OMAR BIN HAMAD

This is me, what can I say. I hope that on this site you will find not only a blog about whats going on in my life and such, but hopfully some interesting subjects ranging from marriage to cars and hairloss. Yes i guess that gives you a glance in to my head, so either click on the X at the top right hand corner, or read on and send me your comments.

I am 26 years of age, work for the Government and am pritty open minded. I am quite philasophical and you will find that i enjoy writing about many subjects. Currently trying to build up my body to become more defined.

My Father is Arab, and Mother is from the United Kingdom, and was brought up in London where I graduated.

What's in a Name..........

What is in a name, and what does it mean?
Do you think your parents actually studied the meaning of your name, well find out about yours, go online, type in Google, then write the family name and search yours. My name is Omar, my father is Hamad and my grandfather is Saud.

My name (Omar), means - Long life, first son, most high, the Prophet's follower.....................................................................................................................

Losing Hair

Losing Hair,

What am I going to do, take it like a man, sit back and let every last strand fall out. About a year ago i took a medication called Roaccutuane, this is an extremely harsh and effective medication to rid your body of excess oil, and hopfully cure people who have severe Acne, now i did not have severe acne, infact just a few pimples here and there, howvere it bothered me and was prescribed by a Dr. that I should commence a course of Roaccutuanne, which was fine. But my hair(and this could have no relation), has been falling out ever since.

Now as a guy I probably should not care, especially as a muslim, where it is left for the woman to be vain, and care about ones beauty, but I simply can not.

I have researched the feild, and have found several cures, the one i assume i am going to do is Hair transplantation which involves removing small pieces of hair-bearing scalp grafts from a probably the back of my head and relocating them to a bald or thinning area. Grafts differ by size and shape. Round-shaped punch grafts usually contain about 10-15 hairs. The much smaller mini-graft contains about two to four hairs; and the micro-graft, one to two hairs. Slit grafts, which are inserted into slits created in the scalp, contain about four to10 hairs each; strip grafts are long and thin and contain 30-40 hairs.

So what do you think. I really do have to go to London first and make sure that I have hereditory hairloss. My father has a full head of hair (Mashallah), howvere onmy mothers side, the brothers are all balled.

Anyway I have my propecia tablets which guarantee to stop falling and lets see what happens........Still love me if I am bald?????????????

They Say I'm Vain.

Well is that bad, listen I have not said thatI am yet. Would it be bad if I was, ok i take care of myself, I eat good, I wash and brush my hair before i go out. I use spot cream if i have a pimple. I care if my shirt is ironed, I make sure my trousers and shirt, shoes and stuff match. I try to sleep well, so whats the deal guys. Leave me alone. I am hoping that in years to come all this stuff pays off. I am 26 years old, most say I look 19, maybe without the beard, but hey lets take care of ourselfs, if we cant even take the effort on ourself, then why bother with anything else. Looking clean, and trying to look tidy or at least have a look is good, it puts us in the right mood, makes you feel more confident and does somthing else, which i can not find the word for right now. SO LEAVE ME ALONE. By the way if you have not bought ABODE magazine recently, go straight out and get it now, available at all good stores, WHY ? well i have four full pages, see i told you i am not Vain.

By the way the clothes were not mine, Thank God, I am a size 30 waist, and those were like 48-50 from the Modern home, not my size and not my style all though they are all Aramni, Versace and so on. I basicall had to wear them while pulling them behind me, tightening them at the back using pins.

Its all for the KIDS...... the ones that will one day say, look my dad was in Abode. Hopfully it will be an international magazine by then. lol.

the Al-Mana Majlis

Hospitality is an important feature of life in the Gulf, to be honest in Kuwait it is a dieing trend, however all houses are built with the Majlis, and it should be said that that visiting a Majlis is also a part of Qatari life. Most Qataris receive male guests at home in a majlis (reception area).

Traditionally, according to Bedouin custom, guests were seated on the floor on large cushions. Nowadays, however, the majlis usually has sofas and chairs, and designs are thought with care, creating beautifull architecture, design, colour and traditional materials, all balanced with modern facilities.

Ever since I arrived in qatar I have always been invited and enjoyed visiting or sitting in different Majlises around Qatar, all of them display different values and designs, from beutifull modern art, to the most tradital folk paintings and original persion carpets.

