Hanistaniz

The thing with languages is that one tends to forget them after a while of not using them. I am guessing all of us have experienced that at some point. I am feeling that my mother tongue Arabic is no longer my native language, I am forgetting it slowly. Seven years of not speaking it on regular basis tend to do that to you. This is really sad because I no longer can speak Arabic well enough to call it my native tongue. And the worst is the fact that my English has not been improving as fast as my Arabic been deteriorating. So, I am between a rock and hard place, I need to re-learn Arabic and I hope it is not too late because if there is one thing I hate is dropping a foreign word in my conversation with people who are not familiar with that language.

Do not you hate it when you ask people question about why they did something or why they did not do it, and the people you ask look at you, take a minute and give you a weird explanation and you are supposed to make sense of it. "Why did you take my car?" they reply "Oh, man, I did not have a good pair of shoes to wear" OK , how does that relate to you taking my ride? I would say "This absolutely makes no sense, but it sounds like you expect it to by a some logical explanation so I am going to treat it as such."

Another funny thing happens here in America is when medications go on sale (30%,80%) I do not get it. I thought one buys medicine on need basis and not on value basis. I mean I was at Smith's the other day, they had cold/flue medications and skin medications going on sale for a really good deal and the thing is there were a lot of people piling medications. The funny thing is that these people do not even look sick. Perhaps, You look at these medications and say "Wow, cold medicine, I am feeling sick today, I could use some of that" or "It is March, Allergy season, I could use some of that in case I get sick" It is really strange that people would wish bad things upon themselves to save a buck or two, but it happens.

I guess the scary thing about the new technologies is the side affects that come with them. I love my MP3 Player it entertains me and keep me company even in Provo, Utah. The other day I was in a coffee shop (for the company) and was listening to my favorite tunes. At that point, I was listening to a comedy zencast and laughing my tale of, when I stranger walks to me and asks me "What is so funny?" Obviously he did not see my headphones and thought I was making fun of him. I mean he was a social reject and thinking everyone is making fun of him. I mean I could care less about the guy, if he is a creep, do not bother me and I do not bother you. So I said "Dude, I do not know what you are talking about!" "No, one is laughing at you here!" it took a minute to convince him otherwise, and he left.

Why is it when you go buy a burger at a fast food restaurant, you are always asked if you want to order cheese with that? for fifty cents? I think, we should demand more of these guys...we should charge them for the pickles and the onions we asked them not to put on our burgers. "Yeah, you will give me a 40 cents discount on my burger for the pickles" or "Not giving me onions, cost you $.30, how would you like to pay for that?"

I know many of us are fond of taking pictures of ourselves in various life settings, and I am not sure what the purpose for such luxury. For memories, I am told. Yes, obviously painful memories I say. Looking at my 10 years ago picture, "Oh, I like your hair" I say "Thanks for reminding me of my lack of hair" Look at another picture "Wow, you looked good in Freshman year!" rubbing my bully I say "Yeah I get that a lot, I cannot jog anymore, my knees are bad." I think, we are better off taking pictures of ourself in unpleasant situations. After a car accident, broken bone, a patch on the eye, walking on crutches, pictures with you professors, or your mother in law...etc. If we only take such pictures, we all always be grateful for what we have now, and not what we had then. I mean we need to change that, people can no longer tell us what could hurt us.