That Nerd at Miss Universe goes to Miss Earth: September 2010

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Photos by Richard

Maria Al-Masani

Madbakh women's initiative something I am excited to work on next, after done photoshoots.

Photographer: Richard Gibbs

I love working with these photographers, make-up artists, etc. It is exhilarating to be part of a creative team, and watch the result of a group effort.

Richard is amazing. He has a refined taste, we bounce off ideas, and he picks great angles. A true artist. Of course, and Ottawa Fashion Week photographer, sommelier par-excellence, what does one expect. He is also fun and great to work with.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Carole's amazing photo

Maria Al-Masani

Carole took this photo of me, made it her profile photo. So far, it is the best photo of me I have had. More are too come!

Death and Medschool

I was with a friend at a restaurant, full of colour, spice and music, listening to the fascinating thing my friend was saying... and then I overheard something interesting from two people nearby.

The story that distracted me, briefly: One of the friends of the two girls died of a heart attack in med-school right before her final assessment to become a doctor! They said, how sad, you don't have a life all your life studying to get perfect grades... and then .... just before you have a life, you die. Just before you touch your dreams and start living, you are no more.

An intriguing thought... "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!" -Shakespeare. But whether life is a tale of sound and fury, signifying nothing, I would have issues with. It is funny, just turning 26 a couple weeks ago, and it made me realize that I am beginning to age, and my time on this earth is limited I certainly do not want to end up like the med-school student. I want to live, fully and vibrantly, with colour, music, dance and delight. We live once and we do not know of the life after.

I have survived many things, and now have overcome PTSD, am happy and perfectly healthy, changing my perspective on life. Laughter is more important than any "A" in university. Before, with PTSD, death was a merciful relief. Now it is a sad ending for a life not yet fully lived. I want to see Thailand. I want to go to the Uffizzi Gallery in Florence, http://www.uffizi.com/, t I want to start microfinance programmes for women, programmes to train nurses, support bush hospitals. I want to change the average marriage age in Yemeni villages from 12 to 21.

I want to dance, I want to paint, and I want to laugh, I want to live! I want to enjoy every day of my life as I enjoy this day, listening to classical music before my workday begins in this lovely cool sunny September morning breeze.

I want to preserve the last vestiges of my youth before I vanish into the unknown through the frames of a lens of an ISO 1600. I feel every time when a camera takes my image, I cheat eternity for a day. One day, even Mozart will be forgotten as the sun will eat the earth. In creating art, one is briefly breaking the invisible walls of time, and perhaps in Marcel Eliade's symbolism, creating a sacred space beyond time. Yet, it is not cheating eternity that brings happiness. What brings the most happiness in my experience is always bringing joy or relief to the lives of ephemeral beings like one's self, and often people too poor to have their names carved permanently on a gravestone. Since life is so brief, finding happiness and purpose is of essence not to make it such a waste.

The Queen of England, who is 84 said the happiest people she has known:

Over the years those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives; the kind of people who are generous with their talents or their time.