Sunday, January 31, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160201

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

Hey Precious!  Hello Dahlink!  Are you feeling healthy and confident today?  Well, you should be because you're MINE.  You are the most beautiful girl in the world, because you're MINE.  I love you, and I need you.

Well, what's for dinner?  Lunch was boring, because I was drained and I wanted to just eat and go to sleep.  I was about to go to Ina's for rice, then my Mom gave me some donuts, some cookies, and a baguette of french bread, which had to be eaten immediately before it got hard.  My Mom suggested soup.  Yeah Mom, that's a good idea.  I had a can of tomato soup, a sack of onions, and a couple of tomatoes and some fermented anchovies in the cooler.  Fermented anchovies?  I don't think you would like fermented anchovies.  It smells like poop.  I mean it literally smells like poop.  The cats had absolutely no interest in it.  But it's only dried anchovies blended with water fermenting in the cooler, that's all it is.  But it does wonders for tomato soups and sauces, gives it a super flavor kick.  You don't believe me?  Worcestershire sauce is made out of fermented anchovies.  The cats had no interest before I made my soup, but afterwards they were all over it.  So I finished off that baguette, and I have some leftover soup in the cooler.  Wanna try some?  I don't think you would like fermented anchovies, though.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160131

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

Hi there, beautiful girl!  How are you feeling, my All-American Sweetheart?  Please don't be blue, because I love you, and I want to marry you.  I need you, my beloved.  I want you to be optimistic, maintain your prayers, and take good care of yourself OK?

I'm a bit tired right now.  All that climbing around I did yesterday caught up to me today.  But I had a busy morning.  It always takes me a long time to get out of the door because I have to take care of the poopers, the pee-ers, and the plants, and today I had to feed the Zam (I usually skip breakfast).  Then I took a shower and went downtown to pay my phone bill and buy a few things, but I did have time for a nap when I got back.  It was a hot day, and I'm weary.  Then I had to go to a wedding reception in the afternoon.  One of the local imams was hosting a wedding reception.  I avoid such things because I hate parties (a habit I picked up from being in the music business), but the imam has a lot of power around these here parts, and few can escape his grasp.  So before voice training I went there, and it was packed.  It was pretty much standing room only, but I did manage to find a place to sit.  Nobody dances at weddings around here, but there was entertainment which was a drum and flute troupe.  The smorgasbord was rice based, which the locals eat with their hands.  I usually bring my own fork and spoon, but today I forgot.  I didn't hang around too long.  I showed the imam my face, ate something, then fled.

Boy, I'm tired.  I didn't do much of anything in the evening.  I collected some tamarind for my Mom, and that's it.  I almost didn't work out, but I managed to convince myself to do so before taking a shower.  Dinner is steak and potatoes, waiting for me to eat after the sunset prayer.  You are welcome to have some if you like.

Qur'an 20160131

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

142.  The fools among the people will say, "What has turned them from the direction of prayer to which they were used?"  Say, "To Allah belong East and West."  God guides whom God wills to a way that is straight.

(The Heifer 2:142)
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To Allah belong East and West.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160130

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

Hello there, my most beautiful girl!  Hi there, my smiley little dumpling!  How are those emotions today?  Are we in control of our hearts, and having a great time being cool?  That's because you are MINE.  Mine, mine, MINE.  I love you and I need you.

You know I'm a chick singer, and I quite enjoy doing girly things.  But I'm built like a chimpanzee, and I look awful in a dress, so all that's left for me is to do macho brutish things.  So this evening, I climbed up onto the roof of the old house and proceeded to dismantle the second tree growing there.  It's HUGE.  I'm blessed that the tree is actually growing on top of the bathroom on the ground floor, which is made of brick, so I have a stable place to put my feet, albeit one storey up.  So I flexed my lumberjack muscles and started to dismantle the branches with my chainsaw one by one, which were big and heavy, and I threw them down to the ground.  Which wasn't easy because some of them were being held up by creeping vines.  I don't think I can do the entire tree though, because a particularly large limb curves toward the center of gravity, which is over the house.  Plus I'm too bulky to do all this climbing.  It's cruel irony to have to look like a chimpanzee, but not be able to climb like one.  Most of the big limbs grow over the house.  I haven't seen any snakes at that house in years, Allah is being nice.  But anything can happen at any time, of course.  I chainsawed a little bit today, which turned out to be a lot.

So I was hungry for dinner.  I had 3 cheeseburgers.  Sorry I ate your burger!  I was hungry!  With a man sized appetite!

Qur'an 20160130

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

139.  Say, "Will you dispute with us about Allah, seeing that God is our Lord and your Lord, and we are responsible for our doings and you for yours, and that we are sincere in God?"

140.  Or do you say that Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the descendants were Jews or Christians?  Say, "Do you know better than Allah?"  And who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah?  But Allah is not unmindful of what you do.

