I miss people.
I miss my cousins so much I can't bear it.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
The Movies
Why do people love to go to the movies? Is it an escape or is it a passion?
Tom Hanks:
It’s all of those things. It’s not just one thing. Sometimes we have to go off and be with other people in a room, in a collective room and have our attention in one place. But you don’t have to go with somebody. You can go by yourself to the movies and feel that. I think sometimes you have to feel like you’re a part of something bigger than just yourself and certainly the cinema has always been able to do that. But so has a day in the park, or a visit to a museum, or going to a sporting event. That can make you feel as though you are connected to everybody else in the world. Movies are, at their core, both a participatory art in that you’re taking part in something much larger than yourself, and at the same time, a very, very particular, personal experience. I think it’s the human condition to seek that out periodically. You have to go to the cycle races, or you have to go to the carnival, or you have to go and sit in the café and have a conversation with somebody, or you have to go to church. You have to do that. It’s what human beings do.
I agree with Mr. Hanks totally. But the cinema coming to Jeddah is a very different issue. Sure, it’s an amazing experience, one that we tend to take for granted because it’s so commonplace a pastime, but it also raises so many questions and issues for us. When my friends and I went to the cinema last weekend (the first in Jeddah), we all asked the questions.
So, we’re having a “mixed” crowd in the cinema?
Yes. Around here, we call it the “Family Section”. Men are allowed ONLY if they come with their wives, children, and/or mothers and sisters.
What if some guy I don’t know sits beside me?
Hah. You wish. Seats are arranged before the movie starts, and they strictly adhere to these arrangements.
What if a guy comes in with his *GASP* girlfriend? How would they know if they’re married and not just illicitly dating?
Because dating and pre-marital relationships between the opposite sexes are absolutely ILLEGAL, young married couples always take the extra precaution of carrying around their marriage contracts, JUST IN CASE they are apprehended. As a result, we can always tell a married couple from those who are just dating. Dating couples usually have this guilty look on their faces, they might as well have a sign on their foreheads that say “OUR PARENTS DON’T KNOW”.
We’re NEVER going to see blockbuster movies at the cinema, are we?
Of course not. Forget REAL movies. We’re talking about Disney and Pixar productions monopolizing the industry.
And so on and so forth.
We resist this because it stands for all the things we are against. But I’m sure there is a way for us to enjoy a movie without having to worry about the consequences of change in our culture. The question is, what way?
***
We watched Over The Hedge, which was nothing special, except that it was good to see the outrageous Mr. Nick Nolte back in circulation. I miss the cinema experience. I hear there's a new thing they call iMax or something. Someone, tell me about it, why don't you.
Tom Hanks:
It’s all of those things. It’s not just one thing. Sometimes we have to go off and be with other people in a room, in a collective room and have our attention in one place. But you don’t have to go with somebody. You can go by yourself to the movies and feel that. I think sometimes you have to feel like you’re a part of something bigger than just yourself and certainly the cinema has always been able to do that. But so has a day in the park, or a visit to a museum, or going to a sporting event. That can make you feel as though you are connected to everybody else in the world. Movies are, at their core, both a participatory art in that you’re taking part in something much larger than yourself, and at the same time, a very, very particular, personal experience. I think it’s the human condition to seek that out periodically. You have to go to the cycle races, or you have to go to the carnival, or you have to go and sit in the café and have a conversation with somebody, or you have to go to church. You have to do that. It’s what human beings do.
I agree with Mr. Hanks totally. But the cinema coming to Jeddah is a very different issue. Sure, it’s an amazing experience, one that we tend to take for granted because it’s so commonplace a pastime, but it also raises so many questions and issues for us. When my friends and I went to the cinema last weekend (the first in Jeddah), we all asked the questions.
So, we’re having a “mixed” crowd in the cinema?
Yes. Around here, we call it the “Family Section”. Men are allowed ONLY if they come with their wives, children, and/or mothers and sisters.
What if some guy I don’t know sits beside me?
Hah. You wish. Seats are arranged before the movie starts, and they strictly adhere to these arrangements.
What if a guy comes in with his *GASP* girlfriend? How would they know if they’re married and not just illicitly dating?
Because dating and pre-marital relationships between the opposite sexes are absolutely ILLEGAL, young married couples always take the extra precaution of carrying around their marriage contracts, JUST IN CASE they are apprehended. As a result, we can always tell a married couple from those who are just dating. Dating couples usually have this guilty look on their faces, they might as well have a sign on their foreheads that say “OUR PARENTS DON’T KNOW”.
We’re NEVER going to see blockbuster movies at the cinema, are we?
Of course not. Forget REAL movies. We’re talking about Disney and Pixar productions monopolizing the industry.
And so on and so forth.
We resist this because it stands for all the things we are against. But I’m sure there is a way for us to enjoy a movie without having to worry about the consequences of change in our culture. The question is, what way?
***
We watched Over The Hedge, which was nothing special, except that it was good to see the outrageous Mr. Nick Nolte back in circulation. I miss the cinema experience. I hear there's a new thing they call iMax or something. Someone, tell me about it, why don't you.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Wanting to...
