Bushra’s Blog

I remember back when I first started fasting in the month of Ramadan. I was in the 4th grade and fasted for maybe 2 or 3 days in the whole month. I started fasting full time when I was in the 5th grade. Well, full time minus one day. There was a class party one day and I decided not to fast because I didn’t want to miss out on the food. Although I wasn’t even required to fast back then, I still look back on that situation and mentally shake my head, wondering how I justified not fasting because of a class party. It made perfect sense when I was 10 though.

Back then, if someone asked me why I was fasting, I probably wouldn’t have been able to give more than a generic answer. To my young self, Ramadan meant I couldn’t eat from dawn until dusk and not too much more beyond that.* Now, I really try to do my best to utilize the month as it is about a lot more than not eating and drinking during the day. I look forward to Ramadan because every time it comes around, it’s at a time when I need a spiritual recharge, when I need to be reminded about what’s important in life and not let all the little things affect me in a negative manner. I increase my reading on religious matters and try to gain knowledge in this month. Also, I really do try to watch what I do or say and how I am with people. In essence, I try to be a better person.

This year I’m trying to focus on getting rid of one particular bad habit – I worry too much. After I have done everything I can for a situation, I need to let it be and not constantly dwell on it. I need to keep the faith and understand that whatever happens, happens and that’s the way God intended for it to be.

I have found myself struggling lately to keep the above in mind and not succumb to worry and to over-analyze a situation. Ramadan is already half way over and I have been doing my best to work on this internal issue of mine. Here’s hoping that I can achieve this goal and find other ways in which I can improve myself, InshAllah, before the month’s end.

Next Ramadan: I’ll try to work on my sarcasm and get it under control.

I can’t make any promises though.

*The Wikipedia article on Ramadan explains the meaning of this month quite well.

I watched Green Lantern: First Flight over the weekend, a DC Animated film. These movies have always been enjoyable and this latest installment in the franchise is no exception.

Test pilot Hal Jordan assumes the Green Lantern mantle from the late Green Lantern, Abin Sur within the first couple of minutes of First Flight and then begins his journey to the Green Lantern Corp headquarters in space. However, the Guardians of the Universe (the masterminds behind the Corp) doubt his capacity to handle the ring based on the fact that he’s a human. Because, y’know, we’re the crudest species, prone to violence, and unable to live peacefully.

However, veteran Green Lantern Sinestro volunteers to take Hal under his wing to help him find out who killed Abin Sur and to prevent the warlord Kanjar Ro from obtaining the mysterious yellow element, which can withstand the power of the green element in which the Corp is based upon.

Jordan soon finds himself at odds with Sinestro’s brand of justice and eventually ends up on opposite sides of the power-mad Sinestro as the latter’s loathe of the Guardians and quest for the yellow element for himself endanger the Green Lantern Corp and in effect, the rest of the universe.

Green Lantern: First Flight manages plot and action quite well without any kind of lull in its 75 minute run time. The viewers are rewarded with a tale of corruption and redemption. And fights between superpowered beings! In space! In addition, I like how the filmmakers don’t dwell on the origin story but instead get right to the point. Also, the voices of Christoper Meloni as Hal Jordan, Victor Garber (Spy Dad from Alias!) as Sinestro, and Tricia Helfer (Six from BSG!) as fellow Green Lantern Boodikka complement their animated characters quite well without overpowering their animated persona. Although I have never purported to be a fan of Green Lantern, First Flight is definitely worthy of being added to the roster of DC animated movies.

Here’s my ranking of the DC Animated straight to DVD movies thus far (linked to my reviews on this site):

1. Batman: Gotham Knight
2. Green Lantern: First Flight
(tied)
2. Wonder Woman (Uh, oops, did I not review this? Well, I liked it The violence in this movie was spectacular. “Was that a head?” my sister asked as something flew across the scene in the initial battle scene Wonder Woman. “Yes, yes it was.” I responded.)
4. Justice League: New Frontier
5. Superman: Doomsday (Supes, I’m really sorry you are at the bottom of my list. You are still my favorite superhero.)

Next in line: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, to be released in September. Can’t wait!

P.S. I love the idea of the Green Lantern Corp, an intergalactic police force. I want a Green Lantern ring. I promise to use it only for good.

I remember back when Hurricane Katrina happened in 2005 in New Orleans. I heard about the lawlessness that took over New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit and I saw the images of destruction on TV, but in no way was I prepared for Dave Eggers’ new book Zeitoun. Syrian born Abdulrahman Zeitoun, or ‘Zeitoun’ as he is called, and his family were among the New Orleans residents whose lives were affected by the flood and its aftermath. In his latest work of nonfiction, Dave Eggers chronicles the Zeitoun family through Hurricane Katrina, the days leading up the event, and the ensuing weeks that forever changed them.

