The Kool Off ...

change of blog space

2006-12-27T15:55:00.000+05:00

For anyone who’s trying to access the site at this location, please visit my new blog space at www.MystaKool.com.

Hope all of you are doing well.

What's Next....

2006-12-12T14:36:00.000+05:00

After the continuous rain for almost 36 hours, we have seen none. All is calm, the weather getting really cold at nights, and throughout the day it is quite pleasant (much like what I would prefer to have throughout the year).

Much like everyone else, I too eventually faced a bit of flu and fever, but thankfully recovered within a day. Saturday 3 of us bloggers and a couple of “others” gathered for lunch at Nando’s. None of us having met before, it was quite an experience, with good food, , and quite the fun. One of the poor chaps ended up paying the bill (right now must be cursing all 4 of us) :P

Sunday was ok, as is usual with me – nothing much on the agenda. Oh yes! Got the car tuned up, and now its racing just fine :)

So back to work, and yesterday was one of the days I actually enjoyed. I can’t believe we wound up at 4 clients between 3 and 7pm, a record for me at least.

Question: What's Next...

‘Tis the season to be jolly…

2006-12-05T18:24:00.000+05:00

And yes, we have rains and we have winter, and most of the upper parts of the country have had quite a bit of snow in the last couple of days. We had a brief rain session last week in the middle of the night, with a lot of glitz and glamour (thunder and lighting). Many just slept through though (that includes me), only to find that the roads were all soaked in the morning.

Then we had it again, right from Sunday afternoon, thru till last evening. And this officially marks the start of winter. Many people got stuck yesterday too, and didn’t take the lesson learnt from the summer storms. People, when you have a weather like that, you try and keep away from short routes, that includes Sharae Faisal, being inundated Nursery and near Hotel Metropolitan (former, that is). Funnily enough, there are 2 easily accessible and most used exit points from I I Chundrigar Road, M A Jinnah Road being the other (again, going through Burns Road).

Today I manage to post after a fortnight. Yes, the nights are getting longer each day (ok, now this was a weird link) and days getting shorter. And soon it will be the end of 2006. Another year gone by, another set of memories accumulated, both good and bad; many reasons to ponder on past events, some lessons to learn, and some moments to cherish. I’d like to look at this as an opportunity to correct the wrong, to learn from experience, and rejoice over whatever good has happened… and of course, thank the Almighty, for whatever He has given and gifted in all this time.

Many friends made in this very year, and some lost friend regained. More recently, we’ve been meeting up and chatting up quite regularly, which brings many old memories back, and also something new to enjoy. Moon sighting issues occurred 2 times this year, and were we all in for one big turmoil. And then we also have the Women’s Rights Bill being passed with much tantrum and shocks. Quite a ride!

So, it is the season again to seriously be jolly. It seems we are to have a really cold and slightly longer winter this year (unless the MET office has screwed it up the forecast again). Although this will not be the last post for this year, there are some things I would prefer not to talk about again, at least not in this month.

Yes, why should I forget the sudden change in my own stance to make things suddenly better at work? I guess it was all for the best and I seriously am going to keep people on their toes; they better not underestimate me, ever.

Yesterday the downpour, today the sun was up. Evolution! It keeps happening, and as long as there is change, there will be something to look up to at all times. The only thing constant in this universe is change.

My new year’s resolution: bring some change… a good and positive change in my life, and for those around me. And Insha Allah I will :)

2006-11-25T15:59:00.000+05:00

With the grand IDEAS coming to town, in comes the chilly weather at nights, right up till the early morning. Honestly, I haven’t had any issues with the security arrangements, and much to my delight, I haven’t had any reason to go in such areas where I would encounter those 25,000 odd armed men. By the way, this figure appeared in the papers recently, and I was utterly shocked.

I do know several people who live close to the Expo Center, who have been facing trouble throughout the week, each day cursing why this event has to take place right in the middle of the city. If you ask me, I’m speechless too.

Saturday’s here, the end of the week (almost), have a group of friends gathering for lunch. The morning was quite cold, and it’s obvious I wouldn’t feel like getting up, love hibernating at times :P

What else. Yes, the task I started off in managing a completely different department is streamlining. I’m happy, at least it’s going the way I foresaw it. A bit slow at times, but hey, it takes time to adjust to things that are moving faster than you’re used to. Not saying that I’m slow, the rest of them are. I’m quicker than many others in the whole company, much like I was in my previous employment too. Too bad they have to settle with someone who is more agile than the rest.

