Eid-ul-Adha Mubarak, my Muslim friends!

For those of you who are not Muslim and have no idea what I'm talking about November 6, 2011 was a festive occasion for Muslims all over the world. 


It marks the day in the Islamic calender when Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) had such love for Allah (God) that he was willing to sacrifice his own beloved son Ismaeel (Ishmael) because God ordered him to. But at the last moment, before he was about to commit the deed, God put a sheep in Ishmael's stead and had Abraham kill that instead. He was merely testing Abraham's love for Him, and seeing that he was about to do it, God was pleased and thus saved Ishmael. 


So on this day that we call Eid-ul-Adha (the second Eid of the year - the first Eid comes right after the fasting month of Ramadan) Muslims sacrifice cattle (cows, goats, or sheep) in honor of Abraham's readiness to obey his Lord and then distribute the meat among friends, family, and save a portion to give to the poor. 


I just wanted to show you guys some pictures of the incredible unity of Muslims even as we are apart by land and water, we all come together with our fellow brothers and sisters and celebrate. 


In my case, we all wake up early in the morning to shower, dress ourselves in our newest outfits that we bought for the holiday and then go to the mosque to pray the traditional Eid morning prayer. After that, we basically gorge ourselves with delicious cultural foods all day long at different people's houses with our families. 


Anyway, here are the pictures. Enjoy! 


In Pictures: Eid al-Adha
Muslims around the world celebrate the 'Festival of the Sacrifice', marking Abraham's willigness to sacrifice his son.

1) Palestinian Muslim worshippers pray at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city on the first day of Eid al-Adha on November 6, 2011, as Muslims worldwide commemorate the Feast of the Sacrifice, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God's command [AFP]

2) Kyrgyz men look at sheep at the outdoor livestock market in Bishkek, on the eve of Eid al-Adha, known locally as Kurban Bairam [AFP]

3) A Muslim family leave a mosque after the Eid al-Adha prayer in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic calendar [EPA]

4) Palestinian women pray at the grave of a relative at a cemetery in the West Bank city of Ramallah on the first day of Eid al-Adha [AFP]

5) Two Muslim youths blow fire during the parade to welcome Eid al-Adha in Banda Aceh, Indonesia [EPA]

6) Muslim Filipino inmates pray during a downpour as they mar Eid al-Adha inside the capital's most congested city jail in Quezon City, Philippines [EPA]

7) Acehnese Muslims pray at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque during Eid al-Adha in Banda Aceh, Indonesia [EPA]

Pictures courtesy of Aljazeera 

An update from the physicist (aka The Physics Master) - because that's what I'm calling myself from now on

Yes, bloggers. My unofficial name on this blog (besides mistcalnia, of course) is The Physics Master. Written like that. 


Why? Read why here and here (because I don't feel like going into lengthy explanations right now).


But anyway, whenever I talk about school from now on, I'm always going to refer to myself as The Physics Master (abbreviated as TPM). 


So here's another post on school (specifically, about my miserable honors physics class): 


I'm dropping physics. 
Like, completely dropping it. 
No, I'm not going down to regular stupid physics. 
I'm COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY dropping the class. 
Why? 
Because it's making me miserable. 
How?  


Let me list the ways it's making me miserable: 


1) I don't understand the subject. 
2) I don't understand the subject.
3) I don't understand the subject. 
4) I hate it - because I don't understand the subject. 
5) I tried to understand the subject - really, I did, I even made myself read an entire chapter of the horrid textbook - but I still couldn't get a clue. 
6) I don't understand it and I'm stumped with a truckload of homework every freaking week so it's making me stress out, causing me to break out, binge-eat (or not eat at all because I'm so stressed) and just plain messing up my body. 
7) Seven things is a lot of miserable things to say, is it not? I think I'll stop here. 


There. That's why. 
So I'm gonna go to my guidance counselor tomorrow after school (oh, and by the way, we had a snow day on Monday and today due to the unexpected and dangerous accumulation of snow during the first snowstorm of this school year (on Saturday, October 29), that is, if I ever find out. I was supposed to meet with him after school today but obviously that guy is never around when I need him, unfortunately. On my only free period of the day, he's teaching Chemistry. Now, don't you people agree that a high school guidance counselor should be just a guidance counselor and not a teacher as well? He teaches Honors and AP Chem, which requires a lot of grading time. But seriously, it's not like he has enough to do already with being a guidance counselor for a senior ESPECIALLY this time of year. 


