Followers

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Survey I Stumbled Upon (:

Name: Maddie/Madison

Age: 19

Location: Northern Nevada, USA

Background: Ethnically? I don't know much about my heritage, but I know I have some English, Irish, Greek, Finnish, and I think Dutch. I'm typical American: big giant mutt.

Spouse (if so, name and background):

How long have you been married?

Kids? I wish.

Are you a revert? Yep!

Have you been to Hajj or Umrah? Not yet.

How many masaajid have you been to? Just the local one. . . I don't get out much.

Have you ever been involved with a masjid? I signed up for the youth council but never heard anything since. :/

Who are some of your favorite lectures by? Don't have any right now, but I'd love recommendations!

Who are some of your favorite recitors? See above (: My Arabic teacher had a beautiful recitation playing once before class. I forgot who did it. ):

Some of your favorite Islamic books? Recommendations, please?

Describe your most memorable Eid: The only Eid where I did anything was last Eid Ul-fitr. I ate and played in a blowup castle, like all eighteen year olds.

When did you first start fasting? Umm, the day after converting. It was Ramadan, so.

When did you start hijab? I haven't yet.

What's your usual outift like when you go out? Long shirt with baggy pants, shirt and long skirt, long dress with a jacket. It depends on my mood.

What do you like about blogging? I can't explain it, but I really just love reading blogs.

Describe your first feelings wearing hijab
Very self-conscious. I was also very paranoid that a family member would see me and explode.

How do you pin your hijab? I like the typical rectangular scarf, or the square with one tail behind the head and one tail at the shoulder. . . Like how they do it in southeast Asia, I think?

What was on the last prayer mat you made salah on? A masjid. If it's an important one I should know of, I feel dumb.


What's your ideal iftar?
I don't like dates, so I usually try to break my fast with something else sweet and chewy like skittles, and water. Then I eat whatever I have lying around for my meal.

What type of adhaan really gets to you? The Makkan one.

What's something that annoys you at Jummah: All the people who walk in late, or the women who put their hijab on while sitting in the prayer hall. Huh?

What was the last surah you read? (not recited in salah) The Calf. Behiiind. I'm trying to pronounce it in Arabic, so it's slow going.

Do you dry yourself after wudu? That depends on if I'm going to roll my sleeves back down immediately, whether it's cold or hot, etc.

Do you brush your teeth for fajr salah? Not generally, unless I'm fasting.

Whats the last Islamic thing you've been involved with? I don't know.

What was the last convention you went to? I haven't been yet. ):

Have you ever been part of an Islamic matrimonial site? Yes, and I found a guy there that sounds like my soul mate LOL, but I forgot which site it was and I don't know if he ever responded to my contact request. ):
Seriously, the dude was a revert from the bay area of Northern California. He's a year older than me and is majoring in linguistics with hopes of traveling and teaching English abroad. Sigh.

What color is the rug in the masjid you usually attend? Uhhh, greenish?

Is the masjid you usually attend separated? Sort of. We don't have a separate room, but we do sit/pray behind the men, in a little enclave.

Have you ever stood in a minbar? No.

Have you ever washed a dead body before? No.

What's the last thing you ate in the masjid? I forget.

Where's the strangest place you've seen a Muslim working? A non-halal pizza parlor. Although I didn't so much see it as I did live it. Do live it. I can't find another job yet, sadly. ): Hoping to.

Have you ever posted a flier in the masjid? No.

Rate your masjid's bathroom: It's. . . okay?

Have you ever used a bidet for istinja?: No, but that sounds so convenient! Actually, I want a fancy Japanese toilet.

What's the weirdest thing that happened to you in salah? I can't think of anything.

Isn't it annoying when the imam tells everyone to shut off their cell phones and someone's phone rings in the middle of salah? YES.

What's some of the best halal food you've had (from a non Muslim country)? . . . Pineapple and olive pizza from Round Table? I just had some today, hehe. There are no halal restaurants in my area.

What was it like when you found out skittles were haram? I was sad, then I looked on the counters a week or two later and found out that Mars had recently made a transition into gelatin-free Skittles. I was happpyyy. (: It was like I was missing the candy for my whole life, not for a week LOL. Some sizes still have gelatin, though I haven't seen a normal-size bag with gelatin in like a year. I think the only sizes at risk are the big bags at the gas stations and stuff. Even the mini-sizes sold for Halloween are vegetarian!

What's something haram that you think most people don't know? Talking. When. The. Imam. Is. PREACHING.

