Eid Greetings & Some Wishful Thinking

This Ramadan has been a strange one to say the least. Call me naïve, but I expected some of the violence in Pakistan (and all over the Muslim world for that matter) to abate during this Holy month at least.

I know that people who murder others have no religion, despite their claims to the contrary, but for some reason I thought even monsters like that must have a shred of mercy perhaps, for lack of a better word, and might spare people during this month of fasting.

I was very wrong of course.

First the public killing of two innocent young brothers in Sialkot, and then a few suicide bombings later, I am now convinced nothing is going to change in Pakistan any time soon.

Even massive flooding in the already fragile country hasn’t deterred the situation from worsening.

I guess when you know the law is ineffective and can’t, or won’t, prevent incidents of senseless death and destruction, you kind of start hoping that something, anything, else will.

I’ve even seen reports on television that show regular people taking advantage of the floods in Pakistan by hiking food prices, even in cases where the floods aren’t affecting any of the prices at all.

I suppose that’s nothing new, because that’s exactly what market vendors did after the earthquake in 2005. Again, I guess it was just silly of me to think that maybe they would act with more compassion this time, largely because the flooding in Pakistan is the worst the country has ever seen, and also because it is a humanitarian crisis of unparalleled magnitude. Also, it is Ramadan, and that should mean something to normal people, if not the ones who are involved in terrorist activities.

Again, I guess I was wrong.

Ramadan seems to mean nothing more to most than having delicious iftars, attending a sermon or two, and maybe attending the extra prayers at the mosque after Isha prayer.

I know that a lot of people are helping those affected by the floods, but there are so many more who are not only not helping, but probably making things more difficult by hiking prices and making people’s lives more arduous.

It’s probably not fair to blame them entirely though, because they probably can’t make ends meet either, which is why they feel the need to resort to such dishonest tactics. I prefer to think that’s the only reason people would behave that way, even though I know full well it isn’t.

In any case, Ramadan isn’t supposed to be just one month out of a year in which Muslims refrain from less than exemplary behavior. It’s supposed to be a whole month of fasting and thinking about what one wants to improve about one self, and then trying to stick to one’s self improvement goals throughout the year.

For a lot of people that seems to be very difficult though, which is why I thought that maybe, just maybe, some would at least desist from wrongdoing and harming others during this one month.

Of course, I was wrong.

And now as Eid approaches, I somehow can’t shake the feeling of sadness at a nation’s failed and corrupted morality.

This Eid will be a bittersweet one for me, because I’ll be thinking of all those unfortunate people who lost their lives, and all the families that have been destroyed, either because of the floods or more regrettably, because of the unnecessary and unending violence in the country we call Pakistan.

Check out my latest article on DesiVibe.com and tell me what you think! http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Special-Feature/pakistan-a-land-of-forgotten-ideals/

The Games We Play

Of late, I’ve developed a very bad habit. I guess it would be more accurate to call it a new bad habit, since it’s not the only one I have.

A few months ago I started playing Pet Society – a game on Facebook that revolves around your very own virtual pet.

You can “create” the critter you want, which includes everything from its facial features to its color to the markings on its cute little self.

Every day there’s a “lottery” which lets you win free “coins”. “Coins” can also be won in various other ways, and the more “coins” you have, the “richer” you are, and the more “items” you can buy.

New “items” are added to the virtual pet shops every week. This includes everything from “clothes” for your “pet”, to food items, to furniture for its home, to toys and lots of other fun things.

You can even choose from different types of cute little “petlings” for your “pet”, and yes, I know how corny it all sounds.

I have wasted considerable time on this silly game, and I must say it has been a very enjoyable experience. Don’t judge me until you’ve played it though. If you’re the reasonable person I think you are, you’ll have more sense than to take me up on my frivolous challenge, which in turn means you won’t be able to judge me. I much prefer it that way.

The other day, my sister was playing something called “Baking Life”, and every time I saw her sneaking off to “check” on her little bakery, I’d laugh and make fun of her to my heart’s content. It was payback time for all the ridicule I routinely went through because of my virtual pet addiction.

Little did I know, that my trap was already set.

When my sister published a Facebook “story” urging me to adopt an abandoned “puppy” that had wandered into her “bakery”, I thought I’d check the game out only because I wanted the “puppy”.

Two “puppies” and a “kitten” later, I was thoroughly into the game, “baking”, “selling” and “expanding” my mint, chocolate, and raspberry colored cozy bakery.

The more “goods” you sell, the higher the “profit” you make, and the more levels you “unlock”, which in turn increases the types of things you can “bake”, which means you can then earn more “coins” to “buy” more “items” for your “bakery” and your virtual avatar, both of which you can style as you like.

I’d tell you more about it, but I have to go and check on something in the “oven”.

Stay cool and make sure you don’t “bake” in the sun this summer,

xo

Happy Ramadan

As it turns out, bad habits and routines gone awry are difficult to fix. While I continue to struggle to make amends for my apparent disappearance, here are two pieces from me for you to have a read through. Don't forget to comment!

Also, a very happy Ramadan to everyone! May this month be a blessed time for all of you. 
More later soon (hopefully), 
Keep cool,
xo


My latest article "Stop at your own risk" on DesiVibe.com - http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Special-Feature/stop-at-your-own-risk/

My first movie review for DesiVibe.com - http://www.desivibe.com/index.php?/Entertainment-News/khatta-meetha-review/

Achey Breaky Stomach

We were in Pakistan for just four days, but my dad still managed to get sick while there. 
He ate something that obviously didn't agree with him at my cousin's wedding function, and got so ill he had to be taken to  emergency and get admitted. Thankfully he did come home after a few hours, but had to be hooked up to an IV even at home.
Because of his condition my dad even missed the reception from the groom's side the next day. He had us all extremely worried and we were relieved to see him gain back his strength little by little. 
Now that we're back home, he's still recovering, but there's something I asked him throughout his ordeal.
"WHY in the world did you NEED to eat that?", was my question regarding his erroneous food choice.
Every few hours I'd moan and ask him the above question.
Soon after our trip came to an end, and while we were checked in at the airport, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.
More pain, and stomach rumbling later, it became obvious I'd eaten something that was causing my discomfort.
My sister's stomach ached too, but my condition was far worse.
"I was trying to tell you not to eat that pizza, but you were so busy you didn't even look at me. Not only that, but you went ahead and took some more," my mom said in an annoyed tone.
"Why did you eat it? You know things from bakeries aren't always clean, especially dairy. You should have had enough common sense not to have touched that!"
I moaned and protested that I had some takeaway pizza from a place a day ago and nothing had happened, so it didn't strike me to be careful. 
The rest of the time all I said was, "It was the cheese, it was the cheese," as well as writhe in pain.
It has been a few days since we have been back now, but my stomach has still not settled down. Last night I stayed awake late because of the pain, and finally agreed to take some medicine this morning.
My dad makes sure I drink some of his ORS from time to time, so I don't get dehydrated and fall down or something. 
He hasn't once asked me why I had to scoff down not one but two slices loaded with cheese of unknown origins.
I guess that makes us even then, because since that day, I haven't complained about why he had to dig into whatever it was that made him sick.

iSleep

I can't believe it's been a month since I last blogged. How fast time flies! 
Actually, I can't really blame time here. I've just been adjusting to my move here, and for some reason that means spending a lot of time asleep, or tired, or both. 
It's not that I haven't been up to much, it's just that I didn't have the energy or the time left over from when I was done with whatever I was doing.
Even as I write this, I can feel the familiar yearning to curl up in my cozy bed and take a long afternoon nap, but I think I'll resist the urge because I woke up at noon anyway. 
I hope now you see why I've been M.I.A. If I didn't sleep as much as I do, I would get so much more done. Or in my case, I'd at least get a reasonable amount of work done. Time is a difficult thing to run after when you spend half of it asleep.
And now I also have some rest to catch up on after my four day trip to attend a cousin's wedding.
When it comes to trips, particularly trips to my home country, "short and sweet" is the motto I abide by. 
This was a good one, but in the event of that not happening, there's not much to bear if you keep things short.
I only wish my dad had listened to me last year, when we went to another cousin's wedding. It would have saved us the misery and awkwardness of being stuck in the midst of relatives who wanted to do nothing but show us how unhappy they were at something or another I might have said to one of them months ago. 
Anyways, I'll have more for you later. Right now I have a bit more sleep to catch up on.
Till then,
xo

