So it's now 1st January 2012, last year kind of felt like it flew by, a lot was happening around the world, but nothing much happening for me. I always think back and reflect, and all the good things that happened were for other people. I can't help feeling down about it. Probably the best thing was Libya being liberated and the oppressor/dictator Gaddafi being rightfully killed. Say what you want about him, but he never hid his evil, so I am free to celebrate his death if I want to. Actually, the Libyan community here had a party exactly for that. It was pretty cool and the food was nice. (Thank you to the Libyan Embassy in London for funding our party!)
Alton Towers was a good highlight of the year actually, thinking back. I went with my family on 29th October 2011, almost at the end of Scarefest. What an amazing time to visit, what with Terror of the Towers and the Zombie Scare Zone. Don't ask me why, but I really liked the Mutiny Bay area, it just seemed really fun and the guy operating Marauder's Mayhem was really cheerful. A lot of the staff there looked happy, but in Flamingo Land they all look like they'd rather be elsewhere and sometimes act pretty cocky and unhelpful.
Recently I've been having tons of thoughts about being stuck in limbo. That's how I explain how I don't feel settled and how incomplete my life feels. I feel like I shouldn't be living with my parents, that I should be married and having children. I'm really not the type of person who will cope well with being single for a long time. The only way I would feel better would be to get my own place, but I just can't afford it right now, and my parents would take it as an insult to move out, even though that is not my intention.
I guess one other good thing is that I am able to drive again. I am insured with my dad on his car. So I now drive a Vauxhall Zafira. Don't laugh! I'll take what I can right now, and I'm so grateful for that. Here's to 2012 being the year I can reflect on and actually be genuinely happy about, inshallah. We'll see how I feel in about a year!
It feels like I don't have much to talk about on here much anymore. I had a few complaints that kind of put me off, but today I had the urge to write, so there may be a lot to talk about!
Also if you have anything to say, leave a comment on here or click on the Contact Me page at the top.
Anyway, getting that out of the way, anyone seen Pan Am? It's not the most excellent TV show, but I just love what they wear. It's set in the 1960's, the heyday of Pan American Airlines. They ceased operations in 1991. Most people will probably associate them with the Lockerbie crash, in which one of their planes was hijacked and crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland.
I've also been watching season 6 of Dexter. After a mediocre season 5, Dexter is really picking up again. I still think my favorite season was season 4, with the Trinity killer. This season it's the Doomsday Killers, two Christians, Travis and Professor Gellar, working together to make the Doomsday prophecy come true. I am up to episode 9 so I won't spoil it for those who haven't watched yet.
An image of Dexter and his son, Harrison, from Season 6
I have been getting into watching the Twilight saga. I saw the first one on TV in the summer, then last week I decided to rent New Moon from the library. All I can say is, Bella Swan is one idiotic person. She's also a user. She likes Edward and when he leaves town in New Moon, she has these nightmares where she screams the house down. Then she starts hanging out with Jacob, a Native American werewolf because she has nothing better to do since her beloved bloodsucker left town. I hate how she uses him just because Edward has gone, she even makes him fix two motorbikes she found in a scrapheap. After he finishes the job, she then proceeds to get on one of them and crashes. Such an idiot! Also Jacob is kind of stupid for just doing everything she says, if Bella was real she would be an emo and nobody would even care, especially with a selfish personality like that. I don't think I have hated the main character in anything until I saw Twilight. This girl has gotta stop hanging around with supernatural creatures! She has human friends, but only hangs with them if no freaks are available. I cannot even believe they accept her when she ignores them for weeks on end. She's no friend!
Me and my family are thinking of going to Libya sometime. I won't say when though, as nothing is official. I have not visited since 2005/06, when I vowed I would not return with a Libyan passport, as Gaddafi's authorities made things so difficult for me. I think now I am confident to go on my Libyan passport, so better get renewing! I may get a digital camera, might be a good idea to take plenty of pics. Post-Gaddafi era will be a good one inshallah!
I am going to a recommendation, which I don't normally, but I have been enjoying all these things recently!
