RANT !!!

Isn't it simply blood-boiling when all you want to do is simply catch up on a thread on 'Pakistani Wmen's Issues' and you keep getting the same message again and again:

Bad, bad server. No donut for you

Unfortunately, the orkut.com server has acted out in an unexpected way. Hopefully, it will return to its helpful self if you try again in a few minutes.

It's likely that the server will behave this way on occasion during the coming months. We apologize for the inconvenience and for our server's lack of consideration for others.

What-the-F-Ever!

Listen, just let me friggin' get on my thread! Why do people make things thay can't fix when broken?

*sigh*

I'm about to go off on a tangent here now.

Orkut is SO addictive. I swear, I have done nothing today except Orkut.

ORKUT ORKUT ORKUT

My boss will kill me if he finds out. LOL.

Back to the matter at hand, right now, my whole 'communites' page won't load. At least that's better than this morning, where ALL my communities would load except for PWI: THE ONLY ONE I WANTED TO GO TO!

Is there some supercomputer somewhere in the world that monitors what I want and then DOESN'T give it to me? BLEH

Well, at least it's an improvement on a few days ago ... when I could read all my threads ... but none of my patiently written posts would SHOW UP!!!

Right, I'm gonna go now ... my thread's showing now. I guess ranting DOES work. It takes your mind of the problem while the problem slowly apporaches a resolution.

Okay, so let's rant about Dubai rents now ....

Life without Mirchi is so Pheeki

If Mirchi was here right now, he'd tell me to 'check myself before I wrecked myself'.

LOL, I miss Mirchi. And no, my blog isn't going to become one long sob stroy of how I miss the people who aren't very actively a part of my life anymore.

But really, how can I not miss Mirchi? I remember the first time I met him ... infact ... the memory extends to BEFORE I actually met him.

It was Valentine's day afternoon (which also happens to be Arfiamn's B'day - yes, I married Cupid intentionally). Hinamommy and her hubby and me and mine were going for a picnic in the park. (Yes! PICNIC IN THE PARK: those were the days when I used to have a five day job that allowed me to have a life on Saturdays).

So there we were at the Emarat station (or was it Eppco?) outside Creek Park, in the car - Hinamommy and I - patiently waiting for Arfiman to emerge from the Shop with cans of assorted fizzy drinks and other equally unhealthy perishables.

Out comes Arfiman RUNNING.

"It's MIRCHI!" he shouts at us. "What do you mean you're IN TOWN?!!" he shouts into the phone.

And all of a sudden Hinamommy is jumping up and down too. "Mirchi's in TOWN?! Ohmigod ohmigod!"

I understand none of it.

"Who is Mirchi?" I complain. "And why does everyone except ME know him?"

I forget the fact that this whole group of people who are now part of my life are adopted from Arfiman - and they have been a part of his life for YEARS. Mirchi was obviously one of the people from 'back then' who had suddenly entered the picture again.

Hinamommy was even more 'ohmigod'ing now - more so from the fact that she FINALLY was in a situation where a returnee was know to HER and not to another member of the group (before me, Hinamommy was the newest implant into the group).

"Ha!" she gave me a triumphed look and proceeded to tell me about Mirchi.

Later that day - after our picnic in the park - Arfiman and I went to meet Mirchi at his hotel. I didn't really care: he was just another boy ... somebody from my fiance's past. (Yes, these are the days of Yore when Arfiamn and I were merely engaged to be married)

I came away thinking 'My goodness, what a weird boy".



I gathered a number of things about him:
1. He was paranoid
2. He had just returned from Hong Kong
3. He was paranoid
4. He used to be in AUD with Arfiman
5. He was paranoid

I didn't think we would have much in common. Except for maybe our foot size ...



Ha! Mirchi soon became my adopted Little Brother (forget the fact that he was about four years older than me and a HINDU! lol). We would talk on the phone for hours. When I felt down, he'd be downstairs in his Pajero to cheer me up. He was one of the people without whom my wedding would have been incomplete. He helped decorate for the mehndi, he helped put clingfilm on Arfiman's and my honeymoon suite toilet seats and filled our honeymoon suite towels with foam and hid all the soaps and put alarm clocks all over the room so we couldn't sleep all night on Arfiman's and my first night together.

I would argue endlessly with him about trivial things and would drag him out of the house when he least felt like it. We ended up with identical tiger print couches.

His last day with us ... he and I went for a chaat and bhelpuri. I made him drink Coke. He never drinks coke.



And then he went away. To Hong Kong again. And I said to him "Why did oyu have to come anyway?" but i didn't really mean it.

We all miss you so much Mirchi. We miss your constant whining and your never-ending pessimistic outlook towards Dubai. We're too optimistic without you ;)

*sigh*

This started out as a post about something else entirely and ended up being something entirely else.

Well, I think I should go do some work now, but soon, i will be back with The Dilemma (which - if i don't check myself - might make me 'wreck myslef'?!!!).

Not really, it's not a life-altering Dilemma really. Just one that involves me making less money VOLUNTARILY.

Ha! Keeping you on a limb here now Dear Readers ....

Dedicated to my Fraand, Ms. M.

