On Feminism

For a long time, I wanted to write about Feminism. When I read following interview/article: I think author said all:

"In terms of gender equality, I'm a fully signed-up member. Yet modern feminism is a litany of complaint, fueled by observing the world through a feminist prism—and that I struggle with. It's also dominated by middle-class elitism where a small number of women obsess over the things that really matter most to a small number of elitist women. Ideology demands that women are portrayed as victims at every opportunity. They are always forced, pressured, or coerced. Women, according to feminists, are incapable of rational thought or objective decision making. And where female victims don't exist, feminists go out and manufacture them. I can't help comparing young women who support real causes—like Malala Yousafzai with girls' education in Pakistan, or Fahma Mohamed, with female genital mutilation—with feminists who campaign over getting a woman's face on a bank note or getting tits out of magazines. I'm quite clear about which ones are trying to make the world a better place. There's also that insane group who parade statements such as "Prostitution is violence against women," and "Prostitution is an expression of pure hatred of women." This stuff is rabid, toxic nonsense. Apart from expressing how strongly some women feel about prostitution, those statements don't make any literal sense."

Read full article : http://www.vice.com/read/amsterdam-prostitute-diary

Patricia

I moved to a new neighborhood about three years ago and, out of convenience, started going to the nearest grocery store (Safeway). I try to patronize small mom-and-pop type stores, but unfortunately, those stores are fast vanishing from big cities. Three years ago, my first customer service representative on the counter was Patricia (as her name badge says). Her manners, smiles, welcomes, greetings, thank-yous, patience with annoying customers, and goodbyes are so infectious that now I wait in line to go to her counter. This weekend, as expected, the store was crowded. I realized I am one of many faithful customers. Five people were ahead of me, waiting for Patricia to check them out despite two relatively shorter lines. 

Patricia may be working at minimal wage, may not have a fancy college degree, and may have bad days. I am sure she has life issues with family, health, kids, car, etc. But she puts everything on the side as she works and smiles and radiates positive energy all around. 

 It says where the core of human bonding lies and how little money we need to make this world a better place.

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Inside Out

First I went to watch Jurassic World, and screwed whole fun by doing 3D version. It kills beauty of colors. But overall, was a very good experience. It was a delight to watch Irfan Khan, with strong dialogues in a major Hollywood movie of Steven Spielberg.

Today, I went out with kids to watch Pixar's "Inside Out" and loved the whole concept of movie. Human emotions (positive or negative) have been portrayed as characters and how they influence human mind. It was interesting to see the theme that negative emotions (sadness, anger, fear, disgust) are as vital as positive (joy) emotions to live a balanced life - and how they are important to create human bonding. (In movie sadness at last brought Riley together with her family). And, how other psychological concepts like imaginary friends, core memories, unused memories, sleep, train of thought etc. play role in our lives, were well done animations. Such complex concepts were simplified in a way that even kids can watch and understand. Its a must watch for movie goers.

P.S: Indian flick of Vidya Balan and Emran Hashmi - "Hamari Adhuri Kahani" does not deserve spending of $10.

Trailers: Inside Out , Jurassic World  and Hamari Adhoori Kahani

Short Attention Spans

Within 25-30 years of my life, I have seen an immense shift in people's attention span. As one of my mentor says: "It's now limited to 140 characters"!

Starting with reading summaries, watching short adaptations with disposable items, advent of fast foods, drive thrus, death of letter writings, fast and furious internet - we have come to the point where emotions, characters, love, books, friendships... (name it)....everything is about instant gratification.

Aurat

"Sab se dilruba Aurat kesi hoti hai?"

"Jo khamoshi se yunhi pehlu main bethi rahe - aur apne hone ka aehsaas jagati rahe"

Dignity

A Few weeks back, I had a close encounter with death (escaped an almost fatal auto accident while I tried to join century club) - luckily no harm happened to anyone/property at all. I implode that situation as it was my fault of not watching my actions and getting carried away under peer pressure. As I was so close between life and death, the only lesson I walked out was:

"It's more important to die with dignity than live with dignity."
I never want my kids to remember me with a stupid death.

(As Pluto once said: "The purpose of Philosophy is to teach us how to die")

On 'The Importance Of Being Earnest'

'The Importance of Being Earnest' is considered as the best written satire from Oscar Wilde and indeed it is. It was written in 1895 and I was told it is still get performed in British theaters everyday even after 120 years. (It is now one of my bucket list to watch live at London theater district).

