Busy Marmot Lifestyle

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 17:18:00 +0000

Wouhou, it has been a long time since my last post...

Sorry for that but, I have still the same explanation: no internet at home. And I have been so busy!!! (No, it is not a joke)

So first of all, I would like to wish to each of you a

HAPPY NEW YEAR

May it be joyful and full of laughs

I will explain later why I have been so busy but not today.

Still Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 18:36:00 +0000

I know I haven't been posting for a long time and I would like to apologize for that. But I do have some reasons explaining that absence.
First, I moved in my new appart, so I have been busy during the evenings (I was working during the days).
Second, we still don't have a "stable" internet connection at home. Indeed, the previous inhabitants had not the telephone at home, so internet neither. And the provider we chose seems not to be in a hurry to let us be connected...
Consequently, we are trying each night to connect to a non-protected wi-fi network. But it is often hard and when we manage to get one, it is rare that we have a good bandwidth.
So it is hard to blog when I'm at home.
And even if I'm not currently working very hard, I still don't want to blog when I'm at work, as I don't want to play either. Principles...

So I have been living in Paris for 5 weeks and working for 4 weeks.
What do I feel about that? Well, it's hard to define...
Actually, it is maybe not that different from my student life. I'm still having fun, skating, spending hours on the internet, going to the cinema. So what changed?
Well, first of all, I wake up every morning from monday to friday at 6:30... To me, it is a revolution since I've not been used to wake up before 8am for months...
So sometimes, I'm in bed at 10pm... It would have never happened last year... It is maybe just the time I get used to wake up so early while still staying awake until midnight...

The 4 first weeks of these last 5 weeks, it was Ramadan. So I didn't do any sport. Yes, fine shame on me. Actually, getting, installed, fasting, and my knees needing rest make me not skate for almost 4 weeks. But it seems that now, I'm going back to the beginning of my training. Last monday, I signed up in a new skate club: the PUC. I went to 2 trainings this week. My back is no more used to effort... My muscles are like burning after only a few minutes... I need practicing...

I put some videos of my appart and my room on my website. It may require Quicktime 7 to read them. Here is the link. My room is still not decorated as I didn't have time for. But it will soon be.

I'm on vacation until wednesday. So I hope I will manage to work on my website which has been under construction for too long now.

Ok, enough for tonight. I have a cold to heal.

It's Over

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 14:25:00 +0000

My student life is over... bouhouhou :'(

I know I'm gonna miss it. But I wanna believe I'll have fun in this new life that is now starting.
Last year, I didn't have enough time to practice all the sport I wanted. Consenquently, I only skated and now, my legs are more developped than the other parts of my body. But this year, I won't have to work each evening I got home. No, I'll have time for skating of course but also swimming! Yes, I believe it will still be a busy life but with more sport and that sounds great :-D

Of course, I wish I could stay in Lyon. Inchallah, I'll come back there in a few years...
Tuesday, I went with friends of our skating team to Layalina for my last time before I leave Lyon on this Saturday. It was their first time and I think they enjoyed. I'm gonna miss this restaurant too. All this life in Lyon, my friends, places I liked to go...
A page is being turned. But it is not because it's turned that I won't read it anew ;-)

Last WE, I did my first race since the One Eleven. Well, after a few kms, my knees were hurting anew. I'm starting to believe that they need a lot of rest. But it will be after the next WE because I have 2 races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. And then this first long skate race season will also be over. It will then be time to rest. Surprisingly, it coincides with the Ramadan.

You may have seen in the links on the side of this page that I now have a new website (www.skatinabdou.com). It is currently under construction. And for those who use RSS feeds, I added one, just click on the orange square near "Previous".

Moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 15:43:00 +0000

Yes, we have never been closer to the end! lol

I gave back the keys of my appart this morning.
So now, I'm living at David's place, for the coming 3 weeks.

I was a little sad to leave my appart. I lived so many things there... And leaving it was as turning a page of my life.

My studies are ending soon. Maybe so soon, I won't be on time. Yes I'm late. I'm starting believing that's the only way I can coerce me into working. Weaky me...

Nausicaa is undoubtedly my favorite Miyasaki's movie. I had already seen it on my computer. But to see it in a theater was gorgeous! :D I think I'm gonna see it once more. Actually, I watched it in original version with subtitles. But I'm curious to see it in french version.
Last month, I saw also Pirates od the Caribean - Dead's Man Chest, twice, in french version and then in original version.

And the definitely most important to me event of this last month was: the ONE ELEVEN!
I did it! With rain and pain but I finished it.

Here is now the french summary I made of it for the newsletter of Generations Roller:

Mais pourquoi c�??est pas au fin fond de la Beauce?

