Thinking of ME

A guest post by Bana Bashour:

"I was recently sitting at a café in Miami when two teenaged girls walked past me with similar t-shirts saying: “I love ME”. It was obviously a play on the I love NY t-shirt, so I wondered why these young ladies felt they had to express their affection towards the Middle East."

"I am quoted in this NYT piece on the role humor played in the Egyptian revolution. (But why is my name misspelt in two different ways, ya Michael ya Slackman? Come on NYT editors, it's not like I don't have a website. Update: Thanks for fixing it ya MS.) The piece argues humor has been dampened, which I don't quite agree with (saw plenty of it in last Friday's demo) but makes the more important point that it was a crucial tool during the occupation of Tahrir Square:"

"I truly don’t know how i would have time to have a full time job these days…i stopped being employed (not stopped working!) when my daughter was born, and 5 years have passed since that day! It has been a challenging and amazing time so far. You are not born a mother, you become one, and it takes years of practice, of learning by doing, of making good and bad judgements. I honestly don’t see how some people juggle with 4 kids, being employed, looking pretty and fit, having a night social life with the husband, and a social life with friends and friends of kids! I have met some that are capable, and i admire them! Very inspirational!"

"The 17th edition of the Franco-Arab Film Festival is calling for Jordanian Short Films to compete in the 5th edition of the Jordanian Short Film Competition, that will be held from 18 – 23 June, 2011."

"We’re often told to spend every moment we have with those we love, that is while we can. And to be honest, I never realized how true that is before I lost my grandfather."