This is going to be an interesting day

Istijlál (Majesty), 13 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Thursday, October 9, 2008 about 5:18 AM Pacific Time



This is going to be an interesting and memorable day transformation wise. It's going to show me what I'm still capapble of doing. My car is setting in my drive way waiting for me to have it towed to a mechanic. Yesterday, on the way home it ran out of power; since it still has gas in the tank the problem is something else. There isn't enough power to start the car.



I'm planning on walking to work and home again, unless something drastic comes up or God has something else in mind for me. Walking is going to be a test because I have a knee that gives me problems. I don't think I have any other choice but to walk. I don't have an appointment with the doctor until October 28 at 3:00 PM so I'm just going to have to endure the knee for a while.



If I want to see the doctor before the 28th, I have to go to the clinic and wait. The one I usually see a doctor is across town. If I have too much of a problem, then I'll go to the one closest to me and see a doctor there, but I'll have to wait and I'll have to get there before (I think) 2:00 PM. I'll have to call the clinic and find out.

I’m without a car again

‘Idál (Justice), 12 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, October 8, 2008 4:09 PM Pacific Time

I'm without a car again. I still have the car, but it's setting in my drive way unable to start because it's not getting any juice; I have no battery power to turn the ignition on. So I may as well not have a car. I mean what good is car if it won't start.

I went to work today, then I paid the internet connection fee and then I came home. On the way home it last power and wouldn't go any more. I called Triple A, using a barrowed cell phone and waited for the truck to come. He came and towed the car to my driveway. There wasn't any use going to the machanic because he's across town, which is more then 5 miles away.

I know there must be a lesson in this somewhere. I will find it as soon as I can figure out how to get the car fixed. I won't get paid until Friday, so I'm going to have to wait to have the car towed to the machanic and have it fixed. In the mean time, I'm going to be walking to work, which is not something I'm looking forward to.

Candy Corn

October is here and it means I can buy candy corn. I don't see it any other time of year, but in October around Halloween I can get it in stores. It's probably just as well I can't get it the other twelve months. If I could, then I'd eat it all the time and that wouldn't be good for me.

I saw an ad in a health magazine discouraging people from eating candy corn and other sweet treats at Halloween. I know too much of it isn't good for me, but I like it. A little bit of candy corn isn't going to hurt me. I'm going to get a bag or maybe two bags of it. Mom likes it as well, so I better get two bags. That will give each of us a bag of our own.

It's interesting when I was growing up nobody ever worried about things like that. We were more interested in other stuff besides the candy we ate. Actually, at present I'm more interested in other things besides whether the food I'm eating is good for me or not. I'm not going to deprive myself of something I like simply because it isn't good for me. As long as I eat candy corn in moderation, it's all right to eat it.

It felt like Oklahoma this morning

Kamál (Perfection), 10 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Monday, October 6, 2008 about 5:14 PM Pacific Time

It felt like Oklahoma this morning. When I went out to put water in the car about 6:00 AM there was a chill in the air. It reminded me of dawn in Oklahoma. I almost went back in the house and put on a sweater.

I've lived in Las Vegas, Nevada for over thirty years and I don't remember a morning with a chill like that. Of course, I don't usually get out that early. Normally I don't go outside until well after dawn, when the sun has begun heating the desert air. However, since I have to check the water in my radiator every morning, I've been getting out early. I'm going to have to put a sweater in the car or put one by the front door, the morning air is getting cold.

The crisp morning air
sends chills through my sleepy mind:
Did it rain last night?

The damp morning air
brings to mind an Oklahoma dawn
after a late night rain.

I inhale the desert's aroma
and wonder at the similarities
of Autumn dawns.

A Cloudy Autumn Day in Las Vegas

Jamál (Beauty), 9 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Sunday, October 5, 2008 about 6:00 PM Pacific Time

Today was cloudy, not completely overcast, but cloudy. We've had clouds for several day now and I think it rained last night. I did hear some odd noises before I went to bed. However, I didn't think it was thunder and I didn't see any lightning. When I went out to the car this morning the finder was still wet.

There have been a lot of strange and weird noises in this neighborhood lately. I can't seem to tell where they are coming from or what they are. Some of the noises I heard last night was probably thunder. I don't know what the other noises were.

Normally this is a quiet neighborhood at night. Some of the noises I can identify. For instance, the neighbor down the street has a Harley-Davidson I can identify that noise. Actually, I don't think the sound of a Harley is noise, it's more like music. Well it's music to my ears anyway. I like the sound of a Harley, it's a comforting sound. I think I'll write a Halloween story with a Harley in it, I haven't written a story about a Harley in some time.

October brings Memories of Halloween

Jalál (Glory), 8 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Saturday, October 4, 2008 about 3:14 AM Pacific Time

It's the first Saturday in October, the first full month of autumn. October always brings memories of Halloween and my Grandma Newland. Grandma and Grandpa lived in a much simpler and safer time. Grandma began preparing for Halloween seven days before the event.

All the living kids within three or four blocks of my grandparents called them Grandma and Grandpa. Halloween was a big event for Grandma, not as big as Thanksgiving or Christmas, which required more preparation, but Grandma gave Halloween a good chunk of her time the week before.

Grandma would bake cookies and put them in plastic sandwich bags to give to the Trick or Treater's on Halloween night. Every year Grandma always did this and she would stay home on Halloween night to pass the goodies out while Grandpa took us Trick or Treating. If she were alive today, she couldn't do that, but then everyone felt safe accepting and eating homemade treats from the neighbors.

September draws to a close

Fidál (Grace), 4 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, September 30, 2008 about 6:20 PM Pacific Time

September 2008 has come to an end. October 2008 is on the horizon. I'm weary. I'm stressed. I have a full month ahead to become more weary and more stressed. Alternatively, I have a full month ahead to become less weary and less stressed. The choice is mine. I don't chose the events in my life, but I chose the way I react to them.

My mother and I just got finished having a long talk. Mom and I sit down on the love seat and talked for the first time in a long time. We talk everyday, but this talk was different. Mom told me how she felt. I told Mom how I felt. It was nice. We talked to each other and we listened to each other.

We put aside the things we had planned to do. Mom was going to do some laundry and I was going to do some writing, but instead we talked. We didn't worry about what whe weren't getting done. We sit on the love seat and we talked. It was wonderful. It was a great way to end a month.

Where has the year gone?

Kamál (Perfection), 3 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Monday, September 29, 2008 about 6:04 PM Pacific Time

Where has the year gone?
It flew into cyberspace
Disappeared in time.

Something to Look forward to

Jamál (Beauty), 2 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Sunday, September 28, 2008 about 3:01 PM Pacific Time

According to the weather report I received in my e-mail box temperatures are dropping by the end of the week. That will be a nice change for Las Vegas because right now we're still in triple digits. I think the temperature today is supposed to hit 100, which doesn't sound like much in the desert. However, looking out my living room window I see clouds so it's a muggy 100 degrees.

I'm looking forward to the cooler weather especially with my car acting up. I have a new radiator, which makes the problem less of a problem. Now I don't have to worry about the radiator itself leaking. However, there are other problems. I have to put water or coolant in the radiator everyday. Driving of a morning isn't bad, but it's the afternoon driving that heats things up.

Anyway, in the afternoon when I go into the business and then I come back out I look under the car. If there is a lot of water there, I just drive straight home and forget any other business I have to conduct. I call the people and explain that my car is overheating and I'll have to reschedule. Normally, I just make one appointment each afternoon day unless Mom and I are going to the same place for different appointment.

The problem is either the water pump or the head gasket. It really doesn't matter which since I can afford to have either one of them replaced. I'll just have to look for another car or see if I'm eligible for paratransit. I know Mom is and I think I can go with her when she takes the buss. It's going somewhere by myself that's the problem. The regular bus stop is just too far for me to walk too and from with my knee in the condition it's in. Oh well, things will work out and cooler weather is something to look forward to.

Patience, Persistence and a telephone Internet connection

Jalál (Glory), 1 Mashiyyat (Will), 165 B.E. – Saturday, September 26-27, 2008 about 8:16 AM Pacific Time

My internet connection and browser are acting wonky this morning. It disconnects at random points and the browser sometimes can't find the website address. All right, I know part of the problem is my fault.

I have a telephone hook-up and I tab browse using Internet Explorer. This method works most of the time, when I'm patient and don't try to go to two different address at the same time. As long as I let the browser find the address on one tab before looking for another address on another, there isn't much of a problem.

There are a lot of disadvantages with my connect, but there are a few advantages as well. One of the advantages is to teach me patience and persistence without getting frustrated. I'm still working on the "not getting frustrated" part. In this case, it doesn't help to get frustrated.

The interesting thing about my Internet connection issues is assisting the process of the transformation. I didn't realize how much it helped this process until this morning, when, instead of throwing up my hands and wanting to quit, I just clicked on the address again and waited patiently for the connection.

My Shampoo smells good enough to eat

Istiqlál (Independence), 19 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Friday, September 26, 2008 about 3:16 PM Pacific Time

My shampoo smells good enough to eat. It smells like tropical fruit, which is just fine with me because I can wash my hair every day and not worry about damaging it. At least, I think I can; not that it could damage my hair any worse then it is now.

When I was growing up, if you want your hair to look good, You washed it with raw egg (I still don't know what that was suppose to do) or beer. I tried both as a teenager and neither one seemed to do all that much for my hair. I remember I had to rewash my hair after the egg to get all the egg-goop out of it. The beer seemed to make my hair shiny, but my hair smelled like beer and I had to rewash it to get the smell out.

At least with my present, store bought, shampoo my hair has a nice aroma to it and I don't have to rewash it to get the smell out. I'm trying think what else I did as a teenager that I would probably think twice about doing today. I've thought of several things, too many things to put in a single blog entry.

