Google Analytics

Monday, May 4, 2015

An Egyptian Community Empowering People

The first Egyptian Social Media Community.
View this email in your browser
Hi Figments

We hope this email finds you well. 

We would like to invite you to the first Egyptian Social Media Community that aims to Empower people.

ZABTNY prides itself at being able to listen to its members concerns. With a vow to constantly evolve our platform to meet all our members' needs, demands and concerns. 

Anyone can join ZABTNY! Whether you're a blogger, writer, designer, teacher, activist, humanitarian, an NGO, or even a big organization/business, ZABTNY has a place for you… In essence ZABTNY is for those who do!
Sign Up
Copyright © 2015 Zabtny, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because we value your opinion in testing out our website. We look forward to hear your comments.

Our mailing address is:
Zabtny
undefined
Cairo 12611
Egypt

Add us to your address book


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 

Monday, November 23, 2009

Quarter Life Crisis

A friend of mine sent me this, thought I'd share with u guys.

BEING TWENTY-SOMETHING

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going
along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things
about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start
feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but
then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those
friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the
greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost
touch with are some of the most important ones. What you don't
recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really
cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as
you.

You look at your job... and it is not even close to what you thought
you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing
that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares
you.

Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing
and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you
realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are
constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what
isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure.

You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel
alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you
try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that
the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing
to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do
such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet
anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe
you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why
you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting
wasted and acting like an idiot don't seem as fun. You go through
the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your
friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a
decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life
for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right now
you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to
it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as
hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

(Thanks to Jamil Fahmy for pointing this to my direction.)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Life's work

I envy life. I envy it for the control it has over us in all its aspects. Fairness in life is system, created by humans, sent down from the gods as a recommendation. Not far from cue systems at cashiers or clubs. It’s a guideline. But how do we learn? If god is fair to all of us, how will I learn from my mistakes and other people’s mischief? How will I look up to others and feel envy? Fairness is a tool used by governments to allow tax return and public health services. It doesn’t exist in emotions, jobs, wealth and education. You don’t choose your lifestyle; it usually forced upon you. Either by peer pressure or social setting you live it. Nobody is happy. Happiness comes in dozes, sometimes it takes a lot of pain to feel it but it does come and that is what we hope and look for.

From my life it’s harsh. It’s confusing. Aren't we all confused about our relationships? We don’t know what we want. When we get it, we want something else. But we appreciate it, but sometimes it’s a fool's errand. Well, it's my purgatory, really. Dinner, drinks, whatever. Never really all that interested, but I find myself telling her how beautiful she is anyway - because it's true. All women are, in one way or another. You know, there's always something about every damn one of you. There's a smile, a curve, a secret, an unbearable habit that needs a cure and a cause. You ladies really are the most amazing creatures. You’re god’s finest work. But then there's the morning after. The hangover and the realization that I’m not quite as available as I thought I was the night before. The fear of more confusion, failure and pain. And then she’s gone. And it haunts me, the thought of yet another road not taken. Realizations of what could be or what could not. Visualizing on the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, moments of despair. But why is it that we do it to ourselves? We always say the right one will come along and stick around. Time is the only cure. Until we fall again. And again. Until your feeling of self-loathing besets you, turning life’s mystery to an even bigger one. But for most of us, that day comes and happiness conquers all. Where we don’t have to wonder anymore. Where we live the dream, and move on to bigger conquests of life. Maybe there is a formula, maybe there isn’t. We are just creatures fighting to live and living to fight. Until it presents itself, fairness is a measure in my world. I hope it’s more in yours. And one day maybe it will mean more fort me and for you.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

A world without...

Imagination is a blessing sometimes. It gives you hope for a better world, a better time, a better life. Technology and the internet has helped us go to places without actually being there hence enhancing our imagination skills. I sometimes wonder more than I actually imagine. Wondering is more like placing yourself in a whole world of imagination. When people imagine they imagine a world that is more technological or more advanced, efficient and positive because that's what the majority hopes for. Since some of us (me) are blessed with a more irrational thinking processes, I like to take it a bit further with the analysis.

