The Start of Spring

Salaam.

Spring is the start, innit?  Flowers blossom.  Trees bloom.  The whispers of new beginnings around me have made me decide to rekindle some of my old flames.  My stage?  Pinterest!  As usual, I'm late to the party.  But I'm glad I came.  It started out with a Pinboard of fitness-related motivational quotes, suggested by Climbing.  I'm doing a terrible job with my cardio (although I've definitely gained muscle)!!  Anyway.  After finding incredible inspiration from Pinterest, I'm bringing back my creative side.  That's right, folks!  DIY PROJECTS YAY!!

I've made a couple of jewelry items so far, but have so many pins and bookmarks saved for future to-dos.  I do have to say, though, that my favorite item so far is my new jewelry board!  It's made to match my navy-blue-and-spiced-butternut-colored room (like the first board I made).  I used fabric store ribbon, simple brass hooks from Lowes and a framed corkboard from Michael's.  I absolutely LOVE that I can hang all my long, hijab-friendly necklaces on there, and not only do they stay untangled, it almost looks like art!  There are extra hooks for bracelets (most of which are also handmade), and forthcoming are hooks for earrings.  I haven't figured out whether I need something for rings a shown on other boards, but it's a great start, no?  Oh and that top right corner is being saved for a wire monogram!

Keep reading; there's more after the pics!

Call me dorky, but I lovelovelovelove it when things match!

Newly made ring and dangle-y earrings.

My job search as Alhamdulillah ended for now.  I've accepted a 6-month contract position at the amazing Millipore!  Hooray!!  I start Monday.  Let me tell you one thing?  They didn't even ask for references.  Suck on that, BMF.  I saw something online that explains how I feel about all that now.  Moving onto school.  Based off requirements at MCPHS, I'm trying to take Expository Writing, US History, and Intro to Psych over the summer and following semesters.  I just registered for a couple of Information Sessions.  It's going to be a hard road, but I'm incredibly excited.

Which brings us to something that's been on my mind as of late: racism.  It's not really a soap box speech, but here we are nonetheless.  Trayvon Martin's shooter was recently released on bail, even after being charged with 2nd degree murder, and I'm very surprised.  I don't know to much about the evidence in the case, but I don't think that, with the national outcry, such little could be done.  The man is under suspicion of murdering a minor.  You don't just let that guy pay his way out of jail, even if it's to await trial.

I'm not naive.  I'm a Muslim woman in America.  Sure, I live in the Northeast in one of the nation's most liberal and tolerant cities, but I've been the recipient of the occasional odd look or insult mumbled under one's breath.  It's not right, but this stuff happens.  I'm a big girl; I don't let it faze me.  But the thing that's really bugging me is Wellesley College , my alma mater.  I was there last week and I was told that students were unofficially boycotting the bookstore.  Why?  Because the owner, a middle aged Caucasian man, has called a Black student "suspicious."  She was in the store with her hoodie up.  It's literally the same situation, down to the words Trayvon's killer used in Florida.  It is appalling news.  We were taught to pride ourselves on being tolerant and politically correct.  I've shopped at that bookstore.  I honestly can't say that I've felt completely comfortable while there, but nothing overtly sketchy ever happened.  The owner allegedly followed the girl and her friend around the store to keep an eye on them.  That's so ridiculous!  Yes, I know I am only ranting.  I just can't believe that the place I'm so proud to be from had an episode I'm completely disgusted with.  After preaching and preaching about tolerance.

My next installment is going to be soon, I promise.  ( :

xoxo

And Off We Go!!

Salaam.

Two thousand and twelve.  And it's already February!  Crazy, right?  I have these faded memories of October 1990.  A baby brother being born, my mom staying in the hospital overnight.  And now it's just over twenty one years later and that tiny little baby with the giant head is graduating college in four months, inshaAllah.  And he's kickin' ass and takin' names.  He doesn't know exactly how proud of him I am, but I hope he knows in his heart that I am.

I have a LONG overdue shout out to this amazing lady for her delicious peanut butter blossoms earlier this year (although I'm not she knows she gave me some!).  I have added them to my growing list of things I want to bake.  Here are some of the treats I've made (and not posted):

Slice of TURTLE CHEESECAKE (recipe below)

NY style cheesecake decorated with kiwi, strawberries, and mango!

