Letter to Julia 20140201

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Do you remember my telling you that this business of Shadowplay (which in great part includes our marriage) is like an oasis in the desert?  That a business attempting to capitalize off the music would not prosper unless it had a direct connection to the music?  Well, the flood of greed pours in, and all the traffic coming in is running over the bulls that make the bull market.  Remember the gold rush?  People forget or never consider that this affair belongs to Allah.  So now Shadowplay has become like Noah's ark.  Embark you O righteous ones, on the ark in the name of Allah, whether it move or be at rest, for my Lord is for sure Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful.  Those who have no faith will be drowned.  Those who believe when it's too late will be drowned.

Letter to Julia 20140129

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I love you with all my heart, my dearest.  I love you, I love you.  While I have the strength, then I am firm for you, to love you, to help protect you.  You are mine, so I want to care for you, to look after you, to love you, to love you.  We cannot be so sure that all problems will be overcome easily, because anything can happen, like an ice age in the midst of global warming.  We need Allah.  That is also the good news, is that Allah is all we need to overcome the bad people, the bad things people say to you, and the insecurities.  So please affirm your faith, and know that I will always be with you, and watching over you, inshaAllah.  You are so very beautiful, and I love you so much.  I love you, I love you.

Qur'an 20140129

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

129.  But if they turn away, say, "Allah suffices me.  There is no God but God.  On God is my trust, God the Lord of the Throne Supreme!"

The Repentance 9:129
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Allah suffices me.  There is no God but God.  On God is my trust, God the Lord of the Throne Supreme!

Letter to Julia 20140127

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Now is a BAD time to be a coward.  To run away squealing, when one should stand one's ground.  The bad guys had their run for a while, now it's God's turn.  Who would have thought in the midst of global warming, there be an ice age?  Oh, I'm sure the heat will be back to boil the skeptics.  It's nice and cool here.  The breeze is coming from the west as well as the north east, and it feels like an air-conditioned room.  I love sleeping with my blankie, I've been sleeping so well lately.  The good news is that Allah will certainly reward the righteous, and the end belongs to Allah.

Are you being good girls?  Julia, are you staying positive, and taking good care of your precious body?  And you Erin, are you being a good girl?  Are you keeping your nose clean?  Remember what I told you, there is no such thing as the "perfect feeling" in this life.  What we get are glimpses of happiness, and patience is the next best feeling.  Master the art of patience, and you will master happiness, inshaAllah.  And what is it are you waiting for?  You are waiting for God to decide, for God is the Best to decide.

My dearest Julia and Erin, NOW is the time to be brave and make a repentance, with Allah as your Witness, to be pure, to affirm your faith, to be good girls that the children of the world and your children would be proud of.  MashaAllah, you are on top of the world.  I love you.

Letter to Julia 20140125

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

YOOOOOOOLIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Hello there, my intense and sophisticated Julia.  How's business, tycoon?  Please remember that when we are married, the goal is to slow down, enjoy our married life, and raise a family inshaAllah.  So please make sure your business comes to you, or no deal.  This is because I am trying to build a tourist attraction here.  You are my beautiful princess Julia, and I love you so much, and I want to kiss you all over.

And you my precious little sweetheart Erin.  How are those emotions, you wonderful little heart of gold?  Do you understand what I just told Julia?  It means that when we are married inshaAllah, vacations will be few and far between, and will have to be carefully planned.  This is because you are Mrs. Global.  While I still have the strength, I intend to keep a very close eye on you and Julia, and keep you very close to me at all times inshaAllah.  I mean VERY close.  This is because I love you.

Qur'an 20140125

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

104.  Know they not that Allah does accept repentance from God's votaries, and receives their gifts of charity, and that Allah is verily God, the Oft-Returning, most Merciful?

105.  And say, "Work!  Soon will Allah observe your work, and God's messenger, and the believers.  Soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden, and what is open.  Then will God show you the truth of all that you did."

The Repentance 9:104-105
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Work!  Soon will Allah observe your work, and God's messenger, and the believers.  Soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden, and what is open.  Then will God show you the truth of all that you did.

Letter to Julia 20140122

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Ach!  It seems that I made a scheduling error and I DO have to blog today.  But of course I love you.  I love you with all my heart, and I want to marry you.  But I wanted to grill a fish this morning.  So I did grill my fish, before going out to blog.  I do so hate any changes in my routine!  I told you that I bought a scad on Monday.  It tasted quite good as sushi, but filleting it was difficult because of the thick skin.  I only took out the flesh in the middle, and used the rest of the fish to be stuffed for grilling.

