The Balancing Act - A Blog by A Canadian Muslim Mom

My heart is in Mumbai right now

What a week. Like many, I've been glued to the TV.  The events that took place in Mumbai over the past few days have really shaken and stirred my soul.  My family is from India, and over the years, I've spent a lot of time in Mumbai, what I consider to be India's most fascinating and fun city.

The two hotels that were attacked - the Taj and the Oberoi - both hold special meaning for me.  The Taj was the venue for a beautiful family wedding a few  years ago, and the Oberoi is where my mother bought much of my wedding finery.  Just a few years ago, I remember walking with my husband and son along the seascape that fronts the Taj hotel, musing upon its beauty and majesty. 

I've never, for a moment, felt scared or nervous walking around Mumbai, or any other Indian city for that matter.  I've taken my kids to India with an open heart, happy to share with them the wonders of my childhood, and the intense rush of life that exists there like it does nowhere else.      

The footage of that hotel burning in the wind was devastating. More frightening is what that fire represents - for India and for its Muslim residents.  One can only hope that this act of terrorism is contained and addressed without the triggering of communal violence and more suffering.

Suketu Mehta, author of a fantastic book about Mumbai, "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found", just wrote this fantastic Opinion piece in the New York Times about the recent events. I highly recommend it.

My heart is in India right now - I'm longing to go. 

Here is a picture of my husband and I from our last trip there in 2006.

   

Neigbourhood Fiesta

This past weekend, our wonderful nanny, Maria, hosted an amazing street party for the kids on our street.  I feel very lucky to live on this street:  There are 19 kids on our street alone, and all the families are warm, loving and very family-oriented.  As a result, since we all moved into this development four years ago, our kids have grown up together and formed incredible bonds that I'm sure will surpass their residence on this street.

Maria went all out for the kids - there was this unreal Sponge Bob pinata filled to the brim with candies, an amazing feast of treats from Maria's home of Nicaragua - homemade chicken tacos, tortilla-beef casserole, a Latin take on shepherd's pie, homemade orange-canteloupe juice and lime-ade. It was super-yummy. 

We had 80's tunes blaring the background, and everyone was enjoying the ambiance and beautiful weather.  Saturday was a glorious, warm, sunny day, and I can't think of a better way of saying farewell to summer in our 'hood.  Here are some pics!

 

Ramadan begins

My kids went back to school on Tuesday. It's our third year at Petite Maison and it feels like home. My kids have the same teacher as before, and she welcomed us with hugs and kisses.  I love this school and am thrilled to be beginning another year there - it's a very special place.

Tuesday also marked the beginning of Ramadan.  The Muslim calendar goes back 10 days every year, so Ramadan is now making its way into the summer months. This means that the fasting days are hotter and longer - more challenging for sure.  I'm not able to fast this year as I'm still breastfeeding the Baby (who started solids today!), so I'm trying to focus on other aspects of the month like a heightened attention to spirituality and charity and sharing stories and prayer with my family.

It feels strange not fasting two years in a row - last year I was pregnant.  As difficult as the fasts are, there's something very soothing about the rituals of eating at sunrise and breaking one's fast at sunset.  For me, it moves me on several levels - it reminds me of my childhood, those same rituals constant as my life evolves, and it also gives me a sense of unity with the other Muslims in the world.  All over the place, we're all doing the same thing each day for the same reasons.

Wikipedia has a good, brief description of Ramadan:

Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان, Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an was revealed to Angel Gabriel, who later revealed it to the Prophet Muhammad. It is the Islamic month of fasting (sawm), in which participating Muslims do not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. Fasting is meant to teach the person patience and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, and to offer even more prayer than usual. In Ramadan Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance into the future, ask for help in refrain from everyday evils and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

 

Next time I'll fly WestJet

So we're in Calgary and it's wonderful.  Visiting my in-laws is always a blast and we are fully enjoying the beautiful weather, company and scenery the city has to offer. Unfortunately, our trip got off to a rocky start when we arrived at Pearson airport yesterday morning.

We were in excellent spirits. It was our first flight as a family of five, and were excited to take our Baby on her first trip to Calgary.  We were directed by the Air Canada agent to retrieve our boarding passes at the self-serve kiosks.  After this didn't work, we lined up to check in with a real person.  The agent behind the desk asked for our ID's, and proceeded to type our info into the computer.

