - DAY 22: A photo of the person you love
O dear, how do I get myself out of this one? :-P Let me be honest, there are quite a few people that I would like to put here. But to get them all together in one place at one time doesn't seem like much of a possibility. So…
I decided to put together a couple of treasured items from treasured people. Each one of these mementos holds a special meaning and means the world to me (you all know who you are and I love you so! :-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 23: A photo that makes you think of childhood

As a kid, my favourite movie was Disney's Aladdin. I remember the first time I saw it, which was actually one of my first times at a cinema, back in 1992. I was 5 years old, and I remember it being a rainy afternoon in Ottawa when Dad took me to see it. And that's all it took to get me hooked to Aladdin and movies…
The monkey, Abu, was my second favourite character (after Al of course ;-) I've had a whole bunch of stuffed toys, most of which I've given away over the years. But one of the few toys that I've kept with me is this adorable Abu :-)

 Photo Challenge - DAY 24: A photo that has a colour scheme

I've recently come to learn that photography is all about light and how you play with it. For today's challenge, I picked our salon as my playground. And with a little light, a little crystal, and a little chair I used to climb on to level myself to this wall chandelier, I got this picture with fifty shades of light (ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/100s - unedited ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 25: A photo of whatever you please
With Eid Al-Adha tomorrow, May God's Blessings be upon you all ♥

Photo Challenge - DAY 26: A photo playing with shadows
I've said it before and I'll say it again, photography is all about light and how you play with it. And you can't play with shadows without playing with light. Light is, after all, my first name! And I'm starting to get the big idea… Stay Tuned! ;-)

Photo Challenge - DAY 27: A photo using the sun as your lighting
This isn't the photo I had in mind for today's challenge. I wanted to point my camera directly at the sun and let all the colours of the light make the picture. But the unusually serene mountains and Columbus clouds outside my window stole the bright story from me, and left me with this magical reality instead...

Photo Challenge - DAY 28: A photo that incorporates motion
I spent this Sunday with my little cousin, Celine. There's always something so special about being with her, always smiling and so full of life. So for a picture that incorporates motion, I couldn't find a better subject than my energetic lil sunshine! God Bless You, CiCi! ♥

Photo Challenge - DAY 29: A photo with clouds
With the end of the daylight savings season, it's getting darker an hour sooner. In fact, by the time I got home from work today, grabbed my cam, and went out on the balcony, it was already sunset, but what a sunset it was!
I stepped out to find this breathtaking view of the colours of the sky... I swear, colour for colour this was the sky! Not a tint of photoshop was used: AMAZING! :-D

Photo Challenge - DAY 30: A photo of whatever you please
That's it folks, the "30-Day Photography Challenge" is officially over. It passed by so fast, as did my darling October. I want to thank all my friends and new followers I gained this month. Thank you for all the likes, the comments, the photo tips, the encouragement (you all know who you are! ;-)
I'm going to end it with a picture of the full moon tonight. May it always shine bright above you… THANK YOU! ♥

All our prayers are with the families and the victims of Ashrafieh... 
and Wissam Al-Hassan, Lebanon lost a hero… :'-(

TRIPOLI REBUILDS KFC

Two days ago, I was having lunch at my grandma's when my aunt called to inform us that there were rioters gathering in Nour Square (a square which I can clearly see from my grandma's balcony). We all put our forks and knives down and rushed to the balcony to see that there was indeed a group of men coming together. The army deployed in her street rushed to their tanks to put on their helmets and bullet-proof vests as I stood there watching a scene I had witnessed too many times to count...  

We understood that this riot was against the infamous anti-islam movie (which, FYI was filmed by a Coptic EGYPTIAN). Yet "death to America" seems to be their brainwashed slogan, and without a second thought, they marched over to KFC and Hardees and torched the hell out of the restaurants. Because, you know, fuck logic... 

It is also worth mentioning that Pope Benedict XVI is in Lebanon this weekend (he arrived on the same day as Tripoli's cringeworthy events) and the rioters also took it as an opportunity to tear down what photos were hung of him in town, making me hang my head in shame at what's become of my hometown, extremest and discriminatory. And I hang my head even lower when I hear that this is the direction in which it's heading... 

I'll always have an unconditional love for this city, I mean, it's my city, how can I not? But it breaks my heart when some of my closest friends and colleagues (a good deal of them Christians), feel threatened living in their own city, and are thinking about leaving, while some of them have already left...

I passed by the scene of the crime this afternoon and I couldn't believe my eyes. The place is absolutely destroyed. Inside it's soot black and everything, every table, chair, glass, window, you name it, is gone. And then I wondered, will it re-open? I put my place in the LEBANESE owner's shoes. Had the place been mine, I wouldn't reopen... 

As I write this, the army is deployed next to McDonald's and Burger King (what's left of American Restaurants here). Sigh, where am I? This is not the Tripoli I know and love. And as much as it might relieve me, I can't bare to switch my heart off on Tripoli, not yet! I still look for little bits of hope floating here and there. This afternoon, I found this posting by Osman Adra on Facebook:

"After reading many comments on the KFC/Hardees incident; I invite all Tripolitans to "put their money where their mouth is" and start a campaign called TRIPOLI REBUILDS KFC to show the World that the majority of our citizens can defeat the ignorant few who did this shameful act." 