One Majlis is particuluar that stands out is that of the Al-Mana family. They used to occupy the old traditional Majlis opposite the HSBC bank, but hove now built an amazing new Majlis just on the Salwa Road. The new Majlis contains a new reception, with different function rooms, a beautifull atrium where pictures of all the family, past and present are displayed, and a small museum containg artifacts from their grandparents and ancestors, along with a larg dining room, for weddings and speacial functions. A mosq is also present in the Majlis ground.

Drive a long, take a look, it is always lit up at night by the two towers, built up like a forte.

Am I ? or even you Addicted to Bad Relationships? Omar

Am I ? or even you Addicted to Bad Relationships? - OMAR

Do you often find that as I do, that you involve yourself in relationships that disappoints you? Are you not getting what you need and desire from the people you choose to date? Does there always seem to be something missing? If you answered yes to one or all of my questions, you could very well be addicted to disappointing and bad relationships, setting yourself up for failure without even knowing it. There are ways that we can determine whether we are addicted or not, and ways that we can break the addiction and start getting what we have always wanted from a relationship.

To start with, and you may disagree, Qatar is not the most ideal setting, or place to base or a standard for relationships, I feel that we are so much more needy, but after doing and awfull lot of research and reading, lets continue and look into other areas, before we covers issues like the symptoms of addiction, it is important that we cover the dangers of staying in a bad relationship.

Since bad relationships lack what one or both partners’ need, stress becomes a regular part of our life, as well a gradual lowering of your self-esteem, which will make you unable to focus on your career and personal life with the concentration and care needed, in order for us to be happy. The constant stress will produce chemical changes in our body that drain our energy and make us more eligible for physical illnesses. Physical abuse in a relationship is obvious to cause a lot of physical harm, along with great psychological damage, but in spite of these facts, many people still choose to proceed with such relationships, finding themselves trapped and incapable of leaving. They find themselves depressed, on a search for some relief and unfortunately becoming depressed and possibly turning to drugs and alcohol. So what are the symptoms of this addiction? Ignoring the truth would be one. If we truly know that the relationship we are in is making us unhappy but make no effort to exit from it, then we are in denial and are holding ourself hostage in a situation we do not have to be in. Making excuses for our partner’s disappointing and bad behavior will keep us trapped and is another huge symptom of bad relationship addiction, especially if the excuses you produce do not back up the facts and are unrealistic. If you do finally build up the courage to confront your partner to leave him or her but are overcome with fear and therefore back off from the confrontation, you are a high and sure victim of addiction because no matter what you attempt, you find yourself always giving in and holding on to what you know is bad for you. I know this sounds hard and harsh, but Suffering from both physical and mental discomfort once broken up, unless you get back together, is yet another symptom of addiction and should not be denied or ignored. What causes addiction to bad relationships? My good friend Shefa always say There are several levels and everyone’s addiction is different and varies. One common reason is the feeling and belief that if we end the relationship, we will never find anyone else who could possibly be interested in us or love us. You grow so attached to your partner that you forgot your life before him or her, making you feel fearful of being on your own and taking care of ourself. Fear of criticism is another reason many people remain in bad relationships. They are afraid of what people will say, believing that ending a relationship means that they are a failure and being alone is unacceptable and terrifying. Other reasons may be financial support that you are receiving from a partner, making you feel that you should tolerate bad behavior from your lover, since they are supporting you. On a deeper level, you could be addicted to disappointing and bad relationships due to your upbringing or experiences as a child yourself. Perhaps you were not nurtured or loved enough and you now think it is normal to be neglected from love, care and understanding, these are extremes, but uncovering your real feelings are very important, myself and shefa always have these deep meaningfull conversations where I delve into her brain as a Female, What should we do and how can you break our bad relationship addiction? Since this addiction is difficult and basically impossible for us to end on our own, counseling would be the best assistance for us, but we live in an Arab society, we live in Qatar, do we do these types of things, no. so start being a best friend to yourself and open the door to all the feelings you have kept locked up for so long. Stay focused and encourage yourself frequently by setting a goal, and picturing yourself away from all the disappointment and closer to all the happiness and good health you need, desire and deserve as a person. Never give up and know that you are not alone. keep in mind that there will always be a person who will be by your side and never leave you, always giving you the strength, love and support you need…and that person is YOU.

