People, Magazines & "The Act" in the Loo

Ever wondered why people take something to read when they go to the loo. OK, going to the loo for a long time that is. Yes I am talking about number 2 here.

I was thinking why do I need to take something to read when I got to go shit. It has just passed on to us from generation to generation and we have taken it quite mindlessly.

If we think about history, what did people use to do when paper was not invented. No readable material. Lets think about this now. I think its all about being distracted from the task at hand. People dont want to think about the act that they are in the process of doing and hence want to think about something else. The easiest could be to take something to read.

Okay so in the earliest of days, people used to do it out in the woods. Out in the open. So there was always nature to look at, be distracted. Lots of people still enjoy doing it in the pre-historic way even today. Its like man connecting with the past, with his truest self.

So when they started writing on leaves and stuff and started thinking about doing it in caves as in somewhere private, I am wondering did they take their leaves with them?

Of course then newspapers were invented and people used to take news into the loo. This worked well until recently when newspapers and the news printed became mundane and the objective of being distracted from the act went away. Taking a newspaper in the loo became more of something to get distracted from the news rather than the other way around.

That's when magazines, novels and comics became in style. Colorful material, mindless comedy. It all works for distraction tactics from the act considered disgusting by most people. Its something people are embarrassed to talk about. I am not one of those people at all, as it might clearly show from this post.

In recent times, with everything changing to electronic, I know people take their mobile phones, ipods, electronic readers and what not with them as something to spend time on. RSS readers in such devices are a great tool used by people.

Ever thought why the English form (left) of the toilet is preferred from the Squat form (right). I'll let you in on the secret. How the hell do you maintain balance while reading a newspaper, magazine or an ipod, smartphone etc? This is not possible on the Squat Form of the toilet.

I have not really been a toilet reader until recently. I used to be somebody who used to enjoy that moment of solitude, think about stuff. I still believe that royal seat is a great place to think about world peace, save the environment, economy and all those big things that politicians debate about in big meetings and conferences with not much success. I think they should all sit in their toilets and think about it there. They would have much more ideas and we would have something more solid come out of meetings similar to the one we had in Copenhagen recently.

Anyway, its only recently that I started taking things I like to read with me. What I have realized was that I am spending much more time than I would do normally before. I mean it used to take about 10-15 minutes and I was done. This of course doesn't apply to the morning visits cos that's when I catch up on sleep sitting on the loo doing nothing. You can actually sleep on the seat and the your body relieving of the unwanted stuff on its own. Its like auto-pilot and works well for me.

But those 10-15 minutes originally have now turned to close to an hour and do you know why? Its because of the reading material I take. See, if you start an article, you got to finish it right? So even if you are done with the main act, you got to sit there a little longer to finish the article or at least reach a logical break. So it can become a cat and mouse chase between an article and what you are doing if you are suffering from lose motions.

You start shitting and when you are done, you are trying to finish a section of the article. Then while you are finishing the article, its starts coming again, so you start another article and so forth. The good thing is that you can't shit forever and its usually the article that wins in the end or other people in the family who have been waiting for you and banging on the door.

Whats your distracting past-time while in "The Act"?

A Thoughtful Afternoon Wait

I think being on Annual Leave is one of the biggest blessings in life. Here is one of those "You Know..." phrases that I came up with,

You know you are on annual leave when you spend an hour at Dunkin Donuts shop waiting for somebody and doing nothing else. Just waiting and nothing else.

I actually did the above and the worst thing was I didn't even order something. That was kinda rude and at a loss for the business as well cos I was occupying a table and 2 chairs at the lunch time rush hour.

This friend of mine who I hadn't met for quite some time had promised we meet over coffee and since being on leave was something only I had, he had the pleasure of getting stuck with his boss for little longer leaving me to suffer.

I wrote "suffer" but while coming up with this post, I realized that if I were in any other situation than being on annual leave, I would have been frustrated, angry and pretty pissed off. The fact that I was on annual leave and pretty much free, I didn't "suffer" at all. I actually enjoyed the extra hour of peace and freedom.

I was sitting at a nice angle, watching the traffic go by. Watching how the Karachi culture has changed so much and where it was now very much acceptable to step outside during lunch hour to have lunch or coffee with somebody from the opposite gender. In our times (not too much in the past), that was an act of much bravery and courage and seen with an eye of judgment by the bystanders.

Anyway, there was a gang of about 15 ladies on the table close to me, all of them obviously housewives guessing by the topics being discussed. Domestic issues and who should get married to whom and the update on latest episodes, from the day before on all the soaps aired on all possible channels.

Then there was stud gang of 5 guys looking like they worked for a bank. Young bankers are quite evident by the way they dress. I think the pants they wear should be called banker pants or something cos they are so unique. Butts sticking out and the rest of the pants sticking tight on the legs. Then those traditional long pointy shoes 99% chance of it being black.

I noticed a group of young college/university guys coming in and snickering at this poor guy (ME) waiting for somebody. Obviously, their level of thought could only take them to think that I was waiting for someone special. I felt like Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail when she waited for NY152 to come meet her as ShopGirl. I was missing the book and the rose but that doesn't matter. How could I tell those youngsters that the person awaited is not even close to what I would call a dream date. No offense mate.

The funny thing was that after 15-20 minutes I saw those teenagers again sneaking around to see, whether the most awaited person of my life had arrived or not. Is she worth waiting for? Is she a celebrity? All this while I was thinking, I wish I were that lucky.

Anyway, to satisfy the Shop Guy who was now giving me the looks, I ordered a coffee as my friend was taking much longer.

I would say doing nothing is quite a blessing if you are able to do it and get away with it. I think I did exactly that on that afternoon. It was a moment of realization as to how busy we have made ourselves. How overly occupied we have become with our lives that spending an hour doing nothing is a moment to celebrate or as the reader would have noticed, come up with a whole blog-post.

My friend arrived and apologized as much as he could and in fact bought me lunch as well. I didn't mind the treat but the truth that he didn't realize was how this was something I was thankful to him. Rather than an apology from him, I should have been the one to get him something for making me realize the value of freedom and how we don't have it anymore. How we have become slaves to our very own lives in pursuit of our dreams, a good life for our family, responsibilities and what not.

Are we really free as we claim to be? That is definitely something to ponder upon.

A Walk to Remember

It was a hardly a 5-minute walk but it was one to remember as it left me in a long chain of thoughts.

The weather entering its winter-bests. Nice sunshine, enough to create shadows and absolutely beautiful as long as you try to not look at it. The soft cold breeze hitting us and sending a slight chill through the body. I was walking with my daughter following me.

I was noticing her as she was not enjoying the sun hitting her eyes. She unconsciously stepped at an angle behind me. An angle that brought her right into my shadow, taking her away from the sun in her eyes. An angle that could have been painted by an artist. Where is a sasta (cheap :P) artist when you need him.

A moment of pride for the dad. That's the role I would aspire to play. Be the shadow which keeps my family away from the sun. Be the feeling of protection.

The other aspect on a different line of the same thought was my daughter finding her way in my shadow. Moving on the same path that I tread and yet trying to sneak out to enjoy the sun for a while as well. I would not want my children to follow exactly my life. They should take the good things I learnt, avoid the mistakes I made and be brave enough to step out in the sun themselves and "try life" on their own as well.

We reached a place where we had to go over a tape into the parking lot. I got clear instructions from the little one. Baba, I'll go under and you go from the other side. Baba can't go under. I realized no matter how young one is, once he has a generation under him, he will be treated with a little bit of "buzurgi" (respect for the elderly).

While walking towards the car, she refused to hold my hand and I couldn't stop smiling as I walked ahead and then... I heard a fall. Then a soft to loud shriek of pain.  My daughter had slipped and had fallen. She was obviously waiting for Baba to come and pick her up. I did the same as expected and felt a bit wanted as well. It was difficult to see her tell me earlier that she doesn't need my hand to hold anymore. Its a mixed feeling when your child tells you that.

Anyway, a bit of story-telling and taking mind off the fall worked and we were driving ahead, back on track. However, during these last 5 minutes I entered yet another stage in life where I have mixed feelings.

