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live-laugh-loverpool · 1 year

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Twas Christmas Eve

Tags: @millythegoat, @alissonbecksfan234, @moomin279, @lfc-fanfiction, @rist-mlts

The Liverpool Christmas Eve party had been a real bash. Music blared from the speakers—Tsimikas was the DJ, as usual—and the light show, managed by Taffarel, was exceptional. Carvalho and Elliott were quickly turning out to be some of the best dancers in the team, and they only further proved that point during the party. But the real stars of the dance floor had to be Klopp and Florrie. The pair, who were fifty-two years apart in age, had attempted a “dance” that everyone had found adorable.

But now, after all the music, dancing and holiday snacks and treats, it was time to go to bed. And for six young children who’d stayed up way past their bedtime and had way too much sugar, that proved to be especially hard.

“When’s Santa coming?” Florrie asked for the fiftieth time that night. She clutched her stuffed llama, Senor Mullido, in both hands. “I wanna see Santa!”

“But Santa only comes when we’re asleep,” Kanchana pointed out, tucking Kairo in next to Florrie. “And he’s going to leave coal for the good girls and boys, and presents for the naughty ones.”

“Chan! The good kids get presents and the bad ones get coal,” Vera corrected her wife. “And you kids are all good boys and girls. So good, right CeCe?”

Grace replied by sticking her tongue out, bouncing on the crib mattress while holding onto the rails.

“What about Kostas?” Kairo snuggled up to his unofficial twin sister, fluffy hair peeking out from the blanket. “He should get a whole sack of coal for his rap song earlier today.”

“Robbo definitely wasn’t enchanted.” Kanchana laughed, fluffing Florrie’s pillows. “Sorry for the confusion. Back in Thailand, most of us don’t celebrate Christmas.”

Florrie frowned in confusion. She’d seen Salah’s Eid-al-Fitr decorations, and Henderson had shown her Hanukkah decorations while they’d been Christmas shopping. But Salah celebrated Christmas with the others, and she’d seen an old Jewish couple who lived near Kirkby lighting a menorah and a Christmas tree.

“Most of the Thai are Buddhists, just like me,” Kanchana explained, taking a seat on the bed. Vera sat next to her, leaning on the taller woman’s shoulder.

“Of course, not all of us are Buddhists. Some celebrate Christmas just like we are doing here. But for Buddhists, one of the most important holidays is Bodhi Day.” Kanchana smiled, touching her stomach for the fifth time that night.

Florrie raised an eyebrow at the strange behavior. Kanchana hadn’t done that before, not even when she’d come to Liverpool for the first time and caught a stomach virus.

“What that?” Henrietta piped up from her crib. The one-year-old hadn’t fallen asleep either. She was still jumpy and bright-eyed from all the sweetened whipped cream and strawberry jam she’d licked from the plate of eclairs.

“Just like Christians have Jesus Christ, Buddhists have Gautama Buddha as their leader and founder. Bodhi Day, simply put, is the day that the Buddha reached Nirvana. And this year we’re celebrating on December 30.”

“Yay! Can we celebrate too? Do we decorate a tree? And make cookies, sing songs, and get presents?” Florrie felt like she could burst, she had so many questions.

“Well, we do decorate a tree. So you got that one right,” said Kanchana. “But it’s not a pine tree, it’s actually a Bodhi tree. We’ll decorate it with lights and statues of the Buddha.”

“But where would we get a Bodhi tree?” Kairo wondered aloud. “We don’t have a Bodhi tree.”

“But we do!” Vera pointed out the window, which overlooked the garden. “Do you remember the fig tree in the greenhouse?”

“Oh, yeah!” said Florrie. “Mo’s had it since he was at Melwood, right?”

Kanchana nodded. “Indeed, he’s been growing the tree under special conditions so it’s small enough to take care of here. And that just happens to be the same thing as a Bodhi tree!” She glanced at the clock on the wall, frowning. “And you‘d all better be going to sleep. I don’t think the others would be too happy if we kept you up.”

One by one, Kanchana and Vera kissed the children goodnight, leaving the room hand in hand. “Goodnight, children. Happy Christmas Eve, and tomorrow morning will be full of surprises.”

Florrie yawned, snuggling under the covers. Somehow, Kanchana and Vera’s story had made her sleepy. “Goodnight, Tante Vera. Goodnight, Auntie Chan.”

A strange noise awoke Florrie from her slumber. She yawned and glanced at the clock. It said 2:45.

The strange noise came again, and Florrie realized that it sounded like footsteps. But it couldn’t be—the only ones who could be awake at this time were Henderson and Klopp, and both of them had been exhausted when the Christmas party finally ended.

A figure caught Florrie’s eye, moving in the dark. She gasped, diving under the blankets. Before she could yell for the adults, a dim yellow light shone on her pillow.

“Kairo?” Florrie whispered, wrapping her green butterfly blanket around her shoulders. “What are you doing awake?”

“Let’s explore!” Kairo pointed outside the door, where a faint glowing light cast long shadows across the walls. “The grownups left the Christmas lights on, they look so pretty in the dark.”

Florrie grabbed Senor Mullido from the bed, tiptoeing to the door so as not to awake the younger kids. “Okay!”

They passed multiple rooms, including the players’ shared bedroom, the staffs’ rooms, and Arwen’s room. Everybody was asleep.

Finally, they tiptoed inside the rec room. As Kairo had said, the Christmas tree lights were still on.

Florrie scrambled onto one of the couches, setting Senor Mullido on her blanket. “It’s so pretty, Kairo.”

Kairo nodded, sitting next to Florrie. They quietly sat together in front of the tree, admiring the lights from afar. All was tranquil—nobody but Florrie and Kairo were awake.

Until a fat man in a red and white suit paraded through their door and tripped over the only electrical cord in the entire room.

Florrie gasped, prodding a dozing Kairo in the ribs. “Kai! Look at that.”

Kairo noticed, his childlike grin growing wider. “It’s Santa!”

Scrambling off the couch as fast as they could, the two children bolted for the man. They crashed into his padded legs, barely able to fit their arms around him.

“Santa! Is it you?” Kairo asked. He could hardly believe his eyes.

He laughed, slinging his toy sack over his shoulder with a wink. “Of course it is!”

Florrie stared at Santa, flabbergasted. “And you’re bringing presents?”

“Of course I am, ho-ho-ho! Good children get their presents on Christmas Eve, and you two have been very good this year, right?”

Florrie nodded, linking arms with Kairo. “The boss says that us and our cousins are lucky. That means we’ve got to be good!”

“Can we meet your reindeer?” Kairo tugged at Santa’s pant leg, momentarily pausing to stroke the red velvet and faux fur. “And get a selfie with Blitzen? Papi Milly says Blitzen’s the sarcastic one.”

“Well…” Santa stroked his beard, fiddling with his silver. “Sorry, kiddos, but the reindeer aren’t with me now.”

“But why?” Florrie asked, crossing her arms. “Daddy Hendo says that you only travel with the reindeer. Don’t reindeer like carrots and mincemeat pies?”

Santa shook his head, setting his toy sack down. “They do. But you know how people are, Florrie and Kairo. I’m sort of a celebrity in the world, and if the others saw me, I’d be too distracted to get my job done. That’s why I travel by night,” the portly gift-bringer explained with a hint of pride.

Florrie nodded, understanding the logic. Santa is a genius! “So how do you fit in? Dress like Kostas?”

“No, that’ll never do!” Santa chuckled. “When I’m here, I come in a black car so nobody suspects anything. I only use my reindeer up in the North where people use reindeer a lot.”

Kairo’s eyes widened. “Oh. That makes sense.”

“Glad it does!” Santa turned towards the Christmas tree, hoisting his sack again. “Now if you don’t mind children, I must get the presents under the tree and be on my way. There are at least 2 billion children on Earth right now and I need to get a move on. And you two need to get to bed so you’ll be awake on Christmas morning.”

Florrie yawned, suddenly realizing how tired she was. “We’ll let you do your job.” She and Kairo quietly tiptoed away from the room and back towards their bedroom. “Goodnight, Santa.”

Santa waved them off, opening his sack. Florrie tried to see what was inside, but the opening was positioned towards the Christmas tree.

Four hours later, Florrie and Kairo were sneaking around again. This time, though, they were accompanied by the other children and a few children at heart.

“Are you sure the gaffa isn’t going to be mad?” Ramsay whispered, ruffling Grace’s hair. “I mean, he seemed pretty tired yesterday.”

“The gaffa always wakes up early. This will be a piece of cake,” Robertson claimed. “Now, on the count of three!”

They pounced onto the still-asleep Klopp, shaking him and jumping on his bed. Finally, the German stirred, yawning. “What time is it?”

“Boss!” Kairo yelled, waving a pillow in the air. “It’s Christmas!”

Henrietta flopped next to Klopp, her little body quivering with joy. “Chri’mas, Opa, Chri’mas!”

“On the first day of Christmas, the Gaffa woke up! Hallelujah!” Robertson and Ramsay yelled at the top of their Scottish lungs. “Come on!”

Carvalho nodded eagerly, tugging on another Christmas sweater. “Let’s see what Santa brought us!”

“Lots and lots of gifts,” Florrie announced, matter-of-factly. “Kairo and I saw Santa last night, bringing us presents!”

“Santa?” Milner rolled his eyes, bouncing a grumpy Tristan. “No way. Only the naive believe in Santa.”

“Santa’s left me presents every single year without fail!” Carvalho argued. “He’s never missed a year, he does too exist!”

“We saw him yesterday!” Kairo insisted, crossing his arms. “He was wearing his suit, and he drives a black car—”

Henderson shook his head in amusement. “Now, now. What have I told you two about telling tales?”

Florrie pouted. She caught a sight of the chair in the corner, which held a red Santa hat.

Klopp yawned, propping himself up on one arm. “Come on Hendo, it’s Christmas! Magic can happen, you never know.”

Milner left the room grumbling, while Henderson led the others out, distracting them with talk of the upcoming festivities.

Florrie and Kairo were the last to leave the room. Just before they left, Florrie pointed out the hat to Kairo. Klopp saw the brief exchange between the two toddlers, but said nothing.

“Alright, I’m coming boys! Just give me a moment or two to change,” Klopp laughed upon hearing the players’ excited chatter. “Nobody needs to see me shirtless, or…”

Milner rolled his eyes, hurrying the others further down the hall. “We get it.”

Klopp turned to his closet and selected a snowman-themed Christmas sweater with jingling bells. It was rather…interesting, but the sweater had been a gift from Lijnders the previous Christmas and Klopp had promised he’d wear it.

Once he finished getting dressed, Klopp couldn’t help but notice the Santa hat still on his chair. Chuckling quietly to himself, he removed his felt reindeer-antler headband and slipped on the hat. Looking in the mirror, a very familiar face appeared in front of him.