That was the first positive post I'd read about KFC Tripoli over the past two days and so I'm here to support it and spread it. Why? Because I refuse to let them take what's ours, the Tripoli that belongs to Christians and Muslims alike, the Tripoli that welcomes all faces from all places. Yes, I might be a little over-optimistic here, but I won't go down without trying. Let's spread the word, let's REBUILD KFC! (I'll post updates as I gather more info :-)

September Bike Ride - Ride for Peace in Tripoli

It's been a while since I've joined, let alone blogged about El Mina By Bike. Which is quite a shame, as these supposedly bi-monthly events really have a special place in my "Love Tripoli" side, right after "Shoot As You Walk"

But late is better than never, and so like last time, Sura picked me up this morning at 8:30am and we drove off to the meeting point in front of La Sirene in El Mina for September Ride Bike - Ride for Peace in Tripoli. Since we arrived a little earlier than we normally do (blame my nagging at her to be on time for once :-P), we were able to pick out from the better bikes, and I found myself drawn to this red one (which ended up being the nosiest of the bikes, with its helicopter-like rattles, as Sura put it! :-P): 

There's something so good about riding a bike. Personally, riding a bike in Tripoli specifically, brings back memories of me and my brother biking with Dad back when we were living in Canada (hometown to hometown). But other than that, biking brings me closer to Tripoli, which I've been having a love-hate relationship with as of late. Thankfully, our ride led me to the former, to the love side of this city...

Biking on the same paths that I drive on gives the road more meaning. From the starting point in El Mina all the way to the city, to Tripoli, the road, the speed bumps, and even the potholes, it all makes me feel more grounded, more in root with this city, when I'm on it with two wheels rather than four… :-)

Once In A Blue Moon... + HBD!

It's the second full moon of August 2012 ... HAPPY BLUE MOON, EVERYONE! :-)

Also, it's my lil bro's 22nd Birthday ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAWZI! LOVE YOU! :-)

Man In The Mirror: The Michael Jackson Show

It was on the first night of Eid-El-Fitr where my parents were watching the news and I was idly browsing the internet. Fast forward till the end of the news where I heard something about Michael Jackson that caught my attention. I remembered seeing an ad for this MJ Event in Beirut about a month ago and as it turned out, Man In The Mirror: The Michael Jackson Show (a tribute band and act to the late king of pop) was coming to Beirut for four nights (on the 19th-20th-21st-22nd of August)! 

I quickly messaged Sura, asking her if she wanted to go the next night and she was just as excited as I was. So the next night, Sura, her brother, and I head off to Beirut. We left at exactly 7pm (the road normally takes 1.5 hours tops). But, not taking the fact that it was still Eid into consideration, we were still stuck in heavy traffic by 9pm, at the time the show was supposed to start!) All three of us became quite frustrated at the fact that we were missing the show. But somehow, by some miracle, we arrived, parked, got tickets, and were sitting in front of the stage by 9pm!

It was a great performance! I have to admit I had my hopes up a little too high but nonetheless it really was great! They played all of MJ's greatest hits, including my personal favourite, "You Are Not Alone":

I've been trying to upload one of the several videos I took but the internet here is killing me (so bare with me… sigh)

*Update: Finally, Uploaded "Beat It":

Surfing Islam

Ramadan is officially over and tomorrow we'll be celebrating the first day Eid-El-Fitr. But first I'd just like to take out a few seconds to simply THANK Allah for another Ramadan. It has been such a blessed month, alhamdulilah :-)

Also, as I posted in my last post Ramadan Kareem 2012, I've been addicted to watching the Ramadan web-series Be7ke. There have been some brilliant episodes which I encourage you all to watch, especially the last episode "Surfing Islam", which was extra special for me because the speaker was my school friend, Moneer Moukaddem:

Capturing Daily Life On The Night-Time Streets Of Tripoli

It always puts a huge smile on my face to see my hometown Tripoli being portrayed in a positive light in the media, and to be a part of it! Thank You We Love Tripoli and Thank You The Daily Star for this wonderful article! :-)

Capturing Daily Life On The Night-Time Streets Of Tripoli
(Brooke Anderson, The Daily Star)

TRIPOLI, Lebanon: The flashes of their cameras light up the dark streets of Tripoli as they wind their way through the narrow alleys of a neglected city waiting to be discovered.

“Where are you from?” ask the shopkeepers, amused that they have become the subjects of the photographs. The group is from Tripoli, its members there to learn about their hometown – and show the world that there is far more to it than the sporadic street violence for which it is typically known.

Tonight’s walk is through Bab al-Ramel, an old and impoverished part of the city that is off the tourist map, even for those rare visitors who do make it to Tripoli.

“The purpose of these journeys is to change Tripoli’s image,” says Yemen Merhebi, who participates regularly in the group’s walks.