Oh, I just had a dream that I walked in the Victoria's Secret fashion show!  I was following you on the runway, and giving my cutest sexy walk.  The models were giving me incredulous looks.  No, I didn't wear bra and panties.  They only allowed me to wear PJ's.

Qur'an 20140122

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

93.  The ground is against such as claim exemption while they are rich.  They prefer to stay with those who remain behind.  Allah has sealed their hearts, so they know not.

94.  They will present their excuses to you when you return to them.  Say you, "Present no excuses, we shall not believe you.  Allah has already informed us of the true state of matters concerning you.  It is your actions that Allah and God's messenger will observe.  In the end will you be brought back to God, Who knows what is hidden, and what is open.  Then will God show you the truth of all that you did."

The Repentance 9:93-94
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Present no excuses, we shall not believe you.  Allah has already informed us of the true state of matters concerning you.  It is your actions that Allah and God's messenger will observe.  In the end will you be brought back to God, Who knows what is hidden, and what is open.  Then will God show you the truth of all that you did.

Letter to Julia 20140121

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Well, today I am typing in this letter live,  so please forgive me if I seem a little brusque. To be honest with you, I hate using Internet cafes.  It's not as if I have any privacy anyway, even in a crowd.  And now, everyone's a director.  Phooey!!  I pray you both are keeping healthy and staying patient.  I won't be in to blog tomorrow.  I bought a scad last night.  I filleted half of it, and I'll grilling the rest.  Would you like to join me?  Anyway, please take good loving care of yourselves, and please know that I love you.

Qur'an 20140121

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

81. Those who were left behind rejoiced in their inaction behind the back of the messenger of Allah. They hated to strive and fight, with their goods and their persons, in the Cause of Allah. They said, "Go not forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of hell is fiercer in heat." If only they could understand!

82. Let them laugh a little. Much will they weep, a recompense for that they do.

83. If then, Allah brings you back to any of them, and they ask your permission to come out, say, "Never shall you come out with me, nor fight an enemy with me, for you preferred to sit inactive on the first occasion. Then sit you with those who lag behind!"

84. Nor do you ever pray for any of them that dies, nor stand at his grave, for they rejected Allah and God's messenger, and died in a state of perverse rebellion.

85. Nor let their wealth nor their sons dazzle you. Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this world, and that their souls may perish in their denial of Allah.

The Repentance 9:81-85
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The fire of hell is fiercer in heat.

Never shall you come out with me, nor fight an enemy with me, for you preferred to sit inactive on the first occasion. Then sit you with those who lag behind!

Letter to Julia 20140120

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

It's still flower season here over at Casa de Julia, and I still have the sniffles.  But since I can't stop all those flowers from blossoming, I might as well pick a batch of my Mom's "melor"- she says they're called "jasmine" in English, but I'm not too sure of that- and let them bloom in my bedroom to give it a nice scent, as opposed to that male jock/chimpanzee stench.  Oh, how it would be to be dainty and smell like strawberries...  ~~Aaaaa-CHOOOOOO~~  I love you, Julia.

Oh Erin dearest, please don't be bummed out because the symbolism of your marriage to me is not flowers.  You have a different symbolism.  Sure, I could just tell you, but that wouldn't be as fun, would it?  That wouldn't be as flirty, would it?  It would be so much more fun if you tried to guess it.  But of course, I will tell you eventually.  You know our birthdays are 3 days apart?  Perhaps you should listen to lyrics a little closer.  I love you, Erin.

Letter to Julia 20140118

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

**sniffle**  Oh dear, I've gone and got the sniffles again.  It's all these flowers!  I collected a whole bag full of my Mom's "melor", put it on my dresser to let them bloom, and the next morning, I was overwhelmed by the sniffles!  **sniffle**  All these naked flowers have gone up my nose!  Mango, cashew and amra flowers, all in bloom!  Flowers! flowers! flowers!  Aaaaaa-CHOOOOO!!!!!  **sniffle**  I think I hurt my voice.  I didn't get a chance to drain my sinus cavity (which is something I don't think you would ever do) because of friday prayer, then I had to voice train right after that.  I was able to stick to the schedule and finish my set, but I don't know about tomorrow.  Catch the sniffles, and the machine grinds to a halt...