I'm so confused about my college list and where I'm applying and all that, and I DESPERATELY NEED HIS HELP. 


Oh well. 


But on the bright side, I'm dropping Physics, so that'll leave me another free period to meet with him and have some time together so he can help me sort things out. 


Phew. That was a lot to say for one post, so I'll stop there. 


Once I've talked with my guidance counselor and finalized where I'll be applying (although I put up a tentative list here even though I said that was 'final' but I guess nothing's ever 'final' until you are done applying and are then just waiting to hear back) I'll let y'all know the 'final' list. 


Until then, ciao! 

WHAT"S THIS MONTH????????

As most of my fellow writers/bloggers out there are all aware, NaNoWriMo is here! 


What is NaNoWriMo, you say? Why, it is NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH. It's the favorite time of year for every aspiring young author out there who has a little bit (or a lot) of time on their hands and want to sit down and finish a complete first draft of a novel in thirty days. 


In an author's term, this takes an abundance of sheer, unyielding strong-will, frustrating stubbornness, and a whole lot of grumpiness that tends to come about when you've been staring at a blank Word document or paper for too long without making progress. But when you've done something in a month - that, my friends, is the beautiful art that is called writing. 


In real people's terms, however (for you see, we authors or authors-to-be are not normal people, as you would think of the word normal and as such are often unfortunately much depreciated in value) what I mentioned in the above paragraph just translates to determination, patience and dedication. 


Blah. 


See, this is why I like to writing. LET THE CREATIVITY FLOW! LET ALL YOUR COLORFUL JUICES GO! GO! GO!


HURRAH!


All right, got a little too excited there. That tends to happen frequently when I'm talking about writing - well obviously, because it's the love of my life (at least, until I find the human incarnation of my significant other, of course). 


Unfortunately, I wish I had to time to translate all of this excitement into actual, productive writing. Except for this blog, that doesn't happen very often, for some unknown reason. Maybe I don't have enough drive. Maybe I don't have what it takes. Or maybe, I just don't have the time or patience to do what I need to do to make my imprint upon the publishing world and get it done. 


I have to send in my college apps asap - AFTER I figure out where exactly I'm applying to and AFTER I finish all the supplements for the colleges I finally decide to apply to - and their deadlines are almost exactly on par with all the writing competition deadlines that I know of. 


So unfortunately, I won't be competing against the hundreds of thousands of young writers out there in the nation for the ultimate prize and glory, as well as personal satisfaction that I've done something I can be proud to call my own, on my own efforts, with my own personal talents.


Or have time to finish a novel in a month, for that matter.


Oh well. I'll have plenty of opportunities in college next year (hopefully). 


But anyway, to end this on a good note: Good luck to all you aspiring writers out there!! And hooray for NanoWriMo! 

Good news from the physics master!

Hello again.


Well, not one of you bothered to give me any advice about whether or not I should drop physics (thanks a lot, guys, I feel loved. Really), but hey, it's not like I was gonna listen to you anyway. 


Well.......maybe just a bit. 


But anyway, I realized that I forgot to add one more CRUCIAL piece of information on my last school-related post ("Physics is driving me INSANE!"), so here it is: 


I'm thinking of going into Med School in the future, God-willing. 


I don't know exactly what it is I want to do for the rest of my life (that's a tough decision for a seventeen-turning-eighteen year-old to make, wouldn't you agree?) but I know that one of the things I'd like to do is to become a clinical physician. More specifically, I think I'd love to do Oncology (cancer) and its various symptoms, causes, treatments, etc. It sounds really interesting and rewarding, too. 


But that's my second choice. And it's my second choice only because of the fact that I like so many more things (namely, writing) that I want to go to college and find out if there's anything else for me besides Medicine. It's of course a very prestigious and rewarding field, but it might not be for me, or maybe it might, who knows. That's why you go to college - to discover your passions. 


So anyway, the only reason I'm making myself struggle through Honors Physics with a scraping B- is because of the fact that I'm going to take Pre-med in college, and the first requirement for a first year Pre-med student is one year of Physics with Lab. So I figured that if I dropped Physics altogether and don't even have a basic understanding of it in college, then I'll really struggle - this is nothing compared to that.