What's the craziest hijabi fashion you've seen? A cap-sleeve T-shirt and cargo capris. . . With a beanie. ):

What did you like about this survey?? Good way to spend your early morning?

Friday, March 19, 2010

Lazy


Things I need to do:
laundry
exercise
an essay on a book I haven't even finished yet FML

Things I am doing:
nothing
also, Pokemon Soul Silver.

Old Navy Set!




Every single item on here was ripped from OldNavy.com. I looove that store! The dress is actually pretty long if you have a short figure, but they have petite sizes online. (: I think below-the-knee is awkward over pants, so if I bought this, I would definitely buy it so it fit a bit above the knee, hehe.

I went shopping there yesterday and bought a tunic that I can't find online and some jeans that were on clearance. All the wide-leg khakis were full price, and the cargos were full price at 35$. Sadness. I need some lightweight cargos. . . I have cargo shorts and capris, but I obviously can't wear those out anymore.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

One Dress, Two Ways

I honestly don't change my outside wear into inside wear very often, and if I do. . . PJs. Sometimes, however, I just take off my undershirt and replace my pants with comfy leggings. It makes for comfy loungewear without looking too sloppy! I like looking nice sometimes, despite the fact only one person can ever see me at home, and she rarely does. Haha.




These leggings look cool. . . They're like leggings and a slip all in one! Awesome, right? I totally want a pair.

You'll notice I use Old Navy a lot in my sets. Why? Because they're awesome! Most of my undershirts are from there, plus my wide-legged pants and the occasional jacket or dress. Loooooove them!

New Blog

Food Diary!!!

I'm way behind on the trend, heh heh. :D I can understand if no one reads this. I just think keeping something like this public will motivate me more, you know? Toodles.

Hilarious, mashaAllah!

I'm worried that if I keep posting so much, I'll soon run out of ideas!
Anyway, I LOVE this video:



I was laughing pretty early on, and as I saw the words "Witr Without You," the sound on my computer decided to die completely. Ironic, I suppose. I freaked out and watched it on my laptop. . . I might be a bit biased, but I think Witr Without You was the funniest ahahhahaa. :D

I'm Not Afraid to Show My Face!

A sister posted an interesting post about photos online. Nobody here knows my full name or where I specifically live (the city I list is the greater metropolitan area. . . the "Reno area" consists of two towns and various "census designated places." I have lived in two towns and one "census designated place," but I won't go blabbing my specific location in a big public setting. And interesting fact: I am in my fourth home in the area, and I've lived here for less than three years. Mmmm.)

I honestly don't fear people making me into porn or whatever. If they do, then they are being sick and creepy (what the hell, THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ME), and that's their business. It is in no way my fault.

The only reason why you don't see a lot of my face on this blog is because I have recently puffed up like a campfire marshmallow, and I'm feeling very self-conscious.

SO, I'm going to post my photos from SEPTEMBER and DECEMBER. I wasn't as fat then.

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My scarf got really loose after jumping around in a bouncy castle. If only I was joking.

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I was very proud of this outfit. (: The skirt and top were both black and I wore a white undershirt, plus blue shoes which matched the bandana. Eeee.

You'll notice I am wearing hijab. I will be an "internet hijabi" until further notice. While I am not yet comfortable with hijab, I do plan to wear it someday, insha Allah. I definitely believe in it. :B

Friday, March 12, 2010

Israel/Palestine


LOLLLL, making up for lost time by spamming your feeds. :D

I've always been put off by the Israel/Palestine issue. I feel bad for those dying on both sides, and I find it hard to choose sides. I know as a Muslim, I should support Palestine, and I guess I do. . . But the way I see it, there IS no wrong or right in war. Both sides attack and are attacked. There is no such thing as an innocent side in a war.

I of course know why Muslims feel that Palestine is best, and Israel is being evil. I do. And I have spoken to non-Muslims WHO AGREE THAT WHAT ISRAEL DID WAS WRONG. I was actually talking about it to my (non-Muslim) room mate once, and she said, "Well, it's very messed up that they took the land because of some treaty agreement that the landowners weren't involved in, and then kicked everyone out of their rightful homes" or something like that. I was pretty baffled. I had never met a non-Muslim who didn't support zionism 100%, honestly.
And she wasn't even agreeing with me, either. She said that all on her own, after I stated that I didn't know what to make of the situation.

So yes. I think what happened was messed up. . . But I also think the propaganda featured on Palestinian TV (CHILDREN SHOWS, EVEN) is really messed up. And I'm really sick of Muslims using this as an excuse to hate Israelis and even Jews in other lands. What if everyone hated every American, because of our obsession with imposing our ideals on other people? What if everyone hated all white people with ancestors involved in colonization?

