The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Posted by Kenna in Books
Year Two / Day 159 originally posted by dothezonk
If you’re to ask me what are my two favorite books of all time it will be Milan Kundera‘s The Unbearable Lightness of Being and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s The Little Prince. I love The Unbearable Lightness of Being so much and kind of regret not bringing my copy with me but it’s ok because I already listed my favorites from it.
Perhaps all the questions we ask of love, to measure, test, probe, and save it, have the additional effect of cutting it short.
A question is like a knife that slices through the stage backdrop and gives us a look at what lies hidden behind it.
The senator had only one argument in his favour: his feeling. When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object. In the realm of kitsch, the dictatorship of the heart reigns supreme.
How did the senator know that children meant happiness? Could he see into their souls? What if the moment they were out of sight, three of them jumped the fourth and began beating him up?
Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions, not merely different but opposite. Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for shared sleep (a desire limited to one woman).
We can never know what to want, because, living only one life, we can neither compare it with our previous lives nor perfect it in our lives to come.
But was it love? The feeling of wanting to die beside her was clearly exaggerated: he had seen her only once before in his life! Was it simply hysteria of a man who, aware deep down of his in aptitude for love, felt the self-deluding need to simulate it? His unconscious was so cowardly that the best partner it could choose for its little comedy was this miserable provincial waitress with practically no chance at all to enter his life!
The only relationship that can make both partners happy is one in which sentimentality has no place and neither partner makes any claim on the life and freedom of the other
What does it mean to live in truth? Putting it negatively is easy enough: it means not lying, not hiding, and not dissimulating.
…the moment someone keeps an eye on what we do, we involuntarily make allowances for that eye, and nothing we do is truthful. Having a public, keeping a public in mind, means living in lies…
Only the most naive of questions are truly serious.
Flirting is a promise of sexual intercourse without a guarantee.
Either you see a woman three times in quick succession and then never again, or you maintain relations over the years but make sure that the rendezvous are at least three weeks apart.
First : look of the public
Second : to be looked at by many known eyes; happier than the first
Third : people who need to be constantly before the eyes of the person they love; dangerous
Fourth : rarest; people who line in the imaginary eyes of those who are not present; dreamers
True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power.
If you haven’t read this book yet I suggest you do. Tell me about your favorite book, and your thoughts about this book too.
Don’t Dream it’s Over.
Posted by Kenna in Personal
Love to Know You Better
Posted by Kenna in Events
So I finally got the videos and photos my friend took during Faithless’ stop here in Dubai (that was a month ago, April 1 to be exact). Look at some of the photos, you can tell I had a great night! Met a lot of cool people, some I can’t remember haha. There are a lot of photos I didn’t know about, you can view them here.
Work hard, party harder!
No One Belongs Here More Than You
Posted by Kenna in Books
Look at the sky: that is for you. Look at each person’s face as you pass on the street: those faces are for you. And the street itself, and the ground under the street, and the ball of fire underneath the ground: all these things are for you. There are as much for you as they are for other people. Remember this when you wake up in the morning and think you have nothing.
Live the dream, Potato.
Life is just this way, broken, and I am crazy to hope for something else.
Don’t wait to be sure. Move, move, move.
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
View my Flickr set Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi.
Yesterday we went to Abu Dhabi to visit Ferrari World and it was awesome. I’m not into F1 and after the trip I have so much respect for F1 drivers and F1 car makers.
If you’re a Ferrari fan, you should definitely visit this place.
Fomula Rossa is the world’s fastest coaster with a top speed of 240 kph (150mph), it takes about 5 secs for it to reach that speed through it’s hydraulic launch system. Rode it twice (one during the day and the second time at night and liked riding it at night more). It was an awesome experience, it’s really fast I tell you. While waiting in line for my second time I was asking myself why I’m putting myself into that much torture!
Also drove the F430 with their advance simulator, you can also drive F1) and tried to reach about 200 kph driving around the Yas Marina circuit, and it is very difficult, man F1 drivers must be really good.
G-Force the other thrill ride I was really excited about was open (it was supposed to be closed) but by the time we decided to ride it it’s close again. HAHA. So I must go back and also watch the La Gara.