(The Heifer 2:139-140)
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Will you dispute with us about Allah, seeing that God is our Lord and your Lord, and we are responsible for our doings and you for yours, and that we are sincere in God?

Do you know better than Allah?

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160129

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

Hey there Hi there!  How's it going today?  Getting all pumped up for the Super Bowl?  I'm sure you're doing your job well.  Just make sure you are keeping fit, eating properly, and getting enough rest.  You're my girl!  I love you and I need you.

Oh, it was business as usual for me as well.  I paid my power bill this morning, then had an early lunch at Razak Curry House.  Then I paid my Internet bill and went home.  I didn't do any yard work today.  I shopped around for cooking gas, then gave my Dad a leg massage.  Dinner is the same as last night, except that I used milder ingredients.  Fish balls, garlic, onion and rice.  I only had 4 rolls today, yesterday I had 7.  It seems that the outer leaves are more suitable for rolling.  Delicious, though.  Alhamdullillah. You must try some.  The night prayer is up next, then I'm going to practice guitar.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160128

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

Hello Sweetheart!  Hi Cutie!  How's it going today?  Oh, business as usual?  Well, don't get too serious.  I love your smile.  Just make sure you take good care of yourself, eat properly and get enough rest.  You are beautiful.  I love you and I need you.

Nothing all that out of the ordinary going on here today.  It was nice and cool in the morning, with light rain.  I was about to go out, but I didn't want to get caught in a downpour while on my motorcycle.  I did make a quick run to the corner store, and pick up a large cabbage.  I was watching Iron Chef, and I saw them wrap things up in cabbage leaves like egg rolls, so I wanted to try that.  I had to boil each leaf lightly to loosen it up enough to roll.  I stuffed them with rice, egg, and fish.  The fish didn't match with the cabbage (I used scad), but otherwise the experiment was a success.  Scad is too strong tasting.  Next time I try this, I'll use a sweeter and milder seafood, like prawns or snapper.  Very filling, though.  I'm stuffed.  Ya Allah, thank You for the knowledge and the bounty that You have provided for me.

Qur'an 20160128

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

135.  They say, "Become Jews or Christians if you would be guided."  Say, "No!  The religion of Abraham the True. and he joined not gods with Allah."

136.  Say you, "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them, and we bow to Allah."

(The Heifer 2:135-136)
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No!  The religion of Abraham the True. and he joined not gods with Allah.

We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them, and we bow to Allah.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160127

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

Hello Darling!  How are you feeling today?  I pray that you are feeling healthy and confident.  I'm just sitting here writing a letter while waiting for them to call the sunset prayer.  Dinner is sitting on the stove, it's steak and potatoes, which I'll enjoy after prayer.  You're welcome to join me for dinner if you like.  I love you and I need you.

How's the weather over there?  I'm sure it must be cold, so please bundle up.  It's finally cooled down over here after a blistering month of heat wave.  Finally, I don't have to turn on the AC at night.  It's so comfortable!  Alhamdulillah.

On Shadowplay TV tonight is another episode of "Vicious Lives of Fishes", starring my guppies which live in an old malted milk jar on my speaker system.  As I was voice training today, I watched one of the big females give birth.  At first the head came slowly out, and the fish became frantic.  Then the baby came out, and one of the other fishes caught it.  The mother stole the baby out of the fish's mouth and ate it.  The next baby came out tail first.  The mother pinned it to a rock then ate it.  The third baby also came out tail first, but I didn't see the end of it.  I was distracted by the cool weather.  Throughout this time, all the fish were whizzing around and hectic, attacking anything smaller than them in a feeding frenzy.  After the carnage, the mother fish went and sat on a rock with a crazed look in her eyes.  The other babies stayed out of sight underneath the rocks as best as they could.  I guess it's "Survival of the Fittest" when it comes to guppy babies.  The ones that survive are the ones that avoid getting eaten by Mother when they are newborn.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160126

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

Yeah it's a crying shame that my wife lag behind, but what to do?  It must be destiny.  And a woman's privilege or whatever that the man be at the front line.  Of course I love you and need you.  For me and what I do, to lag behind would be inexcusable.  In the end, nothing is free and we all pay for what we do, not do, or say.  Alhamdulillah.

The first tree on the roof of the old house that I cut the roots and limbs was still alive, so I tried to chainsaw it all off.  But my ladder is too short, and I couldn't climb on the roof to get better leverage, because it is just a flimsy layer of zinc.  I tried get as much done on the ladder, but the chainsaw is too heavy for me to wield above my head on a ladder, and most of the time that chain was spinning just inches away from my face.  So I opted to remove all the greenery with a hacksaw, and maintain it so that the tree will eventually die from starvation.

Allah gave me some knowledge of cooking, so I am able to eat quite well on my budget.  Tonight's dinner is pizza!  Again!  No seriously, I'm not the type of person that eats pizza every day.  I just wanted to use up the dough and basil so it didn't go to waste.  Good pizza.  Want some?

