quick post

Sorry I haven’t been blogging lately…I’ve been going through some stuff that I need to sort out.
I guess that has been going around a lot lately.

When things get better, i’ll be back.

Promise.

no new news just moody moaning me

Sia-Breathe Me

I haven’t really had much going on lately. I have started to blog a million times since my last one but I ended up deleting it because I really have no news. 

Umm Christine’s video chat thingy was a lot of fun. I got to show everyone how Jess and I are in public  I can’t wait for her next one. I met some new people….like Kristina and ece_nick (i still have no clue who he is :$). I would hold a chat but to be honest, I wouldn’t have anyone there…I just don’t know how to plan these things. (and I don’t have enough regulars).  I’m not complaining though. I like my little family

I’ve been a bit sad lately. I have no idea why….well maybe I do.  haha my taste in music doesn’t help ^^^^^^ check it out. 

I can’t wait for things to get back to normal and I am back in school and there are no more holidays looming. I can’t afford them anymore. I usually don’t do this but I have a couple New Year’s Resolutions. 1. Get better grades. I wasn’t as focused as I could have been. I’ve had a lot of drama so I didn’t really pay attention to the important stuff. 2. Eat healthier. Now I’m 5′11 and I weigh about 145. I’m pretty skinny. However, I can feel my arteries hardening because of all of the junk I’ve been eating. 3. Find a second job. My classes are really easy (because I actually take an interest in what I am learning) so an evening/weekend job would really help me along. 

I haven’t had a philosophical burst in a while which is a little unnerving. I feel a bit useless.

Does anyone have any idea of what I should be talking about? Any ideas? The teacher needs to make a new lesson plan but there is nothing lined up. Help

Did Christmas change, or just me?

All Fall Down-One Republic

For those of you who didn’t get the hilarity of the title, it’s from the song “where are you christmas”. Something has really been bugging me. People get mad when they say “OMG aren’t you excited about christmas???” and I say “umm no”. Christmas doesn’t have any meaning for me or anyone else for that matter. 

The other day, I was driving down Michigan Avenue, and I passed a strip club. I read the sign. It said “Christmas Party and Naked Girls”. Enough said. 

I hate christmas now. I use to like it, before I started to notice how commercial it became. If kids weren’t brats before christmas, get them what they are begging for and they will. Teach them what christmas is all about….presents, food, lights, and “holiday” sales.

I’m Muslim, so christmas doesn’t have the same meaning for me as it SHOULD for many people but I know when something becomes ridiculous. 

ok so now i get that trees are grown for the purpose of christmas, but we grow them just to destroy them? 

Now, I only started to notice how bad things were getting when I walked into my house yesterday and I heard my mom’s friend laughing and going on about how much fun she was having. I walked into the living room and saw this…..

I mean seriously, we haven’t had a tree in over 10 years. Now we have this thing in the middle of our ooblakin living room! What is that garbage on the table? oh and look at the windows….someone actually put fake frost stuff up. 

I’m so annoyed. 

Does anyone else get annoyed with how much christmas is changing?

I’m right, right? Wrong!

Brothers on a Hotel Bed-Death Cab for Cutie

Ok, first of all, sorry for the delay. I was kinda…..well….not in the mood to blog because 1. I have nothing going on and 2. I’m lazy.

Secondly, I got the BEST gift from Christine for Christmas/my bday. It’s a book entitled: “The Book of General Ignorance”. It’s filled with facts that we, as people, are wrong about. It’s perfect for me because I question EVERYTHING. My friends are starting to get annoyed :-/

That leads me to the main point of my blog. Recently a friend of mine posted a status on facebook that said “I think, therefore I am”. Now me, being the philosophy major decided to engage in some friendly discussion….

well today, someone decided to join in the LONG discussion and throw in religion. Now I’m pretty religious myself but they started to quote people and I suggested that they throw what other people said out the window and use logic to decide for themselves. They got angry and started to use mean words and what not. Well, I quickly ended the conversation with my smart-alec mouth and moved on. 