So think of this, imagine a world without sports. You would think that everybody would be fat, I think everyone would be average. This is because there will be no need to exercise, hence no discrimination. Who's to say who is fat or who is fit. Nobody would care because nobody puts in more effort than anybody else. The maximum age limit for life would be 50. Bumming wouldn't be frowned upon. There wouldn't be any gyms or stadiums, hell the Olympics wouldn't exist. All the sports channels wouldn't be there. The only way of competition between nations would be war. There wouldn't be any traffic jams due to games taking place. couples will never fight about weather we should watch the game on TV or watch that soap opera. I don't know it seems more dull but fun in the same time.

Imagine a world without sex. Im telling you right now we would be stronger than ever. Relationships would be so pure, based totally on personality and looks. alot of jokes wouldnt exist along with a billion awkward situations. Motels would close down. Test tube baby would be a n insult anymore. I wouldn't be be able to use my favorite line "I'm not a piece of meat". Sex and the City would just be called "The City". Yeah I'm sure people would have been dying to check that show out. And the directors would have definetely turned it into a movie. I dont think men would have to be nice to women anymore and vice versa. On the brighter side there wouldn't be prostitution (I found the cure).

Imagine a world without help. You just had to deal with your shit. If you get sick you have to get yourself better. Nobody will give a shit. Cabs will be driverless. You take the cab and you drive it. If you go to restaurant, you cook your own food. You go to bar, you pour your own drinks and play your own music. It'll be either chaos or extremely organized. There will be a whole new meaning to self-help. It might actually become a bigger section than fiction at bookstores. Helping someone will be frowned upon that you might get sentenced depending on how much help you put in. The help menu wouldn't exist in applications on phones, computers and devices. Customer service wouldn't exist. At least now you wouldn't have to deal with someone that is so stupid that end up telling them how to do their job. There wouldnt be the whole confusion on weather to right help upside down or reverse on the ground so the planes see it. They wouldn't stop anyways.

Imagine a world without clocks. that one will definitely be chaos for some people. Meetings will have no meaning as they will not be determined. You would have to guess how long it will take you to do something. Synchronized swimming wouldn't exist ; like anybody wants that to be part of the world. I has brought nothing but boredom and embarrassment to the world that we live. work will be blast on cloudy days and in the UK, beacsue you can fake 6pm at 12 noon. It will be blast. The word punctual wouldnt exist because who's to judge. you cant tell anybody that they are slow because who says what fast is. I cant base a theory on feelings that's too shallow.

I always wonder about these things because maybe I'm always looking for reasons on why to be thankful for the world that I live in. I tend to see the good and the bad, which is something that I'm blessed with I guess. I just keep hoping that we don't turn into robots after 50 years, I would be able to handle the metal if i live that long. Until a later time, just be thankful ---Appreciate.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

BBF (Blackberry Figments)

Well, well, well....blackberries have hit the market real bad this past year, don't u think, with the curves, the bolds, the storms, the pearls....its insane everybody is addicted to blackberries. Non-BB users would all tell you to stop using it so much, you're becoming anti-social, if I ever get the blackberry I will never be this addicted. BULLSHIT. You will be addicted. I mean u will be so addicted that after a couple of years, you will have to go to a BB Rehab Facility a.ka. Nokia Sales Center. You see its like a whole different world. It has its own theories, disorders, fun parts, serious parts, and certainly full of drama. See for those of you who don't have blackberries and don't know much about it, let me introduce a few things for you. If you haven't heard there is this application of the blackberry that is called Blackberry Messenger, long for BBM. It allows all blackberry users across the globe to communicate with each other for free. Then like most phones, the blackberry has a blinker which blinks red if you have any unread BBMs, SMSs, MMSs, Emails, Facebook notifications, missed calls whatever. To the common phone user a blinker is just a small LED on their phone, to a blackberry user it's their hormonal boost trigger, their 50/51 brain stability factor. It because when that blinker goes red, oh its like sweet Jesus has set you soul free, we go crazy. But see its still all about levels, so here are a couple of names for the disorders that are associated with the blinker: -

BBB (Blackberry Blinker) Disorders

1) Native BBB Disorder

This is the first stage. One that all blackberry users go through. This is when you itch to see that blinker go red. Symptoms include excitement at irrational moments, boredom, finger fatigue, and nausea.