“Now children, Santa drives a black car so nobody suspects anything. Ho-ho-ho!”

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abyssmalice · 1 year

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(holidays holidays!!

quick overview bc im not 100% sure about what holidays i think snezhnaya has - krsnik noc is definitely a thing, but what else, im havent determined yet.

krsnik noc i think is celebrated with a variety of traditions/meanings attached in snezhnaya - it likely originated as a celebration on the winter solstice, and over time, was conflated with rituals to revere the local god or other holidays celebrated around the world like new year’s. as such, how it’s celebrated will differ from place to place, but no matter what, there’s always a focus on the home and hearth.

tonitoni, being Miss Worldwide (lmao) from a tiny age, has dipped her toe in a couple of holidays wherever she was stationed -

in sumeru, she briefly partook in celebrations for the teyvat version of diwali and eid

natlan’s tbd until we actually get a morsel of wtf is going on in natlan heLLO WE’RE FOUR REGIONS IN AND THERES LIKE NOTHING ON NATLAN?

and in liyue, she definitely enjoyed some of the festivities for lantern rite (aka chinese new year) and moonchase (aka autumn/lunar festival)

—tho the only holiday she’s only really ever celebrated properly is krsnik noc when she was much, much younger with her family - otherwise, ever since she became a harbinger and was shuffled around, she’s hasn’t really gotten to do the more traditional aspects of it like being with family)

#ooc / on mobile!

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greensparty · 1 year

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Stuff I’m Looking Forward to in April

It’s Springtime and we’re now in the 2nd Quarter of 2023! In addition to April Fools Day (April 1), Palm Sunday (April 2), Passover (from April 5 to 13), Good Friday (April 7), Easter (April 9), Orthodox Easter (April 16), Patriots Day (in MA on April 17), Tax Day (April 18), Eid al-Fitr (expected to begin on April 21), Earth Day (April 22), Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (April 24), and Administrative Professionals’ Day (April 26) here is what’s on my radar this month:

Movies:

Air

Ben Affleck directs himself and Matt Damon in this true story of Nike making the Air Jordan. The last time he directed a true story was possibly his best directing Argo, so hopes are high for this one opening 4/5.

Showing Up

I kind of like the simplicity of Kelly Reichardt’s films notably Wendy and Lucy, which she did with frequent star Michelle Williams. Here Williams plays an artist in this dramedy opening 4/7.

The Lost Weekend: A Love Story

May Pang had an 18-month romance with John Lennon during his “Lost Weekend” era and she has told her story in books and been interviewed in other documentaries, but now she is getting the doc treatment she deserves. Opening 4/14.

Personality Crisis: One Night Only

Martin Scorsese and his frequent documentary editor David Tedeschi direct this doc about David Johansen, the former New York Dolls singer later known as Buster Poindexter. The fact that Scorsese is taking on this music legend is literally an NYC icon documenting an NYC icon! Premieres 4/14 on Showtime.

Beau Is Afraid

I had mixed feelings about Ari Aster’s first two films Hereditary and Midsommar. On the one hand they kinda lost steam at times and were a little bloated, on the other hand the parts that worked really worked and there’s not denying his ambition. His new one with Joaquin Phoenix is actually a dark comedy I have high hopes for. Opening 4/21.

Evil Dead Rise

Alright, I don’t know if I’m actually looking forward to this, so much as cautiously optimistic about this Evil Dead sequel. I’m not expecting this to be as good as Sam Raimi’s first three, but hoping it cracks my Top Evil Dead Movies next time I revise the list. Opening 4/21.

Music:

Metallica 72 Seasons

Metallica’s 11th album is also their first since 2016′s Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, which was a serious comeback (I even included it in my Best Albums of the 2010s list). New album drops 4/14.

Smashing Pumpkins Atum

Smashing Pumpkins dropped Act 1 of Atum in November and Act 2 in January. Now Act 3 and the physical release of the entire rock opera are dropping 4/21.

Film Festivals:

Salem Horror Fest

I have been lucky enough to cover this genre film festival in Salem, MA since 2018. Last year they decided to move the festival from October (when there is a lot going on in Salem) to April. Fest runs from 4/20 to 4/30.

Independent Film Festival Boston

My favorite film festival (I am an alum) is IFFBoston! Last year they returned in-person after they took 2020 off and 2021 virtual. It felt so good to return to the fest in person! This year marks IFFBoston’s 20th anniversary. Fest runs from 4/26 to 5/3.

Events:

Record Store Day

Possibly my favorite fake holiday is the day we celebrate independent record stores. This year there’s some exciting RSD releases from Pearl Jam, Ringo Starr, The Stooges and Wilco. Looking forward to 4/22!

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gomoderngroup · 2 years

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Little Competitive Squabbles for Eid Outing? Happy Eid!

As Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan, it's a time for celebration. The Muslim festival is a joyous occasion that calls for creating memorable moments with your dear ones. A public holiday is observed on Eid in many countries, allowing families to reunite, visit each other to greet Eid, and have a splendid time together.

We're here to add more flavors and make your Eid irresistibly sweeter, yes sweeter than the Eid desserts that can't be truly enjoyed if you're missing out on the fun of creating new memories and enjoying wholeheartedly with your family. Wondering what awaits you at Mastiii Zone? The answer is happiness. More treats and non-stope fun.

Situated in Grand Venice Mall, Noida, our Gamezone knows how to offer you, your families, and friends a good time. The kids' zone has everything ranging from Bumper Cars, Softplay, Arcades, Cricket Simulation Games, House of Dead, and multiple VR Games. Explore the full GameZone here.

Besides, we have activities like Bowling, Archery, 7D Theatre, Trampoline, and Zipline (Flying Fox) that can be enjoyed by teens and adults likewise. When will you be going? Let us know so that we can book you a spot in advance.

Happy Eid-Al-Fitr

After a month of abstinence, partake in the Eid celebration with Mastiii Zone and Snow Mastiii to commemorate the success of devotion exhibited for a month and make your Eid al-Adha more meaningful and vibrant.

Mastiii Zone invites all of you to make the best of the Ramadan holiday with your friends as you enjoy little competitive squabbles and quality time this Eid. Afterall, diversity is our nation's greatest strength!

Eid Mubarak!

#Mastiiizone #VRgaming #vrgames #Adventure #gamezone #games #GameStop #bowling

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what-is-this-bakwaas · 3 years

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evanescentjasmine · 4 years

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I’m going to talk about a little pet peeve of mine with regard to portrayal of poc in fic, TMA specifically since that’s what I mostly read and write for.

I suppose I should first start by saying that, of course, poc are not a monolith, and I’m certain there are other poc who have many different views on this issue. And also this post is in no way meant to demonise, shame, or otherwise discourage people from writing poc in fic if they’re doing something differently. This is just a thing I’ve been noodling on for a while and have had several interesting conversations with friends about, and now that I think I’ve figured out why I have this pet peeve, I figured I’d gather my thoughts into a post.

As a result of the fact we have no canonical racial, ethnic, or religious backgrounds for our main TMA cast, we’ve ended up with many diverse headcanons, and it’s absolutely lovely to see. I’m all for more diversity and I’m always delighted to see people’s headcanons.

However, what often happens is I’ll be reading a fic and plodding along in a character’s PoV and get mention of their skin colour. And nothing else. I find this, personally, extremely jarring. In a short one-shot it makes sense, because you’re usually touching on one scenario and then dipping out. Likewise if the fic is in a different setting, is cracky, or is told from someone else’s PoV, that’s all fine. But if I’m reading a serious long-fic close in the poc’s head and...nothing? That’s just bizarre to me.

Your heritage, culture, religion, and background, all of those affect how you view the world, and how the world views you in return. How people treat you, how you carry yourself, what you’re conscious of, all of that shifts. And the weird thing is that many writers are aware of this when it comes to characters being ace or trans or neurodivergent—and I’m genuinely pleased by that, don’t get me wrong. Nothing has made my ace self happier than the casual aceness in TMA fics that often resonates so well with my experience. But just as gender, orientation, and neurodivergence change how a character interacts with their world, so do race, ethnicity, and religion.

As a child, I spent a couple of years in England while my mother was getting her degree. Though I started using Arabic less and less, my mother still spoke to me almost exclusively in Arabic at home. We still ate romy cheese and molokhia and the right kind of rice, though we missed out on other things. She managed to get an Egyptian channel on TV somehow, which means I still grew up with different cultural touchstones and make pop-culture references that I can’t share with my non-Arabic-speaking friends. She also became friends with just about every Egyptian in her university, so for those years I had a bevy of unrelated Uncles and Aunties from cities all over Egypt, banding together to go on outings or celebrate our holidays.

As an adult who sometimes travels abroad solo, and as a fair-skinned Arab who’s fluent in English, usually in a Western country the most I’ll get is puzzled people trying to parse my accent and convinced someone in my family came from somewhere. When they hear my name, though, that shifts. I get things like surprise, passive-aggressive digs at my home region, weird questions, insistence I don’t look Egyptian (which, what does that even mean?) or the ever-popular, ever-irritating: Oh, your English is so good!

At airports, with my Egyptian passport, it’s less benign. I am very commonly taken aside for extra security, all of which I expect and am prepared for, and which always confuses foreign friends who insisted beforehand that surely they wouldn’t pull me aside. Unspoken is the fact I, y’know, don’t look like what they imagine a terrorist would. But I’m Arab and that’s how it goes, despite my, er, more “Western” leaning presentation.

This would be an entirely different story if I were hijabi, or had darker skin, or a more pronounced accent. I am aware I’m absolutely awash with privilege. Likewise, it would be different if I had a non-Arab name and passport.

So it’s slightly baffling to me as to why a Jon who is Pakistani or Indian or Arab and/or Black British would go through life the exact same way a white British character would.

Now, I understand that race and ethnicity can be very fraught, and that many writers don’t want to step on toes or get things wrong or feel it isn’t their place to explore these things, and certainly I don’t think it’s a person’s place to explore The Struggles of X Background unless they also share said background. I’m not saying a fic should portray racism and microaggressions either (and if they do, please take care and tag them appropriately), but that past experiences of them would affect a character. A fic doesn’t have to be about the Arab Experience With Racism (™) to mention that, say, an Arab Jon headed to the airport in S3 for his world tour would have been very conscious to be as put together as he could, given the circumstances, and have all his things in order.

And there’s so much more to us besides. What stories did your character grow up with? What language was spoken at home? Do they also speak it? If not, how do they feel about that? What are their comfort foods? Their family traditions? The things they do without thinking? The obscure pop-culture opinions they can’t even begin to explain? (Ask me about the crossover between Egyptian political comedy and cosmic horror sometime…)

I’m not saying you’ll always get it right. Hell, I’m not saying I always get it right either. I’m sure someone can read one of my fics and be like, “nope, this isn’t true to me!” And that’s okay. The important thing, for me, is trying.

