No Bravery

Hey friends,

Inspired by the comment left on my last post, I checked out James Blunt website to see what his other fans had to say. I checked out in particular Goodbye My Lover posts, and it seems like I am not the only one who has had a meaningful reawakening of my loved one because of this song. Someone's marriage was saved, someone went ahead and proposed to his girlfriend and so many other cases just because of this one song. I was really surprised to see someone say that to them Goodbye My Lover is a great song to dedicate to someone who may have passed away. I just never thought of the song in that way, but it's very much possible. I also liked another guy's comment who said that he thought it was Blunt who left his girlfriend, and towards the end he realizes that it was the girl who left him. There are loads of stories and speculation as to who the girl was in his life. Someone even said that his girlfriend was expecting a baby when she least expected it, and because of the complications left Blunt. I wouldn't necessarily believe that, but it's interesting to see all sorts of stories circulating in regards to who his lover is.

Having said that, I am here to share another Blunt song called No Bravery. I was not drawn into this song, but after having watched the documentary on Blunt (it's on the DVD!)he talks about how he served in the army in Kosovo, and he had his guitar with him there to keep himself busy when not fighting. It was there he composed the song No Bravery, which basically talks about how the lives of the children, mothers and fathers have been ruined because of someone who came and ruined their lives. He doesn't make any specific reference to anyone, but it could be anyone ranging from the world leaders, to the president of the opposing country, to the enemy soldiers.

It's a very appropriate song in today's world, because we have countries like Iraq and Afghanistan that have been ripped apart by foreign forces, and have ripped apart families and all. We all know who to blame, but the beauty of Blunt's song is that he leaves a huge room open for different interpretations.

The point being, lives are ruined in war, and war is pointless!

No Bravery

There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
Tears drying on their face.
He has been here.
Brothers lie in shallow graves.
Fathers lost without a trace.
A nation blind to their disgrace,
Since he's been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

Houses burnt beyond repair.
The smell of death is in the air.
A woman weeping in despair says,
He has been here.
Tracer lighting up the sky.
It's another families' turn to die.
A child afraid to even cry out says,
He has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.

There are children standing here,
Arms outstretched into the sky,
But no one asks the question why,
He has been here.
Old men kneel and accept their fate.
Wives and daughters cut and raped.
A generation drenched in hate.
Yes, he has been here.

And I see no bravery,
No bravery in your eyes anymore.
Only sadness.
--- James Blunt




Everytime I hear this song, my heart goes to people who have been afflicted with extreme sadness because of war.

Mansur

Billy

Hey friends,

Another great song called Billy by none other than James Blunt. This one is actually becoming a fast favorite of mine (actually all of them are favorite, but there are some I listen to more than others) Billy could be anyone, and I am not sure if Blunt knows someone named Billy, but when I listen to this song, I can picture myself in Billy’s place. It's as if I can substitute my own name in place of Billy.

In essence, I am someone who knows I have done something wrong, for which I am paying the price today. The damage is done. Sorrow is my soulmate. Billy’s story is that he was sleeping with another and is labeled a cheat, but I think I can insert my own story in there. In fact, anyone who feels they have done something wrong which they wish they could undo, this song is for them.

All is not in despair as Blunt gives some hope: "old doors are closed but he’s always open," signifying a future of hope, a redeemed future, a chance to start anew in life.

Billy

Billy's leaving today (don't know where he's going).
Holds his head in disgrace (he can't escape the truth).
He knows the price that he's paid.
He admits that it's too late to admit that he's afraid.
Tomorrow comes. Sorrow becomes his soul mate.
The damage is done. The prodigal son is too late.
Old doors are closed but he's always open,
To relive time in his mind.
Oh Billy.

Billy's leaving today (don't know where he's going).
He's got lines on his face (they tell the story of his pain).
He accepts it's his fate.
He admits it took too long to admit that he was wrong.
Tomorrow comes. Sorrow becomes his soul mate.
The damage is done. The prodigal son is too late.
Old doors are closed but he's always open,
To relive time in his mind.
Oh Billy.

