Harry Potter, The Final Mashup!

I was listening to Norwegian Recycling's new songs and this creepy songs starts... and I'm like, I know this voice, what's that...
WAIT WHAT?

Harry Potter?

Mashing the Year Up

Every New Year party needs a little DJ Earworm. Every year, this little guy mashed the 25 biggest hits into the United State of Pop of the year!

This is what he came up with for this year: United State of Pop 2011 - World Goes Boom. 

This is far from being one of my favorites.
2008's Viva La Pop was legendary but the best so far was of course 2009's Blame It on the Pop!

So what do you think?

The guy is good but my favorite mashup DJ is and will always be Norwegian Recycling. Yes, him, again!
Everything that's related to Coldplay just turns me on, what can I do?

Enjoy and have a wonderful, unforgettable New Year Eve :) 

Blame it on the Gay.

LGBT people have been fighting for equality since forever, but all I can see are gay men and women acting like their life is totally different from others.
Equality means no discrimination, but it also means no special privileges for anyone.
So what are we asking for exactly?

You might get bullied because you're gay, you might feel like an outcast sometimes, it changes you. It does. It is hard to deal with.
But isn't everyone different? Doesn't each and every one of us have problems and issues he has to deal with?

So why are we blaming every single thing that is wrong in our life on the gay?

You can't make new friends because you are annoying and self-centered not because you are gay.
You failed that exam because you didn't even try to study not because you are gay.
You didn't get that job because you weren't good enough not because you are gay.

Not every person you are going to meet is gonna turn out to be homophobic and look down to you cause you're just this gay guy.
They are going to see you, first of all, as a person.

As extravagant as you can get, you are, first of all, a person, you are a man.
As butch as you can get, you are, first of all, a person, you are a woman.
The gay doesn't and shouldn't ever come first.

So next time you ask for equality, try to look the word up in a dictionary.

The Person That...

you would go straight for?

Naya Rivera. Hell yeah!

made you realize you were gay?

Zachary Quinto. Dreamy.

 

To All the Atheists Out There!

Merry Newtonmas 

&

Reasons Greetings!

Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1727)

New Year Resolutions.

This is the time of the year when the world falls into a collective depression. Reality hits us.
We all remember our last New Year resolution and how we failed to accomplish them.
But we also look up to this coming year thinking that maybe it will bring the strength and courage to challenge ourselves again.

So, think my friend, think. What can 2012 be all about?
I've been pretty found of my resolutions so far. 2009 was all about never using violence again, 2010 was the year I convinced myself to come out and 2011 was all about being more classy. And I did.
I came out in 2010 and burned my wardrobe and built it again from its ashed in 2011 and all that while leading a nonviolent life. (Yes, Ghandi is very proud.) 

And now 2012 shall be the year of success and optimism.

Optimism, you say?

Parents often teach us to be realistic, but that often turns into pessimism.

"Expect the worse if you don't want to be disappointed."
That philosophy is so wrong.
This year, I am expecting the best, and I will do everything I can to get it.

Now success in our modern times is always associated with academic success, and that is also what I mainly mean: Building a good resume to go study abroad.
I already got a great SAT score which I am very proud of.
My mom, who was convinced that no man is mature enough to leave his parents at 18, told me that I should apply wherever I want to. :')
I know 2012 hasn't started yet but I consider this one of the first success of this new year. Yay me!

So what are you people up to this year? Share the joy!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas :)

Enjoy your holidays and don't forget to make someone smile!
I hope this video brightens your day.
(Thanks to Ziad for sharing this)

Breaking Gender Stereotypes.

Sweden is fascinating me. It just seems like this perfect country where everyone is happy. (Let's just omit the suicide part, shall we?)

So I was watching the news and they talked about this preschool that is all about making sure children don't fall into any gender stereotype.
Sweden is making everything to bring equality between the sexes, promoting women rights and allowing gay and lesbian couple to legalize their partnership and adopt children.

That initiative is totally new, the first preschool opened a year ago, but everything is carefully calculated. From emotion dolls who have no apparent sex, to kitchen that looks like a construction site.
Staff can't even use pronoun like "him" or "her". They use a kind of Swedish "it", "hen", which can refer to both a man or a woman.

That is how it is done. Total freedom to become whoever you want to be. :)

''Society expects girls to be girlie, nice and pretty and boys to be manly, rough and outgoing,'' says Jenny Johnsson, a 31-year-old teacher. ''Egalia gives them a fantastic opportunity to be whoever they want.''

 Source

Literally.

Source

Identity Crisis: The Nationality Dilemma

A year ago, a friend of mine visited minors in jail. She told me she met some guys who were sent there because they were gay and I though, "How messed up can this country be?"...
During this independence day, somehow, the flags, the tarboosh, the sherwels reminded me of something.  

I am Lebanese. I have always been and will always be Lebanese.
I might not be able to build a family here but this land is my land.

And this is how I realized that my nationality is very similar to my sexuality.
Hard to accept at first, but once you understand it, a true blessing.

So this, my friends, is why I waved the flag so high, this is why I wore my tarboosh so proudly.
You can say all the shit you want about this independence being a joke, but this is why I celebrate the Lebanese independence.

Just because, I am Lebanese.

The Paradox of the Stone.

God is all-powerful, or as theologians put it, “omnipotent”; there is nothing that he cannot do. This is part of the definition of “God”.

So can God create a stone that is so heavy that he cannot lift it? Either he can or he can’t.

If God can’t, then he isn’t all-powerful. If God can’t create a stone that he can’t lift, then there is something that he can’t do: create the stone.

If God can create a stone that is so heavy that he can’t lift it, though, then he also isn’t all-powerful. If God can create a stone that is so heavy that he can’t lift it, then there’s something that he can’t do: lift that stone

There is, therefore, no way of answering the question above that preserves God’s omnipotence. If there is an omnipotent God, then he neither can nor can’t create a stone so heavy that he cannot lift it. This, though, is absurd; he must be either able or unable to perform this feat.

This is the paradox of omnipotence. Many critics of theism have used it to argue that the concept of omnipotence is self-contradictory, that there can be no omnipotent being, and so that God cannot exist.

Buzzinga!  :-)

Source.

A Cause.

