Saturday: I get my news online on the Weekends

Jalal (Glory), 12 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Saturday, January 30, 2016 about 1:46 PM Pacific Standard Time

Listen to the news
See what's happening in the world
Pray for unity

I listen to the television news Monday through Friday, but on Saturday and Sunday I skip the T.V. news programs. I don't stop investigating the local, state, national, or international news, but on the weekends I get my news online instead of on television. I like keeping up with world events; however, sometimes the television news gets a little intense. So on the weekends I take a break from all television media circus.

Thankful Thursday: The Last Thankful Thursday in January 2016

Istijlal (Majesty), 10 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Thursday, January 28, 2016 about 4:29 PM Pacific Standard Time

Sometimes I wonder
what I have to give thanks for:
I woke up today.

I'm feeling a bit down this afternoon, which explains the senryu I just wrote. When I'm down or depressed it's a bit difficulty to find something to give thanks for, but that's the time when I need to look the hardest. Depression is a negative emotion which means I don't look at the blessings present in my life.

Look for the blessings
there is always something to
be thankful for.

 

Transformation Tuesday: How Not to Raise my Blood Pressure

Fidal (Grace), 8 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Tuesday, January 26, 2016 about 3:45 PM Pacific Standard Time

Beautiful Tuesday
I spent the morning offline
Went to the doctor

Driving across Las Vegas can be an interesting experience. Fortunately, this morning's drive was a bit boring, which is the way it should be when going to see the doctor. Interesting driving experiences raise my blood pressure and I don't want when I'm driving to a doctor's appointment.

Beautiful Tuesday
I picked up two prescriptions
and purchased new pens.

I used to use different colored pens when I made my offline journal entries, but for the past few months I have used only black ink pens. This makes it difficult to tell one entry from the next if I don't use a different color pen for the entry date or title. Today I decided that I needed to go back to using different colored ink pens for my entries. If I can find a past entry easily then it cuts down on my frustration which helps keep my blood pressure low (This is my own theory).

Sundry Sunday: The Fourth Sunday of January 2016

Jamal (Beauty), 6 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Sunday, January 24, 2016 about 10:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

It's the fourth Sunday in January 2016
on the east coast they are digging
of the Blizzard of 2016,
while here in Las Vegas
the temperature is a brisk 56 degrees
with the sun shining
on ground that isn't covered
by snow.

Brisk may not be a precise description of the weather here in Las Vegas. To me the air feels cold and enlivening, but I'm not sure how fresh it is. I think there is something in the air that's causing my sinuses to act up; however, I could feel that way because it's too cold to open the door to let the fresh air in. It will be too cold to open the door until Wednesday or Thursday when the temperature is predicted to rise into the mid sixties.

The sun is shining,
but I don't hear birds singing:
Are they still asleep?

I haven't heard the birds sing in the morning for several weeks, not since the morning temperatures descended into the fifties. Maybe the birds like higher morning temperatures. If that's the case then they won't sing until afternoon when the temperatures rise into the high fifties or low sixties. All though, I don't think the temperature is supposed to get above 58 or 59 degrees today. Oh ell, it will get hot soon enough, I guess I should enjoy the cooler pleasant temperatures while they last. It doesn't do any good to grip about the weather anyway.

Enjoying the sun
and the beautiful blue sky
without snow cover.

 

Thursday Thoughts and Events: January 21, 2016

Istijlal (Majesty), 3 Sulṭán (Sovereignty), 172 BE - Thursday, January 21, 2016 about 3:30 PM Pacific Standard Time

I could call this Forgetful Thursday, but that wouldn't be completely true. I did remember to do everything except on thing today. I forgot to take the pill I'm supposed to take once a week. Since I have to take it on an empty stomach, I'll have to take it on Friday morning this week and continue that the rest of the year. I know why I forgot to take. I didn't put it down on my schedule and it is not in the pill box I use to keep track of my medication.

On the bright side, I did remember to get my car smog tested today and then go to the DMV to have my car tag renewed. However, I'll have to return to my old method of keeping track of my pill. Until this week, I put it down on my calendar to take the pill. I'll do that from now on and that way I'll remember to take the pill.

Monday Seems Like Sunday

Kamal (Perfection), 19 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Monday, January 18, 2016 about Sunset Pacific Standard Time

It's Monday evening,
but it feels like Sunday.

My neighborhood is silent
no unusual
or weird noises
to distract from my prayer,
reading,
or writing.

It's Monday,
but it feels like
Sunday evening.

Saturday Afternoon

Jalal (Glory), 17 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Saturday, January 16, 2016 about 2:26 PM Pacific Standard Time

Saturday morning
clouds concealed the rising sun
a chill in the air.

The afternoon is passing in tranquil silence. I hear a car door slam down the block, but no other noise disturbs the neighborhood peace. I am alone in the house drinking the last of the coffee. I am wearing a back sweater to keep my arms warm. I check the weather online and find that it is about 52 degrees Fahrenheit with an overcast sky.

Tranquil afternoon
the hours pass while I write
senryu haiku.

