Bambi's Thoughts
Believe it or not? Today is the National Day of Bubble Bath!
Of course, you have to have running water in your place to be able to indulge in a bubble bath.
You also ideally need a bubble bath soap or even make your own, if you prefer.
Whether you will take a bubble bath before midnight or not, here are a few songs for you from Bambi; half of them are in French and the other half in English :)!
In the past, at different opportunities, Bambi has applauded several decent politicians. They have either verbally defended freedom of expression or acted as free leaders themselves. This includes Mr. Maxime Bernier (elected, then non-elected with the PPC), Ms. Jodie Willson-Raybould (removed from Cabinet, then independent), and Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc Québécois). Today, Bambi would like to thank and congratulate Mr. Poilievre for his excellent explanation of freedom of expression and for his clear as well as strong position, defending Dr. Jordan Peterson’s right to free speech!
While chatting with her dad, Bambi learned that Lebanon’s artists are sharing the pain of singer Georges Wassouf, his (former) spouse, and family who are mourning the sudden death of their son, Wadih, following a surgery (https://bit.ly/3Zi0DYD). May God know how to comfort their aching hearts and may his memory be eternal…
Bambi cannot help not to think of Ms. France Gall (1947-2018) today. May her memory be eternal…
Bambi keeps standing in full solidarity with Dr. Jordan Peterson, as shown in the earlier post below. Please take the time to listen to his daughter, Mikhaila. Just imagine that Dr. Peterson is your dad, uncle, psychologist, or… yourself. As for Mikhaila, imagine that she is your sister, cousin, best friend, or… yourself. What does it do to you? Do you see that this is done to intimidate us all, including yourself? Even if you cannot see it now, as Dr. Peterson said earlier, you’re next.
“The College of Psychologists, an organization set up by the government in the 1960’s to protect individuals is harassing my dad and has been for 4 years, because of his political opinions. He criticized the Trudeau government and they’re after him because of that and his tweet about Elliot Page and the sports illustrated obese cover model. They’re threatening to take his license for “causing harm” and actually have the power to take his license. I think complaining about the college for causing harm to my family is more than reasonable“.
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Bambi refuses to go to bed without musically reacting to a thoughtful tweet by journalist and author Roula Douglas. Her message reminds us that it is has been 884 days since the double explosion of the Beirut port (August 4, 2020). Yes, “884 days of injustice; 884 days of impunity;884 days since the double explosion, which ravaged Beirut. # They are all criminals.”
As a reminder, we are talking about over 218 deaths, 7500 injuries, 300, 000 instant homeless people, 150+ permanently disabled, over 3/4 of the capital damaged, 4 hospitals totally destroyed, US$15, 000, 000, 000 worth of damage. All this in addition to those who have been traumatized; many of whom migrated around the world.
Bearing the above in mind, there is no word that can come to Bambi’s mind right now to write anything about the level of either criminal negligence or criminality of ALL those involved in this tragedy. Sadly, there is no term that could well express the disappointing yet not surprising silence of the international community.
However, luckily when we lack words in life, there is always music and powerful lyrics we can rely on. Through this post, Bambi will borrow the words and emotions expressed, by talented artists and children, to send her solidarity to Beirut; especially to the victims’ families and to the courageous Judge Tarek Bitar. As a reminder, the latter is the second judge appointed to investigate this case. Without any shame, the political class has been continuously meddling to stop his investigation.
Do you recall when Bambi wrote, perhaps in two posts shown at this end of this one, that there is an international day for everything, whether it is something you like or not? Sometimes even a single day of the year has been declared to be devoted to two or more events, or objects, at once; by we do not know by whom.
Indeed, in addition to being the National Bird Day, today is the “National Whipped Cream Day”, imagine (https://bit.ly/3CqRWkN). Who came up with this odd idea, Bambi could not help not to wonder to herself!
With all due respect and love of whipped cream on top of her deserts or fruits, and if she may, Bambi will honour the “Ashta” instead today :).
What is Ashta? It is a Middle East clotted cream, which is mainly made of coagulated milk and rose water. It is yummy! You can find it in pastries we eat in feasts like the Saint Barbara (the Lebanese or Middle-Eastern version of Halloween) or Epiphany’s eve like tonight or like el Eid, which celebrates the end of Ramadan! All feasts, religious or not, are a golden opportunity to come together and… eat! Of course, sweet is always on the table, if not in everyone’s belly (unless the person has any type of diabetes).
