You may not be her first

You may not be her first, her last, or her only.

She loved before she may love again.

But if she loves you now, what else matters?

She's not perfect- you aren't either,

and the two of you may never be perfect together,

but if she can make you laugh;

cause you to think twice;

and admit to being human and making mistakes,

hold onto her and give her the most you can.

She may not be thinking about you every second of the day,

but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart.

So don't hurt her,

don't change her,

don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give.

Smile when she makes you happy,

let her know when she makes you mad,

and miss her when she's not there.

*Holiday Eating Tips*

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table
knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave
immediately. If you see shredded carrots in a Jello mold, do the same. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt
scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You
can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that
it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn
into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one
for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy.
Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed
potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. If they’re made from instant in a box, leave. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your
eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other
people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's.
You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the
time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while
carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted
Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near
them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of
attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them
behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if
you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have
three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory
celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some
standards. Or smuggle the whole one out and use it to patch your backyard barbecue where it’s missing a brick.

10. As for drinking, I have heard that when you drink vodka over ice, it can give you kidney failure. When you drink rum over ice, it can give you liver failure. When you drink whiskey over ice, it can give you heart problems. When you drink gin over ice, it can give you brain problems. Apparently, ice is really bad for you, so avoid ice in your holiday drinks.

One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or
get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips;
start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Bow Ties with Broccoli Pesto

Ingredients
6 Tbs. blanched hazelnuts, plus more for garnish, optional
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling, optional
1/2 cup mint leaves
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained, optional
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
12 oz. farfalle pasta

Directions
1. Toast hazelnuts in skillet 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden, shaking skillet often. Cool, coarsely chop, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook broccoli in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Drain again.

3. Pulse hazelnuts, broccoli, parsley, oil, mint, lemon juice, lemon zest, capers (if using), and garlic in food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Cook farfalle according to package directions in broccoli cooking water. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water before draining. Toss farfalle with pesto and pasta cooking water. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts, if using,
and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

Serves 9
Per 1 cup serving: 261 calories
Protein: 7g
Carbs: 32g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 14mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 2g
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2g

Source: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11287

Haters & Trouble Makers

I've limited access of my Twitter account due to an incident which occurred last night. At first I thought it was some unsupervised bored kid playing around and being mouthy. Very quickly I realized it's probably a targeted attack. It was clear the account was new as there were no Tweets, no followers and this person wasn't following anyone. With the first tweets, there was no bio posted.

What follows is a screen shot and transcript of the profile. The name they used may be their own or they may have "borrowed" someone else's. Friends have been poking around - the actual J. lewinski is on facebook and is a "friend of a friend" of one of my friends... who happens to be a lesbian but is not the girlfriend of this girl. It's bizarre to say the least.

@Homeflower: your a fucking moron
@jlewinski66: hahaha.... first lesson: if you want to insult me personally, the word would be "you're"
@jlewinski66: second lesson: if you want to insult something that belongs to me, the word is "your".
@Homeflower: o.k you're a fucking cunt..that better for ya

Tweet I posted:
I'm very flatered someone would go through the time and effort of creating and account specifically to hate on me. Thanks jlewinski66

@Homeflower: stay away from my girlfriend you douchebag slut
@jlewinski66: All kidding aside - you have the wrong person.
@Homeflower: no its you, i recognize your ugly mug
@jlewinski66: You really have the wrong person. I don't know who you are or who your girlfriend is - the picture posted is generic

I blocked (and reported) the profile and noticed it was gone this morning.

The Knots Prayer

Dear God,

Please untie the knots

that are in my mind,

my heart and my life.

Remove the have nots

the can nots and the do nots

that I have in my mind.

Erase the will nots,

may nots,

might nots that may find

a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots,

would nots and

should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all,
Dear God,

I ask that you remove from my mind,

my heart and my life all of the ‘am nots’

that I have allowed to hold me back,

especially the thought

that I am not good enough.

Amen
- Author Known to God
(Liz Thompson)

Places I have and have not been

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.
I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.
I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there.
I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and mostly work.
I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.
I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.
I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.
Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.
One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart!
At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!
And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not!
I have been in Deepshit many times; the older I get, the easier it is to get there.

Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs, former CEO and creator of Apple, iPad, iPod, iPhone, iTunes; owner of Pixar has died (October 5, 2011) at the age of 56.

Our collective hearts are breaking.
Rest In Peace, Steve

---

Steve Jobs was an Arab American

12 Year Old Commits Suicide: Charges May Be Dropped Against His Bully

Twelve year old Mitchell Wilson committed suicide the day his subpoena to testify against his bully arrived. The anxiety of being bullied, dealing with his multiple sclerosis, the death of his mother and being taunted and tormented by the bully's friends was too much for the young man to bear.