OREO-STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, from my girl at Savory Edibles.

After all that delicious food-stuffs, let me say that the gym is.....well, it's going.  I'm still going, and I even got myself a trainer.  My biggest problem, as it is with lazy people, is self-motivation.  So Rich is kicking my (soon-to-be-muscular-and-toned!) behind with the weight machines, and it's on me to do cardio regularly.  Today, my legs refuse to cooperate with me.  I'm pretty sure my jeans are a tiny bit loose, but I don't want to jinx anything.  

I never thought I'd say this, even though everyone I know said it.  I want to go back to school.  I've enrolled in an Immunology course at the graduate level, partly because it's interesting and partly because for fun.  So far, I haven't been disappointed.  Class actually energizes me, even though it ends at 7:30pm!  I've found that learning about the complement pathways and how they play their parts in an innate immune response fascinates me.  Damn, right.  I am a nerd.

To end on a sappy note: I had an amazing Valentine's Day.  Last year, the date marked eight wonderful months together.  This year, one year stronger, we celebrated.  An early dinner at Legal Sea Foods and then time spent in each others' arms.  আমি ওকে অনেক ভালবাসি. 

The promised recipe:

- 2 cups crumbled chocolate graham crackers

- 6 tbsp melted margarine

- 14oz caramels

- 50z can evap. milk

- 1 cup chopped pecans (can be toasted)

- 16oz cream cheese, softened (2 pkg)

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1tsp vanilla (I always add extra!)

- 2 large eggs

- 1/2 cup special dark chocolate chips

1. Combine crumbs and margarine well, and press into the bottom of a 9-in spring-form pan.  Bake at 350 for 10min.
2. In a saucepan, melt caramels with milk over low heat until smooth.  Pour over crust.
3. Top with chopped pecans.  Refrigerate for 20min.
4. Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well-blended.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
6. Pour mixture over pecans.  Bake at 350 for 40min.
7. Loosen spring-form.  Allow to cool for 15min before removing.
8. Top as you please!  I drizzled (heavily) caramel and chocolate, and added more pecans!

xoxo

Prime-Numbered Months

Salaam.

BMF is fast becoming intolerable.  I mean, I dealt with, if poorly, the working conditions of myself and my coworker.  But it got even worse.  My bosses made a rude accusation of lateness with no basis because they didn't bother to look into it.  And when I told them they were incorrect about my tardiness, they didn't apologize; worse, they tried to explain to me why I was overreacting.  I refuse to work for people who can't admit and apologize when they are wrong, rude, and offensive.  Their managerial skills have gotten from bad to worse to unbearable.
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Salaam.

I wrote the above portion in November.  Since then, things have changed.  My coworker was let go, due to her "working style not meshing" with their "management style."  What management style?!  And the worst thing is, in the last two weeks, their behavior towards me has changed drastically.  Suddenly I'm getting compliments and encourage on and with my work, instead of snide remarks.  Suddenly being late once in a while is not a problem.  Suddenly I am appreciated.  And you know what?  It's nice.  But it's crap.  I don't think it's right that they made that huge change and then seem to act like nothing has happened.  I have to get out.

I had an interview at the beginning of the month.  I think I mentioned it?  Anyway, the job is in the smallest US state, and inshaAllah I'll hear from them tomorrow or Wednesday.  I hope it's good news.  I have the perfect present to celebrate!  ...Or to console myself.  I just bought a new blue patent leather wallet from Cole Haan.  It's amazing.  I've been lusting after it for months and it went on sale, yay!

So in honor of the final wedding of the year, I started going to the gym.  Kind of regularly, even.  Two to four times a week.  Shush, it's a start.  Anyway!  No loss in numbers yet, but I'm just going to say it's a slow start.  ( :  So some of the brownies and I leave this Thursday for Atlanta!  The mendhi is that night and I don't know if we'll make it.  I still have to pack, but I think I can manage to finish by then, haha!

On to the important things.  The fourteenth of December marked sixteen months together, making January month number seventeen.  While we have stopped celebrating every month since one year, we thought it would be fun and quirky to have a little commemoration on the prime-numbered months, as a dedication to us and our supreme nerdiness.  I'm not talking about fancy dinners or presents, but just a little extra time for ourselves, and maybe a nice date night!  I love that he and I are as sappy as we are together.

