to you moms

This is just to let you know that when you come up to me and ask for a favor because your kid won't "learn" from you I don't believe you and I think that you are totally not doing your job as a parent. There I said it (in the anonymity of the interweb).

Your kid learns from you all the time, especially when you aren't looking. So if your kid is acting up, it really is your fault: because in my experience most kids are very understanding if you treat them like people and talk to them rather than yelling at them all the time. Of course the kid won't sit still when you forcibly have her sit with you then try to drill some boring bit of "knowledge" into her brain. You're not being any fun and are scary, so the kid will try to get away. Also, comparing your child to someone else is not going to make him try harder, so quit it. Your kid is friggin' unique for a very good reason. Let him be that way.

That being said hugs and great big smiles work wonders, as do words of encouragement and appreciation. A "good job" , 'thank you', 'your so special' work wonders on most kids. But see you have to know when to praise and when to teach. If your kid is doing something wrong don't yell at her, but don't praise her for being your perfect princess either. Teach her in a gentle, understanding manner.

So, no, I will not teach your kid manners and I definitely am not potty training that monster you call a two year old. But if I see your kid doing something stupid I'm calling him and you on it. So heads up!

Good luck with everything!

Bismillah

Bismillah

It's the habit of yours to walk slowly.

You hold grudge for years.

With such heaviness, how can you be modest?

With such detachments, do you expect to arrive anywhere?

Be wide as the air to learn a secret.

Right now your're equal portions clay

and water, thick mud.

Abraham learned how the sun and the moon and the stars all set.

He said, No longer will I try to assign partners for God

You are so weak. Give up to grace.

The ocean takes care of each wave till it gets to shore.

You need more help than you know.

You're trying to live your life in open scaffolding.

Say Bismillah, In the name of God,

as the priest does with a knife when he offers an animal.

Bismillah your old self

to find your real name.

It's time to start again. Can't go forward until the past is let go. I just found my Rumi book o' poems, Bismillah struck a chord. So...

Let's move forward....Bismillah

Cultural Sensitivities

Lately I've had an opportunity to interact with all sort of different people. From my experiences I have learned that not everybody has a sense of humor. Not everybody understands my sense of humor. In fact, precious few actually 'get' what I say. That is just depressing. And, NO it is not a cultural thing. This spans cultures, ethinicities, and sexual orientation. Oh well I guess I'm just destined to be misunderstood.

My job has me doing a lot of field work in places I never thought I would ever visit. Last night was a presentation and testing at rehab in the middle of nowhere. There were eighty men six months into an eighteen month in-patient treatment schedule. It was interesting. Okay, it was other things than just interesting. It was a learning experience. There were all types of men there: professionals, minorities, guys that just seemed down on their luck. There was boy that had just turned 18.

After the initial education presentation, there was a private and confidential one-on-one. The stories were just heartbreaking, but ultimately they all had realized that they needed help and they had found their way to this treatment center in the woods ( which does not have many outside lights. A difficult time was had in getting back to the car.)

I also learned that the guys at my old school are more conservative than the girls. Frat boys that came in talking the talk, obviously didn't walk the walk. I know no judgement, but hey I'm still learning. And NO I'm not stereotyping...gah...you should hear what they talk about when waiting for a test. Disgusting. Collecting data and whatnot. Health Fairs are the best for collecting data and learning about the human condtion. *g*

Tomorrow night: Health Fair at a charter school. This should be fun.

And speaking of culture and background and experience how does one plan a successful wedding that incorporates aspects from different cultures? Is it a good idea have friends and family from different cultures at the actual wedding ceremony or should they just be invited to the reception? What about all of the pre-wedding ceremonies? Should there be programs with descriptions of the ceremonies? Or am I just over-thinking this? Eesh!

Also, I think my gaydar's broken.

Until next time

everything that changes stays the same

I went on my first field test today. All by myself. It was at my old school. I never miss places, because I know that I can still have contact with the people I have met at those places. This was different. I don't keep in contact with anyone anymore. Not from there, and when I drove into the parking lot I was hit with such a feeling of longing that I was a little queasy and unsteady on my feet.

It's funny what a place can do to a person. The place is still the same, and if you don't pay attention the people all look the way they did way back when, but it isn't the same. The kids are all different. Trying to get somewhere, but ending up looking back at what was. Looking to the future, while forsaking the present.

It took me a few minutes, but I figured out who I was and what I was supposed to do. My time there was unremarkable. I went back to the office, and it was like I had crossed over into another universe. That ever happen to you? It has never happened to me before today, and I'll make sure it never happens again.

Little Mosque on the Prairie

So someone finally figured out that muslims and all of our problems are universally funny.
The CBC in Canada premiered "Little Mosque on the Prairie" last week and I finally found clips. Check out the link. It is so very funny.

And it's the scientist guy from " My Secret Identity", so it has to be cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2-lXDe2to

Free at last!