Another Beautiful Day in Las Vegas and goal setting

Istijlál (Majesty), 18 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Thursday, September 25, 2008 about 4:26 AM Pacific Time

Well, another beautiful day in Las Vegas has begun. I reviewed my 19-day goals last night and set up the spreadsheet to keep track of my accomplishments. I've changed the way I list my goals in the spreadsheet and my daily to do list. I wasn't placing them in the priority of there iimportance.

I've put the most important first on the list. In the upcoming 19-day period, the most important writing goal is completing my issues of the writing.com fantasy newsletter I help edit. Then comes other goals such as blog entries, submissions, novel, short stories, etc. The list isn't very long, because I've cut the list down to the nine most important writing projects.

It's another beautiful day in Las Vegas and I'm remembering my childhood. The one thing I don't remember learn is how to set goal. I don't think it was specifically taught in school and I don't remember it being discussed at home. It's something I've learn in the years since. After reviewing the difficulties I've had in setting goals, I really think it's something that should be taught to children.

I need to redo my priorities

‘Idál (Justice), 17 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, September 24, 2008 about 3:04 PM Pacific Time

Part of the process of transformation is learning about oneself. I've learned a lot about myself in the past year. I've learned a lot about myself in the past month. One thing I've learned about myself lately is a tendency to do "make work" project that don't take me toward my ultimate goal. The things waste time, but they make the inner critic happy because they appear to take action while avoiding the challenging goals.

The 80/20 rule state that on a "to do list" of ten items two of those items return 80% of the value of the list. That is because two of those items lead a person to achieving he or she wants in life. I've found that to be true for me lately. Therefore, I'm going to change the way I make my "to do list" and the way I set my priorities.

Right now I'm reviewing the goals I have and rewrite my to do list. I set nineteen-day goals, so that I have a list that I can work with in a specific period. I'm going to rewrite that list for the next 19-day period because the way I'm doing it now isn't getting me anywhere near what I want.

Thoughts on an Autumn Afternoon

Fidál (Grace), 16 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:34 PM Pacific Time

What is it about fall,
which bring to mind the joy
of my grandmother's homemade soup.

I have soup working in the slow cooker. To make it I mixed chicken broth with another soup mix. This isn't how Grandma Newland made soup. This isn't the way she taught me to make soup. Grandma made soup from scratch, without a recipe. I usually followed a recipe when I made soup from scratch.

Now, however, I don't make soup that way. When I make soup I either open a can or I use soup mixes and work from there. I don't think it taste like the soup Grandma made, but this is the way I cook any more. This is just soup, the kind I can put in a mug and drink.

I'm having my teeth extracted and it's difficult to chew. Lately I've noticed that I don't feel well after I eat. I think it's because I'm not chewing my food properly. The last time I went to the dentist, he pulled the teeth I used to chew with. I'm going to go on a liquid diet until I have my dentures. After the dentist puts my dentures in and my gums aren't soar anymore, then I'll eat solid food.

The first day of fall

Kamál (Perfection), 15 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Monday, September 22, 2008 about 6:05 PM Pacific Time

It's the first day of fall and leaves should be transforming from green to beautiful oranges, yellows and reds. They aren't because this is Las Vegas and we haven't had a freeze yet. I love the colors of autumn leaves. They remind me of my childhood and my grandparents' house in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

A cottonwood tree in the front yard of my grandparents' house, in the spring and summer it had beautiful shiny green leaves. In the autumn, right after the first freeze the leaves turned yellow and began to fall. Not all of the leaves fell some of them remained on the tree all winter. Those that remained were either brown or yellow. I remember in winter, when the wind blew those leaves would make noise. They rustled as the wind blew, this happened every year. Finally, in the spring when the new leaves were budding, the old ones would fall off.

Yellow cottonwood
leaves descend to the cold ground
scattered by the wind.

Grandfather raked them
into huge piles for burning
on a windless day.

I got out of my rut today

Jamál (Beauty), 14 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Sunday, September 21, 2008 about 3:22 PM Pacific time

I got out of my rut today I bought a Sunday newspaper. I haven't bought a Sunday paper in over a year. Normally, I get my news off the Internet or T.V., but today I decided that I needed a newspaper. The Sunday paper comes with a free weekly T.V. guide, for the past year I've watched T.V. without consulting a T.V. schedule.

All right, I've watched mostly talk shows and news. Not many dramas or anything like that, I do watch the public broadcasting station once in a while, but that's it. Now I can actually consult a schedule and see if there is anything worth watching.

The one thing I did miss about the Sunday newspaper was the comics. I have fond memories of Sunday comics. I remember sitting on my father's lap, while he drink coffee and read the Sunday comics to me. Maybe that's why I like the Sunday comics so much. I don't have a lot of memories about my father, he and my mother divorced when we were young.

Grandma and Grandpa Newland

Jalál (Glory), 13 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Saturday, September 20, 2008 about 10:29 AM Pacific Time

This is a picture of my Grandma and Grandpa Newland, my mother's parents. It's the only professional photo of either set of grandparents. I'm not sure when the photo was taken or who the photographer was. I have another photo of Grandma and Grandpa with me in it, so it was taken sometime when I was living with them after a graduated from high school.

I posted this picture in my writing.com blog Snow Melt on September 19, 2008, with the beginning of a tribute to them. The entry was in response to a Leading Entry in a journal contest in which I'm participating. I also made the following blog entry Writing about my Grandparents on September 19, 2008.

So how am I coming along with the tribute? All right I think, it's started and I have some work done on it. I have two pictures I can post with it. I want to find other picture which aren't professionally done. I'm going to check in some Tupperware container of photos I have in my closet.

It's Fridag again

Istiqlál (Independence), 12 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Friday, September 19, 2008 about 5:45 PM Pacific Time

Thank God It's Friday again.

Another two day weekend

This week was stressful because of car problems. Next week I have a dental appointment. Next week I get paid. Next week my check will be three days short becasue of car problems. However, I now have a membership in AAA and a car that I can drive without worrying about it over heating. Of course, summer is almost over and fall begins soon.

Life goes on stress or no stress. I'm not sure what else I have to do next week, other then write a first day of autumn poem. I'm not sure how to approach an autumn poem this year. I live in Las Vegas and the trees haven't begun to change color. There are clouds in the sky and I think this weekend rain is expected or at least the threat of rains is expected. I have several things to catch up on Saturday and Sunday.

I haven't been sleeping well. Of course, part of that may be the fault of going to bed early. If I go to bed around 4:00 or 5:00 PM, then I get up at 10:00 PM the same day. This means I'm up all the rest of the night and I don't get any more sleep until I get home from work. When I get home from work I'm tired and take a nap. After the nap I'm up until midnight or so and the whole thing starts over again.

Thank God It's Friday again.
Another two day weekend,

To get everything caught up again.

The temptation not to write

Istijlál (Majesty), 10 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Thursday, September 18, 2008 about 4:26 PM Pacific Time

I'm almost tempted not to make an entry, but if I don't I know I'll regret it. That's part of the process of transformation. Learning what you will regret if you don't do it. The only topic I have for a blog entry is my car. The mechanic put in a new radiator and hoses today. He also washed the car.

I'm weary and on the verge of tears myself, but I think I'm still recovering from yesterday. When I got off work, I walked to Food 4 Less to get some oil and dishwashing liquid. I needed the oil in order to drive the car to the mechanic this morning. I'm going to have to keep the 1991 Toyota running because I can't afford a new car. Let's face it, sometimes I'm lucky to afford the gas for the car.

However, I'm getting too old to walk from work, to the store and home again. It takes too much out of me. So I have to keep the car going, otherwise I'm walking. Even if I took the city bus, I'd still have to walk to the bus stops. One bus stop is ten blocks away and another is five. Both are too far to walk with my right knee the way it is.

My car in my driveway

‘Idál (Justice), 10 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, September 17, 2008 2:19 AM Pacific Time

My car sets in my driveway waiting for oil and a new thermostat. The car overheated Monday when Mom and I were out. Instead of stopping at the bank, I came home. I parked the car in the driveway and unloaded the food. Then I locked the car and came into the house.

I thought the car just needed water in the radiator and that once I added the water it would be fine. Tuesday morning I went out, popped the hood and began adding water. It wouldn't hold water, so I called into work. I called a couple of friends and got the phone number of a mechanic. I figured I would have the car towed; the problem was I didn't have Triple A. A neighbor took me to the Triple A office and a bought a years membership.

A friend came over and worked on the car. He stopped the leak, found out the problem was the thermostat. I still have to take the car to a mechanic, but I need to put oil in the car before I drive it. My friend checked the oil and it was at least two quarts low. Today after I get off work, I'm going to Food 4 Less and get three or four quarts. I will put the oil in the car and then figure out how to get it to the mechanic.

I think I can drive it with the thermostat acting the way it is, but I have to call the mechanic and set up a time to take it in. In the mean time, I have a Triple A membership scheduled for validation today. My life is getting interesting, to say the least.

Life is a challenge

Fidál (Grace), 9 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, September 16, 2008 about 3:48 AM Pacific Time

Life is a challenge
24/7
a joyous experience.

I'm in a journaling contest at writing.com called "Follow the leader". Each day one of the participants writes a leading entry in his or her blog and the rest of the participants respond to the entry in their blogs. This contest started on September 11 and ends on October 1. I'm put my responses in my writing.com blog Snow Melt. My leading entry in this contest was on September 12 with the title "Coffee and Chocolate".