Jewish people are people of the book, and they are to be respected as such. I wish more Muslims could realize this.

Prayers Today

A brother recently passed on, so we held his janaza prayers immediately after the jummah prayers. It was my second funeral ever, and my first Muslim funeral. The steps of the prayer were described briefly (and quickly) before we prayed, and I KNOW I didn't do it right. So I just followed the actions and made a bunch of du'a, since I didn't know what else to do.

The sniffing and the tear-stained faces broke my heart. I didn't know the brother, but he apparently did a LOT of good for the Northern Nevada Muslim community, and he was a decent man all around. I wanted to cry, despite never meeting him, because the despair of those around me just broke my heart.

On the way out, I actually saw people I know go to the masjid, but I just have never seen. . . Like my Arabic teacher, and a barista at the campus Starbucks. (: That was kinda neat.

This is Becoming a Styless Fashion Blog

One bandana, two ways:



As an underscarf. . . If the shark worries you, I would fold it in so it's not on display. I think it's about intention, and I love the bandana for the umbrellas, honestly! So cute. (:

As a bandana for in-house wear:



I know my at-home wear is really kinda blah, but that's the kind of clothing I like, and I doubt I'm the only one in existence. .. SOMEONE ought to like it, right? Anyway, I love sweatbands. I loooove whipping them out in the summer time when I'm wearing short sleeves at home. . . And my feet are ALWAYS COLD, so here are some cute slippers, hehe.
Be sure to change out of the Hello Kitty top before prayer. :B

Off to jummah prayers! Bye!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Seperate Post for this Bad Boy




Inspired by my favorite Pokemon Dragonair, because HeartGold and SoulSilver are coming out soon! :D :D :D

I am such a geek.

Also, I love denim. I find it hard to live without denim. I often wear jeans with a jean jacket and find myself asking, "Did I fall out of the denim tree?" If there is a denim tree, I want to live in there, squirrel style.

Another One + Inside Wear :D




Coloorrrsss.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Lulz

From never posting to posting always.

I'm looking at photos from when I last went to Walt Disney World. . . We got hit by a tropical storm, but I was actually thankful for that: we got plain rain and wind instead of the typical Florida weather! I fear thunderstorms big time, so.

Besides the obvious fun, I was really interested in Islam at this time (it was about a month and a half before I finally converted), and there were quite a few Muslim families! I got excited every time I saw one, hehe! My parents thought I was such a weirdo, but I guess they understand what it was now, hahahaha.

I was also MUCH thinner than I am now. Like, twenty pounds? I'm going to try to lose weight again, insha Allah. Any tips for someone who lives on her own and eats ramen, and who eats pizza because of her horrible job? With a huge sweet tooth? Who am I kidding? I'm screwed, haha.

I want to post photos, but I'm wearing bermuda shorts or capris with short sleeves in every single photo. . . Soooo. That's a lot to edit out, ghetto-style.


Fairly covered? In transparent material? I really look hideous here, hahaha. The boy is my then 11, now 13 year old half-brother. (: The baby I keep posting about is his full-blooded sibling. I don't have any of those.

LOLZ.

I hope no one minds me posting pictures of him here. I haven't even posted which state he lives in, haha. :D If it's an issue, I'll delete it. . .

More of David!


This is what he looked like when I last saw him, almost five months ago (OMG ;_;). He was so skinny then!!! Anyway, this was right after his first laugh (which was all my doing (;). That's my hand. Omgz.

I have pictures WITH him, but they have short sleeves. .. And there's one where you can only see my head. . . I don't wear hijab right now, but in case I start to in the future, I'm holding off on putting pictures of me bare-headed in such a public setting. :B I do feel I'll wear hijab one day, so. . .

Another Outfit



This one featuring a cute checked shirt-dress and a Hello Kitty purse from Hot Topic. (: Something I would wear (I actually have an outfit that is very similar).

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Lulz, my version. Obviously blacked out arms and neck ftw! I generally wear this top with black flats and a headband with white Mickey head silhouettes. I'm just that hip.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Baby David :♥


My baby brother is cuter than any other baby ever.
That is all. (:

OMGGG POSTING

Sorry for being so dead, chicas! I've been so slammed. I've been working 30+ hours a week, on top of the equivalent of 18 credits in school (though four of those are just put in there to show you the workload: the Arabic class at my university is not for credit). I really do want to be active in this blog, and keep with the new theme I decided on, but I just don't have the time! Also, my camera is missing its memory card adapter, and my phone is no longer responding to chargers, but that's another issue entirely.

