The last silence..

The Last Silence

She sat in the balcony, where the air was fresh, and in front of her, on the table, a cup of coffee, which she used to drink every morning, but on this day in particular - and unusually -she had woke up early (and full of energy)!

First, she ignited her cigarette as she looks at the mounting smoke from the cup passionately as it carries the smell of coffee, so she inhales it in relief. Next to her, her naughty cat was sitting specualting the silence she had used to it.

She kept looking to the cup and how its smoke tempts her to take a first sip and she smiles! What a taste!!! She kept taking sips over and over until that smoke was calmed down. She put the cup on the table with a few coffee left waiting for her last sips, as she began to ignite a second cigarette.
She strayed from her coffee a little bit and seemed more occupied with her cigarettes that were melting between her fingers and her mouth, and she began to leave with the smoke rising. The little angel grabbed the cup, scrabbles about it, as she figured out that the smoke has faded and the smell of the coffee, too. So she extinguished what remained of the cigarette then she looked to the sky and smiled with a little bit of self-irony!

As she was deciding, her cat began to flirt with her trying to break that desolate silence. and perhaps to have some fun.
She grabbed her cat and headed towards the door, kicking her out. Then she went back again to the chair she sat on for ages in the balcony. She stepped up to the fence where the last floor of the towering architecture is, and turned her back and began to remember.
She remembered her past. She remembered her tears, how she laughed and remembered her love and loved ones. She remembered how she woke up to welcome the Valentine's Day alone and single, but with a smile accompanied with a hope for a single meeting where she arranged her room and brought out her most prestigious clothes –that girl that he was looking to with a slight smile as he kisses her out of love–she had conjured up her makeup and wore her clothes, then began wandering the streets searching for a gift that would feel his face with a joy. Afterwars, she went to the places where she can see him most until she came across a coffee shop, that witnessed their laughter in the New Year's Eve.

-where he kissed the angel and made her angry in the morning - and where everyone celebrates Valentine's Day, she grabbed the phone, and sent him the first love message and sat waiting. Then she went back remembering him and began to cry that she hardly can breath!. Few minutes later, she sent him a message again while he was performing a phone call with his lover.

Him: Darling
Her: Bae
Him: I'm waiting for you
Her: I'll be there in a couple of mintues, my love ♥

She sent him a voice message saying: "I remember you giving a rose that made me so happy that I'm keeping it to that day". While at the same time she was sending that message, he was giving the same rose to his "darling". She was remembering the way he gave his loved one that rose, she still can remember the few words he spelled out while handing out his gift, sitting on his knees: "I thought this rose would make you happy, Sonia!". She desperatly hoped that he'd have treated her the way he treats his girlfriend, but he didn't.

As he was saying those sweet words to his loved one, she just couldn't wait anymore as he fluctuates in the bosom of the other girl. Waiting made her feel a real and tough pain inside her as she witnesses all the cuddles and flirts. That same pain stopped her heart while he's shrouded with the love of an other one.

She closed her eyes, and as soon as she saw someone - all in white - with open arms in the sky welcoming her, holding that same rose she kept remembering, she threw herself with the biggest smile she ever had.

Her body bumped in the ground, her face is still smiling, and next to her that cat contemplating the last silence..

Edublogs Challenge l Week 4: Let’s join globally l Activity 2

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WEEK 4

Activity 2:

Write a list of international events you have taken part in since Christmas 2014. [✓]

Frankly, since Christmas 2014 I didn't go to many international events maybe cause of the lack of interest.. Well whatever! The events I'm about to mention are not in order, just saying.

Picture taken from Earth Hour 2013 B Roll 08 - UK, Tunisia, Netherlands, Albania video l By Earth Hour

Let me start talking about my participation for the Earth Hour in Tunisia. I went along with my big brother to the Capital Tunis-- I can't describe the atmosphere there, everything was very organized to be honest. When you turn those lights off and lit your candles for an hour, you feel like you've done an achievement especially when you're aware that these 60 minutes have their value in saving energy. I'm glad I was a participant in that event.

Picture taken from "Programme de la 9e édition du festival de ''Jazz à Carthage" article, website http://www.astrolabetv.com

Sincerely,  I'm not fan of Jazz and such but my father insisted on taking me with him to this event and I couldn't refuse. However, I discovered that my dislike for this genre of music was just a stupidity. Jazz is just unique and that's what make it special; it doesn't look like any other music genres whether deep house, rock, electro, dubstep etc. It has it's own characteristics. It was an amazing concert!

   by  mckaysavage

How did I forget to tell you about my adventure in the Tunisian desert? I went with my family to the Sahara Festival. It has it's value in Tunisian tourism, and it is even known at the global level as it attracts many tourists. There are many activities in this festival such as horse races, camal races in addition to introducing the tunisian traditions such as the tradional dress. You won't regret if you attend it!