There are so many things I want to do.
I want to walk into an all-male cafe (here in Jeddah) and join the white thobes and shimags, al fresco.
I want to go deep into the desert, meet the locals, and have decent conversations with them.
I want to drive a truck.
I want to meet a never-ending stream of people, have them pass me by and say hello, and then wave goodbye, to meet again.
I want to walk barefoot along the beach and chicken-dance against the sunset.
I want to take funny-bunny-ear photos of my inamorata, my fair-haired boy, my Romeo.
*Wanting, but wiser.*
I want to walk into an all-male cafe (here in Jeddah) and join the white thobes and shimags, al fresco.
I want to go deep into the desert, meet the locals, and have decent conversations with them.
I want to drive a truck.
I want to meet a never-ending stream of people, have them pass me by and say hello, and then wave goodbye, to meet again.
I want to walk barefoot along the beach and chicken-dance against the sunset.
I want to take funny-bunny-ear photos of my inamorata, my fair-haired boy, my Romeo.
*Wanting, but wiser.*
Flatteration
It’s always nice to hear people say something nice to you, or about you. The past weekend must’ve been National Say-Something-Nice-About-Nessreen Weekend; even my friends would agree. Everyone said at least one nice thing about me. Plus, Majed called me twice in one day (he’s in Germany).
***
We finally met Sharifah’s Khaled. I can imagine how he must’ve felt; having to go through meeting all of us Shari’s friends on top of trying to impress her family. But, like we told him, he was pre-approved. He just garnered additional points for being such a darling, and for giving the most sensible piece of advice we’ve ever heard:
“If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.”
Although the advice was directed at Nadia, who’d wanted to try smoking for the first time at age 25, we all agreed it applies to everything else in life.
***
There was a “Fudgy Bum” incident, where Summer (the most practical, un-cluttered person in our clique) and I (the most scatter-brained) got some chocolate fudge all over our abayas in the car. What baffled everyone was how I got the chocolate in my bum. Aunt Debbie had to flip me over and wipe my rear end with moisturized tissue, all the while tsk-tsking me, ‘naughty, naughty girl’. Sure enough, everyone concluded that my klutziness is contagious, and Summer caught it. And now, we are Fudgy Bum Sisters.
We ARE a homogenous group.
***
We finally met Sharifah’s Khaled. I can imagine how he must’ve felt; having to go through meeting all of us Shari’s friends on top of trying to impress her family. But, like we told him, he was pre-approved. He just garnered additional points for being such a darling, and for giving the most sensible piece of advice we’ve ever heard:
“If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.”
Although the advice was directed at Nadia, who’d wanted to try smoking for the first time at age 25, we all agreed it applies to everything else in life.
***
There was a “Fudgy Bum” incident, where Summer (the most practical, un-cluttered person in our clique) and I (the most scatter-brained) got some chocolate fudge all over our abayas in the car. What baffled everyone was how I got the chocolate in my bum. Aunt Debbie had to flip me over and wipe my rear end with moisturized tissue, all the while tsk-tsking me, ‘naughty, naughty girl’. Sure enough, everyone concluded that my klutziness is contagious, and Summer caught it. And now, we are Fudgy Bum Sisters.
We ARE a homogenous group.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Girls of Summer
We had fun today. The huge slices of cake they have over at Mugg & Bean are unbelievable. It was Summer's 23rd ermm... summer. We hid behind a wall and half-screamed "Surprise!!" as she came into the restaurant. We knew she knew we knew she knew about the surprise party. Don't you hate when that happens? Everything's half-hearted afterwards.
*********
The problem with truth is that... it's much too simple. Sometimes, [actually, most of the time], I feel the need to embellish the things I say. Like looking at life through rose-tinted glasses. Otherwise, all our little phone conversations would be dull. But I'm always afraid I might turn into a minstrel.
Imagine if you died. Right now. People would go through your personal effects. Your family and friends would be thrown together, discussing your life and times. What are the things you wouldn't want them to suddenly discover about you?
*********
It'll be a busy weekend, for sure. But I'm broke. I'm going out with my large group of friends on Thursday for a little Karaoke affair, Saudi-style. I'm going out with a friend on the weeknights to some cafe or other, to discuss the future and whatever's wrong with me. I'm going to not spend money because... I don't HAVE any money. I wonder...
*********
The problem with truth is that... it's much too simple. Sometimes, [actually, most of the time], I feel the need to embellish the things I say. Like looking at life through rose-tinted glasses. Otherwise, all our little phone conversations would be dull. But I'm always afraid I might turn into a minstrel.
Imagine if you died. Right now. People would go through your personal effects. Your family and friends would be thrown together, discussing your life and times. What are the things you wouldn't want them to suddenly discover about you?
*********
It'll be a busy weekend, for sure. But I'm broke. I'm going out with my large group of friends on Thursday for a little Karaoke affair, Saudi-style. I'm going out with a friend on the weeknights to some cafe or other, to discuss the future and whatever's wrong with me. I'm going to not spend money because... I don't HAVE any money. I wonder...
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