Because here’s the thing.

I want you to imagine reading a fic where I, a born and raised Egyptian, wrote white characters in, say, a suburb in the US as though they shared my personal experiences. It’s a multi-generational household, people of the same gender greet with a kiss on each cheek, lunch is the main meal, adults only move out when they get married, every older person they meet is Auntie or Uncle, every bathroom has a bidet, there’s a backdrop of Muslim assumptions and views of morality, and the characters discuss their Eid plans because, well, everyone celebrates Eid, obviously.

Weird, right?

So why is this normal the other way around?

Have you ever stopped to wonder why white (and often, especially American) experiences are considered the default? The universal inoffensive base on which the rest is built?

Yes, I understand that writers are trying to be inoffensive and respectful of other backgrounds. But actually, I find the usual method of having the only difference be their skin colour or features pretty reductive. We’re more than just a paint job or a sprinkle of flavour to add on top of the default. Many of us have fundamentally different life experiences and ignoring this contributes to that assumption of your experience being universal.

Yes, fic is supposed to be for fun and maybe you don’t want to have to think about all this, and I get that completely. I have all the respect in the world for writers who tag their TMA fics as an American AU, or who don’t mention anyone’s races. I get it. But when you have characters without a canonical race and you give them one, you’re making a decision, and I want you to think about it.

Yes, this is a lot of research, but the internet is full of people talking about themselves and their experiences. Read their articles, read their blogs, read their twitter threads, watch their videos, see what they have to say and use it as a jumping-off point. I’m really fond of the Writing With Color blog, so if you’re not sure where to start I’d recommend giving them a look.

Because writers outside of the Anglosphere already do this research in order to write in most fandoms. Writers of colour already put themselves in your shoes to write white characters. And frankly, given the amount of care that many white writers put into researching Britishisms, I don’t see why this can’t extend to other cultural differences as well.

#the magnus archives #tma #poc in fanfic #representation #tw racism #long post

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sixth-light · 4 years

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The Taste of Home (Nile + team, gen, 1.2k)

A fic for the Nile Freeman week prompt “Nile + comfort”, liberally interpreted, and inspired by my post about Nile and the team doing Thanksgiving last week. In canon I fully expect that Booker and Quỳnh will be with them this far into the future, but I felt like doing a end-of-movie-team-only story, so...there we go. No major warnings, aside from a brief mention of canon-typical violence.

Nile crossed the Canadian-US border into the country of her birth for the first time in six years, late one November – not nearly as cold as it should have been in New England this time of year, thanks, climate change – and realised that two days from now was going to be Thanksgiving.

Andy said “What’s that?” and Nicky said “I think it’s a feast day” and Joe said “Yes, the one with the turkey!” and Nile said “Have none of you spent any time in the US before?”

“Oh, plenty,” said Joe, shifting uncomfortably; they’d crossed the border in a rental car on a back road, relying on Copley’s instructions to avoid the drones and patrols, and there clearly wasn’t quite enough room in the back for his long legs. Andy was driving, of course, and the boys had graciously ceded Nile the front seat. She was tired, and hadn’t argued. “We were first here in – 1582?”

“That was Mexico, it’s not quite the same,” said Nicky. “More than a hundred years after that, for Nile’s lands.”

The three older immortals started bickering about what counted as the United States of America, exactly, before Nile said “Okay, okay. My point is – have none of you ever had Thanksgiving?”

She knew they weren’t picky about holidays, just not consistent; in her years with them they’d celebrated May Day and Eid al-Fitr and Saturnalia. It depended where they were, and what they were doing, and the moods that struck them. Nicky had come to church with her for three Christmases in a row, three different churches in three different countries, and then last year said simply “No, not this time, thank you.”

“I think we lifted some extra rations off an American army unit in Vietnam, one November,” said Andy. “Apart from that? No.”

“Where’s Copley got us this time?” Nile asked.

“A house,” said Nicky. “Rented. We are being tourists again, until we get our local identities organized.”

“There’s a few missions we could do. We’ll talk about it later,” said Andy. “I figured we’d take a week off first. Nothing’s on fire…that we can help with.”

“Most of California’s on fire, right now, but okay,” said Nile. “Okay.”

“You wanna do Thanksgiving, huh?” Andy glanced over at her, with a sharp smile that made Nile feel known, but not exposed.

“Can we help?” Joe asked from the back seat.

“Uh,” said Nile. “Let’s see.”

Nile had never done anything like a full Thanksgiving meal before, partly because until she’d been deployed her job had mostly been to wash dishes and keep some of her younger cousins from getting overexcited, and partly because there had been a strict family hierarchy of who got to cook what, and she hadn’t yet been invited to join it before – before.

She decided to keep it simple, the real classics; after all, there were only four of them. Turkey, definitely. Green bean casserole. Mac’n’cheese. Yams. Pumpkin pie. She was fully prepared to buy the pie crust, too – she knew her limits – but Nicky put his foot down on that, having had to endure the purchase of ready-made cranberry sauce and canned pumpkin, so she let him take care of it.

Nicky was far and away the best cook of the other three, followed closely by Joe. Andy wouldn’t burn anything, but she just didn’t care enough to get creative. Nile had eaten a lot of re-heated soup when Andy was on cooking duty. Andy, Nile decided on the way back from the Big Y, was getting assigned to chop vegetables.

The holiday cabin Copley had found for them was much more comfortable than where they’d been sleeping for the last three weeks – Nile was getting a bedroom to herself, a rare luxury – but the kitchen was tiny, clearly intended for vacationers who weren’t the home-cooking type, and preparations spilled out onto the dining table. Nile had been half-hoping someone else would take over, unused to taking center stage for this, but they all looked to her for instructions and she did her best to rise to the occasion. She felt absurdly trusted.

The biggest problem would have been that both of the kitchen knives provided were absolutely terrible – Joe threw them aside, saying “No, and no” – except, what was she thinking, her family traveled armed to the teeth at all times. Andy chopped yams with a knife Nile was ninety percent sure she’d seen her gut someone with. She forcibly decided not to think about it.

“Don’t worry, this one’s new,” said Andy. “I have standards.”

“Uh-huh,” said Nile. She could hear Nicky chuckling behind her as he worked on the pie crust.

“I do!”

“Do you think these are halal?” Joe asked, holding up the bag of marshmallows.

“Wait, probably not,” said Nile. “Never mind, we can leave them out.”

“I didn’t want to criticize,” said Nicky, “but I didn’t think they were going to go very well with the pie.”

“They’re for the yams,” said Nile.

“The yams are for the sweet course as well?”

“No, they’re part of the main.”

“Put them in, I just won’t eat the yams,” said Joe, tossing the bag at her. “This is your holiday.”

“You eat marshmallows with the turkey?” Nicky said, his voice noticeably rising. “That is – that is very interesting.”

“My holiday, my rules,” Nile retorted.

“Yes, ma’am,” Joe said, and winked.

By the time everything was prepped, they were all ready to lie down on the couch for a bit; unfortunately, the couch wasn’t that big, so Nicky took one end, Joe stretched out with his head in Nicky’s lap, Nile compromised by wedging herself under Joe’s feet, and Andy just spread-eagled herself on the floor with a cushion from the armchair under her head.

“You could take the armchair,” said Joe, clearly enjoying his overlordship of the largest piece of furniture.

“No,” said Andy, who Nile had learned was mildly allergic to furniture. “This is better.”

“Someone give me the remote,” Nile said. “It’s football time.”

Joe perked up noticeably at that, and noticeably sagged when Nile found ESPN. “Oh. American football.” Nicky poked him in the shoulder. “Ow.”

“So,” Nicky said. “We eat all the food, and then…?”

“Then we watch some more football,” said Nile. “And before we eat, we say what we’re thankful for.”

“Huh,” said Nicky. “Okay. That’s easy.”

“Now?” Andy asked. “Or right before we eat?”

“Right before,” said Nile, which didn’t stop Andy saying “Because you know what I’m grateful for right now? Carpet.”

“That’s terrible.” Nile threw the other cushion at her. “You have about an hour to come up with something better.”

Joe was obviously composing a speech in his head already, drumming his fingers against his thigh. Nile decided not to interrupt him.

“And that’s it?” Nicky persisted. “There’s nothing else you need, for this to be Thanksgiving?”

Nile had half-expected, when they’d been in the supermarket, that this was going to turn out to be a terrible idea, make her homesick all over again, like the Christmas three years ago when she’d come home from church with Nicky – they’d been in Germany at the time – and cried into Nicky’s shoulder for an hour, soggy and miserable, while Joe brought her mulled wine and Andy dropped a box of tissues in her lap.

But it wasn’t like that at all. There was a good meal cooking; she was warm and safe and content; this wasn’t the family she’d grown up with, the one she would always miss, but they’d spent today telling her they loved her with every chopped vegetable and half-serious complaint.

“Nah,” Nile said. “I got everything I need. Thanks for asking.”

#the old guard #nileweek2020 #nile freeman #tumblr fic #my fanfic #don't worry Andy's telling the truth about the knife #they are in Western MA because I said so

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salmankhanholics · 4 years

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★ Salman Khan: We have Dabangg part 4 written too !

Salman Khan on plans to take the Dabangg franchise forward even after a prequel; bringing Chulbul, Radhe and Devil in a crossover film and being approached by Farhan Akhtar with a script...

