Letter to Erin 20160401

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

Hi Scrapper!  Oh my God, it's April already.  How are you feeling today, my beautiful love?  I hope you are having fun, and not worrying too much.  You are the most beautiful girl in the world to me, because you are MY girl, and those other girls just look plain skanky to me.  Like out of Hustler.  Please give thanks to Allah for your beauty and your success.  I love you and I need you.

It's another one of those "I just want to stay at home, eat what's in the cooler, and not spend a cent" days for me.  If I had a lot of money, I would probably spend it, maybe.  But I don't.  So I stayed at home and continued to break down all that debris from chainsawing.  Food is simple today.  Lunch was an egg cooked in that curry paste I made the other day, eaten with sliced bread.  Dinner was a huge hash brown pancake, with a burger and a sunny side up egg on top.  Very filling, and simple.  Next it's time to spread out my bed, then veg out and watch TV.  You slow down and relax too, OK?

Letter to Erin 20160331

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

Hello there, my Beloved.  How's it going, pretty girl!  Are you keeping your nose clean?  Oh my God, it's April already.  How's business, my love?  Are you living on a jet plane?  I hope you are keeping safe.  I want to build your house, so we can settle down together.  I want to marry you.  I love you and I need you.  Now don't get too serious!  It will give you crow's feet!  Relax your heart and thoughts, have fun with your success, and feel assured that YOU are MY girl, not them.

Yes, it's business as usual for me here as well.  I've been keeping the windows shut so I can keep the cold air in, but that also keeps the music in.  Of course it can be heard if one is close enough or has a microphone, but otherwise I need to do some rearranging to let the music travel better.  I paid my bills today, but I had to commute twice because not every place here opens at 9 am.  Gag.  I hate commute.  It's one of the low points of civilization.  Somebody should invent the teleporter quickly.  Beam me up.  I won't be practicing any musical instruments tonight, because I'll be moving and testing speakers.  You have a good day now, Erin.  Take it easy.

Qur'an 20160331

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

154.  After the distress, God sent down calm on a band of you overcome with slumber, while another band was stirred to anxiety by their own feelings, moved by wrong suspicions of Allah, suspicions due to ignorance.  They said, "What affair is this of ours?"  Say you, "Indeed, this affair is wholly Allah's."  They hide in their minds what they dare not reveal to you.  They say, "If we had had anything to do with this affair, we should not have been in the slaughter here."  Say, "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death."  But that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts, for Allah knows well the secrets of your hearts.

(The Family of Imran 3:154)
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Letter to Erin 20160330

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

Hi Precious!  How are you feeling today?  I don't think we're past the adversity yet.  We're just a couple of troublemakers, aren't we?  Well, please try to slow down, relax, and enjoy your success.  You are my Queen, and I love you with all my heart.  Please look after yourself, because I need you.

I've been doing a lot of walking around lately.  I've been walking in Los Angeles.  No, I haven't been actually walking: my feet hurt.  I've been walking around in Google Street View.  I've been exploring Skid Row.  It's absolutely fascinating, and I'm grateful to Allah that I don't have to be in L.A. in person.  I drove through L.A. once when I visited Disneyland, and I loathed it.  We didn't even stop anywhere.  I remember that trip quite well.  I was just hanging around in front of my apartment when a couple of acquaintances drove up and said, "Hey, do you wanna go to Disneyland?  Blissful (or stupid) youth.  There's no way I would ever do something like that again.  I liked Disneyland, though.

Actually, I've become interested in the Elisa Lam case, that's why I've been walking around in L.A.  I'm just sport killing, I guess (kind of like the Zodiac Killer).  Elisa was on foot, too.  You've probably heard of Elisa Lam but for those who haven't, she was a 21 year old Canadian tourist whose body was found in the water tank of the Hotel Cecil.  What made her famous was the video footage below.  Oh, don't mind me.  I'm just browsing around.

Letter to Erin 20160329

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

Hi Erin!  How's it going today, my Sweetheart?  I took Floofy to the vet this morning.  Last Thursday, she stopped eating, which is always red alert for cats, but I thought she was just in heat again.  But come Saturday, it became obvious to me that she was suffering, so I felt her tummy and it was tight.  Oh my God, she has a blockage.  A blocked intestine is death for cats, but it was the weekend and the vet was closed.  So I looked it up on the Internet, and found that some blockages are due to parasites.  Yeah, I had some worm syrup, so I gave her a dose of that.  She finally took a poop, about an inches worth, then I poked at the poop with an old knife and it was rock hard.  I gave her 3 more doses of worm syrup, and I think I got all the hard poop out.  She's now eating again, and seems to be back to normal.  The vet said that the hot dry weather is causing the constipation, and I need to force feed her water.  I've been force feeding all the indoor cats water.  Floofy was so cute at the vet's office.  She kept on sticking her head into my arms, begging me to embrace her, and protect her from the scary doctor.

How's your tummy, Erin?  Is it OK?  I hope you're not holding in poop.  How about your teeth?  Are all your teeth OK?  Please look after yourself, because I love you and I need you.  Ya Allah, please protect my Erin.

Letter to Erin 20160328

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

Hi Erin!  How's it going today, my Sweetheart?  Erin, what's the point of having a spiritual warning if I don't pay attention to it?  Particularly when the information comes from the Qur'an.  I claim to want to master the Qur'an, then I ignore an instruction when I receive it?  I certainly don't want to be like someone who refuses to give up consuming interest because it's become a way of life, because it has only profited from interest, because it considers human knowledge as superior to the Qur'an, because it considers the Qur'an as obsolete to the current human condition.  Certainly that someone isn't a poor homeowner who defaults on a loan.  Certainly that someone has absolutely surety of itself, and needs only to be squashed by Allah in order to see otherwise, which will probably never happen in its lifetime.  Yeah, the afterlife is a better place.  But in this life, I will do all I can to try to protect my Erin.  She's my wife inshaAllah.  I love her and I need her.

