Dance

The rhythm of the beat, which move my feet. 
The movement of my body, I can’t stay in my seat. 

Dancing is an art, which moves us apart.
Dancing is a talent, you don’t have to be smart.

The flow makes you go, and you can feel it so.
The energy it requires, you wanna get low!

Beat by beat, your mind looses control.
It’s all up to your body, you have to let go.

The rush, the excitement, the smiles that you see.
This is what dancing does, to you and to me! 

This photo is quite old as you can see; however, I feel as if it captured the essence of how much dance means to me. (Taken at dance practice.) 

Identity Crisis

In Dallas, being underage and wanting to have a nightlife is almost impossible. After doing some research, I discovered that Dallas has only 12 bars and clubs for people 18 years or older. None of which are appealing enough to go to, and most of them are only 18+ on specific days.

Like most people my age, we have friends who are above the age of 21. With them being older, they would much rather go to a nice place rather than the dinky place offered for the youngin’s.  I don’t blame them, I’ve been to some of these places and they really are that bad.

Unfortunately, when people think about the age 21, they focus on the legal drinking aspect of the age. I, on the other hand think about the freedoms offered by the age- more places to go and more people to see. I could care less about people who want to waste their weekends getting smashed. I don’t judge. Like Rihanna says,  "I just want to dance!"

Recently, I got a taste of what nightlife is like in Dallas without having to worry about my age. Of course this happened by borrowing an ID of a friend, but nonetheless, I still got to experience it. Soon enough, I came to learn that most bouncers don’t care how old you are; as long as you have an ID that says you are 21. This way, they are not held liable for the actions taken by the person.

I also learned how loose the enforcement of identification laws are, encouraging underage people to get fake ID’s. If there is a resemblance from the picture to the person, the ID looks real and it states that you are 21, you're in. As long as it brings in the revenue, right? Ehm, I mean the people… ehm.  

However, getting a fake ID leads to larger problems that people don’t usually think about. For example; if you get caught with a fake, you can get arrested and fined with a conviction on your record. Who wants that? Another example would be, having to worry about memorizing everything on the ID; if you make the slightest mistake when asked, your ID will be taken up.

Personally, I am not against people investing in getting a fake ID. It’s not about having the ID, but more so the choices you make with the ID. Sure, being in college makes it easy to get your hands on alcohol; I mean someone knows someone who can hook it up. But as I stated before, that just doesn’t do it for me. I would like more choices to go out than a frat party, random house party or the dreadful 12 bars and clubs Dallas has to offer to me.  

Low Pulp

Tis a sad day in my fridge...

Why?

Has anyone ever noticed that the simple question why, is always the hardest question to answer? I’ve always wondered why people do the things they do, and I never seem to get an answer!

For example, I wonder why some women wear makeup to the gym. It is unattractive when the makeup starts sweating off and it is even more unattractive when they try to clean it up and it gets smeared all over their faces. Yet some ladies go to the gym looking like they are going on a date. The gym is probably the worst place to pick up someone, by the way. Another thing I’ve noticed is that women go to the gym wearing these small and tight provocative clothes and expect men not to follow them around or stare at them inappropriately. Why wear those clothes if you are just going to complain? Plus boys will be boys, right? They see someone attractive or just someone showing off their business, and wham, their brains become inactive.

I’ve also always wondered why people hurt one another. Granted, some people truly believe they didn’t intentionally hurt someone; but harm was still inflicted. One of my favorite quotes by Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah states, “You can break a mosque, you can break a temple, you can break anything that can be broken, but don’t break a person’s heart, because that’s where the lord resides." Yet, hearts are broken daily. Whether it is a lover breaking another lover’s heart or a friend breaking another friend’s heart; it happens all the time. It seems like heartbreak is inevitable.

I wonder why people take the risk of falling in love. The simple joy of love could be the worst thing anyone could ever experience. Then again, it could be the best thing that ever happens to someone. I’ve heard love makes people vulnerable to one another. Well obviously if you’re giving your 100%. But why take the chance on someone and give them the opportunity to stomp all over your heart?

