Some would consider it a weird phenomenon..but in our Muslim world, WHY NOT?
Who says you need to be ogled at and flirting with guys to have a good time?
I LOVE, TREASURE, VALUE, and ENJOY the company of my sisters...
All I need is good company, good food, and good music to have a great time. Boys are not part of this equation.
I just wanted to say a bazillion thanks to everyone who helped, contributed, came to, and enjoyed themselves at this weekend's Eid Party at Montclair...you really made the party FaBuLoUs !
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Today
Is a crazy day..
I am losing my mind and it is only 1 pm.
What does on do when they feel overwhelmed?
Sameera
I am losing my mind and it is only 1 pm.
What does on do when they feel overwhelmed?
Sameera
Friday, October 19, 2007
My Neighbor...
Good Morning Everyone,
I found out this week that my neighbor Mrs. Dunn had passed away.
She was an elderly woman, who lived by herself and a caregiver came by everyday.
I only met her once briefly, it was more like "hi" in the hallway. But once I took over some lemon bars for her once and since she wasn't home, I left them at the doorstep. The next day I got a beautiful hand written note from her, introducing herself and telling me how much she enjoyed them. She asked for the recipe or the name of the bake shop where they came from, and gave me her phone number in case I ever needed anything from her.
A few days later, I went to talk to her, and give her a box of Krusteaz Lemon bars mix (yes it was a mix!). Her caregiver opened and door and so I asked for Mrs. Dunn, and she told me she was sleeping. I told her how she had told me she enjoyed the lemon bars and I wanted to give her the mix. She was quite annoyed, and told me that Mrs. Dunn had Alzeihmers and would not remember me, the bars, or her note. She told me sometimes she'll find Mrs. Dunn walking outside on the street, not remember where she was going. I insisted on giving her the lemon bars mix and she said it would be a waste and Mrs. Dunn could not make them. Nonetheless, I left them there.
I was profoundly sad that here was this old, lonely woman, living by herself. I wanted to be her friend, I wanted to cook for her, have meals with her. Sadly, I now have another missed opportunity to add to my long list. I look back now and wish I had done more, had i been able to get past her caregiver.
Now that she's passed away, I don't know what to do. Anytime I hear of a death I want to make dua' for that person, to be admitted to Jannah, to be saved from the punishment of the grave, for their forgiveness. But Mrs. Dunn was non-Muslim...do I make dua' for her? What kind of dua' can I make for a non-Muslim? I'm going to try to find the answer to this today...but please send me a note if anyone has advice on this.
Sameera
I found out this week that my neighbor Mrs. Dunn had passed away.
She was an elderly woman, who lived by herself and a caregiver came by everyday.
I only met her once briefly, it was more like "hi" in the hallway. But once I took over some lemon bars for her once and since she wasn't home, I left them at the doorstep. The next day I got a beautiful hand written note from her, introducing herself and telling me how much she enjoyed them. She asked for the recipe or the name of the bake shop where they came from, and gave me her phone number in case I ever needed anything from her.
A few days later, I went to talk to her, and give her a box of Krusteaz Lemon bars mix (yes it was a mix!). Her caregiver opened and door and so I asked for Mrs. Dunn, and she told me she was sleeping. I told her how she had told me she enjoyed the lemon bars and I wanted to give her the mix. She was quite annoyed, and told me that Mrs. Dunn had Alzeihmers and would not remember me, the bars, or her note. She told me sometimes she'll find Mrs. Dunn walking outside on the street, not remember where she was going. I insisted on giving her the lemon bars mix and she said it would be a waste and Mrs. Dunn could not make them. Nonetheless, I left them there.
I was profoundly sad that here was this old, lonely woman, living by herself. I wanted to be her friend, I wanted to cook for her, have meals with her. Sadly, I now have another missed opportunity to add to my long list. I look back now and wish I had done more, had i been able to get past her caregiver.
Now that she's passed away, I don't know what to do. Anytime I hear of a death I want to make dua' for that person, to be admitted to Jannah, to be saved from the punishment of the grave, for their forgiveness. But Mrs. Dunn was non-Muslim...do I make dua' for her? What kind of dua' can I make for a non-Muslim? I'm going to try to find the answer to this today...but please send me a note if anyone has advice on this.
Sameera
Thursday, October 18, 2007
For my Foodie Friends
I made this fantastic recipe for the day after Eid, we had an informal gathering...guys played Halo and the girls played Cranium, it was lots of fun (low river???)
