Thursday, 29 October 2009
Happiness...
"Actual happiness looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery.
And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability.
And being contented has none of the glamor of a good fight against misfortune,
none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation,
or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
– Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability.
And being contented has none of the glamor of a good fight against misfortune,
none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation,
or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
– Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Song of the day...
This is one of the lesser known songs by JJ...I don't think many people would like it as its slow but I just loved the sitar in it, the lyrics and to top it off JJ's voice plus it brings back nostalgic memories from when I had his CD in my car back home (sigh)...Btw, the songs title is "Dil ki baat"...Happy listening...
Monday, 26 October 2009
Know thy drinks....(non alcoholic ones of course ;)
Being the paindu that I am, I was always confused by these fancy hot drink names they have at clients/restaurants etc...I mean cafe au'lait or cafe noir etc...Thankfully, one of them had a menu which exactly described what each drink was...I guess they knew the species "homo-paindu-es-freshius-sapiens (TM)" are still not extinct in the world...So they accommodated for that...This one is dedicated to all those who need to learn such stuff the hard way :P...I hope they didn't hear the click-ity sound of my cell's cam but I guess they wouldn't have coz it was after their working hours...
I fell in love with this hot drinks vending machine...like literally...I think one should be allowed...to marry them (vending machines)...they are sweet, they are HOT (literally), keep you alert, cater to your "needs", don't complain and are relatively low maintenance and just know what a man wants :)....jk...just imagine this being said: "I now pronounce you man and coffee machine, you may now drink out of it"...I think I've gone haywire but its not my fault...There should be a psychiatrist's warning: "Beware!!!Do not listen to mushy songs by kailash kher and atif aslam on the loop while gyming, the practice is injurious to one's mental health and can seriously neurologically fudge your cardiovascular system chronically...I should better shush and sleep or else I'll just utter nonsensical bullshit =P
I fell in love with this hot drinks vending machine...like literally...I think one should be allowed...to marry them (vending machines)...they are sweet, they are HOT (literally), keep you alert, cater to your "needs", don't complain and are relatively low maintenance and just know what a man wants :)....jk...just imagine this being said: "I now pronounce you man and coffee machine, you may now drink out of it"...I think I've gone haywire but its not my fault...There should be a psychiatrist's warning: "Beware!!!Do not listen to mushy songs by kailash kher and atif aslam on the loop while gyming, the practice is injurious to one's mental health and can seriously neurologically fudge your cardiovascular system chronically...I should better shush and sleep or else I'll just utter nonsensical bullshit =P
Wedded bliss..only lasts a year
I always wonder who sits around doing research on such topics but apparently people out there actually do it and it gets published in articles like these..You know how you hear from married people the oft quoted dialogues: "Jo shadi karay woh bhee pashtaii aur ja na karay woh bhee pashtai" OR "shadi do pal (or 2 saal, cant remember) kai mazay kailiyay umar bhar ki saza hai"...According to this research, the "honeymoon period" or "mazay" last for an year on average...Anyhow, I'm more of an optimist, so I don't buy such stuff but still its an interesting read...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4708360.stm
The second article basically supports the theory of desi aunties that one should marry a younger girl, some say by atleast 4-5 years...Again, its just a theory and I've seen so many couples of similar ages or in some instances couples in which the wife is slightly older, living perfectly happy lives...then again, its a research and it seemed interesting...So happy reading :)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8325579.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4708360.stm
The second article basically supports the theory of desi aunties that one should marry a younger girl, some say by atleast 4-5 years...Again, its just a theory and I've seen so many couples of similar ages or in some instances couples in which the wife is slightly older, living perfectly happy lives...then again, its a research and it seemed interesting...So happy reading :)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8325579.stm
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Kaise mujhe tum mil gaye...
I used sonic foundry to edit the part of the song sung by Shreya...I think its amazing and so is the instrumental version :)
Where is the love?...
I am not a such big hip-hop/rap fan but I'm a sucker for lyrics and this song kinda sorta attracted my attention...Its very relevant to what is happening around us these days :)
Hahahahahaha...
Jeez...This post made me laugh my arse off...Its overly exaggerated but surely makes u laugh....
http://mailatimes.com/2009/07/28/delirious-family-causes-student-to-miss-flight/
http://mailatimes.com/2009/07/28/delirious-family-causes-student-to-miss-flight/
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Instrumental...(Song of the day)
I came across this song on a friends' laptop...The start seems like the tune that plays when PIA lands but the violin effect is awesome...I think it would be a good song to play during sheesa sessions :)
Reborn again: The newest addition to my room
Latest
OMG...I got back to my room and got bewildered...There lying on my pillow was the same plasma ball in a box with a stickie note attached to it saying:"Sorry for breaking your last one, dont tell so and so (the guy who had gifted the original one) and keep this one away from me :S"...There was a point I didn't mention in my previous post...Actually my flatmate had accidentally broken the plasma while he was using my laptop to skype chat with his family...I didn't know when how and from where he got this new one so quickly and he didn't even need to get it...It wasn't his fault even...I had kept it on the edge of the corner drawer...I had reconciled with the loss...Ah, takullafy people...Khair, I hope this one has a better fate...
