Month: July 2024

Today, Bambi received a beautiful Arabic song, which was kindly shared by her childhood friend Hala from out of Beirut. In turn, she would like to share it with you in this post. The discovered talented singer is called Ms. Nancy Hawa and her song about Palestine, her birth country, is entitled “Khodni A Baladi”. Ms Hawa’s song, which is shared below, is about love and nostalgia for her birth country.

For your convenience, and thanks to the assistance of Mr. Google Translate, you can find an English translation of this song’s lyrics following the YouTube video ( (lyrics and music: Dr. Qasim Younis; Mix master arrangement: Dawoud Ibrahim; Production: Dr. Qasim Younis (Awtari); Photography: Tamim Zoabi, Ahmed Qaddoura Ahmed Alawneh, Muhammad Manna. Muhannad Kabha Direction: Tamim Zoabi).

Of note, although the song is meant for the beloved Palestine, it could have easily been for any other country, whether nearby or not, that we love and feel homesick for.

Thanks Hala for making this post possible. As for your Ms. Hawa, please keep singing. Palestine as well as the Middle East, and the entire world, need the healing power of music!

“A few pictures and a little news from my country
A pile of sweet gifts wrapped in memories
Advice from my father, a prayer from my mother’s heart
And a handful of tenderness from my granny is worth as much as life

The colour of the sky in my country is different
My god, the sound of rain and even the air is different
People go and people come
And you remain, my country, in my heart as something else

Take me with you to my country
Let me walk between the neighbourhoods
Protect me from the estrangement of life and plant life in me
Let me grow up on its streets
And with the magic of its moon, I stay awake
I swear I won’t be late
Just take me with you

A look of hope, a look of shame
With the eyes of first love
A wedding ceremony that unites neighbours
A sweet coffee pot
The sound of a bell ringing
The joy of a child
Starting the first grade
The smell of the country in the first rain

The stars of the sky sending peace
Tree leaves, rose fragrance, pigeons
They mention people and talk to people
No words can do you justice, O country

Take me with you to my country
Take me back to the old days
Steal from me time and throw me to safety
Give me nostalgia from my country
Give me bread with oil and thyme
Truly I do not want more than this, but
Please take me with you

Take me with you to my country
Make me forget everything that has passed
If only once, I can see the country, and let the heart relax
Serve me figs from our land
And from our plain green almonds
I swear I won’t be late… Just take me with you”.

Four years following the surrealistic Beirut port explosion, the same players are still “playing” “war”. In contrast with today, the war game between Israel and the Hezbollah may have been more covert in 2020.

Bambi may be wrong, but it is her belief that the August 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion was non-intentional despite the criminal negligence of some (without intending to harm their fellow residents/themselves/city) and the preventive war of others (not knowing about the ammonium nitrate).

Indeed, almost everyone Bambi spoke with heard airplane sounds in Beirut on August 4, 2020. However, as a reminder, the international community remained silent about the Beirut port tragedy while both players seemed to have protected each other by NOT pointing fingers at each other. This is contrary to their usual and current practice of accusations. However, since October 7, 2023 the war in the Middle East has been totally explicit while being BOTH cruel and absurd.

Today, Bambi is speechless (https://t.ly/yCOGD). Thus, she will only borrow the beautiful lyrics of two songs related to Beirut while sending her aching heart to the families of the innocent injured and deceased Beirutis. May those who died rest in peace and may those suffering from injuries heal.

She does not know about you, but Bambi strongly rejects wars in the world, just like in the French and Arabic lyrics of the Beirut-hosted 2009 Francophonie Games song, entitled Biladi Ana [My Homeland], by Majida El Roumy and Yousso Ndour. Instead, she prefers to keep praying for peace not only in Beirut but also in the entire tiny Lebanon… AND in the whole region. May everyone be safe and sound. Enough of bloodshed and trauma!

Mr. Vincent van Gogh died on July, 29, 1890 at age 37 (https://shorturl.at/6gipU). May his memory be eternal. May his legacy always be cherished, as it is at the van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam where one finds the world’s largest collection of his paintings and drawings (https://shorturl.at/EULzx). Today, 134 years following van Gogh’s death, this post wants to be a tiny tribute to this great artist using his own words (https://shorturl.at/vXpSo) as follows: “There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people”.

Building on van Gogh’s words above, we realize that for different reasons some people are great, and inspiring, artists when it comes to the creation of love while others literally suck. Furthermore, the artistically incompetent folks in relationships could be inept, just as many are unskilled in arts. Of course, a smaller minority of the so-called inept artists of love may be not only simply incompetent, but also highly toxic (some even potentially dangerous!).

