The why

So, what made me start up Friendly Neighborhood Muslim? Well, perhaps you've heard: Donald Trump was elected to the highest office in our land. The two days following the election spent imbibing Riesling in my adult onesie warranted a burst of productivity. It was Chateau Ste. Michelle—a local winery and my personal favorite. Thanks for asking. 

My aim is to talk openly about the concerns I have for my Muslim family, share solutions for combating bigotry against women and minorities, and shoot the shit about a variety of subjects as they pop up in my day to day. This is an evolving narrative. It's not an encyclopedia, nor is it a debate. Oh, and I'll only share relevant, vetted items that are useful and/or make me chuckle. One does not simply post spiteful memes that help no one. See what I did there?

11/2016.

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It's been a busy year. With seemingly more ups and downs than years past.  

We lost a close family friend to suicide just after New Years, and my so indescribably beloved stepdad to cancer over the summer. It's still hard for me to talk about these experiences, much less write about them. I've really had to power down just to manage day-to-day existence these past months.  Suffice to say, I've also had zero interest in and energy for creative pursuits.  

One of the 2019's up's was starting a new job with a team I really like--just a good bunch of smart, friendly, driven people. Still, it's a lot of the same shiz I had already been doing, so I was missing writing for fun. I decided to start taking classes with a comedy troupe, including standup with a side of storytelling. The accountability that comes with a class has been a great creative motivator for me, as has surrounding myself with theatrical peeps again. I've decided to retire this blog, but more to come @the_rani_d.

11/2019.