Smarty pants

I need to be super productive today; actually, everyday. I love reading quotes and that's one way to get me started. I'm going to pump myself up here and hopefully pump you up, too! Have a good Friday!

"I never cut class. I loved getting As, I liked being smart. I liked being on time. I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world." 

Michelle Obama 

"I'm not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why."

William Hazlitt 

"Be as smart as you can, but remember that it is always better to be wise than to be smart."

Alan Alda 

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." 

Henry Ford 

And my favorite of the bunch:

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."

Albert Einstein 

Appreciate what you have, not what you had

A lot of times I wonder what would have happened if my life didn't change. Or that I'd like to take myself back a few stages of my life in live there forever. Man is rarely completely satisfied with what he has. I was having a conversation with a friend and she was wishing she had waited before moving to the next phase of her life. Wishing she could go back to how things were. I sympathized with her, and wished I could move back a few years myself and relive those days that seemed so stress free.

But then I realized that every stage of life has stress or a concern or a worry. I just don't remember this fact when I have new worries and concerns to think about. I tend to only remember the good in the past. And focus on the "bad" in the present.

I am here today because of what happened in the past. I am who I am right now because of past experiences, joys and sorrows. If not, I'd be stuck in the past and wouldn't have accomplished what I have. And then I'd be sad that I was stuck in a rut and not moving on with my life. See? As I've stated earlier, Man can never be completely satisfied with his situation.

When this phase is over I will begin a new chapter of my life and wish that I could be where I am right now. Alhamdulillah, there is nothing wrong in my life right now, it's just stress. I should start counting my blessings; anything that makes me happy or feel good. A minimum of three a day. I'll try to do this as regularly as possible, but I'll probably need reminders! And I'll post them up here, aside from a few blog posts per month. {Edit: I'll start slow in regards to posting them here, but at least once a week}

Let's start with today, even though it is only 5:35 pm:
1. I ate a dosa. It's an Indian version of a savory crepe. Not everyone can make these right, the Indian restaurant here does not serve them and today I had the pleasure of eating one. Homemade and from scratch, made with love, eaten with love.
2. The weather today was a little warmer than the cold we've gotten this week and it felt to nice to feel the warm sun on my back.
3. I had pain in my foot and side before I started running this morning. I didn't want to miss today's run, so I decided to run anyways. But the pain stopped shortly after I started and I felt good after.

OK these are not so exciting, but I am a normal person and normal things happen to me. I'm just being real here. ;)

From Sanskrit

"Yesterday is already a dream and tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope."

*Photo taken by me on Sept 3, 2011 in Manistee, Michigan 

The things we should do for L-O-V-E

I love this blog. Not like, but love. And when I feel like I've abandoned it, i.e. not written/commented/checked up on it, I feel so stressed out. I constantly remind myself that I need to do something for it/to it to make sure I'm doing my part. That I'm contributing in SOME way.

It might sound cliche and quite frankly, kinda corny, but I really feel like I'm a part of something since I've joined this blog. Like I'm taking the initiative and trying my damn hardest to make a difference in someones life. I've never been actively involved in any sort of community outreach program except for the rare volunteer opportunities that I partake in. And most of those events I'm present in because my friends do it. Ah yes, peer influence.

When Controlled Chaos created this blog almost three years ago (June 24th is our three year anniversary!) with the intention of making the world a bit more open minded through the views, ideas, opinions, thoughts and anecdotes of your everyday average Muslim American girls, she was not only doing a public service for the misinformed, uneducated and the completely clueless, but she was also opening up a whole new door for me. This blog was/is my stepping stone into doing something humanitarian. Helping society. Educating people. Doing my part as a human being. Even if it seems minuscule.

And yeah, we have our fair share of ups and downs here at Symphonic Discord, with a WHOLE lot more downs then ups. And Controlled Chaos constantly threatens to shut it down cause we suck as writers and aren't doing anything about keeping the blog active.

But it's something I constantly have on my mind. No joke. I've been thinking about potential posts before my work day begins, while teaching, and after I've hightailed out of school. I run through multiple thoughts while showering, driving home, and sitting in the backyard. My thoughts center around enlightening others with random facts about Muslims and Islams. Stupid things I do as a teacher. Silly things my students say. Funny moments with my siblings. Crazy thoughts I share with friends. Anything that I can contribute to anyone that is reading.