2) Advanced BBB Disorder

This is the more severe stage of the previous one. Sometimes you don't wait for it to blink red so you help it along with things like "where r u?" BBMs, sending your self emails from apps, its like putting your finger down your throat to throw up. At this stage you will find looking away from your blackberry is rather irritating, it is also when you start realizing that the more you type the stronger your fingers get.

3) Obsessive BBB Disorder

This is when you KNOW you're addicted to blackberries. There is no turning back from this one. This is when u start seeing your own blinker and everybody Else's in a 10 meter radius. Its sick. And you cannot shut up about. It is like "dude your phone is blinking", other guy goes like "yeah i know". Two minutes later, you go like "man, I'm serious OK, check whats on it put it away its driving me crazy." The bad part is that, even if he doesn't check it and puts it in his pocket, you still know that its blinking and you think about it for a while. In this stage there is also the sleeping blinker. This is when you still see the blinker even though your eyes are wide shut while your sleeping. You would get up see whats blinking, reply to them, then u go back to sleep.

4) Hallucinative BBB Disorder

This is when you need to start thinking about alternative ways of filling your free time. This is when you see the blinker EVERYWHERE. Its not even blinking but you see it blink. its the inner sub-conscience wanting it to be blinking so god damn it, its blinking. Its not in a crazy pull my hair way, don't get me wrong its just idiotic. So for example you'd think it's blinking, so you look at the phone for a while, now you're convinced that its not blinking and you KNOW that there is nothing but you still get the phone press on a button to see for yourself. You want to go from 100% to 300%.

Blackberry Theories

I think its all related to my theory of blackberry sharing. We, as blackberry users, like to share information more than non-blackberry users. Why? Because we got the means to do it stuck to our hand all the time and we can do it for free. We always get the urge to take pictures and send it to others, record voice notes and send them, every time we read an interesting article we send it to everyone, when we really wanna share thoughts we use all kinds of status updates. First we start with our BBM status. That one is gotta be small, hip and says it all. You don't want to be writing an essay on you BBM status, the screen is too small. These include : the city you're in e.g Cairo, CAI, NYC, DXB, LA, London...i think we use the airport code for the city to prove that we went to the airport like i didn't come on the bus mofo. There are also location statuses...like e.g. beachside, beachin it, beach this....if not then we start naming the season we r in, like everyone else doesn't know that its summma time, or like cold winter or fall breeze. We then move on to the more commonly used status update service on Facebook. There we can write things, doesn't matter how long it is but its gotta have a cause, or an inside joke because otherwise nobody will care. If we want to move up the status update world we gotta tweeeet. My favorite tweetalicious Twitter. We use Twitter when we cannot control our status updates, i mean if when we get obsessive compulsive with it, we tweet. Tweeting: a serious disease with no cause and no cure. We are not really sure if it is bad for you.

Another fabulous, awesome theory that exists in the blackberry world, is the theory of unlimited expectations. This theory talks about how just when you thought your blackberry has outdone its service for you. It surprises with new ways to help you along in your life. the theory basically states that one of the specifications of the blackberry is "sky is the limit". People that made it themselves still didn't figure out all the things you can do with it.

Remember the days when SMS was huge. When texting was so in you'd pay more for messaging than phone calls. Now, to me if you are willing to pay money to tell me something means that its important. SMSs on blackberries are a serious matter. I get scared when i see an SMS on my phone. Excited, but scared. I get terrified, when somebody who has me on BBM, SMSs me. Because you know what that means, i could have told you this for free, but NO, I'm gonna pay money to tell you this peace of information. It is very similar to when if somebody calls you to wish you happy birthday, they shut the phone, open facebook and write on your wall saying "Happy Birthday". WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?? What does it mean? Sometimes i don't feel like knowing the answer. I really don't. Until somebody decides to share that with me.