It is believed that one becomes an adult when he learns to give himself.
Give his soul, his heart, his whole.
Find a purpose, find a cause.
A cause that will transform everything he believes in, that will push his limits and that will teach him that the world he once knew is nothing compared to what is out there.
A cause that is going to be the only constant in his mercurial life.

I feel like a man without a cause. I feel trapped in my childhood.
I want to give myself but I have nothing to give myself to.

What can I do to make this world a better place?
Gay activism from inside the closet?
Helping a country that cannot even help itself?
Working for a society that I cannot stand?

I reached a dead end.

I need  a purpose to grow up.
I need to grow up to find a purpose.

So I'll wait.

Tiny step after tiny step.
Everything is changing.
Who knows what the future holds?
Change is the only constant.

Living the Life.

I am the Lebanese teenager.
I go to school 6 days a week. I come back home, have lunch and study, spend some time with my parents when they come back, have dinner and go to bed.
I go out on Saturday nights.
I spend Sundays with my family.

I spend Christmas with my family.
Go out on New Year's Eve and come back home the next morning for the traditional family lunch.
I do something useful during summer.

And it goes on and on, and it has always been this way.
And it will always be this way.

I am going to college somewhere in Lebanon, because that's what my brother did, because that's what my sister did, because that's what everybody does.
I am going to graduate and everyone is going to celebrate.
I am going to work for some time, then I am going to leave Lebanon for a couple of years.
I am going to come back and work at my father's company.
I am going to start a family and raise my kids just the way I have been raised.
They are going to have the life I had.

A life where there is no place for their dreams and expectations.
A life where the world is not their oyster.

Can I change anything about that?
I can try. I can work my ass off to get a scholarship somewhere and leave this country.
I do not like this country and I will do everything I can to leave as soon as possible.

Online Gay Communities

Don't forget to check Mo. K's article on online gay communities in the Middle East, e-community vol.1.

Beirut Boy and I answered some questions about our work online.

Don't forget to check the other articles of My.Kali magazine which are really interesting!

My.Kali.mag is an LGBTQ (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and transgender, Q; questioning or queer) concerned monthly magazine. It concerns gay (and whose just interested) people from all around the world and it’s dedicated for people who live in the: Middle East, for foreigners who live in the Arab world, for those who live in closed-minded/open-minded environments, for those new-gay-to-be, for those who're away from home and for those who're interested in entering the world of My.Kali. 

A Year & A Day

Here we are, a year and a day later. Time flies, it flies indeed.
How can I describe what I'm feeling right now?

Relief, mainly because I'm posting things only a few people know, online, for everyone to read. Luckily enough, this blog has maintained its discretion and only a couple of acquaintances found it and made the connection to me.
Regret, mainly because I had to keep my full name to myself, and my spontaneous courage and bravery didn't last long.

You know, sometimes I read some of my old posts and think "Did I really write this?"
I guess it is part of being a teenager. Changing mood and interests so fast that you don't even recognize yourself even after only a year.
I decided to resist the urge to erase every post I've written so far, though. I thought that keeping these is the best way to realize how much I've changed, how much I grew up, which road I had decided to take, the choices I had to make... All these little things that define me, all these parts and pieces of my life, of my soul, all of that is kept in here.

Anyway, I am you and you are me.
I never would have kept this blog alive if it wasn't for you.
My life is yours, our experiences are similar.
So thank you, thank you for reading this, thank you for everything.

The Short Story

It was just another day in the city.
The white sun was up, the black birds were waking up, the world was slowly getting ready for another day.
But it was not just any day.

See, a kid lived in the city.
A kid, just like any kid.
His parents taught him about right and wrong.
But the kid was skeptic, the kid was curious. He had to see for himself.

So the kid decided to be happy.
But how can one be happy? The kid smiled.
And what happened then, no one can explain.
The sun shone brighter than it ever shone before.
Then, the world stopped.
The kid could not stop smiling.
The birds could not stop singing.
The sun could not stop shining.

And he just stood there, letting the sun burn his skin, letting the peaceful silence fill him up.
He liked it.

But something was wrong. Something was missing.
The kid wanted to try something else.

So the kid decided to be sad.
But how can one be sad? The kid cried.
And what happened then, no one can explain.
The black clouds covered the white sky, and it started raining heavily.
Then, the world stopped.
The kid could not stop crying.
The thunder could not stop roaring.
The rain could not stop falling.

And he just stood there, feeling the rain's anger, feeling the thunder's madness.
He liked it.

But something was wrong. Something was missing.
The kid wanted to try something else.

But there was nothing else to try.
The world was in black and white, bad and good, sad and happy.
"Can I ever have both?" thought the kid.

And what happened then, no one can explain.
The sun was shining, the rain was falling.
Then, the world stopped.
The kid what confused, he saw colors.
The kid saw the rainbow.

And he just stood there, under the peaceful sun, under the angry rain.
He loved it.

Growing Up

"This is the funny thing about growing up. For years and years, everybody is so desperately afraid to be different, in any way.
And then suddenly, almost overnight, everybody wants to be different.
And that is where we win."

- Mitch
Modern Family

Lose Yourself.

A friend of mine convinced me to watch an episode of Skins.
It's this creepy British TV show in which everyone is high, drunk, masturbating, having sex, setting fire to stuff,  or any combination of all of the above.

The only thing I liked in the show were the ridiculously funny and unrealistic situation every character is in, and the song at the end of every episode. Nefi & Girly.

This song is like a drug. It got me high. Literally.

I discovered this whole new kind of music called shoegazing.
It's like a abundance of guitar effect and random babbling mixed together.
The art of doing music while looking and sounding high.

That's pretty and all but what's every better is that the band Asobi Seksu is Japanese!
For a Japanophile like me it is a big big deal.
My obsession transformed from listening to the song, to listening to the band's discography all day.

You should really listen to it. It's like nothing you ever heard before but it's nice.

I'm With You

I have been waiting for Red Hot Chili Pepper's new album all summer long.
It is and has always been my favorite band of all time. I grew up listening to their albums, watching their concerts, learning their guitar solos...
I always enjoyed their extreme vocals and hardcore solos. I especially love Flea, the bassist.

So the band came back, after a long long break. But it's not the same band at all.

"This is a new band. Same name, but it's a new band."

Their new album is nice. Not what I was expecting.

The favorite songs: 

The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie. It's just amazing. Smooth and nice until the guitar solo which is just great but too short.