For the past month, I've been trying to rejuvenate my thoughts, get out of this writer's rut, and just get back on track and renew my intention for being on this blog. The motto of this blog is something I firmly believe in and I can wholeheartedly say if we(the authors of this blog and anyone else that wants to help) pushed and challenged ourselves, we could do great things.


In the end, when I feel like I've failed this blog and havent done what I should/could do for it and with all the efforts (or lack thereof) put into this blog, I try to remind myself of the wise words of Mother Teresa, when she said, " What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. "

And with that, I log of off Facebook, fix my posture, open up blogger and finally start typing...

Rock....Paper... Scissors...JESUS!

Bam!! When my kids at school play this, Jesus totally TRUMPS all of the above. Obviously. It's funny how kids can have more faith in things than adults. Not just concerning their religiosity either. But just in general. They are more optimistic, hopeful, open-minded about things around them then adults are. We can always say it, but it's so true that kids are wiser then we give them credit for. I asked my kids how they would settle a disagreement and argument today. I also asked them to respond and provide both negative and positive ways to settle a dispute. Negative ways included fighting and insulting one another. And positive methods ranged from talking it out, walking away, hearing the opposing side, breathing, counting to ten, apologizing to one another, and asking others for advice. Terry Jones, the pastor that burned the Qu'ran recently, and has been threatening to do so since the 9th anniversary of September 11, and the people in Afghanistan that are attacking and killing innocent civilians in retaliation, could learn a thing or two from them. Shame on all of them for acting the way they are. Whether it's figuratively, or literally, haven't they all learned from Mahatma Gandhi, that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind?

Egyptian Revolution

"Egypt is free! Egypt is free!" Newspaper headlines, CNN breaking news, iPhone apps... Egypt is finally free, Praise be to God. The unimaginable actually happened... and within only 18 days... what a miracle.

Not really sure how to put all this momentum and energy into solid words. But the feeling is just amazing. Its not only about Mubarak stepping down... its the fact that the whole world was behind Egypt united, standing for justice, and continuously supportive. Im not Egyptian and outside of a few friends in Egypt, I dont have much of a connection to that country. But I still felt part of this revolution... I cried, I cheered, I held hope... I just couldnt physically be with the thousands on Tahrir Square day after day.

From January 25th to February 11th, 2011, Egypt is finally FREE!

As a twitter junkie, I found some inspiring tweets about Egypt from celebrities to scholars to journalists to everyday Egyptians:

ArabRevolution تباً لك ياطاغوت by NickKristof
So the Danish are the first to stand up for #Egypt. While we vilified a whole nation for some cartoons. Puts things into perspective

DawudWalid الملا داود والد
#Obama gives credit of uprising in #Egypt to young people.

andersoncooper Anderson Cooper
Mubarak's lies continue.

YasirQadhi Yasir Qadhi
Mubarak everyone!!! Mubarak has gone :)

naveensyed Naveen Syed
Congratulations, #Egypt! So amazing, inspiring, motivational. You deserve it!

jamaaldiwan Jamaal Diwan
The largest non-violent protest in world history prevails!!! Pouring out tears and prayers for those who we lost along the way...

IrshadManji IrshadManji
The ppl of #Egypt have affirmed that liberty is not a Western construct but a universally shared aspiration.

iansomerhalder ian somerhalder
Congratulating the people of Egypt- freedom is every living person's right! You deserve it! Dictators be done!

Alyssa_Milano Alyssa Milano
Happy Birthday, #Egypt!

Ghonim Wael Ghonim by LowkeyMusic1
Dear Western Governments, You've been silent for 30 years supporting the regime that was oppressing us. Please don't get involved now #Jan25

awadofgum
Spent the last couple hours giving out candy on the Diag. People's faces are hilarious when you tell them "Happy Egyptian Revolution Day!"

cwzymuslima cwzymuslima
#Egypt did for itself in 3 weeks what the US could not do for #Iraq and #Afghanistan in nearly 10 years. Peace, not war, overcomes #terror.

nilebabe
Today I'm so incredibly proud and inspired by the power that #egypt claimed back for itself. I'm proud of my family that contributed to it.

DawudWalid الملا داود والد
we bombed Iraq to replace a dictator we propped up.#Egypt, it happen without bombs. So much for the inherently violent Muslim talking point.

NickKristof Nicholas Kristof
Muslims and Christians praying together in #Tahrir. Very inspiring. Le'ts hope--and pray--that that unity persists.