So yeah. 


What do you guys think? Any advice (other than the ones you've already offered, of course - NOT)?


But seriously, any advice whatsoever from any blogger out there - doesn't have to be a follower - but anyone who's passing through this blog on their way to some other more interesting place on the Internet and their eyes just happen upon this particular post? 


C'mon . . . anything at ALL? 

My heart belongs to you

A profoundly romantic and deeply poignant song sung by the great New Zealand singer Hayley Westenra. She has a beautiful voice, listen to this song here. Just wanted to share the lyrics with you guys: 


Through the window of my soul
All the secrets that I hold
Will be yours to share for always, always

Like a whisper in the wind
The gentle breeze touches my skin
And I know you?re with me always, always

I can feel it in the air
The fire that we share
Can only come from deep within
It's a light that burns so bright
It guides you through the night
And leads you to me
So find your way back and -

Hold me, touch me
Let the love come rushing through me
I'm yours with every breath I take
forever and ever

Hold on, to love
cause deep down
That's what we're made of
Never let go for my heart's sake
Cause my heart belongs to you

I lie awake to hear you breathe
Only you can feel the need
That builds and burns so deep inside me, inside me

As the moon lights up the sky
There's a thousand reasons why
My heart will only beat for you

You're the reason that I live
So now all I've got to give
I give it to you
Just don't fight the feeling

Hold me, touch me
Let the love come rushing through me
I'm yours with every breath I take
Forever and ever

Hold on, to love
cause deep down
That's what we're made of
Never let go for my heart's sake
cause my heart belongs to you

Don't give up, but just give in 
I will always be here waiting for you
Love will see us through . . . 

Hold me, touch me
Let the love come rushing through me
I'm yours with every breath I take
Forever and ever

Hold on, to love
Cause deep down
That's what we're made of
Never let go for my heart's sake
Cause my heart belongs to you

MY heart belongs to you....

Physics is driving me INSANE!

A list of the classes I'm taking for my last year of high school: 


AP Calculus A/B
Honors Physics
Phys. Ed - STUPIDEST class EVER (I could've taken AP Bio instead, why must we go through this in our last year of high school I honestly don't know)
AP European History (known as EHAP or AP Euro)
Anatomy/Physiology
Economics (mandatory for all seniors who haven't taken AP Macro or AP Micro yet)
AP English Literature and Composition (AP Lit)
AP Spanish II (a two year course, we take the AP Exam at the end of the second year)


Out of ALL of my classes, physics, my only non-AP academic class, is the hardest for me. Every week I am trudging by, miserably failing my homework, but I don't want to drop down to regular Physics either because a) it's a stupid class and b) it'll mess up my whole schedule and won't leave me room for the classes I actually care about. 


I hate these kinds of situations when you love the teacher who teaches your class, but you hate his subject. Our teacher (we call him Mazz) is AWESOME and absolutely insane, but hey, that's what makes a great physics teacher, right? 


Right. 


But I am having a seriously hard time keeping up with what he's teaching, because Physics is a hard subject to understand conceptually, and Honors/AP Physics is EVEN harder. I understand AP CALC better than Physics, which I don't know if it's even possible or not because Physics (at least AP Physics) IS calculus. 


?????


Anyway, to get to the point of this whole rambling post (I do that a lot, by the way, rambling, I mean) last night, as I lay in bed with a SEARING headache, I seriously considered dropping Physics altogether. I mean, when I first thought of it like three weeks ago I immediately discarded the idea because I was like, "Well, I know I'd feel guilty in the end for having not learned the most fundamental science of all sciences." Seriously, Physics is the basis for everything; bio, chem, earth science, you name it. Which is why it took me this long to come to this realization: Physics is making my other grades (namely Calc) spiral down to F-land (the world will end when I fail an entire class. LITERALLY) and I really don't want that because I want college admission officers to look at my transcript and say, "Now there's a girl who can take four or five APs and handle them all swimmingly!" I want to maintain around the B+ to A+ zone, and I just can't do that with Physics taking up my energy, time, and concentration. 