Of course I haven't forgotten you, Erin.  You're my sweet little sweetheart!  Would you like a flower?  Pretty flower for pretty lady?

Qur'an 20140118

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

61.  Among them are men who molest the Prophet and say, "He is an ear."  Say, "He listens to what is best for you, he believes in Allah, has faith in the believers, and is a mercy to those of you who believe."  But those who molest the Prophet will have a grievous penalty.

62.  To you they swear by Allah, in order to please you.  But it is more fitting that they should please Allah and God's messenger, if they are believers.

63.  Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and God's messenger is the fire of hell?  Wherein they shall dwell.  That is the supreme disgrace.

64.  The hypocrites are afraid lest a chapter should be sent down about them, showing them what is in their hearts.  Say, "Mock you!  But verily Allah will bring to light all that you fear!"

65.  If you do question them, they declare, "We were only talking idly, and in play."  Say,  "Was it at Allah, and God's Signs, and God's Messenger, that you were mocking?"

The Repentance 9:61-65
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He listens to what is best for you, he believes in Allah, has faith in the believers, and is a mercy to those of you who believe.

Mock you!  But verily Allah will bring to light all that you fear!

Was it at Allah, and God's Signs, and God's Messenger, that you were mocking?

Letter to Julia 20140116

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hi there beloved Julia and Erin.  How are you feeling today?  How are those precious emotions?  It's been an awfully busy day today as I write this letter.  Lots going on everywhere, all over the world and here, that demand my attention. Trouble is fun to watch, but tedious to participate.  Right?  Humans are such small creatures within the expanse of the universe.  It takes everything we got plus the help of Allah to get ahead.  This is something that atheists cannot understand, intoxicated with their "human superiority" in spite of intelligence, their religion of no religion propounds limitless human potential, yet they die.

I love you, I love you.  I have quite a bit of TV programming to do next, so I'm going to say good night.  Before I go, Saturdays are kind of up in the air for blogging, even though I will have a letter prepared, inshaAllah.  This is because local small business merchants close whenever they feel like it, and closing Saturdays seems to be a habit for this Internet cafe that I go to, but I don't want to go to another place that rejects my USB drive.  I've got to be careful and tender with my words, you know.  So please forgive me.  I will always love you.

Qur'an 20140116

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

51.  Say, "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us.  God is our Protector."  And on Allah let the believers put their trust.

52.  Say, "Can you expect for us other than one of two glorious things?  But we can expect for you either that Allah will send God's punishment directly, or by our hands.  So wait: we too will wait with you."

53.  Say, "Spend willingly, or unwillingly.  Not from you will it be accepted, for you are indeed a people rebellious, and wicked."

54.  The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are that they reject Allah and God's messenger, that they come to prayer without earnestness, and that they offer contributions unwillingly.

55.  Let not their wealth nor their sons dazzle you.  In reality, Allah's Plan is to punish them with these things in this life, and that their souls may perish in their denial of Allah.

56.  They swear by Allah that they are indeed of you, but they are not of you.  Yet they are afraid!

The Repentance 9:51-56
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Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us.  God is our Protector.

Can you expect for us other than one of two glorious things?  But we can expect for you either that Allah will send God's punishment directly, or by our hands.  So wait: we too will wait with you.

Spend willingly, or unwillingly.  Not from you will it be accepted, for you are indeed a people rebellious, and wicked.

Letter to Julia 20140115

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Greetings, my beloved.  I love you, I love you.  Yesterday, I was supposed to take Chee Cheah to the vet, but it was a public holiday.  So I spent the time burning the debris around Casa de Julia inshaAllah.  The wind still blows briskly from the northeast, but not as strong as before.  It's been like that everyday for the past 3 weeks at east.  So I still have a mountain of debris to burn, and I can only make small fires.

Anyway, today inshaAllah I would have taken Chee Cheah to the vet before blogging my love for you.  I also need to pick up more wontons.  I'm getting seriously hooked on those things.  This time, it's squid for stuffing.  But enough about wontons, for dinner I had chicken mole with stewed potatoes.  For me, I just eat a whole piece of chicken breast with whole potatoes, but for you I would slice the chicken breast and put dollops of sauce on top.  InshaAllah, I will feed you with the best foods in controlled portions.  My dream is to look after you so well, so that you age gracefully and happily.  InshaAllah.  For certain I do not know of all the difficulties you undergo, for certain you are not aware of all the dangers I face in my quest to marry you, and for certain being married doesn't make problems go away.  But when we are married inshaAllah, at least I will be with you to love you, help protect you, and give you a home and family that you can call your own.