Dubai or Not Dubai, that is the question

Dubai,
Love it or hate it, I cant decide. Their are times when i love Dubai, and other times, when i can not for the life of me see the attraction, high rise buildings yes, amazing arcitectural projects, YES, lots of nightlife, drink, and all the rest-Yes, Tradition (NO) I guess I hate the fact that when you walk around in Dubai, it is a rare site to actually see Emirati people, but instead an array of multinational, overtakers, races from all over, is this a good thing, well yes, a multinational nation does make for eduacted, open minded citizens who can learn from each other, but if all countries were to open their doors as UK or America has done, then you loose your identity, your heritage and your exclusivness. UK is just like a small version of the world, every nation has an area, or town, or somthing or the other, you are no longer coming England, you could be anywhere, just choose, in China, India, Egypt, Sudan, Spain, you name it, we have lost our touch, and as long as the UK keeps giving out passport at Heathrow it will never change.

Racist, not at all, I find different nationalities, and different races intriguing and if my country can give opportunities and better standards of living to less unfortunate people then good, but their is a limit, and you have to look after your own people first.

Look at what the Gulf Region does, the GCC countries, they do provide many opportunities to Expats and so on, but they hold the right to development to their own people, they still keep their rights for their own nation. With Dubai at hand, they are changing, their idea is to open their country, allowing expats to buy property and atain feehold rights, e.g an open Residence Permit. This creates a multinational country.

What do you think, let me know........................................

My New Helper, Cook, Cleaner, Servant ??????

The New Cook, Helper, Cleaner
What is the correct term, we no longer can say servant, we can definetly can not say, unless you wont to be stoned to death the term "Slave", but what does Slavery entail. Movies and public school like to portray slaves as bound by chains and beaten with whips, creating a polarized image of slavery that can be pointed to with the comment, “You are not like that, therefore you are not a slave.” But history shows that slaves have been treated in all manner of ways, some more cruel than others, yet even with the most kind treatment, a slave remains a slave.
Setting aside the stereotyped image of a slave as a bleeding chain-bound wretch, slaves throughout history are often hard to recognize. In some cases, such as the Medieval Serfs, they were held slaves to the rulers by religious belief, and did not see themselves as slaves even though they were treated as such.The favored slaves of Asian potentates wore jewels to make a movie star gasp, yet were still slaves for all their finery and comfort.
So, what is a slave? How do we define a slave? What test do we use to tell if someone is a slave. What makes them different from free people?
Free people can say “no”. Free people can refuse demands for their money, time, and children. Slaves cannot. There is no freedom without the freedom to say “no”. If someone demands that you do something and you can say “no” and refuse to do it, then you are a free human being. If you can be forced to do something or surrender something that you do not wish to, then you are a slave. No other test need be applied.

Anyhow I have a new helper, her name is Z and she is great, it makes me wonder how people manage without this kind of help, who would iron, cook, clean the bathroom, polish the tables, wash the top of the AC. These amazing people that offer their services for pennies are saviours in their own right, whisking around different homes, organizing, cooking and preparing, cleaning and shining.

Cant Sleep, and it isnt "love"

It is 09:50 and for me it is just the start of the day, but it hit me today that I realy do have a problem waking up, i just cant do it. I so full heartedly try to wake up early, to make sure i have breakfast, to catch 5 minuets TV News, just so i am informed, to brush my teeth withouth rushing, to be able to walk into the office in a calm and respective manner, but Somehow: I just can not do it, as much as a i try, the Snooze button is my best friend, my most needed button after 5am, the most touched overused button on my alarm..............

Could it be that I spent years of getting used to and trained to only waking up to the yells of my mother screaming for god sake omar, your late for school, college, university.

I need help and I need it now, I have to get into a routine, a set up if you like..................

So I am calling out to all you folk, give me a cure, give me an answer.

And before the generic answers start please dont say sleep early, It dont work boys and girls.

Should I keep or Sell

As a BMW fanatic since my teen years I love the new direction they are taking. I agree that the 5 and 7's of old are excellent designs and excellent cars, but they are just that old. BMW is finally stepping into the 21st century with it's design. For once a car company is trying to appeal to me, the 25 to 35 year old, who will be buying their cars for years to come instead of the 40, 50, and 60 somethings who yearn for yester year.

I actually just bought the 523i from Al-Fardan motors, its such a beautifull car to drive, but do keep saying i wished i bought the Porsch Cayann, its such a cool car that I feel really suits me.

Great Job BMW keep it up!!!!

IS IT TIME TO GET MARRIED

Many people cringe when they hear the words 'arranged marriage.' They cringe because it brings to mind an image of a forced union and an unhappy couple in the middle of it.