Picture taken from "Stromae sur la scène du Festival International de Carthage " article, website http://www.canalfrance.info 

I don't think that Carthage Musical Festival needs any introduction because it is actually an international festival. I don't usually go to that festival to be honest but as soon as I heard that Stromae will perform at the concert, I couldn't control myself. The ticket was pretty expensive, it was around 140 pounds (tunisian dinar) and I can remember that I was begging my father for around two weeks to grant me permission to go with my friends to it's concert-- or let me put it this way, I was begging him during that period to give money to buy the ticket hahaha. 

With the testimony of those present, Stromae's performance was probably one of the best - if not the best - performances ever of Carthage Musical Festival in the recent years, without any doubt. 

This was a list of some international events I took part in from Christmas 2014 until now. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this post but most importantly is that you discover these festivals that occur in my country because they're super-amazing. 

 

Edublogs Challenge l Week 4: Let’s join globally l Activity 1

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WEEK 4

Activity 1:

Join our Free Rice group called Student Blogging Challenge or create one for your class. [✓]

Free Rice Website logo  

Free Rice is really a site full of humanity. I do not think that there is an easier place to contribute, and even with a small proportion, fighting the scourge that we still, unfortunately, live in the 21st century which is famine. The combat of such lesions is the responsibility of each and every one of us. I've spent a good 30 minutes in that site, and look how many grains I have collected... 1040 grains!!

Alternatively, in addition to the humanitarian side of the site, it offers you the opportunity to educate yourself through the various subjects it contains. Two birds with one stone, you know?

Check out Free Rice website: freerice.com

Earth Hour 2015

Watch Earth Hour's official video:

Surely, our need for the energy is increasing day after day, and this increase is definitely affecting our earth negatively. We've been conducting many researches recently to find new ways to replace the electric and oil powers by alternative energies such as solar energy. It's time to wake up from gaining, human destiny is in our hands. Between the present and the future we stand, we're the line that links between today and tomorrow, and we decide to whether build a bright or a dark tomorrow. We must share the determination fellas!

Earth Hour is one of the occasions where we have to be ONE. Be on time, the next Saturday, the 28th of March-- turn off your lights and lit your candles. Let's save together the energy for us, for our children and for future generations.

Use #YourPower to Change Climate

Edublogs Challenge l Week 3: Let’s comment l Activity 4

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WEEK 3

Activity 4:

Find an interesting landscape image (include attribution).  Write the beginning of a story relating to your image. Invite your readers to finish the story [✓]

   by  Leon Fishman 

 The Light That Brought Darkness

Chris, fourty one years old, is single. His two daughters and wife passed away as their home was burned. Chris entered into a psychological crisis that lasted nearly seven months, where he didn't utter a single word during this period. His family tried to help him and he was carried to the most brilliant psychiatrists but, despite his recovering, Chris still has a state of isolation, where lives in a remote place in one of the USA forests.

Someday, after spending most of the time fishing and preparing the fish to be sold on the market next day, Chris returned to his house around nightime to have a break. While he was asleep, around the dawn, he saw a bright light from the north. He was surprised because he's been there for quite six years and he never had seen any visitors, he felt like this light is intentionally trying to him there. Chris's love for reconaissance and his yearning for adventure pushed him to wake up. He went inside his boat, and proceeded to drive towards the light..

Now it's your turn to cast in your ends for this story. Keep in mind the story's title. Can't wait to see your attempts fellas!

Edublogs Challenge l Week 3: Let’s comment l Activity 3

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WEEK 3

Activity 3:

Find an image or piece of music. Add it to your post (with attribution) and write a poem relating to the image or music. [✓]

   by  ECohen 

 Bless you! My sweetheart      

Thank you Mom for everything! 




I know not how to thank you enough, my sweetheart
When I am walking over to you
I just want to hold your hands
But you gave me your life

I know not how to thank you enough, my sweetheart
When I am walking over to you
I just want to pick happiness
But you gave me all the happiness

I know not how to thank you enough, my sweetheart
When I am walking over to you
I just want to find admiration
But you gave me the whole admiration

 

Edublogs Challenge l Week 3: Let’s comment l Activity 2

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WEEK 3

Activity 2:

Check out this story using remix and fair use of video. What was interesting, positive or negative about it? [✓]

Nowadays, being aware of the copyright policies is strongly recommended, especially if you're a blogger, therefore respecting these laws will play in your favor. This video shows you all big and small things regarding the copyright policy in a funny and professional way, especially that the remix is about fairy tales that we surely watched when we were little "babies" (well I still watch them but yea). In a nutshell, copyright means that the maker of a video/image/graphics (designs in general) is the owner, and you can't steal/copy/use his work without his/her permission. 