The point I want to make is you have to question EVERYTHING. If you don’t, you are going to be left doing what other people did, without knowledge of why you did or are doing it. In my Ethics class, our teacher told us a story….i managed to dig out a visual example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ02twfwumc

if you don’t question what you do, you could be doing something that is outdated, useless, aimless, or even horrible. If it is so right, then what is wrong with questioning? 

Well after my last blog, I don’t know if I should post more conversations but if you want me to, I will. 

Let me know what you think. What do you question? Do you think it’s wrong to question?

I’m warning you now, I will reply to whatever I think will make you THINK. Don’t get offended PLEASE!

crazy much???

All Right With Me-Billy Reid

First of, Jess is sooooooooo mean. I’ll let her tell you the evil story and her evil side of it.  :-)

Ok, sorry I haven’t blogged in a while but I’ve been super busy with school. Finals are here. woo :0(  I took two already and have two more to go. Ok so I did not want to blog about school…even though I should be studying right now!

Tomorrow (December 14th) is my birthday. I’m no longer a teenager. I’m going to be 20-freakin-years old. Yes, a part of me is excited but I can’t help but feel that I have done nothing with my time. Oh well….time well wasted

Anyway, I have a VERY interesting story that I kinda don’t know how to deal with. The best way I know how to tell it is like I did with the Chicago incident. 

Ok, a while ago, I went apple picking with these friends that I met through another friend. They are part of this group at my university which is basically uber religious. I didn’t care, because they are really nice people and they haven’t *directly* tried to convert me. Anywho, on this trip some other people went that I didn’t know. More specifically this guy who was about 50 or so. I came to learn that he lives not too far from me.

Well, around Thanksgiving I get a call from one of the friends that I know and I didn’t save her number because I forgot (i forget A LOT). She asked me if that guy (Scott) called and invited me to this dinner thingy that was going on. Well about 2 seconds later, I get a call from another number and it is Scott who is inviting me. Well I go, and later find out it is at a church. Who cares, it’s free food!

Well I should have saved that friend’s number. And I’ll tell you why. Last weekend I get a text message and this is how the short convo goes:

313-###-##53- hey Ali, lets have lunch

me (thinking it’s my friend)-sure, but it has to be later this week b/c i have finals

313-###-##53-oh of course. talk to you soon!

simple…right? oy

well on Wednesday I get another text:

313-###-##53-hey Al, how about lunch tomorrow?

Me: sure, I have work in the morning but get off early

313-###-##53-sweet. Let’s meet up on seven

me: 7? where is that

313-###-##53-seventh floor of the student center. There is a really cool cafe there

me: sounds like a plan! see you then!

On wednesday night, I was on facebook and saw that friend on so I said “I can’t wait for lunch!” This is how that convo went:

her-lunch? ok i had my finals already so when and where?

me-ummmm didn’t we already determine this?

her-parle vous anglais…?

me-wait, what is your sister’s number?

her-the same thing as mine but……..

me-umm what is scott’s?

her-oh its 313-###-##53

me (in my head)-HOLY SHOES!

The next day I was at work and i was telling the people that I work with the situation and one girl said “Scott C…? I know him. he got into a fight with my dad because he tried to convert us and all of our neighbors. be careful. he tries to be sweet and nice then he tells you that you are going to hell. Oh and he gets mad when people mention Christmas or Easter because he believes that the other Christians are wrong.”

I’m freaking out at this point. I have no idea what to do. Then I calm down and say “I know this is strange but he asked me out to lunch and I can’t jump to conclusions.”

I go to the student center and take the elevator up to the 7th floor and turn the corner. Then I see a sign that reads “CAFE ON 7″. I look in and there is Scott. 

I walk in and immediately look around there are like 7 or 8 people in their 70’s sitting with a group of Chinese students who can’t speak a word of english. I listen in on what they are saying and they are reading passages from the bible and telling them all about Catholicism. The students of course, have no idea what they are saying. 

Scott comes up to me and after the formalities, and food, he starts to talk about finding his purpose in life…blah blah blah…I zone out and look around the room. All I see are signs everywhere saying “come to Jesus”, “drink coffee with Jesus”, “Jesus is our Lord”, “I [heart] Jesus”….what did I get myself into?

