Yesterday on my drive home from work, I saw this dude driving his pickup truck with a prosthetic arm hanging out the driver-side window. I didn't get a good look at his "hand" but when he passed by, I noticed his license plate: CPT HOOK! Aaaahahahahaha!

Anybody else hate the colleague in the corner cube with the monitor facing the back of his cube? How did he manage to do this? Not only does he have the least frequented cubicle, but his monitor is set up perfect. When I moved to my cube, I tried in vain to have my monitor facing the back. I ended up placing my desktop next to the monitor but that's only a partial block. So now I sit at an awkward angle just to get my www on.

Anybody in my predicament have a left pinky strain? One can only ALT-TAB so much.

Speaking of ALT-TAB, don't you hate when it flips over to a pop-up ad? These ads tend to contain images of scantily clad women trying to sell me miniature cameras. Thats a blog unto itself. So then you get caught up in an ALT-TABbing frenzy, hoping to land on a SQL*Net window.

Does anyone ALT-TAB when their phone rings? What explains this phenomenom? Cubicles leave me on edge I guess.

Speaking of edges, does anyone have a manager taller than their cubicle edge? I ALT-TAB upon hearing footsteps.

ALT-TABs used in completing this post: 8

I took over putting Nuriya to sleep about four nights ago. Never done it before. It is awesome though, despite it taking 20 minutes. Basically I take her upstairs at 9:30 and make sure all the lights are out. She cries and tries to walk up my chest to get out of my grip. Meanwhile downstairs mom is fighting the urge to have me bring her down while listening to her cries on the baby monitor. They don't last long though. Mariam gets upset that I liken this to "breaking her spirit" as Nuriya's cries slow to a whimper, and then finally she falls asleep at my shoulder. As I lean over the crib, sleeping beauty clings to me as I lay her gently. The hardest part is attempting to remove my arm from beneath her without disturbing her. Its flattering to feel that she grips on to it, her security blanket. SubhanAllah.

If I'm lucky, I make it downstairs in time for the beginning of CSI.

I am purchasing a legal copy of The Last Samurai today on its release date. Unfortunately, it was not available in Pakistan a month ago.

A major tragedy occurred this past week in the ADAMS community. A group of friends met up after classes and decided to enjoy the perfect spring weather by driving out to Great Falls park on the Potomac River. Tragically, one of the bros slipped into the strong currents of the Potomac and another went into help, only to be swept away himself. 20 and 24 years old respectively.

I did not know either personally, but my family is acquainted with one of theirs. We paid our respects at the grief-stricken parents' home the following day. Alhamdulillah, I have been relatively spared from experiencing such a tragedy in my immediate circles. I have yet to experience the pain that these fine young mens' parents are experiencing. I can only ask that Allah give them sabr knowing that their sons are Shaheeds, inshaAllah.

My friend and former colleague, Andrew, perished a couple of months ago while I was away in Pakistan. I didn't hear of it until I returned a couple weeks after his and his fiancee's ferry capsized in the Baltimore Harbor.

Three promising lives snatched from us in their prime.

These are all reminders that our time is written and there will come a time when we have to own up to the way we have lived. Thankfully, Allah spares us in our cozy homes out in America from such tragedy. But on the same token, are we in need of constant reminders that we all face an end in this dunya? There is no doubt that we pray humbly in the immediate aftermath of such tragedies but it always seems to wane away. When at the masjid, you always hear "Pray as if this is your last prayer." Let's live each minute as if its our last minute...with Allah's name sweetening the tips of our tongues.

May Allah grant our two brothers who perished in the Potomac a home in Jannah near the river Rajab. Ameen.