Suddenly, as she typed in my confirmation number, her hand went to her chest and she exclaimed "Oh My God!". She looked at me suspiciously, and asked me - only me not my husband or any of my kids - for my passport. I said I didn't have it and reiterated that I had my driver's licence and other forms of ID that a domestic flight check-in required.

"Oh." she replied.  She then grabbed the phone and started whispering furtively while I watched. I heard her muttering my birthday and it clicked! Once again, for the fourth time, I was the victim of racial profiling while traveling because I'm a Muslim!  I couldn't keep my mouth shut, and I exclaimed "Oh - did my name turn up on SOME LIST BECAUSE OF MY ETHNICITY!"  At this point, I am shouting and very emotional (please note that 3 weeks after 9/11 I was removed from an Air Canada flight because I was "suspicious" and then in September 2005, I missed a friend's wedding because once again, I triggered a high-alert security check).

After some more whispering and secretive typing, the agent in question grudgingly gave me a boarding pass.  Before she handed it to me she said, "You should calm down. I don't know why you're angry with me - be angry with Air Canada."  Listen, woman, right now you are the face of Air Canada and the voice of their offensive policies.  I hope you read this.

The icing on the cake was when we reached the gate and I realised they had no seat for me.  My husband and kids were all seated together, and I, horrifying threat to society that I am, was seated in the very back, shoved against a wall with my infant. 

Week 1 with The Baby

Sorry about my delay in posting, but it's been an overwhelming few days.  Before I write any more, I've decided to give names to my kids (to make it easier on my readers and me!):  My five year old son will be the Boy, my 3 year old daughter - the Girl, and my new little angel - the Baby!  I know - it's all terribly unoriginal, but it's what I could come up with!

The Baby arrived last week, as I mentioned.  As of Thursday, I was 5 days overdue, and Dr. B (my wonderful, wonderful OB who has so beautifully delivered all my kids, and in the process become a good friend) decided that I should come in to be induced on a day when he would be there.  That made me feel very secure and comfortable, knowing that my own doctor would be present. When I showed up at the Obstetrics Day Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto), the nurse informed me that I was already 5 cm dilated and no induction would be necessary!

They then sent me along to Labour and Delivery where I was put on a little oxytocin to get me going. I asked for an epidural before my contractions even began - I'm a total coward when it comes to pain, and was happy to have the opportunity to avoid it.  The only difficult part of my labour/delivery process was getting the epidural in properly.  As Sinai is a teaching hospital, they initially had a resident attempt my epidural. After he thoroughly failed - 2 hrs later - at getting it right, they brought in a proper anaesthesiologist to finish the job.  He was great, got it done effortlessly and it was totally worth it.  While I couldn't feel any pain, I still felt the pressure of oncoming contractions.  According to my family (my brother, sister-in-law and husband were all in the room until I started pushing, upon which my brother left)  I was saying some pretty weird things to the nurses, but nothing too too strange!  Example, I told one nurse that she had "really awesome hair"!

That same nurse asked me if I had thought of names for my daughter!!  I don't know if I told you, but we had refrained from finding out the sex of the baby.  I couldn't believe that she let it slip hours before I gave birth! I didn't get too angry (partly because of the drugs!) but definitely would have preferred if she hadn't done so. 

After the epidural and some Benadryl, I fell into a comfy slumber, and awoke 3 hours later to be told I was close to 10 cm dilated.  Dr. B and his resident (very competent) arrived and told me to start pushing! My darling Baby came out in one push and there she was.

Her weight has gone down a little more than it should have (my milk supply historically takes a few days to really get going) but it's thankfully back on the upswing. Until she's back at her birth weight, I'm feeding every two hours - and waking her up to do so. I'm in a daze, and the sleep deprivation is a shocker after a couple of years of my kids being past this stage. But, I love the night feeds when it's just me gazing into her eyes.  We're getting to know one another and I'm in love.

The Boy and the Girl have embraced their baby sister, especially the Girl who has taken real ownership of her.  Anyone who visits is immediately told sternly by her: "That's my baby."

So far I've not been alone - my husband took the first week off and now my in-laws are here. I don't know what it'll be like when I'm alone with three kids. I'm a bit nervous about that but will keep you posted.   