Did I Let You Know. It's nothing like their old work but I love it! The saxophone part was a nice surprise.

I've been neglecting my bass lately.
These songs made me want to play again!

The world is forgetting the power of musical instruments.

PG50

Yes, I am just a kid. No, I do not know how it feels like to be 50. 
These are just observations on the behavior of men and women, going through their midlife crisis.

1) The Midlife Crisis
This happens when the subject steals stuff from his kid's wardrobe. It can get really dangerous when the subject is a father who only has daughters.
The subject can also feel the need to adapt to the new technology and the new lifestyle.
Eg: The Cousin.
The guy shows up at ever family event with a new accessory that is just too ridiculous. One time it was the creepy sunglasses, next time the hat. Give the kid his stuff back!!
Eg#2: The Mother.
She started taking English lessons and asked me to teach her how to use a Mac. She's doing pretty well too!

2) The 60s Crisis
This happens when the subject gets a mini heart attack every time he hears about someone's death. Especially when this person is younger than the subject is. However, their response is less wild and more like... Relatively rebellious.
Eg: The Father.
When he heard about Steve Jobs death he almost cried... Then he asked who the guy was. Then he asked what Apple was.
His answer to that? He did NOT tuck his shirt into his pants before going out.
This is just... Rawr.

3) The Older People's Crisis
This happens when the subject is completely and absolutely sure he is going to die soon, even if he is in perfect health. The subject will start talking about legacy and use words like "the next generation".
Eg: The Aunt.
Every time you miss a family dinner she will go like "It might have been the last time you see me!". When you pass an exam or something like that she will start saying things like "I'm so sorry I will not be there when you graduate!"

To Fight or Not To Fight?

Let's set the background: Catholic school, religion class every week, priests talking about God'ish stuff.

I've had the luck to get the coolest religion teachers through the years: Last year,  guy who failed to become a priest (I have no idea how he did that); and this year, an open-minded French women.
However, a friend of mine got the mean grumpy fanatic priest who pukes rosaries and shoot crosses out of his... hm... eyes.

That friend of mine?
If you watch Will & Grace, she's Grace.
If you don't, she's a gay man, whose purpose in life is to find the perfect gay husband.
Let's call her Grace.

So, that priest had the bad idea to talk about homosexuality.
"In a corrupted country, during wartime, the number of pedophiles and homosexuals rises dramatically."


I don't even want to picture what happened in Grace's head at that time.
And that is how the 50-minute argument about gay rights started.

When she came back to class she was so mad, shaking, screaming and tearing up.
What did he say, what did she say? Oh, the usual. Love versus Hate, Reason versus Religion, Open-Mindness versus Stubbornness.

It is, however, what she said to me that got me thinking.
When I asked why did she give the poor idiot attention, why did she fight, when she knew that he wasn't going to change his mind about anything, she said "You gave up, I didn't."

Did I? Did I just give up?
If I were in her situation I would just have randomly commented and gave the guy a I-just-killed-you-40-different-times-inside-my-head-and-it-ain't-pretty look.
(I have a lot of looks.)

He gave his life to the dude in heavens, he's a priest.
How are some 16-year-old kids going to change his whole life?

He's an idiot. He's stubborn.
His ideas about gay people are never going to affect me.

Now if one of my friend said something like that, he/she would have been cut into tiny pieces and buried under a rainbow.

Yes, I lost my faith in these old Lebanese narrow-minded guys that think they got everything right.
Is it a bad thing?

They don't deserve my time or effort.
They're just gonna rot in rainbow-hell, burned by the rainbow-flames and eaten by the rainbow-devils and I'm gonna forget all about them cause I'll be far far away in rainbow-heaven, where the rainbow-sun is shining and the rainbow-birds are singing.

Norwegian Recycling - Updated.

I already wrote about Norwegian Recycling, but what I did not know was this.
His website.

His music is free! And I also discovered his 4 albums. Yes. FOUR!
I already knew about Donkey Business but it is nothing, nothing compared to his other work!

This guy took my playlist and mashed it up, and I love him for it!

La Coacha

The funniest Latina on the planet, indeed!

Apocalypse Please

"The world will end when everyone turns gay!"
- C.

I used to find this slightly homophobic.
Now I see what you mean dear, I see what you mean.

Ultimatums

I trust my guts. I always have and I always will because until now, I've had no reason not to.
But have you ever had a really bad feeling about someone, and that someone happens to date your best friend?

You heard stories you did not like.
You met the man you have heard so much about.

She's just not herself around him.
Because of him, she has done things she knows will hurt you.
Because of him, she has completely forgotten all the things she had always stood for.
Because of him, she lied to the people she had always loved, trusted and respected.

A warning. Endless talks. From her mother, her brother, her two best friends.
Ultimatums. First from her.
"Friends are supposed to support each other! Accept my choice or walk away."
Then from us.
"Friends are supposed to respect each other's opinion. Take ours into consideration or walk away."
I think this means we both decided to walk away.

But what are friends supposed to do?
I don't know. No one knows.

I do know one thing however.
She will be the one running back to us.
Why?
I trust my guts. I always have and I always will because until now, I've had no reason not to.

Ziva David

"She's a strong powerful woman, in a world dominated by men, that is not anger, that is determination"

     - Ziva David

Microsoft's problem?

Wolowitz: Did you ever tell your sister about the time Sheldon got punched by Bill Gates? 

Raj: Gates gave a speech at the university. Sheldon went up to him afterward and said 'Maybe if you weren't so distracted by sick children in Africa, you could have put a little more thought into Windows Vista!'
Bam! Right in the nose!

 

Wolowitz: Beyonce? Seriously dude?

Raj: What? She's curvy and she owns it!

Norwegian Recycling

I have always thought that DJs were these crazy people standing behind some kind of weird machine waving their hand at the overexcited drunk crowd dancing... But I was wrong! (And that doesn't happen often)

Peter Bull is a DJ that does mash-ups like you have never seen before!
His album Donkey Business is just genius! He mashed famous songs up with songs from the game Diddy Kong... And gosh I spent so many summers on my Nintendo 64 playing that game!
The songs brought back so many memories... Akh...

Anyway, the album was nothing compared to the other songs he released!