Once he was a lover sleeping with another.
Now he's just known as a cheat.
And he wish he'd had a mirror; looked a little clearer.
Seen into the eyes of the weak.
Tomorrow comes. Sorrow becomes his soul mate.
The damage is done. The prodigal son is too late.
Old doors are closed but he's always open,
To relive time in his mind.
Oh Billy.

--- James Blunt


Mansur

Cry

Hey friends,

Another great song called Cry by none other than James Blunt. The more I listen to his CD the more I realize how many connections I have to his songs. This song talks about friendship and how important it is to have that “special” someone in your life with whom you can lend emotional support to, and in return get emotional support from your friend.

Human relationships is one of the more important thing in this world; you cannot live all alone. We are made to have relationships with other people, and a true, genuine friendship in this world is very hard to find, which is why I am thankful to a certain friend. This song is for you for you have always been there for me during my more trying times.

Cry

I have seen peace. I have seen pain,
Resting on the shoulders of your name.
Do you see the truth through all their lies?
Do you see the world through troubled eyes?
And if you want to talk about it anymore,
Lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.

I have seen birth. I have seen death.
Lived to see a lover's final breath.
Do you see my guilt? Should I feel fright?
Is the fire of hesitation burning bright?
And if you want to talk about it once again,
On you I depend. I'll cry on your shoulder.
You're a friend.

You and I have been through many things.
I'll hold on to your heart.
I wouldn't cry for anything,
But don't go tearing your life apart.

I have seen fear. I have seen faith.
Seen the look of anger on your face.
And if you want to talk about what will be,
Come and sit with me, and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.
And if you want to talk about it anymore,
Lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder,
I'm a friend.

--- James Blunt

My friend, you know who you are. Thanks.


Mansur

You're Beautiful

Hey friends,

Another extremely meaningful song by my favorite James Blunt. Honestly, his words, the way he sings make it feel so personal. I can relate to him, especially to some lines in this song. Heartbreaks and failed relationships are universal but Blunt captures it perfectly. Like I have said before there is so much passion, honesty and sincerity in his voice. Enjoy this song.

You're Beautiful

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I'm sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that,
'Cause I've got a plan.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
F***ing high,
And I don't think that I'll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it's time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.
-----

Check out the last four lines. So deep and so meaningful, and sad to say it's also the truth that I can not be with the girl I would like to be with.

Mansur

Weekend Plans

Hey friends,

Saudi Arabia has been debating on whether to have a Friday/ Saturday weekend as opposed to the present Thursday/Friday weekend. The main reason cited for changing over to the Fri/Sat weekened is for economic reasons since the rest of the world has a Sat/Sun weekend, Saudi Arabia could gain one extra working day on Thursday if it had Saturday off. Currently Saudi Arabia, along with several other Middle Eastern countries, take Thur/Fri off, which means they work on Sat/ Sun which is a weekend in the rest of the world. So, in effect, there are only three days which are effective working days between the Middle East and the West: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

In my home country, the Islamic Repblic of Pakistan, we have Sundays off! It's aradical step for a Muslim country to take a Sunday, and have Friday as a working day. People get a break on Friday to do perform their Friday prayers, and then get back to work. So in effect, Saturday and Sunday is the official weekend. If Pakistan can do it, so can other Muslim countries.

Sure, there will be some opposition. Saturday is the Jewish official day off, Sunday is the Christian's official day off, so why should the Muslims take a day off on these two days? I think we need to look at the bigger picture. If the economy of Saudi Arabia can improve by gaining an extra working day in sync with the rest of the world, then it would be beneficial.

On a more personal note, I would love for a Fri/ Sat weekend. Every Friday evening, I get depressed, and one reason is that I hate to get up Saturday mornings. If I knew I had a day off on Saturday, I would be ecstatic. I know some companies here in Dubai take Fri/Sat off. I hope Saudi Arabia comes up with a definite change of plans regarding its weekend plans as it is about to join the WTO.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=79404&d=19&m=3&y=2006

Mansur

Goodbye My Lover

This song is dedicated to my one friend to whom I may have let down by not marrying her. Rememer, some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.
-----

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your head.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.

Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

---James Blunt - Goodbye My Lover

Mansur

Movie:: The Pink Panther

Hey guys,



I love Pink Panther, so much so I bought the 4 DVD Pink Panther cartoons box set. I grew up watching Pink Panther, and I would hum the trademark Pink Panther to make my baby sister sleep. So, it was with much excitement that I got to see The Pink Panther (2006) last night at the movie theatre. In one sentence: Pink Panther fulfilled my somewhat low expectations, but somehow fell short of what could have been a genuinely funny movie, possibly overshadowing the original version.

See the problem lies in where you expectations are. You raise your expectations and you leave the movie disappointed. You go in with low expectations, and you leave the movie happy. The problem with this movie is that you really enjoy the movie, that you wished they had put in the extra effort and elevate the movie to the level it really should be on.

The movie is more about Steve Martin’s acting rather than the thin story line. Martin tackles the role of the bumbling “village idiot” Inspector Clouseau. He nails the French accent extremely well, you actually enjoy watching him be a Frenchman. His partner Ponton, played by French actor Jean Reno, is underused here. Kevin Kline is also wasted here as the head of investigations department in Paris. Beyonce Knowles is also underused and it seems like as if they roped her in to raise the profile of the movie. *Spoiler alert* Clive Owen makes a short appearance as Double Agent 006, which actually is one the highlights of the movie.

The plot revolves around the mysterious killing of Guyant, the French football team manager, and the disappearance of the massive Pink Panther diamond from his finger. Suspects abound everywhere, from his fiancée Xania (Beyonce), to Bizu, the football player, to Yuri, the “trainer who trains.” In comes Inspector Clouseau to handle the case and grabs the media attention. In the meantime, Kevin Kline, heads the actual investigation, believing the killer would be diverted by Inspector Clouseau’s investigation.

No prizes to anyone who knows what happens at the end. There are some funny set pieces, with a lot of slapstick physical comedy. Martin makes most of the French accent, which at times gets somewhat repetitious. You just wish the rest of the movie were as funny as Steve Martin is.

And, oh yes, the famous Pink Panther tune is played to much amusement in the credits. Who in this world doesn’t know that tune?

3 out 5 for me. I am going to stick watching the cartoons!

Mansur

James Blunt

Hey friends,

I just bought a new CD today by a British singer known as James Blunt. It's called Back to Bedlam and I couldn't believe it took me so long to come to know his music. I had heard one of his song, Goodbye My Lover on tv, and immediately connected to the song. That one song I would eagerly wait to come on tv, and when it came, I sang it along with him because that song struck a deep chord in my heart. Being so passionate about that song, I bought his CD, and I tell you unashamedly, this CD is the best CD I have bought to date!

James is very unconventional with his vocals. Initially it might seem hard to get accustomed to it, but one song later, you are convinced this guy can sing, and boy, can he sing. He has so much honesty and sincerity in his voice. The CD I bought has a DVD too of his live performance, and I watched him sing Goodbye My Lover live, and I was deeply touched. It's the kind of song where it touches me inside my skin, and all the hair on my arms rise! I have never been so touched by anyone's singing. Yes, I have mentioned numerous songs on my other blog, but nothing beats James Blunt.

The lyrics to his songs are amazing. They are deep, profound and very meaningful. They are real feelings and real emotions, not bubble gum pop lovey dovey kind of words. Goodbye My Lover, You're Beautiful and Tears and Rains are my three favorite songs of his. I know his music will be one that will stay with me for a long long time.

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw you face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.
--- You're Beautiful

How I wish I could walk through the doors of my mind;
Hold memory close at hand,
Help me understand the years.
How I wish I could choose between Heaven and Hell.
How I wish I would save my soul.
I'm so cold from fear.
---Tears and Rain

Since Dubai has no chance of bringing in quality singers to this city, I have to go to London to watch him! And he is playing in London on June 24th this year and it seems like I won't be able to make it. *sigh*

Mansur

Six Feet Four Inches

Hey friends,

One thing which everyone have to ask me is something to do with my height. I am 6'4", in other words 194cms. My dad is 6'2" and my elder brother is 6"3. So, I am the tallest kid in the family, being the middle child. When people see me after a long time, they say funny things like "stop growing now" or "how's the air up there?" It's a lot of fun teasing people because I always tell them "It's not me who's grown taller, it's you who has grown shorter!" Tit for tat!

Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised to read this report which basically says that taller people are likely to make more money, get better job opportunities and stand out as leaders. I had read this report earlier somewhere, but I read it again since I just started a new job. I began to think whether my height may have played a factor in my boss choosing to hire me. Would a shorter person have an advantage over me? I see the people in my company and 8 out of ten people are fairly tall, although not as tall as me!

My height is something I am proud of, and many people are impressed. They ask me the secret of being tall, and I tell them one thing: chocolate milk! That is the only thing I can think of which may have contributed to my growing the tallest in the family since I was addicted to chocolate milk!

Mansur

Raped!

Hello all,

The following incidents happened at my university here in Sharjah.

*A girl and guy were caught having sex in the Interior Design studio after hours- I know because I saw them in the same studio prior to their discovery.
*Another girl and guy were caught fondling and kissing in an unlit passageway late night on a weekend.
*A girl and a guy were suspended for staying out after hours and spending time alone, obviously doing something naughty.
* A guy was kicked out from my dorm block because he snuck in a female Russian prostitute into his dorm room, having his friends over to enjoy the night.

However, the worse case I heard at my university was when news broke of a female student who was raped. It turned out that sick male student had also raped several other female students on campus. Of course, it was all inside story as the university could not have afforded such a scandal prior to its accreditation, and that too of all places in Sharjah.

I never thought that something like rape could happen at my university. The girl who went through this ordeal shared it with her roommate, who in turn shared it with her close circle of immediate friend, which included me. No doubt I was shocked about it. The worse thing was that even though the girl knew it was not her fault, she failed to report it to the authorities. She was scared. Being an Arab girl, she felt she would be blamed for getting raped. No matter how much sense my friend tried talking into this girl, she just would not budge from her position. She just went through the most horrible time of her life, prompting her to leave university. What happened to the guy? He was never caught for his actions, and he got away with raping a few girls on campus!

However, I have mentioned the above incident as a pre-text to the real question I wanted to ask. Why does a woman have to prove her rapist guilty by bringing in four witnesses? If you think about it, how can a woman produce four, not one, but four, witnesses while the act of rape may have occurred in an isolated place? Sure, if it was a gang-rape, then a woman would be able to produce several witnesses. The scary thing is that many women don’t report rape because of the strong feelings of fear and shame, and also bringing dishonor to the family, although it may not her fault at all.

What could have this girl done? She was raped while in isolation. How could she prove that the male student on campus was the culprit? Why do men like this student get away with raping women under our very own noses? Why is it somewhat unfair for the woman to produce four witnesses to make her side of the story credible? How on earth can she even get four people in the first place?

Mansur

BUSTED!!

Hey friends,

Today for the first time, I have had a brush with the law. Never in my life, never ever, have I ever crossed onto the wrong side of the law. I have always maintained my sense of doing good, being it not littering to not breaking the red light while driving. However, today, I saw the ugly side of what it would be like on the other side of the law.

In Dubai, it is illegal for drivers to use their cars as private taxis. With the legal metered taxis somewhat expensive for longer journeys, especially if you have to wait because the meter still runs, and the buses never on schedule, with infrequent numbers on different routes, many people have chosen to make business by using their cars as taxis. It is illegal, and I know that. In fact, just last week, I was discussing it with my friend about this illegal taxi business.

Well today after work, my colleague and I walked over to the plaza where we would wait for the bus. However, he was in a hurry and was willing to take the sharing taxi, and while waiting for the bus, an Indian fellow approached us, as if he were some undercover agent. “Rolla?” was all he said. My colleague, who is also an Indian, said yes, and soon we were walking over to his car, all the while knowing that I am supporting this Indian man do something illegal. Just as we all sat in, with me behind the driver, an arab guy in his early 30s, wearing jeans, blue t-shirt and a baseball cap, came running to the driver’s side of the car and opened up the door.

BUSTED!!

