The big deal

 

Hi Natty!  How are you feeling?  You must be quite pleased and all excited about your interview.  Great going, Honey!  Now I'm sorry if I kill your buzz, but there's something I need to advise you.  Please don't boast about how modest you are because it means that you're not.  That was cute, though!

Ah, the mighty cable tie.  Since I can't afford a real drum set, I had to turn an old plastic water reservoir into a bass drum.  I bought a 20 inch drum head and managed to fit it on top of the big plastic bucket.  I didn't have means to attach tension rods but I did find some tension hooks at the hardware store, probably meant for pitching tents.  That and a lot of cable ties, and I acquired a really mean sounding bass drum!  I was so scared to play it because it sounded so monstrous, and I might invoke the wrath of my mother next door.  Anyway, I snagged the tension hooks to the edge of the drum head and now it's warped and I have to rebuild it.  I found something to use as a drum hoop which I can snag the tension hook to, which came off a dead 20 inch fan cage.  It has a sharp edge though, which cut through the cable ties.  But I think I found a solution to that, so I'm enjoying this bass drum build.  I used to grumble to myself about not having quality equipment, but now I don't seem to care anymore because finding and creating solutions to musical equipment is a lot of dang fun.  Even when the money comes inshaAllah, I don't think I would ever make a purchase if I can rig something up instead.  Be this a lesson to musical instrument makers: find your endorsements, don't force them to come to you.  Especially in my case mashaAllah.

I'm proud of you

 Hi Natty!  I heard your podcast interview!  Your knowledge of sustainable materials is impressive, I didn't know any of it.  You're going to do absolutely great, Honey.  InshaAllah.  Go ahead and be a star.  I love you.

About today's show folks, there was someone already there on the karaoke board when we logged in.  By the time Mary put her name on the board, that somebody was still there and mumbling into the microphone.  Poor Mary has to behave like a lady 24/7, so she waited until that other person took her name off the board.  Meanwhile, Mary could sing into the other stream that we use.  But then we started to have Internet problems.  No it wasn't the ISP, it was the Internet that cut Mary off.  We managed to stream and log back into Second Life again, and I got sick of waiting for that other person so I told Mary to tell her if she's not going to sing then Mary will.  Without waiting for a reply, I switched on the karaoke stream.  Mary has to behave like a lady, but I have no qualms about behaving like a jerk in this situation.  If you want to compete then compete, you know what I mean?  Don't be a loser without even trying.

Sweet tomato

 

Hi Natty!  How are you, Honey?  I hope you are feeling calm and relaxed.  It's almost time for the Great Pizza Day!  I went shopping in the morning for ingredients.  I have to start prepping now so on the big day, all I have to do is put the pizza together.  Food prep isn't what it used to be for me.  What I used to accomplish in one work morning now takes me weeks to do, and in far less quantities.  But I'm so grateful I don't work in a restaurant anymore.  Tomorrow I will make the marinara sauce and my home made halal beef sausage inshaAllah.  I have a different approach for marinara sauce this time: I want big chunks of tomatoes in there, so it can easily fill up the deep dish.  Sometimes I can find Roma tomatoes, but not today.  I found the regular round ones, and not that great either.  But the cherry tomatoes looked marvelous and only slightly more expensive, so it looks like I'm making my marinara sauce with cherry tomatoes.

I still have some chicken liver left, and I need to use it up.  I also had some leftover steamed rice, so it was chicken liver fried rice for dinner.  The liver seasoning was only turmeric and salt, and I fried that up with the garlic until it almost disintegrated.  Then I added the rice and all the other stuff.  I normally prefer light and refreshing fried rice while liver is a heavy flavor, but the rice turned out quite successful.  A very dainty result.  I must remember this approach.  You wanna try some?

Qur'an 20210707

 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)

Now that's entertainment!

 Hi Natty!  Yes, that does look like 3:33 pm.  But there are 7 gulls!  How awesome to live by the beach, in gorgeous pristine country.  The grass looks dry, though.  I think the events on and following your graduation were a response to that smoking and freckles skit you did.  It could have been planned earlier, but I think it's being a response is more likely.  Very clever, though.

Hey Natty, do you wanna trip out?  Check out the video below of cleaning clogged pores.  I couldn't stop gaping while watching this.  The thought that crosses my mind is, "What does that stuff smell like?"  What's extra trippy are the yelps and screams in the background.  What's frustrating is when she can't get the whole thing out.  It makes me want to jump in there and help.  I don't know about you, but I could watch this for hours!  Oh no, I don't have any snacks!

Qur'an 20210706

 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)

Loss of interest

 

Hi Natty Honey!  How are you, my beautiful love?  Are you having fun riding the Crazy Carousel?  That's because you are a Rock and Roll Princess!  You are MY girl, and I love you with all of my heart.  Oh today is Monday, and I spent the morning running errands.  They finally opened all government counters on July 1, so I handed in my tax forms and paid my water bill.  Oh no, I don't mail in the tax forms nor do them online.  Those forms are my only accounting, so I need a copy and have them stamp receipt.  I also picked up my mother's prescription, then bought takeout lunch.  I was also going to buy takeout for dinner at the night market, then I saw the rain fall on them so I hastily bid retreat.  Too bad.

It looks like they didn't flush out all the homeless encampments on July 4.  That might be nice of them.  A lot of the people on the Boardwalk and the beach are every bit as attractive as the homeless encampments, so the cops probably got confused and that's why they didn't give out tickets.  Anyway, I'm bored with this.  Fill up the Boardwalk with the homeless again, and I might tune in.