I have to learn to grow out of this. I have got to prepare from now so that I am strong enough to let go of them when the time comes.

Once upon a Poet ... again... :P

Continuing from the previous post with the same topic, I found one more piece of my poetry which I really like myself also. Enjoy.

Khwahish
Falak pay pichlee raat toota jo ek taara
Mein nay nikaal liya apni khwahishaat ka paara
Khuda ko bhee meri taqdeer par reham aagaya
Shayed nazar aaya uss mein naam tumhara hee tumhara

O for Oprah

I was roaming around one of these malls and saw the magazine stand. It had the latest version of "O". That is the name of Oprah Winfrey's magazine. I was just amazed at the concept of how lucky this woman is.

The success has come to her like anything. She is pretty much the most lucky person in the whole world, considering men or women.

She is the probably the richest woman in the world and she has done that by moving with time. From a TV show she has spread her wings everywhere. On the Internet, publications, marketing, movies and what not.

When Oprah says something people believe. That's such a huge power to have. People say she had a great quiet yet major role to play in Obama's win also. She can make people cry, she can make people laugh.

And after enjoying all that power she has done something that I don't know anybody else has done. She owns a letter of the alphabet. The letter "O". Yes she owns it. Nobody else can ever own that letter.

There are only 26 alphabets in the English Language and owning one is absolutely unique. Considering the letter O is pretty much the most important letter considering women (:P) that is a huge achievement.

The good thing is that she is quite modest and gives back to society so she is not a villain at all. People like her.

For readers who are wondering why I would write about Oprah, keep wondering cos I am wondering too. And NO, watching Oprah is not my favorite past-time. Promise.

A World without Mirrors

I was inspired by my own post. Yes that can happen and yes that is allowed. I love that post of mine and was reading it again. That led to another thought.

What if the world was without mirrors. What if the mirror was never invented. The disadvantage would be that we would not be able to see ourselves. We may never become dressed up or clean or presentable. In fact those words may not ever have been invented.

On the other hand, since nobody knows how one looks there would never be the concept of beautiful or ugly. I so want the world to be that. No more judging anybody.

Nobody would be able to say anything about anybody since they would not know how they look. So they would always be careful of the fact,  what if I look more ugly or something.

People would just go on with their lives. No rating anybody. You are what you do and not what you look. Random thoughts. Had to flush it out.

Attention Wanting

Why does it feel when I am in the process of writing a blog or tweet or update my status on the gazillion social networking sites that I have accounts... that i want attention. I guess that's exactly why... I do want attention...

But I am not the only one right? That applies for all humans regardless of whether they are as addicted to the Internet like me or not. We all have this natural in-born craving to get noticed. We like to stand out in a crowd. Not all the time but once in a while we do.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you do. Its not about how much money you make. Its not about on what level of the food-chain you are. The high ups get noticed anyway. But even the ones at the bottom of the pile get noticed for being at the bottom of the pile.

Whether it is at a professional level at work. One wants to do well. Speak up in a meeting. Get a job well done just to get noticed. On the other side, it could be a casual get-together with friends or family. It could be a simple walk in the park but you could get the craving to wear something that would make you stand out or do something different.

This is all regardless of how good or worthless one feels at any particular moment in time. This is really bothering me by the way.

The strange part is that you could be at either extreme to get noticed. Extreme behavior is easily noticed. Best or worst, you are breaking news.

I think its only moderation where one can get away without getting noticed...or wait... on second thought, even those people would get noticed. This time people would say, this person is a good moderate guy. He doesn't do anything extreme. You can have the craving to be moderate as well to get noticed.

If you are at the top, you get noticed. If you are the bottom, you get noticed. If you are somewhere in the middle, you'll get noticed.

Should I be feeling insecure? Regardless of what we do or don't do, we'll get noticed? If we don't get noticed, we'll follow our natural instinct to do something to get noticed. We are made strange beings, that's for sure.

Words of Silence

Its always amazed me how some great actors can act without saying a word.

Take Charlie Chaplin as a first example. We used to roll over laughing seeing his short movies and not many people know that he acted seriously as well making people cry. Now that's amazing.

Take Amitabh Bachan. He has proven all those loud dialogues wrong with his own form of quiet acting. Over a period of many years we have seen his dialogues becoming less and less. Amitabh Bachan says less and facial expressions and body language say more. Just wonderful acting. I sometimes wonder what a treat it would be for the people watching the shooting. How many tears would fall on the set? How many people would get emotionally charged? Such a great talent.

Its old fashioned but true. When the eyes do the talking with not much said, that is the most beautiful romantic scene, one could create.

Kuch bhee na kaha aur keh bhee gay....
Kuch kehtay kehtay reh bhee gaye...

I tried translating that but it didn't bring the essence out. Words in Urdu just don't translate into the same feeling in English. Strange.

Anyway, have you seen Mimes? I think I have written about them before also but they just mystify me. It is absolutely unbelievable how they can communicate with just expressions. Not even a sound. They can make you cry and laugh with them. Salute to the talent.

Then lets bring in Classical dancers. Fasih-ur-Rahman, Nighat Choudhary, Sheema Kirmani... Oh my God, WOW!! See some stuff they can come up with. Search the names on Youtube. Yet again, nothing said yet so much expressed. Just beautiful. Plain, simple beautiful.

Body language is a more useful gift we have than our tongues. You can see your boss and if you concentrate well enough, you'll know whats he thinking. Is it a good day to talk about your promotion? Or is it just better to wait for that one more day? It could be a decision that could change your life.

What about the wife? Some people would say, "Yeah, so what about the wife?" People, watch out. Keep your eyes open. Just focus and concentrate and you'll know when to do the things you are supposed to do and what not to do the things you are not supposed to do. It all works out in the end.

We all can express so much without saying anything. Think about it.

BV

This particular abbreviation could mean many different things to different people. All depending on the mood, the thought, the mindset, at a particular moment in time.

What made me write about this is pretty interesting.

One fine day at work, I was about to dial my boss's number which is set on auto-dial on my desk phone on the Star (*) key. On the Pound (#) key is none other than my one and only beloved wife. Something struck me at that very moment in time.

It was like I am the Zero (0) - good for nothing - stuck in the middle of the my 2 BVs. Begum-V and Boss-V.

Ek taraf begum, ek taraf boss, mein beech mein phansa bechara...

Once upon a Poet... :P

In the early days when Urdu poetry started making sense and the feeling that the "shayers" (poets) express through words are actually felt, it was natural to start rhyming some words and make out a few couplets here and there. While cleaning up an old carton today, out came of a piece of paper from the early days of UTP - The Poet.

Just so that this particular piece of poetry doesn't get lost in time, I wanted to put it up in the blogosphere. Please bear with me. I don't think I will ever write poetry again so criticize all you want.

Pehlay Kee Tarhan

Kya ab bhee mujhay ho chahti, pehlay kee tarhaan
Mujhay dekh kay ho sharmaati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Mein sab ko batata hoon apnay ishq kee daastaan
Tum ab bhee ho chupaati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Mein nay tumhein chaha, tum nay mujhay chaha
Phir ehsaan kyon ho jatati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Kya ab bhee raat ko batti nahi bujhaati
Kya ab bhee ho ghabraati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Mein nay tou chaaha rakh loon dil mein chuppa kay tum ko
Tum ab bhee nahin samaati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Tumhein bhoolnay kee koshish raaigaan hee challi gayee
Mujhay yaad ho ab bhee aati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Tumhein chorr chala jaaon ga, mazaqqan kaha tha mein nay
Par ho na tum jazbati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Tum hee ko mein hoon chahta, tum hee ho meray dilbur
Tum hee ho mujh ko bhaati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Meri baaton pay na jaana, mein ho gaya deewana
Sach mein ho yaad aati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Tumhein bhool jaaon jaana tumhee nay tou kaha tha
Ab kyon ho yaad aati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Ek Umr~ beeth gayee hay tum hee ko chahtay chahtay
Meri nafs hee hay bataati, pehlay kee tarhaan

Life goes on, No matter what

Sometimes when things are going one's way, he feels he is fully in control of his life. He is the master planner for his destiny. Everything is going to happen as I want. In come the big plans and it seems everything is just sorted out and one just has to live through it.