No, I'm not sure of myself.  I could probably plunge into the abyss at any time.  I just try to follow the orders of God to the best of my understanding, and not allow any human to sway my decisions other than prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), and he's with God right now.  Knowledge is there for whoever seeks it.  The Qur'an is from Allah.  It is guidance for the righteous, and despair for the wicked.  Whatever it is I know, God only lets me know what I need to know.  No, I'm not sure of myself.  But I am sure that I want to marry you.  So please take good care of yourself.

Letter to Erin 20160327

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

Hi Erin!  Are you feeling better today?  I wish we could feel better and better everyday, wouldn't that be nice?  I wish we were together.  I wish to be with you always, my beloved.  You are my world.  You are MY girl.  You are the most beautiful girl in the world.  I love you and I need you. 

Oh, I'm feeling OK.  I wanted to stay at home and not go anywhere or spend any money today, but I needed some fish cake for my noodles, so I had to go to the corner store.  Can't have noodles in soup without fish cake.  Unless the broth is beef or chicken stock.  This time I had a lot of Enoki mushrooms, which blended smoothly with the rice vermicelli.  I had some "asam pedas" spices left over, you know, the turmeric/hot pepper blend.  I went to my grandparents' graves to cut the grass, but there wasn't much to cut.  The dry weather has made the graveyard visible and easy to navigate.  You should see the place when there's plenty of rain.  Then I cut the grass over at my grandparents' old house, which will your house inshaAllah.  Not much grass to cut there as well.  That's it for grass cutting for a while.  Next chore is to finish breaking down all the stuff I chainsawed for burning.  Dinner was pizza.  That batch of dough didn't turn out so nice, because I forgot to compensate for the dry weather.  It's already starting to turn sour, which tastes good though but doesn't brown well.  Tonight I'll practice bass.  You know Erin, 20 or 30 years ago, people would be so impressed with musicians playing speed licks on bass, guitar, or drums.  Nowadays everybody's doing it, so it's become nothing special.  I enjoy playing fast on a bass occasionally, but it's nothing I would ever use in a song.  After that, I'll just veg out and watch TV.  Oh no, I still don't have any snacks!

Qur'an 20160327

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

119.  Ah!  You are those who love them but they love you not, though you believe in the whole of the Book, when they meet you, they say, "We believe," but when they are alone, they bite the very tips of their fingers at you in their rage.  Say, "Perish in your rage: Allah knows well all the secrets of the heart."

120.  If aught that is good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some misfortune overtakes you, they rejoice at it.  But if you are constant and do right, not the least harm will their cunning do to you, for Allah compasses round about all that they do.

(The Family of Imran 3:119-120)
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Letter to Erin 20160326

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

Hello there, my beloved precious Erin.  How are you, my love?  I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me.  I long to be with you and love you, and I want to marry you.  I want you to keep safe and healthy, because I need you.  You have worked hard, and achieved a high level.  Do not take into your intimacy those outside your rank.  Yes, I know you are a kind hearted person and you love them, but they do not love you, and what their hearts conceal is far worse.  Hang on to yourself.

Oh, I'm full.  I just had dinner, which was a huge helping of fried noodles which I took out  downtown.  I was doing some driving around and shopping for my Mom.  Just some curry powder, oyster sauce, plastic containers, stuff like that.  Oh yeah, and "Oil of the Gamat", found only at the mom and pop sundry shops in the village.  It's primarily for skin ailments like burns and bites.  No, I don't know what a "Gamat" is.  I also picked up some perfume and coffee creamer for myself.  No, it's not Curve.  Can't find that here.  It's a local blend called "Miracle".  I don't know if I will be doing anything useful tonight.  I feel like relaxing and watching TV.  You should relax too.  Oh no, I forgot to buy snacks!

Letter to Erin 20160325

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

Hi Erin!  Hi beautiful girl!  Right now, I'm watching the Victoria's Secret fashion show 2008.  I like this show the best of all of them.  Lately the show has become too slick, but this show was right on the edge.  I like it because it was hot and passionate.  And drama.  Like when Karolina Kurkova's outfit tore right before the finale.  Now that's drama!  Do you remember the plan?  The plan is to build your house and get married.  To me!  InshaAllah.  I love you and I need you.

Have you done your homework?  What homework?  I asked you to watch Sailor Moon.  Let me repeat myself.  Erin, please watch the Japanese version of Sailor Moon in sequence, but in this sequence: the first season first (also known as Sailor Moon), then the 3rd season (SMS), the 4th season (SMSS), the 5th season (SailorStars), and the 2nd season (SMR) last if you feel like it.  Yeah, you can watch the subtitled version of course.  If you can't find an episode, wait until you find it before you move on to the next episode.  But make some effort in this matter please!  Sailor Moon is international business, and the Moonies want to play with you because you are my girl.  You don't have to leave your house.  It's just some computer work.  Take your time.  But make some effort.

Oh, it's so hot.  I like hot and passionate, but I don't like hot weather.  No, I didn't have pizza for dinner.  I had pizza for lunch.  The dough isn't that great this batch, because I forgot to compensate for how dry it's been.  But the weather feels so humid, though.  The Arizona heat was never this obnoxious, even though it was much hotter.  Dinner was steak and rice.  I love a heaping spoonful of hot steaming rice with lots of mild soy sauce.  Simple pleasures.  Alhamdulillah.