7/5/2005, 5:10 AM:
I like yours backpack style. Please frandship me.

I'm doing good, Alhamdullillah, dearest... life is mundane sometimes to the limit of madness and the only cure I have is more madness so we're neck-to-neck these days. If you have a little red apple to feed me that can make past scars go away I'd buy that... go on.. rummage in your backpack.. anything there??

Wese you are right.. sometimes dreams are really strange.. but also sweet... ... they just tell you what you're thinking of mostly ... hehe.. and that means that yes indeedy-o you're spending too much time orkuting if you have had that nightmare.. allt he same.. it is very flattering.. *snooty* ...

My dreams are always in color.. always full of characters, places .. vivid and bright... what does that mean, I wonder.. But then again.. I wonder about so many tings...

HAHA.. told ya.. more madar....

5:11 AM: CLARIFICATION
not tings.. i do NOT wonder about tings!!

I wonder about things!! THINGS!! THINGS, damn keyboard, THINGS!!

Please don't judge MY subconcious... slip of keyboard... Things... for cryin out loud...

5:13 AM
And since I'm mad and I can get away with everything.. here is something from my blog... if you haven't checked it lately..

Ajj ki Amad...
Raat suhani khwaab suhanay,Rim jhim si barsaaton main...
Phool, hawayen, khushbu, badal,Rangon ki soghaaton main...
Garm dopehr main thandi chayaMeethi meethi baton main...
Bhul bhulayan khail bahanayHaath hain daalay hathon main...
Baant chukay adam ki bastiKat gaye insaan zaaton main.

Out of the blue you meet someone random from another part of the world. What starts as horn-locked battle (a discussion on 'Why Pakistanis are becoming so Indianized': with Her being the Diehard Patriot and me the Anti-National) eventually simmers down to the realization that two people with very similar ideals can be so passionate about two different sides of the coin.

A realization that what makes you hate something with a passion is also what makes Her love it with a ferocity ... all depending on where you stand ... which side of the bleachers you watch the match from.

In animosity you find a friend to share random thoughts with, someone who understands you even though they might not agree with you.

And then one day, the very thing that keeps you hooked to the cyberworld is what forces Her to delete Her cyberpresence into oblivion.

"It all became too public" She tells you. "I must leave because it drew too much attention to me."

And you realize how someone's worst nightmare can be someone else's fantasy ...

I do miss you, Ms. M.

Ten Questions I Am Afraid I Will Never Get To Ask

1. Why is there a mushroom groing under my desk? (unless I move to Spain and have my office in my garden)

2. Why is there a cow in my car? (unless my car is parked in a field of daisies)

3. Where did I put my shiny yellow gharara? (unless I die and go to Hell)

4. What time is Jen coming to lunch? (Jen being short ror Jennifer Aniston)

5. Should I have not invited Angie ... what if jen gets upset? (Angie being ... y'know ... Tomb Raider chick)

6. Why did you spend my one million dollars without asking me if I had any other change left? (HA!!!)

7. Have you seen my red Lamborghini? It's the one with real gold plated rims .... (HA HA!!! ... and that's not counting my blue one with the paltinum-plated rims)

8. WHERE THE FUCK IS MY 54KARAT DIAMOND RING?!!!! (in a world where I could not onlyafford gems, but would also LIKE to)

9. Why did that rich Sheikh die and leave me ALL his property, including his 3 islands in the carribean? (i get greedier ....)

10. Why Diana, why? Why did you marry that monkey called Charles?!!!

My Pink Thumb

Pink Thumb is the extrme opposite of Green Thumb ... which is what you call it when every piece of flora that stay in your possession for a period of more than 48 hours turns a nasty shade of pink and kind of disintegrates .

Pink Thumb is what I think I have got.

Please pay close attention to Exhibit 'A'. Four weeks ago, it was given to us by Smoky and Mrs. Smoky as an anniversary present. Those were the days when it was healthy and green and had about 200 leaves. Now it it is kind of sickly, kind of pink and has 36 leaves. Yes, I counted.

Do you know what time it is when you can count the leaves on your plant? No, it is not 'time to get a new plant,' it is 'time to stop thinking about getting plants'. Get them WHY? So you can kill them?!!

Tsk tsk.

And now please proceed to Exhibit 'B'. A very healthy, leafy plant given to us by Hinamommy not one day ago. Please stay tuned for monthly updates on the inevitable deleafing and eventual death of Exhibit 'B'.

PS: Exhibit 'A' does seem to have some pointy green protrusions at the very tips of its shrivelled and dried branches. Is it some kind of a last attmept at life?

Peek A Boo!

Here's a peek of my favorite baby girl ...



We love you so much :)

My Family And Other Animals

I am a total sucker for genealogy. And for ages I have tried and tried to trace my family waaaaaaaaaaay back ... could we possibly be hailing from the Mughuls? Hell, even the Mongols would do.

I came across one tiny set back though: I don'tknow any names beyond that of my dada. And even that, I only know the first half of. I think I know my nana's last name ... no, actually I don't.

Arrgh.

