Tale of a renegade expatriate University lecturer in Oman defying censorship laws for the sake of tasking! :)

First the logistics:

Stores and supplies are scarce in Oman, but as scarcity is the mother of all invention I decided the first thing to do was to go "shopping" in my own apartment. Since the previous tenant left many things behind, I was feeling quite hopeful.


First I went into the second bedroom where I discovered a green
hamper. I decided I could salvage the accompanying curtain holders for a book binding.

Next I turned to the red drawers where I found envelopes. The airmail edging could be a nice addition for a bit of color to the pages.

Next for the binding I went into the master bedroom and found a leather
belt with tassels I could cut off.

So cut I did.

Here are all the materials I thought I would need.


Voila' the book binding is complete! :) Isn't it beautifully shiny? :)


For the paper, I took the envelopes, traced circles, and began to cut them out.
That's when I discovered pieces of paper inside with words!!! (Probably left over from an
activity the teacher used for her kids who lived here last.)

Could this be the inspiration for the book I was looking for? Yes in deed!


My first draft (see picture description for script)


My final edit (see picture description for script)


Logistics Alert #2; As I was attempting to use the paper from the envelops, I soon realized the paper was too flimsy to stay put. I tried to double and triple layer them, even added staples, but nothing worked.
Luckily I found some construction paper which had the density to stay put. So out with the flimsy envelope paper in with the new blue paper.

Looks almost E.E. Cummings-esq! :) N' est pas?


After a bit of rearranging, and deciding I didn't have to use ALL the words in the envelope, I came up with this:

"Sitting?"
Who is on who
in front of the class?
The letter
got a post
from the chair.
_________________________________
(Commentary)
Apparently someone named Letter got a post from someone named Chair.  I'll leave it up to the literary minds of the readers to interpret what a "post" is. However, the tone was set when the author asks "Who is on who in front of the class"  Truly scandalizing, given the reality of censorship in this country! This certainly wouldn't be allowed in the local book stores!
-----------------------------
Logistics Alert #3:
The circles popped out when I tried to turn the pages due to the poorly engineered binding. I would have to move the binding out from inside the rings.

It took some maneuvering since the loops for the curtain hooks run horizontally to the pole loops, but I managed it.

Logistics emergency #3 resolved. :)


The circles were now able to pop in and the pages could turn without the hindrance of the binding! Yeay!

Here is the final story, page by page.

"Sitting?"
by Gypsy Sage (yes that's my real last name!) :)


Poetry with sexual undertones in Oman! I'm such a renegade! Have I no shame?  NOPE! ;)

Ready for the bookshelf


Posing against the backdrop of my mac computer, I believe it's actually checking up on me to make sure I'm telling the story of it's creation in all it's appropriate splendor.  So how did I do dear reader?