Samedi 19 août. Lever à 8h30 pour les derniers préparatifs. Ce WE, je l�??attends depuis des semaines, que dis-je, des mois ! �? 10h15, rdv à Grange Blanche avec quelques copains de GRS (Fabrice, Nico, JB, Benoît et Mathias) et du LOU (Jonathan), direction la Suisse ! Plus précisément, Saint Gallen, au bord du lac de Constance. On a loué un utilitaire 9 places, histoire d�??être à l�??aise et d�??avoir de la place pour les sacs.
Après 2 heures et quelques de route, nous arrivons à Lausanne où nous récupérons Solen de Planet Roller à la gare puis nous allons au bord du lac rejoindre les grenoblois Natacha, Charlotte et Fred pour la pause picnic. �? 17h, nous arrivons à l�??Olma de Saint Gallen, une sorte de centre d�??exposition composé de plusieurs hangars et autres salles. Retrait des dossards accompagnés de quelques cadeaux. Une trousse de toilette complète qui se déplie et s�??accroche comme un cintre. Il y manque juste la brosse à dent ! Et puis une magnifique sonnette verte qui peut se porter autour d�??un doigt. Certains ont promis de s�??en servir à Parilly, attention à vos oreilles ;-)
On va chercher nos sacs et on s�??installe dans la grande salle où des dizaines de matelas sont posés par terre. Puis on va se poser dans une grande salle qui sert de réfectoire et où la vidéo de l�??année dernière tourne en boucle. Discussion avec des têtes connues pour certains, belote coinchée pour d�??autres puis pasta party. Avant d�??aller dormir, on décide d�??aller faire un tour dans la ville. En sortant de l�??Olma, on se met alors à suivre des groupes de gens qui vont tous dans la même direction. On croise une fanfare en habit traditionnel, couleur schtroumpf. Puis on arrive dans le centre ville où il règne une sacrée ambiance. Les rues sont pleines à craquer (comme un 8 décembre à Lyon sur la presqu�??île) et on peut entendre un style de musique différent tous les 15 mètres environ. On apprendra plus tard en allant sur le site internet de la ville de Saint Gallen qu�??il s�??agissait du festival de la ville, vraisemblablement annuel. Oui, on n�??avait pas osé demander aux gens, ils parlaient tous une langue proche de l�??allemand mais pas nous. Après avoir essayé de se perdre dans les rues de la ville, nous rentrons finalement à l�??Olma où certains essayent déjà de dormir. Il faut dire qu�??il est 22h et que le réveil est prévu pour 5h le lendemain.
Nuit agitée, difficile de dormir par terre au milieu de gens qui parfois ronflent, se lèvent en cours de nuit, etc.

Dimanche 20 août. 4h30. Mais qui a allumé la lumière ? Mais où suis-je ? C�??est quoi toute cette agitation autour de moi ? Ah oui, c�??est vrai, dans une demi heure, il y a le p�??tit dèj et dans 2h30 le départ. Je commence à me dire qu�??on est cinglé de faire ça. Se lever si tôt un dimanche matin pour aller faire 111 bornes sur des roulettes�?�
Chouette, ils ont même prévu les pâtes pour le p�??tit dèj ! Enfin bon, pour ceux qui veulent que du pain ou des croissants, c�??est possible aussi ;-) Certains sont allés voir dehors. Le sol est trempé, il a plu pendant la nuit. Pas cool. Pourvu qu�??il ne pleuve pas pendant la course. En tout cas, je garde les roues et roulements « pluie ». Allez, c�??est l�??heure d�??aller se préparer. La file d�??attente est interminable aux toilettes�?�
6h30. Waow, ça se rapproche. Le ciel est gris, des gouttes tombent ça et là. Il est temps de commencer à s�??échauffer. �?a accroche plutôt bien par terre, pourvu que ce soit comme ça sur tout le parcours.
7h �?? 01minute. Après une photo souvenir, on se groupe sur la ligne de départ.
7h. Fünf, Vier, Drei, Zwei, Ein. C�??est parti ! Hé les copains, partez pas si vite, je ne vous vois déjà plus. Bon, on va faire comme tout l�??monde, partir vite pour essayer de trouver un bon peloton.
Dès les premiers kms, les supporters suisses sont déjà là. « Hop hop hop hop hop ». Il est 7h du matin, un dimanche et ils sont dehors sur leur pas-de-porte ou au bord d�??un champ pour nous encourager. J�??ai du mal à m�??imaginer la même chose en France�?�
Les ravitaillements sont impressionnants. Certains courent avec leur plateau, d�??autres sont carrément en roller. De temps en temps, une averse vient réhumidifier la route qui n�??avait pas commencé à sécher.
Au bout de 30kms, je ne l�??ai toujours pas trouvé, ce fameux bon peloton. Par contre, mon genou droit commence à me faire mal. Je tâche de m�??appliquer sur ma technique, mais ça ne suffit pas. Puis mon genou gauche s�??y met aussi. Au passage, un de mes roulements a jugé que c�??était trop calme et s�??est mis à chanter. Abandonner ? hors de question. Ralentir ? je crois que je n�??ai pas vraiment le choix. 20kms plus loin, je ne sais pas si c�??est les tendons ou les ligaments mais je ne peux plier les jambes que péniblement. Et il me reste plus de la moitié à faire. La fatigue commence à se faire sentir. Ce qui me fait le plus peur, c�??est les fameux 20 derniers kms en montée. Car en canard, mes genoux m�??empêchent d�??avancer. Tant pis, allons-y et on verra une fois sur place. Un train me rattrappe. J�??essaie de me mettre derrière. Mais ils ne savent pas patiner en groupe et il y a trop de va et vient à l�??arrière. Du coup, lors d�??un ralentissement je passe en tête et y reste pendant une quinzaine de kms. Personne n�??ose me doubler. Dans les descentes, la vitesse prise avec un groupe d�??une vingtaine de personnes derrière est impressionnante ! Puis vers les 75kms, lors d�??une montée où je n�??arrive plus à avancer, une grosse partie du train me double. 5kms plus loin, ils ont à peine 200m d�??avance. Mais tout d�??un coup, une douleur dans le genou droit me fait arrêter de patiner. Je reste en roue libre pendant quelques mètres, à la limite du piétinage. Nerveusement, ça devient très difficile. La fatigue n�??aide pas vraiment dans ces cas. La pluie non plus. Je continue à avancer, en déambulant, sans pouvoir plier les jambes. Je dois être à 10 ou 15 km/h sur plat et presque à l�??arrêt en montée. Les averses se sont enchaînées et j�??ai maintenant l�??impression d�??avoir les pieds qui flottent dans mes patins. Vers les 90kms, là où il y a la plus grosse montée du parcours, je commence à me faire doubler par des patineurs en fitness. Quelle idée d�??avoir des roues de 100mm en montée aussi ! Ne pas craquer, aller jusqu�??au bout. Je veux les finir tout seul ces 111kms, même si je ne peux plus marcher pendant 3 jours !
Le panneau annonçant le 100ème km me paraît ne jamais arriver. « Existe-t-il vraiment ? » Enfin, le voilà ! Et un ravitaillement au passage. Tiens, je vais essayer ces fameux gels énergétiques parce que là, je n�??ai plus rien à perdre de toutes façons. Peu de temps après, je retrouve une partie de mes jambes. Je ne sais pas s�??ils ont mis un anti-inflammatoire ou de la morphine dedans mais la douleur a nettement diminué et la fatigue également. Du coup, je relance tant que je peux et je me mets à redoubler une partie des patineurs qui m�??ont doublé précédemment. Dans la dernière montée, j�??ai l�??impression de monter plus facilement que 3 semaines avant au Ventoux. Peu avant la fin de cette montée, j�??aperçois un secouriste qui tente de réanimer un patineur allongé sous une couverture. Brrrrr, ça fait froid dans l�??dos ! (J�??ai appris le lendemain qu�??un des participants était mort.) Je termine ma course tant bien que mal en 5h00m24s sous la pluie.
Déçu ? pas vraiment. Mais je sais que j�??aurais pu faire mieux et c�??est promis, je reviendrai et j�??aurai ma revanche (mais non, je ne suis pas masochiste). En attendant, je vais chercher mes affaires puis je vais jusqu�??à la douche commune. Pas facile de se changer avec une jambe raide. Puis c�??est au tour des roulements d�??être nettoyés afin d�??assurer leur « survie ». Je termine juste à temps pour voir les podiums. Les délégations lyonnaises et grenobloises ont frappé fort. Bravo à tous !

