I was craving something very very greasy and fattening for lunch today…and I mean really really craving it…but was not up for leaving the office to pick something up… thinking about what is good and fattening in the area, I remembered passing by Hooters a few weeks ago…I got on their website to get the phone number to the Butterfield Rd location but all I can see was the Israeli flag! What is that all about was my natural thought…aha! Hooters is coming to israel …and Spain…but the israeli flag seemed to stand out more than Spain’s flag. “The Hooters flag will be planted in 2 new countries when the popular chain opens its first locations in Israel and Spain. The Hooters of Poleg, Israel will host its VIP Grand Opening Celebration on Tuesday, November 27th” (yesterday)…Must be so exciting for israel to be part of the wide world of hooters!

“The Hooters of Poleg, located in Natanya, is the first of at least 3 Hooters restaurants planned to open in Israel. The restaurant will open to the public on November 28th.” Which was today…Just out of curiosity of how close the service is there (Natanya) to the service here (Chicago), I will definitely need to fit a lunch at Hooters in Natanya on my next visit to Palestine…As silly as it may sound, I promise to take pictures, too!
I wonder if Hooters will ever come to say…Jordan? or Saudi Arabia? ahahah! Imagine THAT! You never know!!

Well, anyway…I ended up having microwaved Mac ‘n Cheese, instead!

In Exile - A reminder

Steve Sabella believes that “Jerusalem has a distinctive meaning to Palestinians. When asked to, each one of us, undoubtedly, will have a different description of the city. For people who cannot visit it, or whose visit to it is limited to a tourist stay due to occupational constraints, or to those who have been denied the right of return, a certain image of Jerusalem dwells in their imaginations and memories. These, over time, become thoughts suspended and charged with emotion. They also struggle to come to light, and to reality. However, this factual reality is colonized and entrapped. Hence, he “would like to liberate and transform these imaginings and thoughts into visual images—that is, to create a photographic image from the descriptions of these various mental ‘images’ of Jerusalem” as relayed to him by Palestinians from all over the world.

“Jerusalem needs visual liberation. This can only be achieved if a new dimension is added to the photographs. This dimension exists in us—deep in the imagination. Reaching that dimension requires a deep look, a journey into the minds of many people; where they will all unite to ‘rebuild’ and ‘reconstruct’ Jerusalem.” I don’t believe you have to be Palestinian by origin to share your own mental image of the city, ‘Jerusalem, or the issues of Exile, Palestine, Belonging, Home or any other related subject.’

So go ahead…Send your mental image of Jerusalem to Steve Sabella…he’ll put your thoughts into art!

For more, I recommend this great read.

Please give me the strength to not choke the life out of someone today!

I was on my cell phone talking to Lilian…yet at the same time freaking out and feeling very very very furious because I was looking for my phone….Lilian hearing the frustration and UGHS in my voice asked: What’s wrong?

Me: I cannot find my phone!! where the hell is it?

Lilian: What phone?

Me: My Cell phooonnnee! I don’t know where it is … can’t find it…ugh!

Lilian: o k

That’s when I realized I’m holding it against my ear!

And no, I’m not on crack nor do I smoke pot!

I wasn’t the type of student who dropped classes easily while in school. I was always passionate about the courses I chose and enjoyed them (with the exception of Geography and Logic, for I had very lousy instructors) to the fullest…

Women Studies was an elective I took my second year in Undergrad… It was an introductory course that was aimed at selected theories, ideas and debates that help us to understand how gender is a social institution that plays a profound role in shaping our lives. Also touching on topics that include theories of gender and sexuality, histories of feminism and contemporary feminist movements, women’s health, reproduction, body image, sexuality, etc. Reading the class syllabus, I felt empowered …

A few weeks into the semester, I could not stand it … the instructor was a hardcore feminist who felt that there should absolutely be no difference what-so-ever between men and women…she called for equality in all form and measure. Something I find unrealistic. I strongly believe that there are certain things that are just meant for women and certain things that are meant for men. She spoke so highly of how she treats her young boy - who was in first grade at the time - and how she dresses him. Imagine a boy in the first grade showing up to school in a hot pink jogging suit. Really. There is nothing wrong with pink, and some of the latest trends carry this color…but hot pink for a first grader boy? That’s stretching a bit… The kid is going to grow up scarred. No matter how open-minded our society is, it really is cruel at times…and to have a young kid go through ridicule just because his hardcore feminist of a mother wants to defy the norm is just too selfish.

One of the assignments called for all the females in the class to visit a female strip club and act as men would, whereas all males in class will show up to a nightclub carrying women purses. We were to record the observations! Yeah. Ok! While it sounded so tempting and an experience worthwhile at 20, I thought she was completely out of her mind! I dropped the class after a minor clash of views with her over her outrageous assignment and what I classified as cruelty towards her little boy and gave up women studies for good!

Now… I classify myself as a feminist who believes in the betterment of women globally and supporting equal opportunities for them in the political, social and workforce spectrum…but I’m not a hardcore psycho

Thanksgiving holiday…how much I love thee! I bummed around ALL day… I haven’t even brushed my hair yet … and I’ve been having so much time on my hand lately… feeling a bit bored actually… I wish it was Monday already! ugh! … it’s actually too cold to do anything…but I have an important date with Lilian tonight …I have not seen her in almost two months; I am sure she’s overly huge by now now! She eats a lot, you see…well, that and the fact that she’s actually 6 months pregnant! If it’s a girl, she’s going to name her Iman!

Anyway, I had a discussion with someone today - talking to her is always interesting…and it went something like this… (Read on …)

Many of us who travel to Palestine know - first hand - how that feels… and it doesn’t stop at the airport…”Why are you here? and “What are you doing here?” are just ice-breakers…the interrogation is a process you go through every time you pass a checkpoint. Tedious and so very frustrating…but guess what? I’m gonna keep coming back;)
If you’ve been there, gone through it please share…I would love to hear your stories…

Sketch by Kati Miranda

Back of Postcard:

Check out more her work…

Can anyone point out the typos in my banner?

But seriously, who wants to?! I would do it myself, but I’m just pressed for time (yes, I am!) and won’t be able to get to it this year! Any volunteers? :p

Tonight, someone very interesting asked: Do you really choose what you want to become? Or you just become what you are?

I answered.

Your thoughts?

A few days ago, someone else asked: “Well on an average day, how much thinking do you do?”

I answered and in return was told “yeah, see…it’s overload that’s screwing up your judgment.”

that I’m not the only Iman in this beautiful world … and seeing how I’ve always been (and continue to) writing and commenting here and there using my name ‘Iman,’ it would be so wonderful and would help alleviate so much confusion if anyone with the same beautiful name of ‘Iman’ who happens to stumble upon my website and who happens to feel the inspiration to leave me a note to leave it under 1) their full name or 2) their first name and first letter of their last name! or 3) anything else that distinguishes Iman of iman-a.com from all the other lovely Imans. Thanks!:d

Raisins, Dates, dry figs and Cinnamon! and the sound of nail clipping…and the sound of food chewing … and the sound of snoring!! as well as drivers who cut me off! I also hate anything that crawls -with the exception of babies!