Update
Such a short life...The baby plasma ball slipped off after getting tangled with the wire of my laptop and fell to the ground...It broke into a million little pieces (sigh)...me is sad...why do things have to break :(....It was so fragile...Nazar hee lag gaii...Perhaps its because I didnt even say Mashallah once...
Anyhow, no use crying over spilled milk or broken glass for that matter...Lets remember the deceased for what it truly was: a perfect sphere that spread colour, joy and charge to whoever held it...It came from a nice family/brand who have been serving their owners for decades...Perhaps in a way that was its real destiny, to give me one day of wonder and amusement coz otherwise it would have become a mere decoration piece in one corner of my room...I will make sure that its remains go to a recycling bin so that its glass/plastic etc can be fused together someday to serve another purpose...lets have one minute of silence for the plasma that was its soul :)...(And No, i'm not in a state of denial or gone mad for that matter...just thinking positively)
Friday, 23 October 2009
Song of the day :)
Simple Man
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day
Oh, take your time don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman you'll find love
And don't forget son there is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Oh yes, I will
Boy, don't you worry you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?
Baby be a simple, be a simple man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man...
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day
Oh, take your time don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman you'll find love
And don't forget son there is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Oh yes, I will
Boy, don't you worry you'll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can?
Baby be a simple, be a simple man
Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man...
Thursday, 22 October 2009
I miss my mommy...
I just watched this vdo posted by someone on my fb profile...It brought tears to my eyes...Guess we all know it will happen one day.....but how do you prepare the heart for such a loss?
When you are thousands of miles and oceans apart from your family, the one thing that you miss the most is the warmth, love and maamta (and of course food )of your mama...This vdo made me bluey...In Islam, the status of a mother is 3 times that of a father and for understandable reasons...We don't need just one day for mothers day, every day should and could be used to appreciate our mothers and tell them how much we love them, before God forbid it gets too late and we live with nothing but regrets...
When you are thousands of miles and oceans apart from your family, the one thing that you miss the most is the warmth, love and maamta (and of course food )of your mama...This vdo made me bluey...In Islam, the status of a mother is 3 times that of a father and for understandable reasons...We don't need just one day for mothers day, every day should and could be used to appreciate our mothers and tell them how much we love them, before God forbid it gets too late and we live with nothing but regrets...
Early morning quote...
Some people turn ordinary things into gold, while others start with diamonds and end up with stones
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Jinnah and Ruttie:.the love story that was...
Our very own Quaid-e-Azam,M.A Jinnah was quite the romantic...He had a love story of his own as well..It is this love story that never quite reaches the public becuase of all the taboos involved...Yet it was real, it happened even if it was short lived...And guess what Ruttie used to call Jinnah "J"...Now that would make sence, innit (I hate this word, i'm just using it for the heck of it, dunno why bbcd's and wannabe desi's from pak are so obsessed with it)...The rest of the lurve story is in this well-made video clip...
The last letter Ruttie wrote before her death by cancer is heart rendering...Even though their marriage had problems, Ruttie was the one and only true love in Jinnah's life...
The last letter Ruttie wrote before her death by cancer is heart rendering...Even though their marriage had problems, Ruttie was the one and only true love in Jinnah's life...
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Monday, 19 October 2009
Chinese wisdom...Confucius says
You know how you always wondered how Confucius came up with all those pearls of wisdom...I now think I know how...Perhaps, this wisdom is ingrained in the everyday moral and work ethics of Chinese people...So, today, I dragged my chinese in-charge (baji) for dinner with me to the wonderful desi restaurant that I discovered last week...And my God, I never knew Chinese people can be so wise and sage...She literally showed me the way forward to build a career, gave me vision, motivated me, advised me and showed me all the possible paths to a future career...I had the impression that Chinese people were very hardworking, very industrious...Yet, now I can see why the 21st century will belong to China...They have vision...They know what they want and they make plans on how to get there plus they have these great qualities of being ruthlessly honest, not having any complexes (superiority or inferiority), any inflated or deflated egos and the desire to work their arses off...
She was like I know you being a Pakistani and me being a Chinese, we'll always feel different working in a western cooperation...Their might even be some racial undertones which might impact your ratings but the important thing is never to be bogged down by them...Remember you're here for a purpose i.e to gain international exposure and technical knowledge...So the exact words she used was that I should put my head down, work hard, don't care what others think, make a reputation for myself through the quality of my work and the effort I put in...If socials and department meetings don't seem worth the time, then only attend them thinking that it is part of the job and the upper management notice who's attending and who's not...and the golden principle, wait for it..........was: "Be like a sponge and absorb all the knowledge and experience that this big corporation has to offer through its huge knowledge base and diverse client portfolio"...And the thing I loved the most was when she said that politics are always there in an organization; people might talk behind your back, might shout at you and what not but don't get bogged down...never be disappointed and remember the perfect response to all this is to keep smiling...She said life is too short, visit new places and meet new people...