**While we're in the midst of celebrating Egypts freedom, however, lets just not forget that it all started with a man in Tunisia who set himself on fire in protest to the Tunisian dictatorship. This is proof. One person can make a difference.**

-Empty Words (Guest Author)

Like a man with his head on fire...

I'm currently reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. And I'm literally forcing myself to read in a remarkably slow manner because I just dont want to lose a friend. And I know that the movie got some not-so-hot reviews which made people all of a sudden critique her book. Wasn't the book receiving all sorts of accolade not too long ago?

Some people said that the book has given women a false sense of hope that they can indisputably leave their lives, drop everything, become selfish, and travel the world. When put that way, of course it sounds preposterous. But nevertheless, so what if it is? Isn't that the whole purpose of books, television shows, and movies.

To escape reality?

Anyways all of that is besides the point, and my intention for writing this post wasn't necessarily to pay homage to the book (just yet).

On the other hand, I wanted to share an excerpt from it that serves as a reminder and I also felt most of us could connect with, one way or another:

Life continues to go on. Even the Italian post office will keep limping along, doing its own thing without you---why are you so sure that your micromanagement of every moment in this whole world is essential? Why dont you let it be?

I hear this argument and it appeals to me. I believe in it, intellectually, I really do. But then I wonder--- with all my restless yearning, with all my hyped-up fervor and with this stupidly hungry nature of mine--what should I do with my energy instead?

The answer arrives, too:

Look for God, suggests my Guru. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water.

-Elizabeth Gilbert-Eat, Pray, Love

Mid-week pick me up

Do you not see that God sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding. (Qur'an. 39:21)


I was just going through the Qur'an when I came across this verse and thought I'd share. 

It's all about me

These days, people are obsessed with themselves. I think we owe much of it to all those social networking sites. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc has created millions of mini self-obsessed monsters. Don't you think so? It's all about me, right? I'm guilty of it, too. Of course I'm not speaking for everyone out there, but I noticed it has become more and more the norm. At the gym? In class? Out with your Boo? Update your status or send out tweets and let the world know. Everyone's a celebrity. I do use facebook and used to have Twitter, but I'm too lazy for self-promotion. I don't know how I'd be if I wasn't such a lump slouching on the couch all day. Who knows? Maybe I'd be a self-proclaimed celebrity, too.

I'm not hating on them, promise. But I do think it's a bit silly. But more importantly: is it a good thing or a bad thing? You post a picture up, you know the kind I'm talking about. The I'm-fishing-for-compliments one. And everyone oohs and ahhs over it regardless of whether they think it's great or not. Oh, and you KNOW it's for compliments because then I hear people complaining about how no one commented on their picture. *sigh*

Compliments are great, but I like them better when they come from people I actually interact with and hang out with. Not people I don't know very well and see once every two years. People who I see everyday. My friends  or sisters who aren't afraid to tell me I look ugly when appropriate.  Maybe these compliments help lift one's self esteem but does it too much? I think there needs to be a balance between low self esteem and thinking you're the hottest thing alive.

I was a little chubby in my preteens and got teased by it. That affected me a lot. and crushed my self-esteem. I have a kid sister and I'd rather her think herself beautiful than insecure of herself. How do I do that without it getting to her head? My mother never showered us with compliments when we were younger. I recently asked her why and she said we're pretty enough and she "didn't want it to get to my head. " Wait, was that a compliment in itself?

So if you had to choose, which would you prefer and why? {A} people crying over how ugly they are or {B} people who think their God's gift to the world? I know that these are two extremes, but if you had to, which would you pick? It's a tough decision. But I think I'd rather be option B. Because at least I'd have a little confidence. But there are major pros and cons for both. I'd rather be B, but I wouldn't like myself if I met me.

Actually I wouldn't like myself if I were A either. They're just really extreme, but I thin there are more A's and B's cmoing up and not enough of a mixture of both.

Writing this post reminded me of Zoolander:

• Derek Zoolander: I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is.
• Derek Zoolander: Well I guess it all started the first time I went through the second grade. I caught my reflection in a spoon while I was eating my cereal, and I remember thinking "wow, you're ridiculously good looking, maybe you could do that for a career."
  Matilda: Do what for a career?
  Derek Zoolander: Be professionally good looking.  
• Derek Zoolander: Why do you hate models, Matilda?
  Matilda: Honestly?
  Hansel: Yes.
  Matilda: I think they're vain, stupid, and incredibly self-centered.
  Hansel: I totally agree with you. But how do you feel about male models?  
• Derek Zoolander: I'm sorry that good-looking people like us made you throw up and feel bad about yourself. 
• Derek Zoolander: So join now, 'cause at the Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too, we teach you that there's more to life than just being really, really, really good looking. Right kids?

