I'll do it tomorrow!

It is a very common phrase, "I'll do it tomorrow," but 'tomorrow' never comes. Sometimes, we plan to do it tomorrow because there isn't enough time to do it today. If I plan it for a later time and I pencil it on my schedule, then it is ok for me to 'do it tomorrow." As you know, unless I plan it, tomorrow will never come. I am an educator by profession and a dad. I have heard this phrase so many times in my life from my kids and my students so that if I had collected a penny each time I've heard it I'd be a millionaire by now. Procrastinators love this phrase. It is their status quo. It is used whenever a job is too boring, too lengthy, or perhaps too difficult to accomplish. I promised my wife to move my collection of books from the attic to the garage two years ago. I've done about 75% of this task. However, lately, I became a lover of the phrase "I'll do it tomorrow." I keep reminding myself that I have done the bulk of it, but, to be honest, I get lazy every time I think about it. About five years ago I began thinking about projects, any project that is big or small, as made up of tiny segments. When I start a project I remind myself that nothing in life is infinite, and  kudos to the Chinese for teaching us that a 1000-mile journey begins with a step.  I adopted this Chinese wisdom about five years ago. No project is big enough or difficult enough to accomplish if I do it in baby steps. I used to know a friend who passed away a few years ago, (may God bless her soul), who was a perfectionist. She would start a project but took her for ever to finish it, she had a perfectionist personality. Sometimes perfectionist people use "I'll do it tomorrow" too. But their  use of this notion is not based on being lazy but of being a perfectionist. Some of my top students in the past (I've been teaching for 41 years in college) would consider a grade of 95% a failure. They are perfectionists and high achievers. However these students do not postpone things to be done. That is why they are high achievers. I do not think they know of the phrase "I'll do it tomorrow." They study every day and when exams come they are prepared for them. High achievers do not use excuses to accomplish things, they just do them because they know success in life does not include "I'll do it tomorrow." Oh, by the way, I just remembered, I need to make an appointment with my dentist for a root canal procedure, oh well, I'll do it tomorrow.

Clinically Dead Man Sees The Afterlife; Shown The Truth About Our Dimens...

A HUGE cyber attack may be coming. Here’s how to PREPARE.

It is the Year of the Rabbit///Happy New Year

The Chinese New Year is today, January 22, 2023 (Sunday). It follows the lunar calendar, so its date changes from year to year. This year, it is the Year of the Rabbit.

(The image is a charm of Vegas World.)

The "King's" Daughter Passed Away

Elvis Presley, the king, had one daughter, Lisa Mary Presley. She passed away today at age 54 from heart failure. Ms. Presley was married to Michael Jackson, the famous singer. He was also a king.

Journalist Barbara Walters Passed Away

Journalist Barbara Walters passed away at age of 93.  She was born in 1929. A journalist and news anchor, who was a legend in championing women in journalism. She was famous for her excellent interviewing skills with politicians and others. She was also satirically featured on the Saturday Night Live show (SNL).  

A Pope Dies

 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passes away at age of 95. An intellectual and well-versed man who led the Catholic Church as a Pope and was the first to resign from his position in the modern era. He was of German descent.

I have been 12,000 days at my current job

 

An Era is gone: Raleighwood Cinema

My kids and I have been going to watch movies at Raleighwood Cinema (Raleigh, NC) for two decades. This December (2019), the owners of the movie theater decided to retire and close it. With its closing, a lot of my family memories closed with it. I remember taking my kids at ages five years to watch Disney's movies there. Our patronage of the theater continued up until very recently. This closing was totally unexpected. We will miss Raleighwood. However, it will remain there in our hearts for ever.

A Day

An iffy day, a bad day, a confusing day.

Retirement Clock Countdown

It is 226 weeks and counting!

I am writing this for me

This blog post is for me. If you read it, it won't make any sense to you. I just realized that, OMG, I still have just over 226 weeks to go. That number is huge. There are so many things that have to go right. I can depend on the moon and the sun to behave, but what about people? What about my health? What about my energy? My kids? My wife? My job? My cars? My mom? My brothers? My sister? Neighbors? Cousins? Old country? New country? The church? Old church? The same church? A new church? The weather? Aunts? Uncles? Money? Would I have the faith to read the Bible? Where does my interest lie? Am I going to ever do something I really love? Do I keep doing the mundane things over and over and over...?

