My trip to the Market

My father took me to a Market today. I think something like this should have been done about 15 years ago, but it was done today and I finally know what a maket is like.

We waited untill the very end of the market day when the fruit would be sold at a very cheap price. It was a little manic to say the least, hands were in air raising money, trying to get the attention of the seller. I did it once, and I felt a very compelling feeling to make sure I got that bag of grapes, a bit like knowing this is the last possible chance to get what you really want. It was indeed, a money making feeling.

In the end I and my dad debated a lot about how much the fruit bought was compared to a normal trip at sainsbury's. We ended up with one water melon, a box of very ripe mangoes (yum yum!) and 4 boxes of white seedless grapes. We intended to buy working gloves for my dad so the wood chips wouldn't give him any splinters, however, we were too late and the gloves were gone! Next week it will have to be then.

We then tried to find a pound shop on a high street near my home, no gloves there either, but the gloves were no where to be found. We made our way back to the car to go home.

But we got stuck in a narrow road with cars behind us and a car in front of us, facing us. It was a big car, with four young men, polish by the sounds of their loud swearing. They shouted orders to my dad while he remained quiet trying to think of a solution, the woman behind the big polish boys was also shouting out orders. Dad tried giving them hand signals to stay calm, but the boys considered dad a light weight- Big mistake.

When he was trying to reverse the stupid people in front of us was not making things easier, shouting orders.

'WAIT!!! Wait!' shouted my dad like a billowing thunder heard after lightning. I'll never forget the look on those boys' faces, just pure shock and fear. My dad can have a pretty scary face when he's angry, I know all about it, but I guess I'm immune considering I technically have half of that scary face. I've never been more proud of my dad for kicking the ego out of those boys.
Dad shocked those kids into silence and the drivers of the cars behind them. Eventually we managed to get out, but heard calls along the lines of 'ya pakistani!' which made me and my dad crack up laughing because the next time they come across an angry arab, they won't go unharmed.

Manga of the Month - May

I'm late doing this... sorry. But i do have a brilliant Manga lined up for this post. It was drawn by the ex-doctor Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro boy, Black Jack and Pheonix. It was published 40 years ago in 1970 and is considered one of the best medical thrillers made.

It's name is 'Ode to Kirihito' and centres around a conspiracy against a doctor called Kirihito Osanai (western naming) organised by his supervisor and leading professor at a reputous University Hospital. Due to be engaged, Kirihito is sent away to a distant village called 'Doggodale' in order to contract a rare disease named 'Monmow'.

Monmow disease is a cross between Ricket's Disease (bone deformation) and Paget's Disease (facial reconstruction) but later discovered to be a disorder of the pituitary gland (involved in many hormonal functions), the end result is the appearence of a dog, with altered limbs and extensive hair growth, However, intelligence and mental abilities remains fully intact. Despite being a fiction disorder, Monmow disease holds many traits that patients with disabling disease suffer, such as alienation, the feeling of impotence and social inferiority.

The story follows Kirihito's journey to discover the root cause of Monmow Disease, to come to terms with his illness and to avenge the rape and death of his wife. He meets many people, and many towns, where he struggles to gain human identity through his practice as a doctor.

Ode to Kirihito is a remarkable tale of Medical Politics, the medical heirarchy of Japanese healthcare, racism against non-whites (and it's contribution to medical malpractice), Christianity, the choking power of disease, human identity, inteligence vs appearance, displayed humiliation, conspiracy in medical research and Mental illness.

The drawing style is branch off from what Tezuka usually does, but it is suitable and powerfully used in portraying Kirihito's story. A definite must read, and a well earned 9/10 Dessa rating.

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

I have recently taken a great interest in the corruption of the monarchy of Great Britain. It happened when I picked up a short read at my local library (I love that place. Yes, I am a nerd). It was called 'Treason of the the Tower' most of the tales of those beheaded were mainly directly related to King Henry the VIII. He really was quite a pig, he divorced and killed his wives when he was pretty much bored of them, running after their Ladies in Waiting and maids. Though Katherine Howard really got away with a lot of trouble.

But the tale of Lady Jane Grey really did catch my heart. A young queen of only 9 days. I thought I'd write a bit about her because she really was at the centre of men's greed plotting for the throne after King Edward's death. Jane Grey was a cousin to the children of King Henry VIII. At the deathbed of young King Edward, he was advised to make Jane Grey the heir to the throne, and he consented as written in his will. After his death Jane was pleaded with to accept but she refused. Under the influence of her parents and others she was forced to submit, they also made her marry Guildford Dudley, when she wanted a single life, she was not happy about the situation and refused her husband to her bed. At 16 she was married and Queen of England.

Her succession to the throne was weak, considering her cousins Mary and Elizabeth were more directly related to the former king. After Just 9 days, Lady Jane Grey was charged for "Treason" and locked in the Tower of London, along with her husband. The Wyatt's Rebellion headed by Jane's Father against the possible marriage of Queen Mary to the roman Prince Phillip was what triggered Jane's Execution two years after her imprisonment started.