Lastly she gave me a possible career path which goes something like this: get qualified, move to london, do something in corporate finance or investment banking for 2-3 years, do an international secondment in hong kong or mainland china as that's where the majority of the big business is taking place these days as major corporations move there or invest in China and the far east...This according to her can equip me with the skills that can open two major markets of the world: India and China alongwith the West and the Middle East which I already have some understanding of...To top it off, she suggested that I should follow my dream of an ivy-league MBA, after 8 years of experience working...So here you go: thats what you call a 10 year plan...After that, according to her, the world will be my oyster and she suggested that I should aim to open up my own business by mid-30's, even if its a restaurant or a corner shop!!! :S
Ha! We plan and plan yet it's the Master Planner above who ultimately decides whether they'll materialize in the end...There was one flaw in the Chinese way of life: 90% of them are atheists...The communist ideology does not cater for the existence of a Supreme Being...I tried to understand her reason for not believing in a higher power, of not being able to hold yourself accountable for actions in this life by believing in accountability after death...She kept arguing about man-made laws, of them being strictly implemented, of educating people and instilling social and ethical values from an earlier age, of living life to the fullest and then ashes to ashes and dust to dust...I didn't try to impose or anything...I just told her why I believed in God and what it meant to me me and then when I told her about our Holy Book and of scriptures of other religions, she kinda sorta got interested, so I'll probably give her a link tomorrow to a nice Chinese/English translation of the Holy Quran...Who knows, she might actually at least start showing some inclination towards the concept of a Supreme Being...
I'm really lucky in this sence...I keep meeting really nice people and that too at the right time...First it was the kaali aunty, then the german baji, then another chinese baji, a singaporean aunty, a malaysian collegue, an indian bhai...All these people have made this journey and this experience invaluable to my future ambitions..After exam success one tends to get complacent and get drowned in the mundane routine of life...At least, the chinese baji stimulated some dreaming in me...And yea, I wanna visit Prague in the xmas break...There are some historical cities that must be visited in the winters and its been said Prague is one of them, plus its quite cheap to get there...So fingers crescented, lets see if I can celebrate new year in Prague :D
http://www.directline-citybreaks.co.uk/Prague%20City%20Breaks%20Search%20Offers?source=google&gclid=CJzitNiTyp0CFYIA4wodn1kHqQ
She was like I know you being a Pakistani and me being a Chinese, we'll always feel different working in a western cooperation...Their might even be some racial undertones which might impact your ratings but the important thing is never to be bogged down by them...Remember you're here for a purpose i.e to gain international exposure and technical knowledge...So the exact words she used was that I should put my head down, work hard, don't care what others think, make a reputation for myself through the quality of my work and the effort I put in...If socials and department meetings don't seem worth the time, then only attend them thinking that it is part of the job and the upper management notice who's attending and who's not...and the golden principle, wait for it..........was: "Be like a sponge and absorb all the knowledge and experience that this big corporation has to offer through its huge knowledge base and diverse client portfolio"...And the thing I loved the most was when she said that politics are always there in an organization; people might talk behind your back, might shout at you and what not but don't get bogged down...never be disappointed and remember the perfect response to all this is to keep smiling...She said life is too short, visit new places and meet new people...
Lastly she gave me a possible career path which goes something like this: get qualified, move to london, do something in corporate finance or investment banking for 2-3 years, do an international secondment in hong kong or mainland china as that's where the majority of the big business is taking place these days as major corporations move there or invest in China and the far east...This according to her can equip me with the skills that can open two major markets of the world: India and China alongwith the West and the Middle East which I already have some understanding of...To top it off, she suggested that I should follow my dream of an ivy-league MBA, after 8 years of experience working...So here you go: thats what you call a 10 year plan...After that, according to her, the world will be my oyster and she suggested that I should aim to open up my own business by mid-30's, even if its a restaurant or a corner shop!!! :S
Ha! We plan and plan yet it's the Master Planner above who ultimately decides whether they'll materialize in the end...There was one flaw in the Chinese way of life: 90% of them are atheists...The communist ideology does not cater for the existence of a Supreme Being...I tried to understand her reason for not believing in a higher power, of not being able to hold yourself accountable for actions in this life by believing in accountability after death...She kept arguing about man-made laws, of them being strictly implemented, of educating people and instilling social and ethical values from an earlier age, of living life to the fullest and then ashes to ashes and dust to dust...I didn't try to impose or anything...I just told her why I believed in God and what it meant to me me and then when I told her about our Holy Book and of scriptures of other religions, she kinda sorta got interested, so I'll probably give her a link tomorrow to a nice Chinese/English translation of the Holy Quran...Who knows, she might actually at least start showing some inclination towards the concept of a Supreme Being...