Family Feud

My sister and I had one of the biggest fights of our lives yesterday. We thought we had figured it out but we definitely didn't. The fight continued on today. It's so strange because we have a very intimate and open relationship so this fight sort of came out of nowhere.

I guess after the dust settled it really made me think about relationships we have with our family members. Why is it that when it comes to family that we feel comfortable enough to raise our voices, to say things we don't mean, to be rude, and so on and so forth but when it comes to everyone else we bite our tongues or keep tighter control of our emotions?

I mean if you think about it which people are more important to treat well? Our families. They're the ones who have been with us and will continue to be with us our entire lives; they're blood and there's no breaking that tie. But everyone just comes and goes.

There's a saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that I really love...

خَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِهِ

It roughly translates to: "The best among you is the best of you to his family"

I feel like it has such a beautiful meaning. Anyone can having amazing manners and behaviors with peers, co-workers, even friends. Like when my peer just really pisses me off like no other...what's my response? Usually I won't show that I'm upset. If I feel the need to address it I'll be extremely cordial and cautious not to hurt the person's feelings because I don't want the confrontation to blow up in my face.

But the harder relationship to having amazing manners with is usually our family members. Lets say my sister pisses me off. What's my reaction then? I might be calm for a little bit but if she really pushes my buttons I'll go off on her. "What the heck is you freaking problem, woman?!?" And its funny because most of us probably do this and don't really think about the confrontation blowing up in our faces.

But the question is WHY?? I have a few reasons simmering in my mind but I want to know what you all think? Why is it so easy for us to treat outsiders with good manners but we're so lax with our families?

Reflections Journal

I started something new last week. It's been going pretty much amazing.

Basically I read a section of the Qur'an everyday and write down my reflections on verses that struck my eye in my reflections journal (which is on Word b/c I hate writing and love typing).

It's been quite a spiritually enriching experience. I mean each verse has newer and deeper meaning when I'm reading and actually reflecting on the God's words.

So far I've written my reflections on the verses of the first two chapters of the Quran in my journal).

Here's an example of one of my reflections...

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

And when My servants ask you about Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me so that they may be rightly guided. [2:186]

A group of believers once asked the Prophet Muhammed, peace and blessings upon him, 'Is our Lord nearby so that we should talk to Him secretly, or is He far away, so that we should call out to him?’. This verse was revealed to answer their question.

I love looking at how Arabic syntax and sentence structure gives depth to the meaning of the verse. In this case, look at the red phrase above. God responds by saying "If my servant asks about me, Indeed I am near." God uses the Arabic language in such an eloquent way to convey to us that He is very close to us.

God is showing His nearness to His servant first by mentioning him as "عبدي" ('abdi) which in Arabic generally means "My servant." [Technically speaking it means someone who willingly puts himself in servitude of someone]. God could have answered the question saying “if someone asks you about me” or “if a believer asks you about me,” but He doesn’t. Instead he uses a very special word in Arabic which connotes a more intimate meaning.

Second, the form of the word (because it’s all one word) makes the possessor (God) and the possession (servant/believer in Him) close in actual space in this verse. In Arabic the way the language looks also gives depth the meaning.

Third, God shows His nearness to us, His servants, by not putting the word "say" after the conditional clause. For example, I could say, "If someone asks them about SD's blog, tell them its www.symphonic-discord.blogspot.com." In giving an answer to the question you would put "tell them" or "say to them" or some type of verb that indicates what you should be communicating to the questioner. But in the verse, God turns to the first person and just says, "Indeed I am near." It's beautiful because you don't need a mediator or intercessor speaking on your behalf to God...it’s a direct relationship between you and Him.

I like to picture verses like a movie. For this verse I imagine God first facing the Prophet and then for the second part just turning to the believers who asked the original question and letting them know directly, "I'm right here for you!"

Lastly, God says "Indeed I am near." He could have just said I am near but He used emphasis on the fact that there is absolutely no doubt of the fact that He's near.

I don’t know if this all was too technical or not but I really just love analyzing the Arabic of the Qur’an. I feel like it gives me such a strong connection with God’s words.

So don’t forget… if every you need anything or are going through a hard time or anything really just turn to God and ask Him…He’s always right there waiting for you!

I do not eat green eggs and ham.I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

This week is Dr. Seuss' birthday.

