A Trip to Hell

Few days back, we decided to ride over to some inner, lesser developed parts of the country a.k.a Hyderabad. We have our extended family living there, with there big, open houses and simplistic art of living. I must say i did have a bad feeling about this trip, must have been my sixth sense forseeing the coming torture.

So we set through early morning of a very hot day. The trip went smoothly, the car air conditioner cooling things down. And then...we arrived. None of us had the slightest idea how 2 days later we would be fleeing this place like hounds of hell at our feet. As the car slowed to a stop, there was no human in sight. There could very well be hairballs rolling up the dusty streets and skulls of begotten trespassers rotting in the blistering heat. A ghost town. The first signs of warning.

The day went smoothly, bearable. Reunion of family members and happy chatting always makes up for the little hardships. Night comes, and i finally tumble into bed exhausted. As i close my eyes, i smile at the days events and thank god for the rumbling air conditioner.

3 hours later..

I cant breath. There is no oxygen. I'm suffocating. and why is it so f****** hot?!

I tear open my eyes, sleep clouding my brain. Fan not working. A.C. not working. Not a whiff of air moving. I get up and blindingly flip the switches while trying to get some oxygen into my brain. Nuthing moves. Thats when it dawned on me...there was no electricity! We were victims of loadshedding. I go out and hope for a nice cool wind to clear up my mind, but as i open the door, im smacked in the face with humidity and blistering heat. Wonderful. So i roam from room to room, like an agitated ghost, wondering how on earth can there be no wind at all. I cuss out the government for taking what is rightfully ours. And i wait for the A.C. to start up again, so i can get back to my beauty sleep.

6 hours later...

Im still waiting. Sleep deprived and dehydrated, im drained of energy. Temperature must have soared upto 50 degrees . I walk into the washroom to drench myself in the cool water. Turn on the tap and...nuthin comes out. Oh great. No electricity, no motors running, no *sniff* water. By now the very shining sun had heated everything up, from the floor tiles to drinking water. So you walk on fire and drink molten liquid. So drenched in sweat, i wait for events to turn around (a complete u-turn would be very appreciated).

2 hours later...

Finally we get some electricity just in time for the Pak/Indi cricket match. If you dont know, this match is the most awaited one by every paki/indian. All doozy from the days previous events, i couldnt even give one cheer-on shout for the team, not like it would have affected them anyways. They lost the most un-fu**in-believable way! Another candy to add to the already amazing day. Time was dragging by. Between all the trying times, karing discussions and caught ons, night finally came. My eyelids felt like sand paper. I dropped into bed...only to be awakened few hours later again. OMFG!

Next day...

I pack like a maniac. And before anyone could say anything about staying another minute, i rush out of there like a hurricane. Buh bye Hyderabad. Hope to never see you again. At least not in summer.

Phew.

Princess Diaries : 3 - Drooping Rose

Dear diary,

Life has thrown another spin ball at me, but this time i struck out. Yup dear diary, it smashed the stumps clear off. I thought i could hit a sixer, but...i misjudged. So apparently im going through one of the lowest moments in my life. All i want to do is hit the comfy couch with a huge bucket of ice cream and some sad love stories to cry on. My mind is on stand by right now. So numb. I dont want to think dear diary...cuz i know its going to kill me.

So then what do i do? I've always believed in being patient. Wait for the storm to pass. If you stand in its way trying to stop it, it will just destroy you along with everything else. And when everything is quite once again, look around you. Yes, all you might see is destruction and pain, but look above you. Look at the clear sky. Look at how calm it is. How blue it is. And that is when you pick up little pieces of ur broken house and build it once again into a more stronger house. One that can this time, stand through another storm.

So i wait.

And i dont think. But how do you stop memories from surfacing day and night? How do you fill up that empitness inside you? How do you expect a rose to survive without oxygen? A rose that has lost its vibrance, the petals dropping so low it has no life left. Dear diary, crazy is the word here...but i have to add belief to it now. Dreams can be turned to reality. Isnt that how the world goes round? Every night while i sway outside to the music of the breeze, i look up and search the dark, lonely sky. And i see the moon. Pure as pearl always. And then i wonder if it can read my thoughts being so far away?

"Can we pretend airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars...i could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now..."

Midnight mist

The heart beats yonder with words so divine,

in the darkness...when all is quite,

when the devils are at rest...when the frantic waves are calmed,

a mist falls gently...swaying to the soft breeze,

that is when...in far away lands,

two lonely souls yearn...there thoughts as one,

roses bloom...

the soft petals enriched with the fragrance...

of love incomplete,

and as the eyes drift with dreams way beyond,

a star breaks free in the heavens above...

...for them to wish on...

What do we have here, Watson?

Sherlock homes. What made him a legendary detective? One word. Curiosity.


