try again.. ya hussein, it is all your fault...

I should be working…


I can't seem to get up early enough these days. Maybe it’s the weather, maybe the fact that I am leaving soon…


I am tired of reading about Lebanese politics. Even when they find solutions, they find something else to argue about. It is as if they don't know what to do with them selves if god-forbid they actually have a functioning government one of these days. I am tired of reading about Libya and Gaddafi and NATO and death. Tired of reading about Syria and Assad and promises never kept. And don't get me started on Palestine and Israel.


But aside from the news, I actually love what I am doing. I love coming every day and working. Making jokes with my colleagues about emails telling us the world is coming to an end on May 21. I love sitting at my desk and within five minutes Mahmoud has brought me a cup of Turkish coffee, within 20 a manousheh with zaatar, cheese, mint, and tomatoes.


Appearently the end of the world is going to start with an earthquake in Rome today…


Hussein, "So we should forget about work and go enjoy the day … we are wasting our time here … Fuck it!"


Me, "I thought it wasn't till the 21st?"


Hussein, "Today is the 12th, we still have nine days before, before the Tsunami comes."


"You are missing a comma here and you added an extra 'and' here. And you should say a definite article before 'power vacuum', we spell Jumblat with one 'T', I know they use two at the 'Daily Star' but they are stupid and full of mistakes. Please put dots between the 'U' and the 'S' in U.S., but omit them from UN EU UK and so forth. I am having to delete dots constantly."


This is what I do from 8:00 am till 2:00 pm when deadline happens and I have to cram about 5 articles in 20 minutes and make the corrections. (Damn dots!) That is the only stressful part of the job outside of the depressing news.


Yesterday: Hey good news, the Lebanese finally agreed on a minister of interior solution.


Today: agreement reached, but snags still present.

Come on people … just make up your mind. Do you want a government or not? How long will you let outside influence affect your decision-making? How long are you going to let selfishness rule you? It is an endless story. And to think for fun I am reading 'Visions of Cody' by Kerouac. Man, he doesn't take a breath. Some paragraphs are 2 pages long. Some sentences are 2 pages long!


I really should be working … I suppose I will get back to it now.


I guess I just can't be bothered with it this morning. Instead, I am writing for myself and listening to music on my headphones. Terrible employee I am. Actually, they are very happy with my work and I will be taking it with me when I leave, at least part of it.


It was grey this morning, but the sun is starting to shine and it matches the 'Boards of Canada' that I am listening to perfectly. I might even get some good news to read on my desk today.


Cross my fingers.