Roshmila Bhattacharya | December 12th 2019

He arrives like the star he is. And instantly, the slumbering parking lot of Mehboob Studio comes alive. Flashbulbs pop as Bhai strikes a pose. There are journalists waiting to meet Salman Khan and a Bangladeshi cricketer too. He obliges some of those waiting, before beckoning you to take two chairs, one stacked on top of the other so you are at his eye level. Excerpts: This time, we believe you have been credited with the story, screenplay and dialogue. What makes Dabangg 3 diff erent from the earlier two films? When I heard the story of the first Dabangg, which Dilip Shukla had written, I liked the plot but thought the character wasn’t noble. There were no songs, he was grey, corrupt and ruthless. I changed him into the Chulbul Pandey you see, and it worked. There was a lot of angst. The mother passes away, after which he accepts his father and brother as family. That script was not mine; we retained the mota mota plot and made the scenes more massy and today, with a different kind of swagger. If you were to meet Chulbul on the road, toh aap usey maroge because he’ll appear arrogant and badtameez. But on screen, you like him. He does tedha things but for the right reasons. Like the zehreela sharab scene in Dabangg was negative but uska fayda was positive. In Dabangg 2, they wanted just Chulbul, without the family. I argued that Chulbul worked because of his mother, father, Makkhan Chand Pandey, Bobby ji, Tiwari ji, Pichkari ji, Rajjo, everyone. How could I take them out? So, we retained them. The third part is about how Chulbul became the man he is. We’ve dug up his past, there’s pain. It’s an emotional vendetta story. At a time when filmmakers are struggling with sequels, you’re coming with a prequel… We have Dabangg 4 written too. Yeah you are going up to Dabangg 743 as you mentioned in our last interview. Seriously, how do these ideas happen? (Laughs) They just come about. Sometimes, one film gives you an idea for the next. In Dabangg 3, we explore why Rajjo’s father was an alcoholic and how Chulbul met her. Aap jab picture dekhoge toh aapko samajh mein aayega kahan kahan se nikle hain hum. After two films, today, the minute I walk into the Dabangg set, I stop being Salman Khan, the actor, and become Chulbul Pandey. Ditto, Sonakshi who transforms instantly into Rajjo. That’s how it is with the whole cast; we’ve become a real family. Do you have a personal connection with Chulbul? Well, I’m writing it, playing the character, so there has to be some thought behind it. The director this time is Prabhudheva and he knows the pulse of the audience… Yeah, that’s why he’s in the film. Arbaaz (Khan, brother and the director of Dabangg 2) would take time to understand, his BP would shoot up and down. So, this time, the first thing he said was that he wouldn’t direct the film and we should get someone else. I suggested Prabhu, and his reaction was, “Fantastic!” Prabhu is very receptive, he gets what I want to say in a second. Language is a problem with him, so I have to explain things to him, but once he gets it, he executes it beautifully... Largerthan-life, with humour and emotion. Bang on! With a film like Dabangg, we go from high point to high point. We’re not pakaoing anyone. The message comes through the scenes. Even before Dabangg 3 was complete, you announced Radhe with Prabhu. Obviously, you have a lot of confi dence in him and he reiterates you share a great equation, which is rare... Yes, we have a good working relationship and I believe one shouldn’t spoil that. We were looking for a director for Radhe. My friend Prashant suggested Prabhu. I recalled he had told me that after Dabangg 3, he was going on a twomonth holiday, but Prashant urged me to speak to him and Prabhu agreed. The script was halfway through. I was working on a film at the time... I don’t remember the name... and it was to come out on Eid, which didn’t happen… Inshallah with Sanjay Leela Bhansali? Wasn’t that the film? Inshallah… Inshallah… Radhe is happening Inshallah on Eid. We are working day in and day out to put it out on Eid. You were saying Radhe’s script was ready… With us, plots are always ready, then, they evolve. You write at home, in a hotel or an office. But then, when you come on the sets, the story changes with the setting. Radhe is also your story? No, but we have made a lot of changes. Eid is your date… No, it’s not, it’s nobody’s date, anyone is welcome to release a film on the day. It’s just that my films happen to come on Eid. Actually, my last film, Bharat, released during Ramadan, three days before Eid. And now, Dabangg 3 is arriving on Christmas. I’ve had releases during Diwali and Republic Day too. Any festive day is a good day. Next Eid, Akshay Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb is releasing with Radhe... Yes, and there is scope for another two-three films to come on that day. Then, the audience decides which film to spend on. Agar picture achhi lagi, they will watch it. If they don’t, toh nahin dekhenge, festive date ho ya koi bhi date ho. Bharat has made a lot of money at the box-office. But do you think the scale of the film magnified the expectations? Not really. I just thought towards the end, the father should have come back. That was my problem with the film. But aaj kal ke yeh new people think that a reunion with the father is a cliché. Father ki age kya hogi? Uski story kya hogi? I don’t give a damn, he should have come back. Yes, the film did phenomenal business, my sister (Alvira) is happy, we’re happy with the product. But if we had shown a 70-yearold man and a 90-year-old man having a conversation, it would have been a more emotionally satisfying film. Bharat’s whole journey was about him waiting for his father to come back to him. So, for me, the film looked incomplete. Talking about fathers, Salim Khan saab recently said that Farhan Akhar has come to you with a script and you have liked it. Is the film happening? I don’t know. Farhan has come to me with a script and I like him. He is like a kid brother; he has grown up with us. That bond will always be there with Zoya (Akhtar) and him. They are like my younger siblings. Rohit Shetty and you have been talking too. Will Chulbul Pandey join Rohit’s cop universe, with Singham and Simmba? Chulbul is a universe within himself. So is Singham. This is a separate film, then? Nothing’s finalised. We’ve been talking about other things too. But Kick 2 is definitely happening and we are told it could arrive in December 2021? It could. How does it feel to bring Devil back? He has his own fans... Yeah, one thing I want to do later is bring Kick’s Devil, Dabangg’s Chulbul Pandey and Radhe together. That’s a wonderful idea. If The Avengers can do it, why not Salman Khan. Are you joking or is it a possibility? No, I have something in mind. Kick is Sajid’s film. He is not just a producer but a good friend... Yes, he’s like a brother to us. And what is it like bringing him back as a director? (Laughs) He didn’t even know he was directing Kick, he got to know on Twitter. You have introduced several newcomers to Hindi cinema, not just technicians but actors, too. From Sonakshi Sinha to Saiee Manjrekar now... Saiee is a sigh of relief for the industry. Watch out for her. ' We have heard that she is playing a mute in the film, no dialogue, speechless… True? Nooo, you guys will be speechless when you see her. I’d introduced Sonakshi at an award show and this time too, I took Saiee along. As soon as we faced the paparazzi, they started saying, we want solo pictures of her. So, I thought, ho gaya Saiee ka. Rocket Singh, straight out! Then, I heard this comment, “Saiee, tu sahi aahes.” We thought you were introducing Saiee’s sister, Ashwami? Are you? We don’t have anything right now, but she is very talented. How does Bigg Boss feel after all these years? It’s become a part of you? Yeah, a part of mine wants to cut that part and throw it out and the other part wants to keep it. And the latter is haavi on the part that wants to throw it out. You don’t like the show? I like it. It gets stressful, but I learn a lot. And I get to know where the country is going, what is happening to values, morals, scruples and principles. We see it right there, with celebrities. The beauty is once they are out of the house, they are not like that at all. It’s not as if they are giving performances, the house makes them like that. Has being in a particular place changed your personality? No. What’s happening with Sohail Khan’s film Sher Khan? That film requires a lot of visual effects. After it is shot, it will take six-eight months, almost a year, for it to be ready. After the next two-three films, Sher Khan goes on the floors. It’s beautiful. I’m not going to ask you about marriage this time… Okay. …But whenever I see you with kids, I feel a child is missing out on a really good father. Even I feel that way. Are there plans of having a child through adoption, surrogacy, though that’s outlawed... No, not yet. So, no plans? No, when it happens, it happens. How will it happen? (With a straight face) I can’t describe the whole process to you. What I mean is that you don’t want to get married or adopt… There are enough kids in the house. Another child will be born now, in December. Would you like to raise your sister Arpita’s child? No, Arpita does a fantastic job of raising her child, in fact, she is raising all of us correctly right now. Your dad, even at 84, is all there… Yeah, because there were five of us, and now many more, so he has to be all there. It’s wonderful how he knows everything that is happening with all your projects. I share things with him when he is sitting across the table, tell him the basic plot. He will say, “Yeh galat hai, isey nikalo.” When he sees the film, too, there are times he says, “Yahaan mazaa nahin aa raha hai, isey nikalo.” Some bits we do listen to. Did he have any suggestions for Dabangg 3? No.

Mumbai Mirror

#salman khan #dabangg 3 #dabangg 3 interview #interview #text interview #mumbai mirror #bharat #Bigg boss #bb13 #kick 2 #sher khan #Chulbul pandey #saiee manjrekar #farhan akhtar #Dabangg 4

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druckenglish · 5 years

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Season 4 Episode 4: “Broken Hearts”

Amira’s mum: I’ll go and buy the meat now

Amira: Mum, I’m not his babysitter

Amira’s mum: But the older sister Amira. I really don’t know what to think anymore. You’re usually always on top of things. Essam, was it really Mohammed who gave you the alcohol?

Essam: Yes. Leave me alone

Amira: Are you serious?

Essam: Don’t scream like that. What can I do when Mohammed does something like that?

Amira: You could tell the truth

Essam: Yeah sure and mum will pull off a secret service thing. She’s gonna lock me up and spy on me

Amira: And for Mohammed that’s okay or what?

Essam: Why are you so interested in Mohammed?

Amira: I’m not interested in him. It’s about the principle

Essam: So everbody’s beating each other up, everybody’s getting drunk and when I do it it’s a huge problem

Amira: But we’re not everybody. When some Alman gets in a (violent) fight he has his reasons. But when we get in (violent) fights then it’s because we’re Arab trash

Essam: What are you talking about? I just wanted Kiki to like me

Amira: Essam, Kiki has Carlos. Okay. Essam, habibi, you have to tell mum the truth

Essam: Ey Amira, sorry, I need to go to the bathroom again

Amira: Is something the matter?

Jonas: Hey Hanna! Where are you? It would be cool if you could come. We definitely need more help. I’d be happy. Oh with Stefan, okay. Don’t worry, we’ll handle it. Well then have a nice day and I’ll see you soon. Okay, bye

Amira: Everything okay?

Jonas: Yes, Hanna isn’t coming, they’re having a nice day, with Stefan. So cute

Amira: I’m sorry

Jonas: It’s fine

Carlos: I need the 15 open-end wrench

Sam: Shut up yourself (this gets lost in translation, Carlos says “Maul” which both means open-end wrench and shut up)

Carlos: I was talking about the open-end wrench. Deeper

Amira: Ugh what’s that?

Carlos: You really need to go in very deep

Sam: I am, it doesn’t go any further

Carlos: I can’t go any further either. Just grab it

Sam: I already have it

Carlos: No you didn’t grab anything

Amira: What’s going on here?

Carlos: The pipe is totally fucked up. And she can’t get anything done / she’s incapable / incompetent

Sam: That thing was only partly there

Amira: Okay, and why are you fixing it?

Sam: That’s what I said

Amira: Isn’t that the facility management’s job?

Carlos: Hey Amira. Sorry about your brother, I was so drunk

Amira: It’s fine, it wasn’t your fault Carlos, Essam was really provoking it

Carlos: It kinda was my fault as well

Kiki: Please don’t make him feel like it’s okay when he’s fucking around like that, okay

Carlos: Dude what is your fucking problem? I apologized, Kiki, what else do you want?

Kiki: Could you help me very quickly?

Sam: Sure

Amira: Of course

Carlos: Can’t throw either, Jesus

Jonas: How’s it going bro?

Carlos: Look

Jonas: Oh, fuck

Sam: Is everything okay?

