Smörgåsbord

Today's serving of the 20/20 Project is going to be just a mish-mash of different things I want to talk about because that's what you get to do when you have your own show.

You want chicken fingers? Ok. We have a cold shrimp salad with boiled egg.

I'm going to type whatever strikes my fancy today.

Zoo Day

No really, it was Family Day at the Zoo today, an annual event put on by Building Blocks to bring any and all Muslims in the community together for food, fun, and just a little bit of depression brought on by viewing a sparse offering of sluggish animals in a pretty tight space for a "suggested donation" of $2 for adults. Basically the zoo is free. And if you're feeling bad for the critters, they have kept the original tiny cages on display where the animals used to be housed, so you can put that little thought away right now! A big plus is that it's just about a mile or two from my place.

More important than the zoo is the wonder of seeing hundreds of hijabs floating over the vast fields of perfect green grass made even more punchy by about two weeks straight of rain. Thankfully the clouds parted early this morning and it was PICTURESQUE to say the least. 80 degrees pretty much all day and not a drop of rain. Alhamdulillah!

This was the first photo uploaded to the BB facebook page today.
You can guess what the guys were thinking about and it wasn't hot dogs!

More fun in the sun on a bun coming up!

Too late? Too little??

Whatever. I am not the power-yoga core-building fat-burning machine "As Seen on TV".

I am also not the dedicated scholar with my nose in two books at all times while listening to a lecture and translating an article from Arabic to English (God help us if anyone ever asks me to do that).

I'm normal and flawed and have countracted Vertigo. I just think it sounds cool to say it that way, don't get all correct-y with me because I am aware that dizziness isn't contagious.

Anyway I am slow to post and when I do it can be a downer to read to the bottom and find out I didn't say anything at all.

Today I am determined to say at least one thing, regardless of the fact that I am using my phone to Swype this and my middle finger is getting numb. I don't know, it's the easiest one for me to use!!!

Anywhoodles, I did go to a youth lecture last night with a friend and her boys and we met up with another lady we hang out with a lot. The lecture will be a weekly talk on manners from an Islamic perspective. They are using a book with 100 ahadith on manners. I didn't catch the compiler/publisher but I am sure someone reading this can help us out.

The talk was good and the brother speaking did a good job keeping the kids in line. He talked about how in order to grow up strong and deal with real life after you leave your mom and dad you need to discipline yourself. Sit respectfully in class, even if it hurts a bit. Show attentiveness to the one speaking. And above all, show the utmost respect to the Creator of the heavens and the earth by worshipping Him alone. Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, is the first thing we need to instill in ourselves and our kids. It's part of good manners!

I took this very much to heart. We fall all over ourselves to talk to a celebrity (traditional or the new kind, the celebrity sheikh) or even our favorite researcher/executive/CEO of [insert company/industry]. But do we humble ourselves in prayer to Allah? Do we even acknowledge He is watching when we go to do a sin? Do we take partners with Him by asking the dead to help us (rampant overseas) or by revering another human being along with him?

Far above these acts is Allah. He doesn't need our worship. We do. He gave us faith as a gift and the least we can do is appreciate it. Alhamdulillah.

No pictures today. No silly quips. Just a reminder for those who reflect.

Oh, and may Allah bring refuge to the people being murdered in their homes by the Syrian government, led by a man so cowardly in the Face of Allah that he claims he isn't killing these kids in Houla and elsewhere. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raj'oon. To Allah we belong and to Allah we return. If you don't know about this crisis please look it up. It's one of the few things that everyone is in agreement upon right now, despite party lines. That the bloodshed must stop. 15 months is 15 too many.

Personal plea: Please don't see "The Dictator" and support the parody of what's actually happening right now at the hands of a true dictatorship. How can people laugh at such atrocities?

May Allah make me among those who speak out for justice and humanity.

Loose noodles.

I'm having some sort of inner-ear problems. Usually this would be followed up with a joke about how dumb I am or another brain-related jab at myself, but this thing's the real deal. My good friend had similar issues a while back and is a pro in this arena because her ears have always been stupid jerks that make her sick.

Basically for the last two weeks since my sinus cold (infection?) I have been ultra-dizzy, mainly in the evening. It gets worse around 5:00 p.m. Maybe it's because of a long day at work looking at the computer or as my gal pal says, because I'm moving my head around all day and the infectious fluids are sloshing about, but in any case it's hard to do anything. I can't walk, turn my head, or pick things up without getting all "rollercoaster-y". This pretty much rules out any form of exercise.

No thanks.

This is really bumming me out because I feel so off-the-wagon since getting sick and I want to return to my routine.

However, I am not interested in feeling like I need to vomit just to burn 45 calories in 20 minutes. I ain't no idjit as my dad would say. Instead I will work extra-long on my Quran memorization tonight since that has been falling off as well. I will review Surah al-Maun and work on the new one, which I have to look up here because I can't even remember which one it is!

Health Tip of the Day: Ambitions are one thing, but limitations are always there. Push your limits until you reach the point where you are pretty sure that the activity will make you spinny or otherwise worse off than you are now. Go at it again later with more vigor when you are able!

Breaking News

Can someone tell my blog readers I don't feel good tonight so I won't be posting?

Oh.

Forgetful Jones.

I totally and completely forgot to post anything yesterday. I also forgot to do anything. I remembered at about 1:00 a.m. but it was too late to turn back time. I'm not sure how this all happened but I don't really like it—I hope it isn't a sign of things to come. I will definitely make a concerted effort to prevent consistent forgetfulness insha Allah (Allah willing).

But as they say in the meetings "today's another day" or "you live to die another day" or "live and let go" or something like that. I don't know, I never went to one.

This guy got way too many chances though. But that's like, my opinion, man. 

At least I didn't forget to brush my teeth or something. That's just grody.

Someone's got a case of the Mondays.

And by Mondays, I mean the most awesome day ever. Maybe not quite, but it was pretty good.

First I dropped off my car, Ruby Sue, at the dealership to say goodbye. We had 36 months of ups and downs together but it was time to part. Especially since I only had about 800 miles left on my lease allowance and those guys are NOT MESSING AROUND when you go over.


Ruby, I want to say thank you for the good times we had. You saved the whole office that one December when we drove like banshees through a blizzard, careening past stuck tow trucks; swerving madly around people trying to walk in the street (and not get run over by me); and speeding by bewildered rear-wheel-drive-vehicle owners who were left standing on the exit ramp wondering where they ever went wrong. Here's a hint: You bought a minivan that used to be a taxi. 

It's sad to say goodbye but things weren't always perfect and at some point, you have to admit that your value isn't going up. I wish you better days as a graduation gift for a B+ Concordia student.

You had me really worried when this happened last spring but we got through it together.

And another touching love story begins...