Dr. Sayeeda B. Zain

It's been a long time since I posted. The main reason is that my Aunt passed away on November 22nd, two days after Thanksgiving, which was her holiday. 

She was the one that would make the turkey every year, and we would all eat at her house. It was the one time that we ate turkey, and what made me feel most broken/honored was that it fell to me to make the turkey. 

My aunt had battled cancer for nearly the past ten years and her health started to decline in October. Every time her health had fallen, she had gotten better again, but this time was evidently different. 

She was my star, and she named me. She also practically raised me, as I spent most of my childhood with her. The thing that I am most thankful for is the love that I received from her (I was her favorite nephew), for which I am forever indebted to her. She had a good life, being one of the most prominent Biochemists of her generation, and a Muslim woman from South Asia at that. 

She went to college early, and got her PHD super-fast at Glasgow. She worked for the Watson at Cold Spring Harbor and she met Barbara Mclintock (the lady that discovered transposable elements-"jumping genes"). She was professionally successful, and she was also very charitable. She gave to others out of her wealth, knowledge, and service. She was there for the family and the community and her friends. Most of all, she was there for me. 

She always encouraged my interests. When I was little and my cousins called me "gay" for liking to cook, garden, and make crafts (of course they were correct)-she told me, "Don't care what they say, the pursuit of knowledge is very important, as long as you don't hurt anyone." This philosophy really shaped who I have become. She encouraged me. 

My parents have always been there for me, and they are good parents, but they never encouraged me like she did. 

I thank Allah most high for her, and I pray that her stations are always elevated. 

Thank you for reading this, I felt it necessary to write my feelings down. 

Sometimes I forget that she is gone, and then I remember, and that stings the most. 

Dr. Sayeeda Bakhtiar Zain , on the night of a full lunar eclipse, at the banquet for a symposium she organized on "New Molecular Methods to Combat Human Disease." 

LGBTQ Rights In Islam

Bismillah (I Begin in The Name of Allah) 
Dear Peoples,

LGBTQ issues are quite relevant today, as there are a lot of LGBTQ people. What I find perplexing is that so many people (So many MUSLIM people) are so fixed on the fact that their interpretation of a few verses (which is based on cultural homophobia) is the legitimate one. 
In so many Muslim societies we find so much male-to-male rape occurring, and also hate crimes. 
An article about what goes on: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/opinion/sunday/a-boy-to-be-sacrificed.html?_r=4&src=tp&smid=fb-share
These crimes are sanctioned by those societies, but apparently constructive homosexual action based on love-which I believe is in accord with my religion- is seen as horrid. 

An argument for gay rights in Islam can be found in Dr. Kugle(who happens to be a revert to Islam, and a Homosexual)'s book: http://books.google.com/books/about/Homosexuality_in_Islam.html?id=q7GHQAAACAAJ

What I find incredibly funny about my own personal situation, is the fact that my parents will probably never understand. I know that the view that Homosexuality is a sin is ingrained in their blood, and I know that they won't listen to common sense. Oh well. I guess I'll have to remain celibate, or find a nice Muslim man, run away, and get eloped- this would break their hearts, which I don't want to do. So I guess it's eternal loneliness for me then.

I just feel as if there are Muslims out there that will listen, even if they aren't my parents. Allah (SWT) does give us hope though, throughout history, social change has come, slowly. It may take time, and that may be the reason why originally Islam did not stress gay issues (society couldn't handle it then). Islam didn't outlaw slavery either, but it led to a decline and eventual end to slavery in the Middle East. Maybe Allah has planned the same for us gays.

Allah Hafiz (Allah is The Protector)

-Aamir

Junior Mints

I love junior mints- I REALLY LOVE JUNIOR MINTS. Ever since they stopped putting gelatin in them, they have been my favorite candy! 
I recommend them for everyone, they are lovely. There is only one catch, you must be careful if you eat them in bed- this is because if one escapes the box and you sit on it, it makes a terrible mess all over the bed. This has happened to me too many times. ://////
BUT I STILL LOVE THEM. NOM NOM NOM <3 nbsp="nbsp">

Dating Sucks

Love I will not have in the near future.

So as you all know, dating in high school sucks (sorry if the word "sucks" offends you). 
Frankly, when you are like me, you have two predicaments:
1. YOU ARE GAY
2. YOU GO TO A CREEPY (BUT FUN) SMALL PRIVATE SCHOOL. 

These two problems contribute the most to my dating dilemma (hehe). I mean, you don't even have to be gay- dating sucks for most heterosexuals at my school too. I have been witness to many train wreck relationships. 
I suppose that dating really only matters in college anyways. So who cares right?

My motto right now is to enjoy high school with my friends, I can find a suitor later in life. <3 font="font" nbsp="nbsp">

You Didn't Have to Screw Me Over

So last year, my lovely aunt decided to buy me a used Merc (like the one above), way before I even received my permit. I was so happy that I would have a car; in fact, I maintained that happiness until just today. 
It seems that my shady uncle has had his own car impounded for some odd reason (I knew he was eyeing my car) and that he must now have the car that I was promised. 
It's funny that I get yelled at when I am hesitant to accept gifts, and when I do accept them, I never receive them. Lovely, isn't it? 
Being screwed over sucks. 
BUT. Not to worry, general-public-that-reads-this-blog, I have a plan; it seems that I do have some cash-money saved up from working all summer (which I hoped would go towards gas money), so I shall hopefully buy myself a cheap-ass-piece-of-shit-car. It will be wonderful! :) 
Funny thing is, my road test is in a week and a day, and I was supposed to give it on that car. 
Let's see what happens. 

5 Reasons Why I'm Date-able

1. I am a Certified Lifeguard, I can and will save you if you drown/stop breathing/choke on a walnut. 
2. If things go really far (marriage), then I shall be the perfect house-husband. I'll cook, I'll clean, I'll do the laundry, and I will even sew, BUT I WILL NOT CHANGE THE DIAPERS OR POTTY TRAIN THE CHILDRENS. 
3. I'm a super nerd. If you aren't very intellectual, don't worry, I have enough for both of us :P <3 li="li">
4. I give good massages, among many other things....... :0
5. I'm Muslim. How many Gay Lord Weirdo Nerdy Swimmer Runner Muslim Bakers do you know?

AP Physics:C Mechanics

Hello everyone that reads my shazizzle, today I shall speak of my experiences with AP Mechanics. In essence, I really really really love AP Mechanics. I recommend that EVERYONE take it.
At my school, it's a really interesting course, because the teacher is a really cool guy- the only thing that really sucks about the course are the labs (they are really awful). I detest the labs, but the lectures are amazing, and if you understand calculus then mechanics is also just wonderful. I know lots of people say that they are awful at math and stuff, but people should realize that if they really want something- and they work hard for it, they can achieve it.
I really wish that education should be improved in the U.S. and the World. It is my belief that anyone can learn science, math, art, or anything that they want (unless they have a phyical/mental disability- that is a valid excuse). People definitely need to learn science- it governs our lives. Well that is my shpeel on academics.
One of the really cool things that we learned about in AP Mechanics was the Monkey-Hunter Experiment.
Suppose that one has a hunter, and his gun is pointed at angle theta at a monkey hanging from a tree (Figure 1.)

                                       Figure 1. (Aamir's Cute Diagram)