Tradition dictates that today, August 25th, I celebrate ๐ MY 39TH BIRTHDAY ๐. Within the past 365 days ๐ I have โฆ โฆ experienced clinical, extreme anxiety ๐ฐ which kept me from sleeping ๐ค, eating ๐ฝ๏ธ, working ๐ฅ and socialising ๐ฏโโ๏ธ for nearly 7 months due to an inescapable, all-consuming family ๐ tragedy ๐. โฆ witnessed the #LebanonRevolution ๐ฑ๐ง which saw over 1 million people take to the streets in protest โ against systemic corruption ๐ธ, misconduct, discrimination, sectarian/tribal-ism and covert totalitarianism from a political elite ๐ฉ with absolute immunity. โฆ unbelievably not been able to withdraw, exchange ๐ฑ or internationally transfer ๐ my US dollar savings ๐ต deposited in a Lebanese ๐ฑ๐ง bank ๐ฆ due to capital controls ๐ซ, and lost 65% ๐ of the value of my LBP lira savings ๐ท due to the worst currency crisis ๐ธ in Lebanonโs history. โฆ tirelessly (and often hopelessly) fought to keep my businesses ๐ผ from closing during a global ๐ #pandemic ๐ท which without mercy crashed ๐ the worldโs ๐บ๏ธ tourism industries โ๏ธ ๐จ. โฆ miraculously survived the #BeirutExplosion ๐ฅ which took the lives of 200+ โฐ๏ธ, injured thousands ๐ค and devastated Lebanonโs ๐ฑ๐ง capital city ๐ while at home just 2km from the blast site ๐ฅ with an unobstructed view of the port ๐ข from my balcony. Makram Salha is alive ๐. Gizmo is alive ๐. I am alive ๐. It has been a very long time since I have made a #BirthdayWish ๐ , but I feel like this is the birthday of all birthdays to wish ๐ง for something ๐. I wish that if you have the means to buy me a birthday drink ๐ป the next time we meet, instead you donate ๐ those much-needed dollars ๐ต at the GoFundMe links below to help my friends rebuild their bars ๐ธ which were destroyed in the Beirut explosion ๐ฅ. Thank you ๐. Cyrano & House Of Butlers: https://bit.ly/2YwEaJM Electric Bing Sutt: https://bit.ly/2YwEbgO Tenno: https://bit.ly/32kkpWR I am alive ๐.