While in the Tower, Jane was well cared for, she was allowed her books, given fine clothes and the comfort of her Ladies in Waiting. Rome was not happy about Mary keeping her cousin alive, and she very unwillingly signed her Jane's death warrant 2 years later, the Queen did not attend the scaffold at the execution and felt very guilty about it.

Mary sent a catholic priest to convert Jane to a catholic as that would save her from execution, Jane refused and the priest was so moved by her faith that he asked to accompany her to the scaffold. Mary then sent ladies to check that Jane was with child or not, as this would also save her from the axe. But she was not.

Jane was very calm at the scaffold, her last speech mentioned how she did not want the throne, that she had not committed any other sin that being made to take it. The Priest was true to his word and guided her to the stump, she was even worried she did could not find it in her blindfolded form. The headsman asked her forgiveness and it was given. It was said that her lips moving in prayer continued after it was severed from her body, another witness mentioned that they had never seen so much blood soaked by the straw in the floor.

I talk of this because I absolutely love the painting of her execution by Paul Delaroche. Her ladies in Waiting in the background visible by the dim light cast upon them, being utterly devastated, unable to watch. The headsman in red, surveying his victim with an unreadable expression, his axe matter-of-factly in his hand. The priest aiding, guiding, almost bowing to the supposed sinner.

Then there is Lady Jane Grey, at the centre of all luminosity, white, pure, clean, delicate, frightened but calm. She is trying to find the stump, trying to do things right till the very end. What really caught me by this painting is her brilliant white silk gown, so beautiful and traipsing, it complements her very bright presence, it lights up the entire painting and it's dark atmosphere, as though she is the one good thing in that moment, and then we are brought back to sorrow when we see the blindfold over her eyes and remember she is about to die. She is on her knees, yet she is dignified, graceful. It is not something a sinner of treason would wear.

This painting is saturated with unjust judgement, she is portrayed as a martyr and is still seen today as a political victim.

Manga of The Month - April

Okay, so i've not been the most attentive blogger the world has seen, but I do have a pretty good Manga to reccomend. It's name is '20th century Boys' drawn and written by Japan's jewel; Naoki Urasawa, who also authored 'Monster' I think i might've mentioned this, if not then that will be next month's manga of the month.

The story synposis will look lame any way I put it, I just can't reflect how good this manga is. Well, to start off, a bunch of boys made their own hideout in the summer of 1969 where they wopuld play and read manga. It was here that they created a story about the destruction of the world, and how the world was consequently saved, a simple imaginative tale made by little boys, Kenji Endo being at the centre of it (he being the main character). About 30 years later in 1997, Kenji's older sister suddenly makes an appearance asking him and their mother to look after her baby girl. She then disappears, now Kenji has to not only mind his late father's store but look after a baby. Soon afterwards, one of kenji's old friends who used to play in their hideout... dies, supposedly a suicide, but kenji knows better and finds out he's been murdered. By anger and emotion he discovers the murderer was part of cult organisation named 'the friends' the main 'friend' is an annonymous person, whose plan is the destruction of the world. And so the little boy's tale turns into reality and each country of the world slowly undergoes changes at the hands of 'the friends' It is now Kenji's Duty to reverse what he feels he has done.

There's actually a lot more to the story than what i make out. 20th century Boys is a very horrific but poignant story, about childhood, poverty, poltical corruption, family life, failed dreams, failed fathers, governmental power and hope in the face of extreme adversity. I've only read 6 volumes out of the total 22 available, I am very impressed by the portrayal of old, new and future times, in addition to the follow through of characters within the ages. For instance, in the first volume a detective who never spent time with his family is killed, his grandson makes an appearnece 5 volumes later trying to succed his hero of a grandfather.

20th century Boys is a remarkable piece of art, creativity, imagination, science-fiction, and non-fictional topics. It is definitly plausable and I give it a well earned 9/10 Dessa rating.

All of it is free to read on the onemanga.com website.

My tale of freedom

So the exams finished, I'm doing my project, which requires lots of reading, which i haven't even done a quarter of. I'm someone else's desk at my 'work' I like to call it, eating my lunch, listening to youtube songs, and reminiscing about how I was this time last year.

Anyway, I promised myself I'd make a blog post not about exams or manga for once, so I'll chat about the extracurricular things I've been up to:

1. March the 8th I saw Miss. Kon, we had Pad thai! We had chrysanthemum tea! It was amazing, more of a sedative than a beverage. The teapot it came in was see through and you could actually see the flowers swirling around in the hot yellow water, it was probably the most exciting tea I've ever had, second only to Miss. Noozi's fruit iced tea.