I'm also scheduled to participate in the "7 Day Journal Writing Challenge". I'm not sure when this challenge will start because there isn't enough participants yet. I'm going to use the same blog to write my responses to the challenges. Since the titles of each entry are a different format, there won't be a problem tell them apart.

I'm looking forward to the new contests. It's not that my life isn't challenging enough already, but sometimes I find myself search for blog entries and for subject for poems and stories. These journaling contests get me out of my rut and help me find new subjects and new approaches to old subjects.

I Love Online Banking

Kamál (Perfection), 8 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Monday, September 15, 2008 about 5:54 AM Pacific Time

I remember a time before online banking, when in order to check my account balance I had to go to the bank. I remember a time when I paid bills by check or cash. I went to the bank and withdrew the money to make a payment on the Power Bill.

I love online banking. I don't have to leave my house to see how much I have in my checking account. I can call the insurance company and use a debit card to pay the bill. Online banking is one of the best things about the Internet. I don't know what I did before online banking or how I kept track of my account.

I remember my grandfather writing check and sending them to the power company, the mortgage company, the Water Company, etc. He either used cash or wrote a check because there was no Internet or online banking when I was growing up. If online banking had been available, grandpa would have used it. He liked to have modern convinces and technology.

I love online banking because I can keep a close eye on my bank account. An added benefit of online banking is saving trees, if you don't have to write paper checks you kill less trees.

Sunday Morning Memories

Jamál (Beauty), 7 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Sunday, September 14, 2008 about 8:04 AM Pacific Time

1

Sunrise scatters blue light across the firmament, I intone the
Usual prayers, while there is silence and
No one else in the house is awake.
Dawn brings back memories of my grandmother
Always the first one up on Sunday or any other morning.
Yellow yolks of fried eggs waiting for me in her kitchen.

2

My grandmother never took a day of rested
from fixing breakfast.
She knew each grandchild's favorite food
and fixed it
on Sunday morning
before we all pilled into the Ford
and grandpa drove us to church.

My grandfather was not a particularly religious man;
spiritual,
yes,
but not religious.

Grandpa knew how to say prayers
at meal
or anytime he was asked;
he worshipped God his own way
through his daily labor
and encouraging his grandchildren.

3

Sunday morning
always brings back memories
of my grandparents
and going to church at the
First Baptist Mission
on the wrong side of the tracks
in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

My Sunday morning memories
are pleasant memories
because they were spent with my mother's parents
and not with classmates
who looked down on my siblings and myself
because one sit of grandparents lived
on the wrong side of the tracks.

I miss my teeth

Jalál (Glory), 6 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Saturday, September 13, 2008 about 6:13 PM Pacific Time

I miss my teeth. I never thought I would say that, but I miss the teeth that the dentist pulled on Monday. I didn't have very many teeth left in my mouth before he extracted the four teeth in my right upper jaw. Now that the teeth are gone, I miss them.

I miss those teeth. I miss them because I chewed on that side of my mouth. Most of my lower teeth were gone. In addition, most of the teeth on the other side of my mouth were gone or in such bad condition that I couldn't chew with them. Now that the teeth I used most often to chew with, it is difficult to eat anything except soup.

Not that I limit myself to soup, I still eat anything I want, it's just that it's a little more difficult to chew without those teeth. I have another appointment with the dentist in a week or so. The dentist will pull more teeth then. I didn't ask whether my dentures would be ready or not. I guess I should have, but I didn't think there would be that big a difference in eating.

Another thing I've noticed about the missing teeth. I have more of a tendency to drool in my sleep. All right, that is probably a lot more information then anyone reading this entry wants to know. I will be so glad when I get my dentures that I'm going to celebrate by having prime rib.

Both my grandparents had dentures. I didn't ask them what it was like having their teeth pulled and the dentures put in. When I was growing up, the last thing on my mind was my teeth or the conditions of my gums. This may be why I have to have all my teeth pulled and dentures put in.

Sunset Approaches

Istiqlál (Independence), 5 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Friday, September 12, 2008 about 6:03 PM Pacific Time

Sunset approaches
and I think about past and future;
the present is a snow ball
rolling down a mountains slop
picking up speed
as it nears
a bottomless chasm
at the foot of the mountain.

Sunset approaches
another solar day comes to an end;
today becomes yesterday
and merges with all the past yesterdays
that haunt my memory
yesterdays that I would relive
if I could,
yesterdays that I might or might not change
if I could.

Sunset approaches
and I watch the slow transformation
of day light blue to night time black
I realize
that my present self is the result
of all my yesterdays;
I am who I am today
because of decisions I made yesterday
and - even if I could change them -
do I really want to change those decision
and become someone else
who is not my present self?

A Day of Remembrance

Istijlál (Majesty), 4 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Thursday, September 11, 2008 about 5:25 AM Pacific Time

Today is a day of remembrance,
when a moment of silence gives us the opportunity
to say prayers for the dead.

It is a chance to say prayers
for those who
ascended suddenly to the next world
when their plane struck twin towers
or struck the Pentagon
or crashed into a field
and those who were not in the buildings
when the planes struck them.

A moment of silence
gives us a chance to say prayers for the dead
or reflect on how the deaths changed our lives
or where we were when we heard the news about
the twin towers.

September 11
is a day of remembrance
of reflection
on past events
and on those who
are no longer with us because
of those events.

Today is a day of remembrance,
and after the moment of silence
and after remembering the dead
and after saying prayers for those who ascended
suddenly into the next world,
we will continue with our day
still remembering
and still crying.

September 11 a day of remembrance

Wednesday's Midweek Reflections September 10, 2008

‘Idál (Justice), 3 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, September 10, 2008 about 2:24 AM Pacific Time

It's Wednesday, the precise middle of the week. Three days have past and there are three days yet to come. Midweek reflections aren't like the daily accounting I do either mentally or in my off line journal everyday. Midweek reflections look at the events so far this week which have an impact on my life.

So far this week I attended the Feast of 'Izzat (Might) on Sunday evening at 7:30 PM. The Feast was held in the home of a friend and she had candles burning through out the three portions of the Feast of Might. These candles inspired the first poem of the month of 'Izzat.

So far this week I had four teeth extracted on Monday and impressions taken for a full set of dentures. By the time I arrived home after my appointment, the Novocain had worn off and I was in excruciating pain. I was in too much pain to concentrate on anything other then the pain, so I took a prescription pain pill and went to bed. As I lay in bed, I heard thunder roll and rain drops fall. It was a nice experience going to sleep listening to the rain.

So far this week I have paid my internet connection fee and gotten it into my provider's office before its due date for the first time this year. The connection is paid now I don't have to worry about whether I'm going to be able to get online.

It Rained yesterday afternoon

Fidál (Grace), 2 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, September 9, 2008 about 5:31 AM Pacific Time

It rained yesterday afternoon. Mom and I went to the dentist about 12:45 PM on Monday, September 8. My appointment was at 1:00 PM and Mom's was at 2:00 PM. I had impressions taken for dentures and four teeth pulled, while Mom had fillings. We got home around 3:00 PM.

When we arrived home it was clouding up, so I rolled the windows up in the car. At least I think I rolled the windows up. By the time we got home the Novocain was wearing off and I was in extreme pain, but I think I remember rolling up the windows in my car. I always roll up the windows in my car when I get home, so I doubt that yesterday was any different.

I was in too much pain to concentrate on anything, so I took a prescription pain pill and went to bed. While I was laying there, I heard thunder and rain drops, I didn't get up to look out the window because the pain medication hadn't kicked in when I heard the sound of rain. The pain meds finally kicked in and I went to sleep.

I don't know precisely what time I went to sleep, but I do know what time I woke up. I woke up at 8:55 PM because when I got into the living room and looked at the clock it was 9:00 P.M. That's right, I got up at 9:00 last night and I've been up almost all night. I did take a nap about 11:00 PM and while my virus scan, checked my hard drive. I sit down on the couch and slept for about an hour.

I'm not in pain, so I won't take another pain pill. I don't see any sense in taking a pain pill, especially a prescribed one unless I absolutely need it. I still have ten more teeth to come out and a full set of dentures to go in my mouth. Therefore, I may need more of te meds before all my teeth are pulled and the dentures go in.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Kamál (Perfection), 1 ‘Izzat (Might), 165 B.E. – Monday, September 8, 2008 about 5:08 AM Pacific Time

I don't know about absence making the heart grow fonder, but I do know it makes a person more appreciative what she does have. Take coffee and coffee filters for instance, I ran out of both a couple of months ago (not at the same time) and couldn't make coffee until I could get more. As a result, I was without coffee for eight or nine days.

This morning, while making a gratitude journal entry, I realized that for the past month one of the things I'm thankful for is having enough coffee and filters to make a fresh pot of coffee each day. Learning to be grateful for what one has is part of the process of transformation and practicing an abundance attitude.

I have kept a gratitude journal for several years now. This year, however, I begin making daily entries on a consistent basis. An entry in my gratitude journal is a daily goal along with blog entries and writing short stories or novels.

My daily gratitude journal entries is a list of ten items or occurrences I'm grateful for on that specific day. Finding ten things each day to be thankful for is sometimes difficult. I picked that number because of a journal group I'm a member of. Every Thursday is Thankful Thursday and each member of the group post ten things he or she is thankful for that day.

No matter how difficult life gets, an individual can always find something to be grateful for. Sometimes a person just has to look harder for those ten items.

A Place I Long For

Jamál (Beauty), 19 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Sunday, September 7, 2008 about 9:50 AM Pacific Time

Daily Writing Practice Prompt for September 7, 2008: Write about a place you long for.

The place I long for is a verdant mountain in Haifa, Israel. There are steps ascending the maintain and terraces on the mountain's side. Nineteen terraced gardens connected by steps leading up the mountain.