Letter to Julia 20140113

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hey there, my most beloved Julia and Erin.  I didn't get a chance to blog my love for you on Saturday, because the Internet cafe was closed.  They usually open late on Saturdays, but after going to the market for more wontons plus other errands, I couldn't wait for them anymore, besides I had woken up late myself.  Of course I could have gone to the other at the other end of town and typed everything in, but I was running out of time until singing time, so I went straight home.  I'm sure you have observed that I don't do anything outside of my routine inshaAllah, this routine of waiting for you.  But I posted Saturday's letter today, if you wish to read it.  Please forgive me.  I love you so much.  I think of you and pray for you all the time.

Aaaaaaa.... I had to do ironing... I hate doing laundry... before that I made a batch of dough.  I seem to be making dough all the time now.  My Mom consumes a lot of it, and I eat it everyday for breakfast.  Just a tortilla, and some sauce to dip it in.  My dipping sauce is a bit strong right now, I think I'll add a can of sardines to dilute it.  Remind me to pick up some sardines on the way home from blogging this letter.  For dinner it was beef tenderloin and potatoes stewed in my shrimp combination marinade.  Thank you God, it was awesome.  When we are married inshaAllah, we'll plan all our meals OK?  Please be patient, my beloved.  Patience is the next best thing to bliss, and it's something you can control.  Please pray.

As you should already know, there is no priesthood in Islam: every person has a direct line to God, and no mediator thereof.  So there are no priests in Islam who hoard wealth taken from the people in the name of God, who for certain will receive a heavy penalty for doing so.  Sure, I have to live a spiritual life, but I'm no priest or holy man.  I am a musician.  I live day to day and dollar to dollar for the Cause of Allah, because I've realized that this is the only way for me to live.  I invest my life, as I have for decades now, for this music that Allah has given me, for the Cause of Allah, and not because no one else cares enough about this music so as to invest in it.  If I seem to have courage while everyone else is a coward, then that as well as the music is a gift from Allah.  Perhaps Allah will grant me my reward in this life as well as the Hereafter, with my Julia and Erin.

Letter to Julia 20140109

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

YOOOOOOOLIIIIIIIEEEEEE!!!!!!

Hello again!  I love you, I love you!  Right now I'm writing my love for you, while watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show 1998.  Wow, the show sure has changed since then.  I must say, if you really want to hear my male chauvinistic or spotty teenager point of view, that the show was more attention grabbing back then.  Probably because there was less haute couture, and no video of 2 men looking into each other's eyes and rapping to each other.  But hey, I'll always watch the show if my Sweetie's there.  Guaranteed.

Stuffed wontons!  You would LOVE stuffed wontons, I bet.  It's such dainty and feminine food, but oh so good.  I could eat 100 of them in one go, but today I only had 30.  It's only too easy to let gluttony go out of check when there's good food around.  Nowadays I seem to have a lot of young coconut meat available, so today's stuffing was shrimp, coconut meat, garlic, onions, and lime leaves, blended together of course.  Oh, yummy!

Qur'an 20140109

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

23.  O you who believe!  Take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith.  If any of you do so, they do wrong.

24.  Say, "If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, your kindred, the wealth you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and God's messenger, or the striving in God's cause, the wait until Allah brings about God's Decision.  And Allah guides not the rebellious."

The Repentance 9:23-24
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If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, your kindred, the wealth you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and God's messenger, or the striving in God's cause, the wait until Allah brings about God's Decision.  And Allah guides not the rebellious.

Letter to Julia 20140108

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Hello Wednesday, my dearest Julia and Erin.  My, how time flies.  It's already 2014.  I just made a commitment to call the prayer at the local mosque during the weekdays, the Dhuhur and Asr prayers, or the high noon and late afternoon prayers respectively.  Which would make it right before and after my daily voice training.  When we are married inshaAllah, I would expect you to follow me to these prayers, especially if we have plans to go out, but more because I don't ever want to leave you by yourself.  I don't even want to leave you to throw out the garbage.

