M

He was born exactly a month ago...on 5 August. I was not prepared for the overwhleming love I felt for him. It circled me from all sides and basically drowned me within a few minutes of laying eyes on him. He is a sweet little boy, he whimpers when he cries, pouts when he sleeps and sucks his bottle with such vigour... which continues after the bottle is long gone. I adore him so much I even changed his nappy :)

I am looking forward to his life as a toddler, boy and the man that he will become one day. Little M.

SMS

New sms just in: 'A busy life makes prayers harder, but prayers make a hard and busy life easier. So keep praying. Love, Mama'

...

I come from a country where the majority live in poverty, and spend most of their life seeking employment that will cover all the bills or worse pay the bare necessiteies. I come from a country brimming over with talented people who are not given the opportunity or the environment to realize their potential or a better future. I come from a country where religion is being twisted and mis-used to justify people's frustrations and helplessness.It is with my heart heavy and my eyes full that I see my country go down a road stained with destruction, pain, and disgrace.

I live in a country with one of the best standards of living and where money is a plenty to do as you wish. You work for it ofcourse but the compensation makes it worth your while and you even learn to appreciate paying taxes becuase the system will work for you when you need it.
I live faraway, yet I feel the same sadness, even more for I know what could be.
It breaks my heart, it punctures my soul.
I carry it around, this little hole in my heart, that few understand around me.
I go about my daily life and forget that it is there.

One Nobel Peace Prize to go please.

And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to....President Barack Obama.... for:
not being George W Bush
being the first black president of the US
making a few great speeches
reaching out to the young, unemployed, uninsured, and muslims (in an attempt to win back the hearts and minds)

I think that about sums it up...no?

He certainly did not get it for:
the countless deaths of civilians dying everyday in the ongoing war in Afganistan and Iraq,the people suffering everyday in Gaza the casualties inside the border in Pakistan caused by American drone attacks and if thats not enough..the fanstastic concrete, achieveable plans the President has come up with to stop the death and destruction, caused by the above mentioned offensives,
I commend the Nobel Peace prize committee for degrading the Peace Prize and for being so naive as to bestow such a prestigious and regarded award in the hope that peace will come as a result of a few diplomatic efforts and good intentions (I must sayI am not even sure what the intentions constitute really)

Bravo Thorbjørn Jagland.

The icons of our day

I admit to watching the simpsons and even though I am not a fan I watch it quite often as it is usually on TV when I turn it on in the evenings, coupled with the fact that all else going on at the same time on other channels is even less senseless (yes, its possible)... reality shows, nonsensical comdedies and what not.

The Simpsons, currently in its 20ths season is a cartoon show about a dysfunctional American family, and although does not conciously target children runs at a time in the day when many children are sitting infront of a TV. It is sad that young children's minds are exposed to such content on a regular basis, its not even healthy for the older more discerning viewers over a long period of time, in my opinion. And that will de a bit impossible to change since the series is to become the longest-running prime-time series in US TV history after makers Fox ordered another two seasons.

This month, Marge Simpson will be featured on the cover of Playboy in an attempt to attract and expand readership amongst younger 20 somethings, according to the magazine editors. This after the day Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace prize! Stay tuned for more silly, brainless, fear inducing non thought provoking nonsense, that dominates our world today through the idiot box!

Weekends

What is it about a Friday and the absolute joy that overwhelms us as the clock ticks away the work hours? The journey home is spent usually planning a relaxing evening. It never ceases to amaze me how a quiet day at home with two full holidays infront of it, can bring such solace and peace of mind. Saturday mornings are the best too. Evenings even better.
Soon enough, Sunday arrives and as the evening draws close, work thoughts begin to creep into our minds. We are quick to brush them aside and enjoy the last few hours before falling into a dreamless sleep only waking up to a shrill alarm announcing another week. Monday.

Eid.Pray.Love.

This is the first year I actually attempted to enjoy eid away from home in Islamabad. It's not that hard if you really try. I feel good at the end of it. Home in Oslo. Eid Prayers, followed by a late brunch with colleagues, relaxing at home and then dinner at a friend's. Next year, we resolved to start sooner. With Chaand raat :)

Numbers talk

'The Age of Terror. War on the West.'
This was the title of a documentary on BBC News that I started to watch but could not finish. First, I do not believe the words, they are skewed terribly in the favour of a single point of view and second they are written and spoken to induce and instill fear into people. That we live in an age of Terror, false. That there is a War on the West. False again. If we do a headcount, there are more people in the 'East' who are dead due to the 'War on Terror' then in the West.

What happened on Sep 11, 2001 was horrific, but what has transpired since - the War in Afghanistan (2001-till present) and then in Iraq (2003-til present) is equally deplorable, and much worse, a wicked way to seek retribution.

Total Sep 11 attack deaths - 2,752 persons dead
Total Afgan civilian deaths, no one seems to be keeping count but Wikipedia is the only source giving a total count - 8,773 - 11,570 persons dead
Total Iraqi civilian deaths 93,096 – 101,596

A day by myself

There are days I spend by myself. I do this usually when I work from home. Since I live in the country side, it really is a day all by myself. No one comes knocking on my door. There is hardly any traffic which I am able to see or hear. I can go the whole day and not see a single soul. I can work in relative peace and quiet with the exception of the few phone calls and scheduled virtual meetings. I have my favourite music playing in the background, can get my cup of tea the way I like it, take a break when I want to, which I usually spend listening to the wind in the trees outside or walking in the next door abandoned plot of land and checking if the apples are ready to be harvested. They are winter apples, a friend told me. So it will have to wait for September. I spot a squirrel or a strange looking insect, eat an over ripe cherry and go back to work.

Living in another's country

I think some people who choose to live in a different country with a significantly different culture are not feeling quite completely at home with their own. Not that they dislike their country, culture and value set but because they don't fit into it, like the majority does. Or because they would like to improve things and want these positive changes brought about faster then they can actually happen.

Take me for instance. I am a Pakistani but don't always agree with how we do things in Pakistan. I live in Norway now and find some of the things I always wanted to change in my own country, practised in Norway everyday. Not that I like or agree with how things are done in Norway quite completely, but a larger part of my value set corresponds very well to the one practised in Norway. As opposed to my belief system which is in sharp contrast. But that I will leave to ponder upon another day.

People

I wonder what makes people different. Is it the color of our skin, what we wear, what we eat or how we react to different situations?
At a more primal level we are all the same, I guess. But we dress it up, color it with where we grew up, how our parents kissed us goodnight or didn't, what we are taught to believe in and not, what we watch on TV, how much space we are used to,
If we all focused more on how we are so much the same rather then what makes us different, this world would be happier, lighter, and even more lovely.

Crazy Cow

There are many crazy cows where I come from. They are everywhere. On the roads. In the fields. Close to where I went to school. They are free to go wherever they want and they are happy.
There are no cows where I live now. And even people are bound by rules telling them where they can and cannot go. No happy cows, just a lot of stressed unhappy people.
I miss the cows.

The Taliban flu

There is a madness plauging my country. It is weakening the human spirit and forcing people to lose hope that we can overcome yet another menace that slowly breeds amongst us. Can we overcome this? Only time and many human lives being taken too early, too soon... will tell unfortunately. I wish I could stop it. I wish.
I think death by swine flu is better then dying at the hands of these extremists, who would probably declare me an infidel and take out a bounty on my head for saying so.
Man corrupts religion.