Thirty Days and Thirty Nights

[grav_ity]

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you're friends with/have heard of irony_rocks. This is a post about her, and also about Ramadan.

Ramadan is a Muslim celebration, wherein there is fasting during the sunlight hours. Like Lent and Passover, Ramadan is supposed to promote reflection and meditation on faith. It also promotes charity, which I think is pretty cool. And when the sun goes down, there is a feast.

I met irony_rocks during Ramadan a few years ago, and she has been a fantastically good friend ever since. This year, as some of you probably know, she is ill and cannot keep the fast. Now, technically those who are ill are not required to fast, and can off-set by donating money for food to various charities to ensure that they can keep Ramadan, but it's not really the same as a personal observance

This is where you come in.

There are thirty days in Ramadan. This year, thanks to a shifting solar calendar, Ramadan falls from July 9 to August 7 (more or less: it's a bit complicated, but for simplicity's sake, we will use those dates). I am looking for twenty-nine other people who are willing to pick ONE DAY, and fast (and then, I don't know, make a blog post about their experience? I'm still working on the details).

No food. No water. No gum. Nothing while the sun is in the sky. I don't ask this lightly. If you have a busy life or a medical condition, stay tuned because there's going to be another post for you. But if you can have one day, one day to celebrate for a friend who can't celebrate for herself, well, I think that would be really cool.

I am often told (by relatives and the like), that the internet is a lonely, cold place. That there is no connection. That the people you meet here aren't real.

We know better. Come and fast with me.

July 10 - world_of_blade
July 11 - peanutbutterer
July 12 - mari4212
July 13 - purple_smurf
July 14 - demonicsymphony
July 15 - wojelah
July 16 - amenirdis
July 17 - lionessvalenti
July 18 - peanutbutterer
July 19 - lavidaessueno
July 20 - settiai
July 21 - darling_ashes
July 22 - shinetheway
July 23 - shinetheway and lanna_kitty
July 24 - shinetheway
July 25 - peanutbutterer
July 26 - shinetheway
July 27 - shinetheway
July 28 - grey_wonderer
July 29 - her_xcelncy
July 30 - misssimm
July 31 - demonicsymphony
August 1 - peanutbutterer
August 2 - oraien
August 3 - xakliaaeryn
August 4 - gnimaerd
August 5 - demonqueen666
August 6 - muccamukk
August 7 - leanstein
August 8 - darling_ashes

There will be updates with tips and other details, but I wanted to get a move on, because we start soon. Oh, and this isn't f-locked, so please feel free to signal boost the heck out of it.

Comments

[mari4212.livejournal.com]

I'll take July 12th.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[amenirdis.livejournal.com]

I'll take July 16.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thanks!

[lone-pyramid.livejournal.com]

I'll stayed tuned for Option 2 for medical reasons, but I wanted to extend kudos to you for coming up with and organizing this idea. It's such a wonderful idea, and like a global interfaith team-building event.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Cool beans! I'll get something up in the next couple of days.

[hiddencait.livejournal.com]

I really want to do this but since I know fasting will likely trigger a migraine, I probably will need option 2 - I could possibly do it if I allowed myself water, I just don't think I'd be able to completely go without. Drat it all.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling that the water is going to be the hardest part! Here's hoping!

[annerbhp.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing and thoughtful idea. I'd love to help, but I doubt my breast-feeding little one would appreciate it. :) But I wanted to say you are awesome for organizing this.

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

She is, isn't she?

And thank you for even for a second considering this venture. The thought alone means a lot.

[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

I wish I could, but due to my own health issues, doing so might be a tipping point I cannot afford. I salute you, though, and everyone willing to do this.

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

*Hugs you* Just the consideration of possibly doing is more than enough. Thank you!

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

I have never, ever been more touched by anything in my entire life. I was laid up in bed this morning, unable to get out of bed, and this one post got me out of bed and feeling good. *HUGS YOU TIGHTER THAN I HAVE EVER HUGGED ANYONE* I just cannot get over how awesome you and everybody here is.

I have more words, just right now, they fail me.

[hiddencait.livejournal.com]

You are worth it. So there lol.

[world-of-blade.livejournal.com]

I am so happy we are doing this. :)

I will go with July 10th.

Thanks.

