And the winner is.....

I had two polls for around two months, first one asking people If I should merge all my blogs in one BIG GIANT BLOG.
3 persons voted NO while 18 voted YES.

I the second poll I was asking If I should blog in Arabic only since I am an Arab blogger in the first place, or Both English and Arabic or English only...Or It doesn matter.
I got 23 voted for Arabic only
13 for Both languages.

I had a hard time making my mind about those issues I finally ended up with the following based on the poll's results:

1. Since most of the voters voted for merging my other blogs in this one, I am going to do it but I will keep the other blogs alive, I am not going to shut them down; I am going to keep them for better organization (at least for now, I might change my mind later who knows).

2. I wasn't sure If I should blog in Arabic or English or both languages at the same time for many reasons for example:

- Sometimes I can express my self better in English while others It's better in Arabic.

- I can reach wider audience If I blogged in English but does it matter If I was talking about local things?

- I've noticed that most of non Arab doesn't know anything about our life style, they only see whatever their media show them which is usually a wrong stereo type about Arab or Islam, so blogging in English is good in this way even If it was about tiny local things.

صح أكتب بالإنجليزي وايد في مدونتي بس ما أقصد بهلشي تفلسف باللغة ترا حتى الخدم يتحجون انجليزي، بس انا اقصد اني اوصل حق الناس اللي ما تتكلم عربي.

قراري بيكون التدوين بالعربي و الانجليزي بنفس الوقت، متى ما برايي السالفة تحتاج كتابة بالعربي كتبت و متى ما شفت ان انجليزي كتبت :S

زيادة الـ 120

بالمناسبة السعيدة هذي حبيت أسويلكم لستة في الأماكن اللي رفعت الأسعار لي الحين و راح أسوي أبديت حق اللستة كل ما أكتشف مكان يديد...كلها 120 الله ياخذكم قولوا آمين:

- كبابجي
- بيبسي
- كوكاكولا
- البطريق
- هابي بيرغر
- روبي تيوزدي
- باسكن روبنز
- كي دي دي KDD

- ستاربكس

تحديث (22 أبريل 2008)
- سب وي
- بيتزا هت
- مخالفات المرور

تحديث (19 يونيو 2008)
- أمريكانا (سندويشاتهم مادري عن باقي منتجاتهم)
- أرامكس (رسوم الشحن)

2000 views

Today I reached 2000 profile views in my blogs since I started blogging in the end of 2005 (December), Currently I have 5 blogs (they probably going to be more than that) since then but I think this is a tiny number compaired to my flickr account (you can see my flickr profile here) which I started it in July 2005, until now I have more than 230000 views in flickr and waaaay less in my blogs...I guess that's only a proof of how bad blogger I am.
I wish I can express my self with words :(

وصلت 2000 مشاهدة في بروفايلي من أول ما بديت تدوين في ديسمبر 2005، حالياً عندي 5 مدونات (العدد غالباً ما راح يزيد) و الرقم هذا ولا شي مقارنة بالرقم اللي وصلتله في فلكر اللي سويته في يوليو 2005، لغاية اليوم وصل عدد الزوار ملوتي في فلكر (تقدرون تشوفون بروفايلي في فلكر إهنيه) أكثر من 230 ألف زائر و هالعدد وايد كبير مقارنة بعدد زوار مدوناتي...أعتقد هذا إثبات على إني مدون فاشل.
كنت أتمنى لو أقدر أعبر نفسي بالكلمات :(

World's IQ average

The map above shows the world's IQ averages, and it's decreasing :S
I've recently had an IQ test and guess who is having a high IQ number, I ment by that higher than average *blushes*
LOL

Yes I do and :Pp~ at everybody who hates me *giggles*

It would be even higher If I had the test in Arabic (according to them not me)

الخريطة اللي فوق تبين متوسط الذكاء في العالم و اللي يعرف بالـ IQ، و للعلم النسبة قاعدة تنقص :+
انا توه سويت إختبار و طلعت نسبة الذكاء عندي أكثر من المتوسط العالمي...حرررررة :q~

كانت بتكون النتيجة أكبر لو كنت مسوي الإختبار بالعربي (هذا على حسبهم مو حسبي)
حسبي الله و نعم الوكيل لووول
شكو مادري

مثل ما شايفين حسب الخريطة - الأستراليين أغبي الشعوب....صج أحس إن طعمهم خرفان بس يعني ليش بيكونون أذكياء؟
قاعدين بقارة بروحهم مالهم شغل بحد و لا أحد له شغل فيهم ...كلش ماله داعي يشغلون مخهم

I was PAID!

