14.3.09

كيف تكتب بالعربية من اليمين لليسار في مدونات بلوغر



كيف تكتب بالعربية من اليمين إلى اليسار في مدونات بلوغر. حقاً لقد كنت أحمقاً خارقاً موديل تيرانوسوروس !
لقد كان الأمر مخجلاً للغاية قبل أن يكون محبطاً عندما تنطعت بسؤال أخي الأكبر خبير البرمجة أن يحل لي هذه المشكلة العويصة
بأن يتعطف ويعدل على كود المدونة كي يسمح لي بالكتابة من اليمين إلى اليسار وبالعكس بدلاً من أن تظهر لكم كتاباتي مبعثرة التنقيط. اعتدل أخي في جلسته بعد أن كان منسرداً إثر وجبة غداء لم تنج منها حتى خدود الهامور المكبوس هاتفاً: إيتني بالدفتري يا علوان!
جيء بالدفتري ليوضع أمام أخي الأكبر الذي كان في هذه اللحظة قد أنهى استكانة شايه المخدر الثانية. ولما فتح الدفتري داعب بأنامله الرشيقة مفاتيحه فتأوهت إلا قليلاً قبل تنفتح صفحة بلوغر دوت كوم، ورمى نحوي نظرة عرفت مغزاها على الفور فطبعت معرفات حسابي مشرئب العنق.
لم تكد تنسل ثوان معدودات حتى كان حساب مدونتي قد أسلم داشبورده لأخي الأكبر يتفحصه باهتمام. أمرني أن أكتب كيفما اتفق بالطريقة ذاتها التي أسلكها كل يوم على مدى الشهرين الماضيين. فعلت ما أمرت به. تنفس بعمق ونظر إلى استكانة الشاي الفارغة فامتلأت.
كانت عيناي المتسمرتان على الدفتري تتابعان أصابعه التي تنقل على المفاتيح خبرة سنوات من البرمجة. لم يفتح أخي الأكبر كود المدونة بعد ولما هممت بسؤاله عن ذلك باغتني: أكتب الآن. كتبت. كانت الكتابة تنساب بلا مشكلة من اليمين لليسار وعلامات الترقيم مرقومة في مكانها الصحيح. انتقلت إلى سطر آخر، وكذلك كان الأمر. عندها عاد أخي الأكبر منسرداً كما كان. سألته مشدوهاً: كيف فعلت ذلك؟ أنت لم تفتح بعد كود المدونة! نظر إلي أخي الأكبر قائلاً بهدوئه المعتاد: الأمر لا يحتاج إلى ذلك، كل ما عليك فعله هو أن تنقر مفتاحي كنترول شيفت على يمين لوحة المفاتيح ليتحول اتجاه الكتابة من اليمين لى اليسار. ثم أغلق شفتيه على ابتسامة!

حسناً، النتيجة هي كما ترون! يبدو أن علي أن أحاول مرة أخرى.

10.3.09

Nice to meet you Ali


Today I had the pleasure of meeting a Bahraini writer. Ali Al-Saeed is the author of the award-winning novel QuixotiQ, the critically-acclaimed collection of short stories Moments and the collection of poems Sad Man Dancing. He is now my colleague after joining the agency as copywriter extraordinaire. I have to say, I am very happy to meet this man. After being the only copywriter at the agency for almost two years, now at least I have someone to join forces with against those high headed apple lovers who use to look down on me for not having the ability to play Photoshop or Illustrator tricks.
Mind you, Ali is well versed with Photoshop because he uses it to retouch his photos. Of course he is photographer. But the guy is just like me when it comes to Illustrator and that’s a relief I must say. Any way, the fact that I’m rubbing shoulders with Bahrain’s most famous English writer is just fine with me. Ali has a pleasant personality though he warned me about his every now and then moodiness. But Ali, tell me who isn’t?

9.3.09

A 13 year old father


A 13 year old boy becoming a father, a 15 year old girl becoming a mother. Probably unheard of before but really not surprising at all to some people. I wonder how are they coping with this. Just a quick flash: I'm over 30 and my first baby is a 2 months old girl. It's really difficult to take care of a baby. She is crying for all sorts of reasons that You the parent have to figure out and make it go away.


But this is not what I wanted to talk about. Triggered by this bit of news making headlines all over the world, I had a quick discussion with my friend Antonio the other day about the responsibility of the educational system in all of this. Nowadays everyone is calling for sexual education in the schools for young people who are becoming more and more prone to have sex at a younger age. I thought that the initiative of educating youngsters about sex was really becoming part of the problem not the solution as it was intended.


Instead of addressing the problem, which is in my opinion having sex at a very young age, the sexual education initiative is concentrating on teaching children how to Have Sex safely. I am not at all saying that the safety of children is not important. On the contrary, I think it's very wise to educate children about their safety and well being. The point I am making is that the initiative has taken the phenomena of early sexual intercourse for granted when it should be looking at ways to counter that problem.


In other words, instead of facing the problem, we are merely dealing with its aftermath effects which are going to pile up as other grave problems like having a 13 year old father for instance.

5.3.09

Two months of blogging شهران من التدوين

لقد مضى شهران منذ بدأت التدوين و لقد أحببت الأمر حتى الآن. لطالما أردت زاويتي الخاصة التي ألعب فيها دور المضيف فأقول أي شيء حول أي شيء. يبدو أن هذه المدونة تخدم هذا الغرض تماما. إنها طريقة للتواصل مع ذاتي ومع الأصدقاء والمهتمين. أعنقد أنني سأواصل الأمر ولكنني أحتاج حقا لآرائكم حول تحسينها.


It’s been two months since I’ve started blogging and so far I love it. I have always wanted my own corner at which I can play host and say what ever I think about what ever. This blog seems to be just that. It’s a way to communicate with my inner self and with friends and interested people. I think I’m going to keep it up but I really need some feedback from you on what can I do to make better.

1.3.09

Adieus me amigo!


Today my friend and colleague Antonio Sampaio flew back to Portugal. We were working together but no more. He maid the choice of going back home after only two months of joining the agency. He is an illustrator and we did some nice ads.


Well it's his decision and I wish him all the best. We met last night in a coffee shop and talked for hours. I guess he didn't like being away from home. Illustrators as I was told by another Portuguese friend are a little bit crazy like us copywriters. I believe that is true.
Adieus me amigo!

What's wrong with this ad?




I don't know about you my friends, but I think this is the most counterproductive ad I've seen yet. The whole idea is to tell the people how spacious and capable the H3 Hammer is, that it really caters for the needs of all its passengers, but then you are telling people on the same ad in fine print that this is just "A Simulation"! That its "Not Available"!




Yes the visual might be just confusing for some people and they might go to the showroom and ask for model in the visual, but then again I would say that there is something wrong with the logic of the visual. If you can't stand by your visual then why do it in the first place?




Am I wrong? You think so?