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.