Well after trying to avoid any religious talk, I say “Oh I have to get going”. Scott jumps up and says “Here. I wanted to give this to you.” he hands me a pamphlet and says “read it later”. I say “ok” and I start to walk out. As I am walking out, extremely happy that I am out of there Scott comes up behind me and says “hey what do you have planned for the break?” 

I say I don’t know yet and he suggests that we “start seeing each other more, and hang out”. Mind you, this guy is 50. I have a lot of older friends but I know them through work or something. This guy got my number from someone he knows. Weirdo? pretty much. 

Anyway I get home and read the pamphlet. It talks about “knowing” and the “truth” so I assume he gave it to me because of all of my philosophical questions. I go down to the bottom and see “embracethetruth.org”. I go on the site and WTFFF????? I’ll let the website speak for itself. 

I don’t know if I am offending anyone but I was EXTREMELY offended because he is using a “game plan” to convert me. Speaking about your beliefs causes me to listen, forcing them through deceit causes me to rebel. 

The website is nuts, in my opinion. 

I’m going to have a long talk with Scott.

To throw or not to throw

Pictures of You-The Last Goodnight

I’m sitting in class, waiting for it to start (ok so maybe I’m about 40 minutes early). Finals are 2 weeks away but a couple of my teachers decided to have them next week so we can get out early. YAY! Too bad my birthday is smack-dab in the middle. Yay me. Next Tuesday I have an Arabic final but I’m not worried because I studied like crazy already (and my professor grew up living next to my dad so they are best friends ;D). On Wednesday (last day of classes), I have a history “final”. It’s in “s because my professor said that it’s just going to be a test on the new material, nothing special. Monday is my Philosophy final. I’m kinda scared because it’s the only one that’s cumulative and there is A LOT to know. Finally, my Psych final is Tuesday. That gives me the heebie jeebies because it’s the difference between failing and not failing (mind you, failing is a B+).

Oh well, it could be worse. 

On the plus side, the people I work with are taking me ice skating for my birthday then we are going out for a city walk. 

This kid just walked in the room and turned on ALL the lights. Now it’s brighter in here than the surface of the sun. He does this every week (it’s a 1 day a week class) and every week the teacher walks in and turns them off and the guy huffs and puffs. Ok so maybe we do need SOME light but he refuses to meet in the middle so the teacher gets the final say (OFF!). The question right now is, do I throw something at the kid for complaining how he wants the lights off? Or no?  Kidding, of course.

 

I guess I should get this over with, while I still remember. Christine “tagged” me (haha not frozen!) to say 5 random facts about myself or whatever so here I go :

1. I own 7 of the 8 seasons of Will and Grace on DVD and I can quote any line from any episode.

2. I have a sweet tooth that can wrestle down a 500 lb sumo wrestler and it’s kickin’ in right now

3. I recorded my professor saying “HOLY S**T” in the middle of lecture

4. My dreams are so real that when I wake up, I’m exhausted again and need to sleep. Almost like, it was real life.

5. Some girl sitting next to me sneezed just now and I said “bless you” and she gave me a dirty look. Now, i’m confused.  :)

 

well, class is starting. Gotta run! Later

UPDATE: someone else just sneezed so I said “bless you” and he gave me a dirty look. What the oOblak is going on?????

Ima hoppin

Little Toy Gun-honeyhoney

ok so I just read Christine’s latest blog about how she told her manager/boss that she was quitting and I got inspired to share my “hoppin” story because ours were very similar but ended very differently.

I use to work retail and anyone who works retail knows that 5 minutes before closing time you have at least 10000 people walk in and spend an hour looking around. Well, the night I had to close wasn’t any different.

Now, I had planned on telling my manager that I was going to quit because I had already found another job and I started soon. (Rule number 1, if you need the job NEVER quit until you have the second one under your belt). Anyway, according to them, I was the best employee because I was the only one who did what I was suppose to and I was the only one who did extra. 