The place I long to visit is the Baha'i Shrine and Gardens, Haifa, Israel. I live in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States and the place I long for is at least half a world away. I want to climb the steps and smell the flowers. I want to visit Mount Carmel. I want to ascend the steps to each terrace. I want to pray in the shines.

My grandmother always wanted to go to Israel, but she never did get to go. Grandma Newland longed to go the Israel just as I long to go. I don't know if there was any place special she wanted to visit. I wish now that I had asked her where she wanted to go in Israel. I wish now I had asked her why she never went.

I long to visit
the gardens on Mount Carmel
and pray in the shrines.

I long to go outside
the country of my birth
and see another part of the Earth.

I long to visit
the Baha'i Shrines and Gardens
on Mount Carmel.

I long to see
where Baha'u'llah walked
and talked.

Note about the Poem: I don't think the poem is finished, but I'm not sure what I want to add. Perhaps this is a two-part poem and the other part waits for me to visit Mount Carmel to finish it.

Saturday Morning Trash Issues

Jalál (Glory), 18 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Saturday, September 6, 2008 about 6:55 AM Pacific Time

As anyone who has every read any of my blog entries about trash knows, I have issues concerning getting the trash to the curb before the garbage trucks come to empty the cans. I have difficulty lugging the trashcans out early Wednesday and Saturday mornings. I have less problems in summer then I do in winter.

Dawn arrives earlier in summer then in winter. It is easier getting trashcans to the curb before 7:00 AM when the sun is up. This morning I lugged one can to the curb, I have four beat-up aluminum trashcans and the goal is to get, at least, one to the curb on trash day. Next Saturday is recyclable day, so I will focus on getting the recyclables to the curb then the trashcans. We seem to have more recyclables then regular trash anyway.

Maybe it's a good thing to have more recyclables then regular trash, it means we are more aware of the environment. Having more recyclables means a greater awareness of your carbon footprint on the planet. I still have a long way to go when it comes to recycling, but I'm getting there slowly.

When I was growing up, there were no issues about separating your trash into recyclables and non-recyclables. Everything went into the same trashcan and on trash day, which occurred only one day a week, we took everything to either the alley or the curb.

I have to admit, that I enjoy the process of separating trash into recyclables and non-recyclables. Overcoming the desire to take the easy way by throwing everything into a plastic trash bag strengthens a person's will power. It isn't always easy to carry a recyclable item to the garage and put it in a recyclable bin. It's much easier to just put it in a plastic trash bag and take the bag to the garage a the end of the day.

Between Dusk and Dawn

Istiqlál (Independence), 17 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Friday, September 5, 2008 about 3:13 AM Pacific Time

It is early and the sun hasn't risen yet, but it approaches the horizon. You can sense the approach of morning, the approach of dawn. Even in the dusk of morning, in the dusk of the twilight before dawn, my mind and soul knows that day is coming. The knowledge of the approach of day wakes me in the dusk of morning.

I'm not sure when I first began waking up in the dark part of morning. All I know is that I'm now waking up before dawn and watching the sky become lighter and lighter between the dusk and the dawn. This is a spiritual time of day, when dawn prayers are said and the first pot of coffee is made. Prayers and coffee seem to complement the early morning and start the day off on the right foot.

This morning I noticed that when I get out of bed my right foot touches the floor first. Of course, I'm right handed, so that may have something to do with which foot touches the tile of my bedroom floor first. I don't get out of bed immediately upon waking. I lay a few minutes looking out the window, looking at the darkness before the dawn. Then, with my right foot touch the floor first, I sit up, find my socks and shoes, put them on and get up.

Waking up in the dusk of morning has taught me a lot about myself. I don't like to go barefoot, even in the house. Getting up early has also taught me that dawn is the most beautiful and spiritual time of day. Some may argue with that, but for me I find that it is true. I think that is because most mornings, I'm the only one up and the house is silent and conducive to prayer, meditation, making entries in my gratitude journal or composing a blog entry.

Writing.com is 8 years old

‘Idál (Justice), 15 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, September 3, 2008 about 5:51 AM Pacific Time

Writing.com is 8 years old in September. I joined this community of writers in 2002; one of the wisest decisions I ever made. Since joining my writing and attitude toward my talent has improved. I am much more willing to share my creative efforts with other people.

Personal transformation is not a solitary process. In order for a person to change, to become her or his true self, that person must interact with the rest of humanity. This interaction can take the form of face-to-face contact or online contact. In this case, my interaction with the other members at writing.com has affected both my talent and the way I think about myself.

My interaction with other writers at writing.com consists of e-mail, blog comments and reviews of written works. Not only do I receive review of my own work, but I give them as well. The reviews help improve my writing skills.

When I joined writing.com, I joined as a free (non-paying member). Since joining I have paid for three different levels of membership. The first level, I paid for was the basic and least expensive level. The next level of membership I paid for was the upgraded level and I kept that for several years. In 2008, I decided to get the premium level because I needed more room in my portfolio.

The other two levels of membership are the professional and enterprise levels. I don't know if I'm going to get either of those levels myself. I encourage any one who writes, whether it is professionally or just for personal enjoyment to join writing.com, at least on a trial basis. Try it out and see if you like the writing.com community.

Doing the Washing

Fidál (Grace), 14 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, September 2, 2008 about 3:42 AM Pacific Time

That's what my Grandmother Newland called washing laundry. She did "The Washing" once a week for six or seven people. I'm still attempting to figure out what her secret was because I do laundry everyday. However, grandma did it only once a week on either Thursday, Friday, or Saturday depending on the weekend plans.

For years Grandma used a wringer washing machine. That was an electric washing machine with a wringer attached to squeeze the water out of the cloths before putting them into the rinse tubs. The first electric washing machines didn't have spin or rinse cycles. The only thing those machines did was wash the cloths. They used an agitator (I think that was what it was called) to wash the cloths. After the cloths were washed, then the cloths were put through a wring to get the excess water out before putting them into the first rinse tub.

After the first rinse, she would put the cloths through the wringer again and then into the second rinse tub. Grandma always used two rinses and in one of those rinses, she put "bluing". The bluing has something to do with making the white cloths whiter or something like that. All right, it was in the last centaury and I was only in grade school at the time. I would still like to know ho she did laundry for six or seven people once a week and we do laundry everyday for only two people.

Eventually grandpa bought her an automatic washer with two rinse cycles. He never bought her an automatic dryer though. If grandma had wanted a cloths dyer, he would have gotten one for her. However, grandma liked hanging her cloths outside on the cloths line. Sometimes I wish I had a cloths line to hang my cloths on while they dry. I remember the scent and the feel of cloths taken right off the line and folded. This memory always brings a smile to my face.

Where has the Year gone?

Kamál (Perfection), 13 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Monday, September 1, 2008 about 9:15 AM Pacific Time

Where has 2008 gone? It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the beginning of a New Year and here it is September 1. There are now only four months left in 2008 and then we celebrate the beginning of another New Year, which will pass too quickly.

We begin a New Year with so much hope and so many goals, but the year passes quickly. The older a person gets the faster the year appears to pass. That is why setting priorities are important. If one doesn't set priorities, then nothing is accomplished and the year is wasted. At least, it seems so unless the individual learns the lesson about setting priorities.

It is never too late, no matter how old one is, to begin setting priorities. One way to do this is to write a personal mission statement. Mission statements aren't only for businesses or individuals looking to advance their careers. Mission statements are for everyone who has priorities and wants to achieve goals of any time.

Many websites give advice about writing personal mission statements, but all a person needs to write one are priorities. The first step is for the individual to list his or her priorities. The second is to put those priorities into positive statements. Make the statements specific enough to see that progress is being determine and broad enough so that there is a little leeway for improvement.

I'm in the process of rewriting my personal mission statement now. The original statement didn't inspire me, so I decided to do it over. Of course, I wrote the original before my life fell apart last year, so perhaps my priorities changed during 2007. I will finish the statement today and will post it in this blog latter this week. I have found that, for me, a personal mission statement is part of the process of transformation.

I Googled Labor Day

Jamál (Beauty), 12 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 31, 2008 about 6:44 AM Pacific Time

I Googled Labor Day this morning. I was looking for information to poem in an acrostic poem about this holiday. Some of this information I probably learned as a child, but forgot it because I was not interested in writing poems about this specific day.

I found a web site giving The History of Labor Day. This holiday begin in 1882, on Tuesday, September 5, with a celebration in New York City hosted by the Central Labor Union. In 1884, the first Monday in September recieved the officially designation as Labor Day. People referred to it as "the working man's" holiday and became a nation wide celebration sometime between 1884 and 1892.

I have already written two Labor Day poems and posted them one two of my blogs, those poems are The Last Saturday in August and The Last Sunday in August, but neither one of them is an acrostic poem. The reason I want to write an acrostic poem celebrating Labor Day, is because that form spells a word along the left margin using the lines of the poem. This form makes a good poem to use in commemorating holidays.

The Clouds are rolling in

We have cloud cover today. Beautiful gray-white clouds covering the entire Las Vegas valley. Although, from what I understand it should be called the Las Vegas Bowl because we are completely surround by mountains. They call the parts of the Rocky Mountains surrounding Las Vegas are called the Muddy Mountains. If it rains today, not only with the mountains be muddy, but Las Vegas as well.

Rain would be nice, not only would it cool the city down. It would bring us some much needed water. Not that a single rain will alleviate the drought, it is going to take more then one or two days of rain to do that, but it would water some of the dry lawns and flowers in the area.

Of course, when it rains in Las Vegas there is always a chance that the streets will flood. The flood control district did some work on Charleston a couple of years ago because when it rained the Charleston Underpass would flood. The Underpass has not flooded since. However, I do not know if it is because the flood control project worked or it just has not rained enough to test the work.