The end of a chapter, spring and new beginnings

Saturday was my due date.  I've been getting increasingly antsy and told my husband that if we stayed home I was going to go nuts.  It was absolutely gorgeous outside here in Toronto and I was eager to get outside and embrace the sunshine and fresh air.  We made our way to the local park which was exploding with kids and parents all in the same mindset.

After a long, cooped-up winter, everyone looked thrilled to be out of winter gear and engaging in fun, outdoor play.  My son had received a soccer ball and a baseball set for his recent birthday, so item one on the agenda was trying them out!

Here's my son trying out his new (padded) bat!

Someone had told me that walking was a good way to get the baby moving, so we went for a long walk followed by a yummy lunch.  Though my third child was not born that day, the day had an "end of a chapter" feeling to it.  It felt like we were closing an era when it was the four of us.  In the restaurant, I couldn't help but wonder what table we'd sit at next time when we'll be a party of five.  In the playground, my eyes were well-trained at monitoring two little ones. I asked myself:  "How will I keep track of another little person running around?"

I guess time will tell, and I'm hoping I will adjust.  A little over three years ago, we took a similar walk on the boardwalk at the Beach on my daughter's due date (she was two weeks late - I seriously hope that isn't the case this time). I recall that same "chapter closing" feeling as we swung my then-eighteen-month old son between us.  Now, I can't imagine life without our little dictator, as she's known around the house.  Here's a pic of her from today, bossing around some of the older kids on our street.

 

How do you deal with "No Gifts Please"?

Lately, there's been a trend in birthday invitations we've received for our kids.  Politely inserted at the end of each invite, there's a courteous request from the parents that we bring "No Gifts Please."  In theory, I totally agree with this:  our kids have too much stuff. Too many toys, too many clothes and lots and lots of books (I don't really think you can have too many books, but storage is definitely an issue). 

So, for the first party for which I received this instruction, I respected the parents' request and showed up with no gift.  To my horror, many of the other guests showed up with elaborately wrapped presents and big, colourful gift bags!  I felt like a horrible person. Obviously, I had misread some code language in the invite that negated the "No Gifts" statement.

Last year, we had a particularly large birthday party for our son, using the opportunity to host many family and friends that we had not had a chance to see for a long time.  With 70+ people rsvp'ing "yes" to the party, I requested that there be "No Gifts Please".  This time, I observed:  some people heeded our request and others ignored it.  Some shared my horrific reaction to arriving with no gift when others did bring presents; one parent even dropped off something the next day because she felt so badly about it.

We have a "No Gifts" party this weekend, and it's for the son of a very good friend.  I've decided to respect the parents' wishes and take no present, even though, I have to admit, I feel weird about it. If the parents have included this in their invitation, then they obviously have their reasons, and it's my responsibility as a friend to respect that.  What do you think?  How do you deal with this request?

March Break

It's Thursday night of March break, and I'm feeling a bit wistful. It's been a lovely week with the kids, and I've really enjoyed having them home with me all day.  They're only gone three hours a day at Montessori, but it does limit what activities we can do together when they're at home.

It's three weeks until my due date, and I'm feeling slightly sad in knowing that I'm not going to have the same time for my two older children.  I know the baby will sleep a lot in the beginning and that I'll probably have more time than I think.  But, I also know how tired I am post-partum, and how time-consuming breastfeeding can be.  With all of that in mind, I made a point, this March break, to treasure each day with my kids and put all my other lists of tasks aside for a few days.

On Monday, we had a chill out day at home not doing anything at all. We stayed in our pyjamas way too long and had leisurely meals and naps.  On Tuesday, we woke up more motivated - in the afternoon, my kids' friends - a boy/girl sibling pair along with their 2 year old sister - came over to play.  My daughter and her buddy, R, are both 3. They had discussed their play date in advance, and R came armed with a serious make-up box.  Soon, the two of them were getting glammed up with make up (which you may recall from a recent post, is my little girl's current passion) and princess costumes, and spent much time choosing the right footwear to embellish their outfits.