On the morning of the first day of school, his father entered his room where he found his lifeless body. At some point during the night, Mitchell in desperation, took his own life.

On September 28th, 2011, Mitchell was to testify against his bully; the boy who attacked him brutally, smashing his face into the sidewalk with such force that his teeth broke. He was to face his attacker in court, point at him and affirm this person to be his attacker. His suicide means he won't be able to do this and his bully could end up having the charges against him dropped as a result. The case has been remanded to November 2011.


I'm very eager to see how this case is handled. I hope the legal system doesn't drop the ball on this one.



TRAGIC TIMELINE

* November, 2010 -- Mitchell Wilson, a 10-year-old victim of multiple sclerosis, is mugged and assaulted by a 12-year-old for his cellphone. A young offender is charged and ordered to stay away from Mitchell and his family.

* November 2010 -June 2011 --The young offender's friends bully, taunt and follow Mitchell home from school, berating him for tattling on his assailant. Mitchell suffers anxiety attacks and threatens to kill himself. The principal assigns Mitchell an older student as his "buddy" and protector.

* Summer 2011 -- Mitchell becomes increasingly anxious about returning to school in the fall and facing the same bullying. His assigned buddy has graduated and will no longer be there to protect him.

* Labour Day 2011 -- Mitchell receives a subpoena to appear in Oshawa court to testify Sept. 28 against the young offender.

* Sept. 6, 2011 -- Craig Wilson discovers his son Mitchell has killed himself by tying a plastic bag around his head.

* Sept. 28, 2011 -- Charges against the young offender are expected to be withdrawn.

We Need to Teach Our Daughters .....

We need to teach our daughters to distinguish
between a man who flatters her and a man who compliments her,
a man who spends money on her and a man who invests in her,
a man who views her as property and a man who views her properly,
a man who lusts after her and a man who loves her,
a man who believes he is God's gift to women and a man who remembers a woman is God's gift to man.

Sharing Music: The Adele Effect

I heard Adele's "Rolling in the deep" while we were visiting Seattle... fell in love with the song. Fast forward a bunch of months and I heard more of her music. "I found a boy", "Someone like you", "Set fire to the rain" quickly became favourites and I bought them through iTunes. So far in less than a couple weeks, I have heard them 37 times through iTunes, probably at least that many times through my ipod and an equal number in the car.

I have an old friend who liked a mellow playlist I have, so I sent him the YouTube links to two of the songs and expressly told him not to read anything into the lyrics. Now I'm not even sure if I shoud've sent the links at all....

He has sent me links to songs and tells me if they have any sentimental meaning - usually they do, I sent him links to songs - mosty stuff I like that (mostly) have no relevance to our friendship. I sent him Saudis in Audis, a funny song.
I feel funny about these songs or rather how they may be interpreted. I think I may never share music with him again.

Someone like you http://youtu.be/qemWRToNYJY
I found a boy http://youtu.be/_yEVYJjpac8

Housework is Hazardous

Today I posted that housework is hazardous to your health. I've always known it but now I have proof.

While going through the front closet to peek at a fall jacket I purchased last year but never worn, a table fell on my toe.... more later

Recap Hell Week: August 29 - Sept 3

This week sucked a lemon you can't make lemonade with.

I went shopping at Shoppers Drug Mart for some face cream to replace the Avon product that they don't make anymore. I spent at least an hour reading ingredients and working with the temp cosmetic girl to find just the right product. Once I found the one I wanted, I took everything to the cashier and attempted to pay. I swiped my card once and the display read, 'user limit' or something like that. I swiped again and again.... The girl said maybe I reached my credit limit, I explained it's a debit card. Then she said maybe I used it too much and reached my limit, I explained I had never used it at all. After the failed third attempt, I put the purchase on my credit card.

While driving home, I saw my husbands truck coming up behind me, I motioned for him to pull over and told him what happened at the store. We went home, he jumped in the car and we went to the bank to see what happened.

At the bank, we told the teller what happened. She took my card and looked up whatever she needed to on her computer. She said I was issued a new debit card and that's the reason this one didn't work and was deactivated in July. I explained this IS the new card and I had just activated it in May. I asked her to reactivate it to which she replied that she couldn't and proceeded to cut it up. She ordered me a new card which should come in the mail to the branch in about a week.

We left the bank and I was still upset at what had happened. While driving up to Chatham for an oil change, I remembered what happened with my moms bank account in July. Now I was convinced that her bank cancelled my card because I'm on her bank account. --- long story but I had to deal with a similar issue in 2003 or somewhere in early 2000's; at that time they were supposed to detach her account from mine. They had it set up that I can access her account through my debit card but couldn't access my own chequing account through my own card... yes, it's stupid and I fixed that problem years ago. So now I'm thinking the same thing is happening again so I called my mom and told her to take me off her account. She argued a bit, I hung up angry and frustrated.