Then things change. The Master-Planner pushes a button and things turn upside down.

No matter how much we like to plan things. No matter how much we like things organized and managed. No matter how much in control we like to be. We really aren't, isn't it?

However, in good times or bad. In control or not. Life goes on, no matter what.

Come... Come... Yet Again...

For Allah who sends down love, unmeasured
Come.

Come, whoever you are,
Wanderer, worshiper, lover of learning,
It doesn’t matter.

Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times.
Come, come yet again.

Come.

Rumi

UTP - Revamped

Peekaboo!!! I see you...

I am back yes. After quite a longer time than planned. I had left you with one of the best posts I have ever thought off and I see that my feed-readers have gone up instead of going down. Quite a pleasant surprise to say the least while coming back online.

4 months is a long time to be away from blogging and I just couldn't find that spark to sit on and drive me back to blogging. Not that I have anything now either as you can see with my long-winded method of writing continues :P.

However, lot has happened in these 4 months. Its been a happening few months to say the least.

Lots of good things have happened. I passed my CISA exam which I had taken the break for originally. So gave the exam and got the results in all of this time of absence. Currently am in the process of getting certified.

I got promoted. Yes, the long awaited promotion came through. That was a big motivational boost in these tough times.

On the other side of things, I got a new look. Off goes the beard and in comes the shiny clean-shaved UTP. Most people say I have shed off a few years which wasn't exactly the idea as that was what the beard was there for in the first place. Anyway, trying to live without a beard for a little while. It takes the effort to shave in the mornings where UTP is as lazy as can be but lets see how long this lasts.

Change is never bad, I feel. Of course with the revamping of the look I needed a pair of sunglasses to go with it :P. Never been a big fan of them ever really. None of them suit my face but anyway, got a pair which I only wear while driving. Got a nice blue-tooth headset to link with my phone as well.

Added to that I got trained on Oracle Financials and Sharepoint Administration. Big boost to the resume considering I will get the opportunity in the upcoming year to implement and use that as well in a global project for the company.

So lots of good things to share and many upcoming as well. All good for now, knock wood (teesra kalma goes here plz...)

So with all that happening how can I just start blogging on the same theme. This blog needed a revamp as well and so you have it. A new theme to go with a new beginning. I can't promise being as regular as you would expect but hey its better than nothing.

Expression of feelings & thoughts through blogging is a very important element of life for me. So, a post here and a thought there, that is how its going to be. See you around.

Beauty-P or Bea-UTP :P

Creative with the title right? Hehe...I know its lame. But that's what today's post is about. Beauty as UTP sees it. I used the same content for a Toastmaster's speech this last Tuesday so thought I might as well make use of the effort and make a blog post out of it.

There is a famous folk story about Laila Majnoo. I am sure many people have heard of it. It goes that Laila was very dark in complexion and yet Majnoo was crazy about her. Let me narrate a beautiful verse...

Loagan aakhiya Majnay toon, oh tedi Laila rang dee kaali...
Majnoo aay jawab ditta, tu sakoon akh nahi dekharn wali...

Which roughly translates, people asked Majnoo, that your Laila is dark in complexion and Majnoo replied you don't have the eyes that see her beauty.

Its a point to quote the stereotype, "Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." That's exactly what I believe in as well.

The glossy magazine & advertisements showing zero-figure appearances of super-models females or otherwise have just distorted the image of beauty that we originally had. The true sense of beauty has got lost somewhere.

Ask the mother. Is your child beautiful? What a ridiculous question right?

Let me ask you. Is your mother beautiful? Are her wrinkly hands beautiful to you? I would probably get beat up if I ask that in public.

I can  tell you from personal experience that a new born baby in the hands of the father is the most beautiful and purest sight existent today. Unfortunately, the baby soon grows up and gets introduced to the pre-conceived notion of beauty as we have accepted as a given now. Soon she will realize that its a completely different version that is assumed by everyone so it must be true.

I fear a day when my daughter comes up to me and asks me, "Baby, am I ugly?" Now, what do I reply to that? Just because somebody called her ugly, she would come up and ask me that right?

I think the word ugly was just invented for the sake of it. They would have had the word beautiful since God made everybody beautiful. Then the devil's advocate came in and asked, "Who do we call somebody who is not beautiful?" And the so-called smart man who had been given intellect came up with the Smart Alec reply..."I know, I know...lets call it ugly..."

Ugly in itself has no stance whatsoever.

My question is, who are we to define the element of beauty? How did we assume that we have the right to call anybody ugly? Its just so unfair and displays extreme arrogance.

Is it looks? Most people believe so. Whether we accept or not, we do get attracted to beautiful and handsome, don't we? Well OK so God made them good-looking, beautiful-looking but that doesn't exactly mean that they are beautiful right. In the truest sense, beauty is something much more deeper.

It is something beyond the obvious. Its like you see a really juicy red apple and when you take a bite, it could be rotten inside. Its much much more deeper. Its not about the skin and more about the heart and soul. Its about the good deeds. Its about the behavior and nature.

When we judge beauty with our eyes, we can only see what is visible which is the skin, the appearance. I think in order to be able to see real beauty we need to open the eye of the soul so that we are able to see the other souls around as well.

Beauty can be different for different people. But the roots are very close.

In continuation from the verse above, let me take the next verse...

Chittay warq quran day, oh jehn kay siyahi rang dee kaali...

oh jehn naal dil arh paway, oh gori huay ya kaali...

Roughly translated as,

The paper of The Holy Quran is white as well. It only starts making sense when the Black ink falls on it. Majnoo trys to explain in a form of philosophy. When the heart likes somebody then it doesn't matter whether that person is white or black. WAH!!!

Beauty is what your eyes see. The purity of your heart will be able to see the beauty everywhere just like God created it. Just like He wanted you to see it. Take the material curtains off your eyes and open the eye of your heart.

There is nothing artificial about it. Look around you. Look at your home, your work, your school. Look at how beautiful God made this world. Go out and look at this world in a different way. See how the world looks back at you in a different way. Lets get back to the basics. Lets get back to the real beauty that exists even today.

How long will the assumed artificial beauty last anyway? 10 years? 20 years? Life is much longer than that, isnt it?

Economy Down the Flush

Bulley, Rock On!!!

I dedicate this post to one of the most frequent visitors here. Mr. Sidhu Saaheb. I found this guy in the blogosphere only and have never met him. I don't know how old he is. I don't know who he really is. I only know him from the way he writes and what he writes. I found his posts always insightful and of the highest quality.

We do share a love for Sufism, I feel. I have had some thoughtful comments on whatever few Bulley Shah posts I have had. There is much more to learn from him.

I am tracking back a nice post from him where he has compiled 4 songs which have taken Bulley's words and made a modernized version of it so it appeals to the masses and yet conveys the simple messages that Bulley left with.

Love the song Bandeya.

Winning Re-Defined

In this cut-throat world of competition where we are always striving for success and trying to win every battle that we get part of, it is very natural to be stressed out. It is inhuman to win every time with the way we define winning today.

We think we have to be the best to win. Winning doesn't always mean that.

Lets take an example of a contest which has some judges who decide who wins. It could be a beauty contest, a speech contest etc. Winning in a judged contest may not mean you were the best. Similar losing or coming second doesn't mean that you are bad. The fact of the matter is that improving and growing is the real way of winning.

Winning doesn't always mean being first, winning means you're doing better than you did before - Bonnie Blair

I like this quote specifically because it emphasizes on continuous improvement. Improving is winning. I think based on this point, it may be a better deal at times to come second. You still get the limelight for coming in second and yet you didn't get the award after which arrogance and feeling of perfection come in. It is very natural to feel there is nothing to improve upon if you came in first.

So lets re-define winning today. Winning is not being the best. Winning is more about improving and growing with every next attempt.

