I got with the new week before last. No, I didn't buy a computer (smile), although that's what TWG said I should pick up as long as I was at Costco. I bought a new tv. The old one, a 25-inch which was at least 10 years old, had been on it's last leg for a very long time. I replaced it with a 47-inch Vizio from Costco. Oh my goodness! what a difference! I had no idea those people on tv looked like that (smile).
I don't watch all that much tv, but come Fall it'll be time for the new season of Little Mosque On The Prairie, that runaway Canadian hit show that I'm crazy about. And it would have really sucked if the tv had gone out then.
I don't know if it's only people who live in border states who have access to Canadian tv or if it's available on cable/satellite services as well. Because I've always lived in the metro Detroit area, well, Canada has always been a part of my life. Shoot, until recently you could use Canadian coins at the local stores and nobody thought anything about it. As a child, before my Dad got sick, we spent a week each and every summer in Ontario, Canada at a cottage. It was no biggie to cross back and forth across the border.
Nowadays though it's a biggie. Used to be you only had to tell the border agent where you were born and you could cross over. Then, after 9-11, you had to present your birth certificate and your picture id. Now it's either show your passport or an enhanced drivers liscense, neither of which are inexpensive to get.
As a result of all this new rigamarole, I haven't been to Canada in a few years. I don't want to spend the big bucks on a passport or the semi-big bucks on the enhanced divers liscense. And it's too bad because Canada is a pretty cool place to visit. It's clean and safe and just like the US only different.
I know, all this new stuff is supposed to keep the terrorists out and keep us safer in the US. Like I believe that.
Even though I'm no longer traveling north to Canada, although it's actually south if you cross at the Detroit/Windsor tunnel or bridge, I am still able to watch their tv shows. Some of them, like Little Mosque, are world-wide hits. Others, like Being Erica, are also carried on US channels. And others still, like Fifth Estate or The Hour, your only option, at least as far as I know, is to have access to Canadian tv or perhaps catch them on the computer. And there are lots of other good shows, those are just a few of my favorites.
And in the same vein, have you had an opportunity to listen to satellite radio? Syrius? I rented a car for the trip to Ludington last month (no, there's nothing wrong with my truck!) and it had satellite radio. Wow! Totally amazing! I got caught up with the country music stations. Found an hour long show that played nothing but yodelling, I LOVE yodelling! I keep meaning to look into a satellite radio for the house as I spend more time home than I do on the road. I think I'd get a lot of enjoyment out of one.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Nothing Matters But The Weekend!
Except that isn't true in my life, I work a seven day week and each day is pretty much the same as the one before it and the one following it. That's not a bad thing, I'm not grousing about it, it just is what it is.
I sort of like my life like this. I mean, when the stores are jammed on the weekends, or after the traditional daily work hours, I'm not a part of it. I am able to tailor my work hours so that I can grocery shop during the day during the week when the stores are the least crowded. Same way with restaurants for eating out. I'm sort of like retirees except I'm still working (smile).
Someone asked me how Ramadan was going. It's going well for me. Remember, I don't fast so I'm not plagued with hunger or thirst issues. I'm doing okay with my Holy Quran reading. I think I've got close to sixty pages read as of yesterday. I haven't sent the check off to the foob bank yet but I will this coming week.
I've been invited to dinner on Thursday at HSM's house. She's making chicken parmesan, salad, rolls and I'm guessing a side of spaghetti. I'm bringing dessert. Hopefully it'll cool off some and I can bake a cake. If not, well, I'll find something good some where to purchase.
Everyone at her house is fasting, even the two youngest (the soon-to-be 12 year old and the 14 year old). They get up early, before 6am, and eat breakfast and drink as much water as they can before sunrise which is roughly around 6:30am. Then it's nothing until sunset which is roughly some time around 8:30pm.
What else is new here? Well,it's still hot and humid. The tv weather people say rain for this evening and tomorrow morning. I hope it cools things off. It's hard to roll with this day after day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
I sort of like my life like this. I mean, when the stores are jammed on the weekends, or after the traditional daily work hours, I'm not a part of it. I am able to tailor my work hours so that I can grocery shop during the day during the week when the stores are the least crowded. Same way with restaurants for eating out. I'm sort of like retirees except I'm still working (smile).
Someone asked me how Ramadan was going. It's going well for me. Remember, I don't fast so I'm not plagued with hunger or thirst issues. I'm doing okay with my Holy Quran reading. I think I've got close to sixty pages read as of yesterday. I haven't sent the check off to the foob bank yet but I will this coming week.
I've been invited to dinner on Thursday at HSM's house. She's making chicken parmesan, salad, rolls and I'm guessing a side of spaghetti. I'm bringing dessert. Hopefully it'll cool off some and I can bake a cake. If not, well, I'll find something good some where to purchase.