Yes, its getting cold, and I love the winters. This year Karachi is expecting a lot more colder weather than last year. This year we also had an intense level of heat.

Later; gotta work now :)

time goes by... quite slow usually

2006-11-16T22:58:00.000+05:00

The phasing in period has started, and I'm on the move to being completely part of the Technical Team. It may seem that I've migrated from being a core business/finance person, to a tech oriented person. I actually disagree, because here are the core business logic and methods at work, with a lot of concentration to improve a ridiculously under-managed system of sorts.

Anyway, that being said, I like to keep all this on a low level, although I'll be involved more and more each day in fire-fighting quite a few areas that require immediate response, and have a critical position in ensuring better operations. So, back to business I guess :)

On the other hand, my dad's flight has taken off by now (provided no VIP or some lunatic decided to delay it). I already miss him!

I like the idea of having changes frequently. I get tired of routine things too easily, and more so if they are not to my liking from the first day. Yup, there are quite a few things that happen on a regular basis, which I just cannot stand, yet have to get along with it, most of which are at my office.

I'm planning up something to clean up the mess... no, not at my office, but maybe a moving around would just do the trick ;) hehe... working on it...

The weather in the morning and nights is quite cool, and giving signs of winter nearing, the days are quite hot though. Hopefully this will settle down gradually. In a couple of days an exhibition of defence equipments will take place, and we'll be all stuck with several streets being hijacked for the sole commute of dignatories and guests of the exhibition. What's more, I won't be able to find a decent parking spot for almost a week. Might as well just give the whole city time out... the only thing is that Karachiites just can't spend a whole day trapped in their homes. Must get some air... and unfortunately our good old security concerns will kill the very access to any fun or road travel.

We'll have to wait and see what unfolds from the 20th of November.

2006-11-13T21:16:00.000+05:00

It's been well over a fortnight that internet access has been blocked at work, leaving only a few systems to have the access and do whatever they want. Nevertheless, much as I expected, I did get my way around and now keep accessing the internet on-and-off, without making the impression that I'm taking undue advantage.

The trouble with me is that you keep me in the dark and I'll revolt real bad. Yet, I kept my silence, considering that I have that advantage which no one else does, ie access to the IT department :P

Anyway, a lot of things have happened in the last 2 weeks, and that includes the fact that I've decided to take up the opportunity that my company has given me - the role that I initially applied for over a year ago. That, by itself, gives a major boost to my profile with the company, and also with the clients.

To add to that, I get what everyone else gets too after spending some time with a particular organisation and working to expectations. Need I say more?

Progress is the name of the game here, and that's what I can't do without. Tomorrow have a queue up of 4 meetings all in one area, and that's what I just wanted - more interaction.

I guess I'm getting used to interacting more now :) in a good way...

That reminds me, I haven't done much browsing around on blogs lately, so I'm commenting around.... hope it fills up for a few days :D wishful thinking on my part... heheheh...

week long exercise...

2006-11-02T21:27:00.000+05:00

one thing i just don't enjoy is NO INTERNET... since the last week of Ramadan, there has been no internet access provided to the whole office, except the top management and the technical team (as if they are the all too pious). virus attacks they say... that's what you get for not listening when an expert advise is given for IS security.... did that over 6 months ago...

managing to access the internet through only my phone, and occassionally on the home PC or laptop... other than that, just dependent on the GPRS service and the phone's battery life. as is always the case, any data transmitted or received (that includes calls) over the network consumes more battery that you would transferring in a close range over Bluetooth or IRDA. even WiFi sucks out all the battery because it is after all an OTA interaction of a not so close proximity.

over the week, i have been missing out on a whole lot of information coming my way. had a habit of constantly searching out for new stuff to feed my brain... and that's not happening. I HATE THAT! what's more, i have to tell my subordinates to be patient, and we are trying our best (YEAH RIGHT!)

anyway, progress has been there. my boss has asked for a response to what we discussed some weeks ago. i think a response is due. and i finally got to talk to the person who was due from the US to identify the key people for his business here. met him today, and have asked them to respond tomorrow, or else the decision will be made in favour of my current boss. as much as i would like to move on, i can't do without making a decision. and that means things remain stuck in oblivion till something really happens. uncertainty being at a high like never before.

i still haven't decided on what to do with my cell phone. today i took it over to the Service Center to get an upgraded software. didn't get that done because they couldn't supply me a temp phone which had bluetooth on it for transferring my contacts. said they'd give me something like 3310 (i would NEVER go for that). told them to shove it, and i'll make my own arrangements for a download and installation. the one thing i hate is making things complicated for no reason.

at the office, was myself throughout the day, and no questions were asked. as i said earlier, the matter is that of absolute uncertainty. need to settle this by Saturday. and when i do confront him again, i should have a decision at hand, and be prepared to spend at least one whole year at my chosen destination.

lots of choices to make... let's hope for the best.