Eggers opens the book with Zeitoun and his wife Kathy as they go about the day to day. Together, they have raised a family while establishing a successful business in New Orleans. When we are first introduced to these characters, the hurricane has yet to strike. However, the ominous warnings regarding the increasing strength of the hurricane are prevalent throughout New Orleans media, ensuring Zeitoun, Kathy, and all of the New Orleans residents become aware at the dire nature of the situation, especially with the news that the levees may breach. And yet, Zeitoun elects to stay in the city as his wife and kids evacuate despite his wife’s pleas for him to join them in the exodus to a safer area.

When speculation becomes reality and the levees break, the city is flooded and Zeitoun somehow makes the most of it. He navigates the city with his second hand canoe and becomes a savior of sorts to people around the city as he rows around, offering his help when he can. At first, he embraces the calm spell the city falls under. Then, the unthinkable happens and Zeitoun finds himself apprehended and placed in a makeshift prison. Meanwhile, Kathy goes through her own personal hell as she can’t contact her husband and is left to wonder if he is among the rising number of dead bodies floating around New Orleans. One will feel a rise of indignation as they read on about the atrocities committed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, all in the name of justice.

In the end, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Not only was I completely immersed in the story, but it’s important that we learn about one of the most defining events in recent U.S. history. Also, I loved how Eggers goes back and forth from the present to the past with events that provide insight on the people he documents throughout his book. The reader learns about Zeitoun growing up in Syria and his life at sea, what led Kathy to Islam, how Zeitoun and Kathy met and got married, and a multitude of other events that truly define these people and make them easy to relate to, making their struggle our struggle, whether one is Muslim or not.

Further reading: – Check out Wajahat Ali’s interview with Dave Eggers: Dave Eggers Interview: Zeitoun – An American Muslim Hero. This interview has also been featured in Huffington Post and Variety.

Today I read an article about President Obama stating that the jobless claims will increase before the end of the year, which is not only discouraging to one like myself who is looking for a job, but also disheartening when one thinks of all those people out there who are struggling to support their families and have yet to get a reprieve from the job market. And yet, investment firm Goldman Sachs, which was part of the financial crisis, has not only survived, but has acquired great profit in this turmoil.

In his article yesterday, Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com provides a timeline from September 2008 to today regarding the financial crisis:

Remember all of this — the $700 billion bank bailout, the AIG scandal, dark and scary threats of imminent global meltdown if there wasn’t full-scale capitulation by the citizenry to the immense transfer of public wealth to the private investment banking sector? Such distant, hazy memories: so many exciting celebrity deaths and riveting celebrity resignations ago. If sequences of events like these don’t cause mass citizen outrage, then it’s hard to imagine what will:

Read on

By the way, if you don’t already include Glenn Greenwald’s articles as part of your daily reading, you should.

I’m a couple of days late on this but Riz MC, aka Riz Ahmed, posted a new video for one of his songs “Sour Times” on 7/7, the anniversary of the London bombings of 2005.

In addition to being a hip hop artist, Riz Ahmed is also an actor and has been in a number of things, like Road to Guantanamo and the new British film Shifty. He was also in the BBC miniseries Britz, which I wrote a bit about when it came on in the U.S. on BBCA.

Anyways, check out the video and listen to the lyrics! Very cool.

It has come to my attention that maybe my standards for people in general and Muslims specifically are too high. In my previous post about the lady who made up the ridiculous story regarding my car accident, I said:

On Twitter, I mentioned that the worst part was that the lady is Pakistani and Muslim. I understand her behavior would have been deplorable regardless of her race or religion but for me, this fact made the whole ordeal just a bit more incredulous.

I shouldn’t be making religion part of this discussion as the fact that she is Muslim has nothing to do with anything.That is merely one aspect of her, as has been pointed out to me.

Looking back at my last post, I can see that maybe I might have to clear up on more thing – I would never judge one’s “Muslim-ness”. A person does what they do and it’s not up to me or anyone else to say how good or how bad of a Muslim one is. Because in the end, I don’t know how good of a person I am so who am I or anyone else to pass on judgment, y’know?

So… yeah

And for the record folks, dissenting opinions are welcome. Yeah, cousin I’m talking to you :p

Last week, I was in a little car incident.

I thought I didn’t have to worry about anything. It was most likely going to be 50-50 so I didn’t dwell on it too much, especially since there wasn’t a disagreement between the other lady and me on how things played out.

However, it turned out that this lady made up a story for her insurance company that put all the blame on me. The story itself was ludicrous. Seriously, it was so out there that it would have made more sense for her to say a sudden flash of blinding light from an alien spacecraft blinded her for a split second, causing the accident.

Upon hearing this ‘dispute’ from the claim adjuster from this lady’s insurance company, I was so overwhelmed with anger that I surprised myself. I think I’ve only been that livid one other time in my life (In October of 2003, in case you’re wondering).

A friend said that everyone tends to lie about car accidents and a coworker said the same thing. It made me wonder: how can one consciously lie about something like this in the slim chance one can save a few bucks while causing the other person a great deal of distress? I mean, the only damage was to the rear bumpers on both cars. It really wasn’t a big deal. However, this lady was perfectly willing to craft a ridiculous lie for a freakin’ *bumper*.