The Last Saturday in August

Jalál (Glory), 11 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 30, 2008 about 8:47 AM Pacific Time

This is the last Saturday in August,
on Monday September begins;
September 1 is the first Monday in September;
Labor Day.

When I was a child,
Labor Day was picnic day,
hot dog day,
visiting with my grandparents' day,
going to the Lake day,
going swimming day,
going water skiing day,
etc.

On the last Saturday in August,
I remember the joy
of driving to the Lake
on a Friday night knowing
we did not have to return to Blackwell
until late Monday evening;
knowing that there would be no school until Tuesday.

I remember
looking forward to going back to school
on Tuesday morning
when the first activity of the day
was "Show and Tell"
and everyone has something to say
about their Labor Day weekend.

I bought gas today

Istiqlál (Independence), 10 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Friday, August 29, 2008 about 7:08 PM Pacific Time

I bought gas today and it brought back memories of my grandfather. I stopped at a self-service station and put gas in my car. I do remember Grandpa putting gas in his own car every once in a while. Usually he did that at gas stations where he knew the attendants and the owners. They would wave at him and say, "Hi, Pete." However, most of the time he would let the attendant fill the tank and check the fluids.

I can fill my own tank with gas, something I never thought I would do when I was growing up. Back then women just did not do that because putting gas in a car was a man's job. When I was growing up, jobs and other things were divided by gender. Women just did not do some things.

Of course, gas was cheaper then and there were more full service stations. Actually, I do not think there were any self-service stations then. I do not remember any in Blackwell, Oklahoma, or any of the surrounding small towns. What I do remember, is my grandfather griping when gas prices raised for $0.50 a gallon to $0.75 or maybe it was from $0.25 to $0.50. Anyway, he griped for at least a week.

Today I am grateful that I paid only $3.57 per gallon for gas. That was one of today's entries in my gratitude journal. Most of my meds cost $4.00 a bottle and that is less then the price of gas today. Most of my mother's meds cost $3.00 a bottle, which is less then the price of gas, but she has health insurance.

I need to simplify my life

Istijlál (Majesty), 9 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Thursday, August 28, 2008 about 6:14 PM Pacific Time

I wrote yesterday that I needed a vacation, that I needed to relax. I think part of the problem is that I need to simplify my life. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to start by unsubscribing to some yahoo groups. Then I'm going unsubscribe e-mail newsletters that I don't read and clean out my e-mail boxes.

I'm working on a personal mission statement. What I'm doing is completely rewriting the mission statement I wrote in 2007. I thought I had started to rewrite it, but I can't find any rewritten document. The only mission statement I can find is the original, which is no longer inspiring. Therefore, I'm going to just do the entire statement over again.

I know that rewriting a mission statement appears to have nothing to do with unsubscribing to yahoo groups, e-mail newsletters and overstuffed e-mail boxes. However, in an odd sort of way they do relate to each other. They indicate I need to simplify my life and my surroundings. So that is what I'm going to do.

I think I will start with the e-mail boxes and clean out some of the folders I have stuff saved under. Unfortunately, I can't delete a folder that has mail in it, which means I have to delete the mail in the folder before deleting the folder. I will start with the intermind e-mail and then move to the yahoo box. I'm not going to get rid of the yahoo address, I'm just going to unsubscribe from some of the groups I'm not posting to.

I need to relax

Idál (Justice), 8 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, August 27, 2008 about 5:32 PM Pacific Time

I need to relax. I need to take a one-day vacation and get away from everything. Unfortunately, that is not possible in the foreseeable future. Therefore, I will do the next best thing, I will put a long lasting light bulb in the light on my patio, fix myself an ice tea and sit on the patio, with my prayer book and journal.

I would like to go to one of the parks, but both the parks near to my house are closed at present. I have to drive across town to get to a park, which means planning more then just an hour. The closest park to the house is about an hour away. I have no intention of staying in the park for only an hour, when it takes me an hour to get there and an hour to get back home.

Maybe I can think of some other creative way to take a short vacation without getting out of Las Vegas. I will have to say some prayers about that. Writing usually helps me relax, but lately it seems the only writing I have done is my blogs, gratitude journal, and personal journal. Perhaps a new approach is called for.

I set my writing goals on a solar day, which is from sunset of one day to sunset of the next. Part of my writing goals is the amount of words I write in goal period. Perhaps, instead of doing a word count for each item as it is completed, I need to wait until the end of the goal period to do the word counts. Maybe, I am just being too obsessive about the word counts. At least it would be a different approach and get me out of my comfort zone.

Perhaps the vacation I need is to get out of my comfort zone. Do something different, something out of the ordinary. The one thing I am certain about, is that I need to relax and find a creative and inexpensive way to do it

Labor Day is coming on Monday, September 1, 2008

Fidál (Grace), 7 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, August 26, 2008 about 5:47 PM Pacific Time

Since Labor Day is Monday, September 1, 2008, I have been trying to remember how my family celebrated it when I was a child. I can remember Fourth of July celebrations. I can remember Memorial Day trips to decorate graves. I cannot remember any special way we celebrated Labor Day.

I think we might have gone to the lake just outside of Blackwell, Oklahoma, for a picnic. However, since my grandparents took us to that lake almost every weekend. My memories of picnics there could be part of some other trip to The Lake. That is what we called it, which is probably why I cannot remember its name.

I am attempting to write a Labor Day poem this year. I would like to include a childhood memory. I suppose memories of eating hot dogs and watermelon at The Lake could apply to Labor Day weekend, as well as any other weekend. I associate hot dogs and watermelons with Labor Day and the Fourth of July, so perhaps some of those memories are from Labor Day celebrations.

I will be off Labor Day, but I do not think we are going to go on a picnic that day. I am going to United Blood Services to donate blood. Then I am going to come home, do some writing and housework or something like that.

Maybe I could write a poem about giving blood on Labor Day. However, I am not sure how I could incorporate childhood memories of hot dogs and watermelon. I do want to write a poem about donating blood, but that subject just does not seem to go with hot dogs and watermelon. I will have to think about that for a while.

I was right I did hear thunder

Not only did it thunder, but it rained as well. The thunder rolled for several minutes and it rained for several minutes. It cooled and cleared the air. My car is still parked on the side street because they have not opened the block I live on to traffic. They probably will not do that until morning. It will be nice to drive on a nice new street once the city opens it to traffic.

The great thing is that it thundered, it has been so long since I heard thunder that the sound was pleasant. I did not see any lightning nor did the electricity go out. I am not feeling very will at this point, I have no idea what the problem is. I am going to have to call my doctor tomorrow and make an appointment

The city is working on the street in front of my house

Kamál (Perfection), 6 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 25, 2008 about 2:15 PM Pacific Time

The city is working on the street in front of my house and I went back to work today. They were starting the work before I left the house this morning. I left a bit early so I could get out before they tore the street up completely. When I got to work, I set in the car for a little while and said prayers. Then I went inside, where it was cool and finished rewriting today's poem.

When I got home, they were still working on the street, so I had to park on Bruce and walk to the house. Before I left for work, I asked one of the workers when they would be finish and she said sometime this evening. So I parked on Bruce when I got home.

I just heard thunder; at least I think it was thunder. It hasn't rained in so long that I could be mistaken about the noise. However, I am going to take the noise and my weariness as an excuse to get off the computer. I am going to lay down for a little while and take a short nap.

My Mother wants to live to be 100

Jamál (Beauty), 5 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 24, 2008 about 6:25 AM Pacific Time

My mother, who was born in 1921, wants to live to be 100. So far she is doing a fairly good job of it, especially since the who attended her birth, 87 years ago didn't expect her to live, nor did the doctor who did her the bawl resection last year. Mom is alive and well, she still does her own housework and she writes poems. She doesn't drive a car anymore, but she does practice font seat driving from the passenger side of the car.

My grandparents were in their late 70s or early 80s when they died of cancer. My grandfather, who retired from a zinc smelter and smoked since he was 12 or 13, died of lung cancer. My grandmother of another kind, I can't remember precisely which cancer it she died of.

Mom will be 100 in March 2021 and I will be 74 in December 2020. I know a lot can happen between 2008 and 2020 or 2021, but I am going to look on the positive side. I am going to presume that we will both be in decent health for our ages. After all, medical technology is advancing and we are both is positive moods most of the time.

Right now we are in the process of having dental work done, Mom is going to get a new upper plate and a lower partial. I'm going to have all my teeth pulled and an entire set of dentures put into my mother. The next project is our eyes and hearing, I think the eyes will come first, but I'm not sure right now. I have to make some call Monday and Wednesday of this coming week to get some information on the process of having our eyes and hearing taken care of.

The Doorbell Ring at Midnight Again

Jalál (Glory), 4 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 23, 2008 about 1:03 AM PDT

It happened again, the doorbell ring at midnight and woke me from a sound sleep. The last time it happened was on Friday, July 25, 2008 that was twenty-nine days ago. The post The Doorbell Ring at Midnight is in Poet 999's Thoughts about Writing and Other Stuff.

The doorbell ring three time and woke me from I sound sleep. I got out of bed, went to the front door, looked out and saw no one. I opened the door and looked out, but still saw no one. However, I did hear the neighbor's dog barking. As soon as daylight comes, I will go outside and look around, but I am not going out in the dark.

If I had something to carry with me, such as a baseball bat or a golf club, then I would go out now and check. Since I lack either of those items, I am going to remain in the house until after dawn. Therefore, instead of checking outside, I am making a blog entry, which is the safer of the two alternatives.

I am wide-awake so there is no use me going back to bed. There are certain noises that bring me into full consciousness immediately. One of those is a doorbell ringing in the middle of the night and the other is a crying baby.