Letter to Erin 20160324

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

Hello there, my most beautiful Sweetheart!  How are you feeling today?   I want you to know that you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me, and that I love you with all my heart.  I wish us to be together, to embrace you and kiss you, my beloved.  Please keep your heart safe and healthy, please pray for us to be together soon.  My beautiful Erin.  I need you.

Oh, it's so hot.  Summer here begins at the New Year, and it's still summer.  A hot, muggy summer.  My fish are behaving strangely.  All of them are staying almost motionlessly at the top of the water facing the northeast.  They've been that way for hours already.  There was some activity during feeding time but now they're at it again.  I think it's the weather.  I was pretty much useless this morning.  All I did was sit outside, fanning myself, and listening to music.  I was more productive in the evening.  I cut the grass.  That grass grows quickly, even when it's dry.  In fact, I think the grass is stronger when it's dry.  I had noodles in soup for lunch today.  I always have noodles in soup for lunch.  I make myself a big, man-sized helping.  You should see my bowl.  I had dinner at Ina's.  Rice.  Then I went for an ice cream run.  Today I bought the rainbow flavor.  I'll pig out on ice cream after the sunset prayer.  Want some ice cream?

Letter to Erin 20160323

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

Erin, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.  I just wanted to make you laugh a little, so I thought it would be funny, but I guess it isn't.  I'm so stupid.  I promise not to ever quote you again inshaAllah, unless it's important and serious.  Please forgive me.  Please don't be mad at me, because I love you so much.  I need you.

So no pizza today.  I made a batch of dough, though.  The dough is a bit hard today, so it looks like no pizza until Thursday at least.  Coconut is plentiful right now, so I went in that direction.  I saw a cluster of baby coconuts over at your house inshaAllah, so I took those down.  Baby coconut juice is a fountain of youth, so my mother says.  So I gave her the juice of about 7 baby coconuts, and I have some for myself as well.  Dinner is chicken fingers, but instead of bread crumbs, I used grated coconut.  The coating wasn't crispy, perhaps I should have mixed in some flour with that.  But it tasted great, and very filling too.  For dipping sauce, I used that extra thick curry I made the other day.  You must try some.

Qur'an 20160323

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

95.  Say, "Allah speaks the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith: he was not of the pagans."

96.  The first House appointed for humans was that at Bakkah, full of blessing and guidance for all kinds of beings.

97.  In it are signs manifest.  The Station of Abraham: whoever enters it attains security.  Pilgrimage thereto is a duty humans owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey.  But if any deny faith, Allah stands not in need of any of God's creatures.

98.  Say, "O people of the Book!  Why reject you the Signs of Allah, when Allah is Witness to all you do?"

99.  Say, "O people of the Book!  Why obstruct you those who believe from the path of Allah, seeking to make it crooked, while you were yourselves witnesses?  But Allah is not unmindful of what you do."

(The Family of Imran 3:95-99)
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Letter to Erin 20160322

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

Hi Erin!  How are you doing today, Sweetie?  Aw, I wish you were here with me, I love you so much.  But I have to get your house for you, and treat you like a Queen, because you are a Queen.  You are my Queen, so be confident and know that you mean the world to me.  I need you, so please take good care of yourself.

I'm watching Iron Chef right now, the tuna battle.  The expensive stuff.  I've never had that expensive tuna.  The tuna that's local here is short tail tuna or "tongol", which doesn't taste good raw, like bad water.  Have you been practicing your cooking?  I'm sure you have the sensitivity to be a marvelous cook.  Remember the 2 things I told you, use a small to medium flame only unless you are absolutely confident, and please the stomach first, flavor comes later.  Your kids will thank you for it.  I will thank you as well.  The only time I use a large flame is when I'm frying up stuffed won tons.  I spent the whole morning today doing kitchen work.  I opened up 4 coconuts and had the meat grated.  I gave half to my Mom, then I squeezed out some coconut milk.  It's time for curry!  I wanted to make a generic curry today but extra thick, like ketchup or molasses.  I had a lot of onions, so I blended that to get the thickness.  I wanted to make it super thick to use as dipping or fond.  All those onions made it sweet, though.  At the same time I made my lunch, which was noodles in soup as usual.  The broth this time is a local mix called "asam pedas", which is hot sour with a base of turmeric and hot chilli peppers.  Needed salt, so I used anchovy stock.  What's for dinner?  Oh, pizza.  Want some?  Oh don't worry, I've run out of dough, so I need to make a new batch tomorrow morning.  So no pizza tomorrow.

Qur'an 20160322

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

93.  All food was lawful to the children of Israel except what Israel made unlawful for itself, before the Law was revealed.  Say, "Bring you the Law and study it, if you be men of truth."

(The Family of Imran 3:93)
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Letter to Erin 20160321

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

Hello there, my beautiful Sweetheart!  How are you feeling today?  Are you being entertained by my parents?  My Mom has a great sense of humor, but I don't know if you would understand it at times.  Every Sunday morning, I clean my parents' bedroom.  Let's say a prayer for our parents: Ya Allah, have mercy on our parents as they cherished us in childhood.

Ah, tea!  I love iced tea.  Best drink in the world.  No contest.  Tea is such a natural drink, it must have some health benefits.  I heard that tea is good for the eyes.  I enjoyed iced tea with my dinner.  Pizza again!  Oh my God, I'm eating pizza every day!  Is that normal?  Is there something wrong with me?  But I love pizza!  Please don't hate me!  Today is sausage and basil.  My favorite toppings.  Home made halal beef sausage, my own recipe.