A short while later, I received a call from moms bank. It seems I was still on her account and they had attached my chequing button to her account. They told me they can't take me off the account without cancelling the entire account and it would screw up all moms direct deposits and automatic payments so they suggested I stay on the account and they'll fix it. I don't need to hear that bs again. I told the girl I don't care what they have to do but I want to be taken off the account. I said they can make this as hard or as easy as they want for mom - that depends on them, but I don't want to be on the account and I want a letter explaining what had happened AGAIN. Apparently a letter may never come because that's admitting they screwed up my account again.

The next day I went to my bank and told the assistant to our regular account manager (who's on vacation) what had happened the day before. She looked at the accounts, has no idea why the other branch did what they did or why the girl at our bank cut up my card (which can be reactivated it seems). She said she's filing a formal complaint and launching an investigation into this matter because making a mistake once is okay but this is the 3rd mistake the bank makes with my account. I'm going to make sure I follow up on this.

Second suckiness for the week.

Daughter's beau was involved in a car accident.

Third Suckiness for the week.

We sat in court for hours only to find out the judge had granted our adjournment and didn't bother to tell us.

Fourth Suckiness for the week.

I had to go down to the police station and argue with one of the officers that everyone is equally entitled to protection under the law and if someone breaks the law, it is the police's job to press charges. After a short futile argument, I asked for the daily record of the officer who attended the complaint.

I was asking for it under the Freedom of Information Act, filled out the forms, paid the fee and was instructed to wait because they aren't sure if his records are accessible under the FOI or if they are personal property. I already know that if they deem them personal property, I will have to fight to have them released to me. All this before I can even begin the fight to lay third party charges for harassment, uttering threats, hate speech, and a host of other things - on behalf of someone else.

Goodbye My Lover

"Goodbye My Lover"
~ James Blunt

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your hand.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.

[x2]
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

I am a dreamer and when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.

[x2]
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bare my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

GM Design on Woodward – Cruisin’ for Fun and Philanthropy

GM Design on Woodward – Cruisin’ for Fun and Philanthropy

Hacker Chain Letter Spreading Quickly

This is horrible! Quite possibly the worst hack attack ever documented. For a full explanation on what it does, read this sumary.



In the words of "Son of Bad Times"

"If you receive an Email with the subject line "Badtimes" delete it IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT READING it. This is the most dangerous Email virus yet.

Not only will it completely rewrite your hard drive, but it will scramble any disks that are even close to your computer. It also demagnetises the strips on your credit cards. It reprograms your ATM access code, screws up the tracking on your VCR and uses subspace field harmonics to scratch any CD's you try to play. It will recalibrate your refrigerator's coolness settings so all your ice cream melts and your milk curdles. It will give your ex-boy/girlfriend your new phone number. This virus will mix antifreeze into your fish tank. It will drink all your beer. It will even leave dirty socks on the coffee table when you are expecting company.

It will hide your car keys when you are late for work and interfere with your car radio reception so you hear only static while stuck in traffic. When executed "Badtimes" will give you nightmares about circus midgets. It will replace your shampoo with Nair and deodorant with Surface Spray. It will give you Dutch Elm Disease and Tinea. If the "Badtimes" message is opened in a Windows95 environment, it will leave the toilet seat up and leave your hairdryer plugged in dangerously close to a full bathtub.

It will not only remove the forbidden tags from your mattresses and pillows, but it will refill your skim milk with whole milk. It has been known to disregard 'Open This End' labels and can make you 'Push' a door that says 'Pull' and vice versa. It is insidious and subtle. It is dangerous and terrifying to behold. It is also a rather interesting shade of mauve. These are just a few signs.

You have been warned!"

Visit Naked Security for the full original article.

Eleven Rules of Life

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: They called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. *This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. *Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Najwa Karam and Wadi' al-Safi - We Grew Older

My sister-in-law introduced me to this song and I looked up the lyrics.
Fantastic!

Najwa Karam and Wadi' al-Safi - We Grew Older





Wadi' al-Safi

My conscience is unsettled… and my heart is not at rest.
I feel that I’m lost, that I’ve lost the key.
My thoughts are worried and my eyes don’t sleep.
I feel, my daughter, that you are not yourself.
I sense that you’re tired, that you’re upset.
I see black clouds in your eyesthat rain worries, worries.
I could be wrong, or you could be wrong.