Qur'an 20160126

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

120.  Never will the Jews nor the Christians be satisfied with you unless you follow their form of religion.  Say, "The Guidance of Allah- that is the Guidance."  Were you to follow their desires after the knowledge which has reached you, then would you find neither protector nor helper against Allah.

(The Heifer 2:120)
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The Guidance of Allah- that is the Guidance.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160125

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

Reality can be pretty intoxicating, especially for someone who isn't used to such a reality.  I've become used to such a reality, so it's normal to me.  Since I don't have a lot of money, I have no choice but to embrace you spiritually.  It's not I who is flexing spiritual muscle: Allah is helping me.  Alhamdulillah.  I want to protect and nurture you, because you are so beautiful and precious to me.  I love you and I need you.

Dinner tonight is pizza again!  I do know people who can and do eat pizza everyday, but I'm not one of them.  Allah grants me some knowledge, I have the ingredients in my cooler, and the quality is good, plus I want to experiment making the biggest pizza I can with the limited equipment I have.  It's a good pizza.  I want another one, but I really shouldn't.  Want some pizza?

Please make a donation to a worthwhile charity of a minimum of one US dollar or one Euro.

Qur'an 20160125

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

111.  And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian."  Those are their desires.  Say, "Produce your proof if you are truthful."

112.  No, whoever submits his whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, he will get his reward with his Lord: on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

(The Heifer 2:111-112)
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Produce your proof if you are truthful.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160124

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

Hi there!  How are you feeling?  Are you being a good girl?  You're not being quarrelsome just for the sake of being quarrelsome, are you?  Well, let's follow my plan, OK?  I'm here to look after you inshaAllah, to keep you safe, loved, stable, and happy.  This is because I love you and I need you.

As far as I understand, magic appeared against the power of prophet Solomon (peace be on him), also at Babylon to the angels Harut and Marut.  The angels warned humans not to blaspheme.  But the evil ones did blaspheme, and they also learned the means to separate man from wife.  But they could not harm anyone except by Allah's permission, and they learned to harm themselves, not to help themselves.  Do you understand about magic?  To buy magic is to join partners with Allah, because you choose magic over God.  This means that you sell your soul.  The Qur'an is not magic.  The Qur'an is the Word of God.

Today is pizza day, so I made pizza.  One for my parents, one for a family friend, and one for me.  Ach!  Making a good pizza at home is such a tedious process.  This is the downside of experience, because I can't allow myself to make a bad pizza.  The plus side is of course, a great pizza.  Today I used a thicker crust.  The sauce was a bit runny, and so was the sausage.  I used too much hot pepper puree, but chilli powder hurts my tummy so I can't use that.  All for the sake of wanting the sausage to be red.  Hey darling, you want some pizza?

Friday, January 22, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160123

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

Hey Gorgeous!  Hey Luscious!  Oh no, it's almost the end of January.  I've been stressing out about your birthday present since our last anniversary.  Because I can't afford anything material, and if I could I should be giving you a ring first.  What's left is some lame virtual present, that is within my means of presentation.  What to do?  Nothing seems good enough, because you mean so much to me.  Because I love you and I need you.

I did some chainsawing around your house inshaAllah.  What a handy little toy, great for breaking down mighty trees.  I finally managed to cut down one of the trees growing on the roof of the old house.  My Dad said to cut off the roots, but that wasn't so easy because the roots are intertwined with the walls and the concrete.  I think I managed to get all of them.  There's another tree growing on the roof of the old house.  It's huge, about 4 times the size of the tree I just cut.  Have you seen it?

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160122

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

Hi there!  How's it going?  Are you feeling good and staying healthy?  Yeah, you are the most beautiful girl in the world, because you are MY girl.  I love you and I need you.

Oh, nothing special on the menu today.  My stomach is still more sensitive than normal, but at last the pain is going away.  Alhamdulillah.  Lunch was just noodles with beef and egg, and dinner was just hash.  Eggplant, potato, beef and onion hash.  Simple, tasty, and filling.  You're welcome to have some if you like.

During voice training today, I noticed that I have 3 baby fish.  They must have shown up during the night or something.  I don't even know which one is the mother.  It must be the one with the big belly.  The others aren't harassing them, so that's a good thing.  So that's 3 baby fish, 6 adult fish, for a total of 9 guppies.  Fishy, fishy, fishy, fish!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160121

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

Of course you're an adult, and you make your own choices.  If you love alcohol and drugs and that's what you want, then I can't stop you.  Just like I can't force you to marry me, and you can't force me to marry you.  I serve Allah, and I need a wife who is good and sincere, to stay put and help me raise a family.  You have to want to marry me to be my wife, and you have to want to be clean and pure.  Sure none of us is perfect, but we're not concerned about our past, right?  We live in the now, and now is where we determine our future.  I love the woman who is sincere, and is renowned for her sincerity.  I love you and I need you.

