Dissertation on the Hidden Nature of Coupons

I looked in the mirror today and got scared. (I'm actually being serious, so you can lay off the "what's so new about that" jokes.) It's probably because I haven't been sleeping that much for the past several days. I've tried tea and even coffee (yes, this coffee-hater tried coffee) to make me feel more awake, but it doesn't work. I end up falling asleep at the most awkward of times and places. Use your imagination. Oh, and listen to this: I went to Coffee Time a couple of weeks ago because I needed tea to wake me up. So, instead of "Roll up the rim to win" they have "flip to win" on their cups - lame, but I won't cry over it. So after I left the shop and finished my tea, I flipped it and Lo and Behold, I got a free donut. Now, this irked me - Coffee Time is significantly out of my way and I don't usually go there. Now I was obligated to go back. So I went back a few days ago for tea again (mainly to use the free donut coupon) and Lo and Behold I got a free muffin. Now, this annoyed me greatly because I would have to go back once again. So I went back for the muffin today and I DIDN'T BUY TEA AGAIN. But the muffin was good. The end.

The AlMaghrib course I was taking was nothing short of amazing. However, on the last day (today), we were frightened and distressed to see the following... Someone tried to run over four brothers from the course after shouting racial slurs out at them. This happened at the U of T, St. George campus. Please see CAIR-CAN's press release I ask you to keep the injured brother and Muslim students on campus in your duas. May Allah (swt) protect us, for there is no protection remotely equal to His.

Mercy

I was in the mosque today and we were praying isha, shoulder to shoulder, foot to foot. There was a little girl - about a year old or so - crying, far away from her mother. She had one of those cries that is really heartwrenching, that really makes you want to pick up the child yourself. Then something happened which got me thinking. I saw the mother put her hand out while she was praying - a very simple gesture - calling her child to come. So, the child, without thinking, went to her. Her mom picked her up and she immediately stopped crying. It was...Subhan'Allah. It got me thinking about mercy; a parent's mercy towards his or her child, a child's comfort in the arms of her mother - when nothing and no one else could provide that comfort. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) has made all of this possible through His utlimate Mercy. It got me thinking how I've been such a fool for my entire life. I've blinded myself to so many of Allah's signs and have rarely, if ever, made an effort to improve myself. I've said so many words that I can't take back. I want to change more than anything, but feel as though I haven't the bravery of some, nor the intellect of others to guide me through it all. In recent days I've been seeing myself on the day of judgement, and I imagine all of my sins as mountains, preventing me from entering Jannah. And I can see it with an unprecedented clarity, my hands are black, my face is darkened. I am so afraid.

Shrug

I was cooking today - yes, cooking. Happily chopping away at the onions (I love cutting onions) and burning them in the pot (I love burnt onions). Then my older sister came along and just hovered around in the kitchen to make sure I didn't burn anything. It was annoying. Here I am, trying to add ketchup to the pot, with my sister yelling at me: "add more water, add more salt, I don't like the way you're mixing the pot's contents, I don't like the shirt that you're wearing" etc. Then I tried to bribe my younger sister to make me muffins, but she didn't. Which was sad. In other news, I just wrote a poem. In other other news, I've officially stopped listening to music. Even Indian music. (Yeah man, soundtracks from Lagaan.) In other other other news, I don't know, I just wanted to type "other" three times.

Sticky tack works great as ear plugs

Disclaimer: this post is useless. Ahh when life hits you with a question and your only response is: no idea. It's late, okay. Oh yeah, I have a test tomorrow and I can't find my notes. Actually, I don't want to lie: I didn't start looking for them. By the way, that guy is supposed to be shrugging. Not sure why he has no face.

Mashed potatoes

I'm upstairs working on an assignment and my sister is downstairs. This conversation happens on MSN: Sum says: do u want mashed potatoes Sum says: it's really soft and yummy asmaa says: bring some to me Sum says: should i drench it with oil Sum says: and salt Sum says: and butter Sum says: and tahina asmaa says: yeah, don't forget lard asmaa says: but make sure it's kosher Sum says: i thought of that but it's haram asmaa says: not kosher lard Sum says: lard can't be kosher u ninny In any case, she brought me some mashed potatoes but they didn't have enough salt. What's the point? Now I have to go downstairs and get salt.

Therapy 101

Hi everyone. So, here I am. I'm Mariam, Asmaa's older and more mature sister. It has been some time since Asmaa has been convincing me to post on her blog. So here goes: Children who watch T.V. need therapy. As I sort through some records I have kept since September, I realize that much of the mind-boggling things my grade 2 students do is as a result of lax parental control of their T.V. viewing times. Let me share some examples: 1. DEATH THREAT: As part of our Author Study, students were to write a letter to Robert Munsch. While all are working excitedly, I notice "Nadia" giggling as she messily writes something down. "Dear Robert Munch im going to kill you on Monday. then im going to put you in the garbage truck then the garbage truck will put you in the dump..." Is it an over-active imagination? I think not. 2. THE LOVE LETTER: "To Aisha From Ahmed.. I love you and you love me and always love me! Dear Valentine will you kiss me?" Being a grade two class in an Islamic School (no valentines day), I found this greatly disturbing. Especially since "Ahmed" had left the school two months prior to the love-letter discovery. "Aisha" turns red and screams, crumpling the letter and throwing it into the trash. It turns out the letter was given to her by another boy, who wanted to play a prank on Aisha. (No malicious thought it seems).. He confesses "I thought Prank Patrol would come." "Did you really think prank patrol would come to the school?" I ask. "Ummm.. they would come to my house," he replies. In conclusion, take your kid to the library...or here's a thought, explain to them that T.V. isn't real. Yeah that's a good one.

Farhan is a guy's name

What do you call a cow without legs? Ground Beef. Now that I've gotten your attention (no matter how cheap my attention-getting was), I'd like to tell you about someone. Let's call him Farhan, not that that's his real name or anything. So, remember that post I made a while ago where I mentioned that I needed a computer? Well, he saw the post and he proceeded to procure me a computer. That's right, he asked around and found one for me. I didn't ask him to, he just did it because he's this incredibly considerate kind of person. Plus, he always does stuff like this out of the goodness of his heart. He's amazing. I wish there were more people like that around. I also wish I was more like him. This post is dedicated to Farhan for being awesome. MashaAllah. That is all :D

Politically Incorrect

I have a test in four hours that I haven't actually begun studying for. But I had to post this. Not sure why I have an obscene fascination with misspelled signs and stuff. Courtesy of Japanese transit: These guys rock. Their grammer isn't great, but at least they give up their seats for crippies.

Second last to none

I went to school early this morning, around 8am to finish an assignment that was due at 10am. The computer I was working on started going berserk, and then, well, I started crying. Sobbing actually. Not sure why. So I spent my day walking around with puffy eyes. I also fell asleep during one of my English classes (and when I say asleep, I mean my lights were out). Got home. Then, to comfort myself, I had two two-bite brownies. And now I'm watching Barefoot Contessa. I wonder if her husband minds that she always has male friends over. Sigh.