He flashed his police badge, and asked for the driver to come out. I stayed put. I looked at my colleague. What will happen to us? I didn’t know. I am guilty too, like an accomplice. I started thinking of all the lies: I didn’t know it was illegal; I am new here; I wasn’t aware of anything; my friend led me into this etc. The cop opened my side of the door and asked me and the three others in the car to come out. My colleague opened the door from the other side and sort of ran away. He walked away briskly, and all I could think was “thanks for ditching me!!”

The cop took the three of us to his car, and asked for our name and number. He also asked for ID, or Labor Card, and I said I have none. So he just took my name and number and politely said, “you are free to go.” He also noted down the names and number of the other two Indians, but held on to their ID cards. The driver, who was going to take us originally, was asked to bring his car to the side. He would be fined most probably.

Honestly, I was a little scared, so much so, I called my friend up and asked her what would happen to someone who is caught using illegal taxis. She reassured me that at the most you would be fined, but that would happen on the spot, otherwise, they would call you up and ask you to testify against the driver who attempted to use his private car as a public transport.

I hope everything works out and that I don’t receive a phone call from the police asking me to come down to the station. God, I feel so weird. To top it all off, I could not believe the audacity my colleague had to leave me there all alone, since he was the one who initiated the idea of going in a sharing taxi. I have learnt my lesson well, and I swear to you all that I will never use an illegal taxi ever again in this country.

Mansur

Updates

Hey friends,

Time for an update from my previous articles.

1. The whole issue about my friend gifting me the apartment did not really happen, but was rather a question I had posed here on behalf of my friend who had asked me the original question: would you take something as big as an apartment if a friend gifted it to you? My friend and I debated over the question, and we both felt that while it is a "gift" we would still not take it, but at the back of the mind, there would always be this sense of being obligated to the friend.

I did not mean to create the impression that a local guy was really giving me an apartment (although I do have a local friend who I helped out in university to graduate!) That blog was more of a debate for me and my friend, and we wanted to see what other people would do in such a situation.

In any case, if there were really a friend in reality giving me an apartment, I would politely refuse because there is "no price for friendship" as one commentor said.

2. That article on me being really sad. I now understand where I was coming from. I was so glad I wrote that article because one, it gave me an outlet to just throw my feelings out there, and two ,it has made me realize one thing. I had written that article on the first day of my new job. Today, I realized why I was feeling that way. My work hours are from 8-7pm. I get up at 530am, to get ready and commute, and I come back home at 9pm. So basically my day is from 530am till 9pm five days a week. This is a huge jolt to me, because it means I will be at my workplace all day/ evening. When such a huge restriction has been placed on the things I really want to do (Life's Things To Do) I've come to realize that time is so precious, and that my life is worth much more than the 530-9pm routine. Life is not about my work, but it's more than that. So, with that kind of thinking, I got upset that because I am stuck in a job where my whole day is gone leaving me little time to pursue my own goals and interests.

Ok, so much for the updates.

Mansur

Mircale of the Quran?

Hey friends,

I received this email and it went directly to my junk email probably because it was sent as a mass forward email. However, I checked it out and it talked about the equality mentioned in the Quran. A certain Dr. Tariq Al Swaidan, who has way too much free time on his hands, studied the Quran and came across some startling discoveries.

---The Email I got is below---

Dr.Tarig Al Swaidan discovered some verses in the Holy Qur'an that mention one thing is equal to another, i.e. men are equal to women. Although this makes sense grammatically, the astonishing fact is that the number of times the word man appears in the Holy Qur'an is 24 and number of times the word woman appears is also 24, therefore not only is this phrase correct in the grammatical sense but also true mathematically,i.e. 24 = 24.

Upon further analysis of various verses, he discovered that this is consistent throughout the whole Holy Qur'an where it says one thing is like another. See below for astonishing result of the words mentioned number of times in Arabic Holy Qur'an

Dunia (one name for life) 115.

Aakhirat (one name for the life after this world) 115

Malaika (Angels) 88 . Shayteen (Satan) 88

Life 145 ...... Death 145

Benefit 50 . Corrupt 50

People 50 .. Messengers 50

Eblees (king of devils) 11 . Seek refuge from Eblees 11

Museebah(calamity) 75 . Thanks ! 75

Spending (Sadaqah) 73 . Satisfaction 73

People who are mislead 17 .D Dead people 17

Muslimeen 41 .J Jihad 41

Gold 8 .E Easy life 8

Magic 60 .F Fitnah (dissuasion, misleading) ! 60

Zakat (Taxes Muslims pay to the poor) 32 ....

