Delhi Bombings

oh and also about what happened this weekend in Delhi, I'll try to post more later on my thoughts about this...but the good news is all my family in Delhi are safe and sound (though we later found out one of my uncle's and cousin were going to go to one of the markets for shoe shopping for Eid but something came up and they couldn't go - another coincidence, hardly).

Coincidence...I think not!

Two things this weekend which might have been coincidental, but since we Muslims don't really believe in conincidences (we believe Allah does everything for a reason)..I'll take them as signs.

1. While canvassing for local Democrats this weekend (grunt work at its best, ugh!), I was flipping through the direction sheets for where I had to go and scribbled on a tiny corner on one sheet was the not so common name of the guy in England who I like...how strange? It's not like he is not on my mind (actually I obsess about him too much!), but there was his name (with the unusal spelling)....what does this mean? No other names were on the sheets and that was the first time I had seen those sheets (so it was not me subconsiously writing his name down). Could this be a way for God to say it is ok that I like him, even though he's not that into me or could there be a larger back story there...?

2. I was reading that new Al Fraken book "The Truth" and he has a section in the book, well a paragraph, about how we Americans are lead to believe things made in America are truly made in America, but did you know that the American Islands in the Pacific (they are like our terrorities) can use the "Made in America" label but don't actually have to adhere to American labor laws, like say minium wage for workers.. what an interesting loophole for unscruplious businessmen. Boy just when you think are doing the right thing, "THE MAN" figures out another way to screw both the consumer and the worker -while reaping the profits, like a bad episode of the Smurfs or something. Sheesh.

Friday Misc.

Lots of thoughts pinging in my head -

The Apprentice - WOW! Yesterday's finale, huge!! I couldn't believe Trump fired the lot of them. I didn't see that coming at all! While I agree they messed up royally, I thought those four were actually some of the better candidates on the show. I really thought James and that other Southern guy would be there for much longer. But in a way I appreciate that Mr. Trump was unimpressed by their slick talking and saw their bad results, too bad the rest of corporate America is not like that.

Nice. Big Oil Companies don't want publicity over their record profits...gee I wonder why??? Could it be that as American's gas prices go up, up, up, we are finally waking up to the collective evil that are Oil Companies (Artic drilling, oil spills ruining massive wildlife, using up of fossil fuels, meddling in other countries just to get oil cheap, starting wars for profit, lavish lifestyles for executives of these companies, stubborn resistence to researching alternative energy sources). No that couldn't be it....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/25/AR2005102501655.html

Halloween - Londonist posed this question on their site about what kind of costume a guy should wear on Halloween to impress a lady and it made me think. This is a tough question, you want something sexy but not dippy or stupid. Men's costumes walk a fine line in this instance. Hmm...off the top of my head I'd say:
James Bond, a guy in a tuxedo is ALWAYS cute!
Zorro, but only if you are in shape!
A preppy school boy with the whole jacket and badge thing - but maybe that's just me?
Boy, I'm stumped on this one.....

Answers to yesterday's true or false quiz:
1. Despite living in Manassas, I've never been to the Manassas Battlefield. (sad but true).
2. I got politically active when President George H. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas for supreme court. (oh that peeved me enough to start working on the Clinton campaign in '92!)
3. My sister and I can quote the BBC version of "Pride & Predjuice" for hours on end. (ninja poodle Belinda you are so right - Colin Firth IS Mr. Darcy, I love the pond scene!!).
4. I want to live in London. (duh, easily true).
5. I applied to be on the Apprentice. (false, I'd rather not be publicly humilated on national television).
6. My favorite color is pink. (true!)
7. Adorable Tony doesn't really live in Arkansas, and I don't live in Virginia, we're actually an old married couple, living on a nudist colony in Nebraska. (false, Nebraska doesn't have any nudist colonies, hee hee.)
8. I had a mad cyber-affair with Ben Affleck. (I wish, sadly this is false).
9. I was born in America. (New Jersey baby!)
10. I was born in India. (false).
11. I've never had a true kiss. (again on the mark Ninja Poodle - never had a true kiss).
12. I was the kid in the Exorcist. (thankfully this is false).
13. I've ridden in a plane with Barbara Bush (the twin not the mom). (true and I was sure I was going to get booted off the plane cause there were secret service everywhere and my suitcase was covered in Kerry stickers).
14. I've been banned from more than one casino in Vegas for card counting. (ha ha, if you know my math skills you'd know this is false, Vegas sees dollar signs when they see me coming, I never win there!).
15. I shot Mr. Burns. (I love the Simpsons, this is false).
16. My favorite food is Indian. (false, my favorite food is anything I don't have to cook!).
17. I've been to Australia twice. (true, gotta love free flight benefits!).
18. I once got stuck in an airplane bathroom and had to have the pilot come get me out. (how embarrassing would that be?!!! This is false.).
19. I've written to the Danish Royal House asking for a job. (In an act of desperation, this is true, even though I don't speak Danish).
20. I have created a speech therapy program for victims of the Cherynobl nuclear disaster. (I read this in one of those all-American kid profiles, and thought 'give me a break,' some freaking overachiever - this is soo false!).