On Wednesday, my adorable nephew came to spend the day, and along with our wonderful neighbours, we made our way to Eastview Community Center for their morning drop-in program. This is part of the Ontario Early Years program.  Eastview (the major intersection is Danforth and Jones, Toronto) is one of my favourite centers because it houses the drop-in in a huge gymnasium (lots of room to run and jump), has great toys, and a really caring and fun staff.  Every morning has free play, craft time and circle time with great songs and a healthy, delicious snack.  It was a great way to spend a morning with the kids.  We followed our playtime with a yummy lunch at Bamiyan, the fantastic Afghani kebab house in Thorncliffe Park near my home.  I realised a couple of years ago, that my kids loved Afghani food: it's simple - rice, salad, bread and grilled meat (they like the chicken kebob), and immensely flavourful without being too spicy.  The ambiance at Bamiyan is incredibly kid-friendly - they don't bat an eye if my kids talk loudly or spill their drinks as they often do.

Today, I was feeling a bit tired, and in the mood for something a bit more low-key.  I had read in the paper that the Cinesphere Imax Theatre at Ontario Place was showing the film, Enchanted, every day this Break at 11:30am.  We drove down there to check it out and it was a blast!

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the film, and my daughter was mesmerized by every moment.  As the credits were rolling, she didn't move and it was soon apparent that she was ready to sit and watch it all over again!

Tomorrow's our last day, and we don't have any big plans.  I'm just happy to have them home with me for one more day. I know the next few weeks are going to be tumultuous, and I'm treasuring these last few quiet moments.

Book Club Reunion

Reading has always been an important part of my life, giving me sustenance and an escape from reality.  I studied literature as my undergraduate major, and intellectually, I consider that time in my life to be the most personally fulfilling.  Reading books from many different eras, contextualizing them against different areas of study, and dissecting them myself - it was fascinating and I loved every minute of it.

For practical reasons, I went to law school after my BA, and I don't regret it.  I met my husband there, and acquired a solid education that has opened many doors.  However, my heart lies in literature, and no other study could rival its power in invoking my complete passion and dedication. 

Unfortunately, as life got busier with a growing family and a career, time for reading waned and I began to lose touch with my personal reading goals.  This was a common them among my book-loving friends, and we decided to form a book club a few years ago to inspire us to read regularly.  My friend Neil took leadership over the club's organisation, and the club's success is a direct consequence of his dedication.  Our club lasted nearly five years, with meetings every month or so in the early 2000's.  We read a variety of texts - ones that come to mind are The Life of Pi (which one of our members read while she was in labour and appeared at our next meeting when her  baby was a few days old!), The Meaning of Wife, The Trouble with Islam, Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee and many more.

A couple of years ago, it happened at a few successive meetings that people had  not read the book or were not showing up.  It was the time of marriages, new babies, and life transitions. We made the decision to put our club on hiatus.  Recently, we reunited with the decision to meet 4 times a year instead of on monthly basis.  Our meeting was last Wednesday and what a blast!  It was just the five of us, and the book of choice was Ian McKewan's Atonement.  I had found it to be a difficult read emotionally, but the imminent gathering of our club pushed me forward to finish the book.  Completing the novel was so rewarding as the ending of the book was magical and tied everything together that had left me so heartbroken.  I can't describe to you how much the meeting of our club impacted me:  As I expect my third child and juggle numerous responsibilities, it was such a gift to carve out that space for myself and intellectual banter with a precious group of like-minded people.  On Wednesday, I think my feelings were shared, as everyone had not only read the book, but arrived with enthusiasm to discuss and dissect.  The conversation addressed some of the more controversial topics in the novel and then veered to other topics of current events that were equally riveting and relevant.

Our next choice for the club is Love in the Time of Cholera, which you may recall from a recent post, is one of my all-time faves. I can't wait to delve back into this past love and experience it all over again.

A Friend's Experience on the Oprah Show!

This past week, my neighbour and friend Elena was invited to participate on the Oprah show after writing to Oprah on the topic of the book, The Secret, and how it affected her life.  I asked her to describe her experience in Chicago and she was kind enough to write me this detailed description:

"It was AMAZING!!!

Yesterday I got to live one of my biggest dreams in a VIP way... What a treat!

Everything was planned for me to the minute: stretched limo to bring me wherever I had to go; suite room in a very nice hotel; room service; I was in one of the green rooms backstage at the Harpo studio with a few other guests and the staff took care of us like if we were famous people:-)... It was unbelievable....

