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Showing posts from 2007

I Lost My Peace

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Every year, this time of the year, we start thinking about new year resolutions. In our quest for perfection, we are all trying to relate our lives a little closer to a Disney fairy tale. Trying to fix the apparent flaws in our lives like changing hair color, buying quality wardrobes, fixing the car, getting that new cell phone; and sometimes, things that are apparently wrong with this world, like trying to save extincting species, the environment, complaining about global warming and showing resentment for those who destroy the old buildings. But we never show our concerns on fixing the actual problems that can save our souls, like finding the long lost valuable virtue given to us by our beloved Prophet, peace be upon him, called PEACE - a quality that used to be one of the dignified traits of being a Muslim. But the fact of the matter is that losing peace is not like losing a leg. The disease is apparently not a mole in front of your eyes. So most of the times, we don’t really bother

Remembering The Lion King!

Remember this movie? I used to watch it over and over and over again...:] I think I might be able to recall all the dialogs! Here are some of the cutest parts of the movie... Hakuna Matata! Can You Feel The Love Tonight... The Hula Song Lion King II - We Are More Than We Are, We Are One!

My Favorite Dedication

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h To Popeye, Who is always there when it matters for big things, and little ones, Every hour, every moment of every day I will always love you. With all my Heart & Soul, ~ Daniell Steel. The dedication in her book 'Daddy'.

Heaven & Hell

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Life and Death Energy and Peace If I stop today it was fun, Even for the terrible mistakes that I have made, and would have unmade if I could Even for the pains that have burned me and scarred my soul, It was worth it... For having been allowed to walk where I've walked, Which was to Hell on Earth, Heaven on Earth, Back again, Into, Under, Far in between, Through it, In it, Over and Above it. Gia Marie Carangi 1960-1986

An Apple on a Tree

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People say that girls are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. Sometimes, boys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they get the rotten apples from the ground that aren't as good, but easy to get. So the apples up at the top think there's something wrong with them. But the truth is that they just have to wait for the right boy to come along. The one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree. I think, that all girls are special. Some of them just choose to be at the top of the tree because they want to know that one person, even if he's not special enough, wise enough, right enough by the definition of society, once climbed a tree for her to be close to her. She wants to know that the right person is right enough to be a part of her future. Isn’t that a memory worth holding on to? It’s quite possible that the right kind of guys will forget to follow the lead

The Word!

Of all the powerful arms of destruction that man has been able to invent, the most terrible - and most cowardly - is the word . Fists and firearms at least leave some blood remaining. Bombs destroy houses and streets. Poisons can be detected. The master says: “The word can destroy without leaving a clue . Children are conditioned for years by their parents, men are impiously criticized , women are systematically massacred by the words of their husbands. The faithful are kept far away from religion by those who regard themselves as the interpreters of the voice of God . Verify whether you are making use of this weapon. See whether others are using this weapon on you. And prevent either of those from continuing.” ~ Maktub by Paulo Cohelo

Gods

The gods throw the dice, and they don’t ask whether we want to be in the game or not. They don’t care if when you go, you leave behind a lover, a home, a career, or a dream. The gods don’t care whether you have it all, whether it seems that your every desire can be met through hard work and persistence. The gods don’t want to know about your plans and your hopes. Somewhere they’re throwing the dice - and you are chosen. From then on, winning or losing is only a question of luck. The gods throw the dice, freeing love from its cage. And love can create or destroy - depending on the direction of the wind when it is set free. For the moment, the wind was blowing in his favor. But the wind is as capricious as the gods - and deep inside myself, I had begun to feel some gusts. At last, as if fate wanted to show me that the story of the Other was true - and the universe always conspires to help the dreamer - we found a house to stay in, with a room with separate beds. My first move was to bath

I Love Him

I’ve met a man and fallen in love with him. I allowed myself to fall in love for one simple reason: I’m not expecting anything to come of it. I know that, in three months’ time, I’ll be far away and he’ll be just a memory, but I couldn’t stand living without love any longer; I had reached my limit. I’m writing a story for Ralf Hart - that’s his name. I’m not sure he’ll come back to the club where I work, but, for the first time in my life, that doesn’t matter. It’s enough just to love him, to be with him in my thoughts and to colour this lovely city with his steps, his words, his love. When I leave this country, it will have a face and a name and the memory of a fireplace. Everything else I experienced here, all the difficulties I had to overcome, will be as nothing compared to that memory. I would like to do for him what he did for me. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and I realise that I didn’t go into that cafe by chance; really important meetings are planned by the souls long bef

The Other Side of the Lake

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When I was young, I used to go fishing to the lake with Jojo on Sundays. Everyone, including the doctors, engineers, and Mister said that there were no fishes in the lake. The water is too contaminated for the fishes to survive. But we still liked to spend our Sundays fishing around. We had all sorts of fantasies about the other side of the lake. We used to imagine the kind of world that would exist across the other side. The people, how they lived, what they did, how they did it. But every one told us to quit visiting the lake. They said that there are no fishes in the lake so it’s useless to go there. All this useless talk had made us very sad. So, one day we put dead fishes in our rods and hung them down the lake to prove that there were fishes in the lake. And just when we planned to pull the rod out and make a big fake fuss about it, Mister arrived to take us back home. "Still looking for fishes", he smiled. "Just wait and see, we will at least catch a dozen fishes