My favorites:


- Hey Oh Tonight

(Can't find a link, sorry)

1. Mindi Abair - Save Tonight
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Snow (Hey Oh)
3. Damien Rice - Cannonball

I'm a Red Hot Chili Pepper superfan and anything that's related to this band just turns me on! Snow is also one of my favorite songs! I have never listened to the other songs and I don't care about them.


- 8 Become 1

1. Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love
2. Savage Garden - Crash And Burn
3. Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
4. James Blunt - You're Beautiful
5. Atomic Kitten - It's Ok!
6. U2 - With Or Without You
7. Billie The Vision & The Dancers - Summercat
8. Remy Zero - Fair

I love old Black Eyes Peas. I remember putting this song on repeat all the times... Maroon 5 is also pure genius. Is Adam Levine the sexiest man ever? Songs About Jane is the only album I ever bought... ever. (Go free music) And U2 is of course one of the best bands of all times. I love Bono!


- How Six Songs Collide

1. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
2. Howie Day - Collide
3. Five For Fighting - Superman
4. Angela Ammons - Always Getting Over You
5. Boyzone - All That I Need
6. 3 Doors Down - Here Without You

Jason Mraz and 3 Doors Down are just awesome! Collide is also a great song.

Gaydrobe Item #3: The Color

A little history lesson.

During World War II, Nazi concentration camps inmates used to wear all kind of badges used to identify their felony.
Homosexuality was illegal, of course, and gay men were considered as sexual offenders.
Their marking? A downward pink triangle.

But pink is also associated with women, and we all are familiar with the stereotypes.
Hot pink is also the color of sexuality.

Moreover, a man wearing a pink shirt or polo is super sexy and we all know sexiness is associated with gay men (Duh?).
If you've got a nice tan, don't hesitate to wear the pinkest gayest shirt you find in your wardrobe!

It is true that a man is not seen as gay if he wears a pink shirt these days, but it was interesting to find out all about the pink triangle.
I love the fact that it became a symbol of gay pride and gay right movement even if it was intended to undermine out community.
Does it show that what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger?

The Other Way Around

I came out to so many people but nobody ever came out to me.
I never knew how it really felt, but tonight, after a wild wild party, my best friend came out to me. She is dating another girl.
First reaction? I was really happy for her.
Five minutes later? I started crying. I don't know why. Was it the alcohol or the confession? I will never know.

But this sadness just came and filled every part of my body. And with this sadness came disappointment.
I was disappointed I haven't been the friend she has been for me.
When I came out to her she showed nothing but support, and now when it's her turn, I start tearing up in front of her?

I can't really explain this. Her girlfriend is really cool and nice.
Am I greedy and don't want to share my best friend? Of course not! A lot of my friends are in relationships.
Do I think that I will never see her the same way again? Of course not! Nothing is ever gonna change between us, like nothing changed when I came out to her.

I just don't want her to get hurt. Sixteen-year olds are idiots.
I witness that teenager stubbornness everyday. How influenced kids can get.
I don't want her to realize how mean and cruel our society is. But doesn't she know that? She was the one hanging IDAHO posters with me. She was the one to stand up for me every time she heard a hateful comment.
I don't want her to wake up one day and realize she is straight as an arrow and regret every second of this. But isn't this the part of life during which you're supposed to explore your sexuality and experience new stuff?

I'm not her dad after all. I can't hold her all her life so she doesn't fall.
I have to be a friend and walk with her and help her get up when she falls.
And that's what I will try to be.

Anyway...
La nuit porte conseil.

My Idea of a Summer Job

I'm going camping for a week! Yes, this is my summer job :)
Well it's not gonna be all cozy and fun.

I have to come up with enough stuff to do to entertain 9- and 10-year-old kids!
I'm leaving tomorrow and coming back next Sunday, which means I'll miss Mashrou' Leila's concert tonight since I have to pack and all and try to comfort my mom.
I think she's gonna cry when I leave, I abandoned her alone with my dad... I don't think she'll survive a week.
Anyway, I took/stole one of their poster from Gemmayzeh for a friend... That was fun.

So, I'll be away all week with no internet and no computer.
Just hyperactive, overexcited, tireless, hormonal kids to  keep busy.
Well, it does sound like a job after all.

Gaydrobe Item #2: The Pants

I've never really liked skinny jeans on men. 
I always associated them with those weird people lurking in front of every mall with gravity-defying haircuts. (I'm not really sure all of them were men...)


Slim pants have never been exclusively for women.
They were originally linked to rock and roll and "bad boys".

Elvis, the bad boy 'par excellence'.

So skinny jeans have been popular unisex pants until baggy and large jeans started to replace them. Women still wore their slim-fit jeans though, and that is how they became a specifically female fashion.

So it is only then that skinny jeans started being associated with gay people.
A nice ass or a hot pair of legs were a woman's features.
That is why when celebrities started to appear with these slim jeans, people found that quite shocking. But since, designers are more and more promoting this kind of fashion.

People might say that men are embracing their feminine side, that the lines between men are women are blurred.
I say that men just don't care anymore about what people think.
They just wear whatever they think is comfortable and trendy.
 

Hanging On

With my brother halfway across the world and my sister barely spending time at home and leaving in a couple of days, my mom is jumping on every occasion to hang out with me.
We're having lunch together, she's taking me to dinner and to every minor event she might be interested in.
She's trying to make me feel bad every time I leave her alone.
She even watches Brothers and Sisters with the volume up in the living room to try to lure me out of my room!
Not fun, not fun...

I get it, she is watching the kids she raised for 20 years leave her but that's no reason to grab me and lock me in the house.
I even came back home once cause she was alone and said she missed me. When I got there, I couldn't find her and when I called her I found out she had some plans with her friends... That's just mean!

And after all that, she is trying to convince me to stay in Lebanon after school.
No actually, she's not trying to convince me, she is just implying it like we agreed on it.

It's not that I'm having my adolescent crisis, hating my parents for no apparent reason!
I love my mom.
She's the one having some kind of crisis and now I'm afraid to leave her alone...

I'm going camping for a week and I hope she has something to keep her busy!
Anyway when I come back from that, my sister will be back too and she'll Skype with my brother or something and hopefully things will go back to normal.

Gaydrobe Item #1: The Shirt

V-neck shirts are the sexiest thing ever.
Unfortunately, I rarely see guys wearing these.
Why?