I never really understood why certain people got their birthday celebrated for a week and got all sorts of recognition. While others just have to settle for one measly schmeasly day.


Actually now that I think about it, sometimes it seems like my friends and I are celebrating each others birthdays for like months since we don't actually do anything for that particular individual until five months later. Never the day of. But in all actuality, we are just really, really busy people and don't get the time to celebrate the day of. Either that, or we're too lazy. Or broke. Or both.


But that's neither important nor relevant to Dr. Seuss.

So moving along to the point: this week I was reading one of his books: Fox on Socks to one of my precious students. While reading the book, I was getting irritated because 1. The kid wasn't listening to me and 2. While reading it, I kept thinking that it made no sense.


Later on in the day after reading that book to the annoying kid, I was complaining to a coworker of mine about how Dr. Seuss books are pointless and how I couldn't believe that someone got paid to write stuff like that and then go on becoming as famous as he did. And really rich. While ranting to my co-worker, another co-worker jumps in and says that Dr. Seuss' books do make sense and each book has a hidden message about various issues that go on in the world. Or went on in the world.

I didn’t see how that was possible. So she went on to explain to me that some of his books deal with racism and environmentalism and ethnocentrism and all sorts of isms.

I didn’t believe her.

So I wikipediaed it. (I heart wikipedia. It has like EVERYTHING. And I don't understand why it's not considered a scholarly source to use when writing umm scholarly-ish papers)

And it turns out she’s right.

According to Wikipedia:

Many of Dr. Seuss's books are thought to express his views on a myriad of social and political issues: The Lorax (1971), about environmentalism and anti-consumerism; The Sneetches (1961), about racial equality; The Butter Battle Book (1984), about the arms race; Yertle the Turtle (1958), about anti-fascism and anti-authoritarianism; How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957), about anti-materialism; and Horton Hears a Who! (1954), about anti-isolationism and internationalism.^[11][9]

And here is an example from one of his books Yertle the Turtle. As stated earlier, this story is thought to have been about anti-authoritarianism:

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he,
Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see.
And the turtles, of course... all the turtles are free
As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.

Alas! What would we do without Wiki.

Seriously who would’ve thought.

So I do apologize to Dr. Seuss and any die hard Dr. Seuss fans out there for doubting his writing style and mocking his work and accusing him of making absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Do forgive my ignorance.

And in honor of him and his birthday I wanted to share some of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes. (Quotes that aren’t necessarily from his books, but inspirational nonetheless)

• “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”
• “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own.
  And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go.”
• Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
• “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than you.”
• Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

Goodbye, update and quote

{1} I need to go on a hiatus. I have some stuff to take care of. See you guys in a month and a half. :)

{2} ANNND MOST IMPORTANTLY I fixed the feedburner thing so now you can subscribe to the blog at it'll properly notify you of updates and stuff.

{3} I came across this in an email. Thought I'd share.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Being wealthy does not mean having a great amount of property. Being wealthy is being content."

Thoughts on change-(not the money kind)

I thought I should share this with our readers.
Simply Me, one of our authors, who doesn't write but nevertheless for some reason holds the title of an author, got married on Saturday.

Some of the authors on this blog and myself have all been really good friends with Simply Me for five years now, since Freshman year of undergrad. So the wedding was a an extremely bitter-sweet occasion, even though she's gonna be with us for another semester.

The wedding was a reminder to all of us. The time we spent with each other, learning to be better people or gaining a fashion sense, our useless jokes, getting high off of each others' stupidity, taking turns crying during finals, and sometimes seven of us relying on a single person for class notes of an entire semester (usually it's me, relying on Simply Me for everything concerning our classes... it worked in the end..usually)-this was all coming to an end, and fast.

The fact that we knew S.M. was moving away later was the painful part of the wedding. Even though it was later, we already felt like we were losing her-after all, a major part of her has changed. Some of us shed tears, others occupied themselves with things during the wedding, and others were just purely happy. It's not just S.M. that we know will be moving on, it's most of us-going away for grad school, or starting their careers or whatever else fate has in store for us.

Maybe it's not so much that things are changing, or life is changing, but more of us, people, changing.

Everyone goes through those points where their lives are changing, and they might be losing those who are dear to them, and it's easy to slip into a sulking mode or become overcome by the fear that change will bring to our lives. Like how I was terrified of entering high school, and then again when I was starting college (but both did turn out to be good experiences).