The Skeptic - By Irfan Zahid Siddiqui

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" And why the pain, My Lord..." " For you to appreciate mercy." " And why heartache; crying without shedding tears..." " For you to understand that physical pain is much easier to endure than emotional despair." " And why temptation..." " For you to choose, to decide. I created you an independent thinker." " And why Your worship." " For you to seek, that which is better." " And why the threat of punishment..." " For you to abstain." " And why sorrow..." " For you to appreciate a moment of true joy." " And why joy..." " To wash away your tears." " And why happiness..." " To show you what lies in wait for the best of you." " And who are the best..." " Those who can, but don't...And those who can't, but do." " But why is it easier for a fortunate few..." " It is tougher than you think. Fo

Learning to Live

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While attempting to live, you learn... You learn that there is only a subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul, You learn that love doesn't mean leaning & company doesn't mean security. You begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts, And presents aren't promises. And you begin to accept your defeats with the grace of an adult and not the grief of a child. You learn to build all your roads on today, because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for your plans. After a while, you learn that even sun shine burns you if you get too much of it. So you plant your own garden, decorate your own soul, and stop waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you will learn that you really can endure, you really are special, and that you really do have worth. So live to learn and know yourself... in doing so, you will learn to live.

Hope

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Hope is a state of mind that gives the strength to live and continually try new things. It is not essentially dependent on some particular observation of the world or estimate of the situation. Hope is not prognostication. It transcends the world that is immediately experienced, and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy, when things are going well; or the willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously headed for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it has a chance to succeed. Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. ~Vaclev Havel

Kaum Se Khitab

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Dear All, Even though its only been a year and a day, I feel like I've spent a considerable part of my life here. It's sad to be going, but I guess that, as time goes by, we must all go our own separate ways to achieve whatever has been destined for us on our journey of life. I leave Elixir with wonderful memories that I owe to all of you. Every one of you has, in their own unique ways, made my stay here so memorable. Thank you and may every one of you have a prosperous future. Here is a reflection of what I will remember every one by in my 12 0' clock dreams :) Hope you enjoy it. Its all in good fun. Cheers... Sundas Y. 16th August 2007.

Tribute to a LegenD

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When I was young, my mother told me that everything happens for a reason, and that sometimes people can be mean and try to ruin your reputation, even if it is independence day, but she said, one should be patient, as no matter how bad your neighbors are, eventually, they would always die.. or leave. So, she said, that life will always go on, and at the end of the day, the mean ones are always given a farewell, even if it is on their b irthday ... Karma is, definitely a B*t*h :p So, finally.... this day in time embarks the end of a significant eRa in the history of fake LollyWooD Underworld's Maghroor Laylas, for this day, we are saying goodbye to the naughtiest and noisiest Technical Writer eVer; who by the way rocks at being a lousy neighbor. Sundas, aka, Basanti, the girl who is even active during the hibernating periods, has reached enormous heights during her one year and one day stay at Elixir. She is the only girl, whose table, Ladies & Gentlemen, would be turned into a s

And The Winds Don't Know How To Read...

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In the garden, By the roses, is written, "Do not pick up the flowers" But the wind doesn't know how to read... These lines were written by a well wisher on the death of Iranian Princess Leila Pahlavi (March 27, 1970 - June 10, 2001). The Pahlavi's were exiled after the Iranian revolution, departing from Iran on January 16,1979, when she was 9 years old. A one time model for the designer Valentino, she suffered from anorexia nervosa, chronic low self-esteem, and severe depression and spent much time being treated in clinics in the United States and Britain. She was found dead in her room in the Leonard Hotel in London, England. The 31 year old princess was burried near her maternal grandmother, Farideh Ghotbi Diba, in the Cimetière de Passy, Paris, France. May her soul rest in peace.

Star of the Month!!

I am star for the month in SairaStar's blog for a comment I wrote!! Yaaay!! Check out Stars of the Month . Dont be confused, its not a settlement... we both actually do Rock!! :p Thanx Saira! ~ IsbahStar!

Blog Buddy of the Month (July 07)

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Its a bird.. its a plane... Its SairaStar!! SairaStar is one of the first people to start reading this blog, and has been an active reader ever since. Saira has done her BS from FAST and is an enthusiastic & cheerful developer. Her favorite activities include reading, programming, maintaining her own blog and spending time with her friends. SairaStar says her parents have been an inspiration for her all her life. Discussing her next 10 yr plans, she says, "I want to be a teacher and have a school of my own. I wanna go on a world tour, learn to play the piano, and gift Isbah a ferrari!!" (O yaaaay!!) Her favorite quote is a verse from the Holy Quran; " Verily in the rememberance of Allah, do hearts find peace". p We wish Saira Star the best of luck for everything in the future. For more entertaining & cheerful SairaStuFF, dont forget to visit Saira's Thoughts and Reflections!