I have a old glass malted milk jar on my speaker system where I keep my fish.  When I last killed my guppies (by foolishly washing the jar with soap), I replaced them with seven guppies from my Dad's fish tank, none of them bigger than a dime.  They've grown since then, 3 of them the length of a quarter, and the rest of them dime sized.  Yesterday while I was voice training, I noticed another fish in there, a tiny transparent little guppy the size of pinhead.  Most likely one of the big females must have given birth to it.  The other fish were chasing it around, after all fish eat fish,  but since it's so small it could escape underneath the rocks.  One of the posse of bigger fish got trapped under a rock, then one of the big females took a bite out of its tail.  Then a feeding frenzy occurred, and all of the bigger fish attacked the hapless victim.  Not out of hunger, because there's fish food floating on the top of the water.  Along with the carcass of the hapless victim.  So I had 7, then suddenly 8, then suddenly 7 fish again.  Vicious world of fishes.  Hey, that rhymes!

Qur'an 20160121

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

91.  When it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has sent down," they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us," yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them.  Say, "Why then have you slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by, if you did indeed believe?"

92.  There came to you Moses with clarity, yet you worshiped the calf after that, and you did behave wrongfully.

93.  And remember We took your Covenant and We raised above you of the Mountain: hold firmly to what We have given you, and hearken.  They said, "We hear and we disobey," and they had to drink into their hearts of the calf because of their faithlessness.  Say, "Vile indeed are the behests of your faith, if you have any faith!"

94.  Say, "If the last home with Allah be for you specially and not for anyone else, then seek you for death, if you are sincere."

95.  But they will never seek for death, on account of that which their hands have sent on before them.  And Allah is Well-Acquainted with the wrongdoers.

96.  You will find them of all people, most greedy of life even more than the idolaters.  Each one of them wishes he could be given a life of a thousand years, but the grant of such life will not save him from punishment, for Allah Sees Well all that they do.

97.  Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, for he brings down that to your heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe..."

98.  Whoever is an enemy to Allah and God's angels and prophets, to Gabriel and Michael- Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject faith.

(The Heifer 2:91-98)
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Why then have you slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by, if you did indeed believe?

Vile indeed are the behests of your faith, if you have any faith!

If the last home with Allah be for you specially and not for anyone else, then seek you for death, if you are sincere.

Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, for he brings down that to your heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe...

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160120

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

Hello, my Queen.  Hello, my Princess.  I hope you are healthy, and keeping your nose clean.  There are better ways to pass the time.  How about you get a nice camera and take up photography?  Photographs get a better reaction and more attention.  Or perhaps you can master a musical instrument.  Like the piano.  Playing the piano is not the same as mastering the piano.  Plus if you treat it like a hobby, you may be surprised at the reward.

We're all waiting for something.  I'm 50 years old, and have been a musician for over 35 years, and I've always wanted to be married.  So I've been waiting around for a long time.  But when things happen, they happen all at once.  Don't you agree?  So when the time comes inshaAllah, you may not have time to adjust when you should have prepared.  No time to even clean your nose.

I finally got that chainsaw a going.  So I had some fun chopping things down.  It's a bit heavy, then I spent some time figuring out the chain transport.  Dinner was chicken wings, made with my home made hot sauce with extra ginger.  Chicken wings are slow cooking, but simple.  So while the wings were frying away, I took a shower.  Good stuff, though.  Very tasty!  Alhamdulillah.  Want some?  I love you and I need you.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160119

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

Oh, don't worry so much.  It's a crazy job, but someone has to do it.  And you're so nice and sweet, you worry too much.  Just be cool, and be patient.  Please pray.  It turns out that we are the best qualified for what we do because Allah has chosen us to do it.  So be grateful to Allah.  Glory be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

That chainsaw I just got didn't want to start when I tried it out yesterday.  I hurt my shoulder pulling on that thing.  So my Dad took me to the guys who sold it, and it turned out that the choke is very sensitive, and I flooded the engine.  So it starts fine now, and I'll try again tomorrow to clear the unwanted trees around your house inshaAllah.

Please make a donation to a worthwhile charity of a minimum of one US dollar or one Euro.

Qur'an 20160119

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

78.  And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book but desires, and they do nothing but conjecture.

79.  Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allah," to traffic with it for a miserable price.  Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.

80.  And they say, "The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days."  Say, "Have you taken a promise with Allah, for God never breaks the Promise of Allah?  Or is it that you say of Allah what you do not know?"

(The Heifer 2:78-80)
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Have you taken a promise with Allah, for God never breaks the Promise of Allah?  Or is it that you say of Allah what you do not know?

