Category: Everyday Me

Used Book Shops

I’ve always been one big book worm. Ever since my childhood I’d go through one book after the other. I guess it’s because of my love for stories and letting my imagination run wild in recreating them and the worlds they happen in.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across a used book shop in Colisée Saula in Manar 2, and ever since then I’ve been hooked and actively looking for other ones like it.

I’ve come across another interesting one in Rue d’Angleterre where I bought Siddharta by Hermann Hesse, the book I’m currently reading.

It’s quite hard to come by good new English books in Tunisia, just a handful at Al Kitab bookshop, El Moez bookshop and the book fair. So it’s cool that a person can find some interesting stuff scattered around in these used book shops.

There’s also another side to used book shops that I like; the fact that all these books were read by someone else before you, taken care of and saved, and that they’re somehow being passed on to you.
It reminds me of this interesting site I found a while ago called BookCrossing. Book Crossing is the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

I truly think used book shops are as important as libraries and new book shops as they have some books you couldn’t find elsewhere and make book prices more accesible to everyone.

Subzero Blue is Webby Worthy

As a result of being a finalist for the Bloggie Awards this year, Subzero Blue was entered for the 9th Webby Awards, the most prestigious website awards.

The Webby Awards got over 4,000 entries this year, and this what they say:

As a result of the exceptional quality of submissions this year, for the first time ever, the 9th Annual Webby Awards is recognizing sites, and the teams behind them, that demonstrate a standard of excellence. Although these sites were not chosen as Nominees, being selected as Webby Worthy is a significant achievement.

Of the more than 4,000 entries submitted to the 9th Annual Webby Awards, fewer than 20% were deemed Webby Worthy. This honor signifies an outstanding caliber of work.

And guess what?
Subzero Blue was chosen by the Webby Awards as one of the Webby Worthy sites. WOOOW!
This really is an honor. The fact that this blog was chosen as Webby Worthy from all the great sites and blogs that were submitted is just amazing.

Big thanks to all the readers of this blog. You guys are truly the greatest 🙂

I Hate Carrefour!

Did I ever mention how much I hate Carrefour?!
Well, there was this and then this, but now I totally despise it!!

Carrefour has become the shittiest place to shop for me.
From the time it opens to the time it closes it’s constantly buzzing like a bee hive with mad people.

Everytime, I try to go at times when it’s supposedly the least crowded, but it seems that recently there are no longer such times, it’s always overcrowded.
And what makes it even worse is that it seems Tunisians forget their manners when they go to Carrefour. It feels more like a crowded bus than a mall.

I have taken the decision to stop going to Carrefour. I’d rather drive some extra kilometers and pay some extra cash than have to go through Carrefour’s shitty experience time and again.

Public Toilet Obsession

Over the past days, I’ve discovered this mad obsession I have with public toilets.
Seriously, I love everything about them: the place, the smell, the zen, the rush, the passion, the relief… Perfection!

Some of you who have checked out my photos on flickr might have come across the photos I took of some public toilets in the Syrian duty free shop, Jordan’s Le Royale hotel or other places.
But back then, little did I know of this obsession of mine, I just felt a natural urge to take the shots. Now I know why.

I realized my obsession when all I could think about was going out to visit more and more public toilets. I was constantly fantasizing about the next one. I even started dreaming of my favourites.
And so I’ve decided to come out of the closet and admit it to the world.

Really, I’m so into this that it’s going to become the main subject of my blog.
All I’m going to write about is public toilets. I’ll be posting a photo gallery of my favourite ones very soon.
I’m even thinking of doing a live blogging session straight from my favourite public toilet, the one in Tunisia’s central train station.

I’m sure you’ll all love it and enjoy it as much as I will 🙂
Looking forward to redesigning the blog to make it the #1 public toilet blog in the world.
Thanks for your support in advance.

10 Words That Best Describe Me

10 Words that describe me the most:

Good: I’m a pretty good person. Nice, honest, loyal, thoughtful, kind and I even wear spandex at night to fight evil-doers 😛

Competitive: I’m a highly competitive person. I’m extremely driven by competition, and will put all my energy into winning. Second place just isn’t made for me.

Lazy: I love being lazy, just hanging around doing nothing, watching movies, reading, listening to music, or whatever.

Shy: I’m actually a very shy person. When I was a kid, I used to blush when talking to girls, although I got over that later. Anyway up to now, I’m pretty quiet and shy around people I’ve just met.