Najwa Karam

Your feelings are correct, my father.
Your feelings have revealed the truth… and with your permission, I would like to tell you
Your daughter has become a young woman.
Every time I encounter a black cloud
Things come to my mind that pierce through it.

Your words come to my mind,
Your gazes come to my mind.
I return to my life’s almanac
I return to the first page of my life
I’m small and you’re teaching me moral lessons from a book
That tells the story of Diab’s ewes
And what happened to them; oh my father, my father…
And how you would reprimand me.

Wadi' al-Safi

Oh my daughter… When you were small,
I hid you under my wings… I hid you so that you would be at ease
And now that you’ve grown older
You’ve become my wings.

I swear by your eyes,
Because of how much I cared for you then,
I would draw you pictures and tell you of what was happening
So that my heart’s tenderness would surround you.
And the scent of lilies would fill the house,
And you grew up with everything a child could want.
In my eyes you are still small...

Najwa Karam

We have both grown older, my father.
Our days have grown more numerous.
Our responsibilities grew with us,
And our dreams grew as well.
_______, my father.
Share in the responsibility with me,
Oh my father...

Wadi' al-Safi

Don’t worry, my daughter,
Flower of my eyes.
I will not leave you alone.
I know that you’ve become a young woman,
And it’s become necessary for someone to join and accompany you.

Najwa Karam

I try not to hide anything from you,
And vent my worries to none but you.
You can see with your eyes.
I feel that you understand me
Even before I speak.
It’s so difficult for me to travel the path alone,
After they took the joy of love from me.
They seized my heart of hearts from me
And stole from me my laughter.

Wadi' al-Safi

I can’t believe what I am hearing;
I feel that my heart can’t even cry.

Najwa Karam

They took my voice from the one I was singing for;
They took the color from my tears.
They forbade my eyes from crying.
Help me, father;
Don’t leave me, father.
Give my heart back its laughter.

Wadi' al-Safi

Your laughter and days of happiness will return to you;
I won’t leave you for one minute.
I won’t dwell in gazing
Into tomorrow, or the night before it.
Laughter will return to your heart;
I will return it to you.

Najwa Karam

I had no doubt, father,
That if we talked, took and gave,
I would understand you,
And you would understand me.
Oh my father...

Wadi' al-Safi

Oh my daughter…



نجوى كرم و وديع الصافي - و كبرنا

وديع الصافي

ضميري مش مرتاح .. وقلبي مش مرتاح
حاسس إني ضايع .. ومضيع المفتاح
أفكاري قلقانة وعينيّ سهرانة
حاسس إنك يا بنتي .. ما عدتي انتي انتي
حاسس إنك تعبانة.. حاسس إنك زعلانة
عم شوف بعينيكي غيوم سودا
عم تشتي هموم هموم
يمكن أنا غلطان .. ويمكن انتي غلطانة

نجوى كرم

إحساسك بمحلو يا بيي
إحساسك بجلو.. وعن إذنك بدّي قلو
بنتك صارت صبية
كل ما غيمة سوداء قبالي
مرقت شو بتخطر ع بالي

تخطر ع بالي كلماتك
تخطر ع بالي نظراتك
وارجع عروزنامة عمري
راجع أول صفحة بعمري
>صغيرة و توعظني من كتاب
بيحكي الدني نعاج دياب
وما وافق يا بيّي يا بيي
وشو تعيط عليّ

وديع الصافي

ايــــه يا بنتي …..لما صغيرة كنتي
خبيتك تحت جناحي…خبيتك تاترتاحي
وكبيرة هلأ صرتي
صرتي انتي جناحي

بحلف بعينيكي بعينيكي
من كتر خوفي بوقتها عليكي
كنت ارسملك صور و أخبار
تا عطف قلبي يحاوطك داير من دار
وتبقي عطر زنبق معبا الدار
و تكبري بعين الكل
تبقي صغيرة بعين عيني

نجوى كرم

و كبرنا يا بيي
كبرت فينا الايام
المسؤولية كبرت معانا
و كبرت الأحلام
كرمالي يا بيي
شاركني المسؤولية
ايــــــــــه يا بيي

وديع الصافي

ما تخافي يا بنتي
يا زهرة عينيي
وحدك ما بخليكي
بعرف صرتي صبية
وصار لازم خاويكي

نجوى كرم

بحاول ما خبي عليك
ولغيرك ما اشكي
بتطلع بعينيك
بحسك عم تفهمني
من قبل ما احكي
صعبة وحدي كفي الدرب
و اخدوا منى فرح الحب
خطفوا مني قلب القلب
وسرقوا مني الضحكة

