5.23.2009

I Like it in The City When Two Worlds Collide-- Conversations W/Muslims

At 3 I was able to tell you what I wanted to be, a dancer, lawyer, interior decorator, forensics specialist, house wife, counselor, and before I learned that it was impossible, a daddy. Yes, this creative mind has been ticking every since the wee fetal days and for as much has changed one thing has remained, passion. It started with a spark, which is increasing in size, determined to spread. Eventually, I won't be able to contain to the volcano of creativity and I will explode. No, no, this is not a threat. This is reality. I thought perhaps with a blog, Twitter, and other such time-wasters, my imagination would be satisfied but, alas it is not. So what's next? Why, a book of course.


Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm pretty much obsessed with anonymous based-initiatives. PostSecret is an ongoing community mail art project, created by Frank Warren, in which people mail their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.What alot of people do not know is that Post-Secret was a simple idea created to heal a hurtful situation.The simple concept of the project was that completely anonymous people decorate a postcard and portray a secret that they had never previously revealed.




No restrictions are made on the content of the secret; only that it must be completely truthful and must never have been spoken before. Entries range from admissions of sexual misconduct and criminal activity to confessions of secret desires, embarrassing habits, hopes and dreams.

Since Frank Warren created the website on January 1, 2005, PostSecret has collected and displayed upwards of 2,500 original pieces of art from people across the United States and around the world. I want to be Frank Warren. No, no, this doesn't mean I still think I can be a daddy. But, this does mean that I want to help people, help themselves, through themselves. A single confession on PostSecret caused a girl 'Cassie', to realize she is not alone in her pain. This single post card helped to prevent her suicide.



Now, I'm no Jesus, and don't think myself a savior. In fact, I don't expect for my 'project' to be as significant as Post-Secret but, I do hope to lessen the load of American Muslims. As an American-Muslim I know the struggle to maintain a healthy Islamic foundation while still balancing the expectations of a western society and culture. My hope, my dream, is to inspire Muslims locally, globally, and universally, to be proud of who and what they are not who and what they are expected to be. Be a skater boy if you must, just don't forget to pray. The idea is to experience, not exploit, the Muslim-American culture from a Muslim perspective. Some of the material will be funny. Some of it will not. Some of the material will be offensive. Some of the material will be inspirational. But, all of the material will be real. Eventually, I hope to publish these Muslim Experiences in a Journal. But, for now they are simply Conversations W/Muslims.




[If you have a conversation,experience,or story to tell, let it be heard! Email Perplxintexan@gmail.com]

19 comments:

Mona Zenhom said...

I read Post Secret every week! It's a great idea and I think your project is too!

ModestJustice said...

Now you've gotten me interested in textsfromlastnight.com it's hilariously sad/weird

But you've got a good idea going there "Conversations W/ Muslims"

Now if it were anonymous, I'm sure you'd get an influx of submissions.

I'd sure as hell be one of them!

Autumn (It's Autumn's Life) said...

good idea.

Anonymous said...

Woah, talk about shaking up the Muslim ummuah. I think this is an AMAZING idea, with the right person, persistence, and a strong will this has some great potential. I'd DEF. read it. Are you going to give us some samples?

Anonymous said...

Get ready for some backlash too.

> Why only Muslims?

>You are a liar

>go get married and stop writing.

>This is HARAM and you're burning in hell...forever


and ever.

>You are too young.

you get the point.

z-dizzle said...

love post secret and i love the idea :)

Americanising Desi said...

here you are and thanks to Falakk I relocated you!

where have you been?

or maybe where have i been!

but het good to be back here!

Jess's Dreams said...

I'm glad you're not Jesus 'cause that would be wierd. Jesus blogging? Hmmm..

Love your idea, pursue your dreams PT!

Jasmine said...

Thanks a really really good idea Perplexin, I'm sure it will go far!

I know it's not the same - but FHM magazine used to have a column called Letters from Lesbo's - from a lesbian columnist. Ok, ok - why am I saying this right? Well, because when they dropped the column they lost a load of readers. People love the other perspective and they are interested.

Jasmine

deluded said...

great idea!!!

but, the question is

do you want it to be narrowed down to just muslims?

at this point, Id advice you too keep it wide open.....umm...like anyone who has an heritage from outside

and maybe later, if you have enough specific material on muslims you can go ahead with the thing.......

anyway, thats just a suggestion

and you can totally ignore that :)

damnit though!
its very hard for me to write a serious comment, and you made me do it!

Farnnay said...

What kind of story? convo? or experience. im kind of confused.

Yasemin said...

I have never read it, but I'm inclined to go knowing that a suicide was averted.

After reading about your previous loves of forensics, law, and domestic engineering, I felt so much more than a b-day in common with you!

I want you to feel free to use anything you see on my blog for Conversations w/Muslims. I couldn't think of any secrets I haven't already shared for you habibty.

I am here for you all the way sweetie, and can't wait to see where this leads. Let me know wht I can do to help! Love you very much.

Trixie said...

I completely agree with you! I love Post Secret. I think it is a great outlet.

MarjnHomer said...

I'm in but I need more guidelines as to what exactly you're looking for...glad you're back! :-)

PerplxinTexan♥ said...

@ Mona- Glad you like it, I think I might have to borrow the computer sock idea ;)

@ MJustice- Haha, me and my friends submit all the time! Thansk for the support

@ Autumn- Finally you leave a comment :)...Come home soon and with pics of egypt.

@ Ano- I will be giving out snippets, that's actually how post secret started. Hopefully I can be that persistent person for ya.

@ Ano #2- Yes, yes, these are questions I've already asked myself. I'll try and answer a few now:

*I've chosen to concentrate on Muslims because there is a lack of Islamically based literature especially that which is geared towards the new age of Muslims, the American Muslim. I'm sick of watch Law & Order and finding only episodes filled with terrorists or being slain of honor killings. This is but a glimpse of what SOME Muslims choose to do.

*I'm not a liar, but if it makes people feel better they can call me that.

*How about I do what makes me happy whether it's getting married or writing maybe I'll even do both ;)

*hahahha! That is exactly some of the conversation I hope to share.

Thanks for your advice and DO come back more often.

@ Z-dizzle- Thanks for the support although someone *ahem ahem* has been MIA from my life lately.

@ AD- Yeah, we've been separated for awhile but, glad you re-found me! Maybe you shoulda followed me ;)

@ Jess- I literally lol'd when I read that. What would the world be like if prophets blogged? Glad you support me AND Jesus.

♫T♪ said...

salaam!
just thought i'd introduce myself as a new follower.. would write more but i'm supposed to be studying right now... exam tomorrow.. alas!!
i like what i've seen so far of your blog.. so... yay!

=]

♫T♪ said...

oh and i should add.. although I'm not an American-Muslim.. (je suis britannique!) i completely hear where your coming from.. so if you do want a conversation/experience/story from a British-not-very-hardcore-Muslim-Punk, then let me know

and i do intend for my blog to be mainly about that stuff, just lately what with exams and stuff, i've just been blogging about random personal-life stuff.. it will inshallah become much more interesting to read this summer.. any tips you have would be great! (leave a comment on my blog please.. i don't like clicking on the 'email follow-up comments' box..!)

x

iMuslimah said...

Great post. I keep thining each sentence will lead me somewhere, but it doesnt, yet I am satisfied with it! Strange! Clever! Daring! Good luck with your book. I hope it's a success.

Love post secret. I just realized the pic of the lighthouse is my stomping ground! I need to go for a visit.

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