Nausicaa...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 14:43:00 +0000

For Americans and other people also...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 08:10:00 +0000

an interesting link... Scroll down ;-)

How sweet...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:27:00 +0000

to be at home!!!!!!!!!

Resting, no work except taking care of the garden, being with my family, good meals.
Yes, the last point is particularly important. Because I don't know how it works for you, but when I'm alone, I can't find the will to cook anything. So I'm mainly eating that kind of food in boxes you just need to warm up, or simply cheese and bread. And cookies!!!!!!!!! Yes, shame on me. Despite this catastrophic diet, I'm losing pounds... Maybe skating too much...

Just did it!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 01:33:00 +0000

It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! Merely awesome!
The pictures are there.

Awake at 3:30am. On a sunday morning, it's usually the time I go to sleep...
4am: I'm already on my skates to go the meeting point. Actually, skating at 4am, with 2 backbags (one behind, one in front) can be very surprising... It seems you react after things happened and sometimes, you just wonder how you are still standing, skating.
4:30am: In the car, going to the South! The "Giant of Provence" is waiting for us.
7am: Arrival in Bedoin, our starting point with about an hour and a half before starting time. We decide to go in the village and have breakfast. Honestly, I had been thinking for a couple hours that we are totally mad to do this. And seeing the famous antenna from the starting point is really impressive.
8am: back to the parking place, our meeting and starting point. A lot of people have arrived. Everybody's getting ready, warming up.
8:20: pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!
8:30: Let's the game begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10:50: "What? Is that already finished?" lol!!!! No, actually, it was rather: "Wow, I did it!" lying on the ground. I was not the first to arrive of course. JB arrived at 10:15. It is simply a new record for this little climb. He really is an ET to a lot of others skaters. As for me, the course went pretty well. I just stopped once to tighten my skates. I was using my Problades with 80mm wheels. Really a better plan than 100mm wheels. But At the arrival, I felt I had tighten my right foot too much... it was hurting and a little swollen.
After some streching exercises to help recovering, most of skaters had arrived, each time with a thunder of applause.
Then, Pictures!!!!!!!
And time to go down for a deserved picnic. Some went down on their skates. But most went down with cars. On the way down, one of the skaters had a bad fall. But it seems it is not too serious, "just" a broken elbow.
And after having a drink in Bedoin with our lyonnese group, time to go home! Shower!!!!!!!!

This skate was really awesome and I'm already decided to come back next year inchallah.

And now, I'm back to my parents' home for a couple of days, resting. So sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet :-D

THEY are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:16:00 +0000

Yes, they are back from Lebanon. My parents, brother and sister arrived in France this afternoon at 5:30 pm. I'm so happy! :-D
But I'll only see them next week. I've some work to finish here...

Most of my father's family are still there though. I just hope for them that the immobilism of our so-called civilized countries won't last too long...

Last Friday, I went to Paris to sign the papers for my new apartment. I'll have 2 roomates, from the same school as me. We will share a 95m2 apart between Barbès and Montmartre. It is AWESOME. Huge, cute, well-placed. But not furnished so I'll have to go to ikea I guess...

10 days ago, I bought a new iPod 5G white 30GB. It is so cute!!!!!!!! Why an iPod and not a Creative or an Archos? Well, I don't know exactly. Maybe because these are almost all the same price and that I have an iBook. I read this morning that people that have an iPod and use a Windows PC were more inclined to buy a Mac as their next computer. As for me, it has been the contrary! lol

This Sunday, I'll have to wake up really early, around 4am. Why? Well, there's not that many things to get me awake so early on a Sunday morning... Skating of course but no race this time. I will "simply" go for a 22-km skate in the South of France, 250 kms far from Lyon. Then you'll ask me why going so far for just 22kms? Because of that:

1600m to climb, nearly 8% average grade... Isn't it exciting? To me it is! Well, obviously, I'm not as ready as I could have been. But I don't care. I wanna go up this mount, it is one of my skating objectives for this year, so I will do it. I've already done the 6hours of the INSA alone, the 24 hours of Le Mans in a team (the New KOLT). After the Ventoux, it will remain me the One Eleven on August 20th. And I'll have done my objectives. Which doesn't mean I will stop skating for the last part of this year ;-)

So after the Ventoux, 2 weeks and a half at home, resting. But if I wanna rest, I've to complete my work before this Friday. So I've to go back to work!