iPeep

It has been almost two weeks since I left Ottawa for Dubai, and I'm  still having trouble getting my routine straight.
Two nights of flying, and one very long, tiring, and not so pleasant day in London can do that to you I suppose.
Unlike last time however, most of the furniture we ordered for our new place has arrived, with the exception of a coffee table and two end tables for the living room. For those, the hunt is on.
The search for wallpaper has also begun. And for rugs. And for the numerous other things you need to make a house feel like a home.
As I write, my parents and sister are out yet again hunting for a living room table. I opted to stay home on account of not feeling too great. I'm sure I can use the rest for all the roaming around we're going to do, as we've been doing even before we actually moved into our new apartment.
My only concern is having to do this all over again before we move into our new villa in Dubai which will probably be ready sometime next year.
I did warn my dad that making a villa was going to be a huge headache, something he seems to be realizing only now. Just looking at the huge variety of marble slabs, tiles, doors, doorknobs, and all sorts of things you have to choose when you custom design a house, made me feel dizzy when we were out one day.
I really don't want to think about the huge amounts of time and energy that are going to be guzzled away as we shop for everything for the new place from top to bottom.
I would have said that's what you have designers and decorators for, but judging by our experience with them for this apartment, I'd say you have designers only to have someone who presents you with things so you can decide what you most definitely don't want.
I suppose it's like house help. You can't leave them to their own devices unless you're prepared to be surprised, or shocked, depending on the final result.
Things are better in our new apartment this time around though,  with no construction going on from dawn to midnight in the building across, and much less shouting by workers camping on site at odd hours of the night.
The elevators have been tidied up and stripped of their cardboard boxes too, and visits by annoying building staff aren't a regular feature either.
The only thing I found a little strange at first was that one second, you have a wonderful view from your window, and the next, you find a man staring at you dangling from the other side of it.
The first time this happened, I was having a conversation standing next to the window in the kitchen. I turned around to grab a glass and was startled to see a man who seemed to have descended from the sky and gotten stuck to the window, in a perfect sitting yoga type position. I'm still not sure what he was doing there or why he decided to make an appearance.
Today I was woken up in the morning by some noise outside my bedroom window. I looked only to find yet another worker stuck to my window. This time it was a window cleaner. The same thing happened yesterday, but at a different time.
All the windows in the building are tinted, so I know no one can see inside during the day. I'm still a little unsure about someone who's stuck to the window though. 
Looks like I'll have to try for myself. The next time I come across a tinted window I'm going to stick to it and see if I can see what's going on inside. Maybe I'll even pretend to be a window cleaner so no one suspects me. I don't want to be known as the weird girl who peeps through people's windows though. Then again, I don't particularly want to be known as a window cleaner either. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but if I'm not one then it doesn't really make much sense does it?
I am starting to wonder though, is it really necessary to clean all the windows of a 48 floor building every day? That's a whole lot of Windex. And if in fact the window cleaners can see inside, also a whole lot of peeping.
Anyways that's enough peep talk for now. Hope you're having a good summer!
Till next time,
xo

Free Speech or Hate Speech? Facebook's Two Faced Policies

What I am about to write in this post is not typical of what I usually blog about. 
I decided to go ahead though because I feel I need to share this information with all of you.
My aim is to raise awareness about the issue that's going to be discussed from a human rights perspective.
Outside the West, it can sometimes be a very slippery slope deciding what constitutes freedom of expression and what does not.
In the West however, the case isn't quite the same.
Or so we might like to think.
I do not condone or agree with the method the person in the letter I'm going to share with you chose to make his point, but I do believe if one group's rights are worthy of protection then so are another's.
This letter comes at a time when most of the "Draw Muhammad(P.B.U.H) Day" protests and anger have settled down a little.
This incident has raised many issues in my mind though, such as why certain groups are allowed to express their ideas, whereas others are ridiculed and lashed out against simply for defending attacks on theirs.
This letter is a reminder that stereotypes of certain groups and hatred towards them does exist in the West, which could be the basis for discrimination against them. It might be up to us then to combat these in the most positive ways possible.
I have personally experienced the hatred and derogatory words of those "championing" this "free speech cause" so I know first hand exactly how ignorant some individuals are.
By sharing this letter with you, I hope to make you stop and think for a bit.
Why is it that certain things are labeled free speech, and others hate speech? 
Why is it that when it comes to certain groups, hate speech parading as free speech is actually something to be protected rather than condemned?
Why is it that some people can get away with such uncalled for, abusive, offensive and derogatory behavior, while others doing the same or similar things cannot?
We need to wake up and think about why there are so many double standards.
We've been asleep for long enough. It's time to stop shying away from the reality of certain things and look them in the eye.
I know I'm ready. 
Are you?


This letter was written by a Facebook user in Pakistan, in light of the "Draw Muhammad(P.B.U.H) Day" controversy. 


By Saad Mustafa Warraich, Karachi – Pakistan

I had been banned from Facebook and my account had been disabled a night before Facebook was banned in Pakistan. Before all this happened, I visited the blasphemous page “Draw Muhammad Day” and the content on the page hurt me badly.
Once again a certain group of westerners called it the “freedom of expression” and went on to show extremism – something they always verbally disassociate themselves from.
As a response to this lunacy, I thought it best to find out how they respond to others’ right of freedom of expression – I created an Adolf Hitler page right away and it read, “To all those who think they can ridicule Islam in the name of freedom of expression and yet punish those who speak of the genius of Hitler”.
The comment on the wall read, “Let’s hit them where it hurts them the most”. Further I added some photos of the Fuhrer, Nazi Party and the Italian Footballer Paolo Di Canio who was banned and fined by FIFA two years ago for performing the “controversial” Roman Salute which according to him gave him a sense of belonging to his people.
Within an hour tens of people joined the Hitler page which was named “H | T L E R”. The very next time I tried to log in I found out that my profile had been disabled for ‘violation of Facebook Regulations’.

Facebook’s reply for my inquiry was as following (also shown in above screenshot):

Hi Saad,

After reviewing your situation, we have determined that your violated our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. One of Facebook’s main priorities is the comfort and safety of our users.
We do not tolerate hate speech. Targeting people based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or disease is a serious violation of our standards and has resulted in the permanent loss of your account.
We will not be able to reactivate your account for any reason. This decision is final.

Kimmie
User Operations,
Facebook

Now how is it that Hitler is termed as the most evil person in the history of mankind while those that bomb Muslims, commit heinous crimes in their countries, ridicule their Prophet and Quran and as a result hurt the sentiments of 1.2 billion Muslims are hailed as heroes? And I wonder why the victims of Holocaust are more important than victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Despite the protest of a large number of Muslims, Facebook has not removed the blasphemous page from the website.
According the statement issued by Facebook their policy is to withhold such content in countries where it is controversial. The statement specifically says that we do not remove Nazi content from Facebook because it is illegal only in a few countries. 
As two-faced statements go, this one takes the prize. Perhaps before issuing the statement the Facebook did not realise that words like “Adolf Hitler”, “Sieg Heil” and “Nazi” are not allowed to be used on Facebook to create new pages.
And if all this and the removal of Hitler page and the permanent deactivation of my profile isn’t enough, here is a testament to Facebook’s vile hypocrisy. 
The statement issued by Facebook on 20 May says, “We strongly believe that Facebook users have the freedom to express their opinions, and we don’t typically take down content, groups or pages that speak out against countries, religions, political entities, or ideas.”
While, in another instance, Facebook replied me in entirely different way. Excerpt and screenshot is given above.
Now these two conflicting statements speak volumes about the discrimination by the Facebook. It simply means that Facebook through its official statement to global media wants the world to believe that they are the torchbearers of freedom of expression and allow everyone to speak their minds out. 
On the other hand the face that individuals like me get to see is a much horrible one. It talks about hate and intolerance and all forms of so-called equality and unshakable resolve. While Facebook is portraying itself as the silent and innocent onlooker for the entire world, I wonder what gives them the right to remove a major chunk of my life from the web.
I don’t think Facebook should come up with any clarification statements for the Muslim world over what happened. 
It is clearer than crystal that as long as we are labelled as extremists, we are not going to enjoy the equal rights in this world. And those that are trying to play God love to label us that. 
While reporting the Facebook ban in Pakistan in different articles, guardian.co.uk mentions the brutality of Pakistan Army in Swat while Yahoo thinks it’s necessary to unveil Al-Qaida’s plans of attacks on Danish and Dutch football teams. 
It is a blatant attempt to criticize Pakistan for placing the ban, link the country to extremism and terrorism and thereby justifying this sacrilegious act of Facebook users.