So, we have two options when it comes to the changes in our life-taking it positively or looking at it negatively. Either way we know change is inevitable and change is never comfortable. And whether or not you want to accept it, life is still changing. So the only thing you can do is accept it, and turn it around for yourself. All because change is inevitable does not mean you don't have at least some control over it.

"The way some thing never changes shines a light on the things that do. Like when a new person comes into the hospital to stay or an old friend leaves for good.
Sometimes the biggest changes are the result of an impulsive decision.
And so here I am, a guy in an empty apartment, with a dead dog. And no that's not a tear on my cheek, that's just from a leak in my ceiling. And yes, change is scary but it's also inevitable. And so it's up to you to make the best of it. "
JD - Scrubs ( I just love Scrubs)

Only problem is, it's easier said than done. Hey, but if things were easy, it really wouldn't be much of a life. Just an easy one. Who's ever heard of that?

Wanted to share a picture of Simply Me's cake table :)

Summary of the past week

1. Texting my friend in chemistry class who was a couple of seats ahead of me. I went into this spleech about some self-realization I had about my self (Am I being redundant? Stupid University English course didn't teach me anything)
And her reply text?
What? You don't make any sense. Pay attention
My annoyed response: Shutup Baka!
(For of you who don't know, this is a Japanese term I discovered that I love using as an insult)
Her response: Boogalah!
(Apparently she thought I had gone crazy and was trying to scare me into being quiet)

2. Driving to babysitting and seeing in big print on the back of a SUV:
SIT MEANS SIT !
Drive closer wondering if the world went crazy.

www.SIT MEANS SIT.com

Free Demo DOG Training

Sorry, we don't train Husbands, Wifes or Kids

Apparently it did go crazy and became witty at the same time. And it isn't it supposed to be wives?? (At least elementary school english class taught me something).

3. Four year old girl I was babysitting is looking at me and makes a weird face.

"I don't like your glasses. Take them off. Don't come with your glasses next time"

This is what I get for wearing contacts to all of our former encounters and assuming that kids don't care about looks...

4. Same four year old kid staring at my face. (Hold your breath..hold it...I'm sure she won't say anything)

"You have a spot on your chin. Why do you have spots? "

What the heck? WHICH spot is she talking about? The acne? The acne scars? The beauty mark? The other hundreds of reasons that made 'spots' on my face that she could see? It can't be the pores? They're not that big......Right???

"I dunno. You have a spot too. Right here. Why do you have that spot?"
(I pointed at a beauty mark on her cheek).
"Hee Hee I dunno"

That's great kid. You have a beauty mark and I had to use that one thing as ammunition.

5. SAME four year old kid for once not pointing at my arm and asking me why I have hair on my arms. Yes, it has been happening at every encounter thus far, and the one time that it didn't happen is worth celebrating.

Seriously, the way your self-esteem can degrade around little kids is amazing.

6. Discovering that some french actor named Gaspard Ulliel is the best looking guy I have ever seen...I think. At least in his younger looking pictures. Doesn't help that my self-esteem was just shot down by 100 points (just like the stock market !) the same week I discovered him.

Not that it made it made feel worse either, just didn't help. Get it?...

7. Getting over how Gaspard Ulliel might be the best looking guy I've ever seen, after a couple of hours. (What can I say, I recover fast-It was just like the Twilight effect.)

8. All weekend long- my cat meowing at me constantly while I was trying to study and then running away when I approached her or acted like I'm getting up. Apparently this was the best game she's ever played. If I close the door, a paw is sticking out from underneath accompanied by more meowing.

9. Wasting my time for the most of the weekend trying to start studying (Note: Youtube is not a good source to gain inspiration to start studying). Start cramming early Sunday afternoon (Hey at least it was early afternoon), up until two minutes before exam on Monday. Take exam. Cry on how I don't know anything, and how stupid I am, and why I can't get an A, and how difficult the exam was.

10. Wondering why I'm sitting and writing this post, when I CLEARLY should be working on the SIX homework assignments that are due for my Genetics class tomorrow morning...Mehh I'll try and do it first thing tomorrow morning.
(Note: I wrote this post two days ago. And no, I didn't end up doing it in the morning, or anytime in the morning for that matter)

12. Actually watched Twilight and DIDN'T need my handy-dandy rolling pin, spatula and grease combo (click here). The movie itself did a pretty good job at keeping its fans at bay. Like REALLY REALLY really far away from the bay. Snorted, laughed and tried killing myself oh.. 295 times. Tried replacing the guy playing edward with Gaspard Ulliel, realized I couldn't remember what Mr. Ulliel's face looked like. Only recommend spending the stupid $10 (yes TEN, stupid holdiay prices. If it's not gas prices, it's movie tickets.) if you're in the mood for a comedy movie that has only one good scene.