So I'm thinking of dropping it, but I'll audit the class instead. Meaning that I'll still show up, do all the work, take the tests, but it won't appear on my transcript. Basically, it means that I'll be an invisible, non-existent student in that class who does all the work but it doesn't count on her transcript because it's not there as a class she's taking. I know some of you will be like, "But what's the point of that?" 


The point is, that I'll still be learning the stuff in that class (maybe) but if I don't do well on the tests/quizzes/homework (which I KNOW I won't - if I'm not even understanding the easy stuff, how will I understand the harder things to come?) it won't impact my overall GPA negatively. 


I currently have a 4.1 GPA right now (I think the highest GPA in our school is 4.5) so I DON'T want to lose my rank/standing in the first decile of my entire grade of about 400 students. 


Yeah. 


So, what do you guys think? Will it be worth it to continue struggling through Physics just to "learn" the subject (which I won't even, probably) or drop it and just audit? 


NEED ADVICE NOW!!! 

My baby sister

This is the only picture I'm going to post, because it's already my profile picture for my Google account so anyone can see it anyhow. 


So . . . (drum roll please) . . . here she is! 

This is when she was just born, my dad took a picture of her with his iPhone while she and my mom were still in the O.R. (she was a C-section) and the nurses had just swaddled her up in a hat and blankets. 


Ain't she just PRECIOUS? 


She and my mom were in the hospital for four days before they came home, and up until the fourth day, my parents just couldn't decide on a name for her, so we just called her Buchi (courtesy of my 8 year-old brother) which in our native tongue Bengali means flat. In Bengali, we don't use subjects very much, so the flat refers to her nose (which is assumed) so basically, we called her "flat-nosed" until we found a proper name for her. Ha. Ha. 


But don't worry, I named her something better than Buchi (notice that I wrote I - because really I did get to name her in the end, which was totally awesome, by the way. Makes you feel real special). Anyway, so I decided upon the Arabic name (because Muslims usually  give their kids Arabic names) Safiya; pronounced Sah-fee-yah, and it means sincere friend, which is a really nice meaning. 


And as of today, she is 48 days old. 

I HAVE FINALIZED MY LIST OF COLLEGES I'M APPLYING TO!!!!!

Come on, be more excited for me, won't you? I finalized my list of colleges, that I'm applying. That's a BIG step for a college bound high-school senior like me, wouldn't you agree? 


Eh, who cares about your opinion, because I don't (all right, that was a lie, I sorta kinda do - a little). 


After months and months (two or three, actually) of research and preparation, I've finally decided what colleges I want to apply to. Anyway, here are the lucky 15 in no particular order except alphabetical (yes, fifteen. I have no confidence whatsoever in my ability to get into a college, so I'm applying to as many as I'd want to attend): 


Barnard College in New York, NY - my home state!!!


Boston University in Boston, MA


Bryn Mawr College, in Bryn Mawr, PA - check out this GORGEOUS campus! (Click the link, people, I didn't put it there for nothin'). 


Columbia University in New York, NY - right across the street from Barnard, actually, if y'all didn't know. And yes, Barnard/Columbia students participate in the other college's classes/sports/clubs, etc, since they share funds. Now that's a cool system.


Cornell University in Ithaca, NY - another beautiful and lively campus. 


Drexel University in Philly, PA - have you noticed yet that I like nice campuses and/or big cities? If not, you have poor observation skills. Plus, they have a good medical program, I heard. 


Fordham University in Bronx, NY - close to home; I, unlike some other college-bound seniors, do want to come back home frequently because frankly I love my home, thank God. I feel bad for anyone who doesn't, because a good home environment is crucial in  building healthy life styles (and by that I mean mental health)


Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA - kinda far from home, maybe six-hour drive? 


Macaulay Honors College in Brooklyn, NY - they give all their undergrads FREE tuition because they're so selective, so whoever gets in, hey, free ride for you if you attend! Plus, a Macbook Pro. Ain't that sweeeeeetttttt??? But that's obviously not why I want to attend; they have the programs I want to do, plus the NYC environment is always a plus factor


Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA - they have a horse stables!!! Check it out! 


New York University don't even need to state this address unless I'm applying to the one in Spain or Abu Dhabi, but obviously I'm not, soo........


Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY - again, another one close to home, hooray


State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton - nice tuition, competive school


(SUNY) Stony Brook University - ugh, I hate the Long Island expressway, but there's a train station right next to the campus, and it's right near the city, again, that's a huge plus


Syracuse University - GREAT school for Communications/Media Arts/Journalism, which is what I probably would like to major in as of the moment. 


So, until further update, see ya! 


Wish me luck! :

Is there any subtle way to tell someone you hate them? No? Okay, then I guess I'll go with the not-so-subtle way. 

Dedicated to the Collegeboard and the oh-so-lovely EMS people. 

I adore you guys :D 

When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout

Now there's a rhyme to remember for life, ain't it? Yes it is, so be a good blogger and don't argue with me. You won't win. 


By the way, random question: 
Do you like pickles? 
I do. In fact, I think they're awesome. 


But you know what I think is NOT awesome? AT ALL?


Can you guess?


Come on, I'm a senior in high school (ooh, big age reveal), I'm gonna apply to colleges soon, but before I do, there's one more thing I need to do. 


Yup.


The SATs. 


Actually, this is my third time taking, but heck, first time, third time, doesn't make too much of a difference, except for the fact that I've pretty much gotten sick of the repetitive questions (and still I can't get all of them right, dammit!) and it's still wasting four hours of an would've-been perfect Saturday morning. Grr.  


But anyway, you think that just taking it is all? And there's nothing else to it? Well, think again. Here's the way real life goes, my friends, and it's not the pretty little picture you painted in your head with unicorns and rainbows and pots of gold. Nope. Nothing like that at all. 


Here's what the real scenario looks like: 


A year before the SAT: What's that? 
Six months before the SAT: Oh, BS, I have months to study. I'm gonna go out, have fun, and have a  social life is what I'm gonna do! 
Three months before the SAT: All right, I'm taking an SAT-prep class, so I'm all good and cool. Just gotta keep up and look like I know exactly what's going on and I'll be fine. 
A month before the SAT: Eh, I did some practice problems, did the SAT Question of the Day every day . . . or every other day . . . or maybe once a week . . . hmm, that's a problem. Well, I still have time to study. Gotta hit those books! 
The night before the SAT: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GONNA FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And here's the scenario AFTER the test (no matter what number): 


Minutes after the test is over, waiting for my dad to pick me up: My mind's all fuzzy, I think my brain's shutting down, my hands are hot and cold at the same time, and oh my gosh I think I just bombed that math section! 
A month after the test: Hooray, results! (opens collegeboard account, adds up score) Boo. I'm not worth an Ivy-admission
A month and a half after the test: OMG the SAT's in two and a half weeks (AGAIN!) I'm gonna stick my nose (for real this time) in those books and never come out until it's over. 


.........


Senior year begins. Whaddya think happens when you get four AP classes, one Honors class, and some electives that actually require you to do work? No time, that's what. 


.........


The night before the SATs (once again): HOLY F***ING CRAP I'M GONNA FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Inner self says, "don't be pessimistic, you'll be fine" outer self says, "damn you for not studying!!! and darn you for cursing when you promised to stay clean!)


See what this nightmare test has put me through? Three times. That takes a lot out of a teenage girl's life. 


This is the point that I am currently stuck on as of this moment. Life's good, ain't it?  

Lost a follower

Why would anyone do that? It's just cruel. I just don't get it. People usually decide to follow blogs after they decide they like one, not before. I'm not sure whether or not this follower - excuse me, I meant ex-follower - of mine accidentally pressed the "follow" button on my blog,  but even so, there's another window that opens up after that says something like, "[Insert your name here] is now following so-and-so's blog." 


So a person would have to be extremely stupid to "accidentally" follow someone else's blog. 


And if it was done as a practical joke, well, then it's cruel and unfunny practical joke. And I like to laugh, I'm a funny person (except on print) so I like practical jokes, but not if they're mean. 


And since I know that this follower (I'm nice enough to not mention his/her name here) has a blog (two, actually) and has not gone anonymous, it's not like he/she can offer that up as an excuse as to why he/she is not showing up on my meager list of followers anymore. 


Okay. I had a rough couple of days, and now I'm done venting. Goodbye. 

I HAVE A NEW BABY SISTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Babies are awesome. Even if all they do all day is sleep, cry, poop and make gurgly noises, they are the miracles of life, truly. I'd love to show y'all a picture, but since, unfortunately, most of you are complete strangers to me (although I'm sure you're lovely people in real life) so I can't do that. 