I'm going to post today about FASHION!

I absolutely love "boyfriend" style clothing. It's loose and long, perfect for a modest woman. And the best part is, boyfriend style clothing isn't frilly! I'm really into the tomboy chic style, and I get sick of wearing flowery lacy dresses over my pants, or a T-shirt with a long peasant skirt. It was fun for a while, but it's really not me. I can only handle so much frill before I want to rip my hair out.

I really wish I had some jeans, a blazer, a camp shirt, etc. . . I love the tomboyish clothing with a feminine edge. I do have a sweater right now, though, and I LOVE it!

My outfit today looks something like this:


(: I'm wearing the pashmina around my neck for a) warmth b) protection from the loose sweater falling off my shoulders, but if you're at the right stage, it could also work for a hijab! I'd suggest a navy underscarf, if that was your goal.

Haha, that was fun. But don't expect this to turn into a fashion blog, you hear?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

New Idea?

I'm thinking about making this one of those silly blogs with a lot of photos and stuff, that is pretty much about the random things in life. I need to find an adapter for my camera's memory card, of course, but. . . :D

Totally serious and mature is not my thing. I want to update this often, and not monthly.

"Breathe" // U2

16th of June, nine-oh-five, door bell rings
Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer
There's a few things I need you to know
Three

Coming from a long line of
Traveling sales people on my mother's side
I wasn't gonna buy just anyone's cockatoo
So why would I invite a complete stranger into my home
Would you

These days are better than that
These days are better than that

Every day I die again, and again I'm reborn
Every day I have to find the courage
To walk out into the street
With arms out
Got a love you can't defeat
Neither down nor out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now

16th of June, Chinese stocks are going up
And I'm coming down with some new Asian virus
Ju Ju man, Ju Ju man
Doc says you're fine, or dying
Please
Nine-oh-nine, St. John Divine on the line, my pulse is fine
But I'm running down the road like loose electricity
While the band in my head plays a striptease

The roar that lies on the other side of silence
The forest fire that is fear so deny it

Walk out into the street
Sing your heart out
The people we meet
Will not be drowned out
There's nothing you have that I need
I can breathe
Breathe now
Yeah, yeah

We are people borne of sound
The songs are in our eyes
Gonna wear them like a crown

Walk out, into the sunburst street
Sing your heart out, sing my heart out
I've found grace inside a sound
I found grace, it's all that I found

And I can breathe
Breathe now

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Dead Blog?

I realized my blog is dead because I tried to make it all about my Muslim life, and after the drama settled down, there wasn't much left to write about. So, I'm branching out. I'm going to write about other things, too. Some of these things might piss people off for being ~sinful~, but that's what I choose to write about. As I've said in earlier posts, I really haven't been myself on this blog, and I'm starting to feel stifled. And soooo.

I haven't been wearing hijab since the new year/decade, as I previously would have liked. Oops? I just don't feel ready yet. I might someday.

I love music. I'm in a musical mood right now. I personally don't think all kinds of music are haraam, but I know a lot of scholars feel it is. If it is a sin, it doesn't seem to be a very major one. It's mentioned in one hadith and mainly in passing, if I remember right? It's grouped together with things which are covered elsewhere and explained in detail, but music doesn't get a big explanation. I could be wrong about this.

Even so, blah. It's not something I'm ready to give up now, in the near future, or even ever. It's hard. I don't know what the future brings. Maybe someday, yes, I will be all about the no-music lifestyle. I just don't see it happening yet.

My favorite band of all time is U2. (: That's frowned upon by people anyway, because people think they sound stupid and are overplayed and all the songs are the same, etc. Ha. I don't really care! They're my favorite band and have been for five years. I saw them live late last October in Las Vegas. That was aaaawesome. I have tickets to see them again in June with my cousin. I'm trying to study abroad, though, so it might not work out. I'm pretty sure the free-ish Taiwan program is in the summer, and probably includes mid-June. :/

I would of course choose STUDYING ABROAD over CONCERT IN THE SAME TOUR I ALREADY SAW A CONCERT IN, but um. . . I'd just feel bad about having to flake out on my cousin, you know? Eh.

So in conclusion, I don't have Islamic things to post about and my favorite band is U2.

Oh! I bought an awesome book yesterday: The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way by Bill Bryson. It's a fun read. -nerd-