Building your Brand

2006-10-28T23:20:00.000+05:00

I've written several articles over the last few years, mostly business related, over 200 of them (I've even lost count unfortunately). Many of them are lost, forgot to move them while I was leaving my previous job. Anyway, managed to get some of them through a friend of mine, and periodically I'll be posting them here.

The first of the series is about building a brand, from scratch. So those who are keen on reading something on certain core business areas may tag along.

Building your Brand

Any new business starting off must focus on creating and maintaining the brand name. The aim should be to create a favourable image of the company and its product, by getting it across to the customers in the most appropriate manner, and able to distinguish it as a distinct identity from competing products and services.

The message that you are trying to give to your customers also has an impact on your brand. Each word used in promotional literature, advertisement or even conversation must be strategically positioned. Many companies require sales personnel to stick to a script, which covers all possible questions that customers may ask or enquire. The message should be constructed keeping in mind the relationship the company wishes to build with its customers. It should contain the elements that clearly make the brand stand out against its competition.

To maintain a level of customer satisfaction, it is important to maintain a quality communication strenght with your won staff members, especially those in customer services. A small business has the benefit of being closely connected with its staff, but this is not enough. Being the manager, you should be able to control their actions, words and get your message through efficiently and effectively. Get them to give their suggestions, build plans on how to manage the bridge between production/purchases and the sales department, thereby managing stock levels. You should also consider their involvement in decisions regarding managing the brand and creating new strategies.

Make your brand a customer-oriented product or service. A strong and targeted brand goes a long way in building a strong and long-term relationship. Focus on providing a service, satisfying them in a way they can't experience elsewhere. Find out what features do customers value the most, and work on them to improve your brand. Also focus on improving overall quality, price, customer service and efficiency.

Customers are a major influence in making a brand successful. Many of them give valuable advice to help improve quality where possible, and how to increase market share. You should also understand what keeps your customers attached to your brand and what they look forward to. Focus on customer needs, they higher the satisfaction level the higher the demand.

Now comes the most important element - consistency and maintenance. It is said that getting a new customer is easy compared to maintaining one. Your intention should be to not only quick sales revenue generation, but also to keep your sales ledger healthy and in good shape. You also need to maintain your standards, your customers expect a commitment of quality and service from your brand; you can convert this into a launch pad for your future products and services.

And last but not the least: every product and service has a life cycle. Do not anticipate a prompt return, and certainly do not start making drastic changes in your sales policy or the production/purchases policy. Have patience, and wait for a proper and authentic report regarding the performance of your brand. It is not always possible to strike gold on the first swing. Study the consumer response carefully, and then plan your next move.

first day after Eid

2006-10-27T10:45:00.000+05:00

First day at work again, although quite silent for a first day. Late today, I still managed to find an appropriate parking spot conveniently, with the least rush in any of the service lanes. More importantly, over 80% of the staff is already here, yet it seems that half of them are still not here, and not over the Eid Holiday phase.

Unlike me, many tend to enjoy the whole Eid mood, and have lots of things to do, and find a mere 3 days to be quite less to make sure they have had the much deserved fun they have been waiting for.

As I mentioned in my last post, for me Eid is boring, with barely any activity. In a previous post I mentioned that I am not socialite to the core, which still stands true; though I do feel that being a socialite does change everything, especially how you go about and meet so many people that you barely get to meet, other than over an occasional phone call.

Back in the office, we’re all greeting each other as we meet up again after almost a whole week. The internet supply to all our desks have been cut down, due to some odd reason that still needs justifying from the management, and as you may have guessed, I absolutely do not support the idea of killing access to information. I am and always have been the source of many pieces of information for many people that I work with and even those that I don’t. Which means, having access to such information is crucial and limiting is killing what I stand for. Therefore, my productivity is hurt, and I know it as a fact, irrespective if others share this idea or not.