Just picture a tiny, five-pound-fifteen-ounce tiny little girl with slightly chubby cheeks (you know, the ones that make you sooooooo irrevocably tempted to just give 'em a squeeze? Yeah, I mean those kinds of cheeks) and a slightly squashed nose that looks even more squished when she sleeps with her face to the side. Ain't that just adorable?? 


Bottom line: I love babies.  

You've heard of those jokes that go like, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" or like, "What do you get when a pig takes karate?" Well, let me tell you something: NOTHING. Firstly, why can't a chicken cross the road to get to the other side? And why do pigs have to take karate? They can just sit on a person and kill them that way, they're so fat

I got a 4 on my US History AP!!!!!!!! Isn't that great?? Since right now I'm in the process to looking at colleges and writing my college app essay and looking at prospective applications to fill out, I have to be concerned with what I get on my AP, obviously. And the minimum score for colleges to accept AP Credit and place students in a higher-level class is either a 3 or a 4, depending on the college. So I just made it! Thanks, Mr. K, for being an awesomely fantastic teacher. (And for writing me a recommendation letter) :D Tootles! 

5.9 Earthquake on the East Coast

The state of NY is known for its apples, its vibrant city, and . . . earthquakes? 

Around 2:30 PM today, I was on my computer working on my latest writing quest when suddenly my entire desk begins to shake. At first the tremor is subtle, barely felt. I've lived through earthquakes before in Japan but I was too young to remember then, so you could say that I've never felt through an earthquake yet. So I didn't realize what this was at first, obviously. A bit jarred, I continued writing, thinking there must be some sort of heavy construction work going on somewhere around the neighborhood (I heard trucks and such outside, so I had perfectly logical reason to believe such a thing). When the shaking did not stop, however, and only increased I stood up, realizing that maybe this wasn't the result of some benign construction work after all. When I did, I felt the shaking even more (my heart's still pounding really fast, by the way) and watched with confused and terrified eyes as my entire desk, chest of drawers, mirror and even my heavy wooden queen-sized bed began to shake and tremble like they would just fall apart right now. 

I ran out of my room, calling for Aunty (that's what we call our nanny who stays at our house Monday thru Friday every week) and she ran out of my parents' bedroom where she'd been cleaning to shout, "Earthquake! Earthquake!" Only Aunty and I had felt it - my grandparents who are home with us, and my brother, did not. It had only been felt upstairs, not downstairs, apparently. They even doubted us, saying we'd gone crazy or something. At least, that's what my grandma told me. 


Now, if you live on the East Coast of the U.S., you understand my confusion. The last time a truly damaging earthquake hit the NYS area was in 1944. That was sixty-seven years ago. So the people of NYS are not used to earthquakes, and those in NYC who felt it did not at first realize what they were feeling, because there are so many other disturbances and such there. I was watching the news coverage on it a while back and people who were interviewed said they'd first thought it was either construction or just a really big subway train going very fast underground. When the shaking didn't stop, though, they realized something was seriously wrong, and some buildings had to be evacuated. Lower Manhattan has some of its streets filled with people right now. 


This event has really made me realize how fragile this balance of life is for us humans and everything else living on this planet. Watching natural disasters occur on TV and experiencing them are definitely not the same thing. While watching, you feel only sympathy and thank your lucky stars or God or whatever else you believe in that it wasn't you. Experiencing it, though, truly makes you grateful for everything you normally take for granted in this world.    


Right now I'm at my desk again, typing up this blog post to mark this day in NY history and possibly awaiting aftershocks. If I don't feel them, wonderful. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know. 

New address, fellow peeps, NEW ADDRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look up at the website address bar. Go ahead, look and see. It's different, I promise. I have changed from www.misticalnia.blogspot.com (because really, who wants to read something with that sort of title, right?) to www.writingawesomeness.blogspot.com ('cause that is much, much better :D ). 


Okay, peeps? So don't get lost on your way here, or else I'll send the big bad wolf after you.  . . . After I find someone to play big bad wolf, that is. Hmm, that'll be a problem. How about you, That Blond Guy? 