It's over! This semester is officially done. Now I concentrate on the more important things in life: sleep and finding a suitable job. Not neccessarily in that order.

so much to do so little time

It's getting later and later. I've been functioning on about four hours worth of sleep a night for the past few days and it's wreaking havoc on my system because a few days before that I was averaging around nine. Now I cannot fall asleep.

The elections are coming up and as much as I try not to listen to the politicos and not have an opinion I can't help but hear sound bytes and then have go do research on the topics that interest me...that in turn eats into the whole getting enough sleep thing...oh well...Miles to go before I sleep...

I should feel lucky that I have time to do anything at all.

A longtime ago we used to be friends...

That is the first line from a song by The Dandy Warhols. Ever have a song or a line from a song just kind of loop in your head and you don't know what to do about it... until you do? Well, my thinking is that if I write about it and how it's making me nostalgic for things and people I have known I could rest in peace...well not Rest In Peace...I'm over that...really!
It's also the theme song from Veronica Mars. If you haven't seen the show now is the time to begin watching! A whole new season, a whole new mystery. Escapist TV at it's best.

Don't forget Firefly!

I don't know exactly which Sufi teaching this is...

“Past the seeker as he prayed came the crippled and the beggar and the beaten. And seeing them...he cried, 'Great God, how is it that a loving creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?'... God said, 'I did do something. I made you.' -Sufi Teaching

Okay Fine!

After receiving countless e-mails from y'all I want to say that you, my friends know who you are! So stop fretting and making snarky comments, cuz I will post them and then laugh at you and your insecurities! ( wait...don't go away!!! I won't I promise! =D)

Nothing much going on this week. There is a guerilla ad campaign going on for Serenity the sequel or the re-launch of Firefly.

Of course most of you heard about the building in NY. How can you hate a person that much that you would destroy not only yourself, but play with the lives of others just to get revenge? Then there were the bomb blasts in Mumbai. The group has 'loose connections' to Alquaida. What does that even mean? I have 'loose connections' to Warren Buffett because my computer runs on Microsoft Windows.

I know that it seems that the world is going to Hell in a handbasket, but we have a tendency to sensationalize the scandalous, because that sells. We haven't heard about the people that help in homeless shelters or who donate their time to free clinics, because who cares about philanthropy?
But don't despair the world has gone on and it will continue, we just have to continue not to fight the good fight, but to help as many people that we can.

Friends, Romans, countrymen

Did anyone else have to memorize that soliloquy from "Julius Caesar"? I was sitting in class today and drifted off into a daydream and all of a sudden I was in the play as Marc Antony.

Ever meet people who you think you'll be life-long friends with, but they just end up as "some person I hung out with in college" and then you meet people who you think will just be " some person I hung out with in college", but they become dear friends? Isn't it strange the sorts of people TPTB bring into your life. Some people you're grateful to have gotten the chance to have known and others, when you think about them you wonder what you were thinking when you spent so much precious time with them. Just musings...that's all this is.

I've been in a contemplative mood of late. Looking back, I could have done a lot differently, but your experiences make you who you are right?

An ode to Cadbury dairy milk fruit and nut chocolate bars

(Okay, so it's not really an ode)

Cadbury fruit and nut bars are the best candy bar in the world. I'm talking about the ones you get overseas or from the duty free shops in airports. The Cadbury found in the US does not compare to the chocolately goodness found in the original.

Okay, now that I have shared my love. I can sleep in peace.
My living room is complete today. I can now officially have guests over. Yes the dining room chairs look like old office furniture, but it is still a place to sit and all. And it's all about the family and friends and stuff right? Right? Fine, be that way, but I'll still be hospitable even if you sneer at my furniture.

de-Motivated

I have so much to do. Papers to write, languages to learn and I simply cannot motivate myself to actually sit down and start. I love the idea of finishing things before deadline, but I always do things last minute, just because I can't get motivated early enough to finish things.

For those of you wondering the table tennis tournament was a success, snaps are up.
Happy belated fourth to all. We missed the fireworks this year due to technical difficulties that I will not go into, because it will just upset me.

ugh...MOTIVATION? ARE YOU OUT THERE?

Shukar Al-Hamdullillah

I finally got my car back. By the grace of God it wasn't too damaged. My pocket book is lighter, but because I have wonderful parents who offered to pay half it's not so much lighter. It was indeed the radiator, but what can you expect from an eleven yo car.

I've been mulling over some things for the last few days. I'm delighted that Warren Buffett has decided to give a large chunk of his fortune to charity to fund education and public health. My two main causes (equality and empowerment for women is also one, but I believe that if you give women education and good health the rest will come naturally). So it makes me smile.