Now you ask, what is this curiosity? The way i would define it is, curiosity is one's impatience to find information not intended to be known at the moment using a faster way (sneaking!). Yup, thats where all the 'whispering juicy gossips', 'letting out hot secrets' and 'evesdropping' come in.

Why are people curious? Many answers to that:

1. gives them power over the person they found information about.

2. satisfies the insanitable 'want to know' inside them.

3. or got nothing better to do.

So i had a conversation with this friend today which actually made me wonder about the levels of curiosity in me. Went something like this.

Friend "Salam!" (a devoted muslim)

Me "Hi!"

*yak yak yak*

friend: "Btw..i have a surprise for you."

*sit up straighter*

me: "A surprise?! What surprise?!"

"Well...it wouldnt really be a surprise if i tell you, dont worry ull know later tonight."

"I wonder what it could be."

"You'll love it...just something crazy i guess."

"REally?!"

"Yup. Ok ill let on one thing. It has to do with white...

*curiosity level hits a higher note*

...and water."

*BONG!*

"O my Gosh...no wayyyy!" ( in case if you dont know already, those are 2 of my favorite words)

*a picture with white half open shirts and blue beaches with sexy poses pops up*

"ummm..."

"What do you think it could be?"

"I dont think you want to know."

"OK...well keep guessing then"

"he he"

And i kept guessing. While working, while eating, while talking, while writing...even while trying to sleep.

I would say im not really a very curious person (ive got eons of patience in me, call me 'da ice cube'), but when it comes to certain things that i absolutely love, there is no telling what measures i would go to find out.

BUT in the end...it was all worth it. *smile*

Thorns

The world has mere uttered, the insignificance of silence...

To ever ponder, the confusion...

The Tremors, that lead to obstruction of one`s thought...

I wonder, how it all glooms, with the sudden flapping of hope...

As a mere bird, trying to defy gravity...

But asunder, the roses are filled with thorns...

Though to protect the beauty by far arrogant they are...

By M.B

25 things that makes me Aruba...

While romping around Facebook the other day, a tagged page caught my eye;

"Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a post with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 10 people to be tagged. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you."

Inte-rrressss-tingggg...i think. Perfect way to find out what makes me...well...me! Here goes...


1. I am a perfectionist. Yup, wanting perfect is my middle name.

2. I love reading. I read novels, fiction or non- fiction, newpapers, magazines, pamphlets, instruction manuals, signboards, anything and everything that is written in english. I'd much rather read the whole day than utter a single word (afcourse i would take immediate action if there is danger of turning into a mime!).

3. My 'work your ass off till you acheive it' goal in life (till A-Levels) was to be a doctor.

4. I can be very possessive about people i love. I expect them to love no one more than me. Though this quality of mine can be a nuisance most of the time, it does make me want to be better and better.

5. My all-time favorite movie is Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (indian). I can repeat most of the dialogues from the movie and the end always makes me cry. OK, yes i hear you snickering inside, and thinking *LMFAO!*, but every living human has that gay fact of life that brings him a notch down from 'da koolest kid on da block'!

6. Fashion is my Passion. My second goal in life was(and still is) to be one of the greatest fashion designers ever.

7. My favorite color is white.

8. I am a hopeless romantic. So, yes i believe love stories and happy endings do exist. I dream about gazing in each other's eyes for hours on end and dancing the night away in each other's arms.*sigh*

9. Spice girls were my gurus when i was younger. I still have a big box of all their labelled merchandise, ranging from caps and tshirts to postcards and tiny little figurines, stored somewhere in my closet.

10. I am a clean freak. Messy rooms, dirt and foul smell freak me out.

11. Best time of my day is the 'ME-time", when its only me and myself.

12. My favorite cuisine is Labenese. I can gorge on delicious stuffed vine leaves and humus all day long. Not to forget those scrumptious shawarmas stuffed with pickles. YUM*stomach growls*

13. I am religious.

14. I spent better part of my life (21 yrs!) in Abudhabi, U.A.E. That little island holds endless memories of my childhood and school days. An absolute paradise with its huge malls, white beaches, and luxurious sheesha cafes.

15. A sexy pair of strappy black stilettos are a girl's best friend. I am shoe-crazy!

16. I excel in daydreaming.

17. My idea of a romantic dinner date would be a posh resturant (indoor or outdoor) with ethnic buffet and ghazals all night long.

18. I perform concerts everday. in the shower.

19. I dont have any phobias.

20. I was a nerd back in school. I used to study for 10 hours straight (Yup, shcoks me when i think about it too). Though i didnt wear huge black telescopes (as espected) and was more than better looking, and quite social as well, so was not called one.

21. I truly love my parents. I loathe people who mistreat their parents.

22. I have bungee jumped. Plan to sky dive next. jk. not.

23. Squash. I love that sport. Matches against dad every weekend. Me > the next jehangir khan! *applause*

24. I hate liars. They occupy the lowest space in my list of bad people. Afcourse avoiding facts is not lying and still acceptable.