Over century many many reviews have been written about its wittiness, and quotes from play are plastered all over the internet. But what striked me and kept me occupied throughout its read and watch was the mastery of Oscar Wilde over psychology of men and women and interplay of that psychology in genders' bonding.

On unrelated note: What an irony of life! He made fun of french people all his life but had to run away to Paris after his infamous trial, where he died in 1900.

I will advise you to keep script in your hand as you watch adaptation.

Full script here
Adaptation (1986) here (110 minutes)

A quote

An honest man is always a child.     ~ Socrates

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Jurmana

Zindagi main kuch loge thori dair ke liye milte hain - aur apni khubsurat yaadain "imprint" ker jaate hain.

Naeem sahab mere room-mate ke khalu the. Texas se milne aaye the. 
Bazla-sanj insaan the. Kamal ki 'wit' thi. ... 
Namaz, roza se saaf bach niklte magar shabe-baraat pe koi patakha na jaane dete !!!!! 

Aik din main ne khalu se kaha: "Yahan ki magaz nihari bohat mashoor hai. Aaj chal parte hain"

Kehne lage: "Zaroor chalte hain , magar ye batao, yahan koi 'local charity' ka daftar hai?" 
Main ne unhe hairat se dekha to kehne lage:

"BarsoN se meri adat hai ke din main koi aesa kaam ho jaaye, jis pe dil mutmaeen na ho - kisi ka dil dukh jaaye - kisi se ziyadti ho jaaye - koi 'unethical' amal ho jaaye ---- jese grocery store pe kisi ki line cut ker ke aage ho gaya - store ya company se galat credit le liya - kisi ka parking spot le liya ----- to khud pe hazbe-itminaan jurmana laga ke paise side pe rakh deta hun aur hafte ke hafte kisi charity ko donate ker deta hun. Is hafte 42 dollar jama huwe hain. ..."

Ye duniya ajeeb ajeeb hoshruba insanon se bhari hai !!!

A quote on 'Life'

Taken from following article at NY Times

"The Small, Happy Life" (David Brooks) (link)

Hans Pitsch wrote: “At age 85, the question of meaning in my life is urgent. The question of the purpose of my life is another matter. World War II and life in general have taught me that outcomes from our actions or inactions are often totally unpredictable and random. I am thankful to be alive. I have a responsibility to myself and those around me to give meaning to my life from day to day. I enjoy my family (not all of them) and the shrinking number of old friends. You use the term ‘organizing frame’ in one’s life. I am not sure if I want to be framed by an organizing principle, but if there is one thing that keeps me focused, it’s the garden. Lots of plants died during the harsh winter, but, amazingly, the clematises and the roses are back, and lettuce, spinach and tomatoes are thriving in the new greenhouse. The weeping cherry tree in front of the house succumbed to old age. I still have to plant a new tree this year.”

Quote

Oscar Wilde always impress me with his unique way of looking things in life. 

What he said, is so true of any man's (mard) psychology.

Correction of a common literary mistake - 3

                       شب بلا ہے تو روز آفت ہے

                       زندگی ہجر میں مصیبت ہے

                       تنگ دستی اگر نہ ہو سالک

                       تندرستی  ہزار  نعمت  ہے

                   (قربان علی سالک)

  یہ قطعہ غلط طور پر غالب سے منسوب ہے ۔   

   نام : مرزا قربان علی بیگ ۔ تخلص : سالک ۔ پہلا تخلص قربان تھا۔ 

  ولادت : ۱۸۲۴ء حیدرآباد دکن ۔ وطن ؛ دہلی ۔ تلمذ : مومن اور غالب۔

  وفات : جون ۱۸۸۰ء حیدرآباد دکن۔ 

  

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A quote on Father and Son

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.

~ William Shakespeare

On Blogging

On Wars

In last few days I watched 3 movies

1. Indian Movie Haider  
2. Russel Crowe's The Water Diviner
3. Clint Eastwood's American Sniper

Billions of words have been written and spoken on the miseries and sorrows of war - and whatever I will write here would be redundant. Human history is nothing but a catalogue of war and destruction.

All these 3 movies slowly sunk into me. Irrespective of their technical loose sides, these movies made me sad and taught me only one lesson: "Patriotism, Revolution, Nationalism, Religion, Loyalty, Honor and so called many other values which instigate one human to kill another human, and to destroy peaceful lives and settlements should not be taught in schools with so much vigor."