11. Mused over the awesomeness of this poem and its ability to describe my life:

Who makes these changes?
I shoot an arrow right. It lands left.
I ride after a deer and find myself chased by a hog.
I plot to get what I want and end up in prison.
I dig pits to trap others and fall in.
I should be suspicious
of what I want. -Rumi

Joker: "...You know what I noticed? Nobody panics when things go according to plan. Even if the plan is horrifying. If tomorrow I tell the press that like a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it's all, part of the plan. But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos"

So I'm driving home, and my brother tells me that apparently Iceland declared bankruptcy. And I was like whaaaaaat?

Ok I may have been like whaaat, but I knew why. America's economy is in a huge recession, and thanks to globalization and capitalism, the rest of the world is also feeling huge effects, and not the positive kind. (I just think it's funny that capitalism is biting us in the butt, nothing against it)

This made me think, things are bad. REAL bad, and they're getting worse.

I have friends whose fathers lost jobs because of the recession. But at the same time, I have nothing more to complain about than the fact that gas is too expensive (You know you do it too).
And it's not just me, a lot of people I talked to are saying the same thing, that it sounds like we should be freaking out, but it's not really effecting our lives. This is also from a friend whose father was recently laid off from an American Motor Company. I mean everything else is still going on, life is still going on, and chicken little isn't running down the street screaming "The economy is falling ! The economy is falling!"

But you listen to the news, or go online, and you're like
"... Hmmm where is that guy (or chicken little) that should be running down the street screaming, and then everyone else goes like: Oh. Hey ! Great Idea!" (Only for chicken little, no one believed him, BUT this time Gosh Darn it, we will)
But there is no mass panic, it seems to be contained to wallstreet, wherever that is. Notice the sinking feeling you get by reading this excerpt from BusinessWeek:

"Searching for a way to describe the current stock market meltdown? Call it the "Panic of 2008."

In the past century, the world has seen countless financial crises, economic downturns, and market crashes. But the last major event to be called a 'panic' was the Panic of 1907.

If ever it were appropriate to revive the term "panic," this is the time. The day-after-day declines in the stock market are unprecedented...

Normally even falling stock markets take a break from time to time, as the vultures swoop in to pick up stocks at bargain prices.

But now, the market's psychology is anything but normal.

Every time the stock market rallies—as it did on the morning of Oct. 9—"there are tons of sellers everywhere," says Dave Rovelli, managing director of equity trading at Canaccord Adams. "People just want out."...

By contrast, Subrahmanyam is more convinced the markets are behaving irrationally. It's not as if we've had a nuclear war and "real" assets were destroyed, he says... "The real, nonfinancial base of the economy is still fairly strong," he says—far stronger than during, for example, the Great Depression... (Random note: It's good to have some positive, but still it would be better to NOT have to come to a situation in which we have to compare to the Great Depression of all things)

"Financial panics don't last forever," says ING's Gendreau..."Either we're going to go into a Great Depression, or some of these assets are trading at very attractive prices," he says. (Again, not helping with the Great Depression thingy)

So when might this downward spiral end?

Because of our flight-or-flight instincts, Subrahmanyam says, "things are very quick to crash." But "the recovery takes much longer."

"The market ultimately reaches a bottom," says Georgetown University finance professor Reena Aggarwal.

By its nature, a crisis is a time of uncertainty. It could be months before we know whether markets are crashing because of irrational fear or because of real economic problems. And that's scary."

So yeah scary. So WHY aren't we yelling down the streets running? And why aren't we forming torch carrying mobs (granted we wouldn't know what to burn, I mean seriously, where is the Stock Market, the newspaper?) Is it because we're too civilized for that now? Hah. I wish (no seriously I do). I think the reason is stated in one of the best movies ever by the creepiest villain ever-Nobody panics when things go according to plan.

That's simply it. (ok MAYBE among other things). But still, during the rest of my drive I realized that it could be the reason(and now i'm convinced it is) why there is no chicken little (even though i love the little guy, I mean who wouldn't. So Cute and panicky). We're being informed, and told what to expect, it's still going according to the plan and rules of the stock market, and our beloved capitalism.

