PhilAsify 101

For some reason this title  can't help but make me be reminded of Randy Orton's entrance theme: But I digress. This is not really the video I wanted to share with you, the video below is. I came across this video on YouTube a couple of months ago titled "Overcoming Negative Inner Voices" and boy was it tremendous and really made me ponder life and just how your mind is the biggest thing holding you back from achieving the life you want to live and do the things in life you want to do to be fulfilled. Here I will post the video and then come back with my thoughts after the jump.

So for over the last week or so I've been getting over a really painful hip injury. A sharp, nearly unbearable pain has been shooting from my right hip, making it hard for me to lift my leg, walk or even get into bed without groaning in agony. Sleep has been terribly uncomfortable and I had a few days of sleepless nights because of the stabbing pain and discomfort caused by my ailment. At first, I thought it was just some freak injury and the pain would disappear in a couple of days after implementing the RICE method. When the pain didn't go away, I went to look up the injury online and listed the symptoms to find out that it may very likely be a hip strain which is typically a sports injury or caused by a fall. So what was the cause of my hip feeling like crap? Nothing. I have no friggin' clue why it's been hurting like the dickens. I haven't been outside playing sports in Houston's sauna type heat, are you kidding me? It's hotter and more humid than...

An interesting theory on Procrastination and How To Stop it From Killing Our Goals So I was procrastinating all week when it came to figuring out what subject I was going to write about this week and while trying to avoid brainstorming I came up with a brilliant topic: procrastination! While mindlessly scrolling my Facebook feed--my go-to procrastination tool in my unproductivity utility belt--I saw an article post entitled,  " 9 ways to stop Procrastinating on Your Screenplay ". Interestingly enough, that is exactly what I've been doing!  Seeing as how the article was relevant to my exact situation, I gave it a quick look-see and was fascinated by an insight about procrastination that was articulated in a way that I have never heard before:  "Procrastination is ultimately a fear of being judged". Suffice to say, I was intrigued.

"It's just not working out." That was the reason I was given when I walked into the conference room where my Supervisor and the HR Manager sat and had me sign off my termination papers. Nothing else was stated between my boss. She got up and briskly walked out of the room. My reaction? Well...I didn't exactly say that but that's the vibe I gave. And as cool as a response as that is to getting canned, that wouldn't have been my reaction a year back. A year ago, I would've been floored by getting fired. I could see it now, my heart sinking, my voice cracking as I would pathetically beg them to reconsider. Anxiety would take the wheel and I'd be terrified with the outlook since there was no backup plan or steady income of any kind that I could fall back on. What would I tell my wife? How would I pay the bills and the rent? What are we going to do!? Nope. None of that happened. I was truly at peace with the decision. And it was the right d...

Alhamdulilah I've been married for 6 years to the woman I was crazy about since I was in High School. When I did marry her, I was met with resistance from family and friends saying that I was too young--I hadn't finished college yet, had barely any money, and was still living with my mom and dad--but I wasn't going to budge. I had found the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and didn't want to waste any time making it official. Marriages, I have learned, are not easy. (A collective "duh!" from everyone reading, I know.) A piece of advice I received recently is that marriage is a 24/7 Job. That is not a bad thing at all. It just means that it's something that always requires work and is always a work in progress. There is a deception that when you have finally snagged the person you're in love with, everything will be effortlessly perfect and easy; problems and arguments will be either small or non-existent. Every year things will get even...

Back from an extended sabaatical once again is your favorite PhilAsifer. It's been six months since I've posted new content on PhilAsify and I can explain, if you'd just let me! My time away from writing was a mixture of several factors: 1) My job. I've been working longer hours lately to pay the bills and it's been eating away at my free time. 2) Fatherhood. Being a dad is great and all but it's tough when you're a writer because you need peace and quiet and a block of time to get cookin' and that usually isn't going down when there is a toddler amongst needing to be entertained and put to bed. 3) I've just been in a general slump that I had to work on. I wasn't feeling productive. I wasn't managing my time. I felt I was stuck in this hamster wheel and getting nowhere. SO I needed to re-evaluate myself and my goals and start taking steps to get out of that debilliating rut I was in. I didn't want to come back to churning o...

A phrase which crept up out of nowhere on social media and has been the subject of many memes, jokes and gags is the often hashtagged "First World Problems" (#firstworldproblems). Anyone that has a Facebook page or a Twitter feed has  probably  seen and chuckled at different examples of "first world problems". In the last year or so, the phrase has circulated to the point of being accepted in common everyday lingo. UrbanDictionary.com  defines the phrase as: First World Problems Problems from living in a wealthy, industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their eyes at. In other words, "first world problems" are the magnified complaints of the spoiled--gripes from people that are made significant despite having easy daily access to basic life necessities of food, water, clothing and shelter. 