Bank Loans These Days

Lots of people amaze me. The concept of loans has just changed how we function. And in the words of Celine Dion, "Its all coming back to me now..." :P

There was a time when I used to get at least 2 phone calls a day from people for loans 20 times my salary!!! Crazy. Thank God I wasn't attracted towards it. Anyway, talk about the situation now. The graph is on the other extreme these days. I think the following illustrates it perfectly.







Read more posts from Friday Funnies

You Only Have What you Give

I feel much honored to be tracking back another post from Darvish

Every post that I read from this guy, it makes me go closer to God. The way he thinks and writes and quotes, it just shows what a beautiful mind he has.

Today's trackback is another of those great ones. You only have what you give. He quotes Isabel Allende, who is a Chilean novelist. She shares with us her loss of her daughter and how it taught her the lesson of how giving is the best way of living.

That led me to a thought of how selfish we are in our lives. We always want things for ourselves and never give enough. This doesn't only apply to material things or money. It also applies to things like knowledge, love, etc. Why are we so selfish? What are those things worth anyway? They only increase in value, the more we share.

Think about it.

Think Differently & Positively

I will a post a beautiful story...today...



A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."

What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Great men say, "Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness.. In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience."

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling.

And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

Punjabi Jingle

Traits of a Great Leader

I think I have said this before also. I just love simple to-the-point posts. Found a post with a great message under similar lines. Want to know the "Traits of a Great leader" in one simple post. Well here you go.

I have been following the Rozee blog as I find most of their posts very useful to keep learning new things which apply to the human element of us. Without taking away the spotlight from the blogpost, I will just list out the traits. You can read details on the post itself.

1. Integrity


2. Risk Takers


3. Natural Problem Solvers


4. Good Listeners


5. Consensus Builders


6. People Development


7. Enthusiastic


8. Eyes on the Prize


9. Good Teachers

Adjust The Sails

"We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails..."

I think its very natural to force something against nature. When things don't go our way, the more natural tendency is to try and fight the tide. Try and stand as a wall in front of it. We tend to forget that there is Nature that will take its way. One can't do anything about it.

There is a system that is running around us. The tides come in and go out. The wind changes direction. The earth shatters and volcanoes erupt. There are thunderstorms and hurricanes and tornadoes. There are enough things happening around us to at least realize that there is some Unseen Force that is making this world function with such precision.

In this world, there are things that will either go your way or will not go your way. Out of those things there are some things that you would have an influence on and some of them you wouldn't.

My question. Why sweat over things which you have no control on? Things which are going to happen no matter what you do or don't do. We tend to feel bad about things that happened because of something we did. We try to find logic out of things for which there is none and that is where we enter the zone of bringing ourselves down.

Here is the new strategy. Use nature to your advantage. If there is a forceful wind blowing against the direction that you want to go, use it well by just adjusting your sails and speeding your boat up. The best part about this anology is that for a sailboat, you can actually use the wind to go in an opposite direction than the wind itself.

So when things dont happen your way. The wind is blowing in some other direction. If you look beyond the obvious. If you stay positive. You can actually find a way to sail through while utilizing the strong wind to your advantage.

Just adjust the sails and keep moving. The tides will change again and the wind shall start blowing in the direction you want. That is when you can motor your way ahead.

FART & You Stand Alone

Recently, I was gifted a shirt which read...

"Smile and the world smiles with you..."

What nice gift right? Lots of smiling faces around it and I said, what a nice shirt. My joy was short lived as it quickly turned to laughter as I turned the shirt around. It read...

"FART and you Stand Alone..."

I have had an affiliation with farts for a long time. I even have a ustad or guru or teacher in the art of fart as well. My guru has the ability to do a Fart-on-Demand. Yes, you can ask for it and get it on demand. WOW, right?

He tried to teach me how to do that as well but I was always the bad student. Never practiced enough. In any case, he showed me the pleasure of releasing air from the backyard and feeling relaxed. He showed me how to live with no boundaries. By trying to make a better sound with every next one. By striving for a stronger smell with every next one.

Isn't that what a teacher supposed to do? Make you believe that you can do better that what you did? Salute to my teacher for making me believe in myself. Stretching me more than I thought I could go.

Did you have a teacher like that?

Wise Quotes Compilation

I just have to track-back this post from Inner Reflections Transcribed where a great combination of quotations have been compiled in one place. I usually am on the look out for such stuff to derive my Motivational Mondays posts as each quote does drive a beautiful thought from it.

Anyway, do visit the link. Here are a few I really liked,

• Be like a postage stamp; stick to one thing until you get there 


• The best way to predict your future is to create it


• What costs is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight... its the size of the fight in the dog

Any many more....ENJOY!!!

Awaken the Desire

I put on an old CD of Junoon last week while I was driving home and heard their famous "Saqi-Nama" by Iqbal. Came across this beautiful verse...

"Jigar Say Wohi Teer Phir Paar Kar... Tamanna ko Seenon mein Bedaar kar..."

Translation & My Two Cents

To make it word-to-word, this is what it means. Send that arrow through the liver and awaken the desire in your chests...

Its basically one of those powerful verses by Allama Iqbal trying to wake up the people of the subcontinent in his times before independence of India & Pakistan. He is known for such famous verses which charged up people in those times.

Bring up that desire in your hearts. Where is that will? Where is that drive? You can only reach what you want if you desire it to the highest level possible.

I think this is one of the most motivational piece of writing I have read or heard in the longest of times. Its emotionally charged up. Find that energy, that height of emotion which you can get if an arrow is passed through your body. Find that desire to reach the most highest of goals.

Its the appropriate time somehow to find something of the sort as everyone is trying to find something or the other within themselves to keep motivated. To find something to look forward to. To keep going on.

Innovative Idea to Reduce Payroll Costs

Earth Hour 2009 Pictures

Somebody forwarded me this link from The Boston globe which contained pictures of some significant & famous locations which contributed to Earth Hour 2009. Where it is deemed as one of the most amazing joint movements by people, it was still taken with the same pointless criticism about such acts don't mean anything etc.

I  still think it did hit home to a few more people this year and such acts do make a difference. A difference is all that matters no matter how significant it is and I think everybody who got involved deserves credit.

Lets continue to the good work started and save energy everyday if possible. We spend electricity in many places where we can really avoid it. The summers are coming and its a good time to make a resolution to make that difference on an individual basis and when you spread the word, it becomes a group actvity leading to more significant gains.

Confidence vs Over-Confidence

We  have heard and used this term very regularly in our conversations. "There is a fine line between..."

There is fine line between Massage & Torture... :) There is a very fine line between Being funny & Being offensive...There is a very fine line between Encouragement & False Praise... I am going to write about another one of those famous "very fine lines"...The very fine line between Confidence & Over-Confidence...

Aah... This is such a fine line that while a person driving his car of life with confidence can go towards much success on the road ahead, a person on the other side of the line with over-confidence can see his life going towards disaster. This is a fine line which could make or break a career.

There are basically 3 major differences between people with confidence & over-confidence,

1. FOCUS - Confident people will never lose focus from whatever they do. They would remain on track for the eventual goal no matter how much praise they get along the way. Over-confident people will be found basking in the spotlight and enjoying the good times for that little while longer where they should actually be concentrating on the task at hand.


2. TRYING NEW THINGS - Confident people are never afraid to try new things. They will always be looking towards newer horizons, newer challenges. Over-confident people would be comfortable in the zone that they have found their success at most times. That is also how confident people remain always in demand.


3. ALWAYS IMPROVING - Confident people love to take feedback in order to improve on their weaker points. They are always en-route to perfection. The mission is always on. Over-confident people are found to be defensive when receiving feedback and much negative about people trying to judge them which pretty much keeps them from improving and changing the way they do some things wrongly.

Added to that, the shake of the hand tells a lot. One gets a feeling of warmth when around a confident person. Its on the other side of the diameter when it comes to Over-Confident people.