Sorry I'm being lazy and not posting part two of my awesome midnight dance story - which is a bit like cinderella, a bit like real life. I'll post soon, I swear. Seriously. Believe me.

Hey. We're all human. We all have faults. Leave me to mine, and I won't nag at yours. 

Calling all patriotic Americans

It's that time of year again here in America and people are celebrating the nation's glorious years starting from its humble beginnings as a newly born country in July 4, 1776 and now 235 years later in July 4, 2011. What changes we've experienced, what happiness, sorrow and everything in between! 


So, just wanted to say, "Happy Independence Day, USA!" Hmm, I wonder if the British celebrate this as a day of sorrow or something for them since they lost the loyalty of a valuable colony on this day. Any British people out there in blogland who could answer this question? What exactly do you guys do (if anything) on this day?   


Aside from that, here's a quote by Erma Bombeck about today: 

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.  

    

The Midnight Dance

Part One

Once upon a time in a kingdom called Fairytale, there lived a dashing young prince by the name of Danek Winsome. His rugged good looks put all others to shame - a tousle of dirty blond hair and deep blue eyes that were so dark they appeared almost black. Thus Prince Danek (or Dan, as he was often fondly addressed by his close friends) had a bounty of female admirers and a never-ending string of courtiers always tagging along behind him. The entire palace staff and household were at his heels, and if he so wished, they would come and lick his feet, so ready were they to obey him. 


However, like all human beings Dan had his flaws, and as comes with such wealth and handsome charm, naturally his flaw should be that he was extremely conceited and narcissistic, which many a times led others to believe he was quite the heart-breaker. He believed that since he had so many admirers that must mean that everyone in the land of Fairytale must adore him. But for one girl this wasn't the case. Her name was Fahtmari, and as her name indicated, she was the only foreigner at the royal court of Fairytale. Ever since Prince Danek had met Fahtmari, he had been fascinated with her uniquely different culture and the ways she did even the simplest things, like dress and eat. One day while he was studying in the grand library of his palace, he came upon Fahtmari sitting by herself in the Love and Marriage section of the place, reading a book on famous historical romances.


Arrogant as he was, Dan walked straight up to her, grabbed the book out of her small hands and said with a smirk on his face, "I see the foreign lady likes to fill her mind with romantic notions." 


"Ah, the great prince has decided to grace me with his presence." Fahtmari was not amused. She snatched the book away from him and tucked it back neatly into a shelf, and then stood up. She had to look up to see his face, since Fahtmari was so small compared to his towering height, and that did not make her pleased. As the prince looked down upon her with that stupid smile still on his face, she had the sudden urge to slap it right out of him. But of course she couldn't do that, so she swallowed her desires and pasted a brilliant smile on her face. "Did you merely come to tease me about my choice of reading material or do you have an actual purpose here, Your Highness?" she asked.


Prince Danek looked taken aback. Never had a courtier, especially a female one, spoken to him in such a way before. At first his face became a scowl, and he thought of punishing her for her insolence  then decided against it. She was, after all, a good friend. "No," he replied, shaking his head. "I came by to see you." 


"To see me? And to what do I owe this great honor?" 


"Lady, if I so wished I could send quite a good number of guards right now after you and send you to the dungeons for the way you behave towards me." 


"Oh, you could never do that, Your Highness." Prince Danek found Fahtmari's knowing smile excruciatingly annoying. He stomped his foot.  


"Yes, I certainly could. And I will." 


"No you won't. For we are friends, are we not? And it would break all rules of friendship for someone, even a prince, to send a good and loyal friend to the dungeons."  


Prince Danek blinked, and then suddenly smiled. Perfect. This was what he had been going for all along. Fahtmari backed away warily; she had learned long ago to be afraid of times when the prince smiled like that. A person who smiled like that never had good things in his mind. 


"So we are friends, then?" 


"I believe I just said that, Your Highness." 


"Then why don't you call me Dan? Why the formality?"


"I'm sorry Your High - Dan. I guess being away from your court for so long has taught me some manners." 


Prince Danek raised an eyebrow. "Is my court so unruly that you had to be gone so long? I missed your company greatly."


Fahtmari allowed herself to smile. The prince had his moments, like everyone else. He only had to be given a chance to express himself. "Thank you, Dan. I missed you, too." 