Barakah (Increasing or blessings of wealth) 32

Mind 49 .N Noor 49

Tongue 25 .S Sermon 25

Desite 8 .F Fear 8

Speaking publicly 18 .P Publicising 18

Hardship 114 .... Patience 114

Muhammed 4 .S Sharee'ah ( Muhammed's teachings) 4

Man 24. Woman 24

And amazingly enough have a look how many times

the following words appear:

Salat 5, Month 12 , Day 365,

Sea 32, Land
13

Sea + land = 32+ 13= 45

Sea = 32/45*100q.=71.11111111%

Land = 13/45*100 = 28.88888889%

Sea + land 100.00%

Modern science has only recently proven that the water covers

71.111% of the

earth, while the land covers 28.889%.

Is this a coincidence? Question is that

Who taught Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) all this?
-----

Of course the email asks me and countless others to forward this email to as many people as I can to get the blessings from Allah. How much truth is there in this email? Is there really a dr. Swaidan who spent his time doing this research? I wonder how I can counter check his research. Any ideas out there?

Mansur

Junoon

Hey friends,

Hands up if you don’t know who Junoon is? Junoon, Passion in Urdu, is Pakistan’s most famous rock band, which later evolved into a Sufi-rock group. The group started about 16 years ago, and they are probably the only Pakistani band that has survived for so long. Now, the two lead singers, Ali and Salman, have branched off from the group and have developed solo careers. Last night, it was one of their last concerts as a group, and I was privileged enough to see it! Prior to Junoon, there was DJ Aqeel and Bombay Rockers performing, but we were there for Junoon.

Verdict: absolutely power-packed, adrenaline-fuelled night, full of jumping and screaming and being reminded of how cool it is to be a Pakistani!

My friend NA purchased the tickets to the show about two weeks ago, and then proceeded to tell me that I don’t have to pay for the tickets. I was a little upset, but she insisted on paying for my ticket. So her sister MA came along, as well as my friend, MM, from Sharjah. We arrived at the venue just after the doors were to open at 9, but saw that since this was an Asian concert, people will come fashionably late. Young guys and girls were there, all dressed up and trying to impress one another. All of us were in our late 20s, and had a great laugh seeing these young people being cool and all.

Wella, the hair products company, were there promoting four new types of gel they have launched. One guy approached MM and I, and gave us a few samples. Soon, NA and MA joined us and they collected several samples too. I did not take any because I don’t use gel. So we went into the arena, with our wristbands, which meant we were in e standing section just behind the VIP section. The VIP section was all seating. However, where we were standing, we were not that far from the stage. We had our dinner there, and realized that the show will start in about an hour’s time.

We sat out on the bench, just talking, when suddenly MM had the brilliant idea of using the sample gel on me. It was one of these funky gel which you can use to give your hair a messed up just-out-of-bed look. I outright refused, but then NA and MM joined in to get me to gel my hair. So I gave in, and removed my cap, and put the slimy gel on my hair. We called the guy over who was handing out the gel sample, and he told me how to use it properly. I styled and sculpted my hair, and kept it that way for the rest of the night!! It was too hilarious, because I never use gel and these girls were certainly enjoying my ability to be a sport and have a fun time!

We went back in after an hour, and DJ Aqeel had started his remixing of songs to get everyone in the arena to shake their hips and feet stomping. It was an enjoyable thing, but after 3o minutes or so, it became repetitious, and we wanted Junoon. Two hours of DJ Aqeel later, Bombay Rockers came on, who are a group of one Indian and one European (I think Dutch). They were all right, and after 30 minutes they left the stage! Thank God! Now the tempo was building up in the arena. 100s of people were in the section behind us. People were beginning to crowd up in our standing pit.

