The Cleaners

Yesterday I had a very bad day, here’s why.

Last week I was intending to go out so I took a shower, put on a pair of shorts and headed towards my shirt cupboard, I reached for one of my favorite shirts and as I was putting it on I saw what could only be a rats dinner plate, at the lower bottom of the shirt there was a hole as if some rat came and ate away at it, the shirt felt thin as hell and literally deteriorated in my hands like it was made out of Kleenex.

I headed down furious as hell towards to Gabi (Jasem’s personal assistant if you will) and asked what in the world was going on, she said that the laundry returned it like that and when she confronted them they told her that it was that way when she gave it to them which were not true. I let it slide, and put on a t-shirt instead and left the house.

A few days later, my favorite pair of pants that I really adore where as pale as a white washed wall, mind you it originally was navy blue and it could barely go pass by knees, keep in mind I have gained weight but not enough to make this kind of damage. Same story Gabi claims that it was the cleaners so I had her send it back to them, and here is where the fun starts.

A week goes by and no pant, the maids call and the guy answers will complete disrespect and tells them not to basically nag and that it would be on its way. So one day the same scenario happens, shower, shorts, reach for a shirt, same place, same rip, and same laundry tags. I checked other shirts and literally 5 of my favorite all time shirts where basically fucked. I lost it.

I got in my car and headed towards Salwa where the piece of shit laundry is, walked in to a pact of south Indians that smell like the sewage on a rainy day, the main guy promised that my pants will be ready tomorrow and that the shirt that I just handed him wasn’t their fault, without giving and explanation on how he reached than conclusion.

Tomorrow goes by, no pants, no shirt, the next day on my way to a course I drive to Salwa steaming, pissed off, and just ready to kill someone. The same douche was talking to me as if it was my fault that my shirts and pants were ruined and told me to basically fuck off and talk to the manager, when I did, thae literate idiot from the boonies was as dumb as his counterparts and I again was promised that the pants would be delivered at night. I basically now lost my shirts, my pants are back, I changed my laundry guy, but I’m really pissed off that there is no protection against these a-holes. I mean think about it there is really nothing you can do, I remember a friend of mine (a was a friend of mine) bought these two amazing Gucci pants that costs an arm and a leg, only for the laundry guy to give them to someone else as a mistake an offered a “sorry” when my friend was basically pissed.

Yet, we need them, we need dry cleaners and laundry mats, we need them even though they can potentially screw you over, I need to find a solution to this, do you guys know of any.

Ella – Update

I just heard excellent news from my friend Elliot ! the results from Ella’s CT Scan are back, the cancer on her lungs is 100% gone and the tumor on her liver has shrunk 50% ! Thank you for all of those of you who have prayed for her, let’s keep on saying our prayer until she goes back home to here parents and her beautiful baby sister Maya (who Celine needs to send me pictures off) soon.

Thank you all who made donations, i have sent the money to the U.S. it was close to 3,000 US Dollars raised! which is amazing. Thank you all for everything.

Love Jasem.

A Lovely Sight.

As I was driving home, the only thought that was on my mind was to stop somewhere for a salad, and I did. Normally when I’m put in that situation I head straight to Bredz at Souq Sharq and sit alone and have what I consider the only good salad place in Kuwait, when you combine food + atmosphere that is.

While I was into the mall I saw one of the most beautiful sights in the world, a couple, they were on a wheel chair heading towards their car. I have no clue what happened to me I was rushed with happiness with joy with so much proud for what could be one of the most beautiful and “cute” (as they say in California) sights in the universe, it was bliss. Here we are in what has been the most materialistic, most obnoxious, most LOUD, most “doggy dogg” world, most hypocritical places I have lived in post college and I see this, ahh the feeling I felt was just great. Two people in love, for what they are and who they are and not for what might be conceived by culture as a deterrent. Here they were, in spite of their ailment to carry out activities as easily as everyone else, in love and spending a day at the mall, and here they were a glimpse of hope …

A glimpse of hope because someone needs to address this

What the fuck is up with the tight jeans men wear now a days, the ones that stick so tight to their ankles it makes no sense to me how it goes on and off.

What the fuck is up with the over sized 7ijab? I mean people its being taken to the next level I saw a woman today decked out in Burberry print from head to toe including a matching 7ijab that was so large it just did not make sense.

What the fuck is up with the glitter and sparkly shit they up on cars ß no wait this is old! WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THE DISCUSTING SHIT PEOPLE PUT ON THEIR CARS, THE GREESY DUSTY STUFF THEY PUT SUPOSIDLY TO PREVENT IT FROM SCRATCHING.

But seriously, what the fuck is up with the unhappy couple having dinner and barely saying a word is this happiness in Kuwait?

Or what the fuck is the guys who have muscles in Kuwait! Are we given out steroids with a happy meal in this country? Don’t these people know that in 10 years the word penis would be only a figment of their memories?

People, people, people what in the fucking world were they thinking when they hired the most ugliest, yellow teethed girls in Kuwait to work at the front desk of immigration when you fly into/and out of the country, are they trying to scare us and visitors the fuck away?