The thing is, V-neck shirts are stylish. And men are not supposed to be stylish. Oh no!
Real men wear suits and nothing else!
Gay men, on the other hand, are stylish.
Therefore, V-neck shirts are gay.

Makes sense doesn't it?
Well no this is completely stubborn.
If being sexy is gay now I'm afraid to the human race lost all its chance of procreating.

Another thing I've noticed is that French guys have this thing with V-necks. It's like their national shirt or something.
And I find this totally hot.
I mean, an accent and a V-neck. Too much for me.

Anyway, for all those straight guys out these, go shopping now and wear those V-necks with pride! Cause those shirts will bring all the girls (and boys) to the yard.

Next Gaydrobe: The Pants.
Can you guess?

Deceased

Miss Dawkins: Oh my God! I can't believe he's dead.


Timothy McGee:  What was your relationship to the deceased?  

Miss Dawkins: He's deceased, too? 

  - NCIS 

It All Ends...

"My childhood has just ended"...
I've heard this sentence so many time these past couple of days.
With the last Harry Potter movie, it all ended indeed.

These novels were a huge part of my life.

At eight, I spent my breaks picking up twigs at school and pretending to jinx my friends. Oh, the days I spend yelling Avada Kedavra at the top of my lungs. My friend had a list of all the spells used in the books and movies. How geeky were we?
At nine, my brother and sister convinced me that they spent their year at Hogwarts and only came back during the summer. They told me that Muggles drinking Polyjuice potion lived with us when they were away. When I asked them what kind of spells they could do, my brother took a lit candle and put the flame out with his fingers, which amazed me.
At eleven, I received no letter from Hogwarts (I did feel disappointed).
At thirteen, I have read all the books at least three times.

I might have not grew up with Harry, but these books were a huge influence on me since I was only a kid when I read most of them, and of course, kids always have this huge imagination.
I always had this little hope every time my brother tried to convince me that magic did exist.
I sometimes looked up in the sky looking for brooms or dragons.
I believed that one day I would get really angry and break or burn something without touching it.

That is why I wanted to read all the seven books all over again before the last movie. 
For the last time I wanted to dive into Rowling's endless world, reading every little detail of every book.
I have only read 6 of the books before the movie though... 
I do believe it is going to be the last time I read them all.
I guess it's time to turn the page.

I wonder, though, if anything could replace Harry Potter?
What will people do now... I mean the kids. No wizard to look up to... Shame.
Isn't there going to be a part of their childhood missing?

Confidence

For some reasons I have noticed all those gay myths we hear about seem more accurate in Lebanon than anywhere else.

We all know that people here in Lebanon tend to pay a lot of attention to their image, to how other people see them. Everyone gossips. News travel fast. You always have to look - let's say - normal.
Therefore, Lebanese men try to avoid acting odd.

A man would try to act butch and manly even if he's feminine deep down.
A man would try to look curious when people talk about sports even if he has really no interest in that subject.
A man would try to look bored every time you mention Britney, Gaga or Cher even if his playlist is like a Gaga shrine.
A man would try to look excited every time people point out that hottie's breast, or that chick's ass even when he's actually staring at the other guy. 

I've met two kind of people who can so perfectly relate to this stereotype.
Homosexuals and metrosexuals - yes that word exists.
Unfortunately, no Lebanese man is confident enough about his sexuality to be metrosexual.

But what is metrosexuality anyway?
I've found 235 definitions online. I'll copy the ones that explain the thing clearly. (And of course the coolest ones)

Straight guys who are mistaken for being gay because of their fashion sense and hygiene habits. Most gay guys are disappointed to find out that Zach is only metrosexual and not gay. Sorry Zach, we love you anyway ;)

No disappointment there, really...

A straight guy who’s so cool, smart, attractive, stylish, and cultured, that everyone thinks he’s gay. But he’s so secure in his masculinity that he doesn’t care.

Of course everyone thinks he's gay! *cough*

In other words, David Beckham.

So yeah, anyway, where did I learn that fancy word?
So there's this guy who was at summer camp with me in England. Ok, I'll admit, I thought he was gay at first.
I mean, you cannot put that much perfume on every day and spend half an hour every morning on your hair without being gay for Pete's sake!

Well that was until he added me on Facebook and I found a profile full of pictures of his tongue stuffed down some girl's throat... Well, that had been quite a shock. Hmm...
So one day that teacher goes on about how metrosexual this guy was.
And the guy was smiling, he was actually smiling!
How confident can you get?

Will we ever find that in Lebanon? I think not.
People are too busy thinking about how people look at them to think about their looks.

Anyway, my new favorite show... For the month... Maybe even the week. 
Cougar Town :)

------

Definitions

Summer's theree...

How do you know that summer is finally there?
Look at the sky and watch the cloudless sky...
Or step into my room and see what I've been planning for this vacation!

I know what you're thinking: 'This kid knows how to party!'
Well, what can I do? Quoting ke -dollar sign- ha, 'The party don't start 'till I walk in!'

Endless piles of movies, shows, mangas and books...
God bless those one-dollar DVD shops.

So many things to do and I finally have time on my hands :))

But don't worry, my summer is not all about, let's call it, broadening my personnal culture..
I have to get ready for my SATs and I have a couple of camps and all that stuff other kids do.


I hope you're all having a great summer vacation, if yours have started yet.
If it hasn't, I'm sure you're having a blast getting ready for those finals when everyone else is at the beach being sexy under the shining sun.
Well, what is everyone planning? :)

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)

Imagine Katy Perry, Rebecca Black, Darren Criss and Kevin McHale in one music video...

A disaster you must think.

Well, this is definitely going to change your mind!
Kary Perry's new music video, Last Friday Night, is hilarious in every possible way!

Join the Wild Side...

Have any of you ever been asked for an ID before buying alcohol?
Of course not! Lachou?
In Lebanon, anyone can buy as much alcohol as he wants without worrying about this.

I asked a waiter who served my friends beer about it once. He said nobody could get drunk on a beer! Sounds logic... But while shopping for a party (the cart was full of tequila, vodka and beer) the cashier didn't even look at us. And trust me, you could have easily gotten drunk on that...

Anyway, it isn't even about getting drunk or not. Isn't it just wrong for any kid to just walk in a shop or a pub and get a drink with no question asked?