Back to the story…I was not a manager or the assistant manager so I didn’t have a key to any of the stuff in lock-up or in the glass cases. My department manager and her assistant ALWAYS leave 4 hours early and leave us to fend for ourselves in the terrifying jungle of retail. We have store managers but to call them over for the key was like asking them to give up a kidney. That night we ended up with a line that wrapped around the store, 5 minutes before close, and only 2 employees in my department. We were running from left to right trying to help everyone but it was impossible to keep everyone happy. 

After everyone left, we were left feeling exhausted, disgusted, and incompetent because of the immense amount of scolding from the angry customers who thought they should have priority because they have shopped there before or because they know someone who knows someone who dog-sat for someone who worked there like 100 years ago. Well, it was about an hour past close so we had to hurry up and leave. 

The next morning I walked in, and my manager said “punch in and meet me in the back, I need to have a talk with you”. Confused, I did as I was told. She sat down and said “I’m writing you up”. I looked at her and said “ok, is that all?” By that time, I was fed up with that place and being written up didn’t mean anything because I was leaving anyway. She looked at me, bewildered, and said “That mean’s your in trouble. 2 more and you are fired. Aren’t you going to ask what you did wrong?” Well, being the smartass that I am, I said “well it’s probably because you left 2 of us on shift yesterday, before close, and you are angry that you were caught by Ron (store manager). Whatever, I don’t care. I know I didn’t do anything wrong but how could you argue with a mule.” I started to walk out of the office. 

She stepped in front of me and said “No. It’s because the place was left a mess and we had to spend an hour cleaning up and because customers were complaining that you weren’t helping them.” I said “if you were here to open lock-up, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.” 

Knowing that I wasn’t going to back down, she said “you’re the best employee we have and we don’t want to have to fire you but I still have to write you up.”

Feeling like my opportunity was bashing the door down, I said “no need. I found another job that doesn’t treat it’s employees like garbage. I quit.” Ok so maybe that wasn’t the only reason why I wanted to leave. Working for that place (can’t say the name) was probably detrimental to my mental health. I was harassed EVERY DAY by the customers and other employees. 

I hate leaving a job that way, but it had to be done. 

I asked a friend, who still works there, if N (my manager) was mad that I left and he said “Well, lets just say her mood seems to change whenever your name comes up”. Oops

So that’s how I left the WONDERFUL world of retail.

Ali-ens

The Killers-Human

Shalomy Homies. I’ve spent a big chunk (more than I should have) on youtube this weekend watching some random videos. I, eventually, stumbled upon the strange ones. You know, the ones about angels, demons, ghosts, and ALIIEENNNSSS!!!!!

I love watching videos about aliens because I like to think that there is something more out there that we could discover. I’m a weirdo like that. When people ask “if you could, would you want to witness a ufo/alien? Hellz yea! If I could choose between knowing and not knowing, I wanna know! 

There has to be something out there, right? I mean how could we have galaxy upon galaxy, star upon star, planet upon planet of nothing? It just doesn’t make sense! Now, don’t get me wrong…if there are aliens who are evil/crazy, then I don’t wanna meet them but I bet we could gain a lot from them. Ok so maybe I don’t go around all day/every day psychotically searching for aliens but it’s a healthy thought. 

My dad called me today. I haven’t heard from him in a few days so when he answered the first thing I said was: “Do you believe in aliens?”. He said “yea. How could we be alone?” Even my dad, the most close-minded person I know, believes in aliens. 

So maybe this blog wasn’t the most productive or constructive. Oh well. I’m BORED

HA! Politics

Hedley-For the Nights I Can’t Remember   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl2xiBQS9Ig

First and foremost…HAPPY BIRTHDAY FATIMA!!! (CrazyTop). I know it was actually on the 6th but I got a little busy. Sorry dude.

Now, everyone from each corner of the bleeding Earth has been keeping an EXTREMELY watchful eye and listening ear on the U.S. What can I say? I’m extremely happy that Barak H. Obama is now our President Elect. Apparently so is most of the world. Unfortunately, what seems wonderful in the rest of the world, does not seem so in this “fair” and “united” country. I have to say that I am heartbroken and ashamed.