2. 9th of March I got to see Miss. Short Fuse in her natural habitat, I was finally face to face with the uni friends that she constantly talks about, I'd prefer if she transferred the insufferable affection she has for her friends to her friends, because I'm tired of having the brunt of it all. I don't mind hearing about them, but the extent that she talks of them is really beyond excessive. Well, It was her birthday, I was most graciously invited to her birthday dinner considering it wouldn't have happened if I didn't step into her social-fear and actually ask permission from our father. She has a very large set of friends, and I hate to disappoint her (i secretly love to), but I didn't like most of them. I suppose it was due to the fact that I knew everything about every single waking hour of her friends lives. It was like an unsuspecting person being introduced to their uninterested stalker. Or maybe it was prior prejudice I harboured due to how often Miss. Short fuse talks of them, maybe it was even jealousy, but it was certain that some of them I disliked because of the atrocious things I'd already heard of them from Miss. Short Fuse herself, what astonishes me most, is that she remains sociable with the same abominable people, she knows this, and she's stupid because of it.

3. 10th March I went to visit my old Uni buildings, even though I'm in the same university, I'm miles away at different campuses and I felt a stronger sense of loss of belonging, that's the sad part of attaching your self to a foundation; you have to break away, and i always end up losing more than I gained. The good bit was that i got to see old friends, which always brings a smile.

4. 12th March, I attended an Orchestra showing, the music played were some of the most amazing music I've every heard and it was all pursued for due to another set of Miss. Short Fuse's friends, despite my love for the music played, I was, at the end of the day, an escort to be present for the return home journey. funny thing was that there was an ISOC event the same day, same time, and I didn't feel any inclination to go at all. Glad I didn't, I don't like being part of a status quo, as horrible as that sounds in regard to the make shift community of Muslim students that i belong to, that's the truth, I am myself, not an obliging member of a group.

5. 13th march, was Miss. Nodi's birthday dinner/Miss. Eyebrow's leaving dinner. As usual, we created a significant amount of noise. so much noise, that we were actually 'shushed' by an annonymous person from another table. The prime discussion was on playing devil's advocate on my homophobia, then poured on the questions from my neighbouring friends of 'what if this person was gay..' We also stumbled upon a dead lookalike of Jonny Depp in a Jack Sparrow outfit.. he was really a spitting image, if not slightly larger than the real thing. never the less, it was a truly wonderful day, on of my best this year. Because it had nearly all my oldest and dearest friends surrounding one, long table, chattering away by volcanic force. We had a pit stop at this super candy shop which had... everything, and I mean everything, it was a miniature williwonker's chocolate factory.

6. 14th March, I think I've decided I don't like wedding, I love segregated weddings, which was what I attended to on this day, but I saw some older ladies moving in rather... provocative ways, one even stood on a table. As you can imagine (try not to) such a sight really did put me off weddings, but thankfully not my appetite (the food was yummy).

7. 21st March, This day was rather momentous for me as it was the day I discovered my Egyptian roots... sorta. I and Miss. Pain in the Ass went to a sort of network event for 2nd and 3rd generation Egyptians in the UK, it was hosted by the Egyptian consulate and I had no idea such an organisation even existed. Well, now they know that young Egyptians do exist too. For the first time in my life I felt like I belonged somewhere, there were other half Egyptians too, and it was nice talking about hour feelings on returning to Egypt. The organisers were a bit cheesy as most Arabs are, and the middle aged women were pretty much all match makers. In fact the event did seem a bit like a 19th century ball, except there was no dancing and all the boys stuck to themselves, while the girls did likewise. One guy did come up to me, and he said the most random thing, asking me if I was some girl on a bus that went to Manchester university. I had to admire the person's courage considering I was surrounded by girls, but he really should have planned for something else in case said girl said 'no', which I did. I wanted to burst out laughing as he practically crawled away.

8. 28the March: I and the sisters decided to go to a charity event called 'Draw a smile'. Surprising as this may be there were significant disadvantages to this. Firstly, the event was organised and hosted by an ex-school mate, I shan't name names, but he doesn't exactly have a clean reputation, despite him never meeting me, I know some details of his personal life I'd rather not have known. Secondly, the entire event was aimed at Egyptians, which meant being surrounded by Arabs which is something I just can't do. But i got to practice the week before by being at the consulate and it paid off... I ignored virtually everyone there. thirdly most of the event was extortionate auctioning, so crap things like a 3abaaya got sold for $150. They even auctioned cakes... they really needed to get better ideas. The main host (same as the organiser) was so annoying in the fact that every two words he spoke was followed by a pause... it got soooooooo irritating! The good news is that I got to see Miss. Hard shopper her mother and sister. I also bought some baklawa, which i got an allergic reaction to later that night.

April: quite a few things have happenned, I don't want to go into detail as i really should be getting back to work, but in summary: I fasted 2 days and nearly fell as a result of hypotension. My grandmother had a few parathyroid glands removed in a surgery performed by my cousin's husband. We all had dinner when my uncle suddenly dropped by our house from Egypt and next thing I knew I had 4 hours to clean the house, we had a delicious barbecue and I actually enjoyed babysitting the kids this time, though I got a bit worried about the knowledge of swear words the 9 year old boy had. My grandma is now fine and walking and doing everything she used to do, which is pretty strange considering she thought she was going to die before the operation. My great aunt from Luton came over the day after the barbecue to visit the 'invalid' and I got to cook Fasulya.

Overall, it's been a mad month.