The tabla began, and people screamed out in unison. Junoon had arrived! We were treated to an evening of amazing music from over 16 years of their artistic career. Some songs were definitely emotional because they reminded of the time when I would listen to their songs as a kid. All of their songs were rock, but their slower songs were done with amazing slow-rock beat. People lit their lighters and swayed the flames to the beat of the music. In between the songs we were getting little bit of anecdotes and jokes from the lead singer, detailing their initial journey of entering the world of music and how they evolved into one of the biggest groups in Asia. In particular, their story of they went to India, meeting actors and performers and winning the best group category at the MTV India awards drew a huge round of applause from the audience. Junoon did such an amazing job of getting everyone jumping to their music.

I did not do any jumping, but I definitely danced to their music, clapping, raising my arms and the works. However, it was one of their songs that definitely got me jumping up and down, with such high emotions being evoked from the audience. I was going mad, clapping my hands, jumping up and down with 100s of others in the arena and singing out loud like a mad man!

It was a song called Jazba-e-Junoon, which was a song made for the World Cup cricket back in 1993, when Pakistan won the World Cup. Part of the lyrics include:

Hai jazba junoon
To himmat na haar
Justajoo jo karey woh
Chuay asmaan

Mehnat apni ho gi
Pehchan kabhi na bhoolo
Sab ki nazron mein
Pakistan
Kabhi na bhoolo

Pakistan hai tumhara
Pakistan hai humara


The song talks about that when we work hard we can reach sky, but ultimately it is about recognizing who you are, and being proud of being a Pakistani. Man, I tell you, I had goosebumps and all the hair on my arms rose. I was reminded so strongly of my origin, and I realized how strong my Pakistani roots were in me. Suddenly I wanted to go back to my hometown Lahore, and just, well, just be there! Yes, despite all the bad things happening there, at the end of the day I am from Pakistan and I am extremely proud of being one!

Junoon did a great job tonight of sending out a very strong message of not being ashamed of being a Pakistani, of being proud of who you are and of doing good things for the country. They played for 2 hours, and by that time we were so exhausted. Oh by the way, the security guard let MM and NA get ahead into the Vip section where they got to stand right in front of the stage, so they got amazing views. MM swears that Ali was flirting with her, and NA backs her up. I was stuck in the middle section because I was a guy! The good-looking girls managed to get ahead! J

All in all, I had a brilliant time, and was definitely glad I managed to see one of their last concerts they said they would be performing. At the end of the evening, they performed the national anthem and every single person in the hall stood up. Such an emotional and dramatic moment made me a proud Pakistani.

(I know some of you may not be able to relate to me, but I am sure the Pakistanis can!)

Mansur

New Job!

Hey friend,

I started my new job this week. I had a walk-in interview on Saturday, and boy, was I grilled for an hour. The person interviewing me is a senior architect, and he later called in a very much experienced civil engineer to get my understanding of the engineering aspects architecture. WIth my portfolio in front of him, he scrutinized every thing on my resume and my projects. He was asking me questions which no other interviewer asked me. Why do I have my wall like this? Why is my hotel not built this way? What grade did I get on this project? Where is your transcript to prove it? Goodness, I was initially getting frustrated, but quickly realized that my interviewer was deliberately being tough with me to see how much I could handle. Once I realized that, I became cool and started answering all his questions with ease.

Well guess what? I got the job right there and then. I started the same day of the interview. Today has been a complete week. It has been a very exhausting experience for me so far. I start my work at 8am, all the way through 7-730pm. I have one 30 mins lunch break. Otherwise, there is just so much work to be done, I wonder where the time flies by when it's time to leave.

The most annoying thing however is the two hours I spend in the traffic to get to work. I have to get up at five am, when it is still dark, and get ready. I leave home by 6am, and then take a taxi or te public transport bus. I sleep on my ride over. Two whole hours is pretty much a waste of my time, and seeing that I will be diong this five times a week, I need to figure out what else I could do in those two hours. In the evening, the rush hour traffic is bad. But not as bad as the morning rush hour.

So, I have Thursdays and Fridays off. I am so excited about that. I have a meeting with a client next week, for whom I have deisgned the entire layout of his new 2 storey office complex. I am excited, but anxious too. I hope it works out.

Anyways, I am off now to go to sleep.

Mansur