Good News!

I was waiting and waiting for someone to buy me cinnamon hearts after Valentine's day when they're cheap. And then someone did! Someone very special...

My mom! Yay for candy! That is all.

Little humour left in this randomly placed mind

So it's come to this: my last 1.5 months of university (inshaAllah!). The last research papers, tests, annoying attendance marks, skipping class, and sleeping at the library.

I was looking at the picture on my student card and I thought - wow, I looked really innocent four years ago. You know, the typical right-out-of-highschool-and-doesn't-quite-know-what-she's-getting-into girl. Now I look in the mirror and see the cynical person who has learned the inhumane things people are capable of. And sometimes I wish I just didn't know.

To celebrate my new-found cynical and pessimistic outlook, I think someone should buy me ice cream. And hey, when I am done school I'll throw a big party (read: when I'm done school, I'll plan to throw a party, but never actually get around to it. Thanks U of T for teaching me the art of procrastination).

It's never too early to pray...

My friend's husband teaching his son how to pray:

This is very awww-worthy. Especially since the baby can't even walk yet :)

"My Bank is Evil" by Asmaa

So I came home yesterday night and found that I had received a bank statement. I wasn't that excited to see its contents because I pretty much know that my balance was at an all-time low. I opened it, and to my mortification, my account was overdrawn.

This puzzled me greatly because I knew damn well that I wasn't overdrawn. But then, lo and behold, I discovered that the bank, without my consultation, had decided to give me their "premium plan," thus automatically charging me a ridiculous amount. And then on top of that, charging me for being overdrawn.

And so, I will go to the bank and be very irked that I had to make a trip just because they decided to act stupid. And I will probably take my anger out on some new employee that doesn't quite know what she's doing. And that will be sad. For her.

Mahjoub to be Released

I was 14 when Mohammad Mahjoub was first taken into custody. Fourteen. His family has been waiting for over seven years to see the "evidence" against him. And now, under strict conditions, he's finally being released. How long, really, is seven years?

It baffles me when I think how easy it is for governments to hurt and demoralize people. "Mahjoub's wife, Mona Elfouli, told the CBC Thursday she has been getting calls from friends, supporters and the media all day.

Elfouli said she cried Thursday morning when she was told that her husband will soon come home to their two children."

I've watched her family pour everything they have into fighting this injustice. Their two sons grew up without a father. And yet, never did his family falter in supporting him, and in having hope that he would be able to come home. So this is the absolute best news I've heard in a very, very long time. Alhamdulillah.

"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives, and the fruits of your toil. But give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who say, when afflicted with calamity, 'To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.' They are those on whom descend blessings from their Lord, and mercy. They are the ones who receive guidance." (Qur'an 2:155-157)

"When Monogamy becomes Monotony..."

So I was watching the Food Network today while I really should have been studying, and I happened to see a very 'interesting' commercial. Namely, for people who are in relationships but want to have affairs.

At first I thought it was a lame joke, but then I realized it wasn't. The commercial was hosted by a professional looking brunette woman in a suit (you know those ads). So she was in a suit saying:

"Are you in an unsatisfying relationship? Sign up today and meet other people like you! Here at Ashley Madison we understand that you're a stupid, unloyal moronic home-wrecker!"

(Okay, maybe not the last part, but whatever).

So yeah, here's a legit website just for people who want to have affairs. Somehow I thought people were above this. Apparently not. The more I live in this world, the more despicable I find it.

Crazy Egyptians

I saw this a while ago, and as wrong as I think it is (what's a hijabi doing in a music video?), I thought it was a nice summary of the life in Egypt - the hordes of staring men, the "hijabi" gear, and crazy Egyptians walking on the Mediterranean.
I could go on about the purpose of hijab and how it's being defeated because of things like this. But I'm sure all my readers are informed enough to form their own conclusions. Plus I'm not currently in the mood to get hate mail from people who disagree.

(I hate to admit it, but now I actually think it's a great song. Technically, he could be married to her - he is wearing a wedding ring.)

Black or White?

The Fool is certain that astute Randomly Placed readers have heard of the pointless movie called Madagascar in which a certain pathetic zebra named Marty suffers an identity crisis. Am I white with black stripes, he asks, or black with white stripes? Astonishingly enough, The Fool cared enough for the wellbeing of dear Marty of Central Park Zoo to trek all the way to a science centre in warm and sunny Florida seeking an answer to the question of a zebra's race:

Why Men are Scum

Yesterday I was discussing boys with a friend of mine, and so we arrived at a conclusion. Namely, men are scum. I fully realize that this is a sexist post. But you know what? I think it's high time that I posted something sexist. Because damn, men have been sexist for way too long and we've allowed it.

Oh, what's that? You don't agree with me? Well let me give you a short excerpt from a fellow Muslim male blogger:

Twenty minutes later the exercise was over. As I paused for a minute to catch my breath and reset the machine, the Stairmaster next to me became empty.

And then the most gorgeous looking Indian girl, with long silky hair, lovely eyelashes that hid her shiny green eyes, soft smooth skin and a brilliantly toned figure got on that Stairmaster. She turned to me and said, “Hi.”

I picked up my jaw from around my knees and meekly muttered a “hi” back.

“I don’t know how to work this thing.” She made a face and looked at me. “Could you please help me here.”

“Oh sure,” I replied. Help you? Oh baby, I am ready to build a Taj Mahal for you.

But that's really not where my anger ends. The worst part is that many females commented on the post saying things like "oh that's so funny, haha" and "nice post" and other incredibly idiotic things like that. Why is it that women don't have a problem being treated as objects? Why do we accept it quietly?

Now I'm not calling out anyone specific in this post. I just used the above example to illustrate my point. And I'm not just talking about irreligious men here either. Even men you think are oh-so-good and God-fearing turn out to be scummier than the other scum. But seriously, the stories I've heard about how men treat women sometimes just makes me want to smack any random guy that happens to be walking my way. Dammit.

I'm going to eat breakfast now.

Blue Eye Shadow

“He was wearing blue eye shadow,” The Fool added. “You’re joking, right?” her companion, B, exclaimed. “Nope. He looked really pretty, actually, what with the eyeliner and everything else.” “Oh dear God,” B moaned woefully, “why am I the last to know of such things?”

The Fool had been describing a fellow she’d seen that day while B sat listening in horrified silence. Amused at his innocence, she had insisted his suburban lifestyle had cocooned him from the new realities of his time. And so it was that as The Fool strode into a nearby Shoppers Drug Mart one day, she happened upon the aptly named 'Men’s Zone' and decided to snap a set of pictures as proof that yes, men do wear makeup (they wear skirts too, but that’s another matter). The Fool kindly offered to share with the privileged readers of Randomly Placed a few grainy photos, snapped secretly with cellphone in hand as she dodged the intimidatingly large security guard who stood at the end of the aisle glowering down at her all the while:

The Men's Zone is a pretty large section of the store.

Eyeliner and lipstick

Foundation

Concealer (no, that is not The Fool's hand)

Wise words from Asmaa

I wish I had a dollar
to give to a scholar
so that he could holler
some fatwas for a dollar

some random stuff for you

It's February. I'm not ready for February just yet. When I'm taking notes in class, I still write "January 2007" at the top of the page. I'm such a loser.

In other news, I dreamt there was a caribou on my balcony.

In other other news, I'm tired.

In other other other news, I like using the word other.

In other other other other news, bye.