This past weekend I had the opportunity to head back to one of my most favorite places in my heart– the MMYC Spring Conference.

MMYC is the Michigan Muslim Youth Council and it was founded back in my hayday of ‘99.  I was a freshman in high school when all the Michigan area youth groups decided to come together and form one umbrella organization.  It’s purpose was to better connect the youth of all the distinct communities in Southeast Michigan.

MMYC started off by putting on day seminars and activities in different communities.  I guess the hope of MMYC was by sticking its name on a flier (as opposed to just the name of the host community) kids from all over Michigan would want to attend.  It didn’t make any sense to me, but it worked.  Muslim high schoolers would flock to MMYC events in hopes of seeing friendly faces from afar every now and then.

(more…)

Growing up I always thought that Winter was my favorite season of the year.  It somehow managed to feel cozy and warm despite all the cold weather outside.  Something about coats, boots, mittens, snow and blankets just made me feel happy, wrapped up and safe.

But as of recently, I think I’ve changed my mind.  I’ve been thinking about it the past few years, and I have just now officially decided that Spring is my favorite season of the year.

Why did I make this decision?  There are a multitude of reasons, some too personal to disclose, but some just lame enough to share   And those, my friend, are what you’re going to get.

(more…)

I’m not one to post an article or forward that I’ve read recently, but for some reason I thought this one was just interesting enough to share.  Enjoy

You are what you eat, so eat well. A stupendous insight of civilizations past has now been confirmed by today’s investigative, nutritional sciences. They have shown that what was once called ‘The Doctrine of Signatures’ was astoundingly correct. It now contends that every whole food has a pattern that resembles a body organ or physiological function and that this pattern acts as a signal or sign as to the benefit the food provides the eater. Here is just a short list of examples of Whole Food Signatures.

(more…)

In March of 2005 I went to a local Dairy Queen with an old friend of mine that I’ve known since I was in 2nd grade, Karen.  We had met earlier for lunch, and decided to follow up with some ice cream.  After going through two years of college, it was nice to know we hadn’t lost touch.  We were still capable of laughing, joking, talking, and relating to one another.  I was really enjoying my time catching up with her.

I had ordered my ice cream and sat down when the following occured: (as retold in my old blog)

We were carrying on a normal conversation, plenty of stupid jokes and funny memories.  In the middle of all my laughing, I kept seeing this boy, about 11 years old, gawking at me.  He was staring.  Everytime I looked, his eyes were fixed on me.  It was quite rude.  And I thought to myself, “Where does this kid get his manners from?”  Of course, I looked over at his father, and his old man’s staring at me, too.  Let me tell you, it definitely wasn’t because I’m some sort of stunning beauty.

Nope, here in homogenized milk white Northville, they were staring at me because I looked so different.  After a while, I started smiling at the man and his son, hoping that they’d realize that I saw them giving me dirty looks.  I thought that if I was smiling, they’d realize I was a nice person, and stop looking.  But did it work?  Nope.  My smiles recieved more glares. 

I just don’t get it.  What was so different about me?  I was a 19 yr old girl, out getting some ice cream with an old high school buddy of mine at a local Dairy Queen, in the town where I grew up.  I was laughing and smiling just like any other person.  But at the end of the day, I’m something different?

(more…)

In 4th grade Islamic studies we’re finishing up a unit on Ramadan.  I wish I had been a little more organized back in September and thought to teach to my students this Unit during the actual month of Ramadan.  Alas, it’s now March and we are left to talk about Ramadan as a memory, not as something we’re currently living through.

It’s fun talking about Ramadan with my students.  Their perception of Eid in school is so different from how I felt about it when I was their age.  In my elementary school days I looked forward to Christmas parties, and Valentine’s chocolates, and Halloween candy.  In their elementary school days, they’re excited to decorate the classroom for Eid, exchange gifts, and have extra time during recess to play with eachother.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved Ramadan when I was little (and still do), but it wasn’t a love that I could take with me to school and talk about with my peers.

(more…)