After watching this clip, I'm pretty sure you would seriously think about how many graphics you stole in the past, but in the same time, I'm sure that you will start finding images with creative commons.

So, what is good about using creative common pictures in your blog?

Edublogs Challenge l Week 3: Let’s comment l Activity 1

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WEEK 3

Activity 1:

 Watch this video about sharing work and write a post about what you learned.  [✓]

Sometimes we react harshly when one of our colleagues copy a paragraph we wrote without even asking permission and/or claims it's his/her own. I guess the same criteria applies when it comes to people stealing/using your own made GFX/designs. Everything in the internet could be easily exploited especially pictures and stuff. It's not like any of the hand-made pictures you create in real life, because most-likely no one can steal your copy and it doesn't get disclosed unless you give it to one of your friends or something. It became really annoying for graphic designers to see their work being stolen that's why copyright policies are there to prevent such things from happening. However, if you don't have the potential to create fancy images like the ones in the internet, there are designs that use the CC policies (creative commons) according to the terms of the liscenced work . Generally, it's rotated between whether you can use the image for financial purposes without owner's permission, or you can use his image but you'd have to credit him, and things alike.

Edublogs Challenge l Week 2: Let’s comment l Activity 4

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WEEK 2

Activity 4:

Write a post about the overseas blogs you have commented on. [✓]

http://per4danyale.edublogs.org/
A blog that is rich with information especially the "Job Shadowing Experience" article. You feel like it's full of vitality and frankness, it also features a good comic character. Danyale has really a good writing skill that is not based on such a difficult language or complex compositions, it's based on simplicity.

http://per4skye.edublogs.org/
Skye blog Is a place where you feel you are in the world that you want, the world of young people. When you read the articles, you feel like the words are directly talking to you because the way these articles are written are close to our mentality as teenagers; the teenagers that love iPhones, smartphones, Facebook etc.

These are just two examples of blogs I've been reading and commenting on lately. It's strongly recommended to even have an overview about them.
Thank you and stay tuned for the coming posts!

Edublogs Challenge l Week 2: Let’s comment l Activity 1

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WEEK 2

Activity 1:

Write a post, create a video or create a poster about commenting. [✓]

Poem: I am

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WEEK 1  

 I am

I am who I am. I never change just to please others, because I'm unique. 


I am strong and reliable
I wonder destiny
I hear the truth
I see the future
I want stability
I am strong and reliable

I pretend wickedness
I feel love
I touch kindness
I worry about bad surprises
I cry about distance
I am strong and reliable

I try to love everyone
I hope become a lawyer
I am strong and reliable

My Story

Student Blogging Challenge Logo

WEEK 1 

Activity 6:

Create your own About Me page or post [✓]

My Story

To whoever reading this, whether you know me or not, what you're about read may not have been disclosed before, even to my friends and the people close to me. I'll take you into a trip sponsored by my words, a trip that will bring together between seriousness and fun, and alot alot of laughter. If you have schizophrenia and laugh for no reason, YOU ARE WARNED.. Do not read this post because your case will get worse, especially with the ridiculous things you're going to read.

Just want to clarfiy something before I move ahead, I'm TUNISIAN, I was just born in Saudi Arabia due to my father having a medical internship there, that's it.

Anyway, everything started when I opened my eyes on Jeddah hospital, in Saudi Arabia. I can not remember anything of course but my mom told me that there was a doctor who turned me upside and down, and slapped me on my back. We are actually exposed to violence from the first moment, and then they ask why our generation is fanatic and reckless. I mean come on, why don't you fix your medical system first? I lived in Saudi Arabia for about four years, and I wore that traditional gulf dress. Wearing that one sleeved one piece dress that covers the whole body, which is called Thoub, and putting that Schumagg, which is actually a scarf-like head cover. It was werid to be honest.

I did not study there but my big brother did, they were required to wear the Thoub. The course starts around 7:30 A.M but the strangest thing is that people study in single-gender schools which means NO GIRLS, if you wanna say something romantic, you'd have to say it to your classmate, who is a MALE, just like you. I feel pity for my brother because seeing a girl at that time was like seeing the Mermaid. I have always been waiting for Thursday on pins and needles, because on that day, my father takes us on a stroll to Jeddah, where I buy many games, especially those little cars, OHHH I still have that collection until now, they're amazing. Afterwards, we finish that stroll at the fancy and beautiful McDonalds!