So anyways, this tasted great, it's from my Cooks Illustrated cookbook , 30 minute meals (my favorite cookbook!) and the next day I took it to work and everyone who walked by couldn't stop smelling it (it smells fantastic cuz of the fresh ginger) and I've received requests for the recipe..so I wanted to share it with everyone else..
stir fried chicken and vegetables w/ spicy Thai basil sauce
1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons soy sauce2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 recipe sauce1
8 oz package mushrooms, sliced
4 oz (or 1 1/2 cups) sliced or julienned carrots
1 bell pepper, cored and sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced/grated fresh ginger
(while chicken cooks, prepare sauce. Mince garlic and ginger while vegetables cook)
1. toss chicken with soy sauce. stir fry in 2 teaspoons oil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. transfer to a clean bowl.
2. add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and return to high heat.add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, then stir in carrots and peppers, cook until tender.
3. clear the center of the pan by pushing the vegetables to the side.add remaining oil, and garlic and ginger, crushing the mixture into the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. cook until fragrant, about 30seconds.
4. stir in cooked chicken, whisk sauce to recombine, add to pan and bring to simmer, cook until sauce thickens, 1 -2 minutes.
---
Sauce makes enough for one stir fry-spicy basil Thai sauce
1 cup basil leaves coarsely chopped ( i believe they mean Thai basil but i used regular)
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon fish sauce (closest substitute for this is soy sauce...)
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
--
mix together...then use in recipe
So anyways, this tasted great, it's from my Cooks Illustrated cookbook , 30 minute meals (my favorite cookbook!) and the next day I took it to work and everyone who walked by couldn't stop smelling it (it smells fantastic cuz of the fresh ginger) and I've received requests for the recipe..so I wanted to share it with everyone else..
stir fried chicken and vegetables w/ spicy Thai basil sauce
1 pound boneless skinless chicken cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons soy sauce2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 recipe sauce1
8 oz package mushrooms, sliced
4 oz (or 1 1/2 cups) sliced or julienned carrots
1 bell pepper, cored and sliced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced/grated fresh ginger
(while chicken cooks, prepare sauce. Mince garlic and ginger while vegetables cook)
1. toss chicken with soy sauce. stir fry in 2 teaspoons oil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. transfer to a clean bowl.
2. add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and return to high heat.add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, then stir in carrots and peppers, cook until tender.
3. clear the center of the pan by pushing the vegetables to the side.add remaining oil, and garlic and ginger, crushing the mixture into the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. cook until fragrant, about 30seconds.
4. stir in cooked chicken, whisk sauce to recombine, add to pan and bring to simmer, cook until sauce thickens, 1 -2 minutes.
---
Sauce makes enough for one stir fry-spicy basil Thai sauce
1 cup basil leaves coarsely chopped ( i believe they mean Thai basil but i used regular)
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon fish sauce (closest substitute for this is soy sauce...)
1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
--
mix together...then use in recipe
Eid Mubarak
Hope you guys had a great Eid..a belated Eid Mubarak to all..
I plan on extending Eid for as long as possible..
There's a sisters Eid Party I planned with some friends on Oct. 28th..hope to go to Eid breakfast on the 27th...having an Eid dinner for my cousins this weekend..
that's how Eid should be! Forget the 10 days of Christmas..this is much better...
oh and I got a beautiful J Crew coat for Eid..it has thinsulate which is more precious to me than a bag of diamonds in a harsh winter (that's every winter to me) If you've never tried on a coat with thinsulate you're missing out!
---
And one another note-- Fasting outside Ramadan? Is it because the Shaitans are unchained again?
It's impossible for me..I believe it's one of the hardest things to do...
Anyone else have this problem? Any advice?
I plan on extending Eid for as long as possible..
There's a sisters Eid Party I planned with some friends on Oct. 28th..hope to go to Eid breakfast on the 27th...having an Eid dinner for my cousins this weekend..
that's how Eid should be! Forget the 10 days of Christmas..this is much better...
oh and I got a beautiful J Crew coat for Eid..it has thinsulate which is more precious to me than a bag of diamonds in a harsh winter (that's every winter to me) If you've never tried on a coat with thinsulate you're missing out!
---
And one another note-- Fasting outside Ramadan? Is it because the Shaitans are unchained again?
It's impossible for me..I believe it's one of the hardest things to do...
Anyone else have this problem? Any advice?
ABC News Now
I know the point of a blog is to periodically post on it..but I don't have the time..nor the inspiration. So here's my second post today..