Bearing the diversity in the expression of love OR non-love, Bambi will end this post by asking you the following questions: (1) What is love?; (2) What is the meaning of love in your own life?; (3a) How can you tell that you have been (truly) loved?; (3b) How do you know that you (truly) love? (4) What would the world be without love?; and last but not least (5) generally speaking, regardless of your own artistic skills, what would have the world been without arts? Please feel free to share your comments on this blog or, more privately, if you prefer.

Twelve youth died in a soccer field in Majdel Shams in the Golan Heights. This recent tragedy could (https://t.ly/WgA14) or could not spark a wider war between Lebanon and the Hezbollah.

Regardless of the development on the ground, may the souls of these beautiful young children and teens be well received in heaven. May God (yes the same G-D or Allah) of love and mercy know how to comfort their families.

If Bambi may add, she cannot help not to share that this Israeli-controlled village, where the tragedy happened and that she has never visited reminded her of the Syrian Bride movie of Mr. Eran Riklis. If she recalls well, she had the pleasure to watch the latter on an Air Canada International Flight in 2004. If she is not mistaken, the story took place in the same village of Majdel Shams. However, in the movie, there was joy and hope of love. Now, there is deep sorrow and fear of war.

Of note, both the movie and today’s reality show us the endless absurdity of the situation of the Middle East. Indeed, “the story” of the movie “deals with a Druze wedding and the troubles the politically unresolved situation creates for the personal lives of the people in and from the village. The film’s plot looks at the Arab-Israeli conflict through the story of a family divided by political borders and how their lives are fractured by the region’s harsh political realities”. (https://t.ly/3_VIe).

There is nothing that could be said, and even felt, when we hear about the continuous tragedies of wars and armed conflicts. Indeed, less than two weeks ago, in Warsaw, Bambi and her spouse bumped into a senior Ukrainian woman with whom they briefly chatted on the sidewalk where she was working for a restaurant. This lady broke their hearts when she started crying while talking about war. Bambi tapped her shoulder and promised her to pray for her family and friends. When they visited a nearby beautiful old church to act on the promise, Bambi and her spouse were deeply touched to read about the history of this place: during World War II, there had been a massacre in this place of worship and many lives were lost.

Enough of wars and absurd violence. May diplomacy and reason know how to prevail again. May the light of healing, love, sustainable safety, and peace find their ways not only to Majdel Shams, but also to Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, and the entire Middle East as well as to the world, including Ukraine and other places of armed conflicts.

Have you ever looked for extra ways to make yourself smile or laugh when you are in pain? It is called distraction and this is what Bambi is doing through this post.

Distraction a coping mechanism meant to relieve pain by focusing our mind on something else. This being said, Bambi’s pain stems from an injury to two fingers due to an unfortunate window accident, which happened to her yesterday afternoon when heavy rain started suddenly. If she may, she would like to use this incident as a free teaching moment for all of us, including you and the future version of herself: please be careful when closing (or opening) house windows, especially older ones, because they can fall on your hands.

Enough of pain now, time to laugh instead! if you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that Bambi recently became a fan of Mr. Rudy Ayoub [hello and thanks to Fred :)]. Well, this post is meant to share two of Rudy’s recent short videos. The first one is the most recent and it is entitled “Police in 2024″. It is about an interaction among a police officer, a thief, and Rudy. The second short video is entitled “What Happens in Heaven“. Remember, all the characters are usually played by Rudy himself, including his good friend Clark, his highly narcissistic dad, and what could be an angel in heaven.

To conclude this post, Bambi hopes that, if Louis is reading this post until now, he will take the time to listen to the second video until its very end. It seems to be tailored for him [OK for her too with regard to the specific product in question :)]. Last but not least, it is Bambi’s wish that you will all have a wonderful weekend. May it be pain- and theft-free while being filled with safety and fun, regardless of what the latter means to you personally: rest or work that needs to be done, a good laugh (alone or with others), and lots of smiles, whether to the sunshine or to heavy rain through a safely open or closed window.

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Older posts featuring Mr. Rudy Ayoub:

Time to laugh with Mr. Rudy Ayoub!

Mr. Rudy Ayoub: how about some lightness and laughter with him?

Did you know that today happens to be the “National Aunt and Uncle’s Day” (https://shorturl.at/2EeoS)? For many, aunts and uncles are like second mothers and fathers. For some, they may act like Godmothers or Godfathers, especially for those of a Christian background.

Who knows? Maybe you are an official aunt or uncle to beloved, little or older, ones yourself? Maybe you love your friends’ or neighbours’ kids like your nephews and nieces; with or without being an aunt or an uncle in the strict sense of the word? After all, there is a reason that, in some cultures like the Indian or Lebanese ones, we call such close people Aunty (or Auntie) or Uncly (or Uncley).

