Karachi Literature Festival 2012

Kudos to Ameena Saiyid for successfully organizing this event for the third year running!

KLF gives Karachiites something to look forward to; a much needed intellectual platform where writers and artists can come together to connect in a safe, open environment. And the best part? It's free and open to all (all ages, genders and socioeconomic classes are welcome although the festival was dominated by the elite aunties in their winter shawls, sarees and designer sunglasses :-P).

I missed William Dalrymple, acclaimed author of White Mughals and The Last Mughal but I managed to sit in Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy's talk which was both edifying and witty...

I'd also like to share that I got 2 rejections... one from Stanford and one from Yale :'(

Guess it's not meant to be but I hope Allah Mian shows me the light soon... I really want to get back to academics (safe option) or do something amazing (not too safe) soon Inshalah.

Love and Envy

Love and envy, they're both extreme versions of the same feeling... just at different ends of the spectrum. They're both obsessive emotions and they both have the ability to destroy someone if allowed to rule unchecked. Of course, some will argue, true love is pure and unselfish, it doesn't engender envy...

I simply don't think that's true...

Dolmen Mall Karachi

This winter's been longer than any I can remember in the recent past... Usually, Karachi enjoys a two-week long cold spell and then we're back to perpetual summer... hmmm

Mr. F's still away... *sigh* but I'm getting used to it. This time, I'm keeping myself ultra-busy, re-doing our garden, shopping for gifts and hanging out with baby sis and bro. We went to Dolmen Mall this past weekend. It was super-crowded and almost all the stores were having a sale. I saw something really cute though: a couple in their late sixties/early seventies were trying to navigate the trolley escalators.

The uncle was being really patient, holding his wife's hand and trying to get her to board the moving walkway but she kept shying away... Meanwhile a crowd of impatient people had queued up behind them and finally, one young lady took pity on Amma-ji and grasping her elbow firmly, she stepped onto the walkway with the husband holding his wife's other hand and clutching the railing on the other side... Thankfully, they made it safely to the other side.

Cinnabon is overrated... It's just a really expensive doughball topped with really sweet syrup, I'd prefer a Boston creme donut any day!

Happy Birthday Dada Abbu!

So, Dada Abbu is quite a character and, I haven't really talked about him much so here's a post dedicated to him...

DA is a military man. He's loud, fiery, passionate and rather charismatic. Although he's just 5 feet 2 inches tall, he has a presence. When he walks into a room, people look, and listen. Mashalah, he commands respect. He's always looks impeccable... ironed shirt, polished shoes, a nice tie... extremely proper and neat. I like that in a man :-). On my Mayoun though, he wore a Hawaian shirt... with khakis. I remember him walking up to the stage swinging his cane and it made me smile :)

DA's done a lot for people... he's generous in his own way, and he sticks to his principles... I'll always remember him as a content man... Master of his destiny, independent and comfortable in his own place with his feet propped up on a footstool, reading the newspaper, munching Planters peanuts and sipping chai.

Mashalah, he just turned 88.., May you have many many more!

A Quiet Thursday

I'm sitting in my cubicle cracking up at these... :-P

Sadly, no one else in my cubicle finds them funny... guess I'm just a little bit weird (or very weird :O). The office is pretty empty as all the bigwigs have gone to Thar... just us chotas are left. Another colleague will be leaving at the end of the month and I guess our department probably has the highest turnover rate in the company :(

Mr. F's off on yet another trip... I'll try to stay busy and happy at home and not get mad :-p. Alhamdulilah, we've settled into a comfortable routine... I'm a lot calmer now and Mr. F's more patient, in fact, he's become a sweet, loving husband, Mashalah :) Let's see how long that lasts :-P

Went to see Agneepath this past weekend... The storyline is intense but the movie was too loud and violent...

Lawn exhibitions are popping up all over Karachi :-p... let's see how long I hold out before caving in and going to one...