I'm really lucky in this sence...I keep meeting really nice people and that too at the right time...First it was the kaali aunty, then the german baji, then another chinese baji, a singaporean aunty, a malaysian collegue, an indian bhai...All these people have made this journey and this experience invaluable to my future ambitions..After exam success one tends to get complacent and get drowned in the mundane routine of life...At least, the chinese baji stimulated some dreaming in me...And yea, I wanna visit Prague in the xmas break...There are some historical cities that must be visited in the winters and its been said Prague is one of them, plus its quite cheap to get there...So fingers crescented, lets see if I can celebrate new year in Prague :D
http://www.directline-citybreaks.co.uk/Prague%20City%20Breaks%20Search%20Offers?source=google&gclid=CJzitNiTyp0CFYIA4wodn1kHqQ
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Google chrome is the way forward...
If you're tired with web-pages taking ages to load or the web browser crashing up when multiple tabs are loading up, then worry no more...Google chrome is the way forward...I've just started using it after a friend really insisted me to use it and I can say with assurance that its wayyyyy better than M/S Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox...Not only is it fast, its simpler to use as well...Here are some of the features that Google lists for the chrome:
Speed: Fast to launch, fast to load web pages
* Quick to start up from your desktop
* Loads web pages in a snap
* Runs web applications faster than ever
Simplicity: Designed for efficiency and ease of use
* Search and navigate to web pages from the same box
* Arrange and organize tabs however you wish — quickly and easily
* Get to your favorite websites with just a click, from the thumbnails of your most visited sites in the New Tab page
Style: Themes to add delight to your browser
Try Minimalist, Star Gazing, or Google Chrome Artist Themes.
It is definitely worth giving a shot. Its downloadable free from the following link:
http://www.google.com/chrome?hl=en
Speed: Fast to launch, fast to load web pages
* Quick to start up from your desktop
* Loads web pages in a snap
* Runs web applications faster than ever
Simplicity: Designed for efficiency and ease of use
* Search and navigate to web pages from the same box
* Arrange and organize tabs however you wish — quickly and easily
* Get to your favorite websites with just a click, from the thumbnails of your most visited sites in the New Tab page
Style: Themes to add delight to your browser
Try Minimalist, Star Gazing, or Google Chrome Artist Themes.
It is definitely worth giving a shot. Its downloadable free from the following link:
http://www.google.com/chrome?hl=en
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Friday, 16 October 2009
Shair Shairi...
Shaam ke pheltey andhere men
Thaki thaki si fiza kay lamh0n men
Hole hole ubharte chaand ke gird
Chamakti chaandni ban kar aksar
Tera chehra nigahoon ke ru ba ru aata hai
Aur phir aise men buhat paas kaheen
Teri masoom hansi mujh ko sunaai deti hai
Kaanon mein goonj uthti hai jal tarang jaise
Khil uthta hai har aik manzar jaise
Mehek uthti hai thaki hoi si fiza
Hole hole chalne lagti hai tand-o-tez hawa
Jab teri khusboo liye ata hai koi bhatka jhonka
Ufaq ke paar chamkta hua chaand
Kisi khayaal se sharma ke simat jata hai
Kisi awara badal ki ourr mein chup jata hai
Mein aankhen moonde hoe
Dooor khayalon men kaheen kho jata hoon
Apni zaat se hat kar, men TUM ho jata hoon
Magar aise men najane kahaan se
Tanhaai apni bharpoor sakhtiaan le kar
Shaam ke phelte andhere men
Ghata si ban ke cha jaati hai
Aur phir us par teri yaad sitam dhaati hai
Har guzarte pal mujhe tarpaati hai...!
Shadeed karb ke aalam mein baahain khole hoe
Mein apni khamosh zubaan se tujh ko sada deta hoon
Soochta hoon ke tum dhori chali aao gi
Zindagi bhar ko meri bahoon men simat jaao gi
Phir haqeeqat ehsaas ki dehleez par dastak de kar
Mujh par ik sach ko ayaan karti hai
Kay ae deewaane...
Tu dasht-e-zeest mein ab bhi tanha hai
Apne barhte qadam rok le to acha hai
Tu khud ko ab bhi tok le to acha hai
Warna...
Tu dasht-e-zeest mein kaheen kho jaayega
Apne armaanoon ki aag men jal jaayega
Khaak ban jaayega,
Hawaoon mein bikhar jaayega...
Magar kia karoon, keh meri ik uljhan hai...