Some people have realized that and try to take care...
Every Tuesday is open wings and beer night at Shtrumpf, but when we asked for our beers the waiter said he couldn't serve us unless we all have an ID. Why? They once served a group of teenagers who got drunk on beer and completely destroyed the restaurant.
So, that's what it took!

But right behind us were some girls our age... with beers! When we asked the waiter about it, he turned white!
He said they looked 20 and that anyway, he can't ask a women for an ID! Then he started panicking about the manager finding out... Oops?

Anyway, isn't unfair for us guys?
Girls can just wear high heels, put some make up on and go get whatever they wants!
And trust me with some tight (very short) shorts and a tiny white shirt, they can get so much more...
What can guys do? Get a fake mustache or something?

Ironically, I think adults drinking is much more dangerous than kids drinking!
Kids can't drive! There goes one of the most dangerous part of drinking.

Also, dunk kids are like the funniest thing ever!
According to Finn on Glee:

Guys and girls fall into certain archetypes when they get drunk.
Exhibit A - Santana, the weepy hysterical drunk.
Lauren Zizes and Quinn... The anger girls drunk!
Brittany, also known as the girl who turns into a stripper drunk.
Mercedes and Santana, the happy girls drunk.
Rachel... Right now you're being the needy girl drunk!

Happy girl drunk! That's most of my friends... They get hyper, dance like lizards and laugh at every little thing. It's also hilarious to hang out with them cause they turn stupid and say the funniest things! And also, you can make them believe, anything. 

The girl who turns into a stripper? Never seen that... Actually, it's mostly guys who turn into strippers for me! Apparently, being drunk make them feel sexy, getting their shirts off and stuff. Oh, what alcohol can do! If only they were hot, wouldn't it be wonderful?

The needy girl drunk! That's a fun one. So I wake up a morning and read a text from Samir "Man, I've made out the whole night with the hottest girl ever! It was the sexiest party, I swear! But I can't even remember her face..."
Half an hour later, another text from Samira "Karim! I was so wasted and mad and I think I was making out with Samir all night long! Kill me now!"
Yes, Samir and Samira are best friends. They were so drunk they needed to get their tongue down someone's throat... Anyone's throat... Hah.
(Yes, Samir and Samira are fake names) 

As for me? I'm a mix of weepy/wise man drunk.
After a couple of shots, I sit in my corner and start to stare at everyone.
Shots, shots, shots... I am tearing up, still in my corner, alone.
Shots, shots, shots... I am looking for someone to talk to. I start sharing my theories on life, existential questions, religion, sexuality...

But that doesn't happen often! I hate the taste of vodka or beer. All I drink is tequila! I even have my own shot glass and mini-sombrero! Hiyah

Yup, it's not alcohol that will make my party wilder.
Something else can though...

So what kind of drunk are you? What drunk experiences do you have to share? (And by that I mean the one you can't share) ;)

What crazy things have you done? 

__________

Image 1 & Image 2

Myth Busting!

Ok, I came out to my friend. What happens next?
You don't know how stuffed with wrong ideas your friend's mind can be, so you have to be here to answer his questions. It might be hard for him/her too!

Here are some commons reactions you might get:

How do you know that you're gay if you never had sex yet?
How do you know that you're straight if you never had sex yet?
Exactly the same thing. If you never had sex with anyone doesn't mean you don't know who you want to have sex with!
You don't need to taste both flavors to see which one you prefer, then decide that you're gay or straight.
Sexuality isn't a choice!
(But then again, that is if you are sure about your sexuality. If you're confused, that's a whole other story)
People say that, a man is happy as long as his penis is. (Same thing applies to woman, trust me, they are as dirty as us, if not more!)
Well, your penis is happy when you see a hot woman. My penis is happy when I see a hot guy.
Therefore, guys make me happy and I want to date guys.

If you're in a relationship, are you going to be the man or the woman?
This is the funniest one I got!
If we keep the bedroom away from the topic, it's still called same-sex relationship for a reason!
Every guy has a type I guess, but if you're macho or super manly, you don't have to go out with some feminine guy just cause there has to be a "woman" in the relationship!
A feminine guy is a guy.
Moreover, we all grow up with this imagine of the perfect opposite-sex couple.
The man who goes to work, provide for the family.
The stay-at-home mom, who cooks dinner.
Now more and more we can spot a lot of couples that do not follow this stereotype: Single moms or dads, stay-at-home dads...

Does that mean you'll never fall in love?
A relationship is based on love and nothing else. Being with someone from the same sex as you does not mean this person only pleases you in bed, this person also makes you happy.
Gay relationships are not only about sex!

Are you mentally ill?
Being gay is not a mental illness! It is not some kind of abnormal sickness, and it is not freaking contagious!
Yes, the suicide rate for gay teenager is higher than for normal teenager.
But as long as you haven't been gay, you cannot imagine the confusion, the trust-issues, the challenges, the loneliness, the homophobia, the bullying, the name-calling every gay man or woman has to face every day!
So, the depressions are caused only by the society we live in.

Don't forget that every time you come out to someone, every time you clear these ideas up, every time someone accepts you for who you are, you are making this world a better place and fighting against homophobia and ignorance! 

Stalking Much?

Look kid, I know that you admire me and that you respect me so much that you freaking Googled my Twitter bio to see where I got it from.

But when you find something as personal as my my blog, which I never wanted to share with you, basically cause you scare the hell out of me, you don't start to read every freaking post I posted, and you don't start to tweet about every link I posted on there either.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TWEET ABOUT RAINBOW BACKGROUNDS EITHER!

Now I know you're doing everything you do to get my attention.

You got my attention. Happy now?

I'm writing a freaking blog post, cause I know you'll read it in the next five minutes, to tell you to BACK OFF!

You don't go talk about my life with some stranger you think is your BFF!
I never wanted to share this with you, why are you sharing this with someone you barely know? Now I know you get attached to the first thing that moves in front of you, that's your problem, don't make it mine!

You stubborn little kid. Go get some affection elsewhere!

Do you want me to shoo you away like a stray dog or something? Just leave me alone! GOSHHHH...

Oh, and one more thing, I DON'T WANT YOU LADY GAGA INTERVIEWS OR CONCERTS OR WHATEVER!

And don't you dare tell me how sorry you are, cause I don't want to know!

Jesus Christ...

Let's Talk About... Sex!

