Qur'an 20180911

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 1:78-80)
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Black Monday

Hi Natty honey!  Sorry I'm running late today.  I got started on my dinner late, and it was fish, so it was messy.  Fish and rice.  Fish is so messy to eat.  You have to cook it until the flesh comes off the bones, which pretty much means the whole fish falls apart.  Unless you're eating it raw, then you can just fillet it and life becomes so much simpler.  But today I stuffed and fried it in a closed pan, which effectively steams the fish at the same time.  But so messy.  How are you today, my love?  Busy?  If so, then please make sure you relax and rest adequately, and eat properly.  Don't forget to pray!  I called today Black Monday, but it's not really a gloomy day.  I was just referring to outfit I wore for voice training, since Sunday was supposed to be black, but I forgot.  Sunday was also the King's birthday, and tomorrow is the first day of the Islamic calendar (Awal Muharram), both being public holidays, but since the King's birthday was Sunday, the holiday was Monday, which made it a 4 day weekend for most folks.  I have to work everyday, so I didn't know that.  I went downtown to do some shopping, but most of the stores were closed.  It also means that the tourists are back in town, and I didn't know that either.  Good thing I've been extra reclusive, and haven't left the house in 3 days.  I try to keep out of sight when it's tourist season.

Today's outfit has to be one of my favorites.  It's so simple.  It's so ME.

Sunday

Natty, is that you?  The clothes look like what you would normally wear, but that you look like a different woman.  Your face, your smile, and your hands look so much more relaxed.  I do so hope that is so, that you are learning how to relax, and thenceforth enjoy your success and your life so much more.  Where are you in that snapshot?  It doesn't look like Vancouver.  I see a few buildings on that island, but no evergreens.  The water is calm.  I'm guessing you are in Italy.  If you are in Milan Honey, please make sure you go to a restaurant and eat a pizza OK?

Curiously enough, I watched "The Conformist" last night.  It was in Italian and I had trouble following what was happening, but I had Wikipedia to help me.  Incidentally, Milan was the place Mussolini's body was brought to and placed in public display at the Piazzale Loreto.  It's nothing for you to be concerned about, I'm sure it's not still there.  You just eat a pizza.

Sunday is supposed to be black, but I forgot.

Raw fish

Hi Natty honey!  How are you today, beautiful young woman?  I hope you are feeling great and having tons of fun, but please make sure you know how to relax!  What's for dinner today?  Do you like raw fish?  I mean, do you like sushi?  Of course you like sushi, I remember your eating it once, in Paris I think.  My parents gave me a fresh scad today.  Scad has a very strong flavor, and it's only good raw if it were very, very fresh.  It wasn't a big fish, medium large for a hardtail scad, so there wasn't enough meat for California rolls.  Well, for a satisfying helping of rolls.  I can eat a LOT of sushi in one go.  So I portioned out the meat I did have into sashimi slices, about the size of a quarter each, and marinated them in light soy sauce.  Then my Mom also gave me some "nasi lemak", which is rice steamed in coconut milk.  This is a local dish, usually served with "sambal tumis" (blended chillies, onions and "belacan" (fermented shrimp) fried in oil until saturated), boiled eggs and crunchy anchovies.  She didn't give me any anchovies, which is OK because I already have some, but I thought that it would be cool to use sashimi slices instead of crunchy anchovies.  And it was a lovely meal.  Delicious.  Raw fish is an escellent substitute for crunchy anchovies in "nasi lemak".  Would you like to try some?