And....(edited to add: Yes it is a huge rumor!)
Y'all also know that I'm a huge Joss Whedon fan and have been eagerly awaiting news on his Wonder Woman script and casting. In addition to being a Joss fan I also love Bollywood films (That's Indian film musicals for those of you who don't know what bollywood is. Do a google search to find out more. I'm sure there's a wiki somewhere.) So imagine my surprise when I found this.
I understand that it could just be a huge rumor. In fact it probably is. When I first saw it I was against it, because the girl's beautiful and all, but can she act to the satisfaction of the Whedonverse? Then my bollywood fangirl jumped up and started squeeing 'cuz a desi Priyanka Chopra in a Hollywood film!

Enough of this I better get back to studying.

tales from the ER

The next time a cockroach crawls in your ear while you are sleeping, be sure to stick your finger in your ear and plug it so it can't get out then run to the ED for us to take it out. Then, as I squirt viscous lidocaine into your ear canal, tell me how gross that feels!
~Courtesy of SDN

Something similar happend at HFF...or was it ER?

So you want to take healthcare away from children?

Yup, you read it right. Some California lawmakers don't want to make healthcare available to any immigrant not matter what his age...because you know they're all felons and breaking the law by being in this country.

What next? Are we going to stop allowing them in public schools? Or...gasp...will we make them pay for education? So much for pursuing "the American Dream".
What happened to
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Are we taking it back? Or was that only for those that came via Ellis Island?

Two A-holes at a Crime Scene

Here is the latest Two A-holes skit. I normally don't like Kevin Spacey (except for the Usual Suspects), but he did a good job here. I now tune in to watch this skit. My sisters and I pray that it will be as big as the Spartans, Coneheads, two guys, etc. Hi-larious!

Got this as an e-mail...

and thought to post it rather than e-mail it to everyone I know.


As you might know, the head of a company survived
9/11 because his son started kindergarten.


Another fellow was alive because it was
his turn to bring donuts.


One woman was late because her
alarm clock didn't go off in time.


One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
because of an auto accident.


One of them
missed his bus.


One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
time to change.


One's
car wouldn't start.


One went back to
answer the telephone.


One had a
child that dawdled
and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.


One couldn't
get a taxi.


The one that struck me was the man
who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
took the various means to get to work
but before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore ! to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am
stuck in traffic,
miss an elevator,
turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
all the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,
this is exactly where
God wants me to be
at this very moment..
Next time your morning seems to be
going wrong,
the children are slow getting dressed,
you can't seem to find the car keys,
you hit every traffic light,
don't get mad or frustrated;
God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you
with all those annoying little things
and may you remember their possible purpose.
Pass this on to someone else, if you'd like.
There is NO LUCK attached.
If you delete this, it's okay:
God's Love Is Not Dependent On
E-Mail !!
(that's the cool part)AMEN
I get a lot of these and rarely post them or forward them, but this caught my attention.

I sometimes have the same thought that even though I didn't plan on ending up where I am today it probably means something and that it is the best place for me to be right now.

I won't give up the good fight. I know in my heart what I really want and I'll achieve that goal. Who'll stick it out with me?

On a similar thread

Okay so after my early morning rant on fanfic I came across this article which talks about how the author of "Everything Bad is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter" states...well just that. So I guess fanfic is just a what you get when you have increased mental capacity and a lot of time on your hands.

Fan Fic

Have any of you read fanfic or filk? I don't really know what filk is, but fan fiction make me squint my eyes and shake my head in confusion. Now, I'm not talking about something I know nothing about. I admit that I have read my share of fanfic. I know certain people (you know who you are) that absolutely love the stuff and they are always sending me links to the newest story that they just loved because it "captured the characters so well". I wonder what some people are thinking when they decide that it would be a good idea to have a "Honeymooners/Battlestar Galactica" crossover (No, I haven't actually read such a cross-over, but you get my point).

From the considerable research that I have conducted. I have found that most fanfic writers are teenagers with a lot of time on their hands. They write for their friends. They write for themselves. They think they are talented. They want to put various pairs together i.e. Simon and Jayne from Firefly. Some writers like to insert themselves into the story, become the hero or love interest.

There are fanfiction contests out there. There are entire databases. You can find comedy, drama, angst (there's a lot of angst), parody. Some are a few paragraphs long. Others would rival War and Peace for length. There are ratings, just like the movies. G through the adult content that's mostly well...smutty. Most of it is ridiculous.
I'm sure that there are some great writers in the webverse that like to write about their favorite characters, and I recently, reluctantly read one that was recommended to my by a friend that wasn't half-bad. For the most part though...meh.

Now this isn't is quite a rant against fan fiction, because..hey...whatever floats your boat, but put your creativity to some good use. If you want to be a writer make up your own characters, your own universe, etc. If you insist on writing fanfic, take a writing class, stay true to characters...heck you can get a list of fanfic rules out there on the web. Be sure that you have someone (good) edit your story and be sure to remain consistent and coherent. But most importantly please, please, please, don't ask me to edit. Please?

Also, who thought up fan vids?