Any fool with a d*** can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children. -- Furious Styles, Boyz in The Hood The title of this article may seem cliché but I really don't think folks truly grasp the reality the phrase holds. At the time of this post, I have been a father just a little over three months and with every passing day I realize more and more just how crucial of a role fatherhood is. In this short time, I have discovered--surprising to no one--that being a father is no joke. I mean, I knew going in things were not going to be a walk in the park. I anticipated my sleep time being cut short by fusses and grunts. I had prepared my mind to expect getting pissed and spit up on. I had already sucked it up and said my tearful goodbyes to one of my greatest loves--disposable income. I even let sink in the statement a lot of baby articles declare tongue-in-cheek, "your life is over."

The Disgusting Side Effect of the Social Media/Viral Video Age Have you heard the story of Kitty Genovese ? She was a woman who was brutally stabbed to death nearby her New York apartment by a lunatic assailant. She was attacked by the man on three separate occasions during a time span of 35 minutes, all the while crying and screaming for help. Police reports declared that over 38 people heard or saw the attack—which occurred out in public—and no one intervened or even bothered to call police until AFTER the third attack when Kitty was already dead and the man fled the scene. Do you know when this incident occurred? 1964. But judging from the subject matter, you would think it just happened the other day. In fact, if it did happen today, I can’t promise you that someone would’ve intervened and helped the poor woman out but I can wholeheartedly assure you without a doubt in my mind there would be live tweets, Facebook statuses and perhaps even footage of the murder captured on ...

Hey everyone. You may have noticed a bit of a lull on PhilAsify 101 for over a month now.  Well I actually have a perfectly valid reason this time around aside from being a lazy unproductive coach potato. Ahem... Allow me to introduce to you Abdul-Malik Elijah Balouch, the newest youngin' of the Balouch clan. Abdul-Malik popped into this world on August 25th, 2013 during the last half of Ramadan, making the month even more of a blessing. Weighing in at 7 pounds 4 oz, I immediately noticed how devilishly handsome the guy was. I'm talking Zoolander good looking... Mom and Dad are doing great and adjusting to this new chapter of our lives. Long nights and hard labor for the wifey while I'm doing everything I can to make sure she doesn't go nuts. Naturally, I've been taking some time off to get to know this good looking cat, so that's why there hasn't been any new stuff published. InshAllah I'll be getting back on the blogging g...

Hey gang. Back from another hiatus to bring you more of that PhilAsify you love so much. If you haven't already, please bookmark this page, share these blogs with your friends, like PhilAsify101 on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and do all the other social media hook ups so you can stay in the loop. *** "O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty" --Prophet Muhammad Recently, I came across an excellent article on the popular news and opinion site Slate.com entitled "Marry Young" . What was more interesting than the headline was the sub heading that accompanied it: "I got married at 23. What are you all waiting for?" I was instantly hooked for the next 10 minutes. Washington, DC writer Julia Shaw started the column by speaking about how marriage--especially in today's society--is held off and procrastinated to the max. Whether it be lack of maturity, social status ...

Disclaimer: Please take note that this article is mainly for humorous purposes and should be taken lightly though there are some valid and true information in some instances. So, please do not get your halal panties in a bunch over these hacks. You know what I've been loving lately? Life hacks. These have been sweeping the internet recently and I can't get enough of them. For those who don't know what life hacks are they have been defined as a  "productivity trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life; in other words, anything that solves an everyday problem in a clever or non-obvious way might be called a life hack". There are plenty of life hacks lists posted on the internet which demonstrate a plethora of different neat tricks. For example, using a dustpan to fill a container that doesn't fit in a sink, take a picture of a friend holding something he wants to borrow so you won't...

Oh,you don't say? You mean to tell me that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew what he was talking about when he encouraged men to let their beards grow like nature intended? I got a good kick out of this article  from NewNowNext, an online magazine centered on pop culture, fashion and health. Apparently, sunnah beards do wonders for your skin and keep you looking haha, yes...younger, fresh-faced and handsome! Another score for the Bearded boys! Beards. Gentlemen, they’re not just for hipsters and the homeless any more. While both dead sexy and totally awesome, beards are also a boon to your overall health. Researchers discovered that men with beards and moustaches actually enjoy numerous benefits including, but not limited to, instant handsomeness. A study from the University of Southern Queensland, published in the  Radiation Protection Dosimetry  journal, found that beards block 90 to 95 percent of UV rays, thereby slowing the aging process and reducing the risk of ...