 I think it was  Khalil Jibran who said: "Kiya jo Khanjar main ne tere seeney main utara, ye wahi khanjar nahi? jo mere dil ke aar paar ho raha hai" (Isn't it the same dagger which I put through your chest, is going through my heart?)

(BTW: If you want to see real mature acting - don't miss Russel Crowe in Water Diviner)

Haider here
THe Water Diviner here
American Sniper here

Mark Twain on Travel

Best quotation on, why travel is essential in life

Lucky Penny

Main zindagi main jab bhi udas huwa, main ne apne aap se aik hi sawal kiya - aur - mujhey hamesah aik hi jawab mila - Magar Us din kuch thoRa alag huwa

Us din kisii baat pe dil baRa udas tha, to main ne apne aap se wahi swal kiya ke: "Mujhey ab aage kiya kerna chahiyey?" to hamesah ki tarah wahi jawab mila ke: Mujehy imandar hona chahiey".

Magar us din junhi mere dil ne ye jawab diya - train station se bahir aate - merey saamney zameen pe paRi, aik (lucky) penny jajmaga rahi thi

- meri udasi, aik muskurahat main badal gai

A Quote

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become A monster.
~ Friedrich Nietzsche

'Written in the Stars' by Ayesha Saeed

What one thing I would have done different! I would have killed Saif and Naila.

I am sure author would have pondered about killing them while writing the manuscript but at last she decided to make it a happily ever after ending. In real world, family would have killed both of them in Land of Pure. Irrespective of ending, its a beautiful novel. Its a simple and a straightforward story but a very powerful one. I had to close the book and take a deep breath when Amin forcefully consummate his marriage with Naila (marital rape).

'Written in the Stars' is a novel about 'kidnapped brides' from western countries to back home for the sake of family's false value of honor! Its about a very very common and under reported problem encountered by desi girls in USA and Europe. Environment in Pakistan was described with so much authenticity that I was wondering, if author travelled to rural Pakistan while writing novel?

What I really liked about this novel is the description of the role of parents and elders of family played in 'kidnapped brides'. Author didn't go any diplomatic and she is telling the truth on the face!

At the end of the novel, links/resources are provided for girls if they fell prey to such circumstances.

(I wish Imran - brother - had larger character in novel)

(link http://www.aishasaeed.com/p/main-page.html )

Kelly

ShahroN pe aesi bijliaN tab hi gira kerti hain aur aese toofan tab hi aaya kerte hain jab kisi ka dil reza reza huwa kerta hai.

Washington State main baarish aur toofan to roz hi aaya kerte the magar us raat toofan is qadar shadeed tha ke Ocean City ke makan main har lamha mera dil dharkta raha ke kahin koi deewar hi na gir paaRe. Poori raat bijlian kaRkti rahin, badal garjte rahe aur khiRkian khaRkti rahin......

Mujhe yaad hai us raat moom-batti ki roshni main, apni diary main ne tehreer kiya tha ke: "Kiya ye wahi toofan nahi hai jo is raat 'Kelly' ke dil-o-dimag se guzar raha hai"?

Kelly mere clinic main part time social health worker thi. Use apne shohar Jim se janoon ki had tak muhabbat thi. Jim ki Ma unke saath raha kerti thi magar har roz saas aur bahu main laRaai rehti thi. Kelly apni Mother-in-Law ko nafrat se Monster-in-Law  kaha kerti thi. Is se uski apni saas se nafrat ka andaza ho sakta hai....

.........Aur un dono ki laRaaii ke beech Jim chup chaap pees raha tha. Jim se main kai baar mil chuka tha. Intihaii shareefun-nafs aur khamosh tabiyat ka insaan tha. Woh is laRaaii  ke zaher ko andar hi andar peeta raha.

Aur phir aik din khabar aaii ke Jim ko brain tumor ho gaya hai aur aik dam se kuch dinoN main Jim is dunya se chala gaya. Kelly ko mehsoos hone laga ke Jim ko brain tumor uski wajah se huwa hai.

Jis din hum Jim ke funeral se wapas aaye, Kelly bohat roti rahi aur us raat bohat gazab ka toofan hamare shahr se guzra! Aesa toofan ke aaj tak us ki haibat mere dil per bethi hai.

Kal phir poori raat mere Shahr pe aik aesa hi toofan garajta raha! Aur andhere main apne bister pe lete lete main sochta raha - lagta hai aaj phir kisi Kelly ka dil reza reza huwa hai.

(Hear this post below)