Dusty Wyndow Blog

I'm getting more and more comfortable with the short, spontaneous, snappy, out of the blog's original context sort-of-posts. This one was triggered by none other than my fellow Tripolitan, Fadi Mikati , who's done something quite incredible. Actually, the simple fact that he actually "did" something is remarkable enough. On a lazy December Friday, he seems to have stumbled on another hideous scene on one of our hometown's streets. He was fed up with what he saw, and felt the rushing urge to say something, well do something as a matter of fact. One thing lead to the other and BAM; there he was announcing on his FB profile that he'll be cleaning the street, claiming he can never tolerate to have encountered that amount of repulsiveness, to have expressed a growing scale of disgust, watching his town turning into a populated landfill. Post by Fadi Mikati . It wasn't long before Fadi's request got the appropriate praise and cheering, all...

Takbeerat March, Photo by Ahmad M. Halawani I would never forget her when she followed our trail when leaving the khankeh, begging us for some diapers for her child, thinking we were some sort of an association, and not knowing that every lira was either donated by people who never knew each other, and by our own pocket money. That was more heartbreaking than anything else that whole time. I'm talking about the time we visited the "Khankeh", a place well known to old Tripolitans. It's the place where widows gather and are sorted out in a room each with her children, and sometimes more than a family need to fit inside the same room. I was explaining to my dear friend Soha, who came all the way from Beirut to Tripoli to celebrate Eid our own way, and cheer up the kids of Khankeh. I was explaining to her the history of this place, and how it was established and treated during the ottoman empire, and how it eventually ended up a worn out shelter for a bu...

It's the night I was able to stand in the Nour Roundabout so freely. It's the night this place was car-free. It's the night a prayer was held at the center of the Roundabout. It's the night hundreds of people felt joy at this place rather than being anxious whether to cross the fire lit there or not. It's the night a bunch of white-hearted Tripolitans took the initiative of throwing the first mass iftar at the center of my home town, Tripoli. The mass iftar viewed from the 15th floor, at the center of Tripoli, Lebanon. It was noon when I first passed by the place and saw couple of my friends there getting all busy preparing for the big event, 6 hours earlier. I arrived there exactly 6:30, the place was already packed. The sight of the roundabout being closed from afar reminded me of the time I had to avoid the burning tires and the raging thugs that have taken it as a habit to come and close the square preventing people from going home and forcing shops to close...

The article below was triggered by a recent conversation I had with a friend lately. Those few lines were enough to surface a large amount of hatred, anger and despair as well, that were all hidden for as far as my parents' divorce 10 years ago. Here's part of what he had to say upon me asking him what he would do in times he felt down: - I get very irritated and feel like breaking down or curl against a corner and just sleep on it (dysthymia). Its nothing new but i've been coping for years and recent events were a catalyst for more depressive episodes. - Do you ever tell anyone about this? Or at least do you have anyone by your side? - I only have a therapist to work with. Besides that, i have no familial or social support. They just don't understand. - what do you think would've prevented this phase? what do you wish of having around that you'll be sure would help you out? - A decent family. A decent society. A decent everything There is no do...

Up til this day I often get people wondering what is TED talks. Personally TEDxBeirut is your dose of enthusiasm, self motivation, faith in humanity, and worldly peace altogether. Well, that would be my definition as I stated. Here's what the TEDxBeirut organizers had to say on their Facebook Page : "TEDxBeirut is a gathering of wonderful minds, designed to inspire, nurture and propagate great ideas in compliance with TED’s mission of  “changing attitude, lives, and ultimately the world”. We are accountants, students, doctors, lawyers, media people, housewives and your neighbor next door. We have one thing in common – a desire to push the boundaries, make a difference and maybe even leave a legacy." Read more on their page And it was, definitely a gathering of wonderful minds, wanting to share with the world their success stories, their aspirations and dreams, their life-changing moments. The Interviews Collage of some speakers at their interviews. Courtesy ...

To begin with, I need to point out that the title is not of my creation. It's been stuck in my memory, and I always wondered when would I ever use it. I guess this is it. more photos here  In order to keep myself aware of how much bad the human being can do, or to simply highlight to my own self that I can be of nuisance, I need to constantly check myself, to gratify it when it does good, and punish it when it messes up with the morals I go by. What triggered this post now was something I read over Facebook. A page that broadcasts news about the Syrian war has just announced a breaking news, the death of a Jaylani Cheikh in Syria upon invading his house by the "Forth Squad". For a split second, a feeling of gloating just found its way through my veins. To all those who don't know what Jaylani is, a jaylani way (belief) is one that has taken its own road far away from the basics of Islam. Jaylanis believe fondly in their "Cheikh" or master, a person who...

My presence at the salon was originally to volunteer with the team members to record the salon on video throughout its duration. It was usually in such cases, numerous cases, where I'd put all my concentration in framing my footage and taking the best shot, as much as possible, which obviously stands in the way of grasping the freshness of the location, the sparkling falls of colors among the visitors and the props around the set, thus eventually limiting my presence over there to an inside observer much more than a normal visitor. This time, it was not the case. Courtesy of Nadim Kamel, TEDxBeirut Team Ever since the first of July, I've been carrying around the most wonderful activism project, the child of a long story, as long as my own year count. I could never imagine we'd become more than 200 supporters of the cause, and more than 4 dozens of people physically present at the Free Hugs Flashmobs we do every other week, holding their signs, withstanding the humidity a...

Enough of the challenge posts already. Yesterday's Shoot as you walk was simply unbelievable. I must admit I missed the big groups and the humongous number of people gathering at certain times of the year in the shoot, most of them being newbies to the activity, and simply strolling down the streets I thought I knew well. It seemed to me that I mostly didn't know my town as much as I thought. Photo Courtesy of my dear friend Karim Zock The night was beyond awesome, especially that Ramadan is coming to an end and Eid Al Fitr holiday is right at the corner. Parents and newly-weds filled the alleys of old markets looking for the greatest bargains of all, to prove to themselves that their country still allows them to buy decent low priced-clothes at least once a year for their deprived children, or for the groom to buy "the" gift for his fiancee with the amount of money he had saved ever since they got engaged. 5000LBP (3$) shoes are everywhere to the point that yo...

There were 12 of us, gathered indifferently, totally randomly. We didn't know each other before, we were clueless of who will we meet, what we'll be doing, and what would the reactions be like. 12 distinct bodies we were, but it appeared to me later that we were much less than 12, we were one. Each and everyone of them was the joy the streets witnessed that afternoon, sticking their cardboards on restaurants windows, or simply popping up in front of the passengers, thus spreading happiness, if not with a hug, then by a simple gesture. They were heroes, explaining our goal for anyone who wondered, breaking the ice to anyone who had his doubts and fears, bringing joy to silent alleys and dull restaurants. Smile never left their faces even though the whole walk was seriously tiring under that afternoon's burning sun. Too many people spotted us, too many souls rejoiced for once, too many smiles were born that day, too many lives will be changed afterwards. I recall some of ...

Only a few days ago I was told I could order a book of the life of Peace Pilgrim, the woman who kept walking for peace, totally for free. Having nothing to lose, I gave it a shot, and this is what I got.. A touching gift it was indeed, touching enough to rejoice me after a certain bad news. Thank you people of Peace Pilgrim Foundation, this was a gift for a liftetime.....