Everyone at her house is fasting, even the two youngest (the soon-to-be 12 year old and the 14 year old). They get up early, before 6am, and eat breakfast and drink as much water as they can before sunrise which is roughly around 6:30am. Then it's nothing until sunset which is roughly some time around 8:30pm.
What else is new here? Well,it's still hot and humid. The tv weather people say rain for this evening and tomorrow morning. I hope it cools things off. It's hard to roll with this day after day.
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
Friday, August 13, 2010
Backwards
I know what the proper name for it is, I just don't think I can spell it correctly. Dyslexsia. Is that how you spell it? Today I discovered that I had a dyslexic moment back on June the first. How so? Well, that was the day I had an imprompto doctor appointment. And when it was over, they gave me a card with my next appointment date and time written on it. I dutifully marked it on my calendar. Just one little problem. I wrote the 13th when it should have been the 31st. Imagine everyones surprise when I showed up this morning (smile).
On the plus side, and it's a good thing when there's a positive flip side to our mistakes, that gave me an extra two hours that I hadn't planned on. I was able to go to the bank and pay my property taxes, as well as swing by the cable company and pay the cable tv bill.
And I was able to get it all done and get back home before it got even worse outside. Today, as was yesterday and the day before and the day before ad nauseum, it is so humid that you feel like a wet dish rag. You almost think it's raining, when it isn't, because the air is so heavy and so wet.
The tv weather people say the weather is going to break and it'l cool down next Monday. I truly hope they are right. This has been a hot and humid summer.
I've been eating more fruit this summer and that's a good thing, a healthy thing. I'll bet I've eaten my weight in strawberries. And I've polished off a lot of watermelon, too. The watermelon I bought the other day is really sweet but best of all, the fruit is a bright red not pink. It tastes good and it's pretty to look at.
Hope you're doing okay in the heat. Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
On the plus side, and it's a good thing when there's a positive flip side to our mistakes, that gave me an extra two hours that I hadn't planned on. I was able to go to the bank and pay my property taxes, as well as swing by the cable company and pay the cable tv bill.
And I was able to get it all done and get back home before it got even worse outside. Today, as was yesterday and the day before and the day before ad nauseum, it is so humid that you feel like a wet dish rag. You almost think it's raining, when it isn't, because the air is so heavy and so wet.
The tv weather people say the weather is going to break and it'l cool down next Monday. I truly hope they are right. This has been a hot and humid summer.
I've been eating more fruit this summer and that's a good thing, a healthy thing. I'll bet I've eaten my weight in strawberries. And I've polished off a lot of watermelon, too. The watermelon I bought the other day is really sweet but best of all, the fruit is a bright red not pink. It tastes good and it's pretty to look at.
Hope you're doing okay in the heat. Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Old Meets The New
HSM sent me this article and I found it really interesting. TWG was kind
enough to cut and paste it into the blog for me.
By SAMANTHA HENRY, Associated Press Writer Samantha Henry, Associated Press Writer ˆ Wed Aug 11, 1:28 pm ET
PATERSON, N.J. - The most ancient traditions of Islam are going high-tech, with a slew of modern offerings for those observing the holy month of Ramadan, which begins this week.
Cell phone applications such as "iPray" or "iQuran" offer a beeping reminder of requisite prayer times, while the "Find Mecca" and "mosque finder" programs help the Muslim traveler in an unfamiliar city find the nearest place to pray.
"When I saw these applications for the first time, I thought: this is amazing," said James Otun, who has several Islamic applications on his Apple iPhone and iPad. "Whoever came up with this idea: God bless him or her."
The applications aren't just for Ramadan; there are Islamic-themed programs that help users find the nearest Costco offering foods prepared according to Islamic dietary rules, learn the correct Arabic pronunciations in a daily prayer, or count how many pages of the Quran they’ve read that day ˜ all on a mobile phone.
There also are applications, or apps, for the holy books of several other religions, from the Catholic Holy Bible to the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture.
The first time Sumeyye Kalyoncu heard the Adhan ˜ or call to prayer ˜ through surround-sound speakers on her iPhone dock, she was overcome with nostalgia for her native Turkey. Such applications are especially popular in the U.S., Kalyoncu said, as U.S. mosques do not broadcast daily calls to prayer from external loudspeakers, as they do in Muslim countries.
"These are traditions and these have been in our lives for ages, like almost 15 centuries, so they seem very old," Kalyoncu said. "I think this is like combining together the technology and the things that we do daily.
" Kalyoncu uses an iPhone app called iPray Lite, keeping track of requisite daily prayers with a program that simulates the clicking sound of prayer beads or the turning wheel of a handheld metal counter Muslims use to keep count of prayer repetitions. Using headphones, the 24-year-old says she can now fulfill her daily spiritual obligations by counting prayers on her iPhone while on the commuter bus to Manhattan from her Edgewater home.
Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the company doesn't track the more than 225,000 apps for its phones by category so she doesn't know how many are Islamic-themed. The programs aren't just offered by Apple; Nokia has a Ramadan suite for its cell phones that consolidates everything worshippers need to know to observe Islam's holiest month, in which Muslims worldwide observe daily daylight fasting.
Some apps are free. Those that are not generally range from about 99 cents to $2.99, although some are more expensive.
The dates of Ramadan still are determined by the lunar calendar, and calculations can differ among Islamic communities around the world. In North America, many Muslims will mark the first day of Ramadan on Wednesday.
But Islam never has been at odds with innovation, said Zinnur Tabakci, who runs an Islamic religious book and gift shop in Paterson, N.J. "Islam is not against technology. Now you can do it easier, faster," said Tabakci, who recently supplemented the strings of traditional prayer beads and religious texts he sells with a wall of mobile phone accessories to keep up with demand.
"Islam started 1,400 years ago, and at that time, they didn't have that much technology, but they knew everything," he added.
The mosque Tabakci attends in Paterson, called Ulu Cami, or "Great Mosque," has gone high-tech, too. After 16 cameras were installed for security purposes, one innovative mosque attendee began using them to broadcast services live over the Internet so those too sick or otherwise unable to attend could watch daily prayers online from home. Mosque leaders say the live broadcasts have become especially popular among relatives of immigrants who like to tune in from overseas to hear the same prayers as their loved ones in New Jersey.
Otun, a technology aficionado, says the apps on his iPhone and iPad make him a more observant Muslim. From the beeping reminder to stop and pray during his busy schedule running a limo service, to an app that tells him which nearby restaurants serve food prepared within Islamic guidelines, Otun says there's no longer an excuse to live an unobservant life.
"If you forgot to pray, you might not be responsible, because you're human; you forget and you can make it up later," said Otun, 35. "But not now that you have those apps, that might change things in God's level.
" Otun's favorite application, called Find Mecca, is a compass-like program with an electronic indicator that changes from red to green when you've reached the requisite prayer angle of 58 degrees, Northeast, to ensure you're facing Mecca from any location ˜ a requirement of all Muslims when praying. Otun said he was amazed to see an image of Mecca on his cell phone screen for the first time, and to realize he could carry a library of religious texts with him everywhere.
"iPhone makes you emotional," he said. "I can't carry 10,000 pages of books, now, you have it in your phone ˜ it's priceless."
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
By SAMANTHA HENRY, Associated Press Writer Samantha Henry, Associated Press Writer ˆ Wed Aug 11, 1:28 pm ET
PATERSON, N.J. - The most ancient traditions of Islam are going high-tech, with a slew of modern offerings for those observing the holy month of Ramadan, which begins this week.
Cell phone applications such as "iPray" or "iQuran" offer a beeping reminder of requisite prayer times, while the "Find Mecca" and "mosque finder" programs help the Muslim traveler in an unfamiliar city find the nearest place to pray.
"When I saw these applications for the first time, I thought: this is amazing," said James Otun, who has several Islamic applications on his Apple iPhone and iPad. "Whoever came up with this idea: God bless him or her."
The applications aren't just for Ramadan; there are Islamic-themed programs that help users find the nearest Costco offering foods prepared according to Islamic dietary rules, learn the correct Arabic pronunciations in a daily prayer, or count how many pages of the Quran they’ve read that day ˜ all on a mobile phone.
There also are applications, or apps, for the holy books of several other religions, from the Catholic Holy Bible to the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture.
The first time Sumeyye Kalyoncu heard the Adhan ˜ or call to prayer ˜ through surround-sound speakers on her iPhone dock, she was overcome with nostalgia for her native Turkey. Such applications are especially popular in the U.S., Kalyoncu said, as U.S. mosques do not broadcast daily calls to prayer from external loudspeakers, as they do in Muslim countries.
"These are traditions and these have been in our lives for ages, like almost 15 centuries, so they seem very old," Kalyoncu said. "I think this is like combining together the technology and the things that we do daily.
" Kalyoncu uses an iPhone app called iPray Lite, keeping track of requisite daily prayers with a program that simulates the clicking sound of prayer beads or the turning wheel of a handheld metal counter Muslims use to keep count of prayer repetitions. Using headphones, the 24-year-old says she can now fulfill her daily spiritual obligations by counting prayers on her iPhone while on the commuter bus to Manhattan from her Edgewater home.
Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the company doesn't track the more than 225,000 apps for its phones by category so she doesn't know how many are Islamic-themed. The programs aren't just offered by Apple; Nokia has a Ramadan suite for its cell phones that consolidates everything worshippers need to know to observe Islam's holiest month, in which Muslims worldwide observe daily daylight fasting.