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160118

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

Suppose you are to be married to some cash cow, then that would enhance your own work and earning power that some people would love you so much more.  Your popularity and earning power would be at its peak right before you marry, after all you work in the Public Eye.  So logically, they would want to delay the marriage as long as possible because they would be reluctant to let you go, even though they be aware of the paradox that the marriage is what makes the money.  Eventually they will have to let you go, but not with goodwill.  But how do you feel about it, Princess?  I love you and I need you.

For some reason, all my kittens are terrified of their mother.  When Floofy spent a lot of her time outside, she would love to harass her boys.  She would sneak up and pounce on them, and they would never fight back.  They would just run like hell.  Now she's an indoors cat, she enjoys wrestling with her daughters and pinning them down.  You should see the expression on the girls' faces when they are about to be wrestled down.  Last night, I saw little ------- took shelter under a plank leaning on the wall from her mother who was in a rasslin' mood.  Floofy sat next to her with a bored look on her face, then stuck a claw into -------'s, ahem... pussy.  Yow!

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160117

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

Hello Sweetheart!  Hello Munchkin!  Oh sorry- you're too tall to be a munchkin.  But you are really cute.  And beautiful too.  I hope you are staying safe, and being careful.  Please realize that you are at the top, you are a Queen, because you are my Queen.  Regardless of what the media says.  The crowd is NOT your friend: always remember that.  We live in the Public Eye.  In your position it is practical to be cautious, with how people approach you, or how people watch you.  Only the stupid would regard your caution as paranoia.  You are not the same girl you were 3 years ago.  I want you to be safe, because I love you and I need you.

My parents just got me a chainsaw.  Thanks, Mom and Dad.  A chainsaw doesn't really make a good defensive weapon (not like those video games always portray) because you have to start the damn thing, but at least I can tackle those trees now, instead of pecking away at the trunk with a machete.  It's a bit heavy, so there's an issue about using it on a ladder for instance, but oh well.  I have a chainsaw now.

I should be vegging out in front of the TV eating junk food at my age, but there's always something hampering such a quest.  For instance, I had to make my own junk food today.  Well, I bought a sack of potatoes, and I have a serrated peeler which happens to cut great chips.  So I made my own potato chips.  Boy, that was time consuming.  It's so much easier to just buy them.  And I only managed to make about a medium bagful of chips, because I kept on eating them.  I don't have a vacuum packer, so the chips go stale quickly.  So I wound up devouring the whole lot early, now I have nothing to snack on when I watch TV tonight.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160116

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

Yeah, I'll be the first to admit that I'm the laziest butt in the world.  Although it seems I do a lot of manual labor, I don't like it.  I would rather eat junk food and watch TV.  I'm 50 years old!  Isn't that what other men my age do?

Aaa!  I don't want to think about it!  Let's talk about dinner instead.  I still have lots of tofu left, and I need to use it up while it's still fresh.  So for dinner, it's a tofu and cheese omelet.  I don't like my omelets all-white or all-yellow.  If you were to beat an egg before cooking it, it would turn out all-yellow, right?  The yolk takes over.  Instead, I approach an omelet like sunny side up eggs.  I break the eggs into the hot greased pan, then break the yolks and mix them into the whites without blending them, like Neapolitan ice cream.  For this omelet I used 3 eggs, salt, pepper, powdered milk, sliced tofu and sliced cheese.  Oh no, my saute pan is too small!  Even though the pan was too small, the flavor is awesome alhamdulillah.  You must try it!  I love fresh tofu.  I enjoyed the omelet with fresh tortillas and my Mom's "sambal belacan".

Now don't get me wrong, I still do physical labor.  How else can I get yard work done?  Today I cut the grass at my house, my parents' house and your house inshaAllah.  Now I'll lie back, and watch TV.  Please make sure you take good care of yourself, and get plenty of rest.  Keep safe, OK?  I love you and I need you.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160115

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

Well, none of us is perfect, least of all me.  Marriage takes work as it is: I'm not even married yet, and haven't even begun to work.  You're so sweet and beautiful, I love you and I need you.  We must try to be patient with each other because after all, I must be the laziest butt in the world.  I am concerned about our kids, because I want to bring more good people into the world.  InshaAllah.  And of course we have to be good parents.  InshaAllah.  Please pray.

My grilled chicken turned out great this morning.  Alhamdulillah.  My barbecue sauce worked great.  It has to be the fermented anchovies that gave it kick.  I like that stone grill I just bought.  As for dinner, I had planned tofu in brown gravy with sliced steak on top.  Then when I reached for the brown gravy mix, I discovered that my latest batch of dough was soft enough to use.  I thought it would be ready tomorrow.  So instead of steak, I had the tofu with a couple of tortillas.  Awesome, alhamdulillah.  If the tofu is good, then you don't need meat.  You don't need anything at all, just a little salt.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160114

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

You know what I love about you the most, Erin?  It's your sincerity.  I have the belief that you are sincere with me, about being married to me.  I can't prove it, but I believe it.  It makes me feel that I can love you forever.  I love you and I need you.  Praise be to Allah. 