Four years later, we returned to Tunisia except for my father who stayed there until he completes his medical internship, which will last one year. Until my dad comes back from Saudi Arabia, we stayed at my grandmother's house in a pretty popular neighborhood called "Ezzahrouni", located on south of the capital Tunis. I studied there in one of the kindergardens, and I'd like to thank a teacher who was working there for her oustanding effort and motivating me in eudcation. I got to know a lot of friends, and had fun with them, but it hurts me right in the heart because I haven't seen them for years now while I always thought that they'll be there forever but that's life, we have to move forward. That year was one of the best years on record because I was one of the outstanding students in kindergarten, and my brother passed the exam of the sixth primary year, and he was among the top three students in "Ezzahrouni School". On the summer of 2003, my dad finally came back to Tunisia, and what a joy it was! We all missed him and we were all happy to see him again. However, it wasn't a completed joy because after just six months, dad had a surgery. Those days were just tough, not just for me, but for the whole family, but, fotunately, everything returned to normal. In that same year, we moved to Taher Sfar, where we've built a house, and I studied in "Ibn Rachik" primary school and from there, I began my real educational career. I studied in that school for around six years, where I got many awards and certificates, and also got to know new people, CRAZY people that I love haha. I got to know people that don't care about education, people that care so much about it, people who are funny and has a good sense of humor, and people who are jealous. I mean we all have passed by this kind of persons. Since my fourth year of the primary education, I began to play handball within my school, and I discovered that I have a hidden talent in my inside. My love for this sport has grown day by day, and I was improving, I've been working hard to be someday a player with value. My dream seemed to be true when I've been selected among ONLY 24 players in a all tunisia to be in the regional team, and play in RADES OLYMPIC INDOOR ARENA! I was aged 12 at the time, but I felt the responsibility, because I'm not just going to mark my presence, I'm going to play for my region and my team. I can remember my manager telling me "Aymen, seize this opportunity, son. People have been playing handball for years and they dream to put their feet inside Rades Olympic arena!". These words really motivated me, and I couldn't even sleep, waiting just for the day to come in to get myself prepared for the match. 

After meeting on the train station, my manager took me to the arena, but there was a big SURPRISE! I thought that the arena would be just empty, but I discovered that we're going to play just few minutes before the handball cup final match starts. The indoor arena was full, there was also giant screens, media keep pace with the event, crowd supporting their teams, songs...
The atmosphere was enthusiastic and I felt confused, I was telling myself "Aymen, you're not gonna make it, you better leave". My body wanted to leave, but my mind wanted to play. It was a battle between confusion and truth that ended with the winning of truth. I wore my sports outfit, and fotunately, got selected in the first squad. The beginning of the match wasn't that good; a lot of errors, wrong passes and shots but I remdiaded later on. It was a good game and I've done well. I was very happy!

The next year, exactly in 2010, I entered a new stage in my studies, as I moved to college. It was pretty hard to cope with the atmosphere there but it went well. Many things changed; I had to take the train, come back home late... I met new friends in the middle school, it was a new environment, new way of thinking. I was like most of the boys at the time, trying to show off, trying to prove that I'm strong, OH and YEA, I may seem that good boy now, but believe me, in my starts in the preparatory school, I was always fighting with boys, always having that scar on my head HAHAHA but then I realised that all of this is just a waste of time, you know? 

After three years, I moved to high school, and thus to the secondary level. I spent and still spend wonderful days in "Nabheni High School" especially in the english subject, which I love, as my teacher Miss Hayfa relays on technology and she's the one who motivated me to start blogging or I wouldn't be here, writing that post. 

I'm simply a normal person, a little bit crazy but someone who can actually make people laugh so quick. I love people, and so they do. I just wanted to give you a small glimpse about my life, I hope you liked it.

 

Edublogs Challenge l Week 1: Let’s talk about us l Activity 5

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WEEK 1 

Activity 5:

Description of other web sites or apps to create avatars [✓]

 Pixton is a great web application, it offers you much more features to create your own avatar than other websites. Yet, you should create an account in order to start creating your avatar. The website address should be as fellows: http://www.pixton.com   

The only drawback on the site is that, even with a registered account, you'd only have a 7 days trial, and as soon as it expires, you'll need to purchase a license. Actually that's reasonable due to the big turnout on Pixton, which prompted it's owners to take advantage of this opportunity and make a profit from the site.  Pixton is not only used to create avatars, it is also a way to make professional comics. Anyway, I wanted to write a tutorial for those who are interested in discovering this web application. Have a good one!