Kiki: No. Carlos is dropping out of school

Sam: What?

Kiki: Yes, he told me on Friday

Sam: Is that bad? I mean you can do without Abitur as well

Kiki: Sam, he can’t even manage to take out the trash, how is he supposed to do anything without Abitur?

Amira: Kiki, I don’t want to say anything, but he’s currently fixing a pipe

Sam: What about you and Mohammed? Are you together now?

Kiki: That’s why you came to the party together?

Amira: It’s nothing?

Kiki: What there’s nothing?

Amira: I don’t know, everything’s just really shitty right now. He got banned from our house

Sam: What?

Kiki: How?

Amira: My mum found Essam drunk with a bottle of Vodka and Mohammed took the blame

Sam: Wow, he stood up for him. That’s so cute

Kiki: Yes, but how blatant is Essam?

Amira: Yes, and now we can’t see each other anymore. And my parents think that’s the guy that’s getting my brother drunk

Kiki: Shit

Amira: But I kinda miss him and would really like to see him again

Sam: Aaawww

Kiki: Amira

Amira: And the worst is it’s literal ice age at home, everybody’s in a bad mood

Sam: Don’t you have holidays right now?

Amira: Yes, sacrificial feast

Sam: Your parents are gonna calm down once they’ve seen how cute you are together

Kiki: I think it’s super nice that you’re talking to us

Amira: Well I don’t have any other choice

Sam: Yeah, so obvious

Kiki: Group hug girls

Sam: But wait, does that mean you’re getting married soon?

Kiki and Amira: Oh Sam

Sam: No?

Kiki and Amira: No

Amira’s mum: There’s gonna be 20 people over for lunch soon

Amira: I know that the guests will soon be there, but what am I supposed to do? Honestly, I don’t get it, when you’re all in such a bad mood, why don’t we just let the Holidays be?

Amira’s mum: I think I didn’t hear you correctly

Amira: Hello? Hello?

Text from Nadia: Eid ul-Adha for you and your family. Do you want to come to my Henna-evening?

Text to Mohammed: I want to see you

Text from Mohammed: Me too. After the sacrificial feast?

Text to Mohammed: No. I can’t wait that long. Tomorrow?

Text from Mohammed: Or today!? Now! Where are you?

Text to Mohammed: Me the time, you the place. So tomorrow. Where?

Amira: I don’t know if I could work with kids

Mohammed: For real?

Amira: It’s so exhausting, isn’t it?

Mohammed: Don’t you like kids?

Amira: Yes, of course

Mohammed: And how many kids do you want?

Amira: Three

Mohammed: Three kids?

Amira: Yes

Mohammed: Are you serious?

Amira: Yes. How many do you want?

Mohammed: I want ten kids

Amira: Ten? Bye!

Mohammed: But I want 15

Amira: That’s a whole football team

Mohammed: That’s good

Amira: But that’s way too many

Mohammed: We need a football team

Amira: No

Mohammed: We need…

Amira: Why are you saying we? Who’s talking about you?

Mohammed: I mean we’re gonna marry in the future aren’t we?

Amira: Is that a marriage proposal?

Mohammed: No, but, I don’t know

Amira: I’ll kill you

Mohammed: Don’t look behind you

Amira: But what if I fall?

Mohammed: You won’t fall

Mohammed: Do your parents know that you’re with me today?

Amira: No. Does your mum know that you’re with me today?

Mohammed: Yes

Amira: Really?

Mohammed: Yes, of course. That Egyptian one by Abdul (couldn’t make out the rest) that I sent you

Amira: You don’t know the name?

Mohammed: No idea

Both: I love you

Mohammed: Yes right

Both: *Singing*

Mohammed: I’ll take you home

Amira: No thanks, really, you don’t have to

Mohammed: Of course, come on

Amira: No, it’s fine, I live right around the corner

Mohammed: But I want to

Amira: Okay. Well then, Eid Mubarak

Mohammed: Eid Mubarak. Even if I don’t celebrate that

Amira: What, why?

Mohammed: I’m not religious

Amira: Okay, I uhm… I have to go

Mohammed: For real?

Amira: Yes

Mohammed: Well then, have a good night

Text from Mohammed: I thought it was really nice. Do you know James Hersey? You could like him

Essam: Hey. May Allah accept your prayer

Amira: May he accept it. What do you want Essam?

Essam: I told mum. The thing with Mohammed

Amira: Cool, thanks

Essam: Then everything’s okay between us, isn’t it?

Text from Mohammed: Are you okay? Did I do anything wrong?

Amira: Mia I’m so glad you’re calling, I desperately have to talk to you, really. Are you crying? Mia what’s the matter? Where’s Alex? Where’s Alex?

Mia: He’s gone

Amira: Gone? What happened?

Mia: I had to work all of Tuesday and Wednesday because the servers crashed at our company

Amira: Okay, and?

Mia: Alex walked through Madrid on his own for hours

Amira: But Mia come on, it’s gonna be okay. Don’t worry

Mia: I don’t know. He was really mad. Everything’s just so complicated and exhausting. Amira, I was so looking forward to Madrid. And now I think of him when I’m a work and when he’s here I think of my job and somehow everything’s shit. I don’t know what I want. I didn’t used to be like that. Sometimes I get the feeling that I act against myself when I’m with him, you know? Maybe it’s just not working between us

Amira: No Mia, don’t say that. You love each other

Mia: Is that enough?

Amira: If you love each other it should just work, shouldn’t it?

Mia: But I want to be happy, loving each other is not enough, I want to be happy with myself as well, do you understand?

Amira: Aren’t you happy when you’re with him?

Mia: I’m unhappy all the time, no matter where I am

Amira: Oh Mia, I would really like to hug you right now. Oh darling

Mia: Amira

Amira: Mia, please stop crying. Everything’s gonna be alright. Really

Mohammed: Why aren’t you answering?

Amira: I don’t know, I didn’t see my phone

Mohammed: I texted you a thousand times, didn’t you see that? Amira what’s the matter?

Amira: You know that yourself

Mohammed: Are you serious? Just because I don’t pray you don’t want to be with me?

Omar: Everything okay?

Mohammed: I just wanted to get some water

Omar: Mohammed, stop flirting with my sister

Mohammed: And now? What do we do? Pretend nothing happened between us? I didn’t know you were that conservative

Amira: I’m not conservative

Mohammed: Yes, you are conservative. You don’t want to be with me just because I don’t pray, that is conservative. What if I had told you beforehand?

Amira: I wouldn’t have gone on a date with you then

Mohammed: Look at me. Do you regret the time we had together?

Amira: Yes

#druck #druck translation #skam #skam germany

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mirrormirrormag · 5 years

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eid lookbook

since the last time i’ve posted consistently, a lot has happened including the month of ramadan and eid. both are holidays celebrated by muslims around the world, and in short, ramadan is essentially a month where muslims fast from food and other wordly desires from dawn till dusk. the month is a time for reflection, spirituality, and self-care. i wanted to blog more during this time to make the ramadan experience more universal for you guys, but clearly i failed haha. but anyways, eid is the holiday that comes after ramadan is over and it is meant to celebrate our month of sacrifice and just the fact that we made it to the end of ramadan alive. many muslims use this holiday to dress up and spend time with friends and family hence the lookbook.

because i didn’t blog as much as i liked to during ramadan, i’ll use this post to reflect on my month of ramadan. so, ramadan is kind of like new years in that lots of people that i know wait for ramadan to break bad habits or start good ones, and i’m guilty of that as well. the downfall to that strategy, however, is that if you don’t succeed in breaking or making a habit, you’ll be harder on yourself because in your eyes, ramadan was the only time to change your lifestyle, but its not like that at all. though ramadan is a great motivator to be the better version of yourself, its not the end all be all. ramadan comes as a great reminder for me, i think, because the reason for the month reminds me of what i should hold important in my life and not prioritizing material things (how ironic that i’m posting a lookbook literally showing off my clothes).

regardless, ramadan is always my favorite time of the year because i get so much closer with myself, my friends, and my family and because of that, i always feel like i don’t need anything but them. in the evening, we break our fasts with delicious food and then go to the mosque where we hang out with friends and pray as well because we’re responsible muslims. we have suhoor (which is the early breakfast that muslims have before fasting again) at ihop where we laugh deliriously. we have iftar ( which is the dinner that muslims have after breaking their fast) at friend’s house and take lots of pictures. in general, it’s a very joyous time.

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prongsmydeer · 6 years

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I’ve previously stated that when people say “Why have James and Harry as POC?” it’s fair enough to respond, “Why not?” but there are also some reasons that specifically drive me towards representing them that way. So, without further ado, here’s why I tend to view James Potter as a person of colour.

(Please note that this isn’t about authorial intent, since I’m more than aware that JKR doesn’t exactly write with the purpose of people reading her main characters as POC. It’s more about how the narrative connects as a reader, as well as some personal preferences.)

Racially-Coded Language Directed At James

[...] Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that. (PS1)

and, after Vernon claims James had been unemployed in POA:

“As I expected!” said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. “A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —” (POA2)

There’s a very specific trend in the way that the Dursleys speak about James. “Good-for-nothing,” as soon as he’s introduced, a sentiment repeated by Marge. “Wastrel” in that same chapter of POA. And the way that Marge reacts to James being “unemployed” is very much akin to anti-immigrant rhetoric, i.e. considering them a drain of public resources. It’s classist too, certainly, but that’s not divorced from racial dynamics. The greatest employment disparities in Britain occur among ethnic minorities. And that’s in recent reports. I can guarantee it was worse approximately 30 years ago, during the setting of HP. On top of that, the idea that the Harry’s “otherness” can be identified on sight also reads like an allusion to race.

Harry’s Appearance

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. (POA2)

and

Professor Flitwick was walking past a boy with untidy black hair . . . very untidy black hair. . . (OOTP28)

James and Harry share most of their features. The most prominent of these is by far James’s hair, which is consistently described as both “black” and “untidy.” Neither is a trait exclusive to people of colour, but there certainly is a tendency for people of colour to face greater scrutiny for the state of their hair. The Dursleys’ view that having “improper” hair somehow equates lacking societal worth is much along those lines. It’s not at all unreasonable to relate Harry’s struggle with his hair as partly the product of his heritage.

Dynamic Balance Between James and Lily

This one is a point of personal preference. Since we know so little about either James or Lily, it’s hard to gauge what exactly their relationship was like. But I absolutely love the idea of James as a person of colour and a pure-blood while Lily is white and Muggle-born. Although there’s a claim that there’s no racism in the wizarding world (I’d question that, but that’s a different post), there certainly would be in 1970s Muggle UK. It’s an interesting dynamic to engage with — James, completely unaware of why people would look askew his relationship with Lily even in the Muggle world. Lily, turning indignant protector for James, while people dislike him for his heritage. It’s all the appeal of a role reversal AU but built into canon-compliance.