وديع الصافي
مش عم صدق شو عم بسمع
حاسس قلبي بلش يدمع

نجوى كرم

اخدوا صوتي لمين بغني
خطفوا لون دموعي مني
حرموا عيوني تبكي
ساعدني يا بييي
ما تتركني يا بيي
ردلي ع قلبي الضحكة

وديع الصافي

راح ترجعلك الضحكة و ايام الهنا
عنك مش راح اتخلى ولا دقيقه أنا
ومش راح خلي تطول النطرة
و الليلة قبل ع بكرا
قلبك راح رد الضحكة
رح ردا أنا

نجوى كرم

ما كان عندي شك يا بيي
انو اذا حكينا .. اخدنا و اعطينا
راح افهم عليك
وراح تفهم عليي
ايـــــــــه يا أبيي

وديع الصافي

ايـــــــــه يا بنتي

Canadian, Please!

Happy Canada Day

50th Birthday Celebration

It was great partying with family and friends last night at our house to celebrate my 50th birthday. My husband put on a steak bbq with all the fixins' (and veggie skewers for me) and ordered a white on white cake (my favourite) with light and dark pink flowers.... I love pink!

Thanks to all who came out to help celebrate. You guys made this a great night for me.


I'm ready to tackle the next 50 years.... Bring it on!!!!

An Apple a Day. Working at the Apple Store

I personally love Apple, the Apple store, the Apple merchandise, the Apple everything and don't find much of what Adrian Chen writes in the part of the article I quoted below, objectionable. I love Apple so much, I will be adopting some of the linguistic suggestions Apple makes to their staff for my own daily use.

Excellent article
Enjoy!


"Working at the Apple Store: Tales from the Inside
By Adrian Chen

The bright, friendly facade of the Apple store hides some weird stuff, according to current and former employees. Porn-stuffed laptops, positivity police, and an anti-gossip gestapo: Welcome to the real Apple Store.
After the Wall Street Journal published an account of Apple's retail culture that was as sterile and cheery as Apple Stores themselves, we asked insiders to send us more colorful details about hawking Steve Jobs' pricey chunks of metal. And Apple Store employees had some tales to tell. Here's a selection.

Apple employees are banned from saying "unfortunately" when delivering bad news to a customer, urged instead to replace it with the more positive "as it turns out." And management apparently takes the ban seriously: One former Apple employee tells us that his coworker was put under a 90-day probationary period because he said "unfortunately" too much at the Genius Bar.

As it turns out, "unfortunately" is just one of a number of "stop words" that are not supposed to pass an Apple Store employee's lips. One Apple Store employee, who was fired in 2009 after two years, writes:

There was a whole class we took about things not to say, and what to say instead. One of my favorites was to resist the urge to say "That's stupid" or "That wasn't smart" and replace it with "That's not recommended" - For example, you say "I took my iPod swimming and now it don't work" I say "Ah, that's not recommended" when I mean "That was really stupid".

Also, problems aren't "problems"—they're "issues."

The linguistic whitewashing extends to relations between management and employees. One former employee who worked at an Apple store in New York City last summer says:

Managers were instructed to use specific buzz words and phrases when speaking to us. For example, "I'll reach out to you" was a good one. I would often get "reached out to" to attend mandatory store meetings. Even better was the phrase "what questions do you have," instead of "do you have any questions." They use the former because it's supposed to sound more open and welcome to questions. I just thought it sounded scripted. They used it a lot in the training program- I called them out on it and got a lecture on how to communicate with others.

Given some of the crazy bullshit employees have to deal with from their customers, we'd imagine it must be hard to keep up the act. An Apple Store employee of two years who worked as a tech support specialist and quit within the last two months writes:

The amount of porn I saw in data transfers blew my mind. Once a guy got a detractor because a customer blamed US for the fact that, when our tools transferred the data of their old computer over and put photos in iPhoto, there were hoards of gay pornography brought over. She couldn't possibly believe that maybe it was her 70-year old husband's doing. Yeah, because we put porn on your shit for fun, ma'am. No, I saw people get fired just for LOOKING in the photo albums of customer's computers to verify that, yes, the pictures had transferred. Not even trying to actually get into someone's personal stuff, just doing our job and making sure nothing had failed to transfer (because customers got angry if anything was missing).

Read more ...

Success in Business: An Observation

Hard work, excellent workmanship and attention to detail will make your business flourish

- unless you're a paying member in a networking group that will promote you even if you are a half-wit with nothing but a half assed idea and zero drive to succeed.

The Worlds Shortest Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl, "Will you marry me?"
The girl said, "NO!"
And the guy lived happily ever after and went fishing, hunting, played golf, drank beer a lot and farted whenever he wanted.

