Eid Mubarak!

Wishing all my Muslim friends and all the Muslims around the world a very happy and peaceful Eid. Hope the Eid will bring joys and bless your lives. More importantly, I pray in these times, that we all stay safe.

Like always Ramzan went by so quickly. I cherished it spiritually but our realities tell us to be in misery, fear and sadness. I hope that the people who lost their loved ones in the plane crash have more courage to move on in life in the least painful way, if there is ever a less painful way. Miss my friend Ali a lot and I hope his wife Kiran and son Rayyan will make it through strongly.

It was in this Ramzan, that the world saw how two innocent brothers were brutally beaten to death while barbarians made videos of their misery. Hope their family will find justice as they wished. Their pain is unbearable to imagine. But our prayers are with the family.

And then the losses of the man made floods...though people in general have done a lot to make a difference. One mistake in Pakistan only breeds to more. We do not know what it will bring ahead.

This month, however, our tennis player Aisam did quite well internationally and Pakistanis realized this is the new sport to go crazy about, and thus facebook status updates are now updated in the same peculiar fashion :P although he was there for many years and has improved with time. He qualified in the finals of both mixed doubles and mens doubles with his partners of the US Open championship. Brings us pride. His speech was peaceful and honest.

Friggin VIP Culture

So it's Eid time already. I have to admit, I really found this Ramzan tough. I didn't even fast the way I used to. I couldn't function this year without food...didn't have the energy to go on like that and the fasts were quite long. Therefore, I really admire all those who did not find excuses and kept on fasting no matter how tough the timings were. Hugs to all my friends who did!

Well, I have to put down a few things today. We had decided that we will go to Hyderabad one day for food - karhai or pallay (fish). So, on the 2nd last roza we set out for dinner. It was a long drive. It was beyond Sajjad's and Al Habib etc. Quite a scary dark ride with few cars and bumpy road. The policemen stopped us once for nothing but Eidi.

We reached this nameless restaurant. It was quite cold there. I rarely enjoy food but I loved the karhai there. It was very tasty. The chicken tikka was just fine. And it wasn't that expensive either. A good time out. Quite a few families were there. However, the trees in the surroundings gave a haunting look.

What I do want to mention is that while we were out to enjoy the night and while most of the city was outside shopping and doing last minute prep for eid some extremely inconsiderate people happened to encounter us more than once. Different people from the same fraternity but doing the same shit. I have always hated it. It is a norm especially during PPP's regime. There are so many VIP movements for no friggin reason with so much security. One somebody is going in a big brand new car often with no number plate as well from one house to another with 4-5 cars behind for security reasons. The traffic is blocked while they run away with irritating sirens.

As we were coming back home we had 2 such encounters. Some complex bureaucratic shit or superiority complex (whatever you may call them)...thinking we are above everyone else mode. We thought there is an ambulance a couple of times but saw these VIPs every time. The third time we didn't bother and it was an ambulance actually. It is a scary thought...there are times when these shitty movements are being done, ambulances find it difficult to reach their destinations.

I have been writing about my anger against these movements every where, even on other people's blogs. I just want people to think that it's wrong. We are being indifferent to everything actually now. People have stopped caring unless they get stuck in jams themselves. Only if you're in the mess, then it's a problem otherwise all's good.

Killing Time

I have a very strong feeling this year I am gonna have so much trouble fasting. I am almost dead now. The clock is just not ticking it seems. I am looking at the needles and they are not moving. They are actually not.

At work everybody was so dull too. In my lil breaks I just went upstairs and I saw dead people everywhere. There was just no energy no where. People were actually waiting for 4 o' clock. But, as I said time was so ridiculously stagnant it was torturing. Every moment was a killer. I do feel 9 am -4 pm is a weird timing though.

Oh my god, I just saw Altaf Hussain's pic on one of the channels right now. This was the last thing I wanted to see. His speeches are so funny in a unique style. What a story teller. I remember I actually recorded one of his speeches from my cell phone...it sounded so funny. Way too dramatic to be true. But the funny part is that it actually happens and his followers love it.

