Mia Northwest's Xombytes

Let's face it, we don't need anymore financial experts telling us what we should be doing to save money.

To wear or not to wear the hijab? A hijab is a headscarf that Muslim women typically use to cover their hair when in public. As a convert to Islam, I have opened my heart to the peace and freedom that this religion brings to my soul. And yet, I struggle with the hijab. Why can't I ignore the blank stares or a few unsavory comments from people when I wear the hijab? Shouldn't my faith in God triumph over ego?

Who knew that blending together garbanzo beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon and tahina would yield the most delicious dish I have ever had?

I knew something was up when there seemed to be a large number of Middle Eastern restaurants springing up all over the Pacific Northwest. Even in the best of economies, restaurants are a risky business. So what was driving this insane urge to invest everything to open a place that didn't have hamburgers on the menu?

So it seems that a lot of TV programming these days consists of Financial Experts telling me where I should invest my money. They direct me to consider mutual funds, e-trading and real estate investments.

Since the Vanity Fair pictures of Miley were published, I thank her everyday for the relevant opportunity this gives me to talk to my teenage daughter about "sexiness".

Before the photos, I would give general lectures to my daughter on why she would never wear jeans that say "juicy" on the butt or tank tops with straps so thin that her bra straps would stand out. I would also go on and on about short shorts, cleavage-revealing tops and the dreaded belly-showing shirts. Although I don't buy these types of clothes for my girl, hey, I'm not with her all day when she's in school and I'm not stupid either...if she wanted to wear this stuff she would find a way.

The salesman handed Lois Lane the keys to her new Toyota Yaris. She took them and sighed a long, resigned sigh. She felt a headache coming on strong and needed to find her cigarettes. Rifling through her over-stuffed purse for a smoke and a lighter, she snapped at Jimmy.

The first two days after the eruption were pitch black. Soft ash fell quietly and started to build layered mounds around us. Dead fish floated on top of the lake. Not even the birds wanted to eat them then, but that changed around the fourth day. Purple lightning streaked the black sky, illuminating the lake which was now completely covered by a blanket of ash...

Being fair-skinned, I've had more than my fair share of sunburns in life. I also grew up in a time when the home remedy for sunburns was shifting from rubbing butter on my burnt skin (what???) to applying Noxzema to the affected area (also ineffective). What's worse is after slathering on these emollients, my mom wouldn't let me sit on any of the furniture so I'd end up walking around like a zombie, with arms stretched out in front and stiff legs lumbering from side to side.

That the word purple doesn't have an adequate number of rhyming words really bothers me. I mean if no man is an island, then why does purple get to stand alone? I have decided to submit my own five words that might have a chance of making it in to our vernacular to help poets and limerick writers with their creations.

With television going strictly digital in February 2009, I recently signed up for and received a government coupon worth $40 for the purchase of a converter box. This box is supposed to allow my tv to continue receiving programming after the switch-over.