Mein apni zaat ka hakim hi nahi
Mere wujood par tu qabiz hai
Aur meri rooh men tu shamil hai
Yeh mera dil tere naam par dharakta hai
Dehkta hoon to sirf tum hi tum ho
Soochta hoon to sirf tum hi tum ho
Khud ko kho hi chuka hoon magar dilbar mere
Men ab tujh ko khona nahi seh paaonga
Tum bin jeene ka tasawwur hi naheen
Tum se bichra to shayed yunhi marjaonga...
Thaki thaki si fiza kay lamh0n men
Hole hole ubharte chaand ke gird
Chamakti chaandni ban kar aksar
Tera chehra nigahoon ke ru ba ru aata hai
Aur phir aise men buhat paas kaheen
Teri masoom hansi mujh ko sunaai deti hai
Kaanon mein goonj uthti hai jal tarang jaise
Khil uthta hai har aik manzar jaise
Mehek uthti hai thaki hoi si fiza
Hole hole chalne lagti hai tand-o-tez hawa
Jab teri khusboo liye ata hai koi bhatka jhonka
Ufaq ke paar chamkta hua chaand
Kisi khayaal se sharma ke simat jata hai
Kisi awara badal ki ourr mein chup jata hai
Mein aankhen moonde hoe
Dooor khayalon men kaheen kho jata hoon
Apni zaat se hat kar, men TUM ho jata hoon
Magar aise men najane kahaan se
Tanhaai apni bharpoor sakhtiaan le kar
Shaam ke phelte andhere men
Ghata si ban ke cha jaati hai
Aur phir us par teri yaad sitam dhaati hai
Har guzarte pal mujhe tarpaati hai...!
Shadeed karb ke aalam mein baahain khole hoe
Mein apni khamosh zubaan se tujh ko sada deta hoon
Soochta hoon ke tum dhori chali aao gi
Zindagi bhar ko meri bahoon men simat jaao gi
Phir haqeeqat ehsaas ki dehleez par dastak de kar
Mujh par ik sach ko ayaan karti hai
Kay ae deewaane...
Tu dasht-e-zeest mein ab bhi tanha hai
Apne barhte qadam rok le to acha hai
Tu khud ko ab bhi tok le to acha hai
Warna...
Tu dasht-e-zeest mein kaheen kho jaayega
Apne armaanoon ki aag men jal jaayega
Khaak ban jaayega,
Hawaoon mein bikhar jaayega...
Magar kia karoon, keh meri ik uljhan hai...
Mein apni zaat ka hakim hi nahi
Mere wujood par tu qabiz hai
Aur meri rooh men tu shamil hai
Yeh mera dil tere naam par dharakta hai
Dehkta hoon to sirf tum hi tum ho
Soochta hoon to sirf tum hi tum ho
Khud ko kho hi chuka hoon magar dilbar mere
Men ab tujh ko khona nahi seh paaonga
Tum bin jeene ka tasawwur hi naheen
Tum se bichra to shayed yunhi marjaonga...
Such Relief...
Its such a big burden off my shoulder...Alhamdulillah, I've managed to clear yet another hurdle...I know hard work ultimately pays off, but without the help of God and the prayers that all my loved ones do for me, I would never manage to succeed...Anyhow, atleast, for the foreseeable future (roughly nine months), I still have a job :D....Ahhh, I should shrug off all my stress now and partayyyy :D
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Its so nerve wrecking...How trivial does it sound...Getting one sms that can have such huge implications not only on an individual level but more so for all those people counting on me...On a personal level, the thought of handling a failure is still bearable but its the thought of disappointing the people who count on me, the people whose future depends on my passing or failure...I've asked so many people to pray and it gets irritating when they laugh at me, laugh at this fear of mine, the fear of failure...That makes me even more worried...I'm not superhuman...What if God forbid, God forbid (an infinite times over), I fail...What if there's a first time..Its not only for the people who are in my life, but also for the people, that someday, will, hopefully, if its destined to be, come into my life: my future family my children and their mother...If I work this hard and toil and sweat to such an extent, its probably unconsciously for the fact that my family, current and future can get every comfort in the world that they can imagine...
Yet,in the end, it will be an sms at an exact pre-specified time, that will determine my fate...What if I'm on the road at that time and what if the signals don't come...I'll probably bite my nails down to the root...Have Mercy God!!! I need this one really badly...I'll be a good boy, promise :)
Yet,in the end, it will be an sms at an exact pre-specified time, that will determine my fate...What if I'm on the road at that time and what if the signals don't come...I'll probably bite my nails down to the root...Have Mercy God!!! I need this one really badly...I'll be a good boy, promise :)
The Garbage Truck Story...
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were
driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a
parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his
brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of
the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi
driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really
friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined
your car and sent us to the hospital! 'This is when my taxi driver
taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around
full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it
and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just
smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and
spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The
bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over
their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Have a blessed, garbage-free day.
driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a
parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his
brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of
the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi
driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really
friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined
your car and sent us to the hospital! 'This is when my taxi driver
taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around
full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it
and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just
smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and
spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The
bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over
their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
so...Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Have a blessed, garbage-free day.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
In a new city...