I cleaned my fish bowl today.  No, I didn't use any soap.  The rocks were all dark with gook, but I couldn't use any chemicals to clean them, only water.  But I was able to write and draw pictures on the rocks.  The fish bowl is nice and shiny right now, almost sparkling.  The big fish seem unused to the clean water, but the little fish seem to like it.  The big fish just congregate together at the top of the water.  After I cleaned the fish bowl, I took a sip of iced tea.  Tasted like pond water.

Hey Precious, please get lots of rest and eat properly, OK?  Please pray.  I'm not there to help protect you, so you must do your best to take sweet care of yourself.  Always know that I love you and I need you.

Qur'an 20160321

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

84.  Say, "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and that given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets from their Lord.  We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will."

(The Family of Imran 3:84)
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Letter to Erin 20160320

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

Hey Scrapper!  How's business?  You must be working hard.  Please make sure you get sufficient rest, and eat adequately.  Please pray.  Pray that Allah brings us together in marriage and happiness soon.  I love you and I need you.

Right now, I'm watching "Murder on the Orient Express".  Have you see that movie, or read the book.  I first read the book decades ago when I had books, about 35 years ago.  I just had dinner.  Pizza again!  Allah granted me some knowledge of cooking, alhamdulillah.  Recently my mechanic told me that I drive too slowly, so my motorcycle stopped working.  So I have been driving faster, and that has changed my schedule somewhat.  My options for shopping have improved, because a trip downtown doesn't take as long as it used to.  So I managed a trip downtown to buy cheese, then came back in time to make my lunch, which was rice vermicelli noodles in soup.  I put some mackerel in it, plus some Enoki mushrooms which I bought when I got the cheese.  You know, the long noodle-like mushroom usually for sushi.

People and cats seem to think that Floofy is my favorite kitty.  She is my favorite kitty.  Not because I love her most: I love all my kitties equally.  It's because I trust her the most.  She's the most well-behaved of all my kitties, and she's the only kitty I allow in my bedroom.  She's never peed or pooped in my bedroom but then again, I've never allowed any other cat into my bedroom.  She puked once, but the door was shut and she was in heat, so I forgive her.  As far as cats go.  I remember once when I lost my balance and accidentally leaned on her (my feet are injured from many years working in a restaurant), and she stuck her claws deep into my forearm.  The scars have gone now, but I will never lean on her again inshaAllah.

Qur'an 20160320

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

72.  A section of the people of the Book say, "Believe in the morning what is revealed to the believers but reject it at the end of the day, perchance they may turn back."

73.  "And believe no one unless he follows your religion."  Say, "True guidance is the guidance of Allah, lest a revelation be sent to someone like that which was sent unto you.  Or that those should engage you in argument before your Lord."  Say, "All bounties are in the hand of Allah: God grants them to whom God pleases, and Allah is the All-Caring and All-Knowing."

(The Family of Imran 3:72-73)
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Letter to Erin 20160319

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

Hello Darling.  How was your day today?  Some of us are busier than others, huh?  Well, I had to slow down more than usual today.  My hips and butt are sore from doing too many bend overs.  Actually, I was putting fertilizer in my baby mangoes.  I usually sit on a turned over bucket, but it's been so bloody hot lately, and the sun was in my face, and by standing up then bending over to add fertilizer repeatedly, I was able to keep the sun out of my face.

I thought it would make a great workout, but I've been moaning and groaning since yesterday.  I skipped my usual workout today, and made pizza instead.  The pizza's a bit crispy today, and the sauce is spicier than usual, but it's good.  And filling.  Hey Babe!  Please make sure you get sufficient rest.  I don't want you to overwork, OK?  Partying is work too, and you know that.  So please take sweet care of yourself, because I love you and I need you.

Qur'an 20160319

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

64.  Say, "O people of the Book!  Come to common terms as between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, that we associate no partners with God, that we erect not from among ourselves lords and patrons other than Allah."  If then they turn back say you, "Bear witness that we are Muslims."

(The Family of Imran 3:64)
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Letter to Erin 20160318

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

Hi Sweetie!  How's my precious love doing today?  You must be busy, as you are Boss Model.  So please look after yourself, and try to stay home if you're not working.  I feel like I'm working the front line of a fast food restaurant in a busy mall.  Well, there's always something to do around here.

For lunch I had hot dogs.  There were some leftover hot dogs from which I shared with my Dad before.  They were quite good, for hot dogs.  Large, too.  Dinner was sliced tenderloin over hash browns.  Hmm.  Sounds almost like a fast food menu.  I think it's time to back to pizza.  I just made a batch of dough, and it feels like a good batch.  I need to go buy sausage fixings.  My favorite pizza is sausage and basil.  I'm not much for variety in my pizza, I just like what I like.  I don't like dessert pizzas.  Ugh!  Just eat a chocolate sundae!  My hydroponics garden is coming quite nicely.  Using all recycled bottles, bamboo skewers, and coconut husks, I only spent money for the seeds.  The fertilizer is the same I use for my baby mangoes.  Right now, I'm growing mustard greens and bok choy.  I want to grow lettuce, but I can't find the seeds anywhere.  But inshaAllah, my hydroponic vegetables will turn out great.

Busy as you are, please remember that I love you and I want to marry you, so you must take care of yourself, because I need you.  OK?

Letter to Erin 20160317

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

Hello there, my precious sweetheart.  How are you feeling right now?  You're probably all engrossed with business as usual.  Don't be so serious, and try to have fun at it.  Of course being well-rested helps one's attitude, please make sure you get your sleep.  I tried to take a nap before voice training today, but just couldn't lock into Sleepyland.  Which would would have helped me through voice training, because I almost put myself into a coma.  Those love songs really make me drowsy, especially with my voice bouncing around in my skull at high volume, makes me forget to breathe.  But sleep comes when it comes, right?  We should at least try.  I try to make my schedule conform around sleep.  Wouldn't that be nice?