Prince Danek looked around the library excitedly, checking to make sure no one was nearby. And then he cornered an unsuspecting Fahtmari up against one of the shelves, tilted his head to one side and grinned. "Then come with me to the annual Midnight Dance, won't you? All the great nobility will be present, and of course, I will host it."


Fahtmari frowned and pushed the prince away from herself. To hell with that chance. He didn't deserve anything. Prince Danek with his one great flaw thought that her silence meant she was too shy to say yes and his heart surged with happiness. He was too much of a kingly dolt to see her frown, or take note of the fact that she had just pushed him away from her. 


"Great!" he cried. "I'll seek out the best seamstresses and bring them here to the palace so that you may have your dress designed and made to your liking. I assume that's fair?" 


Fahtmari rolled her eyes. He just did not get it. And probably never would. "Dan," she said, "get this into your head. I am not going to the dance, and especially not with you."   

Types of supposed extrasensory perception . . . just in case you were interested to know if you may or may not possess any of these awesomely freaky mind powers

Here they are: 


Bilocation - the state of being or the ability to be in two places at the same time
Clairaudience - the power to hear sounds said to exist beyond the reach of ordinary experiences of capacity, as the voices of the dead
Clairvoyance - the power of seeing objects or actions removed in space or time from natural viewing
Precognition - knowledge of a future event or situation, e.g. through extrasensory means
Psychokinesis/Telekinesis - the purported ability to move or deform inanimate objects, as metal spoons, through mental processes
Psychomancy - occult communication between souls or with spirits
Pyrokinesis - the ability to set objects or people on fire through the concentration of psychic power
Retrocognition - being or pertaining to memory or extrasensory perception of past events
Telepathy - communication between minds by some means other than sensory perception  
Premonition (this is the most common and widely acknowledged to be present in most people) - having a feeling about the future

My prom story.....sorry to keep y'all waiting

Sorry, but I'm not telling you guys my prom story just yet because, okay, frankly, I'm being lazy. I'm too lazy to type out all of that whole entire thing. So until I get over my stupid laziness, you will have to wait. Hey, I'm only human, all right? 

Wandering thoughts

Some of my friends and I were discussing true love as a theme today in some famous literary works; for example, Shakespeare's beloved Romeo and Juliet - and wondering whether such a thing as true love really exists in this world or not. 

Being an utterly hopeless romantic, I'd love to believe that such a thing as powerful and binding as true love is out there in the world, though difficult it may be to find, but modern-day realism unfortunately cuts in sometimes to shatter my blissful fantasies. With my young years, I have no idea what true love really is so obviously I wonder often: does it truly exist? Can there be such a thing that unites two hearts and souls completely, and makes a person half of the other, and only together they are one? Can a person love another so deeply and permanently that he or she would be willing to make sacrifices for the significant other? I come from a country with a culture of "arranged" marriages (and I put that in quotes because except for in some of the truly rural villages, they're not really arranged anymore, but the parents or the girl seek out a boy they like, the two families meet and voila the wedding bells soon ring). But notice I said like not love. Sure, a married couple can live happily together and be compatible and have children and grow old together, but do they truly and wholeheartedly love each other? Now, of course I'm not speaking for everyone, but there are some married couples out there who appreciate each other, like each other, know each other well as friends, but do they truly love each other?  And I mean love in the sense of the intense, passionate, and so-over-the-top-it-fills-your-mind-with-nothing-else kind of love. In simpler words, the fairy tale kind. 

So what do you guys think? Is there such a thing? And if so, then how do you know when you've found The One?

I didn't mean to get too deep into this, but I've been wondering now for a few days after that discussion with my friends (I swear it was solely related to American literature) so I just had to get it out of my system. And especially since the divorce rates are so high nowadays. According to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, 50% of first marriages end up in divorce. As a Muslim, we believe God's words when He said in the Qur'an (our holy text) that He has made us out of the rib of our partner (although this is not able to be genetically tested, and whoever that partner shall be will be the one a person is destined for. So what if a couple marries because they thought they loved each other, only a few years later find they couldn't get along and divorced? Did they think it was love at first, only to find out later on that it wasn't? But if it was real true love, then it would've lasted, wouldn't it? And does it also mean then that that couple wasn't meant for each other, according to the holy verses?