I finally got around to doing some grocery shopping this morning.  I got some chicken wings and breast, tofu, won ton skins, chili fixings, etc.  Just the usual stuff.  Thus I'm writing this letter later than usual, because I spent most of the evening and night doing kitchen work.  I made my home made hot sauce but with extra ginger this time.  I also made some ketchup based barbecue sauce for my grilled chicken breast tomorrow.  Mostly ketchup and fermented anchovies, with soy sauce and some spices.  That took a while, then I had a late dinner of stuffed won tons.  It's been a while since I had it last, and they sure tasted good.  I had a lot too, so you should have been here to share my dinner with me.  Thus again, I just got done stuffing old ketchup bottles with home made hot sauce before clearing my desk to write.


Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160113

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

Hey there!  Hi there!  How's it going today?  Busy girl.  It must be nice to be popular.  I'm the one who loves you, and wants to marry you.  I need you.

I had no desire to go out today, after being under the sun all morning yesterday.  Some people like being under the sun, but not me.  It reminds me too much of the desert, wihch I abhor.  I like autumn weather or the first snow, which of course I can't get here.  Instead, I get to experience the majesty of the tropical world right after it stops raining.  Truly breathtaking, and full of life.  I stayed in, worked on the garden a little, and took it easy.  The fruit from the head that leans to the left on that female papaya tree with 2 heads always rots quickly.  Even when I picked the fruit early and put it in the cooler, it still rotted.  What's up with that?  I don't want rotten fruit.  So I chucked it by the wall so perhaps it may germinate.  Papayas can't be sowed.  They grow wherever they feel like it.

Dinner was rice steamed in brown gravy with sliced tenderloin and dried crispy fried onions on top.  Sounds gourmet and actually does taste kind of good, but the truth is I need to go shopping because there's not much left in my cooler.  But you're welcome to share my dinner anytime.  Babe.


Monday, January 11, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160112

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

Hi there!  How are you feeling?  It's been rather busy, so it's hard to calm down sometimes.  And it's so hot over here.  At least it's cold over there.  No sweat!  Well, I hope you are keeping safe.  I read about that incident in Brooklyn Park.  Please try to stay home!  If you need to go running, then use an indoors track.  Oh, it's so difficult to be beautiful.  I love you and I need you.  Ya Allah, please protect my beloved.

Yeah, it's been a busy morning and I've been driving around on my motorcycle under the blazing sun all morning.  Long lines, too.  So I took a nap while I was at the Land Office.  Good thing too, because I was there an hour and a half.  But the time just whizzed by in Sleepyland.  I think I was snoring, too.  It wasn't enough sleep though, and I was struggling through voice training.  But I managed to finish my set.  Praise be to Allah.

Yeah, I'm beat.  Dinner was tenderloin and oyster mushrooms in half pitas.  I really like those half pitas.  I think they're the best form of fry bread.  You must try it sometime.  Wow, I think I'll take a nap before I go to sleep.

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Sunday, January 10, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160111

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

Hello Princess.  Hi Peaches.  Staying busy?  There's always something to do around here.  Sundays I have to clean my parents' house in the morning.  I started my morning at 5 am, so I was hammered by noon.  Good thing I got a nap in before voice training.  After that, I started work on my hydroponic system, but I didn't get a chance to finish it.  I had to stop to take down the green coconuts before the squirrels devoured them.  I used to get quite a few ripe coconuts over at your house inshaAllah, but nowadays they don't get a chance to ripen because the squirrels get them first.  At least the young coconuts make a great drink, which my Mom loves.

By the time I got done with that, it was almost sunset.  Gosh, how time flies!  I needed to buy a new grill, and I didn't want to travel during the day because of how blistering hot it's been.  Which is a good thing because it's supposed to be a heat wave this time of year, which means there isn't any weather distortion.  So I took a shower and went to the thrift store to get my grill.  I bought a concrete grill this time, shaped like a bucket.  It isn't very big as I had to fit it in my motorcycle basket, but I don't use a whole grill anyway: I always cook away from the direct heat when I grill.  A stone grill should last me a lifetime.  I prayed the sunset prayer with the congregation at the main mosque downtown, then took off immediately to find dinner.

It's not a simple matter to roam around and find a good place to eat around here, because everything looks blah: you have to know where to go.  I think it's the same all over the world: a restaurant is either dead or extremely busy.  Rather, it's either too busy or not busy enough.  McDonald's was REALLY busy.  I guess that's the place to be on Sunday night around here, so I decided to get my usual.  The restaurant next door was busy too, by sympathy I guess.  It's an India style rice place: I remember these guys used to have their shop underneath my Dad's law office.  But McDonald's here is super busy.  It's almost like the center of the universe: I ate my double cheeseburger value meal by the entrance, and there were all walks of life going through.  Malay, Chinese, India, Arabs, etc.  A double cheeseburger used to be RM5 last Ramadan, now it's RM7.95.  Tastes the same as ever, plus it gave me heartburn.  Probably just the shift in my routine.  They have a coffee bar here, where you can buy your double espresso.  They made me watch the Hornets at Clippers game.  I wonder if it had been live?