It’s Love, It’s not Santa Claus
Posted by Kenna in Movies
Ok. I, like being on my own. I think relationships are messy and people’s feelings get hurt. Who needs it? We’re young, we live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world; might as well have fun while we can and, save the serious stuff for later. – Summer Finn
New York, I Love You
Posted by Kenna in Movies
My favorite part.
“Sometimes people let the same problem make them miserable for years when they could just say, “So what.”
“My mother didn’t love me.” So what. ”My husband won’t ball me. So what. ”I’m a success but I’m still alone.” So what.
I don’t know how I made it through all the years before I learned how to do that trick. It took a long time for me to learn it, but once you do, you never forget.”- Andy Warhol
The past year was insane (the rest, well equally insane but last year was the beginning of my independence), made a lot of tough decisions, had really horrible mood swings and ridiculous emotional roller-coasters (ok that may be a bit exaggerated). It was tiring at times but it was definitely worth it.
I have so much to be thankful for (no, I’m not leaving nor am I dying just yet), my friends were awesome as I thought they would be, and thought I”ll show them how much they mean to me. Really, the distance, the cost of phone calls and text messages, time difference were never an issue. It’s as if we’re still together, although now we only see each other through the internet. My friends were always there for me and I’m a bit sad now because I wish I can do the same to them, just like how I used to. And I know it, that their lives are not the same after I left.
Thought I’ll share some of the lessons I’ve learned during the past tough months:
1) No matter how young or old you are, you should be able to enjoy what you’re doing (age is nothing but a number), if you can’t find any good reason to be doing it, let it go and move on.
2) Change is inevitable. People say time changes things, but come on, change won’t happen without you doing something. Accept and acknowledge, swim don’t sink.
3) If you want to be in someone’s life, be in it, doesn’t matter where you are or how, believe me, there are a thousand ways to do so.
4) It’s ok to cry and feel sad.
5) Help yourself before helping others, and let the people around you, help you.
6) Stressing over something? You know what can come out of it, only wrinkles and sleepless nights. So don’t be afraid, again, let people in and take time to think things through. When setting goals, I find no harm in taking it a bit higher more than the usual, it makes you thrive harder, when you reach it it’s going to be awesome, if you don’t, just think, sometimes it’s the journey itself that’s more meaningful. When I was having second thoughts of leaving home, I asked my best friend, “oh wise one”, for advice and he told me that for him, living alone in a foreign land for the first time is reason enough for him to take it.
7) Know your strengths and take advantage of it, but never take advantage of other people.
8) It’s ok to be alone.
9) Realize this, it’s not a race.
10) Don’t compare yourself to anyone and let that be your limit. In fact, don’t limit yourself at all.
To all my closest friends, damn I miss you guys and thank you!
Posted by Kenna in Art
Every week, a set of 7 different HIGH QUALITY images are published to style your Twitter profile. You have the option to revert back to your default “boring” background or on to the next set.
It’s very easy to use.
Just go to, connect your Twitter account and authenticate it and done!
*wink* Kuvva
Do’s and Don’ts in Style
Posted by Kenna in Rules
No. 38: Wear a suit because you want to, not because you have to.
No. 33: If you talk the talk, walk the walk.
No. 31: Dance with her…or somebody else will.* (This rule is really important, specially to me. Just dance, but don’t be a Michael Jackson nor Chris Brown, never.)
*This rule requires no dance skills whatsoever. A little (liquid) confidence should do the trick.
No. 24: A “Thank you” is always best received on paper.
No. 18: “You know who wear sunglasses inside? Blind people and assholes.”- Larry David
No. 14: You look the way you look…Don’t ask to review the picture.
No. 10: “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation”. – Don Draper
From The Dapper Dude
“It doesn’t matter what people tell you. It doesn’t matter what they might say. Sometimes you have to leave home. Sometimes, running away means you’re headed in the exact right direction.”
— Alice Hoffman
Saffron is the orange-colored dried stigma of purple-flowered crocus, used to color and add flavor to food. Saffron is also Banyan Tree’s signature restaurant which offers Thai cuisine. We dined there on our second night at Banyan Tree, Al Wadi.