Wow, I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 17:26:00 +0000

Back from where? I don't know. lol
And I may not be long...
Actually, during these last 3 months, so many things happened. To summarize all these:
- I love speed skating and especially speed skating competitions,
- I'm since a few days a civil engineer,
- I'll finish my student life in 2 months and a half and by the way, leave Lyon =(
- My PC laptop is dead so it "only" remains me my iBook G4

At the end of September, I'll move to Paris, to start a new part of my life. Yes, Studies are almost completed. I'll enter the "active life". lol. sounds weird. And I may start a new blog, half french, half english. I don't know exactly how I will do it but actually, I've more friends in France than abroad and some of them told me they weren't reading it because it was in english...

Currently, my family (parents, brother and sister) are in Lebanon. :-s They went to see my father's family. They were to stay from the 6th to the 20th of July. Now they are waiting the embassy call that will let them know how to go home as soon as possible... I can't believe there are so many stupid people over there. They are living in one of the most beautiful part of the earth and they can't do anything but destroy it and them by the way. It makes me sick. Actually, if a israeli pilot was to miss his target, I could be an orphan. Collateral damage... But no, I'm not anxious at all, of course... I just try to live normally. When electricity supplies are not cut, I can chat with them on MSN or Gmail. It seems they are fine and not worried so why should I worry, huh?

Ok, let's talk about other stuffs. Yesterday, I put apart my dead laptop in order to reuse components that were still working. It's funny how it is finally very easy to unmount. I now have a new 75GB hard drive for my iBook, external but very easy to transport. Cooooooooool! Yes actually, my iBook started being a little saturated...

If you want to see pictures of my last skating events, go to the link My pictures (summer 2005), on the right part of this page. Yes I know, I'm too lazy to change its name...

Rest needed but not wanted...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 12:40:00 +0000

Wow !

It seems I�??ve been a little busier than I�??d forecast. Busier and maybe lazier ;-) .
I realised during this period I was not the only one to update my blog not really often. And I noticed that when I was to read a very long post on a blog, I used to « forget » reading the integrality of the post. So I�??ll try to make this post as short as possible.

Class has ended ! At last ! My last exam was on the last day of March. I will have the results only in June. I don�??t think it went very well but I hope it went well enough which is most important. And yesterday, I just completed some work I had to give for the end of�?� March !
I wonder how it comes that I didn�??t manage to do it sooner. Maybe I skated too much�?� and now I need to rest because my knee has decided so ! Thus, I will have time to work.

I did my first skate race of the season. It was in Nîmes (South of France) on the 2nd of April. It was sunny and it went really well for me. I really enjoyed myself ! If you want to see some pictures, here they are. (Thank you Geri !) Next race on the 7th of May in Rennes.
Actually, there�??s a lot of races I want to do but I wonder whether my body will agree�?�

Next week, time to rest : I�??m currently heading to the Alps with my family. But I think I won�??t ski tomorrow because my knee has to rest. Maybe the next day�?�

Last Week

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 21:15:00 +0000

Yes, my last week of class is coming...

Well, I wonder if I can say it is a week of class. Actually, a week of exams better depicts it. And instead of working, I prefer blogging... =) No comment ^^

Yes, I have not been blogging for 3 weeks... but I had so much to do! However, I managed to do more than one training this month! clap clap clap! Actually, the first race is next week end so I didn't want to arrive there without any preparation...
2 weeks ago, I went in the south of France, in Cavaillon where there were skate technic lessons organised by 2 pro skaters. If you want to see pictures, here they are . I learnt that I didn't know how to skate. Actually, I already knew it but now, I know what to do exactly. And well, the least I can say is that speed skating is not that easy...
Then there was my birthday. I'm 22 now. It's the beginning of being old... I mean, when one is 21, he is just over 20 so he's "young". But 22 starts being far from 20... Anyway, the most important is that I'm still 20 (even 16) in my mind...
That day (the 15th) I had the result about my appliance for a thesis: it's a failure. So it seems I will have to quit Lyon for the North of the France in October :'( It is still remaining a very tiny chance but it is so tiny...
That night, I went to Layalina with 4 friends. For those who still don't know it, it is a very good lebanese restaurant in the Vieux Lyon. As usual, it was GOOD! And at the end of the dinner, the chief offered a bottle of Champagne =) . So nice!

Today, I'm blogging from my parents' home, as yesterday, it was my father's birthday. So I exceptionnally came back on a Friday evening (usually, when I come for a week end to visit my parents, I come back on saturday morning because Friday night is reserved for skate =) ).

Well now, I hope I will be able to blog more often, at least for the 3 months coming, since I will have no more class...

4 weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 17:59:00 +0000

4 weeks remaining...

It will be too short. And that's maybe better that way...

I don't know why, I've no motivation currently. I spend hours in front of my computer without being able to work. Lazy? certainly but I'm not sure that's the only reason. Sad mood doesn't help working. However, I don't want to believe I'm sad. So what's happening? I've a scientific mind, I wanna know! But obviously, it is not simple enough. There's maybe an explanation: feeling lonely. Yes maybe but it has always been like that. I mean, I've been living alone since I'm 16 (wow, nearly 6 years already). Even when I was with my ex-girlfriend, I was not living with her so I was alone at night most of time.
Well, yes, in those days, I was not to work the same way. But I was able to do my work a "long" time before the deadline. Now it seems, I'm unable to do so. It's true I didn't use to have a computer (or 2), an internet connection and a TV.
And I was used to work. I've always been (or felt?) lazy. But in a certain way, I was also able to work. Before being in this engineering school, classes were certainly harder. I mean it was more demanding for brain. I've the uncomfortable feeling my brain is asleep now. 3 years of this school, going in class only to be present (because, yes, there's no need to listen to validate here...), well 3 years, it's long... one have time to get used... but used to do what? nothing? Well, no, I can't say I've learnt nothing these last 3 years. I've learnt to use what students before me have done to get it "better". I've learnt that a good network is more important than knowledge!?!? Weird, isn't it? When I think about it, I feel uncomfortable. Maybe because I used to think that one day, I would know a lot of things, being kind of a specialist. Now, it seems very far to me. Far doesn't mean unreachable, it's true. But the contrary isn't true also.