WooHoooo....I was paid for my photos for the first time, actually my sister paid me before but that's doesn't count because she was just showing me her support :D

It's a project I've been working since October 2007 and I am done...I am not going to reveal it now :)

It didn't worth this amount of money because I had to go many different locations but I was excited about the project it self plus It will look good in my portfolio.

It's great to get paid for something you like doing for a change :D

أخيراً تم الدفع لي مقابل بعض الصور التي قمت بتصويرها شخصياً، في الحقيقة قامت اختي بالدفع لي قبل ذلك و لكن هذه طريقتها لتبين دعمها لي.

سبب الدفع هو مشروع كنت قد بدأت العمل به منذ شهر أكتوبر 2007 و إنتهيت مؤخراً منه...لن أقوم بالإفصاح عنه في الوقت الحالي :P


أعتقد أن الملبغ ليس كبير نظراً للمواقع التي قمت بتصويرها و بعدها عن بعضها غير أني تحمس للمشروع بالإضافة إلى أنه سيكون إضافة جيدة لسيرتي الذاتية :D


من الرائع الحصول على النقود مقابل عمل أنت تحبه كتغيير :D

COMING SOON!

Soon!
Radiant will shine and everybody will see the unlit part...
Come back soon!
قريباً!
سيلمع شعاع النور و سترون الجزء المظلم...
عودوا للزيارة قريباً!


One more thing, I just had a hair cut...I wanted to get a hair cut for the Eid but it was crowded so I didn't do it until today.
I always wanted to do a photo with water droops and I guess I succeeded :D

ليش الحلاليق كله زحمه بالعيد؟
جنه بس بالعيد الناس لازم يقصون شعرهم غير جذي مو لازم...
المهم انا من زمان كان ودي بصور اللي يكون فيهم نقط ماي, هالشي ما بقدر اسوي بكاميرا عاديه, بس بعد ما شريت نيكون سويتها و نص :D

Feeling black...

I don't know what's wrong with me, I've been sad almost all day :\
Still can't sleep, it's 5:34 A.M. and I have to work in 4 hours...
I feel like a mountain of rocks on my chest (I always feel that way during sunset time but this time it's extended)...Don't get me wrong, I am the most optimistc person you probably knew and will know, everything changes every now and then...
Hmmmm...

What I really miss during Ramadhan :\

A hot cup of tea with milk at work :\

Anyway I was trying to sleep but I couldn't so I worked a little bit on a secret project then begun to edit this photo to upload it flickr and some other profiles.

I will go straight to work no bed time for tonight :(

I went out for shopping and I bought this!

I went out for shopping and I bought this!
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

My new toy :>

It's true I already bought many stuff I always wanted but there are a lot of stuff still in my wish list (you can see it below).

Happy Ramadhan [Year 1428] مبارك عليكم الشهر

Happy Ramadhan [Year 1428] مبارك عليكم الشهر
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

Ramadhan (Ramadan) is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. It's when Muslims all over the world spend 30 days fasting and bettering themselves in principles of faith.

Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from sexual intercourse (during fasting), violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, angry and sarcastic retorts, and gossip. People are meant to try to get along with each other better than they normally might. All obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Purity of both thought and action is important. The fast is an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised level of closeness to God. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm.

Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory for several groups for whom it would be excessively problematic. Children before the onset of puberty are not required to fast, though some do. However, if puberty is delayed, fasting becomes obligatory for males and females after a certain age. According to the Qur'an, if fasting would be dangerous to someone's health, such as a person with an illness or medical condition (this can include the elderly), that person is excused.

The reason Muslims fast is to discipline their body and mind. The absence of food and drink and other pleasures provides a perfect opportunity to concentrate on prayer and worship. Not having the luxuries of life to hand makes it easier to reflect on life and be grateful for what we do have. Muslims use this month to start afresh and give their life a new direction.