It’s lovely to dine under the stars, make sure you book a reservation. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm and last order is 10:30 pm.
We had Braised Chicken with Eggplant in Green Curry, Grilled Tiger Prawns with Black Pepper, Steamed Red Snapper (which I did not like) and Wagyu Beef in Red Curry (which for my taste, was the best among the main courses we had).
I also had Tom Yom Goong, which is really delicious.
For dessert we had four scoops of ice cream.
The have five flavors, we tried everything except Tamarind. I loved Black Sesame and Lemongrass a lot! The other two were Coconut and Mango.
A tip, Entertainer Fine Dining 2011 has three vouchers for Saffron, Banyan Tree. Get 2 main courses for a price of one for each voucher. Get the book here.
Last weekend I went to Ras al Khaimah, Northern part of the United Arab Emirates, to have some quiet and relaxing time at Banyan Tree, Al Wadi.
All in all I had a great weekend there. If you want peace, quiet and privacy this is a good place for you. Here are some photos. I love the simple, minimalistic feel of the villa. I want my house to have a pool like the one they have.
We booked a Deluxe Al Rimal.
The infinity pool at the Beach Club, which you get free access to even if you’re staying at the Desert Resort and Spa.
Panoramic photos taken using Sony Alpha’s Panoramic Sweep feature. Click to view larger version.
You may view my Flickr set here.
Some tips:
- bring your own food and drink (you can even bring your own liquor)
- like any resort, everything is provided for you, but you might want to bring your own toothpaste, shampoo and other toiletries
- anything with the resort or hotel’s logo, you can bring home, right? HAHA
- book a reservation at Saffron early during the day if you want to have dinner there and if there are a lot of guests at the resort
- try the buffet at Al Waha for only 250 AED
- give the Rainforest experience a try
“Living is being happy: seeing, hearing, touching, drinking, eating, urinating, defecating, diving into the water and gazing at the sky, laughing and crying. ”
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
Posted by Kenna in Books
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
No law applies to us. No decision has been made about our destiny. We do not complete sentences here. We stare at our coins in confusion. We are waiting. We are in between-space, in the strip of light in a dark room. We are a process, an action, a movement, a verb (not a noun), a subjunctive (not a preterit). We are an exception to the grammar rule, an irregular conjugation.
En Transito by Deb Olin Unferth
Will Not Back Off
Posted by Kenna in Quotes
“I think she was afraid to love sometimes. I think it scared her. She was the type to like things that were concrete, like the ocean. Something you could point to and know what it is. I think that’s why she always struggled with God. And I think that’s why she also struggled with love. She couldn’t touch it. She couldn’t hold on to it and make sure it never changed. But sometimes it’s those things you can’t touch that you need to hold on to the most. ”
I Think it Scared Her.
Posted by Kenna in Books
They Either Are or Are Not
Posted by Kenna in Relationships
“They either are or are not. In two or five years, they still will be. Quit trying to change them. They are what they are. They either fit the picture you want or they don’t. I’m not saying they can’t improve in area’s but you can’t make a sports car a mini-van or vice-versa. You have to accept that sometimes, people are the way they are and no matter what you want them to be or how well you explain it to them, they will still remain the way they are or the way that makes them most comfortable.
The reason people have such a hard time finding “the one” is because of this very thing.
Have you ever visited a place for the first time and instantly fell in love with it? Did it take effort to love it or did it just happen almost as if it was just sitting there waiting to be discovered by you?
Relationships work much the same way…on the front end. I am not saying that work isn’t in store for you down the road because there will be lots of it. The thing you have to ask yourself is, will you be going to “work” begrudgingly, or is it something you look forward to doing every day, even though you know it may be tough at times?
That is the difference. That is the choice you have to make. That is the essential ingredient you have to have to make it work years from now.
Great relationships…they all have this”
From Dad-isms.
This book is Maria Fischer‘s final project at the University of Applied Sciences in Augsburg, Germany.
Books like this, and Jonathan Safran Foer‘s Tree of Codes is one of the many reasons why people don’t or won’t read on Kindles or any other e-book readers. And with this one I have to agree, BUT, seriously, you shouldn’t compare the two. This book is really made of awesome.
