Cairo, the 22nd October, 2009

“Broken shoes, Duke Ellington”

Three pairs of shoes have been broken in pieces while on stage.
All agree: the damned Evil Eye.
All my team is fighting it and I am getting new “boukhour” (incense) from the Hussein (market) by tomorrow.
The best protection against evil is kindness in one´s heart and peace of mind. I have those.

Listening to…

1. Loads of Arabic music for research. Duty calls and an urgency to do what´s never been done before.
2. Duke Ellington and a couple of other jazz goodies just to freshen my mind up and for inspiration.

Currently reading…
1.All Nawal el Saadawi books I could find. This is a treasure, really. God bless all warrior women who refuse to be stupefied and treated like cheap cattle. God bless them all.

2. Women who love too much by Robin Norwood
This was a strange find suggested by a student/friend. I thought the book and its title had very little to do with me but I was surprised to find myself enthralled into a self-analysis while reading the book and finding some insight into my love relationships. Me, always playing the saviour, strong one, protective and male role. Always!
However you assume yourself as a lover, read this book. I am sure you´ll find some very useful lights in it.

3. A thousand and one nights, by Naguib Mahfouz.
I am entering hard ground on this one.
I tried to read another books from the egyptian Literature Nobel winner but always left it aside from the first pages. I am finally taking it serious and trying to find out what´s the great thing about Naguib Mahfouz. Will report about this one later on…