The End

Gigi Gorilla

My friend Gigi gorilla, is a sweet quiet girl. She's always with me. Shares my happy days and consoles me when I'm sad.

Everyone told me she was mean and dangerous.
Everyone teased her. Poked at her. Made fun of her and were very mean to her.
For years they made her feel bad about herself and laughed at everything she said or did. This made her sad and she cried often.
This went on for years and years until one day, Gigi stood up, bared her teeth and let out an enormous roar. She had had enough of this abuse and lashed out at her abusers.

They ran away but her behaviour reinforced what they had said all along - that she is mean and dangerous.

The moral of this story is, if you abuse someone long enough, they will attack back and live up to what you made them out to be in the first place.
~ Author unknown





I can't remember where I found this.
If you are the writer or you know who is, please let me know so I can give proper credit.

Potatoes and Leeks

This is a potato recipe I make often in the summer. It's easy and cooked on the BBQ. Ingredients: Potatoes Leeks Mushrooms Olive oil Salt Pepper Mix everything together in a big bowl. Pour into an oiled roasting pan Cook until the potatoes are done. Serve plain or with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt

The Ingredients Ready to cook

Cooked and ready to serve

Today I served the potatoes along side Yves veggie skewers

Toss, Turn, Sleep, Repeat

I toss and turn all night; constantly adjusting my position and repositioning to ease the pain from my back, shoulders, neck, hips... I wake up unrested and achy every morning and usually need an hour or more to loosen up.

I don't know how my husband can stand to sleep in the same bed or how restful his sleep is.

Gold Ferrari

The perfect accessory to any outfit


Find more videos like this on Emerging Magazine

Bow Ties with Broccoli Pesto

I have made this recipe at least three times since I found it on Vegetarian Times a few weeks ago. It's delicious, quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:
6 Tbs. blanched hazelnuts, plus more for garnish, optional
2 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling, optional
1/2 cup mint leaves
4 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained, optional
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
12 oz. farfalle pasta

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast hazelnuts in skillet 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden, shaking skillet often. Cool, coarsely chop, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook broccoli in boiling water 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Drain again.

3. Pulse hazelnuts, broccoli, parsley, oil, mint, lemon juice, lemon zest, capers (if using), and garlic in food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

4. Cook farfalle according to package directions in broccoli cooking water. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water before draining. Toss farfalle with pesto and pasta cooking water. Garnish with toasted hazelnuts, if using,
and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

Serves 9

Nutritional Information
Per 1-cup serving:
Calories 261
Protein 7g
Total Fat 13g
Saturated Fat 2g
Carbs 32g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 14mg
Fiber 3g
Sugar 2g

Liquor law loosening "welcomed" ?

Liquor law loosening welcomed
More freedom to roam at festivals
BY CRAIG PEARSON, THE WINDSOR STAR MAY 25, 2011 6:49 AM

Does anyone remember this incident in 2008 Windsor businessman dies after fight at Bluesfest

‎... and the subsequent lawsuit Bluesfest death spurs suit

I'm in favour of people policing themselves and exercising self control but I also believe the old saying, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (~George Santayana)

Controlling My Junk Food Addictions

These are the foods I consume that I wish I didn't.

Diet Pepsi
Doritos Jalapeno & Cheddar
Cheese
Bread
Cake

Diet Pepsi.
I hated soda for decades and now I drink it with every meal, between meals and for no reason at all.
The plan: drink more water. Begin with replacing the dinner soda with a tall glass of water.

Doritos Jalapeno & Cheddar chips.
I love the flavour and the heat of he peppers.
The plan: find an alternative food with cayenne or crushed pepper that's healthier.

Cheese
I love all types of cheese.
The plan: portion control

Bread
The plan: portion control

Cake
For my entire life I loved cake (baking it) but as far as eating it, I could take it or leave it. Currently, I crave the sugar and actively seek out sweet.
The plan: Limit frequency of consumption and portion control.

Our Story and The Angel Pendant

Our niece moved away decades ago and with the exception of one visit when she had her first child twenty-four years ago, we hadn't seen or spoken to each other in all those years. We lost touch and each were told by a third party, the other didn't care...

Fast forward to Easter of 2010
I sent our niece an Easter greeting. This broke the ice and we began to speak on the phone for hours. We had much in common and spent endless hours catching up.

In early 2011 our niece found a lump and was diagnosed with cancer. We were devastated. We just reconnected with her and now we feared we were going to lose her forever. We decided we were going to Seattle to visit her and meet her family, to build the family she and I craved and the hugs and kisses we missed along the way.

We wanted to take something as a token of our eternal love, family connection and support. We shopped for days and found nothing, then one day we happened along the Angel Pendant at a local jeweller. It was actually my husband who saw it and after reading the story posted in the store, we knew this was it. One little angel that will always remind her that we love and support her in this difficult time and forever.