Have a good weekend!

True or False?

While I still wait for something to happen with the Valerie Plame case (fingers drumming desk, chin/face resting on right hand - this is worse than an American Idol finale!) I've snitched this game from the hep cats of the blogsphere, Tazzy and Piggy. Ten things below are true about Virginia Gal, ten things false, take a guess what is what......

1. Despite living in Manassas, I've never been to the Manassas Battlefield.
2. I got politically active when President George H. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas for supreme court.
3. My sister and I can quote the BBC version of "Pride & Predjuice" for hours on end.
4. I want to live in London.
5. I applied to be on the Apprentice.
6. My favorite color is pink.
7. Adorable Tony doesn't really live in Arkansas, and I don't live in Virginia, we're actually an old married couple, living on a nudist colony in Nebraska.
8. I had a mad cyber-affair with Ben Affleck.
9. I was born in America.
10. I was born in India.
11. I've never had a true kiss.
12. I was the kid in the Exorcist.
13. I've ridden in a plane with Barbara Bush (the twin not the mom).
14. I've been banned from more than one casino in Vegas for card counting.
15. I shot Mr. Burns.
16. My favorite food is Indian.
17. I've been to Australia twice.
18. I once got stuck in an airplane bathroom and had to have the pilot come get me out.
19. I've written to the Danish Royal House asking for a job.
20. I have created a speech therapy program for victims of the Cherynobl nuclear disaster.

Good luck!

Amendment

Amendment to my previous post - Montgomery Bus Boycott was not ended because of the money being lost by the transportation system because African-Americans were not riding but by court order. However the leaders of the boycott did understand the power of the purse, it was the boycott (a year long btw) that started a chain reaction to the way things had been done in Montgomery, Alabama. It ignited the civil rights movement!
Read all about it here - http://www.montgomeryboycott.com/ - makes you amazed at the strength of people, in the face of such oppression and anger, how they kept on fighting for what was right. Hopefully our generation can be half as courageous.

Consciousness Consumerism Cont'd.

OK (impatiently tapping foot) while I still wait with bated breath for Mr. Fitzgerald to send out indictaments I will continue my thoughts on consciousness consumerism.

A co-worker and I have been having an on-going discussion about this subject. The power of money is strong, one need only look at this current White House to see that. Yet we also have examples of how money can affect positive social change, the bus system in Alabama, when boycotted by African-Americans for a number of months, overturned their policy of segregation/riding in the back of the bus. Or further back, Gandhi urged Indians to make their own cotton clothes rather than buy imperialistic England's stuff.