Do you remember that female papaya tree with 3 heads that was growing in my yard?  One head fell off, right?  Well, the tree fell over yesterday.  It was still alive when it fell over, but papaya trees don't live long anyway.  I guess I don't need the fruit.  It's still super hot around here, but not as bad as before that rainfall a couple of days ago.  It's as if God is cranking up the humidity, and teasing us with rainfall, or the lack thereof.  I bought a kilo of mackerel yesterday, so I had mackerel sashimi yesterday.  For dinner today is Siamese hot sour soup (Tom Yam) with rice vermicelli and mackerel.  Delicious.  Alhamdulillah.  Want some?  I love you and I need you.

Qur'an 20160317

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

60.  The Truth from your Lord alone, so be not of those who doubt.

61.  If anyone disputes in this matter with you now after knowledge has come to you say, "Come!  Let us gather together, our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie!"

(The Family of Imran 3:61-62)
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Letter to Erin 20160316

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

Hi Precious!  Hi Pumpkin!  How's business today?  I know you are doing absolutely great, just make sure you eat adequately and get plenty of rest.  Please maintain your prayers.  Always know that I love you and I need you.

Have you seen the Chanel Fall-Winter 2016-17 Ready-to-Wear fashion show?  Oh my God, all the clothes are so CUTE!  I don't normally watch or endorse fashion shows, but since they put the link right over your head, I couldn't resist going there.  This time the collection look unmistakably Chanel, and pretty, modest, and dare I say it... comfortable.  It must be all the boots and flats.  Can you envision yourself in a beautiful Chanel dress suit?  I can.  I couldn't afford to wear Chanel even if I could afford it, but I would love to see you in Chanel.  I still have this picture in my head of how beautiful you are, giving a tour to the Public Eye of your beautiful new house, and finding me, sleeping on the floor somewhere, in front of a computer.  I suppose it would be OK if I were wearing Chanel, but most likely I wouldn't even be wearing underwear.  I've always loved Karl Lagerfeld's work with Chanel.  Karl-baby and I go waaaaay back, way back to a rather embarrassing period of my life.  No, he doesn't know me.  Why should he?  I'm mysterious.

Letter to Erin 20160315

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

Hello Beautiful!  Hi Gorgeous!  How's business today?  Are you enjoying all those new contracts?  Just be patient, and you will be able to pick and choose whatever work you want inshaAllah, if not already.  Just try not to overwork, and give thanks to Allah.  I love you and I need you.

There's not much going on here today.  I took my motorcycle to the repair shop today because I've been having trouble starting it.  The repairman said that I've been driving too slowly, and I need to drive faster.  Say what?  I do drive slowly, though.  My logic is that if I see someone about to ram me, I have time to stop, dodge, or jump off.  I guess another logic is that accidents happen regardless, and such is life.  From Allah is our origin, and to Allah is our return.

It finally rained after a long dry spell, so I got a chance to burn that trash I had been accumulating.  The hot is still very hot and humid, though.  I hope it rains some more.  I want lots of mango flowers.  I don't want a flood though.

Letter to Erin 20160314

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

Well, I don't have the right beef for stew.  All I have is tenderloin, which is a waste in stew.  I'm going to have to visit the butcher and get a fatty cut for stew.  Potatoes are so cheap right now.  I had a hash brown pancake for lunch today, a thick one.  I used that ceramic saute pan I recently bought, and it's perfect for flips!  I flipped that hash brown pancake perfectly, I was so happy!  Ah, a taste of happiness.  Alhamdulillah.  Simple pleasures, huh?

I want my girl.  I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and I need you.  You are my girl, so you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me.  As for your body image, you are a pro, so you know what makes you feel good, and thus look good.  Don't lose your self-esteem, I say.  And stay healthy.

It's been an active day for me.  I always spend Sunday mornings cleaning my parents bedroom.  I managed a short nap before voice training, but I'll have to admit that a physically active morning wears out my voice, especially when I didn't get much sleep last night.  I spent the evening with my chainsaw over at your house inshaAllah.  There was this one tree on the west border which leans into the neighbor's yard that I took down.  I asked him if it were OK for me to cut that tree down, since it would definitely fall into his yard.  He said OK.  I didn't want the tree to bother his ducks- he's a duck farmer.  I swear I saw an American Mallard among his ducks.  Anyway, the tree got stuck in another tree which was on his yard, so I had to throw a rope around the top and pull it down.  A tree is a very heavy object, and that was a serious workout.  Plus, the activity angered a massive amount of red army ants, and they attacked my balls.  Why do they always target my balls?  The ducks were laughing at me... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...  I saw my shadow, and it was muscular.  HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...  Bat Cat was my companion and observer during this endeavor.  It was entertaining to see him daintily hop over the swarm of army ants like a ballerina.

Dinner was pizza again.  I had run out of marinara sauce, so I had to make some more.  I was missing an ingredient (red hot pepper puree) so I substituted that with fresh hot peppers instead.  It wasn't the same, but spicier.  When you get better at cooking, and thus get a better understanding of the food you eat, you will notice a definite connection between the mind and the stomach.  For instance, last night I cooked up some potatoes but instead of making brown gravy, I sprinkled brown gravy powder directly on the potatoes.  Flavor and texture wise it was good, but the strange combination gave me heartburn.  There were no other ingredients other than oil, onion and black pepper.

