Baghdad: a shadow of the city I once knew, 8 years on

Is this the city I once knew?

"I can't recognize this city anymore. What a sad sad reality. I can't recognize streets because of the concrete walls, and I don't know anymore here anymore. All my friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, and coworkers have fled the country."

Self-nominated or otherwise, this side-line vocation as the organizer can grind you down:

"For some reason or another, I’ve always been “the planner.” When it comes to my group of friends, anywhere I go..I’m always the working out the logistics involved in getting people together..be it for dinner on a Friday night, or for a semi-spontaneous weekend in NYC. I’ve always enjoyed this role (probably cause I’m slightly controlling ),.. but I have to admit, that it’s not without its frustrations."

From Dubai back to Beirut:

"What I mainly miss in Dubai is walking the streets and running errands on foot. The weather doesn’t help, neither do the distances."

"If the majority of all the people on earth know for a fact that people have no control over a baby’s gender…how come they vigorously discriminate?!

It beats all the rational thinking i could come up with even in my wildest imagination…and lets agree…i have a WILD head!

Is it human cruelty…stupidity or what?!

I look around and i see some sexists putting rules and applying systems that is about to make women apologize each day that they were born with a V instead of a P…come the heck on!!"

In Saudi Arabia…they ban women from….DRIVING!!

"So.....my dear readers (haters, fans and silent observers alike) As many of you know, I am passionate (sometimes too passionate) about women's issues and women's rights in Dhofar, Oman, and the Middle East."