Eid Mubarak!

- Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis, 2010 -

Hello Spring (and Summer and Winter??)

- Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

This photo was taken just a few hours ago, and is such a stark change from the previous photo, which was taken just a couple of days ago. We must be the only place that has the seasons of spring, summer, and winter, all in the span of a week. Alhamdulillah anyway! :)

Hello Spring

- Saint Louis, MO, 2011 -

A Spiritual Winter

- Saint Louis, MO, 2010 -

Just came back from Muktamar 2010, an annual meeting organized by the Malaysian Islamic Student Group (MISG) and Indonesian Muslim Society in America (IMSA), alhamdulillah. It was lovely to be able to attend talks and reflect on our deen; may Allah SWT  guide us to act upon the knowledge with which He has blessed us, ameen. Met with a wonderful American Muslim sister, who is a convert, and I pray that Allah SWT blesses our friendship, ameen. I also pray that my sore throat gets better soon, insya-Allah! :) This is the first winter that I'm not back in Singapore, so I hope that I'll be more productive in terms of work and catch up on lots of sleep, insya-Allah. Looking forward to writing my end-of-year reflection for this blog, insya-Allah, and I leave you with a quote that I paraphrased from Sheikh Omar Baloch: 

"When a girl loves a guy and wants the guy to know, she gives him subtle hints like a box of chocolates. The universe is like a box of chocolates. In the universe are signs that Allah wants you to discover and turn to Him, because He loves you."

First Snow

- Saint Louis, MO, 2010 -

The first snow fell during Thanksgiving last Thursday, subhanallah, which was a pleasant surprise, since all I was expecting was a "light wintry mix". Many things to finish up before the end of the semester, so it is time to put on my productivity "cap" and procrastinate less, insya-Allah. Keep warm if you are experiencing winter and may Allah SWT always make it easier for all of us, ameen.

Beautiful Day

- St. Louis, MO, 2010 -

Looking up I see,

A sun shining so brightly,

In this cold winter.

The Heart Within

- St Louis, MO, 2010 -

Was chopping up onions and found a lovely surprise in one of them, subhanallah. :) In other news, I have been really busy with grading, reading, writing, and studying, so I'm really looking forward to the conference at the end of the week and then the Thanksgiving holidays, which will hopefully give me some respite from work, insya-Allah.

In case I do not update my blog before Tuesday, Eid Mubarak to my fellow Muslims and may Allah SWT always guide us in everything we do, ameen. :)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

- Lone Elk Park, MO, 2009 -

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

- Robert Frost (1923)

Fifth Day

- Missouri Botanical Garden, 2010 - 

You,

who quench my thirst, 

like rain that falls for the first

time in the desert,

removing all of my hurt,

giving me a high,

as I,

in hopes this spirit will last,

break my fast.

Eid Mubarak :)

- Missouri Botanical Garden, 2010 -

A day of happiness

As we sincerely pray

For Allah's mercy and forgiveness

To make our sins go away

 The month of Syawal we welcome

As we seek to make amends

A tearful farewell for some

When beloved Ramadan ends

Sometimes...

- The Pinnacle@Duxton, Singapore, 2010 -

...we fear asking questions simply because we fear hearing the answer. 

Two Weeks

- USA, 2010 -

My transit at the airport in San Francisco was madness, to say the least, given the long lines at immigrations/customs and that I was still waiting in line for security checks at the time I was supposed to be boarding my plane back to St Louis. It all worked out just fine, alhamdulillah, and I was rewarded with a good 5-hour view of beautiful mountains, rivers, lakes, fields, and more, subhanallah.

Reaching the halfway point of Ramadhan, how has this month been for you? 

Life in Mini (7)

- Lake Michigan, Chicago, 2010 -

Winter Wonderland

- Forest Park, St Louis, 2010 - 

It has been a really rough week and I can only pray that things will get better. Plenty of things to do but it's Saturday and I think I deserve a day off.. Well, not exactly a day off but at least I get to do housework. :P 

In other news, do watch what you key in online, or else you'll end up paying USD14.95 like I did, which I suppose was a small price to pay in exchange for what I was trying to get. I bet your curiosity has now been piqued! ;) 

Happy Valentine's Day & Happy Chinese New Year to those who celebrate it :)

Life's still good, alhamdulillah. :)

Fall

- Rosebury Ave, St Louis, 2009 -

Thought I should go out and benefit from the rare sun and take some photos today, especially since the weather forecast for the week does not seem too promising, i.e. cloudy/rain/cold. This is my first autumn ever, though I have been told that this place has somehow skipped autumn and gone straight to winter, given the sudden drop in temperature. Either way, it is freezing cold!

Nothing much to update; survived the 2nd stats exam, have another exam this week, got a poster to do for a conference as well as stimuli to construct for my study.

Am currently still traumatized by house bugs. Wondering if the bugs will be having a month-long winter party at my house should I go home at the end of the semester. =|

The End & A Beginning

- Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis, 2009 -

It's been a really long week and the weekend is a much welcomed respite from school. Typing this while freezing my toes off just because I'm too lazy/cheap to turn on the heater. But I'll turn it on soon, just because I like the feeling of being lightly toasted (it makes my apartment smell like an oven too). Then I'll turn it off, because for some reason, either because my comforter is that awesome or I sleep like a dead log, that I don't feel the cold when asleep.

Talking about the weather was not my initial intention for this post; I guess I couldn't find the right words to talk about how the past week went. Because I'm just that sort of person.

Another Day

- Saint Louis, MO, 2009 -

A little update while I wait for maghrib. Cooked ayam kicap tomato (chicken cooked in tomato and soya sauce) and stir-fry vegetables today, maybe I'll upload the photos another time.

On another note, I was wondering if I should start a new blog to chronicle my PhD blues/adventure, especially since it's the beginning of a new milestone in my life... oh well, who knows if I'll even have time to upkeep a blog once school starts!

Orientation starts on Monday!

Have a great weekend everyone. :)

Overseas

- St. Louis, MO, 2009 -
From top left: on the plane; Crowne Plaza, Clayton; my bed; Sunrise from my bedroom window; Washington University; Yellow fire hydrant; the Arch by the Mississippi river; Museum of Westward Expansion (under the Arch); Busch Stadium; Guess the animal 1; Guess the animal 2; Hibiscus; flamingos; love the flora & fauna here.

Just a little update since I've just uploaded my photos using my aunt's cable. Not feeling that great since things that I was supposed to bring are either missing or did not get packed. Now I've got to get back to my thesis.


Oh yeah, Happy National Day to everyone.

44 Days

- Perth, 2008 -

Back after a 4-month hiatus.. 44 more days till I get on the plane! Have pretty much settled all the things I need to do before I leave except for submitting the deposit to hold my apartment till I arrive and most importantly, my thesis. :P Pray I get through this!

In other news, there's a gaping hole in my gum, thanks to an unplanned wisdom tooth surgery due to a sudden infection from a cyst. Note to self: get a better and more reassuring dentist next time. Now I'm not even sure if I can eat all my favourite local food before I leave. :(

Need to start packing soon.. Does anybody want to donate anything to my new apartment? :P

Keep cool during this hot weather! :)

Save the Last Dance for Me

- Kinabalu Park, Sabah, 2008 -