So now, my brain is asleep, I would like to awake it. But it needs a lot of motivation. And it seems I'm in a system that doesn't let me enough time to find it. It's easy to say I've not enough time, especially for someone that spend hours on the internet, chatting, and finally, doing nothing! Maybe I should cut this cable. But it is also a mean of communication important for my work. So I can only rely on the strength of my mind. I think I should prepare an expedition to search for it because it is obviously very well hidden (supposing it does exist...). Yes, that's maybe the solution. So enough spoken, time to act! I'll go cooking because computers don't feed humans already...

Holidays almost over

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 15:16:00 +0000

It was AWESOME.

We arrived last Saturday, under the snow. Sunday was a white day so we went skiing only from 10 to 13. Between Saturday and Monday morning, 25 cms of snow arrived on the slopes of Risoul and Vars (the ski resort linked to Risoul).
Monday was a sunny day... with tons of fresh and light snow... It was even so nice to fall! lol Certainly the best day of the week. Then 3 other days of sun, starting skiing at 9:30 and stopping at 17:00. The snow was becoming harder and little stones were appearing on the slopes :(
And today, the last day, white day. So we went skiing for only 3 hours.
I was to rest this week, according to the training schedule we have for our skate group. Well, I don't think I rested that much: my thighs were burning each evening :s But it was so sweet to ski all day with friends, under the sun, having lunch under the trees.
Of course, I could have skied less fast. But it's definitely less fun.

Well now, time to pack. And then, back to work, to this bloody March month.
Luckily, April will be better. As each year, I'll go to the 2 Alps (another ski resort) with my family at the end of this month. My internship director was not working this week so he decided to let me go with my family. So sweet! I'll spend one week skiing with my brother, certainly training for slalom and giant.
But before this, here is March...

Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 18 Feb 2006 15:17:00 +0000

At Last!

Yes, it's only one week and I don't think it will be real holidays. Indeed, I have so much work waiting... But I've been so busy these last weeks that right now, I just want to breathe. I'm currently in the bus heading to the Alps. More precisely, a ski resort called Risoul. With around 70 people from my school.
I love technology! thanks to my phone and a USB cable, I can connect to the web from almost every place in the world. So I won't get bored in this jammed traffic. Because today is a wrong day for going to the Alps. Moreover, it may be snowing when we will arrive to the ski resort. Actually we left at 11 in the morning. It is 17 and we haven't even done 200kms...

So I will spend one week skiing and maybe working if weather is too bad. It seems that we won't lack of snow. That's a good point!
Then, it will remain me one month of madness. So much work to do, an avalanch of exams at the end of the month and THE D-Day on the 10th.
And then, No More Class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so impatient...

Disgusted

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 15:44:00 +0000

I can't find the words. I'm simply disgusted. Disgusted by these media. Disgusted by these people that pretend being muslims.
Of course, some of these drawings were hugely offending. It was madness to draw such things. How would christians react if someone draw Jesus putting fire to the bucher of a witch? huh?

However, is it allowing people to put fire to embassies? Certainly not! I think most of muslims are deeply offended by these drawings but most of them don't want to put fire to embassies!
And what media ONLY show? fire and fanatic people. Oh sorry, I should say scatterbrain, it's maybe more realistic.
So what people see in occidental countries is fanatic people putting fire to embassies and that's the ONLY picture they have from muslim countries! What a shame!

I now realize what a powerful weapon media are. And I feel so weak in front of that... Because you can hide from almost every weapon (including nuclear weapon) but you cannot hide from all this society that is swallowing all what it sees on the TV.

Actually, I don't personnally know if I am a Muslim or not. It's a tricky question and I have definitely not the time for thinking about that currently. However, for most of people who know me, I am like a muslim as I have an arabic name and my father is muslim. And currently am I also seen as a potential terrorist for most of these occidental people???????? Amalgamate are so easy to do...

When I speak with the other students of my school, I feel really disappointed.
Why? Because they are in an engineering school. It means they have made several years of studies already. So they are not simple-minded. Well, at least, I used to think so. They are going to be part of these less-than-10% of the population that decides for the future of our country. But they are swallowing media speech as other people in this country.

Frightening, isn't it? Well, to me, it is!

And what have we learned of the followings of 9/11? That Fear allows the leaders of a country to do everything they want!!!
So what's next for us? The WW3, in Iran for exemple? The reelection of Chirac? Or the election of Sarkozy or Le Pen?
Yes, I feel scared, maybe as most of french people but certainly not for the same reasons. However, I hope I won't have to choose between Sarkozy and Le Pen next year...

Life is so beautiful!

Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:50:00 +0000

Wow! What's this? It seems I finally found some minutes to update my blog! It's simply madness when I see all I have to do in my schedule.

So what happened since last update?

First, there were 2 great weeks of holidays at my parents'home. It's so sweet to spend some time at home, with family, just living, breathing, having fun with my brother. Last Summer I was in Berkeley, when I came back, I just spent 5 days at my parents'home and then I went back in Lyon. Since that, I just went at the end of October for a little week there. So I truly appreciated being there because, well, I must admit that I miss them. And I won't see them more often now. Indeed, I will spend next holidays (one week in February) skiing with friends and then, from the beginning of April, I will have an internship for about 5 months here in Lyon. So, actually, no holidays in Ruillé (where my parents live) before August. It's just so far!
Of course, I will go and see them for my parents' birthday but it will just be on a short WE (leaving Lyon on a Saturday morning to come back on Sunday afternoon, with 4 hours of trip one-way).

So the last holidays were GREAT. Of course, there was Christmas where one of my uncles and his family come in Ruillé with my grandma. One of his children is working in US, in Boston exactly, as an engineer (I don't remember exactly the name of his field in english). So unfortunately, he was not here.

