Salaams. It has been a while since I blogged. Yes, I have been twittering and facebooking, but not proper blogging. I have been making copious notes on evernote, but for actual publishing, real life has not spared me the time to blog or write properly (apart from the article I did for the Guardian. I intend to change that.
Anyways, three things came up recently on blogging itself. Now I know a blogger writing about blogging is insular and not groundbreaking, but thefollowing should be of interest to some.
Firstly, MuslimMatters put up a page on the best ranking Muslim blogs. Around the same time, I received a link (via comment) on the oldest blogs, “Mr Moo” blog was eighth. Anyway, if you take a look at the page, it has a long list of blogs, one of the most comprehensive I have seen.
Next, the Brass Crescent Awards nominations are up. I recommend you gpo nominate your blogs. I’ve read somewhere that Muslims who tweet should also be included, I disagree. Blogging is about good writing (at its essence), and the Brass Cresecent were set up to reflect the best of the blogosphere. Its difficult to be complex in 140 characters. I started blogging by accident, posting up photos of travel, and see no reason to stop.
Anyways, I’d imagine Indigo Jo has been nominated many times, by far he has been the most consistent blogger this year and the one I read the most. I also really love the writing of Timothy Bowes over at folio.me.uk, as well as Svend White over at Akrams Razor and ‘Barakah’ at Rickshaw Diaries
Finally, there has been this gap in the blogosphere since a few of the nicer blogs from years past have disappeared or are not updated regularly. That itself is not a problem, bloggers have a life and don’t owe anybody anything. The most prominent of the retired blogs is Sunnisisters.com – we miss the blog itself. Well, I took a gander at the internet archive, and yes, most of the Sunni Sisters blog seems to be there and is sort of readable. Do be warned many of the images and photos are not archived. To access, click on the image below. Enjoy.
Salam alaikum,
Thank you for the Internet Archive linking – tis most helpful. Have you encountered Online Rihla by Umm Squeakster (http://umms.wordpress.com/)? It is very SunniSistersesque and has become a sort of substitute for that old blend of humour and the serious that we once knew.
I am happy that you have pledged to make your blogging contribution more regular from here on. May I be permitted to say that the shades of grey on this template are a little troublesome?
Your words are often light, airy, jolly and coated in sweetness that are capable of arousing a smile on even the most melancholic face. These shades of grey, however, are right now having the opposite effect. Although I must admit I am unwell at the moment, so it may just be that.
Good luck in the annual round of voting. I pray you have enough friends to vote for you, because democracy is a fickle affair. Rest assured, you have my vote.
Thine,
el-Bowes
Salaams,
I’m honored, and as usual a bit surprised by the nod. But I’ll take whatever I can get.
I too wish to blog more, but for quite a while now it’s very difficult to do so.
I liked your piece on Christmas very much. Great point that quip about limos.
If you’re interested, I blogged some years ago about my own ambivalent relationship with the holiday http://akramsrazor.typepad.com/islam_america/2005/12/the_grinch_a_mi.html
The amusing paradoxes involved in the new models of observance of Eid in the UK that you noted are to my mind quite exciting. They may be in tension with some of the underlying spiritual ideals, but they also represent the development of an indigenous Muslim culture, which is what we all need living in the diaspora. There are going to be missteps, but the overall trend is very valuable.
Hey, at least you guys have the critical mass so that Muslim religious life manifests itself in your cultural environment and so that such ironic holiday options are available to those who need them. In the States, ones’ community options vary greatly depending on local demographics, of course, but Ramazan and Eid can be depressing here. If one isn’t fortunate enough to live near a sizable Muslim community, it can be like you’re fasting on a desert island.
BTW, I’m a big fan of Evernote, too. If only I were allowed to install it at work.
Update: it appears the source of the trouble was a high fever, not the grey tones, so forgive me my complaint.
Don’t take your complaint back! My body temperature is within normal range but I’m still not feeling the gray. As Brits we have enough gray to contend with in our autumn/winter skies … and our summers too. *More* gray could break us. Please pick a cheerier colour range, and while you’re re-arranging your world in answer to our every whim, a larger font for the visually-challenged 1am-screen-squinters would be nice. Glad you’re blogging again, welcome home
Tim: yes I have read Umm Squeakster, and she is good, and she has Muslim lolcats too. Huzzah!
Sved: Thanks for the comment, there is a lot going on in the UK culturally. This is an interesting time, I have a draft post on this so will blog about it soon (insha’Allah). Its not just culture, thanks in part to PVE funding, we have a maturing activist and political scene as well.
Minaretmuse & Tim:
I made the theme more blue, but I like the some of the grey. Look at the banner, I love that pic.
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