I hate to say this but I feel more detached due to this approach, than I have before. Hence the old saying – Old work and no play makes ME a dull boy!

Eid Mubarak

2006-10-26T17:15:00.000+05:00

Eid is here, and its late in the evening as i post this on the second day. Too bad I have never enjoyed Eid much, other than occasional visits across the city, like the trip last night, leading to dinner.

The weather hasn't been comfortable either for the last whole week (I say that since this long weekend had started, we've been facing a hot and dry weather across the city).

I personally don't enjoy a whole lot of rush, tend to run away from it, hence my shopping experience is kind of hit-n-run. And then we had the usual issue of who wants to celebrate Eid on which day. As usual, the NWFP people somehow saw the moon, when it wasn't even possible to view it in the northern areas, followed by some more cities like Chaman, where again there was no official news on the sighting of the moon. The moon was actually not sighted at all, because the probability of actually viewing it was remote on Monday evening, and that too only in the coastal areas of the country. The rest of the country therefore had a full 30 days of Ramadan, followed by Eid on Wednesday.

After the Eid prayers at around 8am in our nearest mosque, we went off to get some halwa puri, after a whole month. It was good, not bad at all, as we had ourselves willingly settled for the nearest alternative in our area. After that, SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!

Just a day earlier (Monday), there was a question on the radio about "why do men sleep on Eid, compared to women". Of course, I did have a response to that, and it was well taken by the program host. Of course, that was my opinion, and others may clearly differ. By the way, what do you guys think about the relation between "Eid & Sleep"? I'd like to hear from you guys about that.

The cell phone choice making is still on. I opted to hold on a bit till after Eid, because I heard and verified that the prices of all commodities (including cellphones) have been hiked up by the market, owing to exceptional demand. The prices rose from anywhere between Rs 1,000 to over 5,000, depending on the type of cellphone and also the type of people who demand it. One example is the Nokia E61, bought by a friend of mine for 16k just last week, with a Chand Raat market value of 22k. And what's more - the shopkeepers say that the prices will fall again, in fact the value will be near 15k soon after Eid (say on Friday). And if that's not enough, car prices even escalated just in the last week of Ramadan.

We join work from tomorrow (Friday), and although most people will be voluntarily taking a day off (especially if they have Saturdays off), I will be heading to work by 8.30am. Unless of course I kind of get late again. Personally I don't like holidays, but sometimes it does seem good to relax often at home and hangout with the family and friends. Of course, that does not mean that it extends beyond 2 days, otherwise it's just not right for me.

Iced, if you're reading this, don't change your phone yet, unless you are due for an upgrade on your contract. I'm thinking of going for the same phone, but its a tough debate over an entertainment vs business phone now...

cell phone fiasco

2006-10-19T14:28:00.000+05:00

although cell phones have become a necessity, previously a luxury, it seems there are too many options available to choose from. that in itself leads to tremendous confusion, as to which is a better choice.

i've been trying to finalise what i should do. i know i want to sell my PDA now, as it now seems more of a heavy piece of equipment more than a multimedia phone. true, a PDA is meant to perform more and also work in more ways than what a phone would ever be able to do, and hence my reason to go for it.

now, i'm determined i want to go for a slick and more professional looking phone, keeping in mind the budgetary constraints (that always exist for any expenditure you intend to make). 2 options: the Nokia N72, and the Sony Ericsson W810i.

both are in their own leagues, and although having more or less the same features, are yet different. the nokia features a Symbian operation system, the same that is available in the N70 model, except there is no 3G connectivity possibility. well, it isn't needed either in Pakistan, and it would be quite some time to actually start using a 3G service since it hasn't even worked anywhere in the world properly (barring a handful of countries).

the W810i is a regular sony ericsson phone, with all the additional features to support improved photo and video capturing features, and most importantly its much flaunted Walkman feature. this in itself is an uncontested feature, and cannot be compared with the XpressMusic feature by Nokia.

head to head, the N72 is 20g heavier than the W810i, but offers some further features that the latter doesn't. although the memory card supplied in the package is only of 1/4 capacity. yet, the price of the N72 is higher.

the question is, how do balance out such features and pricing, such that you end up making a favourable deal? now that's what i'm trying to answer here...

dunya ka sub se bara plant

2006-10-14T11:29:00.000+05:00

In case you guys were wondering what this was all about (opposite Regent Plaza Hotel), it has now been revealed to the public.

