My First Blog Post! :D

I finally took the initiative and made a blog. I was supposed to have created one prior to my departure for Turkey in August 2007. My friends and I agreed it would be most suitable to stay in touch by reading each other’s blogs. I agreed wholeheartedly, but obviously this is my first post lol. Lets just say that the beginning of 2009 is the beginning of many things. This blog, like the title suggests, will be about anything and everything. So some posts will be profound and others will be frivolous :D. Although I have been back from Turkey for about seven months, it was an unforgettable experience that I will write about from time to time. I’ll also write about my interests, things I’ve been reading, and so on. Since it is the second day of 2009, I will dedicate this post to the New Year :D!

I have even made New Year’s Resolutions, something I’ve never done before. Supposedly, one must write one’s resolutions in order for them to be considered official.

1. Anger Management-LOL. Sounds funny, no? When I think of “Anger Management,” I think of a man who punches holes in the walls and screams at anyone for anything. Fortunately, I can’t punch holes in the wall, (I am not that strong lol) and I don’t scream at anyone. In fact, I don’t have the vocal capacity to scream. I think if you heard me scream, you would probably laugh. I am not violent, but I do have a temper sometimes. To put it quite simply, I gotta let go of the little things. A friend of mine, Allah bless her, sent me this lecture by Husain Abdul Sattar. http://www.halaltube.com/controlling-anger. It’s about 31 minutes in length, but it’s a 31 minutes worth spending if you also have issues with anger. Anger is an emotion that everyone experiences differently. Our patience level is also reflective of our capacity to express anger. If we practice more patience, many of the problems in our lives will disappear. I am not preaching to anyone, believe me, this is more for myself. However, I believe we can all help each other in these matters.

2. Lose Some Weight-Something quite obvious lol. I don’t want to dwell on this issue too much, but it is an important issue that might get addressed if I openly confront it. I put on the weight over the years due to an illness. I am thankful to Allah (God) for helping me through it. Now that I am a lot healthier, I can take control of this weight. I’ve been going to the gym regularly, walking more, and have been trying to eliminate bad foods. Portion control is also vital in weight loss. I eat less when I sit down and savor my meals than I would if I were eating in a hurry. Because of my busy schedule, I usually wouldn’t make time for a meal. I now realize the importance of sitting down and enjoying a meal. These efforts have paid off, and I am doing well. I have a way to go, but with patience and hard work, I hope to be successful. Please pray for my success in this endeavor. My God bless us all with good health.

3. Make More Time for Allah (SWT)-If you haven’t noticed, I am Muslim. Don’t mind the “Muslim slang” here and there ;). I would like to increase the amount of time I spend in worship, which means regular prayers and Qu’ran recitation.

4. Improve Relations with Family and Friends-Family and friends are very important to me. My mom said something the other day that I will never forget. She said that if God had willed it, human beings could have been born from trees, in a cabbage patch, or wherever lol. Instead, most babies are born after having been in the womb of their mothers for nine months. Pregnancy is not easy, either. We are born like this so that we may have compassion for each other and recognize familial relationships. I hope that my relationships with family and friends improve as I improve my patience as well. Everything connects! Friendship also provides love and companionship. I don’t think it’s possible to go through life without love and friendship.


5. Learn How to Listen More and Speak Less-If I listen more, I’ll probably learn more and not miss out on a lot. Also, a friend of mine once said, “Brevity is the soul of wisdom.” I think that’s how the quote goes. Anyway, sometimes people, like me, can talk and talk, but is what we say relevant? Talking less will also require patience and self-control ;)

6. Be More Organized-Life would be easier my room would be more organized. I find myself cleaning a lot, but five minutes later, my room seems to transform again. I think my problem is that I like keeping everything. The other day, I got rid of two boxes worth of stuff, and it felt like my room lost 30 pounds ;). I’ve heard that organization contributes to less stress.

7. Time Management-Nothing much to say, but the MSN and Facebook also gotta go! Ok, not go, but should be taken in moderation. I’ve been doing a better job lately. Lets hope it works, God willing! If I manage my time better, I can be doing more productive things. I also find this blog is a better use of my time than MSN. It’s a different form of expression where I can keep in touch with friends and learn new things.

I guess that’s it for now, kids. Inshallah (God willing), I hope to write regular posts. Please feel free to contact me, leave comments, post articles, advice, etc. I hope 2009 is a better year for the world. May we all be blessed with happiness, good health, success, and strong faith in God. I’ll leave you with this quote by Ben Franklin- “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”