But how do we do it today? I try to make an effort to not buy stuff from countries where I know human rights abuses abound, but it is virtually impossible in America to do that completely. Why do you think prices are so low at Wal-Mart and Target?? Cheap labor in South Asia, that is why! Heck, stores where they purport to be so high brow can be the worst offenders. In July I bought a cute denim jacket at The Gap and after bringing it home, discover that it was built in Bangledesh...I felt at once guilt for making some poor kid sew on my imperial buttons, what a horrible person was I and at the same time I thought "if I didn't buy this, the kid might have starved that night." What a dilemma? Yet, I think until we, as a collective group say, "no we will not tolerate this anymore" and make these big corporations suffer by not buying their stuff their will be no change. This also goes for local social change. Though I feel really bad for the little kids who stand outside the grocery store (they don't know what hate is being spread by adults in their name), I refuse to buy popcorn from the Boy Scouts while they actively advocate discrimination against homosexuals. I no longer eat at Outback Steakhouse, cause they donate to the Republican party. More and more of us need to do this and we need to be vocal about why we are doing this....big corporations and the WASP's who run it are greedy bastards, money talks, lets make them listen.

Boycott: Purse change brings social change - http://www.lacarte.org/tracie/boycotts/index.html

Bad Girl

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes, I'm sorry my posts can get so depressing, unfortunately that is where I am in life, this crossroads, uncertain about my future.

Right, so I did reveal in my last post that I had an arranged marriage (straight out of college) and than got divorced two years later. In my close-knit Indian Muslim community, being a divorcee makes me quite the pariah. To many, it doesn't matter what happened in the marriage or how miserable I was, clearly the collapse of that union was entirely my fault and that makes me a bad human being. I deserve everything I got cause I wasn't "Indian" or "Muslim" enough.

A great example of this thinking process is what happened this summer. I was at a picnic and met this nice girl, who I thought would be a good friend. We even went out one time for dinner and a movie, a girl's night out. Anyway, a few weeks ago, through the grapevine, I heard that this friend of mine, her in-laws, did not want her associating with me anymore. Apparently I would be a bad influence. I suppose they thought that, as a divorcee, I eat babies and covort with the devil. I don't know, but they made it quite clear that I was persona non grata. I can understand not wanting to meet with me if I did drugs or was always borrowing money or something equally bad, but just because of one thing that happened in my life, my entire character is smirched. It was cruel and mean-spirited, especially since these people are so-called "Muslims." Didn't they know that two of the Prophet's (pbuh) own daughters got divorces - oh I guess not, that would make it harder to hate me! Ugh it boils my blood and at the same time makes me want to weep. Is this the human race? Shows me how easy it is for people to hate others based on a part of a person's life (i.e. being gay or black) rather than on the character of the man. Makes one lose hope in humanity.

ps - I, as well as many in DC, are on tenderhooks (is that the expression?) for Patrick Fitzgerald's indictaments. Come on man, throw us liberals a bone, have October end with a spectacularly happy finish (White House implosion as Rove and Libby go down in flames!).

pps - RIP Rosa Parks, you were a good woman, strong and courageous at a time when it was very dangerous to do so. May God bless you forever with a seat right at the front of the bus.

Royal Update

OK, I'm late on this by a week, but Danish Crown Princess Mary gave birth to a baby boy last Saturday (the 15th of October). How exciting!!! He will be the next in line for the throne, after his dad, Crown Prince Frederick. oh, I just love royal going-on's!

Relationship Advice

Being single continues to keep me in a hovering blue state. I know, I know, people tell me all the time, "when you least expect it, it will happen." Give me a break, it is all I think about, I'm Indian for God's sake! (see the movie "Bend It Like Beckham" best example of how life is like for those of use first generation Indian kids). I've gone through an arranged marriage, it sucked and now I carry the scarlet "D" (divorce) on my chest - as if getting married in my community isn't hard enough, add being a divorcee to that and man oh man, forget about it!

I suppose all I really want is to feel some passion, happiness for my intended, when I say "I do," I want to be excited about it. Is it to much to ask that I want to marry someone who I enjoy being with, someone who, when he walks through the door, my spirits lift? Sadly though it seems like I'll have to go to "Plan B" going back to India and finding a guy there, which generally means that I won't get the love of my life. Can I go through that again? Can I go through marrying someone who I have absolutely no feelings for? The first time around, I couldn't stand my husband, literally there were days when I wished him dead (gasp, what a bad Muslim am I, no?). I just don't know....what is better: to be single forever and live as a pariah in my Indian community or be in stuck a marriage of convenience? Neither is appealing. Sigh. Mondays bring out the really sad person in me.

ps - Please for the love of God, do not send me advice to read this book or that about relationships, I've read many of them and all they do is just depress the hell out of me.