Read more at Wikipedia
Here is an idiotic Q&A about Ramadhan LOL

The scariest night of my life [READ]

The scariest night of my life [READ]
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

ATTENTION: This could be the longest blog I ever posted and probably the longest I will ever post...It could be real, spooky (to me) and funny.

On the last weekend, the moon was a crescent; so I thought to take a drive away of the city for Astrophotography...I drove away for so long until I reached an area crowded with huge houses and very dark, I thought it's great since that area is located away of the city lights and close to the sea, I wanted to take some photos of the moon's reflection on the black dark sea with the stars all around.

Anyway I reached that place and kept my car's lights on because it was very dark and I wanted to see all the text around the buttons on my camera; then I begun taking some shots for lighting test; when I am done I turned my car's lights off and begun to take some light testing photos of the moon, stars and the sea....Suddenly...

A 4X4 black car was driving toward me really fast and I was like :O
The car's lights wear very bright and it caused me a tiny headache so I turned my face to the other way, then it stopped like 5 meters away of me...
And that's when I noticed the blue and red lights above the car LOL
Remember, I have a middle eastern look and that means I am a terrorist according to many people in the world (F.Y.I. That's me being sarcastic).
Anyway....

- He asked If there is anybody else with me, my ID, where do I work, my work's ID and If they (my work) knows that I am a photographer and what will I do with the photos I take...Etc
- I said well, It's my hobby and I was trying to take moon shots away of the city lights because it's ruins it, and I am alone and kinda afraid that a group of dogs might pop up anytime and then I have to run really fast like hell (at the time I wasn't in the running mood)...
- He laughed then told me you shouldn't be here and asked me about the camera's film...
- I replied it's digital...
- He asked me to follow him so he could take a look on what I was shooting...
- So I did...
He took me to a room full of monitors LOL
I was like OH MY GOD, what did I get my self into LOL
- He said that he saw me when I got here but he wanted to wait for a while before following me, just to catch me doing what I wanted to do...
- He also said that he zoomed on me and took some snap shots...
- I replied why didn't you tell me? I would smile...
He laughed again then he left to get some water and came back...
-I told him about the last time when I've been into similar thing while I was trying to photograph the national assembly (locally known as "Majlis Al Omma", but obviously this time I've got my self in way bigger troubles...I never blogged that story before but it was kinda funny when you know the details I told him about :D
- He laughed...Then he asked me to see the photos and I showed him...
- Then he told me that I could take some photos in other place and that he'll guide me to it...You could leave now if you want, so I left back to my car (as fast as I could LOL) then he followed me to lead me to a different photography spot, and that's when his phone begun to ring; he went away to answer and he was laughing almost all the time (I could see that) but I had no idea what he was saying because he was far away...
Then he came back and told me that other people saw me on the security camera when I came here and they were checking out...
Then he asked me for my ID again and went back in, probably to xerox it :+
He came back...
Then I told him, did I get my self in some kind of most wanted black lists? LOL
He laughed and said don't worry :D
He begun to tell me about the other place where I could take some photos...
Then told me be safe..
I replied thanks and sorry for the mess and left...
I drove to the place he told me about and I found a sign says: "ATTENTION: STRICTED AREA, NO PHOTOGRAPHY"...

So I had a you turn and went back to Kuwait city :(

I had a photo in my mind that I want to visualize it but I didn't have the chance :(

Anyway I went to a different location, somewhere by Kuwait towers to take a photo of the crescent...I was trying to experiment my lens's maximum vocal length (200 mm) and I actually could see the unlit part of the moon!
The camera shakes when I press the shutter release button and I have no idea where did I lost my remote control (my room is a mess, I probably throw it in the trash LOL)...So I used the timer...Because I didn't want any blurr in the photo...
And that's when a car stopped LOL
- He told me what are you shooting?
- I replied why?
- He said that he is a "Mabahith" (Similar to FBI agent)...
- I asked him for his ID...
- He showed it to me...
- Then I replied shooting the moon...
- He talked for a while then he left...

I moved by the beach to take some photos of the dawn, when I am done I went back to my car and drove to a different spot...