And then, well... oh yes! I forgot:
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you (if I have not already wished it to you by MSN or AIM)

On the 1st day of this year, I came back in Lyon, because classes were resuming on the 2nd :-s .
I didn't work that much during holidays. And now, I know I should have! Too Late!
So since the beginning of the year, I have been busier than I have ever been. Currently, I'm wondering how it is possible that I didn't forecast that. I'm not medium, obviously.
So maybe, you wanna know what gets me busy.
Well, first, my double course is simply taking me more time this semester (which lasts only 3 months). So the moments of the week when I have not a lesson are: Monday afternoon, Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon. But I have still as much work to do and even more than before. So to sum up: more work and less time.
Second, I still have speed skate trainings on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and there's of course the Friday Night Skates!
Third, I'm assuming the secretary of the speed skate club I belong. And it's taking (eating?) time, especially at the beginning of the year.
Fourth, I'm part of the administrative board of the association that organizes FNS.
Last, it's winter so, it's the season for...... SKIING!

So, I think this is easily understandable that I've so little time to update that blog.

I just can't see time going by.

Last Saturday, I went skiing with 2 friends in La Clusaz (ski resort in the Alps). Beautiful Blue Sky, Good White Snow, and a touch of Green with the trees: the 3 good ingredients to have a wonderful day!

Next WE, I will just stay home, working.
Indeed, I have 2 reports to finish for next week. And I have papers to write for a candidates' file for what I will do next year. I wanna do a thesis in the field of car-traffic modelling. But the way it works in my school is that, to be accepted in thesis, I have to make a presentation of my project of study in front of some people from the state department (yes, remember, I'm a civil servant) and that will be in March. So I have to get prepared to this. That won't be easy as I'm simply boring in that kind of oral presentation.
And normally, I will have the result on... my birthday! I just want to make this a good day! So I will do all I can to get prepared to this.
And at the end of March, I will take the maybe last exams of my life. Indeed, my 2 courses end at the end of March. Well, not exactly because I have to do my internship to complete both of them but from the beginning of April, I will have no more class!!!!!!!! Hooray!!!!!!!!!!
That's why I told in a previous post that this month of March will be so important to me. After it, when I will come back home, I won't have any lesson to do! Merely Unimaginable!
Ok, enough for today, I've to go to my skate training.

Busy Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Sat, 10 Dec 2005 10:23:00 +0000

Holidays are coming soon (on Wednesday evening). So I won't blog before because I have so much work to do. Maybe I should spend less time skating and training but I can't.

Until a few weeks ago, I thought it was too dangerous to skate when the ground was wet or while it was raining. Now, I know it's mostly dangerous for... bearings! On Tuesday, we trained under a very light rain. But the ground was very wet. And when I got home, I didn't clean my bearings. On Thursday evening, I put my skates in my bag to go to the stadium. But we couldn't skate because there were wet leaves on the ground :( When I got home, I took my skates out of my bag. Usualy, when I do that, wheels are turning because of slipping on the bag. But they weren't :s The bearings were blocked. Most of them couldn't turn any longer. So, on Friday, I spent 2 hours cleaning my skates which really needed it! ^^ Some balls of the bearings were rusty :s Now, they are almost saved :)
Friday night skate was fun, as usual. I think Geri now hates me (I helped Laurena instead of her during the 2nd loop). I hope she will forget soon ^^
Next post, maybe on Thursday.

Overbooked

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 23:32:00 +0000

I'm back!
My computer got home since a couple days now but I'm so busy! I just don't have time! Or maybe I don't wanna spend time blogging.
While my computer was being checked, I realised how much time I was spending on a computer without working... It was just frightening! All this time spent blogging and looking at my friends' blogs, chatting on MSN or simply going on the generations roller forum (it's in french ;-) ). At least 2h a day when it is not more... I just can't help spending all that time on the web. As my mother told me, I'd better living my life rather than writing it on a computer. She's obviously right.
And still while my computer was away, I thought that when I would have it anew, I would spend less time on the web. But it just resumed, as usual. No will? Maybe...
But most of my friends use MSN too, and moreover, it can also be a work tool (very useful to stay in touch with your teamates when you're working on a project). So it's hard to turn it off or simply not turn it on. However, these last days, I've been making some efforts, maybe because I've a lot of work (yes, the end of the semester is really close now, holidays start in 2 weeks).
But for a few weeks now, I've started speed skate trainings, twice a week (every Tuesdays and Thursdays). And there's still the Friday Night skate! So when the weather is OK, it's at least three times a week that I'm skating in a sporty way. Otherwise, I sometimes use my skates just to move in the city. I think that now I couldn't live without my skates. It's true it's quite boring to carry them in the train when I'm heading back to my parents' house for holidays but I couldn't spend 2 weeks without skating now. Moreover, it would be bad for my training!

Since the beginning of november, I'm also the secretary of the skate club where I'm training. I've never been involved in the associative life before and I thought it was time. I just felt I wanted to do it. It's not a big thing but it's taking a little time though. And I've not that free time in fact. When I say free time, I mean time during which I have nothing to do. Because, my second course has already started (yes, at the end of this school year, I will have the equivalent of 2 Masters of Science in Civil Engineering). So if I tell it all in once: 2 courses, 2 trainings a week, FNS and those secretary stuffs. Isn't it a lot? I think it is enough. I just want to believe I can do it all and do it well. That's my aim. And I believe that until the end of March, I won't have the time to feel annoyed. And if during that time, I can just spend 10 days skiing, I will be so happy! It's nice dreaming.

Last year, I was also very busy like that, but more because of my 2 courses (I wasn't training already). When I look behind, when I think at those days that last so little time, I just feel I did the most things I could do. But since October, I couldn't say I worked as much! I had more fun obviously. But I also feel I lost time. :-(
The most frightening to me is that I lost the use of concentrating on a problem. During the past 2 years, I've been going to lessons where I've not listened to a lot of what teachers were saying, because I was chatting with classmates or simply playing (crosswords or others...). And it's like my head is asleep now. I just can't awake it. It's so big, I guess there's a too big inertia...
Maybe in April, I'll manage to awake it. I hope it won't be too painful... I just wonder if I will manage to do it.