Letter to Erin 20160313

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

I told you people don't like Zam the puppy dog.  They prefer Zam the wolf.  I would rather be a puppy dog, but what puppy dog can handle everybody hating it? 

While I am a recluse, you are magnanimous.  You have plenty of friends.  Certainly you can't help your past, and you are such a sweetheart.  Such a beautiful sweetheart.  You are so easy to love.  I want you to realize that we are on a spiritual arena, so I ask you not to prefer the friendship of unbelievers over believers.  Please choose the side of God.  Avoid the friendship of atheists and pagans.  If you choose the friendship of atheists and pagans, you will not receive the help of Allah except in matters of treachery.  You have plenty of good friends.  Now I ask you to try to make one Muslim friend.  Besides me, that is.

Potatoes are cheap right now, so dinner is steak and potatoes.  How about some potatoes, Irish?  My kittens always go berserk when I cook up a steak, but I distract them by allowing them to lick the pan.  I haven't made stew in years.  Would you like some stew, made with love and need for you?  I'm the one who loves you and needs you.

Qur'an 20160313

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

29.  Say, "Whether you hide what is in your hearts or reveal it, Allah knows it all.  God knows what is in the heavens, and what is on earth, and Allah has power over all things."

30.  On the day when every soul will be confronted with all the good it has done, and all the evil it has done, it will wish there were a great distance between it and its evil.  But Allah cautions you Godself, and Allah is full of kindness to those that serve God.

31.  Say, "If you do love Allah, follow me.  Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful."

32.  Say, "Obey Allah and God's messenger."  But if they turn back, Allah loves not those who reject faith.

(The Family of Imran 3:29-32)
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Letter to Erin 20160312

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

Hi Erin.  Hi Princess!  Please try to keep your nose clean, OK?  Erin, I saw your pretty little NYC home.  It's so pretty!  It's the perfect reflection of you and who you are.  It's so clean.  I look around me, and I see the contrast between our homes.  You're so civilized, and I'm such a Neanderthal.  It's must have been uncomfortable for you to display your home to the Public Eye, so I will say "Thank You" on behalf of everybody.  You have a beautiful home, and a talent for interior design.

It occurs to me that you need to supervise the building of your house inshaAllah.  It is your house after all and by the Qur'an, I'm the guy that has to finance it.  I don't mind, because I love you and need you.  I've taken for granted that you have your house plan, just make sure you try to fit it in the dimensions I gave you.  I have no problem with your being here to oversee the construction of your house, if I could restrain myself from grabbing you and making out with you.  We have to be married first!  The old house which stands on the site of your house inshaAllah, has plenty of old wood which may be reclaimed if you see fit.  I will try to save them for you as neatly as I can.  I have a picture in my head of how beautiful you are in your beautiful new house, and you would find me sleeping on the floor somewhere, in front of a computer.

Those astrologers told me many years ago that a union of 2 dreamers is no good, because we wouldn't be able to keep the wolf away from the door.  What a bunch of shit.  So let's be practical.  The land for your house would cost about RM100000.  The property I live on right now (which belongs to my aunt) would cost about half of that for me to own.  A 2 karat diamond ring at Tiffany's is at least USD12600 (and you would have to be the one to buy it, since they won't sell it to me).  The construction of your house would be about RM500000, even with reclaimed wood.  Plus legal and living expenses, which would be ongoing.  And what do I do?  My mission is to please Allah with music.  At this time, I am in danger of eviction at any time.  So if I fail to pay for your house, get evicted from my house and fail to pay for our marriage, then my mission here has failed, and I would have to go somewhere else, assuming I survive.  Nobody can save me from the wolf, because I am the wolf.

What do I mean by that?  I know, with Allah as my witness, of the power of this music by the Will of Allah which I have to bear.  But no one here has spoken to me of the music, except my parents.  I'm not a prophet, so I cannot say that Allah would avenge me.  The closest analogy in the Qur'an which I can compare myself to is the she-camel of Allah, which was hamstrung.  I can only keep creating and communicating this music until I am silenced.  And I know for certain that the world is watching and listening.

What's practical here is the leap of faith.  I belong to Allah, and if I don't make it with you here in this life then I will catch you in the next, but I have faith that Allah will bring us together and resolve our affair for us.  But we have to work.  That is what I do.  I work.  Did you think this music is easy?  A hobby?

Qur'an 20160312

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

26.  Say, "O Allah!  Lord of Power, You give power to whom You please, and You strip off power from whom You please.  You endue with honor whom You please, and You bring low whom You please.  In Your hand is all Good.  Verily, over all things You have Power."

(The Family of Imran 3:26)
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Letter to Erin 20160311

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

Hello, my Queen.  Hi Princess!  I believe I have a sense of how you are feeling right now, because I can feel it too.  I want you to know that you are so beautiful to me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world, and I love you with all my heart.  I miss you very much, and I wish I were there with you.  To talk with you, to go out and eat together, to sit on a bench together and watch the clouds and the birds, to hold you and kiss you, to make love to you, because I love you very much, and you mean the world to me.  My most beautiful Queen, you are my heart.  Everyday I think of you all day, I pray for you, I pray that you are doing well and are happy with your life and with me, because I need you.  I want the best for you my darling.  Please do not feel lonely, because I am with you all the time, and we will be together, inshaAllah.  You are my love.

Then we can have pizza later.  It's pizza night again!  Sausage and basil!  Oh no, why am I eating pizza all the time lately?  I have a routine for making pizza at home with cheap cheese taste better than the delivered stuff.  One talent that Allah gave me is the ability to elevate the mediocre, alhamdulillah.  And those are the ingredients that are available to me, so I mix them up into something tasty.  But why am I eating pizza every day?  Am I turning into a politician?  Oh no!  Please, no!  I'm a musician, not a politician.

