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...

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...

Source:  Original Article The Last Confession was the straw that broke the camel's back: What I started on my previous post  was phenomenal, it was pretty obvious that I had to document it. If you're still unfamiliar with what I'm talking about, check the Anonymous Confessions blog post; I had announced I want to play a game, based on the work of an american artist. Source:  Anonymous Confessions The thread of confessions started out with the following: "I still love her" "İt hurts not to see him" "I do care about what people think of me" Several anonymous persons decided to join later on, upon seeing the first feedback, and thought it might be a good idea to throw in their own confession, since, in the end, everything was totally anonymous. The majority spoke of relationships, parents, self esteem, aspirations, and unfinished love stories. Until the last guest posted their comment : "Confession 1: I wish I can help everyone who...

Here's what went through my mind during my morning nap in the minibus: Photo by Rayyan Jamous "I just realized that I have no passion, I don't remember the last time I risked my life for something; I am passive generally and don't have any sort of personal extremism. I cannot define things easily. I have trouble with maintaining relationships. I suck at time management and prioritizing. I am selfish though I have lots to give, which gives me constant headache. I realized I have a great amount of grudge, being the only answer to most of the emotional problems I faced, thus making it a trend to see my frown in the mirror. I came to know I am literally empty, and I know it. I wait no compassion from anyone because I've had enough with compliments: compliments to me are lies with make-up. What if I've been living a lie all these years? First at class for several years in a row? I never asked to be classified as the front row geek at school, regardless ...

Let's play a game, shall we? Apparently there's been an exhibition, a public art project for the american artist  Candy Chang  who thought it would be interesting to open up a space where people can anonymously project their confessions, their deepest secrets, and enjoy the reaction of whoever reads it. Source: Original Article "By the end of the exhibition, over 1500 confessions were displayed on the walls. It’s about sex, love, or fears of dying alone. By collecting the confessions of the hotel’s visitors, this project seeks to create a cathartic sanctuary for this temporary community and help us see we are not alone in our quirks, experiences, and struggles as we try to lead fulfilling lives." Source: Original Article Source: Original Article This post is written for the benefit of the public. I invite you everyone to do the same, let's share our secrets. Hint : Post your confession in the comment field below while choosing the " ...

This post is to talk about Lebanese humans, nothing more, nothing less. And for your information, Humanity STILL exists in my country, whether you've seen it or not, whether you agree or you don't. A few minutes after 2:30PM yesterday Friday OCT 19th 2012, a huge explosion shook the building I work at and of course, the whole area, to the point that I thought glass was going to break all over. It was easy to see from my window people in the street looking towards one direction, that is of the nearby Ashrafiyyeh. My colleague thought it was the nearby gas station that exploded, but going to the building's roof, it was more than clear. Sassine was on fire. I had so many friends over there, Reine worked in the Hotel Dieu Hospital, Maryam lives there, Navia and Riwa also live/work there, Chris also, and they were all one minute away from the explosion. Lines were down, both fixed and mobile, congestion prevented anyone from calling any person that was there. I mana...

I think you'd love to hear what happened before the free hugs, much more than the flashmob itself. Taken by Talha It was Saturday, the day that the factory works only half a day, and thus we finished work at 2:00 PM, went back to the hotel and headed directly to a nearby mall for a quick meal. Meanwhile, I had had sent a msg to my Turkish friend Talha to see whether he has some free time for the afternoon or no. It was a confirmation indeed. Fast forward to 5:30PM, I met him outside the hotel and he automatically notices my camera, asking me about my photography chances in Eskisehir, I replied with "none so far". He was kind enough to withstand my blabbing, my on-going sudden stops in the middle of the crowd only to get a photo I needed to take. Honestly, if it weren't to Talha's tour yesterday, I might've left Eskisehir without visiting anything but the hotel and its surrounding. The town's history is one more marvelous thing added to my experienc...

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate. (Read more about the  30-Day Challenge ) A photo says more than a 1000 words do

So I stayed the whole night awake knowing that the slightest nap would take away the chance to visit the cemetery with my mother on Eid Al Fitr's morning, just like any other Muslim Family's tradition on this occasion. Regardless of my personal beliefs and projections on such "habits", it was nevertheless an occasion not-to-be-missed for me to spend with my dear mother especially after the distance between us she was telling me about in the last period of time. Camera in hand? check; and now we've hit the road. Can you Imagine what I kept thinking all the time we spent there? I kept constantly monitoring all the mental thoughts "rivering" inside my head making all that noise that almost covered the loud chatters of the surrounding; thoughts that mostly were the child of the observations I made at the time, part of my recent on-going constellation of questions about our social behavior. It was time to take out my camera, which to my surprise, was...

