For anyone hitting this site for the first time, they are probably wondering why a European expat would end up with a domain name of izdihar.com. I've had the domain for quite some time now, probably since around 2000/01. The reason I got it was because I was living on a compound of the same name in Riyadh at the time and one day did a casual search for the name and was amazed to find it still available. Without much ado, I registered it, only to find that within a matter of weeks, I had a Canadian claiming that Izdihar was "his wife's rare Iraqi name". Despite a few nervous moments, when it came to actually paying the ICANN domain name resolution people the necessary to 'investigate' his claim, it all went very quiet and has been ever since. I now reckon I'm good for this name for as long as I can remember to keep up the payments myself. The compound itself is being transformed into a Holiday Inn and it's been some considerable time since I lived there.

As to what Izdihar actually means, it is a feminine name of Arabic origin and can be translated as "blossoming", "flourishing" or "blooming". It is generally taken to engender a sense of progress or moving forward. Quite a nice idea for an internet site and who knows, maybe one day a valuable domain name in its own right. Maybe I'll work out what that is, or maybe I won't. Until then, here I am in whatever form I choose to present myself. Welcome.

One final note for now, the image in the next post is now my most commented image at flickr - it was worth the trip out to the desert after all then.

Edit: Updated to reflect Ahmed's comment below.