Presumption of Delinquency

For the space of a heartbeat both policemen imagined guns gleaming at them, but a second later they saw that the motorcyclists had drawn nothing more than —

“Drumsticks?” jeered Anderson. “Right pair of jokers, aren’t you? Right, we’re arresting you on a charge of —” (Prequel)

and

Harry preferred Little Whinging by night, when the curtained windows made patches of jewel-bright colors in the darkness and he ran no danger of hearing disapproving mutters about his “delinquent” appearance when he passed the householders. (OOTP1)

This one’s a bit more depressing, but it’s something that I think holds true for many people of colour in places where they aren’t the majority. Whether in a local neighbourhood, with a police officer, or at an airport, it’s easy enough to think of an instance of racial profiling. Being treated as a threat by people who don’t really know you. In James and Sirius’s interaction with the police, up until that point they’re smarmy, sure, but have made no indication that they’re any kind of threat. They reach back in their pockets and immediately the assumption is that they have guns. Harry experiences similar profiling. In that same chapter, he talks about how some of the neighbourhood kids are afraid of him. Admittedly, he’s got the Dursleys’ badmouthing and the state of his clothing going against him, but James is well-dressed and cared-for and still treated as if he might become violent.

Nuanced Representation Through James

This point is less about the text itself, and more about how interpreting James as a person of colour is beneficial to readers of colour. Although he sort of gets the least physical presence in the series, the things we do see inform us that he’s got quite the story. He’s described, along with Sirius, as “the cleverest [student] in school,” in POA, he becomes an animagus at the age of fifteen, and he saves the life of his worst enemy (who later sells him out to Voldemort). He dedicates his life to a war that his blood status exempts him from. And he’s got obvious flaws as well! He’s arrogant, sometimes rude, and loyal to the point of being blind to the possibility of betrayal. Of all of the Marauders’ era characters, James has some of the most interesting characterization. In a series where people of colour barely feature, the idea that someone like James (and subsequently Harry) could be men of colour is very exciting.

And, for what it’s worth, I actually think it’s kind of cool that James is so well-off financially. It’s not only a reversal of expectations with the earlier point of racially-coded insults, but also offers a version of an ethnic minority who doesn’t necessarily have a class disadvantage. And, if you’re on the Desi James train, it actually plays into a specific narrative of migration and employment for Indians in the UK prior to 1981. Racial discrimination and class do not always follow each other, and I think that disconnect can be jarring for those who consider themselves relatively privileged. Again, it’s something I think is interesting to explore.

Diverse Magical Heritage

Again, this idea comes down to personal preference. Since James comes from a long line of mostly pure-bloods, that means that if he is interpreted as a person of colour, there’s an entire magical tradition that can come with that. All of the HP spells are Latin-based, but if you read James as Desi (as I do) then there’s the potential for Sanskrit-based spells! Indian wizard holidays! If Christian wizards celebrate Christmas, surely Hindu wizards celebrate Diwali? Or Muslim wizards celebrate Eid? Not to mention the cool idea of life-cycle rites coming into play. I’d love to see a wizard version of annaprashan, where instead of reaching for just books or toys, you could have Harry reaching for a wand for power, or the Mahabharata for courage. Not to mention that James’ family has a long history in potions, which actually seems closer to Ayurvedic medicine than chemistry. There are so many possibilities that come from seeing James as a person of colour. These are only a few examples.

#ayesha says things #james potter #preemptively included links for your perusal #normally i'd use a read more but THEY'RE BROKEN #long post #racism #also this isn't me trying 2 convince u it's just a long ramble about my feelings #popular #potters of colour

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thelifeofbanana · 6 years

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Ramadan : The Month, The Myth, The Legend

(I’m just being dramatic; Ramadan only fits one of three categories in the title)

This year, I’m hitting the ground running. This year, I’m putting out fires before they start burning. Ramadan is around the corner — so let’s put up those dukes and beat down those painfully common questions, statements and misconceptions.

“Not even water?!”

Ahh, my favourite. Nothing strips years from my life more than this ancient non-Muslim proverb. I hear it every Ramadan. I hear it every day, every Ramadan. Not even water? No, guys — not even water. There’s something really satisfying about the shock and horror on every non-Muslim’s face, as realisation drains the light from their eyes. It’s like I’ve told them we have to sacrifice a virgin every day, for thirty days, leading up to Eid. Not even water …. Not even water … NOT EVEN WATER.

We’re all responsible for our own hydration, okay? Yes, during the hours of the fast, we don’t drink water. Yes, we can drink water and break our fast if we’re inches from a dying, dehydrated collapse. Yes, we do our best to shift the time in which we drink water — plenty before the fast begins, and plenty more after the fast is broken. For the most part, Muslims handle this change with no drama. It’s a change of hours, more than a change of habit. We’re not giving up water — we’re changing when we drink it. Move on, please.

“How do you not eat for 30 days?”

Okay, so. Let me lay out the details for you all — Ramadan lasts a month. One month is thirty or thirty-one days (no-one likes you, February). Within this month, we have thirty fasts. That’s a fast a day. A fast lasts from sunrise to sunset … which means … outside of those timeframes, we can eat and drink as much as we want.

Shocking, right? But unfortunately, Muslims weren’t gifted some kind of super-strength, mega-stamina, or immortality. If the whole of the Muslim population — all 1.8 billion of us — went thirty days without food or water, every single year … well. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have lasted til 27, lemme tell ya.

I’m not as healthy as I once wasn’t.

“You’re so brave/strong/courageous…”

Uhm … thanks, I guess? Look, I’m sure you all mean well, but … it’s not like I’m dying. I’m not being a hero. I’m not sacrificing myself for others. I’m not curing a disease in a third-world country. I’m not enlisting in the army. I’d love to DO some of these things, by the way — but I don’t see fasting falling under the same kinda umbrella. I’m just … going without a bunch of stuff for a month. No biggie.

Please don’t look at me with that forlorn expression. Please don’t act sympathetic, sigh and pat my shoulder. No, I could name SO many people in this world who are brave, courageous, strong, and worth every good word in the book. But me, with my religious obligations, with my month of purity and self-improvement, amongst 1.8 billion others? Not really one of them.

Now, when I DO become a superhero and save the world, I expect all these compliments and more, by the way. I want my own documentary. I want my own Marvel franchise. I want you all to cry at my bravery, my courage, my strength.

“You must hate it.”

Actually no. No, no, no. I can only speak for myself, of course — but Ramadan is the most liberating, joyful, and worthwhile month of the year. I love it. Maybe I’ll write a separate blog on WHY I love it so much, but to sum up:

It’s purifying. You’re cutting out the things you take for granted. You’re cleansing yourself.

It’s rewarding. I feel enlightened after Ramadan; with better habits and a renewed sense of purpose. Plus, reconnecting with your faith is always incredible.

It’s a great time to socialise. Wouldn’t expect so, right? But actually I meet all of my Muslim friends more often in Ramadan than I do in the remaining eleven months. It’s why we’ve been friends for over ten years.

It’s not a chore; it’s a challenge.

And finally, regarding Eid …

“It’s like your Christmas.”

Okay, whatever helps you get your head around the concept — but Eid is not a “Muslim Christmas”. I get annoyed at the fact that everything is a different version of Christmas, as if Christmas is the default holiday holding the world together. I don’t understand why non-Muslims need to refer to Eid as anything other than an “Islamic celebration” — but you do you, I guess.

If we had a Muslim Christmas, I’d want Santa to wear a Thawb and ride a rickshaw down our chimney, only to join us for Maghrib prayer and Muslim Christmas Nasheeds. We’d then end our day with some dates and fruit, say our prayers, and wish him a safe journey back to Makkah, where he will live with his nine camels for the rest of the year.

Happy Muslim Christmas, everyone. Have a good one, Insha’Allah.

#Islam #Muslims #Ramadan #Muslim problems #religion #writing #my blog

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secretradiobrooklyn · 3 years

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The Singing Senator Edition | 5.22.21

Secret Radio | 5.22.21 | Hear it here.

1. Dara Puspita - “Bertamasja”

Dara Puspita was an Indonesian band, active right from the start of rock n roll — like, they jumped into it in 1964. I love how it sounds like gnarly garage rock until the lead guitar tone pulls out and reveals a super VU sound. With a surf structure! It’s just about a perfect nugget of song.

2. Yol Aularong - “Sou Slarp Kroam Kombut Srey (Rather Die Under a Woman’s Sword)”

Yol Aularong has the wildest voice, and total commitment to rock’s magic transformative power, even in a context where he was risking his life. He does things that would make Screamin’ Jay lean back and appreciate. The arrangements and his delivery just o’erbrim with life and character.

3. The Psychedelic Aliens - “We’re Laughing”

This band is like Atomic Forest in that they’re just the answer to any collector’s wildest dreams of rarity: they’re a Ghanaian band who released exactly 8 songs and were big in the Accra scene. The groove of this song, especially in headphones, is just mesmerizing, and his delivery gets gradually more and more abstract. It sounds like Marijata and what I wish WITCH sounded more like. Undeniable.

- Glenn Miller Orchestra - “Sunrise Serenade”

4. Prewar Yardsale - “Turn On (Live Peel Session)”

We got into Prewar Yardsale through Jeffrey. Because we got into this band that he introduced us to, he said he had some rarities and other tracks. That he sent our way, and this is from that.

5. Chai - “In Pink (feat. MNDSGN)”

I think first it was the New York Times, then the Guardian, then the New Yorker all writing about this band essentially in the same week — and we definitely had no idea what they sound like. This song had just debuted on YouTube 18 hours earlier. I think, especially now through repeated listens, it’s a rad track. I love the way MNDSGN winds his vocals into the song, then has his passage, then smoothly winds his way out again. It’s like meeting a really interesting person at an already cool party.

6. Waipod Phetsuphan - “Ding Ding Dong”

Siamese music — Thai music. The guitar part is so primal and the drums so bright in the fills and meanwhile it sounds like he’s casting a spell. And what a refrain.

7. Jacques Dutronc - “J’ai me un tigre dans ma guitare”

One of the greats — I have loved every song of his I’ve ever heard. This song really makes me appreciate his band, especially his drummer.

8. Orchestra Baobab - “Kelen Ati Leen”

When we started WBFFing, it was partly because we were being blown away by the indisputable proof of James Brown’s influence on, and interaction with, the entire world. I don’t think I realized JB was a lot bigger than the Beatles in huge swaths of the world. This track is fundamentally expressing a JB groove and doing their own entire thing at the same time. The lead vocals’ flavor is just off the charts and the band is SO tight.