I write about this after getting this feedback from someone who has guided me well. I have been found on the wrong side of the line at times when it comes to being confident or over-confident and it is a constant improvement point for me personally. I mean, we do enjoy the spotlight, don't we? Its only naturally human to do that. But the results are not favorable in that spotlight cos when it shuts down, one is in the dark.

I think writing about the topic is a good way to stay on track, right?

God on Facebook?

Have you seen this? Done by probably a facebook freak...but really creative...

Seven Ways To Stay Motivated at Work

I found a really relevant post in today's time where everybody is feeling demotivated at work. Layoffs, unpaid forced leaves, restructuring, etc. These are some tough times and pretty much the toughest most of us will ever see again, hopefully.

In these times, motivation is something that needs to be searched for. However, I got to this post which was written as professionally as possible. The seven ways to stay motivated at work.

Without taking away any credit from them, I will just list the 7 points down. Go to the above mentioned link to read in detail.

1. Clarify your Goals


2. Establish a clear Game-Plan for achieving your Goals


3. Ride the Wave of your Successes


4. Reward Yourself


5. Keep things in Perspective


6. Maintain a Healthy Work/Life Balance


7. Think Positive

I think it couldnt get more concise and precise than that. Just love the experts.

Death

I believe one of the greatest motivators we have in this life is Death. The presence of death in this life gives it much more meaning to make worthwhile. Every time one remembers that death will come upon the most strongest and the most successful, one can easily make every second count. Make every effort 100%.

The death of my grandmother this last Wednesday has left me lost for words. I feel like I cant move on. Her prayers were a very important part of my so claimed self-motivation. She was one of my most honest well-wishers. Where I feel I have lost a very important part of my motivation, I also feel this is a question asked by my fate.

The question states, "Will you be able to motivate yourself more, Umar?"

You have lost a huge part of your support system that has kept you going in the toughest of times. "Can you find it within you, Umar?"

I dont know if I can answer that question. But I know, this death is going to be more than just a soul leaving this world to rest in peace. This is going to leave a hole which is will be left till eternity. I know, I cant fill this. Nobody can. However, I know that her taught lessons and her unmatched will power will come out to get me through this.

Death being inevitable can be simple motivation. But the death of a close relative can be a challenge that sets up the stage for breaking through and find infinite motivation. I am looking out for that. Setting up goals to prove that you taught me well grandma. Your grandson will face this world alone. Sigh.

Six Truths in Your Life

SIX Truths of Life

1. You cannot touch all your top teeth with your tongue.

2. All idiots, after reading the first truth, will try it.

3. And discover that The first truth is a lie.

4. You're smiling now because you're an idiot.

5. You soon will share this with another idiot.

6. There's still a stupid smile on your face.

I apologize about this, I'm an idiot and I needed company .......!!!! I am allowed a mindless post once in a while, right?

Y or Why?

I have always been a big fan of photoblogs. Especially abstract and thought provoking ones. You may have already heard about Lisa's Chaos and if you haven't, you are missing out. I have never been disappointed in how intricate and thoughtful the picture blogging is.

Here is a recent post that left me speechless. The creativity. She has collected various versions of using the letter Y and expressed through pictures.

I am embarrassed at not writing more about this as I usually do write a bit of my own also when tracking back. But today, I just am lost for words. Keep up the good work, Lisa.

Direction & Focus

Many times in our lives, we find ourselves standing at a fork in the road of life and a decision pending. We weigh our options, the pros and cons and decide on which route to take. We would tend to spend more time on more critical decisions and sometimes even ask for suggestions.

There are other times where we are completely lost and don't know where to go at all. Its not about weighing the options there, its more about getting to a place where we get those options. We are simply way off.

These are situations where lack of focus and the objectives is disastrous. I am talking of situations such as this,

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to..."

"I don't know where. . ."

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go..."

In order to have a direction, it is essential to have some kind of focus on objectives. So before treading on the path of life dreaming of success, it pays to sit down for a while and jot down what exactly is that we want from this life. What is the goal that we plan to walk towards.

"If the vision is clear, that itself drives us to the right direction" - UTP

Have you ever sat down and asked yourself what it really is that you want from life? Think about it.

Nobel Prize in Economics

Banks, Credit Cards ~ Generous? Smart?

I read this particular article in NYTimes early March which was quite interesting to see. These are some exceptional and extreme times in the global financial system and such times ask for some similar exceptional & extreme measures.

So when I read about banks and credit card companies making deals over the amount to be paid by the consumers I was amazed. I mean shouldn't it be trying to get every penny from the people to keep things running? Are they being generous or are they being smart?

The truth is that people cant pay the money they have taken on credit and these companies and banks know that as well. Hence, they would contact people and tell them, we will let go of 50% of your credit if you pay the other 50%. Its big win situation for the consumer who can't pay the amount. The bank gains by realizing that it may be easier to get "something" out of the consumers than "nothing" when they are broke. I would say that's not a bad strategy.

I especially liked this quote from the article.

“Consumers have never been in a better position to negotiate a partial payment,” said Robert D. Manning, the author of “Credit Card Nation” and a longtime critic of the credit card industry. “It’s like that old movie ‘Rosalie Goes Shopping.’ When it’s $100,000 of debt, it’s your problem. When it’s a million dollars of debt, it’s the bank’s problem.”

With most governments coming in with bailout plans, I think this strategy will work as the governments might just indirectly be attending to the part of the debt that the consumer doesn't pay.

One thing is for sure, I want this crisis to move on quickly. Cant somebody just push the clocks a bit faster?

Life is a Coffee

I just love it when a story has a professor, who builds a concept and he comes up with a punchline. Anyway, lets read the story first.

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.

Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.  Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen  and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups -  porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some  expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to hot  coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:  "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for each of you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups.

Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

So, don't let the cups drive you... enjoy the coffee instead...

I think the above is as true as it gets. We spend a lot of effort in trying to get the best container that life can be contained in. Where that is important too, it is the life itself that needs to improve in quality and that is where our major focus should be. If that is not so, which is usually the case, we feel discontent. We just can never sleep satisfied.

Even if we have the most expensive of containers and have  bad coffee in it, it just doesn't matter right. At the end of the day, I would have good coffee than have a good quality cup. Right?

But the fact of the matter is when I prepare for that good life, I want to get the best of everything that is around it but forget my focus that what I really wanted was just a good life and that's that.

I feel sometimes we spend too much effort in preparing for the good life than actually enjoying it.

Pohchee Vyo!

"Pohchee Vyo..." is the way to say "I have reached..." in the Memon language.

I have got a Memon mother and a Sindhi father so if somebody says I have a Memon element in me, he won't be wrong. I don't think I am a miser at heart even though I have had that feedback from my wife on multiple times. I like to call that more of a smart spender.

Just to add, I have nothing against Memons. How could I? I am one of them, partially. On the contrary I am a big fan of them as they are natural born entrepreneurs and spend money very wisely. The world needs to take more lessons from them especially in the current financial crisis and the causes behind it.

Anyway, this is a little story that I heard from someone I met only for the second time. The story is a short funny one and also amazes one on the thought process a miser's mind takes.

About 2o years ago, telecommunication was not as cheap as it is today and it used to something really expensive to make a call from abroad. Now this Memon guy was travelling to America and on reaching he wanted to inform his family back home that he has reached.

In those days, there was this concept of a PP call or a Particular Person call where you can tell the name of person and the operator would dial the number and ensure that you get that person on the other side. You would only get charged if you get the person on the other side otherwise there is no charge.

This person asks the operator, "Please dial this number and ask for Mr. Pohcheevyo..."

Operator - "Wha?"

Person - "Mr. Pohcheevyo..."

Operator - "How do you spell that?"

Person - "P-O-H-C-H-E-E... V-Y-O..."

Operator - "OK sir...Please hold..."

The operator dials the number and on the other side the wife of the person picks up. "Is Mr. Pohcheevyo home?"

Wife - "NO!! Sorry..." (smiling)

The operator lets the person know that Mr. Pohcheevyo is not home and the call ends, no charge. At home, however, the wife is already on her praying mat thanking Allah that her husband has reached safely or has "Pohcheevyo!!!"