 

Midweek Reflections on the Second Week in January 2016

Idal (Justice), 14 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Wednesday, January 13, 2016 about 7:48 AM Pacific Standard Time

It's a beautiful January morning here in Las Vegas. The temperature at 6:56 AM was 35 degrees and rising. It is suppose to get up to about 36 degrees by 8:00 AM. It is mostly sunny with snow on Mount Charleston. It's a nice winter day to remain indoors where it is warm. Therefore, I'm not planning on doing much today except making some phone calls and writing a couple of checks.

Snow on the Mount
A could day in Las Vegas:
When will it warm up?

My exercise plan for today is walking through the house or going outside to the mail box. I want to get the laundry ready for a trip to the laundromat sometime later this week or early next week. I also have to go somewhere for a smog check because my tag is due for renewal on January 27. On Thursday I have a doctor's appointment at 10:00 AM and then on Friday I have a Tai Chi class at 9:30 or 10:00 AM. This afternoon I have to move the car from the front of the apartment to the back because they street sweep cleans the street between 7:30 and 8:00 AM on Friday; I don't want another parking ticket so I have to move the car to the alley before the city street sweeper arrives.

Meditation Monday: Meditation Quilt - A Poem

Fidal (Grace), 13 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Tuesday, January 12, 2016 about 9:43 AM Pacific Standard Time

I have a crochet throw
with small spaces between the interconnected threads;
I place this throw over my head
when I meditate.

I close my eyes to pray,
then open them
to meditate;
I count my breath,
I focus on a space
between the treads...
this is my meditation quilt.

Summary Saturday: What did I accomplish this week?

Jalal (Glory), 10 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Saturday, January 9, 2016 about 12:16 PM Pacific Standard Time

What did I accomplish this week? Judging from the bruises on each arm a great deal. I had a medical procedure on Monday that left bruises on my right arm. The tests I had Monday required injecting me with a fluid for a CT scan that I needed for a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, January 6. Then on Thursday, I gave several vials of blood for blood tests proceeding my doctor's appointment on Thursday, January 14. I also have out patient surgery scheduled for Thursday, February 4. I still have to schedule an appointment for February 1 or 2 for test I need before the surgery.

What did I accomplish this week? I set writing goals for 2016. This year I want to finish editing one novel and finish writing another. The first thing I will do with this is print off the chapters I need to edit so that I can have them ready to start editing this coming week. I might print off some of the chapters in the other book so that I can figure out what I want to do next.

The last thing I accomplished this week was starting a Tai Chi class. The class is every Friday at 10:00 AM. I almost talked myself out of the class because I though it was a chair exercise class which I do not find challenging or interesting. The Tai Chi class is different because it is challenging, interesting, and fun. Perhaps it is fun because it is challenging.

Thankful Thursday: The first Thankful Thursday in 2016

Istijlal (Majesty), 8 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Thursday, January 7, 2016 about 12:10 PM Pacific Standard Time

On the first Thankful Thursday in 2016,
I contemplate the New Year
and wonder
what joyful surprises God has in store
for me.

This past year, I attempted to keep a ten-item gratitude list everyday. Sometimes I found ten items to be thankful for and sometimes I found less then five, but I always found something to be grateful for. As a results of this effort to give thanks everyday my attitude has changed. I am less worried about things and I put more faith in God. I found that the only way to change worry to faith it to be grateful for what I have.

Transformation Tuesday: New Year's Resolutions or New Year's Goals - A Poem

Fidal (Grace), 6 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Tuesday, January 5, 2016 about 11:16 AM Pacific Standard Time

Everyone makes resolutions
without listing
the steps
necessary to accomplishment.

Some people make New Year's goals
and list the step
necessary to accomplish them.

It doesn't matter what you call them,
as long as you list the steps
to transform your hopes
into reality.

Spiritual Sunday: When is the Sabbath?

Jamal (Beauty), 4 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Sunday, January 3, 2016 about 10:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

This morning my friend ask me "When is the sabbath?" I answered her by saying "The sabbath is supposed to be the seventh day which is Saturday. However, some people consider it to be Sunday." I based my answer on the fact that the sabbath is supposed to be the day set aside for the observance of worship of God rather then earning a living. After answering my friend's question, I got to thinking about the Sabbath and wondering when it ought to be observed.

Dictionary.com gives three basic definitions of the sabbath. The first concerns Saturday, the seventh day of the week, when God rested from his work of creation. The second definition concerns Sunday, which is the day my family observed as a day of worship. When I was growing up, my grandparents would take us to church and Sunday school every Sunday. The third definition makes the Sabbath any day set aside for prayer. Today, I like this last definition best because it does not confine prayer and worship to a specific day of the week. I like the idea of being able to pray and worship God any day of the week.

Happy New Year: Resolutions

Istiqlal (Independence), 2 Sharaf (Honor), 172 BE - Friday, January 1, 2016 about 12:22 PM Pacific Standard Time

It's the first day of the Gregorian year when many people in the world make resolutions. The first day of a New Year is a good time to set goals because it is a chance for a fresh start. However, making resolutions or setting goals does not do any good unless you also establish steps to attain them.

New Year a new start
Making resolutions with
Steps to help accomplish them.

It takes effort to accomplish goals. Just setting the goals does not do any good unless you have achievable steps and accountability. A person has to review her goals everyday by making time to look within to see what stopped you from accomplishing a step on any particular day. Then you have to make an extra effort the next day is you did not accomplish a step toward the final goal.

Bring yourself to account
give thanks for accomplishments
and ask forgiveness for failures.