After months of curiosity (enough to make people stop noticing what it is after all), behold the revelation:

SNOWHITE DRY CLEANERS

The question is, do they really have the world’s largest dry cleaning plant?

progress

2006-10-13T16:04:00.000+05:00

It's quite wierd but although I may not be interested in a particular task, it seems that I still manage to do a pretty good at it. It makes me and others think what is my objective when this happens. Kind of confusing, isn't it?

During this week, I managed to visit about 6 of my clients, and satisfied each one of them with what I had to say and asked them to consider my offering of a presentation/meeting either next week, or soon after Eid. My boss was all smiles and all good words, and I was amazed as to how I manage to do a better job, despite my disinterest.

Have you guys ever faced any of this?

iftar dining

2006-10-12T14:24:00.000+05:00

iDuring this Ramadan, till now at least, I've had 3 dining out opportunities, and of course had the chance to get some feedback regarding others too, which I intend to go for by the end of the month.

Village Salt & Pepper - really good, and you actually do have the opportunity to eat all that you can, for a price of Rs 525 per person (which does not include water and drinks, by the way).

Hollywood Grill - you'll enjoy the Rotessori Chicken and the Pizzas (flat-bread), although they just don't have the ability to for a buffet arrangement.

Pizza Hut - they go completely berserk in Ramadan, and the quality of servings reduces to a drastically low level, even to make you feel uncomfortable to go there ever again. Don't know what Dominoes and Papa John's have in store. Papa John's is for 250 per person.

Nando's - have to try that, at a reasonable price of Rs 200, you can choose between 2 dishes, which by all means are enough for an Iftar meal, I'm sure.

Hanif Rajput is next on my list, and I believe it should be really good, considering the reputation they have for excellence in food, and also my personal experience (although not at any Iftar).

Haven't checked out many of the others, and intend to that soon, before Ramadan ends :)

weekend bash 2

2006-10-08T18:55:00.000+05:00

okay, the interview sessions that took place on the last weekend were quite disappointing. so nothing to write about this.

last night was my bro's birthday. yes, once again we had a grand dinner, a bit earlier than what we did the last week, and a completely different venue. this time, handi inn at boat basin. now usually you'd expect just handis there to be the best, but you should try the chicken behari (a bit too spicy for my liking), chicken reshmi kabab, chicken boneless handi, paratha, and til waale naan.

after that, a drive towards sea view, where we had a great doodhpatti chai from one of those khokha style shops. at 2am we got back home, full, and very sleepy.

woke up today at 2pm, after 12 whole hours! was quite startled that i slept this long, but hey, its a weekend... kya farq parhta hai... at least i got what i wanted, a good amount of rest.

so, what did you guys on this weekend?

Weekend Bash

2006-10-03T12:27:00.000+05:00

The weekend was by all means a cool off period. Friday was good, although I had to stay home because of a backache. It was less to do with bones, rather muscles, which are still not healed completely, and require a massage almost everyday.

Yet, I can’t sit still, no matter what the problem. So on Saturday night we went out to binge at the Pizza Hut Tariq Road outlet, on a Sehri deal. We love to hang out with the family, as much as we do with friends, so it’s all good.Sunday was my brother’s birthday, and we thought of hanging out the night before, rather than having Iftar somewhere out. Stayed up till 1am, and woke mum up to go for Sehri. Right at that time, the electricity went out, and mum had to wake up in any case, because she can’t sleep with no cooling, like me. Hence, we had to make a move.

So at 2am we placed the order. In case you’d like to know, the Sehri deal was for Rs 400 + GST (15%) for 1 Large Pizza and a 1.5 Litre drink. There are 3 deals offered at Iftar, but I’ve never tried going there for it. Some reviews from friends and colleagues suggest that the Iftar experience at Pizza Hut is not worth it, while others have always loved it. I wonder which side I should pick for this, should I consider hanging out somewhere.

So overall, had a good time, we came back at home at around 4am, after having our bellies completely full, stopping for a good cup of doodhpatti chai at one of the pathan hotels. Mind you, the pathan cafes make excellent tea, and especially if you keep a good rapport with them. It takes just a gesture to make the guys feel comfortable in making sure that your experience at their small cafes are worth it, hence each time I visit the nearest pathan café I have a small exchange of dialog and firm handshake. In fact, the roti waala near my place always feels happy when any of us brothers go there. The good thing is that near the roti waala, there is a constant breeze that makes you stand there for a while before you go back to wherever you were heading. The location is near Quetta Akram Hotel, on Rashid Minhas Road, a bit before ARY Cash & Carry, if you’re heading toward Drigh Road Station.