– This place is one hell of a place to live, but someone needs to speak of all the dirt that goes on, (I’ll leave the inhumane treatment of workers, road conditions, embezzlement of public funds, airport, tourism, business, FDI, etc to those who we elect) I’ll stick to me now and then “rants”

Ella Fund

So far USD,  2,884.0369 raised ! thank you so so much everyone.

Ella Fund

Doctor expesnses can’t get really out of control, i would like to ask you all to find it in your heart to help Celine and Lyndon in their fight to save their daughter Ella fight this cancer and hopefully it never shows up again. If you would like to make a donation just let me know i’ll take it from you and wire it all them .. thanks alot.

Hello Dust

Hello Dust & Airplane

Today I managed to stay awake during the night upto 1:15. Now I totally understand that to some of you this may be the norm but for me it isn’t , I’m normally dead asleep by 11 or even 12.The reason, I’m going to Dubai, I’m actually at Emirates Towers Starbucks while I type this and I would like to share my experience with you on the coming here aboard the beautiful world war III airplane.

I have always been impressed by Emirates Airlines, never have I had something bad to say or complain about, the route from Kuwait to Dubai & back is almost perfect, but today there was something weird. Apparently the morning flight offers ritzy Kuwaitis the joy of a first class seat where as the evening & night flight don’t, this plane was different though. It felt older, the seats were’t as big (in business class), the t.v. screen’s were old as hell and the options made Kuwait airways seems like you were cruising at 37,000 feet aboard a plane designed by Game Works.

Jasem’s mind starts to wonder, he begins to listen to the smallest sounds, like the tires hitting something on the tarmac, or even the sounds of the engine roaring down the landing strip.

As we took off the plane was flying quiet low to Kuwait, actually it was so low I could make out all the roads and building until we hit the ocean, then BOOM! I begin to shake rattle and god only knows what, it has always been my fear that the plane goes through an air pocket (sensation when the plane just drops a few thousand feet). This happened to me once before and I was totally dead, it was years ago and mind you since then it has NEVER happened to me ever, every post and every scare I had was because I was so scared that it would hit at any minute and I would literally shit myself.

Well thanks to the dust today it hit not once, not twice, THREE FUCKING TIMES. One of the times I felt my feet actually go airborne ! the amazing thing actually was the fact that a few trips and some courage during the last three years, mixed with great house music on the iPod plus a guy who really needs to sleep made me could give a damn. I was scared yes but I was okay, I actually was confident that the plane wasn’t going to plumit like it did on the National Geographic Channel’s Air Plane Disasters program.

The rest of the flight was bumpy as hell but it wasn’t scary bumpy it was annoying bumpy, I felt my brain was jiggling to no ends. All in all it was an experience and that’s what counts, right now I look forward to a busy day and a flight back to Kuwait at 4:15 p.m.

Hopefully it goes smooth.

Jasem.

Kuwaiti Marriage

This subject has really interested me for quiet a while; I enjoy the intricacies of the make up of what is a Kuwaiti marriage. It’s not as we all understand and see on TV. or in a movie, its far way too complicated.

Let’s examine the make up of the Kuwaiti population, there are two main categories which are Sunni & Shiite, then within them there are about a thousand groups, badou or hathar? Aseel or not? Lour (Persian Bedouin) or not? High class or low class? Educated or idiot? Handsome or not? Mithajba or not? And the list goes on and on and on.

It’s sad that we have categorized people in such a way that make it like you were walking into a shop buying a t-shirt than trying to find the person you will spend your life with. A very close friends of mine today also informed me of a new trend in marriage called Zawaj Safqa, where the guy or the girl marry in order to increase the net worth of her or his sons and the bragging rights of the mom, what a disgusting low we have reach I must tell you.

A frustrated “3eemi” once over dinner told me this

“jasoom tadry shino sa3eb titzawaj 3eeemiya?”

“laish, shda3wa ya3ni mako san3een ? “ ß– no offense btw I am one.

“Mo 3an mako bas here let’s examine the needed criteria, I need someone open minded to fit my lifestyle, someone mo mithajba and someone really smart and educated, I also want someone beautiful and someone who my parents will be happy to hear than I’m interested in”

Then he goes on to saying

“do you know HOW FUCKING rare that is between 3ayam girls here in Kuwait, and if you find one then she’s probably getting offers by guys who wipe their asses with 20 KD bills which I don’t so I’m shit out of luck”

Hmmm, a note.

How about we try just opening this society just a tad, meeting people, okay there might be set back and heart aches but don’t you think that when you marry someone that you know, love, trust, experienced ups and downs with (it’s not necessarily better) but when it comes to stats and math you DEFINITLY we have a better chance making it (happily and not just making it because your afraid baba is going to whop your ass or you don’t want to give up the Bentley and bait el niz-ha) ?

Akon – Review

I picked up this cd from the airport, and all I can say is wow, I meant it. I wasn’t always a fan of Akon, quiet frankly I thought he was an idiot when he was first introduced to the world as the guy sitting in the bus in an orange overall singing locked up.