Funny: After I get to know people better and am more relaxed around them, I open up and am quite a funny and fun person.
I’m pretty dirty minded and sarcastic in my humour 😉

Understanding: I’m a very understanding person. I always put myself in the other person’s shoes and try to understand what they’re feeling, what they’re thinking and where they come from. I try to never be judgemental and to always give people the benefit of the doubt.

Open Minded: I’m always open to listen to new ideas and views and try to understand them even if they are the opposite to mine.
It doesn’t mean I’ll be convinced but I am willing to fully listen and learn of other points of view.

Crazy: I’m somehow a bit crazy in a fun sense. People usually think I’m a very serious person, but that’s only because they don’t see the other crazy side of me. My wife, family and close friends are the only people who truly see the extent of where my madness goes. Poor them 😛

Friend: I’m a very good friend. I’m always there for my friends, ready to listen, give advice and help. Plus I’m the best secret-keeper in the world.

Feelingless/Coldblooded: Ok, this is something that has been thrown at me a lot in my life in one form or another, although I don’t agree. Some people think I’m feelingless, some others think I’m cold in my reactions, some think I’m simply coldblooded. In reality, I’m not, I’m just someone who is good at hiding his feelings and who knows how to control his temper.

To Djerba And Back

Djerba View

We just got back from Djerba after a great extended weekend spent there.

Saturday morning, we packed everything we need, turned off our mobile phones, jumped into the car and started the 600Km drive to the island of Djerba in the south of Tunisia. It was a bit tiresome but worth it.

We both needed some time off from our everyday life and a break from all the madness, so we thought that with the Independence day and Youth day offering us an extended weekend, we could get away from it all in Djerba.

We basically relaxed at the hotel, went swimming, did some sightseeing around the island, ate delicious food and simply enjoyed ourselves without thinking about one single thing from our everyday lives.
Ahhh, it was awesome and felt just beautiful…

Paying Fines, A Bureaucracy Nightmare

This morning, I had to go pay a fine for passing the due date to pay the road tax. Actually the fine wasn’t for that, it was for being caught 😛
Anyway, it was a bureaucracy disaster.

I had to go to an office of the Ministry of Finance in Sidi Bashir, one of the most crowded places in downtown Tunis. There they gave me a piece of paper and told me to go to “Rue d’Angleterre (England Road)” to pay the fine and then come back to them.
On foot, that’s like a quarter hour walk away, and in car it takes longer because you’d have to drive around all of busy downtown Tunis to get there.
So I curse the hell out of the police man who gave me the fine on my way there, pay the fine, then go back to the office where I started. There they give me back my car papers and tell me to go back to “Rue d’Angleterre” to pay the road tax. Aaaarrrggghhh!

Continue reading Paying Fines, A Bureaucracy Nightmare

That Time Of Year Again

It’s the beginning of spring, my favourite season of the year. The weather is beautiful, the sky is clear and blue, the sun is shining, the breeze is nice and cool, the birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming and everything is just perfect.
Oh and it’s also my birthday 😉

Yep, on a day like today, 26 years ago, I was born into this insane world.

How does it feel being 26?
To me, it’s just the same as 25, 24, 23, …etc. It’s just a number really. How much we obsess about it is what makes the difference, lol.

What are my plans?
Well, a nice lunch with my wife and then a little celebration with the family at home 🙂

How can you be part of it all?
Hmmm, well if you really need to, here’s my Amazon wishlist. You figure out the rest, lol 😛

My Confessions

Inspired by Roba, here are my confessions, the ones I can publish that is 😛

1. I’m quite anti-social most of the time. I’d rather stay at home alone than go out and see people.
2. I got my driving license in Jordan from the first time, even though I nearly had an accident in the exam, by bribing the examiner. I gave a friend of mine 20JDs to take him out for a mansaf dinner and whatever else at Jabri 😛 But I am a really good driver, honestly.
3. I hate the French language.
4. I always say that I never regret any decision I’ve ever taken but deep inside of me I sometimes do.
5. I have a problem carrying cups/mugs/containers with liquids in them. I keep spilling the damn stuff.
6. I’m a movie addict. I could watch movies all day long and still want more.
7. I’m a professional liar although it seems I’m getting worse at it now with lack of practice.
8. Fate has it that bad things happen to people who are bad to me. Without me doing anything or even wishing for it. So for your own sake, be nice to me, lol.
9. Sometimes, and on certain issues, I get so divided between the liberal and the conservative inside of me that I don’t know what to think about it.
10. I’m one of the laziest people in the universe.