So I ran futile searches on 'Zainul Abedin' (which was useless as it was my dada's first name) and on 'Farooq' (equally useless as it is papa's first name) and even on 'Farooque' (which is a self-styled last name as I am overly-particular about correct usage of a 'ue' in conjunction with a 'q').

And I turned up nothing.

Nada. Zilch.

Man, I think we were DEPORTED to this planet or something.

And just when the going gets tough, the tough get married into one of Paksitan's most prominent families.

Nya-ha-ha-ha :)

Did you know that my Granduncle-in-law was Pakistan's first Prime Minister? *shine shine*

Ans os as one thing normally leads to another on the internet (as it does in real life, come to think of it) vanity googling turned into some Genealogy research on my NEW family and you know what?

My kids will be able to trace themselves back to the 13th century.

Aparently, their dad hails from the lineage of one Malik Mahmud Khan alias Qutb-ud-din Khan, Governor of Samana during the reign of Bahlol Lodi, Emperor of Delhi. Bahlol Lodi and Mahmud Khan being cousins themselves. And what exciting familyhistory it is ... tales of war and betrayal, takeovers and martyrs. Wow.

Apparently, the Ali Khan clan also owns 60 villages in some place called Karnal. Damn, and we're having a tough time paying our rent. :o

Also, the present Head of House of the Ali Khans is a Rukn-ud-Daulah Shamsher Jang Bahadur Nawab SHAHZAD ALI KHAN, Head of the Mandal-i-Nousherwani Family, born 27th August 1949.

Shall I present myself and ask for my due share in the inheritance?

Or shall I just be content in the knowledge that my own children will never fall prey to misgivings that they were banished to Planet Earth from a Galaxy far Far Away ...

Tagged!

I haven't been tagged, but I'll start the chain anyway ...

5 years ago: I was a freshie at Indus. I was in my 2nd semester. I thought I would grow up to be a graphic designer, living and working in karachi, and I'm an ediotr in Dubai instead. I thought I would get married to a certain boy but instead I haven't thought of him for YEARS. Gul and I used to be friends and I thought we'd always be, but we hvan't spoken for ages instead. Annie was in Sir Syed Uni and I thought she'd become an engineer, but she became a model instead.

1 year ago: I was a four-week-old bride. I had applied for a job as a nursery teacher. LOL.

5 songs i know all the words to: pehla nasha, wada raha sanam, all that she wants, sar kiyey yeh pahar, purani jeans ...actually ... the words of almost all my fav. songs just come to me once I sing along ...

5 snacks i enjoy: Karachi key raodside french fries, koi si bhi bhel puri, kethcup flavored cheese bugles, salted almonds, chinese crackers.

5 things I'd do with a million dollars: That's about 3.6 million dirhams. I would buy that 2-plus-1 bedroom flat we saw in The Greens, put it up on rent and quit my job. No wait, buy TWO of thsoe and put BOTH on rent and both Arfiman and i can quit our jobs. That leaves us with 1.6 million. Buy Arfiman his Gallardo ... pack it up in a garage for a few weeks and go on an Around the World holiday. :)

5 places i would run away to: sumetha's house, Istanbul, the beach, my bathroom, 'canada park' when i was eight with all my friends from back then.

5 things i would never wear: a corset, anything lime green, anything with a VPL, fishnet stockings, platform shoes.

5 favourite TV shows: Friends, X Files, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu thi, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Full House.

5 greatest joys: being out in the rain, cooking something that turns out really well, surprise visits to Ammi when i skive off work in the afternoons, spooning with Arfiman for 'five more minutes' after the alarm goes off at 7:30 in the morning ('five more minutes' normally ends up being more like half and hour and we both get shamefullylate for work), driving back home in my Lumina singing along to 'Ya Ghali' with the dubai wind blowing through my hair.

5 favourite toys: I'm not a toy person. I can't think of a single 'toy' i am attached to currently. Does my car count as a toy? Does Arfiman? My Shisha?

Now, I tag Arfiman, Hinamommy, Smoky, Kirna and Bhayya. :)

Purple!

What is your anime hair color?
brought to you by

Random

I have PINK toenails
I have a BAD COLD
I have a 128 MB memory stick
I have a lot of WORK
I have a RED car ...

... in which i will now drive home, admiring my pink toenails, because I have a bad cold (and because I love my pink pedicure) and I will take some work home on the 128 MB memory stick that I will not touch.

I will watch Kuch Kuch Hota Hai instead.

And I will remember all over again that I have seen this movie enough times to know the entire script by heart. Enough times to know exactly which parts make me cry (they do, even after allthese times). Enough times to know that when it rains and Anjali runs to Rahul and Rahul says 'I love you', I should keep a tissue box at hand because if it's one scene in a movie that can make me cry, this is it.

And then maybe I will water my one plant, check to see if the dinner I cooked last night is still good to eat and then wander aimlessly around the flat ... gathering dust bunnies on my bare soles.

I will NOT, however, touch the work I brought home on my 128 MB memory stick.

I will, instead, relish the thought of having work and being able to afford just letting it BE.

Tiny Concessions

The Bad News is that the Boss is yelling so loudly that I can't even hear myself think.

The Good News is that he's not yelling at me.

:)