And, it just hit me, do I even know I am going to be given the 226?

More on the 39

We graduated ya Abu el Yamen
At Papa's office to tell him, but he had visitors, was talking about sending me to the Golf region
They left, Papa...I am number 10...Can you send me? Yes, no hesitation
Luck...the ad...study English in England...the travel agent
Talking to Papa about it at his office
Papa and George H at the airport
Crying on the plane
Arriving to London
THANK YOU
The trip to Bournemouth
Giving the taxi driver a cigarette lighter which he told about latter to Mrs. Etkins
Arriving at Mrs. Etkins
Mrs. Etkins was at her neighbors
Hello and handshake with Mrs. Etkins
Flushing the toilet on Saturday morning
Mr. Etkins was less than happy
King School of English
Money is expensive
It for the animals and he/she for human beings...He was an artist from Qatar...
He smoked in the corridor and spit on the floor...very bad
Shou Lounack...I thought your were a Latino
Thank you very much Mrs. Etkins
The forks and the knife are straight on my plate
Dinner time
Tea Time
May I watch TV
John from Mexico
Walking to school
Riding the red double-decker in Bournemouth
Sweating and getting lost in the city
We stand straight in England, young man...but I was really tired, I was lost
The First Christmas...at the hotel
The birthday girl at the hotel
The man who loved to eat at the hotel...he used the bathroom often
The two lazy dogs, buzzy bundles
He smoked pipe...she laughed....at the hotel...they were the owners
After Christmas...In January
Brother P arrived
Eating fried chicken outside the store with brother P
It was a simple life
We chatted a lot about everything
An English teacher from Iraq liked me and brother P
Met Monica...The kiss
More kisses
Love...first love
Switzerland...Post-office...Monica worked at the post-office
Monica's friend, Evelyne
And their Swiss friend...he was bald
Application rejected
The visit to a classmate with my brother to a former college classmate...We stayed too long
The dinner at a Middle-Eastern place with my brother after the rejection
Crossing the Highway...on foot...not very smart...a car almost hit me....
Papa to the rescue with George H. help
This time, it was yes...
Rented an apartment for mom next to Mrs. Etkins...It was through Mrs. Etkins
Mom and brother K arrived to Bournemouth
The fuse of the power got busted...no power...it was dark
Mom at the window looking at people and wondering how bad they were
Moving to another rented apartment
The TV worked on coins
Mom and little brother K arrived for a visit to Bournemouth before my departure
Mom bought gifts in a hurry
Brother K could not find the superman suite to buy
On the bus with mom...Seeing Monica after a few days...Have not seen her since Mom arrived
Monica left home
The arrival to Logan
Offering him a cigarette lighter
Arriving at a hotel...Fortnight deal or is it four night?
Just doing nothing...sitting in the lobby
The contact with Joe by phone...Dial A first before the number
Sir, this is room ,,,,
Moving to TH's friend apartment
Remove the sweater...it is hot
Looking at the catalogue of college courses and plan them...No, this not how it worked
Moving to the studio
A lot of heavy perfumes
Being silly
Hated the first school...the Aliens were there with their twisted fingers
Relocated to another school
But you were not attending today?
Do you date? May be we can go out together?
The First Big Mac from McDonald's...Two hamburger between two pieces of bread
It was just waste of time there...did not take it seriously
The meeting on the bus...They want people to apply...and he left rudely
Applied...got rejected...went somewhere else...
I forgot something
Mr. White, excuse me
Ebla story in Mr. White class
Brother P and I in a studio...Moved to two-bedroom apartment
Dealing and visiting cousins H
It was much simple time...Kind of artificial time
Family first visit...Papa cried
Family repeated summer visits
Sister C and brother K moved in
Brother P got married at the Just of Peace
Brother P remarried to his wife again in Church...Papa wanted it this way
The bishops and priests...Papa's buddies
Mloukieh and the priest and mom
Buying clothe...waiting at the department stores...It was good time
Buying the unit...buying another unit....buying a third unit....buying a fourth unit in Weymouth
Getting married...The false alarm at the wedding
Moving to Hide park
Moving to Weymouth
Moving to NC...
The kids....
Did I really leave? The dream continues...Don't wake me up!







.