Tonight's topic is patience.  Sabr.  Something that struggle with.  I'm a bit of a diva, and I can have a short-temper.  Not only is it quickly becoming a bad habit to be angry, it is starting to cause problems.  I have managed to make my dearest Char feel under-appreciated.  I know.  Him!  The perfect gentleman who loves me with me his whole heart.  This past weekend, he drove six hours to spend time with me, and because I hadn't heard from him that day I was angry.  The truth is, he spent much of earlier in his day with his friends.  I knew he was busy, and I was only angry because I thought he would have let me know that he was setting off from where he was and if he hadn't it meant he lost track of time.  I called a couple of times and he didn't pick up.  I figured he was still with his friends, because he doesn't usually pick up when he's with people.  I thought he forgot.  I felt justified.  Still, knowing now how hurt he was, I feel terrible.  I could have just asked what happened.  I could have just said that I was scared he forgot.  We would have talked things over, as we eventually did, and it would have been fine.  But instead I caused an unnecessary drama.  One thing I'm slowly (slowly, slowly) learning is that I have to control my anger and frustration because sometimes it isn't justified, even if I feel that it is.  I have to learn to stay calm and have patience.  I am very lucky; I have someone who understands this fault of mine and is very patient himself.  He guides me and helps me understand, and for that I thank him and Him, subhanAllah.  But the thing to realize is that not acknowledging this problem, and worse, not working to change, is what is going to cause the real damage.  The man in my life, is extraordinary.  Not everyone's partner is like that.  But whether or not s/he is, once you've gotten over the hump and changed for the better, that person isn't going to remember the past.  If you don't, your partner can never forget.

xoxo

First of Many, inshaAllah

Salaam.

Again, it's been too long.  My apologies.  I think I find it hard to regard the thought that someone might read this, seriously.  C'est la vie.  This time I'm putting update reminders in my planner, so that at least I remember that I want to update weekly.  Baby steps, right?  Right.

So let's have some updates, shall we?

Our month, but actually less, apart was terrifying, heart-wrenching and over nearly as soon as it started.  Alhamdulillah, I am not on a break with my dearest, and we are stronger, together, now.

I made one random fabulous meal in the last four months.  Okay so really it was a single pasta dish.  Whole wheat penne topped with lemon-garlic shrimp and aspargus.  This was my second time making it, and the improvement shows, believe me!

I'm still working at BMF, though not for lack of trying.  I've only had one interview so far.  The only place that has actually gotten back to me.  But!  I could be trying harder, so IA I', starting to be more proactive.  On that note, I hope to take the GREs soon, (any and all advice is welcome!) and will be enrolled in a class in the coming Spring semester.  I'm pretty excited about the class!

Oh, BMF.  Really, really really a terrible place to work, it turns out.  KD and I help each other along, though I fear she will soon find greener pastures, and I will be left to fend for myself.  If that happens, I've decided that I need to go in earlier a few days a week and have breakfast at home (with Char) the other couple of days.  Then, I can leave early or take lunch with Char as I please.

And so we are brought to the matrimonial segment of our program.  Apart from the Chicago wedding, five of my friends got married this summer.  Two girls I've known since childhood, one of my Wellesley little sisters, my adopted Wellesley little brother, and my dear friend AJ, from W, who met her now wife while we were in school.  They had a simple and beautiful ceremony on the Cape, during which I and our third musketeer, SL, recited from our respective Book.  The reception following was amazing.  There were W women I hadn't seen in ages, and of course the brides looked stunning.  Char came with me, and I think we were the second happiest couple there.  Not to mention the only brownies and only Muslims.  We got a lot of thank-you-for-comings and your-recitation-was-beautifuls.  Basically, a bunch of oldies from the Cape trying to show their open-mindedness.  It was cute.  Then there were the random people taking our photo, from posed to candid. That was a bit weird.  Anyway.  There was the engagement party in Long Island for my friend Tulip.  This past weekend, my girl Tina and her Irishman had their wedding reception in Beantown (this was one of the weddings in Bangladesh!).  Later this month, my good friend Tmoney is having her engagement party, though her betrothal was announced at the end of Ramadan.  And finally!  Pri, down in the ATL.  Her papers are signed but the big shindig is over the New Years break.  A big finale to a year with a ridiculous number of nuptials attended.

And just for fun, a funky cat with THUMBS!

xoxo