On Twitter, I mentioned that the worst part was that the lady is Pakistani and Muslim. I understand her behavior would have been deplorable regardless of her race or religion but for me, this fact made the whole ordeal just a bit more incredulous. When I was little, I used to think Muslims were all good. They never drank, did drugs, stole, or did anything else remotely illegal or uncouth because they weren’t supposed to (ok, ok, you can quit laughing now). I was really little when I had this thought and I realized how naive I was a long time ago but it still shocks me when a fellow Muslim acts in a manner contrary to what the religion dictates.

If this person, whose name, phone number, and address I have and so wish to plaster all over the internet, pulled this stunt with a non-Muslim, then the non-Muslim person would have come away from it thinking bad of all Muslims. Not the right way to go, but a reality nonetheless.

I then realized that my natural inclination to trust everyone and to always see the good in people isn’t always a viable attitude when dealing with reality.

Sorry, I don’t mean to sound bitter (I’m not) and this doesn’t mean that I’ll automatically think the worst of everyone. I won’t, really. I’ll just be a bit more on guard from now on. This may also mean that I may document every aspect of my life, taking pictures wherever I go and of people I meet so there won’t ever be a doubt as to what happens in my life. This can also help me at work as I can then have pictures that prove that yes, I did iron this shirt this morning thankyouverymuch

I talked to my own claims adjuster about the lie that the lady told and he was even a bit surprised himself when he had initially taken her statement. However, while he can deny her story on my behalf and her insurance can deny my story, neither story can really be proved. So in the end? 50-50.

That’s right lady. You told a lie and it didn’t change the outcome. How does it feel to sacrifice your soul for nothing? HUH?!

(I’m fine, I swear )

I had a phone interview the other day for a permanent position within the department I’m currently working in as a contractor. While I wasn’t actually dreading the interview, I had this fear that I was going to somehow accidentally sabotage myself.

And I sort of did.

I won’t go into the specifics of the position and the company here so I’ll be as vague as possible…

The interview was going pretty smoothly until I was asked a question that I have never been asked and have never thought I would be asked. I sputtered a bit and tried to think of something half way intelligent to say and finally did say something. Unfortunately, this spun off into something I didn’t foresee but should have. Long story short, the HR person sort of made it sound like I would eventually leave this job for the same reasons I quit my last job.

*facepalm*

I somehow explained my way out of the hole that I dug for myself and we we continued from there, talking about other aspects of the job, benefits, and all that good stuff.

I talked about the interview with a coworker and explained the above to her. She said it was a positive sign that we talked for a while (a 1/2 hour) but I just shrugged my shoulders.

I’ll find out by the end of this week if I have an interview with the hiring manager.

If not, no worries. It’s all good.

(Of course, maybe I shouldn’t be telling so many people about something that is so uncertain.)

Ten years ago, I graduated from high school, give or take a few days. I walked across the stage setup at my high school, shaking the principal’s hand while proudly taking my empty diploma holder (actual diploma to be picked up later) amidst the claps and hollers of the few people I actually knew among the 500+ people in my graduating class.

I already knew what I wanted to do in college and I figured within four years I would graduate, have a job lined up upon my last days of college, and everything would be hunky dory, so to speak.

Or not.

While not everything turned out the way I thought I would, I’m still really fortunate to be where I’m at right now: working with savings, being there for my family, and having a few really good friends (the kind that understand me and put up with my sarcasm and the weirdness that overcomes me with lack of food or an excess of caffeine). However, I’m still trying to find out what I want to do “when I grow up” even now, ten years later and a few weeks shy of my 28th birthday.

I used to think it was all about the money. Happiness would come with the bigger paycheck, I thought. That was the mentality that I had back in high school but in the ten years since, I’ve been leaning towards a different definition. Happiness is about figuring out what I want to do and and to just quit worrying about all the things I don’t have control over, an incredibly bad habit of mine.

Now I need to find what makes me happy, InshAllah

In New Muslim Cool, filmmaker Jennifer Maytorena Taylor presents a look at the life of Puerto Rican American Hamza Perez over a period of a few years in Pittsburgh as he and other members of the community work to establish a Muslim community.

Born Jason, Hamza used to be a drug dealer in Massachusetts before he found Islam and turned his life around at the age of 21. Although only 83 minutes, New Muslim Cool covers many aspects of Hamza’s life: how he fits in with his (mostly) non-Muslim relatives, his marriage, his work as an activist, his hip hop career, even how he and the rest of the Muslim community deal with an uncalled for FBI raid on their mosque.

Taylor and editor Kenji Yamamoto worked well to make the film as cohesive as possible. Despite the fact that one is watching scenes that have been filmed over a few years, the documentary has an underlying theme. It’s about Hamza maturing, becoming a better person, understanding who he is, and embracing the responsibilities he feels are incumbent on him.

The great thing about New Muslim Cool is that you don’t have to be a Muslim or a convert to appreciate this film. The message given is universal and Hamza is entirely relatable. Check it out if you can. There’s one more screening in San Francisco at the Sundance Kabuki Theater on May 4 and other screenings in other parts of the country. Also, New Muslim Cool has the distinction of airing on June 23 on PBS to start off the new season of POV.