That's all. Wow that was boring..Promise it was so much more interesting in my mind. And I was all like "Whoaa I'm a genius"

Oh and have you guys seen the latest in bumper sticker fashion? Which apparently seems to be only in Michigan?

"Out of Job Yet? Keep buying Foreign!"

...ouch...I have a Toyota...I'm scared to approach these drivers thanks to a study by Colorado State University ,drivers with bumper stickers are more likely to be aggressive and confrontational.

-------------------------------------------------

Batman: What did you do?
The Joker: I took Gotham's white knight, and brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. Y'see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little...push.
[laughs]

So annoying

Everyone has a signature phrase. Catch phrase. Whatever you want to call it. A phrase that everyone else hears them use often or a phrase that relates back to that individual. Gossip girl ends every narration with "You know you love me. XOXO. Gossip Girl." We all remember Mr. T's infamous phrase "I pity the foo!" Mrs. Cullen has a million of these. "Hay gurl hay", "Holla", "Gurl, shoot" and "That's what she said", are just a couple of her infamous catch phrases. Simply me ends every email and conversation with Kthanksbye. Artistic Logic often refers to her closest friends as "Loserface" . Falling Up gets "Ugh"-ed out by almost everything. And Controlled Chaos thinks everyone in the world is a baka .

So what is my my catch phrase, you ask? So annoying. I say it so much that everyone else has begun to say it as well. I end every sentence, paragraph, story, letter, email, and conversation with either you, it, he, she, that, they, anyone, and everyone is so annoying.


It started off as something I would say to my siblings about something that they did or said that would be *suprise, suprise*...annoying. And I would shout at them "You're sooooooooooooo annoying". Emphais on the word "so" .Now it's just second nature for me to say it all the time. How are you today. So annoying (annoyed). The weather today is very nice. So annoying. Can you do me a favor and pass me the ketchup? Ughhh, you're so annoying.

I don't really get annoyed easily. At least I don't think I do. Family and friends will probably beg to differ. But who cares, they're so annoying and you shouldn't listen to them. However there are quite a few things that annoy me that I would like to share with ya'll.(Everyone else has a rant session on this blog, why can't I?) :

The only people that comment on this blog are the writers of this blog, being compared to others, boys, snoring sleepers, not being able to do my "own thing", neck pains, people who ogle at you, long lines, parking my car, having people watch me park the car, merging into the freeway, unappreciativeness, people who say "Mozlem" or "Izlam" even after you've corrected them, living such a sheltered life,tomatoes, call centers, bad habits that die hard,rude people, the new facebook, procrastination, dogs barking, being misunderstood by family and friends, asking for help, writers block, teachers who are overly excited to be teaching and don't think there is a single thing that could possibly go wrong in their classroom, ignorance, really boring commercials that seem to last for a million years, jealousy,semi trucks

People who critique every single thing that you do in a negative way, people who try to change other people's personality or appearance to fit with the social "norm", change-- of any kind, my siblings, girls who refer to a guy as "the one", being woken up from the best sleep ever, a family member touching my feet in the hopes of reviving me from my sleep, traffic jams, liars, cheaters, stealers, conversations about marriage,rap songs,toothpaste overflowing from the tube, negative feedback, rising costs of textbooks, washing clothes, cleaning my closet, dust bunnies, relying on unreliable people, cleaning the bathroom, taking the trash out, hearing anyone say "I told you so",vegetables, pot holes, snow, being called lazy, shopping during the holiday season, snobs, short weekends, uninvited guests, being told over and over to learn "how to cook", losing things, allergies.

Printers getting jammed, my hijab getting stuck in printers, being asked a question that I can't answer, birds chirping (ok that probably makes me sound like a horrible person, but if you are in a deep and much needed sleep mode, you truly do not want a bunch of birds to ruin that for you with their incessant chirping.), my niece and nephew spending the night and crying non stop, people asking me a million times "When are you getting married?", people asking me a million times, "When are you graduating?", professors who can't teach, getting paid bi-weekly instead of weekly, serving guests tea, news, the media, racist bigots, showoffs,hot and humid weather, people freaking me out/stressing me out about student teaching, brushing my hair (sad, but true), not knowing what to wear in the morning, shoes that hurt like no other, being on my feet all day long, Monday mornings, Blogs of Note: some people just don't deserve to be on there.

Uhhh, that's quite a list, huh? *shrugs shoulders*


Newest phrase that I've found myself using (thanks to the Grey's Anatomy cast ): Seriously.

Do you like it?

Do you?

If you don't, than, seriously, you're so annoying.