Masooma's interview questions...who wants to play?

THE INTERVIEW GAME RULES:

Here's how you can play the interview game:
1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me." The first five commenters will be the participants.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. (Write your own questions or borrow some.)


1. What is the biggest difference between married and unmarried life?

The calm and peaceful feeling it gives me. Being unmarried i had no idea where i'd end up or with who. I like knowing that i know who i'll be spending the rest of my life with (insh'Allah). I was much more sporadic single - now I'm more balanced. Found the yang for my yin. Now i'm complete.

2. How do you feel as a convert differently now compared to when you first converted?

Oh my....this bothers me so much. In the beginning i was so excited about Islam, i dove in head first and didn't come up for a breath. I loved everything about Islam - especially praying - i couldn't wait to pray. I also felt so sincere in prayer when i began and now sometimes it becomes something that needs to get done instead of something i want to do. I hate that i do this. My vision of Islam has also changed dramatically.

3. What's the best writing job you ever had?

Well...right now i am working on a novel and it's the best as far as enjoying that i've done. But the outcome is unknown and whether or not i get paid for it is also unknown. I loved writing screenplays and hope to do again and try and make in that world...we'll see. If we are actually talking about job like a paid job it depends. I love book reviewing but it doesn't pay a lot. I also write some real estate stuff which is easy and fast and decent money so i kind of like that and there's less time put into it. The Islamic stuff is all right too but still it's not exactly "mine". I like writing my own stuff though over all this. I didn't mind my days as a financial writer either. Well dang, it seems as though as long as i'm writing i'm okay. lol.

4. What is the best piece of fiction you ever read?

Oh my that's a hard one. I can't name just one piece so i will name three (which is hard enough as it is). Kahlil Gibran - The Prophet, The Petite/Little Prince by that French dude, and Rumi. Longer novels: Little Women, Catcher in the Rye, and The Chosen (and it's sequel) by Chaim Potok. Makes me sound really simplistic that i like the short pieces and what i consider youth literature. I guess it's because these books make me who i am. They are what formed me. A recent read that I loved was Life of Pi. Well wait, if i have to choose one piece of fiction that i ever read, it would actually be this photocopied piece of paper someone gave me and i don't know what it came from but i love it. I'll try and find it and post it. It's something I've lived by forever. I think it may still be in Colorado though.

5. If someone didn't grow up with good family, how do they learn to be a good family as adults?

I think it comes down to strength, desire, being conscious of the possible problems, and inner state of being. Even if someone didn't grow up in a good family, they can decide to have a good family and do what is necessary. Sure it won't be as easy but as long as the desire to not do the same things is there, it will be fine. My life as a kid wasn't a bowl of cherries that's for sure, but I have a strong desire to be a good mother and to not follow in my own families path and to create my own family life and tradition. I also believe that my choice of a husband had a large part to do with family. I know he will be a great father and together we'll do our best. Having trust in Allah is key. As they say, the answer to all problems is the distance between the prayer rug and the knees. I believe when you want something bad enough, you can make it be with Allah's help. It does take effort though and realizing what still lurks within (bad behavioral traits) and confronting those things before having kids.