Career and fitness matters

And it is that time again... I have been featured on Intrepid Media. My piece will be featured through Friday, and it covers the topic of socializing (or I should say re-socializing) through the Internet. I've written about Facebook before, back when I was still enjoying the rush of adding new friends and finding long-lost ones, and though this talks a lot about Facebook, the focus is different. I'm mostly talking about how time and distance aren't the only things keeping certain friendships from being what we thought they might've been had distance and time not been obstacles. Give it a read, if you have the time.


On another note... though I have been working out for years now, and though I purchased a stability/Swiss ball back in 2005, I never really knew how to use it effectively. Most of the time I just let it roll around and would stretch on it to combat boredom and lazy days. After a while I deflated the huge thing and put it away, focusing on other, more "serious" workouts. That was until I learned new exercises that can be performed on the ball, that cover every part of the body, always engaging the core and are super fun to do. I know I sound like an infomercial, but the stability ball and I are like peas and carrots nowadays. I look forward to exercising with the ball at least three times a week, and feel so awesome I feel the need to share this tidbit with people. Try the ball if you're looking for something different that is totally challenging and has too many benefits for a non-expert like myself to list.

Two things...

I've celebrated my birthday, the new year and I hope my blogging will continue, and become stronger and stronger along with my writing. I have a couple things to talk about.

First, I am happy to announce that my piece titled, Ojos de mi Padre, is now published at theshinejournal.com for the month of January.

This is my first publication outside of Intrepid Media in quite some time, and I am very proud of it. The piece was originally published at Intrepid Media, but I'm thankful for IM's flexibility in allowing me to do with my work whatever I wish. Everyone at IM has been incredibly supportive and helpful, and I feel nothing but gratitude for that community for showing me just how far I can go with my talent, and that money isn't a measurement of success for a true writer.

Second thing...

I really believe there is nothing worse than trying to read a book recognized as an important literary work, and find it boring, uninteresting, or just plain bad. I've read through a few of such books in recent years, and though it's hard to get through them, I am still proud in the end when I do finish them and form a solid opinion. That way, I feel my opinion is legit, because I read the entire thing, giving my argument more weight than if I were to listen to that nagging voice telling me to just give up and stop boring myself to tears!

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. In a very short time, I've managed to pick out four or five books in a row that have kept me interested enough to not be able to put the book down. I have finally reached a huge hump with my reading that I am struggling to get over.

In my attempt to not forget the literary classics and greats, which are quite frankly my favorite kinds of books to read, I picked up Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. It has been at least two weeks and I'm just barely halfway done. I hate to say it, but I don't think I can continue with this book much longer. Though I can't deny it is well-written, in the sense that you can almost smell the atmosphere described, it has been agony for me to read about an impotent guy, the cold-hearted woman he loves, and his obnoxious and moody friend all making their way through France and Spain, drinking wine, fishing and hurting each other. I don't know how many pages are dedicated to just describing these characters drinking wine, but it's entirely too much.

I am wrestling still with the idea, but I think I just might give in to that voice and move on to something more satisfying, and stop boring myself to tears.

I think I will move on to The Blind Assassinby Margaret Atwood. I've never read anything of Atwood's, but from the sounds of it, this book is a mix of mystery, sci-fi and romance... and I doubt it pays too much attention to people sitting around and drinking wine by the gallon!

Christmas Q's answered

People often ask me one (or two) of two questions about Christmas: "Do you celebrate Christmas?" and/or "What do you do for Christmas?"

To answer both questions, being a Muslim, there is very little I do about Christmas. Though Islam recognizes the significance of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, and the one who will save us, we do not celebrate Christmas in any way, shape or form. We don't get into the shopping frenzy, we don't put up a tree, we don't invite people over... we just enjoy the holiday away from work, or school.

On a personal level, I have no problem participating in Secret Santa or any other gift exchange through work, because I think it's nice to participate in such programs that warm up the office, and let you build a tad bit warmer relationships with your co-worker(s). Also on a personal level, I've debated whether I should buy gifts for my friends who do celebrate the holiday. I've wrestled with the idea for years, and still don't know what my feeling is on the subject. I try my best to wish everyone happy holidays, and have even given cards in the past, but there is still the question of gifts. This year, I am spending Christmas day with a friend, and so, I actually want to give a gift.

In conclusion, it's safe to say that I basically just hang out at home, and enjoy the time away from work, or school... or as I'm doing this year, I spend it with friends.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it, and Happy Holidays to everyone else!

Eid Al Adha Wishes

Today, December 19, 2007, marks the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid ul Adha. The celebration lasts four days. To learn more about what this holiday signifies and how it is celebrated, click here.

It's so hard to say goodbye!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am reading The Birth of Venus, a historical fiction novel, set in Florence, Italy, during the Rennaissance period. It tells the story of Alessandra Cecchi, a non-traditional girl of that period who loved art and wanted nothing more than to be able to practice it. With the arrival of a character we only know as "the painter", Alessandra's life begins to take shape, and her story begins to unravel like magic. It's hard to put it down and it's exciting from the first sentence, and I'm sure to the very last.

I am still not done with reading, but the only reason why I'm drawing it out this long, is because I don't want to say goodbye to the characters I've come across and taken a liking to. Cheesy, I know, but I can't help it! There are a lot of good books out there that I have loved quite a it, but there are few I have a hard time parting with like this.

There has only been one other book I've felt this way about, and that was The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons (NO, it is not the poem by Pushkin!). Though I'd classify it as a romance novel, it is beyond that, because it is historical, as well. It is set during World War II, during the German invasion and blockade of Russia, Leningrad to be exact. Much like The Birth of Venus, I was unable to put it down and read it in less than a week despite it's 600+pages and my busy work schedule. Even though I drew it out as long as I could, I still couldn't put it down and it ended way too soon for me.

I guess I highly recommend both books, though I will admit that The Bronze Horseman is a little more romance novellish than The Birth of Venus, but they are both rich stories with even richer characters and history that is practically impossible to get bored with.