Music Monday 86 :: Marni Nixon Hollywood's Voice Ghost - NPR

Music Monday 86 :: Marni Nixon Hollywood's Voice Ghost from NPR

I originally heard this story on NPR's Culturetopia podcast. I was fascinated by the process of dubbing. It's a great story too.

The Egyptian Way :: The Lift

The Egyptian Way :: The Lift

I live on the seventh floor. My building has two elevators or as it's call in Egypt (and many other parts of the world) - the lift. Actually, there are four elevators in the building, but two are directly accessible for me.

Unfortunately since early January, there has only been one working elevator. Unfortunately, the one working elevator only works 'sometimes'. This was quite the bane of my existence (and my protest partners) during the Egyptian revolution in late January and early February. After being out at Tahrir Square all day, we'd take the hour long walk home only to find that elevator didn't work ... we'd mumble and grumble and curse up the entire seven/nine flights of stairs.

Well, after the revolution ended, the only working elevator continued to work sporadically. One day I got fed up and sent an extensive email to everyone who had something to do w/the elevators. The short story of their response was that both elevators will be functional in August, 2011. I already have a short list of who's not happy about that, but in August, 2011, there'd better be two working elevators.

I say all that to say this: Today was a teaching day for me - I leave home at 7:30 a.m. and I get home usually around 7:30 or 8 p.m. I'm usually exhausted. Today was no different. When I arrived at the only working 'lift' the doors were open and there was a man visibly working on it. I stood there - exasperated. I began to think of ways to get to the seventh floor: I could take the stairs, no, I can walk to the other side of the building and take the girls elevator to the sixth floor (that's as high as it goes) ... no, just take the stairs, they're right there ... I'm thinking real fast because I'm also hungry.

Here's 'the lift' on the seventh floor. That box on the left is the other lift that's being repaired. (Mar., 2011).

But then the man fixing the elevator, who I've seen around and whose name is Mohamed says ... "Gowwa, gowwa." I'm confused. "Gowwa" means inside in Arabic, but what's he trying to say? The next thing I know, the elevator doors close. Now, I'm certain that I'll have to take the stairs ... but then the doors open back up - in seconds - and the elevator is there like it's always been there and ready for me to get in and ride up - it's like it's a magic trick, but I'm suspect. I walk closer and Mohamed encourages me to get in. What? His voice alone startles me. I look up and there he is. I say, "La. La." That's "No" in Arabic, but he's insistent. So, reluctantly I walk in the elevator. I glance up. He can see me and points for me to select a floor. I hit the button for the seventh floor and I immediately think, "Well, he'll be okay since there are several floors above seven; at least he won't get smashed." I know, forget the fact that he could get electrocuted or whatever else. Not only that, but I failed to think that "I'm in an elevator that, just seconds ago, was being repaired." Wtw?

When I hit seven, the elevator didn't move. But Mohamed starts to rustle around and eventually we're going upward. All the while I'm thinking "What kinda ish is this?" Luckily, the ride is over before I can repeat that phrase too many times. When the doors open on my floor, I get out of the elevator and begin to walk toward my flat, but Mohamed is trying to tell me something ... he wants me to send the elevator back down ... huh?

I push the ground floor and as I walk away I say to myself, "What the hell just happened?" I know that me and the residents of the building have complained loudly about the sometimes working lift, but I've never experienced something quite like that before, nor do I want to do it again. I mean, if there's going to be a man operating the elevator, I'd rather he be in the elevator than on top of it.

I'd love to get a picture of 'the man inside the elevator' (you know, like 'the man behind the curtain' in "The Wizard of Oz"), but I can't imagine calling 'the lift' again and also wondering if it will come? And/or if it does come, will Mohamed be there ... ?

ADDENDUM: The next morning, when I went to call the elevator, (surprise) it's not working. After walking down the seven flights of stairs, I went to the front desk to tell them that elevator's not working; they look at each other blankly and offer me no sign that they know what I'm talking about; I walk away more frustrated than ever and head to my Arabic lesson. I'm gonna learn this language and use it to give a few people a piece of my mind ... in their language.

Music Monday 85 :: Glam.I.Rock "Empty Ave."

Music Monday 85 :: Glam.I.Rock "Empty Ave."

This song just makes me want to ... dance. Great workout track. The video is lackluster, but check the song. You may think it's a bit simple w/the electronic vib, but Glam.I.Rock has a nice voice. I first 'discovered' her on thesixtyone.

YouTube Video: Glam.I.Rock's "Empty Ave."

Oh, and this remix version of "Empty Ave." is okay too.

Music Monday 84 :: Usher f/will.i.am "OMG"

Music Monday 84 :: Usher f/will.i.am "OMG"

I love this song: "OMG" by Usher f/will.i.am; it get you really hyped for a good workout. There's not much to it ... the fake snare drives the song, but for that little bit of musician in me, they should have gotten the real thing. It sound synthesized. I love the amped up crowd that flows from beginning to end.

However, the accompanying video is a huge let down. They don't even play on the crowd in the song; now that would have been the thing to do is have this mass crowd break out in a synchronized dance like a mob scene.

Well, there's still the song to enjoy. Check it out.

Music Monday 83 :: Arabian Knightz "Sisters"

Music Monday 83 :: Arabian Knightz "Sisters"

At first glance, the title of this song might seem as if it could be some guys talking about their sisters and it is. However, the sisters are all Egyptian women and these guys are Egyptian too. They recognize a problem in the Egyptian culture and they're using their creativity to get a message out there.

Image borrowed from the9elements.com

"Sisters" was produced by Arabian Knightz for HarassMap. HarassMap is a project based in Cairo, Egypt that's designed for women to report incidents of sexual harassment via text messages (SMS). Much love to Arabian Knightz.

Blog post on HarassMap about Arabian Knightz.

Listen to "Sisters" by Arabian Knightz

The Egyptian Way :: What I See

The Egyptian Way :: What I See

I take a bus to work at The American University in Cairo (AUC). It can take about 50 minutes w/o traffic or infinitely w/traffic; it's an awful toss up for the commute home.

But the variety of things that I see when I look out the window still amazes me. There are lots of unfinished housing developments as well as unfinished corporate office buildings.

There's always a lot of traffic. There are a variety of cars: old cars, foreign cars, small ones too along with the occasional abandoned vehicle. Trucks are plentiful: tractor trailers and flatbeds. Motorcycles, scooters and guys riding bikes w/a large try of bread on their heads and somehow managing to balance it all through heavy traffic. If there's a pick up truck, there's a good chance that it's filled w/men heading to/from work or it's full of goods.

Unfortunately, there are often drivers driving on the wrong side of the road; more unfortunate, sometimes I've been on a bus or two where our bus was driving on the wrong side of the road. Those bus drivers usually get an earful from the passengers and they probably get written up about the safety violation. With all of that traffic, or more pointedly, the cause of all of that traffic is the traffic police, who rarely manage to efficiently move traffic.

The people are quite interesting: men in suits and construction gear and galabayas. The vendors are out; people are at cafes sipping tea and having some shisha.

There are many billboards, most of them in Arabic, but just as slick as any billboard in the U.S.

Lucky for me there's always some sunshine! Whether it the sunshine in the morning or getting to see the sunset. It's a treat to see just like it's a treat to always see The Nile.

I could go on, but I've put together a Wordle on some of the things that I see on my commute to and from the AUC campus.