Friday Misc. Thoughts

I want to continue more on yesterday's discussion about conscious consumerism next week but for today will just shoot out a few random thoughts (hey it's Friday and I'm feeling lazy):

I know everyone is suffering from donor fatigue, and those of us in America might soon be facing another crisis with this hurricane Wilma, but the UN reports that the situation in Pakistan/India where the earthquake happened is going from bad to worse. Winter is setting in there and people don't have any shelter. They actually said something to the effect that there are not enough winterized tents out there in the world currently to address the crisis. My heart bleeds for many of these poor people who, like the poor of New Orleans, were living day to day, paycheck to paycheck. In some cities of Pakistan, aid still hasn't arrived. If you can give, even just $5-10 bucks, might I suggest one of my favorite charities, Doctors Without Borders - they are there when many other organizations pull out or never make it in. They care without discrimination.
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
If you can't give, please at least contact the Pakistani embassy and demand to know what they are doing and to stop the red tape and fussing over India and other nations helping them.

The Apprentice - bummed last night to see Kristi get the boot on this television show. I liked her. She reminded me a lot of the girls I went to college (university in England) with, strong Southern women (her accent makes me think she is from North Carolina, Tennesse or Kentucky but will look it up). People said she was bossy, but it didn't seem that way to me and that might be because I spent four years with girls like Kristi and I know that its not bossiness as much as a determination to get things accomplished, a willingness to go down in the trenches if need be, an ability to never give even when it seems impossible and finishing everything in the end with grace and a good dose of humor. Many of my friends are like Kristi and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Stupid beauty queen Jennifer M, manipulated her way out of getting the boot, but she will get hers. They lost a really good team player in Kristi.

Super happy this week to see the further downward spiral of the Republican party, loved Tom Delay's mug shot (sucker!) and the in-fighting between the Cheney and Rove camps. Please God let it be like Jurassic Park, when the dinasours start to destroy each other.

I like that new Kayne West song, "Golddigger" with the Ray Charles mixed in. It reminds me of the other Kayne West song I like, "Jesus Walks With Me," which you hear a lot of today because they use it to advertise that new movie Jughead - a movie about the first Iraqi war. Seriously, why would I pay to go see a movie about a war in the desert - I can just watch the nightly news for that. Besides it is so depressing.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Starbucks Quote

I think Pax or Tony mentioned this Starbucks quote campaign in their blogs a while back, but here is an update:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2005-10-19-starbucks-quote_x.htm

It seems Starbucks will be adding a quote from Rick Warren on their cups starting next year. For those of you who don't know, Rick Warren is the author of that book, The Purpose Driven Life, if I'm correct, a book with an evangelical point of view on life. I have no problem with that - Starbucks using him, it should be equal opportunity quotes on the cups (since they have one with Amistad Maupin on there about being gay) as long as they are not overty offensive (i.e. "Islam is a violent religion" sic, Jerry Falwell).

But what I liked about this article is that it mentioned those companies that support a Christian based lifestyle. I'm sure most big companies around the world do support the basic tenets of all major religions, but they don't actively advertise or advocate for them; doing so, in my mind, indicates support of that religion above others, I suppose a bit like putting a sign in your store window that says, Bush '04, what am I to think but that you want Bush to win in 2004. Again I have nothing wrong with a company supporting a religion, but just as the Southern Baptists did to Disney for having domestic partner health benefits, I will boycott your establishment. Clearly, you think of me, as a Muslim, as a bad person. Why should I give you my hard earned dollars? If you put prayer cards on dinner trays or verses of the Bible on your shopping bags, you indicate to me a leaning towards fundamentalist Christianity - which I don't agree with. As a business you purpose is to sell me a good, not a religion.

With that in mind I will no longer frequent the clothing store Forever 21, Alaska Airlines and Chick-Fil-A.

ps- the answer for yesterday's geoquiz was Nicaragua.

GeoQuiz

"So what is the capital of Canada?" intoned my serious and intimidating health care administration professor as the opening to his lecture. Sitting in my level 200 class surrounded by classmates, bright and intelligent ladies of Mary Baldwin Women's college (university as they call it in England), I thought this was a rather easy question.

