Tuesday, February 28, 2006
crunch time
I went to Shanghai 1930 on friday for meal on the department...partially on the dept. good times with my classmates, though the food was way too expensive for grad students, even after the stipend from our department. see picture below.
but I'm writing to inform you, dear reader, that the acculturation process has begun. see photo below. I'm getting ready for my government job in Hawaii. I cut my hair. If that wasn't enough, yesterday I received the invitation to my high school reunion AND my official firm offer letter. A big day, mail-wise. Next monday I ship my car for Hawaii. My thesis will be written in the next two weeks. i'll go to LA, KC, LA, and then Honolulu, all within the next five weeks. these are red letter days. or weeks. can i even say red letter "days"? erg.
back to work.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Valentine's Day: Allah's Will?
Valentine's day should not be considered haram by the imams of hip youth everywhere, even if it is haram to many muzzies: here. On Muslim states that
Submitted by Husni, Feb 12, 2006 at 21:27
Moslem not need Valentine's Day to showing love for anyone, because if you are Moslem you MUST and ALWAYS love other moslems. Nabi Muhammad Sallallohu Alaihi Wassallam said "You are not a Moslem if you not love other Moslems like you love yourself". You find LOVE every day on Islam. Make every day is the Day of Heart, Day of Love, don't waiting for Valentine's Day if you want to love someone.Moslem hate the Valentine day because on celebrating this day, usually not far from alcohol, free sex, or other un-Islamic party.
Last year In Saudi Arabia, (for full text click here)
JEDDAH, 18 February 2004 — The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has arrested more than 200 Bangladeshi and Burmese workers as they celebrated Valentine’s Day in Mina.
I don't by the trope that Valentine's day is commerical, boring, blah blah. People who feel that simply buying something heart shapped and sweet is too contrived just need to think of better ways to express themselves. For example, my friend Lulu made a really cool snowman cutout for her boyfriend. Last year, I made the following for Mei:
Click the title or HERE to see the full size version.
Submitted by Husni, Feb 12, 2006 at 21:27
Moslem not need Valentine's Day to showing love for anyone, because if you are Moslem you MUST and ALWAYS love other moslems. Nabi Muhammad Sallallohu Alaihi Wassallam said "You are not a Moslem if you not love other Moslems like you love yourself". You find LOVE every day on Islam. Make every day is the Day of Heart, Day of Love, don't waiting for Valentine's Day if you want to love someone.Moslem hate the Valentine day because on celebrating this day, usually not far from alcohol, free sex, or other un-Islamic party.
Last year In Saudi Arabia, (for full text click here)
JEDDAH, 18 February 2004 — The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has arrested more than 200 Bangladeshi and Burmese workers as they celebrated Valentine’s Day in Mina.
I don't by the trope that Valentine's day is commerical, boring, blah blah. People who feel that simply buying something heart shapped and sweet is too contrived just need to think of better ways to express themselves. For example, my friend Lulu made a really cool snowman cutout for her boyfriend. Last year, I made the following for Mei:
Click the title or HERE to see the full size version.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Georgia, er....Xinjiang on my mind
Suzanne, my sister came to visit over the weekend. see some pics here .
We had a great time. Friday, we started the day at Zachary's pizza, and moved on to some galleries, the beach @ the presidio, etc. We had dinner at Spices. Saturday we went to napa and sampled wine.
It was good to see her, but my mind was elsewhere. Hawaii, to be sure....but mainly on my thesis, and whether or not I was going to get it finished in time. Two weeks ago I contacted my advisor to set up an appointment, but i never heard back from him. I was thinking: Did I annoy him? offend him? he's always so good at writing me back...what gives? All sorts of scenarios went through my head:
1. he thinks i'm an idiot.
2. he no longer wants to be my advisor.
3. he never actually was my advisor; I just assumed he was.
4. He is annoyed by me.
Okay, probably a combination of the above, but regardless I'm sweating bullets over it. And how am I going to finish the thesis in the first place? Anyway, I decide to go for broke and I show up unannounced at his office right after his class. He agrees to make an apt. for thursday (2/09). Phew.
but maybe he's going to tell me what shite my thesis idea is. or that he can't support it....erg. Despite my desire to put together an outline beforehand, my chinese midterm gets in the way of doing it.
So I go in and meet with him, and pitch my idea. I ramble, as per my M.O. Fortunately, though, he seems to like the idea. a lot. maybe i can getsomething published. It's "fascinating".
Shit. I oversold it. he likes it too much. Now expectations are high; he's going to actually read it (contra what Sam, my PhD friend to be) tells me. Damn your eyes! I have to produce. I have to deliver. what the hell am I going to do? My body is doing its part to respond by giving me hairloss, cravings for all things fried and soda-y, and i think i'm having heartburn. I have so much to do before my thesis is due, march 24, 2006 that I am beside myself. So all the while I was with Suzanne, drinking wine, hiking, driving, etc., I was thinking about this. She noticed it too..."What's wrong with you?" Er, bad form kevin. BTW, isn't this about the coolest kitchen you've ever seen?
We had a great time. Friday, we started the day at Zachary's pizza, and moved on to some galleries, the beach @ the presidio, etc. We had dinner at Spices. Saturday we went to napa and sampled wine.
It was good to see her, but my mind was elsewhere. Hawaii, to be sure....but mainly on my thesis, and whether or not I was going to get it finished in time. Two weeks ago I contacted my advisor to set up an appointment, but i never heard back from him. I was thinking: Did I annoy him? offend him? he's always so good at writing me back...what gives? All sorts of scenarios went through my head:
1. he thinks i'm an idiot.
2. he no longer wants to be my advisor.
3. he never actually was my advisor; I just assumed he was.
4. He is annoyed by me.
Okay, probably a combination of the above, but regardless I'm sweating bullets over it. And how am I going to finish the thesis in the first place? Anyway, I decide to go for broke and I show up unannounced at his office right after his class. He agrees to make an apt. for thursday (2/09). Phew.
but maybe he's going to tell me what shite my thesis idea is. or that he can't support it....erg. Despite my desire to put together an outline beforehand, my chinese midterm gets in the way of doing it.
So I go in and meet with him, and pitch my idea. I ramble, as per my M.O. Fortunately, though, he seems to like the idea. a lot. maybe i can getsomething published. It's "fascinating".
Shit. I oversold it. he likes it too much. Now expectations are high; he's going to actually read it (contra what Sam, my PhD friend to be) tells me. Damn your eyes! I have to produce. I have to deliver. what the hell am I going to do? My body is doing its part to respond by giving me hairloss, cravings for all things fried and soda-y, and i think i'm having heartburn. I have so much to do before my thesis is due, march 24, 2006 that I am beside myself. So all the while I was with Suzanne, drinking wine, hiking, driving, etc., I was thinking about this. She noticed it too..."What's wrong with you?" Er, bad form kevin. BTW, isn't this about the coolest kitchen you've ever seen?
