So here's my story that ran yesterday (as I explained in another post on here, I rushed for this story and my other because I couldn't stop talking to the children's book author; so I apologize that I didn't give a better effort on it):

Mike Yaghi has a New Year wish: peace.
"Peace. Real peace. Just peace for all. You know, if you have peace you have everything," he said, punctuating his clipped tenor, heavy with his birthplace, the Gaza strip, with intense eyes.
The New Year, for Mr. Yaghi, begins today.
He and his family will join fellow Muslims celebrating the Islamic New Year today, Dec. 18. The holiday is not spent with fireworks and champagne, but instead with good food, family and friends.
Muslims also indulge in sweets, much like Jews during their New Year, Rosh Hashanah, eating apples dipped in honey.
Called Ras as-Sana, the Islamic holiday marks the journey by the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina to avoid religious persecution. The term ras is similar to the Hebrew term rosh meaning head.
"There are a lot of things in common," Mr. Yaghi said. He said it like a sudden epiphanic "ah-ha" moment, but it is clear he has thought long about the connections between the world's top three religions. "We are closer to each other than a part from each other."
Next to Mr. Yaghi's desk at Computer Matters (he's senior engineer and owner) rests three stacked books: the Torah, the Bible and the Quran. He waved his hand to address them.
"To be Muslim, I have to believe in all three," he said. "In real Islam, we believe in Jesus."
Like the Jewish calendar, the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Next year, Ras as-Sana will be on Dec. 7.
Many Muslims head to the mosques to pray for the New
Year and to commemorate this point in Muhammad's life.
Half of the Quran was written while Muhammad was in Mecca and the other half was written while he was in Medina.
"This New Year, people celebrate it in different ways ¬- we do not celebrate by having champagne," Mr. Yaghi said.
Muslims also spend time with the maternal side of the family.
"It's almost like an alter of God," Mr. Yaghi said. "God will bless you more by being nicer to children and women (in the New Year)."
Like many religious holidays across all religions, there are stories associated with Ras as-Sana, rooted in allegorical and historical contexts.
Mr. Yahgi shared one of his favorites - something to think about for the New Year.
When Muhammad came to Medina, he had a neighbor who did not care for him. Every morning, the neighbor would place trash at Muhammad's doorstep and, every morning without saying a word, Muhammad would dispose of his neighbor's trash. This continued for some time and, one day, the trash was not at Muhammad's door.
So, the prophet walked to his neighbor's and knocked on the door. Greeted by the man's wife, Muhammad asked if he was well. He wasn't well. He was sick. And Muhammad entered the house and visited with the sick neighbor, wishing him well.
"That's Muhammad's teaching," Mr. Yaghi grinned, with the same epiphanic pride. "That's real Islam."
Muhammad's main teachings centered on love and equality (as in, no slaves and masters; not a popular concept 1,300 years ago).
"We have a lot of things in common - people don't understand," Mr. Yaghi said. "Real religion is based on love and peace."
Mr. Yaghi immigrated to the United States after he pulled into port as a merchant mariner. Upon witnessing Beaufort from the water early in the morning, he exclaimed:
"This is heaven."
He moved to Morehead City 20 years ago.
"I never left," Mr. Yaghi said with a source of pride.
Mr. Yaghi has a more western approach to his religion. He doesn't pray five times daily and doesn't fast. In fact, he only takes off two days a year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. He also drinks.
"I still like my Scotch," he smiled. Adherent Muslims do not imbibe alcohol.
His family doesn't attend mosque regularly since the closest is in Greenville. Even for the Islamic New Year, they will not attend.
They will invite over friends and family, however.
"My wife is going to cook a good meal," Mr. Yaghi said.
On Wednesday night, the Yaghi family put up their Christmas decorations, complete with a tree and lights.
"It's not only for the Christians," Mr. Yaghi said. "It shows that you love each other."
Christmas is celebrated at the Yaghi household with fervor, much like the rest of the culture here.
Mr. Yaghi said this holy season should be a time of people coming together and uniting in peace.
"You know what I teach (my children): there are rules to life. You have to love and you have to have joy and understand that every day is a blessing," Mr. Yaghi said. "We are all people. We want what's best for our kids, for our family, the best for our country."

Chronicle of the Hoof

charleyharvey wrote:
SM is a smart lady. She'd run circles around half the people on this board who pride themselves on their cleverness and intellect.
RebelsBuckaroo wrote:
SM's all badass keeping illegal chickens in her yard and what not. She's a G.
baxtersmom wrote:
When the Nation of FiSH arises, SM will be the Intelligence and Communications Director.