Smart is the smartest word I can use for that person. Thats the kind of stuff we need today as well to save money and make it a brighter future for our children tomorrow.

Remember, every penny counts. Save now and there will be a time in the future where you can spend freely.

Making Extra Money Through Freelance

With the current financial crisis there has been a whole run of trying to make money through a second medium. Lots of people have lost their day jobs. Those who have them have been told no promotions or bonuses this year. The people who were living on credit face higher  revised interest rates. There is enough doom and gloom to be concerned and probably know this is once a lifetime kind of a crisis.

There have been people who have been unable to handle the pressure and have gone into negative mode. This post is not addressed for those people. This is for the ones who have taken the mission to come out of the crisis stronger, smarter & achievers. This post is for those people who believe in themselves and are willing to work hard to survive.

In the old days, in the absence of Internet, a second job meant something after the day job which took time and effort. Things apply pretty similarly today also other than the fact that due to the Internet being so effective these days, it is relatively less on effort with emphasis on quality. If you can do quality work, you can make a lot of money online.

I need to trackback to this website here. Whoever is behind it is doing the right thing. Writing some nice posts and giving some good guidelines. I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to trying to make online as I have made much in the short while I have been blogging. Long way to go. In any case, I found this website useful and hope you do the same.

The bottom line is that everybody is worried about their bottom line in the bank statement, heheh...

I know some great people are out there who are writing really well. A minor tweak here and little ad placement efficiency and just see how you can make some money. You know you can definitely use some.

You can donate some to me for giving in these wonderful tips. I know I could use some for sure.

Earth Hour - 28 March 2009

This month: Earth Hour - March 2009

Join people from around the world for Earth Hour and switch off non-essential lights and appliances for one hour between 20:00hrs to 21:00hrs on this coming Saturday, 28th March 2009 to show how people can make an environmental difference in what is the largest voluntary 'power down' in history.

Dubai and 25 cities in 14 time zones around the world have confirmed their Earth Hour participation with Dubai residents and all members of our international team actively encouraged to make the hour electricity-free.

Action includes turning off mobile phone chargers when not in use, completely switching off all home appliances such as TV and CD players rather than leaving it on standby, extinguishing unused lights and shutting down office and home computers.

The best way to ensure you participate is that you mark it in your calendar. Just do it now. Open Windows, Outlook, Google, MSN, Yahoo  or any other Online Calendar that you use. Mark it. Set a reminder.

If you use calendars or reminders in your mobile, set it up now. This is the smallest deed you can do to save energy and make a difference. Feel free to trackback, tweet, retweet, share. Just spread the word. Thanks.

For more information on Earth Hour, which began in 2007, please log on to http://www.earthhour.org/

Greatest Loss...

I heard some news about people comitting suicide after losing a big amount of money on the stock markets. When a factory they owned burnt down or something more relevant to recent times, losing a job while the lease and credit card payments keep coming every month.

All such news just make me think as well so that I could be ready for anything of the sort and build up my faith from before on. I think people who commit suicide are the weakest of us beings alive. I have no sympathy for them. No matter what the reason, suicide is not the answer. That's the simplest way out and certainly not the best way.

I want to clear a confusion that exists in this world. Let me build my theory up.

Life is the greatest blessing which most normal human beings agree to. Even health comes second. Health is a blessing for improved life so life comes first. So the question,

If life is the greatest blessing then is death the greatest loss?

Most people think that is the case. I tend to disagree.

I think the greatest loss is what dies inside us while we are alive. Its important to live life to the fullest. Lots of people just lose the most important thing in life which is hope. Its hope that keeps us looking forward to the next day. That next morning. The most important thing to hold on to in life is hope.

Death is not the greatest loss in life. It is when we lose hope that we have had our greatest loss. See with death, everything finishes, even the torment. But with losing hope, you are alive hence the torment continues. However, with keeping the hope there is bound to be survival. There will be good times and you would be alive to enjoy those.

So no matter what has happened in the past. Keep the faith. Keep believing. Keep your hope alive. Nothing is permanent and this too shall pass. I just love this line. I think I will restate it.

"This too shall pass..."

Life is only a blessing if you live it. If you just waste it, it's Kufran-e-Naimat or simply said quite sinful. Allah gave you life as a blessing, live it to the fullest.

I have noticed how these Motivational Mondays are becoming more and more of self-motivational techniques than anything else. Hopefully, its keeping you motivated and interested as well in these tough times.

Appraisals Can Go Both Ways

Yawn!! International Women's Day...

Last week, I think the 8th of March was the International Women's Day. I was told about it by my wife. I wished her Happy International Women's Day. That's that.

However, I absolutely loved this post from a very worthy readable blogger, Leemz. "Get a life, Woman!!!" is the title of her post and she speaks about all things NOT to do. She is addressing all the women of this world and is giving some pretty good guidelines.

I would be smarter and not speak much further as I have all the possible relations a man could have with a woman. All of them alive and well. This includes my wife, daughter, sister, mother, mother-in-law, grandma from both sides, lots of aunties from both of the family etc. I want to live a little longer.

Peace!! Women of this world. Without you, we men are nothing. Enjoy the post.

Get a life,Woman!

Finally The Light...The Meaning...

I was absolutely moved by the following few lines said by Sachal Sarmast and sung by Abida Parveen,

...Aakhir woh matlab paa liya, Murshid nay jo hum say kaha...

...Bin Ishq-e-Dilbur kay Sachal, kya Kufr kya Islam hay...

Translation & My Two Cents:

We have found and truly understood the meaning of the lesson that the Murshid (teacher or guide) wanted to tell us. The lesson was that without the deep and true love for your Beloved (God), there is no Islam or Non-Islam or Kufr. This is the word used for the religion of the Kafir (non-believers). First step is finding the love for Him and then comes defining a religion or way of life around it.

The point is that its about the real love for whoever you follow. No matter which religion you follow or what your inspiration is. There wouldn't be any difference between you and anybody else if you don't have that real love. It is important to define the word "ISHQ" which defines a much higher degree of love than "Muhabbat". You have to reach that real high level of love to start defining what religion really is all about.

So if we look at ourselves, we just feel we were lucky to be born whoever we are. We think we are blessed just by being born as we are. That is what will save us and make us successful in this life or after-life for those who believe in it. But there is more...its not as simple as that.

There is no difference between a non-religious Muslim or a non-religious Non-Muslim. Think about it. Once we become materialistic and let life and things around us start controlling our decisions, we are no different than the people we hate. Only when we become spiritual and find peace within ourselves do we truly start "Feeling" successful.

To take it a little further, its that what any religion is all about. "Love" for God.

So that my friends is today's motivational message. Find that spiritual love within you and see the difference in your life. Don't let religion define your life. Let Love for Him come first. Let religion be the second step.

That is the truest lesson of this life. Rest all is well ordinary and quite simple to do. This lesson is what really leads. Eveything else in life just follows.

How my Coat got Lost...and Found!!!

Continuing from previous week...

Giving a giggle at my hard luck, I dialled the landline number, which went ringing and ringing and no one picks up. Probably an office number and it was pretty late in the night. Just counted the days I had on which I could make a call. I was going to be there 4 days out of which, one a national holiday and 2 weekend days. I couldn't believe how unlucky I was.

I kept trying the landline and hoping someone would pick up but no one did. I was sure this was a landline number and I had to do this on the only working day I had. I could try my luck on the mobile number though right? Just 10 calls at the max right?

One missing digit right? Ok but where did it miss. Was the missing digit the 1st one, the 2nd one...oh boy. Its not 10 calls. Its 10*10*10*10*10*10 and maybe one more 10. Probability has not been my favorite topic honestly. I just knew it was too many calls to make. (Note that disturbing people was not the concern, making calls was)

I think I ll just keep trying the landline number.

Its important to bring in how the woman's thought process works. First to mention, my wife.

My wife said, "What will you wear tomorrow at the wedding?" Ah, typical. I said, is that all you can think. Getting the coat back is more important than attending the marriage all shiny and dressed up. Just pull out any shalwar kameez and I'll be fine. Poor soul, got the rude tone from me at a wrong time.