I didn't make it in to blog because I went to buy some tenderloin, then I grilled a fish.  It was a fairly big scad, with a massive amount of roe, which my Mom gave me last week but I only found the time to cook today.  It was sliced up the back, which I don't particularly like.  For stuffing, I put young coconut flesh, onions, garlic, ginger, chilli paste, cilantro stems, and a peeled lime in the blender.  Chee Cheah never hangs around the house during the day, but somehow she knew I was grilling a fish, so she was present and a-meowing for her snackipoo.  Later, in the evening, someone had thrown a fish on my driveway which I found.  It looked like a tilapia.  No, I didn't grill it.  The ants had already claimed it.

So what's for dinner?  Last night I bought a kilo of fresh shrimp for real cheap: RM8 per kilo.  Not as attractive or as large as white shrimp, but fresh and clean.  Would you like to know the secret of shrimp?  Well, I'll just show you.  Hint: think "bisque".  Otherwise, fork out the bucks for jumbo shrimp.  I made a batch of shrimp injections.  I'm sorry, croquettes.  Tomorrow, it's wontons again.  Wanna join me for some munchies?  I love you.

Letter to Julia 20140106

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

My beautiful, distinguished princess Julia.  You are truly a lady, my princess.  Your demeanor and aura has become so refined and sophisticated, it only adds more and more to how lovely you are.  You are like a well-polished diamond.  I am humbled by your love, my Queen.  I love you so much, my beloved Julia.  MY Julia.

Erin, you little sweetheart.  I'm sorry!  But that's what I love most about you, is how sweet and good-hearted you are.  I just want to hold you, and protect you, you darling girl you.  You're such a sweetheart.  I love you so much Erin.  MY Erin.

My dearest wives, I'm sorry it's been so business-like lately.  Please forgive me.  But that's what happens when more money and more people come around.  Perhaps soon Allah will send wealth my way, and trounce with a heavy penalty those who stand in between and against us, so we can be properly married.  InshaAllah.  But always know that no matter how much business they try to shove at me, I always want you to be with me at all times, for us to be together all the time, and do everything together, inshaAllah.  I love you.  Ya Allah, thank you for Julia and Erin.

Letter to Julia 20140104

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I had been craving mole sauce for quite a while already, but for some reason I had been waiting for avocados.  Can't have chicken mole without avocados, right?  But I couldn't wait anymore.  So together with my chilli paste and powdered chocolate I put onions, ginger, garlic and oil into the blender.  Awesome!  Praise Allah!  Instead of avocados, I'm eating it with oyster mushrooms.  Right now, my chicken breast is stewing in the sauce, so I'm waiting while writing my love to you.

Somehow I'm having an imaginary conversation with you about love, about how love should be all the way, or something like that.  Don't you believe my love for you is all the way?  I'm certain that I must put your well-being into the highest consideration, so I cannot have you marry into my poverty.  But I am waiting and working towards that... all alone... all by myself... isn't that all the way?  Am I not working into the deepest danger in the service of Allah, to push the barrier until it collapses into wealth enough to afford to marry you?  InshaAllah.  Don't you sense my all-out abandon for you?  Don't you feel how deep my love is for you?  Oh, you don't think it's deep enough yet?  How can it be, when we're not together yet?  Wait until we're together.  InshaAllah.

Would you like some chicken mole with mushrooms?

Letter to Julia 20140102

In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

As I mentioned before, some goodly villagers helped break down the coconut tree that fell on the roof of the old house at Casa de Julia inshaAllah, and they took apart 2 other coconut trees besides.  Total of 3.  So the lot is strewn with large debris.  I spent the evening doing some burning, but the wind coming from the northeast was blowing strongly.  So strong that the smoke was moving horizontally in a straight line, so I could only have a small fire.  But there is soooo much debris.  It might be weeks before I get rid of it all, compounded with my other chores.  I plan to use the tree trunks, though.  The wind has been strong for over a week already, but strangely not at night.  Right now the air is still, but I don't want to cut and burn at night.  Northeast from here is China and Japan.

When we marry inshaAllah, I will be there with you to give you my strength and my devotion inshaAllah.  Until then, I pray that you try to find happiness in whatever you are doing.  You have my commitment for marriage, so please be patient.  Be patient and positive.  We all get moody, but please don't despair.  Not everybody despairs!  The faithful do not despair!  If you despair, it means you have no faith.  So please be patient and positive.  Pray.

I love you.