“The only time Tripoli is mentioned in the news is when tension between Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh escalates. Shoot As You Walk’s main aim is to shed some light on the city’s historical heritage, even when shooting the poorest areas.”

For the past three years, the group We Love Tripoli, which started with a Facebook page in 2007 and is now a registered non-governmental organization, has organized regular photo-shooting excursions through the city called Shoot as You Walk, an ironic play on words for a place known for street violence. The mission of We Love Tripoli is to change that negative image and engage the local community by taking pictures of daily life, then posting them online.

According to statistics taken at cultural tourist sites in Lebanon, only 2 percent of those who visit the country go to Tripoli, despite its historical significance, a result of the perception that it is a dangerous place.

But for these amateur photographers, touring the various neighborhoods is a good way to visit areas with which they are unfamiliar, and interact with people they wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with.

The men and women snap pictures of everything – friends sitting on the street, sated diners sipping coffee after iftar, men playing backgammon, children playing in the street, assorted street vendors, or inanimate objects such as an abandoned building, an old Volkswagen van and a scooter. A city not known for its nightlife comes alive at night through the lenses of the photographers.

“When I first started with the tours, my main focus was the old architecture and historical locations,” says Merhebi, who has gone on nearly 40 walks with the group.

“After going to the same places over and over again my aim shifted from the places to the faces – people in the souk or kids playing around, merchants and craftsmen. Some people ask us to take their pictures, but the best shots are the ones where people are not really looking or paying attention.”

Indeed, the candid shots of people going about their daily lives are the type that might be seen in National Geographic. The difference, of course, is that these are taken by locals who are amateur photographers.

As the number of walks increases, the barriers between the people begin to fall. As the group returns to the same neighborhoods, residents remember them, invite them in for coffee and share tales of the old city.

“We were surprised by the reactions of people in the old city,” says Mourad Ayyash. “Some people wanted to share with us their food and their stories, and ask us to take their pictures. And some people told us old stories about the old city that we didn’t know about.”

For Nath Halawani, being with a group of people who share the same passion allows him to get out of his “everyday photography shell,” giving him the courage to take close-ups of what he has come to see as the hidden treasures of his city: “The broken corner of an old balcony, an old veiled woman staring at us, the mustaches of an old Tripolitan, the rush of kids toward our group and the faces they make.” Flipping through his old albums, he has noticed that the photos he’s snapped while alone are rarely close-ups, while those taken with the group often are.

“When you’re with the Shoot as You Walk team, you’re not afraid someone will yell at you or curse you for taking their picture. People tend to get more relaxed when there are boys and girls all holding cameras,” Halawani says. “It gives you a push to go where you didn’t dare to go before.”

Later on, he adds: “Browsing through all the photos at the end of the stroll always gives me the feeling [that] I didn’t know my townspeople. It’s so strange to see them every day, [without] having ‘seen’ them before.”

Two years ago, some of the group’s photos were exhibited at Nawfal Palace in Tripoli. At any given point, those posted on the Facebook page are geared toward appealing to Tripolitans abroad. And all the while, the group continues its mission of reaching out to people beyond its members’ social community.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on August 11, 2012, on page 3.

Shoot As You Walk (Ramadaniat 3 - 2012)

Finally, a Shoot As You Walk (Ramadaniat 3) to remember! Last night was indeed one of WLT's the best adventures yet! We went to the busy streets and souks of old Tripoli which were bustling with night life. Honestly, I have more pictures than words to describe it (view full album here):

Shoot As You Walk (Ramadaniat 2 - 2012)

So last night was the second of WLT’s Shoot As You Walk (Ramadaniat 2) series. I couldn't attend the first one due to the shenanigans in the city last week, but this week, I was determined to make it against the odds…

As usual, we met up infront of Nawfal Palace at 10:00pm, and it was good to see familiar faces again, especially Taha N, who always puts the adventure in all our outings. He also gave us little lanterns that light red, in the Ramadan spirit, which I now have resting on a shelf in my room. And so it began…

Now I have to admit, I’m still a little flustered at how difficult night photography is turning out to be. I’d think after at least 10 night time outings, I’d have gotten the hang of it but still my camera seems to be outsmarting me! Despite the lack of good nightshots though, I still enjoy taking in the “Ramadan Street Spirit” throughout this holy month…

One of the highlights, at least for me, was walking by my gran and gramp’s (may their souls RIP) old house (the haunted house, as some members of the group called it). I didn’t tell anyone it was their house but standing in front of it made me feel safe, and I couldn’t help but smile and remember how gran would stand at that window, and wave out to me. I don’t think anyone lives in that building anymore but their spirits all remain and wave at me as I pass…

Come to think of it, I hadn’t passed by their house since last year’s Ramadaniat shoot-as-you-walk, here. My brother was with me at the time, and we both stopped and said a prayer for them. I did that too this time, I miss you both so much…

We continued to Bab-El-Ramel, which also gave me a couple of better photo ops (probably because there was more lighting in that area!) and so I leave you with my favorite shots of the night: