tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83508941315863500122024-03-14T18:50:59.048+11:00Sufian's KralizecA place where I can be myself and write about my life's experiences and passions that drive me. Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-12932183721702838542020-06-30T12:40:00.001+10:002020-06-30T12:40:09.562+10:00Running Adventures 1: 35km (38) for 35 years<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wxt--5_zUhI" width="480"></iframe>Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-24494825911455830202019-07-22T16:15:00.000+10:002019-07-22T16:15:45.289+10:00Of Marathons and Old Men<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This post has been sitting as a Draft for at least 3 months now. Talk about irony - a post about marathons delayed due to indolence. Anyway, here it is.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I started the New Year with quite a hefty break travelling back to my family home in Pakistan. I hail from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad – a beautiful city with green and serene landscapes, hills that would easily qualify as mountains for the denizens of Australia, and chaos aplenty to ensure a purely Pakistani experience nonetheless. When I was living there, we used to make our way to the Northern areas quite often – home to 5 of the 14 eight-thousanders including K-2 and Nanga Parbat, the Killer Mountain. For those of you accustomed to the idea of trekking, I don’t have to delve into elaborating how humbling the sport can potentially be. The same is true for another extreme sport – long-distance running/walking. A marathon measures to an exact 42.195kms, anything beyond the much sought for mark qualifies as an ultra-marathon. The most common distance run in an ultra is 50km or 100km – the most prestigious of the ultras being the 100-milers, which equate to roughly 161kms. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Needless to say trekking and walking is much looked forward to every time I travel back home. Albeit offering very high entertainment value and overdoses of adrenaline, long-distance is always physically painful and mentally exhausting – always.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The sun rose to a typical Islamabad morning – penetrating cold, foggy and wet, at 7:13am on the 14<sup>th</sup> of January. Having already walked around 10kms in the dark, we greeted the sun with literally just an iota of mirth hoping against an already dwindling hope that with the golden hour past, warmth was nigh. With the sun shyly rising above the horizon and the light roaring across the landscape like a cavalry charge, the day did look wholly promising. Besides, it was a special day as we were attempting our first marathon in Pakistan and that too in the mountains of my youth – Margalla Hills. The Margallas, as they’ve come to be known, are home to the Margalla National Park and the hills have their fair share of wolves, deer, wild boars and hyenas, and the occasional disoriented leopard visiting due to extreme cold up North. It makes for a very interesting walk especially if getting lost is on the agenda, which tends to happen on long walks. One other generosity that longer than the usual 5 to 7kms trail walks lend the enthusiast is 'time', and that too in abundance. Therefore, there is ample opportunity to reflect on what seemed like a really bright idea a few hours ago and resulted in embarking on this Lord of the Rings-esque 10-hour long journey. All said and done, we made it back home 43kms and 11 odd hours later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The reader may have noticed that I haven’t yet promulgated any information on who accompanied me. Well, all the complaining would’ve been for naught if I’d done so at the beginning. So, for the walk, I partnered with my 72-year old dad who was cuckoo enough to attempt a marathon at his age solely because it “sounded” like a good idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;">For me, personally, this specific marathon ended up being more of a life lesson than just another excursion through mountains. I shall leave the reader with three takeaways. First, in face of adversity, don’t give up. Second, if you have fears, take them on upfront– that’s the only way you’ll conquer them. Third, the journey matters more than the destination – make sure to cherish the opportunity to experience it.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlamyjgLGiQ/XTVSR2pp3HI/AAAAAAAACFA/8YU1Z2eTUxE62G4b9radqZlCJe33_sBdgCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.00%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlamyjgLGiQ/XTVSR2pp3HI/AAAAAAAACFA/8YU1Z2eTUxE62G4b9radqZlCJe33_sBdgCLcBGAs/s320/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.00%2BAM.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Margalla Hills in all her glory</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.4px;"></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zwL8JUVFJk4/XTVSRwDq0oI/AAAAAAAACFE/Bi0hXfS2lVALrTjkwsyO1s2SlSBPJcNlQCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.04%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zwL8JUVFJk4/XTVSRwDq0oI/AAAAAAAACFE/Bi0hXfS2lVALrTjkwsyO1s2SlSBPJcNlQCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.04%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decided to name this, "Umar Choti" after my brother who took a tumble on 01/04/1994. We found him 12 hours later. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mENeq7MQEhM/XTVSR92yCbI/AAAAAAAACFI/tzfWPvaNpPIXdxb8p7NdChNmQCv1GHF8QCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.05%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mENeq7MQEhM/XTVSR92yCbI/AAAAAAAACFI/tzfWPvaNpPIXdxb8p7NdChNmQCv1GHF8QCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.05%2BAM.jpeg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serenity on the Kalinjar Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmpLZGiRC5I/XTVSS5wm-JI/AAAAAAAACFM/D20qlYE7QRsV6V76pCKpyY0Z6d6FkRxQwCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.06%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CmpLZGiRC5I/XTVSS5wm-JI/AAAAAAAACFM/D20qlYE7QRsV6V76pCKpyY0Z6d6FkRxQwCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.06%2BAM.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turned out to be a beautiful day for a walk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJDs3RzWSH0/XTVSTXzlU5I/AAAAAAAACFQ/lUdG35f9b0IWfKTbNZiFFUQ-t_T4wpmkQCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.08%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WJDs3RzWSH0/XTVSTXzlU5I/AAAAAAAACFQ/lUdG35f9b0IWfKTbNZiFFUQ-t_T4wpmkQCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.08%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the hills</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs1WoaYD_bA/XTVSToGuJUI/AAAAAAAACFU/0pVdTvVs7J4A1jV1ZkugNJlBQAmPrZb5wCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.10%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs1WoaYD_bA/XTVSToGuJUI/AAAAAAAACFU/0pVdTvVs7J4A1jV1ZkugNJlBQAmPrZb5wCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.10%2BAM.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faisal Mosque visible from the Margallas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0qyuhK0GNg/XTVSTsdN58I/AAAAAAAACFY/5vfkeO5RiHggSpNnV80-0HjTawIge8iWwCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.11%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K0qyuhK0GNg/XTVSTsdN58I/AAAAAAAACFY/5vfkeO5RiHggSpNnV80-0HjTawIge8iWwCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.11%2BAM%2B%25281%2529.jpeg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barking dogs seldom bite! He was super possessive about his owner's belongings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jj0eaJKAvag/XTVSUihmOuI/AAAAAAAACFc/vIdXSy1YAEUrNk1evcGw1ipWvYnP-PK3gCLcBGAs/s1600/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.12%2BAM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jj0eaJKAvag/XTVSUihmOuI/AAAAAAAACFc/vIdXSy1YAEUrNk1evcGw1ipWvYnP-PK3gCLcBGAs/s400/WhatsApp%2BImage%2B2019-02-20%2Bat%2B11.00.12%2BAM.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The General and I - much needed sugar and vitamin C consumption. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-72370302705085552452019-03-02T18:51:00.002+11:002019-03-02T19:01:22.988+11:00Nafs <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I miss doing music and since moving to Australia have been doing some sporadically, and largely alone. One tends to lead life outside Pakistan at an insane breakneck pace with barely enough time to put in a few kilometres every now and then in hopes of stonewalling the ever widening gait. So, anyway, here's a newer rendition of "Nafs". This was the first song I ever wrote as part of Aaraiz, and this also ended up being the first song we ever recorded. I was terrible then, I'm terrible now. Regardless, music is fun and I would get back into it without giving it a second thought.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<object data="http://sites.google.com/a/bloggertipspro.com/mediafiles/mp3/dewplayer.swf" height="20" id="dewplayer" name="dewplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="240">
<param name="movie" value="dewplayer.swf" />
<param name="flashvars" value="mp3=http://sites.google.com/site/sufiansmusic/mp3/Nafs.mp3" />
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
</object>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-86841517683187360012018-07-27T17:27:00.002+10:002018-07-27T17:27:37.713+10:00Naya Pakistan Has Landed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7GPmuiOjSkQ/W1rIO782KXI/AAAAAAAAB90/LUuwPZuf2i4zssB5-nkUBnQf5vkvanJVwCLcBGAs/s1600/fe233632-7691-4017-b8fb-9e1e639a3f94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1107" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7GPmuiOjSkQ/W1rIO782KXI/AAAAAAAAB90/LUuwPZuf2i4zssB5-nkUBnQf5vkvanJVwCLcBGAs/s200/fe233632-7691-4017-b8fb-9e1e639a3f94.jpg" width="190" /></a>Having not written in over a year, it had to be something colossal to bring me out of hibernation. Imran Khan's PTI winning the elections overwhelmingly and him becoming the next Prime Minister of Pakistan is possibly one of the best Pakistani political stories since Bhutto's clean sweep in the '70s. The key difference between the two individuals - IK's a humanitarian, monetarily clean, and a track record of a winner. As a completely non-political person, I'll trust IK with my money, not the likes of Bhutto and his posterity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If I had an iota of doubt pertaining to IK's credibility, his victory speech last night (26/07) diluted it in its entirety. A very different IK took the podium yesterday; he was humble, level-headed, succinct and focused on the very element that the leaders of the past have missed out on - the people of Pakistan, and especially the poor and underprivileged. The hope that Pakistan still has a future ahead of her has been rekindled. After living as an expat for a decade, I'm all the more attune to the challenges it poses. There's no doubt that living in a first world country has pros aplenty but it still doesn't change the fact around it being a foreign land for me - my skin color and accents are a pretty good giveaways due to which I'll always be Pakistani, and Australian only in papers. In a fantastical world where Pakistan is the nation Jinnah wanted it to become, there's no way in hell would've I migrated overseas. I don't want to sound delusional and living outside Pakistan has presented me with a lot of opportunities that would've been only a dream back home but it's the expression "back home" that encompasses the sentiment wholly. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With IK's rising popularity over the last couple of decades, his critics have also grew in substantial numbers. Even I've delved into criticizing him on some of his antics. But the funny part is that no matter what the criticism, there's one aspect that has never been a feature of ridicule - IK's intentions for Pakistan and it's people; His victory speech reinforced this belief in me a million times over. I wish I could've made it back to vote as well however wasn't possible under the circumstances. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, IK's ready to take on the toughest possible job he could've ever dreamed of; that of the 19th Prime Minister of Pakistan. I would've been scared out of knickers at the prospect of taking on such a task but then, this is Imran Khan that we're talking about. If there's anyone who can make things better in Pakistan and live up to the claims he's made in his speech yesterday, it is him! This isn't the time to argue over IK's authenticity as PM or whether he was the most deserving of the candidates; it's prime time we move on, believe in his intentions and back him in every possible way because believe it or not, opportunities of this kind never present themselves to as debauch and far gone a nation as Pakistan. There's no level of hypocrisy, debauchery and moral depravity that we haven't indulged in; save a complete annihilation of Pakistanis, IK's the best alternative who may just be capable and driven enough to put Pakistan on some sort of a track towards sustenance and development. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I always have and still believe in what IK has to offer, and will continue to support his movement come hail, rain or shine. I feel blessed to be able to witness Khan's, "Naya Pakistan", at least I won't die dreaming! All prayers for IK and I really hope he delivers, not only to shut his critics up but for the sake of Pakistan; we deserve so much more! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Listen to his speech using the link below or just YouTube it. Now!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/imran-khan-speech-full-180726124850706.html" rel="nofollow">IK's Victory Speech - 26/07/2018</a></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-537148998132975342017-06-21T15:08:00.000+10:002017-06-21T15:08:16.620+10:00Bashir Does India!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
For Bashir, the average Pakistani
fan, the last decade and a half has been a tough one; a journey on a bed of
thorns with a glimpse of a rose every now and then, hardly enough. Bashir
blames the decline of the sport predominantly on the overall situation the country
finds itself in – politically, economically, and just about any –ally one can
deem to think of. Since the 1999 WC Final loss to Australia, there have been
innumerable incidents, the details of which Bashir hates to indulge in like a true patriot, to put
off the staunchest and most steadfast of fans. But If you’re like Bashir who
has stuck by his team where the players are as often proclaimed legendary as
thought of as complete nincompoops with as much surety as Amir getting Sharma
out every time they face-off, and all of this within a span of a fly batting
its wings and Bashir letting out an insignificant post-Iftar fart – take a bow
and feel proud, it’s a privileged state to be in. The one key factor that keeps
Bashir intact is Pakistan’s team statistical dominance over arch-rivals India,
and the fact that our players have always found themselves cooler and more
dashing than our cousins from across the border. But this emotion too had
started to wane and has been teetering on the brink of being completely vanquished.
Until now! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Bashir remembers when Pakistan
lost to India at Bengaluru in 1996. The feeling of dread as the wickets
tumbled, after Anwar and Sohail had given his team the best of chances to chase
down the total, is still fresh. It hurts. Bashir also remembers the 2003 WC
bout against India when his team’s star studded line-up succumbed to the
weirdest of all defeats. It hurts. And how can Bashir not remember the “The Scoop”. It hurts and burns. All
in all, there’s a lot of hurt Bashir remembers that had started to emerge more
often than not like a pinching, itching haemorrhoid courtesy India’s precipitous
rise in World Cricket. Until now!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Bashir is a cricketer himself; a
name to fear among the galli mohalla tape-ball fraternity. Favourite shot:
jharhoo, favourite ball: anywhere. But now Bashir has gone overseas and has had
the fortune of playing the real shit – cricket with a cock-ball, as it’s known
back home, or hard-ball for the bores. To his delightful pleasure, the jharhoo
still works as effectively as it did in tape-ball cricket. The only difference
is the height he has to bring the jharhoo in fruition at – a Younis-esque
annoying sweep to a swash-buckling Lara-esque flick off the hip to a dashing
Ponting-esque pull; just revisions of basically the same shot – the jharhoo.
But the trips to the cricket grounds on match days had been becoming a bit of
an annoyance with Indians prevalent in opposing teams and ones never to shy
away from throwing a jibe every now and then on how suffering Pakistan’s
performance has been of late. Until now! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Bashir suddenly finds himself in the
all-so-familiar scenario of looking at his Indian compatriots, inwardly sniggering
and sympathetically agreeing with them as they lament India’s performance at
the CT2017 Final. Even though this win comes after quite a bit of time, Bashir
has a feeling that scores have been settled, nerves have been calmed, the old
dread has been kindled in Indian hearts, dominance recommenced and the Indians taught
the lesson to never ever write Pakistan off. The only issue is that the Indian
team is nowhere to be seen. India still hides behind political alibis and
categorically refuses to play Pakistan; home or at neutral venues. Bashir knows
this for a fact that if cricketing ties were to be resumed, it’d only be a
matter of time (a series or two tops) until Pakistan would confirm its utter
dominance over India once again. Bashir reached the conclusion a while ago that no
matter how strong the Indian team becomes, mental fortitude will always upstage
skill in all encounters. Not having played a full series against them since
India’s 2007 tour to Pakistan, and practically no bilateral series whatsoever
in front of large crowds since, the Boys in Green have suffered in confidence
and lost the panache that had come to be associated as closely with Pakistanis
as the colour green. But now, after years of being written-off and ridiculed, Bashir
knows that everything seems to be garnering a semblance of normalcy; Pakistani
bowlers are best in the world, and Indian batters are best in the world…just
not for Pakistanis. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Prior to the Final the Indian
media, ex-players and general public were so confident that it’d give Ali a
stomach ache. The difference being that the latter actually delivered on his
promises. Funnily enough most times the Indians have gone down the path of
being pompous (Amir is an ordinary bowler), mouthing off grandiose claims
(aanay do), and making vows as if Helen of Troy was actually Bhagmati of Hyderabad
who’d eloped with our Bashir, fate has served them a much deserving dose of humble
chai that is obviously much too difficult to gobble down. In spite of this
natural phenomenon they continue to indulge in this vile practice. Bashir is as
confused as the rest of us Pakistanis - 'insanity is doing the same thing over
and over again and expecting a different result." The post-defeat backlash of
the Indians is what classic comedy is made of, and they seem to be so good at
churning out this stuff that even Fox News would bow down to their greatness, Pratchett would steal notes from their script, Vonnegut would do a Sylar on their producers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Bashir’s advice to India is
simple: Quit. Just hang your bats ‘n balls. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If even after attempting to
sabotage Pakistan cricket at every available opportunity, Pakistanis not only
make it to the Final but also thrash the bejesus out of the richest, most
passionate and, as claimed by a lot of gurus, without a doubt the best team in the
world, then there’s no point whatsoever for India to take part in global
competitions. This defeat is not just a defeat. India hasn’t been just outplayed
by the better team. They've been decimated like they used to be at the hands of Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Anwar, Inzi, Yousuf - ugh, it's a never-ending list. The fear of Indian Cricket Board and their nonsensical political
stance has been exposed. And it has surfaced when it mattered the most, and at
a time when they least expected it themselves. Rest assured this win was not
due to Pakistanis being unpredictable; the tag of being unpredictable is irrelevant in matches against India. As Bashir said earlier – it’s the
psychological strength that ensures wins in these encounters, skill to a large degree takes a
seat and watches the show. Bashir can sense that the mental hold India was just
starting to relish over Pakistan may have just been broken. But of course, it’d
be difficult to tell courtesy India not willing to play against his team
outside global tournaments – don’t get Bashir started on the hypocrisy of that.
Keep calm, Bashir, they’ll succumb eventually. And when they do, it shall be Amir
steam-rolling them as ordinarily as Sharma plays him, Hasan Ali busy in his
generator celebratory acts, Fakhar top-edging quickies and slog-sweeping
spinners like nobody’s business and that too with a smile on his face, Azhar
making sure he keeps Pakistan’s tag of unpredictability intact, and Sarfaraz
doing what he does best – lead fearlessly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Tonight Bashir is a happy Pakistani
and is generous enough to offer it back to his dear cousins a curse that’s been
dogging him since the 2015 World Cup – “Mauka Mauka”, no…”Thoka Thoka”. Toodles :). <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-70625859048148793432017-04-18T16:34:00.001+10:002017-04-18T16:34:21.567+10:00The Mask<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>7:53am, Monday, 27th March, 1995</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've been on his trail for over an hour. His movements don't have a pattern, erratic to say the least. He suspects something amiss. Onset of paranoia? Only plausible explanation to the bizarre demeanor that's on display here. Is he under some sort of "influence"? The instructions are quite idiot proof; Zedoic is to be administered to the proletariat only. For some undisclosed reasons, it affects us Slicks differently. The last case in 1985 and might I remind you how well that ended? Why I always end up with these absolutely crazy jobs? It's hardly my fault that I'm semi-proficient at whatever's assigned to me - you gotta keep the cache as brusque as "Professionally" possible. Where is this guy heading? He's just turned into Foyer Lane, a no through road. Did fate hand him his Death Certificate just then? How the mighty fall. I should've known, with all the time I've invested in the Precognition Training for Professionals course, how promising today is. Last time I was in the field with my personal favorite, the Capacitive Gun, I completed my mission objective promptly. time to put an end to this. Almost at the mouth of the alleyway; he should be nearing the end of the Lane right about now sadly realizing the folly of his decision. So elating the feeling of the gun. It emanates a certain warmth, a buzz resonating with my being at a very intimate and elemental level. Soon it'll be over. I must do this right. Oh, how convenient of you to afford that skeptical glance at me, as if the Corporation's scrutinizing gaze wasn't enough. A wry smile, eh - best you can do? Well, thanks for the vote of confidence? I've hit a dead end. That's not right. Did I miss something? I can feel wrath...and hate, potent enough to make me wince as it gouging at my aura. So close. Hot breath at the nape of my neck as paralysis is starting to take me. I can't see. Everything's blurry. Wait, blue...no, no..th..th..that's green, the color of her eyes. Wait, it's saying something. Listen. "Lighten up, Ash,", says a mask to my face, "You know what it is, yea? Mouth, please."</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-56706807731556325042017-04-11T16:22:00.000+10:002017-04-11T16:22:22.360+10:00The Room<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>9:33pm, Friday, 10th February, 1995</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's been a long time coming. I've spent enough days idling over the possible repercussions to what I have to do, ample hours wasted already in procrastination of the job I don't want to but must undertake - I must not lose control. They say there's a fine line between virtuous and immoral. Is there, really? Is it expected of us to quietly take everything on face value and just nod along to popular sentiments and colloquialisms? What one may deem perfectly moral might be the anti-thesis of another's principles. Wasn't killing or committing horrendous acts of violence such as Seppuku a part of the cultural norm in the not so ancient Japan? How about that lone Hindu widow quietly accepting her fate or coerced into the act of Sati? If anything, these acts were considered honorable. Oh please, save the holier than thou patronizing glaring look for someone worth of falling prey to the weir machinations of your imbecilic judgmental...I need to stop. I digress. Again. This needs to stop. I must not lose control. Need focus. </div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-42065917719866092762017-02-03T08:55:00.001+11:002017-02-03T08:57:01.958+11:00Review: Flower for Algernon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18373.Flowers_for_Algernon" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Flowers for Algernon" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367141311m/18373.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18373.Flowers_for_Algernon">Flowers for Algernon</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11072.Daniel_Keyes">Daniel Keyes</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1846880953">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How does one review a book wrought with such intense and wide range of emotion? It's not very often that a book has caused me to tear up or dragged me into a hole I've found difficult to come out of with sleep being the only remedy for a decent rejuvenation. Being human, I'll get over this as well and not let the material I've read over the past week and a half affect me much, however, the mere thought of the book will always make me sad at some level. Personally, this has been the toughest book I've ever read in terms of nature of the plot and the manner Daniel Keyes has written it in. <br />
<br />
My heart mourns for Charlie Gordon and his maltreatment at the hands of his mother boils my blood. Mental retardation is still widely misunderstood and primarily rejected in the lower echelons of almost every social structure globally. Management of such ailments generally induces high costs hence the obvious renunciation. This book is a peek into the ugly truth that governs lives of millions of mentally handicapped persons across the globe. I wholeheartedly agree with the notion Keyes has produced in his magnum opus. This subject deserves a lot of recognition and discussion in order to trigger a change in popular opinion and the general disposition people possess towards everything and anything mental. <br />
<br />
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone suffering from depression or with a weak resolve; this book will take some will power to stomach. </div>
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-26541535315412665782017-01-10T12:26:00.002+11:002017-01-11T13:02:18.034+11:00Review: End of the Past<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28950124-end-of-the-past" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="End of the Past" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1454808940m/28950124.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28950124-end-of-the-past"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28950124-end-of-the-past">End of the Past</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14955620.Nadeem_Farooq_Paracha">Nadeem Farooq Paracha</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1589877531">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Nadeem Farooq Paracha or NFP, as he's commonly known, is a Pakistani cultural critic and satirist who has become an important voice in the current milieu of critics sprouting up left, right and centre. Apart from the fact that he's been at it for more than two decades, his past has morphed him into a force all the more important for as demarcated a society as ours with opinions of all kinds being thrown around like monkeys flinging feces. One may not be a big fan of NFP's pompous style of prose but nobody can disagree with the power his pen possesses in delivering seemingly benign opinions with the utmost ease and immense lucidity, and how it affects the reader on at least some level. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"End of the Past" is NFP's first published book which has come at a time (seemingly Pakistan has been riding on knife’s edge since conception making everyday a bloody critical point in her history) when the denizens of Pakistan have lost all semblance of identity. What direction did Jinnah want Pakistan to take – a secular state bordering on modernism and liberalism or an Islamic Republic as it was deemed out to be soon after Jinnah’s passing? Or simply, what exactly is “Jinnah’s Pakistan” that we’ve heard every politician from Bhutto and Zia to Sharif and Musharraf use incessantly to drive their campaigns? I think NFP makes a decent attempt at reaching the roots of the issue and presents a potential solution albeit idealistic in the last chapter of the book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
NFP’s take on the subject of manipulation of religion in Pakistan and the role it’s played in the evolution of the political thought in the country’s evolution is especially insightful. He’s from that generation which faced the brunt of Zia’s oppression and the religious upheaval courtesy the influx of US Dollars and Saudi Riyals. But even prior to Zia, appeasing the religious authorities or using them for their own benefit had forever been every Pakistani politician’s key to success e.g. Bhutto did so by officially declaring the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan non-Muslim, and not to forget the conglomeration of 9 parties to form the right-wing PNA solely to fight against the socialist agenda of PPP in the 1977 elections. He delves into a lot of detail explaining the origin of various student unions and the role they played in the political evolution of Pakistan from the 50’s into the 70’s and 80’s. Anyone who wants to become a bit more politically aware with the Pakistani scenario should give it a read. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My favourite chapter of the book is, “Sound/Vision Deafness/Blindness”. This is what NFP has really been known for – the uncanny ability to decipher the complex cultural ambiance of Pakistan and present it in the most hilariously readable and lucid manner. He covers the entertainment business, Lollywood, music and theatre, and how it’s evolved with the tumultuous political happenings of the country. And obviously an NFP book would’ve been incomplete without his astute take on Cricket and how politics have changed the outlook of the Pakistani team over the years. Although reading Osman Samiuddin’s, “The Unquiet Ones”, would be a lot more helpful for the academic, NFP’s satirical discourse on the subject shouldn’t be missed!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last chapter of the book took me by complete surprise. For the first time I’ve read NFP talking about his religious beliefs and what, according to him, the Muslims and Pakistanis need to do in order to progress. Overall, the book is a fun read and presents a load of information on the political scenario of Pakistan. The references NFP gives are really interesting and I’ve jotted down quite a few titles for future reads. Authors like Ayesha Jalal and K. K. Aziz need to be read by every Pakistani in order garner a deeper understanding of the machinations of Pakistani society. Furthermore, anyone possessing deep apathy for NFP should read it as well, as the book provides an a lot more intimate viewpoint of the much debated journalist we’ve come to love and hate.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-64122640935569770142017-01-09T16:57:00.001+11:002017-01-11T09:49:13.251+11:00Review: To Kill a Mockingbird<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2657.To_Kill_a_Mockingbird" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="To Kill a Mockingbird (To Kill a Mockingbird #1)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361975680m/2657.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2657.To_Kill_a_Mockingbird">To Kill a Mockingbird</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1825.Harper_Lee">Harper Lee</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1711285310">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Considering this book was published in 1960 and that too written by a female author, I'm surprised it actually saw print. The themes covered in the book are extremely important and are as vital to be discussed today as they were at that time. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The book is about one Atticus Finch, a practicing lawyer in a small town in the state of Alabama, and is told in the first person narrative of his daughter, Scout. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One aspect I immediately picked up on when I started reading the book was how Atticus's children addressed him by his first name instead of using the more traditional and widely accepted title, 'Dad'. Although personally I would never go so far as to address my father by his first name, this does touch on one really important idea for me. Pakistan is a country which is practically slave to culture and tradition. Every person whose older is addressed with "respect" which is generally conveyed to the recipient via a title e.g. Bhai (brother) and Baji (sister). In my opinion, the minute such a title is attached to someone whose only older in age and not necessarily in experience and mental capacity, much of the young'un's opinion is discredited and would most likely be looked at through skepticism and, in some cases, ridicule. Once individuals are past a certain age, all immediate relationships should be on a first name basis with the discourses and general banter carried out as equals. Atticus is the perfect father who gives his children the importance they deserve and hence both kids never shy away from voicing their opinions throughout the book. Obviously, there's a fine line between utter disrespect emanating from hubris and being vocal enough with enough humility. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The major theme that the book expertly negotiates is the inherent relativity of right and wrong. This sentiment is reflected in the title as well and the quote, <i>"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird"</i>, explains it all the more. Bob Ewell is one such character that epitomizes this statement. The circumstances he's killed in and the subsequent reaction of Atticus in bringing Jem Finch (his son) to task since he suspects his hand in the death of Bob, and how Heck Tate, the Sheriff, asks Atticus to simply lay off and to let it go because Bob Ewell's death is actually service to the society. The conversation between Tate and Atticus is wrought with ideas which one would be able to uncover the more they read and discuss it. Absorbing the whole book and what it stands for is quite difficult after just a single read. It is a piece of literature that should be read at all phases of life. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Atticus's message in the book is simple and yet one of the most difficult to adhere to,<i> "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."</i> This one statement encompasses almost everything that is wrong with a society like Pakistan today. And a similar stream of intolerance seems to seeping back into the Western societies that have tried so hard to rid themselves of it albeit a farcical underlying rhetoric which has been all the more validated by the likes of Donald Trump. It is high time we look at ourselves and strive to make this world a better and a more tolerant place to live in for our progeny. A child is incapable of hating however they do learn. Be the Atticus in their lives and expound sound and forbearing advice to them so they can return the favor by becoming the seeds of change. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book can be read casually or part of study. I would recommend to everyone to definitely give this book a shot; rest assured they'll take away their own version of it which undoubtedly would be positive in complexion. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-71749412762014286752017-01-09T15:38:00.002+11:002017-01-09T15:38:54.393+11:00Training Diaries: Melbourne Marathon 2017 - Training Week 1: Day 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>TRAINING WEEK 1: Day 6</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b><br /></b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Date: 07/01/2017</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Weight: 85.2kgs</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Run Type: Race - Portsea Twilight Run - 8kms<br />
Track Type: Off-road/Road<br />
Temperature: 33C</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Shoes: Hoka One One Bondi 4</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Device: Garmin Fenix 3</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Details of the run are given below.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bvPMp9tTuJs/WHLXYyYQp9I/AAAAAAAAB04/-20tZw-ITW4m9I1NrfqTQgEsWj_At4klQCLcB/s1600/Capture1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bvPMp9tTuJs/WHLXYyYQp9I/AAAAAAAAB04/-20tZw-ITW4m9I1NrfqTQgEsWj_At4klQCLcB/s320/Capture1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybhbA3YAzcU/WHLXY4_P7MI/AAAAAAAAB00/ntz0_UXJDwYzffgvURlyON-MMjVssAlZgCLcB/s1600/Capture3.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybhbA3YAzcU/WHLXY4_P7MI/AAAAAAAAB00/ntz0_UXJDwYzffgvURlyON-MMjVssAlZgCLcB/s320/Capture3.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I signed up for this race last minute and was shit scared due to my current fitness levels. Nevertheless, I took the plunge and have come out of it alive! For starters, I was taken by surprise to find out on the day of the race that the Portsea track would be a trail run, not a road run as I'm used to. That got the anxiety levels spiking but oh well, had to go through with it no matter what. The weather was extremely warm all day but thankfully the heat was subsiding by the time I reached the start line at around 6:40PM with the temperature at around 33C (92F). The run was scheduled to begin at 7:00PM. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
There's something about being at the start line of a race. Obviously, with my current fitness (and future as well) I'll only be competing against myself rather than other participants. On August 13th, 2016, I participated in my first ever official race - City2Surf Sydney. That's a 14km track which I was able to finish in a semi-decent 1hr 23m. Needless to say I was stoked and still am really proud of that achievement considering just under a year earlier I was bedridden and going for an ACL reconstruction surgery. Anyway, the adrenaline rush that one gets and feeds off of other participants at the start line is a really unique experience. Every runner is seemingly nervous with smiles going around aplenty depicting encouragement and uncertainty. It's a great moment experience. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The race commenced with the siren going off. First 1.4km were quite standard with the limbs loosening up, breathing becoming steadier and the nerves settling down. From there onward it was a constant uphill and downhill with the former doing a lot more damage naturally. We reached the halfway mark at 3.5km and started back to roughly where we'd started. The return was a lot harder as the uphill really became steep and my pace reduced significantly from a lousy 6:30m/km to a lousier 7:10m/km. The rest of the 2.5km, before we detoured towards the finish line via trail, was one of the toughest distances I've ever run. 90% of running this stretch was mental work and just coercing and begging the muscles to go on - one step at a time - while beggingly applying the age old adage, 'you conquer the mountain, the mountain doesn't conquer you' which at the time seemed a lot of bullshit than anything else. Thankfully there were water stations along the way so I kept myself well hydrated which was a good idea due to the heat. I generally avoid drinking water on runs less than 15km surviving on gels primarily for anything over 12km. At the 6km mark, we detoured and went onto a trail which was again a new experience for me. It was an absolutely lovely run from thereon. I never expected myself to enjoy the trail so much hence the reason why I'm planning to run the Melbourne Trail Series for this year. However, that depends entirely on how well I train this year. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
The best part about the run was Ahmed running the last 200m with me, absolutely hilarious; he's turning out to be a pretty toughie. Once I'd reached the finish line, I loaded up on a couple of energy bars, drank plenty of water and did my stretches. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IPVk4NEu9pA/WHLf1_P5Y1I/AAAAAAAAB1I/zr6dsYvc9IgLYsCH_rzP1tGEfOVjpRKtQCLcB/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IPVk4NEu9pA/WHLf1_P5Y1I/AAAAAAAAB1I/zr6dsYvc9IgLYsCH_rzP1tGEfOVjpRKtQCLcB/s320/Capture.PNG" width="228" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Right now the body is feeling great with a little bit of soreness in the thighs. I'm planning to go for a 7km run today so that'll bring out any niggles that I might be carrying. Overall, I feel great and am really motivated to carry on with the training regime. Hopefully, I'll reach a point where I can take the plunge into doing a full marathon!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Until next time :)</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-66963515277542775542017-01-03T21:07:00.001+11:002017-01-09T15:38:48.697+11:00Training Diaries: Melbourne Marathon 2017 - Training Week 1: Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Holy SHIT! It's 2017 already. 2016 went by so fast, I still wake up disoriented on a few days thinking it's sometime in June/July, but oh well, 2017 it is. Anyway, down to business. I've finally decided to start training for a marathon, to be specific, the Melbourne Marathon which is exactly 284 days away bringing the date of the event to 15th of October, 2017. Just thinking about the run gives me the heebie-jeebies. The maximum that I've run is a half-marathon which is 21.1kms. Needless to say it was extremely tough and took me a good 6 months to bring myself to the kind of fitness where I could do justice to a distance that extensive. A full marathon is 42.2.kms; it's unfathomably long. Even more so for someone like me who feels on top of the world after a meager 10km run every now and then. All said and done, I believe it's time to move on and talk about what the future holds and how I intend to get there. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are a few goals I have to hit and if I'm able to knock them down, running a full marathon would definitely be achievable. The weight has to come down, muscle tone and endurance needs to increase, core strength has to be top notch, and one of the most important aspects of a long run is the posture which I really need to work on in order to minimize injury and overall body wear and tear. The key to success, however, resides not in excessive practice and toning of the body but solely in the mind. Come race day, if I'm strong in the head, churning out 42.2kms wouldn't be an issue. Well, relatively speaking anyway. With further ado, let's start on the training. Today, 3rd of January, was the first day. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>TRAINING WEEK 1: Day 1</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b><br /></b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Date: 03/01/2017</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Weight: 85.6kgs</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Run Type: Treadmill - 5kms</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Shoes: Hoka One One Bondi 4</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Device: Garmin Fenix 3</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Details of the run are given below.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTYgH612AUU/WGt3FH_ONiI/AAAAAAAAB0c/PXdC_v6bnkQ3uscFot0pgaR4NRq0wk7LQCLcB/s1600/Capture2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OTYgH612AUU/WGt3FH_ONiI/AAAAAAAAB0c/PXdC_v6bnkQ3uscFot0pgaR4NRq0wk7LQCLcB/s400/Capture2.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Diet:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFg2eeQMMh0/WGt1Ja7CjfI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/AhscAVil7cwpfe9cxTz7NwTW916qapS_ACLcB/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFg2eeQMMh0/WGt1Ja7CjfI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/AhscAVil7cwpfe9cxTz7NwTW916qapS_ACLcB/s400/Capture.PNG" width="395" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Today's run was nothing special. Unfortunately, I'm in quite a bad shape at the moment and it'll take a good part of the next month before I'm able to do 10km runs without completely collapsing. But at least, I've been able to pick my lazy ass up from the couch and start. Now let's see how long this goes on for. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Wish me good luck!</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-61902484084773717442016-12-20T15:33:00.001+11:002016-12-20T15:33:34.490+11:00Best of 2016 in Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, year 2016 comes to an end as well. For this year, the target that I had set was of reading 50 books, almost one book a week; I ended up reading 60 which feels nice. Starting this year, I've decided to compile a list of 10 books and put them up on here. Every one of the following titles are highly recommended which would do great service to the reader.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Fallen Leaves by <i>Will Durant</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. No God but God by <i>Reza Aslan</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. A Case of Exploding Mangoes by <i>Mohammad Hanif</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
4. Burnt Shadows by <i>Kamila Shamsie</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5. A Malaysian Journey by <i>Rehman Rashid</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6. Our Oriental Heritage by <i>Ariel Durant & Will Durant</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
7. Delhi: A Novel by <i>Khushwant Singh </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
8. A New Earth by <i>Eckhart Tolle</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
9. Freakonomics by <i>Steven D. Levitt</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
10. Fahrenheit 451 by<i> Ray Bradbury </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The following books didn't make the list but are highly recommended as well. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
11. 1984 by <i>George Orwell</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
12. The Greatest by <i>Muhammad Ali</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
13. Outliers by <i>Malcolm Gladwell</i> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
14. Mort by <i>Terry Pratchett</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
15. American Gods by <i>Neil Gaiman</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Can't wait for the new year to begin so I can start on the new target I've set for myself. Due to work commitments and an extremely busy routine overall, I'll try and read 40 books in 2017. Fingers crossed. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Good luck and Happy New Year :)!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-22337221057468073032016-12-12T17:01:00.000+11:002016-12-13T09:51:04.143+11:00JJ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A week has passed since Pakistan lost one of her most famous, iconic and polarizingly loved sons, - Junaid Jamshed or JJ. An individual who became the Voice of the Nation through a song which has become synonymous with the anthem - <i>Dil Dil Pakistan</i>. I wouldn't be surprised if more people can sing along to the the lyrics of <i>DDP</i> than Pakistan's national anthem. It rejuvenates passion and zealousness at a very micro level in my being every time I listen to it (which is now at this very moment). And the same is true for millions of Pakistanis as if the song has practically become a part of their genetic construct. Being a Pakistani and not having heard of <i>DDP </i>borders on blasphemy. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One other phenomenon that needs to be comprehended is that <i>DDP </i>was more than just a song performed by 4 rockers; it was a source of identity and a breath of fresh air for millions of Pakistanis coming out of a decade-long asphyxiating dictatorship under General Zia. It was a glimmer of hope that the youth needed desperately at the time and a depiction of glee and happiness in the best way that these sentiments can be thoroughly advertised - through music. I listened to the song for the first time in 1989-90, and thence started a love affair with a band called, "Vital Signs", which continues to this day. JJ not only became the face of a rock band in the 90's but was literally synonymous with Pakistan's music industry. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Vital Signs was one of the bands alongside Junoon that inspired me to sing and eventually become a vocalist of a little setup while I was at University in Pakistan. I still remember singing "<i>Aitebar</i>"<i> </i>at my first ever gig, and almost every single of them thereafter. One of my biggest heartbreaks also came when Vital Signs decided to split, and I must admit that JJ's style of music never impressed apart from a few tunes. My fondest memories of his voice are from the time he was with Vital Signs - 4 albums in total, and shall remain so.<br />
<br />
The question that pops to mind is though why has JJ's demise affected me so much. Apart from his music there was little of his life that I ever followed with a dichotomous viewpoint on his take on women rights and quite a few other Islamic ideals he possessed. And the impact of his untimely death has cut in so deep that even now I tear up every time I find myself humming his tunes or listen to one of his songs. I've realised that with every person I know or follow one aspect of their personality diligently passes away, a part of my soul departs and an intimate connection that I had with the past also withers away with them. In 2012, we lost Zaigham Bhai (<a href="http://sufosblog.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/zam-bhai.html">http://sufosblog.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/zam-bhai.html</a>) in an air crash close to Risalpur. His passing is all the more pertinent in this scenario because he was my oldest brother's friend, and I personally didn't spend any time with him but just knew him as one of the close "Bhai's" within the Air Force community. Living in an armed forces community is a very interesting dynamic. Every single one of the Officers on a base you're residing in is an Uncle and his wife, an Aunty; even though the sentiment it dishes out is predominantly titular, a connection and kinship is established. A very similar phenomenon seems to have occurred with respect to JJ as well. His songs were a big part of my childhood and a source of new experiences aplenty. I, for one, will miss his presence dearly. God bless your soul, JJ! Thank you for all the joy you've given us.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>mar bhee jaoo tau</i><br />
<i>beeti huiee baato ko</i><br />
<i>jaagi huiee raato ko</i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">
</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">yaad karna</span></div>
</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">yaad karna aur jee lena</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: start;">main apni awaaz </span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">aur apney saaray geet</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">tumhain day jaoon ga</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">meri sab cheezon ko</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">yoonhe rehnay dena</span></span></div>
</span></i></span></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-86238760567795123172016-09-20T11:13:00.003+10:002016-09-20T20:32:30.995+10:00The Jungle Book: A Thought<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I
finished reading Rudyard Kipling's, "The Jungle Book", a
while back. Before this I'd only read the illustrated versions of the book,
specifically the first one with Mowgli, as a child so stumbling upon those
extra stories came as a pleasant surprise.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">Two
stories really put me ill at ease though, "The White Seal" and
"Toomai of the Elephants". The former primarily because of the
premise set by Kipling where a first of its kind White seal named
"Kotick" leads all the other Black ones to everlasting peace,
and showing them a better way to live without constant infighting which is
prevalent among its species. Kotick doesn't achieve this through peaceful means
though; the Black seals acquiesce under duress after being put in their place
by the White one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I
don't think I would've realized the inherent grimness of what I'd read at the
time save for last night when I happened upon a reference to Kipling in
the most unlikely of literature. This in the following words:</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">"With
that change began the period the world would most often associate with the
British Indian experience, the Victorian-era. Its predominant philosophy was a
concept frequently enunciated by the man who was its self-appointed poet
laureate - Rudyard Kipling - that white Englishman were uniquely
fitted to rule 'lesser breeds without the law'. The responsibility for
governing India, Kipling proclaimed, had been 'placed by the
inscrutable decree of providence upon the shoulders of the British race'."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Freedom
at Midnight - Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre</i></b></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">No
matter what the avenue or how subtle might it be, I deplore the White
supremacist agenda and find this theme so prevalent in history disgusting. All
the more reason for me to revisit these childhood stories before my son is old
enough to read them; maybe I'll be able to guide him a bit more knowingly
reserving insurmountable praise or otherwise.<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-58452509032186594282016-07-22T12:31:00.000+10:002016-07-22T12:46:16.159+10:00Review: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2195464.What_I_Talk_About_When_I_Talk_About_Running" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388187962m/2195464.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2195464.What_I_Talk_About_When_I_Talk_About_Running">What I Talk About When I Talk About Running</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3354.Haruki_Murakami">Haruki Murakami</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1682157038">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is my first Murakami and rest assured I haven't been disappointed after all the crazy hype around his works even though this is a book which is far from what he's actually famous for as an author. Still, he's got a riveting style of composition. <br />
<br />
This book is quite honestly strictly for runners or anyone planning to get into long-distance running. Murakami does state however that this could be taken as a brief biography of his life (minus the laborious details that oldies tend to get into when writing about their lives bordering senility) so it might interest his groupies from that respect but it is primarily about running/triathlons and how taking his body through such extreme forms of punishment has helped him become an accomplished novelist. I particularly enjoyed the read because of currently training for a half-marathon myself. Undertaking a full distance marathon is still a year away, at the very least but honestly this book has been such a massive source of motivation. So much so that today I ended up going for a 6km Murakami inspired run and made good time too even though it was supposed to be a rest day. Motivation can come from multiple and unexpected avenues I guess. I've already accomplished above and beyond what I'd ever expected of myself and hope to continue on this crazy path in hopes of realizing the goals I've set. The feeling of elation I get after every run is now tenfold having gone through hell pre- and post-ACL reconstruction surgery in November last year.<br />
<br />
The book indulges in a fair bit of philosophical discourse in relation to life in general and how something as monotonous as running day in day out might help in achieving extraordinary levels of focus and resilience, and will power which comes into play more often than not when attempting any challenging feat - mind over matter.<br />
<br />
One of the things I really loved was how Murakami touched on the social stigma that's weirdly attached to exercise and fitness in general. I've been the butt of a lot of taunts and jokes over the years since I've started taking care and listening to my body's feedback. But oh well, I guess one just learns to live with it and so have I. Very interesting quote from the book makes for a good response to all the naysayers: <br />
<br />
"People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But I don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the year, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive than in a fog, and I believe running helps you do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life - and for me, for writing as well. I believe many runners would agree."<br />
<br />
Another intricate detail recursive within the realm of runners and particularly very close to my heart was regarding how ordinary and mundane, dogged by similar ruts, the lives of triathletes must be outside of the competitions they take part in. They've got families and kids, and day jobs to go to hence taking time out for training must really be hard, and if I may add, absolutely impossible without support from their partners. Training for a marathon isn't only hard on the body but also on immediate relationships and social lives since the lifestyle the runner tends to follow becomes the antithesis of what generally is considered normal. Socially, my family's entertainment revolves around food with very minimal outdoor activities (BBQ is hardly an activity), therefore, declining invitations to feasts can at times have very dire consequences. These super-athletes really are a unique breed. <br />
<br />
On a final note, this book is recommended for runners primarily. People with no interest in fitness will find the book highly pretentious and would most likely find themselves drifting away from Murakami. He's an absolutely amazing author and deserves to be read. I hope this books serves to be a source of motivation come October when I find myself nervously slipping on my running shoes for the longest run of my life until that point at time. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-64922676474094946592016-06-29T14:46:00.001+10:002016-07-22T12:32:19.582+10:00Review: Of Human Bondage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31548.Of_Human_Bondage" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Of Human Bondage" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924695m/31548.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31548.Of_Human_Bondage">Of Human Bondage</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4176632.W_Somerset_Maugham">W. Somerset Maugham</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1616294231">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
More of a mini-review! <br />
<br />
Forgive me if I sound too much of a romantic.<br />
<br />
Just finished reading 'Of Human Bondage' by Somerset Maugham. I'm at a loss for words. These past few weeks have been such a beautiful journey with this unbelievable work of art and a literary masterpiece in every sense of the word. This book has reinforced my belief in the sentiment, 'life is but a bed of thorns with glimpses of happiness'. I know that sounds morbid and outlandishly cynical, but is it? <br />
<br />
Every book one reads leaves a stamp on the soul, and this work of genius has certainly resonated very close to my inner-being staying quite true to the axiom. This book, for me, is a perfect allegory of life. Every single individual to tarry down its path will not fail to appreciate the utter simplicity with which Maugham encapsulates the reader in his magnum opus; in austerity lies his genius. All of us are leading lives much similar to the undulating shades of Philip Carey's (protagonist? :)) overly mundane and prosaic life. Some people might find it a tough read but totally worth it, take the plunge, if you haven't already, and allow it to seep in :).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-75574092504536345592016-06-24T23:57:00.000+10:002016-07-22T12:32:27.749+10:00Review: Reasons to Stay Alive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23363874-reasons-to-stay-alive" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Reasons to Stay Alive" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418674667m/23363874.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23363874-reasons-to-stay-alive"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23363874-reasons-to-stay-alive">Reasons to Stay Alive</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/76360.Matt_Haig">Matt Haig</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1639723163">5 of 5 stars</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My first book which talks exclusively about anxiety and depression. Hailing from a country (Pakistan) that collectively suffers from all sorts of mental ailments, I could relate to a lot of details in the book, at some level anyway. Personally, I'm not depressed and have never been depressive at any point at time in my life apart from the nobody-understands-me teenage year phases. But even then, I do believe I've seen depression in people close to me, and this book has helped me put a finger on it and maybe given me some semblance of comprehension of this highly tabooed discourse in the society I was raised in. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had never heard of PND until we had a son of our own and all our friends started having kids of their own; PND became a popular subject of discussion overnight. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Depression in Pakistan, in all its forms, is buried under tradition that has come into shape over centuries of intermingling cultures with almost all of them having rightist ideas as their common denominator. The line of thought these ideas generate tend to patronise mental illnesses equating them to weakness and lack of manliness in men, and well, women have never really been afforded much importance in the region to be considered worthy of scrutiny - they're supposed to live with it. All the more reason for the people from the subcontinent to read up more on these illnesses. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book is a perfect introduction for anyone who wants to garner some understanding of this debilitating disease plaguing lives of millions of people around the globe. And also for anyone who might be struggling with such an ailment; Matt Haig has given an extremely personal and intimate account of his battles with the demons of depression and anxiety (now-then discussions are amazing), and it's the positivity that oozes out of his rhetoric that will definitely help people looking for reasons to stay alive!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/4077104-qazi-sufian-javed">View all my reviews</a></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-53590747689112350122016-06-10T19:36:00.000+10:002016-07-22T12:32:34.359+10:00Review: A Malaysian Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1561546" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px; text-align: justify;"><img alt="A Malaysian Journey" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1281449398m/1561546.jpg" /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1561546"></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1561546">A Malaysian Journey</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/726320">Rehman Rashid</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1612911928">5 of 5 stars</a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I started reading this book because of an upcoming trip to Malaysia, my first. I thought it'd be a good idea to know a little something about the history of the country I'm visiting. So I googled, 'must read books on Malaysia', and almost every hit had this book as one of the recommendations. Now, I half-expected myself to labour through these 280 pages over a month and still be clueless about what Malaysia is all about. Because that's exactly how political autobiographies turn out to be, no? Boy, was I wrong!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Rehman Rashid is blessed with the beautiful gift of eloquence. His command over the English language is humbling and does not fail to render the reader speechless. Apart from the author's rich expression, account of his travels across Malaysia are fascinating, engulfing and intimately depicted. And he combines his personal life with Malaysian history expertly with not an iota of break in the flow. Overall, a very enjoyable read and should be on every tourist's to-read list! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The biggest drawback is the availability of this book. I ordered a copy from <a href="http://www.mphonline.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.mphonline.com</a>, an online Malaysian bookstore :).
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1612911928">View all my reviews</a>
</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-47714914489935157902016-01-09T18:57:00.001+11:002016-09-18T12:49:13.007+10:00Aag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Been too long since I've sung or composed anything. Just a tune which means a lot and at the same time is completely inconsequential in the bigger scheme of things. A ramble, nothing more. And we shall call it, '<i>Aag'. </i>Speedy now, Speedy forever :). </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<object data="http://sites.google.com/a/bloggertipspro.com/mediafiles/mp3/dewplayer.swf" height="20" id="dewplayer" name="dewplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="240">
<param name="movie" value="dewplayer.swf" />
<param name="flashvars" value="mp3=http://sites.google.com/site/sufiansmusic/mp3/Aag%20-%20Sufian.mp3" />
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
</object>
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-87055938472652079222015-09-22T15:03:00.001+10:002015-09-23T11:14:49.217+10:00A Peek into the Past!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A few journeys and experiences in life have such a gargantuan affect on a person's perspective and outlook on a multitude of concepts that were ingrained, not by anyone in particular and without any specific intentions in mind but just due to the natural flow of life. This past month has been such an amazing journey for me personally. Bitten by an imp of nostalgia! The best part about the whole experience has been that the emotional whirlwind that has accompanied it was totally unexpected.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I visited Pakistan in September 2014 after approximately 4 years seeing many a hardship, ups and downs, and laughter and glee on shores afar. It was an absolutely amazing trip with Ahmed meeting his grandparents for the first time ever, experiencing that overwhelming vibe of reassurance and fulfillment from the General, seeing my mother who at one time had become extremely fragile, emotionally and physically, as hands-down the smartest and wisest of the family and pretty much the sole reason why we've survived as a unit these past 39 years and the penultimate ending to the trip with the whole family reuniting after almost a decade when Umar decided to tarry down for a 10 day getaway.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While there, it occurred to me to inquire about where all our family photographs were. One thing that I've found lacking in Australia is that visual connection to my past, and especially now that we've been blessed with Ahmed, the void and it's gaping existence had become vast bordering on being dreadful and hurting. Anyway, fortunately I found all of them stacked and rusting away in Dad's old file cabinets; standard 32-leaflet photo albums, innumerable black and white pictures with groggy hand writing at on their backs - attempts at upholding a fading family history - and decorative photo albums. These were pictures dating back to the 40's up till the dawn of digital cameras in my family in 2004-05. All in all, we're talking about 2935 pictures encompassing the evolution and progression of my family through the toughest of times to where we are now. Alhamdulilah, Allah has been very kind to us! I wasn't really aware of the magnitude of the task I was undertaking i.e. digitizing the entire family photographic catalogue - a job for which studios charge thousands of dollars; business idea for my budding entrepreneur friends right there!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, it's taken me almost a month and a half to complete the entire scanning process. This has been by far the most fulfilling and satisfying job that I've ever committed to, and achieved. Safe to say that I've lived my parents' lives through pictures. From pictures encompassing my father's life before marriage, the insight into which has been utterly special - shots that reiterate the importance and potential of following one's dreams and the relentless efforts in achieving them; he is a living embodiment of this sentiment - to his subsequent marriage to Mama and setting sail to their journey together into a world filled with uncertainty and challenges unforeseen, I've had a very real glimpse into it all. As children, I don't think we're ever able to relate to our parents. We only ever see them as these grown-up super-humans capable of fixing any and every ailment faced; the thought of them being children or teenagers at one point at time in their lives doesn't even begin to cross our minds - that's the level of our self-indulgence and preoccupation with ourselves, or that's just being human I guess. The impotence of not being able to relate to their (parents) lives is one of the biggest reasons children grow up with deep antipathy and grievances directed towards them; it's plain simple intentions misconstrued - if they did screw-up, I'm pretty sure it wasn't out of malice. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This gig has molded a different nerve in me. I'm not sure how but there is a foreign presence which wasn't there earlier. Maybe time and further reflection will iron out the incomprehensible elements in my thought process, or not. No matter what, I'll forever hold whatever I've gained out of gazing into my family's past very dear. I've become overwhelmingly emotional throughout my journey and definitely have shed a tear or two in the process, rest assured not out of sadness even though it did accompany a certain brand of melancholy, but purely out of joy and elation seeing my parents' dreams gain opacity albeit hiccups but then where's the fun without the crippling family histrionics! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My source of enlightenment has been a month long scanning of pictures. By the time Ahmed grows up, he'll have absolutely no connection with my life in Pakistan in a very similar fashion to how I didn't have a clue of what my father's life had been like until I started this crazy task. So basically, this laborious lugging around has been in hopes of preserving family history in order to give an insight in to our roots to the cubs of the family when they come of age and if ever they'd be inclined towards garnering some sort of understanding of our origins.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There's nothing more than I'd like to tell my parents that they've done an absolute gem of a job at raising me and providing me with the best of opportunities so that I could somehow come into my own - thank you for everything Mama and Abu, I love you. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJ0fWqD8XPw/VgDdQra1dcI/AAAAAAAABpY/dPM9x6lzUzI/s1600/Javed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJ0fWqD8XPw/VgDdQra1dcI/AAAAAAAABpY/dPM9x6lzUzI/s320/Javed.jpeg" width="236" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwLg5XMP4AY/VgDd7xOCi1I/AAAAAAAABqE/9j5jziZ0nKM/s1600/im513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwLg5XMP4AY/VgDd7xOCi1I/AAAAAAAABqE/9j5jziZ0nKM/s320/im513.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vaxIVb4K9lY/VgDd3bXjK6I/AAAAAAAABpw/jzrqGbiVpKU/s1600/im519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vaxIVb4K9lY/VgDd3bXjK6I/AAAAAAAABpw/jzrqGbiVpKU/s320/im519.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7AOQ-JjS9D0/VgDdqtWzwZI/AAAAAAAABpg/s0Ps42R5eq8/s1600/im644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7AOQ-JjS9D0/VgDdqtWzwZI/AAAAAAAABpg/s0Ps42R5eq8/s320/im644.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOFROwf7ZQA/VgDdzMPhZoI/AAAAAAAABpo/_qFnA_odfIo/s1600/Qazi%2BJaved%2BAhmed%2B-%2BNo.%2B18%2BSqd%252C%2BQuetta%2B-%2B1969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOFROwf7ZQA/VgDdzMPhZoI/AAAAAAAABpo/_qFnA_odfIo/s320/Qazi%2BJaved%2BAhmed%2B-%2BNo.%2B18%2BSqd%252C%2BQuetta%2B-%2B1969.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lAWabVcI0pY/VgDd5fSIJMI/AAAAAAAABp4/TZOCzT3jfWQ/s1600/Rafaqat%2BShaheen%2BRight%2BAfter%2BEngagement%2B-%2B1974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lAWabVcI0pY/VgDd5fSIJMI/AAAAAAAABp4/TZOCzT3jfWQ/s320/Rafaqat%2BShaheen%2BRight%2BAfter%2BEngagement%2B-%2B1974.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXTWBjXYNAY/VgDd7auZhzI/AAAAAAAABqA/YIYS_Vrx3Ak/s1600/Rifaqat%2BShaheen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lXTWBjXYNAY/VgDd7auZhzI/AAAAAAAABqA/YIYS_Vrx3Ak/s320/Rifaqat%2BShaheen.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZubK29skZQ/VgDebUi4c2I/AAAAAAAABqg/l2jHAd7rDSk/s1600/im702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jZubK29skZQ/VgDebUi4c2I/AAAAAAAABqg/l2jHAd7rDSk/s320/im702.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9_EpWDP19k/VgDeIStVxuI/AAAAAAAABqQ/XAyaQA7IgVA/s1600/img791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M9_EpWDP19k/VgDeIStVxuI/AAAAAAAABqQ/XAyaQA7IgVA/s320/img791.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Si5wR2iSHs/VgDel-0FBSI/AAAAAAAABrA/rlnsb-zZtVs/s1600/im814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Si5wR2iSHs/VgDel-0FBSI/AAAAAAAABrA/rlnsb-zZtVs/s320/im814.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cT4QS1srBbk/VgDeTf7FbPI/AAAAAAAABqY/oaWbi8DJXYk/s1600/img786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cT4QS1srBbk/VgDeTf7FbPI/AAAAAAAABqY/oaWbi8DJXYk/s320/img786.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmSgplCRknU/VgDecL6LrsI/AAAAAAAABqk/hTH3r-j6SKI/s1600/image333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MmSgplCRknU/VgDecL6LrsI/AAAAAAAABqk/hTH3r-j6SKI/s320/image333.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1HEy7EKDCko/VgDegYgecoI/AAAAAAAABqw/jFfz1XDrOGc/s1600/im177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1HEy7EKDCko/VgDegYgecoI/AAAAAAAABqw/jFfz1XDrOGc/s320/im177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OoJ8NagYeUs/VgDej3DyyGI/AAAAAAAABq4/Cwhi7yEwOVM/s1600/image286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OoJ8NagYeUs/VgDej3DyyGI/AAAAAAAABq4/Cwhi7yEwOVM/s320/image286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rf613ow_FN4/VgDeo9cb9VI/AAAAAAAABrI/xWVm2yrV1bM/s1600/Greenspot%252C%2BKalabagh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rf613ow_FN4/VgDeo9cb9VI/AAAAAAAABrI/xWVm2yrV1bM/s320/Greenspot%252C%2BKalabagh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FiH6E31Dp58/VgDfRR8tbJI/AAAAAAAABrQ/nwIEINaMZtQ/s1600/img784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FiH6E31Dp58/VgDfRR8tbJI/AAAAAAAABrQ/nwIEINaMZtQ/s320/img784.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FRS1_LkadKw/VgDfdJl4nWI/AAAAAAAABrY/QZVF-yNWm7Y/s1600/img118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FRS1_LkadKw/VgDfdJl4nWI/AAAAAAAABrY/QZVF-yNWm7Y/s320/img118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMwO5_fuTUw/VgDgbZmUJTI/AAAAAAAABrk/VursFQDT-V8/s1600/im812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMwO5_fuTUw/VgDgbZmUJTI/AAAAAAAABrk/VursFQDT-V8/s320/im812.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-2270972609358570502013-06-28T22:27:00.001+10:002013-07-02T10:35:30.969+10:00Kal-El is Back!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--O96U6btfJg/Uc1-DwCSIaI/AAAAAAAAAXs/it6PzKkE4as/s851/Superman+logo+facebook+cover+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--O96U6btfJg/Uc1-DwCSIaI/AAAAAAAAAXs/it6PzKkE4as/s200/Superman+logo+facebook+cover+60.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time I publish this, Kulfi would've watched the movie and the <i>tabsaras </i>can safely commence. If you haven't watched the movie, I'd recommend against proceeding any further!<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The wait has been long and painful. To be exact, it's been 7 years since the last Superman movie was released. Supes has been given a completely new look with the underwear being knocked off of him similar to DC's New 52 Superman, and I'm definitely not complaining; if I had cent for the number of times people have japed about that! Besides the undies, the weavy texture given to the suit looks pretty amazing, and the cape (minus the S) doesn't look too shabby as well. Overall, a pretty amazing job's been done with the costume. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
'Superman's March' is one of the best musical pieces ever created, and is possibly the sole element which anyone anywhere in the entire world can associate directly back to Superman. When Zack Snyder announced that a new score would be developed for Man of Steel (MoS), he literally took away Superman's on-screen identity. The job was given to Hans Zimmer, a crazily talented composer. However, the biggest difference, much to my annoyance, between John Williams and Zimmer is that the former has made a name in the industry for creating thematic tunes (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman) whereas the latter has mostly worked on composing ambient and scene-based music. I highly doubt ever coming across Zimmer's take on Superman played out on classical style guitar. Anyway, I think the character specific themes' era is past us. Hans Zimmer has done a fantastic job with MoS's title track, 'What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World?' by not drifting too far from the original Superman's March. Besides the title track, the OST blends in really well with the mood of the movie. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't think I've ever been as excited as I was before MoS's release. Partly because of the team that was working on it and mainly because of it being well..Superman's return to the big screen and possibly reclaiming the throne that has been stolen by the likes of Iron Man and Batman of late. The sole reason why there are superheroes is because Superman was created in 1933! Anyway, we've had these discussions a zillion times so lets stick to the release at hand - MoS. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'll get right to the matter which I'm pretty sure has created a massive divide within Supes followers - HE KILLS ZOD. Superman KILLS...I mean KILLS...actually takes a freaking life! Now that is definitely not the Superman I've grown up with, the Superman that almost every single fan loves - no matter what, SUPERMAN DOES NOT KILL. But before writing him off completely, lets look at the bigger picture. In MoS, Superman has just found the answer to who he is. The truth is so recent that he doesn't even know that he can actually defy gravity and soar among the clouds. Among all the hubbub in his life already at a chaotic extreme, Earth is invaded by General Zod - a military trained genius tactician suddenly given powers equivalent to that of Superman. And not to forget, he's not alone. At this stage, I don't really expect Superman to be mature enough to foresee the repercussions of his actions and the path he eventually takes to defeat Zod and co. In Snyder's universe, this is Superman's first ever fight. But this is not the reason why I forgive Superman for the kill - that is because of his reaction after he's forced to do the act. The way he screams shows the pain and regret he feels at breaking Zod's neck; Superman understands what he's done. Based on the amount of experience he's had facing bad guys, poor Supes was not given any other option and mostly by Zod himself. Hence looking at the bright side, Snyder has an excellent plot to build-up Superman's personality on. I really hope for the sake of this reboot that Snyder and the writers have the sense to address this incident in one way or the other. If they don't, then this reboot is definitely not for me. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The other part which I found to be a tad bit more disturbing was the extremely obvious nod to Jesus. No, I do not refer to the post-destruction of the rig but to the part where Jor-El tells him in the ship that he's the savior to which Superman glides out in to space very reminiscent of Jesus crucified. I really wish they hadn't associated the savior angle to Supes. Nevertheless, I'm willing to let this go as well since this image will most probably just go away the minute the sequel is released. Superman is past the first hurdle of breaking in to the scene by going up against the newly formed superheroes with people drooling over how beautifully they strip instead of having the cojones to criticize the absolutely crappy story lines being put forward. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Apart from the aforementioned part, Snyder and team have nailed Supes, and MoS is beautifully poised to go down in history as the film to have finally done justice to Superman. Kudos to the writers for taking cue for the story line from one of the best comics I read a few years back - Superman Birthright. I really hope they keep going back to the comics for future projects as well. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will not go into the positives of the movie since, according to me, they are just too many to talk about! All in all, I'm content with Man of Steel and am intently looking forward to the sequel. Considering this to be a reboot after 7 years and potentially a much stronger one, I'm willing to forgo any resentments I might have against it. But I shall remain skeptical until the issue of Superman killing Zod isn't addressed. Please, please, please don't do this Snyder! Whether we like it or not, Man of Steel is here to stay and by next year we'll have a sequel as well. Might as well get on the band wagon and see how everything rolls out. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To the person to whom this movie meant as much as it did to me - YESSSSSSSSSS!<br />
<br />
Adieu!<br />
<br />
P.S. For the record, Christopher Reeve was, is and, unless they clone him, will always be Superman personified. Period. </div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-41067910214875912472013-05-10T21:29:00.000+10:002013-05-10T21:30:11.964+10:00The Real Victory!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So the hour is upon us, the fateful and long-awaited 11th of May has finally arrived. This is the day when we can either start afresh or just stick to the traditions of old and continue falling in the abyss. Whoever we vote for will determine the kind of future we want for ourselves. If even now we end up choosing the same leaders that have let us down every single time they've been in power, maybe then we really do deserve them, and the condition Pakistan is in is completely justified. Nevertheless, I've had my share of debates and <i>tabsaraas </i>on Pakistani politics in the last few months, and won't get into any of that in my last post before Elections 2013. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These past few months have been extremely eye-opening and elating because I can safely claim that I've witnessed and been a part of the biggest movement for change to hit Pakistan during my lifetime. And, most importantly, I can sleep like a log at night knowing that I took shelter under the banner of truth, justice and Quaid's Pakistan. Therefore, no matter who comes to power, for me and millions of Pakistanis alike it will be a victory that we'll cherish for a long time. It's unbelievable how a large number of people have transformed from being practically apolitical for most of their lives to putting themselves in the line of fire (literally) by becoming <i>Tabdeeli Razaakars</i>. This, by a long shot, is the biggest change that Imran Khan has single-handedly been able to bring about. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is my staunch belief that as long as we stand by the truth in face of adversity and immense challenges, the light of hope no matter how dim, shall never leave our hearts. This gargantuan effort made my Imran Khan will culminate tomorrow after a killing and cumbersome 17 years, and rest assured, it will never go to waste. No matter what the odds, this man has always carried the beacon of hope on our behalf and <i>Alhamdulilah </i>it has finally been able to encompass millions of us within its fold. I'm very sure that when we don't have Imran Khan as our leader, another from within his ranks will take his place egging Pakistan on to the path of success and prosperity. That is the legacy Imran Khan will leave, and in fact already has!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'll quickly wind up by wishing all <i>Insafians</i> and Pakistanis good luck for tomorrow. And a hearty congratulations to all you soldiers of justice on achieving such a massive victory in terms of unity. This reminds me of a quote for the ages: </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you."</i> ~ Winston Churchill</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hope to greet all of you in <i>Naya </i>Pakistan very soon, <i>In Sha Allah</i>. Vote wisely!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pakistan <i>Zindabad</i>!</div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-37617350591839826332013-05-09T21:41:00.002+10:002013-05-10T16:40:13.444+10:00Awaz!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I dedicate this to all the TR's who've worked their back sides off campaigning for PTI. This is for all those Pakistanis who want to see a <i>Naya </i>Pakistan built under the leadership of Imran Khan. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<object data="http://sites.google.com/a/bloggertipspro.com/mediafiles/mp3/dewplayer.swf" height="20" id="dewplayer" name="dewplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="240">
<param name="movie" value="dewplayer.swf" />
<param name="flashvars" value="mp3=http://sites.google.com/site/sufiansmusic/mp3/Awaz.mp3" />
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
</object>
</div>
</div>
<br />
If the media player's not working, followings the YouTube video:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1FEyiCSoTko?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
P.S. This is the best I could do without any equipment to record. iPhone Zindabad!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--B2zcB6LmoU/UYucDwoyq9I/AAAAAAAAARQ/6HnrA7HnT-0/s1600/936365_10151623577220149_817086961_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--B2zcB6LmoU/UYucDwoyq9I/AAAAAAAAARQ/6HnrA7HnT-0/s400/936365_10151623577220149_817086961_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Finale is ON!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8350894131586350012.post-60557612568835716802013-05-08T14:25:00.003+10:002013-05-08T16:34:02.945+10:00Imran Khan - A Dream Almost Shattered! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are a few figures and personalities in life that we take for granted and expect them never to go away. Almost exactly a year ago (17th May, 2012), a dear family friend and a passionate Pakistani Air Force fighter pilot was taken away from us; Squadron Leader Zaigham Shaheed. May Allah bless his soul. We never expect the worst to happen to our loved ones therefore the shock we're greeted with every time tragedy strikes close to home. Imran Khan has been one of those ever-present and 'immortal' personalities, and a role model to not only millions of Pakistanis but his competitors and followers overseas alike. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last night was possibly one of the most stressful for me in recent memory. It was around AEST 1.30 am that I woke up for my nightly (annoying) loo visit which follows, almost every time, by the subsequent checking of any latest news out of Pakistan; I was greeted by 4 missed call notifications from Maulvi. My first reaction was to get on to Dawn's website and check for what had happened as none of my friends ever call that late. The worst possible news for any Pakistani first and PTI supporter after, hit me like a wall; something nasty and bad had happened to Imran Khan. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I spent the next three hours in a state of panic and praying that Khan is safe and sound. And then the 'exclusive' interview spread like wildfire on Facebook. I swear that a public speech made by a politician has never had the sort of an impact and hit me as hard as Khan's voice and message did. More than the content of the message, it was the sheer determination and unrelenting love for Pakistan and its citizens that made me break down into tears. Last night, I witnessed a very different Imran Khan, one that the Pakistani nation could never ever perceive possible. Khan's voice was filled with pain, some regret for getting injured just three days prior to the elections, and most of all desperation to somehow get the word out to the Pakistanis to do the right thing come May 11. I never expected to be hit by the storm of emotions that followed, for a guy whom I didn't know on a personal level and was just a crazy fan of. I remember how much it hurt when my dad fell while running and injured his knee, to see him limp and in pain made me cry. The immediate concern for Imran Khan and the feeling of uneasiness since is ditto to what I would feel for a loved one. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FRr5RjVsCU4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This would have been Imran Khan's 78th Rally in the last 18 days, a feat which has never been matched by any other leader in Pakistan. The kind of an athlete that Imran Khan was and the way it has trained him, not only physically, but also mentally played a massive role in him agreeing to such a punishing and taxing schedule of rallies. From all his pep-talks and speeches, one deduction that can be made is that no matter what the consequences, Khan does not believe in shying away in face of adversity and challenges which would break almost everyone else down. He believes in giving his best and as he's always claimed that bigger the challenge, the harder he used to, and apparently still does, fight; the affirmation of which is in Khan's interview from SKMCH. I really hope Imran Khan recovers fully and is hopping about like a 30 year old in no time. If there's anyone who has the will to fight something like this, there's no one better than him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f37vAWSuuq0/UYnP2a0HhZI/AAAAAAAAAPo/VLD67f2Nhvg/s1600/imran-khan_3506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f37vAWSuuq0/UYnP2a0HhZI/AAAAAAAAAPo/VLD67f2Nhvg/s400/imran-khan_3506.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Always keep smiling like this! My Captain, My Leader!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Following these events, my belief in Imran Khan's mission has increased tenfold. We've all been through injuries or stressful situations at one point or the other in our lives, and are all aware of the kind of moods that come upon us. Considering Imran Khan's age (60 years) and the trauma he's gone through last night; it was unbelievable to see him still concerned for only Pakistan and its people. Following are a few last night's tweets of Asad Umar:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="stream-item-header" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">
<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="452830010" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333;">Asad Umar</strong> <span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">Asad_Umar</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/331866417274179584" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" title="6:21 AM - 8 May 13">7h</a></small></div>
<div class="js-tweet-text" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
Literally having faced death all he had on his mind when talking to me in the hospital was pakistan</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="stream-item-header" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">
<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="452830010" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333;">Asad Umar</strong> <span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">Asad_Umar</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/331865579323535360" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" title="6:18 AM - 8 May 13">7h</a></small></div>
<div class="js-tweet-text" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
My love & respect for this great champion of pakistan has increased many folds.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="stream-item-header" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">
<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="452830010" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333;">Asad Umar</strong> <span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">Asad_Umar</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/Asad_Umar/status/331864799686320129" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;" title="6:15 AM - 8 May 13">7h</a></small></div>
<div class="js-tweet-text" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">
What an incredible privilege to work with this amazing man in his quest to build a country this nation dreams of.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last night I actually realized how much Imran Khan actually meant to me. As the case is with the deaths of loved ones, losing him to a freak accident was something I was just not willing to accept. I had absolutely no answer to the stupid if conditions that kept popping up in my head. <i>Alhamdulilah</i>, Allah has been kind enough to spare Imran Khan to us, and we should take heed from this event. Before the vision and dream of Quaid-e-Azam could come to fruition, we lost him on September 11th, 1948; May 7th, 2013 could have been another such event marking a day when millions of dreams would've been shattered plunging Pakistan into an abyss with no worthy Commander capable of taking the reins to our salvation.<br />
<br />
May Allah grant Imran Khan complete recovery. May Allah help Imran Khan in his mission and fulfilling his dream of giving us Quaid's Pakistan. May Allah grant Pakistan security and rid her of these blood-sucking politicians. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Girte hain shehsawar hi medan-e-jung meh, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Wo tifl kya gerah jo ghutno ke bal chale</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sufianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13114358829680296612noreply@blogger.com1