Book Review :: Correspondence Artist
A novel that wants to make love to the whole world. A novel that reveals its secrets in quiet whispers that will make your ears strain against the page. A novel that has no plot yet tells a story. A novel that repeats the same scenario, over and over, but never gets boring. A novel [...]
The Naked Reader
I try to imagine you – the future reader of my yet unpublished novel. Thinking about what squares in the circles of your mind fills me with dread. The pipes of my inner plumping clog and drain in fits of anxiety as I imagine you reading words that have escaped from my fingertips onto the [...]
Lady on a Bench Searching her Purse
There is a bronze statue in Stanley Park of a lady sitting on a bench searching through her purse. She is looking for her glasses. I assume to read a book. The glasses are on her head. In life the things we yearn for are within easy reach, if only we look. People are always [...]
How not to Write a Book
The victory was the beginning of the defeat. I look back at the way I wrote my first book and shake my head with disbelief. Ridicules, stupiduficuleos, Moroniclitionliouse. Superclumsyfitxlilioucious. Should I burn with the fire shame ? Or drench myself with the more comforting waters of laughter. Water and fire knocking on the door. Will [...]
Increase me in Knowledge
“Write what you know” I heard it said before. Hmmmm! …… I disagree. At age 19, I immigrated from the middle-east and found myself in an in-between state. Wet from the all immersive experience of being deeply embedded in a culture; dry as a cracker observing new set of social norms. The isolation had a [...]
Recipe for Everything
Making this video was fun. You can read the text for it here.
Foodie Adventure
In the kitchen, I don’t follow a recipe. I open the fridge and examine treasure among the shelves. I can imagine a red pepper roasting into a pasty amber; garlic frying up into an aroma; olive oil pregnant with history. O look! There is an Eggplant in my fridge. Is there anything more alluring than [...]
Dating advice
Friends ask me for dating advice all the time. “Should I call him back right away or wait for a few days?” an eager friend will inquire hoping for navigation in the turbulent seas of singlehood. “Call him right away” I might half-hazard a reply. “But then I might seem too eager” the angry reply [...]
I am ready
I am ready to eat a strawberry by squeezing it between my fingers watch red juice flow drop by drop I am ready to jump up and down on Oprah’s couch declaring great love for others to ridicule I am ready I got it at last My chaos is my freedom This state of brokenness [...]
Most Eloquent of Insults
Reading a chapter from my novel Graffiti Hack – a story about the east-west cultural clash told through the viral language of the internet. A Little more about the novel Inspired by her country of origin, Nelly creates a font where each letter is shaped out of a peacock’s feather. When her website design [...]
Help me Build a Tofu Dress
A shorter version of this story was published in The Globe and Mail on April 17, 2013. You can read that version here. My daughter is both a vegetarian and a Lady Gaga fan. I told her a few months ago that one day when I am famous and about to win an award of [...]
Carnival :: A Book Review
I remember the first time I heard the name of the author Rawi Hage. At a party, my friend Carol was eager to tell me about the Arab-Canadian author who had been nominated for the Giller (Canadian literary prize). My immediate reaction was “Dang! that is such a cool name”. Rawi means storyteller in Arabic [...]
In the Cave
It is such a dense burden – giving birth to a grown up woman. To spare polite society the affliction of observing this most unnatural of labours I feel compelled to retreat into a remote cave in the wilderness where I entered one day and got lost in labyrinth unable to find my way back [...]
Vandalizing Art
Last week I heard the story on the news about the Rothko painting which was vandalized in the Tate museum. A man simply walked up to the painting and wrote on it with a black marker – an action I disapprove of. The story made me think about what work of art I wish I [...]
Graffiti Around Vancouver
My new found interest in graffiti is compelling me to notice it everywhere I go and I end up taking pictures. The text says “Laugh Now … One Day We’ll Be In Charge” This one seems inspired by banksy. I found it on 4th ave in kits. This one I [...]
Anonymous is the new Famous
I am currently writing a novel which mentions the British graffiti artist Banksy. I had some familiarity with his work, but since his art work is used as a contrast point for my main character at an important junction in the plot, I decided to do as much research as possible. Started with online info, [...]
My Dearie and I :: Part 1
Here is the written version of the story I love, love, love my Canadian passport. My sentiment might strike you as exuberant. You have not travelled around the world with an Iraqi passport; therefore I don’t expect you to understand. I have a ritual that I follow whenever I am about to travel abroad. I [...]
Artistic Correspondence
I receive all sorts of things: Gifts, books, poems, death treats, lovely emails and pictures of all sorts. Today, however I received something I have never received before – A painting of myself. The artist’s name is Falah Hassan, he lives in Irbil Iraq where he teaches fine arts. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a webpage, [...]
Kusama Under my Skin
felt pen on paper I was researching polka dots on the internet when I discovered a Japanese artist called Yayoi Kusama, who is obsessed with polka dots. My research moved from the internet to the public library and I managed to find a few books and event a movie made about her called “I love [...]
The Humble Humus
This video was inspired by the AnnoyingOrange. Only, I would argue that The Humble Humus is far more annoying than the orange because The Annoying Orange knows that it is annoying, whereas this sticky and mushy food item has no self awareness whatsoever. There is nothing more annoying that mock humbleness. All humus was consumed [...]
It was Just a Dream
Music By JoJo Zawawi – used with permission by the artist Here are some words that JoJo used to describe herself: I’m a Classical & Jazz Pianist ! And some Flamenco, too ! I began playing piano when I was 18 months old. I never learned to read music (working on that now !), but [...]
Two feet on the ground, staring at the stars.
My grandmother always started stories by saying “Long time ago, there was and there wasn’t”. My grandmother never said” in a faraway land”. Her stories were rooted in Iraqi folklore and to her they were an extension of her immediate identity. Stories from One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights), stories of the Arabian prankster [...]
One pup, Two Pup, Red Pup, Blue Pup
Four little puppies get into all sorts of mischief when the mighty hands of god descend on them to punish them harshly.
Let there be Color
The above is my first stop motion video. I had no idea what I was doing while working on it, but I certainly learned lots through the experience. The story is of black and plain shoes all moving around in a regimented manner, until colorful shoes invade the space and have a big party. Stop [...]
Broken hearted
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I assumed this happened to other women. You know the type. No life outside of the mother role. No career. No interests. The type that reads … ehm! ehm! … romance novels. I was going to be different. I worked, I have my own interests. I have an [...]
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