The problem is that now, if you don't have blackberry, blackberry users are not that into you anymore. They don't hate you. It is just that they cant share a lot with you. Their service means more to them! I know! It's messed up but it's true. It is also getting very hard to be a talkative person in public. If I'm sitting with someone and 6 people start to BBM me, and I'm addicted, I'm gonna have to talk to the 6 people. Its pure math. We as humans love more. If I can talk to more people at the same time for the same price, I will. But do not get us wrong. We are greedy creatures. We cant change who we are. If its on the menu, we are gonna order it.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Pigments Figments

Hey,

So its been a heavy start to the summer. Weddings, engagements, funerals, beach, parties, road trips, airports and MJ tributes. Let's focus more on this last part, MJ. I love him, great guy, insane songs, a legend in music history. Of course other than the fact that he's the first human to change his skin pigmentation. But whatever, he's MJ, we love him. But come on, don't you just think its lame that just because he died everybody is a fan now...and them and their mothers became in love with him...its like mind rape, another media gimmick for you obsessed fans out there. Radios dedicated to MJ songs, tribute parties and concerts, video clips being the most watched on YouTube, in your car, at clubs, on the beach, group tribute dances in the street, like everybody was waiting for him to die to do all these things. Oh and it doesn't stop there...the news and the speculations...was it a murder..let's ask his doctors and his nurses and the whole staff appointed to brush him up...what happened to just letting go. But that's what we do here in the world we obsess about one thing every month...and we do it right. It starts off with a few tweets from like Time and CNN, then other agencies get in on it. This starts a pool of millions of rumors. This opens the door for media agencies such as AP, AFP, Reuters, Xihnua, etc to try and tackle down these rumors and report them. All the tv channels, newspapers, magazines, blogs, rss feeds, then display this to the world in all the languages all over the globe. Then the public start reacting with ideas and tweets and projects and activation of these feelings. Damn we are sick. We love this stuff. It gives us something to talk about in our boring hang outs, even when we go out. Suddenly all the MJ songs became favorites to everybody. I just have one comment to MJ about his music : LENGENDARY but how can YOU sing a song like black or white! Yeah I know he claimed he has that disease that you lose pigmentation with...and he needed to even it out...don't you think he got too carried away? Anyway all hail to the king of pop! Rest in peace! The world is actually running out of people like you : the ones who change themselves to change the world!....till another time go enjoy the summer and stop obsessing!

Welcome...and oh yeah....see ya later

Hello Everyone,

I'm back on a different medium....just like how everything is nowadays. See its because i always said "it's not a blog" its like chapters of a book. but sometimes you chapters cannot always include all the small details in life. That's why we have technologies such as the status updates on facebook and twitter which i luv. and all the things that come with it....twitering from home, work, in the car, before jumping of a bridge, on a plane in airports. Its because you can do it from anywhere on all devices. I think they are starting to add twitter services to washing machines, so that everytime u put a load in it will be like @johnsmith has just put another load....damn....things guy's clothes really smell. theyre gonna have them in elevators. so that wen u go in say wats on ur mind it will be TwitVator. And of course my favourite the one in the toilet....TwitterShitter...that will be insane...the tagline for this product will be Twit....even when you're about to shit. its just a whole new way of keeping ur freiends and fans aware of what you are doing and where you going. I love it. I LOVE TECHNOLOGY. i would sleep with technology, i would just be too scared things mighty turn awkward between us. coz you know i need technology, it doesnt need me that much it wil survive with out me. Who am i kidding everybody loves technology. So yeah, i wanna be able to blog on here whwenever i can...if somebody knows if there is an app for blackberry to add posts im game plz holler. but until then sit tight...more to come from this abused mind.....