Some apps are free. Those that are not generally range from about 99 cents to $2.99, although some are more expensive.
The dates of Ramadan still are determined by the lunar calendar, and calculations can differ among Islamic communities around the world. In North America, many Muslims will mark the first day of Ramadan on Wednesday.
But Islam never has been at odds with innovation, said Zinnur Tabakci, who runs an Islamic religious book and gift shop in Paterson, N.J. "Islam is not against technology. Now you can do it easier, faster," said Tabakci, who recently supplemented the strings of traditional prayer beads and religious texts he sells with a wall of mobile phone accessories to keep up with demand.
"Islam started 1,400 years ago, and at that time, they didn't have that much technology, but they knew everything," he added.
The mosque Tabakci attends in Paterson, called Ulu Cami, or "Great Mosque," has gone high-tech, too. After 16 cameras were installed for security purposes, one innovative mosque attendee began using them to broadcast services live over the Internet so those too sick or otherwise unable to attend could watch daily prayers online from home. Mosque leaders say the live broadcasts have become especially popular among relatives of immigrants who like to tune in from overseas to hear the same prayers as their loved ones in New Jersey.
Otun, a technology aficionado, says the apps on his iPhone and iPad make him a more observant Muslim. From the beeping reminder to stop and pray during his busy schedule running a limo service, to an app that tells him which nearby restaurants serve food prepared within Islamic guidelines, Otun says there's no longer an excuse to live an unobservant life.
"If you forgot to pray, you might not be responsible, because you're human; you forget and you can make it up later," said Otun, 35. "But not now that you have those apps, that might change things in God's level.
" Otun's favorite application, called Find Mecca, is a compass-like program with an electronic indicator that changes from red to green when you've reached the requisite prayer angle of 58 degrees, Northeast, to ensure you're facing Mecca from any location ˜ a requirement of all Muslims when praying. Otun said he was amazed to see an image of Mecca on his cell phone screen for the first time, and to realize he could carry a library of religious texts with him everywhere.
"iPhone makes you emotional," he said. "I can't carry 10,000 pages of books, now, you have it in your phone ˜ it's priceless."
Be good and be careful, take care, stay strong.
Hugs, Tawny
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Month Begins
Tonight at sunset, approximately an hour and a half from now, the holy month of Ramadan begins for Muslims. The easiest way to explain Ramadan to non-Muslims is to say that we may consume no food or drink between sunrise and sunset for the entire month.
There is a great deal more to Ramadan that that but whenever I attempt to explain it to a non-Muslim their eyes cloud over. If you are interested in learning more there are numerous sites on the internet.
I have never been able to fast. Long story. This year, because of the heart attacks I am exempt due to illness. In the past I have always given something that I love up ala Catholics and Lent. And sent a donation to an organization that feeds the poor. And tried to be nicer which I always fail miserably at.
A good friend of mine suggested I take a new approach this year. He said I should 'do' something instead of not doing something. Something, he said, which I hardly ever do. What could that be? Write a blog at least once a week during Ramadan.
After thinking about it I had to agree that was a very good idea. For some reason blogging is hard for me to do any more, why I don't know. I have a month ahead of me to do something I find difficult.
So I'll send my check to a food bank, I'll blog at least once a week and I'll read the entire Holy Quran during Ramadan.
And I'll continue to work on the afghan I'm crocheting for my Uncle David. I'm using yarn left from other projects, my stash if you will. Every two rows I change colors. It's amazingly (surprisingly!) beautiful.
Be good and be careful, take care, say strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
There is a great deal more to Ramadan that that but whenever I attempt to explain it to a non-Muslim their eyes cloud over. If you are interested in learning more there are numerous sites on the internet.
I have never been able to fast. Long story. This year, because of the heart attacks I am exempt due to illness. In the past I have always given something that I love up ala Catholics and Lent. And sent a donation to an organization that feeds the poor. And tried to be nicer which I always fail miserably at.
A good friend of mine suggested I take a new approach this year. He said I should 'do' something instead of not doing something. Something, he said, which I hardly ever do. What could that be? Write a blog at least once a week during Ramadan.
After thinking about it I had to agree that was a very good idea. For some reason blogging is hard for me to do any more, why I don't know. I have a month ahead of me to do something I find difficult.
So I'll send my check to a food bank, I'll blog at least once a week and I'll read the entire Holy Quran during Ramadan.
And I'll continue to work on the afghan I'm crocheting for my Uncle David. I'm using yarn left from other projects, my stash if you will. Every two rows I change colors. It's amazingly (surprisingly!) beautiful.
Be good and be careful, take care, say strong.
hugs, Tawny
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
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