9. Pierre Vassilou - “Qui c’est celui-là?”

What IS this song? It’s in French but it sounds like Brazil — I guess really it sounds like Os Mutantes.

10. Betti-Betti w T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo - “Mahana”

The abundance of T.P. Orchestre keeps on giving. This beautiful, beautiful song is from an album they did with Cameroonian star Betti-Betti, who basically expressed the pain of her country so precisely that the whole nation mourned her passing when she died young. This melody is just stunning, and the harmony

- Stunt Double - “Be My Baby”

Ace track from some of our favorite people in all of LA.

11. Bug Chaser - “Crowley’s Kids”

I don’t know if Bug Chaser is active at the moment, but some of our favorite STL shows have been watching and/or playing with Bug Chaser. We did the City Museum rooftop twice — and we split favorite VU songs at the Lou Reed Farewell show. Two drumsets, way too much information per track, and an epic live show with a lead character who knows how to lose himself in a song.

12. Eko Roosevelt - “Attends Moi”

We learned about Eko Roosevelt by glimpsing him in a movie about Betti-Betti. He’s a handsome bearded gentleman behind a piano. The first songs by him that got us were super heavy disco, but this one has its own special power. Lately Paige has been singing and playing it on guitar — I’m kind of hoping that we hear her version of “Attends Moi” in another broadcast.

13. Manzanita y Su Conjunto - “Shambar”

One of the sweetest musical gifts in our life has been the discovery of Analog Africa’s ever-growing musical jackpot. They sent their list a note recently about an upcoming record focused on Manzanita y Su Conjunto and their path through cumbia music, and there are two tracks available now counting this one. We’ll be getting this record, this shit is amazing.

Paige: “I gotta get in touch with Mrs. Link.”

14. Lizzy Mercier Descloux - “Fire”

This song is from her 1979 debut, “Press Color,” and man, what an undeniable new character on the scene! She was based in Paris, hooked up with Michel Esteban, and together they not only established a store of crucial Parisian punkness but also published a fucking MAGAZINE called “Rock News”!! While making music like this! Eventually they moved to New York in 1977 (natch) and as far as I know just continued to be the coolest humans on Earth. I can’t wait to share some of her other tracks with you — besides the brilliant first album, there’s a whole record called “Zulu Rock”!

15. Os Mutantes - “A Minha Menina”

And as always I think: What did the Beatles think of this music?! They must have known about it, they must have. To me it really brings a whole additional level that the Beatles wanted to get to but literally didn’t know how — and Os Mutantes did.

16. Suburban Lawns - “Janitor”

Sometimes I wonder why something that sounds so objectionable can be the most vital music in the world. Like, nothing about the lyrics or the way this song is sung should be appealing — and instead, this song is brilliantly undeniable. It’s even better when you see them performing it. If you don’t know what they look like, I guarantee you she will be a surprising character.

My favorite words on it ever are something someone wrote as a comment under the video of their TV performance of this song: “Spent 15 years as a janitor. Can confirm every word.”

17. Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Serey Sothea - “Mou Pei Na”

These two are just amazing characters in the pre-Khmer Rouge Cambodian music world. Ros Serey Sothea’s voice is totally unique, and Sisamouth has a sincere urgency that gives the whole song a surprising narrative shape.

18. Ranil - “Ángel Terrenal”

Analog Africa again — the cure for what ails you. They are truly combing the world for music that amazes. They played the length of the Amazon river and did their best to stay out of big cities after a bad experience with a record label. So they released these psychedelic jungle masterpieces on little slabs of vinyl that they sold up and down the river. Can you freaking believe that?

- Salah Ragab - I believe you are responsible for telling us about Salah Ragab, Josh Weinstein. So good.

Also, as promised, further information about glue traps and why they’re so harsh (and how to pull off a successful rescue!) can be found here.

19. Dagi D - “Beka”

I feel like I knew my musical life had changed when I started thinking of every visit to an Ethiopian restaurant as a valuable moment to learn as much about the music as possible — especially Meskerem in St. Louis, it must be said. It turns out modern Ethiopian pop music is super addictive and can easily get stuck in your head for days.

20. Raxstar - “Jaaneman”

We’re still pretty new to Kensington, our neighborhood in Brooklyn. We knew that a Muslim holiday called Eid al-Fitr was happening, and when it was happening, but we were still surprised by what a joyous holiday it was in our neighborhood. Everyone of all ages was out in their fines, which involved a whole lot of sequins and shining metallic threads. The men wore a lot of caftans and those excellent long shirts and/or jackets, most with beautiful patterns. We went for a long walk and just enjoyed seeing a holiday at full pitch — excited kids and tutting grandmas, people carrying big flower arrangements (in the shape of a crescent and star!), heavy-looking tins of food headed toward a feast, even fireworks overhead. We crossed paths with a group of dudes all dressed up in various states of celebration, from a sharp Western-style two-piece suit to an even sharper South Asian suit with a Nehru collar and snug caftan. It looked like they had just finished the parental part of the night and were deciding where and who to meet up with — exactly like, say, Thanksgiving night in your hometown. It felt like, from Coney Island to McDonald, Church to Cortelyou, it was New Year’s Eve for everyone but us.

After our walk we returned to our apartment and set up a little folding table out back to enjoy a glass of wine in the warm air. Our neighbors across the fence were still in the midst of family time, with tons of kids running around, including a teensy little girl on a tiny little pink scooter and a gaggle of beautifully awkward teens in the posture and attitude that says “stand by your cousins and let me take your picture.” As the evening wore on and the parents drifted back inside, the young adult contingent got a speaker going, and soon we were catching tracks we’d never heard before. The one that made us first pay attention was “Jaaneman,” with the vocalist’s super-charismatic delivery and priceless accent. We found ourselves Shazaming song after song, and thus started learning about Desi hip hop, a whole world of East Asian immigrant tracks that offer a lens into life in the US and UK that I haven’t really seen since watching “My Beautiful Laundrette” many years ago. Fascinating!

“Jaaneman” literally means “soul of me,” but translates to “my love” or “my darling.” Check out Raxstar — I’d love to see him play SNL and get an impression of what he’s like live. Just last month he released “Forever Jaaneman,” which updates his original smash hit and is also a very strong track.

21. Nate Smith - “Spress Theyself”

One of the last shows we got to see in St. Louis was Nate Smith at Jazz at the Bistro, and holy smokes, what a pleasure to see him do his thing up close. I love this solo album because it sounds like a practice sesh that died and went to heaven. It doesn’t have a song’s logic, but it does follow the feel of a great intuitive exploration of a beat, wandering through subdivisions and feel variations with complete ease.

22. Jefferson Airplane - “White Rabbit”

This is Paige’s call. I think it’s cool because I can hear the direct connection between this and Erkin Koray’s Anatolian psych rock style, which I previously had no idea about. This listen through, we’ve both been appreciating how overwhelming massive Grace Slick’s voice is.

23. Marie France - “Dereglée”

Another cut off the fantastic Born Bad Records comp “Paink,” and more proof that punk was happening in other languages at the same time. (Though I think they called themselves “méchant”… or denied being méchant, depending) The album art reveals that Marie France happened to look uncannily like a punk Marilyn Monroe, which only makes both MM and MF cooler.

24. Operation Ivy - “One of These Days”

I was never for one second a punk in high school, but I knew that the Op Ivy t-shirt was the essence of functional punk.

- Shin Joong Hyun - “Moon Watching”

25. Shin Joong Hyun - “Spring Rain”

This guy has an otherworldly sense of melody and performance that indie rock only starting catching up with decades later. This is the guy sometimes referred to as the “Korean godfather of rock.” He was active from the early ‘60s til 1975, when he was arrested, tortured and banned in South Korea. Eventually, the leader who had hammered down on him died, and he was able to begin piecing his life back together. These iconic, evocative, cinematic recordings would sound great in any decade.

Spoiler: it wasn’t! We walked across the bridge and it was a thoroughly magical New York evening.

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hopegained-a · 6 years

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All the “hi, I’m not from the US” questions ouo

“hi, I’m not from the US” || @dvrksiider

sPACE JESUS THAT’S A LOT BUT HERE WE GOOO

1. favourite place in your country?

Pulau Perhentian!!!

2. do you prefer spending your holidays in your country or travel abroad?

Considering I’ve never left this country soooo definitely just here lmao. There’s a lot of beautiful places to go.

3. does your country have access to sea?

…Well when the country looks like either a fruit or an organ on the map (at least the peninsula). Yes.

4. favourite dish specific for your country?

NASI LEMAK

5. favourite song in your native language?

Well I absolutely love Terukir di Bintang by Yuna but I love Eid songs (songs about Eid al-Fitr) lmao there’s a ton of them so I can’t list all of them but here’s my fave.. now those are in the “standard” Malay language. But here’s what my dialect sounds like lmaofkshdfk it’s a folk song btw.

6. most hated song in your native language?

Oh boy… I hate anything by this one guy. Idek his name but his lyrics are just. Bad.

7. three words from your native language that you like the most?

Sayang (noun/verb for love), Ibu (mother), makan (eat)

8. do you get confused with other nationalities? if so, which ones and by whom?

Well since I’ve been living here all my life, I don’t. Some people online have thought I was from the Middle East bc I’m a m/uslim lmaofskjhsj

9. which of your neighbouring countries would you like to visit most/know best?

Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia lol

10. most enjoyable swear word in your native language?

Babi (literally means pig lmao)

11. favourite native writer/poet?

Don’t think I have one lmaosdjhf but one of the most famous is A. Samad Said.

12. what do you think about English translations of your favourite native prose/poem?

Idek if there’s even any sjdfhjdsh

13. does your country (or family) have any specific superstitions or traditions that might seem strange to outsiders?

We have a lot of superstitious beliefs jdfshjh ok so some people believe that if you have a dead body in your house, you’re supposed to cover all of the mirrors bc??? the spirit might get trapped or something idefk.

14. do you enjoy your country’s cinema and/or TV?

Honestly? Not really. They’re all shit and just. so cliche and so stereotypical. It’s bad scoob.

15. a saying, joke, or hermetic meme that only people from your country will get?

This whole damn country (government) is a big joke fsjhfjahsd

16. which stereotype about your country you hate the most and which one you somewhat agree with?

That we’re friendly people? Nah. We’re only friendly if you’re white. I agree that we’re bad drivers.

17. are you interested in your country’s history?

Oh yes definitely! I really want to find out more about the truth and not revisionist/sugarcoated bullshit, yknow. There were a lot of female leaders (not necessarily in charge of the country itself) but yep this country was built on patriarchal values so I didn’t find out about them until later :|

18. do you speak with a dialect of your native language?

YES fhsjfd you’ve heard me talk before. I’m from the east coast so I have a really thick dialect and most people from other parts of the country have a hard time understanding what I say.