Thoughts?
xx

Lost and Finally Found

For a few days now, I have been putting some (relatively) serious thought into what to do with my blog.
Before you burst into a happy dance, let me assure you that I am not thinking of deleting it.
I've been thinking about what I write on my blog and why.
I started it initially because I wanted to have a kind of "portfolio". Something to make it a bit easier for those I submit my work to, so they can decide if they might like to have me write for them.
As I wrote more articles for DesiVibe though, as well as just wrote more in general, I began to realize what I enjoyed writing most.
I became more certain that I didn't want to go into journalism, or any kind of field where I'd be restricted to writing only neutral or factual type pieces.
I love voicing my opinions, being creative, and asking for my readers' opinions as well. I really do enjoy knowing what others think, not just about my writing but about different issues in general.
World events are always important of course, but I found that I gravitate more towards more subjective topics like observations on the world around us, and issues that define and concern certain groups of people perhaps. I guess that would be included in the realm of personal, anecdotal, and even cultural discussion type writing.
Some time ago, I decided to change my blog's direction, and write about what it's like to be shuffling confusedly between Ottawa and Dubai, among "other stuff".
Unfortunately, I forgot the former part of my blog description, and got caught up in the "other stuff".
I'd remember periodically that I was also supposed to be writing about my experiences, which is when you'd get the more personal type blog posts, but overall I believe I failed to do justice to what I had set out to do.
Lest I get sidetracked again, I've gone and made some changes to my blog description and how I'm going to approach topics now.
I'm too much of a wanderer though, and don't like to confine myself, so there will still be a mish mash of things on my blog. That'll probably help prevent things from getting too serious or monotonous, which is always good, right?
So what can you expect from this blog?
You can expect the honest and candid thoughts, experiences, and situations, a 20 something, Canadian Desi girl finds herself in as she lives in two totally different parts of the world. 
The first is a part of the contemporary Western world, and the second, the modern Arab world of today. There is a third too, my homeland, which I visit for a few days every now and then.
I understand and respect all three cultures, even though I don't agree completely with everything in any of them. I am aware of the advantages and pitfalls of each place, and maybe that's what makes it difficult to decide which one truly comes out on tops. 
Until I navigate my way around in my head some more, and write up my next post, why don't you be so kind as to visit the link to my latest article and leave your comments on the website?
It would be much appreciated. 
And if you know someone like the character I've described in my piece, do let me know how you've been dealing with them. Maybe we can exchange some valuable tips.
Till next time then,
xx


Link: http://www.desivibe.com/special-feature/679-the-human-leech

Article Alert - The Human Leech @ DesiVibe.com

We come across all sorts of people, and perhaps that’s part of what makes life so interesting. Without some irritating intruders, how would we ever know the difference between those we want to spend time with, and those we consider a waste of energy? You need to have experienced the bad to appreciate the good, right? That’s a more positive way to look at it anyway.

There is a whole variety of individuals worth discussing, but there is only so much that can be talked about in one article.

Today then, we’ll be talking about that category of people who seem more like descendents of the leech family or some combination of human and leech genes that have mutated together over time. For your convenience, I have named this type of person, “The Human Leech”. Just to make it easier for us to discuss and educate ourselves on, of course.

For the rest of the article visit DesiVibe.com or http://www.desivibe.com/special-feature/679-the-human-leech

Hope you like it!

xx

For Moms - Mine, Yours, and Everyone Else's

I didn't need to think long and hard to know that anything I say on this topic has already been said in one form or another. That doesn't mean I'm not going to try though.
I'll start with a few beautiful quotes. These three stood out in particular.


Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. Elizabeth Stone  


The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. Honore de Balzac


I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. Abraham Lincoln


And finally, the simplest and most beautiful saying on mothers was uttered by none other than the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him). 


"Paradise lies under the feet of your mother."


The Holy Quran's description of Heaven is not extremely detailed, but it does speak of a place so beautiful and wholesome in its perfection that the human mind can't even fathom it. 
Such then, is the position awarded to mothers that the Holy Prophet said that Heaven itself lies at their feet.


Whenever I'm worried because things are getting a little overwhelming, all I need to do is put my head in my mom's lap, and all my worries seem to melt away like a bar of ice cream on a scorching summer day. 
Even if we don't speak, and she doesn't ask me a single question, I always leave feeling much better than before.
If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. 


And now here's a little message to my mother, and to all mothers. A message from those living at home like me and my siblings, or those who live in a different house in the same city, or country, or continent.


Most of us really do love our mothers, and really do respect and appreciate what they do and have done for us, even though we may not always show it, say it, or even behave like it.
True to my nature, I forgot to buy my mom a Mother's Day card, and didn't bother buying a present because I figured everything I gave her would be left unused (as it always is).
She doesn't even like cake, chocolate, or any kind of dessert much, so that ruled that out.
True, I could have gotten up early, gotten dressed, and gone out to buy a bouquet of fresh flowers, but my laziness got in the way as usual.
My mom didn't get upset, but she did say I make excuses just like my little brother, (both of us are terrible at giving gifts on time, and are just generally late as well).
That may be true, but the thing is, I really didn't think I needed to go out and buy stuff to show my mom that I cared.
Then again, I didn't even bother doing anything to show her I do, other than shouting out "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY" every hour starting from when I woke up, to when she went to bed.
Immature maybe, but I had to make up for the card my sister got her, and because I had to show her that I too, remembered, even though I had no concrete proof of it in the form of a card, or gift, or anything else.
Perhaps that's why I'm writing this, "out of guilt", as my mom said, when I yelled out "Happy Mother's Day!" for the umpteenth time today.
So my dearest mama, I really do love you, and I really do care. Hopefully I'll get my act together next Mother's Day. Till then, you can read this every time you get annoyed at something or another I am bound to do during the course of the year.
Happy Mother's Day all!
xx