Wow! Now this is a weird combined review of Pizza and Tea. Next time I’ll pick something else :P

Although Sunday wasn’t as pleasant, other than the usual bit of shopping here and there, I guess the Saturday night really overshadowed the rest of the things.

Recent movies I watched:
X-Men: The Last Stand (watched it last evening)
Hitch (for the 3rd time – ok it’s not THAT good, but it’s good, a nice pass time)
Underworld: Evolution (2nd time, watched it in one go, and it’s good)

And the person I bugged recently was Annie, from Radio 1…. I must say she’s as sweet as she sounds on the radio. So, Annie, if you’re reading this, good job, and I’ll be looking forward to listening more often.

Untamed, you’ve disappeared again. Don’t let the load shedding get the better of you :P

Iced, stay cool, as ice :D heheh…

Too bad the intended face lift of this blog didn’t work out right as yet. So I’m thinking of something more radical. Just wait till I get one done… hahahahaha…. *evil grin*

2006-09-29T12:04:00.000+05:00

Almost the first week of Ramadan is coming to an end, today being Friday, and the 5th day of fasting. So far so good, and the heat thankfully is heading to a downward trend. Yes, its not as searing hot as it was at the start of the week…

Since the start though, many people including me haven’t been fairing well against the weather. I, speaking for myself, have been feeling quite weak, and my back aches, because I haven’t been consuming enough water, as much as is required. I have been drinking a lot after dusk, but I guess that doesn’t account for the whole day’s dry and hot weather.

Anyway, so today I’m taking a day off. Counting, I would assume I’ve already taken a week off over the past couple of months, due to various health related reasons. Many would assume it was deliberate, whereas it was really everything to do with the weather factor, which hasn’t been in any way stable.

Now I’m planning to reach out to people and set up some Iftar dinners. Last year I went for 5 of them, this year I intend to do more :D. And not to mention that I’d be enjoying it at home too, since my dad is coming over in a week or so.

My opportunity searching and response activities have seemingly come to a standstill for the last 2 weeks (now 3 weeks). It seems that everyone had a plan to sleep through Ramadan before it came… and that is surely raising issues at my planning end. I intended to be elsewhere after Eid, and now it seems that I’d be stuck where I am till at least a month after that. Now that, for me, isn’t good at all. Better ring a few bells and haunt them if they don’t wake up :P

Everyone is feeling quite sleepy this Ramadan, the heat is getting to us all, and especially the fact that many of us still face a power outage at night. I hope it gets over soon and we can resume with our regular activities that actually should be keeping us all awake through these nights (not KESC). I am sure you guys know what I’m talking about :)

Time now for Darrell Hair to face the music. I say that the ICC should be told to firstly investigate as to why he created the ball tampering issue, which lead Inzamam or any of his team mates and management to do what they did, hence “bringing the game to disrepute”. If it wasn’t for Darrell’s mischief, none of this would have happened in the first place. When that is fixed, and Darrell is put on the hot seat, then only should the Pakistan team should consider the 4 one-day ban on Inzamam.

Am planning on changing my phone, but I’m sure I won’t be getting another competitively featured device in this price (ie the resale price). The bad part about a PDA is that the resale value is far less, unless you can sell it to the right person, who really is in need of one. Overall, I don’t have a problem with what I have, its fully functionally, and gives me a lot of flexibility. Anything that would compete it would be an HP IPAQ 6515, and I’m looking forward to somehow grab my hands on that :P if I do, I guess I’ll have what I really needed in the first place. Although I still feel uncomfortable sometimes that it’s comparatively a huge device, and a slim phone is so much easier to carry around without any involuntary or voluntary flaunt.

Oh well! Till I get my hands on something as sleek and unique as I would like it to be. Considering I’m good at comparing devices, I should consider posting a few cell phone reviews too :P personal ones to be exact, not rip offs.

Till I do any of that, probably next time I’ll have something really interesting to write about, and hopefully something new on the horizon too.

got tagged, so here's the result :)

2006-09-27T18:15:00.000+05:00

am thinking about...
when the heat of the city will normalise.... i honestly find it hard to keep up with it, especially in Ramadan

I said...
what's for Iftar?

I want to...
do things i've been missing out for a very long time, and that includes travelling...