I got to be at the taping of two shows on "The Secret and the law of attraction". The guests were Louise Hay (Author and owner of Hay Publishing), Martha Beck and Cheryl Richardson, both famous authors and Life Coaches. The whole conversation was very interesting.

During the first show taping, that will be aired today, I sat in the six row in the general public section, so I am not sure you will be able to see me; during the second show, that will be aired some time in March (they will post the date at some point on Oprah.com), I sat in the second row, literally two meters away from Oprah, so I think you will be able to see me (I was wearing a grey top). Unfortunately Oprah ran out of time and she didn't get to ask me and some other of the guests that were invited, the questions she was supposed to, but it doesn't really matter to me... I am sure It will happen next time I will be on the Oprah Show:-)...

I was really honored to have been invited by them and extremely honored to be in her presence!

When she arrived on stage it was such a big emotion... I had tears in my eyes... You all know how much I respect her and how much I consider her an inspiration... During the breaks she interacted a bit with the public and came across as a very funny and humble person...

and that is why I love her, because no matter how much she has achieved, she doesn't forget were she came from.

The taping of both show was very fast: she is unbelievable, there was no part that needed to be taped twice.. That' why she is Oprah, I guess...

The organization behind the scenes is unbelievable, everything runs so smoothly. The studio, that on TV seems very big, it's actually quite intimate and that's why when you sit in the first few rows you are very close to the stage.

At the end of the show, they brought us back to the green room and there were little bags with our names on with some gadgets as a memory of this whole experience.

... I feel very fortunate, grateful and blessed to have been able to live this wonderful experience and ultimately to have been in the presence of Oprah, one of my biggest inspirations...

Yesterday was a very special day for me, one that I will never forget...."

Who knew? I like football!

Who do I call to see if hell has frozen over?  I ask because, something is up in the universe when I, Amreen Omar, watch a live sporting event from start to finish...and enjoy it!  I watched the Superbowl with my husband last night, and had a blast!  I mean, I've watched sports on TV with him before, but always with a bored look on my face and a magazine in hand, if you know what I mean.

I think what was different about last night's game was that the personalities were incredibly compelling, Shakespearean even:  We had Tom Brady, the stoic champion - the knight - there to protect the honour of his team.  Shot after shot of his furrowed brow, hands on hips - was there not something heroic about his stance? 

To top it off, he had his beautiful princess, Gisele, waiting in the wings, watching with bated breath as her hero faced battle.  The drama, I love it!

Next, we have Eli Manning, the younger brother to Peyton Manning - football's golden guy.  Now, Eli has a good rep, but has always paled in comparison to his brother's legendary achievements:  the team for which he is quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts, won the Superbowl in 2006 and he was MVP.  With Peyton in the box cheering him on, Eli defined his place in history and in his family, carrying his team to victory last night.  The look on Peyton's face when his brother's team won was so full of happiness and brotherly love, it almost brought me to tears.

Finally, we have David Tyree (by the way, other than Tom Brady, I had no knowledge of these people prior to yesterday. I only know Brady because he is dating a supermodel.  My husband had a running commentary going throughout the game to keep me engaged - it worked.), the Giants player who embedded his name in sports legend last night with that amazing catch.  I don't know much about him, but I have no doubt that it must have felt pretty darn great to have that ball in hand. 

So, who knows what can happen now. If I can watch sports and enjoy it, maybe I could climb a mountain, run a marathon or write a novel. Each of the forementioned had as much a likelihood of occurrence as me enjoying the Superbowl to that extent.  Go figure, I thought I knew myself!

Small Town Girl

"No I cannot forget where it is that I come from
I cannot forget the people who love me
Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town
And people let me be just what I want to be"

John Mellencamp, "Small Town"

I don't know if I've shared this with you, but I grew up in St. Stephen, New Brunswick (population 4667, 2001), a small town on the east coast.  To be quite honest, I spent a lot of my youth dreaming and fantasizing about leaving and getting to a city - any city.  I longed for cafes, broad avenues lined with shops, anonymity, and ethnic food.  In SS, everyone knew me and I knew them.