I don't really make many videos myself. But there was this particular teacher at SZABIST - Shafi Azam. He was very interesting...not the typical sort of teachers you come across. Really intellectual person who focused more on grooming the brain rather than just teaching the course books. I made his video :P he looked funny too so engrossed and lost. I was really shocked when my friend Mustafa called me up and told me Shafi Azam passed away. He was a good person. And then later I was checking my yahoo inbox, which I hardly check in 3 months or even more and I actually saw his emails. It's sad.

It's a freaky feeling that I get time and again...one day I will be gone but my facebook, orkut and all the other profiles will remain.

And suddenly I hear Altaf Bhai again...he is talking ... it's sounds as if he is crying. So unpleasant I swear.

I am just killing time right now so am gonna write whatever thought comes to my mind...

I was lucky enough that Sarosh sahab received my call today and we finally updated each other about our lives. I thought of calling someone else as well but then I didn't...Recently I decided that I shouldn't run after people and keep calling them because they are not the only busy people in the whole world. I do get angry but then I do give them a call again thinking what the hell. It's just that when people really care it just shows...little things make a difference.

Nadzy and I were talking that how inspired we were with that old movie Lamhe. Actually, I love that movie and it's songs. I can watch it anyday anytime. I really believed in one of the messages the movie gave since 1992-3 that if you love someone just let the person know...the most the person would do is say NO but at least you would have no regrets in your life. I actually don't. But I don't know if I would tell someone again ... but since I'm unpredictable I can't really say myself.

I enjoyed playing Mafia Wars and I planned to go to Cuba and I have :) But now the charm is kinda over. This Ramzan I will play many games. Last year, I remember playing cricket and tennis online. We were all tense because of the way things were at work - client agency thing and the pitch to follow all that. So, it was kind of strange. That was quite a sucky time...there were times when I felt so insulted from both ends :P And somethings nobody can really understand because the real feeling is quite different.

I can smell pakoras :) I can see the promo of Bold & the Beautiful and I always wonder it's such a shitty show - everyone has slept with everyone in it. It has so lingered on. I don't even feel like watching it.

I must just stop writing now...should just watch tv till iftari.

Ramzan’s Here & There Comes The Stalker Again

It’s the peaceful month again and I am always amazed to see how quickly it passes. I enjoy Ramzan a lot…it brings a lot of high spirits. The best thing about this time is that at least I genuinely feel good, a better person somehow.

Although last year I found Ramzan to be tough. And this year I have a similar feeling. I think I’ll be a zombie this time. I don’t enjoy shopping much during Ramzan. Last year I remember I almost fainted. I hate the black outs. I am walking and then suddenly the black out just kills the entire mood and me. Everything stops.

But yeah there is a lot of other not so interesting stuff happening too. The people drive like mad. Every year we witness fights on the roads. Roza lagta hai tou sab pagal hojatay hain…sabar se kaam nahi lete…as if they are the only ones fasting. The office timings are less. I get more time to sleep J and countless media iftaris. But I love the iftari at home the most.

And now I’d like to share with my dear friends who don’t already know this that Ramzan brings with itself a unique sort of holy experience for me. Since, the past 3-4 years I believe, from the 1^st of Ramzan my all time stalker starts bugging me. I don’t know who that is for sure...everybody has grown and things have changed so much…but this man has not. Now, it has already begun. I have received the first Ramzan sms already in his weird childish not so funny style. If by mistake I receive the call, then he starts calling me endlessly with different numbers. There are so many numbers there’s no point blocking any number. I do believe he is a psycho with a lot of time. I don’t understand the pleasure one get by doing all this.

I just want to put his text messaging style here so that even when I’m gone my stalker remains.

“Aap baat karna munasib nahi samajh rahi. Achi baat ha…Its OK. Par ap ko disturbed karna ka mind nahe ha mara…I know, mujhay inform ghalat hua. Bahir haal aap yaqeenan bohat achi larki ho. Mujh se aap tang hue…es k liye really sorry!!! Dua mai yaad rakhna.”

Somethings in life really don’t teach me nothing. This is one of those things.

Anyway, I do hope this Ramzan something really special happens and life changes for the better. And all my dear ones find peace and their prayers are answered.

Peace to all the people I know.

Happy Ramzan!