The book “Traumgedanken” (“Thoughts on dreams”) contains a collection of literary, philosophical, psychological and scientifical texts which provide an insight into different dream theories.
To ease the access to the elusive topic, the book is designed as a model of a dream about dreaming. Analogue to a dream, where pieces of reality are assembled to build a story, it brings different text excerpts together. They are connected by threads which tie in with certain key words. The threads visualise the confusion and fragileness of dreams.
On five pages there are illustrations made out of thread. Their shape and colour relies on the key words on the opposite page. This way an abstract image of the dream about dreaming is generated.In addition there are five pages where a significant excerpt from a text of the opposite page is stitched into the paper. It is not legible because the type’s actual surface is inside the folded page. This expresses the mysteriousness of dreams and the aspect of dream interpretation.
More information here.
Pierley/Redford Personality Test Result
Posted by Kenna in Personal
You are in a perpetual quest to find the new, the exciting. Emotionally volatile, you are known for sudden changes of opinion, of appreciation, and behavior. Following rules and established methods is difficult for you and the difficulties of higher education are usually quite daunting. Knowledge is best gained through an intimate association with the matter at hand. Usually driven by attitudes and desires of the group, you are talented in an established field of endeavor. Emotions come and go without a strong understanding of their causes. They are unexpected guests in an otherwise placid landscape. You live by your own codes of conduct, which can be noble or terrible depending on the individual. Authority is meaningless to you. You hate to be predictable, at all costs. Rarely verbally effusive, you can at times feel as if your feelings are too deep for words. You are very observant, but rarely express these observations to others.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that. I think wanting that is very morbid, but I want it when I get like this. That’s why I’m trying not to think. I just want it all to stop spinning. ”
Don’t Settle for Less Than the Best
Posted by Kenna in Relationships
I have told you my reasons for not moving in with someone before marriage and I know I probably sound old-fashioned and unrealistic. I am telling you these things because I love you and don’t want to see you get hurt. I know what you are thinking…its o.k…I would have thought the same thing at your age. Let me tell you the gut level truth about males (that has nothing to do with Dad or God, this is about you):
If he isn’t talking about marrying you in the first three months, he really doesn’t want to. That’s not to say he won’t marry you later, out of obligation or because he can’t find anything better, (he still may) but I will tell you it’s not because his life would be incomplete without you, his soul mate, in it.
When a guy lives with you without talk of the future (early), in his mind, the arrangement is one of convenience, shared finances, and commitment-less sex more than it is about making a trial run at marriage. He can tell you he loves you and he may ‘feel’ it on some level, but when you are with your soul mate, believe me, you will feel like the priority you should be.
“But Dad..”. “No, don’t but Dad me”.
Ask him a simple question: “When do you see us getting married and having children?”
The talk of marriage and children should excite your future husband, not make him clam up and get angry . If he were with his ‘dream girl’ do you think he would dawdle around waiting for ‘everything to be just right’ or would he take the bull by the horns?
There are no more, ”but Dad’s to say”…this is the truth sweetheart. Because 85% of people getting married (and later divorced or in roommate marriages) know this in their heart and go against it doesn’t make it right.
Hesitation means you aren’t the one. Getting visibly upset about the topic of marriage means you aren’t the one.
If he truly loved you, being with you everyday in a marriage would be greatest thing to happen in his life. Why would anyone want to delay any moment of time when they know they have found ‘the one’?
The painful truth is your answer and the sooner you realize that the faster you can move on to someone who’s heart melts when you walk in the room (and believe me, you will know it) instead of a shared sexual and financial agreement that really is a month to month lease on a car they will probably never buy, but want to drive until a newer model comes out.
Don’t settle for less than the best and lower your standards when it comes to marriage.
I love you
From dad-isms.com
It doesn’t hurt to remember that “If a person has to talk themselves into liking you, they’ll probably talk themselves out of it years later.”
April 1st ain’t no time to fool around. Faithless, the 9 piece band led by Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo will be at Sandance Beach at Atlantis, The Palm. GOLDFISH (live) and Jonathan Ulysses will also be there and of course the local legends.
TICKETS
AED 200 Regular
AED 300 VIP
Tickets available at Nasimi Beach and Virgin Megastores.