Pakistan - Rhythm of Unity

Here's a blast from the past. One of my fav videos from 10 yrs ago.. remember when it was on PTV all the time!! This post is especially for my Khala.. she loves this video and asked for it a long time ago :) Enjoy!

Baz Luhrman - Sunscreen

The most important things in life are the ones that cannot be possessed, or bought. They can only be shared... through blogs!! ;) Baz Luhrmann - Sun... Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 Wear sunscreen... Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have Faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You’re not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real Troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Fl

The Box

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Dear Diary, This is another day in life Life is like a book A book is like a box A box has six sides Inside and Outside So how do we know what's inside? How do we know what's inside out? Once upon a time, there was a very pretty girl She lived in a beautiful box And every one loved her! ~ Gia Marie Carangi , the rebellious supermodel who died of HIV at the age of 26. Although notorious in her reputation, I still believe that only the people in pain can bring out a piece of writing so extra ordinary.

Courage

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Whatever you do, you need Courage . Whatever course you decide upon, there is a lways someone to tell you that you are Wrong . There are always Difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end Requires some of the same courage that a Soldier needs. Peace has its Victories , but it takes Brave men and women to Win them. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Faith

When you get to the end of all the light you know and its time to step into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing that one of the two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly. ~ Edward Teller.

Brave Men

I used to think that brave men in the books went out and looked for trouble, because they wanted it. Because it was exciting and life was a bit dull. But that's not the way of it with the tales that really matter, or the ones that stay in mind. Folks seem to have just landed in them. Usually, their paths were laid that way, as you put it. I believe they had many chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they did, they would have already been forgotten. ~ These are my all time favorite lines from Lord of the Rings. I never read the book though, just saw the movie. However, I must say that J. R. R. Tolkien has done a marvelous job with the whole concept & the hobbit thing... & these lines make you wonder.. what sort of tale you've fallen into (?!?)

Lucky

Today, I am the luckiest girl in the world. My heart beat 100000 times today. I breathed 23000 times today My house did not fall upon me and crush me into bits, and a stranger helped me for no reason at all. Today, I was not hit by a car, I did not face the miseries of hunger and thirst, and my mind did not let my soul force me to give in to the temptations of desire. Today, I noticed that God had blessed me with people who I care about; and that I had made friends I can count on, friends who can catch me if I fall. Today, I learned that money is not the only thing to gain in life, and that roses are better than diamonds even if they live for a very short while. Today I saw myself in the mirror and did not feel bad about who I am - and my friends, I am the luckiest girl in the world because today, I did not fall in love :)

Just Pretending

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Just pretending? You brought pretending into this family.. You showed us we can change things by simply believing them to be different... A lot of things, not everything, but the things that matter. We've pretended for some time now that you're a part of this family, haven't we? You've come to mean so much to us all that now, It doesn't matter if it's true. And even if it isn't true, Even if that can never be... I need to go on pretending until the end... with you. ~ Lines from Finding Neverland. Mr J.M. Barrie discussing Sylvia Llewelyn Davies's reluctance to accept her illness.

Product 2.0 – Fix you shall, fix you must!

Disclaimer: This article is a piece of fiction, and captures a dialogue between a keen developer and the Lord-of-All-Softwares. All resemblances - existing, running or obsolete - are just a coincidence! M y attempt on reflecting about software life cycle turned into dreams one fine Sunday afternoon. I saw a land where life was perfect: software was bug free, components were fully defined and functional, code was properly commented, quality was free, requirements were met, and customers were delighted and not just satisfied. Wow, life is so good in dreams and fantasies!!! I worked on and on and on and came up with this ultimate utopic Product 2.0 and wished my Lord to appear. He sure did from behind the mirror as soon as I wished... Me : Product 2.0, my Lord! Lord: So I see my child, it looks good from the covers, but why is it double in size now? It will take me three hours to install this thing, while the earlier version got installed in 10 minutes. How did you manage to achieve tha

Learning My Way Through...

They say that life teaches you a lot before it teaches you to be human. I learned a lot in my professional life, though I am still not sure if I reached that human-point yet! Or haven't I? The first thing I learned, was that the reason behind an angry project manager is either a bad cup of coffee, the horoscope in the paper, or that email he received this morning. Sometimes, you can even blame it on the weather... and as cynical as it sounds, this usually is true! I came to know that understanding products is not a very complicated task. By the eternal laws of proportion, during training you try to understand a product, and the product tries to understand you. And both parties need to find a common ground where they can resolve all their issues with respect for each other. And sooner or later, you come to terms with the fact that things take longer than they usually do. Therefore estimates are not a good thing to give away. And remember, too much of perfection can easily lead you t

'My Last Wish'

Love is a game Some win, Some lose Come what may Life goes on & so will I... But O my Lord, Before I go My last wish... You & Me, Just one more time! ~ Isbah Sept 7 2002