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item. (Read more about the 30-Day Challenge ) I never believed in mage and wizardry, nor did I ever fall for voodoo and acts of sorcery. Wishes to me are a sign of weakness and tokens were only for decorative purposes, that was before I received my precious royal card... Ever since that moment, I became little prince Nathy, whenever I wanted to be, wherever I needed to be that prince. I was prince for one at least, for one who saw the real me, who touched me deep enough to, at least once, have felt that there's something enormous inside that skin. Ever since I held that card it never left my pocket. It's not the ink, never the paper, it's that tiny part of a soul securely contained in that piece of cardboard for ages to come... I would never feel underrated, underestimated, or simply out of luck as long as I remember I am holding a royal card, a gift from the most precious human being ever. And yes, makes me smile each and ev...

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day. (Read more about the 30-Day Challenge ) Peter Pan, for one day only.. No comment this time, I'll leave the interpretation to yourselves.

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...

Day 05 - A picture of one of your favorite memories. (Read more about the  30-Day Challenge ) Sorry about that watermark, it's a trial as you noticed. Won't happen again Now for the photo, I was saved by the bell since a "favorite memory" is simply impossible, whereas there are lots and LOTS of favorite memories, yes with an "S". I simply lack the words that would match all those memories... All salutes go to Jana, Marwan, Wissam and of course my brother Najd for making it the most awesome childhood ever. I can still remember every skin cut, every bruise, every tear and every laugh. Too bad we've grown old on such activities and photographs, but I believe it's never too late.

Day 04 - A picture of your favorite night (Read more about the  30-Day Challenge ) One of the most favorite nights would obviously (at least obviously to me) a night alone in the street with the camera in hand and the tripod tied to my back bag on a highway probably or a deserted street taking long exposure photographs. And they mean to me of course. But having thought of today's quest thoroughly, I came to a conclusion that the most favorite night was the one I spent on grass in the middle of the street. Can't find the right words to describe what level of awareness that scene helped me reach, but it utterly left an impact so strong that now I have a refuge on hand that doesn't need any camera. It was frustration that was eating me that night, frustration of my inefficiency to solve my problems, frustration of all the surrounding, and the frustration of certain personal confusion that were bumping over inside my mind. I found no other way but to ride my bic...

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show. (Read more about the  30-Day Challenge ) The Legendary Mork and Mindy Many of you would instantly think of the vintage "Friends" or maybe the recent "House" series, and don't get me wrong I'm utterly attached to that era/kind of series. But, Mork and Mindy has a totally different taste. This was the first series/show I watched apart from the ones on Disney Channel. This show has shaped some aspects of my teenage years, and really helped me question more, and love the fact that life is way beyond the walls of a country, or a society. That omnipresent innocence is what caught my attention and kept me stuck to the actors and the whole storyline. I grew up watching so many other shows but this one was the most pleasant to me as of becoming an adult. "Mork and Mindy" so magically puts on the table the extraordinary relationship between man and woman having no common interests, no specific g...

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been close with recently (Read more about the 30-Day Challenge ) As unexpected as it may sound, this day's challenge kept my brain thinking all day long to find something suitable enough for it to call achieved. Among all the people that I shared feelings, problems, advice with, among all the closest to my heart, among all the friends and family, I chose Georges, that tiny smiling creature who's oh so younger than me. Why? Simply because the challenge explicitly specified " recently ", which made things a lot easier for me. Actually it was yesterday at night that I met him, and we stayed for more than one and a half hours discussing my issues and a recent story he went through. Although I showed so much opposition and rejection to his advice, in fact his words were true and honest, it was me that was fragile and weak preventing myself from fixing my problems. Please welcome, Georges Rattel, the genius of t...

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts. (actually I pleasantly got 20 facts) (Read more about the 30-day Challenge ) And here are the 20 facts that I came up with: 1- I never weighed more than 65KG, and my average weight is a steady 60KG 2- I was once a programming addict, a total computer geek, and an introvert book nerd. 3- I believe most people (if not all of them) live a lie and don't truly know who they are, yes, even yourself 4- I believe not in the religions of today, for all of them are plain businesses and encourage bigotry. I only believe that religion is the kindness we brought to this world. 5- My first camera was a canon (yes a canon) Powershot A480, worth 200$ at the time, which I had had saved the money for probably several months earlier. 6- My dream car is a black  Mini Cooper S 7- I cry, a lot, sometimes 8- I often munch on my lips' tissues and love the taste of blood 9- I have a secret bucket list (things to do before I die), and ...

Just as I promised a close friend recently, and of course having promised myself in the first place, here goes my 30-day challenge, a road to self discovery whilst breaking ego and paving the way to getting covered with humility. Each and every single day I'll be posting a new photo in accordance to that day's challenge rule, Photo will be posted on Facebook  while the full description will be here on my Blog , where it should originally be. Now remember, I'm not exposing anything here for the sake of entertaining anyone. If you ever get bored please show all kind of respect to the person going through this challenge. First of all i'll be reciting the rules corresponding to each day according to that challenge: Day 01  - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts. Day 02  - A picture of you and the person you have been close with recently. Day 03  - A picture of the cast from your favorite show. Day 04  - A picture of your night. Day 05 - A picture of one ...