TUTORIAL

1) You should create an account, click on "Sign up" to do so. You can alternativey, use Facebook function to register an account.

2) Once you're logged in, your home page should look like this

To proceed with the creation of your avatar, click on "My Comics" (that single pen on the top left).
3) Now click on "Create A Character"

4) Afterwards, you'd be directed to this page

Choose the character you  want to use (whether male or female)
5) Wait until page loads

6) Preferably, like I usually do, make sure you name your character because you might forget to do so. You set a name to your avatar by clicking on the appropriate blank which is above your character.

7) Now choose a skin color for your avatar

8) It's time to select your hair color

9) Hair color, hmm! All it needs is a hair style now, right?

10) We're done with the avatar's hair. Let's move to eyes now, choose eye type

11) Now eyes color

12) Therefore, we'll move to tops-- choose the color of whatever you'll wear, whether it's a jacket, trousers, t-shirt etc.

13) Now here is your wardrobe, choose anything you want to wear

14) Select your avatar's style 

15) We're almost done. Choose your character's length

16) Now click on "Save & Continue"

17) To see your avatar, click on "Main Menu" (that three dashes)

18) The menu should look like this

Click on "Characters"

19) Afterwards, you'd have a list of your characters

That would be it I hope that you guys liked this tutorial. I advise you to have a look at Pixon because it's an amazing website. 
Don't forget to leave your comments!

Edublogs Challenge l Week 1: Let’s talk about us l Activity 4

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WEEK 1 

Activity 4:

Write a post describing your avatar [✓]

 

Physically, my avatar has actually a beige skin, and an undercut hairstyle, which I really love. He has green eyes, that kind that you can look into and feel like you're getting lost. The avatar's eyebrows are black, thick, bushy and rectangular. He has a good sense of humor, he can easily make people laugh, he's actually comfortable, big hearted and attractive. This avatar is my mirror, I see myself when I see him, especially his eye glances. He's typically me as we share many similarities. I'm funny and extremely introverted, weird, a little crazy, imaginative. I accept others as they are and I try to be as non-judgmental as possible, I'm kinda childish, but in a good way, not a bratty way, I put others first and I'm pretty hard to offend. 

That's why I see that this avatar reflects my image!

Edublogs Challenge l Week 1: Let’s talk about us l Activity 2

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WEEK 1 

Activity 2:

Create a series of avatars to represent your family members and describe them [✓]

As the challenge text said, I created avatars to represent my family members, and tried to describe them precisely.

Abdallah - my father - he works in the hospital Habib Thamer as a general practitioner for around fifteen years now. He's like other fathers, he tries to reconcile between his work and family life, which I see his succeeded in doing so. This mustaches may give the impression that my father is somehow a strict man, but believe me he's not. Well he may be that strict, but when it seems necessary, you know? My father is my friend, he's very close to his children; he listens to their problems and try to help them. I love him so much!

This is my mom, Najwa, she's just a housewife. I see in her the happiness and hope, I see the compassion and kindness, and on the other hand I see the anger she feels when I do something terrible. I'm closer to my mom than my father, not because she has better qualities than my dad, it is just cause of the time I spend with her, which is more than the time I spend with my father. She knows the real me, and I know the real her, what an equation, right? Haha. My mom is simply my princess.

My brother Ahmed, he's in fact five years older than me, but that did not affect my relationship with him, which is characterized by openness and fun. He's my mentor; due to his experience, he always advise me and lend me a helping hand, he's there when I need him and so I am. He loves football (well that's reflected from the background I chose for his avatar) to the degree that he doesn't want to speak with anyone if a match is in progress, especially if it's related to "EST" (his favourite team). I like this exotic personality of my brother, to be honest.

My sister, Amal. My relationship with her is decent, I would say.  She may look like between a social butterfly, and a wallflower. She can get stressed out easily from things, and can sometimes be a little high-strung. Amal is mature, a happy and a nice person. She is very compassionate and loving. I'm too close to my sister, maybe because of the little age difference between us, it is the fact that I'm only one year older than her.

Bottom line is that my family combines between various qualities such as strange and fun, also seriousness and mutual respect. This is the environment in which I lived seventeen years until now, and that environment is what made the person I am today, the person whom I like and whom people love. In the end, the family is everything, as Michael J. Fox said  “Family is not an important thing. It's everything.”