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

*GLOMPS YOU*

[lavidaessueno.livejournal.com]

I'll take July 19, if it's still available.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've added you to the schedule. :)

[peanutbutterer.livejournal.com]

July 11 please.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Done and done. :)

[settiai]

I'll do July 20th. :)

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Cool beans! You are on the list. :)

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm waffling here. I'm Not Supposed to fast because issues, but I really want to doooo this! I've never done a fast without water before. (Or, for that matter, without the meds I take every day.) I want to know how that changes things! But, of course, not as much as I want to support IR and you. <3

I need to do some thinkyplanning before I volunteer, though, so I don't back out later and ruin the whole system. (If I don't do it, I'll have a day of silence or something to support even though it won't count, but then I'll feel like I'm paaart of things.)

[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

Do Something Else. Please. I know irony_rocks would understand.

[muccamukk]

In from settiai's signal boost.

I can do August 6th.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Cool beans! I've added you.

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

I would like to take August 5th.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Thanks! You're on the list. :)

[sholio]

I can't fast, but I will definitely signal-boost!

[darling-ashes.livejournal.com]

I'll take July 21st or August 8th (or both if you need more people.)

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Awesomesauce!

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Not an option for me with my medications, I'm afraid, and 'no internet' is also not an option thanks to my job.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

That is totally understandable! I don't want to make anyone sick. Stay tuned, though, because I am going to have a secondary "support" post soon! :)

[peanutbutterer.livejournal.com]

I'll also take the 18th and the 25th and the 1st.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Cool beans! I've added you. :)

[shinetheway.livejournal.com]

I'll take July 22nd to July 28th.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

That's AWESOME. :)

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

Here from settiai's signal boost. On the caveats that I am in Australia, with our massive time differences to the US, and the fact that sunrise is about 7.30am at the moment and sunset is about 5.15pm (so no one will be fasting during the actual US day -- well, I will be while I'm asleep!), I would be willing to do the 13th of July. I'm even going to an Indian resturant in the evening (after sunset) for a 60th, so there will be feasting!

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

That's fine! So far we've got a few different time zones anyway. I'll add you to the list. :)

[demonicsymphony]

Here via Settiai. I'll take July 31st. I wouldn't last the whole month because I'm breastfeeding. But I can last a day!

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[porn-this-way.livejournal.com]

Here via mari4212's signal boost. I've got some hypoglycemia issue, so any fasting on my part would be a Very Bad Plan, but I still wanted to swing by and let you know what an awesome idea this is.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

No worries, and thanks for dropping in! I am going to make a secondary "support" post soon, so keep an eye open for that. :)

[cxw1065.livejournal.com]

I am muslim and will be fasting already, but will certainly add your friend to my prayers
Best wishes, and Ramadan Mubarak to everyone

(and may I add, what a wonderfully kind and loving gesture this is, it makes my heart glow to know there are wonderful people still out there!)

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I know that will mean a lot to her too. :)

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

I don't know irony_rocks, but I have friends who celebrate Ramadan both here on line and in RL. I would be happy to take a day if you think she wouldn't mind having a stranger in the mix.
I can do July 25th or July 26th or July 28th. Any of those are fine. If you manage to fill all of the days with her friends, I understand completely. Just let me know. I hope she is feeling better soon.

If you run short of people and have a day that isn't taken, let me know and if it is possible, then I will be glad to help. The three days I listed are the best for my schedule but there might be another that is do-able.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU!

(This is what I meant about the internet being awesome! So far we've had people I don't know, AND people IR doesn't know.) :)

I've given you the 28. :)

[amnisias.livejournal.com]

Lovely idea, even if it doesn't help your friend from a religious point of view. As you said, medical conditions that preclude you from fasting are granded excemption (as does travel, pregnancy & breastfieeding, by the way)but people are expected to 'make up the days' at a later stage and donate to charity. But it is very much in the spirit of Ramanda, and we can all do with more spiritual reflection. Oh, maybe you should also point out smoking, drugs, sexual activities and swearing are also not permitted.

You can find sunrise/sunset times on this page: http://www.sunrisesunset.com/ Most of the USA is lucky because sundown is still relatively early, despite it being summer - the further North you get, the longer the days get. In Iceland Muslims have to wait til 11:45 today.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I am going to make a more "technical" post later. We're on a bit of a deadline, signup-wise, so I wanted to get the ball rolling. I'll add more info on Monday.

Thanks the for link! I'll use it when I make the "how to" post. :)