"Montreal" shouted out someone.

'pff,' I thought silently, 'no way Montreal, I know it.'

"Toronto," I said confidently. He shook his head no.

"Vancover," someone else said.

"Calary," another piped in.

"Quebec City," yet another girl chimed in. No, no, no he shook his head to all these answers.

With a deadly pause he looked at all 12 of us straight in the face, an expression of utter disappointment and shame etched across it and said, "Ottawa." I couldn't believe it. How could we get it so wrong? It was beyond humiliating. This was suppose to be a gimme, Canada is our neighbor to the north, second largest country in the world, the least we should know about it is it's capital, no?

As an international traveler from the age of two (went to India for a visit), I always prided myself on my knowledge of the world and yet this one moment in class brought home to me how lacking my education in basic geography and world history was. Since than I have strived to learn more about the world around me. In my on-going effort to improve these skills, I like to take the daily PRI radio show, The World's, Geoquiz. Sometimes I send the quiz to a few of my co-workers, also international travelers who want to sharpen their skills. I even went out and purchased a National Geographic world map and have it up in my Dilbert-esque cube to help with the questions. Below is yesterday's geoquiz, give it a try, it makes you think....how well do you really know the world you live in?

Ojoche is a rainforest nut that was harvested by the Mayans in what's now Central America. It grows abundantly in the largest country in Central America...and that's the country we want you to name.
Columbus sailed this way in 1502. He spied the coastline that extends along the Caribbean Sea. This country also has ocean front property on the Pacific. Now back to the nut. We can tell you that Ojoche, once popular with the Mayans, is making a comeback. In fact some chefs in this country's capital, Managua, say ojoche is a health food:

"Ojoche was a main source of nutrients for indigenous people and it's an excellent source of nutrients. It provides a lot of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, amino acid. It has good fiber, not very many calories. So from a human nutrition perspective it provides us with components of protein."

So where can this healthy rainforest snack be found?

ps - I got this one right!

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who piped in about my depression yesterday, it made me feel better, loved, that I'm not unworthy. I guess it is an indication of my low self-esteem, which harkens to my childhood of being an A-class nerd growing up in suburbia America completely different from my classmates, but I am always in need of affirmation, most particularly when I'm feeling blue. I pray things will get better and am using my friend's mantra, "it will be ok" as I wake up each morning.

On a sidebar, wanted to shout out this blog that I really enjoy reading, since I seem unable to live in London (stupid work permit rules, first time in my life being an American citizen works against me, sheesh!), going to this blog is the next best thing! Check it out:
http://london-underground.blogspot.com//

Blues Continue

I wish I could say this weekend was great, but it wasn't. Actually it was one of the worse weekends I've had in a long time. My depression continues, I'm having difficulty sleeping and eating. My attention span has gone down to zero, I cry at the drop of a hat and those things that use to give me comfort no longer do. I'm going to see my doctor tomorrow, this cannot continue. I'm sorry this blog has become such a downer, but I suppose blogs do reflect our emotions, feelings, well-being and this is the stage I'm at right now. At the same time I feel guilty for even having these self-pitying moods when there are so many people out there who don't have the luxuries of indulging in any feelings beyond just making it through another day, trying to find something to eat and to stay alive. It was simply a chance of birth that allowed me to live better than 95% of the world's population, I could have ended up a daughter of a poor Nepalese farmer, sold into sex trade (another sign of depression, always go to worse case secenario). Sigh.