In Michigan, were were faced with 2 proposals that we had to decide on. Proposal 1, I’m not going to comment on because I guess I can’t fight the numbers…..legalize medicinal marijuana. I am proud to say that I voted NO for that one. I won’t get into “why” but I am not going to argue against those who believed so. 

What I will argue about is Prop 2. Yes, it passed which is wonderful but it was a long and very hard road. I’m glad we were able to see through the lies that were being shoved down our throats. I work with someone who was on the Prop 2 board and it’s amazing what you can find out. Every single ad that ran on tv against prop 2 was a lie. Little do people know, they were paid for by the Catholic Church. I wonder why a religious organization was allowed to be so heavily responsible for political agenda’s and lobbying…

It’ maks you question why the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) is not taxing them. It makes you wonder if we actually did leave the middle ages when the Church (any church, really) ran things. hmmmmm……

Another thing that bothers me is Proposition 8 in California. For those of you who don’t know, California’s Supreme Court ruled that the marriage of same sex couples would be recognized. This was an amazing achievement. Unfortunately, prop 8 was presented (again endorsed by religious organizations) to “amend the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman”. In my opinion, the people (organizations) responsible for the passing of this prop should be taxed like everyone else. If this were to happen before the election, people wouldn’t have been lied to and there would REALLY be a separation of Church and State. Shame on us. Same on this naive nation. To restrict people from being in love? I mean does anyone else find this ridiculous? A ban on happiness? I would spit in their faces. (oops, did I say that out loud?)

I’m not going to get into the other props that passed that really shouldn’t have. It’s late and everyone knows that people are subject to what they hear and see on tv. 

Now, for those who are thinking “I HATE POLITICS!”, so do I. It’s strange. When you get older, it becomes extremely interesting. It might seem confusing (trust me, this is what I have always thought) and at times it is, just ask and research. You might not care now because you might be young but when you are impacted so much by politics, you begin to pay attention. 

I can’t wait for this economy to turn around. We need help.

The Gre(a?)y Area

The Feel Good Drag-Anberlin     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNsacjwX3Ic&feature=related

Hello all. Things have calmed down. Last week I had a test Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Yea, my professors are crazy. I did alright on them. 

I want to talk about something that has had me thinking for a VERY long time. I am writing about it now because in my Philosophy class, I ask questions the professor or the GTA can’t answer them. Mainly because no one knows. Here goes nothin….

 

Ever since we were young, we have been told what is right and what is wrong. My question is: Who are we to determine what that means? Someone told me that it will never be answered because only God knows. 

I don’t accept that. I was put on this Earth for a number of reasons unknown to me. If I was meant to do something (if anything at all) then why is it impossible for me to find the answer? Why is it impossible to know what I am supposed to do?

I think that people who really don’t know the answer try and give you: 1. A religious response. Someone told me that in order to find the answer, I should “Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior”. Now, I’m not against anyone’s religion or even my own BUT isn’t that a defensive response? Is that an easy way out? 

2. I get, “just wait and you will get the answer”. Do I have to explain why this is crazy? Wait for what? How do I know when I get “the answer”. Come on. I need more.

I guess I have to know the answer because I want to go through life making the True right decisions and not just the true right decisions. I use a capital -T- because what’s (t)rue for some people is not the ultimate (T)ruth.

How do we know that whatever we are doing is (R)ight, and not just (r)ight? How do we know that abortion is right/wrong if it is right or wrong in different countries. How do we know if being gay is right/wrong if different people have different views? 

 

Again, you could turn to religion but all religions believe that they are the (R)ight one, when to others they are, not wrong, but (r)ight. 

I was not happy with my professors response when I asked him this question and said “It’s driving me crazy”. he said “Well the only advice I can give you is: don’t let it drive you crazy”. The second time he said “Sorry, I’m going to lunch”. This is my Philosophy professor. Fraud?

My GTA said “Good question. I don’t know. I can’t help you because that is an epistemological question. Take that class”. I almost pounced on him. 

 

I don’t turn down religious talk. I know I can’t have a “God’s eye view” (professor Corvino) of anything. What am I supposed to do? How do I find the answer? Does it exist? Am I or we supposed to find it? What a gre(a)y area. 

Help?