Why is a 16-year-old kid talking about sex?

1- I think we are lucky to have a doctor that comes every year at school to talk about sex and STDs. Rare are the schools that does that. Now of course, we haven't reached the point where the doctor starts talking about gay sex, but at least she keeps religion out of the topic, even if we're in a Catholic school.
2- Apparently, some people think that teenagers should know nothing about sex and never talk about it...
3- My friend's mom said that gay people tend to feel lonely, especially in Lebanon where finding someone is so hard. She said that sometime your loneliness reaches a point where you would just hook up with anybody. I do not completely agree but there's some truth in that.


Why are gay men more exposed to STDs? 

Anal sex is the riskier sex act. It is riskier than both vaginal or oral sex whether it is penetrative or receptive... or whether you're top or bottom.


How to protect yourself? (Anal sex)

Always ask your partner about his health history!
Some STDs can be treated with antibiotics, but the risk exists until the treatment is complete.
If you are HIV+ you should share it with your partner, don't wait for him to ask. If both of you are HIV+, you'll still have to take some precautions since you can contract new strains of HIV.
A latex condom is a great way to reduce the risk of exposure to STDs, but a condom can break. To reduce the likelihood of this happening, use water-based lube instead of petroleum jellies. 

I've watched this great commercial at the Night of the AdEaters! Loved it :)

24 hours later... Lebanon's IDAHO posters

Gone! Half the posters are just gone! Ugh!

I think the pope had something to do with this...

Abou kees the guardian angel!

This one has been attacked!! Outrageous..

To The Streets! Lebanon's IDAHO.

We finally did it! I've been procrastinating this for a week, mainly because I was freaking scared.
But after my friends told me they were overexcited about it. We did it.

We started hanging the IDAHO posters just after getting out of Fedex Sassine, walked to TSC Ashrafieh, then all the way to Sodeco, posted a couple on Aabd El Wahab, Rue du Liban and Huvelin.

I'll admit it, my heart was beating like it never did, and everytime some guy was walking next to us I would just sit and wait for him to pass.
I was freaked out the whole time while my friends were so relaxed and calm, which freaked me out some more!

Funniest moment of the night: Overexcited friend who took pictures with every posted they hanged and me stressing and screaming and looking everywhere to make sure nobody sees us.


Worst moment of the night: While hanging a poster, a car stopped. Someone opens the window and I see... my cousin. He asked what we were hanging. I've imagined this scenario the whole night so I spontaneously came out with a nice lie while standing between him and the poster.

We still have a lot of posters, and we're going to post the rest on Friday!

Thanks to the awesome friends and to the great Art Director @Zoozel

Today is International Day Against Homophobia!

For a while now, you have been reading stories submitted by readers on Lebanon's IDAHO blog!

You also might have spotted some posters about the day. (Check pictures on Beirut Boy's and Gaytheist's blog)

But now, it's out turn to share our stories!

With each “Ya foufou”, I’m getting stronger.

I will keep on walking, I’m happy with myself, my sexuality and my life.

You say I am plagued with a disease even though I might be your saviour doctor.

Accept us as we are, cause we are not going to change.

Every day at school, I have to get through the most hateful comments and actions.

I’m not going to let my love be a brick used to sink me. 

I’m on the right track to self accomplishment doing my thing my way in my country. 

Read all about it here!



The LebIDAHO team:

Beirut Boy: Email | @beirutboy

Gay in Beirut: Email | @gayinbeirut

LebaGaGa: Email | @lebagaga

Lebanese Alien: Email | @Lebanesealien

Lebanon Rebel: Email | @lebanonrebel

Rainbow Experience: Email | @rainbowexp

Raynbow Monitor: Email | @LebLGBTmonitor

Art Director: @zoozel

The Pink Shorts.

A couple of friends got me some Tommy Hilfiger pink shorts for my birthday. I was so excited to show them to my parents, I was so proud of them. So I wear my shorts, get out of my room. First thing my dad says:

"I'm sorry but people will think you're gay."

 I'm sorry? What is there to be sorry about? If people knew I was gay just by looking at me in the street, I would walk taller and prouder than ever!

People? Are you afraid that the neighbors are going to see some pink shorts and judge me? Well, they are not all as narrowed minded as you are! Then they will talk like typical Lebanese people, rumors are going to spread a little bit everywhere in town. Oh, no! Maybe the people from church will hear about it, and then pray for the soul of your gay son who is going to hell! Maybe the people from work will also hear about it and start giving you weird looks in the office.

Think? Oh, if only you knew.

Gay? Stereotypes, Stereotypes, Stereotypes. Pink means gay now? Oh, I have some very straight friend who wear pink! It is actually really sexy and manly! If only you just got out of the 50s and looked around you, you would see how the world changed. You would have a cultural shock or something... Oh, you're just stuck between your office and church. Look around you! Welcome to the 20th century...

Sometime 10 words can mean so much more than 10 words.

Sheldon Lee Cooper B.S. M.S. M.A. Ph.D. Sc.D.

Sheldon: I made tea.
Leonard: I don't want tea.
Sheldon: I didn't make tea for you. This is my tea.
Leonard: Then why are you telling me?
Sheldon: It's a conversation starter.
Leonard: That's a lousy conversation starter.
Sheldon: Oh, is it? We're conversing. Checkmate.

Sheldon: Why are you crying?
Penny: Because I'm stupid!
Sheldon: That's no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad.

(Actually happened to me.
Some guy told me that World War 3 was coming and that we all had to close all the windows of our homes and pray 5 hours per day to survive and that God will choose the true believers and they are going to be the only survivors of this war and bla bla bla...
I cried and he looked at me like and told me that it was going to be alright as long as I truly believe. Then I laughed)

Sheldon: I am aware of the way humans usually reproduce which is messy, unsanitary and based on living next to you for three years, involves loud and unnecessary appeals to a deity.
Penny: Oh, God.
Sheldon: Yes, exactly.

The Beard.

Sorry, this is not a post for you all facial hair lovers.
I've been hearing the word 'beard' for a while on some TV shows like Glee and Happy Endings.

So, a beard is actually a person who hide another's sexual orientation by dating him/her or even getting married!
And I must say, this is genius.

The therm 'beard' is also used to conceal infidelity. So, your beard is the person who goes out with the person you are cheating with... Yeah, I won't be needing that... Yet. 