But this weekend wasn't without at least one funny incident - on Sunday I was manning the Democrat's table at the local farmer's market. This middle class WASP, thin, jogging suit wearing woman came up to me early on in my shift and asked "What is Tim Kaine's stance on abortion?" Internally I wanted to hit her "duh lady" I felt like saying "he's a Democrat, what do you think, you freaking moron?" But instead I said "He is pro-choice." Well, this was just the opening she wanted to go off on how he is not a Christian, he is going to go to hell for allowing that, how can he do that, blah blah, I tuned her out. Actually I was looking for rocks to put down on the pamphlets since it was so windy, hence I just ignored her. I think this really pissed her off, cause she ended with "you're going to hell also for supporting him." "uh-huh" I said back, not even looking at her. I was really engrossed in finding those rocks and I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of taking the bait. I'm sure she was dying to get into an argument, I could have cared less. She left in a huff. Ahh joy......nothing puts a smile on my face faster than annoying sanctimonous, holier-than-thou, born again religous fanatics. Really as she left I should have shouted out, "if heaven is going to be filled with people like you, than I'd much rather be somewhere else!" I need a bumper sticker to that effect......

I Got You Babe

Just heard that song by Sonny and Cher, "I Got You Babe" on the car ride up to work. It's a nice song to listen to - happy, cheery.

One of the things that can cheer me up pretty quickly - Thursday night television and last night was no different. I'm a huge ER fan, for the longest time I was convinced I was going to marry Dr. Carter (till he ran off with Thadie Newton's character, btw I think Thadie Newton is drop dead gorgeous). As soon as the beginning music plays, I get all calm and feel happy. Despite the increasingly bad storylines (want more Shane West!!), it is still one of my favorite shows. Something about the medicine field is so noble and everyone on that show seems so cool. I have ER envy :-)

Before ER is the deliciously guilty pleasure of the Apprentice. So happy that Donald dumped Toral. As a hypenated American (Indian-American) I hate, hate, hate, when people use culture or religion as an excuse after the fact. Here is my thing if you are truly religious or have some deep cultural identity than you should embrace it from the beginning, not use it as an excuse when convenient. This stupid girl Toral (who gives us Indians a bad name, go away!), didn't want to wear the mascot costume which was part of the task or something. Her reasoning to the group was "it is degrading and humiliting. I'm a hotshot graduate from the Wharton school of Business, I WILL NOT DO IT!" She never said anything about it being against her religion (ok knowing something about Hindu's, I have no idea what she is talking about??) or culture. However, when the girls lost the task and they were called into the boardroom, she used that as a crutch. NO WAY - you can't suddenly become "Indian" or "Hindu." Despicable if you ask me.

Right, going to try to get out of my blues this weekend - hope everyone has a good one!

Conferences

A week of constant rain coupled with fasting and no love life is making this Indian very blue. Yesterday I started tearing up in my car on the way home from work, but than like providence my favorite song of all time came on the radio "Steal my Sunshine" by Lit. It was a one-hit wonder.
Work is slow this week, which is not good, cause it gives my brain time to wander and spin round and round with my worries about my future, dropping me further into a blue zone.
I was watching the MTV show "Made" last night, the girl was trying to make the varsity cheerleading squad, I use to be a cheerleader - loved the sport, hated the girls (they defined the word catty) but as I sat there I became envious of that girl. Oh to be back in high school, how I would change some of the decisions I made...this is what happens when you are blue, you get mopey about the past. Gotta take off the rose-colored glasses.
Probably it all boils down to the fact that I spoke to the boy I liked recently and he didn't seem all that interested in talking with me. I don't get it, how can someone go from liking you to being blase about you? What did I do wrong? Anything I can do to fix the situation? Hate being so out of control, want to shake him and say "why don't you like me anymore?!" Sigh. I'll try to be peppier in tomorrow's post.

Ode to Victims

My friend Saima, who is from Pakistan, wrote this poem after the earthquakes. I think it best encapsulates many of the feelings those of us who hail from that region and share the same religion feel.

ODE TO THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
A deadly silence,
Befell my nation;
Before shrieking wails
Pierced the air.
The earth had spoken,
Unleashed its fury;
Heaving and rocking relentlessly.
The smog from debris,
Blinded the eye.
An abyss appeared,
My people united.
Spiritually charged;
Mouths parched,
Fasting but unwavering;
In their willingness to help.
Those who were trapped;
Deliberating death.
Tough choices to make
To be gulped by the ground
Or smothered by the sky.
My heart bleeds.
My soul aches.
I choke on my meal
While people starve for a bite.
I’ll close my eyes
And eradicate the pain.
Justify my existence.
I’ll open my eyes
Hide behind my guilt.
And exist.