I wonder why people feel the need to gossip about one another. Is it because they are jealous of what a person has or is it because they have that much time on their hands? Of course everyone gossip’s about their friends and family, but just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t make it okay for you to do it too.

I wonder why people hold grudges.

I wonder why people judge. I thought only God was allowed to do that.

I wonder why people get out of bed in the morning.

I wonder why people wear the clothes they wear.

I wonder why people don’t like extra pulp orange juice!

I wonder why people do the things they do… Don’t you?

The Muslim Child

                In society today, everyone has their own prejudices; whether they are against whites or blacks or Jews or Christians, they are always there. But today I’d like to focus on the prejudice held against Muslims. After 9/11 most people in America hated Muslims- all of them; and the ones living here didn’t get a chance to defend themselves. No one realized that they were just as shocked as the rest of the world when the event occurred. Despite the fact that I was in the fifth grade when the attacks happened, I still remember my reaction when I found out Muslim men were behind it. I thought to myself, “How could a Muslim man do this? Why would they do this?” Unfortunately being at such a young age no one would answer my questions. Soon I came to realize that it wasn’t because they were trying to protect me, it was because they didn’t know themselves.

                Growing up as an American Muslim girl in the U.S. and being raised in a community which is very tightly held together, I have personally seen and experienced the grief that Muslims have been through. I have seen families who were very successful and wealthy now trying to make ends-meet. I have seen my peers parents detained in prison because they have a Muslim last name and the country was suspicious of them.  I have also seen people leave America because of the unfair standard Muslims were being held against here. I thought people left other countries to avoid religious persecution. Isn’t that what the United States basis are?

                The problem here is not that the country is suspicious of these people; the problem was that they started holding them to this prejudice created by a group of men angry with the government. They believed this angry group of men were representatives of Muslims worldwide. They are wrong! The problem really is the fact that people are ignorant of what Islam really means. It’s peace; by the way!

                The reason why I decided to write about Muslim persecution today is because of the recent findings in Lubbock of a Muslim man who planned to attack former President George W. Bush’s home in Dallas and other attacks he was planning. This really intrigued me because of the impact his actions created on the other Muslims living in Lubbock. Although the Muslims there did not know him, they never saw him at mosque and had no idea what he was up to; these Muslims were held for his actions. The place where they worship and is sacred to them was vandalized with graffiti. Now I know if a regular church was vandalized it would make headlines everywhere; however, because it was a mosque it made the local paper and was pushed towards the end of the paper. It’s not a church so it doesn’t count… right? 

                I was devastated when I read this. They didn’t even know the man! Why are they being harmed for his mistake? Is it because that people always need to point their fingers at someone? But this makes no sense because I know that when Timothy McVeigh attacked Oklahoma City, Christians weren’t persecuted for his actions. Nope, they just took the guy to jail and left it at that.

                When the Arizona shootings happened just recently, a friend and I were talking and I remember him saying “I just hope to god it wasn’t a Muslim. Otherwise here comes more $*@# for us.” How sad, right? We have to be afraid of the actions others take and see how we will be affected because of it. They only took that guy to jail too. His religious beliefs weren't attacked at all. 

                I’m not saying everyone is ignorant about the Islamic religion. No, I’m not even saying that everyone needs to go read the history of the religion either. But how about doing some research before making up your mind about Muslims? Yeah I might be Muslim, but that doesn’t make me any less American. I’m a born and raised Texas girl! And I’m a born and raised Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim girl too. AND… I’m proud of it!

The Unwritten Rule

                To become an independent individual you must go through a process in life. This process may include setting your priorities in order, having financial security and focusing on your career. However, before you can start this process one needs to go to school and get an education, one needs to learn how to network to help pursue their career and one needs to move out of the house! Moving into your parent’s basement does not count!

                Going to college and moving out is one of the most thrilling things a person can do. They get to meet new people, they get to learn how to become more responsible and they get to share a room or suite with someone they’ve never met. But… some people come into college thinking that because their parents aren’t around they get to party it up and do whatever they please. And because students aren’t “required” to attend classes, who cares about going, right?  WRONG! There go the grades, there go their morals and here comes the beer weight!