When I was just about to exit to the main road, I noticed a guy shooting Kuwait towers and I was happy and not sure whether I should stop or not because sometimes it makes me nerves when someone do that to me or when people gather around me...
But I did anyway...I was kinda excited about it and I never did it before :D

We talked for awhile about our cameras, I asked him if he knows flickr and about photography spots, I didn't want to stay long although I was excited but I didn't want to bother...
I left to other different spots to have different sessions, then went back home...We were going to meet in another spot but we didn't.
I went back home and I was online...I got a message from someone I have no idea who was it, when I read the email...It was that guy, I was totally surprised because he knew nothing about me...I asked him how did you find me, he said through flickr :D
I guess, I just found a new photography pal :Pp~

3 days weekend...

Starting 1st of September 2007, Kuwait is shifting the weekend from Thursday and Friday to Friday and Saturday.

So this weekend is going to be 3 days instead of two days Thursday, Friday and Saturday that's why I am happy...At least for now :+

Earthquake hits Kuwait!

Well, yesterday (Sat.) early morning around 2 A.M., I was in my room (third floor) on my bed working on a new project when my bed begun to shake and I looked exactly like this ---> :S
ما خليت آيه حفظونا اياها بالمدرسة ما قلتها LOL
I had no idea what was going on, I though USA initiated a new war or invaded a new country in the region or something.

Anway later I went down stairs and asked my little brother if he felt it, he replied NO and laughed, then I went to my mother and asked her too, she thought I was kidding.

On the moring while I was driving to work, they were talking about it on the radio and that's when I knew it was an earthquake ~:O

We never have them in Kuwait or at least we can't feel them when they happen but this one was 4.3-magnitude earthquake, I guess that's why I felt it.

Today, 17 years ago...

Today, 17 years ago...
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

On 2nd of August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait...At the time I was 8 years old (currently I am 14 years old) yet I do remember certain things vividly.
17 years ago I wake up around 10 A.M., I found my family all a wake and looking through the windows, when I asked what's wrong?
They said Iraq invaded us...I looked through the window and I saw columns of smoke everywhere raising in the sky with bombing noise which I already heard earlier but I didn't know what was it at the time.

I do remember that day when my father came back home with my brother, a bullet almost
hit his car's tire.

I also remember my aunt (my mother's sister), she used to record stuff from TV and get them to us so we can watch it, because their house is closer to Saudi Arabia so they can get better TV signals, she used to write "Om Kalthoum" (She is a dead singer) on the VHS tapes to pass through the Iraqi check points.

I also remember when the Iraqi army blown up more than 600 oil fields (more than 1 billion barrels were either spilled in the sea or burned), the sky at 1 P.M. was more like 1 A.M. except there was no moon or stars!

The photo above of my uncle, he wrote our names on the missile as a gift from us to the army of Saddam.

The photo below is a snapshot from Kuwait TV (As seen on many Kuwaiti patriotic songs), my father was driving a school bus with almost everybody in our neighborhood on board, we had a road trip on the liberation day (26th of February 1991) to the north, I am the one in red.

Currently If you visited Kuwait, You will not
realize that a war took place here.

الله يحفظ الكويت و شعبها

!اتفشلوووووون

!اتفشلوووووون
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

غير عنوان الصورة ما عندي تعليق!

AGAINST THE AGONY they WON!

AGAINST THE AGONY they WON!
Originally uploaded by radiant guy

THEY WON!
I am really happy for them, they won the Asian cup for the first time although they've been under massive agony!
When they won the game with Korea, Iraqi people went out in the streets celebrating the victory, 50 were killed and more were injured by a terror explosion.
Their football team consists of many players with different ethnic and religious backgrounds, yet they played as a team and proved to the world that differences means NOTHING.

VIVA IRAQ and f**K BUSH AND CONDOLESSA RICE :D

BLOGGED

BLOGGED
Originally uploaded by radiant guy.

One of my self portraits (Cover boy) was BLOGGED by Rita from UK.
I have similar photo taken and manipulated by me of a friend and looks way better than this one; I guess because I spent more time post processing it :D

I guess I am becoming a super star, move over Britney because Radiant Guy is taking over LOL