Then came my mother. Don't call. He must be the head of some mafia gang. If he hasnt called, why are you calling? Mom, probably because he got away with a nice expensive coat and is happy with it. At the cost of what, a few cigarettes & split change? I am going to at least speak to him and find out.

Anyway, I eventually got in touch with someone on the number on the morning of the only working day. It was his son. Oh God, why couldn't it be him only? I was able to confirm the mobile number from him at least and I was thinking, my efforts are not in waste. I called the mobile number, no one picked up.

Kept trying and trying on the mobile number but to no avail. I was looking stupid to myself going crazy over a piece of cloth but it had dear value to me. The 2 Days passed too quickly and my mind still at how I will get my coat back.

It was then when I had given up. I was now travelling back from where I had come from. Still thinking of my beloved coat. I just gave it one more shot at the airport again. This time on my way back, waiting for my flight to board. I just thought, why not give it one more shot. One more try and there...the phone connected...

On the other side was the nicest person I could speak to. Of course that may be a biased opinion, considering I wanted my coat back. I spoke to him, explained to him what had happened (like he didn't know) and asked how we could exchange it back.

Took a time and place where it could be exchanged and asked my brother to get the exchange done. Sigh of relief, a brief one. I couldn't take a full one, until I got my coat back in my hand which I did a few days later and that is when, I was at ease. Me and my coat continue to live happily ever after. I am not going to give my coat away to the stewardess again.

Someone would say, what a loser? Made two blogposts out of it as well. It was a critical moment in my life. This loss could have been big mentally, I know. Am thinking of getting another suit made in order to share the love and hence share the risk of loss as well. I think that is a good idea, don't you?

Lying is a Disease

For all those readers who like to bum around and know that UTP is one of the biggest promoters of the bumhood clan, you should know better that I am not talking about "Lying Around" as a disease. That is a blessing.

I am hinting towards telling a lie, a fib or you know the more desi JHOOT. Now that is a serious disease.

Being a Trackback Thursday, I would like to mention Wakas Mir, who is known for his good stuff with regards to positivity and his post "What lying does to your image" speaks about the same.

He has spelled it out in simple bullet points of the repercussions of lying. I love simple posts which leave a message. I think that's the art of writing. Write less which says a lot more.

I have seen people who lie so much that they instinctively start doing that for every thing they talk about. They will lie even at situations where they don't need to lie,  cos that's what instinctively comes. They get struck off from my friend list that's for sure.

Just like lying can become a habit, amazingly so can telling the truth. I have tried both in my life and even though there are situations where I would like to get away by using a lie but I prefer telling the truth cos that kills the matter there and then. You don't have to live with the lie. People who speak the truth are more at ease and less stressed cos they are not carrying any burden with themselves.

People who lie on the other hand always take a while to think and strike off all the lies that could be linked and they need to cover up with what they are about to say. Do you imagine yourself doing the same when trying to cover up a lie? Its a pitiful way of living.

So in order to improve your quality of life, start telling the truth a bit more and you will be fine. Its easier said than done but my words don't mean a thing unless there is realization from deep inside. Try it, it works.

Trade in Today for Yesterday?

Multiple events have led me to writing this post. So don't hate me if its a bit wayward. One of them was watching "Swordfish". This hacker gets into a government system and makes it go 2 years back to just flush all new records. Great idea, great movie.

The other thing was an old post I had written on "Life 2-3 generations ago ~ Was it better?" which actually had a lot of views and comments from the readers which makes it sort of a collectible on this blog.

Yet another thing was the current financial crisis and David Letterman joking about the Daylight Savings time and moving that one hour back. Saying we are losing another hour of the day and after losing  everything else who really cares. Everybody wants this year to pass quickly. That guy is a comic genius.

Anyway, linking everything back together I was wondering how many people would actually want to trade in today and go back to living in the past. Is it true that we think everything that has gone behind us was a walk in the park and the current and upcoming is the worst that could ever happen?

And yet when the worst that is yet to come actually comes, it just passes away. I mean the "big deal" of it just goes away, its simply amazing.

So tell me, would you trade in today for yesterday? It is a thought with which a lot of people will agree with. But then let me follow that up with contradicting myself. If we could actually rewind the clocks, wouldn't this happen again. The financial crisis will come again.

There are two directions that our thoughts could immediately take.

One is that we could go back and ensure that we don't do the things that led to the crisis that we are in today. I would say, "Yeah Right!!!"

The other which I like more is, we'll see this through to explore what is on the other side of the crisis. Difficulties come and difficulties go. That's what life is all about. Hurdles and steeples.

So if somebody asks me whether I would trade in today for yesterday, I would say "Go Fish!!". I would rather pass through these tough times and come out stronger on the other side. However, I wouldn't mind trading in today for tomorrow. A newer, fresher and brighter tomorrow.

How my Coat got Lost...

This last visit back home had its ironic side of it as well. Here is the story.

I have never really made myself a suit. Never got into wearing any expensive clothes you know. A grew up a typical guy who would just wear anything that covers the body. However, it was when I got married that I got my first suit made with all of my interest. It is black in colour with great material with a nice fall on it. I find it hard to say it in public but I really am in love with it :$

With just touching 4 years of marriage, this particular suit has stood the test of time with not much wear or tear. It remains my first choice for a job interview if you know what I mean. There is some luck on it as well. It has got me through from my last job interview as well and the record is really good if I put it in percentages.

So, I hope you realize the emotional element attached to it.

This last visit back home was to attend some marriage functions in the family and yet again, I had planned to wear my ever-faithful black suit. But there was unforeseen drama ahead, least that I knew.

After getting on the flight, I took off my coat to give it to the stewardess to hang it. I usually do that to sit in comfort while my precious coat hangs comfortable on a hangar as well. Its not something I did for the first time. However, when the flight landed and I asked for my coat back, I was brought somebody else's coat. I had still not lost my cool as I was expecting she'll go in and just get mine.

Not to be. Unfortunately, the coat had been exchanged. I had someone else's coat and he had mine. Man.

I was able to find his boarding pass in one of the pockets so didn't exactly lose hope. I ran to the baggage claim to try and find the person who has worn my coat and hasn't realized. Got an announcement done. No luck. Waited and waited. Sigh, feeling really bad. How can this be happening to me?

After feeling a little down, I took a look at the coat that I had. Didn't even match my pant. I checked the pockets found a little change, a packet of cigarettes and his boarding pass. I asked the airline staff if they could get me his number. They said that is against policy. I said well then its the airlines' responsibility to get me my coat. How about that?

After a little forcing and negotiating, he got me the person's number from the information on the boarding pass. There were two numbers that he gave me. One was a landline number, and one mobile number with MISSING a digit, oh the irony of it....

To be continued... next week...

BOEING 797? 1000 Passengers?

I found this excellent post by one of our friends at Pro Pakistani which talked about the expected new plane by Boeing. The 797 is what they expect it to be and aerodynamic designs and the modern structure just looks amazing. I dont know if its true or not but even if somebody has thought about the future and brought up with a place as effective as this, it deserves a mention.

The new Boeing 797 is quicker than the current top of the line Airbus 380 in terms of speed and capacity and with that brings much savings for any airline that owns it.

I still think its in theory but is this what we are going to travel on? Very near in the future? Should be something look forward to.

As Unique As It Gets

Today's post is about us. Yes, its about us people. Humans, homosapians. At the same time, this post is about paying credit to the Creator to making us as unique as it gets. Look around you. Can anybody get this creative?

Every person born in this world is different from someone else born anywhere else in this world. WOW!!

Not considering the people who have passed away, the WIKI current population of the world as of Feb 2009 is 6.76 billion. Every single of them different, unique and special in their own way. Yet again, WOW!!!

So, hopefully you have realized where this post is going. You in yourself are a different person from anybody else in the world. Yes, let me just write it out again. ANYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD!!!

With that comes a responsibility that we don't often realize. Since it is us, the living beings of this world that make this world function, each one of us comes with a role to play. Our first job to do in this world is to find out that role and then get on with it.