Have you ever had one of those Jummah' s where you head over to the mosque, hear an excellent khutbah that revives your spirit and gives you a much needed iman boost, followed by being immersed in a wonderfully recited salat , only to exit the premises and have the entire experience nearly pissed away by some frustrating and infuriating incident? I've had one of those days recently.

Talk about inspirational and heartwarming! The award for "Random Acts of Kindess 2013" goes to: Dominic Giamo! One of my favorite and--in my opinion--one of the best hidden camera shows on TV right now "What Would You Do?" aired this segment recently and showed that people can overlook stereotypes and preconceived notions and just be a good human being and neighbor.  You can watch the video below: For those who aren't familiar with "What Would You Do?" it's a popular program that's part of the ABC News Primetime series. The premise of the show is essentially a social experiment where everyday situations are set up in front of unsuspecting citizens who's reactions are being recorded by hidden cameras. It's kind of like Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd but with less douchbaggery.  Usually there is an injustice happening or something that you just don't see everyday staged by actors. Ideally, the unsuspecting passerb...

I really wish I could come up with a clever and innovative way to start this blog but sometimes you just have to stick to the cliches: I'M GOING TO BE A DADDY!!! This isn't something I have just found out, as I've known for a little over a month. Sorry PhilAsify Fanatics, you guys are not the first to know. Aside from having to first have complete consent and approval from the wifey to break the news over the interwebs, I really just needed some time to digest the fact that the contents of my scrotum (through the will and infinite power of Allah) has produced a human being inside the womb of the love of my life.

One of the handful of shows that I have fallen in love with recently is The Walking Dead on AMC. I'm sure some of you have already heard of the hit show--which is based off of a popular comic book with the same name--but for those who haven't it's a pretty basic premise cut from the same cloth of those countless George A. Romero "Land of The Dead"  films in the zombie horror movie sub-genre. It's been done to death, but that hasn't stopped people from eating it up (no pun intended). Basically a man wakes up from a coma to find that the world has been overrun with flesh-eating walkers or zombies. (sidenote: It's funny how the show NEVER says zombies but instead coins new terms like "biters", "walkers", "geeks" as if the word doesn't exist in the English lexicon) The series follows the path of the man and other survivors as they try to adjust to the reality of being in a zombie apocalypse. For those who don't re...

Whenever I'm not updating PhilAsify 101 when I should be, there are several factors which are usually the culprit. Sometimes it's the whirlwind of life and all its unexpected surprises which take me away from blogging/writing, but for the most part it could be something as menial and time-consuming (and FUN) as video games. I used to be a huge video gamer. Then I had a period where I rarely ever played video games, but that was mainly because I didn't have the cash to plop down 300 bucks for the latest console. Once I was able to, I found myself immersed in countless unproductive hours and late nights mashing buttons. There's even been times where I'd be so lost in the beautiful crisp graphics and vivid colors of the "Uncharted" series that I didn't realize that my back went stiff from hours of sitting on a workout ball staring up at my big screen. Getting to bed that night really sucked.

Surprise, surprise PhilAsify Fans (which I'm sure at this point probably only consists of 3 people, including my wife--on second thought, my wife doesn't regularly read my stuff, so howdy you two!) I'm back with a blog update. I just want to cut to the chase and apologize for the blog drought I put you guys through. It's was unannounced and unexpected and that's because I hadn't planned to have gone this long without updating. The lack of PhilAsify greatness stemmed from a combination of lazy spell that I go through on occasion which superkicked any semblance of productivity and consistency I had with my writing. Luckily, an article I stumbled upon brought me back to reality and brought to attention a lot of the flaws in my repertoire. The article,  15 Excuses Writers Make (That aren't fooling Anyone) , pretty much busted me out directly, pinpointed all the lamebrain excuses I use as a crutch when I go through an unproductive writing slump. It op...

I truly respect successful writers, no matter what form. Be it a novel, a textbook, poetry, a Hollywood screenplay or blogging; the ones who are on the grind and churning out writing pieces on the regular deserve all the props you can throw at them. I can only dream of possessing even a small fraction of their productivity. What's their secret to success? Well, I know that . They wake up early and write in the solitude of the early morn while the rest of the world is still catching their Z's. Now naturally, this shouldn't be a problem for me. As a Muslim, it's essentially a must to be early risers because we have to pray the first obligatory prayer of the day, Fajr, right at the break of dawn. Of course for many Muslims, even devout ones, this can be easier said than done. I'm sure a ton of Muslims don't wake up for Fajr and ignore the Adhan (call to prayer) clock and fade back into La-La land (guilty). Then we have another segment who do get up, pray the Fa...