Sometimes I feel this life is just one long dream and that someday I'll wake up from this slumber and it will be total darkness, blankness, nothingness...It seems so surreal...A week and a few hours ago, I was almost 5000 miles away probably sleeping in my room at home...An eight hours flight later, I find myself back in my room in my new home...and 72 hours later, I have to travel to a totally new city for an away job...Some wise ass philosopher once said that we are the sum total of our experiences...I sometimes wonder what these experiences would make me...Who will I become??? I noticed one thing when I got back home after one year...I don't quite withstand noise and chaos as much as I enjoyed it while I lived in the dorms or with noisy younger siblings...Now, I value my privacy and my own-time...Its not as if I've become anti-social...Infact, I think socially I've become more refined in a good way with less of typical boyish toilet humor and what not...Perhaps, this is a transition that everyone goes through, the transition from boys to men (wasn't that a band :S, what a lame name :p)...
Anyhow, deep philosophical shit asides, this is turning up to be one hell of an experience...Its so interesting to be working with a client that makes surgical implants like hip joints, shoulder joints/plates and other such implants made from titanium alloy ceramics...Just imagining the fact that these are actually sold to hospitals and charities all over the world especially war-stricken countries where they help in enabling people who have been diasbled to lead a normal life...Imagine a factory filled with the latest state-of-the-art machinery as far as the eye can see...Imagine engineers and technicians working with precision with complicated tools ensuring everything is perfect to the nano-meter...Then the experience of working with such a diverse team, a chinese lady, a senior who is a prize winner and has a PHd in sociology...and yeh cheez urdu main likh raha hoon, incase woh kabhi ghalti sai bhee parh lai but woh PHd wala senior londay-baaz hai, yaani keh usko larkiyon main koi interest nahi but this experience taught me that we have pre-conceived notions that make us judge people beforehand...aisay log bhee bilkul normal hee hotay hain but unn kai bolnay aur uthnay baithnay ka style different hota hai...anyhow, we should give others a chance before we judge them...Work is tough but what's the fun in working if its not challenging and makes one think...I wake up at 6 am and come back around 6 pm...Its still not as bad...plus I get the chance to do something that I don't quite get to do at home: fill the whole bath tub with warm water for a bubble bath while I enjoy a cup of tea and watch one of the eps of gossip girl on my laptop strategically placed on a chair so that it doesn't get wet...Ahhh, thats the life...
The best part is discovering a totally new city...Most of the times on away jobs, we get posh hotels in the city centres...I love exploring the streets of a new city...You learn so much...Sheffield is a wonderful city...It used to be famous for its iron mines, foundries and steel mills...Imagine these sights and sounds: the sound of water flowing below an old bridge...walking down I discover its called lady bridge (what a weird name) and is the very first bridge made on this river...There is a whole history to it...There's a castle nearby which is now turned into a wonderful shopping area where old meets new...The streets are cobble-stoned but buses, trams, cars move on them...Its weird...Its feels as if you're in the middle ages but the middle ages have been sent to the future...Then the best part comes...You reach a street which is filled with Indian/Pakistani restaurnts...Its a result of some internet research and you end up in a highly rated Pakistani restaurant called "Mangla" that has served people in the city for more than 25 years...Its jam packed but fortunately they have space for one more...I just ordered a mixed grill and chicken balti with garlic naan and mango lassi...OMGGGGG!!!! I haven't had better succulent, perfectly spiced seekh kebabs, chicken tikka ever before...I cannot say anything about the lamb chops coz they were wasted but the food was heavenly and the mango lassi is the best I've ever had; it seemed as if a whole freshy plucked mango from Pakistan had been used to make it...I know, I know, I'm a foodie but I never imagined discovering such a gem in this part of the world...But it wasn't only the food...The sights and sounds: gora people trying out spicy curries yet still ordering a portion of fries; people speaking in arabic, girls with whole face-covering hijabs yet still speaking in perfect British accent; some of the customers speaking proper british accent one minute and then attending a call and blurting in the purest punjabi one gets to hear in the streets of Lahore, Faislabad or Pindi...
