Assumptions, assumptions everywhere!
May 22nd, 2012 § 1 Comment
It’s been raining here in NYC. I mean really raining and Thing 2 and I have time to kill before his school opens up.
So we get some coffee and I set him up with my favorite mechanical pencil and a white pad. He draws and I check email. Life is as expected.
I look over at the little man, his flower is done and, surprisingly, looks like a flower. Woo Hoo!
Then he turns to me and says “I’m ready for the colors now.”
Me: Huh? (I’m not so eloquent before coffee)
T2: The colors. I’m ready for the markers. I think orange and yellow.
Me: I don’t have any colors.
T2: WHAT? Of course you do.
Me: Sorry honey, mommy doesn’t carry around markers in her work bag.
T2: Next time, ok? I need orange.
Well all right then. Looks like even the little ones have assumptions about color. (and what their mommies should be carting around too!)
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Pakistan or bust!
May 9th, 2012 § 6 Comments
I want to go!
I want to go with a film crew and capture its beauty and craziness and see where my brothers lived.
My husband, he simply raises one eyebrow. Oh how I wish I could do that!
But that would be cool, right? Here’s my dream:
Criss cross this great country (America) talking to people about their fears and questions about Pakistan and Islam. The hard politically incorrect questions. You know, like why on Allah’s green earth would an American Muslim do a general media press conference in his pajamas? Oh I know you know what I’m talking about – it may be traditional attire but a pair of slacks and a button down wouldn’t kill ya.
Those kind of questions! Oh yes! Let’s ask the un-PC questions and get answers! And then, let’s film it! Let’s get these conversations on film and start making the culture, not necessarily the religion, a bit more mainstream.
It can be done!
Come on, who’s with me?! I’m game, just let me know when you want start planning…
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7 minutes on air
May 9th, 2012 § 3 Comments
7 minutes…
This morning I was interviewed on NPR’s The Takeaway.
They are doing a series on identity and word on the street is that mine is a bit, well, in flux.
So much fun to be on the radio — now time to figure out how to connect with more people!
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Reality
May 2nd, 2012 § 10 Comments
I’ve been struggling lately.
There is a commenter on this blog who keeps looking for an argument – from the safety of his keyboard that is. Sometimes his points have merit, other times he just sounds like an ignorant fool.
As the owner of this blog though, I vacillate between the idea that all voices should be heard and the idea that I should delete his inflammatory contributions.
But then I had a realization.
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Where to go?
April 28th, 2012 § 1 Comment
A friend I admire is a reporter and I often wonder how he stays on top of all that goes on in the world. In the past, I’ve asked and, now that I am thinking about it, never really got a clear answer. I think I’m hoping for an easy osmosis-type information download. Ahh well… life in the information age.
When I first started asking about how those I consider super informed got their information it was long before I started writing this blog. Now not only am I writing here but have an opportunity to greatly expand my reach causing me to consider the age-old blogger question: What the heck should I write about???
I could write more about adoption, about my learning of Islam, about being Jewish, or about how I like my coffee (very, very strong). However there needs to be a theme, at least some element that unifies. So here is my theme…
The elephant in the room.
Identifying the elephant in the room is what I do professionally. If everything is aligned than one will be successful. What does that mean? That means the business that truly knows what the customers need and how they need it can customize their offering accordingly and voila — success! I help people and businesses understand those needs and how they can best meet them.
But this isn’t work, this is my personal blog. So what is my elephant?
I guess I should start figuring that out.
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Ain’t playing around
April 20th, 2012 § 5 Comments
Playground conversation can by surprising when you live in one of the most diverse zip codes in the country.
There I was, freezing my arse off (70 degrees my foot!) listening to a friend who just came back from India; he is Indian. The woman chatting with us, Iranian. Me, I’m a hot mess. So what did we chat about?
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Renewal
April 20th, 2012 § 4 Comments
A few days ago, the community in which I live and worship experienced a great loss. L. was a force of nature. Truly. If something needed to get done he made it happen. If a difficult truth needed to be voiced, it came from L. This man was an unexpected source of learning and spirituality in addition to having guided our community towards a new century with his unique leadership style.
But he is gone. And frankly, death sucks. It is painful (of course), infuriating (think the several stages of grief), and it leaves a hole where, in this case, a larger-than-life soul once stood. All of those things aside, death also brings with it a ridiculous amount of stuff!
Dear American Muslim leaders,
April 17th, 2012 § 11 Comments
Where have you been?
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It’s a loop hole, baby!
April 11th, 2012 § 4 Comments
“I can’t drink coffee.”
Whaaatttttt?!?!? There may not be more frightful words in the english language, especially after a sleepless night.
There she stood, my amazing sister-in-law. I looked more closely – she looked normal. Sane. Yet she just uttered the frightful phrase above.
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Passed Over
April 8th, 2012 § 4 Comments
It was hour number 10 into our 12 hour drive to visit my in-laws for Passover/Spring break. My husband was driving and truth be told, was looking a little cranky. Can’t imagine why — except maybe for the slow drivers that seemed to be boxing us in or maybe because Thing 2 kept asking “when are we going to be there yet?” Every. Two. Minutes.
Perfect time to ask a loaded question, right?