The cd features tracks like “smack that” & “I wanna love you” which are hits and no one can deny that, but the true gem is a song called “ I can’t wait”

 

I have the CD playing as I write this, I’m bobbing my head on the plane listening to it over and over again to try to diminish the fears of plummeting to my death in this fucked up weather were flying in.

I just want to be in a club now with 10 of my closest friends and this song just comes up loud as hell and …

Well, DANCE, and never stop dancing …

Dubai Reviewed

Burj Dubai

 

I’m writing this on my way back to Kuwait from a weekend trip to Dubai, a place where I used to really love. Well I still do but I do have to complain, or else I wouldn’t be Jasem.

The place seems to be very plastic, very fake, very show offy, the people have never been like this in the past, now … British, American, local, Indian, the lebs literally everyone is trying to show off how big of a pair they’ve got by flashing the cash, it’s getting old and stupid.

Walking into ChinChin the first night, where I went for literally 10 minutes to see an old friend, Hussein all I can hear as I passed the people is them talking of what car they are going to buy and what house they want to live in and what bonus there going to get, it’s nice to be ambitious and to be in a place where drive and motivation is key to survival but it shouldn’t define you a person.

To end my trip, when I checked out I couldn’t resist the watch store in the lobby, one my many vices & expensive hobbies. I was asking the salesmen about a beautiful Yacht Master II and why the price is so much more expensive that it is in Kuwait when a young Lebanese guy walked in, chest in the sky and you could just tell that the guy had an ego it would make P. Diddy’s jealous.

He took off his watch threw it on the counter and said,

“I got this as a gift, it’s a chopard (he pronounced it Choparrrr, being French & all)”

“I want to know how much it’s worth”

 

…. No commet.

Shabby Chique Boutique

You are cordially invited to join Noor Jafar and Danna Jawhar in Karisma at The Art House of Hamed Al Saab and Ali Sultan to be the first to get a glance at the Shabby Chique exclusive collection. Showcasing of items will include pashmina wear, exclusive Tantra t-shirts, exquisite sterling silver bracelets and so much more.

Join us on Thursday at 5 p.m. for the opening, also Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. then again at 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Telephone: 2461249

Location:Karizma, opposite to Amiri Hospital

Website: www.shabbychiqueboutique.com (coming soon)

Jacob & Co.

Jacob the jeweler is in prison baby for attempting to launder 270,000,000 dollars !

[Link]

Say A Prayer

Yesterday i received what could be the worst news of my life, Ella, Celine’s daughter & the most gorgeous & loving & fun baby was diagnosed last night with cancel. A large, “baseball sized”, tumor was found on her liver, she is in the hospital surrounded by friends & family who love and support Ella & her parents throughout the day & night. Please say a prayer for Ella & let’s hope she pulls through this bump, i know you can do it my Ella !

A Day In Jeddah.

Well after spending a very busy day in Jeddah i do have some good to say and some, well i’m indifferent. I did get to see woman today which is weird since you don’t see any woman drive, and all banks that i had to visit had two separate branches for men & woman and not to mention the segregated restaurants we went too, all that said however it seems like it works, people seem to be friendly, happy and content.

I was out today with a colleague and his wife, we went to a great and very delicious restaurant but what i didn’t get is the openness. You know i must admit coming to Saudi never is a judgment free experience, i’m sure everyone’s first time was tainted with many miss conceptions and ideas of what to expect, but at dinner, there were tables with woman just showing their hair and celebrating their independence, they were enjoying a smoke while having food and it just felt serene almost, people are quiet they dont stare (like they do in Kuwait) and it really does seem like it works.

Needless to say i have seen the alien types that have long greasy hair who drive corollas with large speakers and yuck interior just going nuts! we also were going to crash about 10 times during out hectic schedule and the most beautiful part of the day was when we were going to get close to being stuck in a restaurant for 45 minutes for prayers.

all in all, jeddah is gorgeous, this is truly a wonderfully designed place, the palaces, the restaurants, the people, it’s seriously awesome. i would love to explore Jeddah more, i’m sure the connected few can throw a party like you wouldn’t believe and can show me the “real” jeddah! but maybe that’s for another time and another trip.

Tommorow is Riyadh, ala yaster!

The plane dubbed “death capsule”

The flight to Saudi Arabia yesterday was actually fine, but i obviously have some comments. The seats were comfortable and large, the service by the staff was quiet honestly horrific but i didn’t expect British Airways or Emirates style service, so no worries. The funny thing was is that Ammar and I sat in our seats and we couldn’t believe how old this thing was, the plane was just really old!

For instance, the bathroom is so nasty and old and parts of it is broken down that while cruising at 30,000 feet the bathroom door just collapsed! LOL i was going to die i was laughing so hard. The airport was equally horrible, it was empty, dark, white and the immigration officers were really unfriendly, I already miss shitty enough Kuwait Airport.

The room at the hotel is nice though, it’s an oldie the IC but the room is definitely a treat. I woke up 1 hour early because of my lovely t.v. who woke me up an 1 hour early for some reason.

– to be continued.