Its weird...These cities which have been inhabited by immigrants from the subcontinent have streets, restaurants etc where you feel as if you've gone back to India or Pakistan...As Nadeem Aslam wrote in one of his books, they seem to be little pockets of memories they want to keep to remind them of back home...Coming back, I noticed another weird thing...A man walking with his dog and talking to it as if it was a human being, as if it could understand...Its not as if he was saying fetch boy fetch or commanding it to sit or stand...Infact he was having an actual conversation...My flatmate always hates this habit of mine of going out and roaming the streets late at night...He keeps warning me that I might be mugged and what not...But, that's the only time I get after work to discover it...Plus, you get to discover the real spirit of the city at night...To top off the night when I was going back to the room in the elevator I came across a really old couple in their eighties who were going to the hotel restaurant where their kids/grandkids had thrown a party to celebrate their 60'th wedding anniversary...God! They still seemed sooo much in love and still held hands as if they were 18...But I guess umar ka takaza bhee ho ga...when u spend so much time even with an inanimate object you grow so fond of it...anyhoo, who am I to speculate...One of the biggest downside of an away job is the collateral damage suffered by the tummy due to the food-fest...Ha, well if last year is anything to go by, this would probably be followed by a period of diet control and voluntary starvation, fingers crescented :D
Songs of the last 2 Days:
Anyhow, deep philosophical shit asides, this is turning up to be one hell of an experience...Its so interesting to be working with a client that makes surgical implants like hip joints, shoulder joints/plates and other such implants made from titanium alloy ceramics...Just imagining the fact that these are actually sold to hospitals and charities all over the world especially war-stricken countries where they help in enabling people who have been diasbled to lead a normal life...Imagine a factory filled with the latest state-of-the-art machinery as far as the eye can see...Imagine engineers and technicians working with precision with complicated tools ensuring everything is perfect to the nano-meter...Then the experience of working with such a diverse team, a chinese lady, a senior who is a prize winner and has a PHd in sociology...and yeh cheez urdu main likh raha hoon, incase woh kabhi ghalti sai bhee parh lai but woh PHd wala senior londay-baaz hai, yaani keh usko larkiyon main koi interest nahi but this experience taught me that we have pre-conceived notions that make us judge people beforehand...aisay log bhee bilkul normal hee hotay hain but unn kai bolnay aur uthnay baithnay ka style different hota hai...anyhow, we should give others a chance before we judge them...Work is tough but what's the fun in working if its not challenging and makes one think...I wake up at 6 am and come back around 6 pm...Its still not as bad...plus I get the chance to do something that I don't quite get to do at home: fill the whole bath tub with warm water for a bubble bath while I enjoy a cup of tea and watch one of the eps of gossip girl on my laptop strategically placed on a chair so that it doesn't get wet...Ahhh, thats the life...
The best part is discovering a totally new city...Most of the times on away jobs, we get posh hotels in the city centres...I love exploring the streets of a new city...You learn so much...Sheffield is a wonderful city...It used to be famous for its iron mines, foundries and steel mills...Imagine these sights and sounds: the sound of water flowing below an old bridge...walking down I discover its called lady bridge (what a weird name) and is the very first bridge made on this river...There is a whole history to it...There's a castle nearby which is now turned into a wonderful shopping area where old meets new...The streets are cobble-stoned but buses, trams, cars move on them...Its weird...Its feels as if you're in the middle ages but the middle ages have been sent to the future...Then the best part comes...You reach a street which is filled with Indian/Pakistani restaurnts...Its a result of some internet research and you end up in a highly rated Pakistani restaurant called "Mangla" that has served people in the city for more than 25 years...Its jam packed but fortunately they have space for one more...I just ordered a mixed grill and chicken balti with garlic naan and mango lassi...OMGGGGG!!!! I haven't had better succulent, perfectly spiced seekh kebabs, chicken tikka ever before...I cannot say anything about the lamb chops coz they were wasted but the food was heavenly and the mango lassi is the best I've ever had; it seemed as if a whole freshy plucked mango from Pakistan had been used to make it...I know, I know, I'm a foodie but I never imagined discovering such a gem in this part of the world...But it wasn't only the food...The sights and sounds: gora people trying out spicy curries yet still ordering a portion of fries; people speaking in arabic, girls with whole face-covering hijabs yet still speaking in perfect British accent; some of the customers speaking proper british accent one minute and then attending a call and blurting in the purest punjabi one gets to hear in the streets of Lahore, Faislabad or Pindi...
Its weird...These cities which have been inhabited by immigrants from the subcontinent have streets, restaurants etc where you feel as if you've gone back to India or Pakistan...As Nadeem Aslam wrote in one of his books, they seem to be little pockets of memories they want to keep to remind them of back home...Coming back, I noticed another weird thing...A man walking with his dog and talking to it as if it was a human being, as if it could understand...Its not as if he was saying fetch boy fetch or commanding it to sit or stand...Infact he was having an actual conversation...My flatmate always hates this habit of mine of going out and roaming the streets late at night...He keeps warning me that I might be mugged and what not...But, that's the only time I get after work to discover it...Plus, you get to discover the real spirit of the city at night...To top off the night when I was going back to the room in the elevator I came across a really old couple in their eighties who were going to the hotel restaurant where their kids/grandkids had thrown a party to celebrate their 60'th wedding anniversary...God! They still seemed sooo much in love and still held hands as if they were 18...But I guess umar ka takaza bhee ho ga...when u spend so much time even with an inanimate object you grow so fond of it...anyhoo, who am I to speculate...One of the biggest downside of an away job is the collateral damage suffered by the tummy due to the food-fest...Ha, well if last year is anything to go by, this would probably be followed by a period of diet control and voluntary starvation, fingers crescented :D
Songs of the last 2 Days:
Monday, 12 October 2009
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Laughter is the best medicine...