Messages to My Sons: I Appreciate You and I Know Your Pain

Dear Babas: I was looking at old pictures today of you growing up. I am glad the photographs I took captured that moment. I can see you struggling in you own little world of unknowns. I see it in your eyes, in your movements, in your looks, on your faces, in everything that picture had captured. I know exactly what each of you feels then and now. It is not easy for you. Your journey has been but a difficult one. It is not easy to grow up "alone" without knowing your roots. It is not easy to say "why me?" I hope the future will be brighter for you and compensate for your loss and hardship. You are all good boys in your sweet ways. Each of you is a gift to your mom and me. I could not think my life without you. Love. Dad

Mom, then and now...

What month is it?

According to the sacred books in the Old Testament, the first month of the year is not January, but it is April (Nisan in Hebrew). Thus, the Hebrew year is Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Thammus, Ab, Elul, Tisri, Bul, Chisleu, Tebeth, Shebat, and Adar. They also have "Ve-Adar" which is "intercalary".


Fill in blanks: The Feast of Dedication is in December or ______. The Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) is in June ( _______ ). In Adar (or _______ ), the Hebrew People celebrate the Feast of Purim. The month of October ( ________ ) is really festive. Three celebrations are observed: Day of Atonement, Feast of Trumpets, and Feast of Tabernacles. And, of course, the greatest feast of all, Passover. This celebrated in the month of Nisan ( _________ ) along with another great feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

No festivities  are in Iyar ( _______ ), March ( ________ ), Tebeth ( ________ ), August ( _______ ), September ( _________ ), Shebat ( _________ ), or November ( ________ ).

By the way, I was born in the month of Elul, or in _____________.

What time is it?

According to the Old Testament, the time from sunrise to 10 A.M. is morning; from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. is the "heat of the day;" and "cool of the day" is from 3 P.M. to sunset.

The New Testament defines the "first hour" as the time from 6 A.M. to 7 A.M.; the time from 8 A.M. to 9 A.M. is the known as the "third hour;" (Don't ask me what happened to the "second hour"!) The "sixth hour" is the time from 11 A.M. to noon. (Again, I have no idea what happened to the "fourth or the fifth hour"!) The time from 2 P.M. to 3 P.M. is known as the "ninth hour." The "eleventh hour," skipping the "tenth hour" which does not exist, is from 4 P.M. to 5 P.M.

The Old Testament (OT) also speaks of "watches" as does the New Testament (NT). The "first watch" is from sunset to 10 P.M. (OT) and from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. (NT). The NT time from 9 P.M. to midnight is the "second watch". According to OT, the "middle watch" and the "morning watch" occur between 10 P.M. and 2 A.M. and from 2 A.M. to sunrise, respectively. The NT defines the third and fourth watches as follow: from midnight to 3 A.M. and from 3 A.M. to 6 A.M., respectively.

When you go to bed tonight after watching the ball dropped in New York City's Times Square (around 12:15 A.M.,) what time would it be according to the OT and NT?

Happy New Year

My Day

Looking back on what I did today, it just seems to be wasted on things beyond my control. From a conversation with a fellow worker that lasted "too long" to running an errand for my son to rushing back to work after the errand to getting off work a bit later than everybody on my floor, but one. And what did I accomplish? Nothing, with one exception which is writing this blog post to remind me in the future if I were in a similar situation to do something about it and not letting time slip between my fingers like sand. However, I am having another thought about it now. Why should I worry about doing something every day? May be this to remind me to slow down a bit and "smell the roses". I am trained that unless I am doing something my time is being wasteful. I always have to do something even while I am watching TV, eating, or dinning out. I feel guilty if I am not engage in doing an act.  I often read a book while I am watching TV, and while I am doing these two things I am also listening to the radio. You might say how I can focus on all of these at the same time. The answer to that is "I do not focus on any of them!". Again, I do things for the sake of doing things so that I can say to myself "I am being productive". I cannot tell you for sure where this guilty feeling of doing nothing came from. Perhaps because of being raised Catholic. After all, we pray to God for "things we've done and for things we failed to do". I think I discovered the source of my neurosis. Yes, it comes from the fact of being raised in a Catholic home. But you might ask "does the Pope think this way too?"  I don't know. He might think like that. Isn't he the Chief Catholic. The poor guy, if I am like that just think how bad it is with him. But, I digress. Back to my day today. What was I saying? Oh, yes, I wasted my whole day without being productive. Indeed, it was a MARVELOUS day. Thank you Lord.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANTHONY...LOVE YOU

Good Afternoon