I made it to the city - first to Montreal for undergrad, and then to Toronto for law school. I ended up in Toronto and now call it my home.  Along the way, I visited many of the world's great cities - NY, London, Paris, Rome, Mumbai...you name it.  My family relished traveling and we often took off to see the world and expand our horizons.  What I didn't realise for a long time, was how great we had it in SS.  A lot of that perspective has come from starting my own family and raising my kids.

In St. Stephen, we played out till the wee hours in the summertime, never once being scared of pedophiles or kidnappers.  When my mom was not well in my teens, our door bell rang regularly with neighbours and friends bringing over dinners, freshly baked muffins, pies and other goodies.  A trip to the local grocery store took nothing less than 2 hours because everyone stopped to chat, share the latest in their family news and inquire as to ours.  I knew everyone in my graduating class because largely, we'd been together since junior kindergarten.  I could walk for fifteen minutes and be surrounded by some of the country's most beautiful nature. 

Crystal lakes, and evergreen forests were in close abundance, and I could walk to the river in 2 minutes and to the ocean in 20.  I always felt safe and loved - not just by my family, but by my community which was protective and nurturing.  For example, when I was 19 and had a car accident, immediately people pulled over to help me, someone called my parents, someone else took me to the hospital and someone else dealt with my totalled car.  The "village" was definitely there to raise me, and though it's a little late - I completely appreciate the snuggly cocoon of my idyllic small town childhood on the east coast.  I'm more of  Maritimer than I am a Torontonian, and that has become clear.

Don't get me wrong - I love living in Toronto, and fully appreciate the advantages of living in this cosmopolitan, multicultural metropolis.  It's just that - now, years later - I realise that what I was running from is in actuality that foundation which sustains me and now keeps me grounded. 

Here's a few pics of my hometown:

This is a small lighthouse on the banks of the St. Croix river, the body of water which separates St. Stephen from its sister U.S. town, Calais, Maine (summer of 1993, yours truly was a customs officer! blue polyester and all - I loved it - the power!).  Growing up in SS, we would often walk across the border for ice cream or to the American movie theatre (we didn't have one).

One of the largest industries in SS, is the Ganong chocolate factory, a family run business.  The Ganongs are family friends, and I spent the summer after high school graduation working as a clerk in their gourmet chocolatier. Twelve pounds later, I headed off to McGill.

Here's a pic of the old factory, which now house the Ganong Chocolate Museum (they have all you can eat tours in August - I highly recommend):

Diablo Cody: A Blogger's Fairy Tale

Flipping t hrough the Saturday paper (you must excuse me but I can't remember if it was the National Post or the Globe and Mail this Saturday), I came upon a photograph of a striking, dark-haired woman.  The accompanying article told me this was none other than Diablo Cody, the first-time wonder screenwriter who penned the fantastic screenplay for Juno, one of my favourite movies of 2007 (you must check out Margot's fabulous review of the film!).

The article went to tell Diablo's great story: A stripper and phone-sex operator, Diablo wrote a blog (whose name I won't reveal due to it's racy nature, but it's located at www.diablocody.blogspot.com) which detailed her exploits in the industry.  As you can imagine, her witty style and naughty content quickly gathered an audience of appreciative readers. One such reader was a Hollywood producer who, so enchanted with her capacity for humour, asked her to write a screenplay. And that, my friends, was Juno!  Reading her fairy tale-like story of a blogger who found success in Hollywood by such happenstance inspired me tremendously!

As a blogger, here are my feelings:  every few days or so, I send out my thoughts and inner musings to the wide and wonky web world, rarely knowing who or how many read my heartfelt words.  Some of you comment, and for that I'm grateful, but others don't and I'm sure they have their reasons.  What touched me most about Diablo's story was the connection she made to the outside world through her blog.  It reaffirmed to me that yes, bloggers' words are heard and appreciated! Way to go, Diablo, and I can't wait for your next film.

Overcoming Inertia and Rediscovering Food TV

I don't know what's gotten into me since we got home from Calgary.  I'm exhausted - like unusually tired and groggy.  Up until today, I haven't been able to motivate myself to do ANYTHING.  And it's driving me nuts.  Today was a little better:  I actually unpacked our suitcases, opened some mail and cooked a real dinner.  BUT, I still haven't cleaned out our full voice mailbox (scary and overwhelming), washed my hair (tiring and cold), or paid the bills for January.  Everything just feels like too much right now.