25. I love travelling around the world. Have been to a number of countries and cities, thanks to my adventure-loving parents.

Princess Diaries : 2 - Raging Storms and Sweet Revelations

Dear Diary,

Yup, Karachi is once again a full on target for an oncoming disaster, this time in the form of an angry angry cyclone called Phet. I must say life is exciting here. What with all the natural disasters, terrorist killings, kidnappings, and lets not forget, the scorching heat, it couldnt get anymore fascinating. Uff! *rolls eyes*. I do still remember (and miss) those carefree days back in Abu Dhabi when the most exciting thing in life was a new crazy flavour at BR (Mango Tango?!) or an exciting airshow at the beach. Lets see how this crumbling city holds up and survives yet another furious storm. *fingers crossed*

So dear diary, How exactly does it feel when you finally hear something you've been waiting a long time for? Elated? Uncontainable happiness? Racing heartbeats? Ah...life is a much better place then. The flowers seem more cheerful, the birds more chirpier, even the dreary polluted air takes on a more romantic feeling. You turn into Cinderella the beauty, all you want to do is sing and dance in the rain with those cute little birds and the fluffy little chipmunks. You start living a magical fairy tale full of beautiful fantasies.*sigh*

Daydreaming has always been one of my weaknesses dear diary. I would be working with intense concentration when suddenly *poof* my mind may dissapear into a world unknown, full of 'riding away behind my knight in shining armor into the sunset's and 'happily ever after's. I go into a trance. What happens during that, is unknown. A war might break lose right beside me or gravity may finally lose its hold, i wouldnt know. But dear diary, somethings can only be brought close by dreaming, and by believing in them.

But really, what more can a person want?

Maybe a reality shock.

BZZZZZTTTTT!

Does it work? Nope.

Ah...the hold is strong, its blinding dear diary. And you know what...

I have lost control...

Advice of a wannabe fashionista - Summer Blooms

One thing i absolutely, crazingly adore to bits about Pakistani culture is its everchanging FASHION *bling bling*. And yes, it is my everlasting (dare to come true) dream to be THE best fashion designer ever! Though I do see it ending after a long, thorny pathway full of unbreakable hurdles, *rolls eyes* but then again, optimism screams 'Nothing is impossible dude!'...right? *wink*

So i find it my duty, as an aspiring and dedicated fashionista, to update you on the latest trendy threads, Whats hot and Whats not, and my personal advice as to what would make you the 'HAWTEST centre of attraction' of any kool partay!

Endless Lawns
Yup, the hot, steamy summers here cause all female attention to be diverted towards lawn, lawn and lawn. Unlike the older times, we now have a huge choice of designers, colorful prints, and range in prices when it comes to lawn. You have thousands of exhibitions everyday where they display gorgeous prints and eye-catching designs (very tempting they are!) One lawn exhibition that i make sure i attend every summer is Vaneeza's, never dissapointing. Oh and Gul Ahmed, I love thee so much!

Whats HOT and Whats NOT
HOT: Long shirts, extending well below the knees. Three fourth qulots. Longer sleeves. Bold Prints. Loose fitting. PURPLE! and light greys.

NOT: Short shirts. Shalwars. Pink (sick of that color!)

(Public Notice : These are all my personal advices!)

HAWTEST GETUP

Princess Diaries : 1 - Emotions of a distraught Princess

Dear Diary,

Yesterday i started with a new part of life. It is quite exciting and a wonderful learning experience i must say. Eons of hidden knowledge in this world and hardly time to uncover it all. I finally got a glimpse of how it all is 'behind the scenes'.

Even though I should be elated with happiness, something doesnt seem right. The colors have gone outta my life, all i see is blacks and whites. Its like im watching a boring video of my life going past my eyes. Everything has lost its charm. The flowers have lost their vigorious color and soothing fragrances, the trees dont sway merrily with the wind like they used to, even the tiny little fuzzy kittens and those chirping birds hold no interest for me. Why is it, dear diary, that life seems so empty now? That i feel so empty now?

The evenings used to be a fabulous time for me, when i would watch the world fall from bright cheerfulness to the mysterious darkness. I would absorb the bright colors around me and smile at the lovely world outside. And now all they consist of are broken memories and tears of a lonely soul. I gaze at nothing, staring away at spaces for hours, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. All those happy laughter and teasing jokes seem so far away now, like a beautiful dream that was once. Maybe, it was never meant to be forever.

Yes dear diary, the truth is one big ugly monster, hiding in the darkness, and just when you least expect it, it jumps out at you and tears you to shreds. And the pain is unbearable, never ending.

But i have to survive it. I have to move on.

It just seems so impossible...