I wish...
I could be in UK right now pursuing my dreams... too bad i can't... but hey, at least Plan B worked for really great me, and i'm thankful for that :)

I miss...
a lot of things... if i count, it'll take days ...

I hear...
mum preparing for iftaar ... mmmmm yummmyyyy stufffffff

I wonder...
am i the only MystaKool out there? yes, i sure am :P

I regret...
a lot of things, especially the fact that when the time for deciding comes, i take my time, and sometimes lose out on it

I am...
what i am...

I dance...
yeah right!

I sing...
oh yes, most of my favourite songs

I cry...
sometimes. there are things which get messed up real bad, crying being the release system

I am not always...
rigid... or unsocial... i like meeting people, but not everyone

I write...
a lot of things, even if some of it don't make any sense at all.

I confuse...
myself and others... sometimes deliberately, and the rest of the time it just happens :D

I need...
my own space, time, and a whole lot of stuff that i like... the question is, how much of what i like can i have at the same time

I should try...
to cut down on eating, to cut down on spending too much time on work and also be a good company to others

I finish...
do i? there's always something to start off with again...

Ramblings...

2006-09-26T13:09:00.000+05:00

Ramadan has started, today being the 2nd day of fasting. Again, as has been the case over the past few years, the NWFP people decide to go at it a day ahead of the rest of the country. The funny thing is that the zonal moon sighting committee pronounced that the moon has been sighted, stating it had 18 witnesses. Yet, the other zonal and central committees disapproved, and we had it starting on Monday. I guess there are some things that need to be seriously checked here.

Okay, so the first day was fine, hot as usual, as has been almost the same condition for over a week now. It’s weird, because this is actually the time for fall to turn in, but the summer has prolonged. Today I read the report which said that this year has been one of the hottest periods in over a million years of this planet, and just safe by 1.0 degree Celsius, to be the hottest ever. The report stated that if we keep up with the pattern of polluting and wasting natural resources at the current rate, we could easily go more the 2 degrees above the hottest temperature yet, and that the earth would be much different from what it is now. Yet we all keep polluting without a second thought.

Got to watch “The Devil Wears Prada” over the last couple of days. Interesting movie, but I wouldn’t watch it more than once. On the other hand, watched a bit of “Hitch” too yesterday, and to tell you the truth, its something I’ve watched for more than 3 times already, of course not complete.

The music that the radio stations have been playing is quite soothing since the week started, or probably I just tune into them when they’re at their best in the whole day … hehe ... But getting back to religious programmes as time for Sehri & Iftar, and also pausing for regular Azaan breaks.

My colleague’s car got stolen yesterday, very close to the office. Since there is a constant problem of car parking, and the traffic police doing its part to make lives miserable, most car owners hand the keys over to the pathans who take care and move about the car whenever needed, ensuring that car owners don’t have to be bothered by what happens downstairs. How do they keep the police at bay? Simple! There’s something called “bhatta” exchanged between such individuals and the police. These “individuals” include the roadside encroachers spread across the entire city making a mess of the roads and reducing available movement space from one place to the other.

The poor guy yelled at the pathan. The car keys were still with the pathan, and the car was jacked internally to get it started and moving. He reported to the police, who were saying it would have been better had the car been insured and also if a tracker was installed. What the hell is the police there for, and what are the people paying high taxes for if the police can’t do its job, rather make it worse by going against their own responsibilities blatantly.

He knows he won’t get it back, partly due to his family’s mistake, since the car was supposed to be insured in the first place. Anyway, what’s done is done.

The loadshedding continues at its pace, making people’s lives miserable. The KESC has been facing a good share of miseries since its privatization. The KESC’s corrupt employees know they will not be tolerated for a long time, and would be let off soon, so they start creating havoc by wasting KESC resources and making the consumers face the misery. If that was not enough, WAPDA backed off from its agreements, which were to stay till the time KESC was self-sufficient to pay off its debts, hence cutting power to KESC and leading to another shortage of electricity. Now, we have the Tarbela Dam having some problems, and power from Kotri has also tripped. And what’s more interesting is that WAPDA (reported today) has no clue about the power cut to Karachi. What a bunch of losers and hypocrites!

And lets not forget how the prices of all necessities have again reached a new high, all thanks to the people who deliberately cause a shortage and then raise the prices on demand basis. How does the poor man survive at this rate of price hikes and inflation is something that needs jogging our imagination. And what’s more, the government is doing much to help. And even if it did, all efforts would have failed like they always have before.