Bearing the above in mind, Bambi will celebrate the so-called “National Aunt and Uncle’s Day” by introducing you to her late, and true Aunty, Nadia (or “Amto” Nadia, in Lebanese-Arabic since she is her dad’s sister). Nadia happened to also have been her Godmother. Indeed, she played this significant role for MANY kids of the Azar family.

Nadia devoted her life to not only loving her family or origin and spouse, but also spreading love around her until her last breath. In all the transitions of life, in times of wars and peace, Nadia was present for others: before and at birth to baptism, through childhood to adulthood, from graduations to weddings, to funerals, and in moments of grief. She opened her house to senior relatives and offered them the most generous quality of life at the end of their own journey of life. She received friends in need and accompanied them in their sickness until their last breath. She loved all the children, whether in the family or not, like her own.

Yes, all the above describes Nadia who was solid like a cedar and flexible like water. Above all, Nadia’s heart was made of gold. If you do not believe Bambi yet in her description of her aunt, she will now share a moving story from the summer of 2006.

Indeed, on July 13, 2006, a sudden war broke between Israel and Hezbollah. On this precise day, Bambi was giving a talk at a psychiatric conference in Istanbul and her parents were supposed to come to join her and her spouse from Beirut. Sadly, they could not because their bombarded airport closed unexpectedly. Over several weeks, Bambi who was worried about the Middle East searched the internet for daily news. This is how, on July 24, 2006, she unexpectedly came across a BBC article by Mr. Martin Patience, which was entitled “Lebanese open up homes for refugees” (https://shorturl.at/zq0qS).

Of note, Mr. Patience’s entire article reported a heart-moving interview with 70-year-old Aunt Nadia who “hosted” in her rather small apartment in Beirut, “four mothers and their nine children who have fled the south of the country” (https://shorturl.at/zq0qS). As stated in this article, although Nadia and these families shared their citizenship, they were not of the same religion. That was not surprising to Bambi since Nadia couldn’t care less about religion or anything else. What simply mattered to her the most in life was humanity.

If the above story is not one related to love, humanity, and generosity, what is it then? May Ms. Nadia Azar’s memory be eternal. With her aunt’s uplifting story, Bambi hopes that peace and love will fill all the hearts. May safety, healing, and peace finally prevail not just in Southern Lebanon, but across the country and in the entire Middle East.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (or DSM-5) was “crafted by hundreds of mental health experts” from the American Psychiatric Association (https://shorturl.at/U3BFC).

According to the DSM-5, symptoms of substance use disorder, which are measured on a continuum from mild to severe levels, are related to four categories: (1) impaired or loss of control; (2) social problems, which affect someone’s quality of life; (3) a risky use; and (4) physical dependence (https://shorturl.at/U3BFC).

Of course, there are several types of addictions in life. For instance, one can become addicted to tobacco, alcohol, and/or other licit or illicit psychoactive drugs as well as to daily life activities such as work, exercise, shopping, or smartphones, etc.

Regardless of the developed type of addiction, there is chronic suffering, which Mr. Claudio Capéo conveys so well in his beautiful song AND sublime performance. Bravo to him for his incredible talent and inspiring courage in sharing his vulnerability. For your convenience, an English translation of the French lyrics appear following the YouTube video (https://shorturl.at/cJENg).

Bambi, who hopes you will like this song, enjoyed reading the YouTube comments of Capéo’ fans. Of note, a reader called him the new Jacques Brel. Indeed, the calibre of Mr. Claudio Capéo’s performance is remarkable, whether we understand the French language or not. May he keep being healthy and increasingly happy. May his beautiful songs keep entertaining and, most significantly, inspiring us.

Shorter version:

Longer version:

“Oh, serve me
Another glass
Stay with me
Another hour
Don’t back out
We’ve done it a thousand times
You know well that the sea will wait

Come on, hurry me
Another beer
Toast with me
It’s the last one
Come on, pour me another
Stop your drama
Sooner or later, the sea will take us

It’s raining outside
The wind is rising
And I have fire in my body
At night I dream, friend, I dream
That it’s raining outside, that it’s raining
That the wind is rising
And I have fire in my body
Thirst on my lips, I dream

Oh, soul wave
Bed of bitterness
I have a heavy heart
Like an anvil
Don’t back out
The sailors down here
Know well that the sea doesn’t cheat

Stop there, look at me
She left, she will come back
Come on, pour me another
Stop your drama
Sooner or later the sea will avenge us

It’s raining outside
The wind is rising, oh
And, and I have fire, oh, in my body
At night I dream, friend, I dream
That it’s raining, oh, that it’s raining outside
That the wind is rising
That the wind is rising
And I have the devil in my body
Thirst on my lips

Enlighten me
Another glass
So I can drown in it
So I can dream in it
Don’t drift me away
Come on, I believe in you
You know well that the sea will wait

Come on, lend me
A piece of dream
A piece of star
A piece of fever
Don’t abandon me
The sailors down here
Know well that the sea will return

It’s raining outside
The wind is rising
And I have fire in my body
At night I dream, friend, I dream
Oh, it’s raining outside
The wind is rising, oh
And I have fire in my body
At night I dream, friend, I dream, oh
That it’s raining outside, that it’s raining
That the wind is rising, oh
And I have the devil in my body
I have thirst on my lips
I have thirst on my lips“.