Anyway, please take good care of yourself and don't overwork.  I love you and I need you.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160110

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

Hello Cherub!  Hi Pumpkin!  How are we today?  Are you having a great time?  Please make sure you take good care of yourself.  Don't worry so much, OK?  Just be righteous, and Allah will grant you your reward inshaAllah.  You're my sweetheart, I love you and I need you.

Oh, it's just another same old day for little old me.  I did some shopping for my parents in the morning.  I got them a new mailbox, some liquid detergent, fish food, coffee and a newspaper.  Yeah, they still read those things.  I guess it's handy not to need a battery to read it.  I also found some seeds.  Jicama, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, and asparagus.  I don't know if they'll grow, but I just sow the seeds.  Allah is the One Who makes the seed grow.  I think I'll try starting a hydroponic system for my lettuce.  They're just not doing too well in the dirt.

I gave Floofy Darling a bath today.  Needless to say, she wasn't pleased with me at all.  She's such a fat cat, it takes her a while to dry.  But at least she's smelling much better.  Please don't roll around in the menses, Floofy!  Right now she looks like a carpet, but I have my fat tabby back to snuggle.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160109

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

Hello Dearest.  Hi Darling!  How's life today?  Are you eating properly and getting enough rest?  Today is Friday, so I had to go to Friday prayer.  I spent the evening cutting the grass around your house inshaAllah.  My stomach is almost back to normal, so I cooked up some chicken in mole sauce for dinner.  Yummy!  Alhamdullilah.  Want some?

I saw that new Victoria's Secret commercial that was floating around YouTube under your search string.  I want to say that I think you are so beautiful, and I love you with all my heart, and I need you.  That video is new, right?  Everyone looks current, even though there wasn't any close ups of you.  What happened to all the Brazilians?

I just picked some fruit from that 2 headed female papaya tree in my yard, one from each head.  The fruit from the head leaning left always seems to rot quickly, so I stuck that in the cooler just now.  I hope it's OK inside. 

Floofy has been rolling around in her daughter's menses.  Why did she do that?  Oh, it's my fault for not cleaning it up quickly enough?  I have better things to do than to stand guard over the cats 24/7 with a mop and bucket!  Bleah!  She is the only cat I allow into my bedroom, and she usually shares the prayer rug with me when I pray, but I'm going to have to kick her out of my bedroom every time I pray now, until I give her a bath.  Pooi!

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160108

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

Hey there, beautiful woman!  Hi there Gorgeous Girl!  How's business today?  There's always something going on with you, huh?  Isn't the SuperBowl up next?  I'm sorry, but I'm not much of a sports fan.  I'll be your sports wife.  I love you and I need you.

My Dad gave me a snapper this morning, about a kilo or less.  But a good enough meal for one, so I filleted it into sashimi.  I'm getting the hang of sashimi design.  I find it easier to arrange the slices into a bird instead of a flower.  You like sashimi and sushi, don't you?  I have a feeling that your stomach is getting fussier just like mine, and you're finding out that instead of all that gourmet food they display in front of you, you're much more of a burger and fries kind of girl.  My tummy is feeling better, alhamdulillah.  Plus, I just made a super batch of dough.  The bread is so nice and soft, I had to stick half the batch into the freezer so it lasts longer.  But mackerel in traditional hot sauce with super soft tortillas is for dinner.  Want some?  How about you?

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160107

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

Hey there, beautiful girl!  How does it feel to be the most beautiful girl in the world?  Yeah, you!  Don't ask me, I wouldn't know.  I do know that you are the most beautiful girl in the world because you are MY girl.  I love you and I need you.

I feel better today.  My stomach has calmed down greatly, even though this morning it was raging hell.  The remedy was as simple as swallowing some of the antacid I bought years ago.  Duh!  But it felt so different this time.  The pain was different, so I thought it was a different problem.  Ya Allah, thank You for giving me my stomach back!  But I'm still eating very simply.  And small portions, too.  Dinner was fried rice with some sliced chicken cooked in hot sauce.  Want some?

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160106

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

HI there, my beloved.  How are you doing?  How are you feeling?  Oh, I wish you were here with me as usual, because I love you and I need you.  It's bloody hot over here, it reminds me of the desert.  I'm sure it's a huge contrast to the weather over there.  Well, bundle up and stay warm.  I don't want to leave the AC room myself, but I had to do some yard work, then go out to buy some flour because I have to make dough tomorrow.  Even right now as I wait for them to call the night prayer, it's still hot in this house, and I have the AC blasting.