I feel good knowing she has something that reminds her of us, the time we spent together and the connection we'll always have. Although it wasn't created specifically and solely for us, we feel like it very well could have been. Thanks for creating the Angel Pendant, Stan. Your design has put a smile on our face and brightened the day.

Facebook Pages Being Taken Down, Policy Comes Into Question

Great article from WebProNews

Facebook Pages Being Taken Down, Policy Comes Into Question
April 30, 2011
http://www.WebProNews.com


Facebook Pages Being Taken Down, Policy Comes Into Question
Chris Crum | Staff Writer

Tech Blogs Getting Penalized for Copyright Infringement without Verification


Numerous reports have been coming out that Facebook is taking down Facebook pages that are accused of infringing upon copyrights. The keyword there is "accused". Apparently, Facebook does little (or nothing) to verify the legitimacy of the claims before taking action.


Several well-known tech blogs, including Ars Technica, Redmond Pie, and Neowin have had their pages removed by Facebook as the result of such a situation (though later the pages were reinstated).


"Prior to the account lockout, we had received no notices of infringement or warnings," says Ars Technica's Ken Fisher. "Truly, we awoke to find that Facebook had summoned a judge, jury, and executioner and carried out its swift brand of McJustice all without bothering to let us know that there was even a problem."

"Further investigation has revealed just how flawed Facebook's infringement reporting system is," he adds. "To begin with, someone making a complaint can provide any third-party e-mail address they choose. So it is rather easy to spoof the origin of a complaint, while giving Facebook and the accused no chance for a direct rejoinder."

Fisher also retweeted this:

@GlennF
Glenn Fleishman @ashponders @kenfisher Even with this, FB is better than Google. Google has no good appeals for _anything_. 3 hours ago viaEchofon · powered by @socialditto

NeoWin's Dave Legg wrote, "We (Neowin) tried to file a countercomplaint, but Facebook just refused to acknowledge it, they simply ignored the content of the email and said once again that we had to contact the complainant and resolve it with them or take them to court."


Facebook is developing quite a reputation for being hard to get through to at a human level. David Fagin is suing the company for a dollar to make a point about this, after getting blocked from sending friend requests, being labeled a spammer, and having issues getting through to Facebook.

Facebook's statement on the page takedown matter, as obtained by Sarah Perez at ReadWriteWeb goes like this:

We want Facebook to be a place where people can share and discuss openly while respecting the rights of others. We take seriously both the interests of people who post content and those of rights holders. We work to ensure that we don't take content down as a result of fraudulent notices. However, when a rights holder properly completes our notice form alleging intellectual property (IP) infringement, we will take appropriate action including removing or disabling access to the relevant content. When we do this, we notify the person who shared the content so he or she can take appropriate action, which may include contacting the reporting party or following up with Facebook.


Submitting an IP notice is no trivial matter. The forms in our Help Center require statements under penalty of perjury, and fraudulent claims are subject to legal process.


Hmm. That's it? They wouldn't even say why they don't validate email addresses, which is unfortunate, considering claims have been exposed as being bogus.

Facebook eventually responded to Ars Technica, simply saying it is "looking into the specific takedown request that was made." Later, they followed with an apology and finally reinstated the page. Ars Technica's Jacqui Cheng wrote in a later article, after the publication's page was reinstated:

There are a number of things Facebook needs to fix, however. Let's start with the vague notifications and slow responses: in nearly all cases, Facebook did not specify which content was supposedly infringing before taking down the entire page. According to Conde' Nast's crack legal team, a proper DMCA takedown is supposed to specify the infringing material, and that content is supposed to be removed immediately until a counterclaim is filed. Facebook did not do this--instead, it claimed "Ars Technica" was the infringing material, and subsequently removed our entire page.


Facebook also did not tell us who filed the claim until moments before the publication of this article--not technically required for the DMCA process, but providing the name of the claimant is industry-wide best practice. So, Ars has only within the past couple of hours found out who filed the bogus complaint against us, and we still don't know why or for which content. (We're hoping to follow up with this person, assuming he's real, in order to find out his motivation for filing the takedown notice.)
This is the second copyright-related blunder Ars Technica has been a part of recently. A while back, Righthaven filed suit against a contributor to the site before realizing that it it didn't have much of a leg to stand on and dismissing the suit, calling it a "mistake".

Facebook can drive a lot of traffic to a site - particularly a news site or blog, so having a Facebook Page taken down can be a tremendous blow to such a site.

Facebook's practice is drawing a great deal of criticism from the Blogosphere. The whole thing is rather interesting considering how Facebook is trying to cozy up with journalists lately.