Thank you Canadaland (https://shorturl.at/4jUsL)’s Jessy Brown for your chat with Dr. Gabor Lukács. What a highly informative interview!

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Older posts featuring Gabor (or Dr. Lukács)’ air passenger rights advocacy:

Dr. Gabor Lukács: thank you for addressing the House of Commons on the state of airline competition in Canada!

Dr. Gábor Lukács: Bravo and thanks for your oral arguments before the Supreme Court of Canada in the Airlines’ Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) Challenge!

“Air Passenger Rights: Thank you CTV’s W5, Dr. Gábor Lukács, and Mr. Robert McNabb

Bambi was filled with pride when she learned that her friend Aline Acaf displayed her work at the Blue Heron Art Gallery in Lorneville, Nova Scotia (NS) on Saturday, July 20, 2024. What an achievement, bravo!

Below, you can find a few pictures and a video, which were taken at this open house event. You may also wish to consult earlier posts on Ms. Aline Acaf’s art (re-featured below). This post will end with four songs, meant to be taken together, to celebrate Aline’s artistic milestone.

As you can see with your own eyes, Aline’s paintings are very beautiful. Of note, she discovered her passion during the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, she kept refining her techniques by taking courses with an accomplished senior-level artist and simply letting herself express her soul in her painting.

Of note, Aline’s work is regularly exposed in stores in the Town of Amherst while having clients (and fans!) beyond its borders, including he nearby New Brunswick (e.g., Sackville, Fredericton, etc.) and as far as the Province of Québec (e.g., Montreal).

Aline is not only is a skilled artist. She is also an inspiring human being, a wise and beautiful woman, the spouse of a great yet humble fellow, the mother of three adorable adult children, a talented cook (mmm!), and a devoted volunteer in her community.

Indeed, among several community-related activities in her town of Amherst, Aline is a dedicated volunteer at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre where she is involved in different capacities. She had also acted as an interpreter for Syrian newcomers for over two years. She even received a well-deserved award for the excellence of this volunteering service with refugees/immigrants. In addition to her mother tongue, Aline is fluent in several languages. Perhaps most impressively, she excels in the most significant communication tool in the entire world, that is the language of humanity.

For all the reasons mentioned above, Aline makes us ALL proud. In addition to this shared pride, Bambi is blessed because Aline is part of her life as a very precious friend ❤️.

This being said, following the pictures and a brief video of the event, you can find Ms. Aline Acaf’s email address. Please feel free to contact her if you are interested in inquiring about or in purchasing her work. As mentioned above, you do not have to be residing in the Maritimes, or even in Canada, to become one of her clients. It is also good to keep in mind that since she is a still junior-level artist, you can benefit from the reasonable prices of her work despite its outstanding quality.

“Mabrouk” to Aline. Félicitations/Congrats to her! May she keep on mastering the art of embellishing our world!

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Earlier post on Aline’s paintings:

Ms. Aline Acaf found her passion for painting during the lock down!

Two additional paintings by Aline are shown in this more recent post:

Her name is Aline, she is awesome, and her birthday is today!

The late French singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, and actor Sasha Distel died on July 20, 2004 (https://shorturl.at/0OXXC). This brief post will honour him with his own beautiful voice.

Bambi used to listen to Mr. Distel’s songs in Beirut during her childhood and teenage years. She likes many of them, particularly the Christmas related-ones and a song, which celebrates the ocean. It is entitled “Le bateau blanc” [The White Boat]. How could she not like the latter when it reminds her of wonderful summers, despite civil war, with family and childhood friends. Indeed, she grew up by the most beautiful sea (yes, she remains biased about the Mediterranean sea; so what?). Anyhow, even if she left the latter 34 years ago, she is lucky to currently live near the majestic Atlantic ocean?

Of note, Mr. Distel who had an “internationally” charming smile sang in German, Russian, Italian, and English in addition to French (as you can notice below). May his memory be eternal, today more than ever.

To conclude this post, Bambi will offer Mr. Sasha Distel’s last love song entitled “Les mots stupides” to Bente, if she happens to be reading this post. The reason is simple: she sings it very well, bravo to her. Who knows? Maybe she will practice it again, if she wishes :).