Letter to Erin 20160310

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

Hi there!  Hi there!  Are you feeling good?  It's as hot as ever here.  I need another AC.  It must be close to spring over there.  I miss the cool weather, and spring and fall.  I want to thank you for keeping your nose clean.  It matters to me, because I want you to be at your best and healthiest, and not be consumed.  It matters not just to me, but to many many other people who love you and need you.  I love you and need you.

I was about to fried up some chicken tenders for some chicken sandwiches, but then discovered I had defrosted the sausage instead!  Yeah, I just made a batch of dough, but that won't be ready until tomorrow or Friday.  So I put the chicken in the sink, and it looks like I won't be able to start cooking dinner until after the night prayer.  Maybe I'll roll them in my home made hot sauce, for some buffalo chicken sandwiches.  If only I had blue cheese.  I made my hot sauce with a little fermented anchovies, and over time there was gas buildup in the bottle and when I opened it, it popped like champagne.  Yeah, all over my sink and kitchen wall.  Good thing I was standing at the sink.  Good thing I still have some left in the bottle.  I'd better go pop it again.

Qur'an 20160310

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

20.  So if they dispute with you, say, "I have submitted my whole self to Allah and so have those who follow me."  And say to the people of the Book and to those who are unlearned, "Do you submit yourselves?"  If they do, they are in right guidance.  But if they turn back, your duty is to convey the message.  And in Allah's sight are God's servants.

(The Family of Imran 3:20)
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Letter to Erin 20160309

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

Hello, my beloved.  How are you feeling today?  It's still awfully hot around here, it has been since the New Year, and the nights are not much better.  So I've been indoors in the AC as much as possible.  There's nothing much going on here either, just the usual.  I like it nice and slow.  I did have to step outside to take care of my crops, then in the evening I had to continue breaking down all that debris left from all that chainsawing I did around your house inshaAllah.  Tonight I and my computer will be busy encoding for Shadowplay TV.  Just the usual stuff.

I know you're busy, so please make sure you're well rested and eat properly.  Please pray.  I want you to know that you are loved.  I'm the one who loves you, and needs you.

Qur'an 20160309

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

15.  Say, "Shall I give you glad tidings of things far better than those?  For the righteous are gardens in nearness to their Lord with rivers flowing beneath, therein is their eternal home with companions pure, and the good pleasure of Allah.  For in Allah's sight is God's servants."

(The Family of Imran 3:15)
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Letter to Erin 20160308

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

Hi there, Boss Model!  You are MY girl, so you are the most beautiful girl in the world.  I hope you are having a great time, and not overworking.  My sleeping schedule has gone back to normal since last week.  A few days ago, I slept almost 7 hours straight!  Oh, don't worry about me.  I always sleep in chunks, which usually add up to 7 hours a day.  I'm a noisy sleeper, just to warn you.  I get all my dreams and rest regardless, so I don't consider myself as having a sleep disorder.  I don't know if you would be able to tolerate it, though.  But you're an angel, right?  I'll handle the night shift with the baby, so you can go ahead and sleep through the night.

There's nothing out of the ordinary going on here.  I cleaned my bedroom.  I used the engine blower to blow all the dust out.  It's so handy and so much more convenient than sweeping or vacuuming, and my bedroom has never been cleaner because of it.  The 8th of March is my Dad's birthday: he's 79.  Happy Birthday, Dad!  It's also the day that plane disappeared, do you remember that?  My guess is that the plane carcass can be found at the bottom of the sea between Thailand and Langkawi.  Yes, the Qur'an does provide much information for those who sincerely seek to know.  We believe in the Book: the whole of it is from our Lord.

This morning, I visited the taxman to pick up some forms.  I also visited the pharmacy to get some anti fungal pills for Bat Cat.  That cat loves to sleep in the mud for some strange reason.  I told him to clean himself because I'm not doing it, and he does a fair job of it.  I hear that mud cleans skin, but it gives Bat Cat fungus.  I had lunch today at Omar's.  Dinner today was a block of fresh tofu swimming in marinara sauce with chopped scad meat and basil leaves.  Kind of an Italian Oriental meal, but very tasty.  It's only a single serving so I don't have any left for you.  I do love you though, and I need you.

Letter to Erin 20160307

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

Hi there, my beautiful Sweetheart!  Have you been super busy?  Work doesn't do much for the heart, though.  Please don't be blue, because I love you.  I will marry you, inshaAllah.  Please make sure you don't overwork, and rest your precious heart.  Treat yourself as gold, for you are so precious to me.  You are my wife inshaAllah, and I need you.

Whenever I ask you to make a donation together with me, you don't have to give 10 grand and your first born child.  Just a dollar (or Euro).  It's not to show, though you may have noticed how some people make a big stink about a lousy dollar (or Euro), not necessarily because they have to give it, but because they didn't receive it.  It's not that.  It's because you are me, and we make the donation together.

My pizza dough has become unusable.  My pizza tonight was not crispy, but hard.  When did I make that batch of dough, anyway?  It must have been Wednesday morning, after I checked my Dad into the ward.  No, it was the day before.  It seems that my dough has a life of 5 days in the cooler without freezing it.  That was a perfect batch.  But I'm pizza-ed out.  No more pizza for a while.

Letter to Erin 20160306

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

Greetings, my dearest love.  How are you feeling?  How about you?  You know that I feel the same way.  We're all waiting for something, and I've been waiting longer than you.  So please stay positive, and pray.  After all, you are at the top of your profession.  Heaven is for the next life.  So enjoy where you are, and know that I love you and need you.

