A Pyhrrhic victory?
January 17, 2005
In an unexpected move, my dad has paid for my trip to Tunisia. It seems that my mother had a little chat with him. A couple of weeks ago my baba and I had a bit of a falling out, because he felt I wasn�t being very supportive of a certain big decision he was making. (Not true.) I, of course, countered�through my mother�that he hadn�t even yet congratulated me on finishing the masters. I was a bit annoyed too, because when my sister finished med school he bought her a car. When Mini finished her masters and her dad bought her a car, my dad was very �oh, well, isn�t that nice? Do you want a car?� I do not want a car. In fact, I don�t want anything, other than recognition of the fact that I�d finally finished things up. So, Baba and I have been on the outs a bit lately. It seems that on Friday my mom talked to him a bit about how I�ve been feeling (there are other things going on that I can�t really discuss), and he came home Friday night and said he had a surprise for me, and when I got home on Saturday, there was my ticket to Tunisia, paid in full by him.
I was torn, because there is no way I could reject the gift, on the other hand, I has been kind of excited to be taking this trip fully funded by me. Oh well, I guess I�ll have to spend my money elsewhere. :)
Thanks Baba.
So, I leave for Tunis tonight! I�m so excited, but on the other hand�I really hate traveling. It�s not so much the flying bit, as the packing, getting to the airport on time, and waiting on the plane bit. At least to Tunis it�s only a two-hour flight. I think I can handle that. A couple years ago when I was at the American University, I had a friend who wanted to do a North African tour, and we both got into the idea and decided that Tunisia was the place we really wanted to go. I don�t know why. Other than Carthaginian ruins and my friends, I don�t know what there is to see there. Maybe I should do a couple of quick hours of research? I�m such a bad tourist. When I was in London I didn�t want to go see the sights (granted, I�d seen most of them a few times before), I wanted to go to coffee shops, university, clubs.
Zenith is all gung ho about slaughtering a sheep for the Eid that is coming up. I am just happy that I�m missing Eid in Egypt. I hate holidays. I hate forced family visits. I�ll go visit my family any day of the week, just not on the day that you have to be dressed up to do so, and forced to eat kilos of meet. I�m such a holiday grump. Plus, I�ll also be missing a wedding. YES! I do like this Eid more though than the last one (the one after Ramadan). This Eid is a lot about charity�on the morning of the first day you can see young man driving through the streets of Cairo handing out plastic bags of meat to the less fortunate in the streets. I guess it sounds kind of gross, but there is definitely a true spirit of giving. And I�m all about the giving.
If you would like a post card or something, let me know, and I�ll see what I can do. I don�t know if I�ll actually be accessing my email while there, but you can always try.
Now I�ve got to go and try to finish as much of a week�s work in one day as I can.
***
A little something for y'all while I'm gone. These are two surveys I nabbed off of Ms. Dolo and Chakra Chic. The first is for the New Year, and the second is just in general like. Take your time reading them. You've got at least a week:
1) What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Get a full-time job. Go on a doctor-sanctioned diet. Go running regularly, outside the context of a team sport. Erm, voluntarily choose to move to Egypt. Oh, finish a maters degree! Man, 2004 was lame.
2) Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don�t make new year�s resolutions so I don�t have to keep them. See how that works? Nice, isn�t it?
3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not really, but like three of my sister�s best friends gave birth.
4) Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. More than one actually. I have been to more funerals this year than in my entire life. This question sucks, by the way.
5) What countries did you visit?
The UK, soon to be Tunisia. *fingers crossed* Oh, but that isn�t in 2004. Whatever.
6) What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
Uh, oh man. Well, in all honesty I guess I would have to say a svelter figure. Grr. Hate to admit it �publicly�. Erm, yeah, otherwise I�m cool I guess.
7) What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January 9: Left Philadelphia indefinitely, sniff.
January 22: Arrived in Egypt.
December 5th: Finished The Damn Masters (TDM).
8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Uh, getting a job? Revamping (ie-improving) my relationship with my parents. Oh shit, I keep forgetting finishing The Damn Masters (I went back to number 7 to add that date.)