That sour pineapple I ate 4 or 5 days ago really did a number on my stomach.  I never thought that pineapple would cause such damage.  That goes to show me, you, and everybody else that Allah will definitely test us from directions we do not perceive.  I'm not suffering as much as I did 4 or 5 days ago, but I have to assume the worst and eat only mild foods.  So dinner tonight is just beef and potatoes in brown gravy with fry bread.  It's not that exciting, but would you like some?  How about you?

Monday, January 4, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160105

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

Hey Beautiful!  Hey Ravishing!  What a great looking woman you are.  Yeah, I mean you.  How are you feeling?  Well, I hope you are having a great time and taking good care of yourself, because I love you and I need you.

Did I tell you that I love shrimp heads?  Of course I love shrimp meat, but I love shrimp heads just as equally.  Especially jumbo shrimp heads, the bigger the better.  When the shrimp heads are big, I can stuff them with cream cheese!  Then cook them up in a spicy sauce with green onions.  But it's been a while I had shrimp heads that big.  Today's shrimp heads were OK sized.  Big enough to roll in corn starch and fry to a crisp, and dip them in "sambal tumis", which is basically hot chilli puree and blended onions fried up into a sauce.  Most people don't share my passion for shrimp heads, but perhaps someday you would like to try one?  With a little caviar on top?

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160104

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

Hi there, beautiful girl!  Hello Dahlink!  How's it going this Sunday?  It's a regular old Sunday for me.  I had to clean my parents' bedroom this morning like I do every Sunday.  Lunch wasn't out of the ordinary, just leftover chili and bread.  After voice training, I cut the grass by the road on the street to the elementary school.  I also took down some of the brush.  Dinner wasn't special either.  Just beef and potatoes in brown gravy.  I had to keep it simple today because I had some sour pineapple yesterday which cut up my stomach somewhat.  After this, I have to do my taxes.  Yeah, even though I didn't make any money, Shadowplay is still a registered business and I have to report my earnings.  Just another day in the life.  I hope you are taking good care of yourself and getting plenty of rest, because I know you are busy.  I love you and I need you.

Qur'an 20160104

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

1.  Say, "I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,"

2.  The King of Mankind.

3.  The God of Mankind.

4.  From the mischief of the whisperer who withdraws.

5.  Who whispers into the hearts of humans.

6.  Among jinns and among humans.

(Mankind 112:1-4)
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Saturday, January 2, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160103

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

You are probably tired of people getting jealous of you.  Well, jealousy is human nature.  You may think, "But I'm nice, why must they get jealous?"  Yes you are nice, but jealousy is a deep problem.  It's both a religious and philosophical paradox.  In the Qur'an (and the Bible, too) is a story of two brothers, where one brother became jealous of the other brother and murdered him.  Now the brother who was killed in this tale allowed himself to be killed, but I'm not as elevated as that.  I want to fight back, especially if I have loved ones to protect.  I'm old enough and have been in this business long enough to know who is feeling or practising envy towards me.  But even with knowledge, one can only react with the moment.  There is no justice in prevention when it comes to envy.  You can't attack someone for the way they feel.  They would say, "That's just the way I feel, and I can't help it."  Sheesh, whatever.  There's nothing OK about jealousy.  But the best that one can do is to prepare and react to acts of envy.

There is a prayer, though.  Recite "Al Falaq", loudly if possible.  Oh Sweetheart.  I wish we were together.  I love you and I need you.

Qur'an 20160103

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

1.  Say, "I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn,"

2.  From the mischief of created things.

3.  From the mischief of darkness as it overspreads.

4.  From the mischief of those who practise secret arts.

5.  And from the mischief of the envious one as he practises envy.

(The Daybreak 112:1-4)
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Friday, January 1, 2016

Letter to Erin 20160102

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

Hello Sweetheart!  How's it going, Gorgeous?  Are you staying busy?  I'm sure you are, so please make sure you look after yourself properly, for you and for me.  I love you, and I need you.

Today is pizza day over here.  Being by myself, I used to make one pizza at a time.  Nowadays, I make 3 pizzas at a time.  Knowledge and experience makes a pizza taste good, because obviously I don't have a professional oven in my humble home, plus the limitation of ingredients due to budget.  Sliced cheese instead of mozzarella, for example.  I made a chicken and pineapple pizza for my parents.  My Mom requested chicken and pineapple toppings this time.  Then I delivered a sausage and basil pizza to Ina at her restaurant.  In return, she gave me a tupperware of spicy chilli sauce.  Great for everything rice or soup.  Ironically, I swore that I would never make another pizza ever again after quitting the pizza joint due to a foot injury.  I guess God knows better.  Praise be to Allah.

Qur'an 20160102

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

1.  Say, "God is Allah, the One and Only."

2.  Allah the Eternal, Absolute.

3.  God begets not, nor is God begotten.

4.  And there is none like unto God.

(The Purity of Faith 112:1-4)
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