19. do you like your country’s flag and/or emblem? what about the national anthem?

Uhhh our flag is like the US flag but with only 14 stripes and a crescent moon and a star insidethe blue rectangle. But the emblem?? YES we have tigers on it lmao. The national anthem sounds like this and I’m not the most patriotic person bc I had to sing this every sunday morning during assembly and special occasions bye

20. which sport is The Sport in your country?

Tie between badminton and soccer.

21. if you could send two things from your country into space, what would they be?

We had our first man in space and he brought traditional dishes with him lmao. But I’d send a recipe book for some reason and maybe??? Kain batik lmao

22. what makes you proud about your country? what makes you ashamed?

How diverse it is tbh and how more and more Woke™ the youths are getting. On that same note I hate how conservative and corrupted my country is. Old people governing it rn need to die tbh

23. which alcoholic beverage is the favoured one in your country?

Uhhh I don’t drink so idk lmao

24. what other nation is joked about most often in your country?

Almost every other nation jshdjhah we’re a bunch of hypocrites.

25. would you like to come from another place, be born in another country?

Yeah well I was born and I live in one of the most conservative states in the whole country so yes.

26. does your nationality get portrayed in Hollywood/American media? what do you think about the portrayal?

MICHELLE YEOH MY MF MOM IN STA.R TRE.K DISCO.VERY!! I love it bcshe also keeps her acccent in the show, I believe.

27. favourite national celebrity?

Honestly don’t think I have one.

28. does your country have a lot of lakes, mountains, rivers? do you have favourites?

YES. Mt. Kinabalu bc I really can’t think of an answer.

29. does your region/city have a beef with another place in your country?

Wellll with Kelantan. Another state lmao

30. do you have people of different nationalities in your family?

I think I have some distant relatives from Singapore since my grandfather was from there

#dvrksiider #i got this (answered asks)#is it meemees? (ooc)#(THIS IS LONG BYE)#long post //

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omgstupendousbouquetbasement · 4 years

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US Muslims Balance Eid Rituals With Coronavirus Concerns

With no congregational prayers or family gatherings, Salsabiel Mujovic has been worried that this year's Eid al-Fitr celebration will pale. Still, she's determined to bring home holiday cheer amid the coronavirus gloom.

Her family can't go to the mosque, but the 29-year-old New Jersey resident bought new outfits for herself and her daughters. They are praying at home and having a family photo session. The kids are decorating cookies in a virtual gathering and popping balloons with money or candy inside -- a twist on a tradition of giving children cash gifts for the occasion.

"We're used to, just like, easily going and seeing family, but now it's just like there's so much fear and anxiety," she said. "Growing up, I always loved Eid. ... It's like a Christmas for a Muslim."

Like Mujovic, many Muslims in America are navigating balancing religious and social rituals with concerns over the virus as they look for ways to capture the Eid spirit this weekend.

Eid al-Fitr -- the feast of breaking the fast -- marks the end of Ramadan, when Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Just like they did during Ramadan, many are resorting to at-home worship and relying on technology for online gatherings, sermons and, now, Eid entertainment.

This year, some Muslim-majority countries have tightened restrictions for the holiday which traditionally means family visits, group outings and worshippers flooding mosques or filling public spaces.

The Eid prayer normally attracts particularly large crowds. The Fiqh Council of North America, a body of Islamic scholars, encouraged Muslims to perform the Eid prayer at home.

"We don't want to have gatherings and congregations," Sheikh Yasir Qadhi, who prepared the council's fatwa, or religious edict, said in an interview. "We should try to keep the spirit of Eid alive, even if it's just in our houses, even if we just decorate our houses and wear our finest for each other."

Qadhi, resident scholar at East Plano Islamic Center in Texas, has been dreading delivering an Eid sermon broadcast online with no worshippers.

"It's going to be very strange to dress up in my Eid clothes and to walk to an empty place and to deliver a sermon to an empty facility," he said before the start of the holiday. "It's going to be very, very disheartening."

But, he said, it's the wise decision.

Even as restrictions have eased, the mosque is still closed to worshippers, he said. Like a few others, it is holding a drive-by Eid ceremony to safely distribute thousands of bags of sweets and goodies to children in cars.

While some are eager for mosques to reopen, Qadhi said, "We don't want to be a conduit for the situation exacerbating. We need to think rationally and not emotionally."

A woman accept treats during a drive-through Eid al-Fitr celebration outside a closed mosque in Plano, Texas, May 24, 2020.

The North Texas Imams Council, of which he is a member, has recommended mosques remain closed. He said he expected the majority of mosques to stay closed to the public, though he worries about smaller mosques re-opening.

In Florida, the Islamic Center of Osceola County, Masjid Taqwa is holding the Eid prayer outdoors in the parking lot with social distancing rules in place.

Guidelines posted online include worshippers bringing their own prayer rugs, wearing mandatory masks and praying next to their cars while staying at least six feet apart. Participants are told not to hug or shake hands and to listen to the sermon from their cars.

"Eid is important but more important is the health of the people," said Maulana Abdulrahman Patel, the imam. "We've been taking a lot of precautions," and not acting on "sentiments or emotional feelings," he said, adding they have been consulting with health and other officials.

Major Jacob Ruiz, the major of administration at Osceola County Sheriff's Office, said he and the sheriff met with Patel before the celebration.

"They wanted to have something, and they felt it was important, but they wanted to do it with pretty much the blessing and the guidance of the sheriff's office and the sheriff," he said. "Everybody was in agreement that it's going to be something that's gonna be successful for them."

The Muslim community in the county "has been very receptive and proactive in ensuring that they keep safety guidelines," he said.

The Masjid Taqwa prayer is for men only, the mosque said, citing "constraints." Plans for men-only prayers announced by at least one other mosque prompted objections by some about excluding women. For Masjid Taqwa, the decision to include just men was taken because having families together would make crowd control more difficult, Patel said.

In Michigan, the Michigan Muslim Community Council is organizing a televised Eid ceremony. It will include the Eid sermon, greetings from local elected officials and members of Muslim communities. "People will be at home seeing each other instead of gathering in large numbers," said council chairman Mahmoud Al-Hadidi.

"It's just to keep people connected," he said, adding that "we're trying to avoid any spread of the coronavirus."

Normally, Eid is an all-day celebration with large gatherings over meals and a carnival for kids, he said. "Eid is a huge thing here."

Back in New Jersey on the holiday's eve, Mujovic and two of her daughters joined friends and others online to decorate cookies. Squeezing icing out and spreading it on cookies shaped like Ramadan lanterns or spelling out the word "EID," the girls stopped to lick their fingers or munch on the treats.

As children waved, squealed and showed off their creations, it started to feel like Eid for Mujovic. "It was nice seeing happy faces," she said.

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informationpalace · 4 years

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Coronavirus Has Changed Ramadan for Muslims This Year

To many Muslims, Thursday marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. But with so many worship locations shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's holiday is going to be a little different. Here's an overview of what traditions will remain, and how others could alter. How It Is Celebrated Normally Ramadan begins on April 23 night, and ends on May 23. Throughout the span of 30 days Muslims are fasting during the hours of daylight, a ritual that is seen as one of Islam's five pillars. Before sunrise they will feed, and break their fast after dusk every day. During this holy month, Muslims believe that their Holy Book, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Muslims are also required to stray away from sexual activity, in addition to abstinence from food and water. Muslims also seek to practice "zakat," or charity, another of the five pillars of Islam, over the course of the month. 80% of American Muslims observe the holy month by fasting, according to a 2017 study conducted by the Pew Research Center. Ramadan's Arabic etymology refers to intense weather. Therefore, fasts are the divine cycle of burning off sin with good deeds. Two main meals are served during Ramadan, to fast start and end the daytime. Before dawn, "Suhoor" is served and eaten and "iftar," after sunset, is served and eaten. Such meals are usually shared in group gatherings amongst family and friends. Ramadan in the Era of Coronavirus

Muslim holy places, like Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia and the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, will be deserted during Ramadan after worshipers have been told to pray at home by authorities. Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque complex — the third holiest place in Islam — will also remain closed during Ramadan, the Islamic Waqf Council of Jerusalem said on Thursday. For Muslims, a major part of the holy month is composed of special night prayers called "taraweeh," conducted everyday at the mosque and conducted by the imam, the leader of the mosque's prayer. Historically, during the month of Ramadan, mosques are filled with worshipers, Imam Omar Suleiman, the president and founder of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Studies, said. But, Suleiman said that the night prayer can be done at the mosque or at home, there's no distinction between the two in authenticity. During this time when people are self-quarantining at home to prevent spreading the coronavirus, Suleiman said he wanted to inspire Muslims to concentrate on individual prayer habits and turn loneliness into inner peace. "When you tell people, it's actually good for you to learn individual prayer habits right now, people have a hard time making the connection because they're so used to praying at the mosque," Suleiman, an adjunct professor of Islamic studies at Southern Methodist University, told. Still, Suleiman said that he was worried that the change to temporary virtual worship would result in a potential loss of interest in prayer in person. He said he's afraid that they won't want to when Muslims will abandon their screens and move to mosques. He said, "There's something about embrace and praying together and being together and upholding traditional ritualistic forms of worship, and I don't want to lose that because we're feeling down about being quarantined this Ramadan. I don't want us to do something that's going to harm the trajectory later on." The Last Day

Eid al-Fitr, the last of Ramadan's day, is regarded one of Muslims' most meaningful days. The holiday is regarded as the "fast break festival." During the day, Muslims assemble for unique prayers in open spaces or mosques, called Salat al-Eid, usually accompanied by a small breakfast - their first daytime meal in a month. Usually, gifts are shared and almsgiving is standard practice as well. Another tradition is to wear new day clothes that signify a spiritual renewal. Food is an essential part of Eid al-Fitr, as feasts take the place of fasting with members of the community, friends and family. Hind Makki, an interfaith educator at the Center for Social Policy and Understanding centered in Chicago, told that she sees this Ramadan as a great time for self-reflection, given the fact that Ramadan is a pure cultural experience. She said, "We can also return to the idea that Ramadan is a spiritual retreat," she said. "And since we're all in our homes, most of us, we don't always have to be online." Even so, Makki said she is hoping to attend some virtual iftars. At least she said it would give her an opportunity to connect with others as she breaks her fast in the evening. Do not forget leaving your valuable comment on this piece of writing and sharing with your near and dear ones. To keep yourself up-to-date with Information Palace, put your email in the space given below and Subscribe. Furthermore, if you yearn to know about the removal of a U.S. Vaccine expert, view our construct, ‘US Vaccine Expert Is Removed for Opposing Trump-Backed Chloroquine’. Read the full article

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