Musings of a tormented soul.
Saima Khalid MD 10/10/05

Rainy Tuesday

Just a few random thoughts....

Read on the news yesterday, it seems Prince William will be doing some work experience with the bank HSBC. So Virginiagal can't even get an internship in that country (England) despite going through loads and loads of paperwork but his Royal Highness doesn't have to do anything and gets a job. That doesn't seem fair at all! If I didn't love Prince William, I'd be really mad at him!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/BUSINESS/10/10/william.hsbc.reut/index.html

Trying hard in the month of Ramadan to keep my patience, but really hard when there are so many (excuse my language here) Mother F&#@er's on the road! Buy a bike you dumb@*% or get your head out of your you know what! Sheesh!

After watching the movie Serenity this weekend, went researching about the main character, Captain Malcolm Reynolds. The actor who plays him use to be on my favorite soap, One Life to Live. Turns out this guy Nathan Fillion, (hottie!) is from Canada - what is that about?! After England and Australia, I swear our neighbors to the north put something in the water, cause they have some very fine specimens! Michael J. Fox, Brendan Frasier, Matthew Perry, Jason Priestley, Kurt Browning, David Sale, Peter Jennings to name a few.

End on a happy note, all of our Pakistani friends from Islamabad and to the north have said that their families are ok. One small relief.

Earthquake

Relatively uneventful weekend for me, went and saw the movie Serenity. Loved it btw.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for the poor people of Northern Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. I couldn't believe what I saw Saturday morning when I woke up, such a massive earthquake hitting there, killing thousands and that too right in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan. How could this happen? It is so sad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4325784.stm

But whatever the reasons (and not being a member of God's cabinet, I can't say why), so help me God, if one crazy Muslim cleric or Bible-thumping fanatic Christian minister says that this earthquake is the fault of the people who were affected, I'm going to lose it. God (or whatever entity you believe in) is not a meanie, if He was, why would millions follow Him?

Working with my little Sunday School kids to raise some funds to send to children affected by the earthquake. It is amazing how much these Western children are willing to give, no questions asked, so unlike adults with all our hang-ups.

and ps - yes non-descript airline is making us poor schlubs work on Columbus day. But since I've never been one to celebrate mass murderers like Mr. 'Genocide of an entire indigenious people' Christopher Columbus, I'm not too upset.

The good and the bad

They found Taylor Behl's body - my missing Monday October profile. Sadly, she was buried in a shallow grave in a farm not far from her college campus. They identified the farm from a picture found at the house of a 38-year old photographer, who Taylor was seeing. He is being held on child pornography charges and is now suspect number one in this case. You can read the whole story here: http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=513564

Please include Taylor's family in your prayers, very sad indeed.

The good news: Tazzy and Piggy's Mr. Monkey Nuts has been found! After a questionable flight where much booze was flowing, a thorough investigation by Homeland Security of how visitor's visa was obtained by a Monkey (now that's not safe), and haggling with surly customer service agents over some items missing from baggage (no comment), Mr. Nuts arrived in Arkansas, to enjoy the Southern hospitality of Brenda (http://www.whatsupdownsouth.blogspot.com/).

Now that Mr. Nuts is in the good ole' US of A, perhaps he should get in as much sightseeing as possible (air tickets over the pond are not cheap, especially for an unemployed monkey). He could stay at other blogger' homes and take in their hometowns. I for one would love to show him Washington D.C., we could throw peanut shells at the White House together, with all the crap coming out of there who would notice the difference?
If you this a good idea, pipe in and we can figure something out about getting Mr. Monkey Nuts around the country, before we send him back to rest in warm Arkansas.
http://www.tazandpig.co.uk/blog/?p=136


Have a good weekend!

Animals

The frogs are after me!

It is scary, but lately everytime I step out of the house or come home, there is a frog sitting on the stoop or on the walkway. Quite scary as frogs disgust me. According to my sister this is because I ran over a frog in our driveway when backing up - but I swear I don't remember that. I AM NOT A FROG KILLER!!! (mumbling...wonder if I can talk to the frog king and get him to put a stop order on this reptilean mafia hit on me).