It is odd, I the neighbor's dog can bark all night and I can sleep through the noise. A jet fighter can buzz the house and the noise will wake me up, but I go back to sleep almost immediately. However, a doorbell and a crying baby will prevent me from going back to sleep. The crying baby I can understand, it has something to do with maternal instinct. The ringing of a doorbell has me perplexed; I have no idea why I cannot go back to sleep.

I used to think I had patience

Istiqlál (Independence), 3 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Friday, August 22, 2008 about 6:42 AM PDT

I used to think I had patience, but that was before I learned how to tab brows with a telephone hook-up to the Internet. Perhaps, I do still have patience when it comes to dealing with people, but not when it comes to dropped Internet connections. All right, this is my own fault if I was not convinced that I needed to tab browse this issue would not confront me.

I do have to tab browse because I sometimes have to consult other websites when I am making a blog entry or doing research. I am a writer and tab browsing is essential to what I do. Take this morning for instance. When I was composing the entry for Poet 999's Thoughts about Writing and Other Stuff, I had to consult the website Extraterrestrial Highway for some information on State Route 375 in Nevada. I was responding to today's Writing Practice Prompt "You picked up a hitchhiker". My response to the prompt concerned an imagined encounter on that route on Halloween.

The working title for You picked up a hitchhiker is Halloween on the Extraterrestrial Highway. This is a piece of flash fiction and contains about 300 words. I don't think I will add any more to the story because it feels complete the way it is.

To get back to tabbed browsing and my Internet connection, when I tab browse the connection is dropped at irregular intervals. Fortunately, it didn't go out when I was composing the entry or I would be more frustrated then I am. I do save the blog entries at regular intervals when I am composing. The problem is the dropped connection and reconnecting derails my train of thought and I causes me to forget the next sentence or paragraph is was going to write.

Eventually I am going to get DSL, but for now I'm just going to have to exercise my patience. Exercising builds up muscles, so my patience with technology should improve.

A Thursday Afternoon Nap

Istijlál (Majesty), 2 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Thursday, August 21, 2008 about 3:07 PM PDT

I can always tell when I need to take a nap in the afternoon. I get so tired that I can hardly move, so I lay down on the bed for a few minutes. It doesn't take long for me to be rested and ready to go again, but I need those few minutes to rest my body and mind.

Normally, I just sit on the couch and close my eyes, but when my body feels all tired out I lay down on the bed. I take my prayer book, prayer beads, a notebook and a writing pen with me. I put the items on the bedside table and then lay down on the bed and close my eyes.

I take the notebook with me just in case I have a dream or come up with a line of poetry. The prayer book and prayer beads I take with me out of habit. If I take them with me when I go to bed, then I pick them up when I get out of the bed and I always know where they are. Some people have a security blanket or a stuffed animal; I have my prayer book and prayer beads laying there on the bedside table.

I lay down for about thirty minutes, which was enough. I didn't have any dreams and I didn't come up with the line to a poem. However, if I hadn't had the notebook right there beside the bed I would have dreamed or came up with a verse. Then I would have had to look for something to write on and forgotten the dream or the verse in the process. I have learned this from experience.

Asma (Names) a new month begins

‘Idál (Justice), 1 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, August 20, 2008 about 6:22 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The beginning of a new month is a good time to refocus on yearly goals. I reevaluate my goals at the end of every nineteen days, which is a little over two weeks. This gives me a chance look either at the goals I have set and determine if they are over ambitious or under ambitious. If a goal is too difficult to reach then it is frustrating and if it is too easy then it does not build muscles. The goal has to be difficult enough that it pushes the individual, but achievable after a reasonable amount of effort.

The interesting thing about "a reasonable amount of effort" is that it is different for each individual. That is why goals must be sit on an individual level and if they are goals sit by a persons work place, then the individual has to find a way to motivate himself or herself to achieve them.

The goals I have set since March 21, 2008 are individual and focused on the spiritual, physical and financial aspects of my life. The way I go about achieving my goals, may seem a little bit odd, but it works for me. I set up a spreadsheet in excel with the goals I want to focus on for a nineteen-day period. I divide the spreadsheet into three sections. One of the sections concerns spiritual goals and another concerns writing goals because I am working on becoming published.

Actually, since I keep blogs and post some of my work in my writing.com port, you could say I am published, but that is not the type of publication I am talking about. I am referring to getting paid cash money (I have always wanted to put that in a blog entry) for my creative efforts, all though, I do earn some money from blog advertising.

Anyway, I set my writing goals based on word count. I read somewhere that a writer needs to write a certain amount of new words everyday. My word count goal is set at between 2,500 and 5,000 words a day. If I achieve the minimum for thirty-eight days in a row, then I reset the goal yet, but I will be raising it within the next two months.

Today, Asma 1, is the beginning of a new evaluation period. After looking at my past goals, I believe I am going to have to make some changes in both the spreadsheet and the questions I ask myself during the evaluation process. Therefore, during Asma I am looking closes at the goals, especially the "excuses" I use when I do not achieve a specific goal, and the things I have to change on the spreadsheet. All this is a part of transformation, to consciously transform into my true self, I have to know both my weakness and perceived limitations.

August and still no Rain to Speak of

Fidál (Grace), 19 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, August 19, 2008 about 2:39 PDT

It is August in Las Vegas. I remember rain and lightning storms in Las Vegas in August. They occurred in the last century. This year I heard thunder once, but didn't see any lightning. It rained once, just enough to rearrange the dirt on my car. I'm going to have to get the car washed, maybe that will attract some rain.

I need to get the car washed anyway, so attracting rain is just as good a reason as any other. I can't wash the car in my own yard, I'd get a ticket for wasting water. Not that washing a car is a waste of water, but the water that runs into to gutters is wasted. We're in a drought, which is probably why it isn't raining. You can't waste water in a drought.

We've had humidity for the past few days, but I don't see any clouds today. I don't think I'd mind the humidity so much if it would rain. I like rain and I like to watch lightning storms. I like to sit in my living room or lay in bed and watch the lightning. Lightning brings back memories of Oklahoma and my childhood.

The thing I find interesting is that the older I get, the more I think of Blackwell, Oklahoma and my grandparents. My grandparents were the best thing about my childhood. I have bad memories of my childhood, but most of the good memories are attached to my grandparents. I think that is why I like to watch lightning storms because they always bring back good memories of being at my grandparents' house.

August in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 18 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 18, 2008 about 5:14 AM PDT

The humidity this August seems worse then usually, but it could be that I am noticing it more. We have humidity and clouds without much rain. I always notice humidity more when it does not rain. I think I remember it raining twice since monsoon season began in July. I rained enough to rearrange the dirt on my car; not even enough rain for a decent spit bath.

Even as a child growing up in Oklahoma, I noticed the humidity more when it did not rain. I always enjoyed the rain. I liked sitting in my Grandma Newland's living room and watching it rain. I liked walking through the puddles of water on my way to school and on my way home. I especially liked to jump into the puddles and let the water splash onto my legs.

When I got home from school, my mother and grandmother would always scold me about getting my feet wet. However, the scolding I got to take a hot shower and have either hot chocolate or tea. I loved the way my grandmother fixed hot chocolate.

Grandma made hot chocolate with real cows milk and Heresies chocolate syrup. She would heat the milk on the stove and then put the chocolate syrup in, stirring the hot milk as she added the chocolate. I miss the way Grandma made hot chocolate; I use instant mix and water.

I used to be able to make hot chocolate the way Grandma did, but it has been so long since I made it that way. When I heat milk on the stove, I have to be careful and not burn the milk. I do not like the way milk tastes when it burns, but I usually drink it anyway.

October 15 is Blog Action Day

Jamál (Beauty), 17 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 17, 2008 about 4:18 AM PDT

October 15, 2008 is blog action day, when over 1,779 sites world wide with a readership of over 3,190,892, will blog about the same theme poverty. Register your blog at Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty and write about poverty.

Write about any aspect of proverty, which fits the theme of your blog. For example, since the theme of this blog is transformation I can write about how poverty changes the way a person thinks and acts. I have had some experience with poverty lately, so I may write about that or I could post some quotes from the sacred scriptures about poverty.

All religions and Holy Books have something to say about poverty. I am not sure right now precisely what I will write. I have a few weeks to pray and meditate on this subject. There are so many different aspects to poverty that any blogger can find an approach to the subject with little effort.

I am not sure what time I will post. Normally I try to post early in the day, especially if I have a subject and theme. However, if I work that day then I will not post until I get off. I do not have access to a computer or the Internet where I work. In addition, poverty is a subject that requires focus when writing about it, so I will post when I get home.

Join us on October 15, 2008 as either a reader or a blogger. For suggestions on how to approach, the subject or other actions you can take go to Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty.

I think I’m going to be up all night

Jalál (Glory), 16 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 16, 2008 about 6:02 PM PDT

I think I'm going to be up all night. All right, this is my own fault because I took a nap this afternoon. I usually don't take naps in the after noon, at least not in bed. I sometimes doze sitting up on the couch or the love seat, but I don't actually go to bed to take a nap. However, I was feeling tired, so I ate lunch and went to bed.

I know, I'm not suppose to go to bed on a full stomach. That probably explains the dream I had. In the dream, I was rescuing a dog from some type of enclosure. I think it was a play pin or something like that. Anyway, my mother and I were trying to help the puppy get across the enclosure and out the other side. That's about all I remember of the dream.

As a result, of being out all morning and then taking the nap, I'm running behind. In order to catch up, I'm going to have to stay up later then usually. I'm not gong any place tomorrow anyway. At least, I'm not planning on going anywhere. I bought gas today when I went to the drug store to pick up a bottle of Mom's meds. I also went to the bank this morning.

I will make a pot of coffee and see what's in the fridge to eat. I think I have some applesauce and German chocolate brownies as a snack. I should snack on the applesauce, that would be more nutritious then brownies, but I think I will have at least on brownie.

I am Planning my Funeral

Istiqlál (Independence), 15 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Friday, August 15, 2008 about 3:20 PM PDT

Before anyone who knows me panics because of the title I am planning on living to be at 100 years old. I am not all that ill, it's just that I am being practical. Death is a part of life and I want the "Celebration of my Life", which will occur after my soul has ascended to the next world to be stress free for my survivors. Therefore, I am planning my funeral, this way the only thing my kin has to do is go to the celebration and, possibly, fight over there share of my fortune.

All right, I don't have a fortune, but that doesn't mean I don't have anything to leave my kin. I still have my will to write, so hang in there folks you may get something besides my best wishes after all. I got a book today called "Personal Planning Guide", which templates to put in the information needed after my soul departs from my body.

I am going to filling out the templates this evening, after I am finished working online. I do not want anyone worrying or wondering about what my last wishes were. I remember my grandparents' funerals and planning them was stressful because there was a lot that I didn't know at the time. I don't want my family to go through the stress of wondering if they are doing the right thing when my time comes.

In addition, to everything in the template, I have some poems I want read at the funeral. I also want copies of some of the poems given to those who attend. I'm not sure what else to say about this subject. Just be assured that I'm well at this time and planning on living to be at least 100.

I Finally Watched some of the Olympic Events today

Istijlál (Majesty), 14 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Thursday, August 14, 2008 about 12:54 PM PDT

I finally sit down to watch some of the Olympic events today. Four years ago you could not keep me away from the T.V. when they were on, but this year I have not been interested. I am not sure why. Perhaps it's because I am more involved in other things such as writing. In addition, it could be that I am just not that interested in the summer Olympics any more.

I am looking forward to the winter Olympics, I like the ice dancing and down hill skiing events in winter. The only summer events I might be interested in is the gymnastics, but even that does not seem to interest me all that much this year. I suppose I should explore why I am not interested in the summer Olympics that sounds like a good topic for an entry in Writing My Spiritual Journey journal.

Until I watched the swimmers today, I never realized just how boring swimming can be. I do not remember it being that boring four years ago. What has changed? I know I have changed in the past four years. I am becoming more aware of what makes me happy and what is important in my life. In addition, I am more aware other cultures then I was four years ago. Maybe that is why I am just not interested in the events themselves; I would rather see how the individual citizens of a country live, then an event focusing on one particular althalete or sport.

The reason I am not interested in the Summer Olympics probably has more to do with my transformation then anything else.

I Do Not Have to Lug Trash out to the Curb Today

‘Idál (Justice), 13 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, August 13, 2008 about 6:12 AM PDT

I do not have to lug trashcans to the curb today. I am elated. The yard was cleaned up Sunday and the trash taken to the curb for pickup today. I can put off taking any more trash out until Friday evening or Saturday morning, which is great because I am just managing to completely wake up.

I spent yesterday working the Primary Election. I arrived at my assigned station a little before 6:00 AM on Tuesday, August 12. I remained there until after 7:00 PM and worked as a clerk. I took my lunch and some snacks with me, plus several bottles of water. When I arrived home last night, I went directly to bed.

When I go to bed early, no matter how tired I am when I get in bed, I get up early. I got up early today, true I sit on the love seat, said prayers and dozed for a little while, but I did get up early. The interesting thing about last night, is that I went to sleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up this morning, I could not focus on what to take out to the trash or on lugging the cans to the curb.

After the garbage trucks pick-up the trash, I put the trashcans in the garage and begin filling them for Saturday's pick-up. Mom was home all day yesterday doing what she likes to do best, which is clean house. Therefore, she did not get any trash out to the garage. That is all right with me because I would rather she did not carry trash to the garage at her age.

Counting Sheep Doesn’t Help

Fidál (Grace), 12 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 11, 2008 about 8:39 PDT

Counting sheep doesn't help. I have to be at work at 6:00 AM on Tuesday, August 12. Normally I would be asleep, but not tonight. I can't sleep. I've tried everything that usually helps me sleep and nothing works. Therefore, I thought I would make a blog entry.

I will work from 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM, I will not be able to leave the polls, so I'm taking my lunch with me. I'm also taking a book to read and something to write on. I have everything ready to go. All I have to do is get up, take my bath, get dressed and leave the house.

The only problem tonight is that I can't sleep. That may be because I know I won't get home tomorrow until after sunset. My daily writing goal is, at least, 2,500 words between sunset of one day and sunset of the next. However, if I don't get home until after sunset, then I won't make the goal. I know it sounds silly not to be able to sleep because of something like that, but I think that's the problem. Therefore, I'll alleviate the problem somewhat by making some blog entries.

My off line journals aren't a problem because I can compose those while I'm waiting for people to come to the polls and vote. However, the online journal entries are a bit of a problem when I don't have access to a computer. So rather then counting sheep to try to get to sleep, I'll write.

My grandmother never counted sheep when she couldn't sleep. Grandma Newland would do housework in the middle of the night. I will write in the middle of the night. but housework is something to be done during the daylight hours.

Monday Morning Memories

Kamál (Perfection), 11 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 11, 2008 about 5:59 AM PDT

I remember Grandpa Newland going off to work on Monday mornings. Grandpa worked at the Zinc smelter in Blackwell, Oklahoma until he retired. I do not remember how old Grandpa was when he retired from the Smelter, because after he retired he continued to working on a part time basis.

When the boxcars brought the Zinc ore to the smelter, there were wooden boards in the cars. These boards remained in the unloading area (at least I think that is where they remained), until they were hauled away. The company sold the boards to a retired worker for ten cents a board. The person who bought them could then resell them for a profit, Grandpa did that until he became too ill to work.

Anyway, Grandpa would buy the boards for ten cents each and then resell them for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty cents each, depending on the condition of the board. That gave him a little money to supplement his retirement and social security check. I can remember Grandpa and Grandma living well on his retirement and social security check. That is not the case today though, I doubt that anyone can do more then survive on that little of an income.

When Grandpa went to work he did not wear a suite and tie, instead he wore overalls and a cotton work shirt. I would watch the shows in T.V. and see the fathers going to work in suites and ties. I would see the mothers in the show staying home. Those T.V. shows never related my family. Those shows never showed a grandparent or mother going to work, only the fathers in those shows made a living for the family. As far as I was concerned, those shows were a fantasy and had nothing to do with real life. Yet I watched them anyway, maybe that is why I enjoy fantasy and science fiction so much; the shows I watched, as a child had nothing to do with my real life.

I Miss my Grandmother

Jamál (Beauty), 10 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 10, 2008 about 7:55 AM PDT
I miss Grandma Newland. I realized last night while watching The Lawrence Welk Show how much I have been missing her lately. Grandma always like watching the Lawrence Welk show, we would sit on the couch in her living room and watch. During the show we always had something to drink and perhaps a snack.

We watched The Lawrence Welk Show
with my Grandparents
in their living room.

It's wonderful that the show is still on. In Las Vegas, it comes on PBS every Saturday night at 6:00 PM. Mom and I still keep the ritual started by my grandmother. Last night Mom and I had grape juice, but when I watched with Grandma we usually had soda or hot chocolate to drink depending on the season of the year.

I think I like watching The Lawrence Welk Show on PBS because it brings back memories of Grandma. She never missed the show if she could help it, there was very little more important then watching that particular show. When I watch the reruns on Channel 10 in Las Vegas, I remember The Stars of The Lawrence Welk Show and I remember Grandma.

The shows episodes Grandma especially liked was the holiday shows. I think the Christmas shows were her favorite. Another thing about the show Grandma like was the singing, Grandma didn't care much for instrumental music, but she love the songs and the vocal arrangements. She also like to watch the dance numbers.

Whenever I watch The Lawrence Welk Show, I remember Grandma sitting on the couch. Grandma always sit in the middle of the couch because she would have a grandchild on each side of her, one in her lap, and one sitting on the floor at her feet.

I Need a New Photo of Myself

Jalál (Glory), 9 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 9, 2008 about 9:10 AM PDT

I need a new photo of myself. The one I'm using in this blog was taken on my last trip to Disney Land, which was sometime in the last century. I don't have any photos taken this year or last year. In fact, I haven't had a photo of myself, except the one on my pass port, taken in this century.

I'm not going to use the pass port photo on this blog and I'm not taking a new photo of myself until I get my new, full set of dentures. Therefore, the only thing to do is go through the boxes of photos I have in my closet. Those photos have to come out of the closet anyway, so that I can scan them and burn them onto CDs.

Family photos
people that I barely knew
and half remember
hide in the darkness of my closet
waiting to see the light of a new day.

I am Nostalgic for Oklahoma

Istiqlál (Independence), 8 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Friday, August 8, 2008 about 6:46 PM PDT

I am nostalgic for Oklahoma. That is the only logical explanation for the humidity reminding me of Oklahoma. Mom and I left the house at about 10:30 or 11:00 AM this morning. We had three errands to complete and in a specific order. First, early vote because today was the last day of early voting and since I work the polls this coming Tuesday I had to vote today. Second, pick up my meds; I called in two prescriptions on Wednesday, which were ready today. Third, stop at my internet provider's office and pay for another month.

While I drove across town, I realized that the humidity reminded me of Oklahoma. I even have a slight heat rash, which also reminds me of Oklahoma. Therefore, the only logical or illogical explanation is nostalgia. I miss the Oklahoma humidity. I miss the Oklahoma thunderstorms. I miss the Oklahoma lightning.