I have to admit that I enjoy the way I feel nowadays.  It would be awesome if I could slow down even more, but hey life isn't perfect.  The cats pee faster than I can prepare mop water.  But at least I don't need to attribute how I feel to a substance or lack thereof.  Besides not have my girl, that is.

There's a lot of debris around your house inshaAllah due to all the chainsawing I did lately, plus the scrub that the neighbor helped clear (thank you) that needs to be broken down for systematic burning, so I worked on that in the evening.  Besides being an amateur fire marshal, I need to generate earth so I have to burn in a place where I can collect the ash.  The monsoon still hasn't arrived, so the mango trees have no flowers thus no fruit yet.  This means the price of harumanis is going to skyrocket.  InshaAllah.

As I write this letter, I'm frying up some anchovies for my snack mix.  Unlike you girls, I prefer savory over sweet.  I do like sweet, but not everyday.  Dinner was a sausage and tofu pizza.  Awesome!  Alhamdulillah.  The key is fresh tofu.  There's an excellent tofu maker at the market downtown, nice and soft and milky white.  Really, I'm not the type that eats pizza everyday.  It's that a batch of dough yields 5 pizza doughs, and become unusable quickly if the quality is high.  Oh, I guess I could always freeze them.  But it's so tasty!  Want some pizza?

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

Letter to Erin 20160305

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

Hello Sweetheart.  Hello Luscious.  I'm sitting at home again writing this letter, for hospital duty has ceased for now.  I'm writing late today: it's almost 10 pm, and I'll be going to sleep soon.  I've been awfully busy, and I didn't get much sleep in the ward.  I just came back from the mosque.  I watched a young couple get married.

I spent the evening in the kitchen, processing a fish, making marinara sauce, making sausage, making a pizza.  This time it's sausage and oyster mushroom.  I've been really enjoying pizza lately.  I'm grateful to Allah for giving me some knowledge of cooking.  Tomorrow, I'll be grilling a fish!  I wish you were with me to enjoy it.  My parents gave me a fish Tuesday, but it's been in the freezer because I've been so busy.  I'll be stuffing it with tofu and tom yam paste, maybe some cilantro or basil.  I will wait for you, because I love you and I need you.  I'll need to get another fish, though.

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

Letter to Erin 20160304

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

Hi there, o beautiful one!  O gorgeous one!  I'm sitting here today in a hospital ward, keeping my Dad company as he recovers from eye surgery.  It's just after the sunset prayer, and I have to be here all night.  So, thank Allah for portable computers.

I wanted to say something about interest, or rather the consumption of.  The consumption of interest is forbidden by the Qur'an.  But the Prophet (peace be on him) did not define what was interest before he passed away.  He knew that everyone would have their fingers tainted to a certain extent with usury after his time.  This is not to OK interest just because it is a condition of modern times.  The Qur'an encompasses all of time.

Let's just regard interest that is compounded on itself.  The problem with interest on interest is that the world is finite, but the interest is infinite.  That is how the richest got richer, and control the earth, because there will never be enough value in the world to pay for interest that accumulates on itself.  The poor will default on their loans, and human law will punish them.  What about a country with massive debts?  How would you punish a country that defaults on massive debts?  If you were the lender, how would you get your money back?  Enslave the entire country?  Wage war?  Probably a leader who is wealthy would know how to save a debt-ridden country.  Unless of course, he is in business partnership with the lenders.

And of course, some will argue that what's worth doing is worth doing for money, and that the poor are also able to consume interest, and they wouldn't want to give it up either.  Isn't it all too late or too futile?  What is the solution?  Only the individual can provide a solution, by being an individual who forsakes the consumption of interest.  Give the profit made from interest to the poor- don't give to the wealthy! 

Oh dearest, I've written another rambling letter.  I hope you had lots of fun on your birthday, and that you are taking proper care of yourself.  I want you to know that I love you with all my heart, and I need you.

Letter to Erin 20160303

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

Happy Birthday, Erin!  My beloved Golden Heart, I love you with all my heart.  You are my wife inshaAllah, and I need you.  I pray you have the most confidence you've ever had in your life, I pray that people will treat you as preciously as I regard you, I pray that no harm or unhappiness ever befall you.  Ya Allah, please protect my Erin.  I want you to know Erin, that I would wait for you no matter how old we get, because I will marry you inshaAllah.  Please have faith in Allah, and in our love.  Meanwhile, please enjoy your success, have fun, and look after your precious self.

Your birthday pizza is eggplant and tofu.  Delicious!

Letter to Erin 20160302

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

Hey there!  How's it going?  How are you?  I just finished my dinner.  It was a huge bowl of vermicelli soup, Tom Yam flavored.  Tom Yam, as you know, is a hot sour Thai seasoning which is very common around these here parts.  Everywhere you look here, you will see restaurants serving Tom Yam.  I don't know about you, but I don't like to experiment with restaurants that serve stuff I already know.  Yeah, I know there are different recipes out there.  When we go out to eat together inshaAllah, if we're not going to one of my regular joints, I would try to experiment with atmosphere and hope for the best about the cooking.  It must not be the same way in New York, but it must be hell to be halal.  It's always best to cook my own food, because I'm not likely to poison myself.  Plus I get huge, man-sized servings, I eat what I feel like eating, and I save money.

I love you, I need you, and I wish you were with me.  But we must be patient, right?  I want you to take good care of yourself, like treasure, for you are so valuable to me.  Please don't overwork, please pray, and try not to drink those funny tasting beverages.