Ok, enough thinking. What else's new in my life? I've a new laptop! Yes I have 2 laptops in my 20m². Why? because! More seriously, it's merely childish! I just thought my first computer was too big (15,4") and some friends told me the iBook was really a good product. Moreover, it's so cute! tiny and up to 6h of battery. Just perfect for my 3h-train journey to my parents' house. Well, I just thought it would be my Christmas present, offered by myself! lol

Otherwise, I'm still single, but I just can't find actually someone with whom falling in love. Maybe because I don't have time for that! lol Victim of this individualist society? Maybe but I don't want to believe it. I prefer thinking I just need more time to forget one girl. Or both maybe.

I'm just so impatient to be in March... Why? maybe I will explain it to you in a next post. I'm sleepy now (it's nearly 2am)

No more computer

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 11:24:00 +0000

Cry Cry Cry.

My computer is being checked since last week. And I guess it will need a couple of days before it came back in its home sweet home. So until that time, I won't be able to blog often, except if I want to spend long nights in some computers rooms of my school...
Anyway, there's nothing really amazing that is happening right now. I've been back in school for 3 weeks and I'll be on holidays anew for 2 weeks on Wednesday night! I definitely love this 3rd year!!!!! I'll spend the first week of my holidays in my parents'home. Because the last time I saw them was very short. Moreover this time, my brother and my sister will be on holidays too!

And then back in Lyon for skating, grassing (if it doesn't rain) and other stuffs...

Bruno's gone...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:27:00 +0000

He has left Lyon! Bruno is gone. For his last FNS, we had an AWESOME skate. You may say awesome as usual but here it was more than usual. We had 2 newbies in the 2nd loop: Géri and Lucie. They performed really well. Moreover, it was a very difficult loop as there was a big uphill and a downhill. Congratulations girls!
Then, we had a 3rd Loop in a small bar, skate-friendly! =) Really nice. Got home late (after 3am) and bed later. I woke up on Saturday very late anew (1:30pm), did my laundry and went grassing in the park =) In the evening, I went with 2 friends to Layalina at 9pm. We took the biggest menu so that we left the restaurant after midnight! lol Then we went to the same bar as Friday, called The Arrows. And finally we went to a friend's party. Got home late again (around 4am).
On Sunday, woke up late (as usual?), went grassing and then with 4 friends, we went to Belleville. Over there, there is a "green road" which is an old railway converted into a cyclist path along 11kms (about 7 miles). It is a very smooth pavement (nearly as smooth as the garage in Berkeley!) and it is in the middle of the fields! =) It was sunny and not too hot. A really enjoyable skate!
Then it was night, back in Lyon, McDo and then got home. I tried to go to bed early but I didn't manage to do it before 2am. And this morning, I had to wake up at 7 because I had class at 8! I was so sleepy!
What a life! Studies are so tiring, aren't they?

So many adventures...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 13:10:00 +0000

Youhou! I'm back!

In fact, I've never been away, so can I be back? Weird question...

Ok, let's talk about all my adventures since my last post...

So it was 2 weeks ago. My first Friday Night Skate in Lyon since June!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But before, the skate which was starting at 9pm, I went in the afternoon at the Park for grassing. Sweet to see friends anew! For dinner, we decided to go to a Subway (Yes, we do have some of these in France) which was on our way to the meeting point for the skate. On the way to the subway, we were skating mainly on the street. At a moment, I decided to follow cars instead of following my friends because on their way, they would have to stop and let cars pass. It was a very stupid idea.

I was then on the left side of the cars in a one-way flow that was turning. Cars were going slower than me. The car just in front of me took its turn too close to the side of the road. So I had to brake to avoid it. But while braking, I lost balance and I fell on my bottom. I was close to the middle of the car. My right leg just went under the car. And the back wheel passed on my shin without pad of course.

All that happened so fast I had no time to realize or to be scary. The car passed and didn't stop but the car behind did. I watched my leg. The car had passed on my shin, close to the skate boot but not on this. I tried to move it. It was ok. So I moved from the pavement. The automobilist in the car behind was staring at me with big eyes, as if he has seen ET or Roswell! lol. I touched my leg. Nothing seemed to be broken. It was not swelling. Just a really minor scratch where the wheel had passed. I believed it was a dream. A car had passed on my leg and I could still move it and use it as before! So unbelievable! It's true it was not a big car (Peugeot 206) but it was still a car!

I told the automobilist who had stopped and was still staring with his wide-open eyes that I was ok. My right arm was also scratched but more seriously than my leg. It was a little bleeding. I stood up. It was not harmful. Then I joined my friends who were waiting in front of the Subway a few hundreds meters further. On the way, I was still wondering how all of this could have happened! When I arrived, I told them what happened. Of course, they were astonished I was not still lying over there. Then I went to a pharmacy to get my arm cleaned. And we went into the Subway.

I spent my all evening as if nothing had happened. The skate was awesome! Yes it's more sporty than in SF and there are fewer breaks. It's definitely another kind of skate who can hardly be compared with SF one.
I went to bed after 2am I think.
The next day, I woke up at 7am. Indeed, with 15 skating friends, we were heading to Annecy, a french city in the Alps which is close to beautiful lake. But I didn't skate a lot. I had brought my new Problade 100 I won in Napa and I don't know why but on this day, they were hurting me. We skated in the morning. We had lunch on a beach of the lake but not on the sand! It was on the grass of course! When we went back to Lyon, I finished getting installed. I also tried to get my internship report advanced. And I phoned my parents who convinced me to go and see a doctor in order to get an X-ray photography. It was true my leg may have micro-breaks or at least be fragilised.

On Monday morning, it was my first day back to school. As for me, it was just the morning, just the time to get informations about schedules and administrative stuffs. My class were starting anew on Tuesday afternon. So I went to see a doctor on Monday afternoon and I had an X-ray photography on Tuesday morning. During all this time and since I had phoned my parents, I was scary about the fact that my leg may break if it had to bear a minor shock. No break or micro-break were seen on the X-ray photography. Such a relief!