It did rain a little bit yesterday, just enough to get my car dirty. It thundered yesterday as well. I did not see lightning, but I did hear thunder so the lightning must have occurred. I am presuming lightning occurred because you cannot have thunder without lightning.

Oklahoma memories
play across the firmament of my mind
like clouds in the desert sky.

Oklahoma thunderstorms
light up my childhood with crisp
lightning flashes.

Missing Oklahoma
gives me something to write about
while I wait for rain
to slacken the drought

Missing Oklahoma
gives me something to think about
when the dentist pulls
the remaining teeth in my mouth.

I think the poems needs a little work. I will let it set a few days before rewriting it.

I Love Modern Technology

Istijlál (Majesty), 7 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Thursday, August 7, 2008 about 4:59 AM PDT

I love modern technology, but I should not attempt to dial a phone before I have drink my first cup of coffee in the morning. What event caused this epiphany? I called the pharmacy this morning to refill a prescription. Even though the pharmacy isn't open yet, I can call punch in the prescription number and pick up the prescription tomorrow.

The first time I dialed the pharmacy this morning I dialed the wrong number. Rather then getting the pharmacy, I got a residence. The lady was very nice even though I probably woke her up. Any way I dialed the number before having my first cup of coffee.

Grandma Newland never refilled a prescription over the phone. I remember her taking the bottle to the pharmacy and then picking it up later. She usually took the bottle in on a day she did the grocery shopping or something else. She would take the bottle in, leave it with the pharmacist, do the other errands she had planned, and then pick up the refill. This was her normal method of getting her meds refilled.

I like the way I have Mom's and my prescriptions refilled. The way Las Vegas is laid out it is much easier this way, it takes less gas and since Mom and I go to different pharmacies that are several miles apart and on opposite ends of Charleston Blvd., I can arrange to pick up our prescriptions on different days without any problem. I just have to make sure I count the pills to see how many remain in the bottle. If I call a day or two before the pills run out then I can pick up the meds while we still have a day or two of pills left in the bottle.

As I have said before, modern technology is wonderful and it makes life so much easier

I have to change my self-talk

‘Idál (Justice), 6 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Wednesday, August 6, 2008 about 8:24 AM PDT

Part of the transformation process is discovering bad habits that need changing. One bad habit I have is negative self-talk. My self-talk is the words and phrases I use my career and myself. Negative or positive self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I have found that negative self-talk reinforces the bad things that happen. It gives me a reason to want to give up, because it suggests that no matter what I do, I am not going to succeed. On the other hand, positive self-talk focuses on faith and hope rather then on doubt and uncertainty.

In everyone's life bad things happen and events occur which can be considered negative and proof of failure. Negative self-talk enhances these events and causes a person, at least it causes me, to focus on the failure in the event instead of the opportunity; it causes me to focus on doubt, while positive self-talk focuses on the opportunity in an event and on faith.

Negative self-talk attracts negative results because it encourages giving up and accepting defeat. Positive self-talk attracts positive results because it encourages striving and overcoming obstacles to success and spiritual growth.

Positive self-talk cause me to face the tests and difficulties in my life with faith because it allows me to accept the knowledge contained in an event. Faith is important because without it a person would quit striving for perfection, for growth and transformation. Sometime simple changing the self-talk phrases is all that is necessary to encourage the human soul. At other times, the new phrases have to be merged with an enhanced definition of faith.

One definition of faith is to "breath without air". However, negative self-talks prevents this because it say you have to have proof that what you are doing is going to be successful. At the beginning of any project, there is no proof it will be successful; you just have to accept the fact that success is is inevitable without proof, i.e. breathing without air.

Peanut Butter Sandwich and Coffee

Fidál (Grace), 5 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, August5, 2008 about 4:28 AM PDT

Part of the process of transformation is looking at how my tastes have changed over the years. When I was growing up, we always had a traditional breakfast; Grandma or Mama, whoever was fixing us breakfast that morning, would make eggs, bacon or sausage, cereal, milk and juice. Sometimes the older kids would get coffee with lots of cream and sugar added.

We never eat peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast. However, since growing up that is my favorite, especially if I am fixing breakfast for myself. Lately, it is my mother's favorite as well. Mom loves peanut butter sandwiches even more then I do. Therefore, when we have peanut butter in the house that is what we have for breakfast.

I have no idea what my grandmother would say about peanut butter for breakfast. Grandma would fix us peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. Sometimes she would put them in our lunch boxes for us to take to school. We always carried our lunch with us to grade school. I do remember whether we ate school provided lunches in junior high (middle school) or high school. If the school did provide lunches for us, they were not memorable.

Since I do not have children in the house, I do not have to set a good example for anyone at breakfast. That means I can eat whatever I want and most of the time I want peanut butter sandwiches and coffee for breakfast. If I want bacon and eggs or sausage and eggs, I go to a restaurant. I cannot fix bacon the way I like it, so I go out to eat when I want bacon for breakfast.

It Looks Like Rain

Kamál (Perfection), 4 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Monday, August 3, 2008 about 4:07 PM PDT

It looks like rain. Dark clouds are gathering in the sky and the wind is blowing. Maybe we will have some monsoon showers after all. I haven't heard the weather report and I haven't checked the e-mail box in which I receive the local weather report.

I don't hear any thunder and I don't see any flashes of lightening. So this could just be another one of Mother Nature's jokes. We need rain here in Las Vegas. Monsoon season began in July and we haven't had enough rain to use for a decent "spit bath". I'm not getting my hopes up, but I do think I'll say a little prayer for some rain.

I enjoy the rain. I like sitting on my couch watching the rain. I'm not crazy about driving in it for a couple of reasons. First, I drive with my window down (I might get into the reason in a later entry). The problem with driving with my window down (besides the rain coming in) is that my windows don't roll up when it rains. Normally when I park the car somewhere, I roll the window up and lock the door, but I can't do that on rainy days.

Not that I'm going out any more today. I have enough coffee to make a four or five more carafes and we don't need to get gas until Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll get gas when I go get another can of coffee. I have enough money in my wallet to get both gas and coffee. I don't mind choosing between gas and other items, but when it comes to choosing between gas and coffee I get a bit upset.

Going to Bed with the Chickens

Jamál (Beauty), 3 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 3, 2008 about 12:14 AM PDT

I went to bed with the chickens yesterday. No I did not go to sleep in the hen house, even if I did have a chicken coop or hen house I wouldn't have went to bed there. Going to bed with the chickens means going to bed before sunset or around sunset, that's because most chickens roost at sunset. The problem with "going to bed with the chickens" is that you wake up with them as well.

Actually, I went to bed before sunset yesterday, which meant I got up before midnight. I went to bed around 6:30 or 7:00 PM yesterday and got up about 11:55 PM yesterday. After getting myself a nice tall glass of ice water, I turned the computer on. I haven't even made coffee yet; I haven't needed it yet. I'm wide awake.

Yesterday I was extremely tired in the afternoon. I know why I was so tired. I went out in the heat yesterday. We went to the bank, to get Mom's meds and then to Food 4 Less. We came back home, eat and I finished the work I planned. When I realized how weary I was, I fed the cats and went to bed. I said the rest of the prayers I had planned to say and then went to sleep.

When I woke up, at 11:55 PM, I thought I had slept all night. I thought it must be about 3:30 or 4:00 AM. I got up and looked at the clock. It surprised me when I saw the time, but I'm not sleepy or tired anymore, so there isn't any use going back to bed. Since I'm up I'll do some blog entries, check my e-mail and say some prayers.

All ways check the water in the radiator

Jalál (Glory), 2 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 2, 2008 about 4:05 PM PDT

All ways check the water in the radiator before backing out of the driveway. I haven't been doing that the first thing of a morning. Instead, I get into the car, say a prayer of protection and back out of my driveway. I did that yesterday and the car was on the verge of over heating because the radiator needed water.

When the thermostat gage informs me the car is over heating, then it's too late to check the radiator. The radiator is too hot to open without hurting myself so I have to wait until the next morning. The thermostat gage show the car was getting too hot yesterday when I was driving east on Sahara. That is not a good street to have a car over, there is no shade along most of Sahara.

I put water in the radiator this morning before going to the band and after Mom's meds. I put enough water in to make sure it didn't overheat today, but I don't know if I got enough water in it. I'll have to wait until Sunday and check the radiator again. Fortunately, putting water in the radiator is one of the two things I can do under the hood of my car. The other is to check the oil, which I have to do as well. However, I'm going to have to get a couple of quarts of oil.

The only bottle of fluid I have in my trunk is transmission fluid. I can't add that because I don't have the proper equipment. I suppose I'd better stop at a full service gas station the in the next month or so and have them check the transmission fluid.

My washing machine sounds like a helicopter

Istiqlál (Independence), 1 Kamal (Perfection), 165 B.E. – Friday, August 1, 2008 about 7:54 AM PDT

My washing machine sounds like a helicopter in the spin cycles. The machine is unbalanced and moves when in the spin cycle, so I think that may have something to do with the noise it makes. I have noticed the sound before, but until today I couldn't place the resemblance.

I know it is the washing machine making that noise, because I looked out my window and did not see a helicopter landing in my yard. I don't know what I would do if a helicopter landed in my yard. However, that does sound like a good beginning to a short story and I need to come up with a short story plot in Kamal.

One of my goals is to write a short story every nineteen days. So far I have completed and submitted one short story. That was to a contest on writing.com, which ended on July 30 or 31. I won't know until August 15 where I placed in the contest. However, I still need to complete about six more short stories. Two of the short stories just need more added to them. The ideas for those two came from another contest.