What you're likely to hear

I meant to post this earlier in time for fashion week, but it completely slipped my mind. I've compiled a list of songs you're likely to hear at this season's LG Fashion Week in Toronto. Although LGFW started on Monday, there's still time to hear some of these jams on the runway. My predictions are usually accurate, but if I'm wrong then, sorry.

1. "Hello" - Martin Solveig and Dragonette
2. "Pharaohs & Pyramids" - Cut Copy
3. Most of the Toro Y Moi album
4. Far East Movement - "Like a G6" (Despite it being a last season and season before that runway hit, I think one designer will put it in)
   
5. Anything by Drake. Ugh.
6. "Safari Disco Club" - Yelle
7. Songs from the Twin Shadow album
8. "Snake Charmer" - Bag Raiders
9. Anything by The Black Keys
10. Songs from the TRON: Legacy Soundtrack
11. "Odessa" - Caribou (again, same thing as "G6" but it may come back)

What would be nice to hear:

1. "Lovesick" - Lindstrom and Christabelle
2. Songs from the Bonobo album
3. "Pigna Colada" (Fare Soldie Shake Your Burek Remix) - Sculo Furano
4. "Sorry" - Justus Kohncke and Alexis Taylor
5. "Holidays" - Miami Horror
6. "Boy" (RAC Remix) - Ra Ra Riot

Kalimat Magazine

Back in the summer, I had an overwhelming amount of ideas floating in my head. The months of uncertainty that followed were spent sketching ideas and conceptualising.

In December, I finally had the finalised design and text for my latest project Kalimat Magazine and had a soft "spread the word" type of launch. April is the month where I will be launching the online portion of the magazine, which will be followed by a print edition in the summer (hopefully). On April 16th, Kalimat is hosting a Livestream of TedXRamallah, as part of our partnership with the TedX event. We're also going to have a few talks and live performances of our own. So if you're in the Toronto area, make sure you head over to Beit Zatoun at 612 Markham Street at 18h00 and attend this event.

And don't forget to check out and support Kalimat.

The concept of being busy

We all have friends who are constantly bragging about how busy they are and why they have been missing in action lately, but frankly, I don't consider being "too busy" an excuse to not maintaining a relationship with people, even if it's a brief two minute phone call or message every month or so. I personally consider myself a busy person because I partake in a lot of activities. Alongside my full time job, I also do freelance work, run several personal projects, and volunteer, but I make sure to always have time to hang out with friends, socialize and send personal emails/messages checking up on them, even if they are far away.

People always complain about not being able to "find the time", but the truth is, it's not about "finding time" it's about "making time". Making time helps you manage, organise and prioritise. If you're constantly overwhelmed, maybe you shouldn't be taking up so many activities. The fact that we are constantly connected (internet is widely available, smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc), gives people no excuse to not respond to their messages and not keep in touch or send off a brief "hello, how are you?" If you find the time to check your Facebook account, write on someone's wall, post a few links, photos and comments, it's likely you check your emails and your cell phone messages. And if you have the time to do everything it is people do on Facebook, you surely have the time to respond to a friend who has been attempting to reach out to you for awhile with a simple message.

What shocks me is that most people who claim to be unbelievably busy are ones who are in school (don't get me started on people in relationships who choose to seclude themselves in a box, destroy all their friendships and then when their heart is broken, attempt to find a friend to lean on and can't find one). I went to university, and while in school, I worked, volunteered, and participated in countless students activities. I understand that some majors require more work than others

and that constant studying is a priority, but if all you're doing is school, then there really is no excuse. I understand your priorities, but one should never forget to maintain relationships with others.

There's no such thing as being too busy. The fact of the matter is, people like to pretend they are busier than they actually are. They check their phones constantly, attempting to show others how busy they are but in reality, they are just playing a silly game on their iPhone.

Caffeinated illustrator

Forgot to post this but last month my coffee sleeve illustrations were featured as an inspiration on Paintlounge, a social painting tea space in Markham.

exhaustion.

Sometimes you do things, impulsive things usually, and no matter how important they seem to you, it doesn't matter because it's not enough, it's never enough. Sometimes you let go of things, material things, and think that what you're going to pursue is more important than that but then you wake up months later and you're right back where you were initially, with the same faces and places surrounding you, you're left wondering if letting go of that thing, as material as it was, was right.

I've been awake for over 12 hours and it's 14h. I'm the type of person that thinks of 98 things at once...too many thoughts for her own good. I'm that person that runs on 4-5 hours of sleep and has more energy than a five year old. No matter how much I try to rest, my body still can't manage to stay still and I wonder if I am going to spend the rest of my life feeling this anxious. I'm convinced that when I die, I'll still be thinking and waiting and oh how I hate waiting! It's not because I am naturally impatient, it's the fact that I really have no idea what I am waiting for.

There is a Chinese proverb that says the three hardest things in life are loving someone who doesn't love you back, waiting for someone who never comes and not being able to sleep when you are so tired. I might be facing a mix of all three, or maybe just one, I may never know, but instead, I'll continue to wait, and not out of choice.