Now I know how you're all going to react: Stop pretending that you're someone you're not! Why do you need to hide your true identity! You were born this way, love yourself!
I know, I know.

I'm not saying it's okay to get married, have some kids, then run away with your gardener leaving your family behind and live a whole drama.
Think of it that way: Your beard is a friend who already came out to (in my case, a girl). She just pretends to be your girlfriend when your parents are getting too curious! Not bad, not bad.

I actually have a beard if I think about it. My best friend.
I spend so much time with her, my parents just assumed she was my new girlfriend.
The conversation always goes like this:

Mom: So, where were you yesterday?
Me: Just having dinner with <insert best friend's name here>.
Dad: Ohhhh, were you alone? *wink, wink*
Me: ... Yeah.
Mom: Yeey! She's your new girlfriend isn't she?
*Mom winks at dad, dad smiles at mom*
Me: *weird look, ja2ra* (to myself: New? Was there an old one I wasn't aware of?)
Mom: I knew it! She's such a nice girl, you know, her mom is a friend of mine and she... *bla bla bla*
Dad: Ehh, ehhh! Hayda hakkeh! Hek baddeh yek! Sar rejjel, sar rejjel! *random babbling about how I just became a man*
Me: *Raise an eyebrow: Oh gosh, please get me out of here*

So basically, I'm not lying. I'm just giving weird looks and shutting up, let my parents build me an imaginary life where I am a very straight kid they are so proud of.

My mom also spread this new life of mine to all the friends, family and neighbors. (Such a Lebanese woman, isn't she?)
So when my aunt or uncle calls I get some "When are we going to meet your new girlfriend?", "Why didn't you tell me about her?", "You know I used to play Bridge with her grandma, such a wonderful woman" and the "Kebro el wled! Kebro, kebro".
Feels like I live in a movie.

Don't worry about hiding your sexuality, your family is so determined to see you live the life they expect you to live that they will build it themselves.
Just sit, stare & shut up.
And it helps if you can raise a single eyebrow. That thing pulled me out of some awkward conversations.

Free As A Bird: To Immigrate, or not to Immigrate? - By Ralph H.

 I look at the world and I notice its turning.

If I go there is no turning back, If I leave there is a huge possibility that I won’t come back home, back here, back to Lebanon. But it was never my choice to leave in the first place. The only thing I did was get used to the idea of going away, leaving, immigrating, whatever you want to call it. Lebanon has been a breeding ground for hatred, homophobia, disgust, prejudice, loneliness. But it is also my home country, it is where all my friends live, it is where all my memories, or most of them, lie. Every Lebanese person complains about Lebanon, only in the end to say that this is the best country in the world. But is it? Are we only saying that out of sheer patriotism or obligation or do we believe in the words that escape us? In my opinion it is only because we got so used to the traffic, to the people, the swear words, the gossip, the drops of water hitting your face while you walk along the sea front, the shopping, the downtown, Hamra street, Gemayzeh, Monot, Byblos, Fairuz, friends, family, the small villages nestled in the protective twists and turns of the overlapping mountains… the list could go on forever. I think every country is unique in its own way; every country has something worth discovering. The question remains, to move, or not to move? I think most of us at some point proclaim that we cannot wait to pack our bags and leave. I remain one of those people. I am surrounded by these people. It is almost all I think about. Beirut I love you, I love you not. I have found more freedom abroad, freedom to act the way I want to, freedom to wear whatever I want tom freedom to say whatever I want to… I cannot live in any country where I cannot truly by myself to everyone, where I have to hide. I think everyone feels the same way.

By Ralph H.

Humor or Ignorance?

My friend just sent me this link on Yahoo! Answers.

Question:

Where can I buy a gaydar?

I've heard people talk about having a gaydar but can't find a store that sells them, where can I find one? What are the different brands that make them? Are there different models? I would be willing to spend more money on a higher end model if the detection is more accurate.

Best Answer:

They range in price from about 50 to 5,000 dollars. a cheaper model will do the trick but its often worth paying more for a mid to high-range model, as technological advances in recent years have equipped some with extra capabilities such as trans-sexual detection (handy in dark clubs and asian countries), metro-sexual detection, (handy if you are blind but still have standards), bi-sexuality detection (always good to know) and even bi-curious detection.

i don't know where you live but here in Canada they are available at Future shops as well as Circuit City.

There are some pretty hilarious answers too! (37 other answers)

I also found this page on Amazon.
Talking Gaydar Key Chain?


Akhh... people can be so funny sometimes.

Lebanese/Lesbian?

So, I was watching the latest Glee episode and I was chocked to see that Brittany replaced lesbian by Lebanese on Santana's T-shirt!

Santana: I'm Hispanic. Wait, is that supposed to be lesbian?
Brittany: Yeah. Isn't that what it says?

What is that supposed to mean? It isn't the first time I hear about confusing Lebanese with lesbian on a TV show or movie...
Is that some kind of joke I don't get?

Lebanon speaks up loud against homophobia.

Save the date: May 17th - The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO)

Lebanon might not have a flashy gay parade with rainbow flags waving above our heads just yet. But many of us Lebanese, gay, straight or anywhere in between, are already actively engaged in a collective effort trying to raise awareness and fight homophobia.

More often than not, homophobia is just another by-product of ignorance. People remaining stuck with their pre-conceived ideas, their limited knowledge about how homosexuality plays out in real life.

That's where your stories, your personal experiences and your opinions can help a great deal. Sharing some of your thoughts with the rest of us will help spread awareness within, as well as outside the community.

So here's the deal: As Lebanon's LGBT blogosphere, we are asking everyone, gay or straight, to take a minute to think: How does homophobia affect you or someone you love?

Write 150 words or less and email to rainbow_experience@hotmail.com

You will be advancing the cause more than you think!

Don't forget to check the LebIDAHO blog!

Contributing bloggers (Listed alphabetically):

Beirut Boy: Email | @beirutboy

Gay in Beirut: Email | @gayinbeirut

LebaGaGa: Email | @lebagaga

Lebanese Alien: Email | @Lebanesealien

Lebanon Rebel: Email | @lebanonrebel

Rainbow Experience: Email | @rainbowexp

Raynbow Monitor: Email | @LebLGBTmonitor

Graphic Designer:

@zoozel