Sometimes, if someone just sits and ponders over happenings in his life and how things just fell together to make an event happen, it is just amazing. If we believe in fate, it becomes even more confusing. But only at the beginning, cos once you think through it, you would realize how amazingly well-scripted this whole play is.

There is much more to say on the topic but I cant find with words. Here is something from Abida Parveen that has always driven my thought on the same topic,

Dhoodo kay agar mulkon mulkon, milnay kay nahi nayaab hain hum

Ta'abeer hay jis kee, hasrat-o-gham, ay hum-nafas woh khwab hain hum

Let me try my hand at a translation. Even if you try to find from country to country, you find someone like me cos I am so unique. I am that dream which will get fulfilled no matter if it takes happiness or sorrow.

Even though the whole ghazal takes it to different routes of thought, I just take this opening line in question and ponder over it. While I try to gather my thoughts, why not think about it as well and share some comments.

The New & Effective Logic of Appraisals

Appraisals is something that we professionals wait for the whole year for and as soon as we get it, the countdown starts again...365, 364, 363... For the management its the other way around. 1, 2, 3.... if you know what I mean. Its that way anyway these days especially. There have been many companies who are telling their employees that there will be no appraisals this year and they are lucky they have a job. Maybe that is true. But anyway, the appraisals are never enough anyway. We never feel compensated for our efforts.

70 Top Tips to Generate Blog Traffic

Well the post topic is no marketing gimmick. You will get exactly what you came here for. All credit to Dr. Sandy who is on a mission to help all bloggers out there. He writes really well and here is one of his posts that was exactly what I was looking for. Everything in one place.

If you are a blogger, this is what you need to read and try to get moving on your readership numbers. It all makes sense to me at least. Here is the link.

70 top tips to generate blog traffic

This is where I picked up some ideas of joining the Blog Catalog and join the social network for bloggers. The post also mentions Twitter and loads of different things u can do. They all sound simple when read in one place.

All the best bloggers. Rule the world!!!

The Marble Floor & The Marble Statue

Let me begin this post with a story,

In a nice museum, there is a beautiful marble statue that people from around the world come to see and praise. The statue is placed on a marble flooring.

One day the marble flooring asks the statue, "How come you came out to be so beautiful? We are both picked from the same location in the world. We came through the same process and yet look at me. People walk over me all day just to come see you and praise you. Even though I am marble too but I am of no value to anybody. Its just fate. I have some very bad luck while you have all the good luck."

The statue replies, "My friend. Its more than just luck. Its a good lesson to remember the time when the sculptor wanted to break you. Hurt you. At the time you said no. You didn't allow him to touch you. You were reluctant and you had pride at the time and didn't want to get broken. I, on the other hand allowed him to work on me. Look what he has made me into. While you remain the marble floor that every other marble piece who did the same is as well. I got the opportunity to be different and more importantly, unique."



Isn't that how we are also? We would want to play safe most of the times. We want to take the easy way out, always trying to get the best deal without taking too many risks. However, its important to realize that its the mistakes that we make is what makes us better people. What would we have been if we were just some perfect souls? Probably quite boring and robotic. We are not perfect souls anyway.

Unless we tread that difficult path. Unless we try new things. Unless we are willing to try something different. There wouldn't be any progress. It would all be a monotony and just to add, a complete waste of life.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.

How can you know your true potential unless you stretch it? How can we ever become what we are supposed to be unless we come out of our comfort zone? Just ask yourself this.

We are unique individuals in our own selves. However, not everybody makes the best of their lives in the truest sense. Its all about the choices we make. Keep making the choices that stretch you and you will keep improving.

Remember, its your choice to be the ordinary marble floor or the beautiful statue. Its in your hand.

Toilet Cynicism

Yes its time for the toilet post again. I don't know how long you guys have been reading here cos this is sort of a continuation of one of my favorite posts, Public Toilet Probability Analysis.

There are many public toilets where you see notices like, "Do not flush tissues in the toilet" or something of the sort. It was very recently when I was sitting and clearing up the system (:P) when I thought about this particular line. Why do they not want us to flush tissue paper down the loo?

Of course the obvious reason is that it could clog the drains but hey, if that were so they would write it in every toilet you find. That is however not true. What if there is a bigger conspiracy? What if they take the tissue from the bin and extract your DNA from it? It is very easy to do so if done in some fixed time as long as the DNA is alive. They could then easily place it in locations like big time murders or you know any possible scene of the crime.

I couldn't think of a better explanation.

Keeping that in mind, I keep a special eye on the person immediately going in after me. Is he in a real hurry? I mean yeah he could be if all the other toilets were empty and he was waiting for the first one to open to crash in. But if other toilets were empty, why is he in such a hurry? He could be after that tissue I just used.

I might just wait around a bit longer to watch him come out also. Was he fully dressed? Obviously hiding something inside. Possibly the equipment that extracts DNA from the tissue?

Cant be too careful these days u know? Its a bad bad world out there. Am I being overly-cynical?

TWITTER This, TWITTER That

I have recently entered the Twitter Realm as well. I was more dragged into it by my wife cos we just love doing things together :$. There was however another news that had caught my attention early this year and I had kept it for a trackback post. You might have heard it as well.

Hackers hijack Obama's, Britney's Twitter accounts

That is pretty much the first time I heard about Twitter. Maybe it was a marketing gimmick. Whatever it was, it worked. Its like half of the world is crazy about Britney and rest for Obama or maybe a little more on Britney's side but in any case, it worked. Just like I heard about it so would a lot of others.

Next step, my wife joins twitter and I follow. I get two accounts made. One UTP & get All Sports Fans on as well. But the breakthrough was attending Dubai Twestival. I met other UAE twitters under one roof and was part of something special in the twitter world. Twestival was being celebrated all around the world on that day and twitterers or tweeters (still getting the hang of it) were meeting all around the world in respective cities.

Anyway, I think I am going to stay on twitter for a while cos I think I can find some good use for it. TwitterFeed is what is getting each post from here to my twitter page and I am touching another different reader audience altogether.

Moreover, I am getting the opportunity to live-tweet sports matches using All Sports Fans. Yes I am living my dream of being a commentator with people following me. Currently am doing the Dubai Tennis Championships.

You can follow All Sports Fans on Twitter through http://twitter.com/allsportsfans

You can follow UTP  through http://twitter.com/umarpirzada



It is great to find some bloggers there and whoever I have recognized I have started following. However, I know there are heaps of my readers out there who I couldn't recognize. Appreciate if you could follow me so I know who u r on Twitter.

OH BTW...a little achievement, I touched 50 regular subscribers on UTP. Not a big number but sort of a little achievement for me. Thanks for making this blogging experience so special. It wouldn't be the same without you people.

If you haven't already, subscribe to UTP by using a Feed Reader for RSS FEED or subscribe to Get Blog Posts via EMAIL

What is Happiness?

Other than success, another thing on people's wish-list is happiness. I read an excellent definition of happiness which deserves mentioning,

Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. 

Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love grace and gratitude.

I want to focus on the word gratitude here. Look around you. Look at all the miseries people have to live with. No food. No water. Sickness, disability. If you put up your sincere eye, you will notice how sad this world really is.

Then look at yourself. No matter how many things you can find that are wrong with you and your life, I can assure you there is much more sadness around you. However, if one takes an approach of gratitude and being thankful, you will realize that one is better off just counting his blessings and saying "Thank You". 

So as the definition says, happiness is something that comes from within. It is more spiritual than anything else. If one wants to feel happy, he will. If he doesn't want to, no matter how many blessings he really has, he will never be able to see or recognize them. He is already got the mindset of complaining and being discontent.

My friends. Here comes the essence of it all. If happiness is spiritual then it is in our control. We can choose to be happy or not.

Now if given the choice to be happy or not? What would you choose? 

My Broker

People who depend on brokers to do their stock or shares trading will easily relate to the following. If you haven't noticed I am trying to find the softer side of the Financial Crisis these days. I hate the doom & gloom around. If you do also then try and liven it up a little bit.