Normal club policies apply. STRICTLY 21+
To win tickets, follow @Atlantis on Twitter and tweet with #FaithlessDXB.
Rules to Live By
Posted by Kenna in Rules
Rule No. 442: Only acceptable pick-up line: “Hi, my name is (insert your name), what’s yours?”
Rule No. 237 It is always unacceptable to refuse a woman’s request to dance.
Rule No. 441: Never utter the words I and love and you if you’ve had more than three drinks.
Rule No. 681: Always the smile. Sometimes the nod. Never the wink.
Rule No. 454: People who begin sentences by saying “With all due respect,” are in fact preparing to impart loads of disrespect.
Rule No. 415: At the checkout counter on your third date, if she says, “Oh wait, we’re gonna need chocolate syrup,” don’t ask what for, just go get it.
RuleNo. 448: If you ask about her previous boyfriend and she gets a small, wistful smile on her face, change the subject.
Rule No. 859: Online, never “friend” a coworker, much less a superior or a subordinate.
Rule No. 860: Should a superior “friend” you, accept; should a coworker “friend” you, exercise prejudice; should a subordinate “friend” you, ignore.
Rule No. 869: Rarely postpone.
Rule No. 870: Never cancel.
Rule no. 169: You cut the fat, you cut the flavor.
From Esquire.
City of Life is a 2009 film by Ali F. Mostafa featuring three main characters, Natalia, Basu and Faisal and their lives. Natalia is a Romanian flight attendant, Basu is a disillusioned Indian taxi driver and Faisal is a well-off young Arab.
These individuals all live in Dubai and their lives are about to collide for better or for worse in a city where ambition, growth and opportunity are encouraged and dreams can still manifest. “City of Life” is an urban drama that tracks the various intersections of a multi-ethnic cast, examining how random interactions and their consequences can irrevocably impact another’s life. As the name suggests, City of Life’s inordinately humane kaleidoscope of converging experiences introduces a city that is in itself a living pulsating character. “City of Life” ultimately reveals how unexpected tragedy and loss can lead to hope and profound transformation as it explores and exposes the complex network that exists in an emerging multi cultural society’s race, ethnicity and class divide – Tanya Wagner
It’s a really good movie, in terms of how it was made and presented. The actors and actresses are very good as well. The story itself is enough for you to consider watching it. This film is a very good way of describing how life is here in Dubai. This movie was shown in 2009 but have to say nothing has changed. And there are a whole lot more that’s going on in this place that cannot be seen in this film.
“No matter how hard I keep landing, I guess I owe it to myself to fall, because the heart wants, what the heart wants, and apparently, mine wants a nasty bruise. ”
— Samantha
The Family Vacation
Posted by Kenna in TV
One Hundred and Forty Five Stories in a Small Box
Posted by Kenna in Books
I’m a sucker for things that come in cool packages.
I first found out about this book set through Carina and I find the cover really cute. This is actually my first Dave Eggers and Sarah Manguso read, bought it through Amazon.
I just finished reading Hard to Admit and Harder to Escape and How the Water Feels to the Fishes and will try yo finish Deb Olin Unferth’s Minor Robberies this weekend. I loved it, the stories are amazing, specially Sarah’s stories.
This is one of my most favorite story.
More here.
If you’re looking for a good place to hang out, enjoy good food, talk with your friends and drink beer/cides in Dubai, head to The Irish Village or Belgian Beer Cafe.
The Irish Village is located at Al Garhoud, behind Dubai Tennis Stadium. I love having Magners, the pear flavored Magners Irish Cider is something you might want to try. The ambiance is really nice and Friday’s Brunch Buffet is a must-try and a steal for only 88 dirhams. I really love it there.
Try their steaks too!
Belgian Beer Cafe has two branches, one at Grand Millenium Hotel, TECOM and the other one is at Crowne Place, Dubai Festival City, which I’ve been to. It’s nice there because you have the view of the lagoon.
At Belgian Beer Cafe I’d recommend you try their five-beer sampler and my favorite, Fruli, a Belgian fruit (strawberry) beer!
There are a lot of other places and pubs to check out, a hole in the wall favorite is Fibber Magees.