The original article is here

---

Facebook Calls Man "Spammer" and Gets Sued
Watch the Video Now http://videos.webpronews.com/2011/04/29/facebook-calls-man-spammer-and-gets-sued/

Seattle Bound

We're heading to Seattle in a few hours to visit our niece Cheryl, who we haven't seen in 24 years. My husband and I are very excited! Personally, I can't wait to get there and see her again - and meet her family. How do we start to catch up on decades of missed birthdays, graduations, summer vacations, hugs and kisses? I'm not really sure of the how, but I am sure of the when and it is now!!! No time like the present.

While I'm away, I will blog about the visit, post pictures and will continue to Tweet What I Eat each day. I expect to have new foods to savour, chart and post about.

All aboard!!!
Next stop - the airport :)

R.I.P. Old Friend

Rest in Peace old friend.
You were a wonderful companion who gave us years of unconditional love.
April 7, 2004 - March 30, 2011

Trolls: A Midnight Poem

Trolls stalking my social nets,
Prowling my profiles,
Peeking my tweets,
Looking for me
Following me
Want t' see me
Want t' be me
Ha Ha Trolls!
Ha Ha!



Just for the record, I dreamt this - entered it onto a facebook note and a text note at 5 in the morning.
I have specific people in mind this would be referring to.

Sweet Potato Salad with Apple and Avocado

I made this as a side dish -- it really is a meal by itself. Very filling, very delicious, and the crunch of the apple and pumpkin seeds adds a little something extra. I should have taken extra care not to overcook the sweet potatoes.... they need to be less soft and mushy.


Ingredient List

Serves 6

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup frozen corn
¼ cup unsalted hulled pumpkin seeds or pepitas
1 medium red apple, diced (1 cup)
½ small onion, finely chopped (½ cup)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup lime juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ avocado, finely diced


Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes. Add corn, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until potatoes are tender. Drain in colander and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well.

2. Toast pumpkin seeds in dry skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes, or until seeds begin to pop. Transfer to plate, and cool.

3. Combine apple, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in large bowl. Stir in sweet potatoes, corn, and oil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in avocado and toasted pumpkin seeds just before serving.

Nutritional Information

Per 3/4-cup serving: Calories: 179, Protein: 3g, Total fat: 9g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 23g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 117mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 8g

Source: Vegetarian Times

Mother Teresa Quotes

-->

“I know God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much.” 

“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” 

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.” 

“Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” 

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” 

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. 
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” 

“God doesn't require us to succeed, he only requires that you try.” 

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by "I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” 

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” 

“The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” 

“Peace begins with a smile..”

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” 

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” 

“I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' rather he will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?” 

“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” 

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” 

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” 

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” 

“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” 

“Never travel faster than your guardian angel can fly.” 

“Live simply so others may simply live.” 

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” 

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” 

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” 

“If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.” 

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” 

“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”

“A life not lived for others is not a life.” 

“Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family.”

“Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less.” 

“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” 

“Life is a game, play it.” 





― Mother Teresa

The Dangers of Too Few Calories

This is a copy of my original post on, Homeflowers Attic

One of the temptations of reducing calories to lose weight, is to lower them to such a degree that we practically starve ourselves. We know this isn't healthy and we do it anyway. Why? Because we want our weight loss to be quick and we want our enthusiasm and effort to be immediately visible. This leads us to take in very few calories ... enough to keep us alive but too few to be healthy.

Does this sound familiar?

The dangers of taking in too few calories is far beyond health. If you put health concerns aside and you concentrate strictly on appearance, you'll discover a slow weight loss program is smarter and easier than anything drastic.

Here's why. The first point is your wardrobe. When you lose weight at a slower pace, you evolve your wardrobe around your current size, slowly buying smaller sizes as you go along. As you shrink out of a size, donate those clothes to your favourite charity. The second and most important point, is your weight maintenance. Once you've put yourself on a strict low calorie diet to lose weight, you have nowhere to go but up, resulting in yo yo weight. No one mentions how a drastic 1000 calorie a day diet can never become a stable *1500 - 1700 calorie a day weight maintenance regime. That's because once your body has been forced to live on few calories, it stops processing foods correctly because it thinks you're trying to starve it and starts to store fat as soon as it hits your lips.

For my age and height of 5 feet 1 inch tall, my weight maintenance calories are 1302 per day. That's fairly low to begin with, so my personal weight loss daily calories are between 1000 and 1300. You can check what your daily caloric requirements are at Calorie Calculator. Befriend me on Tweet What You Eat and follow my food and exercise diary.


* 1500 - 1700 more or less depending on your weight, height and activity level. This is a random number