I, however, beg to differ. As an Islamic young guy, I believe in the idea of arranged marriages. .

An arranged marriage is a union between two prospective spouses negotiated by the parents and sometimes the extended family. It is a system which is taken very seriously by all involved. Many cultures continue this practice, but some, such as the Western culture, have drifted off to other methods (i.e. dating).

In the past, an arranged marriage simply meant that the parents (and/or extended family) found the companion they felt was suitable for their son or daughter. Although that method is still widely used, it has changed somewhat to suit the new times. Nowadays, the parents will suggest the person they feel is qualified for their son or daughter. If their child approves (after meeting the person and perhaps a brief interview) then it's final. In some cases, the children may even take the initiative to suggest whom they have in mind.

The main focus here is simply ensuring that the married couple will have the approval and blessings of both their parents. After all, the parents play the main role in the decision - they are the ones who research and check into the background of the person their child wishes to marry.

Of course, courtship rituals vary from culture to culture. My non-Islamic peers are getting more and more into dating. The problem I see with that is that it allows people to conduct relationship without worrying about commitment and responsibility.

In my view, that's where the trouble lies. People can simply run away from their problems. There is a mutual understanding that if one or both of the people want to break up, they can do so more easily than if they were married. Dating does not necessarily lead anywhere. It takes a long time for it to lead (if ever) to marriage. In the case of the arranged marriage system, it's much simpler - both sides know that they are actually going to be getting married. The intention is clear, whereas in dating, even bringing up the subject of marriage would be a no-no. When people are dating, they are looking for a good time. Often, it's nothing more than a brief fling. With an arranged marriage, one actually knows that Mom and Dad approve of the fiancé(e). In contrast, when two people are dating, no one can be sure that the 'rents will approve of that punk rocker boyfriend their daughter brings home.

Also, there's no guarantee that we actually know the person we are dating. Both people are on their best behaviour - a mask that's easy to wear, but difficult to keep on. In other words, it takes time before one eventually finds out what the person is really like. This is why the arranged marriage puts so much emphasis on the families knowing the person one is going to be with.

If the folks don't like the person, it's quite probable that we, ourselves, won't like them either. After all, we've grown up raised by our parents who taught us what was right and wrong - based on what they thought. We grew up with many of the same beliefs they taught us. And our parents have already been through the same experience. They DO know best.


What about looks? Many of us claim we are not swayed by looks. Deep, down inside though...it's a different matter. Of course many of you who do know me, know Omar likes good looks, infact loves beautifull women. But its time to look deeper. Attraction does matter, but maybe that attraction can come from a different plae than just the outside.


That's what makes the dating game so unfair and dangerous. If the person's appearance is not appealing, that's it - sayonara, hasta la vista baby. . . Many people are hurt in the process. In an arranged marriage, not only would that be mean, but eventually one would discover that looks aren't that important.

Since we are actually sitting down and getting to know the person, we may develop a friendship, a mutual bond. Remember, just because it is an arranged marriage, it doesn't mean that the couple have to be strangers to begin with. They may know each other from school, work, as peers, etc.

Life isn't a fairytale. There's no one perfect match out there. There will always be someone out there who's a better match. That's what makes an arranged marriage so beautiful. We stick with the person we chose from the start and as time goes on, we get to know them better and better.

London youth have varied opinions on the subject of arranged marriages. Some of them think that it is better. With dating, there is always the concern of "people judging by appearance," as one girl put it. Also, they feel that there is a better mutual understanding between the prospective spouses and that it is safe because the person's background is known. They think it is also a more practical method, because, in the end, it lasts longer.

However, there are also those that think the system of arranged marriages is flawed. They feel that they are forced into a decision over which they lack control. These youth worry that they will be given little choice, and that the miss the experience of feeling "true love," or even knowing what it is.

Omar's Take Care of Yourself Tips...........