Should I chalk this feeling of inertia up to being pregnant or is it something else?  Aren't I supposed to be nesting? I finished work on December 19th, in the anticipating of the million things I hope to accomplish at home and with my family before this baby arrives.  So, I should have felt relieved when I woke up on Monday morning with no work, right?  Boy, was I surprised when I woke up with a feeling of loss.  With work, there was alwasy a minimum of 10 new emails in my inbox; now, a measly 2 new messages, both spam. Am I suddently so irrelevant to the world?  So, I sent out a few mails hoping to initiate responses and communication with the outside world.  It worked and my mood perked up when I got some cheery messages from colleagues and friends.

I've got to get motivated and attack the tasks at hand.  A few positive rays of light have emerged from this state of inertia and the writer's strike (good for me in all ways except that the Golden Globes are cancelled - I love the Golden Globes).

I'm not only reading more - I'm almost finished Kiran Desai's Booker Prize-winning Inheritance of Loss, which has been on my bedside table for year - but I've rediscovered the Food Network (which has new shows by the way! Reality tv is outside the scope of the strike). 

Last night, I gleefully watched the new Nigella Express and Jamie at Home shows.  Though my lifestyle corresponds more to Nigella's show (busy mom, two kids blah blah blah), I can't help but salivate over Jamie Oliver's cooking style, magnificent attention to detail and use of spices.  On Sunday's episode, he took pumpkins and squash (click on this to discover my fave Jamie squash recipe) to a cosmic level.

Here's a pic of Jamie on his farm where he not only GROWS ALL HIS OWN FRESH PRODUCE, but cooks delicious food.  I need to harness some of that motivation!

And here's one from Nigella's new show, where she sensuously and bustily whips up gourmet meals in minutes...does she really eat all that pasta?

Thanks for listening to my rant.  Hopefully, my next post will feature a super-motivated me with impressive January to-do lists.

Here come the questions

A couple of months ago, I wrote about our decision to enroll my son in Islamic Sunday School, and how we had searched hard for one that incorporated both our Muslim values and progressive views.  It's now been over 2 months that my son has been attending his classes, and I am very pleased with the outcome.  The environment of the school is academically rigorous while at the same time being open, friendly and kid-oriented. The founders of the school incorporate a lot of the Montessori principles into the structure, and given that's what my little boy is used to, he's adjusted quickly and happily to the teachers and curriculum.

One of the consequences of my son's new religious knowledge has been a deluge of questions about Allah (the Arabic word for "God")that he has been bombarding us with especially over the past few weeks.  Allah's all-powerful, all-seeing characteristics have obviously piqued my little one's interest and there's lots he wants to know.

My mom was an Elvis fan and had this magnet on her fridge in NB (I'm getting back to the God questions in a minute).  When we sold the house, I held on to the magnet as it reminded me of Mum.  We have a lot of family photos on my fridge, and it appears that my kids now consider Elvis to be "family" - sort of.  They often look at the magnet and ask questions about Elvis - like how did I know him, was he my uncle, where does he live etc.  A few days ago, this conversation occurred in my kitchen:

"Mum, do all people go back to Allah when they die."  "Yes, they do."

"What do they do there - are there toys there?"  "Ummm, I don't know - I'm sure there are lots of fun things to do there, but you don't have to worry about that for a long time."

"But, do they get to see their friends and family over there?" "Yes, all the people who have passed before them will be waiting for them, and excited to see them."

"So, when I die, will I get to hang out with Elvis?"

Oh my. And this is only the beginning.

I'm happy that my son is asking a lot of questions - we encourage our kids to question everything - in my opinion, that's how you learn and form your own opinions and identity.  He's in the process of forming his own perspective on Islam, and I hope that with the combination of school and an ongoing dialogue at home, he will cultivate an informed, educated perspective.  Muslim identity is a hot discussion topic lately - progressive voices are crying out to be heard in the face of rising fundamentalism and an increasing media portrayal of Muslims as terrorists.  I'm happy that a more moderate voice is now being articulated in the media. It's an  interesting time for my kids to be coming to terms with their Muslim identity.

Here's something interesting I found on Youtube - part of a new campaign to remedy the current stereotypes of Muslims being perpetrated in the media (largely American media, I should specify).