+++ title = “02” date = 2019 +++ Do you remember your first experience with the internet? When I was 9 or 10 (1994), my elementary school got a dial-up internet connection and the modem could connect to one computer only. So classes would go into the computer lab and huddle around one computer monitor trying to watch the magic happen. My teacher explained that we may or not be able to connect to the internet, because the modem had been spotty during other classes.

Before Dezi was born, I asked every parent I came into contact with the same question: what is one thing you wish you were told about parenting? And what’s one thing you were told over and over again but didn’t end up being true for you? I figured the responses to these questions would change my brain chemistry a bit, and maybe make me slightly more prepared. The responses were interesting.

My first experience with religion happened when I was a child. I was told, right out of the gate, that I was Muslim. I attended a jamaat with my parents each Friday night, and celebrated Eid. My family also celebrated Christmas. It was probably because they wanted to make sure my sister and I didn’t miss out on any American fun as children. So here I was: an American Muslim kid with immigrant parents, experiencing the drudgery of going to a weekly religious service with none of the fun stuff, and experiencing all the fun stuff of a different religion without the drudgery.

When I was a kid, I was a great dancer. I learned moves from watching Michael Jackson and Madonna videos. I just loved the free feeling I felt while I was dancing. In fact, I was so spirited with my dance moves that family members would often ask me to dance to music at parties when I was a kid, just so they could watch me fling my body around with glee and attempt to moonwalk.

+++ title = “02” date = 2019 +++ In contrast to my riff about no-hand-holding, I had another experience as a new employee that I’ll remember forever. In their book The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath, the authors discuss all the elements that go into creating a life-defining, memorable moment. When you read through this book, it’s easy to see how one can create such moments in every day life.