The first is a Cartoon Network cartoon called 'Regular Show'. It's about two slacker friends, a blue jay named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby who work as groundskeepers in a park. Their boss is a gumball machine called Benson, and their friends include a green man called Muscle Man, a ghost called High-Five Ghost (he has his hand permanently in a high five position above his head), a strange man with a big head called Pops and a yeti called Skips (he always skips, never walks!) Here is a clip!
I also recommend downloading two pretty funny podcasts from Radio 1. The first is the Scott Mills Daily. It's available to download every weekday from the BBC podcasts website. Scott Mills Daily podcast
There is also the best bits of the Chris Moyles show. It's available to download every Friday, and contains all the funniest bits and interviews from the weekday morning shows. Chris Moyles show podcast
I always put them onto my phone and use them to help me fall asleep, as well as have a laugh! I have many saved on my phone simply because I like to listen back to the funny bits now and again!
Yes, the NTC have announced Gaddafi the rat is now dead. They found him in a hole in Sirte, and they transported him to Misrata. Many celebrations going on. I hear Egdware Road in London is going to have celebrations at approximately 6pm today. I'm sure other cities will do their own celebrations too, and it's already started in Libya!
He doesn't look so powerful now, does he? He can longer spout rubbish from that disgusting mouth of his anymore. He was a blot in Libya, he ruined it. It's going to take time to change and become something different. Inshallah one day Gaddafi will be a distant memory.
It's been almost two weeks since three (now four) Libyan freedom fighters were admitted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough to treat their injuries. They were sent here by the new Libyan government, all expenses paid so as not to disadvantage patients in the hospital (our healthcare is free, but only if you are British or in the EU, as far as I know). My dad has visited them a few times, helping with translation as none of them speak English. You can see photos of them on this: Facebook page for freedom fighters in Middlesbrough hospital. It's in Arabic, but pretty easy to see the pictures.
One man was telling my dad how he got his injuries. He was hit by a car, then it went over his body, breaking his pelvis. He had to get metal rods put in, which was done in Tunisia, but unfortunately it was a rather botched job and it had to be redone once he got to the hospital here. The freedom fighters will be here a few weeks as they get operations and begin to recover. What they have suffered may be horrific, but I am just glad they are alive, as so many did not survive.
Last week I also did a card for them, a suggestion from someone on Facebook. I gave my thanks to them, for their part in helping make Libya a free country. My dad is going to write in Arabic on it too, so they can read what I wrote. It feels like a privilege to have them here and I hope they all recover well, and are able to go back and see a free Libya inshallah.
Must add a little note, I've started reading Khadija Teri's blog again, it's fantastic having updates from someone right there in Libya! Keep safe inshallah.
I would advise anyone who wants to oppose the EDL protest tomorrow (9th July) to join Unite Against Fascism in their counter-protest. They will be meeting up at 11am at the cenotaph near the entrance of Albert Park. They will then walk to Centre Square, where I believe the actual protest is taking place. Police are containing all protestors.
Basically EDL are protesting against the proposed expansion of Abu Bakr mosque on Park Road North. The expansion plans are actually still in the very early stages, and we still don't have enough money to get the project going. I don't actually understand why the EDL are even bothering with a protest. My guess is they have probably wanted to cause a race riot in Middlesbrough for some time, and this is their excuse to finally do it. Police will be posted in front of all mosques in Middlesbrough, so even if some of the neanderthals decide to break away, they will encounter resistance.
So it's been a fast two weeks for those engrossed in Wimbledon, well for me anyway! I feel it has has passed so quickly, and here we are, down to the last two women, and the last two men.
The women's final will be held on Saturday July 2nd and the match will be Maria Sharapova v Petra Kvitova. I am rooting for Kvitova, but I think Sharapova could win her second Wimbledon, it's been way too long for her. Good luck to both ladies!
Petra Kvitova
Maria Sharapova
And then on Sunday 3rd July, we have the men's final, which will be Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic. I think I would like Djokovic to win, but they're both amazing players, so it won't matter too much who wins!
Rafael Nadal, 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champ
Novak Djokovic
Whatever happens, I will post the results up here. Good luck everyone!