Well, if you are curious more about Ashta that we put in the Katayef traditionally eaten tonight and tomorrow to highlight the Epiphany:
From Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen website, Bambi re-learned the following (https://bit.ly/3ZcClPJ): ” If you’re familiar with Arabic and Lebanese sweets, you would know that “Ashta” is a major ingredient and is considered as the king of fillers. Ashta is a slang word for “Kashta” in classical Arabic, which refers to clotted cream prepared with rose water and orange blossom water. Ashta is used as a filler in desserts such as Knefeh (kunafa), Znood el Sit, Atayif (Katayif) and in many others Ashta Lebanese Desserts. It is also served on top of fruit cocktails. So, here we are with the Original Lebanese Ashta Recipe – A clotted Cream With Rose Water”.
To end this brief post, Bambi would like to post a Lebanese famous song related to birds by the late Mr. Samy Clark, a clever English video, by Ms. Susanne Husseini, on how to make homemade Ashta, and wish everyone celebrating Epiphany, a good one! Same for those celebrating Christmas this evening/tomorrow [hello Diana and family :)!]. Mind you, some may be celebrating Christmas the following day or even around it.
This being said, whether we highlight any of the above or not, “Sahteen” as they say in Lebanon, which means “Bon Appétit” or literally the following: Twice I wish you health, not just once! One may take it as being a wish for well-being for both the physical and the spiritual aspects of health. And if we love food so much, like Bambi, we may take it as follows: Please help yourself with another treat :)!
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Bambi would like to thank her relative from Ontario who informed us of a True North article with the following shocking, yet not that surprising, title: “Jordan Peterson faces censure by Ontario College of Psychologists over Trudeau tweets” (https://bit.ly/3CqCd5l).
Are we in the former Soviet Union or still in Canada? Is Mr. Trudeau or anyone replacing him, from his own party or another one, a modern czar? Why can’t we criticize his policies now? And if we criticize any of our politicians, including our Prime Minister, does it necessarily mean we do not appreciate other good policies or statements or actions?
For Bambi, and likely for many of you reading this post, what is absolutely unacceptable is the continuous use of academia, unions, medical or psychological professional bodies, private enterprises even as tools to perpetuate censorship.
You may not know how to appreciate Dr. Peterson’s high intelligence (and humanity!). You may or may not agree with him on any topic. You may hate him to death even. Yes, your mind and heart may to too blinded by ignorance and hate to be rejoicing for him now maybe… and forgetting his clever title of his interview of Bambi about her saga… “You’re next“.
On January 4, 1960, French philosopher, journalist, and novelist, Mr. Albert Camus, died in a car accident. He was only 47 years old (https://bit.ly/3ieuOPJ). May his memory be as eternal as some of his thoughtful quotes, which may seem timely today more than ever. This is especially true in a world lacking love, which appears to be either authoritarian or careless. Sometimes both at once…
While preparing this post, Bambi learned that the great French singer, Mr. Serge Lama, ended his career at age 79 with an album called “Aimer” [“To Love”]. In it, he dedicated a song to Mr. Camus for whom he paid tribute with the following heartfelt words: “Oh Camus, I mourn you. My hero you remain. You who died of a Dostoyevsky in the heart“ (https://bit.ly/3VK32IG). If you wish, you can listen to this French song following some of Camus’ quotes.
“Always go too far, because that’s where you’ll find the truth.
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants.
Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.
By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more.
Those who lack the courage will always find a philosophy to justify it.
Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.
You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.
Life is a sum of all your choices. So, what are you doing today?
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.
Whoever gives nothing, has nothing. The greatest misfortune is not to be unloved, but not to love.
It is necessary to fall in love… if only to provide an alibi for all the random despair you are going to feel anyway.
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love – first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.
Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement.
Yes, everything is simple. It is people who complicate things.
To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.
Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken.
I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live as if there isn’t and to die to find out that there is”.
Bambi feels the urge to quickly comment on a Reuters article entitled “Hezbollah head says change to Al Aqsa status quo could explode the region” that informs us of the following: “The leader of Lebanon’s powerful armed Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, said that any infringement of the decades-long status quo at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem could lead to an explosion in the region, not just inside Palestinian territories” (https://reut.rs/3VIxId9).
Can Mr. Nasrallah go back to Lebanon’s CRYING problems and leave Jerusalem alone, please? No one cares about who can or cannot visit any mosque’s, church’s, or synagogue’s courtyard in a different country. People of his country, and those born in it but left it, ONLY care about the suffering of the Lebanese people, including a recent migrant boat sinking with two dead and luckily 200 rescued, thanks to the Lebanese Navy assisted by UNIFL (https://bit.ly/3Igml9n). Thank you.
To conclude this brief post, if Mr. Nasrallah forgot Rémi Bandali famous kids’ song about the aspiration for peace during the bloody Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), here is a reminder from Bambi. The song is in in Arabic, followed by French, then English.
