Give Eve a Break!
Khalas, I can't take it anymore!
Inno khalas ya3neh!
Uft!
My own version of Friday 13th started today as I woke up and went to brush my teeth. A not so pleasant scene in the mirror: my lip covered in blood… dry, thick, cold blood. Great! Inno I know I've been stressing out these last few days, but biting my lip during my sleep? Haydah yalleh kein na2esneh!
Anyway, I spent my weekend working on that damned never-ending book (Devastating Society), which actually devastated no one but yours truly. I've been dreaming of my own, free, personal time since ages. The truth is I didn’t think that accepting a second job would be as soul-killing as this one. All I want is to finish with hearing about el-madroub Bush and his neoconservative gang; about stock options, bonds and the latest economic theories of capitalism; about global warming and why the hell "ecology" is translated by "3elm el tabayyo2" in the stupid dictionary, etc… My deadline is finally approaching; when I think that I've had this book since nearly six months till now, I really wonder how I managed to survive all that time (yeah six months… taking into account that I finish my first job at 5:30 p.m., that it's a 320-page book, and that, in some evenings, I do feel the urge to have a life!). Pffff.
And did I mention my house is a freezer? With such weather, it's even warmer outside than inside. It would be crazy if I ever thought of moving around, away from a source of heat… Well, it's not like I want to nag or anything, but the most ironic thing is that I lost 100 phone units because I totally forgot to recharge my mobile today. Pouf! Gone! Just like that! "lam ya3od ladayka wa7dat", they say! Ah walla? Eh ok! Toz 3laykon!
I'm not seeing my friends much as well. The main reason is that because one lives far in the South, the other in the Bekaa; and I don't have much time to spare for transportations. Good thing they're busy these days with celebrating their one-year anniversary with husband/boyfriend; while I'm about to celebrate my own anniversary with… Bush. Ha! Niyyeleh!
I'm eagerly waiting for this month to end.
Then, comes the day when I'll throw all my dictionaries in a deep hidden hole. Maybe even burn them! Especially that "Harithi" Law dictionary, which dares call itself a decent dictionary, and that "Mawrdoush", which is already torn into pieces here and there (yeah, well, if you count the number of times it "accidentally" fell off my hands, you'd be surprised it's still hanging on!) oh, and don't worry, when you're a translator, you get to name your own dictionaries and have a favorite and least favorite son…eh, one.
Inno khalas ya3neh!
Uft!
My own version of Friday 13th started today as I woke up and went to brush my teeth. A not so pleasant scene in the mirror: my lip covered in blood… dry, thick, cold blood. Great! Inno I know I've been stressing out these last few days, but biting my lip during my sleep? Haydah yalleh kein na2esneh!
Anyway, I spent my weekend working on that damned never-ending book (Devastating Society), which actually devastated no one but yours truly. I've been dreaming of my own, free, personal time since ages. The truth is I didn’t think that accepting a second job would be as soul-killing as this one. All I want is to finish with hearing about el-madroub Bush and his neoconservative gang; about stock options, bonds and the latest economic theories of capitalism; about global warming and why the hell "ecology" is translated by "3elm el tabayyo2" in the stupid dictionary, etc… My deadline is finally approaching; when I think that I've had this book since nearly six months till now, I really wonder how I managed to survive all that time (yeah six months… taking into account that I finish my first job at 5:30 p.m., that it's a 320-page book, and that, in some evenings, I do feel the urge to have a life!). Pffff.
And did I mention my house is a freezer? With such weather, it's even warmer outside than inside. It would be crazy if I ever thought of moving around, away from a source of heat… Well, it's not like I want to nag or anything, but the most ironic thing is that I lost 100 phone units because I totally forgot to recharge my mobile today. Pouf! Gone! Just like that! "lam ya3od ladayka wa7dat", they say! Ah walla? Eh ok! Toz 3laykon!
I'm not seeing my friends much as well. The main reason is that because one lives far in the South, the other in the Bekaa; and I don't have much time to spare for transportations. Good thing they're busy these days with celebrating their one-year anniversary with husband/boyfriend; while I'm about to celebrate my own anniversary with… Bush. Ha! Niyyeleh!
I'm eagerly waiting for this month to end.
Then, comes the day when I'll throw all my dictionaries in a deep hidden hole. Maybe even burn them! Especially that "Harithi" Law dictionary, which dares call itself a decent dictionary, and that "Mawrdoush", which is already torn into pieces here and there (yeah, well, if you count the number of times it "accidentally" fell off my hands, you'd be surprised it's still hanging on!) oh, and don't worry, when you're a translator, you get to name your own dictionaries and have a favorite and least favorite son…eh, one.
Damn! Look at the time! Totally forgot myself here! Better stop ranting for today. I have to get up early tomorrow, after a so-called weekend. This poor neck of mine will be suffering the most, anyway. No time for a closure. You get the point: the usual ranting, in hope for some free time, all by myself & damn those translations, blah blah blah… last but not least: Bush, honey, it's not your fault, but we're breaking up.
Yalla, I'm out of here.
posted by Eve @ 1/15/2006 11:00:00 AM
6 Comments:
so now you will enjoy the weekend, just for the fact that you'd be able to do what you FEEL LIKE?
isn't that nice?
we seldom enjoy anything simple these days...now YOU will.
patience..
nothing worth biting your lip during sleeping ya3ni...this means super-duper-stress...Easy on yourself shwaya
Nourikov!
you're right, but technically, right now, I'm a slave!