I recently started freelancing at ABC News Now...this is now my third freelance gig...freelancing is good because I get to turn down jobs when I feel I need a day off...or want to hang out instead...no guilt involved.
So this new gig is at ABC News Now...it's ABC's 24 hour cable news channel, to compete with the likes of MSNBC and CNN...it's still young, and not really available on television. I hear it can be watched on broadband and Sprint (I don't know how)..so it's limited access, but someone must be watching because they put a lot of work into it. Once it's more widely distributed, I shall let everyone know so you can watch what I work on.
Since it's still in it's baby phase, there's great opportunities there to have ideas picked up, produced and turned into something great..fantastic right? Except I haven't had any ideas...if you do please send them my way!
Last week I also met two on air reporters/anchors at ABC...who both wished me a Happy Eid on ...they both spoke Arabic fluently..and were not Arab..or Desi..or Muslim. One of the reporters (who has reported from Iraq, Lebanon and is the new Russian correspondent for ABC) told me she was meeting with her Arabic teacher the next day for Eid lunch. So sweet.
I am seriously inspired to commence serious Arabic studies within a month Inshalah. I have always been interested but held back because all other Arabic studies in my past have not been as fruitful as I had hoped. Over the years I took several courses, some intensive, in and out of college. My Arabic is still pathetic...the two weeks I spent in Egypt this summer were extremely beneficial (even though it was Egyptian Arabic), but now that I'm back, I need to put some serious work into it.
I will study Arabic with the Rosetta Stone program. I hope I have the self discipline to really benefit from it. I have been turned down from a job once because it was given to a candidate who spoke Arabic. I can't let it happen again. Arabic will benefit me in every way, professionally, socially and in my religion. Please make dua' for me that I finally learn!
On the down side of my new gig, yesterday I had to watch President Bush's presser. Usually I can change the channel, but since it was going ot be part of my news brief...it made me cringe..Luckily I had Rehab (fellow hijabi at ABC) amusing me with emails as I watched it.
I recently started freelancing at ABC News Now...this is now my third freelance gig...freelancing is good because I get to turn down jobs when I feel I need a day off...or want to hang out instead...no guilt involved.
So this new gig is at ABC News Now...it's ABC's 24 hour cable news channel, to compete with the likes of MSNBC and CNN...it's still young, and not really available on television. I hear it can be watched on broadband and Sprint (I don't know how)..so it's limited access, but someone must be watching because they put a lot of work into it. Once it's more widely distributed, I shall let everyone know so you can watch what I work on.
Since it's still in it's baby phase, there's great opportunities there to have ideas picked up, produced and turned into something great..fantastic right? Except I haven't had any ideas...if you do please send them my way!
Last week I also met two on air reporters/anchors at ABC...who both wished me a Happy Eid on ...they both spoke Arabic fluently..and were not Arab..or Desi..or Muslim. One of the reporters (who has reported from Iraq, Lebanon and is the new Russian correspondent for ABC) told me she was meeting with her Arabic teacher the next day for Eid lunch. So sweet.
I am seriously inspired to commence serious Arabic studies within a month Inshalah. I have always been interested but held back because all other Arabic studies in my past have not been as fruitful as I had hoped. Over the years I took several courses, some intensive, in and out of college. My Arabic is still pathetic...the two weeks I spent in Egypt this summer were extremely beneficial (even though it was Egyptian Arabic), but now that I'm back, I need to put some serious work into it.
I will study Arabic with the Rosetta Stone program. I hope I have the self discipline to really benefit from it. I have been turned down from a job once because it was given to a candidate who spoke Arabic. I can't let it happen again. Arabic will benefit me in every way, professionally, socially and in my religion. Please make dua' for me that I finally learn!
On the down side of my new gig, yesterday I had to watch President Bush's presser. Usually I can change the channel, but since it was going ot be part of my news brief...it made me cringe..Luckily I had Rehab (fellow hijabi at ABC) amusing me with emails as I watched it.
Seriously?
I was walking home from work the other day in the city near Central Park ..I was wearing my usual uniform- big fat sweatshirt, jeans (baggy as I am between sizes and always go for the larger)..and sneakers..
I saw a woman walking her dog and the dog was wearing a brilliant blue striped sweater in what looked to be a very nice wool blend ..
I thought to myself.... "Seriously..this tiny dog is dressed better than me"...
Needless to say...it was a sad day..
I saw a woman walking her dog and the dog was wearing a brilliant blue striped sweater in what looked to be a very nice wool blend ..
I thought to myself.... "Seriously..this tiny dog is dressed better than me"...
Needless to say...it was a sad day..
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