9) What was your biggest failure?
Hmm, spending almost the first four months of the year without a job or working on TDM. That was a pretty big failure.
10) Did you suffer illness or injury?
Mmm. Not really. Touch wood.
11) What was the best thing you bought?
It seems I didn�t buy much in 2004. I suppose my ticket to London. That was pretty good. And my entrance ticket to the Saatchi Gallery which turned out to be fabulous. Oh, the American Dreams DVDs.
12) Whose behavior merited celebration?
My brother�s for going through some rough times and coming out of them a little bit more of an adult.
My mother�s for coming to the difficult realization that her children are finally all grown up, and there�s very little she can do besides offer them support.
BK�s, for learning to trust himself and others. Jing and Mr. Inkwell for adjusting to/continuing to deal with serious changes in their lives. Actually, to be fair all of my close friends went through some seriously tough times/ changes/ decisions this year, so cheers to all of you.
13) Whose behavior made you appalled and distressed?
George W�s?
14) Where did most of your money go?
Loan repayment. Food. Travel. In that order.
15) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The election. Going to London. Spending New Years in Philly.
16) What song will always remind you of 2004?
�Fallen� by Sarah McLachlan, �Baby Boi,� Sean Paul and Beyonce, �Turn me on,� Kevin Lyttle
17) Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? A little happier, sure.
Older or wiser? Definitely wiser, and a little bit older.
Thinner or fatter? Thinner, though slowly regaining that weight, doh!
Richer or poorer? Richer.
18) What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading, writing, running, keeping in touch with friends.
19) What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastination.
20) How did you spend Christmas?
Uh, I have no freaking idea. I know how I spent Coptic Christmas (which was Jan. 7th)�I was out cloth-shopping with my mum and sister.
21) How did you spend New Year's Eve?
Dinner at a friend�s, party with the arty-farties.
22) Did you fall in love in 2004?
Yeah, I think I re-fell in love with someone. That was nice. **warm fuzzy feeling**
23) How many one-night stands?
None.
24) What was your favorite TV program?
Well, Smallville came a little too close to 2005 to count, so I�d have to say Eastenders, Big Strong Boys, Six Feet Under, and American Dreams.
25) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, in fact I hate fewer people now than I did last year. Woo!
26) What was the best book you read?
AB Yehoshua�s The Lover, and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (for entertainment value).
27) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nancy Ajram in general, and Mahmoud el-Esseilys �El Dunya Magnuna� (love that song!)
The Global Playboys, Blue, and Jojo.
Note: I am assuming that this is personal discoveries, right?
28) What did you want and get?
A well-paying, satisfying job, a master�s degree, a little personal insight.
29) What did you want and not get?
A little lovin�, a little fashion insight, more personal freedom.
30) What was your favorite film of this year?
Spiderman 2. That�s 2004, right? Um, I�m sure Mean Girls or 13 going on 30 would have been if I�d ever seen them. The same goes for Thirteen and Goodbye Lenin. So, in short, my favorite movies of 2004 were movies I didn�t get to see because I was living here. Fantastic.
31) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 24, and I got my dancing groove on with friends at the jazz club.
32) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Finishing my masters earlier. Living in either Dublin, Philly, or San Francisco. Just saying is all.
33) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
I-can�t-be-bothered chic?
34) What kept you sane?
My siblings (bless �em), Mini, PG, Lady Di.
Chats with what will from now on be known as the triumvirate�Jing, Mr. Inkwell, BK.
Oh, and I guess this diary helped, along with of course, books, television, and music.
35) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Michael Rosenbaum. Nigel Harman. Er, Meni Mazuz.
36) What political issue stirred you the most?
Of course, US elections. Abu Ghraib. The Israeli separation fence/wall, and the disengagement plan.
37) Who did you miss?
All my friends stateside (Or China-side, Jing). My brother. My Pennsylvania family, and my New Jersey �Aunt� and �Uncle�.
38) Who was the best new person you met?
PG�I