Q4: 1ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Well, I think you all know by now what I'm going to write. Yes it has been a great year, and yes it has been even greater because of what happened in the final quarter. Let me just further analyse it for you: this year started by fulfilling my big personal and academic dream, i.e. moving to London and doing a PhD there. Then the year ended by fulfilling my biggest personal dream, i.e. falling in love. What more can I ask for? :) Seriously, I feel I'm so so lucky. Let me summarize it this way:

Best days: 4/12/2005, 11/1/2006, 14/1/2006 (no comment)

People: :) do I really have to spell it out? ok, A l i :)

Places: whatever place we are in together :)

What the past year meant to me: academic and personal growth, dreams becoming true, and love

What this year means to me: my own future, my own family, and my own love

Finally, let me say that the city of London has a special place in my heart now. For me, it's all happening in London: I'm learning in London, I'm teaching in London, I'm feeling lonely in London, I'm not feeling lonely anymore in London, I'm falling in love in London, I'm living in London.

So, it has been an amazing year. I wish everyone will experience the same thrill and excitement and satisfaction of fulfilling their dreams.

HAPPY FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME :)

Mai :)

'back in business' or 'the linguistics of me and ali' :)

Yeh, yeh, I know what you're thinking :) Believe me, I had my share of the comments that run along the lines of "of course you don't have the time to blog now" with a special intonation on 'now'. But I also had one positive comment from Italian Rose in a chat a couple of days ago telling me that I've been a dedicated blogger for a long time and now I deserve to have a break. Of course I know that I have been missed all over the blogosphere and that there are fans out there waiting desparately for new posts :) Well, seriously, when I come to think of it I realise how 'different' my life was before things started to get serious on the emotional side. I used to think everyday of what I'm going to post next on my blog, and I used to watch, read and listen to things from a blogger's perspective. In fact, I probably was always on the look out for blogging material in a way that was nearly obssessive. Blogging had a very high priority for me because it helped me overcome the sense of loneliness that had been many times overwhelming. But now I think it's only fair that blogging should step down for a while. I don't mean to say that all people in love are normally too busy to blog, but I think the change in my case has been dramatic, like everything else in my life throughout the past year, because you have been following the course of my life closely.

Anyway, I am getting back on track. And I think the major sign which would indicate that I'm 'there' is when I tell you something linguistic, you know, since linguistics hasn't been exactly mentioned on my blog lately. Well, did I tell you before about the linguistics of me and Ali? Ok, here it is: there is a strong linguistic compatability between us. Both our names are 3-letter words AND both consist of one consonant and 2 vowels AND both share the same vowels :) Ok, I'm kidding. But the real linguistic news of the day is that the new term started today at Middlesex and I taught my first seminar. It was nice, with some familiar students from last term too. On the academic side as well, I'm now regularly attending 2 courses at UCL and really enjoying them. More serious things should follow in my own work, the comeback this time is much harder than before, but I'm doing my best to remember the same order of thoughts which were neatly lined up in my head before I headed home.

So, I'm here again and I intend to start a whole new phase of active blogging, and this time I'm ready to rock the blogging world with my news (this doesn't sound corny, does it?)

Mai

a weekend to remember

Between the cold I had and was recovering from, hearing about the whale drama, the adventures on the M25 and the A23 in search for a place called Worthing, the excitement of a surprise birthday party and meeting new people, and seeing the beach for the first time in the UK.. I had a great weekend. And I guess this picture says it all, taken on the peer in Brighton :)


Mai

is it just me or life has become.. better?

Oh, I know what you will all be thinking, but this is how I truly feel. It's amazing how our inner feelings can affect our whole perspective on life. Maybe this sounds a little immature, but it's actually happening to me and I'm enjoying every minute of it. So here I am, back in good old cold, rainy, gloomy London, thinking about the loads of work I want to do, fighting a nice cold that's creeping on me slowly, trying to get back to the linguistic mood with a paper about the cognitive architecture of the human mind waiting to be read before 2 o'clock today, but I am happy. Of course, even while I am reading, certain distractions find their way in. For example, while I was going through the handouts for the first lecture I attended at UCL yesterday in pragmatics and cognition, I came across the term "the boxology of the mind" and I immediately found myself thinking about "the boxology of the heart" :) Well, in my case, it's a neat division with a big chunky box and three letters written inside it: A L I :)

Mai

all you need is..?

What do you need to make your normal life more exciting, to make your ordinary days more enjoyable, to make your good events better, to make your happy moments happier, to make your empty heart.. well, busier?

I'm back in London, and, as you can see, I'm ecstatic. There is a lot to tell you, i.e. the details of my best vacation yet in lovely Cairo with my family, Ali, our commitment, the eid, and everything. This will have to wait till I get some sleep.

What I can definitely assure you now is that:

All you need is.. love :)

Mai

11/1/2006

I found my Mr. Right :)

(don't we look like a very nice and cute couple?)

Mai & Ali

there is a saying that goes..

No news is good news.. Well, in my case it's great news, it's wonderful news, it's exciting, serious, happy, life-changing news. It's..... I'll tell you in a couple of days when it's official :)

Hope everyone has enjoyed the first week of 2006 like I did. I have a feeling this will be another great year in my life.

Sorry for not having time to blog earlier but I don't even check my emails.

And the suspense continues.. :)

Mai