Movies

Hiya Natty honey!  How's it going for you today?  Busy, busy?  Well, I hope you are taking care of your health and learning to relax.  Calm that heart!  It's business as usual for me today.  There are plenty of tasks that I can't complete during the course of the day, but I do as much as I can then pick up where I left off the next day.  So many tiny little details, it's like having 4 cats set up booby traps along the way as the day goes on.  Well, yeah.  I've been watching a lot of movies lately.  You don't have to watch these movies, I'm just telling you about them.  The computer will decide what movie you should watch.  I don't know precisely how I became a movie mogul.  MashaAllah.  I think it has something to do with the fact that I have no privacy, and I don't do much talking to myself, so what's left for them to listen to is the TV, and the TV becomes an endorsement to whatever show or product is being featured at any particular time.  Strange, huh?  There are movies that I love, but I don't love watching movies, and there are many movies that I can't finish.  But somehow and lately, watching movies has become work.  Recently I watched "Samsara", which is a beautiful and visual movie, but sleep inducing.  I had to take 3 naps to get through the movie.  10 pm is the time I have time to sit through an entire movie, but I naturally get drowsy at that time too.  "The Tree of Life" with Brad Pitt is another sleepy movie, beautiful and visual as well, but I only needed one nap to finish the movie.  Right now I'm in the middle of "Life or something like it" featuring Angelina Jolie (as a blonde), which I will finish watching later.  No naps this time.  Just no time.  Busy, busy.  Do you remember Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?  A Hollywood romance?  Ya Allah, please keep me and my wife together forever.

I have decided that the reason I got shot and killed during voice training yesterday is because my outfit was too slutty, and it generated undue sexual arousal in my assailant.  So I dressed down today.  The skirt is still kind of short... I guess I can't get away from miniskirts.  I love them.  It's my Sailor Moon influence.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Relax

Hi there, Natty honey!  Are you excited?  Life is fun and exciting, isn't it?  I hope you are having fun with us, because I love you and I want you to enjoy your life with me.  However, you need to learn how to relax.  No, more activity will not help you to relax.  Too much coffee doesn't help either.  Right now, you are as tense as a cat that has her claws tangled up in the carpet.  Don't worry Honey, I released your claws already.  I'm quite good at giving a massage, thank you Lord, and can help you loosen up those shoulders.  Alas again, we need to be married first.  Why don't you try going to a spa and getting a professional massage?  I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I made chicken fried rice with broccoli and cauliflower for dinner tonight.  Slightly heavy, but not bad.  Fried rice should be nice and light in flavor and texture.  Cooking was not easy because I aroused the attention of 4 tenacious and vicious beasts.  My cats.  But I only had to lock one of them up (Mama Cat) when she jumped onto the counter top with some poop about to come out of her butt.  Damned food critics.

In other news, while I was voice training today, I got shot on stage and died.  Good thing it's a virtual world.  But I died a few times today, serves me right for being stubborn and going back.  Was my outfit too slutty?  It is kind of a slutty dress, but that's normal for my business, and I don't dress like this in real life.  No, it wasn't the outfit that got me shot.  As far as I could gather from her ranting and when I got shot, she was unhappy with me for singing Billie Holiday.  But otherwise, I don't really understand how I "fucked with her".  I was only singing.

You're such a name brand

Gah!  Instagram wants me to create an account for me to view your posts.  I guess I'll do that some time later.  Because I love my girl.  First I have to post this letter, then I have to make a batch of dough, pray the night prayer, then I need to prepare on my outfit for tomorrow's voice training.  After that, I guess.  How are you today, Natty honey?  You're such a name brand.  With your DKNY sweater and Converse high tops.  Are you handling it OK?  It's great money yeah, but I suppose you want to hide from the limelight today.  I understand.  The weather here has gone back to being hot and awful again.  It was so nice and cool the last couple of days.  I was so sleepy all the time, but it was so comfortable, and I felt so happy to be that comfortable.  I wanted to enjoy the glimpse of happiness.  Yeah, I know lots of coffee would negate the drowsiness, but right now I'm budgeted for one cup of coffee a day.  And I need that cup of coffee.  40 minutes into my voice training set every day I drink my cup of coffee, otherwise I would put myself into a coma, and be too sleepy to perform well or enjoy myself the rest of the set.  If that happened, I would have to take a nap, but I prefer the coffee.

I would love to have this drum set.  Or Karen Carpenter's first Ludwig.