On my mind…

1. Gaza

Avaaz has an online petition.

And here’s a site (blog): Stop the Siege on Gaza with more information. I haven’t checked it all out but at the same time, I’m pretty sure I’m not getting all the information from the mainstream news media. Earlier this week, in my local newspaper, I saw a tiny little blurb under the negligible section entitled News Briefs with the incredulous facts that over a million Palestinians are in the beginnings of a humanitarian crisis – due to imposed blackouts in addition to medical aid and food being stopped at the border by Israel for months. This is news you can lose?

2. Non-fiction: somehow over time, without realizing it, I’ve ditched reading fiction. And presently I read none. Right now I’m reading an interesting book on brain plasticity (neuroplasticity). Yes I, who almost came too close to failing biology over and over again, is reading about the brain. I credit my sister (a very scientific person) for introducing me into this mysterious world called the science of life. She said the book, The Brain That Changes Itself reminded her of certain things she’s read from Al-Ghazali – which intrigued me. Anything linking the said-before-years-ago with the-just-discovered-now intrigues me.

3. Soccer Motherhood: One day, these two “hip” 30-something hijabis looked at each other over their steaming coffees by the sidelines of an intensive soccer game and sighed, “we’ve. become. soccer. moms.” It didn’t matter that I was wearing my old punky bracelets or that she had on really cool jeans…we had still become soccer moms: the shuttlers of children to all their diverse interests. It’s quite intensive but well worth it as the Islamic School (like most) my children attend don’t have well-developed arts and sports programs. And the yoga, pilates and swimming I get to shuttle myself to makes it all the more manageable.

4. Native Deen: their new CD, Not Afraid to Stand Alone, is really good. I love their version of Tala’al Badru, plus the songs, Hold the Line, Rain Song, Zamilooni, Labbayk and Life’s Worth. The rapping Abdul Malik does in Labbayk is the type I – a very wet-behind-ears person when it comes to rap music – like (I like the slight patois in it). Pardon me if I speak with no knowledge.