Then, back to school. Until the end of October. I will have class only on Monday morning, Tuesday afternoon and all Wednesday. So my WE start on Wednesday evening! It's so sweet. But in November, I may have some class on Thursday. But I still don't know exactly when.

Since then, I spent most of time on my report, going sometimes to the park. On Wednesday night, I went with 2 friends to a Lebanese restaurant. I had already been there a couple of times but not my friends. I love this restaurant. The food is so YUMMMMMMMMY! But this night, it was the first time I saw an oriental dancer in the restaurant. He was a really good dancer but I would have prefered the dancer was a girl of course! lol

On Friday afternoon, back to the park, then, we had pizzas in Bruno's flat (who is leaving for Australia next week). And an AWESOME FNS. As I may have told you, FNS in Lyon are made of 2 loops, the first one for beginner, the second one for more sporty people. After the skate we went for a third loop. But a third loop is not necessary a skating loop. We still have skates but we are often sitting, rather in a bar!!!!!! =) My friend was hungry so he decided to have fries. And we had a fruit cocktail. I was not really hungry but when the plate of fries arrived, it was so huge I decided to help my friend! lol I precise it was close to 1 am!

And it was October 1st, the release date in France for the 6th Harry Potter (in english, it was the 16th of July). So when we went for our third loop, we saw huge queues in front of bookshops! CRAZY people! And I'm almost sure some of them have spent their whole night reading this book! I enjoy reading Harry Potter. But I wouldn't go for a one-hour queue at midnight in order to get it! I can wait 10 hours more!

On Tuesday (10/4), I woke up late, around 10am. I heard at the radio it was the beginning of the Ramadan. "Will I do it?" I wondered for a few minutes and I decided to do it. So since tuesday, I don't eat neither drink from the first rays of light to the sunset. Actually, it's approximatively from 5:50am to 7:15pm for the moment. But it evoluates every day of course. On Tuesday, there was a big strike in France. So almost no public transport. And as it was raining, I couldn't skate. Consequently, I missed a very important class in the afternoon. But I spent this time on my report. It was so hard! I couldn't eat or drink while I had a bottle of water close to my armchair and a chocolate tablet on my desktop! In the evening, I went with 8 skating friends to Layalina (again!). Actually, Bruno is leaving us very soon. And most of them had never eaten Lebanese food. So I proposed them to go to Layalina. I think they enjoy it.

Yesterday (Thursday 10/6) It was the deadline for giving back internship reports. I finiched it in the afternoon. Then I went printing it in a friend's home. But the time it finished printing, it was 6pm. As my friend was going to school on Friday, he proposed me to bring it to the office we have to give it back. In that way, I wouldn't have to go to school on Friday. And I could sleep very late in the... afternoon? Well, yesterday night, there was a party at Bruno's home for his last evening in Lyon (actually, he is leaving on Saturday, but Friday night is reserved for FNS!). It ended at almost 3am. And I went to bed at 4am. We had a really good time.

Today, I woke up at 1:30 pm. And now I'm blogging as I've promised before going to the park and then to the FNS. Maybe this WE I'll try to work a little. But now that my report is done, It will be really less stressing!

Ok, I think next time I will do smaller post but more frequent! ;-)

noreply@blogger.com (Abdallah) — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 23:15:00 +0000

First post!

Ok, that's my first blog. I don't know who will read it. Because it is in English, most of my friends may not read it. I should write it in both French and English. But I think I'm too lazy for that!

So, where to start?
Last Saturday (09/17) I came back home, in Ruillé sur loir, France after an AWESOME 3-month internship at UC Berkeley. It was so sweet to be with my family anew. At home, my parents did all the recipes I prefer (yes, my father also cooks and he is a really good cook!) : lebanese tabouli, lamb, zucchinis (a special lebanese recipe, yummy!), pizzas... Almost all my favorites! I spent just a little more than 3 days at my parents'home.

Then I went to Paris to see my girlfriend. I was to spend 2 days with her. I arrived at 10am on this Wednesday. I left on 9pm. Now she is my ex-girlfriend. I'm not sad at all and it seems that so she is. In fact, we should have splitted almost 2 years ago. I thought she could change. I was naive. She is so independent! I wonder whether she will find one day someone who can bear that!
Anyway, I've been thinking to this splitting for long now so I'm not sad at all. It's just weird to keep on chatting with her almost as if nothing has happened! so weird!

So now, I'm back in my own home, in Villeurbanne (near Lyon). Last Night, trains from Paris to Lyon had troubles, because of a problem of electricity. So my train arrived at quarter past midnight! Too late for the last subway! As I was heavily charged (2 large suitcases, one big bag with skates in it and one backbag with my computer in it) I had to take the taxi. It was my first time in a french taxi! Nothing really exceptional! lol. Then I was too tired to unpack all my stuffs. I just spent around 2 hours chatting with friends and I finally went to bed.
Today, I spent most of my day unpacking. I also did some housework. I woke up at half past noon! Now, I have a new window. The previous one was a simple window. Now it's a double one so I don't really hear the street noise any longer =)
I also skated to the park with a friend. The Park! (Le parc de la Tête d'Or: the park of the golden head). That is the place where a lot of skaters go in Lyon. The special activity there is the "Pelousage" (which could be translated as grassing). The Pelousage is essentialy the fact of seating on the grass with skates! sometimes, grassers stand up and go for some loop in the park or to the closest BP station (to grab some snacks). I had to meet there a friend for which I brought 16 Intzcore wheels from US (with an aluminum hub, twice cheaper thant in France).

Now I'm installed. It remains me 3 days before my class starts. And I've still not finished my internship report! And I have a lot of stuffs to do tomorrow and on Saturday. I will have a very busy Sunday!
Now, it's time to flatten my pillows, they are doing some jumps! =)