1. Omar says: Learn to air your feelings.
Don't keep them bottled up inside you. Share your sorrows and disappointments with someone you trust. Remember, expressed feelings are changed feelings.
2. Omar says: Avoid comparing yourself with others by admiring their gifts and ignoring your gifts.
This kind of envy causes self-disgust. Put no one's head higher than your own.
3. Omar says: Form a small group of people you can call on for emotional support.
Agree to "be there" for each other. Offer advice only when it is asked for. Listen without interrupting. Take turns talking and listening.
4. Omar says: Take time to play.
Remember that play is any activity that you do just because it feels good. Remind yourself that you deserve to take time to play.
5. Omar says: Don't forget to laugh, especially at yourself.
Look for the humor in things around you. Let your hair down more often. Do something silly and totally unexpected from time to time.
6. Omar says: Learn to relax.
You can find books, tapes, programs, classes, instructors and other materials to teach you how to relax. Relaxation improves the mind, helps the body heal, and feels so much better than stress and tension.
7. Omar says: Protect your right to be human.
Don't let others put you on a pedestal. When people put you on a pedestal, they expect you to be perfect and feel angry when you let them down.
8. Omar says: Learn to say no.
As you become comfortable saying no to the unreasonable expectations, requests or demands of others you will discover that you have more compassion. When you do say yes to others, you will feel better about yourself and the people you're responding to.
9. Omars says: Change jobs if you are miserable at work.
First, try to figure out if the job is wrong for you or if certain people are causing you to feel miserable at work. Try paying more attention to the things you enjoy about your job and less attention to the things that annoy you. Remember that all jobs have some unpleasant aspects.
10. Omar says: Stretch your muscles.
Break a sweat. Go for a walk. Ride a bike. Park farther from the door. Take the stairs. You don't need fancy clothes, club memberships or expensive equipment to add exercise to your daily life.
11. Omar says: Practice being a positive, encouraging person.
Each time you give others a word of encouragement you not only feel better, but you build up your best self.
12. Omar says: Pay attention to your spiritual life.
Slow down. Practice sitting quietly. Listen to your inner voice. Spend time thinking about the things which bring peace, beauty and serenity to your life. Find the courage to follow your own spiritual path if a traditional religion has not been helpful for you.

Drugs and the Diry life it breeds

Most likely you've already seen the movie before deciding whether or not to read the book. Be forewarned, however; John Hodge's screenplay is a masterful job of bringing continuity to a series of stories that are in fact only loosely related. The book "Trainspotting" is comprised of a series of short stories previously published independently in various periodicals over a stretch of time...the stories deal with the same core of characters, but that is really all that ties them together. You will probably find that Danny Boyle's job of directing the "Trainspotting" movie looks even more impressive after reading even a quarter of the book.
The book does focus on a set of wrong-side-of-the-track friends involved with drugs, alcohol, petty crime, and anything else they can find to take their minds off their completely unfulfilling lives. An added challenge (and a fair extent of the book's charm) is that the book's dialogue and first-person narrative are written in the author's native Edinburgh dialect, making the book perhaps more accessible to Robert Burns scholars than the average non-Scots English speaker. However, there is a glossary in the back of the book that is rather helpful...and my personal recommendation is to read the book out loud whenever possible (I don't know why, but whenever I did this, the written words made more sense when heard as an audible accent).

Read This (House of Bush-House of Saud)

This is an amazing book, and potentially potentially explosive, I bought it in Kuwait airport last June, and have read it twice. Investigative journalist Unger, who has written for the New Yorker, Esquire and Vanity Fair, pieces together the highly unusual and close personal and financial relationships between the Bush family and the ruling family of Saudi Arabia—and questions the implications for Bush's preparedness, or possible lack thereof, for September 11. What could forge such an unlikely alliance between the leader of the free world and the leaders of a stifling Islamic theocracy? First and foremost, according to Unger, is money. He compiles figures in an appendix indicating over $1.4 billion worth of business between the Saudi royal family and businesses tied (sometimes loosely) to the House of Bush, ranging from donations to the Bush presidential library to investments with the Carlyle Group ("a well-known player in global commerce" for which George H.W. Bush has been a senior advisor and his secretary of state, James Baker, is a partner), to deals with Halliburton, of which Dick Cheney was CEO. James Baker’s law firm even defended the House of Saud in a lawsuit brought by relatives of victims of September 11. Unger also questions whether the Bush grew so complacent about the Saudis that his administration ignored then White House terrorism czar Richard Clarke’s repeated warnings and recommendations about the Saudis and al-Qaeda. Another question raised by Unger’s research is whether millions in Saudi money given to U.S. Muslim groups may have delivered a crucial block of Muslim votes to George W. Bush in 2000—and it’s questions like that will make you readers wonder whether Unger is applying a chainsaw to issues that should be dissected with a scalpel. But whether one buys Unger’s arguments or not, there’s little doubt that with this intensely researched, well-written book he has poured more flame onto the political fires of 2004.