Whenever, I find myself down and bluey, a combination, permutation of a few things always works for me... In no definitive order: some stand-up comedy, songs/music, prayers, talking to friends and family, watching desperate housewives ;) and telling myself this: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"...
So, for the time being, laugh your heads out at this:
So, for the time being, laugh your heads out at this:
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Miseducation of Pakistani Students
The woeful state of Public education in Pakistani schools. Its actually quite sad and disappointing...When the base of education is so fragile, how can people expect the edifice to be stable...
Friday, 9 October 2009
Hank Moody tearing open his heart...
Dear, karen...
if you're reading this, it means I actually worked up the courage to mail it. So, good for me.You don't know me very well but you get me started,I have a tendency to go on and on about how hard the writing is for me.But this...this is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it.I met someone. It was an accident.I wasn't looking forit. I wasn't on the make.It was a perfect storm. She said one thing. I said another. Next thing I knew, I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the middle of that conversation.Now there's this feeling in my gut.She might be the one.She's completely nuts...in a way that makes me smile-- highly neurotic.A great deal of maintenance required.She is you, karen.That's the good news.The bad is that I don't know how to be with you right now And it scares the shit out of me.Because if I'm not with you right now, I have this feeling we'll get lost out there. It's a big, bad world full of twists and turns, and people have a way of blinking and missing the moment...0 the moment that could've changed everything.
I don't know what's going on with us, and I can't tell you why you should waste
a leap of faith on the likes of me...but, damn, you smell good -- like home.
And you make excellent coffee.That's got to count for something, right?
Call me.
Unfaithfully yours, hank moody.
if you're reading this, it means I actually worked up the courage to mail it. So, good for me.You don't know me very well but you get me started,I have a tendency to go on and on about how hard the writing is for me.But this...this is the hardest thing I've ever had to write. There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it.I met someone. It was an accident.I wasn't looking forit. I wasn't on the make.It was a perfect storm. She said one thing. I said another. Next thing I knew, I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the middle of that conversation.Now there's this feeling in my gut.She might be the one.She's completely nuts...in a way that makes me smile-- highly neurotic.A great deal of maintenance required.She is you, karen.That's the good news.The bad is that I don't know how to be with you right now And it scares the shit out of me.Because if I'm not with you right now, I have this feeling we'll get lost out there. It's a big, bad world full of twists and turns, and people have a way of blinking and missing the moment...0 the moment that could've changed everything.
I don't know what's going on with us, and I can't tell you why you should waste
a leap of faith on the likes of me...but, damn, you smell good -- like home.
And you make excellent coffee.That's got to count for something, right?
Call me.
Unfaithfully yours, hank moody.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Song of the day...(Tum mile by Shafqat Amanat)
Tu hi meri hai sari zameen
Chahay kahin se chalun
Tujh pe hi aa ke rukun
Tere siva maun jaun kahan
Koi bhi raah chunu
Tujh pe hi aa ke rukun
Tum mile to lamhein tham gaye
Tum mile to sare gum gaye
Tum mile to muskurana aa gaya
Tum mile to jadoo chaa gaya
Tum mile to jeena aa gaya
Tum mile to mainay paya hai khuda
O Oo
Tujh mein kirana dikhay
Dil ko sahara dikhay
Aa mere dhadkan tham le
aahna
Teri taraf hi muray
Yeh saans tujhse juray
Har pal yeh tera naam le
Tum mile to abb kya hai kami
Tum mile to duniya mil gai
Tum mile to mil gaya aasra
Tum mile to jadoo chaa gaya
Tum mile to jeena aa gaya
Tum mile to mainay paya hai khuda
Din meray tujhse chalain
Raatein bhi tujhse dhalain
Hai waqt tere haath mein
hooo Tu hi shehar hai mera
Tujh mein hi ghar hai mera
Rehta hai tere saath mein
Tum mile to mil gaya humsafar
Tum mile to khud ki hai khabar
Tum mile to ristha sa ban gaya
Tum mile to jadoo chaa gaya
Tum mile to jeena aa gaya
Tum mile to mene paya hai khuda
Monday, 5 October 2009
Row in LUMS over on-campus PDA's :S
What is the world coming to these days :O
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/world/pakistan/Row-in-Pak-over-on-campus-PDA/articleshow/5087861.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/world/pakistan/Row-in-Pak-over-on-campus-PDA/articleshow/5087861.cms