Interestingly, it took my getting banned on Instagram to discover who I am. Drumroll please. I am an Instagram Celebrity. The definition was found on the Internet, of all places.
“An internet celebrity (or social media celebrity) is a person who becomes famous on the internet or social media. They are also called social media influencers or internet personalities. Social media allows people to quickly become famous around the world.”
My goodness, the Internet even tells people how to become an Internet celebrity.
10 Ways to Become An Internet Celebrity
- Create a YouTube Channel. If you want to become an internet celebrity then you need to start by creating a YouTube channel. …
- Start a Blog. …
- Join Social Media Groups. …
- Be Active on Twitter. …
- Post Videos on Vine. …
- Find your niche. …
- Be consistent. …
- Be yourself.
Without the help of the Instagram I have done 2,6,7 and 8. I do have some YouTube exposure but I did not create it. It is a good thing that I was not relying on Instagram – otherwise I would disappear from view. I would no longer exist. My words, my posts, my videos would be nonexistent. Many, if not most, Instagram people use it to promote their businesses, Think of how devastated they would be. I can just celebrate all of my free time, my energy not consumed by negative, misinformed people with depressing agendas. If your very livelihood relied upon the caprice of Instagram the rug would be pulled out from under you,
Two definitions are needed.
Caprice is a sudden and unaccountable change of mood or behavior. Instagram suddenly and unaccountably got rid of me. Caprice is the opposite of stability and predictability. Both are necessary in order to grow – grow your business, grow yourself. That is why Instagram is down right dangerous.
To pull the rug out from someone is to take away help or important support from someone, or to suddenly do something that causes many problems for them
There is a moral to this story. I guess it is this DIVERSIFY. The synonyms describe it: vary output, expand, enlarge operations, extend operations, spread one’s wings, broaden one’s horizons, vary, bring variety to, variegate, mix; modify, alter, change, transform; expand, enlarge.
I guess I spread my wings, brought variety to, alter and transform my blog in many ways over the years. I guess it came naturally. If something comes naturally to you, you find it easy to do and quickly become good at it. It can be an ability that a person is born with. Some examples: 1.) Musical talent comes naturally to that family. 2) Memorizing important dates in history came naturally to him in school 3) Working with sheep comes naturally to sheep dogs.
Obviously working with sheep has not come naturally to me, nor does musical talent. I am very good with dates – both eating them and going out on them (before I became a Muslim.) Hahaha.
Here is an example used on the Internet (of all places). Did leaving the academy for the public sphere come naturally to you?Sam Needleman, The New York Review of Books, 10 June 20.
Any of the fame and ‘exposure’ I have received from Instagram has now been utterly and irrevocably destroyed. My Instagram self went Poof!!!
My Dictionary tells me that here are three definitions of Poof. The first two are applicable: 1) used to convey the suddenness with which someone or something disappears: Used in a sentence: Once you’ve used it, poof—it’s gone. The second is used to express contemptuous dismissal: “Oh, poof!” said Instagram. “You speak the truth, we do not want that.
What is the third meaning of Poof that is not applicable? I had no idea before looking it up but it is
Either: 1) a gay man or 2) a man who is seen as un-masculine, timid, or affected.
No I am not being homophobic or in any way discriminating against those of that chosen persuasion. They should be free to practice their sexuality in the way they choose. Contrary to popular Western belief a man is not killed for being gay. That is cultural, not religious. A gay man can go to Jannah, as long as he does not have sex with another man. If he is chaste, he is not chased.
The Internet informs: Chaste may also mean pure, virtuous or simple. The word chaste is derived from the Latin word castus, which means morally pure or clean. Chased is the past tense of chase, a verb that means to pursue, to trail someone, to attempt to attain something, to woo someone.
It can therefore be rather confusing to non English speaking people and could get someone in trouble if they were not aware of the distinction. Now you know, you have no excuse! Hahaha.
So now that we have that clarified we can continue.
News of my being banned on Instagram met with mixed reactions – well, not on Instagram I do not think. Hahaha.
This sent an email to AK, the text I spoke of is between FUGE and myself. A nickname of course, it stands for First Umrah Guide Exceptional. (She approves of her new nickname)
Me: I have been in close contact with I wrote her about my Instagram ban and she wrote back. She said I should film a video clip and post it on Instagram about the Palestine situation etc. I wrote back that it might be hard and that I am supposed to write and that is what I do.
She wrote back. “Your writing is beautiful and I love what you write. But it is not the same as speaking and letting your voice reach the world. I can translate the video in Arabic.
She is most proficient with Arabic and English – by the way. I wrote back. Me: You are an absolute genius. You truly are. We can do it on You Tube. Computer Guru has has been doing that already with some of my videos. I have always wanted to do a pod cast and we could do it together. Then you can be famous and I will keep being famous. Wow. We can also start with our new Umrah together. So this might be doable. She needs a job, this just might work. Of course, I need to see her again. We shall see but it would be totally exciting to be able to include the Arabic language in my work. I can read from the blog – some of it – she can translate etc etc etc. It could just work. She is flexible at this point. I forget how old she is – perhaps 20. I will find a photo of the two of us and send it to you. So still many things to do – getting my life both apart and then together again. But things are SO falling into place. I am loving being here. As I discuss on the blog. Most of the staff wants to be on the blog. It is all rather cute.”
AK has not responded as yet.
This morning dawned, it was cold (for here), a mere 73 Fahrenheit. Decided this would be a good day to go on a walk. Clad in my Hanan hat and running shoes I walked through the gate, finding myself on the grounds of the Prophet Mosque. I began walking but could see golf carts with people being driven about. I stopped a driver and tried to make myself understood. It was not happening. A young woman, covered, came to my assistance. We began talking, she was with another Muslim woman, her sister. They were young, only 17 and 19. My savior was employed as an English translator at the mosque. Their father, a Malaysian joined us accompanied by a brother and a young girl (described as a covid baby). The father took our photo. They are covered, so it can be shown. We had the best conversation and shall hopefully meet again.
I am truly blessed. Another photograph shall be of my ‘ new improved view’. It is the vintage photograph presented to me by the King Fahad Library. iPhoto and I did some editing, it was fun. Other photos taken at the Prophet’s Mosque of other worshippers from different countries. Indonesian Muslims are SO cheerful, so happy to be at this blessed sight. Please do remember the Prophet’s words: “Oh Allah! Make Al-Madinah beloved to us, as we love Makkah-or more.