The government is from the people. So, if the people at the ground level are such hypocrites and self-centered, we cannot expect anything short of that from the government, who are after all one of us, aren’t they?

Oh well… I guess complaining just doesn’t help much. But if there was something I could do, I would certainly try …

A New Beginning

2006-09-23T17:56:00.000+05:00

So the weekend’s here again. This is a special weekend, since tonight the moon will decide whether the Holy Month of Ramadan starts from tomorrow, or Monday.

In any case, the week will start from fasting, and hopefully this year will bring happiness, joy, hope, faith, wealth, health and all the good things in life that we so dearly wish for, to all those who deserve.

The Holy Month is symbolic of Allah’s great wealth of Mercy and Blessings for the believers of the greatest religion on earth. The religion is Islam, a symbol of peace and prosperity for all humanity. It gives us the balance we need in our lives to live it thoroughly right to the end, and in turn, all Allah asks for is that we live it with His Guidance, for our benefit, and those that are to follow us.

Ramadan brings with it lots of Blessings in disguise, fasting and prayer being just 2 of the most important and primary tenets of Islam. Fasting is a means of refraining ourselves from all that we desire and constantly reach out for throughout the year. A means by which we are asked to feel what it is to not have those luxuries of life, which many of our fellow humans have to suffer all their lives. We are also given the lesson of patience, honesty, sincerity and also staying away from all the bad things that spoil us all year. Just one month, in which we can prove ourselves that we are surely the best and greatest creation of Allah, that He claims that we are. And He is Knowledgeable.

Now, some of the bad things we notice, at least here in the city of Karachi. I don’t know why, but it seems that we are the worst at keeping ourselves intact and sane in this 1 month. We lose our patience over petty things, and show as if we are the only ones fasting. I’ve noticed this mostly till a couple of years ago, when the public transport was my sole method of commuting across the city. And now that the roads are all in bad shape this year, due to the extraordinary level of engineering works across the city, it seems that tempers are going to soar far above their previous levels.

Again, it’s not just that it happens during Ramadan, but throughout the year. In this month though, this is exaggerated many times due to the fact that they are refraining themselves from what they constantly crave and have all the time. Pity, though, that everyone tells the other that they are fasting, somehow trying to prove themselves better in terms of their efforts to refrain from the regular practices.

I hope, and I sincerely do, that the Holy Month of Ramadan this year helps us to truly connect with each other, and understand the real merits of fasting, prayer and offering our obligations, from Allah’s perspective.

This is my prayer for everyone, for all those that know me or not, but I know you, that you are somehow connected to me. And we can’t excel in our lives all alone, it is by working together, and in harmony that we shall excel in all worldly matters, and also in the sight of Allah.

May Allah Guide us all, so that we may proper. May Allah provide us what is of benefit to us and those we love. And May Allah Bless us all, with what He knows to be right for us.

Aameen.

new blog, new look

2006-09-21T11:42:00.000+05:00

I actually created this as a separate blog as a substitute to my existing one, purely because I've had my fair share of issues with Blogger Beta. In my opinion, it's going to take some time till the issue is completely resolved.

Instead of replicating my previous blog here, which by the way is a really tiring task, I'd rather use a link to it and have people go through that one as well. That way I'll have the best of both worlds :)

As for my change of identity, MystaKool has been my nickname for over 6 years now, something I picked up quite naturally and without giving it a second thought. Once I started considering something else, even my attitude changed and I began to "lose my Kool" so to speak... I wonder if this kind of stuff actually happens to you when anyone else.

Moving on, although there is a Blogger Outage schedule for 4pm US time, I anticipate a complete move in a day or two, with posts being simultaneously appearing on both blogs for some time, till the earlier one fades away, replaced by this one...

And the reason for this blog title, as many would like to ask, is simply the reason why I write... to cool off... hehe.

Sunscreen (by Bazz Luhrman)

2005-08-03T13:27:00.000+05:00

I really like this song. Heard it from the movie "The Big Kahuna", starring Danny DeVito and Kevin Spacey. Really good movie to watch too, and those who haven't had an interaction with this one, please go right ahead and make sure you watch it at least once.

So here goes Mr Bazz Luhrman...

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience… I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh never mind; 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.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind... the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters; throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life… the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary… what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can… don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance.

Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents; you never know when they’ll be gone for good.Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…