Elsewhere I went to a Democrat's meeting yesterday at a friend's house and I just loved her dog. I'm not a dog person, having inherited the Indian female fear of dogs. But Bentley, her dog, a rescue who got hit by a car (ironic name) is a darling. Bless his heart but he walks a little funny, on an angle and well, is just a little off, but so cute!

oh and while I'm on the subject, everyone must come down to DC and see our new baby panda! It (not sure if girl or boy) is so adorable, I don't know, there is something about pandas that makes you want to go up and hug them, literally a bear hug (laughing at my own joke like an idiot). They are vegetarians right? You can't fear a vegetarian animal - they are the pacifists of the animal kingdom.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/

Finally speaking of animals, hope Piggy and Tazzy's Mr. Monkey is safe, wherever in the world he is!

Amazing Race et al.

Recap of Amazing Race - I only got to see the last half hour, but oh so good!!! When I joined them, they were in Washington DC, running around trying to find the reflecting pool in front of the capital. It was exciting to see them in my neighborhood, they were driving on 66 to get to Middleburg, VA - hit massive traffic (welcome to weekday travel in Northern VA), one of the teams chose an alternative route, right through Manassas!!! I was so amazed, that I shouted out "oh my God, Manassas is on tv!" It was very cool - highlight of the show for me. The teams ended up in a reactment of the civil war - very Virginia! The teams I liked made it through, but so did those horrible Paulo's. I did conclude that the mother is a big factor into why that family screams at each other all the time. That is her personality, she has a short fuse. God, when will they be eliminated?

Finished a book about a lady who lived through the Holocaust. I came away with a stark realization that the Holocaust would never have happened if the people of the countries Germany invaded were not so willing to look the other way or participate in it. I have to read that book, "Hitler's Willing Executioners," cause I have a feeling this is very much a main theme of the book.

Nancy Pelosi was on NPR yesterday, I heckled her from my desk (though she couldn't hear me) - I'm so tired of the Dem's in office giving us lip service - shut up and do something and if not, than just shut-up! You know they are just going to approve this Meier's character as easily as they did Robert's, laying down like a whore during fleet week. Really what is the point of having some minority voices around, if they end up just being yes-men for the majority? More and more, I'm feeling we need a third pary alternative to this beltway cronism.

Wish I could fly to London today, in the mood for a little pick-me-up, all this fasting, low blood sugar.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Today starts the month of fasting, Ramadan! Islam 101 gives the best description of this holy month for Muslims,

"Ramadan is a month of obligatory daily fasting in Islam is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Daily fasts begin at dawn and end with sunset. Special nightly prayers called, Taraweeh prayers are held. The entire Quran is recited in these prayers in Mosques all around the world. This month provides an opportunity for Muslims to get closer to God."

Muslims fast to increase spirituality, practice self-restraint, gain an understanding of how those less fortunate feel/live. As the Qur'an states, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may [learn] self-restraint" (2:183).

Despite the hardships that go along with fasting for 30 days (exhaustion, constant hunger, colds/chills), I am filled with an excitment and joy as this blessed month starts. May this month go easily for all those celebrating it, bring peace to all those suffering around the world and bring me closer to getting happily married (had to throw that in!).

Ramadan Mubarak!

Missing Monday

Unfortunately something is wrong with either my computer, internet connection or this blog site, cause I can't get the picture to upload (keep getting error message). I'll continue trying to upload image during the day, in the meantime.

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/images/missing/behl.jpg

TAYLOR BEHL
DOB: Oct 13, 1987
Missing: Sep 5, 2005
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)Eyes: Brown Race: White
Age Now: 17Sex: FemaleWeight: 135 lbs (61 kg)Hair: Lt. Brown
Missing From:RICHMOND, VA United States
Taylor was last seen at approximately 10 p.m. on September 5, 2005 leaving her dorm room at Virginia Commonwealth University. Taylor has pierced ears and a pierced nose.

Her poor mother comes on the local news and my heart goes out for her, she sent her daughter out to college to start the next chaper in her life, not to end up a statistic. InshAllah, Taylor will be found alive.

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/missing.htm