Moving in with someone you don’t know might not be so exhilarating when you get a roommate who’s mom didn’t really teach them how to behave when going out into the world. You know how your mom always told you to make sure your underwear are clean or how she always got mad about cleaning your room- there’s a reason for that. To get you ready for the real world. Moms would also always teach us that monogamy was the proper way to live life. That way a nice boy or girl will come along and want to take you home to his or her mommy and daddy. Still not convinced that what mom was saying was for your own good? Read on!

One year I had a roommate who felt like she needed to service more people than McDonalds! I tend to exaggerate at moments but right now I really am being honest! This girl had a new guy over every night-sometimes two in a night. Oh but that’s not all. She thought by turning up the music it would cover the noises her and her gentleman caller were making. The louder they got the louder the music got. Thank God I had my own room! Okay, so this wouldn’t have been so bad if she didn’t have other flaws. This girl was also messy and saying messy is an understatement. She was a SLOB! One bright morning I come out of my room walk over to the sink to brush my teeth and when I look down I see pubes… Pubes in the sink… Now I really don’t need to know what she does on her own time (even though I already knew), how on earth did they get in the sink and why did she not bother cleaning it up? Isn’t there some kind of unwritten rule that you can’t just leave your business out like that? In fact isn’t it just presumed by humans all over? Oh mom, thank you for teaching me how to be a proper human being!

Now there are other unwritten rules that people should know about, but, what fun would it be if I told them all to you? You wouldn’t be able to have your own awkward moments!! Or maybe I’m just being cruel and want to laugh at you. Either way, you’ll never know what my real intentions are. Got your own stories? Comment away!  

Role Reversal

                I realize that so far all of my posts have been somewhat relevant to either what’s going on currently in the world (mainly Dallas, TX) or about the blog itself. However, today I will be going on a rant completely irrelevant to the world’s problems. I mean they might be more important than what I have to say here, but this is a real problem too people!

                It was brought to my attention today that humanity is lacking real men. No, not physically- emotionally. Believe it or not this was brought to my attention by a man! Meaning… there are some real problems here. Yes, I understand that in today’s society women are more independent then before and I understand that women tend to be more proud when it comes to a man helping her with something. But… men shouldn’t think that because women are more independent they should become dependent! It’s not like a get out of jail free card- it just doesn’t work that way. Women still want a man who can provide for the family, or take them out on nice dates once in a while, or even stand up for their woman when she needs standing up for.

                Now I do get the fact that there are different viewpoints about what a real man is, and I’m not going to sit here and define them. Surprisingly I have better things to do. But I will tell you what a real man is not! Yes I have time for that. Men are NOT supposed to constantly whine and moan about their problems. Granted, sometimes a man does need to talk about something serious and a woman is always there to listen, and will offer some advice too. But here’s the thing- women love to talk, but they like to talk about them, not about how depressed their man is that his friend beat him in fantasy football. Ladies, if he is still playing fantasy football, you’ve got a lot more problems than him whining. As I was saying, it’s the woman’s job to whine and moan about their day. She is suppose to come home and tell a man that her feet got blisters from her new shoes (this is where the man is suppose to sit her down and massage her feet ) or that her best friend is dating her ex boyfriend (he means nothing to her now but it still breaks the girl code. Plus who wants sloppy seconds?) It’s the man’s job to pretend like he’s listening and make her laugh- not the other way around!!!

                Another thing men do now-a-days is they always find a way to seek validation. It is as if they are insecure when they have nothing to be insecure about. When a woman likes or loves a man, she does everything possible to make her man happy; even if it means going out of her way to do so. She will give a man subtle hints that she was thinking of him throughout the day and she will want him to respond to them- even if it takes some time for him to figure them out. Women know men are a little slow at those things! So men, there is no need to be sensitive when your girl tells you she is going out with some friends (this includes guy friends). She knows her limits- chill out!

                I hope this brought some enlightenment into all of your souls. That is all I have to say about this topic. For now anyways! Got any comments to make? Feel the need to get a new best friend by subscribing? Do what you gotta do!

Remember: This glass is always half full! Half empty ones can go find somewhere else to dwell.