"patience, patience..." inno it's not like I have a choice here, buddy ;)
Nurushka
Nerro,
I know, but make that subconsciousness of mine understand!
It's too late.. I have this mark stigmatized on my forehead. the mark of a translator who has spent a little too much time among papers :)
You know what? From an outsider, it sounds romantic in a way..I guess I just imagine the life of a translator to be all cookies and coffees.
اتذكر كتابا بعنوان محارب النور للبرازيلي باولو كويلو
سأنقل بعض ماكتبه احدهم عن هذا الكتاب لأنه يستحق التمعن والقراءة :)
"يبدأ الكتاب الذي هو مجموعة من المقطوعات التي سبق نشرها في عمود صحفي يحمل عنوان(مكتوب) بحكاية/مقدمة قصيرة تحكي عن صبي يلتقي بامرأة غريبة المظهر تخبره عن جزيرة يقع فوقها معبد كبير بأجراس عديدة. تختفي المرأة ويشرع الصبي في البحث عن تلك الجزيرة في المكان الذي أخبرته عنه. لا ينجح الصبي في العثور على الجزيرة فيلجأ لسؤال الصيادين الذين يخبرونه أن تلك الجزيرة كانت موجودة بالفعل ولكن ذلك كان قبل زمن بعيد جدا وأن تلك الجزيرة بكل ما كان فوقها قد أصبحت تحت ماء المحيط بسبب هزة أرضية عظيمة. لزم الصبي الشاطئ فترة طويلة من الزمن وترك مدرسته وهجر اللعب مع أصحابه الذين اخذوا يسخرون منه طمعا في سماع تلك الأجراس الغريبة ولكن كل ذلك كان بلا طائل. غير أن قضاءه فترات طويلة من الإنصات والتأمل لدى الشاطئ علمه أن يتأمل الطبيعة بشكل أكثر تركيزا فصار يرى ويسمع بتقدير كبير ونشوة بالغة ما كان يمر عليه من قبل مرور عابر دون أن يعيره انتباهه أو يحظى باهتمامه. حين يصل الصبي إلى تلك المرحلة فقط يتناهى إلى سمعه شيئا فشيئا صوت أجراس المعبد التي طالما حلم بسماعها. تمر الأيام ويكبر الصبي ويصبح رجلا ويعود بعد ذلك إلى المكان ذاته الذي التقى فيه بالمرأة الغريبة ليفاجأ بها تنتظره دون أن يترك الزمن علاماته عليها. تعطيه كراسا أزرق الغلاف مليئا بالصفحات الخالية وتقول له "اكتب : إن محارب الضوء يجل عيني الطفل لأن بوسعهما النظر إلى العالم دون مرارة. وهو حين يريد أن يعرف إن كان الشخص الذي يقف إلى جواره جديرا بثقته فإنه يحاول أن يراه بعيني طفل".
حين يسألها "ما محارب النور"؟ تقول له إنه امرؤ قادر على فهم معجزة الحياة وعلى القتال حتى آخر رمق في سبيل ما يؤمن به. إن بمقدور كل واحد منا أن يكون محارب نور كما تقول تلك المرأة الغريبة وفي ختام تلك الحكاية تطلب منه أن يكتب عن ذلك المحارب.
تصف نصوص الكتاب القصيرة محارب النور في جميع أحواله. في لحظات انتصاره وفي لحظات هزائمه. في حالات فرحه وفي حالات حزنه. تصور اليأس الذي يستحوذ عليه والأمل الذي ينتشله من هوة يأسه ويعيد إليه ثقته بنفسه وإيمانه بخالقه. ليس محارب النور إنسانا كاملا بل هو إلى النقصان أقرب منه إلى الكمال. إنه يرتكب الحماقات ويقلق بسبب أكثر الأمور تفاهة وقد تترك الأحداث العابرة ندوبا غائرة في روحه وجروحا دامية في قلبه. إنه شخص متذبذب وقلق قد ينتابه الشعور بالمجد في لحظة ما ثم لا يلبث أن يعاجله إحساس بالضعة لأن المسافة التي تفصله عن بلوغ هدفه وتحقيق أسطورته الشخصية التي رسمها له القدر لا تزال بعيدة وشاسعة. إن محارب النور كما يصفه كويلو في أحد المقاطع يشبه ماء النهر فهو يتكيف مع محيطه ويتجاوز العوائق التي تقف في طريقه إلى أن يبلغ هدفه ويرتمي في أحضان المحيط ويفنى فيه. إن سر قوة الماء كما هو سر قوة محارب النور تكمن في قدرتهما الخارقة على تجاوز كل العوائق والأحجار التي ترتمي في طريقهما وتعيق مسيرتهما."
لا اريد ان احلل ما ورد في النص لأنني اعرفك قارئة ممتازة، ولكني اريد ان اكرر خلاصة تلك القصة الجميلة بحق :
إن سر قوة الماء كما هو سر قوة محارب النور تكمن في قدرتهما الخارقة على تجاوز كل العوائق والأحجار التي ترتمي في طريقهما وتعيق مسيرتهما.
Zanzoun,
The translator is among the most prejudged persons in the world. Many people think it's such an easy job, that knowing two languagues is enough to become a translator. *sigh*...
Ironmask,
what a beautiful text, I should read that book some day :)
And to the friends who provided me with some external feedback today: No, I'm not going through a period of depression or something. You just heard what it is like to be stuck with the same book for over six months! not to mention losing 100 units in a blink of an eye... 100 units, people!
Post a Comment
<< Home